Introduction by Adam:
Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, our Executive Vice President of Operations, is one of the first people I met when starting my career at Royal Caribbean. In an effort to learn about the cruise business I joined Lisa in Boston for a couple of days where we visited several travel agencies, one of which was located in the back of a shoe store. But that is a story for another day. I asked Lisa to introduce herself to our readers, as she will frequently blog in this space, especially as we get closer to sharing details about Project Sunshine.
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Hello, everyone. I am excited to introduce myself to all of you in my first blog!
I was recently promoted to the role of Executive Vice President of Operations for Royal Caribbean International where I lead Marine, Land, and Hotel Operations which includes Entertainment and Activities, and Food and Beverage, and other fun areas like casino, shops, spa, and shore excursions.
I’ve worked for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. for over 27 rewarding years and had the pleasure of serving in various roles with both Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. I am from Gloucester, Massachusetts and started working at Royal Caribbean in 1985, as the District Sales Manager for Canada and New England after graduating from Bentley College and a short career in the hotel industry. Over the years both Royal Caribbean and the cruise industry have dramatically grown and I have grown as well, taking on many roles in Sales, Marketing, and Operations. Watching our industry and our company grow has been a thrilling experience.
In 2005 after working in Sales & Marketing on the Royal Caribbean brand for 21 years I moved to Celebrity Cruises. As the Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations for Celebrity I was ultimately responsible for transforming the guest experience. I accomplished many things at Celebrity, but I am most proud of delivering the Solstice class of ships, which was recently completed with the introduction of the Celebrity Reflection. Being back on the Royal Caribbean brand, I now feel as though my career has come full circle.
I believe in working across functions, disciplines, brands and thinking globally while taking a holistic view of our business and the guest experience. One of the things I am excited about is capitalizing on the synergy between land, marine and hotel operations to create a seamless experience for our guests. Our guest’s satisfaction is at the center of everything we do, and my ultimate goal is to make sure the Royal Caribbean guest experience is always as good as it can possibly be. I am also working with many others on some exciting innovations for Project Sunshine and am looking forward to sharing those details with you during the coming months.
I have worked with tens of thousands of people in this complex yet amazing industry and I am most impressed by the dedicated crew members that deliver phenomenal experiences to our guests every single day.
One thing I hope you to take away from this blog introduction is that this is a dynamic and growing company with lots of opportunity. I started my career making sales calls and ended up running a huge operation and a large fleet of ships. How lucky can a girl get? I am excited about this new chapter in my career and I look forward to sharing upcoming initiatives with you in future blog posts.
In the meantime, I wish you a very happy and healthy New Year.
iwas on liberty of the seas worst cruise ever would like you to contact mme please 3476738626
Hi Ruth, please contact us here: http://bit.ly/gw3FwJ so that we can have a representative contact you.
Dear Ms. Lutoff- Perlo,
Congratulations on your well deserved appointment. My daughter and I will be taking a cruise from March 4 to 8 at the Legend of the Seas. This is our first sea cruise. We have been on several river cruises in Asia and Europe. We are excited about this one. I look forward to a great time. I am a free lance writer and I plan to write about what promises to be an enjoyable experience.
Thank you, Maria. We look forward to seeing both you and your daughter onboard.
Congratulations! Can’t wait to hear more about Sunshine and everything going on in Royal Caribbean.
Thank you for your kind words.
Congratulations on your continued advancement and on behalf of our exclusive ETA Motorcycle Cruise program and ETA Staff, best to 2013 and beyond.
Steve Wallach, President
We appreciate your comment, Steve. Thank you.
You’ve got a big job ahead of you. You’d better completely overhaul your food services for a start. The decline in quality of food in the last few years is quite evident. As (formerly) loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers, we grew tired of the constant in-your-face sales pitches at every turn. We are on your ships to relax and enjoy ourselves. The banning of irons and wine onboard, is another major irritation. You also do not respond adequately or in timely fashion to customer complaints. Your baggage handlers destroyed our luggage on a Bahamas cruise. It took 6 months to get any recompense. 6 bloody months!! Who do you people think you are? I’d advise you to check Consumer Affairs and peruse the hundreds of complaints regarding Royal Caribbean. More complaints than any other cruise line. If you can get your house in order, we may eventually take a chance on another cruise with Royal Caribbean. If not, there are lots of alternatives.
