Aqua Class Perks Gone?

[josie724]

Be advised that Celebrity's customer service on the phone is notorious for giving wrong answers. Go by those who have actually cruised lately and no one has reported any CC or AQ benefits which have been lost. Once again, chocolates, Q tips,etc were benefits to all classes of cabins.

 

I have experienced that.....I called just the other day because I forgot a sweater on board in our cabin. The CS rep asked if it was in a garment bag. I said no. She told me that items left on board not in a garment bag are thrown out due to "health reasons" seems like I have read that response on CC ("due to health reasons") given by many Celebrity staff for lots of circumstances. I guess it's a generic response when they don't want to deal with something. I wasn't looking for them to return the item to me and at a cost to them. I would have either driven down to Bayonne when the ship returns to port, or prepaid for them to ship it back to me. No biggie, I just feel I was abruptly brushed off the phone.

[Sloop-JohnB]

Aqua class is a subset of concierge class with some extras. It is not clear on the website that aqua class get the concierge amenities as well as Blu, etc.

 

I would be hard pressed to call Aqua Class a "subset" of Concierge Class... I agree tho it may have started out that way

 

But with the Blu Dining Room, and the fact that Celebrity clearly has marketed AQ in the last few years as a separate class onto itself with all the amenities of Concierge & more, it most definitely is not a subset any longer

 

--- --- ---

 

We are sailing in Aqua on the Connie in December, I will be doing a very thorough investigation of the old well advertised perks / amenities of this class (Concierge & more) vs what we get in reality and will report back

 

Clearly tho something has changed... Or is about to.

 

The Celebrity Cruise Brochures for 2015 no longer go into detail about the received amenities of any of their classes...

 

We all know about the upcoming changes to Suite Class, but perhaps other Classes are going to have changes made as well ????

 

Cheers!

[elena7seas]

We have cruised in aqua class four times and always received the perks of concierge and below as well as the extras of aqua class.

 

I'm reading more about cuts and wondered if any one can help with these two questions for our Silhouette cruise at the end of September.

 

Do you still get a bottle of sparkling wine on embarkation?

 

Do you get canapés each evening?

 

We've always had these and I think we booked our trip with these perks in the description but now they have gone from the website.

 

Well, those two items are definitely showing under the list of amenities in Concierge Class, and definitely NOT showing under the list of amenities in Aquaclass.

 

We received everything we were promised in our AquaClass cabins on the Solstice in May 2014 and we were a group of eight who were all travelling in AquaClass. Some of the products had been replaced with new versions, as has been much discussed in other threads, but IIRC, nothing was missing.

 

AquaClass has never been a "subset" of Concierge Class, and up until and including our most recent cruise in AquaClass, we have always received all of the perks of Concierge Class, plus the specific perks assigned to AquaClass.

 

I haven't heard of anyone returning recently and reporting that the sparkling wine and canapés were not included in AquaClass, so perhaps this is yet another instance of incomplete information being provided on the website. I seriously think that Celebrity would benefit from beta testing the final copy of any website changes with a user group of experienced Cruise Critic members who sail frequently with Celebrity.

 

Cruise Critic is always where I go to get the most up-to-date and correct information about cruising on any line.

Edited September 11, 2014 by elena7seas

[miched]

We are looking forward to our AQ1 extended aft balcony on the Connie this coming Feb. It being our second Celebrity cruise and second AQ class we hope it's the same as last March. The flowers and chocolates are not an issue, having great food in Blu, nice bathroom, Persian Gardens and a very attentive cabin steward are what we pay extra for. The bubbly is nice though!

Hope it's as wonderful as our first time in AQ2....

 

If your first cruise was on a S class in AQ you will find that the Persian Gardens is not as nice and the bathrooms aren't either on the M class.

 

Our first was in AQ on the Solstice, our next cruise was on the Summit in AQ. It was disappointing at first as we expected it to be the same since it was after the update to Solstilize it. After the initial realization that it was different we did find that the ship had a lot of nice features and enjoyed it for what it was.

 

Happy crusing. 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[bvocruise]

Be advised that Celebrity's customer service on the phone is notorious for giving wrong answers. Go by those who have actually cruised lately and no one has reported any CC or AQ benefits which have been lost. Once again, chocolates, Q tips,etc were benefits to all classes of cabins.

 

Time will tell but the agent I spoke with indicated the items would not be included in my cruise next May on the Reflection.

[chamima]

Be advised that Celebrity's customer service on the phone is notorious for giving wrong answers. Go by those who have actually cruised lately and no one has reported any CC or AQ benefits which have been lost. Once again, chocolates, Q tips,etc were benefits to all classes of cabins.

