Celebrity: 2006 vs. 2016

[benbess]

Hi Folks

 

Ten years ago we took our first—and so far only—cruise on the Celebrity Infinity. It was a short cruise from San Francisco up to Canada. We were able to get a wonderful Family Veranda cabin aft with a big balcony. Overall, we had a very nice time with our two young kids—now teenagers. I researched the ship carefully, and knew a fair amount about the special features of the Millennium-class, such as the natural gas turbines for less vibration and much less in the way of smog. The ship itself was lovely, we had good to very food every meal in the main dining room (and once saw whales outside our window as we ate), and had great service from everyone on board. There were also special hidden treats like amazing fresh-baked "free" pastries at a special coffee shop, the name of which I don't recall. Once when I ordered a cheese plate from room service it was really quite nice, and we enjoyed it with champagne on our balcony watching the waves and feeling the fresh breeze.

 

After that successful trip I thought we might cruise again every few years, but everyone's schedule is complicated, and there always seemed like something else (new car, etc) that we wanted or needed to spend money on. But just to waste time recently, I read some cruise reviews of the various Celebrity ships here and got a bit worried. It seems some feel Celebrity has declined in various ways over the years.

 

They have those new amazing Solstice-class ships, but has that meant that the Millennium-class are not given as much in terms of maintenance and other things? Are the Solstice-class ships better?

 

But I remember that ten years ago the reviews were also all over the map, and so maybe it just seems like there are more negative ones now?

 

I'd be interested to hear what any long-time Celebrity cruisers would say in terms of putting things in perspective in terms of what things were like ten years ago and what things are like now. What's been lost and what's been gained? Has the food in the MDR gone downhill to almost "force" people to eat at the specialty restaurants?

 

Thanks in advance, Ben

 

PS Has the Millennium-class been converted to diesel?

[Quitwhin'n]

10 years ago:

 

The experience in the MDR was similar to the specialty restaurants of today. Michel Roux menus were 5 courses. I remember on formal nights, crumbs being swept off the tablecloth, gelato served between courses and petit fours were in addition to dessert. Service was attentive, friendly and usually fast. The wine Sommelier came around quickly.

 

There was a midnight buffet served partway through the cruise that was nothing short of spectacular with it's ice sculptures and food art AND an equally amazing chocolate buffet was offered on a different evening. The poolside party included a wide range of delicious finger foods. If you were in the lounges in the evening, trays of hor'dourves often circulated by white gloved servers.

 

The outside grill served more than just hotdogs, fries and burgers. I remember stirfrys, different types of sausage, pork chops, hot wings and the most delicious mini cornbreads. The menu at the grill had daily specials. Trays were used in the buffet and servers offered to carry them to your table.

 

Waffles were freshly made for you and delish.

 

Aquaspa Cafe offerings included made to order grilled salmon and chicken.

 

You could opt to eat in an alternate evening dining venue for I believe $2/person.

 

Drink stewards were aplenty by the pool and your glass was never empty (without having to get up). Gelato was often circulated around the pool.

 

Ballroom dancing was popular and Celebrity had dance hosts at these events.

 

Michael's club was a piano bar and open to everyone.

 

Prizes for trivia and pool games were much nicer.

 

Water jugs and ice were in your cabin nightly without having to ask for them.

In addition, cotton balls and q-tips were in great supply.

 

No fee for room service, any time.

 

A martini flight was $10 but didn't come with a "show".

 

There seemed to be more live music vs piped music today.

 

Formal night meant FORMAL.

 

 

TODAY:

 

Relaxed dress code

 

Martini bars on all ships :)

 

Auto tipping, no envelopes

 

Drink packages, like cilantro, either you love 'em or hate 'em, BUT NOT ENOUGH SERVERS to accommodate the number of people using them.

 

Bars close earlier. I'm sure this saves a ton wrt the number of people having bev packages.

 

The addition of Aqua Class, Suite Class and separate eating areas, venues & perks creating a segregated ship experience.

