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

[micruiser2002]

16 minutes ago, jelayne said:

As I read it the change is more in who delivers what you request.  You request breakfast/dinner from  Retreat  Butler and it will be delivered and served by a member of the Retreat Room Service team.  Your requests for items stocked in the mini bar will filled by a member of the Private Bar Team.

Maybe 1 or 2 points off contact for requests going forward, not unlike now with the Butler and Retreat Concierges. 
Who fulfills your request is the change as I read it.

It could add efficiency behind the scenes and will result in more consistency in areas like the mini bar where what you bar is stocked with nowvvaries by ship and butler.

 

It is what it is. We have a B2B in October so will find out first hand.  
Personally the vaping issue is more likely to drive me away than this change in Butler service.

 

 

If they had any sort of competent IT department they could update the app so we could send a request to a central contact and then they could just arrange from there.  I honestly prefer to do things over text.  

[Mark_K]

2 hours ago, VMI72 said:

We are on Beyond on Aug 28th sailing to Greek Islands. This is the description of our SS now. No mention of a butler. Previously it did say "butler". They do mention personalized service, etc. I think the communication on this matter has not been handled well by Celebrity. With good, up front communication much of the angst could have been eliminated. For us it is not a big deal per se, but for many it is. For us, the issues is lack of notice, advertising a perk and then removing it abruptly, and not providing any type of consideration for the removal of the perk. 

 

Sky Suite

The perfectly designed Sky Suite offers a blend of expansive views and intimate luxury. These large suites feature a king-sized bed from our signature Cashmere Mattress and a spacious, private veranda. The split bathroom features a large spa tub with shower.

Stateroom amenities

• Premium Drinks
• Premium Wi-Fi
• Tips
• Onboard Credit
• Exclusive Access to Luminae Specialty Restaurant, Sundeck & Lounge
• VIP Lounge with Gourmet Bites & Bar Service
• Private Sundeck with Dedicated Attendants
• Twice Daily Housekeeping
• Complimentary 24-hour room service
• Expanded Room Service Breakfast Menu
• Priority Embarkation & Debarkation
• Premium Luxury Bathroom Amenities

Every stateroom includes:

Service

• Our signature friendly, personalized service with a guest to staff ratio of nearly 2:1
• Twice daily housekeeping service (makeup and turndown)
• Complimentary beach towel service
• Laundry service*

Dining

• Complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner available in a variety of restaurants
• 24 hour room service*

Stateroom Features

• Private fridge and mini-bar*
• Interactive flat-screen television system to view and select shore excursions, order room service, and watch movies*
• Private safe
• Dual voltage 110/220 AC outlets

Interesting , the page for Sky Suites on their website, which I just looked at said:

 

Intuitive Service

• Retreat Butler and team
• Dedicated pre-cruise Retreat Concierge. Call 1-877-RETREAT.
• Onboard Retreat Concierge
• Priority check-in, departure, and port tendering/boarding
• Reserved theater seating on Evening Chic nights

[zitsky]

6 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

Just found out that the phone calls are not from Exec office but from the Engagement centre and they had the nerve to send an email 

Customer Satisfaction Survey with the said phone call!!

It just shows how little they care.

 

Haven’t received the email regarding changes mentioned previously though 

You’re upset because the survey wasn’t from the Executive office?

[wineoclock]

Still showing Butler on U.K. site.

 

What is the best email to use please? 

[micruiser2002]

8 minutes ago, Mark_K said:

Interesting , the page for Sky Suites on their website, which I just looked at said:

 

Intuitive Service

• Retreat Butler and team
• Dedicated pre-cruise Retreat Concierge. Call 1-877-RETREAT.
• Onboard Retreat Concierge
• Priority check-in, departure, and port tendering/boarding
• Reserved theater seating on Evening Chic nights

I think depending on where you look they have different descriptions.  Your post is showing the latest with the recent change they are implementing.  Previously (last week) is said Butler.  I believe the other post above is when you go into your booking and look at the room details.

[emmas gran]

Just now, wineoclock said:

Still showing Butler on U.K. site.

 

What is the best email to use please? 

ExecutiveOffice@celebrity.com

[micruiser2002]

1 minute ago, wineoclock said:

Still showing Butler on U.K. site.

 

What is the best email to use please? 

Where are you seeing that?  I changed my country to UK and when I look at Sky suite description I see this - 

 

[mayleeman]

@shirazcruiser @terrydtx

 

 

Maybe the positive feedback is from vapers who think the casino is not enough, and figure fewer butler visits to their SS will lower the discovery risk.

 

Vapers get listened to, we know!

Edited August 3, 2023 by mayleeman

[bnurick]

It is nonsensical to say the SS Butler Team is equivalent to a Dedicated Butler.  Why have any difference unless there is a difference.  Everyone gets the same, just in a different format, is again nonsensical.

 

This is actually called Circular Thinking.  There is no difference because I said there is no difference.

