No Celebrity, You Have Not Lost Your Way...

[grandgeezer]

Yes, I admit that some people think I am delusional but I don't have a problem with reading comprehension.

 

Yes, there may be at most 4 people on Cruise Critic (that's what we were talking about) who post a negative review on a specific itinerary compared to those who post a positive review or no review at all. Regarding Celebrity, the positive posts far outnumber the negative posts on Cruise Critic. And if you check the posting history of the negative reviewers, they are usually the ones who complain about everything......grandgeezer.

 

Therefore, I must be a lemming.

 

Just because there are more positive reviews than negative doesn't mean the negative reviewers are wrong. Everybody has their own personal expectations of the experience they have and if it doesn't meet that they have every right to express it. My expectations are based on previous experiences and in my humble opinion, the experience is regressing. I don't care if I'm the only one that feels that way, I'm still going to voice it. If you don't agree, ignore it or block it, I'm not going away.

[loosygoosy]

LIKE, LIKE, LIKE. Twenty-seventh X cruise coming up soon!

 

 

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[irishayes]

Just because there are more positive reviews than negative doesn't mean the negative reviewers are wrong. Everybody has their own personal expectations of the experience they have and if it doesn't meet that they have every right to express it. My expectations are based on previous experiences and in my humble opinion, the experience is regressing. I don't care if I'm the only one that feels that way, I'm still going to voice it. If you don't agree, ignore it or block it, I'm not going away.

Exactly. My disappointment with my latest X Cruise was because of expectations That Celebrity themselves put in place on my prior cruises. Bit of a bait-and-switch if you ask me.

 

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[hilcadon]

Thank you for your post. I sailed with Celebrity several years ago on the Century and we thought it was one of the most luxurious cruises that we had taken. Since then we have cruised with others and have enjoyed the "suite " experience with HAL, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Carnival. A few weeks ago we booked an Alaskan cruise on the Solstice and were excited to sail Celebrity again. We are trying Aqua class for the first time and were looking forward to a wonderful experience. In anticipation of the cruise I started reading cruise critic for some insight of what we could expect with Celebrity. If I didn't know better I would have canceled based on what I was reading. Everyone looks at things differently and I for one cannot imagine wasting any of my cruise time with friends and family complaining about anything. Just go with the flow and enjoy that you are lucky enough to be onboard. Our first Celebrity cruise is also memorable because it was the last one with my brother in law who died unexpectedly shortly after we returned.

[Bo1953]

Exactly. My disappointment with my latest X Cruise was because of expectations That Celebrity themselves put in place on my prior cruises. Bit of a bait-and-switch if you ask me.

 

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i - I Am so sorry you were dis-appointed with your last sailing on X, it is quite possible that another line can offer a far better and reaching experience for you and your vacation $.

 

I know it can be a challenge to leave from a vacation feeling under-whelmed and that value was not given for your hard earned $ and your expectations not met at a minimum, regardless of who set them. I know it would be quite similar for myself.

 

bon voyage

Edited January 18, 2017 by Bo1953

[Flafun888]

Nice to see that not everyone hates Celebrity. I do think people tend to post if they have negative to say, but not positive. A few weeks ago I looked at other boards, to see if it was just Celebrity. It is not. These boards seem to have become a place to complain, rather than a safe place to ask questions and offer guidance. Too bad.

 

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While I admit there are a lot of negative threads, every time I ask a question or need help, at least one and often several people jump in with helpful responses. And I try to pay that forward and do the same if there's anything I can help with. So I have to say that for me, these boards continue to be a wonderful place to ask questions and get guidance. :)

[boscobeans]

Just because there are more positive reviews than negative doesn't mean the negative reviewers are wrong. Everybody has their own personal expectations of the experience they have and if it doesn't meet that they have every right to express it. My expectations are based on previous experiences and in my humble opinion, the experience is regressing. I don't care if I'm the only one that feels that way, I'm still going to voice it. If you don't agree, ignore it or block it, I'm not going away.

 

Exactly, and just because someone makes it known that in their experience there are a few things that are no longer part of the Celebrity experience and they miss them DOES NOT MEAN THEY HATE CELEBRITY.