 

Specialty restaurants, overpriced IMHO.

 

Service and food quality issues in MDR and OVC are the new norm.

 

No Captain's table

 

S class ships have a lawn and glass blowing.

 

Shareholders can no longer combine their credit with promos.

 

Prices? Really haven't changed a lot until recent years with the whole "free" drink package (wink, wink). But when you take into consideration all of the above, it is apparent why.

 

I'm sure I'm missing tons but these are some differences that come to mind. I am now going to do as my name suggests, and quit whinin';)

Edited February 27, 2016 by Quitwhin'n

[pumpkin 11]

10 years ago:

 

The experience in the MDR was similar to the specialty restaurants of today. Michel Roux menus were 5 courses. I remember on formal nights' date=' crumbs being swept off the tablecloth, gelato served between courses and petit fours were in addition to dessert. Service was attentive, friendly and usually fast. The wine Sommelier came around quickly.

 

There was a midnight buffet served partway through the cruise that was nothing short of spectacular with it's ice sculptures and food art AND an equally amazing chocolate buffet was offered on a different evening. The poolside party included a wide range of delicious finger foods. If you were in the lounges in the evening, trays of hor'dourves often circulated by white gloved servers.

 

The outside grill served more than just hotdogs, fries and burgers. I remember stirfrys, different types of sausage, pork chops, hot wings and the most delicious mini cornbreads. The menu at the grill had daily specials. Trays were used in the buffet and servers offered to carry them to your table.

 

Waffles were freshly made for you and delish.

 

Aquaspa Cafe offerings included made to order grilled salmon and chicken.

 

You could opt to eat in an alternate evening dining venue for I believe $2/person.

 

Drink stewards were aplenty by the pool and your glass was never empty (without having to get up). Gelato was often circulated around the pool.

 

Ballroom dancing was popular and Celebrity had dance hosts at these events.

 

Michael's club was a piano bar and open to everyone.

 

Prizes for trivia and pool games were much nicer.

 

Water jugs and ice were in your cabin nightly without having to ask for them.

In addition, cotton balls and q-tips were in great supply.

 

No fee for room service, any time.

 

A martini flight was $10 but didn't come with a "show".

 

There seemed to be more live music vs piped music today.

 

Formal night meant FORMAL.

 

 

TODAY:

 

Relaxed dress code

 

Martini bars on all ships :)

 

Auto tipping, no envelopes

 

Drink packages, like cilantro, either you love 'em or hate 'em, BUT NOT ENOUGH SERVERS to accommodate the number of people using them.

 

Bars close earlier. I'm sure this saves a ton wrt the number of people having bev packages.

 

The addition of Aqua Class, Suite Class and separate eating areas, venues & perks creating a segregated ship experience.

 

Specialty restaurants, overpriced IMHO.

 

Service and food quality issues in MDR and OVC are the new norm.

 

No Captain's table

 

S class ships have a lawn and glass blowing.

 

Shareholders can no longer combine their credit with promos.

 

Prices? Really haven't changed a lot until recent years with the whole "free" drink package (wink, wink). But when you take into consideration all of the above, it is apparent why.

 

I'm sure I'm missing tons but these are some differences that come to mind. I am now going to do as my name suggests, and quit whinin';)[/quote']

 

Sadly these are all true. Those lavish pool parties, gelato at dinner / at the pool, very good MDR food has all deteriorated. Daily activities have gotten better slightly. I haven't sailed on many other cruise lines other than Celebrity, but one thing that hasn't really changed are the class of people on board. Of course there are bad apples here and there (they are everywhere in all walks of life), but generally most

passengers are very composed (perhaps more relaxed now) and still polite. I honestly cannot blame people for wanting to be more relaxed these days on their vacations. The world is a stressful place and for many of us the only time we truly get to rest. With that said, I would give anything to go back to the cruises I took on Celebrity in the mid 2000's. The value for the money was fantastic. But for the price point, I cannot say another cruise line is necessarily better. I think they all have suffered with cuts due to economy and the like.

