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

[chemmo]

Having part read this post before bedtime and read the rest this morning I think there are three significant points…I do hope someone from Celebrity is reading this thread….

 

Sky Suite guests have paid for a product that has changed. One of their perks (a butler) has disappeared. Whilst for some guests this may not be important for others it was a significant factor in their room choice. I totally understand this. As a guest with limited mobility I do want to be able to ask my butler to bring me coffee and (for the first time) I may actually request help with unpacking.

 

There has been no communication. This is simply inexcusable in this day and age. When the company can spend time and effort highlighting a return to the RC private island why haven’t they communicate this significant change? Ironically with a good sales team they could have tried to sell it as ‘Improving our service for Sky Suites, now you will be looked after by a dedicated team…’. Much as I am sure we would have seen through the smoke it would have been a much better way to introduce the changes to guests who have booked a Sky Suite. Also if the ‘Retreat Team’ is a dedicated group of former butlers who will provide a butler type service then a lot of concerns could have been addressed.

 

The third issue is one of trust…When booking any expensive item significantly ahead of time you do so with the belief that you have a legal and moral contract with the company. Quite simply you will get what you have paid for. Both this change and the lack of communication of its implementation shakes the trust of all. Most cruisers (including suite guests) are not rich. They simply organise their income to include their ‘treat’ of a cruise…They are booking with expectations and dreams…There is a moral responsibility of all in the hospitality industry to make those dreams come true…

 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2023 by chemmo

[york survey]

12 minutes ago, chemmo said:

Having part read this post before bedtime and read the rest this morning I think there are three significant points…I do hope someone from Celebrity is reading this thread….

 

Sky Suite guests have paid for a product that has changed. One of their perks (a butler) has disappeared. Whilst for some guests this may not be important for others it was a significant factor in their room choice. I totally understand this. As a guest with limited mobility I do want to be able to ask my butler to bring me coffee and (for the first time) I may actually request help with unpacking.

 

There has been no communication. This is simply inexcusable in this day and age. When the company can spend time and effort highlighting a return to the RC private island why haven’t they communicate this significant change? Ironically with a good sales team they could have tried to sell it as ‘Improving our service for Sky Suites, now you will be looked after by a dedicated team…’. Much as I am sure we would have seen through the smoke it would have been a much better way to introduce the changes to guests who have booked a Sky Suite. Also if the ‘Retreat Team’ is a dedicated group of former butlers who will provide a butler type service then a lot of concerns could have been addressed.

 

The third issue is one of trust…When booking any expensive item significantly ahead of time you do so with the belief that you have a legal and moral contract with the company. Quite simply you will get what you have paid for. Both this change and the lack of communication of its implementation shakes the trust of all. Most cruisers (including suite guests) are not rich. They simply organise their income to include their ‘treat’ of a cruise…They are booking with expectations and dreams…There is a moral responsibility of all in the hospitality industry to make those dreams come true…

 

 

 

Excellent summary.  Well said

[Mark_T]

10 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

They got rid of the frog in the MDR a few years ago!

True, even the frog eventually noticed what was going on and jumped away 🙂

 

   ... and the escargot is reduced to a self-assembly kit, join the bits together and you might have enough to make one whole snail... 

 

They will keep nibbling away at the edges of all these services, only impacting a sub-set of the passengers each time until they reach a level where they can't fill the ship, then it just takes a little inventory management to fix that problem without changing service levels.

 

This really is service level 'limbo dancing'...

[swjumbo]

I’ve just looked at the Celebrity website and butlers are still included in a Sky Suite. 

Is it definite that this perk is being taken away?

Edited July 30, 2023 by swjumbo

[Mark_T]

3 minutes ago, swjumbo said:

I’ve just looked at the Celebrity website and butlers are still included in a Sky Suite. 

Is it definite that this perk is being taken away?

It is certain that there will not be a specific Butler assigned to the Sky Suites, that has been confirmed by Celebrity.

 

What is not clear at the moment is what level of service could be expected from the replacement 'Retreat Team' which sounds more like 'Room Service' by another name...

