Stateroom free movies eliminated

[twodjs]

12 minutes ago, trk_koa said:

I just wrote to One Touch as well. It’s death by a thousand cuts. For the first time in years we have no X cruises booked. We had cancelled our 2020 B2B. We currently have two cruises booked with other lines. 

Sorry to hear - but totally understand. This latest cut has pushed us to our tipping point. We have only one cruise booked currently with Celebrity, but non-refundable airfares are already paid for, so too big a hit for us if we were to cancel. But no interest in future bookings if this cutting trend continues. Other cruiselines offer more.

[Nymich]

19 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Sorry to hear - but totally understand. This latest cut has pushed us to our tipping point. We have only one cruise booked currently with Celebrity, but non-refundable airfares are already paid for, so too big a hit for us if we were to cancel. But no interest in future bookings if this cutting trend continues. Other cruiselines offer more.

We were at the future cruise desk on the Aug 31 Equinox "movie drop cruise" and they offered us a nice non refundable deposit cruise at a very good rate but we just could not do it.  We still bought a place holder cruise that we can cancel and get the deposit back.  That is called not trusting and not sure.  Not too long ago we would have bought that in a NY minute! 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Nymich

[rimmit]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Just an observation from a very long time extensive cruiser.  I did not realize how naïve and "head in the sand" I was until reading this thread.  Had no idea that folks went on cruises to watch movies in their cabins.  I mentioned this thread to DW and she recalled that on far more then 1000 cruise days she can only recall watching one movie in our cabin (Kinky Boots).  Like many folks we have our own home theater set-up and that is where we prefer to watch movies (we might go to a movie theater once every 5 years).   Live and learn.    I hope that LLP reverses her decision on movies but I would not hold my breath.  Getting passengers to pay for movies will likely add to her annual bonus :(.

 

Hank

 

I also have a top notch dedicated home theater in our home that can crush many movie theaters in the audio department.   However,  this isn’t about the a/v quality (and I am a video-audiophile so much so that I won’t watch an action movie unless it’s in my HT or at the movies) but do enjoy watching a comedy or drama in the cabin on occasion.

 

If you didn’t realize people watched movies on a ship in a cabin, I suspect there are many other things that your “head is in the sand” on.  Lots of stuff happens on a cruise ship.... 

 

People go on vacation for a thousand reasons.  Some to catch up on their books.  Some to catch up on their trade journals.  Some to eat. Some to drink.  Some to sleep.  Some to watch movies.  Ultimately it’s your vacation, do as little or much as you want.  I don’t care what other people do on the ship as long as it isn’t breaking a law.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

To me, Celebrity's thinking on dropping free movies is a bit jagged. On Equinox they just installed larger screen TVs than before, so much larger, some shelving that used to surround the older TVs is now gone. So they have these nice new high def TVs and they drop free movies? 

 

So if you want a free movie, go to the uncomfortable lawn area where they have a very nice high def screen, but scant public seating. The night we walked by, there were about a dozen folks each with a reddish low-to-the-ground cushion/chaise. But I couldn't see any spare empty ones. Or you can go to the Celebrity  Central mini-auditorium with chairs that would not serve well for a two hour movie. Why can't you watch a free movie in your cabin? How does it cost Celebrity any more?

 

[Nymich]

12 minutes ago, Silvery Seas Cruiser said:

To me, Celebrity's thinking on dropping free movies is a bit jagged. On Equinox they just installed larger screen TVs than before, so much larger, some shelving that used to surround the older TVs is now gone. So they have these nice new high def TVs and they drop free movies? 

 

So if you want a free movie, go to the uncomfortable lawn area where they have a very nice high def screen, but scant public seating. The night we walked by, there were about a dozen folks each with a reddish low-to-the-ground cushion/chaise. But I couldn't see any spare empty ones. Or you can go to the Celebrity  Central mini-auditorium with chairs that would not serve well for a two hour movie. Why can't you watch a free movie in your cabin? How does it cost Celebrity any more?

