Is Celebrity going to Eliminate Butlers on Sky and Celebrity Suites?

[Guest 4-2-N-8]

3 minutes ago, NanaChar said:

The price of our ‘24 cruise has more than doubled what we paid.  The prices have soared.  So we compared our ‘25 cruise to Silver Seas.  It came out less and it came with free excursions and a door to door rate.  We have jumped ship.  

From one RCL brand to another.

 

They have your money.

[kirtihk]

18 minutes ago, neverlaysup said:

But, if you think $1000 a day is acceptable for Celebrity, why would you not sail Regent given that absolutely everything including business class airfare is included? We've had some Interline rates for less than $300 a day on Regent and it is fabulous!

Did you reply to a wrong person?  I’m the one who said the same opinion as yours.  The business air is included in the Regent price; however, my notation about $1,000 per night (on special itineraries) was after removal of air.  A typical Regent price per person is around $700 per night without air.

 

What is the Interline rate?

Edited July 29, 2023 by kirtihk

[ChucktownSteve]

2 hours ago, CalTexCruiser said:

I think perhaps people are jumping the gun on this

 

On our cruise 5 months ago, the housekeeping manager told me both the room attendant and butler work under him

 

I was surprised at this since in the past the butlers were under the suite manager.

 

Perhaps Celebrity’s plan is to have one person perform the roles of both attendant and butler for Sky suites, rather than have 2 persons which may be inefficient.  This may work if they have Sky suite only room attendants who can focus their attention on suite customers and not have to deal with non-suite cabins.

Oh like it used to be a cabin attendant and their assistant.  Then there was no assistant so the attendant got to do all of the work?  So now the attendant will do the work of the assistant AND butler.

I suppose that will make for a happy attendant to care for your needs.

Edited July 29, 2023 by ChucktownSteve

[abbydancer2003]

I saw on the other site that someone reached out to X on Twitter (or something) and the response was that it was a name change and that a "retreat team" member would handle things.

 

I guess if that's true, it would mean sky suites would call a number and instead of your dedicated butler a member of a team would take care of you.  

 

If that's the case, I'm OK with that - it turns out that on our last 10 cruise it was day 7 before DH told me that when I called for coffee every morning I was actually calling the retreat lounge and they were calling the butler for me.  Oops.

 

[cruisefam38]

10 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

I suppose that will make for a happy attendant to care for your needs.

I don't like this statement, however I think you are100% correct.

What will be the straw that breaks the camel's back??

Orator is also on to something.  One can envision a "Sky Suite with Butler" option being added to the price list.

[NMTraveller]

24 minutes ago, cruisefam38 said:

I don't like this statement, however I think you are100% correct.

What will be the straw that breaks the camel's back??

Orator is also on to something.  One can envision a "Sky Suite with Butler" option being added to the price list.

This sounds like room service.  Used to be free for the non-suites and then they added a charge.  This is all about increasing revenues and it has been for some time now.

[barbeyg]

What I’ve seen on the other social media site, after the initial freak-out there, are people reporting that they have contacted the shoreside concierge, and been told there would be a pool of “retreat hosts” to handle requests. No personal butler, but continued personal attention from a team, instead.  🤷🏻‍♀️ 

[weregoingcruising]

Hell hath no fury like a suite guest without a butler.

[Joker54]

7 hours ago, 4-2-N-8 said:

On Celebrity, I book only on Beyond and Ascent in EV or IC for the hot tubs, privacy, and frankly the service has been exceptional. We take breakfast every day in our stateroom and a proper table is a nice way to do so. Plus, the "all in" for these staterooms is a good feature.

 

A bit off topic but I couldn't resist making this post.

 

We also book into EV, IC along with all of the other suites classes. Our last experience in a Edge Villa was interesting and not in a good way. We will never book one on a Transatlantic again.

 

Ship hit some moderate seas and the heavy sliding glass door to the bath room was sliding back and forth with a lot of force and no way for us to stop it, I seriously thought it was going to break. It finally jammed in the open position and to be sure it didnt move again the crew's solutions was:

 

Take 2 bathrobe belts, tie them together, and then tie the door handle to the faucet in the sink so the door would no longer move.

 

That said its a bad design and not the crews fault for that, but the temporary solution was both hysterical and sad at the same time.