 

bosco

[uktog]

However, I can see a vast difference from 2013 to 2017. I went on a Celebrity Med cruise in 2014 and saw no cost cutting or diminished "modern luxury" feel on that cruise. The one I just completed, is a very different story.

 

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I have to agree I am currently onboard and even though I'm in a suite which some have thought might insulate you from the impact of changes I am say it does not and I notice a lot of changes most not good. I will do a review at the end of the cruise as I suppose it might yet change.

[NLH Arizona]

Just because there are more positive reviews than negative doesn't mean the negative reviewers are wrong. Everybody has their own personal expectations of the experience they have and if it doesn't meet that they have every right to express it. My expectations are based on previous experiences and in my humble opinion, the experience is regressing. I don't care if I'm the only one that feels that way, I'm still going to voice it. If you don't agree, ignore it or block it, I'm not going away.

Nor is someone who happens to disagree with you a lemming blindly following (as you called them). They are someone who just happens to disagree and obviously enjoys Celebrity and doesn't feel that they lost their way, based on their expectations and previous experiences.

 

I just got off the Reflection on Saturday and was my cruise 100% perfect, no, but was the overall cruise just as good as my previous cruises, yes. I thought the food in the MDR was just as good as my last cruises, I thought the service was amazing and I had an awesome time.

Edited January 18, 2017 by NLH Arizona

[tweetylori]

Love your positive post, thank you! :D

[El Crucero]

We are trying Aqua class for the first time and were looking forward to a wonderful experience. In anticipation of the cruise I started reading cruise critic for some insight of what we could expect with Celebrity. If I didn't know better I would have canceled based on what I was reading.

 

If you are like the vast, vast majority of passengers who travel in Aqua, you will have a wonderful cruise. We have Aqua booked on a Pacific Coastal in 2017 and B2B to Alaska in 2018.

[wallie5446]

However, I can see a vast difference from 2013 to 2017. I went on a Celebrity Med cruise in 2014 and saw no cost cutting or diminished "modern luxury" feel on that cruise. The one I just completed, is a very different story.

 

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2016 we were land locked, so our last sailing was over Thanksgiving 2015, 10 days on the Equinox. My wife said it was our best start to finish cruise ever.

As you can see below, we are booked for another 10 days on the Equinox this Nov.

[El Crucero]

Just because there are more positive reviews than negative doesn't mean the negative reviewers are wrong. Everybody has their own personal expectations of the experience they have and if it doesn't meet that they have every right to express it. My expectations are based on previous experiences and in my humble opinion, the experience is regressing. I don't care if I'm the only one that feels that way, I'm still going to voice it. If you don't agree, ignore it or block it, I'm not going away.

 

Post whatever you want, just realize that you are in the small minority. Just because most people had a positive experience, and aren't afraid to say that, does not justify your snarky and insulting comments about being delusional or lemmings.

 

This thread started by the OP stating they had a wonderful time on their cruise and in their opinion, Celebrity has not lost its way. In keeping with the spirit of this thread, do you have ANYTHING positive to say about your recent experiences on Celebrity?

[anniegb]

However, I can see a vast difference from 2013 to 2017. I went on a Celebrity Med cruise in 2014 and saw no cost cutting or diminished "modern luxury" feel on that cruise. The one I just completed, is a very different story.

 

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Plus 1

 

Annie

 

PS and that includes Aqua.

[richard1s]

However, I can see a vast difference from 2013 to 2017. I went on a Celebrity Med cruise in 2014 and saw no cost cutting or diminished "modern luxury" feel on that cruise. The one I just completed, is a very different story.Sent from my SM-N915V using Tapatalk

As I am certain you picked up on, yours was one of the complaints that I referenced in my original post. I read your original comments, you complained that there was no food available in the Lido after your port day and you were RAVENOUS.

 

But that is, in my opinion, an unfair criticism and I thought so when I read it. It leaves people thinking that there is no food available when your port day comes to an end in the late afternoon and that Celebrity is failing its’ passengers and cutting back.

 

However there are options, you just didn’t put a little energy into finding them. There is pasta, pizza and snacks in the Lido; and there is always the Mast Grill and if all else fails, there is room service. In fact, these same options are available on practically any ship on any cruise line out there right now.

