Revolutionizing timeline?

[sofietucker]

So I watched the power up points video about Ascent, Australia, etc. When they got to the Q&A about the timeline for updating the older ships, I turned the sound down for a family member and missed her answer. But I noted a dramatic change in her body language! She'd been smiling and laughing all along until this question, when she suddenly turned grave in her answer. The next question about Southampton port, she got all smiley again.

 

So. What did she say? (I know the Connie is going into drydock next month, as soon as they get to Marseille--they are underway on that TA as of today.) I'm guessing they may be selling off some of the M and S class ships...

[waterbug123]

She was very vague, but reading between the lines it sounds like they are going to focus on revolutionizing Solstice class ships since they still have a lot of life left in them, but Summit class ships will not see major renovations since they're much closer to the end of their useful life.  They will simply get decor updates, like paint, carpet, upholstery etc.

[terrydtx]

11 minutes ago, waterbug123 said:

She was very vague, but reading between the lines it sounds like they are going to focus on revolutionizing Solstice class ships since they still have a lot of life left in them, but Summit class ships will not see major renovations since they're much closer to the end of their useful life.  They will simply get decor updates, like paint, carpet, upholstery etc.

That was my take as well, but no time lines its all about the cash needed. My best guess this will be the end of the M class ships as they are just getting too old  and will be sold off in the next few years.

[Stem to Stern]

1 hour ago, waterbug123 said:

She was very vague, but reading between the lines it sounds like they are going to focus on revolutionizing Solstice class ships since they still have a lot of life left in them, but Summit class ships will not see major renovations since they're much closer to the end of their useful life.  They will simply get decor updates, like paint, carpet, upholstery etc.

So sad.  I seem to remember Laura referring to S-class ships, not in these exact words, being at the halfway point in their life.  This gave me pause.  M-class ships haven’t even left the fleet and she is already preparing us for saying farewell to S-class.😟

Are the webinars in reruns somewhere online?

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

That was my take as well, but no time lines its all about the cash needed. My best guess this will be the end of the M class ships as they are just getting too old  and will be sold off in the next few years.

 

My WAG (Wild A$$ Guess) is they'll aggressively try to sell off the un-revolutionized Connie and Infinity 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

10 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

My WAG (Wild A$$ Guess) is they'll aggressively try to sell off the un-revolutionized Connie and Infinity 

Could RCG be looking to partner with a another Spanish company to start Pullmantur Cruises #2

 there is probably some RCL ship that could also be used to make it a 4-5 ship cruise line 

[hcat]

Aren't there certain ports that can only do M Class ships due to bridges, etc. ???

 

Thinking of Tampa which we have not tried due to age and condition of Connie. Wish a newer ship would berth there. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Aren't there certain ports that can only do M Class ships due to bridges, etc. ???

 

Thinking of Tampa which we have not tried due to age and condition of Connie. Wish a newer ship would berth there. 

 

It's entirely possible that with the addition of sailing out of Port Carnaval, X stops sailing out of Tampa

[hcat]

8 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

It's entirely possible that with the addition of sailing out of Port Carnaval, X stops sailing out of Tampa

oh.. not good for us! we are on W coast Fl   so its a shorter drive than other Fl Ports....we would still go a day or two ahead

 

Tampa has  so much to offer.  .Zoo, Busch Gardens, Aquarium,  Riverwalk, dining..etc

 

We do anything to avoid driving across  on I 4...

Edited March 25 by hcat

[tscoffey]

 

It should surprise no one that the pandemic greatly altered the ROI for any major upgrades to older ships.

 

You may love the older M-class ships, but they certainly don't love you back.

 

They're a publicly held company. If the numbers don't bear it out, then they have a fiduciary responsibility to their stockholders to invest their resources in other areas.

Edited March 25 by tscoffey

[NutsAboutGolf]

9 minutes ago, hcat said:

oh.. not good for us! we are on W coast Fl   so its a shorter drive than other Fl Ports....we would still go a day or two ahead

 

Tampa has  so much to offer.  .Zoo, Busch Gardens, Aquarium,  Riverwalk, dining..etc

 

We do anything to avoid driving across  on I 4...

 

As you said earlier, you won't book the Connie out of Tampa because of its old age.  I love the Tampa area, specifically St Pete Beach, and think the West Coast of Florida has some of the best beaches.  However, most major metros have a Zoo, Aquarium, and dining; if given a choice, I'm not sure many tourists would prefer Busch Gardens over Universal/Disney.  Currently, the Connie is sailing out of Tampa through early 2026

[gordylad]

the word DREAMING was used a couple of times.................

[hcat]

20 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

As you said earlier, you won't book the Connie out of Tampa because of its old age.  I love the Tampa area, specifically St Pete Beach, and think the West Coast of Florida has some of the best beaches.  However, most major metros have a Zoo, Aquarium, and dining; if given a choice, I'm not sure many tourists would prefer Busch Gardens over Universal/Disney.  Currently, the Connie is sailing out of Tampa through early 2026

i am going to take a quick look at what's available..maybe something with New Orleans as a port ( non Mardi Gras) and  with working A/C and toilets.

