Sky Lounge Hijacked

[Seapoint]

I just completed my 25th cruise on Celebrity. This cruise was on the Celebrity Eclipse from Boston to Quebec City, and back to Boston. As usual on Celebrity, the entertainment, food, service, crew, etc were all excellent. The ports were very interesting. In fact I have three more Celebrity cruises booked.   This was a cold weather cruise, similar to my cruise in the spring on Equinox around the British Isles. As I had on that cruise, I anticipated that I would not be spending sea days at the pool,(as most people do in the Caribbean) but instead make use of the beautiful Sky Lounge on deck 14. Attached is a picture of the deserted pool deck at 11.20am on the first sea day. The Sky Lounge is a very large bright room with huge windows on three sides, so you have great views of the sea and the coast. This would be ideal for sailing the St Lawrence. There were three and a half sea days.   On the first sea day, I went up to the Sky lounge straight after breakfast. It was closed and a sign said "Private Function". I returned a bit later in the morning, and the doors were open with the "Private Function" sign. I saw that Park West Galleries had set up lots of paintings on easels around the middle of the room, but not around the periphery of the room at the windows. As a paying passenger who had paid for access to the facilities of the ship, (make that double paying passenger, as I paid a hefty solo supplement) I quietly walked into the room, and sat on a lounger in the far corner next to a window, and started to read my kindle. I was then accosted by an employee of Park West, who very rudely demanded I leave the room! I refused, and continued to read my kindle for a short while, and then quietly left the room, walking along the perimeter so as not to disturb their event.   Now let me be clear. I have no issue with a private event being held occasionally, even in as key a facility as the Sky lounge on a cold weather cruise. However, on this cruise, the Sky Lounge was off limits to the approx 2,500 paying passengers EVERY SEA DAY FROM EARLY MORNING TO MID AFTERNOON! Even on the half sea day! I subsequently was told there were about 124 people in the Park West group, and that Park West had paid 100% of their cruise. So 2,500 paying passengers were in effect denied access to the Sky Lounge to accommodate 124 people who had not paid a dime. There is something very wrong with this!   I attended the Captains event for Elite passengers, and raised this issue with the Hotel director. He was very sympathetic, but explained that the arrangements were made by Head office in Miami, and were not controlled by the officers on board. So here is my point. My beef is with HQ in Miami, who deliberately disregarded 2,500 paying passengers, by doing a deal which they knew would deprive them of the use of a very desirable key facility on a cold weather cruise. The popular role played by the Sky lounge on this cruise was shown by the fact that as soon as the lounge was opened to all, it became full with every chair taken.   I wonder if others on Cruise Critic have had a similar unsatisfactory experience,?

Questions/comments/concerns regarding our Member Review Publication Policies may be directed to community@cruisecritic.com.

[1025cruise]

They probably paid for use of the lounge. Not saying it's right, but it happens.

[Georgia_Peaches]

There was quite a lengthy thread about this very recently so you are not alone in your frustration. It seems that this type of thing is not going anywhere any time soon. Personally, I would not continue to patronize a cruise line that cannot/chooses not to cater to the things I enjoy. I like Celebrity but there are other lines from which to choose. Sorry this was a disappointment. I would be frustrated too. 

[Charles4515]

15 minutes ago, Seapoint said:

 

I wonder if others on Cruise Critic have had a similar unsatisfactory experience,?

There have been several threads on Cruise Critic about this.I would definitely complain about it if it happened on a sailing I was on. 

[bjahil47]

We will be on Eclipse in a few weeks.  If Sky Lounge is occupied by private events I will be complaining.  

[doghog]

53 minutes ago, Seapoint said:

On the first sea day, I went up to the Sky lounge straight after breakfast. It was closed and a sign said "Private Function". I returned a bit later in the morning, and the doors were open with the "Private Function" sign. I saw that Park West Galleries had set up lots of paintings on easels around the middle of the room, but not around the periphery of the room at the windows. As a paying passenger who had paid for access to the facilities of the ship, (make that double paying passenger, as I paid a hefty solo supplement) I quietly walked into the room, and sat on a lounger in the far corner next to a window, and started to read my kindle. I was then accosted by an employee of Park West, who very rudely demanded I leave the room! I refused, and continued to read my kindle for a short while, and then quietly left the room, walking along the perimeter so as not to disturb their event.

Voice your concerns/complaints to executiveoffice@celebrity.com. 

[KellyCz]

This happened during our cruise to Alaska on the Solstice last July. I don't know the name of the group that had reserved it, but the Sky Lounge was closed for a private event every time we went to check (at least 3 or 4 different days). It was disappointing because I couldn't find a quiet space. The library is open to the atrium, and they were doing indoor archery and other fun things there, so the noise level was high. I'll send a note to the exec office email shown above.