 

Really, is this a valid complaint? But yet it may affect some future customer and I don’t think that is appropriate.

[irishayes]

No, you are wrong. There was no pizza, pasta or snacks in the Lido. The curtains were pulled over all the food, and no food was available for between 1 to 1.5 hours in the late afternoon. I realize now that I could.have gone to the.mast grille for a burger or ordered room service. However, I dont think one should need to work this hard to find something to eat on a cruise. Having NO food available in the buffet upon returning to the ship after a day in port is unreasonable.

 

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Edited January 18, 2017 by irishayes

[chamima]

No, you are wrong. There was no pizza, pasta or snacks in the Lido. The curtains were pulled over all the food, and no food was available for between 1 to 1.5 hours in the late afternoon. I realize now that I could.have gone to the.mast grille for a burger or ordered room service. However, I dont think one should need to work this hard to find something to eat on a cruise. Having NO food available in the buffet upon returning to the ship after a day in port is unreasonable.

 

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Iris

They used to have "tea" type foods (scones, cookies, cheeses, crackers, etc. ) available between 3 and 4 ish.

(This was last year this time)

Are you saying those are gone too?

 

(They also had sushi at 5:30 but I know that's gone. :( )

[ArkansasCruiser73]

Overall, I have been very happy with celebrity over the past several years. We have had some great cruises like Constellation in 2015, 2012 silhouette, and 2013/2014 on reflection. We had a bad cruise this past thanksgiving on summit. I don't view the bad experience as the new trend but rather the exception.

On the summit cruise most of the staff was detached or unavailable. It was the first time I couldn't get service in cafe a bacio a few visits and actually had shops where the staff was in another shop chatting with another crew member ignoring customers. We also had repair staff in our room nearly every day for repairs the staff noted or things like an safe that died with valuables inside. Many other issues but this gives a general idea of why It wasn't a good trip. If this had been our first cruise with celebrity it would have been our last, but we are fortunate to have experienced great vacations on celebrity and encountered staff that goes above our expectations to give us a memorable vacation.

 

It is a good thing that celebrity experiments with new concepts or they will get lost with changing times. Some of these changes may suffer based on how effectively they are executed. With change some customers will decide another line is a better fit or will miss how some things use to operate. Feedback through future purchases and customer retention is what Celebrity will notice to revert changes or expand test ideas. I don't think Celebrity has lost their way as much as they are taking a course that not everyone is going to enjoy and may reflect a different target audience.

[irishayes]

Iris

They used to have "tea" type foods (scones, cookies, cheeses, crackers, etc. ) available between 3 and 4 ish.

(This was last year this time)

Are you saying those are gone too?

 

(They also had sushi at 5:30 but I know that's gone. :( )

We must have just missed that. I believe we went up looking for food a bit past 4pm. IMO, it makes NO sense to not have snacks out for those returning from port. Why don't they just leave the tea type foods out instead of having a period of time where there's nothing?

 

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Edited January 18, 2017 by irishayes

[dodger1964]

To OP, I think for "suite" passengers it is definitely as you state...For steerage it is, imho, ok as is, but nothing really spectacular.

 

I'm thrilled they get suite passengers to pay the big $$'s, so the rest of us can get cheaper rooms.

 

I am elite plus, and Celebrity has been a great cruise line for us, but I no longer consider it much different than many other lines. If exact same itinerary, I wouldn't pay much more for Celebrity than some other lines.

 

For example, we took an MSC cruise last year...our first non-Celebrity cruise in a long time...I found it to be very similar to what we have come to expect from Celebrity and the price was WAY LOWER.

 

I suppose it helped a little that we were status matched to their "black" elite level which gave a few extra benefits..but on ship I found very similar experience. Same smiling and "good morning...and hi while passing in hallway" crew, similar food and a better itinerary.

 

Glad you had great cruise. I hope it just increases the demand for the suites.

[chamima]

We must have just missed that. I believe we went up looking for food a bit past 4pm. IMO, it makes NO sense to not have snacks out for those returning from port. Why don't they just leave the tea type foods out instead of having a period of time where there's nothing?

 

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I have my Todays from the Eclipse last Feb.