 

Spot on about LC and those lousy chairs in CC.  We watched a movie in there and both needed a chiropractor after!

[rimmit]

12 minutes ago, Silvery Seas Cruiser said:

Why can't you watch a free movie in your cabin? How does it cost Celebrity any more?

 

 

The rights to display them in cabin increase the cost from just the rights for public viewing.

 

If Celebrity is trying to market themselves as a premium vacation they have to find ways to set themselves apart.  Free On Demand Movies is something the lower end lines do not have.  

 

If you really want to attract the next generation of cruisers, the millennials,  you have to cater to that market.  The millennial generation is used to instantaneous access to movies and pretty much everything.   The On Demand Movies was something that everyone I knew absolutely loved about celebrity and also something that Disney has that everyone also commented on as a great amenity.   I cannot speak for HA or Princess as I have not been on them in 10 years or so.  The in room entertainment, while not the main reason we book a cruise is definitely something we consider, and we are not the only ones.  Especially if itineraries are similar.

[Nymich]

1 minute ago, rimmit said:

 

   The On Demand Movies was something that everyone I knew absolutely loved about celebrity and also something that Disney has that everyone also commented on as a great amenity.   I cannot speak for HA or Princess as I have not been on them in 10 years or so.  The in room entertainment, while not the main reason we book a cruise is definitely something we consider, and we are not the only ones.  Especially if itineraries are similar.

I can speak for HAL what they have is WAY better when it comes to free in room movies.  

[MamaFej]

Princess has a very nice selection of included movies: both quite recent and older.

[twodjs]

 So how exactly is Celebrity billed under their new arrangement? If only 12 people watched the movie on the grass, and Clebrity paid maybe a dollar per person, a big savings to Celebrity. But how is that a benefit to the other 2700 people on the ship? If, however, they paid a public performance fee based on, say, 2700 people viewing it on the grass, that would be a stupid waste of money. Other cruiselines have figured out how to show it on the big screen and have it available for cabin viewing for free. What's wrong with Celebrity? Oh, I forgot they need to raise 400 million to paint the ships blue and take away common area. My bad.

[hcat]

Downward spiral continues for guest comforts!

Amazing how it happened so quickly!

[Gracie115]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Just an observation from a very long time extensive cruiser.  I did not realize how naïve and "head in the sand" I was until reading this thread.  Had no idea that folks went on cruises to watch movies in their cabins.  I mentioned this thread to DW and she recalled that on far more then 1000 cruise days she can only recall watching one movie in our cabin (Kinky Boots).  Like many folks we have our own home theater set-up and that is where we prefer to watch movies (we might go to a movie theater once every 5 years).   Live and learn.    I hope that LLP reverses her decision on movies but I would not hold my breath.  Getting passengers to pay for movies will likely add to her annual bonus :(.

 

Hank

 

Does it not occur to you and others that not everyone is out running around the ship all the time.  On longer cruises with many sea days, on days when you just don't feel up to par, or just when you want a little peace and quiet having a movie to watch for a few hours is a nice diversion.  When the "S" class came out there were at least a couple dozen free movies, then slowly they cut the number and in April of this year there were maybe 6 left and now none.  So now we have the "pleasure" of watching CNN, MSNBC & FOX endlessly (now THAT can make anyone sick).   It's just one more perk that made Celebrity special and it's gone too.  Just part of the reason that our next 3 cruises are on Princess.   Oh, and Princess, HAL, Seabourn, Carnival ALL have a wide assortment of free movies available.  Why is LLP still running this cruiseline?    There is no way this was a "COSTLY" item...just another way to weaken the "X" product.

[Gracie115]

1 hour ago, rimmit said:

 

   I cannot speak for HA or Princess as I have not been on them in 10 years or so.   

 

 

I can, they have a large assortment of free movies on both lines.  Also the same on Seabourn.....

