Everyone wants a cheaper cruise, but I offer an alternative

[WineDown17]

The point I am trying to make (and why to people always jump to the this person must be snobby conclusion?!?) Isthat EVERYONE should get suite level of service outside the room.... not that suite holders get treated differently.

[cruisemuse13]

Clarification always helps. written comments are often open to intepretation. I guess i have been spending too much time reading the comments on the Royal board where some posters always talk about the perks they expect because of their loyalty program status.

also some royal posters have been concerned about the policy on some ships of having reserved seating in the theater and pool deck for suite passengers only.

[lysolqn]

The point I am trying to make (and why to people always jump to the this person must be snobby conclusion?!?) Isthat EVERYONE should get suite level of service outside the room.... not that suite holders get treated differently.

 

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I never thought of your post as snobby but rather that you expected to receive a higher level of service beyond your suite walls because you were a suite pax. Now that you've clarified your position, we're in total agreement - everyone, regardless of choice of accommodation, is entitled to receive the same high level of service we've come to expect on a cruise, particularly on a Celebrity cruise. Now I understand that the differential in service you noted refers to what some perceive to be an overall decline in the product.

[Prada Cowboy]

Maybe it would be better if they would go back to a class sytem on ships to sattisfy a bigger crowd!

There once who do not want to pay so much and rather see the sights in ports and there the once who never leave a ship (like me) in the ports and just want to be indulged and treated well and are willed to spend the $!

 

There was a time where everybody got treated "Famously" and food was up par with good to very good restaurants, but it changes so much!

 

I would not like to sail Crystal, Seabourn and so on...I did it, but I do not like the clientele, which can be very very snoby on those ships and it is very boring! I still want to have fun!

[WineDown17]

Clarification always helps. written comments are often open to intepretation. I guess i have been spending too much time reading the comments on the Royal board where some posters always talk about the perks they expect because of their loyalty program status.

also some royal posters have been concerned about the policy on some ships of having reserved seating in the theater and pool deck for suite passengers only.

 

I guess I just like to assume everyone knows how swell I am!! :)

 

Good points... I need to remember the interpretation thing.. sorry for being touch. LONG week.. but 6 weeks until vacation!

 

I personally dont think class systems should occur.. maybe cruise lines should determine what they need to charge to provide everyone a certain level of service, and folks can select lines based on that service level...they could even offer differentiation within a brand.. Like Starwood- they have sheraton, westin, the luxury collection, etc...

 

Then the differentiation is in the room you select and the niceties that may go hand in hand. Once you leave the room, the experience is the same for all.

 

Just a thought.. another one is that some of the "class level perks" like special chairs on deck could be eliminated if they simply enforced rules.. call me crazy... :)

 

 

PS: Suite passengers already have reserved deck chairs.. on their verandas!!!! I also have a nice private jacuzzi (no kids) and an intimate, quiet table guaranteed in my dining room or on my veranda, should I choose to go that route.. no need to differentiate me elsewhere.. again JMHO, and I am sure others will disagree.

[sheilauk]

Yes I want a lower price too. But how far do we drive down prices before the product suffers? I have always thought about this but I was reminded of the topic as I watched the CNBC feature on the cruise industry.

 

A great example is the airline industry. It has become a commodity product with little, if any, service. We just want the lowest airfare to get from point A to point B.

 

So should cruise lines drive down costs for a cabin, but then go ala carte with everything on board? This has happened to a certain degree already. But I would not like to see it advance anymore! If cabin prices go lower then the cruise lines need to create more profit centers onboard the ship to make a profit. And as we all know if there is no profit then there will be no cruise ship.

 

In my opinion there is a point of no return with lower prices and the quality of the product delivered. I believe Celebrity has done a decent job balancing these market pressures with business survival necessities.

 

 

We have already had this business model in the UK. The British airline company EasyJet has a cruise line called EasyCruise. The basic cost at launch was something in the region of $15 per night and the ship basically cruises the med, stopping in port overnight, to disgorge its passengers in to the local town to drink and party :eek:.

[cupcakevick]

i went on my first cruise this year, and loved it. and i found it is cheaper then going on a reg vacation. iam going again in feb of 2010 and can't wait. i love all the things that come with the cruise package. by the way my cruise was a 7 day one

[knitter]

There is a guest chef who will prepare some menu's for the MDR and do some cooking demos and a lecture or two. Top tier Captain's Club members have been offered some special shore ex with the guest and ship exec chef in a few ports. The publicity I've seen has come from sources other than X- the roll call has links to it.