Q&A with President Laura Hodges Bethge

[sixpackeddie]

I missed it. Any ideas how we can rewatch?

[rmedistro]

2 minutes ago, sixpackeddie said:

I missed it. Any ideas how we can rewatch?

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5127781817341374549?allowMobile=y&ecid=em_12829507&rid=1463629314&mes=Celebrity Loyalty PUP Laura Webinar 26 Sep 2023 EM&emsc=CCC_CLA_NAN_NAN_NAN_USA_KS_1_NAN&empf=Y&emct=C&lnkid=REGISTER_AND_WATCH_CTA&rcid=179020240

[NutsAboutGolf]

2 minutes ago, RichYak said:

So I thought this was a good Q/A. From a PR perspective, this was obviously damage control and there was lot of corporate-speak. There was a fair amount of disingenuousness: "We didn't take away butlers", "We didn't take away free chocolate chip cookies--it was for nostalgia", "We're offering for-fee entrees in the MDR because that's what you want." And who really asked for gratuities and OBC to be removed from All In? It certainly wasn't me.

 

That said, they also met a few points head-on. Addressing the IV concerns directly makes me think that maybe there have been plans for more balcony cabins on Edge 5, particularly in CC and AQ where there are currently zero.

 

Spot on, damage control is a great way to put it.  To oversimplify it: "don't believe anything you read online, everything is fine".  Just wanted to comment I'm under the impression the IVs on the Edge 5 are here to stay as there would be a ton of expensive structural engineering required to REPLACE some IVs with traditional balconies.  However, perhaps there are some creative solutions such as ADDING an additional top deck that is exclusively traditional balconies

[rmedistro]

1 minute ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Spot on, damage control is a great way to put it.  To oversimplify it: "don't believe anything you read online, everything is fine".  Just wanted to comment I'm under the impression the IVs on the Edge 5 are here to stay as there would be a ton of expensive structural engineering required to REPLACE some IVs with traditional balconies.  However, perhaps there are some creative solutions such as ADDING an additional top deck that is exclusively traditional balconies

We're trying an IV on 12/7 Ascent. Neither wife or I are sunbathing types, so the IV was intriguing to us. Not worried about the noise, or A/C as we both get up same time, and not heat sensitive.

[RichYak]

6 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Spot on, damage control is a great way to put it.  To oversimplify it: "don't believe anything you read online, everything is fine".  Just wanted to comment I'm under the impression the IVs on the Edge 5 are here to stay as there would be a ton of expensive structural engineering required to REPLACE some IVs with traditional balconies.  However, perhaps there are some creative solutions such as ADDING an additional top deck that is exclusively traditional balconies

If there has been a decision to increase the balcony to IV ratio on Edge 5, we don't know how long ago that was decided. This may have been in the works for some time and could be part of the "white space" that Lisa has left for Laura to take credit for. Of course, I'm purely speculating from a PR standpoint, not from an engineering standpoint.

[Orator]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I can only speak for myself but I nor any Zenith's I spoken to received a request for questions.

 

I'm happy that you are so satisfied with your cruises but many of us aren't  and after 23 years of exclusive traveling Celebrity I made my first non-Celebrity Cruise last week.    I have also booked a second non-celebrity cruise.

 

I only travel in suites so not concerned about potatoes

I also did not see a request for questions. I didn't receive the email to inform me of the change in MC/Retreat that some havef reported receiving. I have also booked cruises on other lines. Problem for me is that once you experience other lines you tend to be less Celebrity exclusive.

[NutsAboutGolf]

17 minutes ago, rmedistro said:

We're trying an IV on 12/7 Ascent. Neither wife or I are sunbathing types, so the IV was intriguing to us. Not worried about the noise, or A/C as we both get up same time, and not heat sensitive.

 

Great, I’m glad you enjoy them; we had to sail on them once due to being AQ and it didn't spoil our vacation.  I have always said they have their fans and usually the fans are those who generally do not sit out on their balcony.  Anyone is welcome to vacation as they wish

[JaneStarr]

18 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Spot on, damage control is a great way to put it.  To oversimplify it: "don't believe anything you read online, everything is fine".  Just wanted to comment I'm under the impression the IVs on the Edge 5 are here to stay as there would be a ton of expensive structural engineering required to REPLACE some IVs with traditional balconies.  However, perhaps there are some creative solutions such as ADDING an additional top deck that is exclusively traditional balconies

One of the Celebrity Captains on an onboard passenger Q&A in 2019 said that they could not replace infinite Verandas with traditional balconies on future Edge Class builds due to the structure of the ship. Think he specifically mentioned something about the hull, but that part is  only a vague recollection.

