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Smoothies on Celebrity - Corporate decision

Tplusthree

By Tplusthree,
in Celebrity Cruises

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Tplusthree

Tplusthree

Posted
Posted

In the grand scheme of life, this is not a big issue, but I have seen many people asking about smoothies at aqua spa cafe and if they are included in drink packages. I just returned from Summit/Bermuda Sunday and overall my experience as a first-time Celebrity cruiser was very good and I will do a review soon, but as to smoothies.....

 

It took me a few convos with celebrity guest relations and even an officer at the cruise critic meet up to get a straight answer. Basically, my group of 18 (ten adults and 8 kids) all had premium bev package. The sea pass card states PAL and PNAL for the kids. My kids and niece and nephews were denied smoothies at the aqua spa cafe. I'm guessing the pressed juices are in the same category. Long story short, I asked an officer at the cruise critic meet-up and he explained (rather arrogantly and condescendingly) that smoothies are no longer included in the premium package. I told him that others will be surprised by that. I then informally polled the group in front of him and the majority felt it was included and surprised it was not.  The officer, Neno?, gave a very corporate answer abut how Celebrity calculated the true cost to guests who get the premium bev package as a "free" perk at a value of about $20 dollars a day, the lowest in the industry, so we are getting a good deal already and therefore Celebrity decided the package (or any package?) will not be including smoothies.

 

I explained that I just wanted what I paid for. Another cruise critic guest stated they should be included as they are under $15. 

 

At guest relations, they were able to affix a "smoothies" sticker to my kids cards so that they could get them with their premium package. The next day we were doing a family pic near guest relations and the rep told my SIL there was no such thing. Thank goodness, the other rep overheard and put the elusive sticker on my nephews card. I guess we are among a group of people who booked when it was included and now it is no longer included, hence the multiple convos. 

Just trying to inform people so they can save some time and hassle during their vacation. Like I said, I did enjoy the trip, so many good memories for me and my extended family and hate to focus on tiny things, but I do like to get what I paid for and others might as well.

Happy sailing!

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bhughey

bhughey

Posted
Posted (edited)

Ugh! So disappointed to hear this! Can you clarify if the smoothies are no longer covered  under the premium drink package or just under the premium non alcoholic package, or both?

Edited by bhughey
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twodjs

twodjs

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That makes no sense at all. Without the package, the smoothies were 8 or 9 bucks. We have them every morning on the ship at the Aqua Cafe using our primium drink package. That package covers bar drinks to $15.00. And we have already upgraded to the premium package for our next cruise to be sure the smoothies were covered. If this is true, I'm more than a little upset. 

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Nymich

Nymich

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, twodjs said:

That makes no sense at all. Without the package, the smoothies were 8 or 9 bucks. We have them every morning on the ship at the Aqua Cafe using our primium drink package. That package covers bar drinks to $15.00. And we have already upgraded to the premium package for our next cruise to be sure the smoothies were covered. If this is true, I'm more than a little upset. 

and you have a right to be.    What is terrible is we learn more from CC then you would by calling Celebrity themselves.   The communication or lack thereof between shore and ship within Celebrity is unreal sometimes.  Those smoothies used to be covered a few years back under the classic package and they upped it to premium.  The shore had no clue sold it as included and the ship delivered the bad news.   This goes on all the time.   I am not sure what the new deal is I know back in April on Reflection you had to have premium.   Whatever one finds out get it in writing and take it on the ship because that is often where the problems start.  That goes for anything for that matter.   I will be on Equinox soon so am curious myself.

Edited by Nymich
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twodjs

twodjs

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So you can drink $15.00 martinis all night, but Heaven forbid you might actually want a healthy drink to start the day. How does one healthy drink break the premium drink bank? Come on, Celebrity, you've got to be kidding!  

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upwarduk

upwarduk

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, twodjs said:

That makes no sense at all. Without the package, the smoothies were 8 or 9 bucks. We have them every morning on the ship at the Aqua Cafe using our primium drink package. That package covers bar drinks to $15.00. And we have already upgraded to the premium package for our next cruise to be sure the smoothies were covered. If this is true, I'm more than a little upset. 

The smoothies snould be covered covered by the Classic package as well, if they only cost $8!!

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chemmo Holiday Sharing Rare

chemmo

Posted
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Sometimes I wonder if there is a little gremlin in the corporate cupboard designed to make mischief...

