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

[TeeRick]

22 hours ago, clojacks said:

Is it at all possible that they honestly and truly believed that this might actually end up being an improvement AND a cost savings both at the same time? Is it possible that they have observed that while some butlers are constantly attending to someone who wants help finding a sock, and others don't get a request to do anything for hours? There are a handful of you who's pessimism and negativity must be draining...to have that skeptical of an attitude about something that just might work. And, it just might not, but are you all geniuses in human capital utilization? Big deal, so you've sailed in suites and now you think you could be the Hotel Director on board. I'm going to suggest that as negatively as you view Celebrity (which, BTW, boggles my mind that you hang out here to just bash and bash and bash for 40 pages) that just maybe they do have experts who have researched and collected data that supports what they are trying. I doubt they used a dart board for for the "change of the week " as some appear to view this.

@clojacks do you have a Sky Suite booked currently?  I do not.  I agree with you that the Team concept might work.  We will see soon from the folks here about to sail in Sky Suites.  As I keep stating, I am a bit pessimistic (and I usually am not) because of the complete lack of transparency and communication by Celebrity on the change to current customers booked in Sky Suites and especially those past final payment.  The customers past final payment perhaps should be grandfathered and given an option of individual butlers  Or the change should have been announced and implemented in 90 days.  No need to do this immediately without any notifications except for immediate cost savings.  

[mayleeman]

12 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

No need to do this immediately without any notifications except for immediate cost savings.  

 

And if it is for cost savings, can it be true (as told  to one cruiser by their butler contact) that no butlers are being fired immediately? Is it going to lead to fewer getting new contracts over the adjustment period? Or could it be a way to cut down on unauthorized extras being provided by butlers to wangle higher tips?

[LMHSRN]

On 7/31/2023 at 4:42 PM, zitsky said:

Ocean View Cafe now available to Celebrity Retreat customers!!!

 

P.S.  It’s a joke.  I can only handle so much doom and gloom.

Your not funny and you only cause more confusion to the threads. Your comments cause a lot of gllom and doom themselves with miss-information. How about only relative comments.

[clojacks]

47 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

@clojacks do you have a Sky Suite booked currently?  I do not.  I agree with you that the Team concept might work.  We will see soon from the folks here about to sail in Sky Suites.  As I keep stating, I am a bit pessimistic (and I usually am not) because of the complete lack of transparency and communication by Celebrity on the change to current customers booked in Sky Suites and especially those past final payment.  The customers past final payment perhaps should be grandfathered and given an option of individual butlers  Or the change should have been announced and implemented in 90 days.  No need to do this immediately without any notifications except for immediate cost savings.  

We have never sailed in a Suite. Closest we ever got was in a Princess Mini-Suite....not even close to the same.

[shirazcruiser]

31 minutes ago, clojacks said:

 But on the flip side, out of 100's, if not thousands, of upcoming suites passengers, we have about a 20 very dissatisfied posters in here who feel Celebrity has turned their back on them. Not 200...20 or so. Again, I ask, isn't it possible Celebrity may know better than those who are pissed off that you didn't get a personalized phone call 30 days before a decision was made? I apologize if those of us who have never sailed in a suite interrupted your ***** fest.

You say that there are about 20 dissatisfied posters (not 200); however, there are plenty of CC members who don't post even though they have an opinion.  Also, there are a lot of cruisers who don't know about CC as I've experienced when I'm talking to a fellow cruiser and mention something about CC.  They've never heard about this site....my DH has never been on CC.  There are going to be a lot of surprised SS passengers when they embark on their sailing to learn there has been a change regarding dedicated butlers since Celebrity was not up front about reporting the change.    

[clojacks]

5 minutes ago, shirazcruiser said:

You say that there are about 20 dissatisfied posters (not 200); however, there are plenty of CC members who don't post even though they have an opinion.  Also, there are a lot of cruisers who don't know about CC as I've experienced when I'm talking to a fellow cruiser and mention something about CC.  They've never heard about this site....my DH has never been on CC.  There are going to be a lot of surprised SS passengers when they embark on their sailing to learn there has been a change regarding dedicated butlers since Celebrity was not up front about reporting the change.    

Keeping that in mind, isn’t it possible that those who don’t post are just as possible to give it a chance?

[shirazcruiser]

6 minutes ago, clojacks said:

Keeping that in mind, isn’t it possible that those who don’t post are just as possible to give it a chance?

Yes, of course. I'm just saying for example...like all of the cutbacks Terrydtx voiced his dissatisfaction about, I agreed with his opinion; however, I never posted on them even though I had an opinion...not a positive one!

Edited August 5, 2023 by shirazcruiser

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, clojacks said:

Knowing pretty confidently that this was directed at me...

