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

[terrydtx]

15 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Nah... I just bought the winning Mega Million Ticket.  LOL

 

When I read the information I was thinking that next they will kick Sky Suites out of Retreat and it will be just like when Retreat was first opened -  CS and above only.    Let me just say that upper suites were complaining like the sky had fallen.  "It will be so packed it will never be the same again-"

If they take Sky Suites out of the Retreat they better lower the prices and give those of us already booked a substantial refund. This makes leaving Celebrity so much easier and makes real premium lines like Oceania and Viking even more competitive with a SS.

56 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Since gratuities are built into the all included rate that there will be no affect on pricing.

But we will save the extra cash we usually give our butlers.

[mac_tlc]

34 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Nah... I just bought the winning Mega Million Ticket.  LOL

 

When I read the information I was thinking that next they will kick Sky Suites out of Retreat and it will be just like when Retreat was first opened -  CS and above only.    Let me just say that upper suites were complaining like the sky had fallen.  "It will be so packed it will never be the same again-"

While that next step is possible, I think it’s unlikely for the E-class at least. All the venues on those ships were built and sized assuming SS is in the retreat. Luminae would be a ghost town and the other venues MDRs would be a zoo if 200-300 people just got booted. Same would go for the retreat Sundeck and other pool areas. 
 

But nothing is “Beyond” the current Celebrity management team.

 

After never writing an email to any cruise company, I need to compose my second one this month……

 

mac_tlc

Edited July 29, 2023 by mac_tlc

[jelayne]

We currently have 7 booked cruises, 4 in Sky Suites and all were onboard booking before the change to the NRD, so loss of $200 on each if we cancel. 

A October B2B in an an SS and isn’t realistic to cancel with air to Europe & return from a Singapore already booked and paid, plus a few tours that that are paid. 
 

Another SS B2B in April is possible to nix.  Air to Australia & return from Honolulu is booked with miles so we would get those miles reinstated and 1 tour booked which would get refunded.

 

We can cancel 2 of the other 3 but for 1 friends booked last week to join us and they have a $900 NRD so we will keep that on. 
 

Time to look for options for next spring and fall.

 

 

 

[Guest 4-2-N-8]

8 minutes ago, CruisinBanka said:

That was my first thought as I posted above. Sky Suites will become the Junior Suites on Royal .

Exactly. Corporate standardization (junior suites/RCL and Sky Suites/Celebrity) across their brands, which makes sense.

 

I'm new to Celebrity, Beyond specifically (and soon Ascent).

 

I am only booking EV and IC. They've hit a home run with these. I like them a lot as they appeal to me. The public areas of these ships is also quite nice, though I don't spend too much time walking around as I live in my staterooms.

 

I reviewed Celebrity Suite offerings in more detail as a result of this thread, and it appears the CS has basically the same inclusions as Sky Suites. Doesn't make sense for the pricing. Would make sense for CS to have more inclusions and keep the butlers as a line of demarcation from junior suites (aka Sky Suites).

[C 2 C]

Whenever the gratuities question arises, the implication is that they represent a large part of the wages of the employees.  I'm just guessing here but I can't see a huge savings for Celebrity and Royal head office.  I don't know how many butlers were onboard but is their cabin space being reassigned?  Once upon a time there was one future sales person onboard.  Cruse activities staff was reduced and more bed space opened up.  I would like to know which department is being increased to take up the accommodation  space vacated by the butlers. 

[George C]

I don’t think it’s a big deal , we always use concierge to book restaurants, on rccl we book grand or owners suite and their concierge books restaurant and also entertainment. If they remove retreat or Luminae then I would have a problem.

[Gracie115]

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....... 

[terrydtx]

This is a post from another social media site:

[dlh015]

1 hour ago, PTC DAWG said:

All this makes sense, as I have my first Suite booked on Celebrity this January on the Ascent. A Sky Suite.  

Yep, same here. Booked a Magic Carpet Sky Suite last week so my wife could experience having a butler & dining in Luminae. And no refundable deposit of course.

 

I'm still considering canceling it and eating the deposit...as well as canceling another X cruise in Sept. 2024...which is not a suite and has a refundable deposit...

[dock]

Does anyone know if they will lower price or provide OBC as we’ve paid for a service they are not providing and gratuities for said butler was likely factored into the price point as well? 
 

I don’t really need a butler but find it annoying to pay for a cabin, only  for it to be downgraded. 
 

Is it a possibility that Aqua Sky Suites would be denied Retreat access as well? 
 

Thank you. 
 

[kirtihk]

16 hours ago, jelayne said:

Thank you.  That was my point. These are the things they say are the Butlers responsibility.  
Yes we can do them ourself and have on many cruises.  But if they want the high $, and I consider $1,000 + per night high $, then providing a level of service similar to guests paying much less is IMO ludicrous.  Luminae’s  menu is not that great anymore, a private lounge not important as we prefer the martini and sunset bars, Sun Deck a plus but that is about  90 minutes on sea days for us.  We book suites for the space and a level of service the entire Retreat Staff. 

