Some thoughts after 2nd Celebrity cruise

[cherylroslyn]

I don't see it as falling for some ploy as much as taking advantage of a last-minute deal. In my mind, Celebrity is not much different than other mass market lines. That is the point. They promote themselves as luxury but charge extra for way too many things to qualify for that.

 

I'm afraid that there are probably many people who get caught up in the excitement and spend more than they should, hence the illusion at what cost.

You seem to equate luxury with all inclusive. They are not synonymous. Modern Luxury is the feel of the ship, not that everything is free. Modern Luxury is the stately look, the clean lines, the meticulous details. It is having top rate spa, food, beverages, at your disposal.......but not necessarily included in the fare.

 

 

Everyone should really get used to the fact that cruise lines have to charge for upgraded experiences or they will simply disappear. It works well for everyone. For someone like me, who spends a lot on the extras, I have choices, but for someone else, they can get a rock bottom fare, no drink package and sip tea at the buffet....and everyone is happy.

 

 

As for squealing for sales and trinkets.....so what....who is it hurting. Judging people for their excitement over a sale is more untoward in my opinion.

 

And Celebrity does not promote itself as "Luxury", they use a catch phrase "Modern Luxury"...it doesn't mean they feel they can compete with luxury cruise lines, that is your misinterpretation of a marketing catch phrase. They are very simply a more adult friendly mass market line.

[DinaS]

I don't live the life of luxury at home.

 

I can't generally afford more then one nice vacation a year. I don't cruise in suites. I don't spend hundreds of dollars on the cruise-ship sponsored shore excursions. I don't eat in all of the specialty restaurants. (Ok - maybe we'll do one per cruise.)

 

Is Celebrity really "modern luxury"?

 

For me, it's the luxury of going to places and not having to unpack at each destination. It's the luxury of getting away for a week or more, and leaving all my cares behind. It's the luxury of someone else taking care of cleaning, cooking and things that are chores while at home.

 

Sure - I could afford a suite if I didn't want to go on a nice vacation every year. But I would MUCH rather cruise in an ocean view or balcony cabin once a year, instead of a suite once every 4 or 5 years.

 

It's modern luxury to me - but then again so are many other mass market cruise lines.

 

We have NEVER had a bad cruise - even when we ended up in the Bahamas instead of Bermuda. (I HATE the Bahamas.)

 

We have a wonderful time no matter what kind of folks we are cruising with. Millionaires or middle-class folks, retirees or executives, seniors or thirty-somethings - it doesn't matter to us.

 

We make our own fun - we enjoy what we want to, and just leave the rest.

 

We associate with folks who are here for one thing and one thing only - a really great vacation.

[CruisingChick]

Seems rather strange that they would sell the suites to some Johnny-come-lately at a deeply discounted price rather than make happy customers of those who booked earlier at higher rates.

 

That's Celebrity "MO" of late. Drop prices 3-4 weeks before sailing, mark it a "new bookings only" promotional rate so the poor slobs that paid ages ago cannot take advantage of price drops.:mad:

[bajathree]

I was also on this same sailing:) We had an absolutely wonderful time. However there are some points you make that I will tend to understand. I think what they are doing is trying to push you into packages. $25 for a photo....$45/per person for a specialty restaurant ....gone are the days of $30/pp for Tuscan Grill. We had the premium drink pkg...so honestly I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to drink prices...but even in some of the restaurants staying with a glass that fell at $13 or below did make for some slimmer choices. I do think that they have completely got out of hand for the specialty dining....there is no way that $90/couple on top of what is already offered is worth it....and keep in mind that just food cost and not drinks....sorry but we can go to Ruth Chris...or Del Frisco for $90/couple no drinks any night of the week. While the specialties are nice...they don't offer up to that level IMHO. I will say that on Royal on think that the specialties are worth every penny compared to whats offered at the free venues.

That aside we LOVED our sailing and can't wait for the next:)

[waterbug123]

That's Celebrity "MO" of late. Drop prices 3-4 weeks before sailing, mark it a "new bookings only" promotional rate so the poor slobs that paid ages ago cannot take advantage of price drops.:mad:

 

It's really no different than any retail store marking down leftover goods for a clearance sale at the end of the season. If you want to the super bargain price, just wait til 3-4 weeks out to book your cruise. Keep in mind, you'll likely have little choice of cabins (kind of like the clearance rack that is sellign sweaters dirt cheap but has nothing left but XS and XXXL in a hideous color, LOL), and your airfare might end up being a sky high, last minute fare, but you'll get the bargain on the cruise. ;)

[TinaPerth_Australia]

I don't live the life of luxury at home.