 

Time will tell but the agent I spoke with indicated the items would not be included in my cruise next May on the Reflection.

 

I'll have to second dkj"s post.

The customer service reps on the phone give more incorrect info than correct.

[woodards]

Thanks all for input.

 

For us, it's the fact that the sparkling wine and canapés were advertised when we booked, so to remove them now (and that is and IF they are removed) is just a bit unfair.

 

We will get a nice bottle of something for set sail and get some cheese from the buffet, but we shouldn't have to bother if we get what we agreed at payment.

 

I think they are removing these perks eventually, hence them not being listed on the website any longer.

 

We just hope we get the bed that was advertised when we booked ;)

[dkjretired]

Time will tell but the agent I spoke with indicated the items would not be included in my cruise next May on the Reflection.

 

I cruised last week in AQ and received all the benefits of Cc as well as those from Aqua.

[Solon]

We have been Aqua class 3 time this year with the last cruise 2 weeks ago, and had the sparkling wine and canapés. I know they are not listed on the website, but we had those perks none the less.

[I&J Cruisers]

Chocolate covered Oreos sound gross.

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

Chocolate covered Oreos sound gross.

 

 

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I’m kind of intrigued by them. I like Oreos and I like chocolate covered wafers, so I’m thinking they might be good. I guess I'll find out in January.

[Nachosdelux]

Chocolate covered Oreos sound gross.

 

 

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I thought they were delicious, but I am a chocoholic.

 

I do miss the nightly chocolates, though.

[ghstudio]

Time will tell but the agent I spoke with indicated the items would not be included in my cruise next May on the Reflection.

 

I'm sure the agent thought they were right...after all, if it says that on the official Celebrity web site, how could it be wrong!! However, that part of the web site has been wrong since someone in marketing decided to rewrite the perks and forgot to mention that aqua gets all of the perks of concierge class plus some additional ones.

 

If you want accurate answers to most Celebrity questions, you are better off asking here on CC than calling Celebrity customer service agents who are generally the very last to know of any changes.

[hulamoon]

GHstudio...I hope it is a simple, uncorrected error. My thoughts are that is is also an opportunity for someone not well versed in former promises and expectations to axe them as well.

[HokiePoq]

I would be hard pressed to call Aqua Class a "subset" of Concierge Class... I agree tho it may have started out that way

 

But with the Blu Dining Room, and the fact that Celebrity clearly has marketed AQ in the last few years as a separate class onto itself with all the amenities of Concierge & more, it most definitely is not a subset any longer

 

--- --- ---

 

We are sailing in Aqua on the Connie in December, I will be doing a very thorough investigation of the old well advertised perks / amenities of this class (Concierge & more) vs what we get in reality and will report back

 

Clearly tho something has changed... Or is about to.

 

The Celebrity Cruise Brochures for 2015 no longer go into detail about the received amenities of any of their classes...

 

We all know about the upcoming changes to Suite Class, but perhaps other Classes are going to have changes made as well ????

 

Cheers!

 

I will appreciate your report from your December cruise as we have CC booked on the Infinity and AQ on the Millie coming up.

I don't understand the rule about being present in one's cabin for deliveries. That has not been the case on other lines and our goodies were always waiting for us nor did we have to order them daily. We stay busy on or off the ship and if that is enforced, it seems like a way to avoid providing them. They certainly aren't worth staying in the cabin rather than participating in activities or cutting port time short.

[NLH Arizona]

I will appreciate your report from your December cruise as we have CC booked on the Infinity and AQ on the Millie coming up.

I don't understand the rule about being present in one's cabin for deliveries. That has not been the case on other lines and our goodies were always waiting for us nor did we have to order them daily. We stay busy on or off the ship and if that is enforced, it seems like a way to avoid providing them. They certainly aren't worth staying in the cabin rather than participating in activities or cutting port time short.

I don't understand that as well, becaue they are already made up and will just have to be thrown away if someone is not in their cabin. Maybe you could ask your room steward to leave them, even if you are not in your cabin. I'd bet he would do it.

[Sloop-JohnB]

I will appreciate your report from your December cruise as we have CC booked on the Infinity and AQ on the Millie coming up.

I don't understand the rule about being present in one's cabin for deliveries. That has not been the case on other lines and our goodies were always waiting for us nor did we have to order them daily. We stay busy on or off the ship and if that is enforced, it seems like a way to avoid providing them. They certainly aren't worth staying in the cabin rather than participating in activities or cutting port time short.

