Celebrity Error - Build a "Class System" into Your Ships

[Ken the cruiser]

12 minutes ago, In The Water said:

Our experience regarding the reserved seats in the theater has changed over the past year.  On previous cruises, when we were in a suite, there were reserved theater seats (center section of the balcony) ONLY on formal nights.  On those nights, the butlers greeted you as you walked into the theater and escorted you to the reserved section.

 

We were recently on the Silhouette from August 28^th – September 9^th 2024 in Aqua Class.  Upon entering the balcony section on the first night (not a formal night), we encountered the roped off center section of the balcony.  I asked the attending Celebrity employee why this section was roped off on a non-formal night.  He explained that the policy had recently changed fleet wide, and this section of the balcony would be roped off every night for the suite passengers.  That said, at exactly 7:00 or 9:00 when the show was set to begin, the ropes were taken down and anyone was allowed to sit in that area.  On our cruise, we politely waited at the top of the stairs, and once the ropes were taken down, we proceeded to select our seats.  Interestingly, there were always at most only 10-15 suite passengers seated in the reserved section prior to the ropes coming down.

This is just a guess, but could it be the Celebrity employee got it partially wrong and the roped off area is now reserved every night for both suite guests and those that have purchased the Premier Access Pass?

[NMTraveller]

On 10/6/2024 at 9:39 AM, retiredtraveler70 said:

 

How about taking this to a side conversation or email instead of hijacking a thread about another, important topic?

Oh, this is the hijacked thread ... 🤣

 

 

[jelayne]

2 hours ago, In The Water said:

Our experience regarding the reserved seats in the theater has changed over the past year.  On previous cruises, when we were in a suite, there were reserved theater seats (center section of the balcony) ONLY on formal nights.  On those nights, the butlers greeted you as you walked into the theater and escorted you to the reserved section.

 

We were recently on the Silhouette from August 28^th – September 9^th 2024 in Aqua Class.  Upon entering the balcony section on the first night (not a formal night), we encountered the roped off center section of the balcony.  I asked the attending Celebrity employee why this section was roped off on a non-formal night.  He explained that the policy had recently changed fleet wide, and this section of the balcony would be roped off every night for the suite passengers.  That said, at exactly 7:00 or 9:00 when the show was set to begin, the ropes were taken down and anyone was allowed to sit in that area.  On our cruise, we politely waited at the top of the stairs, and once the ropes were taken down, we proceeded to select our seats.  Interestingly, there were always at most only 10-15 suite passengers seated in the reserved section prior to the ropes coming down.

The roped off area every night started when Celebrity introduced the Premier access passes.  Like many suite guests we have only used the reserve seats once.  Not in a location we like.  
Since with Premier  Access it is an extra person per day charge those purchasing that package probably use those seats more as they paid extra  over and above the cruise fare for that privilege. 

[iandjm]

Totally agree with the OP. Not being able to access the forward of the ship, not having an observation lounge, and only having 3/4 bars inside the ship makes edge class a no go for me now. 
I sailed on Infinity earlier this year. It was so good to go back to a ship that was beautifully laid out and with access to most areas for all.  So refreshing.  

[awhcruiser]

On 10/4/2024 at 6:04 PM, retiredtraveler70 said:

 

 

 This trip, we found that attending the theater at night was made difficult because they had security guys and roped off areas of the theater reserved for "high priority people."

Guess DH and I are one of the "high priority people" since I purchased two PAPs yesterday.  It was cheaper for two of the passes vs 1 Premium wifi for two people.

[Cruising89143]

We most always book the retreat. We do it for the larger stateroom and balcony. We do “not” use the retreat lounge or outdoor retreat area. We also do not use the special seating in the theater. We do enjoy Luminae. IMHO it’s no different than booking Business class in a flight. You pay more, you get more. 

[cachouonacruise]

I fell in love with cruising in 1992, during our honeymoon cruise on Sovereign of the Seas, sailing in an inside cabin. Despite my lack of status or fancy cabin, I was able to go for walks, 360 degrees around the ship. I felt "special" on that cruise. The food, the service, the activities were amazing! 

