Elite cocktail hours extended...permanent change

[Banjo]

21 hours ago, davekathy said:

We're Elite and we never go to the Elite breakfast. 

 

We like it. We are not big breakfast eaters. Fruit and a bagel is fine.

 

Don't like MDR because a lot times it's sooo slow. Oveanview can get zooie during breakfast.

 

I just love sitting by those Tuscan back windows enjoying the sea with a specialty coffee. Nice and relaxing.  

[Provence55always]

Looking forward to becoming Elite on our next cruise and enjoying all the perks!! 

[jandan3]

On 11/5/2018 at 6:48 AM, goofysmom99 said:

Happy Hour on the Silhouette TA right now is 3 drinks on your card for use between 5:00 & 7:00.  No extended hours.  Sky Lounge is available every night except Sr Officers' Cocktail Party.

 

Were the 3 drinks available on imbarcation day also? 

[A Sixth?]

6 minutes ago, jandan3 said:

 

Were the 3 drinks available on imbarcation day also? 

 

No. Not ever on any cruise on embarkation day. Just a welcome glass of sparkling wine when you first board.   

 

Edited November 7, 2018 by A Sixth?

[jandan3]

4 minutes ago, A Sixth? said:

 

No. Not ever on any cruise on embarkation day. Just a welcome glass of sparkling wine when you first board.   

 

Thanks.....I was hoping 

[cruisetimeforme]

So how are they hosting the Sr Officer's party? Do they have servers walking around with drinks still or have they changed that to just your 3 drinks on the card? Is is no longer held in the Sky lounge?

 

We go to Elite B'fast probably half the cruise as we enjoy the quiet and view in Tuscan. Food isn't that important in the am for us, a bit of fruit and Bacio pastries along with Elite+ coffee does fine. Please don't give them any ideas and stop offering it  or change that perk too!

[davekathy]

4 hours ago, cruisetimeforme said:

 So how are they hosting the Sr Officer's party? Do they have servers walking around with drinks still or have they changed that to just your 3 drinks on the card? Is is no longer held in the Sky lounge?

 

We go to Elite B'fast probably half the cruise as we enjoy the quiet and view in Tuscan. Food isn't that important in the am for us, a bit of fruit and Bacio pastries along with Elite+ coffee does fine. Please don't give them any ideas and stop offering it  or change that perk too!

We were on the Infinity September 2018 and the Senor Officers party was business as usual. Still held In the lounge with servers serving drinks and petit fours. That was the only evening we weren't asked for our Seapass cards in the lounge when ordering drinks. 

Edited November 7, 2018 by davekathy

[ghstudio]

On 11/5/2018 at 6:48 AM, goofysmom99 said:

Happy Hour on the Silhouette TA right now is 3 drinks on your card for use between 5:00 & 7:00.  No extended hours.  Sky Lounge is available every night except Sr Officers' Cocktail Party.

 

You have to love Celebrity's consistency......  They are consistently inconsistent 🙂

[Cruise Raider]

On 11/6/2018 at 5:20 AM, Banjo said:

 

We like it. We are not big breakfast eaters. Fruit and a bagel is fine.

 

Don't like MDR because a lot times it's sooo slow. Oveanview can get zooie during breakfast.

 

I just love sitting by those Tuscan back windows enjoying the sea with a specialty coffee. Nice and relaxing.  

 

I am with you ... we eat very light for breakfast and enjoy the heck out the Tuscan in the mornings.  

[trk_koa]

Currently on Eclipse. 5-7pm. No extended hours. 

[bubbachief]

3 hours ago, trk_koa said:

Currently on Eclipse. 5-7pm. No extended hours. 

We will be on the Eclipse in December and are hoping for the extended hours,

I wonder if it's at the Captain's Club hostess discretion? Same thing with priority tendering it seems.

[Ballymacjim]

Currently on Constellation and can confirm Happy Hours are NOT extended, 5pm - 7pm, limited to 3 drinks loaded onto card all bars, INCLUDING in the HH Reflections lounge. NO free drinks on embarkation day. Reflections Lounge restricted to Elite and upwards for canapés 5-7pm, but 3 drinks only, and not on embarkation or senior officers party night. 

You must present your seapass card, and any drinks after the 3rd will be charged. Any drinks not listed on the Captains Club drinks menu will also be charged.

 

For me personally, the "use any bar" benefit is welcome, however i see the removal of unlimited drinks in the HH lounge as a major devaluation of my hard earned Elite + membership. I like to relax and have a few drinks those few hours, and have always looked forward to sailing with Celebrity because of it. Sometimes I'll  have more than 3, sometimes less, and sometimes i just don't go at all, but given the price of alcohol on board those few hours always felt like a proper and tangible benefit of my 25 years/21 cruises loyalty. 

Now with the stroke of a pen they have taken the benefit i cherish most, and strived for so long to attain, away. No consultation, no notification even, just a note in your room when you board ship - "welcome aboard, oh by the way, we've taken away your benefit, enjoy your cruise". If it's that simple then how long before it's something else, what comes next...?

