Stumptowngal

I am on the Edge now. I walked a lap on decks 5 through 11 today for exercise since it is so windy. I saw maybe 5 doors decorated total: a Congratulations sign; a happy birthday or anniversary sign and one Alaska theme.  There were a lot more doors decorated when we were on the Ascent in February. It seems that people might want to consider the option of putting them up inside their cabin on the magnetic walls. Then you’d actually get to enjoy seeing them more.  

I was on the Ascent in February in a mid-ship port side Sky Suite. No noise problems at all . 

Your photos of the glasses bring back good memories. We took our first cruise on the Celebrity Century in 2002. It was truly a whole different style of cruising then. 

I was on the Ascent the first week of February.  The same was true then. Luminae was open for lunch on embarkation day and on sea days only. 

7 hours ago, QuestionEverything said:

100%, mass cruise lines are passe for us and our many cruising friends. The downgrading and constant class separation are main reasons. 

There is “downgrading” (less value for $$ spent) and “class separation” across most types of entertainment and even non-entertainment activities.

Ticket prices for pro sports events keep rising while the perks get whittled down; and there is definitely your “class separation” that you reference with those fans paying the most getting the best seats front and center or up in a private sky box.

Pay top $ for a music concert and you will experience your “class separation” with everything from reserved parking to best seats and possibly an invite-only reception with the performers post concert.  The special extras seem to be shrinking in this area also.

Transportation: Airlines have “downgraded” the meals in 1st class and give no meals any more to coach; although one can pay an extra charge for an upgraded snack.  And there is definitely your “class separation” of seating areas: coach, premium, business and 1st class. 

Reading through multiple cruise line forums I see a pattern of the long-time loyal cruisers of any specific cruise line lamenting how their experience has been downgraded and speculating as to where the next greener pasture is. 

Land travel isn’t an automatic escape from class separation either. You make choices.  Do I inexpensively ride the local bus for hours from one town to the next in a foreign country and experience the people and culture face to face; or do I hire a private driver and insulate myself . . . a class separation of sorts.

I get it. It’s disappointing to see significant changes with a product or venue that we feel has given us good value and pleasure for years.  Nothing is the same anywhere. It seems as though you have the financial means to make choices that suit your preferences . . . and you can be pleased about that. 

25 minutes ago, calicakes said:

Hmmm, we were in a Concierge class veranda, but had no lounge.  I don't think there was one available on Insignia.  On our first O cruise( Feb 2022), we had a suite.  We dined in specialty every night.  Of course there were only 338 ppl on the ship( Marina)

Thank you for pointing that out. I should have clarified that on the newer Oceania Vista there is a private Concierge Lounge on Deck 9 as there will be on the Oceania Allura. As far as specialty dining, the Oceania website defines how many speciality restaurant reservations a person is entitled to depending on their category of accommodation. Of course with a less than full ship as you experienced or as cancellations may arise, the opportunity to dine in a specialty restaurant expands. I was just trying to point out how different perks are outlined by a cruise company depending on the category of stateroom reserved.  

22 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

There is definately a trend of downgrading on all cruise lines, resorts, restaurant chains, despite what cheerleaders post.

O is excellent though and no class segregation which is a main reason I will not patronize Celebrity.

Try the larger O vessels, they are amazing.

My 17 day O cruise was far less expensive than a Celebrity 1 week in suite, yet another reason I will not patronize Celebrity.

It truly takes much work to determine the best product bundle for each consumer.

Another factor is O, and all the premium lines, are destination focused with amazing itineraries, not so much the mass lines.

The food choice, selection, quality is still amazing on O, not as much as before unfortunately.

Happy sailing! 

The sentence was bolded by me.  O may be excellent; but to say it has no class segregation is a misleading statement.  While there may be no separate outdoor deck area or private dining area for suites as there is on some Celebrity ships, O does have a suites-only Executive Lounge and Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms private Concierge Lounge.  Also, upper level O suites and staterooms are entitled to more nights of dining in the specialty restaurants.  

