Activity Staff Reduction (3 Threads Merged)

[SmokeOnTheWater71]

I just saw the thread about staff cut on the silhouette do you people every ask yourself why I will tell you good reason food and it's only going to get worse if the drought continues this year look for more chicken and more chicken it's cheap most normal food prices have gone up 35%.If you want triva by the game get a bottle and have at it.I would pay less money for my room if I could clean it my self,make my own bed use my towels for 3 days hey I could even through a mint on our bed knock 350.00 off my trip I will do it.You can't live in the past inflation is here and it's here to stay.They can cut more people or revamp all their food products which would through all you people in a fit .I pay for being gone not triva not games not belly flopping not LOUD MUSIC I don't want to be seen.I welcome the the price increase because they need it.

[dz9yvr]

Wonder if they'll continue port shopping program....I know that's a revenue area but most experienced cruisers know how to shop and what to shop for in various ports.....

 

it was nicer when the port maps and info focused more on history and culture .... now it is mostly about the shopping...

 

not sure if these reps are activity staff???????

 

 

They could eliminate the Port Shopping Person from every ship as far as I'm concerned. The entire purpose of this activity is to get you to shop at places that give Celebrity a kick-back and not really to educate the passengers.

[Redtravel]

I have participated in trivia and a few other activities. They are fun. Not many people participated. I will not miss them. I will not miss the guy who kept announcing the egg drop contest or the zumba lady who just keeps yelling out the moves. There are very few people who participate in these activities. I will not miss the arts and crafts. I will not miss the hot glass show. I will not miss the art auctions. I will welcome more space on deck, the quiet time in the late afternoon, and the open pool which was closed for water competitions. I hope that there is still live music and the nightly entertainment in the theater. I would suggest more books in the library and a better selection of free movies. If people are supposed to make their own activities, perhaps the ship could improve the internet speed....or offer free internet like Oceania does on many of their cruises. I can certainly understand that the cuts are a way to save money. Although I am happy to read a book, many people love the constant activities on a cruise. I certainly hope that they don't close the fun factory. My grandkids love it.

[Beh789149]

I'm glad to hear there are changes in entertainment! It's been clear that entertainment wasn't the strong point for Celebrity. I'd like a better selection of free movies on sea days, more acoustic musicians (please no more acapella) and take the broadway type shows up a couple of notches! We are on the Century in a couple of weeks and wondering if the changes will be in place by then?

 

 

Avalon Scenery Burgundy and Provence-June 2010

Celebrity Infinity Alaska-May 2012

Celebrity Century Pacific Wine-Sept 2012

Celebrity Millennium N Alaska-July 2013

Celebrity Century Pacific Coastal-May 2014

Celebrity Millennium Malaysia and Indonesia-Nov 2014

[Christine Frances]

They could eliminate the Port Shopping Person from every ship as far as I'm concerned. The entire purpose of this activity is to get you to shop at places that give Celebrity a kick-back and not really to educate the passengers.

 

Is the "Port Shopping" thing just in the Caribbean? We were 28 days on the Silhouette and Eclipse last summer and just finished 28 days in Asia on the Millie.and didn't have anything like that. What we did have was excellent Port info talks - history, where to go, how to get around, where to eat etc. The talks were full. At first people avoided them thinking they were the standard shopping talks but as word of mouth spread people came. The talks were repeated on the TV as well. Kudos to Celebrity because they were very well done.

[NLH Arizona]

On Princess after 6pm they would have a number of activities in addition to the main theater. These include, but are not limited to, multiple trivia events with different subjects and formats (usually atleast 2 each night), movies up on the MUTS, dance classes, karoake, and an entertainer doing shows in addition to the main theater (often the entertainer that was in the main theater the day before would do a different show). Some kind of show in the Piazza (often juggler or body balancing type act). This is all in addition to the music, dancing, etc in the various lounges/bars.

