Anyone in a Sky Suite thinking to go down a level?

[Ex-Airbalancer]

34 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Intereresting - we've never had a bad one. 

 

One was last September on the Voyager , unstaffed , untrained staffed , lack of supplies they ran of butter on the cruise ! , ship was in very poor shape , made the M class ships look like brand new 

only good thing was the itinerary , friends on the cruise and the 4 Diamond drinks 😁

[Salt Lifer]

I find this whole thread so interesting.  Last year, when those of us who book "regular" cabins were complaining about the cuts made to services we had already paid for (and in many cases, cuts made after final payment was due), we were told to basically suck it up by the Celebrity loyalists who tended to be Suite-level guests.  Despite expecting free room service, a certain level of quality and selection for our MDR options, etc., we were told that Celebrity has the right to make these changes and this was a "first world problem" and so forth.  At the time many who were upset warned that those who saw us as whiners would sing a different tune when the same bait and switch tactics happened with suites.  

 

And here we are.

 

Bottom line, I feel those who booked expecting a certain level of service should get it - regardless of the stateroom level.  No one should feel bad for expecting the product they prepaid for.  Celebrity making these changes after a cruiser's final payment is especially a bad look.  It may not be illegal, but it certainly is a good way to lose loyal guests.  Once trust is gone it is hard for a company to earn it back.

 

I don't know who manages Celebrity's PR, but they are terrible at their job.  So much of the bad press over the past year could have been avoided by simply rolling out changes in a timeframe that was fair to the customer (i.e. announced at least three months prior to implementing so that the customer can have the option to change or cancel their reservation if they don't agree with the changes) and ensuring the customer was properly educated on any and all changes - you shouldn't have to be a member of Cruise Critic to get a heads up that there are significant changes that will impact your cruise experience!

 

Celebrity still has a lot of good going for it, but they will have to work hard to regain trust and prove their value going forward.

[dleahy4444]

1 hour ago, RMac713 said:

The pool itself would start getting crowded around noon but taper off a couple of hours later.   I usually would go up early and get a spot for us (I don't leave my stuff, but I did take a couple of little naps) then my husband would hit the lounge and bring me up a couple of chocolate croissants.  We would stay until about 2 on sea days. 

Luminae only seemed crowded one night when they put us in a completely different section and all of our servers, sommelier, bread person, etc were different.  We didn't spend too much time in the lounge.

Thank you for your response. I’d gladly hold a place for the hubby by the pool in exchange for breakfast! 

[Lastdance]

29 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

Thanks for this information and glad it's working well for you. We'll be on Connie Sunday and I will try to report our experience. What ship are you on? 

We are on Beyond doing a 10 day cruise from and to Miami.  We paid 7,800, with 1,200 OBC from Celebrity and TA; usually, we get more from our TA, but she was a little stingy when we booked…

[Lastdance]

Just now, DaKahuna said:

 

 A suggestion if I may - there are two ways you should be able to find out what day halibut is being served for lunch in Luminae -- (1) ask the Luminae Maitre'd and (2) check the Celebrity App.  

 

Yep, but I also want another confirmation, so am asking Uncle Leo if he can confirm!😜  No two sources have confirmed a certain day yet!

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

One was last September on the Voyager , unstaffed , untrained staffed , lack of supplies they ran of butter on the cruise ! , ship was in very poor shape , made the M class ships look like brand new 

only good thing was the itinerary , friends on the cruise and the 4 Diamond drinks 😁

 

 I guess that we are lucky in that we've never experience any of these.  Our last three cruises on Royal were a B2B on Quantum in Alaska and an 8-day Caribbean on Harmony in February (live reviews linked in my signature). 

 

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, Salt Lifer said:

I find this whole thread so interesting.  Last year, when those of us who book "regular" cabins were complaining about the cuts made to services we had already paid for (and in many cases, cuts made after final payment was due), we were told to basically suck it up by the Celebrity loyalists who tended to be Suite-level guests.  Despite expecting free room service, a certain level of quality and selection for our MDR options, etc., we were told that Celebrity has the right to make these changes and this was a "first world problem" and so forth.  At the time many who were upset warned that those who saw us as whiners would sing a different tune when the same bait and switch tactics happened with suites.  