Most cruise lines do have some aspect of privilege tied to the level of accommodation you reserve. For example, Viking may seem to have no “class segregation” as some people define it once on board.  However the class difference, or as I think “pay” difference comes before boarding. Those who reserve the highest cost staterooms have the first chance at reserving excursions and specialty dining.  And then the timing to reserve goes to the next level down and so on.  I’ve read complaints by some Viking patrons in the lowest cost staterooms of having the “included” Viking excursions all full by the time they have online access to reserve. 

Paying more be it on cruises, sporting events or whatever, typically is associated with increased perks.  Fortunately, there are many choices so that the way the perks play out can align with one’s preferences.  

We travel light so wouldn’t be packing decorations; but why not just put the decorations up inside your cabin where you can enjoy them all the time. No worry of theft or damage or items falling off and cluttering the hallway. 

6 hours ago, Jayne E said:

Couldn’t agree more!  The main criticisms on this thread is from a couple who disliked almost everything from the moment they saw the cabin and attempted to place their luggage under the bed and the complaints and photos kept coming.  Again, we did the same cruise as them on 9/6 and it was wonderful….our 21st with O. 

To be fair, there are numerous posts in this thread by other people expressing dissatisfaction with the food. Among them: posts # 114, 161, 164, and 210. 

18 minutes ago, Loracpin2 said:

Your reply makes me want to do a lttle research. Wondering if Celebrity informing that tableside flames were no longer permitted was actually due to firecode issues, or the fact since they were purchased by RCI, that was now the new Celebrity protocall. To be quite honest, if this is the reason, it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

 

 

 

 

Similars thoughts mentioned on the other board. Some thought it was an insurance issue for the ship and that tableside flames either weren’t allowed at all or would generate a higher cost to the insurance. Maybe the cruise company decided to take the risk anyway and self-insure. 

28 minutes ago, Loracpin2 said:

I'll probably get blasted for my comment but here goes.....we've come a very long way (and I know this can no longer be done because of safety fire issues) from Crepes Suzettes and Bananas Foster prepared tableside by the Maitre'd to complete what was once a 5 star Main Dining Room Celebrity Dinner!!! 

I remember those days as well . . . with my first Celebrity cruise on the Century ship.  Curiously, I was scanning through the Crystal forum posts the other day and saw photos posted of current tableside preparations involving flames and liquor. 

The end of May is pretty kid proof we found. First week of June should also have low kid count since many schools (at least in US) are still in session. 

Just now, Cruise till you drop said:

Which brings me back to my much earlier comment that the “grass always looks greener” in most of these cases

As a side note, I was perusing the Oceania forum the other night to get a feel for it.  While many people love the product, I was surprised at the not infrequent comments by regular Oceania cruisers lamenting changes and feeling the need to search elsewhere for future cruising. It seems no cruise line is impervious to needing to improve their bottom line. In response, cruisers either learn to adapt to the changes or spend more to get what’s important to them or spend less by trying other cruise lines that they believe will offer them what they are accustomed to at a lesser price. At least there are numerous choices . . . but the cruising world certainly is evolving. 

7 hours ago, lifeisrealygood said:

Here's my two cents.  My wife and I are in our mid-seventies, and have been cruising for maybe 25 years.  Over the years, we have sailed Regent, Disney, Princess, Royal, Holland America, Tauck & Celebrity.  .  We have not sailed Carnival or Norwegian, or any of the luxury lines except Regent. 

We have been on maybe 60 or so cruises, but 45 have been on Celebrity, which quickly became our go-to cruise line.  Remember the Celebrity Century, that was our first Celebrity cruise back in the 1990's. 

     We have grown to love Celebrity, as we are not theme park cruisers.  We do not need water slides, bumper cars, laser tag, etc.  But, we do love Disney.  As our family grew, starting in 1972, we took our summer vacations to Walt Disney World every year for 24 years.  We started back in the E-ticket days (remember), and grew with Disney as they added park after park over the years.  

