chemmo

Just a quick thank you for a wonderful vicarious cruise! For a variety of reasons I am not at sea this year so I have enjoyed the detailed reviews of others all the more! I loved the balance of sightseeing, family life and factual information…There seems to be a lack of reviews from those in inside cabins but, as you say, if you are only using the cabin to shower, sleep and dress in then they really are an affordable option. I think there is also a lack of family reviews too, I hope your review inspires other families to try a cruise!

Mixed opinions. We usually cruise RS with the occasional PH so my opinion may not be general. Pre revolution, S class the RS soft furnishings were dated but were improved by the upgrade. The balcony furnishings were a downgrade in our opinion. The wooden table and cushioned chairs were replaced by metal ones (no cushions). The really comfortable sun bed was replaced with two recliner chairs with footstools. Again no cushions. The irony was the suite was full of cushions!!! Unfortunately none of them fitted comfortably on the outside chairs. Pre revolution, S class. Inside the PH looked classy with its piano which was useful for putting your room cards and a box of chocolates on if nothing else! Post revolution the table changed direction and there was an odd storage unit. A pity they didn’t add a couple of sea facing lounger chairs, plenty of space for them. Post revolution on the balcony there was the same table swap as for the RS and the addition of two very odd chairs it was impossible to sit comfortably on plus a couple of nice cushioned loungers. To be perfectly honest I don’t have a preference between pre and post revolution, the decadence of light and space in all the S PH suites make them a pleasure to be in. Other features. On Equinox there was a sun deck with comfortable seating and good service but very limited shade. On Silhouette the deck was over two floors with a jacuzzi, a bar and a bigger range of seating. Generally around the ship there were more changes than on Equinox too including more seating in the sunset bar area. Over all I would prefer the Silhouette over other S class ships for the sun deck and the extra dining options (nothing to do with the revolution). However, I would be happy cruising on any S class ship. M class I can’t compare as I have never done a revolutionised ship. However, I loved the pre revolutionised ones enough to have one booked for next year!

Equinox only completed a part revolution. No where near as nice as Silhouette. There are three different classes of ships with Celebrity. M class, the oldest. As mentioned two of their ships have been revolutionised. S class are the next. Mainly similar layout but the Reflection is slightly bigger and has more suites. Silhouette has been revolutionised, Equinox has been partially revolutionised. E class are the newest. You can find all the ships listed with their categories on the website. Be aware as you research different people have different views. For example, some love the E class, others (me included) find S class our sweet spot. Others love the size and layout of the M class despite their age… Also be aware that it can depend on what room category you are looking at as to what suits you best. For example, if you are looking at a suite only E class and the revolutionised ships have a suite deck. Then within the suite decks there are real differences… I strongly suggest you do some ship tours first of all ship types, then look at itineraries. After that consider the rooms you are considering and which ships can offer you the best overall experience…

I personally don’t mind being called a cheerleader. I wouldn’t be booking my holidays or posting on this site unless I thought they had a really good product. I, like many others, have concerns about recent changes and lack of communication about the changes but it because I genuinely care about the product and want it to continue to offer what I want out of a cruise vacation… However, I have been wrong about changes before! I thought changing the dress code would be an issue….Nooooo, I much prefer evening chic! I was concerned about ‘having to have’ a drinks package but actually I enjoy it…

I guess the next real episode in this saga will follow in a couple of weeks when we see how it does work out… I genuinely hope for all of you travelling in Sky Suites as the changes happen do find that your Retreat experience is as good as before if not better. Perhaps for some it could be significantly better…Those, for example, who have never asked for their minibars to be restocked…It could be a nice bonus perk… My glass is always half full…hopefully the butler team will keep it topped up!

We only ever send in anything we would put in a mixed load at home… For mixed weather/colder cruises most people pack layers. If you pack plenty of T shirts and only a couple of sweaters/sweatshirts your sweaters/sweatshirts will stay fresh if you always wear a T shirt underneath. You won’t want to wear your sweaters on board either so literally one or two will do. We tend to take pleasant but not over expensive T shirts we are happy to stick in the laundry…Worse case scenario they look a bit tight and faded by the end of the holiday!