 

After sailing with RCL and HAL, I fell in love with Celebrity on Solstice, in 2017. It was our 25th anniversary cruise and we had a standard balcony cabin. I still felt "special" on that cruise for the same reasons as on our first cruise.

Loving Celebrity cruising that much, I was hoping to eventually cruise enough to reach Elite status. We then sailed M and S Class ships and always enjoyed the overall experience.

 

Having heard of the new Edge Class ship, and its associated mixed reviews, I wanted to try it for myself.

 

So, we did try the Edge in 2024, in an IV cabin. The food did not blow us away. That was a first for us on a cruise. Even specialty restaurants, did not hit the mark. Bar service on the Edge... was way below par. More than once, after waiting 10 to 15 minutes for service, I had to go directly to the bar, to get our drinks. It happened mainly at the Eden Bar, but also once a the Martini Bar. 
 

In addition, despite paying for a balcony, we really did not have one. We could walk on deck, but the front of the ship was roped off. Activities, instead of being held in the Sky Lounge with a beautiful Ocean Views, were held in The Club, a windowless room.

 

For the first time on a cruise... I felt like I did not matter,  or as others have mentioned like Riff-Raff.... I am nobody, I know. But it was the first time I paid quite a bit for making me feel and realize I was nobody. 

 

Roped-off access to the theatre just contributed to enhance that feeling.

 

So, I am disheartened! I came to the conclusion that the Edge Class is definitely not for us, ever.  I am not sure even that Celebrity is a good fit for us anymore. And as many have mentioned before, Celebrity seems to be following an industry trend, I am now questioning myself, if cruising still represents a good vacation option for us. 
 

So thank-you Edge, for bringing me back to my humble reality! I now know who I am! 

 

[QuestionEverything]

8 hours ago, cachouonacruise said:

I fell in love with cruising in 1992, during our honeymoon cruise on Sovereign of the Seas, sailing in an inside cabin. Despite my lack of status or fancy cabin, I was able to go for walks, 360 degrees around the ship. I felt "special" on that cruise. The food, the service, the activities were amazing! 

 

After sailing with RCL and HAL, I fell in love with Celebrity on Solstice, in 2017. It was our 25th anniversary cruise and we had a standard balcony cabin. I still felt "special" on that cruise for the same reasons as on our first cruise.

Loving Celebrity cruising that much, I was hoping to eventually cruise enough to reach Elite status. We then sailed M and S Class ships and always enjoyed the overall experience.

 

Having heard of the new Edge Class ship, and its associated mixed reviews, I wanted to try it for myself.

 

So, we did try the Edge in 2024, in an IV cabin. The food did not blow us away. That was a first for us on a cruise. Even specialty restaurants, did not hit the mark. Bar service on the Edge... was way below par. More than once, after waiting 10 to 15 minutes for service, I had to go directly to the bar, to get our drinks. It happened mainly at the Eden Bar, but also once a the Martini Bar. 
 

In addition, despite paying for a balcony, we really did not have one. We could walk on deck, but the front of the ship was roped off. Activities, instead of being held in the Sky Lounge with a beautiful Ocean Views, were held in The Club, a windowless room.

 

For the first time on a cruise... I felt like I did not matter,  or as others have mentioned like Riff-Raff.... I am nobody, I know. But it was the first time I paid quite a bit for making me feel and realize I was nobody. 

 

Roped-off access to the theatre just contributed to enhance that feeling.

 

So, I am disheartened! I came to the conclusion that the Edge Class is definitely not for us, ever.  I am not sure even that Celebrity is a good fit for us anymore. And as many have mentioned before, Celebrity seems to be following an industry trend, I am now questioning myself, if cruising still represents a good vacation option for us. 
 

So thank-you Edge, for bringing me back to my humble reality! I now know who I am! 

 

Similar to you, we started cruising in 1989 in the first year of the Sovereign. Cruising was very different, inclusive for everyone. Then moved to Celebrity which was the only Premium cruise line of the time, Celebrity has moved downwards into yet another mass cruise line.

I cancelled Celebrity in 2019 when I noted the movement to class segmentation, removal/downsizing of the Sky Lounge, significant reduction in product (I had decades of experience to compare the current with the past), explosion of nickle and diming and cruise ship design which continues to limit outdoor space to ensure the "view within" so as to get passengers to spend more $ i.e. the resort ship building concept that minimizes the sea.

