Changes in the Celebrity Experience/Brand

[mrgabriel]

After returning from excursions or time onshore during our Celebrity cruises, the security officer consistently scans our Seapass with smiles and says, "Welcome home". We have been dedicated passengers on Celebrity ships for 14 years, a testament to our long-term commitment to your brand, and for many of those years, we have felt that we are indeed 'home' when onboard your ships. 

 

In the past couple of years, the brand has undergone small but significant experiential shifts that have caused us to ask ourselves, 'Do we want to go on another Celebrity cruise? Is the value there?' whereas five years ago, there was no question. Yes! Let's book another cruise on Celebrity!

 

When you meet with senior leadership, is there any consideration that these modifications may alter the essence of Celebrity Cruises and lessen the BRAND and in turn, our loyalty to it? And when I say 'our', I mean the thousands of us who have spent hundreds of days on your ships and continue to sustain it. I sometimes wonder if the Operations, Strategy, and Marketing departments recognise the potential impact of such changes on long-term passengers and the unique spirit of Celebrity. Over the past few years, it seems like decisions have been made to sacrifice the 'brand' and long-term passengers for the sake of short-term gains.

 

For example, changes to gratuity policies, service standards, the removal of lounge chairs (or rumoured removals), inconsistencies in policies or communications on the website/app/call centre/ships, and other changes that seem small and insignificant when taken one by one but in combination make the Celebrity experience quite different than it was even a year or two ago. 

 

 

[Laura Hodges Bethge]

Thank you for the feedback. Our returning guests and loyalty members are our greatest source of inspiration and our best resource for feedback and insights. We pour through your post-cruise survey comments, read all your emails, review trends on social media and more. It’s the reason I am here reading and answering your questions on Cruise Critic. We learn from you every day.

When making modifications and changes across the brand, we aim to deliver experiences that our guests need and want and that will elevate our offering. We may not always get it right, and we know we won’t always make everyone happy, but we are committed to listening to your feedback and quickly adjusting when we need to.

I know that “home” feeling you are talking about, and we take it very seriously. I felt it on day one, when I started in this role, and walked on the beautiful Millennium. You have my commitment that we will continue to nurture that as it embodies exactly who the Celebrity brand is. 

[conquesodor]

Thank you for fielding our questions. I have noticed and really appreciate the effort you and your team have put into engaging more with your customers. There are some cynics around here, but I believe you are listening and take this feedback seriously.

[lv2cruisgrl]

We cruise with 2 other couples.  So many times we say "why didn't Celebrity ask us our opinion! We could have told them that idea would sink like a rock!" 

[mrgabriel]

I appreciate the response from @Laura Hodges Bethge  We’re invested in Celebrity & hope to have many more wonderful holidays in the future. 
 

Also appreciate Celebrity taking the time to respond to questions. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

Shorter itineraries, higher prices and no true balconies on E-class ships for non-suite guests have contributed to us selecting other cruise lines for future cruises.  Nothing in this response suggests that we will come back to Celebrity.

 

[NoWhiners]

15 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 Nothing in this response suggests that we will come back to Celebrity.

 

 

That's true of most of her responses🙂