Would you still cruise Celebrity

[wallie5446]

So here we are at the end of the 3rd day for our 'focus group' straw poll.

 

The question was not about has Celebrity slipped, gone down hill. Or if they made changes to the sock washing program, or if their product compaired to the Big Red Boat or any other Line. It was a very basic 2nd level SAT exam yes or no statement that some felt the need to add their own agenda to. Please, next time start your own complaint thread.

 

Bottom line at this point is, no matter what line, as long at there is quality recieved for the cost of the product 87% will stay with that product.

 

While 13% dont care if it is bad as long as they get their sock's washed and a slug of swill, they will be back.

 

And if that is not simple enought, never mind.

[baldercash]

As always, there is chatter about changes coming to the Captains Club program. I know, we all like to think we get something for coming back again & again. Would you cruise Celebrity just for the quality of the product?

 

The reason I started cruising with X was because of the experience / product!

We hit Diamond without even realizing the perks. Do we enjoy them yes but do we cruise because of them, the answer is No!

If you cruise for the points you are missing out.

[Redtravel]

I am elite. I have sailed on Celebrity since 1996. I have many cruise credits beyond the 10. I also sail on other cruise lines.....more luxurious and also more expensive. I like the elite perks. They are important as they add value to my cruise. Take away the elite perks, and I will probably not cruise as often on Celebrity.

[wallie5446]

I am elite. I have sailed on Celebrity since 1996. I have many cruise credits beyond the 10. I also sail on other cruise lines.....more luxurious and also more expensive. I like the elite perks. They are important as they add value to my cruise. Take away the elite perks, and I will probably not cruise as often on Celebrity.

So Celebrity could lower their standards, and you would still cruise with them just for the perks?

[Host Jazzbeau]

So Celebrity could lower their standards, and you would still cruise with them just for the perks?

 

That's not how I read the comment. The perks are part of the quality. Take away the perks, the quality goes down. Lower the standards, the quality goes down. Same effect.

 

The problem with your "very basic 2nd level SAT exam yes or no statement" is that short-answer questions are very difficult create without ambiguity, especially if the author sees a gray-scale world in black and white terms.

[Maligator]

Not being heavily invested in Captain's Club points (won't become Select until after our next sailing), our status isn't a concern. We simply like the product and will continue to choose X for the foreseeable future. I work for local government and my wife for an overbearing...well...she's a royal b****, so for however many days we're aboard, we've been treated like gold and we love it.

[ChazR]

I think you are mixing apples and oranges. Celebrity is a premium cruise line, not a luxury one such as Oceania or Seaborn therefore your level of expectation should not be the same. We think dollar for dollar Celebrity provides an excellent product. We have had very few issues with Celebrity over the years but on those occasions when we have Celebrity has made it right. No questions asked.

 

 

You are correct. Celebrity is a premium cruise line and not a luxury one. However, the product is slipping and the lines are narrowing within that class. New management has resulted in cutbacks and an obvious desire to downscale to attract a targeted market that previous mgmt has avoided....a shame.

 

Charles

[jagoffee]

31 people said that they would no longer cruise on Celebrity? I believe that most of the 31 people are not being totally honest or foolish. IMO until the Captain Club changes several years ago the overall Captain Club benefits were very weak and I still cruised on Celebrity as did many others including probably some of the 31 who voted no. I have never cruise exclusively with Celebrity nor will I ever, but Celebrity is still my first choice.

 

I also believe that anyone that would never consider another cruise line is missing out as well, but do say that you would never again sail on Celebrity because they changed the benefits of a loyalty program?

[wallie5446]

31 people said that they would no longer cruise on Celebrity? I believe that most of the 31 people are not being totally honest or foolish. IMO until the Captain Club changes several years ago the overall Captain Club benefits were very weak and I still cruised on Celebrity as did many others including probably some of the 31 who voted no. I have never cruise exclusively with Celebrity nor will I ever, but Celebrity is still my first choice.

 

I also believe that anyone that would never consider another cruise line is missing out as well, but do say that you would never again sail on Celebrity because they changed the benefits of a loyalty program?

 

Pretty close to how we look at it too. Nov will be our 5th time on 'X' but the last was in Dec 2000. Yes it has been 13 years of trying other lines. Last Nov cruised Princess for the 1st time since Oct 1993, and it will be another 20 before I get the wife to give them another try. So it is very 'black an white' for us, since we get nothing special but the promise of a quality week on Ship. We will know in 180 days if 87% are correct or not.

[SusieV]

We'd still cruise with Celebrity because we like the product, but we really enjoy the perks as well. If it's a close decision between Celebrity and a competitor, the Elite perks have us choosing Celebrity.

[C 2 C]

31 people said that they would no longer cruise on Celebrity? I believe that most of the 31 people are not being totally honest or foolish.

I also believe that anyone that would never consider another cruise line is missing out as well, but do say that you would never again sail on Celebrity because they changed the benefits of a loyalty program?

 

Totally honest.. or unsure of the intent of the question.

 

If Celebrity were to offer everything that we wanted in a quality cruise but did nothing to reward repeat cruisers, we would look at another cruise line which also offered a quality product that would offer perks to repeaters . But Celebrity does reward repeat cruisers.

 

The question I would like to ask is if it was a quality product 13 years ago why has it taken the OP 13 years to ask the question?

