Seriously now-how many of you are REALLY looking at other cruise lines because of the CEO's changes going on?

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I don't care who the president or CEO or whatever is at Celebrity.  What I care about is my experience on the ships.  So far, it has been mostly excellent.  I've not cruised since January.  Last year my cruises were in the PH and royal suites.  This year they are in balcony cabins.  Suite pricing is insane, especially as a solo.  More power to Celebrity if they can get it, but I notice that there is still a PH available on my Thanksgiving cruise on the Silhouette.  That would have been absolutely unheard of in previous years.

 

So, I will see how it goes in November.  I've been mostly loyal to Celebrity and am Zenith with them.  But now I am definitely considering other alternatives.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Happy Cruiser 6143

[Sheltielover73]

1 minute ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

I don't care who the president or CEO or whatever is at Celebrity.  What I care about is my experience on the ships.  So far, it has been mostly excellent.  I've not cruised since January.  Last year my cruises were in the PH and royal suites.  This year they are in balcony cabins.  Suite pricing is insane, especially as a solo.  More power to Celebrity if they can get it, but I notice that there is still a PH available on my Thanksgiving cruise on the Solstice.  That would have been absolutely unheard of in previous years.

 

So, I will see how it goes in November.  I've been mostly loyal to Celebrity and am Zenith with them.  But now I am definitely considering other alternatives.

this is VERY TELLING! I know you are very loyal to Celebrity! I met you with my mom in Oct a few years back in the Retreat. Hope all is well! Aimee 

[bigbenboys]

Looking, yes. I even booked a Princess Penthouse Suite for Feb. I canceled 3 cruises with X this year all in sky suites. I looked at Carnival because of the new menu, but did not like the looks of the suites. I looked at HAL then I got a phone call from HAL. Looked at MSC Yacht Club, smoking policy and that it  seems like all the suites are forward. Same as the Edge. I dont like being so forward.

 

As we canceled 3 cruises for this year. I booked a week in a all inclusive resort in Playacar, Mexico. We flew direct from Seattle to Cancun 1st class round trip. Private transfers and a week at a all inclusive resort. Cost for the package was just under $10k. I told our TA to keep it under $10k. We did a short trip to Las Vegas to see Patti LuPone perform. This month on X in a CS for 7 nights. Dec off to England for 12 days for Christmas.

I got a call from my TA this morning asking me if I wanted a Starbucks mug from Andorra. I thinks she is on the Sun Princess. I said yes please. I have over 250 Starbuck mugs and counting from all over the world.

[the penguins]

22 hours ago, Keys Kathy said:

I don't care who the CEO is, I am not sailing with them because of their prices and reduction of services and quality. Now they are reducing the offering of "All Included" I am booked with MSC and Virgin.

We dropped Celebrity when it introduced compolsary AI.

Came back when it changed AI to optional for everything below Aqua.

Postponed making any further bookings until the Vaping Trial was finished as if this had been introduced fleet wide our days of booking X would have been over.

For the first time in years we now have nothing booked on X and will make our decisions after October 4th when the new AI system as to whether or not we will stick with X. 

[Keys Kathy]

3 minutes ago, the penguins said:

We dropped Celebrity when it introduced compolsary AI.

Came back when it changed AI to optional for everything below Aqua.

Postponed making any further bookings until the Vaping Trial was finished as if this had been introduced fleet wide our days of booking X would have been over.

For the first time in years we now have nothing booked on X and will make our decisions after October 4th when the new AI system as to whether or not we will stick with X. 

The crazy thing is, they say after October 4th, they are keeping the most popular items. Who did not want to have tips prepaid? Everyone pays tips, only some people use WIFI or a drink package. I wish they would go back to the Big Best Better or the other thing they called the same exact thing. Then WE got to choose. What a concept!

[George C]

30 minutes ago, bigbenboys said:

Looking, yes. I even booked a Princess Penthouse Suite for Feb. I canceled 3 cruises with X this year all in sky suites. I looked at Carnival because of the new menu, but did not like the looks of the suites. I looked at HAL then I got a phone call from HAL. Looked at MSC Yacht Club, smoking policy and that it  seems like all the suites are forward. Same as the Edge. I dont like being so forward.

