Is it reasonable to have to vacate cabins at 7am on disembarkation?

[watchdiva]

The Reflection paper for disembarkation today stated leaving guestrooms by 8 AM! Wonder if corporate listened to complaints? Luminae is serving breakfast until 8 AM also.

 

 

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[anniegb]

You are discussing something I needed to know. We spend the night in Singapore but choice air won't book us a flight until after noon on the final day of the cruise. I like to use them because of the guarantee to get to ship. Did you book independent of Choice Air?

 

No I didn't because they were inflexible on timings.

 

Once my TA confirmed that I could disembark early, I made my own flight arrangements.

 

I also spent 2 weeks in Asia prior to the cruise, so outbound flight times were not critical.

 

Annie

[boscobeans]

Just like charging $4.00 for a 12 ounce box of corn flakes because they can get it corporate KNOWS this stinks

 

But like most of the cutbacks, and there have been plenty of major cutbacks, in the entire Celebrity experience that newer cruisers don't know never existed, the big X shows it doesn't really give a tinker's dam, about its customers or its reputation. The "get what you can mentality" is easy to see and with a little careful research pretty easy to avoid.

 

I know things will never go back to the 39 cent box of cereal but management MUST KNOW THAT THE NEW "7 AM AND OUT POLICY" IS A THORN IN THE SIDES OF EVERYONE.

 

 

Just erased our (2018) existing booking from my schedule and booked a Holland America 11 day Caribbean with a partial Canal crossing and am hoping we can still relax on our veranda with breakfast before we get off the ship with the last bunch so when we get to my hotel we'll be looking forward to lunch and not breakfast.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

The 7am requirement to vacate cabins is indicative of how deep the staffing cuts for Cabin Attendants has gone. The staff simply cannot turn over the rooms by 1-130 unless guests are booted out of their rooms this early. They simply have too many rooms to care for and not enough help.

 

And that my friends is NOT Modern Luxury!

[anniegb]

No I didn't because they were inflexible on timings.

 

Once my TA confirmed that I could disembark early, I made my own flight arrangements.

 

I also spent 2 weeks in Asia prior to the cruise, so outbound flight times were not critical.

 

Annie

 

Sorry I did not make myself clear.

 

I did NOT use Choice Air.

 

Annie

Edited January 14, 2017 by anniegb

[wwcruisers]

Well, let's just hope that someone from Celebrity is reading this thread -- especially the poll that currently shows over 80% against this new disembarkation time.

 

And, I agree with the folks who just want to be up and on their way, as soon as possible. Since we often face long cross-country flights to get home, I fall into that category too. But, having dealt with the buffet mad-house, we now always opt for breakfast in the MDR. For one thing, that's often the only decent meal we'll have all day. The night before, we lay out our travel clothes, and pack up everything except for the contents of the safe. Next morning, we shower, dress, and run down to the MDR for breakfast. We return to the room, unpack the safe, and are out the door by 8:00 am.

 

We don't have a lot of wasted time that can be trimmed down from this schedule, and we don't want to be dragging our carry-on down to the MDR for breakfast. So, our only other option is to get up an hour early, for a hectic start to an already LONG travel day! :(

[Lastdance]

The Reflection paper for disembarkation today stated leaving guestrooms by 8 AM! Wonder if corporate listened to complaints? Luminae is serving breakfast until 8 AM also.

 

 

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That sounds promising...thanks for sharing!

 

 

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[Pushka]

Well Celebrity - if you are reading this I just cancelled an Asian cruise because if this and paid the deposit on HAL. Princess exits at 8am also and cabins are available at 12 noon. So why is Celebrity downgrading?

[KayJay4]

On a Princess Diamond cruise last week we were saying that all cruise lines need the equivalent of the 'mystery shopper' so they get to experience the impact of their crazy thought bubbles have on customers and crew.

 

Well, RCI do have mystery shoppers, mostly on the 7 day cruises.

[boscobeans]

Well, RCI do have mystery shoppers, mostly on the 7 day cruises.

 

The problem with "Mystery Shoppers" is that they are almost always there to report on the employees and not on the policies.

 

bosco

[Aunt Tina]

I'd love to hear if the 7am cabin departure time continues. I will be sailing on the Silhouette the end of February. I am not looking forward to people having to haul around their carry-ons all over the ship till we are allowed to get off. The luggage fills up the elevators, and fills the chairs, tables and floor in the oceanview café, making it hard to find a place to sit and becomes a tripping hazaard. If you can't leave your valuables in the room safe, they have to be watched or carried around with you. Sounds like a nightmare to me.

 

Additionally, it is very difficult to get home to our airport before midnight the day of the debarkation. That makes for a very long and frustrating day. Two years ago we arrived home at midnight, were plowed in at the airport parking lot and had to try to shovel our way out. After finally getting help we got home after 1 am.

 

Do I really want to do this?

