Sky Lounge closed full (sea) day for Art Auction

An earlier post in this thread mentioned that Celebrity and Park West have cruises for the big spenders on art. Are you kidding me? I have sailed X and RC 6 times now and have never seem a piece of that crap I would spend $5.00 on. I do enjoy going by and asking questions of the art dealers and enjoy the look of excitement on their faces when they think they have found another gullible soul.

Charming. Do you also throw towels on the floor in front of your stateroom attendant and say "you missed one?"

An earlier post in this thread mentioned that Celebrity and Park West have cruises for the big spenders on art. Are you kidding me? I have sailed X and RC 6 times now and have never seem a piece of that crap I would spend $5.00 on. I do enjoy going by and asking questions of the art dealers and enjoy the look of excitement on their faces when they think they have found another gullible soul.

I quite like a lot of the pop art on display, we don't all want Thomas Kinkade on our walls. That said, I have no idea of the true value of the items on auction and they are hardly giving them away. I have heard so many stories concerning the accuracy of information provided on board, I also consider buying art on a ship a bit like buying a future cruise or a timeshare - things best avoided under the influence of sun and rum.

We really enjoyed the Sky Lounge on the Eclipse, Reflection and Silhouette and the lounge/bar area on the M class (forget its name). Would be disappointed if it goes away and becomes part of private super suite space.

Is be annoyed as well. But we also kinda resent how often the Sky Lounge is closed for Elite, etc events.

 

We've been on four X cruises with a total of roughly 40+ days. We're not exactly X neophytes. But we book inside or OV cabins which means a very slow ride to status levels. And I understand that.

 

But it's clear that the direction that X is going is further class differentiation. Additional restricted restaurants, clubs, and sun lounge areas. Saving seats in the showroom. Etc. That doesn't leave a good feeling for us peons in the cheap seats.

After thinking on this comment, a long while, and being far from Elite as well, we personally do not resent this type of situation at all as we know there are other places on the ship where we can go or visit besides our cabin and have enjoyment.

We do not mind what is offered at our fare rate/cabin level or we would change it, as well do not begrudge those who choose to pay more to get more or those who choose to pay less and get what we get offered at our rate/cabin level.

Remain a peon and go for the cheap seats, if you choose, I will not be upset OR you can really go upscale or anywhere in between.

Each of us purchases cabins at the levels which we are most comfortable with at the time of the sailing we select, to be resentful of others choices is not warranted IMO, yet we can express those thoughts regardless of validity or not.

bon voyage

Can't one sit in on the "auction" and not buy anything?

Usually, yes... then again it offends some passengers sensibility about the auction or other functions being held there, which they may not like or enjoy.

bon voyage

For the record, the Elite cocktail hours are not every single night. But admittedly they are most nights.

 

We were very annoyed on our recent Alaska sailing when they used the Sky Lounge (or Cosmos I think it was called on Millennium) for various events continuously, even when we were sailing the Inside Passage. Granted, these were in fact open events for people. But for those who do not have the pleasure of balconies (or just want a more wide open view of the AWESOME sights in Alaska) it is VERY frustrating to be fighting for seating with trivia or bingo players. And that doesn't account for the annoying noise that creates when you are trying to immerse yourself in the exceptional beauty that is Alaska.

 

To close that entire venue off all day on a sea day (the last no less) for a revenue producing event not open to all is totally unacceptable IMHO - even more so when the weather outside is not conducive to enjoyment. I also am getting more and more of a bad taste in my mouth with Celebrity catering to the "1%" in ways that interfere with the enjoyment of the cruise for the 99%. I don't mind extra perks, events, etc. for people who pay more. Just stop taking away venues from the rest of us peons. I have just about had it with their continued movement in this direction.

Maybe time to move on, sorry to say.

I was fortunate enough to be on the helipad for viewing during the Inside Passage on Millennium last August and it was great, besides cool.

Chair, cocktail service, canapes to order, great company - what more could we ask for? Oh, yes, I forgot to add the beauty and glaciers and whales...

bon voayge

On our last 2 cruises Infinity M class.. They did the art thing..preview and auction in the area just before the dining rooms..Very cluttered.

Better to have them out of the way. The Conf room below might have been an even better space...

On our last 2 cruises Infinity M class.. They did the art thing..preview and auction in the area just before the dining rooms..Very cluttered.

 

Better to have them out of the way. The Conf room below might have been an even better space...

When we were on Millie last year it was like an obstacle course... several days, then we figured out that we needed to go on the other side for an unobtrusive route to the dining rooms.

bon voyage