Not really, no. This is a trend I've noticed since January.

 

1 hour ago, clojacks said:

Again, I ask, isn't it possible...

I answered this question yesterday. 

[C4HCG]

1 hour ago, RichYak said:

Well, you have to give them credit for their creativity.

 

I am seeing a recurring trend on this board. Many of those who defended the buffet cutbacks never eat in the buffet. Many of those who defended the room service charges never order room service. And now we have those who defend butler cutbacks that never sail in suites.

I defend the right of anyone to judge for themselves what will drive them away from Celebrity. And for people to post their views here without being sneered at.

[RichYak]

6 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

I defend the right of anyone to judge for themselves what will drive them away from Celebrity. And for people to post their views here without being sneered at.

I agree with all of this. I'm not sneering at all, just making an observation that people who tend to post views that have no basis seem to fall on the side of defending Celebrity. It's a very generic observation.

[Kelownadon]

10 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I agree with all of this. I'm not sneering at all, just making an observation that people who tend to post views that have no basis seem to fall on the side of defending Celebrity. It's a very generic observation.

Similarly I would say bashing a change that has yet to be instituted can be classified as “premature whining”. 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Kelownadon

[CalTexCruiser]

Won't be long now before this thread gets shut down.

[ncgolferette]

I have a question for those booked in a SS in the future.  I’m indifferent to the change .  I’ll wait and see.  If those of you that are distraught and  go on your cruise in a SS but find the service just as good or not better, will you continue to cruise on Celebrity?  I think all the cruise lines have made changes over the past couple of years without informing their customers.  Look at the HAL world cruisers from this past year. 

[clojacks]

17 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I agree with all of this. I'm not sneering at all, just making an observation that people who tend to post views that have no basis seem to fall on the side of defending Celebrity. It's a very generic observation.

Can you explain what you mean by “having no basis”. Is this the cruising version of “never having played the game” means you can’t coach or comment on a sport?

[wineoclock]

I’ve only just booked Beyond this week. Have a suite guarantee as didn’t want to pay full price for something that is changing. And I won’t feel cheated if it’s terrible, and I’ll have snagged a bargain if it’s good!
 

Next year on Apex in a CS that I booked in June. I’m always on the lookout for something else but for now X fits.  

[RichYak]

3 minutes ago, clojacks said:

Can you explain what you mean by “having no basis”. Is this the cruising version of “never having played the game” means you can’t coach or comment on a sport?

I probably should have said "not based on experience" but yes, you have the gist. But I never said they can't coach or comment. I made an observation about their tendencies.

[RichYak]

18 minutes ago, ncgolferette said:

I have a question for those booked in a SS in the future.  I’m indifferent to the change .  I’ll wait and see.  If those of you that are distraught and  go on your cruise in a SS but find the service just as good or not better, will you continue to cruise on Celebrity?  I think all the cruise lines have made changes over the past couple of years without informing their customers.  Look at the HAL world cruisers from this past year. 

I sail in a SS tomorrow. I'm certainly not distraught. I would say mildly concerned is a better description. I'm more concerned about the future of SS benefits in general. Given the price of this cabin class, reducing benefits is tough to swallow and there's no way to know what else is in the works.

 

I'm probably not a good choice to answer your questions since I don't know if the changes will be effective yet. Also, my future plans have me wanting to try other lines. I wouldn't consider myself biased against Celebrity in that respect, I just have other plans.

[Spif Barwunkel]

Perhaps this thread has outlived its usefulness, saturated to the point where written waterboarding is no longer effective. What was once necessary and meaningful commentary has become monotony, and with monotony comes repetition and useless explication. The offended become the offensive in their inability to accept any attempt at positivity or disagreement. With the exception of a few others, over the last 20 pages, the only meaningful posts have come from "clojacks." While attempting to espouse the cause for this thread, he/she eloquently explained thoughts and opinions in a more controlled manner, and for no reason was forced to go on the defensive. Sometimes your strongest advocates are not necessarily your best CC friends.

 

The few purveyors of gloom and doom, gathered together in a dark-dank room, where epithets used and wrinkled loom....and not one butler to clean up the mess. Woe is me.

Edited August 5, 2023 by Spif Barwunkel

[clojacks]

2 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Perhaps this thread has outlived its usefulness, saturated to the point where written waterboarding is no longer effective. What was once necessary and meaningful commentary has become monotony, and with monotony comes repetition and useless explication. The offended become the offensive in their inability to accept any attempt at positivity or disagreement. With the exception of a few others, over the last 20 pages, the only meaningful posts have come from "clojacks." While attempting to espouse the cause for this thread, he/she eloquently explained thoughts and opinions in a more controlled manner, and for no reason was forced to go on the defensive. Sometimes your strongest advocates are not necessarily your best CC friends.