I now cruise the Premium, Luxury and specialty lines.

______________

I am an ocean liner historian in a way. I am a member of the Titanic Historical Society and I have a prized painting of the Titanic signed by 3 survivors (all passed now of course).

My library has dozens of books on liners and the evolution to the cruise age. 

I will say at the beginning of cruising, @ early 70's, the founder of Carnivale lines, Ted Arison, publicly ranted at Cunard and the French line about their class system, how cruising would not differentiate between guests, how cruising would be inclusive for all. Not long after that, 1974, the SS France was taken out of service. The QE2 had just commenced sailing in 1969.

Fast forward to 2024 and Mr. Arison would have to acknowledge that many cruise lines are now emulating a good portion of the class segmentation that was part of transatlantic sailing. The "ship within a ship" concept is well established in the mass cruise line segment as well as preferential treatment for the higher class guests.

______________

People can purchase what they want. I will not participate in any active "ship within a ship" or red carpets for some guests etc. Nor will I tolerate the removal of forward views, outside space.

On the Premium, Luxury and expedition, there is very little of this, so they will continue to have my business.

______________

Your experience and posts reflect, I believe, a growing distaste for the latest cruise ship structure and class segmentation. I note more of these concerns being posted by cruisers on CC.

In any event, as I said, people can vote with their $.

 

I would recommend that you move to Oceania, Azamara and try a Premium ship experience and then compare and contrast.

What ever you do, be well and enjoy.

Time is precious and it is slipping away for all of us.

Blessings.

 

[billc23]

8 hours ago, cachouonacruise said:

I fell in love with cruising in 1992, during our honeymoon cruise on Sovereign of the Seas, sailing in an inside cabin. Despite my lack of status or fancy cabin, I was able to go for walks, 360 degrees around the ship. I felt "special" on that cruise. The food, the service, the activities were amazing! 

 

After sailing with RCL and HAL, I fell in love with Celebrity on Solstice, in 2017. It was our 25th anniversary cruise and we had a standard balcony cabin. I still felt "special" on that cruise for the same reasons as on our first cruise.

Loving Celebrity cruising that much, I was hoping to eventually cruise enough to reach Elite status. We then sailed M and S Class ships and always enjoyed the overall experience.

 

Having heard of the new Edge Class ship, and its associated mixed reviews, I wanted to try it for myself.

 

So, we did try the Edge in 2024, in an IV cabin. The food did not blow us away. That was a first for us on a cruise. Even specialty restaurants, did not hit the mark. Bar service on the Edge... was way below par. More than once, after waiting 10 to 15 minutes for service, I had to go directly to the bar, to get our drinks. It happened mainly at the Eden Bar, but also once a the Martini Bar. 
 

In addition, despite paying for a balcony, we really did not have one. We could walk on deck, but the front of the ship was roped off. Activities, instead of being held in the Sky Lounge with a beautiful Ocean Views, were held in The Club, a windowless room.

 

For the first time on a cruise... I felt like I did not matter,  or as others have mentioned like Riff-Raff.... I am nobody, I know. But it was the first time I paid quite a bit for making me feel and realize I was nobody. 

 

Roped-off access to the theatre just contributed to enhance that feeling.

 

So, I am disheartened! I came to the conclusion that the Edge Class is definitely not for us, ever.  I am not sure even that Celebrity is a good fit for us anymore. And as many have mentioned before, Celebrity seems to be following an industry trend, I am now questioning myself, if cruising still represents a good vacation option for us. 
 

So thank-you Edge, for bringing me back to my humble reality! I now know who I am! 

 

Thanks for a balanced assessment. Celebrity has changed over the years. If you were to sail in the Retreat you probably would not even notice the restrictions and may have come to a different conclusion. Many on this CC board do sail in the retreat/aqua and do not appreciate the different experience felt by some staying in a regular cabin. Those in 'steerage' who are relatively new to cruising tend to accept the "I paid less and therefore have less privilege" dictum that is so common today. The treatment on the ship of the different classes has been normalized and accepted by many.  Ten plus years ago when sailing in an upper suite the butler catered to me in the room but the entire ship was mostly available to all passengers. The Retreat concept changed that...