 

Such a stupid change to the package... Personally I don’t like them but they are one of the few healthier items offered for consumption on a cruise! 

 

So if you are on a premium package and order one are you charged the full price? How odd when I can order high end spirits and just pay a ‘difference’. 

 

Perhaps they just don’t want to serve them anymore....

 

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mikkelhansen

mikkelhansen

Posted
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Very "interesting". I had a chat via Celebrity's website just this last Thursday, exactly regarding smoothies being included or not in the Premium Alcoholic (PALL) and/or Premium Non-alcoholic (PMNA) beverage package. I was told that smoothies were included in the PMNA, but NOT in the PALL. And now apparently OS experiences that it's not at all included in any beverage package anymore.

And indeed, the smoothies have been removed from the PMNA on Celebrity's website:

Premium Non-Alcoholic Package*-Starting from $22 p/night

In addition to the Classic Non-Alcoholic Package inclusions, refresh with premium bottled water from Evian, Perrier & San Pellegrino, specialty coffees & organic teas, Red Bull Energy Drink, coconut water and offerings from Vitamin Water.

 

They are, however, still mentioned in the PMNA on Cruise Planner:

$22.00 USD Adult per day

Enjoy nearly our entire selection of sodas selections on board including all canned and fountain soft drinks from Coca-Cola, premium bottled water from Evian, Perrier and San Pellegrino, specialty coffees and teas, non-alcoholic frozen drinks and smoothies, Red Bull Energy Drink and specialty waters from Vitamin Water. Price shown is per person, per day.

 

Would be nice with an executive final answer to this - possibly on the "Ask LLP" special forum?

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poffles

poffles

Posted
Posted (edited)

I take issue with the officer saying 'since they are included

15 hours ago, Tplusthree said:

The officer, Neno?, gave a very corporate answer abut how Celebrity calculated the true cost to guests who get the premium bev package as a "free" perk at a value of about $20 dollars a day, the lowest in the industry, so we are getting a good deal already and therefore Celebrity decided the package (or any package?) will not be including smoothies.

 

Okay ... aside from the constant inconsistencies and little changes that make everyone confused about what is included ... I have an issue with their reasoning being based on "free' perk since not everyone has the package this way.  What the ??????  My recent cruise I actually purchased it (and certainly not $20 a day!!) as I did not get it with my booking and there is no distinction on the card to say one got it "free" and one purchasing outright.  The question of "free" even as a perk in the cruise pricing is an entirely other discussion.  Such stupid slicing and dicing on packages that are far from cheap by any means is just sad.  I tried a smoothie from the spa in the past and didn't really care for it but that isn't the point, I'm not a big martini fan either but I would still take issue if they sliced that out of the premium package.

 

Shame on Celebrity.  I already find it somewhat of a game with any of the packages with the lack of bar menus and even when you find one it lists only a few drinks and often ones priced even beyond the top package inclusion so it is just a means to market $$ drinks.  As a sidebar, I will add that on my last cruise (last week) the pushing of drink packages on the first day was over the top, I am not kidding when i say I was approached at least 20 times.  Double shame on you Celebrity (and I put this in my survey!)

 

If this change is accurate across the fleet, such silly little decision will likely hurt Celebrity more than benefit as eventually these little things add up to a collective that pushes one to consider other travel options.  Land vacation is calling me ....

 

 

Oh and I do agree with OP that in the grander scheme of things this is not a big deal 🙂  Just sad.

Edited by poffles
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poffles

poffles

Posted
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33 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

I am currently on Infinity drinking a smoothie included in my premium package 😂 

 

And this is exactly the silliness of it all ... and exactly what one would expect ... enjoy LOL

 

I am having flashbacks of the coke in a can 'change' Celebrity played with.  That was fun.

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mikkelhansen

mikkelhansen

Posted
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5 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

 

 We have PALL - no upcharge 🙂

Very interesting - seeing that thread starter didn't have smoothies in any of the Premium packages, and I was told via chat last Thursday that it was only included in PMNA.

This seems to be turning into one big mess on Celebrity's side.

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bhughey

bhughey

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I've re-read the OP's post a couple of times trying to make sense, and it *seems* that the issue was with the PMNA? The OP continued to reference "premium", but it seems the issue stemmed from the kids who had PMNA and not the adults with the premium ALCOHOL pkg???

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