 

As we canceled 3 cruises for this year. I booked a week in a all inclusive resort in Playacar, Mexico. We flew direct from Seattle to Cancun 1st class round trip. Private transfers and a week at a all inclusive resort. Cost for the package was just under $10k. I told our TA to keep it under $10k. We did a short trip to Las Vegas to see Patti LuPone perform. This month on X in a CS for 7 nights. Dec off to England for 12 days for Christmas.

I got a call from my TA this morning asking me if I wanted a Starbucks mug from Andorra. I thinks she is on the Sun Princess. I said yes please. I have over 250 Starbuck mugs and counting from all over the world.

My problem with Princess and Hal is a lack of suite perks , I like the suite lounge and restaurant like you get with celebrity, rccl oasis class and MSc yacht club.

  We saw Patti LuPone a couple of years ago with Mandy Patakin great show in Dallas had front row seats.

Edited September 7, 2023 by George C

[the penguins]

2 minutes ago, Keys Kathy said:

The crazy thing is, they say after October 4th, they are keeping the most popular items. Who did not want to have tips prepaid? Everyone pays tips, only some people use WIFI or a drink package. I wish they would go back to the Big Best Better or the other thing they called the same exact thing. Then WE got to choose. What a concept!

The problem as I see it is this continual "guessing" just wait until October 4 and see exactly what happens.

From your preferences you will probably get exactly what you suggest:

You will be able to add the tips to the basic price i.e. prepay ( not everyone does this for example some like to use OBC to pay the tips)

Then you will be able to choose from a package with Classic Drinks and Basic WiFi.

Upgrade either of the above 

Or

Choose drinks and/or WiFi separately

Or

Choose to book no packages at all.

 

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

9 minutes ago, Keys Kathy said:

The crazy thing is, they say after October 4th, they are keeping the most popular items. Who did not want to have tips prepaid? Everyone pays tips, only some people use WIFI or a drink package. I wish they would go back to the Big Best Better or the other thing they called the same exact thing. Then WE got to choose. What a concept!

 

I'm pretty sure this is the beginning of the end to AI.  I always felt they implemented this because during the pandemic while cruising was banned, many were going to AI land resorts including those who haven't ever been to them before

[TeaBag]

Celebrity loyalists for 30 years, also leaving Celebrity except for one last cruise in April.  AQ prices are insane and that is what we usually booked.

We are sailing HAL for the first time in 4 weeks and we have already sailed Azamara twice and loved the experience.  Suez canal was amazing on the Spice route itinerary.

When you screw your loyal customers, it's all over.  We don't want to spend our hard earned money on a cruise that is not so bad!

[bigbenboys]

11 minutes ago, George C said:

My problem with Princess and Hal is a lack of suite perks , I like the suite lounge and restaurant like you get with celebrity, rccl oasis class and MSc yacht club.

  We saw Patti LuPone a couple of years ago with Mandy Patakin great show in Dallas had front row seats.

I also really like Celebrity suites and the benefits. Hoping X settles down by 2025.

[downsmead]

We were already mixing cruises - Celebrity and other lines. Our last Celebrity cruise was just OK which isn’t good enough for the prices they charge. This was before the new President started implementing her changes. 
Considering what we can get on other cruise lines, Celebrity is no longer a major player in our eyes. Price is not the only consideration, itinerary is important to us and we have exhausted most of the Celebrity ones that appeal to us, apart from the Galapagos. 

[keysey222]

32 minutes ago, George C said:

My problem with Princess and Hal is a lack of suite perks , I like the suite lounge and restaurant like you get with celebrity, rccl oasis class and MSc yacht club.

 

I agree with you on the lack of suite perks on HAL/Princess. However, the price of a suite is often lower on these lines. Even though I don't always have a private sundeck or dedicated restaurant, sometimes I find there is more value. But... if prices are equal among the lines, I'd still choose Celebrity as their suite product is far superior. 

