Precruise Retreat Concierge

[MMMCruiser]

On 7/9/2024 at 8:09 PM, jagoffee said:

What category of suite have you booked?

Sorry, I didn't see this because we left for our cruise.  I was booked in an Aqua Sky Suite.  The things we requested to be in the room (both through a call to shoreside retreat and by filling out a form they sent us online) were not there, nor did anyone on the ship know anything about them.  Again, bad pre-cruise customer service in my opinion. 

Once on board, we had a great butler who took care of these things and the small requests we had during the cruise. We were actually quite happy with the cruise itself, just not the pre-cruise experience (which really does matter, especially since we were first time Celebrity customers).  For this reason as well as a few others, we have booked our next cruise on another cruise line. 

[Traveling Fools]

Very helpful thread.

 

[jagoffee]

5 hours ago, MMMCruiser said:

Sorry, I didn't see this because we left for our cruise.  I was booked in an Aqua Sky Suite.  The things we requested to be in the room (both through a call to shoreside retreat and by filling out a form they sent us online) were not there, nor did anyone on the ship know anything about them.  Again, bad pre-cruise customer service in my opinion. 

Once on board, we had a great butler who took care of these things and the small requests we had during the cruise. We were actually quite happy with the cruise itself, just not the pre-cruise experience (which really does matter, especially since we were first time Celebrity customers).  For this reason as well as a few others, we have booked our next cruise on another cruise line. 

That is a shame since you enjoyed the experience.  The pre cruise Conceirge (who contacts you in advance) is directed  towards those staying in the higher level suites.  Royal Suites and above.  To me this is because that category requires certain advanced selections.  For instance, the brand of bottled liquor, Speciality dining restaurants (without a charge), etc.  

 

As you discovered the butler will be able to take care of your regular item needs after you board.  
 

This distinction often confuses those booked in a suite or any other category.

 

Best of luck on you next choice.  

 

 

[abbydancer2003]

We used to get the sky suite email, but I don't think I have on my last few.  On our last cruise we asked for the sparkling wine to be replaced by red, and the room steward and the butler each brought a bottle, and they told us to keep both when DH pointed it out.  (I wasn't there, so I don't know who brought the second bottle).

 

I'll just ask them to trade out for a red on our next cruise.

[chemmo]

On 7/9/2024 at 11:14 PM, canderson said:

"What we've got here is a failure to communicate".

 

I always bring a hardcopy of the email on the cruise.  Nice detail for the butler if needed, and ammunition for/against the Hotel Manager for a dropped ball.  Have only needed it once out of a dozen or so cruises in an X suite.

This is also what we do. However, simply for the butler. We usually cruise RS or PH.

 

What we have found over the years…

 

If we simply have a phone conversation with the concierge then the drinks information and the pillow requests go through but often not the smaller requests like a real fruit bowl. I assume during the conversation the concierge is filling in a form on line and perhaps the miscellaneous doesn’t always go through. 
 

Most of the time when we email our requests they all go through (missing about 1/10?) and we board to a completely set up room and speciality dining organised. However, it tends to be an all or nothing, everything goes through or nothing does, hence the value of the back up printed email…We always ask the butler to confirm our dining requests.
 

Butlers and room attendants do appreciate having information ahead of time and if they don’t get it then a hard copy of drink and dining requests saves them having to scribble down the information as you board. This is especially useful if you are planning on using the speciality restaurants most nights.

Edited August 3 by chemmo

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We always follow up a phone call from the shoreside concierge with an e-mail and I take a copy with us. I only remember one cruise where one of the bigger items was missing. We had requested champagne in lieu of the 2 bottles of spirits and the ship thought we did not want the spirits and did not get the request for the champagne.  It was quickly resolved.

[thepoint]

Our last cruise was January 2024 in a Sky suite.   We received a call from concierge and an email.  One request was  go green program (needed the extra points to get over to elite plus).   After cruise I was told I did not sign up for go green.  They  finally gave me the points. If, you are interested in the extra points make a copy or screen shot of your request for go green.  

[MMMCruiser]

17 hours ago, jagoffee said:

That is a shame since you enjoyed the experience.  The pre cruise Conceirge (who contacts you in advance) is directed  towards those staying in the higher level suites.  Royal Suites and above.  To me this is because that category requires certain advanced selections.  For instance, the brand of bottled liquor, Speciality dining restaurants (without a charge), etc.  

 

As you discovered the butler will be able to take care of your regular item needs after you board.  
 

This distinction often confuses those booked in a suite or any other category.

 

Best of luck on you next choice.  