[benbess]

Thanks, Quitwhin'n, for that awesome summary.++++

 

Although it's clearly a mixed and complicated story, the big question I had about the main dining room has been answered. As you say, 10 years ago the food was delicious with Chef Roux overseeing things fleetwide, and now that's just a distant memory—which is a pity imho.

 

I don't suppose any affordable cruise line is known for having good food these days in their MDRs....

 

Thanks again, Ben

 

PS I assume the Cova Cafe with its amazing pastries is a thing of the past as well.

Edited February 27, 2016 by benbess

[az_tchr]

Will only address the maintaining of the ships. The M class ships are great. Keeping up a ship is absolutely needed otherwise Celebrity would not longer have people booking. Things almost always work well and if anything breaks it is repaired as fast as humanly possible.

 

Celebrity has made cuts in order to keep the cabin price low, but has not sacrificed on spending $$ for compfort and safety.

[benbess]

Will only address the maintaining of the ships. The M class ships are great. Keeping up a ship is absolutely needed otherwise Celebrity would not longer have people booking. Things almost always work well and if anything breaks it is repaired as fast as humanly possible.

 

Celebrity has made cuts in order to keep the cabin price low, but has not sacrificed on spending $$ for comfort and safety.

 

Good to hear. Thanks++

 

Are the M ships now diesel?

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thanks, Quitwhin'n, for putting some perspective on the old-timers' complaints about cutbacks. Now I have a clear picture of what the experience was like back then -- and frankly I would only miss about half of it: mainly the terrific dinners in the MDR and the enhanced service levels. The midnight buffets, which sound similar to the Brunch buffet we experienced on our first Celebrity cruise (2012), are just over-the-top food that we don't need (especially as the years pass and gravity sucks everything down to the waist!). And formal nights?--thank you, no. You also didn't mention smoking--was Celebrity as delightfully smoke-free in 2006 as it is now?

 

It's also good to note the improvements since 2006: the lawns and Hot Glass shows, auto-tipping (the envelope system -- IMHO -- just feels sleazy like a used-car salesman), and especially the low prices now!

 

If you want to relive the 2006 Celebrity experience, you can book a Queens Grill-level cabin on Cunard -- but see what 10 years' inflation does to the cost of that experience! Or if you want real "modern luxury" you can book a suite on Crystal at similar prices. So, Celebrity isn't what is was in 2006 but there are choices out there if you're willing to pay for them -- or you can enjoy what Celebrity offers now at a relatively bargain price.

[Quitwhin'n]

Thanks, Quitwhin'n, for that awesome summary.++++

 

Although it's clearly a mixed and complicated story, the big question I had about the main dining room has been answered. As you say, 10 years ago the food was delicious with Chef Roux overseeing things fleetwide, and now that's just a distant memory—which is a pity imho.

 

I don't suppose any affordable cruise line is known for having good food these days in their MDRs....

 

Thanks again, Ben

 

PS I assume the Cova Cafe with its amazing pastries is a thing of the past as well.

 

Actually Cova Cafe/Cafe Al Bacio still have great sweet offerings that are complimentary, but gone are the savoury ones they used to have in the afternoons, like the mini sandwiches. At least that was my experience. Late afternoon tea offerings such as cookies & scones with jam and whipped cream are also usually available in the Aqua Spa Cafe.

[Cruise Junky]

I am not a frequent X cruiser but I did sail in 2005 and then for the second time in 2014. My first cruise on Millennium was fine, there was nothing wrong with it but it didn't make us switch cruiselines (we had an FV too ) Then we sailed again in 2014 and it was much better. I now get why people are loyal to Celebrity whereas 9 years earlier I didn't get it. I can't comment on how the M class has been maintained until April but I'm not hesitant at all.

[benbess]

Actually Cova Cafe/Cafe Al Bacio still have great sweet offerings that are complimentary' date=' but gone are the savoury ones they used to have in the afternoons, like the mini sandwiches. At least that was my experience. Late afternoon tea offerings such as cookies & scones with jam and whipped cream are also usually available in the Aqua Spa Cafe.[/quote']

 

Good to hear! Yum.

