Sky Lounge Hijacked

[Travel-and-See]

4 hours ago, Tom and Ingrid said:

 What if it was a large financial or real estate group rewarding its top employees? Or maybe a US veterans group with an organize 80th anniversary of D-Day TA from the US to France?  Or the American Cancer Society or Susan G Komen doing a "survivors of cancer" celebratory event cruise?

Are you trying to make people feel guilty or something?  I don't care who it is, Veterans, Park West, Cancer Society etc. - nobody should be able to rent a prime venue, that is highly advertised, for multiple days of a cruise.   

 

A venue like the SkyLounge should only be rented out for a certain percentage of the total cruise - it is an advertised venue and amenity. 

[markeb]

34 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

Are you trying to make people feel guilty or something?  I don't care who it is, Veterans, Park West, Cancer Society etc. - nobody should be able to rent a prime venue, that is highly advertised, for multiple days of a cruise.   

 

A venue like the SkyLounge should only be rented out for a certain percentage of the total cruise - it is an advertised venue and amenity. 

 

It's a bar. Period. At least that's how Celebrity views it. That opens generally at 3:00 pm. And apparently on this cruise Park West was out by mid-afternoon. As opposed to the previous thread where they took over until 9:00 some nights. And yes I realize the space is open to passengers before 3:00 pm.

 

They actually highly advertise it as a bar. The actual promotion is under bars and lounges:

 

A unique music venue with spectacular ocean views.

The perfect daytime spot to gaze over the sea with a cocktail in hand. At night, the space comes alive with live music and dancing. Featuring twelve signature Zodiac cocktails based on your astrological sign, all prepared by flaring mixologists.

 

That's for a bar. The photos are of people with drinks in hand. Which they don't sell sell in the Sky Lounge until 3:00 pm on most ships and most days.

 

I think it's crazy to shut it down on a cold weather scenic cruise as well. But from about 1:00 am until 3:00 pm it's a cost center. Could they make money opening the bar? They opened the bar when we were sailing into Hubbard Glacier on Summit and presumably did pretty well. But probably not as well as they do with PW in there. I do think they're lumping all cruises together when deciding when to have a VIP Cruise for PW, but I am also willing to bet that's an RCG decision, not a Celebrity decision because they do these cruises on Royal as well.

 

And no, there wouldn't be near the gnashing of teeth if this were a different group.

[Travel-and-See]

3 minutes ago, markeb said:

It's a bar. Period. At least that's how Celebrity views it.

That's not correct.  On days with scenic views they have coffee stations and pastries available.  The naturalist is also usually in the skylounge pointing out scenic highlights and watching for wildlife.  There are occasionally historical presentations by the ship historian and also activities like trivia, bingo, etc. 

 

It is not "a bar" period.   If Park West wants to take over "a bar" on the ship they are welcome to, since there are several to choose from. 

[markeb]

7 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

That's not correct.  On days with scenic views they have coffee stations and pastries available.  The naturalist is also usually in the skylounge pointing out scenic highlights and watching for wildlife.  There are occasionally historical presentations by the ship historian and also activities like trivia, bingo, etc. 

 

It is not "a bar" period.   If Park West wants to take over "a bar" on the ship they are welcome to, since there are several to choose from. 

 

It's listed as a bar or lounge. I've never been up there for trivia or bingo but I assume most of those are after the bar is open, even if people don't buy a drink.

 

I don't disagree with you in theory, but that's clearly not how it's viewed or promoted in Miami. And we enjoyed the naturalist in Alaska. They opened the bar early for the passage. And probably made money. They also weren't having a special group in there on that cruise.

 

But it's a cost center for over half the day when the bar isn't open. A very large, valuable piece of real estate.

[TMLAalum]

Maybe it's me, but the PW art for sale on our May Summit cruise seemed to be exactly what was displayed on last month's Eclipse cruise. And on the Silhouette in March 2023. Nary a "painting" I'd have in my home! Luckily, on our 11-night cruise the Sky Lounge was not occupied by PW.

[Travel-and-See]

9 minutes ago, markeb said:

It's listed as a bar or lounge. I've never been up there for trivia or bingo but I assume most of those are after the bar is open, even if people don't buy a drink.

I've been up there for plenty of activities long before the bar opens.  I'm not really sure what you mean by "cost center" the entire ship is a "cost center" haha

[sonnycruises]

Celebrity has lost our business after 30+ cruises after their inexcusable conduct on our Edge September 20th cruise from Vancouver to Honolulu. My wife had a sizable fragment of glass in her food in Luminae that she bit down on. We're scheduled to see her dentist tomorrow and so far Celebrity has refused to give us the pic they took that our dentist has requested to see. I will continue to try to obtain the pic however we won't be sailing with Celebrity again.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

2 hours ago, WatchHill said:

 I did not appreciate being approached on deck or in a lounge or shop by a TA handing me their business card. Luckily I entered an elevator and spotted two of the corporate owners. I pressed every floor button while I asked them to help explain CLIA code of professional ethics. 

Darcy

I don’t think I  have ever read Anything so childish 🙄

[Tom and Ingrid]

6 hours ago, canderson said:

Perhaps people wouldn't be quite as annoyed.  Most of those groups mentioned wouldn't be making a profit at expense of the enjoyment of the other passengers.  I'm sure some would at least prefer the inconvenience to be for 'a good cause'.  Lining the pockets of the Scaglione family hardly qualifies as a 'good cause'.

