Has Celebrity Deliberately Killed off Captain’s Club?

[canderson]

1 hour ago, TommyD3 said:

Now that you are Zenith you get the steam internet ...

Is that even slower than Surf? 🤣

[Crusin till Im Dead]

People, people....
I can visualize both sides of this discussion, as I'm 'only' Elite.

I can remember my first "Elite" cruise and finding it pretty cool to see the list of the 'freebies'...  90 minutes of Internet per person; the bag of laundry; Free play in the Casino (that no one ever wins); Wine discounts; Drink BOGO; and many more that I can't even remember.  But it was a page full of coupons. But by far the most valuable to my wife and I, was the Elite Lounge.  Allowing us a place to meet like minded cruisers, while enjoying a few beverages.  Over the years, this has varied widely.  Some sailings, barely a nook to meet; some sailings it felt non-existent and we had those three drink coupons (now added to your card); but Panama Canal (2012) on the Millennium, we had the entire Sky Lounge and it was Wonderful with 300+ people every night!

Those days, we used the Internet minutes sparingly, and the 90 minutes worked (we made it work).
Didn't need a drink package due to the above CC Elite Lounge....

But what I find a bit comical in this thread, is all the talk of the bag(s) of Laundry.  While I can understand the convenience and need for clean clothes, I never used it, not even on 15 day Panama Canal sailings.... But look closer -- What would a Bag of Laundry cost Celebrity? probably less than $20 ?  and yet everyone is asking do I get Two bags, or One?  Really, in the scope of a Cruise, flights, etc., $20 free laundry is not much more than the tip you might leave in a Specialty Restaurant.
And WiFi... once the equipment is in place, it's got to be a Cash Cow for Celebrity...
So I agree it's time to start comparing.... I saw the new Virgin Voyages pricing is per CABIN; and look closer there too.  Wifi - included; Specialty Restaurants - included; Drinks - included.

So, will I cruise with Celebrity again?  Probably because as many have said, being on Celebrity just feels good.  Am I disappointed the benefits are shrinking, you bet!
I'm more worried about Covid protocols, and how many ports will accept us; as 2 or 3 ships in port can overrun many ports... so nothing booked with any line... yet

[DaKahuna]

42 minutes ago, Crusin till Im Dead said:

.....  <cut>  ....
And WiFi... once the equipment is in place, it's got to be a Cash Cow for Celebrity...
 

Not exactly correct.  Celebrity still has to pay for the connection from the ship, via Satellite, back to shore and the bandwidth to support a thousand or two customers is not exactly cheap. 

 

[Crusin till Im Dead]

9 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

Not exactly correct.  Celebrity still has to pay for the connection from the ship, via Satellite, back to shore and the bandwidth to support a thousand or two customers is not exactly cheap. 

 

Yea, I know there are equipment expenses, and for a ship, with all of the Access Points and Satellite AP, they are considerable. But I believe prices for Internet access are out of control -- rough numbers: A Seven day probably generates $70,000 for Celebrity.  ($10 /day, times 1,000 passengers that sign up for access).  I would think the equipment, even high dollar stuff, could be bought and fully paid for rather quickly at $70k / week.  And if more sign up, and the rate is higher than $10.... it would be more income.

[DaKahuna]

1 minute ago, Crusin till Im Dead said:

Yea, I know there are equipment expenses, and for a ship, with all of the Access Points and Satellite AP, they are considerable. But I believe prices for Internet access are out of control -- rough numbers: A Seven day probably generates $70,000 for Celebrity.  ($10 /day, times 1,000 passengers that sign up for access).  I would think the equipment, even high dollar stuff, could be bought and fully paid for rather quickly at $70k / week.  And if more sign up, and the rate is higher than $10.... it would be more income.

I do not disagree that WiFi generates a lot of income, or did before the "All included" program.  I wonder how much of the increased price for cruise fares goes to recover revenue lost when that program was introduced. 

 

But like everything else on a cruise, it's designed to make money for the company and their stockholders.  Just like the one discussion about the cost of a short of Bailey's, not on the classic beverage packet but on the premium.  

 

[ExArkie]

7 hours ago, Crusin till Im Dead said:

…
So I agree it's time to start comparing.... I saw the new Virgin Voyages pricing is per CABIN; and look closer there too.  Wifi - included; Specialty Restaurants - included; Drinks - included…

 

Virgin Voyages, according to what I have read, does not include alcoholic beverages in their price, nor do they offer a package for that. Each drink is charged to your cabin, although there is no gratuity automatically added to the price.

