Emailing the execs office

[Moby Jones]

So like a few others on here I emailed the executive's office to provide some feedback on recent changes made by Celebrity cruise line. 

I received a fairly generic response from a person in that office stating they would like to call me. I provided my phone number but heard absolutely nothing back. I strongly suspect this was because I'm based in the UK. I've previously been given the impression that passengers based outside the US are treated as second class citizens when contacting head office. 

However I'm now in Florida and so called the number provided. Disappointingly the individual did not understand the point I was making until I explained, slowly... They obviously hadn't read or understood my email and my comments about changes to the premium beverage package. 

Unsurprisingly I got a fairly standard apologise, sympathise and then state they will feed back to leadership response. In short they claim they understand that many passengers are unhappy with recent changes. They state that all feedback will be fed back to the leadership team and state that they have historically reversed changes when they have received enough pushback from unhappy passengers. 

With that in mind, if you are unhappy with changes to beverage packages etc feel free to email executiveoffice@celebrity.com and express your thoughts and frustrations etc. 

It was clear to me that they have no real intention of making changes. Unless of course they receive a lot more pushback. I guess time will tell. 

I'm an RCL shareholder and have listened to many webcasts, so I'm well aware that they are deliberately pushing cutbacks and price increases as part of their 'Ttifecta' plan which you can all read about online. So with that in mind I really wouldn't expect any changes. Other than us booking alternative cruise lines. 🙂 

 

[twincheryl]

Appreciate you emailing… I have done the same regarding the ridiculous solo pricing but have not heard back.  In the past when there have been issues that lots of people were unhappy about, it does seem that they were listening… which is why we have remained loyal to Celebrity.

 

I would encourage people to email about issues that are important to them.  We’ll see how these are handled by the new mgmt team… there are many other cruise lines out there.

[Orator]

Jason Liberty reported last night on CNBC that onboard spending is up 30% and that the consumer is healthy. People are booking at what some find are high prices and we can expect higher prices as people continue to cruise. As I've said before RCL doesn't care who's in the cabin only that the ship sails full.  Complaints about prices are useless until their results indicate that the price of the cruise means less than full ships. Pricing is based on demand! High demand and onboard spending lead to higher costs. 

[mrgabriel]

25 minutes ago, Orator said:

Jason Liberty reported last night on CNBC that onboard spending is up 30% and that the consumer is healthy. People are booking at what some find are high prices and we can expect higher prices as people continue to cruise. As I've said before RCL doesn't care who's in the cabin only that the ship sails full.  Complaints about prices are useless until their results indicate that the price of the cruise means less than full ships. Pricing is based on demand! High demand and onboard spending lead to higher costs. 

 

Is the increased spending a blip?

 

Hotel taxes in my city will increase a LOT in 2024. Yesterday, one of the leaders of the local hotel/motel association advised hotel/motel owners to appeal their tax assessments en masse. Hotel occupancy and tourism were way up in 2023 - higher than pre-pandemic levels - but non-governmental tourism advisors are stating that the level of spending can't be sustained. The economy is facing headwinds and they also believe that 'revenge travel' has reached its peak. 

 

My suspicion is the same for other travel such as cruises. I don't think anyone at RCI is looking long-term - they're making decisions based on overly simplistic data like base spending, and not reviewing repeat customer data or surveys or accounting for discontent within loyal/long-term customers. But what do I know ... just that we're looking at non-cruise options for our future. 

[Orator]

11 minutes ago, mrgabriel said:

 

Is the increased spending a blip?

 

Hotel taxes in my city will increase a LOT in 2024. Yesterday, one of the leaders of the local hotel/motel association advised hotel/motel owners to appeal their tax assessments en masse. Hotel occupancy and tourism were way up in 2023 - higher than pre-pandemic levels - but non-governmental tourism advisors are stating that the level of spending can't be sustained. The economy is facing headwinds and they also believe that 'revenge travel' has reached its peak. 