This is the where the “trust” bit comes in…Those of us booked in higher suites don’t know if our next experience will change… Without saying a word they could still give us a butler but with a worse staff:suites ratio. They could remove some of those unwritten perks like in suite (Luminae/speciality) dining by arrangement. Someone else has already said in a higher suite they were told to go to the Retreat for afternoon tea. A generic afternoon snack being the only ‘choice’. There have always been anomalies in butler service. I remember on Equinox a few years ago in a RS asking our butler in the morning if he could bring us a bottle of wine (within premium package) as we were going to order room service for lunch. He said he couldn’t bring us a bottle but he could bring us a glass each…We told him not to worry about it and as we ordered room service my DH headed to the nearest bar for two glasses…As he returned the butler arrived with two glasses and half an hour later with two more…Work that one out! We later found out that the Retreat Manager had told the butlers that they were not allowed to take bottles of wine to suites as they were not part of the suite package. I can only assume they had experienced some guests abusing the request. Perhaps asking for bottles of wine and then sharing them with guests without a drinks package? I know numerous Sky Suite guests have had no issue getting bottles of wine delivered to their suites. Que sera, sera, whatever will be will be…The future isn’t ours to see but Celebrity could tell all guests in all categories of room about changes to come…A bit of transparency would be much appreciated.

From your posts I guess you will go with the flow… It wouldn’t surprise me if you boarded and everything was as it should be and when you ask about the changes the staff haven’t got a clue what you are talking about! I do wonder if the changes are going to be more focused on the E class ships where there are significantly more Sky Suites (just my thought, no evidence)… Sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise!

Forgetting the shortcomings of Celebrity I simply want to wish you sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise… The beautiful thing about knowing your cruising days are limited (I speak from experience) is that it does make you savour every last sight, sound, smell and taste…There is no taking for granted the excitement of boarding the ship, a sunrise or sunset…Your senses return to almost those of a child experiencing the world for the first time… With or without butler I know you will have a wonderful time. Thoughts and prayers for your wife’s health to improve…

Well said. Many who have posted on this thread (me included) are not directly affected by the change but don’t like the way the change was made. Many of us (me included) also posted with concern when Zeniths were not allowed to return to the Retreat Lounge post covid although again I wasn’t directly affected. I think all of us know that the hospitality industry needs to evolve over time. It needs to respond to trends, competition and the economic climate…What most of us are saying is there are better ways to do it. Don’t market a product as including something (room service, butler) then pull the plug as if doesn’t matter, as if it isn’t diminishing the product/experience. Communicate clearly changes made to guests rather than them finding out on social media. The position of Zeniths is exactly the type of change most of us on this thread are complaining about…

You will have a small card in your room (easy to miss) that has a phone number on it that you are told you can ring to get a member of the retreat team…When you ring you will get the message “All of our operatives are busy at the moment, please try later…”

I guess the problem here is we are all trying to work out what something is going to be like without any information… Now the cat is out of the bag I hope Celebrity puts some information on the website (and takes down the butler blurb) so Sky Suite cruisers do have an idea about what to expect once on board and how to access coffee, snacks etc. Not only would this help/prepare cruisers it would prevent ‘Team members’ needing to explain their role numerous times and reduce the possible wrath the ‘Team’, the concierges and Suite Managers may get. As someone else said…if suite guests don’t follow social media they will get a surprise on boarding and it won’t be a pleasant one…

I wonder if they will go along the more generic route? For example, they will deliver an afternoon snack but it will be the same for all, no option to ask for a cheese plate one day, shrimps the next…