[mayleeman]

3 hours ago, drakes2 said:

It's not that they don't care

 

I am not sure how different your description of your cruise would be if you thought they actually did not care. Sounds pretty much like indifference to me. 

 

Edit: The staff likely cares, as you have described. Corporate indifference to customers is usually accompanied by indifference to staff as the mgmt tries to increase profit by cutting staff and making remaining staff work harder. 

Edited September 7, 2023 by mayleeman

[manmachine]

Looking at HAL and saw some great deals (for high quality) on Oceana.

 

But for the first time in over two decades:  right now do not have any cruise booked.

 

Cruised Carnival back when it delivered well above its price… and yes it did.  Believe me, I was there often during the days of Bob Dickinson.  Saw the product get neutered time and time again.  Slow, painful death of a thousand cuts.

Moved to Celebrity and appreciated the differences.  Now reliving what happened with Carnival and I think I am just over it all for now.

 

Too aggravating.

 

 

[Gracie115]

52 minutes ago, George C said:

My problem with Princess and Hal is a lack of suite perks , I like the suite lounge and restaurant like you get with celebrity, rccl oasis class and MSc yacht club.

  We saw Patti LuPone a couple of years ago with Mandy Patakin great show in Dallas had front row seats.

If you include the Princess Plus or Premium package you get nearly all, or in the case of Premium everything Celebrity includes in their suites and more. Royal class ships also have a suite lounge..

[Cruise Junky]

47 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

Celebrity loyalists for 30 years, also leaving Celebrity except for one last cruise in April.  AQ prices are insane and that is what we usually booked.

We are sailing HAL for the first time in 4 weeks and we have already sailed Azamara twice and loved the experience.  Suez canal was amazing on the Spice route itinerary.

When you screw your loyal customers, it's all over.  We don't want to spend our hard earned money on a cruise that is not so bad!

That’s the cruise we’re doing on Azamara.  

[phoenix_dream]

2 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Actual cruise executives state the exact opposite, that they directly compete with land vacations.  We have to remember, globally, half of all sailings go to the Caribbean which also has the highest concentration of AI Resorts.  There are many pros and cons to both cruising and land resorts yet most AI Resorts are indeed truly inclusive and often a far better value specifically in the Cancun/Playa Del Carmen area.  Another land vacation wildcard is simply renting a beach house for a week or two on a rental site like Airbnb which can be incredibly cheap in rural Florida.  Lots of pros and cons there as well

 

Interestingly I just read an article that Cancun resort bookings are really dropping.  Maybe more people are cruising instead.

[NutsAboutGolf]

20 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Interestingly I just read an article that Cancun resort bookings are really dropping.  Maybe more people are cruising instead.

 

Mind sharing the article?

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Jim, I think more than any other changes this is the most disturbing thing I've seen Celebrity do this year. Pulling ships from South America and Europe to do Carnival and RC type 7 day or less Caribbean cruises with stops at a private island. We do not want to do any more of this type of cruise. When Celebrity canceled the 2025 Equinox South America cruises, they did us a favor as we gave Oceania a real look and found a much better deal for an 18 night cruise. Now we get 100% of our Celebrity deposit back.

 

I was impacted a bit more.    We had a B2B booked and they cancelled the TA which was the second cruise.   We did get the full refund which came through quickly but still have not seen the promised Future Cruise Credit.  

 

I was stuck with the first leg on an NR.    Luckily my agent put pressure on Celebrity and they changed the Med to a TA with not fees and even passed along the Booking on Board perks.  

 

I was looking for a cruise to extend our TA but nothing of interest.   That is when I found the Cunard deal.  

[Dolebludger]

There are guests that only want to book a basic balcony, ocean view, or even an inside. We haven’t cruised that way for about 35 years, when we decided if we didn’t have the money to do better, we’d stay home, which we often did., so I can’t comment about Celebrity’s current fare for such, except they don’t look that bad at a glance. Now as very senior citizens, we have cruised Celebrity only in the Retreat, when it was a lower cost option to Regent, Silversea, and Seabourn. It isn’t that anymore, and has reduced perks and inclusions so that it isn’t an option anymore. Further, the Retreat is at higher fare than these “big three” lux lines. Celebrity may still be a player in the more basic booking classes. I wouldn’t know. But it is no longer a player in the lux market.