[billc23]

7 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

Similar to you, we started cruising in 1989 in the first year of the Sovereign. Cruising was very different, inclusive for everyone. Then moved to Celebrity which was the only Premium cruise line of the time, Celebrity has moved downwards into yet another mass cruise line.

I cancelled Celebrity in 2019 when I noted the movement to class segmentation, removal/downsizing of the Sky Lounge, significant reduction in product (I had decades of experience to compare the current with the past), explosion of nickle and diming and cruise ship design which continues to limit outdoor space to ensure the "view within" so as to get passengers to spend more $ i.e. the resort ship building concept that minimizes the sea.

I now cruise the Premium, Luxury and specialty lines.

______________

I am an ocean liner historian in a way. I am a member of the Titanic Historical Society and I have a prized painting of the Titanic signed by 3 survivors (all passed now of course).

My library has dozens of books on liners and the evolution to the cruise age. 

I will say at the beginning of cruising, @ early 70's, the founder of Carnivale lines, Ted Arison, publicly ranted at Cunard and the French line about their class system, how cruising would not differentiate between guests, how cruising would be inclusive for all. Not long after that, 1974, the SS France was taken out of service. The QE2 had just commenced sailing in 1969.

Fast forward to 2024 and Mr. Arison would have to acknowledge that many cruise lines are now emulating a good portion of the class segmentation that was part of transatlantic sailing. The "ship within a ship" concept is well established in the mass cruise line segment as well as preferential treatment for the higher class guests.

______________

People can purchase what they want. I will not participate in any active "ship within a ship" or red carpets for some guests etc. Nor will I tolerate the removal of forward views, outside space.

On the Premium, Luxury and expedition, there is very little of this, so they will continue to have my business.

______________

Your experience and posts reflect, I believe, a growing distaste for the latest cruise ship structure and class segmentation. I note more of these concerns being posted by cruisers on CC.

In any event, as I said, people can vote with their $.

 

I would recommend that you move to Oceania, Azamara and try a Premium ship experience and then compare and contrast.

What ever you do, be well and enjoy.

Time is precious and it is slipping away for all of us.

Blessings.

 

Great post and thanks for a balanced assessment of current day cruising. I will add that for those who don't mind the class system when cruising and may actually prefer the class system  because of the VIP treatment, reserved seats, cutting the line, etc... then the MSC Yacht Club on their Sea Class ships is a great experience.   

[sanger727]

This isn't a Celebrity only issue.  Most cruise lines have some sort of premium access whether you get that through the cabin class or through an extra pass. Same as most vacation types.  You can purchase a first class ticket or economy.  Many resorts have the ability to get access to premium areas or better access to dinner/show reservations through passes or room types.  Is this really that different than suites having early access to specialty dining reservations?  If you were unable to get your preferred dining time due to suite guests taking all the reservations it would also "impact" your vacation.  

 

I really don't mind any of this.  It allows people to pick and choose what is important to them.  They can book a budget trip and accept not having the first/best access to things on the ship to save money.  They can save money on the cabin and then use that to purchase upgrades.  Or they can pay for the suite experience.  Clearly, when compared to the "premium" cruise lines, having these options allows for a lower overall price for the base cabin rates. 

[PTC DAWG]

I like the barstool seats in the balcony myself, great views and easy exit if the show isn’t to my taste..

[DaKahuna]

On 10/6/2024 at 12:48 PM, retiredtraveler70 said:

but it is a BIG deal when you walk in and some security guy warns you that there are more exclusive customers who get first choice of the seats they have roped off. (This despite their auditorium-wide announcements about "the saving of seats is not allowed." What a joke THAT is!)

 

You have to be kidding me. Was this your first cruise? Did you not research to know that reserve seating for certain guest was a thing?  

Saving seats vs reserved seating is not the same thing, just in case you are confused on that point.  

 

BTW, they remove the ropes and restrictions normally 5 minutes before the program starts so if you want to sit in that area, wait around and take your chances, other wise find a comfortable seat elsewhere, there are lots of them as we have discovered over our years of sailing. 