 

And here we are.

 

Bottom line, I feel those who booked expecting a certain level of service should get it - regardless of the stateroom level.  No one should feel bad for expecting the product they prepaid for.  Celebrity making these changes after a cruiser's final payment is especially a bad look.  It may not be illegal, but it certainly is a good way to lose loyal guests.  Once trust is gone it is hard for a company to earn it back.

 

I don't know who manages Celebrity's PR, but they are terrible at their job.  So much of the bad press over the past year could have been avoided by simply rolling out changes in a timeframe that was fair to the customer (i.e. announced at least three months prior to implementing so that the customer can have the option to change or cancel their reservation if they don't agree with the changes) and ensuring the customer was properly educated on any and all changes - you shouldn't have to be a member of Cruise Critic to get a heads up that there are significant changes that will impact your cruise experience!

 

Celebrity still has a lot of good going for it, but they will have to work hard to regain trust and prove their value going forward.

So what changes were you upset about?  I’d ask my butler to write a complaint letter, but I no longer have one.

[JDPCruisers]

2 hours ago, Lastdance said:

We are on Beyond doing a 10 day cruise from and to Miami.  We paid 7,800, with 1,200 OBC from Celebrity and TA; usually, we get more from our TA, but she was a little stingy when we booked…

We will on the Beyond (have done Edge and Apex) for the first-time next spring so interested in your experiences. Thanks.

[zitsky]

21 hours ago, RMac713 said:

When we were on Ascent for the two short cruises last month we booked another cruise on Apex (Sky Suite) for 2/25.  We are already doing the ABC(magic carpet suite) on Beyond this July with tips, OBC because we booked it in April of last year. 

By far my favorite thing on the Edge class is the retreat pool (we started our Celebrity journey on Equinox--nice ship but just a retreat deck, no pool).  We spent every morning into early afternoon at that area last month.  We live in Ohio and do NOT have a pool at home so we really enjoy it.  I'm spoiled now.   I know some people don't care but that is a priority for us.

Our stateroom host/butler/whatever on Ascent was a gem and so friendly.  We do not ask for a lot (never finished the afternoon snacks we had on Beyond last April), just ice 2x a day.  We got our pillow request and she stopped in on day one and explained the remote and asked us when we would like our champagne iced.  

If I had to downgrade, I would check retreat on the S class ships first (we'd just have to get to the pool earlier) or a room with a real balcony on the edge class.  We'll see what happens after our Apex cruise.

 

Pillow request?  We always ask for two extra firm pillows for a total of 4.  I vaguely remember a Celebrity email about preferences but I recall some debate about whether it willl be fulfilled.  So should I talk to the stateroom attendant?  How fast are they with a minor request like pillows?

 

I would ask the butler but we’re in Aqua and we don’t have one this time.  I wasn’t happy on the Beyond because I asked for 32F ice and the butler would always bring 0C ice cubes.  🙄

[RMac713]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

Pillow request?  We always ask for two extra firm pillows for a total of 4.  I vaguely remember a Celebrity email about preferences but I recall some debate about whether it willl be fulfilled.  So should I talk to the stateroom attendant?  How fast are they with a minor request like pillows?

 

I would ask the butler but we’re in Aqua and we don’t have one this time.  I wasn’t happy on the Beyond because I asked for 32F ice and the butler would always bring 0C ice cubes.  🙄

We got questions via email a few weeks before we left and one of the questions was about pillow preference, firmness, etc.  I asked for memory foam pillows and when the stateroom host talked to us she pointed out that we had those pillows.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

21 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

One was last September on the Voyager , unstaffed , untrained staffed , lack of supplies they ran of butter on the cruise ! , ship was in very poor shape , made the M class ships look like brand new 

only good thing was the itinerary , friends on the cruise and the 4 Diamond drinks 😁

 

That's like booking on a Carnival Fantasy class ship (really, I don't know - never been on the Voyager). But with Royal, I can say I'd never consider a sailing on any pre-Oasis class ship.