Cheers
Thank you for your input, George. We’ll be sure to pass it along to the right contact.
I wish Royal Caribbean ships had bigger interior rooms. When your 6′ 5″ it’s hard to fit in a 114sq ft room lol. Just a thought.
We’ll be sure to pass this comment along, Lynn. Thank you for your feedback.
Wow-What a great letter. I knew Royal Caribbean was a great company and its so nice to hear about a person that loves her job and was treated with respect that she has her dream job. I have worked over 32 years at my job, and its nice to know that your company rewards that loyalty and you still remember that the customer comes first. I hope soon to share your dreams and sail with your company again, Mark
We hope so too, Mark. Thanks for your comment.
Congratulations! I like it when I see big corporations putting qualified women in charge. After reading your first blog it sounds like you have the background to do a GREAT job!! Love Royal Caribbean, we always have great times and great service. Wonderful staff in all area’s of the ships we have sailed on. Sail On!
Thank you for your kind words, Kathleen.
I would like to send you my resume. I am very strong in customer service and wowing clients. Also very strong in cash handling and a quick learner. Thank you and please let me know where I could send my resume.
Thanks Again,
Jeffrey A Berkowitz
Hi Jeffrey, please check http://www.royalcareersatsea.com for all available openings. Thank you and good luck.
I cannot wait until I see more on your lastest project with the building of the Sunshine class. I cannot wait to book one of the first cruises when it comes out. Being a Diamond Plus member (30060012) I only cruise with Royal Caribbean and will only sail with you. You are the best and second to none in price,quality and ports. Your ships are the best and continue to be the best in the matket. I booked the Oasis 2 years before it was built and I watched my countdown to cruise and couldn’t wait to get to zero on the countdown. We just got done with a back to back on The Allure of the Seas in September 2012 because 1 week is not enough to see the amazing ship. I wish you could tell me more about the project Sunshine but I will wait till more news comes out and will book as soon as I can.
Thank You for a job well done,
Joe & Phyllis Cutshaw
Dear Joe & Phyllis,
For your information, C&A membership numbers come with 9 digits… that goes for DP too!
Thanks for being loyal to Royal, Joe. We look forward to having you back onboard.
Hi, I am Nicolas. 15 year old cruiser. I am madly in love with cruises. Just want to say congratulations! But here are my questions for you.
Any info on Royal Caribbean’s future class ships? (Sunshine, or even new ships to be added into the Oasis class)
What would you like to change in terms of entertainment on ships? Does this mean clubs, and even some theaters on ships will be remodeled?
Thank you for reading.
Hi Nicolas, please keep an eye on our page for future updates.
Hi Lisa!
Congratulations and Kudos to you! Smooth sailing in the new year and keep up the great work — Jo Kling
Thank you, Jo!
My wife and I are planning another adventure on RC later this year. She recently was diagnosed with ceiliac disease and requires a gluten free diet.Does RC have this option available and on what ships?Tks Bob Lipstreu
Hi Bob: I have several clients who sail Royal Caribbean who request Gluten Free diets onboard. Yes, they do offer it.
Susan
Hi Bob, yes we do offer gluten-free options onboard. We suggest you speak with your waiter as soon as you sit down so he can provide you with a variety of options. Enjoy!
We just completed a cruise on Celebrity Eclipse and loved the ship. Reading between the lines here, we definitely are looking forward to seeing many of the beautiful features on the Solstice-class of ships to migrate over to the first two Project Sunshine ships at RCI. Welcome back to RCI, Lisa!
Thank you, Jim. We look forward to seeing you onboard.
Congratulations on your promotion! RCCL is my favorite cruise line. I’m an Emerald member of your Crown and Anchor Society. Sailing with my family on the Allure on April 7th (from Fla to the Carib) Can’t wait!!!
Much luck to you….
Ann
Thanks Antoinette, we’ll see you in April.
Congratulations and our very best wishes to success and prosperity in your new position.
We appreciate the congratulations, Thomas and Nancy. Thank you.
Nice to “meet” you, Lisa! It sounds like you’ve had a very exciting career with Royal Caribbean. I can’t wait to hear about what you and your team have planned for Project Sunshine, and best of luck with your new position!
Thank you, Erin. It will certainly be an exciting 2013.
