A Few More Cut-backs!

I believe we were on the same cruise and I totally agree with your assessment. In fact that cruise was why my next four are NOT with Celebrity. While I used to think Celebrity was more than just a mass market line, I feel that no longer is the case. I would rather pay a little more for what I consider to be a better value. With the Celebrity prices rising and the quality of the food more meh (poor) than excellent, I feel there isn't that much difference when I considered what is included and the quality on the more upscale lines.

 

My Oceania cruises include four specialty restaurant experiences included at no extra charge and airfare. Plus there are more perks. I may come back to a Celebrity cruise some day when I see the value and quality return.

We were aboard the Eclipse from Jan.22-Feb.5. The best meal was in Aruba during the over night. We booked a table at Chalet Suisse. Absolutely the best meal of the entire cruise. I can't recommend the Rest. enough. We are starting to look at Oceania as well. The price is steeper than Celebrity(10 days v/s 14 on the Eclipse)but I hear the food is FAR superior. Our Princess trip Jan.2016 had excellent seafood. The steaks, however(even in Crown Grill)were pretty overall. Not even as good as you would find in Texas Roadhouse/Long horn.

I just went to the MSC site to check on this. It says that the status match is a one-time thing. I think that means that my Elite gets me Black on one cruise, but after that I only get whatever I am due based on sailing on MSC. But even a one-time match is nice, would be useful if MSC had some special itinerary I were interested in...

 

Stan

The MSC match is a one time thing meaning if you are Select on Celebrity and submit your Match application with that program you cannot later submit a request through Royal Caribbean for a Diamond Plus status match.

You need to select the cruise line that you have the highest status to submit to MSC to be awarded their highest status.

Once you sail with MSC with your MSC awarded status, whatever that is, you maintain that status for 36 months. If you do not sail with them again within the 36 months, your MSC awarded status expires.

Do we want to consider cruising on MSC....I've heard nothing great about them. Are they competitively equivalent to carnival/norwegian or Princess/Celebrity?

Probably should ask in a new thread, but what the heck)

We were aboard the Eclipse from Jan.22-Feb.5. We are starting to look at Oceania as well. The price is steeper than Celebrity(10 days v/s 14 on the Eclipse)but I hear the food is FAR superior.

Yep, same cruise. Compare Oceania's Wave Grille menu near the pool to any of Celebrity's included eating venues. This is FREE also. https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Documents/Menus/1719/Waves-Menu.pdf

In another thread, they're talking about Celebrity converting the Mast Grill to $10 gourmet burgers and hot dogs. Compare that to O's Waves menu.

Additionally all their specialty restaurants are at no additional charge. I've booked the O cruises that include airfare. I get free internet, free liquor package and my TA threw in grats and another $650OBC. That just about makes them even if you have to purchase airfare for Celebrity.

I sailed O two years ago. To date, IMHO, it's still the best food I've experienced at sea.

We did a opening ceremony for a company in our area(we're a catering co.)The CFO would walk down the buffet, stick a finger in one entrée, taste it & move to the next Chafer & do the same. When I told him you can't do that! He exclaimed "Do you know who I am?" Well I just went over & got the CEO & showed him what this disgusting pig was doing. The CFO got a royal "bitching" out in front of all the guests at the party. So, I guess there's plenty of totally disgusting people out there who ARE totally sober & just don't give a @#$% about their actions. This CFO, I hope is no longer one of them. The things I've seen at buffets will curl your toes!. Never be afraid to be the first one in line!

Hush, you are destroying what little faith I have left in the basic goodness of most people! ;)

Do we want to consider cruising on MSC....I've heard nothing great about them. Are they competitively equivalent to carnival/norwegian or Princess/Celebrity?

 

Probably should ask in a new thread, but what the heck)

PLEASE go read some MSC reviews on the MSC Boards. I'm Elite Plus on X and I've sailed four times on MSC, once in a regular balcony and three times in Yacht Club. This was on Divina. She is a beautiful ship. Check out Seaside, their new ship for the Caribbean. I just think you'll get a better answer if you post on the MSC boards.

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A little confused by your post. Suite gets Michaels as well. You can order as many courses as you want - soup, salad, appetizer, main course etc regardless of where you dine.

 

I was disappointed by the lack of food options for breakfast at Oceanview on Reflection. Last year on Solstice, there were many Asian / Chinese options available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are only so many breakfasts of eggs, bacon, ham and potatoes that I can stomach.

Yes, Michael's club, but that's really just a bar, which others have access to anyway, especially with most having drinks packages now. Basically, without Michaels club access, it wouldn't make much difference - it's not like it has a wide range of food or drink that others don't have. There's a concierge but he/she doesn't make a massive difference to the experience. Most of the day it was empty.

