Complainer stops complaining

[Nemanoxer]

Just back from Edge.

 

Yes, the prices are too high. Booked other cruise lines for 2024 + 2025 due to that.
Yes, MDR food was mediocre most of the days.

Yes, ambient music was way too loud about everywhere.

Yes, the personal touch is gone in many ways.

Yes, a bit of class is gone and replaced by action and activity.

Yes, cruise director David Clark talks way, way, way too much.

 

But apart from that...

 

Everybody on that ship is working their asses off.

Everybody is still greeting, may it no longer be with your personal name, but still greeting politely.

As mentioned, MDRs have lost their charm and appeal in my opinion, but the food everywhere else on the ship was over average and kept me munching in any minute of boredom.

Speaking of boredom, that hardly happened. There are loads of entertainment around the clock, everywhere on the ship.

The ship is being cleaned and maintained like crazy. It looks like it was christened yesterday.

You still get to find staff for a personal talk. They are more stressed out and busier as some years ago, but the guy at the gelato bar, for example, is more than happy to chat outside the Oceanview rush hours.

Bartenders are fast and attentive as lightning. Even in the theater.

Shore excursions can be somewhat weak sometimes, but Celebrity are only choosing the companies, not the guide of the day. If the guide sucks, that is your day´s bad luck. However, you are free to go and complain about guides.

Refunds were granted proactively and without discussion.

Most of guests still are well educated and understand how to behave themselves.

The ship´s overall design elements are positively overwhelming.

They still manage to make guests feel like they are part of their family while on board.

The captain is always happy to chat a few words and not scared to have lunch alone between passengers in Oceanview.

And the list goes on.

 

So, yes - I was a complainer before this trip. My last cruise on Equinox was quite bad, especially food and service. And I hate that partial refurbishment, that ship deserves a full makeover. But after this trip, it´s only the pricing left to leave X alone for a few years.

Apart from that - thanks Celebrity, this trip was about 80 % of what I had expected. And sadly, I always expect the very best.

 

[chemmo]

What a pleasure to read your review! Such a lovely balance of admitting there are areas for improvement but the general impression of a cruise well enjoyed shines through!

[lv2cruisgrl]

Thank you, good review. We sail Beyond in November and anxious to see what our experience is!

[hcat]

OP glad you are feeling  less neg but it was not exactly a glowing review

 

"Yes, the prices are too high. Booked other cruise lines for 2024 + 2025 due to that.
Yes, MDR food was mediocre most of the days.

Yes, ambient music was way too loud about everywhere.

Yes, the personal touch is gone in many ways.

Yes, a bit of class is gone and replaced by action and activity.

Yes, cruise director David Clark talks way, way, way too much."

 

Were the positives you mentioned enough for you to .book again on X?

[ECCruise]

Pretty reasoned review, but one caveat for us:

 

At the prices we have our next 4 =X= sailings booked for, 80% of what we expect is not the best scenario, but doable.

 

At the prices they are charging currently, 80% of what we expect is a show stopper.  A hard stop.

[Georgia_Peaches]

6 minutes ago, hcat said:

OP glad you are feeling  less neg but it was not exactly a glowing review

 

"Yes, the prices are too high. Booked other cruise lines for 2024 + 2025 due to that.
Yes, MDR food was mediocre most of the days.

Yes, ambient music was way too loud about everywhere.

Yes, the personal touch is gone in many ways.

Yes, a bit of class is gone and replaced by action and activity.

Yes, cruise director David Clark talks way, way, way too much."

 

Were the positives you mentioned enough for you to .book again on X?

Have to agree, hcat. The list of not so greats seem, well, not great. But I appreciate the review and what the OP was trying to do here. For me, a hard working, friendly staff isn’t enough to counter lackluster food, high prices, less class, and loss of personal touch.

 

and can someone please explain the loud ambient (an oxymoron) music?  This is the second time I’ve read about such on eclass. Not thrilled!

 

Op, thank you for the review. I really appreciate your thoughts on your experience. I think it’s a bummer that a cruise that is only 80% of what it used to be now seems to be an acceptable new normal. We are trying eclass for the first time in November! 

[sixpackeddie]

2 hours ago, Nemanoxer said:

Just back from Edge.

 

Yes, the prices are too high. Booked other cruise lines for 2024 + 2025 due to that.
Yes, MDR food was mediocre most of the days.

Yes, ambient music was way too loud about everywhere.

Yes, the personal touch is gone in many ways.

Yes, a bit of class is gone and replaced by action and activity.

Yes, cruise director David Clark talks way, way, way too much.

 

But apart from that...

 

Everybody on that ship is working their asses off.