[Quitwhin'n]

Thanks, Quitwhin'n, for putting some perspective on the old-timers' complaints about cutbacks. Now I have a clear picture of what the experience was like back then -- and frankly I would only miss about half of it: mainly the terrific dinners in the MDR and the enhanced service levels. The midnight buffets, which sound similar to the Brunch buffet we experienced on our first Celebrity cruise (2012), are just over-the-top food that we don't need (especially as the years pass and gravity sucks everything down to the waist!). And formal nights?--thank you, no. You also didn't mention smoking--was Celebrity as delightfully smoke-free in 2006 as it is now?

 

It's also good to note the improvements since 2006: the lawns and Hot Glass shows, auto-tipping (the envelope system -- IMHO -- just feels sleazy like a used-car salesman), and especially the low prices now!

 

If you want to relive the 2006 Celebrity experience, you can book a Queens Grill-level cabin on Cunard -- but see what 10 years' inflation does to the cost of that experience! Or if you want real "modern luxury" you can book a suite on Crystal at similar prices. So, Celebrity isn't what is was in 2006 but there are choices out there if you're willing to pay for them -- or you can enjoy what Celebrity offers now at a relatively bargain price.

 

I am truly glad the envelopes were done away with. I remember walking into the MDR once on the last night and at least 1/3 of the room was empty. I happened to mention it to our waiter and said I thought it was odd. He said, no it happens every cruise. People are expected to hand out the envelopes on the last night and this was their way of avoiding the tips in the name of "packing". I couldn't believe it. I did notice a few people coming in with envelopes so that was good. I also heard of people who would leave all envelopes in their stateroom only to hear that they never got distributed. Auto tipping is definitely the way to go. Those people work hard.

 

Yes, the midnight buffets were definitely over the top extravagant but they were more about the presentation. Most people were still full from dinner but they still lined up for the grand event with their cameras (and older people set their alarms to wake up for it, lol). I think the first half hour was for pictures only. I don't think the brunches were near as nice.

 

I do like Celebrity's non-smoking policy. I am not a smoker and call it luck, but I have never really been bothered too much with smokers even back then. If I was, I moved. It doesn't take long to learn to avoid the smokers/smoking sections. I did a Hal cruise last summer and honestly didn't notice any difference between the smokers on that line and Celebrity. I'm sure others will disagree but that has been my experience.

 

I forgot to mention that officer visibility seems more apparent now then 10 years ago. I often see higher officers mingling with guests and eating in the various restaurants.

 

I also find the gym has improved over the years and I best not forget the internet. Not much has changed there in 10 years:rolleyes:

[Keith1010]

I can go back to the early 1990's.

 

There have been many changes but that is true of all cruise lines.

 

Some are better. Some no difference. And some not as good.

 

What I will remind people is adjusting for inflation it is much cheaper to cruise today then it was back then. Yes, the downside is reduced quality.

 

Keith

[chemmo]

Our first cruise with X was our worst! We had decided to give Equinox a try after being loyal Royals.....We found out part way through the cruise that about half the staff had left as we got on board to go to a new ship (Eclipse?). Service was really terrible everywhere, nobody knew what they were doing....At one stage we went down to customer service to complain about something but the queues were so long we went for a drink instead!

 

After a couple more years back on RC having read many CC reviews we decided to give X one more try....We have never looked back. Love both M and S ships for different reasons! Ironically, after our first cruise it is the level of service and the wonderful staff that make X so special!

 

So don't look back at your last cruise...look forward, benbess, and book another!

[The_Big_M]

Pretty much nailed it whining'

 

As you say, there was more, but you covered a lot. The speciality restaurants of course were even further above the MDR.

 

Regarding smoking, the main differences were you could smoke in the casino, and balconies, which you can no longer do.