We were watching TV tonight and there was a special about a Royal Caribbean Ship….Oasis of the Seas. As we watched it with our kids …I could see how amazed they were and they asked if we could ever go on a cruise. We are a family of four….struggling like many families and it is my dream to take my kids on a family cruise before they leave home. They are 11 and 9 years old and while it seems like we have lots of time left…It seems like yesterday that they were born. So my goal is to save our money to take a cruise in the next 2-3 years. It won’t be easy and we may have to not go anywhere on vacation for a few years, but I know it will be worth it and we will make lifetime memories. My husband and I went on a Carnival Cruise for our honeymoon and had a great time, but I was thinking about trying Royal Caribbean if we ever do save enough for another one. Thank you for making Royal Caribbean a place my kids want to be!!
We are happy to help, Lisa. We are excited to have your family onboard someday.
I was fortunate to be able to go on two cruises last year and they were awesome. The management couldn’t do a better job. Just terrific. Think I would like to work on a cruise ship.. How do I go about finding information? Thanks.. Helen
Hi Helen, please check http://www.royalcareersatsea.com for all available openings. Thank you and good luck.
Hi Adam: I am a Diamond Plus member and travel agent who traveled with my adult children on Majesty of the Seas in December and was excited that you upgraded the menu on your ships. What a great surprise as the choice and flavor was wonderful. I will be sailing on Independence in a few weeks and hope the food is as good as it was on Majesty.
Love selling your ships and sailing them as well.
Susan F.
Thank you for your kind words, Susan. We appreciate everything you do and are glad to hear that you also enjoy our cruises as well. You’ll have to let us know what you think of Independence of the Seas.
Dear Ms Lisa and Adam,
I have recently bring to the attention to royal caribbean on my recent unhappy cruise with custservsg@rcclapac.com.
Since then they have not gotten back to me.I really hope you can assist me further beacuse i felt that justice has mot been in place to me.Can i email to you of my complaint to follow up.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Regards,
Jeff
Thank you for your message, Jeff. We will be sure to pass this along to the proper department for review.
Dear All,
As far as i am concern i dont agree to how the case has been handled assuch i want this matter to esclate up to Mr Goldstein. Please dont tell me
Mr Goldstein dont talk to customer. If he doesnt do write an offical letter
to me stating the above i will acknowledge it.
First and foremost the balcony cabin should be make sound proof if not itshouldn’t even allow the agent to sell to me.The sound has make the whole
cruise unpleasant.You mention you have make up a room that is oceanview but
this is far cheaper price than what we pay for on balcony room. You mention
given the situation that is the only beat solution.But to me why should i
let myself to such hassle to accomodate to your offer. Beside i have two
kids with me they have always want to stay in balcony cabin and view the
sea. Why should i short change myself to accomodate to your proposal. I do
not want my kids to feel disapppinted by shifting to the backup cabin which
can view the sea with that very little little window.This is no justice at
all in my opinon.
Secondly if your staff can say that before sailing of the ship is anormal routine that petrol is pumb to the ship and there will be a smell
emit out at our balcony cabin. You should have done all preventive measure
to get the smell
off before allowing me into the cabin.The welcome odour has make thecruise very unpleasant with first impression.
Thirdly the aircon issue has make the cabin very stuffy and warm for thekids.With the condition of the cabin it has make the whole cruise very
unpleasant for the family.
With all the above factors i have every reason to ask for a return tripfor my family pay by you guys.It makes me feel that in the first place this
cabin already have some issue and due to profit you just let the cabin go
on sale thinking that if complaint do come just give the backup oceanview.
What the issue. This is a very unresponsible and unprofessional act on your
part in my opinon.
I want Mr Goldstein to write to me asap.
Your side reply me below:
Dear Mr Teo
Thank you for your email to Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity
Cruises & Azamara Club Cruises. We are in receipt of your letter addressed
to Mr. Adam Goldstein. Your comments are important to us.
Kindly be advised that Mr. Goldstein will not be replying directly as our
department have been empowered to make decisions and reply in his behalf
for customer relation issues for all Singapore bookings. All correspondence
for this matter will come back to our department for handling.
The issue that occurred in your cabin was not intentional and was an
isolated case. Although such mechanical issue are expected in a petrol
powered vessel we were able to contain this due in part to the design and
maintenance and immediate repair our ships regularly, however, sometimes
despite all our best efforts, situations occur beyond our control and we
have to address them on real time and within bounds as possible. Each of
our vessels are built with careful planning and precision by esteemed
shipyards and designer and we are very confident on the material and lay
work they have grounded. But we also have to respect that there are safety
regulations, structural and material specifications for ship building so it
will be hasty to conclude that a room in a vessel should be sound proof.
