New Elite benefit

[doghog]

One of the issues I emailed the executive office about when the CC HH in the Sky Lounge was discontinued. At least it's a step (baby step) in the right direction. We'll see how it works with the three other events and base our decision on our experiences. Of course having the CC HH of the past would have been better. 

Edited October 26, 2023 by doghog

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, goofysmom99 said:

I don't think it's back-pedaling Zeniths at all and will be attending the HHs, for sure.  I do hope they're held in the Sky Lounges (S-class or M-class) again.  They were perfectly timed for sunsets on my annual westbound TAs (sort of Teahouse of the August Moon thing).  

 

Ok, Ruth.  I am going to have to educate myself on this teahouse moon thing.  I am guessing that it is a place or maybe a poem....

[mahdnc]

Next thing may be that Cruise Critic Connection gatherings will be brought back on every fifth sailing...

[abbydancer2003]

29 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

Next thing may be that Cruise Critic Connection gatherings will be brought back on every fifth sailing...

We can only hope.  I miss those.

[Torfamm]

I’m grateful for my the choice this provides.

I may be in the minority, but I much prefer being able to order Happy Hour drinks to enjoy at the Sunset Bar in nice weather, or while I am still sitting by the pool before I’ve even thought about dressing for dinner, to knowing I need to be ready early to attend an indoor event.

 

This may be a great compromise. 

 

 

 

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

I think it depends on where and length of cruises on how busy the lounge will be 

On TAs before Covid there was way too many people in the Sky Lounge and we would always just stay out by Sunset Bar or inside at rear of OVC 

on our April Reflection TA ‘23, they the HH event daily in the Sky Lounge with awful nibbles , there wasn’t  many people , but the cruise was about 60% filled and most passengers with drink packages 

I think it would be better to increase HH an extra hour until 8 pm 

 

[2chiefs]

1 hour ago, Torfamm said:

I’m grateful for my the choice this provides.

I may be in the minority, but I much prefer being able to order Happy Hour drinks to enjoy at the Sunset Bar in nice weather, or while I am still sitting by the pool before I’ve even thought about dressing for dinner, to knowing I need to be ready early to attend an indoor event.

 

This may be a great compromise. 

 

 

 

 

Agree. Satisfies both those who like the event and those who'd rather go somewhere else. Prevents over-crowding as well.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

One thing they should look at is doubling some of the benefits if the cruise if over 12 days 

eg laundry 

[fenton04]

Sigh,  they had us when a lounge was mentioned.  We are all in.

[CruisinShips]

Someone posted about this email on a Celebrity FB page I follow, and much of the discussion turned into talk started by one poster about how they will no longer sail Celebrity because of how the Elites and above onboard would always rub everyone's noses in their status and they were tired of being made to feel less than.  I've certainly never seen anything like that myself...curious if anyone here has experienced it.  Frankly it came across to me as that posters' own insecurity, but maybe I am in the minority...

[mahdnc]

6 minutes ago, CruisinShips said:

Someone posted about this email on a Celebrity FB page I follow, and much of the discussion turned into talk started by one poster about how they will no longer sail Celebrity because of how the Elites and above onboard would always rub everyone's noses in their status and they were tired of being made to feel less than.  I've certainly never seen anything like that myself...curious if anyone here has experienced it.  Frankly it came across to me as that posters' own insecurity, but maybe I am in the minority...

 

I have yet to witness that type of behavior during any of our cruises.  Now if there were special Elite lifeboats and the cruise ship was sinking, I could see such a scenario.

[hcat]

5 minutes ago, CruisinShips said:

Someone posted about this email on a Celebrity FB page I follow, and much of the discussion turned into talk started by one poster about how they will no longer sail Celebrity because of how the Elites and above onboard would always rub everyone's noses in their status and they were tired of being made to feel less than.  I've certainly never seen anything like that myself...curious if anyone here has experienced it.  Frankly it came across to me as that posters' own insecurity, but maybe I am in the minority...

wow.. wonder how they  must feel about  Suite guests.. In all our cruising years, we  never saw any Elites   mention or flaunt status, esp now

 

Feelings  of insecurity for sure! They are free to go elsewhere!

[Saturngrl]

DH and I were happy to read the email last night!   We will sail Reflection for 8 nights in February 2024, which will bring us 3 of those special gatherings on that cruise.  

 

Before I was Elite, I had no idea of all the Elite events going on during my cruises.  What I didn't know then, never bothered me in the least.  Just being on a Celebrity ship spells a great time for me! 

[NutsAboutGolf]

38 minutes ago, CruisinShips said:

Someone posted about this email on a Celebrity FB page I follow, and much of the discussion turned into talk started by one poster about how they will no longer sail Celebrity because of how the Elites and above onboard would always rub everyone's noses in their status and they were tired of being made to feel less than.  I've certainly never seen anything like that myself...curious if anyone here has experienced it.  Frankly it came across to me as that posters' own insecurity, but maybe I am in the minority...

