Celebrity Eclipse Sky Lounge closed during 12 day cruise

[bayonnejoe]

1 hour ago, mahasamatman said:

Just like I don't see why people would buy overpriced alcohol, gamble in the casino, or pay twice for dinner.

Because a lot of us enjoy a few drinks, beer, and wine on a cruise, a lot of us enjoy the casinos, and a lot of us enjoy the big upgrade in the food experience of specialty dining over the MDR and the buffet. 

[NMTraveller]

3 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

About 10 years ago we attended a Park West auction where some $80k pieces of art were sold.  I would suppose that they have pricier pieces in the back that can be brought out.  This was not for a private showing just for the general public.

 

I also remember these being Peter Max works of art.  

 

Or were they painted by assistants?

Report: Artist Peter Max Has Dementia, Raising Authenticity Questions - Business Insider

Edited August 25 by NMTraveller

[PTC DAWG]

5 hours ago, Sussex Cruiser said:

I had the same on SIlhouette a couple of weeks back. Beyond frustrating on a cold weather cruise with outdoor decks closed, and during school holidays when there was 100+ children on board and about 300 people over double occupancy.  People were forced into sitting on the floor in lounges, on the stairs, and in stairwells.  Oceanview was almost impossible to use as no one ever gave up their seats for fear of not finding a seat anywhere.  The Sky Lounge is my favourite space, even when the bar is closed.  I was also told that it was for five consecutive cruises.  Celebrity are also refusing to provide a list of cruises where this will be happening again.  I'm REALLY not happy!

Kids on celebrity, someone didn’t do their research 

[PTC DAWG]

28 minutes ago, bayonnejoe said:

Because a lot of us enjoy a few drinks, beer, and wine on a cruise, a lot of us enjoy the casinos, and a lot of us enjoy the big upgrade in the food experience of specialty dining over the MDR and the buffet. 

I like how you think., 🙂

[Honolulu Blue]

On 8/24/2024 at 5:36 PM, canderson said:

Any line that allows Park West to set foot aboard is another 'mass market' line, not a 'luxury' line.  I like that!

 

That leaves out

 

 

 

That's a very interesting picture as those are the EXACT cruise lines I've been on in my cruising career.

 

And another interesting picture...

11 hours ago, sheeng said:

 

I recognize that name!  Mr. Soacat was the HD on my cruise on the Millie back in late 2022.

 

My stories about the Sky Lounge... I don't visit there on my cruises (it's too far out of the way for my liking), but sometimes the performers on my music charter cruises will tempt me to go there with a Q&A or a concert.  This is from the last time I was in the Sky Lounge on the Summit for one of my music charters:

 

Edited August 25 by Honolulu Blue

[hcat]

34 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

I also remember these being Peter Max works of art.  

 

Or were they painted by assistants?

Report: Artist Peter Max Has Dementia, Raising Authenticity Questions - Business Insider

that and other contoversies have apparently been swept away or forgotten  ???

.. Does anyone know what  job the X CEO allegedly had with PS? LLP had a few pet companies/ vendors as well but I don't think she was previously employed by them!

 

Moving on to other topics..but  sad X has slipped backwards on this!

[canderson]

5 hours ago, RichYak said:

What other kind of alcohol is there on board?

Hint...

Go to the World Wine Tour.  Wander around until you see the 'silent auction' table.  You can often get a decent bottle at shoreside retail or slightly less that way.  Found a decent vintage Far Niente on my last X cruise that I enjoyed, about $20 less than the price at home.

[RichYak]

11 minutes ago, canderson said:

Hint...

Go to the World Wine Tour.  Wander around until you see the 'silent auction' table.  You can often get a decent bottle at shoreside retail or slightly less that way.  Found a decent vintage Far Niente on my last X cruise that I enjoyed, about $20 less than the price at home.

Hmm, I did the World Wine Tour on M class last year. It was just a frenetic 1 hour wine tasting. Each station had a red and a white from a particular country. There was no auction or wine for sale. Were you able to drink your wine on board?

[canderson]

11 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Hmm, I did the World Wine Tour on M class last year. It was just a frenetic 1 hour wine tasting. Each station had a red and a white from a particular country. There was no auction or wine for sale. Were you able to drink your wine on board?

Absolutely.  It was purchased from X's inventory.

 

I hate to say much more about this!  The silent auction, when there is one, is usually at the first event if there will be more than one, and is almost never announced by the person who kicks off the event.  It gets set up and pretty much forgotten.

 

On M class, I have usually stumbled over it by wandering more to the center of the ship than the event itself, over to the Cellarmasters bar table - the one nearer Sushi on 5, not the old champagne bar nearer the San Marco (photo follows) - or its current equivalent on the two rev'd ships, where I typically find four or six bottles and sheets of paper where you can add a $ amount and cabin number, and IIRC, a signature.  There's typically little to no competition, because it's never announced and off the beaten track of the event by a little bit.  Now see what I've gone an done?

 

I suspect it's an 'odd bins' sale of small number of items that don't have sufficient remaining inventory to show on a wine list.

 

 

 

[sonnycruises]

On 8/24/2024 at 8:43 AM, doghog said:

We don't go to either. 😆

Join us Viking Ocean!

[sonnycruises]

7 hours ago, hcat said:

is anyone familiar with the apprasers  or how the " appraisals" are obtained?  Are they guaranteed?

 

Are the values consistent with post cruise valuations ?  

 

New CEO

Strike One..   Pristine Cococay now a theme park.

 

Strike Two....this

 

Waiting for Strike Three!