 

 

My larger issues were the switch from having a butler when we booked to not having one, then getting the butlers back, plus the issues that people were having with the minibar being included, not included, and then stocked again.  It caused a lot of unnecessary anxiety and concern over what was supposed to be a vacation we were looking forward to.  So basically they stupidly took away some of the joy pre-cruise and while the cruise itself was great I don't really want to go through that experience again.  It's bad customer service on their part, and not very smart of them because we could have become repeat customers.  I'm trying Viking next, so no issues with being in a suite or the retreat or anything like that.  Only time will tell if it will be better for us.

[jagoffee]

@MMMCruiser, enjoy.

[madat]

We are booked in one of the PH suites for an upcoming, 17-night, TP cruise on Solstice.  With 32 days to go, I was really pleased to receive a phone call this morning from Ana, our Shoreside Retreat Concierge, which I thought was dealt with very professionally.

 

Being in Australia, I wasn't really expecting a call and assumed I might get an email instead.  However, the timing of the call was wall-managed, received at 10am here in Brisbane.  This would have been 8pm on the previous day in Miami, which is where I assume the call originated.  Quite considerate, really.

 

The call covered all of the expected categories and a few I wasn't expecting, too.  The expected ones included: (a) bar set-up (spirits, beers, mixers and water preferences) (b) special requests (e.g. extra hangers, pillow preferences, etc), (c) allergies or dietary needs, and (d) speciality restaurant bookings.  A few of the unexpected topics included: (a) expected time of boarding, (b) pajama sizes, and (c) number of suitcases.  

 

All of my requests were noted and included in an email confirmation that I received about 10 minutes after the call.  Also included were attachments with the pillow menu, the current wine list, the premium spirit list, and menus for all of the specialty restaurants. 

 

If this level of service continues onto the ship, we will be very happy cruisers.  The call this morning has certainly set a positive tone!

Edited August 29 by madat

[chemmo]

49 minutes ago, madat said:

We are booked in one of the PH suites for an upcoming, 17-night, TP cruise on Solstice.  With 32 days to go, I was really pleased to receive a phone call this morning from Ana, our Shoreside Retreat Concierge, which I thought was dealt with very professionally.

 

Being in Australia, I wasn't really expecting a call and assumed I might get an email instead.  However, the timing of the call was wall-managed, received at 10am here in Brisbane.  This would have been 8pm on the previous day in Miami, which is where I assume the call originated.  Quite considerate, really.

 

The call covered all of the expected categories and a few I wasn't expecting, too.  The expected ones included: (a) bar set-up (spirits, beers, mixers and water preferences) (b) special requests (e.g. extra hangers, pillow preferences, etc), (c) allergies or dietary needs, and (d) speciality restaurant bookings.  A few of the unexpected topics included: (a) expected time of boarding, (b) pajama sizes, and (c) number of suitcases.  

 

All of my requests were noted and included in an email confirmation that I received about 10 minutes after the call.  Also included were attachments with the pillow menu, the current wine list, the premium spirit list, and menus for all of the specialty restaurants. 

 

If this level of service continues onto the ship, we will be very happy cruisers.  The call this morning has certainly set a positive tone!

So pleased you have had a positive start!

 

Can I suggest you do as some of us have suggested earlier in the post and take a copy of the mail with you ‘just in case’. If you take a copy you won’t need it!

 

Re Speciality Dining on a TP. In our experience Murano really booked up towards the end of the cruise. We had pre booked, fortunately, but some suite guests, even in higher suites were struggling to get bookings at the times they wanted. They will invariably try their best to get higher suite guests in without a booking but may only be able to offer very early or very late. If you have only booked a few evenings for now with the intention of deciding later can I suggest you ask the butler on boarding to book a few more? You can always change or cancel if you decide you prefer other venues.

 

Our TP cruise on Solstice was our favourite cruise ever, Enjoy!

Edited August 29 by chemmo

[madat]

4 minutes ago, chemmo said:

So pleased you have had a positive start!

 

Can I suggest you do as some of us have suggested earlier in the post and take a copy of the mail with you ‘just in case’. If you take a copy you won’t need it!

 

Re Speciality Dining on a TP. In our experience Murano really booked up towards the end of the cruise. We had pre booked, fortunately, but some suite guests, even in higher suites were struggling to get bookings at the times they wanted. They will invariably try their best to get higher suite guests in without a booking but may only be able to offer very early or very late. If you have only booked a few evenings for now with the intention of deciding later can I suggest you ask the butler on boarding to book a few more? You can always change or cancel if you decide you prefer other venues.

 

Our TP cruise on Solstice was our favourite cruise ever, Enjoy!