 

If your comparison is included drinks, Virgin is not radically different from Celebrity. Drink prices, on the other hand, look to be lower on Virgin based on what I have seen. 
 

However, my comparisons are based on the experience as well as inclusions. Celebrity still provides my desired atmosphere and experience. Virgin, based on their marketing, likely does not. Loyalty perks are nice, and are factored into my cost/experience calculations. They are not typically the deciding factor that determines my choices.

[4774Papa]

9 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Wondering how it is insulting if a person posts something that differs from your opinion?  You are certainly entitled to yours, of course, if the loyalty "title" means that much to you and you feel you're not getting something in return for that loyalty, find another line where you will feel more respected and welcome.  Best of luck.

No problem with opposing opinions.  However, that post was over the top.

[Ipeeinthepools]

7 hours ago, Crusin till Im Dead said:

Yea, I know there are equipment expenses, and for a ship, with all of the Access Points and Satellite AP, they are considerable. But I believe prices for Internet access are out of control -- rough numbers: A Seven day probably generates $70,000 for Celebrity.  ($10 /day, times 1,000 passengers that sign up for access).  I would think the equipment, even high dollar stuff, could be bought and fully paid for rather quickly at $70k / week.  And if more sign up, and the rate is higher than $10.... it would be more income.

 

I’m not sure that I agree that internet access should be viewed as separate revenue stream.  Many people want good internet access even on vacation and fast reliable internet access has become a price of entry to get people to sail on the ship.  Sure it’s expensive but so are fuel, maintenance and a lot of other things that don’t get itemized expenses for the passengers.  Celebrity realized this by including WIFI in the AI package, now they need to purchase enough equipment and bandwidth to provide reliable access at a decent speed.

[Oxo]

Seriously, why don't we all accept someone else's opinion if it is describing how they feel about their experience?

Is this forum becoming divided like the political parties of today?

It is easy to find fault with things you don't agree with. 

People make suggestions and ask for opinions. Instead of trying to provide value added,  people immediately disagree with the suggestion. 

Then you have those that  try to control the boards. 

Why not make this more positive and try to understand we are all here to try to help each other with answers rather than criticism.

Remember, we are all interested in cruising, beating C19 and may meet on a future cruise.

Stay safe and happy cruising!

[Crusin till Im Dead]

14 minutes ago, Oxo said:

Seriously, why don't we all accept someone else's opinion if it is describing how they feel about their experience?

Is this forum becoming divided like the political parties of today?

It is easy to find fault with things you don't agree with. 

People make suggestions and ask for opinions. Instead of trying to provide value added,  people immediately disagree with the suggestion. 

Then you have those that  try to control the boards. 

Why not make this more positive and try to understand we are all here to try to help each other with answers rather than criticism.

Remember, we are all interested in cruising, beating C19 and may meet on a future cruise.

Stay safe and happy cruising!

Oxo,

 

I fully Agreed... thanks for the smack 'upside the head' back to reality. 
We all share many commonalities -- for example we all like Cruising!  And as I ended my last post, I too will most likely book another cruise on Celebrity, before any other one... I simply like the feel of being on Celebrity, and can't wait to go.  Recently retired, I was hoping for 2-4 cruises per year... thus far, ZERO.

And yes for Celebrity to be there for me, they have to be profitable to survive.  Yet I'll look for the best price possible.

[Oxo]

6 minutes ago, Crusin till Im Dead said:

Oxo,

 

I fully Agreed... thanks for the smack 'upside the head' back to reality. 
We all share many commonalities -- for example we all like Cruising!  And as I ended my last post, I too will most likely book another cruise on Celebrity, before any other one... I simply like the feel of being on Celebrity, and can't wait to go.  Recently retired, I was hoping for 2-4 cruises per year... thus far, ZERO.

And yes for Celebrity to be there for me, they have to be profitable to survive.  Yet I'll look for the best price possible.

We just got off of the Edge. Fantastic, no mask while on ship. Only about 900 guests. No lines anywhere. No chair hogs. Could not believe the lack of people in all venues. Totally different than our Edge cruise back in Feb 2020.

Go, enjoy!

Stay Safe and Happy Cruising!

