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

[retiredtraveler70]

33 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Are you seriously telling me that you willingly participated in an event that was not open to all paying passengers?  That must be a typo.

 

We had a kid in HS who many called Zitsky. You have a similar type of sarcasm as that kid had. And to your comment, no one took away the The Club that afternoon from other passengers and gave it to us as a perk. It was simply using a dead room with nothing scheduled to host a ship event for 90 minutes. Certainly not the same as roping off areas in the theater.

Edited October 14 by retiredtraveler70
Clarity

[markeb]

1 hour ago, Dolebludger said:

What I do know is all lines are struggling under massive debt loads at very high interest, so I expect all of them are going to try new things (usually cutbacks) to deal with that situation.

Which is sort of where this thread started. Without truly cutting service, no matter how much some are offended, Celebrity found a way to offer something of value to a subset of customers that costs them nothing. If it truly overwhelms service for their Retreat customers that are paying much more they need to reevaluate, but it looks like a great “new thing”. 

[Cruising89143]

Never mind.

[zitsky]

15 minutes ago, retiredtraveler70 said:

 

We had a pimple-faced kid in HS who many called Zitsky. You have a similar type of sarcasm as that kid had. And to your comment, no one took away the The Club that afternoon from other passengers and gave it to us as a perk. It was simply using a dead room with nothing scheduled to host a ship event for 90 minutes. Certainly not the same as roping off areas in the theater.

Were non Elite passengers welcome in The Club during this event?  Because if not, then a space WAS roped off for YOUR benefit.  
 

It’s funny that no one thinks it unfair that someone who has cruised 20 times is treated differently from someone who has cruised 5 times.

[Pushka]

It seems to me you are happy to accept sitting in the premium area apart from others but because this excludes your  level of status within celebrity then it’s wrong? 

[Oville]

15 minutes ago, Pushka said:

It seems to me you are happy to accept sitting in the premium area apart from others but because this excludes your  level of status within celebrity then it’s wrong? 

Yes Retreat okay, Loyalty events not so much.  Know the source.

Edited October 14 by Oville

[Dolebludger]

Well, I am the one who hasn’t cruised Celebrity in five years. It was twice, in the Retreat (though it wasn’t called that then). It was fantastic, for the price. We, like many others, didn’t cruise during the pandemic. When we were satisfied it was reasonably safe to travel and cruise again, we were literally shocked by the fare increase for the Retreat — making it more expensive than Regent and Silversea in some itineraries.So our last three cruises have been on Regent. But they were booked before the changes Regent made mid summer, so that may no longer be true. So for future cruises we will consider the Retreat before we book anything. All I advise is, for those who want a nearly all inclusive cruise, shop around.

[NMTraveller]

1 hour ago, markeb said:

Which is sort of where this thread started. Without truly cutting service, no matter how much some are offended, Celebrity found a way to offer something of value to a subset of customers that costs them nothing. If it truly overwhelms service for their Retreat customers that are paying much more they need to reevaluate, but it looks like a great “new thing”. 

LOL.  Myself and others, are trying to figure out how Celebrity makes a profit here.  My ahem, VIP pass was less than the price for premium Wi-Fi 🤣

 

The value in it for myself is that I can board early on Celebrity after my MSC Yacht Club Cruise which was 10% less than an SV. 😇  The economics for Celebrity cruising does not make sense in many cases anymore.  Time to compare prices and amenities.  

 

How do you think that my Yacht Club vs Celebrity VS comparison will pan out?  Asking for a friend ... 😁

 

I was watching YouTube and it looked liked they had a dining room in the front of the ship?  No way?

 

I was impressed on Rotterdam and Westerdam when they had MDRs in the back.  But dining in the front is a flipping game changer?

 

 

What do you recommend?

 

Edited October 14 by NMTraveller

[markeb]

8 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

LOL.  Myself and others, are trying to figure out how Celebrity makes a profit here.  My ahem, VIP pass was less than the price for premium Wi-Fi 🤣

 

The value in it for myself is that I can board early on Celebrity after my MSC Yacht Club Cruise which was 10% less than an SV. 😇  The economics for Celebrity cruising does not make sense in many cases anymore.  Time to compare prices and amenities.  

 

 

And there is that as well. I’m sort of assuming they have a flat rate on Starlink, which would make some sense. They clearly can’t offer this to everyone or it doesn’t work, and the pricing almost has to increase after some sort of introductory period. 
 