For $1,000 per night with butler you may rather go on Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Regent Seven Seas, Ponant, Scenic, Seadream, Seabourn, Silversea, Crystal… - the entire luxury ship’ experience is at your discretion vs certain items on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, and alike.

Edited July 29, 2023 by kirtihk

[TheHawk1]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

She also said there’s no plan to offer any compensation or allowing penalty-free cancellation or return of deposit.

Is it coincidence that they just recently raised the deposits on suites significantly, including future cruise bookings on board, before making this announcement? I think not.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

🤣

Amazing , this rumour change is less than 4% of the cabins on a S-class ship 

You would think the sky was falling when you read alllll the post here 

Nothing to see here , time to move on 😉, 
 

[ChucktownSteve]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I guess Laura Hodges Bethge is trying to put her mark on Celebrity.      I have to agree that this is not the way you change an amenity that was advertised as part of the fare you purchased.   

 

IMHO they should at least be upfront and make an announcement and potentially a gesture of good faith to those affected.

 

Leaving her mark? Is that like lifting her leg on the customer?

[LMHSRN]

6 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

🤣

Amazing , this rumour change is less than 4% of the cabins on a S-class ship 

You would think the sky was falling when you read alllll the post here 

Nothing to see here , time to move on 😉, 
 

Bye Bye

[Relaxinginthesun]

21 hours ago, hcat said:

only had a suite once..just recently to use up our cancelled cruise credits..

 

our Butler and her asst(?)  were very attentive and at times over attentive..

The few things we needed could be arranged at Guest Rel or with the Concierges in the Retreat area who were very helpful.

 

a top notch room attendant would serve the same purpose as tge Butler....but then rates should be reduced accordingly..

With the elimination of the butler, they will need those tips to give the cabin stewards more due to their increased workload..

[cruisefam38]

We have a cruise in the Caribbean booked for next Spring on Celebrity.  We are booked in our preferred category of cabin, which is a Sky Suite.  The price was already higher than we wanted to pay, and with this reduction in service if there is not a commensurate adjustment to the fare, we will almost certainly cancel, and take our business elsewhere.

[jelayne]

21 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

For $1,000 per night with butler you may rather go on Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Regent Seven Seas, Ponant, Scenic, Seadream, Seabourn, Silversea, Crystal… - the entire luxury ship’ experience is at your discretion vs certain items on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, and alike.

We are exploring some of these, however we have not cared for the smaller ships with less entertainment, dining and drinking venues and DH enjoys spending time on tge casino.

[neverlaysup]

9 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

🤣

Amazing , this rumour change is less than 4% of the cabins on a S-class ship 

You would think the sky was falling when you read alllll the post here 

Nothing to see here , time to move on 😉, 
 

The bigger issue beyond the loss of butlers in Sky Suites would be if they also removed Sky Suite access to the Retreat. Looking at Retreat sundeck sizes and Luminae, you would create an almost empty area on the ship for the use of 60 or less guests. Our next cruise is a Trans Pac on the Mille in a Sky Suite and if the Retreat and Luminae were taken away, it would be my last cruise on Celebrity.

[CalTexCruiser]

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.

[dlh015]

22 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

🤣

Amazing , this rumour change is less than 4% of the cabins on a S-class ship 

You would think the sky was falling when you read alllll the post here 

Nothing to see here , time to move on 😉, 
 

See ya...

[TexasRon]

The blind loyalty teams at most lines amaze me.  I am reading this thread because we are considering a Celebrity cruise at some point and these threads about cuts amuse me with the loyalists that go with each brand defending the indefensible—if you paid for it, you should get it.  Even if you don’t need it or use it, it should be as advertised.  
 
There was a shortage of employees, we understood.  Now they are cutting employees they told us would be part of the package.  I’m mostly an outside with one cruise a year, but we will see what happens in the future.

Edited July 29, 2023 by TexasRon

[kirtihk]

21 minutes ago, jelayne said:

We are exploring some of these, however we have not cared for the smaller ships with less entertainment, dining and drinking venues and DH enjoys spending time on tge casino.

My point is as I mentioned the entire ship is yours (especially, Regent like that is not that small) versus just Retreat area (class separator), and on Regent the entertainment is really good (on our cruise with Regent the orchestra had its own for an hour at 11 pm every night besides its regular duty in the theater).

[kenb]

This whole thing is another corporate BEND OVER AND GRAB YOUR ANKLES moment!!!

[mahdnc]

45 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

🤣

Amazing , this rumour change is less than 4% of the cabins on a S-class ship 

You would think the sky was falling when you read alllll the post here 

Nothing to see here , time to move on 😉, 
 

 

I understand what you mean but this is the best place to grieve about it.  It's not like I can tell a co-worker that my cruise is going to be less enjoyable because I am not going to have a butler.