 

I could go through other examples on other lines as well. The key point is the variety and options. So for example we would usually watch the show in the Piazza, go into dinner, after dinner go to the main show, then go to the secondary entertainment, and then either to one of the trivia contests or go up and catch the movie outside.

 

On celebrity the trivia was a daytime event, not a nighttime event.

Did Celebrity have all these activities that Princess had and cut them all out? What actual nightime activities were cut out on your cruise that you wanted to attend? Did they have nightime trivia and cut it out, only to have it in the daytime?

 

I guess I'm just trying to find out what all the activity cuts everyone is talking about are.

[hcat]

I have participated in trivia and a few other activities. They are fun. Not many people participated. I will not miss them. I will not miss the guy who kept announcing the egg drop contest or the zumba lady who just keeps yelling out the moves. There are very few people who participate in these activities. I will not miss the arts and crafts. I will not miss the hot glass show. I will not miss the art auctions. I will welcome more space on deck, the quiet time in the late afternoon, and the open pool which was closed for water competitions. I hope that there is still live music and the nightly entertainment in the theater. I would suggest more books in the library and a better selection of free movies. If people are supposed to make their own activities, perhaps the ship could improve the internet speed....or offer free internet like Oceania does on many of their cruises. I can certainly understand that the cuts are a way to save money. Although I am happy to read a book, many people love the constant activities on a cruise. I certainly hope that they don't close the fun factory. My grandkids love it.

 

Ditto all

[Ma Bell]

Did Celebrity have all these activities that Princess had and cut them all out? What actual nightime activities were cut out on your cruise that you wanted to attend? Did they have nightime trivia and cut it out, only to have it in the daytime?

 

I guess I'm just trying to find out what all the activity cuts everyone is talking about are.

 

I was under the impression you were a frequent cruiser with Celebrity.

[JanineM]

We would gladly pay more for our cruises if it meant the current level of service and quality of food was maintained. But unfortunately a lot of people don't understand anything about economics ...

 

I don't get the rant about loud music. We were on Silhouette in January and I can honestly say the music volume wasn't an issue.

[NLH Arizona]

I was under the impression you were a frequent cruiser with Celebrity.

I am (don't you remember, we had this discussion before), but if you have seen some of my other posts, I clearly said that I don't participate in the activities, nor do I keep track of them, put on by the activity department. I'm hoping that Celebrity adds some new, fresher activities that will be of interest to me.

Edited April 20, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[richsea]

I keep seeing references to a reduction in the activity staff, & according to some reports, Celebrity intends to spend the money saved by this move to offer new activities. Really??? I would think if that were really the case, they would already be offering the new activities, wouldn't they? What are they waiting for, some bean counter to come up with some snappy new activities? It all sounds like they just wanted to save some money, but I'll reserve final judgement until I've experienced the "new, improved" activities.

[Ma Bell]

I am (don't you remember, we had this discussion before), but if you have seen some of my other posts, I clearly said that I don't participate in the activities, nor do I keep track of them, put on by the activity department. I'm hoping that Celebrity adds some new, fresher activities that will be of interest to me.

 

If you don't know what they are or ever keep track of them how would you know you don't like them? I guess I don't understand all the questions you ask of others because even though there are many things I don't participate in I still know what they are or how else could I decide what I would like to participate in. There have a been a large variety of activities through the years and many different ones from cruise to cruise.

 

What kinds of new, fresher activities would interest you?

[Ma Bell]

I keep seeing references to a reduction in the activity staff, & according to some reports, Celebrity intends to spend the money saved by this move to offer new activities. Really??? I would think if that were really the case, they would already be offering the new activities, wouldn't they? What are they waiting for, some bean counter to come up with some snappy new activities? It all sounds like they just wanted to save some money, but I'll reserve final judgement until I've experienced the "new, improved" activities.

 

I'll reserve judgment too. My next couple of cruises should tell the tale for me.

[NLH Arizona]

If you don't know what they are or ever keep track of them how would you know you don't like them? I guess I don't understand all the questions you ask of others because even though there are many things I don't participate in I still know what they are or how else could I decide what I would like to participate in. There have a been a large variety of activities through the years and many different ones from cruise to cruise.