My thoughts are with you…Moving to a new stage in life is never easy but, like you, I wish to follow my late husband’s wishes and continue to “Make every day count”. I am sure Steven would be thrilled you are doing your B2B2B with your friends as I am sure my Pete will be smiling on me and family as we board Infinity next year…. I think all of us are reflecting on future cruises. Value for money, changes and personal circumstances all come into play…

When I posted, way back on page 11 I indicated the three issues I saw of concern. The removal of an amenity paid for (butler) The lack of communication. A breach of trust… Several posts have indicated that it is the ‘trust’ element that is rattling many of us… I am frequently seen as a real Celebrity cheerleader and I unashamedly am!!! I love the product. The service level and ambiance on the ship suits me perfectly. I don’t want a smaller ship, I want a decent sized ship with lots of options of things to do but with the option of returning to the ‘club’ atmosphere of the Retreat areas… Quite simply future guests are becoming concerned that what they are booking, saving for, paying for and dreaming of may change and not for the better. This ‘rattling of confidence’, to my mind, started with none Retreat cabins loosing their included room service. Those guests booked with an expectation of being able to dine in suite as often as they liked at no additional cost. It isn’t the $ they now have to pay that upset many who posted it was the moving of the goal post… Likewise, with this change, Sky Suite guests will be in a position of having to get on with the change to a Retreat Team or cancel. For many guests the change may be minimal, for some it will be more significant but all will be aware they have paid for something and possibly looked forward to something that hasn’t materialised. I have been unaffected by both issues (First they came…) but still feel my confidence is rattled…Why? Because changes are happening which we are not expecting and which we perceive as significant even if the management team don’t… I cruise more infrequently than many but then I do splurge! For many reasons (regular followers of my posts will know) my next cruise will be significant and emotional. Planning and looking forward to it has helped me through some difficult days…Do I continue to plan with the facilities my room presently has or do I plan knowing that the goalposts may move? Celebrity, I really think you need to listen to your ‘regulars’….Can’t you see the irony of this thread? Most posters are saying, like me, you have a great product don’t spoil it! Many posters are saying we want to continue to cruise with you but be open with us! Why don’t you start a marketing scheme with a heading like “Moving into the future…”. Be open about changes that are going to happen in the next few years…This doesn’t all have to be negative. I’ll bet all of us who cruise regularly could identify ways Celebrity could up revenue without cutting our pleasure…. For example, why not open up part of the buffet each evening as a speciality pop up with themed menus? You have seen how well ‘A taste of India’ has gone down at Sushi. This would be really appreciated by guests who want a change from the MDR but don’t want a ‘formal’ specialty restaurant. M class would really benefit from this….I could reel off many more suggestions…Perhaps, a new thread…”Let’s give the Celebrity Management Team ideas to make revenue”. Anyone want to start? Those who are long term CC contributors may remember when Celebrity did respond on this board. Often they simply copied and pasted some factual information, on other occasions they may just acknowledge an opinion…I do wish they still did this…If we felt our opinions were valued it would go some way to rebuilding trust…

Sincere thanks for a lovely pictorial read…You have enlightened my morning coffee for days!

We said this as out son hit 18 (many years ago) but somehow he arranged to always managed to cruise with us as well as go on holiday with his friends….Then came the serious GF, now he wouldn’t want to cruise with us but yes he did along with his GF, now fiancée… Another family cruise booked for next year…Not complaining, just commenting that cruises seem to be the holidays that really do attract the full family regardless of age.