[bikerunner]

1 minute ago, JaneStarr said:

One of the Celebrity Captains on an onboard passenger Q&A in 2019 said that they could not replace infinite Verandas with traditional balconies on future Edge Class builds due to the structure of the ship. Think he specifically mentioned something about the hull, but that part is  only a vague recollection.

No reason to speculate now on what the new ship will be like besides it mainly will be an E class, will wait to see what and when its released.  Rumors and incredibly bad information is passed around enough on these and other boards.  

[JaneStarr]

2 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Great, I’m glad you enjoy them; we had to sail on them once due to being AQ and it didn't spoil our vacation.  I have always said they have their fans and usually the fans are those who generally do not sit out on their balcony.  Anyone is welcome to vacation as they wish

In today’s webinar, President Laura said that the fans are generally the ones who are on the same schedule and their cruising partners. Those who have one cruiser who prefers to sleep in (like Laura’s husband) prefer traditional balconies.

 

[patty1955]

45 minutes ago, Schmoe38 said:

If I recall correctly, the request for questions came out originally in an email format. Shortly thereafter, a second email came out indicating there had been an issue with the original submissions and could we kindly re-submit.

 

I read about the request on the PUP thread and checked all my email. I'm not sure what their criteria was but I didn't get the email. I don't get the PUP emails anymore either. I do get 3 or 4 marketing emails a day though. 

[JaneStarr]

Just now, patty1955 said:

I read about the request on the PUP thread and checked all my email. I'm not sure what their criteria was but I didn't get the email. I don't get the PUP emails anymore either. I do get 3 or 4 marketing emails a day though. 

I doubt is was really targeted. Sounds like the usual Celebrity IT «glitch » with email

[Stockjock]

2 hours ago, gordylad said:

Interesting answer regarding infinite veranda...."you either love them or hate them, personally I wouldn't book one because my husband likes a lie in and I like mornings so I can go out to my balcony and read"

 

So Please stop building ships with these silly open windows you call infinite veranda

FWIW, On their newest ships, MSC has basically the same thing and they call theirs Infinite Ocean View and it's priced more along the lines of an Ocean View cabin.
 

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by Stockjock

[sunlover33]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

If they selected who got the emails asking for submitted questions, it was probably not random.  They maybe had a %negative comments score here on CC as a criteria.  The lower, the better.  Haha most posters here would have been excluded!  LOL.😀

I am elite and was asked to submit questions. I can assure you my questions were strongly focused on  the points of discontent and concerns that have been discussed here many times. 

[Mark_T]

It was good damage control, but highly disingenuous, so many examples of pushing a good aspect and sliding around the awkward truth of the downside...

 

'Butlers have not been removed from Sky Suites...' ... they have just been replaced with a team of room service staff and cabin attendants.

 

'Paid for options added to MDR to allow people to order a steak without going to speciality dining...' ... but not mentioning the gutting of the appetizers and the reduced poorer quality main selections...

 

So many examples implying the problems were merely delivery onboard, not management intent...

 

I hope the senior staff on the ships are listening as it sounds like they are going to be carrying the can for any centrally imposed changes that don't go down well...

[NutsAboutGolf]

11 minutes ago, JaneStarr said:

In today’s webinar, President Laura said that the fans are generally the ones who are on the same schedule and their cruising partners. Those who have one cruiser who prefers to sleep in (like Laura’s husband) prefer traditional balconies.

 

 

It's just one of many scenarios.  Some significant others can stay asleep if their rooms IV opens,  while others wake up simply by hearing their neighbors open.  Personally, I enjoy sitting on the balcony during the day time as I NEED a coffee first thing in the morning and much prefer Cafe Al Bacio over the room service/buffet coffee.  Since I'm semi-dressed, I'll go to the gym after or walk the track if the weather allows

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

2 hours ago, sunlover33 said:

But who are all these loyal guests that asked for Coco cay? 

What was said was people were requesting a private island - but that takes a minimum of 5 years. (Not said but stuff like you have to find the available island or parcel of land large enough to support ships stopping there; you have to negotiate purchase or long-term lease; at least in the Bahamas there has to be an environmental impact study and it has to be approved before anything can even begin being built.) From what was said, the at least interim fix is CocoCay, which does have the Beach Club and the Adult-Only areas which are not water slides, etc. Yes, you pay for those, but they are options.