[BettyCruiser]

Yes 7 AM is too early, that was the only complaint I deemed important enough to submit in writing on the comment card provided before disembarking Eclipse on the 8th. 8 AM is manageable 7 AM is unreasonable.

[richstowe]

Waiting to hear that this new policy is just for those in steerage .

Suite guests can leave when they wish with a complementary piggy-back off the ship . :p

[AnOnymously]

Waiting to hear that this new policy is just for those in steerage .

Suite guests can leave when they wish with a complementary piggy-back off the ship . :p

 

Piggy-back, if anyone has enough money to afford a suite I am surprised they are not making you walk the plank off the ship unless a ransom is paid.:p

[vtcruising]

We are pretty easy going and are just so happy to be on our cruise (like many, we both work long hours) that we don't sweat the small changes that have been made over the last 5 years since we changed to Celebrity. We have been really well-treated onboard and have had some amazing cruises.

 

We started in AQ and enjoyed that, but made the mistake of booking an S1 for a TA. Like they say, it is hard to go back. The suite experience has gotten better over the last few cruises and we have been pampered beyond belief. We have come home happy and relaxed and very positive about the Celebrity experience.

 

Unfortunately, we have been priced out of the suites after one more in an S1 next week (if they can get the higher prices for suites, more power to them), but are excited to have AQ booked for the next few cruises. We know we will still be pampered and have a great time, no matter which cabin we are in.

 

This 7 AM push to get us out of the cabins hits me differently than the other changes. Debarkation day is depressing and stressful, especially for those of us who have many hours of travel ahead of us. This change feels to me like Celebrity just doesn't care about the customers. If what others on here have said is correct, they are saving money by cutting back stateroom attendants, but making us pay for it.

 

If what people have reported is true we will have to wake up earlier, lug our luggage to breakfast, fight with the masses at breakfast, compete for seats in the waiting areas because everyone is leaving their cabins early and potentially wait in lines longer to get off. Yes, we can ask the cabin attendant if we can stay longer, but we hate to put them on the spot - we are the type that follows the rules and would probably be more stressed if we stayed past our welcome. We are not young, but are healthy enough to do all of the above and would survive, but do we want to end our dream vacation this way? As we get older, I know we won't want to end our vacation that way.

 

For the first time in 5 years, we will be looking at other options for the future - hopefully can find a similar or better overall experience with a less stressful last day. Not sure if this will be a deal breaker - we will see how debarkation goes on Feb 5th.

[Josie2]

We are pretty easy going and are just so happy to be on our cruise (like many, we both work long hours) that we don't sweat the small changes that have been made over the last 5 years since we changed to Celebrity. We have been really well-treated onboard and have had some amazing cruises.

 

 

 

We started in AQ and enjoyed that, but made the mistake of booking an S1 for a TA. Like they say, it is hard to go back. The suite experience has gotten better over the last few cruises and we have been pampered beyond belief. We have come home happy and relaxed and very positive about the Celebrity experience.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, we have been priced out of the suites after one more in an S1 next week (if they can get the higher prices for suites, more power to them), but are excited to have AQ booked for the next few cruises. We know we will still be pampered and have a great time, no matter which cabin we are in.

 

 

 

This 7 AM push to get us out of the cabins hits me differently than the other changes. Debarkation day is depressing and stressful, especially for those of us who have many hours of travel ahead of us. This change feels to me like Celebrity just doesn't care about the customers. If what others on here have said is correct, they are saving money by cutting back stateroom attendants, but making us pay for it.

 

 

 

If what people have reported is true we will have to wake up earlier, lug our luggage to breakfast, fight with the masses at breakfast, compete for seats in the waiting areas because everyone is leaving their cabins early and potentially wait in lines longer to get off. Yes, we can ask the cabin attendant if we can stay longer, but we hate to put them on the spot - we are the type that follows the rules and would probably be more stressed if we stayed past our welcome. We are not young, but are healthy enough to do all of the above and would survive, but do we want to end our dream vacation this way? As we get older, I know we won't want to end our vacation that way.

 

 

 

For the first time in 5 years, we will be looking at other options for the future - hopefully can find a similar or better overall experience with a less stressful last day. Not sure if this will be a deal breaker - we will see how debarkation goes on Feb 5th.

 

 

Perfection.

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 15, 2017 by Josie2

[davekathy]

I'd love to hear if the 7am cabin departure time continues. I will be sailing on the Silhouette the end of February...

 

If this this thread is still alive when you return from your Cruise would you mind posting your experience? Hopefully others will before you sail away.

[goofysmom99]

If what people have reported is true we will have to wake up earlier, lug our luggage to breakfast, fight with the masses at breakfast, compete for seats in the waiting areas because everyone is leaving their cabins early and potentially wait in lines longer to get off. Yes, we can ask the cabin attendant if we can stay longer, but we hate to put them on the spot - we are the type that follows the rules and would probably be more stressed if we stayed past our welcome. We are not young, but are healthy enough to do all of the above and would survive, but do we want to end our dream vacation this way? As we get older, I know we won't want to end our vacation that way.

