Celebrity Eclipse Sky Lounge closed during 12 day cruise

[Mimi04]

We were on this scenic cruise from Iceland to Boston via Greenland.

Astonishing views with calm waters and blue sky.

10 of the 12 days the sky lounge was either closed all day or part of the day (imagine leaving port in Iceland and wanting a drink with a view—-Skylounge is the first place to go). 

I’ve just finished the survey and I want to know if we can find out if on a future cruise we book this ‘Corporate’ decision is known ahead of time? 

Have you also noticed that the Glassblowing SHOW is now the Glassblowing CLASS???? Starts at 120USD!! Craziness.

I will be re-thinking my loyalty to Celebrity if this double booking of public spaces continues. 

[Mimi04]

9 hours ago, gowentgone said:

I went to Guest Relations and they handed me the Sky Lounge weekly schedule when it would be closed. I told them that was a major disappointment to me but the woman said "sorry, there is nothing she can do to change it." My thoughts were to write about this on Cruise Critic when I returned home and I must say I was both glad and amazed to see 311 posts about this already done. 

Besides filling out the survey and writing here about this complaint….can WE as a CELEBRITY-LOVING-COMMUNITY do anything? 

[hcat]

can guests still observe the class?

I .not interested in making something esp at high prices  but it is interesting to watch them work

[Mimi04]

23 hours ago, SteveCascio said:

Been following this discussion ... what I find it interesting in reviewing the marketing information for Eclipse; it presents the Sky Observation Lounge as a general use location for the cruise ... no limitations to its use:

A unique music venue with spectacular ocean views.
The perfect daytime spot to gaze over the sea with a cocktail in hand. At night, the space comes alive with live music and dancing. Featuring twelve signature Zodiac cocktails based on your astrological sign, all prepared by flaring mixologists.

 

Other areas of the ship that do have limitations or extra charges are clearly detailed (Retreat, specialty restaurants etc.)

The Retreat Lounge
Michael's Club is exclusive to guests of The Retreat®. This warmly inviting lounge offers a fully stocked and expertly staffed bar, gourmet bites and live entertainment.

 

Many times in this thread it is mentioned that Celebrity was compensated for Parkwest's use of the room ... shouldn't it be the passengers that were compensated?? OBC??

 

Just an observation.

It’s called DOUBLE-BOOKING public spaces

[Mimi04]

On 8/27/2024 at 10:20 PM, markeb said:

 

Didn't they used to close at least most of the Sky Lounge for the Elite Happy Hour? Pretty sad to have paid for access to that public space and be shut out by Captain's Club members! 😄

 

From the sound of things they're bringing in larger pieces that probably wouldn't display well in a conference room. Just not a PW person, but that would be my suspicion. And the dance floor in the Sky Lounge would honestly be a great display space. I will confess that I've just never seen the popularity of this particular public space that others on this thread have seen, other than for late night events and scenic sailings. I think it's a questionable PR move but almost certainly a good business move. If they have a business partner paying them for 50+ customers for 6+ hours a day, versus the typical handful that are in there during most days (scenic passages excepted), it would actually be pretty bad business not to do the deal. Like most of these threads there are only a handful of people commenting here. Is this trending on other social media? If not, it's not even a bad PR move. (I don't know; I really don't follow cruising on other platforms.)

 

Would people be as upset if they were using the space for a continuing medical education at sea conference? Or some other private/semi-private group? Is it just PW? Is this also happening in the Viking Crown Lounge (or other areas) on Royal Caribbean? That would be an interesting situation to me if they're not!

 

 

I am sorry to say but, no. On a scenic cruise like this one where the weather is cold, the best place to watch is the Skylounge. 6 sea days and all OTHER public spaces were jammed packed.

[doghog]

7 minutes ago, Mimi04 said:

Besides filling out the survey and writing here about this complaint….can WE as a CELEBRITY-LOVING-COMMUNITY do anything? 

Send your complaints, concerns, frustrations to  executiveoffice@celebrity.com

[Travel-and-See]

On 8/27/2024 at 10:20 PM, markeb said:

I will confess that I've just never seen the popularity of this particular public space that others on this thread have seen, other than for late night events and scenic sailings.

Isn't this a scenic sailing?  On the Alaska cruises I've been on you had to get there early to get a good seat - would always be full and the naturalist would be up there pointing things out. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

13 minutes ago, Mimi04 said:

We were on this scenic cruise from Iceland to Boston via Greenland.