That’s great news, that Uber-sensitive person will no longer be sailing with X 🤗

 

”rub everyone’s noses” over 2-3 lounge events?  Braggers gonna bag, these nose rubbers must already be bragging about their status benefits like laundry, elite happy hour, free gelato scoop, etc.  We’ve personally never seen it; here and there we’re heard something like “we cruise a lot so go on X a lot thanks to the status benefits” but  we don’t consider that bragging 

Edited October 26, 2023 by NutsAboutGolf

[CruisinShips]

I guess perhaps they think my pointing and laughing at the color of their seapass card while I have my suite colored card taped to my forehead is bragging?

[Saturngrl]

1 hour ago, CruisinShips said:

I guess perhaps they think my pointing and laughing at the color of their seapass card while I have my suite colored card taped to my forehead is bragging?

We always get asked about our gold-colored SeaPasses for being Concierge.   You are not alone, lol! 

[kirtihk]

20 hours ago, cbfb said:

Just received this email:

 

I have heard from many of our loyal Captain’s Club members, such as yourself, that one of the program’s most gratifying aspects is the opportunity to be part of a community of like-minded travellers with whom you can share your experiences on board. I love that so many of you are eager to connect over your shared passion for travel and cruising.  I am excited to announce that starting in January 2024, we will designate an existing lounge space for our Elite, Elite Plus, and Zenith members to get together on board during the daily Elite Cocktail hour.  The lounge space will be available twice per cruise on sailings between 5 nights and 7 nights, and three times per cruise on sailings 8 nights or longer, from 5pm to 7pm. Your concierge team will inform you in your welcome letter of the specific days and locations where you can gather on board. Additionally, drinks will still be available at bars and lounges throughout the ship daily by presenting your Seapass card if you prefer not to use the designated lounge space.  This gathering, in addition to our Captain’s Club Welcome Party, Senior Officer Party, Music & Mixology event, and more, provides our members with several opportunities to meet up, and we could not be more excited. Thank you for your loyalty, and I hope to meet you on board soon.  Best,

Laura Hodges Bethge President, Celebrity Cruises

"New Elite benefit" - it's so amusing!  It's actually reduced previously existing one.  This email was supposed to be distributed only to first time Celebrity cruisers and non-cruisers yet who subscribed to the Celebrity e-mail.

[NutsAboutGolf]

26 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

"New Elite benefit" - it's so amusing!  It's actually reduced previously existing one.  This email was supposed to be distributed only to first time Celebrity cruisers and non-cruisers yet who subscribed to the Celebrity e-mail.

 

What reduced?  The email states the 5-7 elite happy hour still exists at the participating bars

 

Why wouldn't the email be sent to Elites and above?

[DaKahuna]

28 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

"New Elite benefit" - it's so amusing!  It's actually reduced previously existing one.  This email was supposed to be distributed only to first time Celebrity cruisers and non-cruisers yet who subscribed to the Celebrity e-mail.

 

 I am curious - which "previously existing one" did this change reduce? 

 

[Torfamm]

3 hours ago, CruisinShips said:

Someone posted about this email on a Celebrity FB page I follow, and much of the discussion turned into talk started by one poster about how they will no longer sail Celebrity because of how the Elites and above onboard would always rub everyone's noses in their status and they were tired of being made to feel less than.  I've certainly never seen anything like that myself...curious if anyone here has experienced it.  Frankly it came across to me as that posters' own insecurity, but maybe I am in the minority...

I think there are people who are disappointed about not being able to enter what they see as desirable spaces or have certain benefits and blame the beneficiaries.

[kirtihk]

4 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

What reduced?  The email states the 5-7 elite happy hour still exists at the participating bars

 

Why wouldn't the email be sent to Elites and above?

"What reduced?" - I was writing specifically about the "Daily Elite Cocktail Hour lounge" event (typically, in the Sky lounge, as many already mentioned).

 

"Why wouldn't..." - it was an irony: new cruisers most likely wouldn't know what Celebrity Elite status cruisers experienced years ago; so, for them it is actually, a new benefit (of course, would be applied when they get to the Elite status or a Royal Caribbean customer with a proper matching status).

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 minute ago, kirtihk said:

"What reduced?" - I was writing specifically about the "Daily Elite Cocktail Hour lounge" event (typically, in the Sky lounge, as many already mentioned).

 

"Why wouldn't..." - it was an irony: new cruisers most likely wouldn't know what Celebrity Elite status cruisers experienced years ago; so, for them it is actually, a new benefit (of course, would be applied when they get to the Elite status or a Royal Caribbean customer with a proper matching status).

 

Valid.  I never experienced that event and it reportedly went away before the pandemic

[kirtihk]

13 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I am curious - which "previously existing one" did this change reduce? 

 

2-3 nights vs previous every night (except the first night) in the designated lounge.  It was a real event unlike just how it is now the "5-to-7-drink anywhere" event (ha-ha!).

[kirtihk]

2 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Valid.  I never experienced that event and it reportedly went away before the pandemic

Yes, I think around 2018.

[Torfamm]

1 hour ago, kirtihk said:

"New Elite benefit" - it's so amusing!  It's actually reduced previously existing one.  This email was supposed to be distributed only to first time Celebrity cruisers and non-cruisers yet who subscribed to the Celebrity e-mail.

That makes no sense.
 

1. They’ve added a private event without taking away the freedom to enjoy Elite Happy Hour wherever you like.

 

2. The only audience for this announcement is those who are eligible to attend.