 

Lugging my luggage to breakfast was more than I wanted to face at such an early hour so I skipped breakfast onboard altogether Thursday. It was also the reason I was off the ship and on the road so early. Fortunately, because I drove, I was able to stop for breakfast on my way home. I complained about vacating the cabin at 07:00 when I filled out the survey today. I sincerely hope Celebrity gets enough complaints to rethink this.

[Lois R]

If this this thread is still alive when you return from your Cruise would you mind posting your experience? Hopefully others will before you sail away.

 

Kathy, I am sailing Reflection in 3 weeks.....will find out how it is and will

try to remember to post about it on here.

[davekathy]

Lugging my luggage to breakfast was more than I wanted to face at such an early hour so I skipped breakfast onboard altogether Thursday. It was also the reason I was off the ship and on the road so early. Fortunately, because I drove, I was able to stop for breakfast on my way home. I complained about vacating the cabin at 07:00 when I filled out the survey today. I sincerely hope Celebrity gets enough complaints to rethink this.

 

Thanks for posting.

[sanger727]

I don't think that asking people to vacate by 7 AM is reasonable, but, IMHO, cancelling an entire cruise over a 1 hour difference, on what is easily the worst day of the cruise to begin with, is a little crazy. Right up there with people canceling their NCL cruises because they can't get Diet Coke or bring it onboard. They aren't kicking you off the ship at 7, just take your hand luggage to breakfast with you, you were planning on lugging it all over the airport w you anyway.

 

 

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Edited January 15, 2017 by sanger727

[Pushka]

I don't think that asking people to vacate by 7 AM is reasonable, but, IMHO, cancelling an entire cruise over a 1 hour difference, on what is easily the worst day of the cruise to begin with, is a little crazy. Right up there with people canceling their NCL cruises because they can't get Diet Coke or bring it onboard. They aren't kicking you off the ship at 7, just take your hand luggage to breakfast with you, you were planning on lugging it all over the airport w you anyway.

 

 

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Well, it does make you look for other options that you might not have done so before and if those options look better and offer a better experience then that is exactly what we will do. Sometimes it's the small things that provide the final push.

 

It beggars belief that Celebrity can reduce the staffing in the crew numbers looking after cabins and then expect the customer to bear the brunt of that decision.

 

Everyone hates disembarkation day but at least 8am was bearable. 7am is absurd.

 

Modern luxury? 'Tell 'em they're dreaming' as a well known line in an Australian movie says.

[boscobeans]

I don't think that asking people to vacate by 7 AM is reasonable, but, IMHO, cancelling an entire cruise over a 1 hour difference, on what is easily the worst day of the cruise to begin with, is a little crazy.

 

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It is not just this one thing. Over the past 17 years Celebrity has slowly taken away one little thing at a time to the point now where my loyalty, about a dozen or more cruises, has been stretched to the breaking point.

 

Up until now nothing that was taken away or was lost over the years made any one of our cruises, and even this silly and extremely inconvenient 7 am rule, less than wonderful.

 

What is the deal breaker? It is the obvious trend in Celebrity to become less and less of what we have known it to be over the years and even with customer feedback the trend continues. As stated by me and many others there has been a reduction in staff which has lead to many complaints at every level and every department in Celebrity.

 

If the problems are ignored as they have been for several years it is not just being ultra picky or crazy to respond in the only way we can, aside from survey cards and such which obviously have been ignored, and that is with our pocket books.

 

No it isn't the water pitcher, the cotton swabs, the specialty chocolate, the more thorough room treatment, the better lounge service, those wonderful after dinner mints each night in the MDR, the less rushed service in both the main dining room the buffet and other venues sure they are all little non important things but things in any case that made Celebrity what it was in the past. So just one more thing like the 7AM rule will be accepted, then maybe ONE CHECKED BAG per stateroom or no more two bottles of wine per stateroom and on and on, just one little NON-DEAL BREAKER at a time..

 

I choose to explore another line I have sailed and know my decision means nothing to Celebrity, to you or to many others, but it doesn't seem CRAZY to me, just a matter of choice.

 

bosco.

[Softball20]

Waiting to hear that this new policy is just for those in steerage .

Suite guests can leave when they wish with a complementary piggy-back off the ship . :p

 

We just got off the Silhouette on Thursday; there was no difference in times for suite guests. I actually looked at that on the information they provided as I had thought that perhaps AQ or suite guests could stay past 7:00 (not that it mattered for us as we weren't in either category - I was just curious as we are in AQ on our next sailing). The information sheet specifically listed each category, but instead of different times by which to vacate the cabins, they were all just assigned different locations to wait to get off the ship.

[4cats4me]

7:00 is too early.

 

 

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