NOW I have a problem with the new Suite policies

[jelayne]

18 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Right. I don’t know the chain of command for service personnel in the Retreat. But it is very apparent, that it is under staffed, whatever it is.

Retreat Manager, 1 Head Butler, 2-3 (maybe 4 on E class) Concierges in the Retreat Lounge, cabin attendant also called Retreat Host.  
From recent SS  posters the Cabin Attendants/Retreat Hosts are handling 12-17 cabins

[wrk2cruise]

It has been my experience in the 6 or so times sailing in these corner aft suites on decks 6-11 butler service has always been lacking due to the fact that there are only 2 suites back there on each deck.   Usually one dedicated (most junior) was assigned to them on all decks.   You would never just run into them in the hallway.  On one 11 night sailing the MC concierge asked us mid cruise how our butler was.  Told her we hadn't met him yet.

 

But for the head butler to say you wouldn't see him again?  It was my understanding he was to be the point of contact and would expect a business card with his number and the number would be covered by others when he was off shift.

 

[Dolebludger]

Well, again, the actual “chain of command” of service personnel in the Retreat is confusing at best. But the staffing for the Retreat clearly appears to be inadequate, especially given the high fares for booking there. 

[Cap_D]

6 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Well, again, the actual “chain of command” of service personnel in the Retreat is confusing at best. But the staffing for the Retreat clearly appears to be inadequate, especially given the high fares for booking there. 

Very unsurprising, but unfortunate.   

 

On Apex in March 2023 (before the cuts) the total Retreat staffing levels to deliver the marketed experience already seemed to be stressed. 

 

Not to take away from any of the hardworking crew, but considering the reduced cost of cruise ship labor as compared to landside, is Celebrity really saving that much by reduced headcount / mismanagement of Retreat, and making it harder to get in room beverages?  (This has been bugging me since the cutbacks were made).   I know, I know, there's debt to be paid down, etc. 

 

What's got a lot of us disappointed is these are not amenities and roles higher end hotels usually choose to skimp on, and apparently not what the higher end cruise lines skimp on either (and some don't have the additional revenue sources that Celebrity ships have).  

 

[RichYak]

40 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Retreat Manager, 1 Head Butler, 2-3 (maybe 4 on E class) Concierges in the Retreat Lounge, cabin attendant also called Retreat Host.  
From recent SS  posters the Cabin Attendants/Retreat Hosts are handling 12-17 cabins

Technically, the Retreat Hosts are not in that chain of command as they work for Housekeeping. 

[Dolebludger]

Cap_D, we live in a Rocky Mountain small tourist city area, and since the pandemic and closures of hospitality businesses, there has been a workforce shortage that isn’t really improving. So when we decided it was time to book a cruise earlier this year, before X’s cuts, we priced cruises, including those in the Retreat. Bottom line, we found choices like Regent and Silversea to be less costly. We booked Regent and hadn’t been on its cruises since around 2015. We were very observant when we were on that cruise to look for signs of under staffing and any other cuts. There weren’t any! In fact the onboard experience seemed improved. The pre and post cruise flights, hotels, and transfers were not great, but the onboard experience couldn’t have been better. Then, pricing out a second cruise, we again found the Retreat to be just too expensive compared with lux line competition. And reading here about X’s cuts, we booked another on Regent. And we won’t know for three more days (Oct 4th) if tips will even be included in the Retreat’s fare. A few years ago, Celebrity was a real (and lower priced) competitor with the lux lines with it’s Retreat (then known a  suite class). It seems that it is actually trying to leave that portion of the cruise market. 

[sixpackeddie]

On 8/28/2023 at 2:24 PM, terrydtx said:

You are right my typo. It sounds good and I will try it one night

 

Hey Terry, I believe you mentioned you were boarding the apex last month out of Rotterdam, how was your recent experience?

[jean87510]

8 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

As I posted, Jean, the “deal” X offers in categories onboard that are MUCH less expensive than the Retreat do not seem to be bad deals, when compared to the competition. But I just don’t think current X management knows how to compete in the lux cruising market. We used to cruise in “cheap accommodations” and in that market, X seems to be competitive. But now we are able to much upgrade our travel, and chose to do so. Back in 2018 and 2019, X was the competition winner for a lux cruise with the Retreat.  Now in the Retreat (attempting to be in the lux cruise market), X is a competitive looser. 

Absolutely.  We are in the same situation being able to upgrade our travel after years in the insides and occasional balconies.  They were competitive and better with the itinerary and service.  Now that we are venturing into the suites and pricing the luxury lines, in our research of other lines both luxury and mainstream (NCL and MSC YC), the Retreat is just not worth it IMO.

[maggie.1008]

After a short X cruise in December we are cruising on the new Explora Journeys. 
After 35 cruises with X we are going back to the luxury lines that are now a better price.
it am amazed that people are paying $5000.pp for a sky suite on Celebrity. 

[jelayne]

19 hours ago, RichYak said:

Technically, the Retreat Hosts are not in that chain of command as they work for Housekeeping. 

You are probably correct.  But in the chain of who delivers Retreat experience they have assumed some duties that were previously handled by the Butler. 

[RichYak]

7 minutes ago, jelayne said:

You are probably correct.  But in the chain of who delivers Retreat experience they have assumed some duties that were previously handled by the Butler. 