     So, we have cruised the world with Celebrity, and have exhausted our bucket list of places to visit on a cruise ship. So now, although we still do the sightseeing in Europe or the catamarans in the Caribbean, shore excursions are no longer our main reason for cruising.  We just love the ship itself and its activities.  We love the nightly entertainment in the Theatre, and all of the music around the ship.  As we grew up in the rock & roll era of the fifties and sixties, we still love to dance, and still enjoy dancing, whether it be in the Grand Foyer, Sky Lounge, Eden, the Club, wherever.  In the Caribbean, we're not using our minds much, and love just laying around the pool with a cocktail in hand.

So, we still like Celebrity, and will continue cruising with them.  I realize that is a different opinion than is being shared here.  We are not happy with a lot of what is going on, but "it is what it is".  All lines are making changes to help with their bottom line, and I get that.  And, no, I am not a fan of the new President of Celebrity.  We really liked the 14 day cruises of the past, but over the years those have been reduced to 12 nights, and now 10 nights seems to be the norm for a longer cruise.  We have noticed that the quality of food has gone way down for dinner, and that is a little problem, but we are not gourmet eaters, and the food is just fine. We still think the buffet has excellent breakfast and lunch choices and the quality is still okay.  Cruising has gotten a lot more expensive, but we'll still travel, and maybe the kids get a little less later.  We are not Suite people, which is what Celebrity is pushing these days, so all the comments about losing a butler is no issue for us.  We always stay mid-ship, prime concierge class cabin.  The canapes received every day are horrible, have been bad for a lot of years.  So we realize they have gone from bad to inedible, but we never got them anyway.  We go to Cafe El Bacio or the Oceanview Cafe for our afternoon treats.  Also the bottle of sparkling wine they give you for concierge class is terrible. Has always been terrible.  We just tell the cabin attendant to keep it.  We like the concierge class larger cotton towels and robes.   We like the free internet and laundry (Elite Plus perks).  We know our way around the ships, so we do not need anyone to be at our beckon call to help us.  We make our dinner reservations and shore excursions ourselves pre-cruise, and enjoy the Premium drink package.  And, yes, as wine drinkers, even the premium package has some pretty weak varieties.             

     So., Celebrity has clean and well appointed ships, have just the proper amount of guests, have a lot to do every day and evening, just no amusement park stuff.  We like that there are no announcements made over the loud speaker, except for the Captain each day at 9:45 A.M.  Music around the ship is plentiful, whether it be the house band, party band, orchestra, guitar player, string quartet, much variety.  Lots of bars to frequent, some louder than others, but also some quiet places like the Ensemble Lounge.  The ships are not crowded, no lines anywhere, service remains exceptional.  Food is okay, casino is non-smoking, table games in the casino are always available, Although there seems to be a lot of cutbacks, they really do not effect our cruising style much.  But, for many posters on here, these changes are considered bad enough for them to abandon Celebrity.  Just be careful what you wish for. Celebrity still meets our needs, at least for the stuff we like to do on a cruise.

      So, Celebrity, we are here to stay, at least for now.  We treat Celebrity Cruises like a four or five star hotel, with nice accommodations, daily food, daily entertainment, and great service.  While on Regent, for example, a much smaller ship, we were hounded constantly for "what can we help you with", and everyone had to tell you their life stories. The food was excellent, but there was not the same level of entertainment and activities that Celebrity provides.  We just like the bigger Celebrity ships where we still get the good service and atmosphere, but can be left alone to do our own thing.  So, the luxury cruise lines are not our cup of tea.  Just our opinion.  The luxury lines are just too small for us.  

Wow!!! That's a lot of words.  But, I wanted to dispel so much negativity on this forum.  Celebrity is just not that bad. 

Our story reads so similar to yours. We are in our early 70s but have not cruised quite as often as you. We also experienced our first Celebrity cruise on the Celebrity Century in the late 1990s.  What a different world of cruising it was back then. The Celebrity ship size, atmosphere and service has always suited us.  Our last cruise was just before everything shut down in 2020.  Now we are looking forward to cruising on the Ascent next February. Since we love a true balcony, we splurged and booked a sky suite for the first time back before the pricing became so insanely high. That’s why we’ve also booked a sunset veranda on the Ascent for 2025. If the MDR cuisine doesn’t suit us, we can easily afford some evenings at specialty restaurants for the price difference. And like you, we find the wine selection somewhat limiting and will bring on board a couple of our favorites. We can be quite happy sipping our wine on our balcony, watching the sunset and listening to the ocean waves. 