 

As for the midnight buffet, to compare it to brunch is short selling it. The brunch was just a literal combination of selected dishes from breakfast and lunch. So if you didn't miss it as was said it's just a repeat of the other meals so you haven't missed much.

 

The midnight buffet was a special event, with its own special treats - choc dipped strawberries and other fruit for example, as well as special cakes and baked goods. Presentation was a feature with crafted products as well (like the carved fruit, but different again).

 

Ah, those were the days.

[JuliaMS]

Hi Folks

 

Ten years ago we took our first—and so far only—cruise on the Celebrity Infinity. It was a short cruise from San Francisco up to Canada. We were able to get a wonderful Family Veranda cabin aft with a big balcony. Overall, we had a very nice time with our two young kids—now teenagers. I researched the ship carefully, and knew a fair amount about the special features of the Millennium-class, such as the natural gas turbines for less vibration and much less in the way of smog. The ship itself was lovely, we had good to very food every meal in the main dining room (and once saw whales outside our window as we ate), and had great service from everyone on board. There were also special hidden treats like amazing fresh-baked "free" pastries at a special coffee shop, the name of which I don't recall. Once when I ordered a cheese plate from room service it was really quite nice, and we enjoyed it with champagne on our balcony watching the waves and feeling the fresh breeze.

 

After that successful trip I thought we might cruise again every few years, but everyone's schedule is complicated, and there always seemed like something else (new car, etc) that we wanted or needed to spend money on. But just to waste time recently, I read some cruise reviews of the various Celebrity ships here and got a bit worried. It seems some feel Celebrity has declined in various ways over the years.

 

They have those new amazing Solstice-class ships, but has that meant that the Millennium-class are not given as much in terms of maintenance and other things? Are the Solstice-class ships better?

 

But I remember that ten years ago the reviews were also all over the map, and so maybe it just seems like there are more negative ones now?

 

I'd be interested to hear what any long-time Celebrity cruisers would say in terms of putting things in perspective in terms of what things were like ten years ago and what things are like now. What's been lost and what's been gained? Has the food in the MDR gone downhill to almost "force" people to eat at the specialty restaurants?

 

Thanks in advance, Ben

 

PS Has the Millennium-class been converted to diesel?

We took our only other Celebrity cruise in 2006 also and just got off the Connie this week. Our kids sound the same age as yours also but we did the last one without kids. What set Celebrity apart for us was the staff. We did notice that there seemed to be less staff per person. Not a huge difference but just enough so they did not have as much time to be that one step above. The waiter had very little time to talk, oceanview cafe had fewer people behind the counter serving and nobody bringing drinks around at the tables (other than occasional bar server). BUT overall was still fantastic. I would not hesitate to book another Celebrity cruise. Going for longer than a week and in Feb the crowd on the ship was much older than when we went over thanksgiving. My kids have cruised a lot but would have been pretty bored on this cruise, there were only 17 kids all on the ship and all under about 10YO, no teenagers at all. I was also worried about all the negative reviews but some people just complain about everything. The entertainment was good overall, some better than others - they are trying to please a lot of people so tastes vary. Nothing was horrible, 2 I wouldn't sit thru again but we didn't walk out of any.

 

Theonly really negative change was the Martini bar. It used to be a nice place to sit and enjoy a drink. Music was background atmosphere. Now it was always very loud and the had a DJ playing very loud electronic music.

Edited February 27, 2016 by JuliaMS

[benbess]

We took our only other Celebrity cruise in 2006 also and just got off the Connie this week. Our kids sound the same age as yours also but we did the last one without kids. What set Celebrity apart for us was the staff. We did notice that there seemed to be less staff per person. Not a huge difference but just enough so they did not have as much time to be that one step above. The waiter had very little time to talk, oceanview cafe had fewer people behind the counter serving and nobody bringing drinks around at the tables (other than occasional bar server). BUT overall was still fantastic. I would not hesitate to book another Celebrity cruise. Going for longer than a week and in Feb the crowd on the ship was much older than when we went over thanksgiving. My kids have cruised a lot but would have been pretty bored on this cruise, there were only 17 kids all on the ship and all under about 10YO, no teenagers at all. I was also worried about all the negative reviews but some people just complain about everything. The entertainment was good overall, some better than others - they are trying to please a lot of people so tastes vary. Nothing was horrible, 2 I wouldn't sit thru again but we didn't walk out of any.