[NMTraveller]

Welcome to E class which is missing the Sky Lounge ...

[the penguins]

2 hours ago, Seapoint said:

I just completed my 25th cruise on Celebrity. This cruise was on the Celebrity Eclipse from Boston to Quebec City, and back to Boston. As usual on Celebrity, the entertainment, food, service, crew, etc were all excellent. The ports were very interesting. In fact I have three more Celebrity cruises booked.   This was a cold weather cruise, similar to my cruise in the spring on Equinox around the British Isles. As I had on that cruise, I anticipated that I would not be spending sea days at the pool,(as most people do in the Caribbean) but instead make use of the beautiful Sky Lounge on deck 14. Attached is a picture of the deserted pool deck at 11.20am on the first sea day. The Sky Lounge is a very large bright room with huge windows on three sides, so you have great views of the sea and the coast. This would be ideal for sailing the St Lawrence. There were three and a half sea days.   On the first sea day, I went up to the Sky lounge straight after breakfast. It was closed and a sign said "Private Function". I returned a bit later in the morning, and the doors were open with the "Private Function" sign. I saw that Park West Galleries had set up lots of paintings on easels around the middle of the room, but not around the periphery of the room at the windows. As a paying passenger who had paid for access to the facilities of the ship, (make that double paying passenger, as I paid a hefty solo supplement) I quietly walked into the room, and sat on a lounger in the far corner next to a window, and started to read my kindle. I was then accosted by an employee of Park West, who very rudely demanded I leave the room! I refused, and continued to read my kindle for a short while, and then quietly left the room, walking along the perimeter so as not to disturb their event.   Now let me be clear. I have no issue with a private event being held occasionally, even in as key a facility as the Sky lounge on a cold weather cruise. However, on this cruise, the Sky Lounge was off limits to the approx 2,500 paying passengers EVERY SEA DAY FROM EARLY MORNING TO MID AFTERNOON! Even on the half sea day! I subsequently was told there were about 124 people in the Park West group, and that Park West had paid 100% of their cruise. So 2,500 paying passengers were in effect denied access to the Sky Lounge to accommodate 124 people who had not paid a dime. There is something very wrong with this!   I attended the Captains event for Elite passengers, and raised this issue with the Hotel director. He was very sympathetic, but explained that the arrangements were made by Head office in Miami, and were not controlled by the officers on board. So here is my point. My beef is with HQ in Miami, who deliberately disregarded 2,500 paying passengers, by doing a deal which they knew would deprive them of the use of a very desirable key facility on a cold weather cruise. The popular role played by the Sky lounge on this cruise was shown by the fact that as soon as the lounge was opened to all, it became full with every chair taken.   I wonder if others on Cruise Critic have had a similar unsatisfactory experience,?

Questions/comments/concerns regarding our Member Review Publication Policies may be directed to community@cruisecritic.com.

Please go back to the intro page and the thread below yours has been running since August and has over 500 posts on this same topic.

[craig01020]

Park West is the worst!

[BoundForSea]

1 hour ago, bjahil47 said:

We will be on Eclipse in a few weeks.  If Sky Lounge is occupied by private events I will be complaining.  

Same. We will be on in a week for 10 nights. That's ridiculous. An entire venue for an entire voyage. Money greed and grab. 

[craig01020]

4 hours ago, Seapoint said:

I was then accosted by an employee of Park West, who very rudely demanded I leave the room!

You could've gone to Guest Services and used the magic words: "He was aggressive and I didn't feel safe."

[newcruzer2]

This happened to use on a princess cruise. It ruined our cruise so much that I swore I'd never cruise at all, ever again. But instead,  I have just boycotted princess. I am horrified to hear this in taking place on Celebrity now. 

Sorry this happened to you.

[RichYak]

5 hours ago, Seapoint said:

I wonder if others on Cruise Critic have had a similar unsatisfactory experience,?

 

[goofysmom99]

I'm complaining to Miami now why I will not be completing the booking for 2026 Iceland - Boston cruise on Silhouette that I put on hold Wednesday.  Absolutely won't risk it for a bucket list cruise.  Miami could simply repeat this utterly simpleminded management move in 2026, just like they've done and are continuing to do this year.  Even the chance that Miami would close the sky lounge ices it (cold weather cruise pun) that I'll be looking for another line instead.

[RICCruisers]

43 minutes ago, goofysmom99 said:

I'm complaining to Miami now why I will not be completing the booking for 2026 Iceland - Boston cruise on Silhouette that I put on hold Wednesday.  Absolutely won't risk it for a bucket list cruise.  Miami could simply repeat this utterly hi simpleminded management move in 2026, just like they've done and are continuing to do this year.  Even the chance that Miami would close the sky lounge ices it (cold weather cruise pun) that I'll be looking for another line instead.