2 hours ago, QuestionEverything said:

Really only a dress shirt will do, a jacket, is not necessary.

As society changes, so do the cruise lines.

We just got off Oceania Insignia Wednesday in NYC. The restaurants on Oceania far surpass Celebrity, in variety, quality etc. 

We just ADORE Cunard, and we have 2 more voyages booked. It is a different, but excellent product. 

There is NO class segmentation other than the Grill restaurants and a lounge. The rest of the ships are full access. 

Suffice it to say, we do not patronize any cruise line that segments guests.

We are itinerary driven consumers, Cunard is excellent.

There may not be physical segmentation on the ship per se; but that is due to the monetary segregation that prevents many Celebrity ( or Hal or Princess, etc.) clients from ever setting foot on a Cunard ship in the first place. It’s one thing to shift from a Celebrity Aqua class cabin or above to an Oceania, Viking or Cunard. It can be a budget impossibility for many sailing in inside cabins, ocean view or balconies purchased on sale on mass cruise lines.  

And I am somewhat baffled by the insistence to “not patronize any cruise line that segments guests”. Everyday entertainment and travel venues are rife with segmentation of guests: Pro sports games with their front row seats or private boxes with enhanced services and refreshments; jets with 1st class, business class and premium seats vs economy and the list goes on.  

I totally understand wanting to cruise specific lines that align with ones preferences in ship size, cuisine, itineraries, etc.  However, refusing to sail on a ship that has some physical segmentation on it strikes me as either not realizing the money disparity that prevents many from joining your cruise in the first place or preferring not to have any daily visual reminders of “class segmentation”. 

1 hour ago, horseymike said:

Call me hokey , but my wife and I really enjoy walking on the promenade deck outside, this option does not exist on the edge class ships. ☹️

1 hour ago, horseymike said:

Call me hokey , but my wife and I really enjoy walking on the promenade deck outside, this option does not exist on the edge class ships. ☹️

We also find it a lost pleasure on newer ships. We've always enjoyed the closer connection to the ocean on a true promenade deck. 

I’ve been following all the posts both here and on other social media about the change from a personal butler to a “Retreat team” of butlers for Sky Suites. In light of it seeming to be a done deal starting in August, I was very surprised to open an email from Celebrity a few minutes ago with the title “Personalize your upcoming Celebrity Edge cruise”. 

I made this reservation for a Sky Suite on The Edge for a May 2024 sailing a couple of weeks ago.  In today’s email it references all my Retreat amenities including my “Personal Butler” multiple times. It goes into great detail about all the services my “personal butler” can provide me. I am totally baffled. Does the left hand not know what the right hand is doing at the Celebrity offices?  Why on earth would they send this personal email today focusing in great detail about my “personal butler” if there is no such thing anymore for Sky Suite guests? 

The last true promenade deck I was on was the Princess Coral back in 2016 on an Alaska cruise. It was so enjoyable in the evening to walk around the entire outside of the ship.  It felt much more old world cruising than the modern ships being built today. That said, I’m very excited about our scheduled cruise on the Celebrity Ascent next February. 

8 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

When I read your comments, it makes me wonder if you are inferring that your staff members have not been taking care of themselves and making good choices.  Otherwise, based on your logic, they would not have caught the virus.  

 

You are certainly correct that taking appropriate measures can significantly reduce your chances of catching the virus.  But I know people who are very careful and yet caught the virus anyway - it is extremely contagious.  Assuming ships are as careful as they need to be, it is still almost a guarantee that there will be some instances of virus onboard some ships.  Testing is not 100% accurate, and likely won't catch people who picked up the virus on their travels to the ship.  To expect otherwise is naïve in the extreme. 