 

I don't understand that as well, becaue they are already made up and will just have to be thrown away if someone is not in their cabin. Maybe you could ask your room steward to leave them, even if you are not in your cabin. I'd bet he would do it.

 

Yes it is a wierd rule at first glance... In that you've paid extra for Concierge Class which is supposed to include them... And let's face it, come 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon on a cruise, sea day or shore, the majority of the Pax are not going to be found in their cabins (lol, I am unsure of the time... Cause I have never been around when the Stewards come back on shift... And I would imagine this is one of the first things they do... Along with ice / bottles chilling etc... Cause we have on past cruises come back to our room nicely set up with these "afternoon niceties" awaiting our arrival)

 

On our first Celebrity Cruise (Solstice 2012) the canapés arrived whether we were there or not. Second Cruise (Summit 2013) it was more hit & miss at first... Including the daily order forms... Until we saw our Asst Cabin Steward and said to just leave them for us whether we were there or not... And he did.

 

In that year span... The canapés changed too. The ones in 2013 had more variety to them (and their ingredients) they were much better than the year previously. Many in 2012 were not very good... And we tossed them. As the arrived "automatically" and we were newbies (lol and always excited by every new thing) we never cancelled them cause we thought by doing so we might miss out on something great.

 

I recall that many of the ones in 2012 had protein ingredients... Pâté, Proscuitto, Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese... Maybe that was why there was a transition to Pax having to request them / be there... As it was a higher possibility that the canapés would spoil (or they noted all the Pax throwing them out)

 

In 2013 as I recall the canapé deliveries were different each day... They were still these little bites like from 2012 but we also saw fruits, cheese, crackers and the like... And a lot less mini quiche looking items.

 

This time, we are going to monitor things more closely... And if Day One isn't a hit, we will either ask the Steward if there are any alternatives.... Or we will cancel the canapés entirely (picking up a plate of items of our own choosing from the Buffet). I am guessing cause we are AQ this time, and just one floor up from the Oceanview Cafe, and have that handy "back stairs" on Deck 11 that chances are very high we will cancel... And just fend for ourselves based on our cravings in the moment.

 

And yes... You can be sure I will report back... And hopefully remember to take some photos too.

 

Cheers!

Edited September 13, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[ghstudio]

I can understand why they don't enter rooms late afternoon. Wife takes shower and doesn't hear knock....wife takes out hearing aids and falls asleep on the bed in undergarments....making whoopsie and don't hear the door. I think having people ask for the canapés and not leaving them if they aren't there is a pretty good compromise...

 

 

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[HokiePoq]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will tell the steward we want them. Stewards weren't the ones responsible the times I mentioned having them delivered. The afternoon was the stewards' time off after finishing morning rounds and before evening ones. Room service people were the deliverers those other times. If it's the steward who is responsible on Celebrity, that should work.

[ozark74]

Got back on Monday from 2 weeks on the Infinity. In Aqua we did not fill in canapé form so were did not get them. They had not changed from April.

The cotton balls and q-tips we refilled daily. Nothing was prepackaged.

We were told by the room steward they were throwing so much chocolate away from people leaving it behind since it could not be reused. It was decided to stop it.

Nothing has been cut from Aqua except the chocolate.

Edited September 13, 2014 by ozark74

[NLH Arizona]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will tell the steward we want them. Stewards weren't the ones responsible the times I mentioned having them delivered. The afternoon was the stewards' time off after finishing morning rounds and before evening ones. Room service people were the deliverers those other times. If it's the steward who is responsible on Celebrity, that should work.

My last cruise was in Concierge class and, to be honest, I didn't like the canape's, so I just told my room steward not to have any delievered (they were still delivering them if you were in the room or not) and I never got any.

[dkjretired]

My last cruise was in Concierge class and, to be honest, I didn't like the canape's, so I just told myroom steward not to have any delievered (they were still delivering them if you were in the room or not) and I never got any.

 

I had the same thing last week, told our steward we didn't want them. There was a card in the room saying they would only deliver when the room was occupied.

[hulamoon]

Got back on Monday from 2 weeks on the Infinity. In Aqua we did not fill in canapé form so were did not get them. They had not changed from April.

The cotton balls and q-tips we refilled daily. Nothing was prepackaged.

We were told by the room steward they were throwing so much chocolate away from people leaving it behind since it could not be reused. It was decided to stop it.

Nothing has been cut from Aqua except the chocolate.

 

Did you have flowers? Were the canapés you declined the pita bread style we were served in April?

 

People have been known to request cheese plates or shrimp. I wonder if that is possible.