 

I can't generally afford more then one nice vacation a year. I don't cruise in suites. I don't spend hundreds of dollars on the cruise-ship sponsored shore excursions. I don't eat in all of the specialty restaurants. (Ok - maybe we'll do one per cruise.)

 

Is Celebrity really "modern luxury"?

 

For me, it's the luxury of going to places and not having to unpack at each destination. It's the luxury of getting away for a week or more, and leaving all my cares behind. It's the luxury of someone else taking care of cleaning, cooking and things that are chores while at home.

 

Sure - I could afford a suite if I didn't want to go on a nice vacation every year. But I would MUCH rather cruise in an ocean view or balcony cabin once a year, instead of a suite once every 4 or 5 years.

 

It's modern luxury to me - but then again so are many other mass market cruise lines.

 

We have NEVER had a bad cruise - even when we ended up in the Bahamas instead of Bermuda. (I HATE the Bahamas.)

 

We have a wonderful time no matter what kind of folks we are cruising with. Millionaires or middle-class folks, retirees or executives, seniors or thirty-somethings - it doesn't matter to us.

 

We make our own fun - we enjoy what we want to, and just leave the rest.

 

We associate with folks who are here for one thing and one thing only - a really great vacation.

Ditto to most of the above.

We don't holiday as much as we would like but we have enjoyed our previous cruises, they all have been wonderful. We have been on a couple of Princess and Star cruises (Singapore) & a Celebrity cruise but Celebrity beat them hands down and so have booked to do another next year. Must say though am getting a bit disheartened reading some posts re suites & specialty restaurants, as it appears that because we can not afford to be in a suite & then not eat other than the MDR, we are inferior. Maybe Celebrity would like us (not sure) but not feeling the love from CC people. Hoping to hear from some regular people that want to cruise on Celebrity. I think the thing is Suite people talk about their special dining room in a way that it seems they might catch something eating with us poor people in the MDR. Maybe I am the only one feeling this way, but we don't tend to have much of a class thing in Oz and I'm feeling the class thing reading on here.

Oh well if I get flamed will just cancel my membership. Can still enjoy a cruise without being a CC member!!

[wallie5446]

Ditto to most of the above.

We don't holiday as much as we would like but we have enjoyed our previous cruises, they all have been wonderful. We have been on a couple of Princess and Star cruises (Singapore) & a Celebrity cruise but Celebrity beat them hands down and so have booked to do another next year. Must say though am getting a bit disheartened reading some posts re suites & specialty restaurants, as it appears that because we can not afford to be in a suite & then not eat other than the MDR, we are inferior. Maybe Celebrity would like us (not sure) but not feeling the love from CC people. Hoping to hear from some regular people that want to cruise on Celebrity. I think the thing is Suite people talk about their special dining room in a way that it seems they might catch something eating with us poor people in the MDR. Maybe I am the only one feeling this way, but we don't tend to have much of a class thing in Oz and I'm feeling the class thing reading on here.

Oh well if I get flamed will just cancel my membership. Can still enjoy a cruise without being a CC member!!

 

Tina, welcome to Cruise Critic, and the Internet. We have never sailed in a suite, and can not wrap my head around your thoughts and comments :confused:

 

That said, we just returned from 11 days on the Equinox. There are less than 60 Captian's Club members at the Zenith level in the world!:eek: Of which, there were 2 on our cruise. They were in a standard veranda on deck 6.

 

Some folks go thru life looking for some little thing to say 'oh poor me'. Don't allow yourself to be one of those. Cruise Critic and the Captain Club are packed full of wonderful people.

[jzad]

I don't live the life of luxury at home.

 

I can't generally afford more then one nice vacation a year. I don't cruise in suites. I don't spend hundreds of dollars on the cruise-ship sponsored shore excursions. I don't eat in all of the specialty restaurants. (Ok - maybe we'll do one per cruise.)

 

Is Celebrity really "modern luxury"?

 

For me, it's the luxury of going to places and not having to unpack at each destination. It's the luxury of getting away for a week or more, and leaving all my cares behind. It's the luxury of someone else taking care of cleaning, cooking and things that are chores while at home.

 

Sure - I could afford a suite if I didn't want to go on a nice vacation every year. But I would MUCH rather cruise in an ocean view or balcony cabin once a year, instead of a suite once every 4 or 5 years.

 

It's modern luxury to me - but then again so are many other mass market cruise lines.

 

We have NEVER had a bad cruise - even when we ended up in the Bahamas instead of Bermuda. (I HATE the Bahamas.)

 

We have a wonderful time no matter what kind of folks we are cruising with. Millionaires or middle-class folks, retirees or executives, seniors or thirty-somethings - it doesn't matter to us.