 

My suspicion is the same for other travel such as cruises. I don't think anyone at RCI is looking long-term - they're making decisions based on overly simplistic data like base spending, and not reviewing repeat customer data or surveys or accounting for discontent within loyal/long-term customers. But what do I know ... just that we're looking at non-cruise options for our future. 

Results count!  RCL is most interested in their shareholders and they seem pleased as the share price increases. 

[bikerunner]

2 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

So like a few others on here I emailed the executive's office to provide some feedback on recent changes made by Celebrity cruise line. 

I received a fairly generic response from a person in that office stating they would like to call me. I provided my phone number but heard absolutely nothing back. I strongly suspect this was because I'm based in the UK. I've previously been given the impression that passengers based outside the US are treated as second class citizens when contacting head office. 

However I'm now in Florida and so called the number provided. Disappointingly the individual did not understand the point I was making until I explained, slowly... They obviously hadn't read or understood my email and my comments about changes to the premium beverage package. 

Unsurprisingly I got a fairly standard apologise, sympathise and then state they will feed back to leadership response. In short they claim they understand that many passengers are unhappy with recent changes. They state that all feedback will be fed back to the leadership team and state that they have historically reversed changes when they have received enough pushback from unhappy passengers. 

With that in mind, if you are unhappy with changes to beverage packages etc feel free to email executiveoffice@celebrity.com and express your thoughts and frustrations etc. 

It was clear to me that they have no real intention of making changes. Unless of course they receive a lot more pushback. I guess time will tell. 

I'm an RCL shareholder and have listened to many webcasts, so I'm well aware that they are deliberately pushing cutbacks and price increases as part of their 'Ttifecta' plan which you can all read about online. So with that in mind I really wouldn't expect any changes. Other than us booking alternative cruise lines. 🙂 

 

The calls back are just information gathering, they are not going to say, ohh we need to change that.  The more people call or email the more data they can collect on the unhappiness of the guests.  I had to do this on a much smaller scale when working in the hospitality industry on comment cards. Would not expect much in the foreseeable future would be my guess.  As some point out, ships are sailing full, and guests are spending.  Until they start seeing a decline in those areas they will keep tweaking to get to the max revenue per sailing that they can get to.  I will see how it goes in April on my TA on the Silhouette.  Tho I already know that is my last cruise with Celebrity for a couple years as have moved to River Cruises and Azamara, along with a few land based trips and All Inclusive for my next ones thru end of 2025.   The changes in Premium drink will interest me more when I sail.  Like has been discussed a few times on threads the pricing is very strange overall on how its being done.  Some marked up a lot, some not at all so its interesting overall to look.  

[doghog]

3 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

With that in mind, if you are unhappy with changes to beverage packages etc feel free to email executiveoffice@celebrity.com and express your thoughts and frustrations etc. 

Agree. I have and always received a call back. 

Edited January 5 by doghog

[cheeseheads4ever]

Just curious alive been off line for a while and not on a cruise critic. I see some posters are commenting on changes to premium drink package. What changes and what did I miss?

Any info would be appreciated.

 

[39august]

Available wines on premium are now very limited. Better wines and some popular cocktails that were previously available now are priced over the $17 limit. 

[airhose]

I have just emailed my reaction to the $17 premium package limit.  Lots of customers should as well.  There was a positive response by Celebrity to the reduced evening buffet offerings, after many complaints. 

Protest! 

[tartantiara]

I have also sent an email regarding the increases 

[Baynanno1]

I have sent three, with no response to the first two.

The third just sent an hour or so ago.

Hoping third time lucky! 🤔

[Terre]

8 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

So like a few others on here I emailed the executive's office to provide some feedback on recent changes made by Celebrity cruise line. 

I received a fairly generic response from a person in that office stating they would like to call me. I provided my phone number but heard absolutely nothing back. I strongly suspect this was because I'm based in the UK. I've previously been given the impression that passengers based outside the US are treated as second class citizens when contacting head office. 

However I'm now in Florida and so called the number provided. Disappointingly the individual did not understand the point I was making until I explained, slowly... They obviously hadn't read or understood my email and my comments about changes to the premium beverage package. 