Kind of the opposite of nickel and diming on this one…

[DaKahuna]

12 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

How do you think that my Yacht Club vs Celebrity VS comparison will pan out?  Asking for a friend ... 😁

 

If it is anything like mine and if you take full advantages of all the YC benefits then YC will come out a clear winner.  My issue with MSC are their itineraries.  Celebrity definitely wins there. 

 

 

[NMTraveller]

25 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

If it is anything like mine and if you take full advantages of all the YC benefits then YC will come out a clear winner.  My issue with MSC are their itineraries.  Celebrity definitely wins there. 

 

 

Agreed, That is the reason I am cruising on Apex,,,  Yet probably the reason I am cruising on MSC, as I have not sailed to the ports on MSC.  Variety is good.

 

Itinerary rules, ship experience is 2nd...

 

I am excited about the Yacht Club.  I have never sailed in the Retreat or YC.

 

 

 

Edited October 14 by NMTraveller

[mnpurple]

@NMTraveller MSC definitely has excursions in English in Europe. We were on Euribia and purchased the 3-excursion package and all were English. It was a pretty good value too.  You will love YC!

 

We will be sailing on an E-class for our first Celebrity experience. I don't know how we'll manage after sailing Haven and YC and being in an infinite balcony room!  The horrors!!!  If we go to shows I like being near the back, so that's no big deal. With the right mindset, anything can be great. I'll be on an amazing ship, no cooking or cleaning, drinks flowing and headed to Europe for an extended visit. Life will be so good!

[PTC DAWG]

11 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

LOL.  Myself and others, are trying to figure out how Celebrity makes a profit here.  My ahem, VIP pass was less than the price for premium Wi-Fi 🤣

 

The value in it for myself is that I can board early on Celebrity after my MSC Yacht Club Cruise which was 10% less than an SV. 😇  The economics for Celebrity cruising does not make sense in many cases anymore.  Time to compare prices and amenities.  

 

How do you think that my Yacht Club vs Celebrity VS comparison will pan out?  Asking for a friend ... 😁

 

I was watching YouTube and it looked liked they had a dining room in the front of the ship?  No way?

 

I was impressed on Rotterdam and Westerdam when they had MDRs in the back.  But dining in the front is a flipping game changer?

 

 

What do you recommend?

 

I really like the YC, the rest of the ship can be a zoo..I do enjoy taking in a few shows, people watching and a little gambling..I would only sail MSC in YC…while I am very happy in a regular balcony on Celebrity..MSC offers no atmosphere like the Sunset Bar or the Martini Bar..and MSC allows smoking in the casino (that’s one thing I really like bout Celebrity, no smoking anywhere inside the ship). 

[PTC DAWG]

11 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Agreed, That is the reason I am cruising on Apex,,,  Yet probably the reason I am cruising on MSC, as I have not sailed to the ports on MSC.  Variety is good.

 

Itinerary rules, ship experience is 2nd...

 

I am excited about the Yacht Club.  I have never sailed in the Retreat or YC.

 

 

 

If theYC was on a Celebrity ship, perfection..I think they do it better than the Retreat..I’m one and done on the Retreat and the one  was on Ascent..

[CruisinShips]

The Royal lines have been doing a version of the ship within a ship concept IMO since the Oasis came out with it's Deck 17 suite level that included the Coastal Kitchen/Suite Lounge area and also the dedicated sundeck.

 

And my two cents...as people who are of the "once you have sailed the Retreat, there is no turning back" ilk, it's totally worth it for us to pay the extra cost on our two cruises a year we book.  We are just off the Beyond, and the experience, again, was first class in my opinion.  We prefer Celebrity and the Retreat over other lines that offer upscale experiences mainly because of the consistent quality and also because we typically prefer "easy" 7-10 night cruises out of South Florida (close to home) and some of the other more upscale lines have fewer such options.

 

I think what is missed by some is that because there are people like us who will pay stupid high fares, we probably help to offset some of the other costs from non-suite guests.  So instead of being resentful, perhaps some should be saying "thanks to you wasteful dumbasses"! 😉

[kirtihk]

It's strange: a. there are a lot of people booked (or had) Retreat who complain about it for multiple reasons (not good enough overall, price, not the best food), and b. there many "non-Retreat" individuals who complain about Retreat ones (part of which are complainers from part a.).  As result, not many happy cruisers left on both sides of this "elite" vs "ordinary" discussion.