[ABoatNerd]

On 9/17/2021 at 7:04 PM, phoenix_dream said:

First, in response to the streaming versus surf internet - we just sailed on Millennium with all included, and were not happy that we could not even do wi-fi calling on the surf package.  Long story short, we had a long conversation with the onboard IT guy about this, and he said we had the ability to switch packages from our included surf package to our Elite Plus minutes, and the Elite Plus minutes would be streaming wi-fi.  Once they were all used up, we could either stick with surf or upgrade to stream if we wanted to.  Truthfully, it sounded like such a PIA (and we were in Alaska where we could call home from the ports) we did not try it out to see if he was giving us correct information.

 

As to your comments about Captains Club - I agree 100%.  The levels are of little value.  As Elite Plus, the only values for us are the 2 bags each of laundry (we sail a lot so use that perk quite a bit), the discount on the upgrade to stream internet (which still angers me that we even need to do that!), and on rare occasion the discount to specialty restaurants, although in normal times we could almost always negotiate a better deal anyway.

 

I feel very strongly that Celebrity absolutely does not want to reward the loyal cruisers who helped them build their brand.  We have sailed so often we don't spend as much extra money as the newer cruisers on things such as photos, spa services, jewelry, shore excursions, etc..  Been there; done that.   It's shameful IMHO, as our loyalty helped make them so successful, and many of us, while older, still have maybe 10-20 years or more of cruising in our future.  I understand building a new base - they have to in order to survive.  But it feels like they are basically telling us our loyalty is of little value to them anymore and they really don't care if we take our $$ elsewhere.

 

I agree that Celebrity has deliberately destroyed the loyalty concept.

That along with many other corporate decisions has resulted in us taking our cruise business elsewhere. But it is not just Celebrity, it is many other corporate businesses who have done the same.

 

As consumers, I do not make purchasing decisions based on loyalty, it is based on best value to me. 

[Crusin till Im Dead]

4 minutes ago, Oxo said:

We just got off of the Edge. Fantastic, no mask while on ship. Only about 900 guests. No lines anywhere. No chair hogs. Could not believe the lack of people in all venues.

Oxo,

 

Where to, what ports?  Was the ship welcomed in port?  7 Day?  would you please share, as that is what I'd like to know....  how was dining, Ocean View & Main dining room?  The shows?
And wondering.... was 900 guests due to apprehension of the Cruising public?  i.e. we aren't booking yet;
Or was it by design to limit capacity as we move towards normalcy?

[TeeRick]

@Definitas

To answer your question of the thread title- No.

If Celebrity wanted to "kill" any program they would just do it.  

 

What you might consider reduced benefits compared to years ago is probably true for a number of things (no argument) but every loyalty program like this in the travel industry changes and adapts to new trends, styles and customer base.  

 

So here is the thing that we cannot really come to grips with.  Many of us just don't like the idea that these loyalty programs are actually to attract and hook new customers.  They already got the rest of us loyal customers years ago.  Pulled a lot of money from us already.  Maybe we will continue to cruise and pay them.  But their future is based on new ships and new customers.  That is what a Loyalty Program does for the company.  It is not really designed to pay benefits for existing loyal customers that have reached the upper tiers.  Why is it so easy to move through the first few levels?  Low hanging fruit to get new customers hooked.  Why is there an enormous gap between E+ and Zenith?  You decide.

[rucrazy]

On 9/17/2021 at 6:11 PM, Definitas said:

It seems like Captain's Club benefits have been eroded to the point where they have little or no value. This begs the question is this the result of a deliberate decision to negate membership tiers so that older, perhaps more discernible customers who, by default, cost the line more money are deterred from cruising with Celebrity?

I believe your observations are spot on!

[rucrazy]

On 9/18/2021 at 8:37 AM, Bo1953 said:

I understand how one can be disgruntled over the changes we have long loved and cherished and to have them yanked away over time is never a good feeling, but we need to get used to changes and move forward with or without them....

Bo I must say... I think David and I are almost at that point.

In the Words of B.B. King "the thrill is gone"

[Oxo]

1 minute ago, Crusin till Im Dead said:

Oxo,

 

Where to, what ports?  Was the ship welcomed in port?  7 Day?  would you please share, as that is what I'd like to know....  how was dining, Ocean View & Main dining room?  The shows?
And wondering.... was 900 guests due to apprehension of the Cruising public?  i.e. we aren't booking yet;
Or was it by design to limit capacity as we move towards normalcy?