Unsurprisingly I got a fairly standard apologise, sympathise and then state they will feed back to leadership response. In short they claim they understand that many passengers are unhappy with recent changes. They state that all feedback will be fed back to the leadership team and state that they have historically reversed changes when they have received enough pushback from unhappy passengers. 

With that in mind, if you are unhappy with changes to beverage packages etc feel free to email executiveoffice@celebrity.com and express your thoughts and frustrations etc. 

It was clear to me that they have no real intention of making changes. Unless of course they receive a lot more pushback. I guess time will tell. 

I'm an RCL shareholder and have listened to many webcasts, so I'm well aware that they are deliberately pushing cutbacks and price increases as part of their 'Ttifecta' plan which you can all read about online. So with that in mind I really wouldn't expect any changes. Other than us booking alternative cruise lines. 🙂 

 

Would you mind sharing the email address you used?  I need to write as well.

[Moby Jones]

24 minutes ago, Terre said:

Would you mind sharing the email address you used?  I need to write as well.

It’s in the first post. Third paragraph from the bottom. 

[1Virgo]

I too sent off an email. why would we drink wine, Scotch, Brandy, or a beer of a lesser value than we drink at home?  

 

  To think so many beverages have been moved up from Classic to Premium and what was part of Premium, no longer there, makes the question how Celebrity can say “relaxed luxury “

 

[Linda W.]

I only want what was marketed to us when we booked and PAID for our cruise.  Seems Celebrity hooks you in and then changes things to make you pay MORE for what you assumed was agreed upon when booking.  I understand changing prices.....what I don't understand is why they think it is ok for us to be forced to sign a contract and then the agreement they make for their offering, i.e. premium beverage package selections changes AFTER our last payment due date.  Seems like they KNOW they are getting you hooked and then charging you more.  That is why I am moving on after this next cruise.  This new president was obviously put there for a reason.  To smile and make us think she is there to better our experience.  Really???

[Dolebludger]

Well here’s the thing. If you don’t like the deals Celebrity is offering now, just don’t book them again. This is the only language it understands. Back before 2000, we used to cruise RC. Then in 2001, RC started banning carry on beverages, and stopped selling liquor in their onboard store for on board consumption. Other mass market lines quickly followed this example —to rip us off for drinks. So we had to move to lux lines and cruise less — and enjoy it more. Back six or seven years ago, we discovered Celebrity Retreat, which (then) offered much of what we got on lux lines. Now, prices for the Retreat are higher than lux lines, and inclusions are fewer. So we cruise on other lines. That is all we can do.

[markeb]

9 hours ago, Orator said:

Results count!  RCL is most interested in their shareholders and they seem pleased as the share price increases. 

 

39 minutes ago, Linda W. said:

This new president was obviously put there for a reason.

 

She was hired to make shareholders money. As Orator says, it's working.

 

14 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Well here’s the thing. If you don’t like the deals Celebrity is offering now, just don’t book them again. This is the only language it understands.

 

I'm going to agree with you, but if they continue to fill the ships with new cruisers, the language they understand is welcome to the future and it looks profitable. We enjoyed having you along for the ride.

 

10 hours ago, Orator said:

Jason Liberty reported last night on CNBC that onboard spending is up 30% and that the consumer is healthy. People are booking at what some find are high prices and we can expect higher prices as people continue to cruise. As I've said before RCL doesn't care who's in the cabin only that the ship sails full.  Complaints about prices are useless until their results indicate that the price of the cruise means less than full ships. Pricing is based on demand! High demand and onboard spending lead to higher costs. 

 

That pretty much explains it in a nutshell. If they're sailing full they don't care about phone calls and emails. If they're sailing full with new cruisers they can keep for 10 years and who won't be looking for expensive loyalty benefits, even better. And if, as seems likely, they have the business analytics to support that, then we adapt or move on. They (RCG as a whole, not just Celebrity) may be spending a ton of money down the road to recruit new customers to replace the crop they're bringing in now. It seems clear that coming out of the pandemic and a bunch of capital investment in ships the mission is to reward the shareholders. Which is theoretically the mission of the officers and board of any publicly traded corporation.