[rimmit]

56 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

 

 

I can, they have a large assortment of free movies on both lines.  Also the same on Seabourn.....

 

Well we will definitely have to start exploring them.  It was just so nice to have our D+ status from RCI transfer to X but loyalty perks are diminishing lately as well.

 

The upcoming generation takes their media viewing very seriously.  So much so that when my wife attended a bachelorette party at the beach for a weekend several years ago,  the TV in the condo was an old CRT without HDMI.  They went to Walmart to buy a TV just so they could do some binge watching while at the beach.  

 

We we had to rent an apartment in another city for the summer.  The TV was a whopping 32 inches in the apartment for a living room length of about 20 feet.  You could not read the fonts. For the summer we purchased a cheap 65 inch tv from Walmart with ROKU built in with some On demand and a bigger screen just so we would have a better TV situation/entertainment situation.

 

These are not isolated instances.  The upcoming generation expects some amenities and streaming on demand video is a standard at most luxury or premium hotels and cruise lines.

Edited September 14, 2019 by rimmit

[Nymich]

54 minutes ago, rimmit said:

 

Well we will definitely have to start exploring them.  It was just so nice to have our D+ status from RCI transfer to X but loyalty perks are diminishing lately as well.

 

The upcoming generation takes their media viewing very seriously.  So much so that when my wife attended a bachelorette party at the beach for a weekend several years ago,  the TV in the condo was an old CRT without HDMI.  They went to Walmart to buy a TV just so they could do some binge watching while at the beach.  

 

We we had to rent an apartment in another city for the summer.  The TV was a whopping 32 inches in the apartment for a living room length of about 20 feet.  You could not read the fonts. For the summer we purchased a cheap 65 inch tv from Walmart with ROKU built in with some On demand and a bigger screen just so we would have a better TV situation/entertainment situation.

 

These are not isolated instances.  The upcoming generation expects some amenities and streaming on demand video is a standard at most luxury or premium hotels and cruise lines.

This one makes no sense.  What X will gain versus what they will lose does not look in their favor.

[Cruzinram]

Do not expect a reversal of this decision. LLP is head strong, and will suck it up. Stubborn would be a good word.

[Mike981]

I don't diminish anyone's opinion and understand the frustration. It just isn't this one cut from Celebrity. It's another change in the Celebrity experience.

 

I have been looking at the next level of cruises, I read the 'luxury cruise forums and they are also talking about cutbacks/changes.

 

Maybe it's just me, but the only thing that has gotten consistently better in my life is my wife and kids.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Mike981

[Redtravel]

On one cruise, I met a couple of teens who were really bored. There wasn’t much entertainment that interested them. Suggested watching movies. They watched over 20 movies and ordered popcorn from room service.  They had a great time. That wasn’t on Celebrity. 

[Nymich]

30 minutes ago, Mike981 said:

I don't diminish anyone's opinion and understand the frustration. It just isn't this one cut from Celebrity. It's another change in the Celebrity experience.

 

I have been looking at the next level of cruises, I read the 'luxury cruise forums and they are also talking about cutbacks/changes.

 

Maybe it's just me, but the only thing that has gotten consistently better in my life is my wife and kids.

Truth is others may be cutting but X is now the ONLY one in their class to not even offer free movies in the cabin. (which is what this thread is about) They were already the worst with only 5 or 6 now they are an embarrassment with none.  Word will travel too trust me.  HAL,Princess, MSC, NCL all have a better cabin experience by far in this area.  Funny thing is X and yes we customers have always liked to believe that X was a cut above these others.  Not in this area not even close.

[Nymich]

1 hour ago, Cruzinram said:

Do not expect a reversal of this decision. LLP is head strong, and will suck it up. Stubborn would be a good word.

Good.  She can continue to be WORST in class in this area.

[Z'Loth]

Sorry, it's been a while since I've been on here, so count me as part of the TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read).

