ECCruise

Yes

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The CD is the head of the onboard entertainment department. They are responsible for the guest entertainers, musicians and activities. They do lots of work that passengers never see.

Plus, in most cases they are responsible for the daily newspaper, staff meetings, communication with both hotel management as well as the Captain. We've never met a CD who was lacking for things to do :)

We hope you are right, Andy, about the possibility of new entertainment avenues on Celebrity. Although the onboard activities now offered got totally old for us a while ago, we do understand that a lot of people really enjoy them, and thus would be a real loss if not substituted with something of value.

Yup! Yet here ya is.

I guess I missed where I said customer service was good, bad or indifferent. Please help me!

 

On our past couple of cruises we had many tender ports. The tendering process was well organized and kept flowing by the activities staff- wonder who will do that now.

That is an excellent point. And to those who say these are "changes not cuts" we will see how people react to the "change" of do-it-yourself tendering. It can be a zoo even with the activity staff handling it. Or maybe they can draft the already overworked housekeeping or dining staff to handle this task.

Thanks for your replies...it is the repositioning sailing from NYC to San Juan on the 19th. I will do another search in a day or two. See what happens. Thanks again...Julie

Just tried to do a booking (to see if your problem is unique) and was able to get all the way to booking this sailing with no problem. So maybe its been fixed?

There is a reason why RCL's stock has gained all most 70% over the last 12-months = PROFIT

 

And 2 words why it can go down just as fast: Customer Service.

Extremely easy. Take the train. The station is a short walk from port. There are tons of threads in this "ports" forum on logistics and train times from Civitavecchia to Rome. Recommend using search function there to find them.

It is a short walk only if the shuttle from the port area to Civitavecchia is available. If you try to walk from the pier to the station, depending on where you are docked, it will take you at least 30 minutes up to 45 minutes. We've been to this port many times but only walked once (and we hike 4-5 miles a day) and would not do it again. Don't waste valuable port time by walking...the shuttle is usually available, is free, and will drop you off a 5-10 minute walk from the station.

Hello, all. Nice to see some reasonable posts on here. Others, not so much.:rolleyes:

 

Bobby, I started my cruising career at 4 years of age, so I'll admit my bar bill was small back then- Shirley Temples only cost so much...;)

 

But in my 20's, I had a $2000. bar bill- the cruise was on Crystal and 17 days, but still. Now in my 50's, my bills aren't much above $400 for a 12 day cruise. And that's with some specialty restaurants!

 

I think the truism that has been alluded to is that cruise lines rely on first time passengers...a lot! We all spent more on stuff when we first started. Photos, special drink glasses, shore excursions, etc. We then learned the ways to have a great experience without necessarily spending the same way, and either spend the money on more cruises, or in different ways.

 

There are two other things I'd add:

 

1.) We forget that our tastes change as we age, and that the cruise line that attracted us 20 years ago isn't the one we'd necessarily pick now...but habits are hard to break. If we've changed, too, maybe Celebrity isn't that different, but we're 15 years older! Time for HAL? For me, not yet, but I won't rule it out.:)

 

2.) We all have perceptions and stereotypes. The "W" crowd? Hardly. More like cruisers who like to think of themselves as the "W" crowd. Cruising is a truly middle America way to travel...and, as I age, being on the cutting edge is less important, and 'owning' my place in the middle class doesn't feel so much like middle of the road, but that I'm comfortable where I've ended up, and don't need to compete with anyone to prove that I've 'arrived' or that I'm trendy.

 

So when we board, and there are only a few hundred Elites, the cruise line is probably thrilled. But with competition for first time cruisers, they still need some Bobby/Phylls and Blazerboys to fill cabins. I don't think they want to chase us off. Even if we have fun in ways that don't make them as much money. :D

 

And happy trails to you, too.

 

Andrew

Wow, Andrew. Every word of that is spot on, especially when it comes from a seasoned traveler and cruiser. We agree with every point, from our 20+ =X=

cruise perspective.

This is one area where HAL shines -- we really like a real promenade deck for walking. A short track with full sun and lounge chairs just doesn't compare :(.