As for ordering, yes you can order multiples but that doesn't strengthen the variety. Before when the MDR menu was split to 4 courses, there were a number of choices in each, so the overall number of choices was higher. Now it is split to two courses, so a total of only 10 choices in Luminae. Sure, you can order a fruit salad and soup, but with basically only or two of those choices, there's a fair chance both wouldn't appeal. Basically the choice is no longer which soup will you have, but will you have the single soup or not?

I have just posted on Celebrity v MSC regarding the loyalty programme and pricing (a couple of posts from this)

Do we want to consider cruising on MSC....I've heard nothing great about them. Are they competitively equivalent to carnival/norwegian or Princess/Celebrity?

 

Probably should ask in a new thread, but what the heck)

We cruised MSC Divina (we cruise Celebrity on a regular basis) and found their product to be great at a very reasonable price. An aft balcony cabin was less than $700 pp for a 7 night cruise.

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Yes, Michael's club, but that's really just a bar, which others have access to anyway, especially with most having drinks packages now. MC only for Suites and Zenith Loyalty members as well as some VIPs.

 

 

This trhead has gone way, way off track. Started with cutbacks and now has gome to a discussion od MSC, Michael's Club, Oceanview Cafe, etc.

Yes, Michael's club, but that's really just a bar, which others have access to anyway, especially with most having drinks packages now. MC only for Suites and Zenith Loyalty members as well as some VIPs.

 

 

This trhead has gone way, way off track. Started with cutbacks and now has gome to a discussion od MSC, Michael's Club, Oceanview Cafe, etc.

 

But cutbacks has become such a boring topic....it's been an ongoing discussion for at least a couple of years now...it's just business, (unfortunately) as usual, for Celebrity :)

This thead has gone way, way off track. Started with cutbacks and now has gome to a discussion od MSC, Michael's Club, Oceanview Cafe, etc.

 

Well there certainly have been cutbacks in the Oceanview Cafe. So we can strike that from your list of off track discussion?

 

Well there certainly have been cutbacks in the Oceanview Cafe. So we can strike that from your list of off track discussion?

 

There have also been some additions. They've starting to bring some local products to the Cafe. In Jamaica they had local coconuts and in Lisbon some local pastries.

 

There have also been some additions. They've starting to bring some local products to the Cafe. In Jamaica they had local coconuts and in Lisbon some local pastries.

 

So now you're off topic since you're talking about additions and not CUT-BACKS. :p

oops

 

So now you're off topic since you're talking about additions and not CUT-BACKS. :p

 

Like!!:cool:

We were on the Equinox May 5 sailing in a Concierge Class cabin. We received both the card wallet and the mysterious rubbery card holder. As it has no directions I wasn't sure what it was for. It has a sticky backing to adhere it to something, so I stuck it in my purse and am fairly sure it can never be removed. We had chocolates every night and a vase of flowers after the first chic night.

We were told that you must now request your sparkling wine. It is no longer automatically waiting in your cabin for you. We were given the canvas tote, but neither in April on Equinox, nor in May did we also receive the cheaper cloth tote.

There was a printed sign at the coffee station in the buffet that said, "To go cups available upon request." Seems pretty inconvenient to me.

Another "Lisa Cut" on the May 5 cruise was the loss of the violinist/cello duet which was a previous reduction from a trio. I really missed their playing in the Ensemble Lounge and also during the Murano day at sea luncheon. They added such a pleasant touch to the luncheon in the last several cruises we have had.

Hubby still bridles at the idea of what Sushi on 5 did to sushi fans. Beautiful sushi used to be available free in the buffet every night. That is gone. Now you must pay for it at Sushi on 5, plus the menu is a la cart so it can add up. Sushi on 5 was often empty. That concept still isn't a big winner and Celebrity needs to come up with a better idea for that space, preferably one that includes breakfast offerings too.

The day may come when we have no "gifts" from Celebrity, but even that is not as bad as a rumor I hear about NCL which I hope was only a vicious rumor. I heard they are considering ending all live music. What a terrible mistake that would be. Live music is one of the joys of cruising I greatly appreciate.

Has anyone recieved the sparkling wine lately?

In January on Reflection we too did not have the sparkling wine upon entry. The cabin attendant told us, without us asking, that he would bring it when we were ready. A few days later he noticed we were bringing our SW with friends to play dominoes...and he quickly ran and fetched a second bottle unprompted. His name is Denis. He was working forward AQ portside. Probably the best steward we have ever had, even though he no longer had a assistant.