 

Tom

[TeeRick]

23 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 On the Oasis and Quantum class we have most recently sailed in Grand Suites and agree that the cost is less.  However, we like the more intimate feel of Celebrity ships over the 'playgrounds' that Royal has become.  We sailed in February of this year on Harmony of the Seas and enjoyed it. 

 

Will we go back to Royal? Possibly, we are now more focused on itinerary more so that cruiseline or specific ship.  

 

On Oasis Class we like deck 17 which is a smaller contained area of suites directly next to the Coastal Kitchen and Suite Lounge.  It is pretty quiet compared to the rest of the ship.  It is convenient.  We usually go for a Crown Loft which is similar in price to a Grand Suite and still cheaper than Celebrity Retreat.

[DaKahuna]

2 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

On Oasis Class we like deck 17 which is a smaller contained area of suites directly next to the Coastal Kitchen and Suite Lounge.  It is pretty quiet compared to the rest of the ship.  It is convenient.  We usually go for a Crown Loft which is similar in price to a Grand Suite and still cheaper than Celebrity Retreat.

 

 We have only done Grand Suites on Oasis/Quantum class ships with two exceptions:

(1) A family cruise where our DD,, SIL, and two of their three children and our DS, DIL, and their son sailed with us - we had a Junior Suite as well had all evening meals, except one, together. and

(2) Once in a Crown Loft suite and my wife made me promise no more two level rooms ever again. I did not mind it but she hated it.  

 

 

[TeeRick]

20 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 We have only done Grand Suites on Oasis/Quantum class ships with two exceptions:

(1) A family cruise where our DD,, SIL, and two of their three children and our DS, DIL, and their son sailed with us - we had a Junior Suite as well had all evening meals, except one, together. and

(2) Once in a Crown Loft suite and my wife made me promise no more two level rooms ever again. I did not mind it but she hated it.  

 

 

That's interesting.  My dw loved the two levels and two bathrooms.  

[DaKahuna]

2 hours ago, TeeRick said:

That's interesting.  My dw loved the two levels and two bathrooms.  

 

 I did not mind it with the exception that there was not enough storage in the upstairs bathroom for her stuff and mine so I would find myself going up and down to get ready (shave and brush my teeth in one place, change clothes and shower in another).  

 

We also were in the aft facing room that looked over the sports court - not the best view in my opinion.

 

[Lastdance]

On 12/7/2023 at 9:27 AM, DaKahuna said:

 

 A suggestion if I may - there are two ways you should be able to find out what day halibut is being served for lunch in Luminae -- (1) ask the Luminae Maitre'd and (2) check the Celebrity App.  

 

We are having Halibut onboard this evening; it is Chic Night, but really not on the menu, but the ship is well stocked.  The head waiter is absolutely wonderful on this cruise!😃

[mac_tlc]

On 12/8/2023 at 11:26 AM, TeeRick said:

On Oasis Class we like deck 17 which is a smaller contained area of suites directly next to the Coastal Kitchen and Suite Lounge.  It is pretty quiet compared to the rest of the ship.  It is convenient.  We usually go for a Crown Loft which is similar in price to a Grand Suite and still cheaper than Celebrity Retreat.

We also like deck 17, although my DW prefers the one floor room. Prices are so variable lately. I have found that Royal suites are even more then Celebrity in many instances. For instance, I was just puttering around looking at March/April 2026. I looked at three options:

 

Oasis of the Seas - 4/4/26

8 nights from FLL

Grand Suite for two = $13,700

Sky Junior Suite for two - $10,400

 

Silhouette - 4/4/26

8 nights from FLL

Sky Suite = $5,801

Prime Verandah with AI = $3,801

 

Celebrity Apex - 4/4/26

7 nights from Port Canaveral

Sky Suite = $8,530

Sunset Veranda with AI = $4,590

 

These prices are very similar for all of March and April 2026. 