Astonishing views with calm waters and blue sky.

10 of the 12 days the sky lounge was either closed all day or part of the day (imagine leaving port in Iceland and wanting a drink with a view—-Skylounge is the first place to go). 

I’ve just finished the survey and I want to know if we can find out if on a future cruise we book this ‘Corporate’ decision is known ahead of time? 

Have you also noticed that the Glassblowing SHOW is now the Glassblowing CLASS???? Starts at 120USD!! Craziness.

I will be re-thinking my loyalty to Celebrity if this double booking of public spaces continues. 

I believe the glassblowing classes started over 5 years ago , so it not new 

it only $195 CAD +hst per hour to a class by us so the Celebrity isn’t to bad 😁

 

[Mimi04]

12 minutes ago, doghog said:

Send your complaints, concerns, frustrations to  executiveoffice@celebrity.com

Done

[39august]

Moving activities to the Ensemble lounge then impacts the usual usage of that lounge as well, so not a good solution. .

[quicklabs]

On 8/25/2024 at 12:45 PM, NMTraveller said:

Form letter.  This looks like a letter that they have printed 100s of.

I got the same one.  I registered my dissatisfaction again on the survey, but I doubt it will make one whit of difference.  

 

Edited September 2 by quicklabs

[quicklabs]

On 8/27/2024 at 8:58 AM, NMTraveller said:

They do seem to have a total disregard for the customer and will chase any increased revenue ...

I can see PW using the Sky Lounge for a couple of hours at most,  but not all day.  Just imagine them closing down Eden for most of the cruise.  As others have said when it starts raining outside,  everyone comes in and it is crowded.

This cruise was from Iceland to Boston.   Since it was a very cold weather cruise, guests couldn't hang around outside or even on their balconies except for the last two days of the cruise.  So yes, everyone had to be inside for 10 out of 12 days of the cruise.  There were times were people were sitting on the floor of the Ensemble Lounge because there was nowhere to sit.  The problem was acknowledged by the Eclipse guest relations folks, but the situation was not of their making nor within their power to resolve. 

[quicklabs]

On 8/31/2024 at 2:51 PM, Ex-Airbalancer said:

We had friends on the Iceland to Boston cruise 

They said it was packed at every lounge because it was too cold to sit outside.

They booked an inside cabin , it was one of the exciting deals, she was trying to do some work in Sky Lounge and was kick because of PW , I guess she talked to GS , and sent a bottle of wine to her room

Your friends are right.  The North Atlantic ocean is very cold indeed, and with the winds accelerated due to the forward motion of the ships, it is impossible to sit outside.  The ship was packed, with people even sitting on the floor in the Ensemble Lounge because there were simply no other places to sit.  It is insulting to get a bottle of cheap wine for such a major inconvenience and disregard of regular guests. 

Edited September 2 by quicklabs

[Travel-and-See]

52 minutes ago, quicklabs said:

The problem was acknowledged by the Eclipse guest relations folks, but the situation was not of their making nor within their power to resolve. 

This is something I would have definitely elevated to an officer then... I would have continued to ask for someone further up the chain who has any authority the way space is used on the ship.  

 

Who gets to make the decision?  What if Park West wants to rent out the entire MDR - does everyone on the ship just shrug their shoulders and say "sorry no MDR, enjoy the buffet"?  

 

Obviously I'm not suggesting you should have done that... I'm just so frustrated that this was the situation for you! 

 

 

2 hours ago, 39august said:

Moving activities to the Ensemble lounge then impacts the usual usage of that lounge as well, so not a good solution. .

 

Side note... Celebrity needs a lounge or space on the ship that is advertised as "activity free" - I enjoy the activities when I'm in the mood, but when I want to relax somewhere I don't want to be interrupted by a camp-counselor playing a carnival game haha.  (I won a nice Celebrity hat with such game - it was fun - not saying those activities shouldn't exist!) 

Edited September 2 by Travel-and-See

[canderson]

27 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

Who gets to make the decision? 

Miami passes the edict down to the Hotel Manager.  Miami wrote the contract.  They're the only ones that could change this behavior in the future - if they even wanted to.

 

While we enjoy Celebrity for the most part, the presence of Park West cheapens the brand to our way of thinking.  You'll notice they're not out hawking high priced art to their 'special guests' on high priced cruise lines.

