Anyone else notice slow bar service and lack of staff!

[SEA DOGY]

As the popularity of the drink packages go up and more people get them, The service will go down. Its just general business sense. I think the break even point is 5 drinks? Celebrity knows this. Why would they add more people to the payroll just so they can give out more drinks? They want you to drink less. more time waiting= less drinks served. simple.

 

 

 

Ya make sense. How about pax with platinum sea pass 9. suite pax are they have priority ?

 

 

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[TFLG]

Ya make sense. How about pax with platinum sea pass 9. suite pax are they have priority ?

 

 

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I've never noticed a bartender giving a suite passenger any preferential treatment (and trust me I would notice). They try as best they can to take people in the order they step up to the bar and most passengers seem to know the system too. Even when it's busy at a bar I doubt I've waited more than about 5 minutes (which seems like an eternity when my glass is empty;p)

[CaribbeanBound]

However, the suite passenger could go to Michael's Club for priority service.

[AmazedByCruising]

As the popularity of the drink packages go up and more people get them, The service will go down. Its just general business sense. I think the break even point is 5 drinks? Celebrity knows this. Why would they add more people to the payroll just so they can give out more drinks? They want you to drink less. more time waiting= less drinks served. simple.

 

Your 5 drink break even point is the guest's break even point, I think it's a few more drinks than that but that's not very important. X probably spends maybe like 3 dollars per cocktail, 80 cents per beer. The moment you buy a card they already earned like an extra $50 per day. Would they want people to not buy one because they heard about the difficulties getting a drink? Why design the whole ship as if it is one big bar? Card holders want value for their card and will wait for their "free" drinks. People who actually pay $14 for a cocktail at a $11 profit may not, and they are in the same line waiting for drinks as card holders. I don't think they try to make it hard to get drinks to pax as it would hurt on board spending seriously.

 

Last time on Koningsdam, in the Casino, I tipped a dollar chip for every drink. As soon as my beer was down to an inch, "my" waiter was visibly on high alert, standing "casually" next to the table "looking around for customers". When that became too obvious, remarks about the extremely attentative waiter turned into a running gag at the table. The waiter himself played along. Damn I wish I were on a ship right now :D

[jayoldschool]

I use this philosophy when I get on board with the Classic Beverage package. I upgrade with person I like the best whether it be the sommelier or a bartender at the Sunset Bar. That person gets to keep the upgrade gratuity.

'

 

You sure about that? I believe the tips are pooled.

[Georgia_Peaches]

Been on many Celebrity sailings and have never had a problem getting a drink at any of the bars. Waits should be expected on any floating city...no place else to go. I've noticed that adding more bar tenders may be one solution but the space behind the bar hardly looks like it accommodates more than 2 people at the most.

[swigso]

We cruise every December, most recently on the Summit and I can only speak to my experiences. I have had a beverage package each year as well and we always upgrade to premium. Have never had an issue at a Martini Bar getting a drink or a second or third. As a matter of fact, they are usually pouring me a fresh drink while I am finishing my current one. Service for me has been way above excellent. Yes I do tip a few dollars each evening (as we head for dinner from the bar) but usually only $5 which I do not consider excessive by any means.

 

This year, one of the bartenders recognized me from the Equinox last year and I had the same experience on the Equinox when we were aboard several years in a row.

 

Don't know if it is personality, attitude, friendly conversation or something else but, we seem to always have no issues with service. This also holds true for bar waiters and Sommeliers in the dining rooms. Many times I would walk in and find a drink waiting for me on the table. As a matter of fact, this past year our bar server had my beverage of choice waiting for me on the table without the ice and when she saw I was just about ready for it, magically, the ice would appear.

 

The only bar that ever appeared to be a bit slow for us was the Casino bar later in the evening.

 

My guess is that a lot of the issue with waiting is also a matter of perception and what one is used to.

 

Jed

You seem a great person and that’s why you are good with the fantastic X crew.

What you say really mirrors my experience I first sailed with X on the Sumit 16 years ago , yes some things have changed, but what hasn’t is the fantastic people on board who make my vacation so wonderful.