 

Part of me thinks they're shooting themselves in the foot by offering packages then moving the most popular items just out of the package. It seems to defeat the whole modern luxury market space they had largely to themselves. But much though I personally like that offering, I have no idea if it was a successful business model or not. RCG does not report earnings on its subsidiaries. I do feel like they're setting their business strategy as a cumulation of operational decisions, and that rarely works in the long run. We'll see.

[tartantiara]

23 hours ago, tartantiara said:

have also sent an email regarding the increases 

After writing this email last night I got a phone call this afternoon from the executive office. I reiterated what I said on the email and was told that they have had a numerous complaints and that the packages were getting reviewed. They asked which drinks I was most concerned about and off-hand I just mentioned Decoy and Conundrum. They could not tell me when the review was getting done.

By the way I am in Scotland so it’s not just US that are getting phone calls 

[airhose]

Canada is also getting phone calls.  I did miss the call this afternoon but got an email requesting a good time to call back on Monday. 

[PROCRUISE]

On 1/5/2024 at 11:40 AM, twincheryl said:

Appreciate you emailing… I have done the same regarding the ridiculous solo pricing but have not heard back.  In the past when there have been issues that lots of people were unhappy about, it does seem that they were listening… which is why we have remained loyal to Celebrity.

 

I would encourage people to email about issues that are important to them.  We’ll see how these are handled by the new mgmt team… there are many other cruise lines out there.

It is interesting that today (1/6/24) three of the major cruise information websites all talked about what Celebrity is doing to solo cruisers with ridiculous added on fare fees. At the same time, other cruise lines are noting the increased number of individuals who now must, or are making the choice, to cruise solo and making it more financially possible and with more solo cabins. I must now cruise alone. I was going to book a 12/24 cruise with X until I saw the solo prices. I just booked with HAL who treats solo passengers correctly.

[twincheryl]

1 hour ago, PROCRUISE said:

 I was going to book a 12/24 cruise with X until I saw the solo prices. I just booked with HAL who treats solo passengers correctly.

Was so excited to see a couple of those news articles.  We are currently on Reflection to ABC Islands and have 8 more cruises that were booked before this new pricing scheme.  Three of them are on other lines even though Celebrity is by far our favorite… but the prices even before this were hard to pass up.

 

We were excited to finally get to Elite Plus on Celebrity but as we are solos who always book SV cabins we just cannot book with this increase in price.  The last booking we made in early Dec went from $4700 to now almost $9000 with this ridiculous scheme,

 

Still waiting for my return call from the executive office… 😎

[NMTraveller]

On 1/6/2024 at 1:12 AM, Orator said:

Jason Liberty reported last night on CNBC that onboard spending is up 30% and that the consumer is healthy. People are booking at what some find are high prices and we can expect higher prices as people continue to cruise. As I've said before RCL doesn't care who's in the cabin only that the ship sails full.  Complaints about prices are useless until their results indicate that the price of the cruise means less than full ships. Pricing is based on demand! High demand and onboard spending lead to higher costs. 

Yet on the ship the Future Cruises office was mostly empty.  Only a few couples here and there.  

[Debbra1024]

I emailed the executive office yesterday and received a phone call and email today. Standard lines but nice to get a response. 

[markeb]

4 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Yet on the ship the Future Cruises office was mostly empty.  Only a few couples here and there.  

What incentives were they offering onboard? It used to be reduced deposits and OBC. if there’s little or no OBC and the deposits are all or mostly non refundable, what’s the incentive to book onboard? In the past I’d say that was a good indicator, but I don’t know today. And if you’re in the Retreat booking a next cruise, you can do that in the Retreat. I realize that’s not a big percentage of passengers, but I’d think historically it was a group more likely to book onboard.

 

Unless the CEO of RCG is making misleading public statements, which the SEC might take an intense interest in, someone is booking.