Just off Apex

[Tudy]

1 minute ago, PTC DAWG said:

Never gonna cruise brother may need an attitude adjustment if he complains about a paid for cruise. 

I believe each of us has a list of things we wouldn't want even if they were given to us for free.😜

[JDPCruisers]

12 minutes ago, truckswain said:

Not at all.  In all my cruises with Celebrity with the last one being last week, Celebrity has yet to advertise something and not deliver.

 

What I found funny is that you think you are somehow penalizing Celebrity by doubling up on the wine you bring on board and limiting your spending.

 

Seems line a great deal of  aggravation to go through while on a vacation.  But hey, whatever floats your boat!

For last weeks cruise, mind sharing on what ship and if you were in the Retreat? Asking due to the different experiences for those that are in Sky Suites with the recent changes. 

[truckswain]

44 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

For last weeks cruise, mind sharing on what ship and if you were in the Retreat? Asking due to the different experiences for those that are in Sky Suites with the recent changes. 

I was on the Celebrity Beyond, Nov 13 - 21 in a Magic Carpet Suite.

 

First time in a suite so I have nothing to compare in terms of previous service.

 

What I can tell you is the the cruise was fantastic.  Service and food amazing and the ship is gorgeous.  Luminae  was outstanding as was our cabin steward.  Had zero need to use the the Retreat hosts/Concierge/butler team.  Not a fan of the Retreat Lounge or Sun Deck, but that is just me.  Had so much more fun at the pool deck, sunset plunge  pools and sunset bar.

[vwlmember]

They just put the Ascent into use and needed 1400 crew members to staff that new build. Where do you think they came from? They would not use rookies. As they were already tight on staffing, the transfer of even half of the 1400 new crew needed would put a strain on all of the other ships.

[JDPCruisers]

19 minutes ago, truckswain said:

I was on the Celebrity Beyond, Nov 13 - 21 in a Magic Carpet Suite.

 

First time in a suite so I have nothing to compare in terms of previous service.

 

What I can tell you is the the cruise was fantastic.  Service and food amazing and the ship is gorgeous.  Luminae  was outstanding as was our cabin steward.  Had zero need to use the the Retreat hosts/Concierge/butler team.  Not a fan of the Retreat Lounge or Sun Deck, but that is just me.  Had so much more fun at the pool deck, sunset plunge  pools and sunset bar.

We are on Beyond next May so that's great to hear and thanks. No signs of understaffing?

[truckswain]

Just now, JDPCruisers said:

We are on Beyond next May so that's great to hear and thanks. No signs of understaffing?

None that we encountered but we are pretty easy to please.

 

If we were at the main pool and had not seen a server for a bit, I simply got up and went to the bar to get a drink.  Which with  all I ate I needed the exercise!

 

The Martini Bar was always busy, could have had ten bartenders, still would have waited for a drink.  No sweat for us simply waited and enjoyed the people and watching the  bartenders make drinks.

 

We were on the Apex in Novermber 2021 and April 2022 and I thought the service and food on the Beyond was just as good or better.

 

I searched high and low for the $2 cookie but could not find it, settled for the free cookies at  Al Bocio.😄

 

[Dolebludger]

Good, but I don’t consider an understaffed martini bar to be a small issue. When we cruised in the Retreat a couple of times, the martini bar was the only place on the main ship that we regularly went to.  The Martini bar is sort of a Celebrity-only place, and it has been one of the main things we liked about Celebrity. When we cruise another line, the only thing we miss there is the martini bar. And I have read many posts here, and many say the martini bar is understaffed and at times unusable. It is a shame to see Celebrity degrading one of its main attractions.

[JDPCruisers]

8 minutes ago, truckswain said:

None that we encountered but we are pretty easy to please.

 

If we were at the main pool and had not seen a server for a bit, I simply got up and went to the bar to get a drink.  Which with  all I ate I needed the exercise!

 

The Martini Bar was always busy, could have had ten bartenders, still would have waited for a drink.  No sweat for us simply waited and enjoyed the people and watching the  bartenders make drinks.

 

We were on the Apex in Novermber 2021 and April 2022 and I thought the service and food on the Beyond was just as good or better.

 

I searched high and low for the $2 cookie but could not find it, settled for the free cookies at  Al Bocio.😄

 

Thanks. It seems like it's been quite a few cruises since the servers were wandering around the pool/solarium. Never bothered us as we have no issue going to the bars for our drinks and going from bar to bar for a change of scenery.

 

Martini Bar always a crowd favorite on the ships we've been on so not surprised to hear that. How have the other bars been, crowded?

 

And, good to hear Beyond is as good or better as Apex as we were on her last April/May for 24N and experienced zero issues anywhere on the ship. 

 

Think they rolled back the $2 cookie shortly after the uproar. 

[1Virgo]

On 11/27/2023 at 6:55 AM, bretts173 said:

Doesn't this show that more times people do some things the more little things they nitpick. People do something like eat at a certain restaurant for the first time and think it's amazing yet when they return they are often underwhelmed even if it's exactly the same.

 

We constantly see posts on hear saying it wasn't as good as before.

 

i don’t think nit picking but more the point the cutbacks are very noticeable.    

[truckswain]

On 11/29/2023 at 3:04 PM, Dolebludger said:

Good, but I don’t consider an understaffed martini bar to be a small issue. When we cruised in the Retreat a couple of times, the martini bar was the only place on the main ship that we regularly went to.  The Martini bar is sort of a Celebrity-only place, and it has been one of the main things we liked about Celebrity. When we cruise another line, the only thing we miss there is the martini bar. And I have read many posts here, and many say the martini bar is understaffed and at times unusable. It is a shame to see Celebrity degrading one of its main attractions.