If they are booked then in most cases they are committed to the deposit cost at least. As many cruise guests book flights at about 8/9 months out and often attach a cruise to a land stay then they are further committed. Saying they can walk away next time doesn’t soften the blow this time… Most of us who have enjoyed butler service would be far too respectful to all staff to use the derogatory term ‘servant’. We see butlers as an integral part of the hospitality team whose role is to add to our holiday ease and pleasure. Whilst many suite guests will only use their service intermittently they will value it. For me, with mobility issues the value is frequently in bringing me things, for a hard working couple it may be a romantic meal on their own balcony, for others it may be knowing your requested full fruit plate magically refills daily…In many ways butlers over the years have greatly added to our holiday pleasure… Re the devastating impact on those loosing their jobs. I could not agree more. My heart goes out to them. My heart also goes out to the room attendants of Sky Suite guests who I cannot help but feel will end up picking up some of the work. As a regular CC contributor I don’t see this issue as ‘boring’ and I have no personal gripe, I have no Sky Suite bookings, but I do feel for those who do…

I would suggest you contact special needs at Celebrity and ask them if it would be possible to ‘extra vac’ your room. I would not think drapes are regularly vacuumed….Perhaps adding you would be willing to accept late room access as you are aware it would be time consuming…Whilst this will not kill off the mites it should limit the surface dust and alert your room attendant to your health issues. Once on board a word with my room attendant and a decent tip for an extra special vacuum daily and daily bedding change would be my option. It will not kill off the little pests but should reduce their effects… Agree! Also I suggest a chat with your Doctor to see if they can recommend nose/eye drops and tablets specifically for times when you are not in your home environment. Some meds are not good for long term use so would not be regularly prescribed but could significantly make a difference for a two week holiday. Hope you have a wonderful cruise!

Thoroughly enjoying your review….Beautiful sites but you are making beautiful future family memories too…

Having part read this post before bedtime and read the rest this morning I think there are three significant points…I do hope someone from Celebrity is reading this thread…. Sky Suite guests have paid for a product that has changed. One of their perks (a butler) has disappeared. Whilst for some guests this may not be important for others it was a significant factor in their room choice. I totally understand this. As a guest with limited mobility I do want to be able to ask my butler to bring me coffee and (for the first time) I may actually request help with unpacking. There has been no communication. This is simply inexcusable in this day and age. When the company can spend time and effort highlighting a return to the RC private island why haven’t they communicate this significant change? Ironically with a good sales team they could have tried to sell it as ‘Improving our service for Sky Suites, now you will be looked after by a dedicated team…’. Much as I am sure we would have seen through the smoke it would have been a much better way to introduce the changes to guests who have booked a Sky Suite. Also if the ‘Retreat Team’ is a dedicated group of former butlers who will provide a butler type service then a lot of concerns could have been addressed. The third issue is one of trust…When booking any expensive item significantly ahead of time you do so with the belief that you have a legal and moral contract with the company. Quite simply you will get what you have paid for. Both this change and the lack of communication of its implementation shakes the trust of all. Most cruisers (including suite guests) are not rich. They simply organise their income to include their ‘treat’ of a cruise…They are booking with expectations and dreams…There is a moral responsibility of all in the hospitality industry to make those dreams come true…

So does this imply…. Higher suites will still have a ‘named’ butler. Sky suites will have a generic phone number to ring and a member of the ‘Retreat Team’ will respond and bring their coffee, make their reservations…

We have been cruising suites on Celebrity since before there were any perks. It has evolved over time and I am sure will continue to do so. I remember a PH with the only perks being the butler, two bottles of spirits and I think just one (or two?) speciality dining included. No lounge, no concierge, no drinks package, no Luminae… Then came the Revolution. At first Sky Suites were not allowed in Michael’s Club, they only had access to Luminae and many grumbled because as they were given Luminae they lost their free speciality dining….Drinks packages were not included for any suite so top suites did frequently enjoy Michael’s Club pre and post dinner. Then Sky Suites were allowed access to Michael’s and many top suites grumbled that service levels would fall, there would not be enough seating… This is obviously not a full review of the changes made over the years but it does indicate that the suite experience is not static. Changes positive and negative can come from financial pressure, a need to keep up with the offerings of competitors and a desire to respond to the feedback of guests… Finance, I am sure is definitely behind this move…

We generally request ahead of time and off the list but usually within the premium drinks list. I agree that they will usually try their best to source your preferences or offer alternatives.

I have never known any PH coming with an included cabana…