 

We make our own fun - we enjoy what we want to, and just leave the rest.

 

We associate with folks who are here for one thing and one thing only - a really great vacation.

 

VERY well said.

[ozarkmama]

Ditto to most of the above.

We don't holiday as much as we would like but we have enjoyed our previous cruises, they all have been wonderful. We have been on a couple of Princess and Star cruises (Singapore) & a Celebrity cruise but Celebrity beat them hands down and so have booked to do another next year. Must say though am getting a bit disheartened reading some posts re suites & specialty restaurants, as it appears that because we can not afford to be in a suite & then not eat other than the MDR, we are inferior. Maybe Celebrity would like us (not sure) but not feeling the love from CC people. Hoping to hear from some regular people that want to cruise on Celebrity. I think the thing is Suite people talk about their special dining room in a way that it seems they might catch something eating with us poor people in the MDR. Maybe I am the only one feeling this way, but we don't tend to have much of a class thing in Oz and I'm feeling the class thing reading on here.

Oh well if I get flamed will just cancel my membership. Can still enjoy a cruise without being a CC member!!

 

Tina, I am with you. We cruise in an ocean view or Heaven forbid an interior cabin. We only use the cabin to shower, change clothes, and sleep for the most part so can't see spending my hard earned money on anything more expensive. We only eat in the MDR and we don't drink

much alcohol so we are satisfied for the most part with what is offered free of charge.

[ProfessorEFFE]

I don't think there is a class distinction on Celebrity. I don't have much class and I have been in every type of cabin, from inside to Royal Suite. There are more perks the more you spend on the cabin. You get the same food as suite guests ... well until they change that next year. But considering that suite guests can pay 10 grand or more for a suite I should think they deserved a little more pampering. My experience is that no passenger cares what kind of stateroom you have. IF they do I avoid them like the very plague!!

 

My experience is that folks who sail celebrity tend to like the more traditional aspects of sailing. Like dress codes, but that seems to be happening less and less. For me I like country club casual. I do wear a tux when the DW holds a gun to my head :D (That's a figurative gun)

[DavidYYC]

I think you are over thinking the slogan "Modern Luxury". Modern luxury is a mass market watered down version of "True Luxury", which is exactly what Celebrity provides. If you were expecting to sail with the Rockefeller s, Vanderbilt s, and the Morgan s you chose the wrong line.

 

This is what I was thinking....people read WAY too much into this slogan.

 

Maybe we should start a thread that re-works the pithy phrase that so many people seem to get their Knickers in a knot about?

 

I find the OP's thread sad. Sad for him - not for me or Celebrity.

[waterbug123]

 

I find the OP's thread sad. Sad for him - not for me or Celebrity.

 

I don't believe the OP has been back to follow up on any of the replies, which makes me wonder if the post was made intentionally to stir up a hornet's nest, particularly the comment about people not looking like they live luxuriously. :rolleyes:

[cle-guy]

Really boils down to what's the definition of "modern Luxury"

 

To me it means far more casual, more a-la-carte options and choices, modern contemporary decor without being gaudy, modern style music options

 

"Old Luxury" means all-inclusive, high fares to cover that, white gloves, tuxedos every night, over the top gaudy and ornate decor, harps and violins for music.

 

So to me "Modern Luxury": is in fact just what Celebrity is delivering.

[wwcruisers]

I don't live the life of luxury at home.

 

I can't generally afford more then one nice vacation a year. I don't cruise in suites. I don't spend hundreds of dollars on the cruise-ship sponsored shore excursions. I don't eat in all of the specialty restaurants. (Ok - maybe we'll do one per cruise.)

 

Is Celebrity really "modern luxury"?

 

For me, it's the luxury of going to places and not having to unpack at each destination. It's the luxury of getting away for a week or more, and leaving all my cares behind. It's the luxury of someone else taking care of cleaning, cooking and things that are chores while at home.

 

Sure - I could afford a suite if I didn't want to go on a nice vacation every year. But I would MUCH rather cruise in an ocean view or balcony cabin once a year, instead of a suite once every 4 or 5 years.

 

It's modern luxury to me - but then again so are many other mass market cruise lines.

 

We have NEVER had a bad cruise - even when we ended up in the Bahamas instead of Bermuda. (I HATE the Bahamas.)

 

We have a wonderful time no matter what kind of folks we are cruising with. Millionaires or middle-class folks, retirees or executives, seniors or thirty-somethings - it doesn't matter to us.

 

We make our own fun - we enjoy what we want to, and just leave the rest.

 

We associate with folks who are here for one thing and one thing only - a really great vacation.