Edited July 30, 2023 by Mark_T

[Gracie115]

1 hour ago, chemmo said:

 The third issue is one of trust…When booking any expensive item significantly ahead of time you do so with the belief that you have a legal and moral contract with the company. Quite simply you will get what you have paid for. Both this change and the lack of communication of its implementation shakes the trust of all. Most cruisers (including suite guests) are not rich. They simply organise their income to include their ‘treat’ of a cruise…They are booking with expectations and dreams…There is a moral responsibility of all in the hospitality industry to make those dreams come true…

 

Exactly, when I purchase something I expect to receive what I purchased, not some watered down version of it.

[Mark_K]

8 hours ago, wineoclock said:

Regarding the Retreat lounge, whether in PS or CS we have not really used it. We prefer the Martini bar. We especially like the Ensemble lounge on S class.
 

We would sail RS on E class but I don’t like the small balcony. Don’t need a 2 bedroom PS either. So back to CS.

 

If they took away Lounge not sure I’d be fussed. Sundeck & Luminae then I would be. 

If they follow the Royal Caribbean Junior Suite model, you would get Luminae, but not the lounge nor the sundeck.
 

Also, Internet, gratuities, and drinks wouldn’t be included.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Mark_K

[terrydtx]

1 hour ago, chemmo said:

Having part read this post before bedtime and read the rest this morning I think there are three significant points…I do hope someone from Celebrity is reading this thread….

 

Sky Suite guests have paid for a product that has changed. One of their perks (a butler) has disappeared. Whilst for some guests this may not be important for others it was a significant factor in their room choice. I totally understand this. As a guest with limited mobility I do want to be able to ask my butler to bring me coffee and (for the first time) I may actually request help with unpacking.

 

There has been no communication. This is simply inexcusable in this day and age. When the company can spend time and effort highlighting a return to the RC private island why haven’t they communicate this significant change? Ironically with a good sales team they could have tried to sell it as ‘Improving our service for Sky Suites, now you will be looked after by a dedicated team…’. Much as I am sure we would have seen through the smoke it would have been a much better way to introduce the changes to guests who have booked a Sky Suite. Also if the ‘Retreat Team’ is a dedicated group of former butlers who will provide a butler type service then a lot of concerns could have been addressed.

 

The third issue is one of trust…When booking any expensive item significantly ahead of time you do so with the belief that you have a legal and moral contract with the company. Quite simply you will get what you have paid for. Both this change and the lack of communication of its implementation shakes the trust of all. Most cruisers (including suite guests) are not rich. They simply organise their income to include their ‘treat’ of a cruise…They are booking with expectations and dreams…There is a moral responsibility of all in the hospitality industry to make those dreams come true…

 

 

 

@chemmothis has to be one of the best responses in this thred, I appreciate your thoughts, 

[wineoclock]

13 minutes ago, Mark_K said:

If they follow the Royal Caribbean Junior Suite model, you would get Luminae, but not the lounge nor the sundeck.
 

Also, Internet, gratuities, and drinks wouldn’t be included.

Would that be for a CS or equivalent as well if you could guess? thank you 

[C4HCG]

17 hours ago, Gracie115 said:

I am so tired of hearing some posters defend cuts like this one and so many others, blaming the pandemic for everything.  If the prices had remained the same or smaller increases, well OKAY, but they not only have not remained the same in many cases they are double or even more than double  the price.. a CS on a TA 3 years ago was about $5K per person ....  booked the one we just finished this May in 2021 at a cost of $8K per person.  Same room next April for 2 less nights is now $12K per person with less perks...This is on Apex. A Sky Suite will cost you $8K per person --- and no butler for them.

 

This is insane and I for one am not drinking the koolaid.  So disappointing after sailing X for more than 2 decades, I wonder how long before the merger of the two lines.  "Royal Celebrity"  could be the new name....... 

And I am so tired of hearing people complaining about something they can just walk away from. And something that is not unique to Celebrity. It is frankly boring.

[zitsky]

8 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

And I am so tired of hearing people complaining about something they can just walk away from. And something that is not unique to Celebrity. It is frankly boring.

So you’re ok with a company changing the conditions of a contract after purchase?  Some of us intentionally chose non refundable deposits because we didn’t expect the terms to change.  My bad.

[TeeRick]

7 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

And I am so tired of hearing people complaining about something they can just walk away from. And something that is not unique to Celebrity. It is frankly boring.

Yes, they can walk away and book another cruise line.  But what about the people that have already booked suites and paid deposits or even made final payments?  This is a major benefit that they expected and paid for.  

