Stateroom free movies eliminated

[Alwaysmorecruising]

58 minutes ago, Nymich said:

As of now nobody has notified us that any Ship has free on demand movies.  In fact two the Reflection and Silhouette have let us know there are no free on demand movies.  This will only be a "one off" if people let X know it's a cheap move.  If you take the time to read my opening post I stated that mid week they pulled the free movies on the Equinox.   They were still gone at the end of the cruise which was Saturday Sept 7 and you can look back to my opening post to read what I was told. Wishing that it is not true is not going to be enough.  Call X and let them explain to you why you will not have free on demand movies.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to say I didn't believe you or anything.  I did read your original post, which did alarm me, and is why I created an account to actually ask if anyone had seen the same thing on the Equinox since your experience.  I was hoping it was just a glitch for that one cruise, like maybe a messed up signal because of the hurricane or something.  Sorry for the bother, and I appreciate your feedback.

[Alwaysmorecruising]

55 minutes ago, CulverCityCruisers said:

We were on Equinox Aug 10th and 17th.  They had "movies" on the TV, but they were all so old and not worthwhile.  Yes they had movie rentals for I think $14.99 , but NOTHING new or newer. 

 

The "big screen" up on the lawn club also played the same OLD movies.  We have the TV on while dressing or getting ready for dinner, while having breakfast in the cabin and enjoy it.  The other channels are repeat from old showings like food network. 

 

We are NOT fans of Princess, but at lease they have new and newer movie selection which is really nice.

 

X, just took another thing away, but since the movies were so old no real interest

Thank you for the confirmation, even if it wasn't what I was hoping for. 🙂  I guess I'll have to get a bunch of movies loaded up on my laptop to bring because like others, we enjoy watching something beside TV reruns before bed.  And I'll make sure to let Celebrity know how disappointing it is.

 

Edited September 10, 2019 by Alwaysmorecruising

[Nymich]

1 hour ago, Alwaysmorecruising said:

Sorry, I wasn't trying to say I didn't believe you or anything.  I did read your original post, which did alarm me, and is why I created an account to actually ask if anyone had seen the same thing on the Equinox since your experience.  I was hoping it was just a glitch for that one cruise, like maybe a messed up signal because of the hurricane or something.  Sorry for the bother, and I appreciate your feedback.

No bother!   The cruise was the Hurricane Dorian get out of town cruise for those of us who live down here lol.  I was hopeful it was a glitch too but found out later it wasn't.  Keep posting!

[Nymich]

5 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

 

We tried Oceania twice and although the dining room food WAS very good, the rest of the cruise and ship left something to be desired.  I understand that Oceania is cutting back on their food quality.   

 

Thanks for your opinion on O I will wait until we finish our 20 day before I draw any impressions. 

 

Point is if X keeps stripping little stuff bit by bit they will lose business.  Edge and Apex are pretty big ships to fill to be pissing off people.  Aqua has been stripped, foot stools, movies on and on and on.  I only go on X to relax and eat half way decent food.  Not for their music, shows or other activities.  I know others like the music and shows and I respect that.  Movies can be part of that relaxation but not anymore unless we give them the message!  

 

FWIW we are booked on O, HAL and Virgin all for different reasons!  Celebrity is supposed to be refined relaxing cruising.  The tiny cuts over and over again is not relaxing.   

 

.

 

Edited September 10, 2019 by Nymich

[villauk]

On 9/9/2019 at 4:01 PM, Hlitner said:

this line has recently eliminated all their Production Shows! 

 

 

Pity X haven’t 😆.

[Nymich]

1 minute ago, villauk said:

 

 

Pity X haven’t 😆.

ouch!

[villauk]

1 minute ago, Nymich said:

ouch!

 

They used to be very good, until they decided to produce them themselves!

[Marelaine]

After we've eaten, drank, gambled, walked too much, it's nice to go back to our cabin to wind down with a movie.  We have Prime and I was able to watch Downton Abbey on my Chrome laptop without a lot of buffering. Looks like I'll need to download some movies for my husband to enjoy. 

IMO, this is a cheap move on Celebrity's part. I hope they get lots of complaints.

[hcat]

30 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

They used to be very good, until they decided to produce them themselves!

Agree!

Big fanfare, PR blitz,  and then not much of note.

The singers and dancers worked hard but the lame material was hard to overcome.

 

Exception for us are the EDGE shows.  Most are very good quality all around in an amazing theater.

 

Has anyone on board asked at various Q & A sessions:   who made this decision,   why,   and are there any plans  or a possibility X will reverse direction on this???

Edited September 10, 2019 by hcat

[Nymich]

8 minutes ago, hcat said:

 

 

Has anyone on board asked at various Q & A sessions:   who made this decision,   why,   and are there any plans  or a possibility X will reverse direction on this???

Hopefully X will see that taking away the movies is cheap but we had to start somewhere.

[hulamoon]

The thing about favorite cruise lines is they are always changing what you loved about them in the first place. Sometimes it seems change for cheap sake and others seem like change for change sake.

[Baron Barracuda]

This is just all so dumb.  If LLP thinks she can cost cut her way to prosperity she is sadly mistaken.  She don't seem to recognize that X is a service business and the top priority always needs to be keeping customers happy.  That way they keep coming back.  You don't accomplish this by continually diminishing the product.  It's especially maddening that the likely savings from these cutbacks is peanuts.  They save little and are then forced to add $100's in extra percs to fill the ships.  

