Unhappy with Murano Dining on Equinox

[luv2bcruzng]

We were a party of 8 sailing on the Equinox this past week. I had been on the Solstice last year and knew about the private dining room at the Murano Restaurant.

We did early boarding and immediately after we checked in we went straight to Murano Restaurant to reserve the dining room for 8 for the last night of our cruise. No problem we got exactly what we wanted.

The day before our reservation I went into Murano and double-checked our reservation - still no problem.

The day of our reservation the 8 of us showed up. There to greet us was the restaurant manager and the manager of all the specialty restaurants. We were told that a group had stormed in and took over the private dining room. They said they did not want to call security cause that would disturb the other diners. We were also told that the private dining room could only hold a maximum of 10 people but I counted at least 13 people in there.

My husband said - "well don't serve them". The manager said they had to or it would cause a scene also.

Obviously this other group was given some kind of special treatment - they were given our reservation. The manager did comp our meal and gave us some wine - but that was not the point. We followed the rules - and the room was given to maybe a more influential guest or maybe a suite guest. Whatever the reason - this should never have happened.

We were very disappointed in Celebrity letting this happen.

[eandj]

I totally agree it never should have happened. I would indeed have been disappointed and angry. My dh might have gone into the room to speak to the intruders. DId anyone in your party?

I wonder if the room was double booked? Seems odd that they'd just hand over a reserved space.

 

Hope you enjoyed your meal and were treated like royalty!

[Fblack]

Sometimes those things happen. Murano has lots of nice tables and sometimes (especially when on a vacation) it's best to move on forget about life's problems.

[lifevicarious]

I agree that that isn't right. But on the flip side, what could Celebrity really have done? They are left with the choice of upsetting your party of 8, or every other diner in Murano. If you had been eating in Murano and security had to come in to escort other diners out, wouldn't that have ruined your dinner as well?

 

I do find it odd that this other group managed to get seated though so perhaps the manager wasn't telling the whole truth.

[DeltaOne]

There to greet us was the restaurant manager and the manager of all the specialty restaurants. We were told that a group had stormed in and took over the private dining room. They said they did not want to call security cause that would disturb the other diners.

 

Don't kid yourself...the other group obviously tipped the restaurant manager to get your reservation. He pocketed the cash and made up a lie to tell you. Happens more than you might think...

[dkjretired]

I agree that that isn't right. But on the flip side, what could Celebrity really have done? They are left with the choice of upsetting your party of 8, or every other diner in Murano. If you had been eating in Murano and security had to come in to escort other diners out, wouldn't that have ruined your dinner as well?

 

I do find it odd that this other group managed to get seated though so perhaps the manager wasn't telling the whole truth.

 

I have seen things like this before reported and usually it is someone with a connection, such as owners families.....Not fair and should not be tolerated, at least they comped your meal but I can certainly understand your dissatisfaction...

[Phxazzcruisers]

I agree with you that that is not right. However these thing, as unfortunate as they are, do happen. I believe they did what is right by comping your meals and wine. It is all they were really able to do without causing a large scene. As the previous poster said, it is best to remember that you had a great (free) dinner and move on. Life is too short to dwell on the negative.

[jagoffee]

I would be irritated if it happen to my party. My guess would be that you did not get the "whole truth and nothing but the truth". I would be even more insulted with the lame explanation. One is suppose to believe that people can just come in and take what they want with no regard for reservations and others without managements permission? I can believe that some people might try, but I find it hard to believe that a ship would allow it.

[birders]

If you had been eating in Murano and security had to come in to escort other diners out, wouldn't that have ruined your dinner as well?

 

Not a bit! ;) I'd have thought it was part of the entertainment! SERIOUSLY: I'd have been satisfied to see that some snotty, entitled, arrogant, "do you know who I am?"-type got his come-uppance!

 

Ultimately, though, I agree with those who say your beef is with Celebrity, who let this happen. And I hope you didn't take just any swill-wine they offered you, but made your own demands as to label and vintage!

[Solstice23]

Mistakes happen in every Job, Understand that things can be overbooked, even on Holiday it all cant be perfect, I am sorry for you and agree this should not have happened.

[moondoggie]

If all waitstaff and the few other diners were removed from Murano when the squatters 'moved in', then there would be no confrontation, no service, and the group would have nothing else to do but leave if they wished to eat elsewhere. And, if the group became unruly, Ship Security could have closed the room, calmly explained that they would not be served, and, if necessary, exerted some MUCH NEEDED AUTHORITY, even removing these 'guests (I use that term very generously) at the next port.

Why do we--and Celebrity--continue to pander to the rude at the expense of well behaved guests?