 

What kinds of new, fresher activities would interest you?

Don't understand your motivies as far as questioning eveything I seem to do, but I will be polite and answer you.

 

When I went on my first few Celebrity cruises, I did look at what was available, but found them boring to me, so I never looked again, since I had better things to do with my time on the ship, but I'm glad you have the time and interest to see everything that is available on your cruises.

 

Since you know every activity that is on Celebrity, then I guess you can answer the question that no one who has complained about the activity staff cuts has answered and that is: Since the activity staff reductions, what activities have been cut. Thank you so much for your response to the question.

Edited April 20, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[Iamthesea]

I have participated in trivia and a few other activities. They are fun. Not many people participated. I will not miss them. I will not miss the guy who kept announcing the egg drop contest or the zumba lady who just keeps yelling out the moves. There are very few people who participate in these activities. I will not miss the arts and crafts. I will not miss the hot glass show. I will not miss the art auctions. I will welcome more space on deck, the quiet time in the late afternoon, and the open pool which was closed for water competitions. I hope that there is still live music and the nightly entertainment in the theater. I would suggest more books in the library and a better selection of free movies. If people are supposed to make their own activities, perhaps the ship could improve the internet speed....or offer free internet like Oceania does on many of their cruises. I can certainly understand that the cuts are a way to save money. Although I am happy to read a book, many people love the constant activities on a cruise. I certainly hope that they don't close the fun factory. My grandkids love it.

 

Red, were you one my cruise? :D Nothing I like better than to relax on the upper decks and read a book with some nice tunes in the background.:)

 

Our cruise had a scratchy voiced Zumba instructor and the ACD shouting trivia on our last sea day.:( I can understand the Officers versus whoever pool games. There are passengers that enjoy that type of thing.;) At least Celebrity has kicked it up a notch from the hairy legs and belly busting contest that the other cruiselines seem to have. :rolleyes:

[Ma Bell]

Don't understand your motivies as far as questioning eveything I seem to do, but I will be polite and answer you.

 

When I went on my first few Celebrity cruises, I did look at what was available, but found them boring to me, so I never looked again, since I had better things to do with my time on the ship, but I'm glad you have the time and interest to see everything that is available on your cruises.

 

Since you know every activity that is on Celebrity, then I guess you can answer the question that no one who has complained about the activity staff cuts has answered and that is: Since the activity staff reductions, what activities have been cut. Thank you so much for your response to the question.

 

I find it interesting that you think I am questioning everything you do. You are the question lady.

 

YOU are asking a lot of questions of people that it's not possible for them to answer yet. The cutbacks on the activity staff are new. This whole thread contains recent reports of just a few things that people are observing. I returned from being on Eclipse on April 5th and the last day was when cuts were made on that ship so our activities were not affected. All the activity staff except one were dismissed.

 

It's obviously going to take a little more time for anyone to see what they are going to do. That's why I am reserving judgment until I see what has been affected.

[RDC1]

Did Celebrity have all these activities that Princess had and cut them all out? What actual nightime activities were cut out on your cruise that you wanted to attend? Did they have nightime trivia and cut it out, only to have it in the daytime?

 

I guess I'm just trying to find out what all the activity cuts everyone is talking about are.

 

When I was on Celebrity about three years ago the entertainment options were more like Princess. On my Solstice cruise in March, the nighttime entertainment was the main theater, whatever event (DJ or band based) in the Atrium, and the lounges/bars mostly in listening distance of the atrium event. You might have a half hour of the string trio in Michaels. That is pretty much the choices one had.

 

To say I was shocked by how much the entertainment choices had been reduced in three years would be pretty much of an understatement.

 

So to put it as far as what was cut, the it was the reduction in the amount of choices available in the evening. I could generate a list of the type of evening activties, but I already did that with the Princess example. Everything that I listed in the Princess example (except for MUTS and the second show venue) was on the Infinity three years ago.