 

The few purveyors of gloom and doom, gathered together in a dark-dank room, where epithets used and wrinkled loom....and not one butler to clean up the mess.

Spif.....who have no idea how much your kind words mean in this era of keyboard anonymity....where telling another poster to "shut up" appears to be a tactic when you no longer are interested in listening to thoughtful and harmless opposite "opinions". Thank you very very much.

[terrydtx]

3 hours ago, RichYak said:

I sail in a SS tomorrow. I'm certainly not distraught. I would say mildly concerned is a better description. I'm more concerned about the future of SS benefits in general. Given the price of this cabin class, reducing benefits is tough to swallow and there's no way to know what else is in the works.

 

I'm probably not a good choice to answer your questions since I don't know if the changes will be effective yet. Also, my future plans have me wanting to try other lines. I wouldn't consider myself biased against Celebrity in that respect, I just have other plans.

Rich you and I are in similar boats. More than anything current pricing of Sky Suites is what is driving us to look elsewhere. Our New Zealand cruise in January on the Edge is currently selling a SS for $2000pp more than when we booked early in 2022. I would be passing on Celebrity at today's pricing. I see continued erosion of SS and higher benefits all under the cloak of saving money in the Retreat product's future. We can now cruise on Oceania in a Concierge class cabin (no Butler) on a similar itinerary for less per day than a Sky Suite (with a pseudo butler), this is loyalty the Celebrity way.

[george_sf]

22 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Rich you and I are in similar boats. More than anything current pricing of Sky Suites is what is driving us to look elsewhere. Our New Zealand cruise in January on the Edge is currently selling a SS for $2000pp more than when we booked early in 2022. I would be passing on Celebrity at today's pricing. I see continued erosion of SS and higher benefits all under the cloak of saving money in the Retreat product's future. We can now cruise on Oceania in a Concierge class cabin (no Butler) on a similar itinerary for less per day than a Sky Suite (with a pseudo butler), this is loyalty the Celebrity way.

 

This has happened with X for many years. Even before the pandemic cancellations and folks had massive FCC to be used. Our friends and I have purchased rooms years in advance to see them go up considerably over time. Sometimes a few thousand. We have one this Spring that is today over 50% higher than our reservation. We joke "who is paying this?" quite often! 

 

As we only sail in a suite, we look at the prices of the larger ones and our mouths drop. (We do SS and CS. Twice Royal, but those were relative bargains). We will see some suites going at $4000/day for these big rooms. And they get reserved, sometimes very very quickly. We do not think that Celebrity is suffering to fill the suites. 

 

We continue to book Celebrity, but no longer exclusively. Price and amenities are not the main concern. We are happy with the product; we will wait-n-see with the butler situation. But we have traveled enough on X and want ports that are different. We never have to see St Maarten or Civitavecchia ever again! 

 

George

 

 

[clojacks]

35 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Rich you and I are in similar boats. More than anything current pricing of Sky Suites is what is driving us to look elsewhere. Our New Zealand cruise in January on the Edge is currently selling a SS for $2000pp more than when we booked early in 2022. I would be passing on Celebrity at today's pricing. I see continued erosion of SS and higher benefits all under the cloak of saving money in the Retreat product's future. We can now cruise on Oceania in a Concierge class cabin (no Butler) on a similar itinerary for less per day than a Sky Suite (with a pseudo butler), this is loyalty the Celebrity way.

This might be a dumb question, but if you're willing to sail Oceania without a butler, then why wouldn't you sail in one of celebrity's higher or more desirable Balcony cabins...without a butler? I'm assuming it would be less than Oceania's w/o a butler? It doesn't really look like you are comparing apples to apples to me, yet you have been very vocal about your dissatisfaction with Celebrity changing the Butler concept? Why are you willing to sail Oceania w/o a butler, but not celebrity?

[zitsky]

14 minutes ago, clojacks said:

This might be a dumb question, but if you're willing to sail Oceania without a butler, then why wouldn't you sail in one of celebrity's higher or more desirable Balcony cabins...without a butler? I'm assuming it would be less than Oceania's w/o a butler? It doesn't really look like you are comparing apples to apples to me, yet you have been very vocal about your dissatisfaction with Celebrity changing the Butler concept? Why are you willing to sail Oceania w/o a butler, but not celebrity?

Have you considered that this all might be about changes to your contract after payments are made and how and if those changes are communicated?  I speak only for myself.

 

They already imposed charges for room service.  How about a fee for the buffet?  It would cut down on waste.

[t18c97]

Without having to go through the entire thread is is just Sky Suite or Sky Suite and Celebrity Suites getting the change? If just Sky Suite can the title of the thread please be changed?