 

Cheers

[Guest 4-2-N-8]

1 minute ago, Joker54 said:

A bit off topic but I couldn't resist making this post.

 

We also book into EV, IC along with all of the other suites classes. Our last experience in a Edge Villa was interesting and not in a good way. We will never book one on a Transatlantic again.

 

Ship hit some moderate seas and the heavy sliding glass door to the bath room was sliding back and forth with a lot of force and no way for us to stop it, I seriously thought it was going to break. It finally jammed in the open position and to be sure it didnt move again the crew's solutions was:

 

Take 2 bathrobe belts, tie them together, and then tie the door handle to the faucet in the sink so the door would no longer move.

 

That said its a bad design and not the crews fault for that, but the temporary solution was both hysterical and sad at the same time.

 

Cheers

We only do QM2, a true ocean liner, for westbound Transatlantics, even though no hot tubs on balconies. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth suites up front are awesome for the forward views and direct access to the Commodore club, or it's the Holyrood suite in back that we love.

 

Sounds like a bad experience for you in the EV, but they sure are nice in warm climes and smooth sailing.

[neverlaysup]

59 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

Did you reply to a wrong person?  I’m the one who said the same opinion as yours.  The business air is included in the Regent price; however, my notation about $1,000 per night (on special itineraries) was after removal of air.  A typical Regent price per person is around $700 per night without air.

 

What is the Interline rate?

I was actually agreeing with you albeit in a difficult to understand way, sorry. It blows my mind that people will spend as much as they do for suites on X when ultra luxury ships are cheaper (maybe the room is smaller but who cares). Interline provides discounts to the Aviation community, active and retired, with proper credentials. We have some Regent deals (without air) for less than $200 a day. 

[Octavias]

I just sent another email.  I am really upset about this.  I shopped around and chose the celebrity suite experience because of the perks and benefits.  It appears now that they will have completely gutted it before we have a chance to sail in May of next year.  I wish they would just give us our money back.  

[TheHawk1]

24 minutes ago, 4-2-N-8 said:

This affects none of the cabins short of a junior suite/Sky Suite and affects none of the cabins above a junior suite. This is a (relatively) small(er) market segment affected. I surmise Celebrity to be keen on their impact, and do so knowingly.

 

Sounds like a logical process and efficiency decision on the part of corporate to rationalize the offering.

 

I read comments from other top suite passengers who have a fraction of apparent demand on their stateroom staff, while I read so often of junior suite (Sky Suite) passengers asking what they can "have their butler do."

 

If I was Celebrity, I'd be exhausted from the gripes of some who feel they "own" that butler and will monopolize every possible second of their time. Like, look at me, I'm in a suite.

 

I mean, how much does a junior suite passenger need? A bath drawn (in the baby bath tub they offer in the Edge Class)? A full two weeks of dry cleaning that has been dragged on board? Genuine Champagne (ok, Champagne is important to me, so I get this one)?

 

I'm no cheerleader, it's just that the gripes (and admittedly, this is a "critic" site) solve nothing. 

 

The feedback from some about other lines is positive, which is refreshing. Small luxury lines can be incredible, and definitely diverse ports and typically a different demographic (in my experience). These are good options, just not for my S.O. due to seasickness, unfortunately.  Celebrity is obviously offering what some will buy. We love it. Their EVs and ICs are superb! We only go Edge Class.

 

I do wonder, however, if you're angry at junior suite (Sky Suite) prices, how are you going to go first class on Regent, et al?

 

Sheesh.

Since when did we start calling Sky Suites on Celebrity "junior suites"? Isn't that Royal Caribbean terminology, where their junior suite doesn't come with any perks at all, it's just a larger cabin?  Oh wait, that's exactly what's happening here. 

 

All the apologists for Celebrity are now trying to say that paying upwards of $1,000 per person per day in a Sky Suite no longer qualifies for the luxury cruise experience. Just be grateful, for the time being at least, that you're still being allowed into the Retreat and Luminae along with the "real" suite passengers. 

 

Sheesh indeed!

[wrk2cruise]

$$ to donuts the "Retreat Team" will be smaller than it used to be resulting in more self service.

[Mark_T]

Celebrity have got very good at 'boiling the frog slowly', none of these changes really matter... unless they alter something you value...