 

For the heck of it, I looked at Star of the Seas leaving 4/5/26 from PC and a Grand Suite is about $20K. 

 

Those Silo prices are not horrible.

 

 

mac_tlc

[hcat]

On 12/8/2023 at 10:20 AM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

That's like booking on a Carnival Fantasy class ship (really, I don't know - never been on the Voyager). But with Royal, I can say I'd never consider a sailing on any pre-Oasis class ship.

 

Tom

We enjoyed many Radiance and Voyager class Ships,( esp Navigator)..but a long time ago..

 

One cruise on Oasis convinced us to stick with Celebrity.  It was fine for families but no longer fit our needs, it was very mall like, and way too large..

Adult Only area aft was very crowded 

 

 Glad we all have choices we can weigh!

[hcat]

46 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

We also like deck 17, although my DW prefers the one floor room. Prices are so variable lately. I have found that Royal suites are even more then Celebrity in many instances. For instance, I was just puttering around looking at March/April 2026. I looked at three options:

 

Oasis of the Seas - 4/4/26

8 nights from FLL

Grand Suite for two = $13,700

Sky Junior Suite for two - $10,400

 

Silhouette - 4/4/26

8 nights from FLL

Sky Suite = $5,801

Prime Verandah with AI = $3,801

 

Celebrity Apex - 4/4/26

7 nights from Port Canaveral

Sky Suite = $8,530

Sunset Veranda with AI = $4,590

 

These prices are very similar for all of March and April 2026. 

 

For the heck of it, I looked at Star of the Seas leaving 4/5/26 from PC and a Grand Suite is about $20K. 

 

Those Silo prices are not horrible.

 

 

mac_tlc

Silho probably the best value!

[zitsky]

4 hours ago, Lastdance said:

We are having Halibut onboard this evening; it is Chic Night, but really not on the menu, but the ship is well stocked.  The head waiter is absolutely wonderful on this cruise!😃

Is halibut the main white fish on board?  I like flounder myself.

[goofysmom99]

I was just now checking Eclipse Oct 2025 TA cabin availability on a European website many of us use to quickly see what's open.  It refers to to SS and AS categories as Junior Suites (ala RCI), although the X website does not.  I wonder which company decided on that.

[emmas gran]

We 2 friends and myself have just got off Edge in Sydney. We had Sky suites and only saw our butler briefly 3 times in 40 days cruising. He kept telling us he was busy as he had 40+ suites to look after!! Based on our experiences he had a lot of time for higher suites as we didn’t benefit at all even though we booked 2 years ago. We would not book suites again based on this experience.

 

Some other butlers probably knew us more than he did and always spoke to us by name.

[Northern Aurora]

Like @emmas gran we also left the Edge in Sydney yesterday after boarding her in Rome on October 30.  Again, all three legs were in the same Sunset Sky Suite.  Our experience mirrored that of @emmas gran.  We have four future B2B pairs booked — all in Sky Suites.  Once we reach home we will decide how or whether to take those trips.  
 

We normally book future cruises while on board.  Did not do so this cruise.

[Cap_D]

@Northern Aurora and @emmas granPlease put those Edge comments in the survey.  And, hope you had a wonderful trip despite the various hiccups reported on other threads.  Too bad you couldn't tell LHB directly who apparently boarded in Sydney. 

[Northern Aurora]

19 hours ago, Cap_D said:

@Northern Aurora and @emmas granPlease put those Edge comments in the survey.  And, hope you had a wonderful trip despite the various hiccups reported on other threads.  Too bad you couldn't tell LHB directly who apparently boarded in Sydney. 

I have already offered my response and opinions in the each survey for the first two legs of the trip.   And I have spoken to onboard staff too.