[NLH Arizona]

I find it interesting that you think I am questioning everything you do. You are the question lady.

 

YOU are asking a lot of questions of people that it's not possible for them to answer yet. The cutbacks on the activity staff are new. This whole thread contains recent reports of just a few things that people are observing. I returned from being on Eclipse on April 5th and the last day was when cuts were made on that ship so our activities were not affected. All the activity staff except one were dismissed.

 

It's obviously going to take a little more time for anyone to see what they are going to do. That's why I am reserving judgment until I see what has been affected.

Then why are they complaining so much, when they have no idea what is going to happen? That is my point!

Edited April 20, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[Christine Frances]

We are definitely not in the long time cruiser category but we have been cruising for almost 10 years. At the beginning we tried to do everything but now we don't even bother to go to the shows. We love cruising, the relaxation, we have dinner, (early traditional) maybe hit the casino then go to the sunset bar and relax and then head for the cabin. We are not old folks but we get up early. We don't like the competition part of Trivia by the other players, don't sit and watch the strings or A Capella groups etc

 

What we would be most interested in is if Celebrity had great speakers on board. On our Aukland to Hawaii to Vancouver B2B we had the best speaker on Captain Cook. The main theatre was jammed everyday. A lot of the boutique lines have really interesting lectures and we would love it if Celebrity moved more in this direction. We have noticed a change on our last two 28 nt cruises that they have moved away from the port shopping flogs to very informative and appreciated, helpful talks. I really wish they would expand on this.

[Ma Bell]

Then why are they complaining so much, when they have no idea what is going to happen? That is my point!

 

I guess it's kind of like why are you interested in this thread if you are not even interested in activities?

[pumpkin 11]

Honestly I would pay more too if it meant no more cut backs. There is something to be said for brands that bring consistency like princess, and as of recent celebrity hasn't been very consistent. I don't mind change, I just don't like diminishing quality. If Celebrity charged more and put more money into the cruise I would pay up for the fare.

[mcrcruiser]

Folks the cruise fares have already increased if you haven't noticed . Imo Celebrity will not decrease food quality to the point that makes them less than a desirable cruise line to sail .Reason is that food is a very important item & cutting food quality for Celebrity would be like cutting their own throats . :eek:

[NLH Arizona]

We are definitely not in the long time cruiser category but we have been cruising for almost 10 years. At the beginning we tried to do everything but now we don't even bother to go to the shows. We love cruising, the relaxation, we have dinner, (early traditional) maybe hit the casino then go to the sunset bar and relax and then head for the cabin. We are not old folks but we get up early. We don't like the competition part of Trivia by the other players, don't sit and watch the strings or A Capella groups etc

 

What we would be most interested in is if Celebrity had great speakers on board. On our Aukland to Hawaii to Vancouver B2B we had the best speaker on Captain Cook. The main theatre was jammed everyday. A lot of the boutique lines have really interesting lectures and we would love it if Celebrity moved more in this direction. We have noticed a change on our last two 28 nt cruises that they have moved away from the port shopping flogs to very informative and appreciated, helpful talks. I really wish they would expand on this.

I with you, I love speakers. I also do a lot of expedition cruises and the speakers on those trips have been fantastic. I would love Celebrity to do something a little more educational. The best speaker I ever heard was on my trip to Antarctica where he spoke about Shackleton's expedition...it was awesome. I know speakers are not for everyone, but then again trivia isn't for everyone either.

[wallie5446]

And the point is?

[wpgcycler]

I with you, I love speakers. I also do a lot of expedition cruises and the speakers on those trips have been fantastic. I would love Celebrity to do something a little more educational. The best speaker I ever heard was on my trip to Antarctica where he spoke about Shackleton's expedition...it was awesome. I know speakers are not for everyone, but then again trivia isn't for everyone either.

 

I too would be interested in more speakers. I didn't have any interest in any of the activities on my first cruise other than the galley tour - and the most interesting part about that was the q&a with the exec chef.