True. And Princess Grand Class and many of the NCL ships.

Most of my friends children who are the "W" crowd, have 3, 4 or 5 weeks vacation (I think only one has 2 weeks and that is just because she started a new job last year).

Of course, but the ones we know do not spend all 3, 4. or 5 weeks (which is extremely rare for this demographic) traveling.

I think Celebrity does have a strategy in trying to attract a "W Hotel" kind of crowd.

The group who are fashion forward and wouldn't consider themselves to be typical cruisers.

The problem is that this group is resistant to cruising and even when they cruise , they don't do it often enough.

Finally there are not enough of them.

My friends who fit in this group hate the whole image of cruising and only go on special itineraries such as a Med. cruise or the Galapagos .

They are also resistant to today's large ships. If they can afford it they will splurge for the smaller premium ships.

The whole idea of waiting in a buffet line could send them to a yoga detox therapy session for a week.

 

So Celebrity may have a strategy but it's a flawed one. Meanwhile I'll be happy to help fill their ship's if the price is right.

The ships are beautiful and there is a lot to like about the product. Perhaps they should spend less on marketing plans and senior VP's ?

For my money, your comments are spot on.

And there is another issue, a lot of the "W" crowd vacation one or two weeks a year, whether due to work or other commitments. If I had a dollar if I heard the "well, it is my one week of vacation so I don't mind spending a good deal of money on specialty restaurants, drink packages, ship's excursions, etc." I would be sitting pretty.

I really believe that some--maybe many--of those lamenting the changes they see travel 5 to 10 times as many weeks per year.

I was on a cruise on Celebrity when I received an offer on my house. The time it took to download everything was insane, so I stopped the download after just three pages had taken so freaking long, and had everything faxed to the ship. When I had signed everything, I had guest services fax it all back. It was quicker, and cheaper, to handle everything via fax.

Have to agree. Especially with Real Estate documents blossoming from a couple pages for a full contract to sometimes 15+. For complicated documents, use fax....won't be cheap but you will retain more hair.

I was on the Eclipse in January. I didn't visit the library as early in the cruise as I should have, but part way through the 14 day cruise, Celebrity completely stocked the 'Take a Book, Leave a Book' section as the shelves went from 'slim pickings' to absolutely crammed with brand new books. I found many great books to read and appreciated Celebrity providing them as I haven't made the jump to an e-reader as I don't read that much, but love to read while relaxing on a cruise.

 

Dianne

Every time we have seen the "take a book, leave a book" it is from passengers contributions, not the cruise line. Don't know why they would buy new books so that people could take them home with them. If it is Celebrity's book, the put stickers inside that say if you take it off the ship alarms will go off. Not sure that is true, though...

Any problems with these cabins on deck 8, Fusion night club seems to be below the aft ones?

Club Fusion is largely under the Emerald deck mini-suites on Deck 8. Had a number of obstructed cabins on this deck and no problem except once above the galley for Crown Grill (it is between Crown and Club Fusion) which was a nightmare of noise.

Actually, I'm a big fan of a code red. Given the manners of many cruisers, this is the best protection from people that don't wash their hands, touch their mouth and then the serving tools, cough and sneeze in line without covering their face, etc. I agree with HAL's approach. Start every cruise in a code red condition and then after a few days drop after the noro incubation period if appropriate.

Agreed. We are often in awe of the horrible hygiene often exhibited on cruise ships. Folks who say "no thanks" when offered the hand sanitizers, who stick their fingers in their mouth and then use serving utensils, who take an item off the buffet, finger it extensively, then decide they don't want it and return it to the line. And the gym--sweat and cough and sneeze all over the machines then blissfully walk away without cleaning the machine. Yuck!!:eek:

Not sure why people report feeling bad about having the steward or assistant deliver room service. Like delivering laundry, that is part of their job. It's nice to tip extra, but don't think of it as adding to their workload excessively.