[the_dylaness]

6 hours ago, kathynorth said:

 

- At times we travel with young children who need down time in the cabin.

- Sometimes my DH goes  to sleep early while I watch a movie late at night.

- Sometimes the weather is bad and we take the opportunity to hunker down in the room to watch a movie together since we don't get much time to do this at home with busy work schedules.

 

 

1) Yes!  We travel with our 8 and 4 year old sometimes.  They enjoyed some quiet downtime in the cabin watching movies (which is a really special treat at home) on the cruise.

 

2) Yes!  

 

3) Yes! I've watched TWO movies in 2019 and one of them was on the Silver Wind in January.  (The other I watched over 4 or 5 chunks of time a couple of months ago...)

[Happy2cruise]

Called celebrity asked and was told the movies on demand are still free. I then explained passengers sailing now have reported there is now a $14.99. Again explained the reports and she insisted she ckecked and the reports are wrong!!!!!!!!!  Has anyone else called celebrity to see what they say?

[the_dylaness]

I'm on the phone now with Captain's Club expressing my significant disappointment. I encourage you all to do the same.

[Nymich]

43 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

This is just all so dumb.  If LLP thinks she can cost cut her way to prosperity she is sadly mistaken.  She don't seem to recognize that X is a service business and the top priority always needs to be keeping customers happy.  That way they keep coming back.  You don't accomplish this by continually diminishing the product.  It's especially maddening that the likely savings from these cutbacks is peanuts.  They save little and are then forced to add $100's in extra percs to fill the ships.  

Spot on !   It is stupid for the peanuts they save.

[Nymich]

14 minutes ago, Happy2cruise said:

Called celebrity asked and was told the movies on demand are still free. I then explained passengers sailing now have reported there is now a $14.99. Again explained the reports and she insisted she ckecked and the reports are wrong!!!!!!!!!  Has anyone else called celebrity to see what they say?

What a surprise miscommunication by a cruise line between land and sea.  What I posted was fact and two others have checked in as well from Reflection and Silhouette.  They always had 14.99 movies now that is ALL THEY HAVE in the stateroom.

[Nymich]

14 minutes ago, the_dylaness said:

I'm on the phone now with Captain's Club expressing my significant disappointment. I encourage you all to do the same.

I have called and will be banging them on the survey for the Equinox 8-31 that they shut off free on demand.  

[C 2 C]

Royal Caribbean Reports Record Second Quarter Earnings

 

and a hike in dividends...

 

This is a for profit company... Who gives a crap about diminishing customer experiences... 😉

 

[Nymich]

Just talked to Captains Club and yep the free movies are gone ship wide.  Rep said it was costing millions.

Not sure how 5 free movies were costing millions.  I have the Reps name but will hold that back...….for now.

[Fouremco]

12 minutes ago, Nymich said:

Just talked to Captains Club and yep the free movies are gone ship wide.  Rep said it was costing millions.

Not sure how 5 free movies were costing millions.  I have the Reps name but will hold that back...….for now.

Airlines spend up to $20 million per year on in-flight content. Cruise lines probably spend a similar amount, possibly more. I don't agree with Celebrity's decision, or the method of implementing the change, but the Captains Club rep wasn't wrong about the costs involved.

[hcat]

Even if they put the ones shown on the outside decks for free  on stateroom tv,,that would be something,  We missed the showing of Bohemian Rhapsody on deck...poor timing and also missed it  in the theater.  If it was on TV we could pick our time.  

 

So now parents have to bring downloaded movies along for the kiddos!  More modern luxury!

[Nymich]

9 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Airlines spend up to $20 million per year on in-flight content. Cruise lines probably spend a similar amount, possibly more. I don't agree with Celebrity's decision, or the method of implementing the change, but the Captains Club rep wasn't wrong about the costs involved.

So how many "millions" will X save by canning 5 free movies? 

 

Btw he couldn't tell me as I think he knew he stepped outside what should be said.  I think he just said millions because it sounds good. 

Edited September 11, 2019 by Nymich

[txflood33]

35 minutes ago, Nymich said:

So how many "millions" will X save by canning 5 free movies? 

 

Btw he couldn't tell me as I think he knew he stepped outside what should be said.  I think he just said millions because it sounds good. 

 

I think there is a lot of assuming going on. I would venture to guess none of us know the terms of the contract to show the movies.

 

If it is a contract like used for a movie theatre, X would pay a higher price. Movie studios pay theatres to show trailers to promote upcoming movies. Theatres also rum local ads on . the screen to make money. Then the movie studios take anywhere from 60%-80% of the gross profits for the ticket sales of the first week. X isn't showing trailers or ads....they have nothing to negotiate with.

 

If the contract is more like a public venue purchasing a PPV event to show...say a sports bar is going to show a PPV fight...those contracts are based on number of people that can see the show...say total occupancy.This could be a large number for X if it's based on passenger count.

 

I'm not a contract negotiator, but I would be willing to bet whoever negotiated AA's contract made some comment to the effect of...' we have a captive audience, we average X number of views which get's this or that movie talked about or draws interest in a director or a theme such as Marvel...just as an example.

 

There was a story from 1987 saying AA was able to save $40k/year simply by eliminating 1 olive in each salad. That was 1987 and not major movie studios. I can easily see this as savings of $5M-$10M a year.

[George C]

I thought the free movies was a really nice feature, I basically am not at all impressed with celebrity entertainment, mostly take music charters that are on celebrity since that has great entertainment.