Yes the martini bar can be like Times Square on a busy night but isn’t that part of the enjoyment

[AmazedByCruising]

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You sure about that? I believe the tips are pooled.

 

I was sure about that, too. But not so sure now anymore https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2590680

[Marelaine]

I was sure about that, too. But not so sure now anymore https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2590680

 

So the tips are based on the number of packages and upgrades sold, rather than the number of drinks served? That would explain the slower service.

[eldercruser]

As the popularity of the drink packages go up and more people get them, The service will go down. Its just general business sense. I think the break even point is 5 drinks? Celebrity knows this. Why would they add more people to the payroll just so they can give out more drinks? They want you to drink less. more time waiting= less drinks served. simple.

 

Royal Caribbean (which includes Celebrity) just reported record profits for the past quarter. One of the comments regarding the good quarter was that expenses had been "well controlled".

[grandgeezer]

Your 5 drink break even point is the guest's break even point, I think it's a few more drinks than that but that's not very important. X probably spends maybe like 3 dollars per cocktail, 80 cents per beer. The moment you buy a card they already earned like an extra $50 per day. Would they want people to not buy one because they heard about the difficulties getting a drink? Why design the whole ship as if it is one big bar? Card holders want value for their card and will wait for their "free" drinks. People who actually pay $14 for a cocktail at a $11 profit may not, and they are in the same line waiting for drinks as card holders. I don't think they try to make it hard to get drinks to pax as it would hurt on board spending seriously.

 

Last time on Koningsdam, in the Casino, I tipped a dollar chip for every drink. As soon as my beer was down to an inch, "my" waiter was visibly on high alert, standing "casually" next to the table "looking around for customers". When that became too obvious, remarks about the extremely attentative waiter turned into a running gag at the table. The waiter himself played along. Damn I wish I were on a ship right now :D

I beg to differ on what the cruise line pays for and makes on liquor. I drink a big brand name domestic beer and usually stock up when they have it on sale around the major holidays. I get it for about $.58 per bottle, tax included, and that’s buying one case at a time.

Our booze drink is Jack and coke. we get the 1.75 liter bottle at Sam’s Club for about $34 per bottle, tax included. The Coke is about $.24 per can at the grocery store where they have 4-12 packs for $10 when you spend $25. Based on this, the actual cost is $.58 per beer. We get 3 drinks out of a can of Coke which is $.08 per drink. There are 59 oz. in the bottle. At $.57 oz., a 2 shot pour, with Coke cost $1.22. 3 oz. pour, with Coke cost $1.79. X charges $6 or so a beer and $9 or $10 for a Jack and Coke, both +18% tip. At their volume buying their cost is much less.

Think about it, with pick a perk on a seven day cruise, your choices are prepaid gratuities valued at about $100 p.p.. Obc valued at $150 p.p. (based on onboard pricing, their cost probably $25 max). Then the drink package valued at about $400 p.p. That tells me they make more money on drinks than the other two. We’re glad we don’t drink much or have to drink to make the experience more pleasurable.

[AmazedByCruising]

I beg to differ on what the cruise line pays for and makes on liquor. I drink a big brand name domestic beer and usually stock up when they have it on sale around the major holidays. I get it for about $.58 per bottle, tax included, and that’s buying one case at a time.

Our booze drink is Jack and coke. we get the 1.75 liter bottle at Sam’s Club for about $34 per bottle, tax included. The Coke is about $.24 per can at the grocery store where they have 4-12 packs for $10 when you spend $25. Based on this, the actual cost is $.58 per beer. We get 3 drinks out of a can of Coke which is $.08 per drink. There are 59 oz. in the bottle. At $.57 oz., a 2 shot pour, with Coke cost $1.22. 3 oz. pour, with Coke cost $1.79. X charges $6 or so a beer and $9 or $10 for a Jack and Coke, both +18% tip. At their volume buying their cost is much less.