[Honolulu Blue]

14 minutes ago, CruisinShips said:

I think what is missed by some is that because there are people like us who will pay stupid high fares, we probably help to offset some of the other costs from non-suite guests.  So instead of being resentful, perhaps some should be saying "thanks to you wasteful dumbasses"! 😉

I definitely didn't miss your point and I am certainly thankful for people like you. 😍 My only comment is if you want it and can afford it, then it's not wasteful to go after it.

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, kirtihk said:

It's strange: a. there are a lot of people booked (or had) Retreat who complain about it for multiple reasons (not good enough overall, price, not the best food), and b. there many "non-Retreat" individuals who complain about Retreat ones (part of which are complainers from part a.).  As result, not many happy cruisers left on both sides of this "elite" vs "ordinary" discussion.

I’m perfectly happy with 1) Celebrity 2) Aqua 3) Retreat,  I am tired of being told that I would think differently if I just learned how to do math.

 

P.S.  Guess what I’ve learned?  Sometimes Celebrity is more expensive.  And sometimes it’s not.  Go figure.

[DaKahuna]

 

When it is all said and done, we look at it this way.  It's our money and we'll spend it the way we want.  We don't want to sail Luxury Cruise Lines so we don't.  We pay the price for the Retreat because that's what we want.  We sail MSC YC because what's what we want.  While we are happy to share our experiences in the end it's you do you and we'll do us.  

 

[Asleep-In-The-Desert]

If Celebrity is EVER deceptive in the services or access for ANY guest category at point of purchase or on the sailing I would be deeply offended. But I do read the fine print (e.g., Concierge get embarkation lunch & afternoon canape's, Retreat gets a butler and doting while inside staterooms get squat).

 

IMO the initial poster's question of a creeping Celebrity, "Class system" is bogus.  No doubt some folks take out HELOC loans to be Retreat guests just as some VERY high net worth people choose inside cabins.

 

My though is make sure YOU get what you paid for and smile while others get theirs.

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, Asleep-In-The-Desert said:

If Celebrity is EVER deceptive in the services or access for ANY guest category at point of purchase or on the sailing I would be deeply offended. But I do read the fine print (e.g., Concierge get embarkation lunch & afternoon canape's, Retreat gets a butler and doting while inside staterooms get squat).

 

IMO the initial poster's question of a creeping Celebrity, "Class system" is bogus.  No doubt some folks take out HELOC loans to be Retreat guests just as some VERY high net worth people choose inside cabins.

 

My thought is make sure YOU get what you paid for and smile while others get theirs.

Agreed.  There are many people who can afford a Penthouse suite who cruise in Aqua or SS.  I know two of them personally.  
 

I forgot to complain about Concierge and how they get perks that I don’t.  😭

Edited October 14 by zitsky

[NMTraveller]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

I forgot to complain about Concierge and how they get perks that I don’t.  😭

I don't get the value of Concierge as I have never booked it.  I also don't get the value of the VIP Pass unless the pricing is less than wi-fi.

[PTC DAWG]

5 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

I don't get the value of Concierge as I have never booked it.  

I have seen these cabins cheaper that regular verandas occasionally, I have booked them for the extra points and the debarkation lounge..

[canderson]

1 hour ago, NMTraveller said:

I don't get the value of Concierge as I have never booked it.

There was a time on M class when if you wanted an aft cabin and couldn't score one of the FV cabins across the back, the remainder were all C1's.

 

[hcat]

Oasis for us was a "one and could not wait  til it was  done!"

 

On ASCENT last January  we were berthed across from a huge  MSC ship on St Kitts...Wow it was so big!

 

Many large family groups were present along the pier,  compared to the usual X folks.  We could never be happy on such a large vessel with that demographic, even if confined to suite area only.

 

We like AQ Class on X..suits our needs,  esp BLU and Thermal Suite and a few other perks.

 

  Next we are trying Concierge Class on Silhouette.  short pre Xmas Dec cruise.( booked mostly Specialty Dining)

 

Then a Sunset Veranda on APEX..4 mdrs, followed by pist refurb  Eclipse..AQ Class.  Tried Retreat on BEYIND but disliked  Luminae.

 

Good to have category choices with diff perks/ dining options . It  avoids the feeling of "same old same old"

 

One size fits all not the best plan!