We were on the Iceland to Boston cruise this year in August. Park West Had the exclusive use on several days. We sat at the entrance to the Sky Lounge and listened to the auction taking place. The opening bids on every piece of artwork was a minimum of $15,000. I’m not sure if many of the items were actually bid on, but I didn’t hear the auctioneer rattling off higher bids.  It’s amazing to me that there are people with that kind of money ready to spend it with a company that has a dubious reputation in the art world. I guess P.T. Barnum was correct (look it up and you’ll understand my comment). 
 

I hope the champagne PW was serving was higher quality than the stuff poured for the auctions they run for the common folks in the art gallery. 

Edited 13 hours ago by RICCruisers

[Charles4515]

20 minutes ago, RICCruisers said:

many of the items were actually bid on, but I didn’t hear the auctioneer rattling off higher bids.  It’s amazing to me that there are people with that kind of money ready to spend it with a company that has a dubious reputation in the art world. I guess P.T. Barnum was correct (look it up and you’ll understand my comment). 

Park West hoodwinks people who don’t know about art. It is normal that most people don’t get an art education or visit art museums or art galleries. They take advantage of that and convince people they are buying an investment. The real disgrace is that Celebrity and the other cruise lines enable these scammers. 

Edited 12 hours ago by Charles4515

[goofysmom99]

40 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

The real disgrace is that Celebrity and the other cruise lines enable these scammers. 

Evidently the current X pres has or did have PW on her resume.  If so, I'm sure her underlings think PW is a fabulous idea.

Edited 12 hours ago by goofysmom99

[RickT]

5 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Welcome to E class which is missing the Sky Lounge ...

Just off the Edge and while I expected to not like it I was pleasantly surprised.  Eden was fantastic and quickly became our go to location on inclement days and most evenings.  Very cosy with a nice layout and comfortable seats. 

[WatchHill]

We are booked on Iceland, Greenland, Canada Boston in August 2025 and not too happy when I learned that PW will be taking over the Sky Lounge! Princes used to set them up in the Explorers Lounge which didn't impact passengers access to scenic viewing. Nothing they sell/auction appeals to me or would compliment my home decor. 

 

And here's our PW story.....

 

A number of years ago, DH and I took his 8 year old niece to cruise with us. As soon as we got into our cabin, Laura went in search of potential friends and to find a childrens club meeting area. She returned about a half hour later, quite excited about the "little kids' paintings" on display adjacent to International Cafe. Laura wanted to help the staff and direct the "children" to produce nicer pictures!  I had to explain the her about Park West, Today, Laura works in art acquisitions for a major museum. 

 

Darcy

[markeb]

34 minutes ago, goofysmom99 said:

Evidently the current X pres has or did have PW on her resume.  If so, I'm sure her underlings think PW is a fabulous idea.

 

The relationship is at RCG, not unique to Celebrity. The same comments and complaints are on the Royal board, and PW has always had a large presence on Royal. The gap in her LinkedIn profile is 2010 - 2013, which I assume is when she was with PW. PW was on the first Royal Caribbean cruise we took in 2008, so before her time there. It's possible given her positions from 2013-2023 with RCCL (before being renamed RCG) and Royal that she could have helped steer PW business to RCG but that would have almost certainly been with the full knowledge and support of RCG leadership and their Board. 

 

It's really not a good conspiracy theory.

[notscb]

9 minutes ago, markeb said:

It's really not a good conspiracy theory.

I agree. Cruise lines make every decision in their best interest and in the interest of their profit and loss sheets. Park West isn't unique in their ability to book a private space onboard and many other entities do so at different times of the year. It's just reality. I know the sky lounge is a nice area to relax, but it's not like there's not the entire rest of the public areas of the ship that you can choose to go to as well.

[Turtles06]

@Seapoint — I’m sorry this happened on your cruise. You are justified in being distressed by this.  I would complain to the corporate office, but be prepared for them not to care. As folks have noted above, the same thing has been happening on other cruises and discussed here on CC. It’s a sad development. 

[Turtles06]

18 minutes ago, notscb said:

I know the sky lounge is a nice area to relax, but it's not like there's not the entire rest of the public areas of the ship that you can choose to go to as well.

These spaces are just not fungible. Plus, i think that passengers have a right to expect that the ship’s public areas will be open to all guests. It’s one thing to have an occasional “private function” for an hour or so in the Sky Lounge, quite another to restrict access to that space to the extent that Celebrity is doing it now. 

[notscb]

6 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

These spaces are just not fungible.

I'd agree with that. OP (and the other thread on this) made it sound like the venue was accessible for the second half of the day, so it's not like the space wasn't accessible at all during their cruise.