 

I'll be at CocoCay in February when I sail on the Anthem and have purchased a pass to Hideaway Beach (the adult area) and will report back as to my experience.

[NutsAboutGolf]

8 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

FWIW, On their newest ships, MSC has basically the same thing and they call theirs Infinite Ocean View and it's priced more along the lines of an Ocean View cabin.
 

 

 

Same with Royal Caribbean 

[C4HCG]

31 minutes ago, Orator said:

Problem for me is that once you experience other lines you tend to be less Celebrity exclusive.

Why is that a problem, surely that’s a positive?

[NutsAboutGolf]

5 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

It was good damage control, but highly disingenuous, so many examples of pushing a good aspect and sliding around the awkward truth of the downside...

 

'Butlers have not been removed from Sky Suites...' ... they have just been replaced with a team of room service staff and cabin attendants.

 

'Paid for options added to MDR to allow people to order a steak without going to speciality dining...' ... but not mentioning the gutting of the appetizers and the reduced poorer quality main selections...

 

So many examples implying the problems were merely delivery onboard, not management intent...

 

I hope the senior staff on the ships are listening as it sounds like they are going to be carrying the can for any centrally imposed changes that don't go down well...

 

Just the fact they spent half the Q&A session addressing their shortcomings is quite telling

[Orator]

1 minute ago, C4HCG said:

Why is that a problem, surely that’s a positive?

Positive for the passenger, problem for Celebrity. I have booked at least 6 cruises with other lines, such as Crystal, Viking and Oceania that I would have booked with Celebrity.

 

6 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

 

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 minute ago, Orator said:

Positive for the passenger, problem for Celebrity. I have booked at least 6 cruises with other lines, such as Crystal, Viking and Oceania that I would have booked with Celebrity.

 

 

 

Like I was saying in the other thread, they keep raising prices and use the excuse they're closing the pricing gap between themselves and land-based vacations but whether or not they're realizing it, they're also closing the pricing gap between themselves and true luxury lines.  As it repeatedly gets mentioned here, you pay a little bit more on a true luxury line and receive a lot more

[C4HCG]

7 minutes ago, Orator said:

Positive for the passenger, problem for Celebrity. I have booked at least 6 cruises with other lines, such as Crystal, Viking and Oceania that I would have booked with Celebrity.

 

 

From what I read here and having sailed the other week on the Equinox, I understand bookings are healthy. The way I see it therefore is everyone’s a winner, those of you that are looking elsewhere as you find great value from other lines, those of us that still see Celebrity as good value, and Celebrity themselves who seem to be filling ships. Why this causes so much bickering here is beyond me.

[wrk2cruise]

She kept implying they are listening to the customer.  Who were all these customers who were looking for vaping in the Casino?  I do appreciate that they listened to the overwhelming majority who want no vaping in the casino.  

 

To me whomever they are listening to are not those "most loyal" customers they were talking to today.

 

I agree that it was well scripted to "address" the concerns sent in.  I particularly like the cover for the butler change.  The example given was tea at 3 pm.  It was several years ago they discontinued in-room tea service and you need to go to the Lounge for tea.   Yes they say it can be requested but you will be informed that tea is in the lounge.  I'm sure if you push.....    They also couched the change as elevated service.   Oh wait the upper suites aren't offered this elevated service.

 

Overall it was probably the best webinar they have done to date.  I'd like to see them do it 2-3 times per year to increase communication. 

 

I also wish they would form a focus group of us "most loyal" customers (or any of their customers) to run some of these changes by before implementation.

[Ken the cruiser]

Removing the gratuities from the AI package starting Oct 4 should bring the base cost fare down when the "new" AI is included in a booking. Right? We currently have two Aqua cabin bookings with refundable deposits on the Beyond where AI, with all 3 perks, was automatically included when we booked them. The cruise fare per person for the 11-day Caribbean cruise in Apr 2025 is a whopping $5,323 (or $475 pp/day), and $4,005 (or $400 pp/day) for the ensuing 10-day cruise. I know, quite the price difference. Must be a supply and demand thing, only these were the initial fares when the itineraries were first released?🤔

 

It will be interesting to see when I do my daily "fake booking" comparisons if their applicable fares go up or down the farther past Oct 4 we get when the "gratuities" portion of the AI is eliminated in new bookings. In theory it should go down. Right? Of course, our above bookings will keep the gratuities included in the AI package they were booked with.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Ken the cruiser