That's what the illusionists at Celebrity would have us believe by referring to them as "Retreat Hosts". The vast majority of the duties that were previously handled by the butler are now handled by room service, Retreat Concierges, and the guests themselves.

[Dolebludger]

Well, if the “Retreat Hosts” are in the chain of command with housekeeping (not the butlers), they are what is called “room stewards” on most cruise lines. And cruisers in categories below the Retreat get room steward service too, right? So having the so-called retreat hosts (really room stewards) is no longer an upscale benefit of the Retreat, right? On other upscale cruise lines (or accommodations), having a butler means in addition to a room steward.  Not in the Retreat.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Dolebludger

[maggie.1008]

Right !

[RichYak]

8 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Well, if the “Retreat Hosts” are in the chain of command with housekeeping (not the butlers), they are what is called “room stewards” on most cruise lines.

Oh they're still called room stewards on Celebrity. Except when they enter a Retreat stateroom. Then they magically transform into Retreat Hosts. Functionally they are no different.

[abbydancer2003]

3 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Oh they're still called room stewards on Celebrity. Except when they enter a Retreat stateroom. Then they magically transform into Retreat Hosts. Functionally they are no different.

I'm tempted, when they introduce themselves to politely ask what makes it different from being a room steward.

[Dolebludger]

5 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Oh they're still called room stewards on Celebrity. Except when they enter a Retreat stateroom. Then they magically transform into Retreat Hosts. Functionally they are no different.

Right!

[RichYak]

2 minutes ago, abbydancer said:

I'm tempted, when they introduce themselves to politely ask what makes it different from being a room steward.

Curious minds want to know.

[rM3panno]

17 minutes ago, abbydancer said:

I'm tempted, when they introduce themselves to politely ask what makes it different from being a room steward.

That’s just petty and not fair to them. Im

sure they didn’t ask for the extra duties and responsibility for what I’m sure is no to very little extra pay. 
 

if like to see some reviews besides the video one from Zach in the already remote aft corner Sky suite. 
 

If the service is truly that bad then the issue should be brought up with the retreat manager and possibly the hotel director. Otherwise leave a comment in the post cruise survey because they carry a lot of weight and vote with your wallet.

 

 

[raudacruise]

After watching Zach’s YouTube video there’s no way I’d ever book a Sky Suite with a “butler team” instead of a dedicated butler.  That’s a shame because the corner aft Sky Suites are lovely.

[Lastdance]

On 10/1/2023 at 3:43 AM, islabahia said:

With all of these changes happening, we have decided to make a change ourselves.  We are moving on to Oceania and in fact our 10 day Concierge Veranda Suite is costing us less than our 8 day cruise in a Sunset Veranda Suite.  With so much uncertainty and confusing messaging (or lack thereof) we are trying other lines.  

Okay...there is a Concierge Veranda Suite on Oceania?  Do you mean a PH1, 2 or 3?  My PH1 For 12 days was $350 pp on O.  Concierge level does have great perks, but I do not believe it is the same as a suite.

[abbydancer2003]

22 minutes ago, rM3panno said:

That’s just petty and not fair to them. Im

sure they didn’t ask for the extra duties and responsibility for what I’m sure is no to very little extra pay. 
 

 

 

 

I'm sure they didn't but I am very curious as to what they do that the butlers did and they do.  It wasn't meant to be petty - it's a matter of actual curiousity.  (And gives me some information for feedback about how I booked with a butler and got a room steward only, if that's the case).  

[CalTexCruiser]

53 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Oh they're still called room stewards on Celebrity. Except when they enter a Retreat stateroom. Then they magically transform into Retreat Hosts. Functionally they are no different.

 

I think it's a fantasy (on Celebrity's part) to think that a room steward that is overwhelmed servicing a large number of cabins (including non-suites) can somehow become a fully functional Retreat Host that can provide Retreat level service to the one or more suites he/she is also responsible for.

 

Unfortunately, these overworked room stewards/Retreat Hosts may be at the receiving end of post-cruise surveys from suite guests whose ire should really be directed at Celebrity management.

 

 

[phoenix_dream]

1 hour ago, raudacruise said:

After watching Zach’s YouTube video there’s no way I’d ever book a Sky Suite with a “butler team” instead of a dedicated butler.  That’s a shame because the corner aft Sky Suites are lovely.

While he is a credible source, I think I would want to hear more than one person's experience before I decide to never book a sky suite again.  I have a b2b in sky suites - one port side aft, and one corner S1.  I'll see how it goes and then make my decision going forward.  I'm hoping for the best and anticipating something less than that, but hopefully not much less

[Dolebludger]

Well, back in the old times when we used to cruise RCCL, our room steward used to come and introduce him/herself. They were still room stewards, not butlers. We didn’t pay for a butler also, and we didn’t have one. But if I pay for a butler and a steward, I’d better have both!

[islabahia]

1 hour ago, Lastdance said:

Okay...there is a Concierge Veranda Suite on Oceania?  Do you mean a PH1, 2 or 3?  My PH1 For 12 days was $350 pp on O.  Concierge level does have great perks, but I do not believe it is the same as a suite.

We are in an A1.  As far as butler service, been there done that and probably won’t miss having one.  We almost booked a PH3 but the location was less than optimal which prompted us to book the A1.