Everybody is still greeting, may it no longer be with your personal name, but still greeting politely.

As mentioned, MDRs have lost their charm and appeal in my opinion, but the food everywhere else on the ship was over average and kept me munching in any minute of boredom.

Speaking of boredom, that hardly happened. There are loads of entertainment around the clock, everywhere on the ship.

The ship is being cleaned and maintained like crazy. It looks like it was christened yesterday.

You still get to find staff for a personal talk. They are more stressed out and busier as some years ago, but the guy at the gelato bar, for example, is more than happy to chat outside the Oceanview rush hours.

Bartenders are fast and attentive as lightning. Even in the theater.

Shore excursions can be somewhat weak sometimes, but Celebrity are only choosing the companies, not the guide of the day. If the guide sucks, that is your day´s bad luck. However, you are free to go and complain about guides.

Refunds were granted proactively and without discussion.

Most of guests still are well educated and understand how to behave themselves.

The ship´s overall design elements are positively overwhelming.

They still manage to make guests feel like they are part of their family while on board.

The captain is always happy to chat a few words and not scared to have lunch alone between passengers in Oceanview.

And the list goes on.

 

So, yes - I was a complainer before this trip. My last cruise on Equinox was quite bad, especially food and service. And I hate that partial refurbishment, that ship deserves a full makeover. But after this trip, it´s only the pricing left to leave X alone for a few years.

Apart from that - thanks Celebrity, this trip was about 80 % of what I had expected. And sadly, I always expect the very best.

 

I agree, well said. We also disembarked off the Edge from a Edge Villa on Saturday. The Retreat Area was excellent, service was quick and courteous. We were absolutely pampered with a huge cheese tray and fruit tray daily and impeccable service from our room attendant and butler. The staff on this ship are absolutely amazing, they really are hardworking and made this cruise extra special for us. There were some sky suite complaining about the new Sky Suite Policy with a retreat concierge team vs a dedicated butler. 

[ElmaLee]

We were on EDGE in August. 

We found the choices across the 4 MDRs to be very good, as was the food quality.

Service was excellent.

We also loked the Cruise Director, who was very engaging.

 

It's all a matter of opinions.

[Nemanoxer]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

OP glad you are feeling  less neg but it was not exactly a glowing review

 

"Yes, the prices are too high. Booked other cruise lines for 2024 + 2025 due to that.
Yes, MDR food was mediocre most of the days.

Yes, ambient music was way too loud about everywhere.

Yes, the personal touch is gone in many ways.

Yes, a bit of class is gone and replaced by action and activity.

Yes, cruise director David Clark talks way, way, way too much."

 

Were the positives you mentioned enough for you to .book again on X?

 

Had some unexpected income early this year, otherwise X would not have seen me last week.

 

Booking other lines for 2024 and 2025 results out of interest in their new ship classes and tempting new cabins (Sun Princess cabana cabin), more fascinating itineraries and excursions (TUI Cruises 14 days Asia) as well as personal preferences like real all inclusive (again TUI Cruises) and lower pricing (again TUI Cruises). TUI Cruises is Celebrity's sister brand for native German speakers. About the same thing but without anything like Edge Class and with real all inclusive.

 

Also booked short trips within Europe on Cunard, they offer that cheap and often over here. Not a fancy cruise line at 52 years of age but a very relaxing one.

Edited September 4, 2023 by Nemanoxer

[Nemanoxer]

1 hour ago, ECCruise said:

Pretty reasoned review, but one caveat for us:

 

At the prices we have our next 4 =X= sailings booked for, 80% of what we expect is not the best scenario, but doable.

 

At the prices they are charging currently, 80% of what we expect is a show stopper.  A hard stop.

 

As I mentioned, I have to admit that I really am a demanding beast, and I know it. I started cruising on Equinox in 2012 with food and service never experienced before or after, not on land and not on sea. That was a cruise with 10 nights Carribean on deck 9 with a balcony cabin including solo surcharge in the high season for 1400 $...

 

Same cruise on Edge would cost me somewhere between 3500-4000 $ today. That is why I really really want to get the most bang out of my buck. 

 

Others are less demanding and happy with less. If it works for them, it's fine for them.

[dock]

Thanks for the balanced review. 
Appreciated the pros and cons. 
 

[ECCruise]

We are actually some of the lowest maintenance cruisers on the planet.  

 

And if, e.g., we are paying $400 total per day for a balcony cabin on a non-Caribbean sailing (Europe or Asia, say), which is what we are paying for the ones we have booked, there are lots of things we can overlook.  Food not the way it was 5 years ago?  Meh. Obnoxious loud music prevalent?  We go somewhere else.  Service off a lick?  We can deal.