 

My gut feeling is that I'm not spending a good chunk of money just to sit in my cabin and watch television. I'm there to see new places in the world, meeting new people, and just disconnect from the rest of the world. 

 

Having said that, there have been technological advances in the past few years that made this more of a minor inconvenience rather than a hardship. You can download movies/TV series to your device for offline viewing on your tablet or smartphone. Here are some links:

• Netflix
• Amazon Prime
• Hulu - Not available at this time
• Plex (Requires PlexPass subscription)

I do know that Netflix offers a "Open Connect" option where their server is located on the ISP premises to better stream their media to subscribers. Perhaps it can be configured for shipboard use through a WiFi network, and "charge up" via a WiFi connection while in port. But, then there is international media rights...

[meechee341]

I  see this coming....Take away the existing perk and then offer a new package of movie watching for an extra charge.  I believe this will be along very soon. We won't pay for indiv movies or a media package...perhaps worth it to some  We will just go without for a week to 10 days.

 

 

I think this poster was right on the money.  I'll bet that like the drinks packages, Celebrity and Royal will soon offer movie/tv packages to people.  The problem is that ALL the cruise lines (and other forms of travel as well) are moving in this direction.  More and more things are being removed or provided for an additional charge.  It's getting harder and harder to keep loving X.  I always travel with my Microsoft Pro tablet, so it'd be interesting to see if people with computers can cast or use an HDMI cable to hook up their computers.

 

I wonder if they are cutting free in room movies from Royal's ships.  It's beginning to look like Royal is moving far ahead of Celebrity with offering lots to do on their larger ships, perks similar to what Celebrity offers, with many more on board amenities.  It may be time to go back to Royal.

Edited September 15, 2019 by meechee341

[Gracie115]

39 minutes ago, Nymich said:

Truth is others may be cutting but X is now the ONLY one in their class to not even offer free movies in the cabin. (which is what this thread is about) They were already the worst with only 5 or 6 now they are an embarrassment with none.  Word will travel too trust me.  HAL,Princess, MSC, NCL all have a better cabin experience by far in this area.  Funny thing is X and yes we customers have always liked to believe that X was a cut above these others.  Not in this area not even close.

Princess is SO close in nearly all categories and better in some at this point....

 

LONG time X cruiser our next 3 are on other lines...guess they don't care...so I guess we shouldn't either.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

1 hour ago, Mike981 said:

 

I have been looking at the next level of cruises, I read the 'luxury cruise forums and they are also talking about cutbacks/changes.

 

 

Oceania and the like may be the premium cruise lines of tomorrow.  That's bad for their current base, but potentially good for us, we need more competition headed this way.

[Iamcruzin]

5 hours ago, Gracie115 said:

 

Does it not occur to you and others that not everyone is out running around the ship all the time.  On longer cruises with many sea days, on days when you just don't feel up to par, or just when you want a little peace and quiet having a movie to watch for a few hours is a nice diversion.  When the "S" class came out there were at least a couple dozen free movies, then slowly they cut the number and in April of this year there were maybe 6 left and now none.  So now we have the "pleasure" of watching CNN, MSNBC & FOX endlessly (now THAT can make anyone sick).   It's just one more perk that made Celebrity special and it's gone too.  Just part of the reason that our next 3 cruises are on Princess.   Oh, and Princess, HAL, Seabourn, Carnival ALL have a wide assortment of free movies available.  Why is LLP still running this cruiseline?    There is no way this was a "COSTLY" item...just another way to weaken the "X" product.

Better book a suite or be ready to pack a chair if you are in a lower category on Princess because Jan Swartz removed the barrel chair fone would sit in to watch a movie.

[Iamcruzin]

Just now, Iamcruzin said:

Better book a suite or be ready to pack a chair if you are in a lower category on Princess because Jan Swartz removed the barrel chair one would sit in to watch a movie.