 

Makes LLP look good!

And Cookiegate, and Butlergate...

[quicklabs]

On 8/25/2024 at 6:55 AM, WestLakeGirl said:

I have a cousin who goes on a quilting cruise every year. They spend their sea days in one of the conference rooms cutting and sewing, And on port days they visit the sights in each town, sometimes museums, and sometimes quilt shops.  She says it combines two things that she loves. I imagine that’s how the Park West customers feel.

Conference room is perfect venue for special events.  Giving over the Sky Lounge is not okay.

 

[cruisestitch]

Too small for this use.

[fliprcruiser]

How is this different than other large groups renting Sky Lounge? Our last S class trip had 800 affiliated travel agents, all with same shirts and badges using SL as their home base. Training sessions, checkin center for scavenger hunts, private cocktail hours, etc. Granted, wasnt every day, but once turned away we seldom went that direction.

 

Guessing X is charging them rent for space, much more than our reading sessions would ever pay. Disappointing, yes, deal breaker? No.

[TMLAalum]

For Celebrity to have done this on their Eclipse Iceland/Greenland cruise, where the Sky Lounge is perfect for cold-weather scenery-viewing, whale-watching, etc. is especially upsetting. Folks in inside cabins especially are impacted by this.

 

We are on the following cruise r/t Boston. It's too early for autumn colors so I was surprised that the ship appears to be sailing at full capacity. If Park West big spenders (perhaps from all lines) are being comped now I know why!

[Ipeeinthepools]

On 8/24/2024 at 8:45 AM, quicklabs said:

A Park West group has been given the use of the Sky Lounge for their exclusive function, taking the best area of the ship away from access by the bulk of the paying passengers.  This is a 12 day long cruise with 6 sea days from Iceland to Boston (starting on 16 August) on a jam packed ship.  You can imagine how full every single area  as a result.  No place to sit in the public areas.  The Sky  Lounge is closed almost all day and most of the evening every day to accommodate this Park West group.  I don't know who made this decision, but it shows the current  Celebrity corporate mindset.  I feel terrible for the crew who has to "guard the door " and have to deal with increasingly frustrated guests.   Just one more thing in a "death by a thousand cuts".   

 

 

Now you know what's it's like to sail on the E-class ships.  The Sky Lounge was eliminated in favor of the Retreat area for the suite guests.

[chemmo]

16 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

For Celebrity to have done this on their Eclipse Iceland/Greenland cruise, where the Sky Lounge is perfect for cold-weather scenery-viewing, whale-watching, etc. is especially upsetting. Folks in inside cabins especially are impacted by this.

 

We are on the following cruise r/t Boston. It's too early for autumn colors so I was surprised that the ship appears to be sailing at full capacity. If Park West big spenders (perhaps from all lines) are being comped now I know why!

Exactly, it is the ideal venue for cold sea days and the size means it takes pressure of venues such as the Cafe.

[Liao]

1 hour ago, fliprcruiser said:

How is this different than other large groups renting Sky Lounge? Our last S class trip had 800 affiliated travel agents, all with same shirts and badges using SL as their home base. Training sessions, checkin center for scavenger hunts, private cocktail hours, etc. Granted, wasnt every day, but once turned away we seldom went that direction.

 

Guessing X is charging them rent for space, much more than our reading sessions would ever pay. Disappointing, yes, deal breaker? No.

I agree but I rarely ever use sky lounge and honestly, it was never anywhere near busy the few times I have.  However if they have one and promote that they do, then it should be primarily available to paying guests.

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Now you know what's it's like to sail on the E-class ships.  The Sky Lounge was eliminated in favor of the Retreat area for the suite guests.

On M and S Classes, what is the Eden equivalent? 

[cruisestitch]

If you want aft facing views go to the buffet and the bar behind it.  

[zitsky]

Why don’t I see any posts saying “I’m cruising soon so I called Celebrity and they said…”?

[Ipeeinthepools]

32 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

On M and S Classes, what is the Eden equivalent? 

 

I think you got your answer from @cruisestitch.  But I'll suggest that Eden looks better than it actually is for watching an aft view.  Most of the space is on a ramp and you are sitting sideways on a hill and I don't find that very comfortable.   Add to that you are sitting in some silly Hoppen-designed chairs not the lounge seating in the Sky Lounge.

[NMTraveller]

44 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

On M and S Classes, what is the Eden equivalent? 

Sunset Bar and Tuscan.  We had both views and more of them on M and S.

[PTC DAWG]

15 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Sunset Bar and Tuscan.  We had both views and more of them on M and S.

E Class has a better sunset bar, especially Ascent and Beyond.  But all the ships have that bar..my point is there is no Eden equivalent, just as there is no Sky Lounge equivalent on E Class...I like the differences myself...I suppose some people want all the ships and experiences exactly the same...that's easy to accomplish...sail what you like..everyone is happy.  

 

Or folks could just complain non stop about the differences.

 

But getting back to the OP's original point, I do find it to be unfortunate to have the Sky Lounge closed off to many for a large portion of the cruise...just as I would feel if Eden was closed off...

Edited August 26 by PTC DAWG

[doghog]

17 hours ago, 39august said:

What was the executive office e-mail address again? IF everyone impacted by these situations sent their thought to Miami, maybe they might listen. They did listen to the complaints about taking Decoy cab out of the premium package earlier this year. And a lesser problem but one they still heard a lot about was the "vaping" to be allo9wed in the casino. So,  everyone tell them how you feel about this. 

executiveoffice@celebrity.com