manmachine

With the Celebrity lobster, the biggest challenge is actually finding the darn thing on the plate.

Is it true that Celebrity Cruises is about to beta test the GO WONDERFULL program? If so, will it be token-based instead of quarters-based? Or card s’wipe’ based? And is it true that Suite guests will be given complimentary access ship wide? How much of this revenue will be shared with the hard-working crew?

That’s a one floret lobster!

With the size of the new Celebrity lobster, it’s less a roll and more a cracker.

Japanese? Like Bonsai trees? That’s cool! I knew from the size it could not be a regular lobster. Figured 11/12 to the pound shrimp.

Yes, you will find lots of bologna (technically Mortadella) sandwiches on the buffet at night. And the hockey puck hamburgers at the Mast Grill.

No, I really do like cocktail sauce with my shrimp… it puts the ‘sauce’ in ‘cocktail sauce.’ And 5-6 of the ones pictured would make a good shrimp cocktail.

Lobster? I am sure that was a shrimp.

So that’s 10% to 20% on the cost of the entire tip to the tip taker? They are some of the harder working folks out there and you know they must be trusted by their coworkers or they would not get to handle cash. We must not forget them! Tip the tip taker!

If you tip one person on behalf of the entire group that they represent, shouldn’t you also tip them for doing the service of collecting and distributing the tip? And do you base this tip amount for them on the entire tip, or more as a percentage of the price you paid?

I would not complain as that looks like a nice sized shrimp but where is the cocktail sauce?

Remember, Celebrity is the ‘culinary line.’

I am an old radio guy who worked with a lot of nightclubs. Old trick: $20.00 cover, then quarter beers all night. Part of the old trick: instead of the five bartenders needed on that night, use 1 or 2. Celebrity: 1. sell everyone an ‘unlimited’ drink package for a high price. Even higher for top shelf. Add tips on top. 2. Sell everyone on prepaying tips. 3. Have available specialty dining packages. Second part of Celebrity trick: 1. Cut back the staff at the bars. Stock the top shelf in only a few bars, with limited hours. Claim worldwide labor shortage and encourage extra tipping over and above what was charged already for tips. ‘Encourage’ means bribes in order to get a drink. Celebrity makes $. 2. See #1 above. Also, divert lots of prepaid tips to folks who never, ever were tipped before. Pocket $. 3. Make available ‘free’ (prepaid) food much worse, especially at dinner (when specialties are open) so folks ‘upgrade’ to speciality in order to get the same quality they got included before. Also, don’t allow packages to make reservations ahead of time so best specialty restaurants are sold out and package folks have to go to lower tier. Pocket $.

I am very pleased to meet someone who understands the potential of this idea!

What could be next? Think about this. Incredible potential for revenue generation. And really no big burden on anyone. Install them only in public places, so anyone who doesn’t care for the extra ‘pay as you go’ fee could simply ‘go’ in their own cabin. Suite passengers could receive tokens so they aren’t inconvenienced. A set of those same tokens (though perhaps in a non-suite color) could be sold ahead of time at a discount online to those passengers who appreciate a bargain— with an added 20% gratuity for convenience and to benefit the hard working crew. And for those who have ‘stage fright,’ reservations might even be possible. #GO WONDERFULL

Carnival punches above their weight, offering-wise

And since Celebrity never had the forthrightness to answer my email— sent on 1/9 then a reminder last Thursday— I have disputed $70.00 because my dining package credits were not applied to Sushi on 5; $28.00 miscellaneous charge that was never explained to me; $9.95 for room service fee that was sprung on us with no warning. I have provided all documentation with it— including the free room service promised as part of Aqua and a letter from Blue Chip telling me the dining credits were worth $35.00 each at Sushi on 5. it’s the principal. Plus the $100+ in charges.

So let’s say Celebrity decides to charge a quarter to enter the toilets on the decks. If you want the convenience of ‘going’ without returning to your room, you’ll pay for that convenience. If you do not wish to pay for that convenience, then you will simply retune to your cabin to do your business. Simplistic approach, yes indeed.

I hope so. I moved over to Celebrity some years back after seeing Carnival cut, cut, cut, cut, cut and it is so aggravating to see the same stuff start here.

Yes, that is what I had read. It also seems some of these things MAY be getting rolled back.

Quite a few other posts about any non-room service menu request being flat turned down.

Want to bet? And I do mean that. 100%.

Agreed. Not too worried. If they don’t email back by end of the month I will dispute with AMEX.

Sailed in Aqua NYE. Left port with free Aqua room service. Day two, 1/1: charge for Aqua room service implemented. I wrote Celebrity disputing our single room service charge.