Think about it, with pick a perk on a seven day cruise, your choices are prepaid gratuities valued at about $100 p.p.. Obc valued at $150 p.p. (based on onboard pricing, their cost probably $25 max). Then the drink package valued at about $400 p.p. That tells me they make more money on drinks than the other two. We’re glad we don’t drink much or have to drink to make the experience more pleasurable.

 

You are right. Not only the volume but also tax-free. I inflated the costs a bit to show that even at those prices the cruise lines wouldn't really care about a bottle more or less.

 

We seem to disagree on OBC. You could use OBC to buy gold by the inch or shorex, but you can also turn it into cash in the casino, which (on average) would cost a few percent. I'd buy your $150 "promotional chips" at 90% any time.

[Wine-O]

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You sure about that? I believe the tips are pooled.

 

Yes. If you buy a package once you get on board, the tips are pooled, and I would think the person who sold you the package may get a chuck on that tip before it's pooled as an incentive for hawking the package in the first place. But, if you upgrade, the tip goes to the person who upgraded you.

[bigbenboys]

The only place I have had any problems get a drinks is on Silhouette and Reflection. Celebrity removed the Oceanview Bar from the build. The aft bar on Lido deck. So I had to go up to the Sunset Bar. Which is fine going up the stairs. But the Sunset Bar was very busy. Added more seating for lunch and afternoon snacks is nice. And yes the CALL and PALL packages does overwhelm the staff.

[SEA DOGY]

I've never noticed a bartender giving a suite passenger any preferential treatment (and trust me I would notice). They try as best they can to take people in the order they step up to the bar and most passengers seem to know the system too. Even when it's busy at a bar I doubt I've waited more than about 5 minutes (which seems like an eternity when my glass is empty;p)

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

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[bEwAbG]

The last time I ate in the MDR was in 2015 but that particular cruise there were only two sommeliers for the whole room and the drink service was abysmal. In that case, it was a pure staffing issue versus them purposely being slow. That cruise was also advertising a martini flight from 4-8pm only on one day, but it was the same two people who were staffing that bar. They were turning away people from this upsell experience that lots were interested in because they didn't have time to do both. It was pretty ridiculous and was definitely a low point of an otherwise fine cruise. Hopefully they have improved since then because it definitely made me rethink booking (I've only dined in Luminae after that and it of course is a better experience). There is a fine line between "controlling costs" and turning customers off your product.

[aquidneck1]

Currently on Eclipse and wine service is rushed in Luminae. It's been a disappointment. Wine service in Cellar Masters is flat. Most sommeliers are not enhancing our wine experience.

[LynandBill]

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You sure about that? I believe the tips are pooled.

 

 

 

On the Eclipse, We asked the bar waiter at the Martini Bar that question and he told us whoever sells the package or upgrade gets the gratuity. We did the upgrade and he was awesome the whole cruise.

 

 

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[bigbenboys]

Ya make sense. How about pax with platinum sea pass 9. suite pax are they have priority ?

 

Our platinum card does not give us any better bar service. Great service in MC. Also better bar service in Blu and Luminae over the MDR.

[Tbird58]

We did Reflection Fall 2016 and had awesome bartenders, especially in the Martini bar. However on the Infinity in Sept 2017, very disappointed. We had to almost beg for a drink. Bartenders were incredibly slow and really didn't give a Sh**, except the Martini bar! We upgraded there the first night, and were never disappointed. We plan to do the same next week on the Mille. I even talked to Celebrity and wrote on my review about the lack of bartenders and their lack of customer service, however I never got a response. When I'm paying what I pay for drink package, I absolutely deserve curtesy and service. We'll see.

[jagoffee]

Currently on Eclipse and wine service is rushed in Luminae. It's been a disappointment. Wine service in Cellar Masters is flat. Most sommeliers are not enhancing our wine experience.

 

Yano is very busy since she is covering all of Luminae, we just order wine by the glass and it is good. I can understand how if ordering bottles of wine it would be a problem. Perhaps they should have two people or someone different for those ordering bottles of wine. Poor girl has to get up early to squeeze the OJ.