 

 

I do intend to take a copy of the email which, as you note, of course won't be needed as a result :-)  And now, I'll also follow your advice about booking a few more evenings at Murano on boarding.  As you've guessed, I did only book a few evenings with the intention of deciding later on.  Great advice @chemmo , as always.  Thank you.  I've learned a lot about what to expect in the higher suites from your posts and others on CC.  Very helpful.

[bjahil47]

We are in RS on a cruise in October, 2024.  I received an email from Shoreside Concierge in July.  I responded and never heard back.  I replied two more times and never received a reply.  Yesterday, I decided to do the chat.  Put in all my info and the chat said they would contact me during business hours - it was 1 pm on a Wednesday!  So, I called the Retreat Shoreside Concierge.  Talked to Mauricio, who asked me a lot of questions and made my dining reservations.  I asked him to send a follow up email with all requests noted on it.  He stated he would send it in a few minutes.  24 hours later I still do not have it.  I just received a survey from Celebrity regarding my experience yesterday with Shoreside Concierge.  I used up every space I was allotted and told them about my experience this time and previous times.  Emails/calls never returned, reservations not made, requests not completed.  They really need to do better.  

[Jim_Iain]

I was surprised to have a call from the Shoreside Retreat Host for our November 16th Silhouette cruise yesterday (80 days in advance).   We are traveling in a Royal Suite and that's the earliest we have ever been contacted.  

 

She followed up with an email outlining all of the details.  

[canderson]

@bjahil47

I wonder if they've got the right email for you in that office?  We've always had prompt email replies from them.

 

Have them double check your address and have them send you a test message in real time while you're on the phone with them.

 

Ah... and check your inbound SPAM folder.

Edited August 29 by canderson

[chemmo]

3 minutes ago, canderson said:

@bjahil47

I wonder if they've got the right email for you in that office?  We've always had prompt email replies from them.

 

Have them double check your address and have them send you a test message in real time while you're on the phone with them.

 

Ah... and check your inbound SPAM folder.

I was just going to suggest checking the Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam….

[chemmo]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I was surprised to have a call from the Shoreside Retreat Host for our November 16th Silhouette cruise yesterday (80 days in advance).   We are traveling in a Royal Suite and that's the earliest we have ever been contacted.  

 

She followed up with an email outlining all of the details.  

One of the times none of our information went through was when we were contacted nearly three months out…Come to think of it we were asked early on our Eclipse cruise where the only information our butler had received was the spirits request…

 

Take a copy of your email on board just in case. Following my theory, if you take a printed email copy on board then you won’t need it…

[bjahil47]

27 minutes ago, canderson said:

@bjahil47

I wonder if they've got the right email for you in that office?  We've always had prompt email replies from them.

 

Have them double check your address and have them send you a test message in real time while you're on the phone with them.

 

Ah... and check your inbound SPAM folder.

Thanks!  All have been checked and still no email.  I’ll give them until Monday and call again.  

[abbydancer2003]

We were on the 8/16 7 day Apex cruise in a sky suite, and now on the 8/27 11 day cruise in an Edge Villa (move up accepted).  

We got the move up notice on August 12.  By the middle of the 8/16 cruise, I asked the retreat concierge, and she said she was contacting the shoreside team.  Still nothing.  I emailed on Thursday morning, 8/22.  I would have expected them to respond almost immediately.  On Friday 8/23, around noon Miami time I finally called them.

 

The person I spoke to told me that someone else had the room and probably cancelled, so we got it.  Their information was still there, so maybe that's why they didn't call. She got all my info.

 

That said, that's no excuse, since when my concierge and I both emailed them, they should have checked.  

 

And on the ship, the butler had some of their reservations listed for us, and their shore excursion tickets were in our room.

 

Other than a broken hot tub for 24 hours, the cruise has been great so far.

 

 

[jcpc]

@abbydancer2003 Do you happen to know who the Shoreside Concierge assigned to Apex is?  I'm sailing Apex in December and am just curious as to who I will be dealing with.  In my experience I've found some of the shoreside concierges excellent and some just so-so.  Thanks so much and enjoy your cruise.

 

[abbydancer2003]

3 hours ago, jcpc said:

@abbydancer2003 Do you happen to know who the Shoreside Concierge assigned to Apex is?  I'm sailing Apex in December and am just curious as to who I will be dealing with.  In my experience I've found some of the shoreside concierges excellent and some just so-so.  Thanks so much and enjoy your cruise.

 

Sorry, but I don't, since they never contacted me.  I called, and just selected the "other" suites (ie other tan sky suite).  I talked to the person who answered the phone.