I've spoken to the CC hostess and she tells me this change is across the fleet, that being the case my sailing total with Celebrity Cruises ends at 21, if i cant trust them to at least retain the benefits i earned then won't be coming back.

[Wine-O]

1 hour ago, Ballymacjim said:

Currently on Constellation and can confirm Happy Hours are NOT extended, 5pm - 7pm, limited to 3 drinks loaded onto card all bars, INCLUDING in the HH Reflections lounge. NO free drinks on embarkation day. Reflections Lounge restricted to Elite and upwards for canapés 5-7pm, but 3 drinks only, and not on embarkation or senior officers party night. 

You must present your seapass card, and any drinks after the 3rd will be charged. Any drinks not listed on the Captains Club drinks menu will also be charged.

 

For me personally, the "use any bar" benefit is welcome, however i see the removal of unlimited drinks in the HH lounge as a major devaluation of my hard earned Elite + membership. I like to relax and have a few drinks those few hours, and have always looked forward to sailing with Celebrity because of it. Sometimes I'll  have more than 3, sometimes less, and sometimes i just don't go at all, but given the price of alcohol on board those few hours always felt like a proper and tangible benefit of my 25 years/21 cruises loyalty. 

Now with the stroke of a pen they have taken the benefit i cherish most, and strived for so long to attain, away. No consultation, no notification even, just a note in your room when you board ship - "welcome aboard, oh by the way, we've taken away your benefit, enjoy your cruise". If it's that simple then how long before it's something else, what comes next...?

I've spoken to the CC hostess and she tells me this change is across the fleet, that being the case my sailing total with Celebrity Cruises ends at 21, if i cant trust them to at least retain the benefits i earned then won't be coming back.

I'm with you.  Unless I have the beverage package as a perk when booking, I won't sail with Celebrity any more.  With the same old dull itineraries, steady increase in prices, and LLP continuing to nickle & dime the benefits, I've switch to RCCL.

[ghstudio]

As the OP.....I guess I should rescind that "permanent change" statement.  The new hours were definitely in effect on the Reflection TA and I specifically asked the Captain's Club hostess if this was a fleetwide change or something they did only for our cruise (the TA with over 1500 elites).  She said it was a permanent change and fleetwide.

 

Sorry if I inadvertently misguided anyone......but I thought I had the information from a very reliable source.  Perhaps it is a permanent change on the Reflection only????

Edited November 13, 2018 by ghstudio

[jagoffee]

2 hours ago, Wine-O said:

I'm with you.  Unless I have the beverage package as a perk when booking, I won't sail with Celebrity any more.  With the same old dull itineraries, steady increase in prices, and LLP continuing to nickle & dime the benefits, I've switch to RCCL.

Mike, I guess you will not be doing anymore Celebrity TAs.  Us either, but for different reasons.

I am not sure why the elimination of the all you can drink in the Sky Lounge would lead you to this decision.  The TAs have always had the three coupons and I know you prefer to have your drinks at the Sunset Bar.  

 

I suspect your decision has more to more to do with the other factors and not the “free drink” changes.  

 

Anyway, we will miss you.  Of course except for repositioning cruises, the Celebrity cruises do have the drink perks as part of the BBB pricing mode.

[Wine-O]

1 hour ago, jagoffee said:

Mike, I guess you will not be doing anymore Celebrity TAs.  Us either, but for different reasons.

I am not sure why the elimination of the all you can drink in the Sky Lounge would lead you to this decision.  The TAs have always had the three coupons and I know you prefer to have your drinks at the Sunset Bar.  

 

I suspect your decision has more to more to do with the other factors and not the “free drink” changes.  

 

Anyway, we will miss you.  Of course except for repositioning cruises, the Celebrity cruises do have the drink perks as part of the BBB pricing mode.

Hi Jim,  We stopped doing Celebrity TA's.  Last one was in 2016.  Itinerary was the biggest reason, but lately for LLP, loyalty doesn't seem to mean anything to her.    We've done 4 TA's in 2017/18 with RCCL and have 3 more TA/TP's scheduled with RCCL in 2019/2020.  

[mafig]

So is the reality that it's 3 drinks, loaded onto your card, between the hours of 5 and 7?  Reflection was the only ship reporting longer hours and that was for the TA, not sure what's going to happen after that?

 

I'd like to know because when I first read this thread I thought that the cruise I'm considering will have a lot of days when I'm off the ship.  I thought I could forgo the drink package.  However, 5 - 7 is too short a time for us.  

 

Appreciate the feedback from the other ships.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, ghstudio said:

As the OP.....I guess I should rescind that "permanent change" statement.  The new hours were definitely in effect on the Reflection TA and I specifically asked the Captain's Club hostess if this was a fleetwide change or something they did only for our cruise (the TA with over 1500 elites).  She said it was a permanent change and fleetwide.