[STXCruisers]

So sorry you had that experience. Someone really messed up here and that excuse sounds pretty lame to me. I guess maybe the thing to do would have been to go up the chain of command over the head of the manager of all the specialty restaurants. But that is hindsight. The fact is that this negative experience will color all your future experiences with Celebrity in general and the Specialty Restaurants especially and that is very unfortunate.

[ssptcruise]

Don't kid yourself...the other group obviously tipped the restaurant manager to get your reservation. He pocketed the cash and made up a lie to tell you. Happens more than you might think...

 

+1 :eek:

[Bridge Maven]

Don't kid yourself...the other group obviously tipped the restaurant manager to get your reservation. He pocketed the cash and made up a lie to tell you. Happens more than you might think...

 

I agree with you and think that is probably what happened.

[Waterlily777]

If all waitstaff and the few other diners were removed from Murano when the squatters 'moved in', then there would be no confrontation, no service, and the group would have nothing else to do but leave if they wished to eat elsewhere. And, if the group became unruly, Ship Security could have closed the room, calmly explained that they would not be served, and, if necessary, exerted some MUCH NEEDED AUTHORITY, even removing these 'guests (I use that term very generously) at the next port.

Why do we--and Celebrity--continue to pander to the rude at the expense of well behaved guests?

 

That behavior goes beyond rude. The OP should just have taken a picture of the interlopers and posted it here on Cruise Critic as a "wall-of-shame" posting. :p

[Moeve]

I hardly think that this (take over) is what happened because this group would have been off at the next port. Both RCCL and X have been known to throw off guests for a lot less than this sort of thing so no I have to say someone did screw up and they "sold" this sob story to you.

[Lyn Mc]

Poster said 'last night of the cruise' those other guests were getting off the next morning anyway (unless they were doing a BtoB) so really they had little to worry about. I can believe that the Manager just let them in, after our last experience on the Millenium, the staff allowed all sorts of obnoxious passengers to act how and wear what they liked, when they liked, so this doesn't surprise me in the least.

 

Standards are falling at Celebrity and they had better get their act together before this cruiseline starts down a very slippery slope. If the CC postings are anything to go by, our loyalty is being tested at present.

 

Lyn

[Moeve]

Ok I overred the part of it being the last night of the cruise- still i cannot see them allowing this sort of behaviour without any sort of "punishment"

[luv2bcruzng]

We so agree with everything written. We had no doubt that there was more to the story then we were told. Obviously if they stormed into the room and took it over - then just don't serve them. So of course there was more to it.

We did settle for the wine offered to us - we should have demanded the expensive stuff.

I would not hesitate to sail on Celebrity again but realizing there as well as the rest of the world - money talks!!!

[emptynest1]

A couple of comments assumed a big tip greased someone's palm. Yes, money talks, but why is everyone so quick to think it was because of money. Could have been any number of reasons, from accidental double booking, ships officers family visiting, VIP who pulled some strings, or just maybe a rude group of people demanding the private room and staff that could not handle the situation.

 

I agree it should not have happened. You were compensated, and along with that I would have sent a letter to management to discuss the matter in hopes it would not occur again.

[eandj]

Which is why I said/asked earlier, if someone from the OP's party went into the private dining room and asked how they got the space, you might have received the truth..."Oh, we tipped big and the manager gave it to us". :rolleyes: Then you'd be free to REALLY complain to the top!

[njhorseman]

We so agree with everything written. We had no doubt that there was more to the story then we were told. Obviously if they stormed into the room and took it over - then just don't serve them. So of course there was more to it.

We did settle for the wine offered to us - we should have demanded the expensive stuff.

I would not hesitate to sail on Celebrity again but realizing there as well as the rest of the world - money talks!!!

 

 

In your original post you said they also comped your meal. So, you ate and drank at no cost. What happened was unfortunate, but it sounds as though you were adequately compensated.

[jasm8449]

It is only speculation as to what happened and why. It's speculation that a big tip to the Tuscan manger was involved...but he would also have to have the cooperation of his superior, the Restaurant Manager (who is not just the manager of the specialty restaurants but of ALL dining venues on the ship). That management of that level would risk losing his job over a tip is, IMHO unlikely.

 

Another speculation, one which I have seen happen, is when a request (demand) is made by the occupants of the Penthouse suite. The staff will move heaven and earth to satisfy the guest who has forked over $15,000 plus to cruise. One high-level manager who was not able to accommodate a short-notice reservation request for a passenger at one of the specialty restaurants had told me that if it had been a Penthouse guest, he would have "called the carpenters in to make room for another table". He was kidding of course about the carpenters, but it did speak to the lengths they might go to accommodate a penthouse guest request.

 

That being said, yes, I can understand the great disappointment and disillusionment of the OP. However, it was, in my opinion, more than appropriate that the manager comped the dinner for his entire party. It's what he should have done and did, but he didn't have to do it. He could have just found them another table and maybe comped some drinks or wine.