[Stu UK]

We have been huge Celebrity fans for 20 yrs. Noticed lots of small cuts but have not distracted from the overall experience. We tend to sail in The Retreat and have experienced all classes of suite. Current prices and the removal of the Sky Suite dedicated butlers are for us a step too far. Modern Luxury seems to have been forgotten. Ships are ace but service now uncertain. Fingers crossed our remaining bookings will be good. That said we now have Cunard Queens Grill & MSC Yacht Club booked. A CFO to a CEO is never a good sign for customer service. 

[spiff2]

Hello to all

I'm would like your opinion on the luxury lines and dress codes. I have absolutely no problem with slacks and a collared shirt for dinner but my suit and tie days are over for cruises. I think when they loosened restrictions on formal nights was definite step in the right direction.

[Hlitner]

20 hours ago, Cruise till you drop said:

I would have to agree with that.

 

I think this thread is all about “the grass looking greener on the other side”

 

Let me fill you in on something.  It’s not

I guess we were ahead of our time since we stopped booking X shortly after LLP took over.  Simple reason was, although Elite+, we no longer thought X was a good value when compared to some other lines.  Unlike many here, DW and I have cruised on 16 lines (that will soon be 19 lines since we have upcoming cruises on Silverseas, Oceania and Explora Journeys).

 

I am posting to tell you that the grass is indeed greener elsewhere (and has been for a few years).  But it does depend on your price point/category.  For folks who book Retreat level, you have lots of options with the so-called Premium Lines (i.e. Viking, Oceania, Azamara) and even some of the luxury lines (i.e. Seabourn, Silverseas, Regent, Crystal, Scenic, etc).

 

Folks also need to understand that there is an entirely different cruise world when you move to the small ship (generally less than 1000 passenger) luxury lines.  Consider that on a line like Seabourn, you will not be annoyed by PA announcements, onboard "sales,"  ship photographers (there are none), art auctions, etc.  On Seabourn, dinner time is not until 7pm (even their version of the LIdo does not open until 7) and there is a single nightly show (usually at 9:30 or 9:45.  You also will not find the scope of activities found on mass market lines (like Celebrity).  Folks also have a more upscale kind of taste with backward facing ball caps, wife beater shirts, etc. not generally seen.  It is a different kind of experience with no drink packages (or any package) since luxury lines are generally all-inclusive (the excursion situation differs from line to line).

 

Hank

[Georgia_Peaches]

6 hours ago, paulh84 said:

I 10000% do not understand this logic that comes up often. You paid the price you were happy with judging by your willingness to make the purchase. So what if the person who books today agrees to pay a higher price than you did? You paid your price. They paid theirs. You know booking early, especially shortly post-COVID when prices were low, is usually the most price-beneficial time to book. 

I'll take a stab at it...I think the poster's point was that if they had booked their current cruise today, it would not only cost more but would come with less.  I have a cruise on the books for Alaska on the Edge in a SS.  It was dirt cheap so I'm not going to complain about the butler thing but the fact is, the product I bought back in March is not the same product they are selling now....I got a good deal and I still get to keep my OBC and grats because they are grandfathered in...but food quality has changed, butler services have changed, and who knows what else will be different by the time embarkation rolls around next May.  Someone buying the product today is paying more and getting less.  They may be new to the brand so they don't know any better.  Those of us who've been around a while know the difference.  Isn't that really the point of this thread?  How many of us veteran Celebrity cruisers are looking around?  

[TeaBag]

1 hour ago, Cruise Junky said:

That’s the cruise we’re doing on Azamara.  

Great choice!  We had a cabin on the back of the ship and it was great transiting the canal.  Bon voyage to you both.  i think you get a few more days than we did.  Ours was 23 days.