 

Excellent post, Dina! :cool:

[TinaPerth_Australia]

Tina, welcome to Cruise Critic, and the Internet. We have never sailed in a suite, and can not wrap my head around your thoughts and comments :confused:

 

That said, we just returned from 11 days on the Equinox. There are less than 60 Captian's Club members at the Zenith level in the world!:eek: Of which, there were 2 on our cruise. They were in a standard veranda on deck 6.

 

Some folks go thru life looking for some little thing to say 'oh poor me'. Don't allow yourself to be one of those. Cruise Critic and the Captain Club are packed full of wonderful people.

 

Don't understand where you got the - poor me bit in my post. Not feeling sorry for myself at all & would hate to think my post portrays that. Also never said anything about any level of Captains Club, actually never even mentioned Captains Club. You're confused, well I'm confused about your post too - makes us even! Cheers

[mamamzee]

Just two points to make:

 

1. All people complain about on the HAL forum is the price of drinks

 

2. HAL does have a beautiful, comfortable library/coffee shop/ game area

[Oskial]

Reading all this makes me think that those who think they are not getting what they paid for have the choice of not going on a cruise. There are lots of alternate choices to cruising. We've been on a lot of all inclusive vacations, a few times where we rented a home or condo in various cities and we've also cruised on Carnival twice. We plan and save for our vacations to give us what we want. We aren't wealthy nor do we pretend that we are anything but what we are. Just average people with an average income that likes to travel and be pampered now and then. We've had an ocean view cabin on one cruise and a balcony on another. We prefer a balcony so we got a balcony this time even though it costs a little more. I'm very excited to see what difference it makes to sail with Celebrity over Carnival. Hopefully we see the difference. All in all I research the places we visit (my DW says I'm obsessed with this) and then make the choice to vacation at the place I think will be the best for us within our budget. We will owe $0.00 when we board the ship and will have a bill of under $500 when we debark. And we WILL have a great vacation!! I don't know what modern luxury is but cruising must come close to defining it.

 

Merry Christmas everyone!!

[wallie5446]

Ditto to most of the above.

We don't holiday as much as we would like but we have enjoyed our previous cruises, they all have been wonderful. We have been on a couple of Princess and Star cruises (Singapore) & a Celebrity cruise but Celebrity beat them hands down and so have booked to do another next year. Must say though am getting a bit disheartened reading some posts re suites & specialty restaurants, as it appears that because we can not afford to be in a suite & then not eat other than the MDR, we are inferior. Maybe Celebrity would like us (not sure) but not feeling the love from CC people. Hoping to hear from some regular people that want to cruise on Celebrity. I think the thing is Suite people talk about their special dining room in a way that it seems they might catch something eating with us poor people in the MDR. Maybe I am the only one feeling this way, but we don't tend to have much of a class thing in Oz and I'm feeling the class thing reading on here.

Oh well if I get flamed will just cancel my membership. Can still enjoy a cruise without being a CC member!!

 

Don't understand where you got the - poor me bit in my post. Not feeling sorry for myself at all & would hate to think my post portrays that. Also never said anything about any level of Captains Club, actually never even mentioned Captains Club. You're confused, well I'm confused about your post too - makes us even! Cheers

 

There is no 'special' dinning room untill April 2015. CC = Capt Club?

[jagoffee]

There is no 'special' dinning room untill April 2015. CC = Capt Club?

Is this context CC = Cruise Critic

[MizDemeanor]

I don't believe the OP has been back to follow up on any of the replies, which makes me wonder if the post was made intentionally to stir up a hornet's nest, particularly the comment about people not looking like they live luxuriously. :rolleyes:

 

Sometimes people just know to walk away, they have said their piece and don't wish to argue.

 

It was a couple of years ago when I realized I got caught up in the true shopping frenzy when Modern Luxury was what I was seeking.

 

It was my fault. I let myself get caught up in the crazy world of unveilings and it did me in. When I realized what I had become, a crazed shopper for low end knock off items that you think you can't not live without, and being 5 deep in a mob frenzy and circling and circling to grab one of these must have items was sicknening to me.

 

Celebrity loves the hype. They are good at the sensationalism snf its not hard to understand how it occurs on board and how so many get drawn in. Good for them.

 

I'm cured now though :)

[TinaPerth_Australia]

There is no 'special' dinning room untill April 2015. CC = Capt Club?

 

My CC meant - Cruise Critic, not Captains Club - my mistake!

[waterbug123]

Here's the bottom line: The recent action didn't lift the embargo, but IF the embargo was lifted in the future, and IF the infrastructure existed/was modified/was enhanced to allow typical US-based cruise ship traffic, then in answer to the original question- OF COURSE Celebrity would re-think their itineraries. They'd be foolish not to.