[Travel-and-See]

3 minutes ago, canderson said:

Miami passes the edict down to the Hotel Manager.  Miami wrote the contract.  They're the only ones that could change this behavior in the future - if they even wanted to.

Who is "Miami"? - the Hotel Manager has no say in how spaces are used?  Then he is not a manager, only a coordinator.  

[RichYak]

3 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

Who is "Miami"?

Celebrity upper management.

[canderson]

13 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

Who is "Miami"? - the Hotel Manager has no say in how spaces are used?  Then he is not a manager, only a coordinator.  

It's a publicly traded company with a huge corporate structure.  Do you think managers of WalMart stores get to say how their stores are laid out?  Every peg and inch of shelf space is already accounted for in Bentonville long before tomorrow's trucks show up.  Think again.

 

It's the manager's job to execute, not innovate.  Just how it is.

 

The only person outside of corporate offices who actually does have the authority to do what you're describing would be the captain, though afterward, he/she likely wouldn't be a Celebrity captain for very long.

[Travel-and-See]

18 minutes ago, canderson said:

The only person outside of corporate offices who actually does have the authority to do what you're describing would be the captain, though afterward, he/she likely wouldn't be a Celebrity captain for very long.

You are suggesting that Celebrity would fire a captain for making a decision on how to handle a situation on the ship they are assigned to? That's a very bold claim.

[Mimi04]

12 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

You are suggesting that Celebrity would fire a captain for making a decision on how to handle a situation on the ship they are assigned to? That's a very bold claim.

There is an email in this threads for Celebrity. Please all, send an email to them. For my part, I will not be returning, in the forseeable future, to this class of ship

[canderson]

12 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

You are suggesting that Celebrity would fire a captain for making a decision on how to handle a situation on the ship they are assigned to? That's a very bold claim.

If a captain were to unilaterally decide to kick Park West out of their 'rented' space to make passengers happy, yes.  While the captain is the master of the ship, he/she still works at the pleasure of RCG.

 

Heaven knows what it would cost the company just for the broken contract and passenger fares, much less what Park West's famous lawyers would undoubtedly claim for compensatory damages due to lost sales.

 

Employees in any business that blow up large business deals made by corporate aren't going to go without consequences.

 

 

[zitsky]

8 minutes ago, canderson said:

If a captain were to unilaterally decide to kick Park West out of their 'rented' space to make passengers happy, yes.  While the captain is the master of the ship, he/she still works at the pleasure of RCG.

 

Heaven knows what it would cost the company just for the broken contract and passenger fares, much less what Park West's famous lawyers would undoubtedly claim for compensatory damages due to lost sales.

 

Employees in any business that blow up large business deals made by corporate aren't going to go without consequences.

 

 

So we should just all throw our hands in the air and say “nothing can be done”?

[canderson]

1 minute ago, zitsky said:

So we should just all throw our hands in the air and say “nothing can be done”?

Well now there's one of the silliest posts I've run across today.  I see nothing in my posts that recommends this.  There must be some invisible ASCII coming from my keyboard today. 

 

I think there have been plenty of posts above explaining the best course of action, which is direct communication with corporate.  All my posts did is describe why a solution couldn't be had 'locally'.

 

But don't suggest as was done earlier that the Hotel Director has or should have the power alone to make the requested change.  Nor that a Captain wouldn't be subject to the corporate equivalent of a General Court-Martial soon after for actually doing it.

 

[Travel-and-See]

1 minute ago, canderson said:

But don't suggest as was done earlier that the Hotel Director has or should have the power alone to make the requested change.  Nor that a Captain wouldn't be subject to the corporate equivalent of a General Court-Martial soon after for actually doing it.

Not only do I suggest I 100% think the Hotel Director and the Captain should have the power to make decisions to remedy a guest service issue.  

[zitsky]

3 minutes ago, canderson said:

Well now there's one of the silliest posts I've run across today.  I see nothing in my posts that recommends this.  There must be some invisible ASCII coming from my keyboard today. 

 

I think there have been plenty of posts above explaining the best course of action, which is direct communication with corporate.  All my posts did is describe why a solution couldn't be had 'locally'.

 

But don't suggest as was done earlier that the Hotel Director has or should have the power alone to make the requested change.  Nor that a Captain wouldn't be subject to the corporate equivalent of a General Court-Martial soon after for actually doing it.

 

This is the silliest post I’ve seen all day.  Do you not know what a question is?  I’ll put your name in the “do something about it” column.