 

[PTC DAWG]

59 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

You have to be kidding me. Was this your first cruise? Did you not research to know that reserve seating for certain guest was a thing?  

Saving seats vs reserved seating is not the same thing, just in case you are confused on that point.  

 

BTW, they remove the ropes and restrictions normally 5 minutes before the program starts so if you want to sit in that area, wait around and take your chances, other wise find a comfortable seat elsewhere, there are lots of them as we have discovered over our years of sailing. 

 

Exactly..

[Klstaack]

49 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Exactly..

I absolutely agree with you and DaKahuna. You can clearly see that this is how the ship is designed.  I don't feel that this is an error at all.  Maybe Reitredtravler assumes all cruise ships are the same, and clearly, expectations did not match what happened. 

[retiredtraveler70]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

 

You have to be kidding me. Was this your first cruise? Did you not research to know that reserve seating for certain guest was a thing?  

Saving seats vs reserved seating is not the same thing, just in case you are confused on that point.  

 

BTW, they remove the ropes and restrictions normally 5 minutes before the program starts so if you want to sit in that area, wait around and take your chances, other wise find a comfortable seat elsewhere, there are lots of them as we have discovered over our years of sailing. 

 

 

Well John, that's not the way it worked on our last cruise, which came back into FL a short time ago. And we're going out on Celebrity again in 10 days. So - yes, we are experienced cruisers and Elite+ on Celebrity. Your sarcasm misses the mark because you are generalizing and this is not what occurred on our last voyage. I have repeated it ad nauseum, so I am not going to do so again. However, your branding of people as newbies who have concerns about changing policies at X is a bit over the top. Please, no more. My point has been made, with lots of agreement on both sides of the issue (whether or not Celebrity is creating enough of a "class system" to turn off the 70% in other cabin categories.

[retiredtraveler70]

4 hours ago, QuestionEverything said:

Your experience and posts reflect, I believe, a growing distaste for the latest cruise ship structure and class segmentation. I note more of these concerns being posted by cruisers on CC.

In any event, as I said, people can vote with their $.

 

I would recommend that you move to Oceania, Azamara and try a Premium ship experience and then compare and contrast.

What ever you do, be well and enjoy.

Time is precious and it is slipping away for all of us.

Blessings.

 

 

Thanks QE for your great post which explains how you've handled these changes at X. Like you, we're moving on to lines that do not have restrictions on theater seating or forward views, etc. Or, grabbing older ships on X where the popular forward facing lounge is still available.  I think there's a general distaste for the class distinctions that rub you in the face such as the theater seating -- as my family has discovered on their social media, it's a common feeling but perhaps not always expressed. 

[retiredtraveler70]

12 hours ago, cachouonacruise said:

I fell in love with cruising in 1992, during our honeymoon cruise on Sovereign of the Seas, sailing in an inside cabin. Despite my lack of status or fancy cabin, I was able to go for walks, 360 degrees around the ship. I felt "special" on that cruise. The food, the service, the activities were amazing! 

 

After sailing with RCL and HAL, I fell in love with Celebrity on Solstice, in 2017. It was our 25th anniversary cruise and we had a standard balcony cabin. I still felt "special" on that cruise for the same reasons as on our first cruise.

Loving Celebrity cruising that much, I was hoping to eventually cruise enough to reach Elite status. We then sailed M and S Class ships and always enjoyed the overall experience.

 

Having heard of the new Edge Class ship, and its associated mixed reviews, I wanted to try it for myself.

 

So, we did try the Edge in 2024, in an IV cabin. The food did not blow us away. That was a first for us on a cruise. Even specialty restaurants, did not hit the mark. Bar service on the Edge... was way below par. More than once, after waiting 10 to 15 minutes for service, I had to go directly to the bar, to get our drinks. It happened mainly at the Eden Bar, but also once a the Martini Bar. 
 

In addition, despite paying for a balcony, we really did not have one. We could walk on deck, but the front of the ship was roped off. Activities, instead of being held in the Sky Lounge with a beautiful Ocean Views, were held in The Club, a windowless room.