[Mark_T]

8 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

And I am so tired of hearing people complaining about something they can just walk away from. And something that is not unique to Celebrity. It is frankly boring.

Not everyone can just 'walk away', refundable deposits are not available in many markets and plenty of people will be beyond the final payment date as well...

 

A lot of the frustration is down to this continuation of stealth changes with zero notice...

[C4HCG]

7 minutes ago, zitsky said:

So you’re ok with a company changing the conditions of a contract after purchase?  Some of us intentionally chose non refundable deposits because we didn’t expect the terms to change.  My bad.

Nope. I never said that.

[C4HCG]

7 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Yes, they can walk away and book another cruise line.  But what about the people that have already booked suites and paid deposits or even made final payments?  This is a major benefit that they expected and paid for.  

A major benefit having a servant? Have you or any others mentioned the devastating impact this has had on those losing jobs? They are the people I feel sorry for.

[C4HCG]

8 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

Not everyone can just 'walk away', refundable deposits are not available in many markets and plenty of people will be beyond the final payment date as well...

 

A lot of the frustration is down to this continuation of stealth changes with zero notice...

Granted. But they can next time. A next time the people who have lost their jobs won’t have.

[cublet]

Hello,

 

This is all of a piece that I expected when JF became CEO - the type of accountant that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

 

Two possibilities that I have not read here so far: The eventual merger of Royal & X brands; or the 'fattening-up' of X (financially) with a view to a sell/float as a separate entity.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[C4HCG]

2 minutes ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

This is all of a piece that I expected when JF became CEO - the type of accountant that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

 

Two possibilities that I have not read here so far: The eventual merger of Royal & X brands; or the 'fattening-up' of X (financially) with a view to a sell/float as a separate entity.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

And what is wrong if they merge? Same ships, itineraries etc. 

[Mark_T]

6 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

Granted. But they can next time. A next time the people who have lost their jobs won’t have.

Being annoyed at what Celebrity are doing doesn't mean we can't feel sympathy for those who are not getting their contracts renewed, but you have to consider that a cruise in the Retreat can be a 'bucket list' item for some and not something they will be able to repeat, and for others even going on a cruise at all can be a once in a lifetime experience, so these stealth service reductions can impact on people in very different ways...

[emmas gran]

9 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

And what is wrong if they merge? Same ships, itineraries etc. 

I do not cruise Royal Caribbean by choice and I did this after seeing someone in a baseball cap and t shirt allowed in MDR on a transatlantic 11 years ago. It is a matter of choice and being able to spend my funds on things that give me value. I do not and never have treated any crew member as a servant,  we have cruised with Celebrity since 2001 in all class of cabins

Edited July 30, 2023 by emmas gran

[zitsky]

8 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

I do not cruise Royal Caribbean by choice and I did this after seeing someone in a baseball cap and t shirt allowed in MDR on a transatlantic 11 years ago. It is a matter of choice and being able to spend my funds on things that give me value. I do not and never have treated any crew member as a servant.

It’s only a problem when the cap is backwards.

 

I admit I do treat the staff like servants.  I make them dress me in the morning a la Downton Abbey.  It makes me feel like I’m nouveau riche.  😂

Edited July 30, 2023 by zitsky

[QuestionEverything]

39 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

And I am so tired of hearing people complaining about something they can just walk away from. And something that is not unique to Celebrity. It is frankly boring.

I very much disagree with your comment. I order a product and I expect to get said product, period.

I presume you are a Celebrity defender, well you have your work cut out for you. 

[C4HCG]

4 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

I very much disagree with your comment. I order a product and I expect to get said product, period.

I presume you are a Celebrity defender, well you have your work cut out for you. 

I am far from a celebrity defender so have no work to do but am someone who puts things into perspective.

[zitsky]

Just now, C4HCG said:

I am far from a celebrity defender so have no work to do but am someone who puts things into perspective.

Maybe you should work for them.

[C4HCG]

16 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

Being annoyed at what Celebrity are doing doesn't mean we can't feel sympathy for those who are not getting their contracts renewed, but you have to consider that a cruise in the Retreat can be a 'bucket list' item for some and not something they will be able to repeat, and for others even going on a cruise at all can be a once in a lifetime experience, so these stealth service reductions can impact on people in very different ways...

Not having a butler is that important? You still get all of the other benefits of suites.  Something many people only dream of.