See this is where I get confused, what is understaffed?  Only 1 bartender, or 2 or 3 during “busy” hours?  How long is reasonable to wait for a drink?  I think there are as many answers as there are people.  If one’s expectations are they should be served as quickly in the evening as they are in the middle of an afternoon on a port day well yes Celebrity has degraded  one of their main attractions.

 

i have also read the numerous posts about staff shortages, overworked crew and noticeable service cuts all over various ships.  The posts usually start - I sailed X in 2019 and the staff and service was amazing but my uncle’s best friend’s wife just returned from a cruise and the service was terrible.

 

Lots of hearsay on this board, hard to find those that have cruised and reported back actual facts.

[truckswain]

On 11/29/2023 at 3:05 PM, JDPCruisers said:

Thanks. It seems like it's been quite a few cruises since the servers were wandering around the pool/solarium. Never bothered us as we have no issue going to the bars for our drinks and going from bar to bar for a change of scenery.

 

Martini Bar always a crowd favorite on the ships we've been on so not surprised to hear that. How have the other bars been, crowded?

 

And, good to hear Beyond is as good or better as Apex as we were on her last April/May for 24N and experienced zero issues anywhere on the ship. 

 

Think they rolled back the $2 cookie shortly after the uproar. 

The other bars were busy at various times but I can say in 9 days I never went thirsty or hungry.

 

 

[rollie]

9 hours ago, truckswain said:

See this is where I get confused, what is understaffed?  Only 1 bartender, or 2 or 3 during “busy” hours?  How long is reasonable to wait for a drink?  I think there are as many answers as there are people.  If one’s expectations are they should be served as quickly in the evening as they are in the middle of an afternoon on a port day well yes Celebrity has degraded  one of their main attractions.

 

i have also read the numerous posts about staff shortages, overworked crew and noticeable service cuts all over various ships.  The posts usually start - I sailed X in 2019 and the staff and service was amazing but my uncle’s best friend’s wife just returned from a cruise and the service was terrible.

 

Lots of hearsay on this board, hard to find those that have cruised and reported back actual facts.

I think I was reporting actual facts, as I was there.  We generally don't sit at the martini bar, but love to watch the bartenders juggle their bottle and glasses as we are walking through.  Saw none of this except at show times.

 

Rollie

[PTC DAWG]

On 11/29/2023 at 12:53 PM, Tudy said:

I believe each of us has a list of things we wouldn't want even if they were given to us for free.😜

I assumed we were talking free vacations here..not black eyes or boiled liver.  🙂 

[terrydtx]

On 11/29/2023 at 11:53 AM, Tudy said:

I believe each of us has a list of things we wouldn't want even if they were given to us for free.😜

My list includes a free cruise on Carnival and NCL, done them once and never again.

[bookitdanno]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

My list includes a free cruise on Carnival and NCL, done them once and never again.

Gee, we have the same list!

[RichYak]

13 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

My list includes a free cruise on Carnival and NCL, done them once and never again.

DW and I took a free cruise on Carnival last year and we would absolutely do it again.

[Loracpin2]

On 11/27/2023 at 6:50 AM, rollie said:

We just finished our Thanksgiving cruise on Apex.  We are seasoned Celebrity cruiser and were with another couple cruising for the first time.  While we had a great cruise there were a few little things that seemed to be slipping on Apex.  Noticed there were only 2 servers at the Martini bar at a very busy time, and they didn't put on a very good show.  Soap dispensers empty and cloth towels not replenished in restrooms.  Just a lot of little things that were noticed by us.  Now the couple traveling with us didn't notice these things.  I'm not trying to nit pic, but a lot of little things do add up.  These are things that have always separated Celebrity with main stream cruise lines.

 

Rollie

We're booked on the Apex January 6 sailing and I have already set my expectations (when we booked 5 months ago) this would most likley not be the Celebrity experience we've been accustomed too!!  

[rollie]

14 hours ago, Loracpin2 said:

We're booked on the Apex January 6 sailing and I have already set my expectations (when we booked 5 months ago) this would most likley not be the Celebrity experience we've been accustomed too!!  

We will also be on the Apex again in January.  Will report back.

 

Rollie

[PTC DAWG]

22 hours ago, terrydtx said:

My list includes a free cruise on Carnival and NCL, done them once and never again.

Fair enough, I’ve never sailed them, probably never will. 🙂

[Tudy]

We are back from our cruise on the Apex. I am pleased to report that "Never gonna cruise" brother lived through the experience. He was surprised how "upscale resort" the ship felt. He has not committed to another cruise, but is not ruling it out. His wife loved it!

 

My impressions of Apex:

• Excellent room attendant!
• Food was good even though some of the cuts of meat were lesser quality.
• The bars and Cafe Al Bacio were very short staffed, even during non-peak hours.
• The shows we attended were good. We didn't go to the ones we had already seen.
• With very few exceptions, the crew remains Celebrity's biggest asset. They are the best.

 

[Texed]

Thanks for posting.  😊

[hcat]

On 11/27/2023 at 2:43 PM, horseymike said:

IMHO the overall beverage service has declined since the advent of the drink packages.

At many locations, bars , pools , show room etc……Just think about it, the drinks are paid for in advance along with the 20 % gratuity, less drinks served = more $$$$ for the cruise line.

Before drink packages became popular, you could not walk 6 feet on a ship without a beverage server asking you if you would like a drink .

agree.. the packages brought in many new customers who use their drink packages to the max..

 

There's less of an incentive for bar servers ..grats  are included in cost of the packages and many do not tip extra!