 

My biggest concern then is, what happens?  Maybe you have been very, very careful and you are well.  But they might contact trace an exposure to you (perhaps your waiter/bartender).  Are you then quarantined for the rest of the cruise?  Are you disembarked at the next port just because you've been exposed?  Are you allowed to fly home after having been exposed or are you expected to continue a 14 day quarantine?  And what if you do catch the virus despite all your precautions?  It is certainly possible.  Assuming you don't stay locked in your cabin all cruise, you will be around people in the dining rooms without masks while they are eating, and at the bars while they are drinking as two primary examples.  There are too many questions around that situation to list them here.  

+1. I absolutely agree.

Also, it just doesn’t seem a very care-free or relaxing vacation to wear masks and try to dodge people and maintain distance in public spaces.  I’ve observed way too many people disregard the recommendations and requirements in public to have any comfort level at this time. 

We had our first ever Viking cruise of May 2020 cancelled and a January 2021Celebrity cruise cancelled.  While we have cruised Celebrity a number of times and enjoyed it; it is not our first choice once we feel comfortable booking a future cruise.  

I would much rather be on a smaller ship such as Viking should there be a medical crisis.  I also think there might be better adherence and oversight to safety standards. 

I was pleasantly surprised that it took only four weeks for Viking to refund our final cruise payment by e-check; plus a credit back to our credit card for excursions.  Now waiting to resolve refund of the initial deposit since it was made on a now expired credit card.  I have confidence it will be handled satisfactorily.  

As disappointing as it is to dismantle the details of our long-planned first Viking cruise to celebrate retirement, it’s a relief not to have been out at sea when the virus was becoming more widespread.  And considering the health and financial crisis for so many, our upended plans pale in comparison.

I wish Viking much success in working their way back from all this.

17 hours ago, MJSailors said:

Questions about cabin door decorating appear occasionally on various CC boards.

Whenever I see these postings,I am reminded of door decorating contests held at my high school during Spirit  Week. 

I ,for one, do not see the need for it. I have not seen doors decorated in hotels or resorts,why the idea of decorating cruise ship cabin doors? It has been noted that it is a way of locating a person’s cabin.

We locate our cabin by memorizing the cabin number. Never got lost on any of our

fifteen cruises.

As for decorating on Celebrity ships,  it does not seem to fit the new program of

”Edgeification” of various ships where the design concept is one of modern,clean lines.

 Of course, everyone is free to express themselves by putting up decorations.

As others have stated, decorations need to be of non-flammable material and need to be adhered with either magnets or tape that does not mar the door.

 

 

 

 

I agree with your comments - especially the part I bolded.

What is it about a cruise that brings about actions reminiscent and more typical of high school or college days?  

I’m not annoyed by decorated doors but the whole idea of it is somewhat baffling.   If people find joy in it, I guess that’s all that matters

Allowed, of course, but I've only seen a few on the four Celebrity cruises I've been on.  I always wonder what makes a person or group want to decorate their door on a cruise when they'd probably never think of doing it at a resort land hotel.  Or maybe I just haven't been at the right land hotels 😊

My husband and I cruised from Anchorage to Vancouver in May 2016. It was a destination that had always been on his bucket list.  So glad we did it but once was enough for us.  

First, Vancouver is definitely worth coming in early for a few extra days.  The dining scene alone is worth it. The city is quite cosmopolitan with an international flair representing cuisine from all parts of the world.  Having once lived in Chicago, and now on the West coast, Vancouver is a fun get-away destination every so often. Very walkable.

As far as hotels, the Pan Pacific next to the cruise port is definitely stellar with prices to match.  A good alternative, at a more friendly price point, is the Executive Hotel Le Soleil which is a boutique hotel a short walk from the terminal as well as near many restaurants.  

As others have noted, it’s wise to plan on layered clothing options a la REI. I was so glad I purchased binoculars. Ended up buying binoculars that were a step above entry level but not ultra-serious constant use level.  Take a look at Opticron Discovery 8x32.  They are waterproof and work well if you wear glasses.  

Cruising a cooler itinerary opens up a whole new realm of warming alcoholic concoctions . . . so be ready to explore.  

Enjoy the planning.

We were on the Feb. 1st. cruise and it was 7 pm and 9 pm at that time.