 

Perhaps on other lines it is handled differently ? Still, that doesn't mean that it's "extra" work, since it is already their job

People feel bad because it really is an extra, uncompensated (unless there is a healthy tip) duty. Dinner, especially, since it comes right in the middle of their turn-down duties. Plus, Celebrity is the only line, from mass market like Celebrity and Princess to luxury where we have seen this duty performed by a steward. And yes, it definitely is "extra" work.

I certainly agree that the airfare cost is crucial to this being a deal or not a deal. But that's not the point.

 

NCL is selling cabins at roughly $26 DOLLARS A DAY PER PERSON. They can't possibly make a profit. And that's considerably less than any other mass market line.

 

Why does NCL have to discount more than other cruise lines?

 

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We've done 12 Transatlantics but never have seen one this cheap.

I really do believe that it has to do with the lack of port stops. On the TAs we've done, we've probably averaged 4 port calls (up to 9) so you get the advantage of both a number of sea days AND fairly frequent stops. And we've never been on a TA that hasn't been sold out and many that are $4000 plus for a balcony. (NCL, Princess, Celebrity, RCCL and Oceania).

You should tip what you are comfortable with, not what someone else feels is an appropriate amount.

Totally agree. There is no right or wrong answer, except giving no tip for a tour with which you were pleased.

Hundreds of nights of Select/MyTime/FreeStyle/AnyTime dining. Overall, I would say perfectly happy 90% of the time. Have found that same table/waitstaff seems to be easier on Princess than Celebrity or RCCL (and real tough on NCL).

Wouldn't go back to Traditional Dining (especially Late in Europe where we usually cruise) if there was a $50 bill attached to the menu every night. Plenty of opportunities to meet folks all around the ship without having to spend 2+ hours every night.

YMMV.

I seen one TA that offers a lot of appears to be fantastic perks for the first 100, 200 and etc to book.

 

Reading the fine print they also charge $50 pp for any cancellation or changes in your booking. That made me look elsewhere because if there was ever a price reduction I would have to pay them $100

 

For the next cruise I have already made 4 changes since I booked. 3 were for price reductions and 1 to get the 123 perk. That would have cost me $400.

 

The current TA doesn't charge to change anything or for a cancelation, plus I get a lot of perks.

 

🍸🍻

Yes, and the TA to which you are referring is non-negotiable on waiving the fees, even if you have booked 10+ cruises with them.

We've done and have booked 30+ cruises with other agents since they enforced that with us, so they got their $100 but it cost them thousands in commissions.

I sat across from a gentleman wearing a bright orange polo, khaki shorts, and flip flops at our last formal night. I also saw many of the >50 cruisers wearing polos and khaki pants on formal nights. Most of the younger crowd was dressed to impressed.

My take on this is that many of the cruisers over 50 have been on multiple cruises, many of the younger crowd not so many.

In our case, we got "over" formal nights about 75 of them ago. We still dress nicely, he in sport coat, dress slacks, shirt and tie, she in very nice slack and jacket outfit.

And, we don't buy the "host" (meaning the Captain) requests it so it is your duty to comply. That went on the wayside a long time ago on a Celebrity ship when we spent a very nice evening in the lounge with the Captain on a formal night when he was dressed in his day wear (open neck short sleeve white shirt and slacks). Yes, some of the senior staff enjoys dressing in their dress uniforms but lots see it as a necessary evil.

Amazingly enough, the sun continues to rise each morning... who'd-a-thunk. :eek: :) :rolleyes:

Yep. And the second deck of the dining room did NOT collapse onto the first upon someone dressed in a blazer, dress shirt and tie! :)

Sometimes I really wonder whats so hard to understand about "Formal"?

The lack of both uniformity and enforcement.

There really is no "formal" on Celebrity (meaning everyone in formal wear, or even dark suits) in many years.

We've done 12 TAs, probably 6 west- and 6 east-bound. Like the other posters have said, the only constant is that there is none. No way to predict weather patterns a few weeks in advance let alone 6 months. We've had TAs where we have had some balcony time nearly every day (smart choice for a balcony) and others where we have spent, literally, minutes in 2 weeks due to cold temps, high winds and seas (dumb choice). Odds are probably 50/50 in November, the earlier, like yours, the better.