Looking at how your incident was handled we believe the ship has done what
they could for the circumstance. It is your decision to refuse the
temporary room they offered and therefore any consequence of that is your
responsibility.
When you escalated this matter post cruise, we have reviewed this
thoroughly putting into consideration all elements of your situation so
that we can work on a fair and reasonable resolution. In lieu to that we
have made an executive and final decision to increase the offer of the ship
from 25% to 50 % of the cruise fare paid to be issued to you as a Future
Cruise Certificate.
We apologize if you were not satisfied. This is already an administrative
escalation and our decision is final and nothing more will be offered.
Thank you for allowing us to respond.
Yours sincerely
Alissa Mariano
Senior Customer Relations Executive
Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises & Azamara Club Cruises
Hi Mr Adam,
I am extremely unhappy with the respond and the compensation.
I felt that is is only right that Royal Caribbean compensate me on
a similar cabin. Since during that occasion no balcony view is
available for replacement. I deem that by refunding or provide me
a return cruise is only fair.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks Adam for hearing from me.Hope to hear from
you.
Regarfs
Hi f rom Charles and Arlene Gongrads on your promotion. Also can not wait to here more about Project Sunshine. You can sign us up NOW!!!. Also waiting for morenews about the 3rd Oasis class ship and where she will be going. Again sign us up NOW!!!!. We are Diamond Plus and love to sail with RCL. Just came off the Allure for the 3rd time! Super Great!!!
We love both of yours enthusiasm, Charles & Arlene, and we are also excited to reveal more information so please be sure to keep an eye on our page for future details as soon as they come out. Thank you.
I would like to know why no one from Royal Carribean ever got back with me regarding the worst cruies ever…I call sent an
email to complain and never did I get any response. I took my whole family on a cruise for Christmas and was treated
bad by the whole staff on the ship Marnier of the Seas.
Hi, Yolanda– Please contact our Customer Service team if you require any additional details. You can also fill out our customer service contact form here and a member of our team will be in contact with you shortly.
Please would you explain to me why my form to have my prepaid gratities added to my onboard account was apparently lost and despite all my efforts to make sure the exceptional staff that served us on our Rhapsofy Cruise in January (14th January, cabin 3516) are not going to be able to get the tips they so rightly deserve? I left the ship, expecting this to be adjusted in my final mastercard charge and guess what, no charge, which means they have not received their tips. Shame on you Royal Carribean! I had some onboard credit left and was prepared to hand over more money to have this rectified, only to be told yesterday (3 weeks after leaving the ship), that sorry, there is nothing we can do. My onboard credit went back to the company, despite my numerous assurance on board that their gratuites would be added to my account and my credit card has not been charged. Please pass on my sincere apologies to the fantastic Sachem ( Head Waiter ) Dominic (our waiter) Zoran (assistant waiter) and Rodfan (cabin steward). These people went above and beyond what would be expected of them and I feel ashamed that due to a system error they will not get their tips.
We love RCL. However we have 7 children, and most of the time will opt to take them on Carnival ONLY because it’s cheaper for us. When my husband and I go alone, we only go on Royal caribbean. Better food, better ships. etc
Suggestion: More adjoining rooms, do NOT like the idea of not being able to keep a door open to their room. Also, cheaper children rates, so it makes it more affordable to take children with us.
Here are some ideas for your new ships and future endeavors, that I am sure famililes would love!
-lazy river
-wave pool
-free internet
-better waterslides
-themed nights such as Italian, Mexican, carnival, etc
-karoke for either kids, or adults or both
-rides, such as bumper cars
-go karting
Thank you for your suggestions, Shawna.
Hello Mr. Goldstein
My name is Jasmin Euceda, I’m a college student and i was wondering if you offer any summer interships i can apply to. I am interested in developing a career as a cruise director. I had the opportunity of sealing with Royal Caribbean last summer and i loved it. However I understand that being in the ship as a guess must be completly different than being part of the staff so i would love to experience the work enviroment.
Please advice me on this matter. Thank you so much. I look foward to your response.
Sincerely
Ms. Jasmin Euceda
Hi Jasmin, you can find information about our summer internship program here: http://bit.ly/zNbm7J. Thank you and good luck.