 

[verizon]

Will that happens Celebrity  only give access to CS and above to Retreat ?

Just thinking the next move.

[weregoingcruising]

On 7/28/2023 at 5:09 PM, NMTraveller said:

Yes.

 

Now the only other question is what cuts are coming next month.

Cutting the roll of 4 inch bathroom  tissue to 2 inches unless you upgrade to the premium roll.

[gizmodog]

9 hours ago, C4HCG said:

Not the way I view it. Like any business in the hospitality trade (or any other for that matter), cutting costs due to covid is my opinion. Anyone know a company not doing that? I don’t. 

Covid affected the whole world, including the population, I am so tired of hearing about these poor cruise ships needing to make up lost money, we all need that.

they are simply riding the Covid coat tail like many big businesses. 

[Mark_T]

34 minutes ago, neverlaysup said:

It blows my mind that people will spend as much as they do for suites on X when ultra luxury ships are cheaper (maybe the room is smaller but who cares).

It is certainly ironic that we are now considering returning to Regent again as they are offering better value, and a shipwide luxury experience.

 

We started our cruising with Voyager, when the line was Radisson, not Regent.

[mac_tlc]

45 minutes ago, neverlaysup said:

I was actually agreeing with you albeit in a difficult to understand way, sorry. It blows my mind that people will spend as much as they do for suites on X when ultra luxury ships are cheaper (maybe the room is smaller but who cares). Interline provides discounts to the Aviation community, active and retired, with proper credentials. We have some Regent deals (without air) for less than $200 a day. 

That’s great for those in that community, most are not. While not impossible, it is difficult to spend $1,000pppd on a Sky Suite. Even Celebrity’s ridiculous pricing for SS is often closer to $650-700pppd.
 

Many pages back on this thread, I believe the reference to $1,000pppd was a CS, not SS. That’s an easier feat. 

 

I took a quick look at Regent today and for us normal non-aviation folks, it is close to $1000pppd or more —- pretty easily. 
 

Not wanting to cause a ruckus, but I think the stated $1,000pppd has morphed into something it was not originally. Imagine that happening on CC! 😂😂. 
 

mac_tlc

Edited July 29, 2023 by mac_tlc

[kirtihk]

37 minutes ago, neverlaysup said:

I was actually agreeing with you albeit in a difficult to understand way, sorry. It blows my mind that people will spend as much as they do for suites on X when ultra luxury ships are cheaper (maybe the room is smaller but who cares). Interline provides discounts to the Aviation community, active and retired, with proper credentials. We have some Regent deals (without air) for less than $200 a day. 

That’s incredible! I would cruise forever with such deals on Regent!

[kirtihk]

12 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

It is certainly ironic that we are now considering returning to Regent again as they are offering better value, and a shipwide luxury experience.

 

We started our cruising with Voyager, when the line was Radisson, not Regent.

We were on Splendor for last December-January cruise. 

[NanaChar]

My gripe is that we paid dearly for The Retreat experience.  If they take away the butlers, we were not getting what we paid for.  I real doubt they would take away the Retreat and Luminae because they were built to accommodate the  suite passengers.  Those venues would be practically empty.  But, I also didn’t think they would take away the butlers.  The Retreat was a good value.  Now, I’m not sure.

[kirtihk]

7 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

That’s great for those in that community, most are not. While not impossible, it is difficult to spend $1,000pppd on a Sky Suite. Even Celebrity’s ridiculous pricing for SS is often closer to $650-700pppd.
 

Many pages back on this thread, I believe the reference to $1,000pppd was a CS, not SS. That’s an easier feat. 

 

I took a quick look at Regent today and for us normal non-aviation folks, it is close to $1000pppd or more —- pretty easily. 
 

Not wanting to cause a ruckus, but I think the stated $1,000pppd has morphed into something it was not originally. Imagine that happening on CC! 😂😂. 
 

mac_tlc

As I stated, a starting $1,000 per day price in Regent is with business international air (an average Regent air is $6,000 round trip which would be around $300 per day for a typical 18-day Regent cruise; so, without air a cruise price would be $700 per day).

[neverlaysup]

9 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

That’s incredible! I would cruise forever with such deals on Regent!

They are few and far between but if you are retired and flexible like us, we jump on them when it fits our schedule. They just had 7 day N/S Alaska for $1750pp.