Edited August 3, 2023 by bnurick

[wineoclock]

10 minutes ago, micruiser2002 said:

Where are you seeing that?  I changed my country to UK and when I look at Sky suite description I see this - 

 

 

Here I assumed it’s U.K. site (as shows fare in sterling) but I’m not certain  https://www.celebritycruises.com/booking-cruise/selectRoom/stateroomType?pID=BY10M319&sDT=2023-10-20&sCD=BY&sCT=CO&roomQuantity=1

[mayleeman]

1 minute ago, bnurick said:

Everyone gets the same, just in a different format, is again nonsensical.

 

It is apparently a new definition for "enhanced."

[wineoclock]

15 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

ExecutiveOffice@celebrity.com

Thank you 

[CalTexCruiser]

If I'm in an upper suite and want to try the innovative Retreat Butler and Team, can I request that rather than a dedicated butler?

[bnurick]

1 minute ago, CalTexCruiser said:

If I'm in an upper suite and want to try the innovative Retreat Butler and Team, can I request that rather than a dedicated butler?

 

Why limit yourself, I would want both.  Double the service...

[MamaFej]

14 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

 

We are Zenith members of the Captain's Club who travel in Sky and Celebrity Suites.  We have yet to have a butler show up at our stateroom with a tablet .....

That makes perfect sense. After all, it wold seem strange if something that I am only imagining as a possiblity for the future had happened in the past for you. 

 

 

[wineoclock]

Well I’ve sent my email. Let’s see. 
 

I mentioned 

Butler

Vaping 

IV

 

[C4HCG]

Don’t sail suites so none of my business but if I did I would just give it a chance, until you’ve tried you can’t say 100% it will be a worse service, an equivalent one or wait for it…….better! Who knows?

Edited August 3, 2023 by C4HCG

[C4HCG]

1 hour ago, bnurick said:

It is nonsensical to say the SS Butler Team is equivalent to a Dedicated Butler.  Why have any difference unless there is a difference.  Everyone gets the same, just in a different format, is again nonsensical.

 

This is actually called Circular Thinking.  There is no difference because I said there is no difference.

I may have missed this, where was it claimed team is equivalent to dedicated?

[C-Dragons]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

As I read it the change is more in who delivers what you request.  You request breakfast/dinner from  Retreat  Butler and it will be delivered and served by a member of the Retreat Room Service team.  Your requests for items stocked in the mini bar will filled by a member of the Private Bar Team.

Maybe 1 or 2 points off contact for requests going forward, not unlike now with the Butler and Retreat Concierges. 
Who fulfills your request is the change as I read it.

It could add efficiency behind the scenes and will result in more consistency in areas like the mini bar where what you bar is stocked with nowvvaries by ship and butler.

 

It is what it is. We have a B2B in October so will find out first hand.  
Personally the vaping issue is more likely to drive me away than this change in Butler service.

I agree with you.

Alot of the angst expressed here on CC is, IMO, much ado about nothing.

I believe that working as a Team will actually help the Butlers and improve service to all their guests.

[clojacks]

13 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

Don’t sail suites so none of my business but if I did I would just give it a chance, until you’ve tried you can’t say 100% it will be a worse service, an equivalent one or wait for it…….better! Who knows?

For the life of me, the number of people who almost seem to be willing it to fail, so they can say "See, we told you so" is mind boggling. Is it honestly thrilling to be that driven by wanting to see something crash and burn so badly?

[zitsky]

A lot of the angst is “what’s next?”.  Does it stop here?

 

If I want all the perks taken away I can cruise in an Aqua cabin.  Or veranda.  Not a Sky Suite.

 

It’s also the lack of communication.

[C4HCG]

3 minutes ago, zitsky said:

A lot of the angst is “what’s next?”.  Does it stop here?

 

If I want all the perks taken away I can cruise in an Aqua cabin.  Or veranda.  Not a Sky Suite.

 

It’s also the lack of communication.

All fair points, and none of us knows where it will end if it ever does. On 2nd September we board the Equinox with a mental note of the changes that have been made that affect us. We will judge the impact of those changes and report back, not via a live thread, not for us, but later. Not suite guests I hasten to add. But will offer an honest opinion on last years experience versus this.

[weregoingcruising]

4 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

So... we shouldn't discuss the relevant, specific details here?

 

Or we could only discuss them for, say 5 pages, and then have to say nothing and let the topic die - unless any new information comes out?

That’s one possibility. Can anyone reading this think of any other ones.

[C4HCG]

4 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Thats the Celebrity Kool-Aid, how can they have positive feeback on a program that hasn't started yet?

8 to 10 Butlers in a team is not what we had in the past in SS.

In the same way that they have received negative feedback from many posters on here? Same principle, it hasn’t started yet but you and others here, as you are perfectly entitled to do, express your view you don’t like the idea. Others may well have the opposite view. You and they are in the same position, both never experienced it and both entitled to your opinions. 

[zitsky]

I look forward to them firing the room attendants, so my husband and I can argue about how to make the bed.  On our vacation.  🙄