 

But have that scenario at $800 per day?  Not a chance.  Which is the way things are rapidly trending, sadly (and regrettably). 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

5 hours ago, Nemanoxer said:

Most of guests still are well educated and understand how to behave themselves.

Those two don't always go together. I've known some people who would likely not be considered "well educated" people who behave impeccably and some people who would definitely be considered "well educated" who behave boorishly whenever and wherever they are. In fact, those are usually the people who pull the "do you know who I am?" card as they're being incredibly rude and ill-behaved.

[fenton04]

We are often miffed that there are cruisers ferociously complaining about cruising.  On our travels we had cab drivers trying to cheat us.  Baggage that was opened and rifled and authorities who did nothing.  Missing a connecting flight and not one person could be found who spoke English.  Arrogant border guards.  I will stop there.  Cruising is a vacation on trading wheels.  We love cruising and will continue. Trust us we have been cruising since 1987 and it’s way different.  But still the best bang for the buck.

[Denny01]

Understand each of us have differing experiences and certainly differing levels of taste, but my experience on Edge-Class (6 prior and 3 coming up) and my view differs a good deal.

 - Found the MDRs to be quite fine and enough options to make me very satisfied. But dining opinions are Very personal. Enjoyed the smaller MDRs and the special menus each had. And added Eden as our Favorite Specialty DR.

 - Not sure about the level of music. Dont remember it being an issue.

 - In All my X experiences, Edge and all others, the CD only spoke once with the Capt. May have been extended by a few, but too long once a day? - unless it ran into the afternoon!!

 - Agree with a reduction of staff. Took longer to get goodies and coffees at El Bacio. But overall, the staff was fantastic….and once I stepped back into a venue, the seemed to remember me.

 

Enough. We all have our experiences. As Ive posted prior, Celebrity is Currently meeting our cruising desires, but as you can see below, do cruise on other Lines so I Hate to disappoint those that label anyone who makes a mistake disagreeing with criticisms as Cheerleaders……Im only 5’ 5” a bit too round and all that to be jumping up and down with pom-poms. 

 

Den

[Whinenowine]

6 hours ago, Nemanoxer said:

Just back from Edge.

 

Yes, the prices are too high. Booked other cruise lines for 2024 + 2025 due to that.
Yes, MDR food was mediocre most of the days.

Yes, ambient music was way too loud about everywhere.

Yes, the personal touch is gone in many ways.

Yes, a bit of class is gone and replaced by action and activity.

Yes, cruise director David Clark talks way, way, way too much.

 

But apart from that...

 

Everybody on that ship is working their asses off.

Everybody is still greeting, may it no longer be with your personal name, but still greeting politely.

As mentioned, MDRs have lost their charm and appeal in my opinion, but the food everywhere else on the ship was over average and kept me munching in any minute of boredom.

Speaking of boredom, that hardly happened. There are loads of entertainment around the clock, everywhere on the ship.

The ship is being cleaned and maintained like crazy. It looks like it was christened yesterday.

You still get to find staff for a personal talk. They are more stressed out and busier as some years ago, but the guy at the gelato bar, for example, is more than happy to chat outside the Oceanview rush hours.

Bartenders are fast and attentive as lightning. Even in the theater.

Shore excursions can be somewhat weak sometimes, but Celebrity are only choosing the companies, not the guide of the day. If the guide sucks, that is your day´s bad luck. However, you are free to go and complain about guides.

Refunds were granted proactively and without discussion.

Most of guests still are well educated and understand how to behave themselves.

The ship´s overall design elements are positively overwhelming.

They still manage to make guests feel like they are part of their family while on board.

The captain is always happy to chat a few words and not scared to have lunch alone between passengers in Oceanview.

And the list goes on.

 

So, yes - I was a complainer before this trip. My last cruise on Equinox was quite bad, especially food and service. And I hate that partial refurbishment, that ship deserves a full makeover. But after this trip, it´s only the pricing left to leave X alone for a few years.

Apart from that - thanks Celebrity, this trip was about 80 % of what I had expected. And sadly, I always expect the very best.

 

We were on this cruise as well. Staff were fantastic across the board, and the only time they fell down is when mgmt set them up to fail (as with the new Butler team concept).  We found the food to be pretty good, or at least as good as our two X cruises last year. To me it's just the value proposition X offers (or doesn't offer, as the case may be) that has us looking elsewhere.  We'll continue to book X when we get good pricing (as with this cruise) or when the itinerary is great.  Otherwise, it'll likely be Oceania, RSSC or SS for us.