 

Sorry if I inadvertently misguided anyone......but I thought I had the information from a very reliable source.  Perhaps it is a permanent change on the Reflection only????

You were only posting what you experienced and the information provided to you at the time. No harm, no foul. 

Edited November 13, 2018 by davekathy

[davekathy]

18 minutes ago, mafig said:

So is the reality that it's 3 drinks, loaded onto your card, between the hours of 5 and 7?  Reflection was the only ship reporting longer hours and that was for the TA, not sure what's going to happen after that?

 

I'd like to know because when I first read this thread I thought that the cruise I'm considering will have a lot of days when I'm off the ship.  I thought I could forgo the drink package.  However, 5 - 7 is too short a time for us.  

 

Appreciate the feedback from the other ships.

We were on the Infinity September 2018. Three drinks loaded on our Seapass cards for each evening except the first evening and the Senior Offers party. HH from 5 to 7 (nothing new there) in the constellation lounge. It was restricted for elite and above from 5 to 7 for drinks and Petit fours. Our Seapass cards were taken for each drink order. We also had the BP. 

[Charles4515]

9 hours ago, Ballymacjim said:

 

 

For me personally, the "use any bar" benefit is welcome, however i see the removal of unlimited drinks in the HH lounge as a major devaluation of my hard earned Elite + membership. I like to relax and have a few drinks those few hours, and have always looked forward to sailing with Celebrity because of it. Sometimes I'll  have more than 3, sometimes less, and sometimes i just don't go at all, but given the price of alcohol on board those few hours always felt like a proper and tangible benefit of my 25 years/21 cruises loyalty. 

 

I've spoken to the CC hostess and she tells me this change is across the fleet, that being the case my sailing total with Celebrity Cruises ends at 21, if i cant trust them to at least retain the benefits i earned then won't be coming back.

 

I think it is good that Celebrity is not enabling unhealthy alcohol use and is limiting the number of free drinks to three during the social hours. Alcohol over users will still be able to imbibe on their own dime. 

 

Three free drinks is quite generous and so are other other loyalty benefits like the free specialty coffee, 240 internet minutes and laundry I get. 

 

As as for your intention of ending your Celebrity cruises at 21. Thanks for sharing but I will be booking as many Celebrity cruises as I can all other things being equal because of their still great loyalty program. 

[Charles4515]

7 hours ago, Wine-O said:

I'm with you.  Unless I have the beverage package as a perk when booking, I won't sail with Celebrity any more.  With the same old dull itineraries, steady increase in prices, and LLP continuing to nickle & dime the benefits, I've switch to RCCL.

 

Switch to RCCL? You are not making a switch. Celebrity is a brand of RCCL. 

[killsport]

32 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I think it is good that Celebrity is not enabling unhealthy alcohol use and is limiting the number of free drinks to three during the social hours. Alcohol over users will still be able to imbibe on their own dime. 

I hope this was in jest. Because if that's your thought process, your logic would extend to food and other activities as well. Only 2000-3000 calories per person (unhealthy food use), depending on body mass and activity. No more desserts (unhealthy sugar use), no fried foods (unhealthy fat use), etc. And strictly limit the amount of sun to 15-30 minutes (unhealthy UV ray use).

Perhaps judging others' consumption of items isn't something you should be doing.

Edited November 13, 2018 by killsport
type-o

[Charles4515]

24 minutes ago, killsport said:

I hope this was in jest. Because if that's your thought process, your logic would extend to food and other activities as well. Only 2000-3000 calories per person (unhealthy food use), depending on body mass and activity. No more desserts (unhealthy sugar use), no fried foods (unhealthy fat use), etc. And strictly limit the amount of sun to 15-30 minutes (unhealthy UV ray use).

Perhaps judging others' consumption of items isn't something you should be doing.

 

I am not jesting. Or making a judgement.  I am going by standards set by governement and medical organizations. By the science.

 

The Department of Agriculture and Department of Health & Human Services: 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.

 

National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: men should not exceed 4 drinks per day or a total of 14 per week and women should not to exceed 3 drinks a day or a total of 7 per week.

 

American Heart Association: men should not exceed 2 units/day and women should not to exceed 1 unit/day.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Charles4515

[Wine-O]

51 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Switch to RCCL? You are not making a switch. Celebrity is a brand of RCCL. 

Of course, but they run entirety different, like Azamara .   Carnival owns Princess, but the two lines are completely different.

[killsport]

1 minute ago, Charles4515 said:

 

I am not jesting. Or making a judgement.  I using standards set by governement and medical organizations. 

 

The Department of Agriculture and Department of Health & Human Services: 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.

 

National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: men should not exceed 4 drinks per day or a total of 14 per week and women should not to exceed 3 drinks a day or a total of 7 per week.

 

American Heart Association: men should not exceed 2 units/day and women should not to exceed 1 unit/day.

You really should do your homework. Poor diet kills 5x more people worldwide than alcohol. So if you're worried about government and medical studies, you should focus where you "save" the most people.