Seven day Western Caribbean, Rotan, Cozumel, Nassau. We stayed on the ship as we have been there many times. Nassau required guided ship tour to get off. 

OVC - EXCELLENT!  We ate breakfast there every morning. Lunch one time. Choices were many. Not big eaters. Never eat 3 meals a day. 

Cyprus MDR early dining at 530 when open. Had same table 5 nights  excellent staff.  Food good, nothing great. Lobster very small. 

Raw on 5 very good and very fresh. 

Fine Cut - no comment! Never again. 

Production shows - 3. Singers OK, dancers very good,  Edge Band - Excellent! Solo entertainment- Black singer and her Daughter Excellent. Hungarian violinist- Excellent. Three Black singers singing old Motown - Excellent.

Eden never busy. Only 2 couples singing nightly for an hour at time.  No shows like last year. One male guitarist.

Busiest bar was Martini Bar on Deck 3 with entertainment nightly. 

Shops - too expensive!

Guest numbers are all low since cruising started up in July. I think people don't want to take the chance.  We maybe saw 10 kids. Never any noise in hallways. No doors slamming! Only saw 1 passenger in our hallway on Deck 7 one time. We had SV on Deck 7 above Eden. Never any noise. 

Celebrity did a fantastic job on keeping ship clean. No social distancing in any venue. 

Hour this helps you. Go, it was great! Stay Safe and Happy Cruising!

 

 

[Bo1953]

2 hours ago, rucrazy said:

Bo I must say... I think David and I are almost at that point.

In the Words of B.B. King "the thrill is gone"

ru - B.B. also sang "Hold on" and "Messy But Good"... LOL

 

I understand regardless...

 

bon voyage

[rucrazy]

13 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

B.B. also sang "Hold on" and "Messy But Good"... LOL

You are 2 funny..... thank you!

[LGW59]

4 minutes ago, rucrazy said:

You are 2 funny..... thank you!

I was worried, ru, when you said "the thrill is gone" I was hoping you did not mean for you and David...🥰

[rucrazy]

3 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

I was worried, ru, when you said "the thrill is gone" I was hoping you did not mean for you and David...🥰

@LGW59  We are done!... after our next/last cruise we will go back to land adventures.. 

It has been a wonderful couple of decades... but cruising in general has ceased to live up to our expectations...

We are truly thankful for all the the experiences we received both on board by wonder staff and crew from being invited by the Captain to watch sail away from a port of call to small smiles from crew walking down the hallway,  the unpack once and see the world we were blessed to see. We truly were blessed.

Cruising has changed unfortunately we decided not to change with it...

Stay safe

[Seany527]

I have to agree that the Captain's Club is dying off. 

 

I'm super new to Celebrity and in only three months I was able to reach Elite status.  With all the double points promotions and the endless Power Up points, it doesn't seem right that I am at the same level as someone who has been sailing with Celebrity for years.   I gather that before all of this, Elite was something to be proud of.  Now its just an annotation on your keycard which is pretty much worthless.

[davekathy]

22 minutes ago, Seany527 said:

I have to agree that the Captain's Club is dying off. 

 

I'm super new to Celebrity and in only three months I was able to reach Elite status.  With all the double points promotions and the endless Power Up points, it doesn't seem right that I am at the same level as someone who has been sailing with Celebrity for years.   I gather that before all of this, Elite was something to be proud of.  Now its just an annotation on your keycard which is pretty much worthless.

In three months, 300 CC tier level points? 

 

Disagree. But thanks for the laugh. 😂

Edited September 19, 2021 by davekathy

[LGW59]

13 minutes ago, Seany527 said:

I have to agree that the Captain's Club is dying off. 

 

I'm super new to Celebrity and in only three months I was able to reach Elite status.  With all the double points promotions and the endless Power Up points, it doesn't seem right that I am at the same level as someone who has been sailing with Celebrity for years.   I gather that before all of this, Elite was something to be proud of.  Now its just an annotation on your keycard which is pretty much worthless.

You’re funny 

[Fouremco]

48 minutes ago, Seany527 said:

I have to agree that the Captain's Club is dying off. 

 

I'm super new to Celebrity and in only three months I was able to reach Elite status.  With all the double points promotions and the endless Power Up points, it doesn't seem right that I am at the same level as someone who has been sailing with Celebrity for years.   I gather that before all of this, Elite was something to be proud of.  Now its just an annotation on your keycard which is pretty much worthless.

And on only three cruises per your recent post. Remarkable!