 

Theonly really negative change was the Martini bar. It used to be a nice place to sit and enjoy a drink. Music was background atmosphere. Now it was always very loud and the had a DJ playing very loud electronic music.

 

Thanks for the thoughts—from you and everyone. Not to discount the negative reviews too much, but some people may have unrealistic expectations. I'm usually a happy camper most of the time and see the glass as half full.

 

I would like to take another cruse, but finding the time when my wife could join me is the trick....

Edited February 27, 2016 by benbess

[benbess]

Our first cruise with X was our worst! We had decided to give Equinox a try after being loyal Royals.....We found out part way through the cruise that about half the staff had left as we got on board to go to a new ship (Eclipse?). Service was really terrible everywhere, nobody knew what they were doing....At one stage we went down to customer service to complain about something but the queues were so long we went for a drink instead!

 

After a couple more years back on RC having read many CC reviews we decided to give X one more try....We have never looked back. Love both M and S ships for different reasons! Ironically, after our first cruise it is the level of service and the wonderful staff that make X so special!

 

So don't look back at your last cruise...look forward, benbess, and book another!

 

Good advice! Thanks.++

[benbess]

Pretty much nailed it whining'

 

As you say, there was more, but you covered a lot. The speciality restaurants of course were even further above the MDR.

 

Regarding smoking, the main differences were you could smoke in the casino, and balconies, which you can no longer do.

 

As for the midnight buffet, to compare it to brunch is short selling it. The brunch was just a literal combination of selected dishes from breakfast and lunch. So if you didn't miss it as was said it's just a repeat of the other meals so you haven't missed much.

 

The midnight buffet was a special event, with its own special treats - choc dipped strawberries and other fruit for example, as well as special cakes and baked goods. Presentation was a feature with crafted products as well (like the carved fruit, but different again).

 

Ah, those were the days.

 

I'm very glad to hear they now have a no smoking policy. That's very good news.

[dkjretired]

Pretty much nailed it whining'

 

As you say, there was more, but you covered a lot. The speciality restaurants of course were even further above the MDR.

 

Regarding smoking, the main differences were you could smoke in the casino, and balconies, which you can no longer do.

 

As for the midnight buffet, to compare it to brunch is short selling it. The brunch was just a literal combination of selected dishes from breakfast and lunch. So if you didn't miss it as was said it's just a repeat of the other meals so you haven't missed much.

 

The midnight buffet was a special event, with its own special treats - choc dipped strawberries and other fruit for example, as well as special cakes and baked goods. Presentation was a feature with crafted products as well (like the carved fruit, but different again).

 

 

Ah, those were the days.

 

I also go back to early 90s and agree about the service and food in the dining room then being equivalent to the specialties now. Actually I think it was better back then. In terms of service this is what you had, a waiter, assistant, wine person, and a separate person for drinks. They appear to have much fewer tables as now, the service was unreal.

 

Speaking of smoking, all the restaurants allowed smoking and there was really no avoiding it since it was the only place to eat. No specialties, no buffet for dinner meal.

 

With that being said, still enjoy my cruises and the MDR, we don't do specialties because they are overpriced.

Edited February 27, 2016 by dkjretired

[benbess]

I also go back to early 90s and agree about the service and food in the dining room then being equivalent to the specialties now. Actually I think it was better back then. In terms of service this is what you had, a waiter, assistant, wine person, and a separate person for drinks. They appear to have much fewer tables as now, the service was unreal.

 

Speaking of smoking, all the restaurants allowed smoking and there was really no avoiding it since it was the only place to eat. No specialties, no buffet for dinner meal.

 

With that being said, still enjoy my cruises and the MDR, we don't do specialties because they are overpriced.