 

Pretty close to how we look at it too. Nov will be our 5th time on 'X' but the last was in Dec 2000. Yes it has been 13 years of trying other lines

 

We have cruised over 100 times with Celebrity over the last 13 years, including many years with no incentives. The product today is not the same as it was in 2000 but the ships are more spectacular.

With that experience behind us we cannot simply say that we will not try other cruise lines for variety. The "quality" of Celebrity has changed to target a different demographic with the stated aim of attracting passengers who were not cruising in 2000.. We hope you like the new Celebrity and look forward to your comparative review in November.

[wallie5446]

 

The question I would like to ask is if it was a quality product 13 years ago why has it taken the OP 13 years to ask the question?

 

 

 

We have cruised over 100 times with Celebrity over the last 13 years, including many years with no incentives. The product today is not the same as it was in 2000 but the ships are more spectacular.

With that experience behind us we cannot simply say that we will not try other cruise lines for variety. The "quality" of Celebrity has changed to target a different demographic with the stated aim of attracting passengers who were not cruising in 2000.. We hope you like the new Celebrity and look forward to your comparative review in November.

 

As you said "other cruise lines for variety" Which is why I asked the question here on CC, of Celebrity Cruisers, which I have found there are 13% that would look elsewhere no matter what the quality of the product was if they didnt get something, and 87% that think quality comes 1st and foremost.

Which makes our decision to return to Celebrity even easier. Final is not due till 9/1, so if the % was closer together, we probably would have looked again at other cruise lines. But when the overwhelming majority like the product put on the table and dont need their socks washed to return, again that makes the decision feel right.

 

I did not ask if it was the same as it was in 2000, but when I see someone with 100 Celebrity cruises behind them that would look elsewhere, why should we come back if it is that bad, that a couple of drinks could make it better. Not what we think makes a good week on Ship. But, to each their own I guess.

[k9x8]

"A quality Cruise is all I need to Cruise again with Celebrity."

 

I didn't answer, once I discovered the poll is related to loyalty perks. We're not Elite, and probably won't ever be. However, my answer would be "No," because X doesn't have the itinerary I want at the time I want it, so it's not only about quality.

 

As we enjoyed X so much the first time that we booked again, my answer would be "Yes." I'd never even heard of Captain's Club/Elite until after we'd booked our second cruise. (Probably a good thing.)

[wallie5446]

"A quality Cruise is all I need to Cruise again with Celebrity."

 

I didn't answer, once I discovered the poll is related to loyalty perks. We're not Elite, and probably won't ever be. However, my answer would be "No," because X doesn't have the itinerary I want at the time I want it, so it's not only about quality.

 

As we enjoyed X so much the first time that we booked again, my answer would be "Yes." I'd never even heard of Captain's Club/Elite until after we'd booked our second cruise. (Probably a good thing.)

I asked the question, and it has nothing to do with loyalty perks, so how did you discover something 'I' did not ask? My question has nothing to do with the itinerary, the time of year, the number of sea days or port's visited. Is, or is not, the product worth giving them your hard earned dollar? We are not 'Elite' either.

I did not ask this question last year before we cruised on the Ruby Princess, for the 1st time in 20 years, it was not a quality cruise and we do not want to make the same mistake again this year with dollars that are very hard earned. So please do not speak for us, only yourselves.

[k9x8]

I spoke only for myself; your OP mentioned perks.

 

"As always, there is chatter about changes coming to the Captains Club program. I know, we all like to think we get something for coming back again & again. Would you cruise Celebrity just for the quality of the product?"

 

Then my answer is no. Quality alone is not enough. X has to go where I want when I want. Quality becomes irrelevant.

 

If perks have nothing to do with your question, then what does? Maybe you should have asked a different question if you are looking to make a decision based on others' opinions.

 

Geez- don't be such a crank.

[wallie5446]

I spoke only for myself; your OP mentioned perks.

Then my answer is no. Quality alone is not enough. X has to go where I want when I want.

 

Geez- don't be such a crank.

Not wanting to waste a chunk of $$ is not being a crank. The cruise we have a deposit on goes where we want when we want at a price we are ok with. BUT if the cabin, food, on board experience, and service are poor quality, why would we want to be there?

So am I to understand your comment correctly, that if it went where and when you want it could be poor food, service, dirty cabin and you would be ok with that?

[k9x8]

Not wanting to waste a chunk of $$ is not being a crank. The cruise we have a deposit on goes where we want when we want at a price we are ok with. BUT if the cabin, food, on board experience, and service are poor quality, why would we want to be there?

So am I to understand your comment correctly, that if it went where and when you want it could be poor food, service, dirty cabin and you would be ok with that?

 

I was editing while you were posting. Read what I quoted.

 

Please, don't make a decision based on opinions. I read member reviews after my husband booked our first cruise, and I thought, "what hath he wrought?" The quality is there, especially at our price point. We didn't get any extras or special deals, and we had a ball. We did get price drops, but that was an unexpected prize.

 

I have no reason to expect the pitfalls you mention.

 

I would sail Celebrity in a heartbeat if the time and itinerary were right.

[wallie5446]

 

I would sail Celebrity in a heartbeat if the time and itinerary were right.

There is what I was looking for, thank you.

[k9x8]

There is what I was looking for, thank you.

 

You're welcome.:)