 

For the first time on a cruise... I felt like I did not matter,  or as others have mentioned like Riff-Raff.... I am nobody, I know. But it was the first time I paid quite a bit for making me feel and realize I was nobody. 

 

Roped-off access to the theatre just contributed to enhance that feeling.

 

So, I am disheartened! I came to the conclusion that the Edge Class is definitely not for us, ever.  I am not sure even that Celebrity is a good fit for us anymore. And as many have mentioned before, Celebrity seems to be following an industry trend, I am now questioning myself, if cruising still represents a good vacation option for us. 
 

So thank-you Edge, for bringing me back to my humble reality! I now know who I am! 

 

 

Thank you for your wonderful post. I am in agreement with you . . . we are not Newbies, as another poster (John) suggested. Instead, we are old-line Celebrity customers who really feel disappointment at the way the ship has deteriorated into class structures. It's fine to add perks for people who pay more . . . just don't take away the item in question from the lower class and give it away as a perk.

[DaKahuna]

47 minutes ago, retiredtraveler70 said:

Well John, that's not the way it worked on our last cruise, which came back into FL a short time ago.

 

I understand.  You'll note that I have been very vocal about my dislike of the Edge class ships. I understand the appeal of all the restaurants and venue's but I love the Sky Lounge and even though we sail in the Retreat -- agree that eliminating that venue on the E-class of ships was a huge error. 

 

[retiredtraveler70]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

I love the Sky Lounge -- agree that eliminating that venue on the E-class of ships was a huge error. 

 

 

Thanks John. We have some agreement then. Wish you safe travels in the future.

[QuestionEverything]

Everyone!

Purchase what you want.

The mass cruse line are class segmented;

The Premium lines are not.

Consider what you want.

Up to you!

 

[zitsky]

Oh god.  This again.  Do people not understand that if they are on any cruise ship at all, that they are part of an elite?  I have many relatives that could not even afford an inside cabin.  

Next we’ll be complaining that inside cabins don’t have windows and that’s not fair!  Why should other people get to pay more and have something that I don’t have?

 

Maybe if you want a more equitable cruise line you should pay 3-4X the Celebrity price to sail on the “egalitarian” cruise lines Regent, Oceania, Cunard.  I still haven’t figured out why spending $50,000 on a cruise is more egalitarian than a $15,000 Celebrity cruise which anyone is allowed to purchase.  But I was not the top student in business school, so I could be missing something,

 

🙄

[canderson]

53 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

The mass cruse line are class segmented;

The Premium lines are not.

That's overstating the case.  Spend some time sailing these lines either with your eyes wide open or in the right cabin class and you'll discover that not even 'premium' lines are entirely egalitarian in nature.  However, the differences (or should I say deferences?) are handled far more subtly (or should I say tastefully?) than they are on mass market lines.

[Cruising89143]

15 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Oh god.  This again.  Do people not understand that if they are on any cruise ship at all, that they are part of an elite?  I have many relatives that could not even afford an inside cabin.  

Next we’ll be complaining that inside cabins don’t have windows and that’s not fair!  Why should other people get to pay more and have something that I don’t have?

 

Maybe if you want a more equitable cruise line you should pay 3-4X the Celebrity price to sail on the “egalitarian” cruise lines Regent, Oceania, Cunard.  I still haven’t figured out why spending $50,000 on a cruise is more egalitarian than a $15,000 Celebrity cruise which anyone is allowed to purchase.  But I was not the top student in business school, so I could be missing something,

 

🙄

There was a poster about 18-20 years ago here on CC that stated no one should be discussing the booking of balcony staterooms or suites because there was people who could not afford them and it wasn’t fair to talk about it. That same poster still posts today but not on the Celebrity board. You can’t make this stuff up. 

[zitsky]

31 minutes ago, Cruising89143 said:

There was a poster about 18-20 years ago here on CC that stated no one should be discussing the booking of balcony staterooms or suites because there was people who could not afford them and it wasn’t fair to talk about it. That same poster still posts today but not on the Celebrity board. You can’t make this stuff up. 

I will never apologize for going from a trailer park to a country club.  I am waiting for these posters to tell me how many cruises they paid for so their gardener or their home cleaner could go on a Regent cruise.  Since we’re so worried that cruises are only for the elite.