 

 

Example:

Sunday, Feb. 14 , 2016

Oceanview Cafe

Early Risers 6:30 - 7:30

Breakfast Buffet 7:00 - 10:30

Late Breakfast 10:30 - 11:30

Lunch 12 - 2:30

Ice Cream 12- 5:30, 6:00 -10:00

Pizza/Pasta 12 noon - 1:00 am (NOTE: NO BREAK!!!)

Afternoon Tea 3:30 - 4:30

Sushi 5:30 - 9:30

Casual Dining 6:00 - 9:30

Late night 10:00 - 12:30

 

 

I also checked every day of our 14 day cruise and the schedules were the same.

So if you're saying there was nothing at 4 pm this year then there have been definite cutbacks.

Edited January 18, 2017 by chamima
added mornings

[irishayes]

And perhaps it's different on different ships? All I know is that when we went looking for food in the Ocean View cafe when we returned from Port, there was none. You may not agree with me, but I think this is unreasonable.

 

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[richard1s]

To OP, I think for "suite" passengers it is definitely as you state...For steerage it is, imho, ok as is, but nothing really spectacular.

 

I'm thrilled they get suite passengers to pay the big $$'s, so the rest of us can get cheaper rooms.

 

I am elite plus, and Celebrity has been a great cruise line for us, but I no longer consider it much different than many other lines. If exact same itinerary, I wouldn't pay much more for Celebrity than some other lines.

 

For example, we took an MSC cruise last year...our first non-Celebrity cruise in a long time...I found it to be very similar to what we have come to expect from Celebrity and the price was WAY LOWER.

 

I suppose it helped a little that we were status matched to their "black" elite level which gave a few extra benefits..but on ship I found very similar experience. Same smiling and "good morning...and hi while passing in hallway" crew, similar food and a better itinerary.

 

Glad you had great cruise. I hope it just increases the demand for the suites.

We have cruised Celebrity in non-suite cabins too; it doesn’t change my opinion about them or the progress I observe. Honestly for us, the single biggest benefit of a suite category cabin is simply a larger room. The rest of the perks we like of course but it doesn’t make a whole lot of difference in our decision of how to spend our money.

 

The base product – the crew, the entertainment, the service, the dining venues, the incentives, the dress code, the non-smoking, etc. are there for everyone to enjoy.

[NLH Arizona]

I have my Todays from the Eclipse last Feb.

 

Example:

Sunday, Feb. 14 , 2016

Oceanview Cafe

Lunch 12 - 2:30

Ice Cream 12- 5:30, 6:00 -10:00

Pizza/Pasta 12 noon - 1:00 am (NOTE: NO BREAK!!!)

Afternoon Tea 3:30 - 4:30

Sushi 5:30 - 9:30

Casual Dining 6:00 - 9:30

Late night 10:00 - 12:30

 

 

I also checked every day of our 14 day cruise and the schedules were the same.

So if you're saying there was nothing at 4 pm this year then there have been definite cutbacks.

Here is from the Reflection on Janury 11, 2017 (port day/St. Kitts). Certainly doesn't look like there are any cutbacks and some kind of food was available from 11:00am to 1:00am. After 4:00pm, there was pasta, pizza, salad bar, tea & snacks, treats at Cafe al Bacio and, of course, burgers and hot dogs at the Mast Grill.

 

Oceanview Cafe

 

Buffet

Lunch - 12 noon - 2:00pm

Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt - 12 noon - 10:00pm

Pasta/Pizza/Salad Bar - 12 noon - 1:00am

Afternoon tea & snacks - 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Dinner buffet - 6:00pm - 9:30pm

Late Night dining - 10:00pm - 1:00am

 

Other venues

Cafe al Bacio - 11:00am - 11:00pm

Mast Grill - 11:30 - 6:00pm

Sushi on Five - 3:00pm - 11:00pm

Edited January 18, 2017 by NLH Arizona

[chamima]

And perhaps it's different on different ships? All I know is that when we went looking for food in the Ocean View cafe when we returned from Port, there was none. You may not agree with me, but I think this is unreasonable.

 

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I hope you didn't misunderstand my post.

I totally agree with you and posted the times to show that there have been cutbacks contrary to those who insist everything is the same.