 

One person's good cause is certainly not another's, and I can't imagine being denied use of a "public" space for most of a cruise for ANY group's function/celebration/sale - WITHOUT an expectation from Celebrity of a lower price for the cruise and/or an option to move - without penalty - to another cruise that doesn't have a large "public" part of the ship off limits to regular passengers. 

 

To me, I don't care who is monopolizing the Lounge.  I just care that X realizes that it is a BS move and normal guests should be forewarned (and assisted) so they can choose alternatives WELL before the sailing date. It is simple courtesy and common sense customer service.

 

Obviously X is within its "rights" to do this sort of shenanigan, but I KNOW we would definitely take our business elsewhere as insignificant as it is to X.  Sad that is even a possibility. 😞

[D. B.]

On 10/4/2024 at 9:50 PM, Seapoint said:

I just completed my 25th cruise on Celebrity. This cruise was on the Celebrity Eclipse from Boston to Quebec City, and back to Boston. As usual on Celebrity, the entertainment, food, service, crew, etc were all excellent. The ports were very interesting. In fact I have three more Celebrity cruises booked.   This was a cold weather cruise, similar to my cruise in the spring on Equinox around the British Isles. As I had on that cruise, I anticipated that I would not be spending sea days at the pool,(as most people do in the Caribbean) but instead make use of the beautiful Sky Lounge on deck 14. Attached is a picture of the deserted pool deck at 11.20am on the first sea day. The Sky Lounge is a very large bright room with huge windows on three sides, so you have great views of the sea and the coast. This would be ideal for sailing the St Lawrence. There were three and a half sea days.   On the first sea day, I went up to the Sky lounge straight after breakfast. It was closed and a sign said "Private Function". I returned a bit later in the morning, and the doors were open with the "Private Function" sign. I saw that Park West Galleries had set up lots of paintings on easels around the middle of the room, but not around the periphery of the room at the windows. As a paying passenger who had paid for access to the facilities of the ship, (make that double paying passenger, as I paid a hefty solo supplement) I quietly walked into the room, and sat on a lounger in the far corner next to a window, and started to read my kindle. I was then accosted by an employee of Park West, who very rudely demanded I leave the room! I refused, and continued to read my kindle for a short while, and then quietly left the room, walking along the perimeter so as not to disturb their event.   Now let me be clear. I have no issue with a private event being held occasionally, even in as key a facility as the Sky lounge on a cold weather cruise. However, on this cruise, the Sky Lounge was off limits to the approx 2,500 paying passengers EVERY SEA DAY FROM EARLY MORNING TO MID AFTERNOON! Even on the half sea day! I subsequently was told there were about 124 people in the Park West group, and that Park West had paid 100% of their cruise. So 2,500 paying passengers were in effect denied access to the Sky Lounge to accommodate 124 people who had not paid a dime. There is something very wrong with this!   I attended the Captains event for Elite passengers, and raised this issue with the Hotel director. He was very sympathetic, but explained that the arrangements were made by Head office in Miami, and were not controlled by the officers on board. So here is my point. My beef is with HQ in Miami, who deliberately disregarded 2,500 paying passengers, by doing a deal which they knew would deprive them of the use of a very desirable key facility on a cold weather cruise. The popular role played by the Sky lounge on this cruise was shown by the fact that as soon as the lounge was opened to all, it became full with every chair taken.   I wonder if others on Cruise Critic have had a similar unsatisfactory experience,?

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I had the same experience 2 years ago.

i told guest services that IF they had told me about this in advance I would have cancelled the cruise!

the Sky Lounge is my go to place on a Celebrity M or S class ships and the reason I avoid the Edge class ships.

 

[Rjbobalou]

I'm still trying to find the classic painting Dogs playing cards. I will try Park West

[RichYak]

2 hours ago, D. B. said:

i told guest services that IF they had told me about this in advance I would have cancelled the cruise!

 

14 hours ago, Tom and Ingrid said:

Obviously X is within its "rights" to do this sort of shenanigan, but I KNOW we would definitely take our business elsewhere

Clearly, Celebrity is doing the right thing (for them) not informing guests in advance.

[Saturngrl]

Over the past 11 years, with 14 cruises under my belt, I declare that EVERY PW showing has the SAME pieces every cruise!  I play a game with my DH to find any new works in their collection, lol!  Additionally, I wouldn't pay $25 for any of them, let alone thousands of dollars.  The art in our home is more tasteful and has value.  

[Charles4515]

7 minutes ago, Saturngrl said:

Over the past 11 years, with 14 cruises under my belt, I declare that EVERY PW showing has the SAME pieces every cruise!  I play a game with my DH to find any new works in their collection, lol!  Additionally, I wouldn't pay $25 for any of them, let alone thousands of dollars.  The art in our home is more tasteful and has value.  

They are printed on a press. Years ago I worked in a print shop. I know how it works. The prints can look amazing but there are thousands of copies. For some pieces like Kincades they have workers add some brush strokes. Years ago there was a 60 minutes expose showing how they were done in a factory.