 

If I'm remembering right, I think the one special restaurant on Infinity was only c. $25, and now it's about double that. But aren't discounts sometimes available?

[dkjretired]

If I'm remembering right, I think the one special restaurant on Infinity was only c. $25, and now it's about double that. But aren't discounts sometimes available?

 

Yes, usually on the first night they have discounts..

[zalusky]

We did the Infinity in 2004 for the Panama Canal and 2005 for an East Coast to the Caribbean itinerary.

 

We just completed a Sydney to New Zealand 14 day run.

 

All of the things you mentioned reminded us of the changes. The positive standout is the change in smoking. I remember in 2004/5 that it seemed like only the dining and theater were non-smoking. If we wanted to go to the newlywed game or other similar events they would divide the room into the smoking and non-smoking sides (like that really worked). We always avoided walking through the casino. Now its a pleasure.

 

I agree the midnight buffets were a big waste of food. I did miss the deck parties but this was not a warm weather run so I can't speak to that. I also sorely missed the changes in the upscale dining and the aqua spa cafe. We used to get a lovely salmon tartare. The stuff they have now does make me lose weight because I have no interest in eating it.

 

One thing that is still the same is the water and cold towels creating you returning from the shore excursions and towels at the pools. I appreciate that a lot.

 

I truly enjoyed the Aussie itinerary. I just can't say that it was a must do on Celebrity. There is a lot of competition out there and I will re-evaluate the line I will choose per itinerary.

 

10 years ago:

 

The experience in the MDR was similar to the specialty restaurants of today. Michel Roux menus were 5 courses. I remember on formal nights' date=' crumbs being swept off the tablecloth, gelato served between courses and petit fours were in addition to dessert. Service was attentive, friendly and usually fast. The wine Sommelier came around quickly.

 

There was a midnight buffet served partway through the cruise that was nothing short of spectacular with it's ice sculptures and food art AND an equally amazing chocolate buffet was offered on a different evening. The poolside party included a wide range of delicious finger foods. If you were in the lounges in the evening, trays of hor'dourves often circulated by white gloved servers.

 

The outside grill served more than just hotdogs, fries and burgers. I remember stirfrys, different types of sausage, pork chops, hot wings and the most delicious mini cornbreads. The menu at the grill had daily specials. Trays were used in the buffet and servers offered to carry them to your table.

 

Waffles were freshly made for you and delish.

 

Aquaspa Cafe offerings included made to order grilled salmon and chicken.

 

You could opt to eat in an alternate evening dining venue for I believe $2/person.

 

Drink stewards were aplenty by the pool and your glass was never empty (without having to get up). Gelato was often circulated around the pool.

 

Ballroom dancing was popular and Celebrity had dance hosts at these events.

 

Michael's club was a piano bar and open to everyone.

 

Prizes for trivia and pool games were much nicer.

 

Water jugs and ice were in your cabin nightly without having to ask for them.

In addition, cotton balls and q-tips were in great supply.

 

No fee for room service, any time.

 

A martini flight was $10 but didn't come with a "show".

 

There seemed to be more live music vs piped music today.

 

Formal night meant FORMAL.

 

 

TODAY:

 

Relaxed dress code

 

Martini bars on all ships :)

 

Auto tipping, no envelopes

 

Drink packages, like cilantro, either you love 'em or hate 'em, BUT NOT ENOUGH SERVERS to accommodate the number of people using them.

 

Bars close earlier. I'm sure this saves a ton wrt the number of people having bev packages.

 

The addition of Aqua Class, Suite Class and separate eating areas, venues & perks creating a segregated ship experience.

 

Specialty restaurants, overpriced IMHO.

 

Service and food quality issues in MDR and OVC are the new norm.

 

No Captain's table

 

S class ships have a lawn and glass blowing.

 

Shareholders can no longer combine their credit with promos.

 

Prices? Really haven't changed a lot until recent years with the whole "free" drink package (wink, wink). But when you take into consideration all of the above, it is apparent why.