 

  We do not trvl with kiddos and are not interested in Universal..or Disney..maybe  the Flower Show at EPCOT.   TAMPA ZOO and Aquarium are very well known.. and enjoyed by many!  

[Jeremiah1212]

I would pay attention to the timeline between the end of the S class and beginning of the E class. 

 

Reflection was ordered in 2011 then delivered in October 2012. 

Edge was ordered in December 2014 then delivered in October 2018. 

Xcel, the last of the Edge Class, will be delivered tentatively November 2026. 

 

Looking at the leadership Celebrity has in place and where they came from along with the lack of  doing anything with the older M ships, I think the next class of ships is already well into the planning phase. A new class would potentially be announced within the next ~24 months and into service in the late 2020's. At that time at least 2, likely all four, M class ships will transition out of the fleet. 

 

S class is in need of a makeover. The ships with the original maroon and beige color scheme, the heavy damask upholstery, etc are in need of a refresh to keep in step with E class. I don't think that will happen for a few more years, potentially until Equinox or Silhouette go in for their quasi second round of Revolution and they can get back in line with a consistent look and feel. It will be interesting to see what is done with Equinox next month in dry dock. 

 

[bigbenboys]

Seems like X is still spending money on M Class ships.

 

19 MARCH 2024

Celebrity Infinity has returned to service following refurbishment and will spend the 2024-2025 season sailing European itineraries. 

The Celebrity Cruises vessel now has, in the rear of the ship, new Sunset Suites that include large private balconies designed specifically to give passengers the opportunity to watch the sun set during their cruise.  

The Retreat Lounge (formerly Michael’s Club) has been given a refreshed look and new colour palette for a warm and intimate atmosphere. The private restaurant Luminae at The Retreat has been expanded, giving more space for suite guests to enjoy the complimentary beverages, gourmet bites, live entertainment and more. 

“We strive to exceed guest expectations, from elevated service onboard and thoughtful amenities through to interior spaces designed to make guests feel at home in their surroundings,” said Keith Lane, senior vice president of hotel operations at Celebrity Cruises. “The enhancements to Celebrity Infinity, particularly the transformation of The Retreat Lounge, epitomises our commitment to providing an unmatched experience for our guests, ensuring that every journey with Celebrity Cruises is memorable.” 

[go.without.you]

4 minutes ago, bigbenboys said:

Seems like X is still spending money on M Class ships.

 

19 MARCH 2024

Celebrity Infinity has returned to service following refurbishment and will spend the 2024-2025 season sailing European itineraries. 

 

Well this sounds promising for Connie then. I was on her last Christmas and thought she beautiful. The crew made it one of my best cruises ever (out of 32) so I booked this year for NYE. I'm anxious to see what improvements are made.

[sofietucker]

38 minutes ago, go.without.you said:

Well this sounds promising for Connie then. I was on her last Christmas and thought she beautiful. The crew made it one of my best cruises ever (out of 32) so I booked this year for NYE. I'm anxious to see what improvements are made.

Yep, we'll be on her again in October, before her TA back to this side of the Atlantic. The crew was great this past couple of weeks, but most won't still be onboard at that point.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, bigbenboys said:

Seems like X is still spending money on M Class ships.

 

19 MARCH 2024

Celebrity Infinity has returned to service following refurbishment and will spend the 2024-2025 season sailing European itineraries. 

The Celebrity Cruises vessel now has, in the rear of the ship, new Sunset Suites that include large private balconies designed specifically to give passengers the opportunity to watch the sun set during their cruise.  

The Retreat Lounge (formerly Michael’s Club) has been given a refreshed look and new colour palette for a warm and intimate atmosphere. The private restaurant Luminae at The Retreat has been expanded, giving more space for suite guests to enjoy the complimentary beverages, gourmet bites, live entertainment and more. 

“We strive to exceed guest expectations, from elevated service onboard and thoughtful amenities through to interior spaces designed to make guests feel at home in their surroundings,” said Keith Lane, senior vice president of hotel operations at Celebrity Cruises. “The enhancements to Celebrity Infinity, particularly the transformation of The Retreat Lounge, epitomises our commitment to providing an unmatched experience for our guests, ensuring that every journey with Celebrity Cruises is memorable.” 

Noticed , there is nothing for the other 95% of the passengers 🤣

[waterbug123]

I think they're doing what they can to M-class to keep the finishes looking fresh, and offer as much of The Retreat experience as possible without doing major renovations.  i.e. Michael's and Luminae might get tweaked, but I don't think you're going to see a massive reno to add a Retreat Sundeck area that competes with those on Edge class ships, with large seating areas, hot tub, plunge pool, bar etc.

[RichYak]

3 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Noticed , there is nothing for the other 95% of the passengers 🤣

I noticed this too. They only upgraded where it would directly result in more revenue--reclassifying staterooms as Retreat and adding/upgrading more infrastructure to support them.

[Larwos]

There is no doubt that X is going further into ‘all for the high paying guests and less for their loyal balcony, oceanview and interior passengers’ mode. 
One of the joys of X ships has always been the wonderful sky lounge, and it appears we’ll be losing that soon. So sad.