 

I'm sure I'm missing tons but these are some differences that come to mind. I am now going to do as my name suggests, and quit whinin';)[/quote']

[jbuch02]

Our first cruise was with Celebrity - 2001, Century, 10n, Southern Caribbean Special. 35 cruises later, 29 with Celebrity, we are still Celebrity Loyalists. It feels like home to us. We are acquaintances and communicate regularly with many long serving Celebrity staff. It is fun to see them again on a cruise and renew our friendships.

 

Comments about changes have been spot on. However, given the competition across the mass marketed cruise industry, within which Celebrity competes, the changes are not unexpected.

 

My only concern with the direction RCCL has taken with the Celebrity brand is that value cruisers, which we have been since our first cruise, could be left behind as Corporate seeks to target affluent cruisers who are willing to pay for exclusivity. It is an industry wide trend with RCCL/Celebrity in the thick of it trying to maintain X-cellence that the Chandris Shipping Company insisted upon when Celebrity was born in the 90's. Meanwhile the company has to remain profitable as a Corporate, publically traded entity within a highly competitive industry that includes Carnival Cruise lines and all their separately owned/managed subsidiaries.

 

Difficult tight rope to walk and so far I still feel it has been walked credibly as I do not feel any class structure and continue to feel welcomed and valued as a loyal and repeat customer. Moreover, the Celebrity cruise experience is still very high quality compared with other lines/brands we have sailed with (MSC, Oceana, NCL, RCL, Carnival, Disney). We have noticed the ratio of Cabin attendants, bar staff and restaurant staff to passengers has declined. Service is still very good though. No complaints.

 

We also think the production show singers and dancers are much better than in the past but that is because there are a lot more of these young performers competing for spots and whoever is managing the shows at the corporate level is doing one heck of a good job.

 

I'm dismayed at the pricing for specialty dining but we have found that if you wait and shop you can enjoy these venues at a reduced price at less than the high demand periods. We'll treat ourselves once or twice if the price is right and so far, we've found that to be the case. Service and the dining experience in specialty restaurants continues to be 5 star level. i.e., you get what you pay for.

 

5 years ago, I would never have looked elsewhere. I'm doing that now and not because we don't like Celebrity. On the contrary, we love it. But we've been experimenting. We'll continue to do that seeking value with comparable service and overall excellent cruise experiences. We'll likely always compare other lines we might choose to the great times and welcoming feeling we've had on Celebrity ships over the last 14 years. It's like home.

Edited February 28, 2016 by jbuch02

[SheriffJoe]

One thing I miss that has not ben mentioned yet is the Asst Maitre D, 1 for about every 4 tables....he would come by at every MDR dinner to chit chat, offer "special" food not on the menu and keep the waiters in tip top shape...our 1st cruise on X was on Mercury and our Asst Maitre D came to the table first thing on night one, introduced himself, he was about a 6' 6" polish guy dressed to the nines nightly and asked if there was ANYTHING he could do for us...from reading CC I knew you could order more than 1 appetizer so I asked if I could have 2 escargot and he said "But of course" then he asked if I would like 2 every night (this was before they were on the everyday menu) and I said "can you do that" and he replied "But of course, anything is possible on Celebrity" :D that made such an impression on my wife and I and we loved having him bring us special goodies every night...THAT is what I miss the most on X now, as well as the palate cleansers they used to serve 2 or 3 times per meal...

[dkjretired]

If I'm remembering right, I think the one special restaurant on Infinity was only c. $25, and now it's about double that. But aren't discounts sometimes available?

 

And as someone mentioned they did have the casual dining in a portion of the Buffet. It was table service with waiters off a different menu than the MDR. It cost $2pp and was very nice if you had a late excursion or something.

 

Someone had mentioned about walking through the casino to get to the theater and the smoking in the casino. Ironic that they made the S class ships so you don't have to go through the casino to get back and forth. When Solstice came out however they did have smoking in the casino but it was stopped shortly thereafter.