Attention Repeat Celebrity Passengers--What's Your Opinion?

[slp123]

Celebrity has long had the reputation of having better food than the other Premium Lines. Whether that is true or not, I have a different question for those who have cruised on Celebrity three or more times, with their first Celebrity cruise being prior 1/1/10.

 

Thinking of all your past cruises on Celebrity, which statement most closely matches your opinion about the quality and variety of food in the Main Dining Room (MDR).

1. The quality and variety of food in the MDR is excellent and has been consistently so over the last 5 years
   
2. The quality and variety of food in the MDR was excellent but has not been as good on recent cruises, but is still very good or acceptable
   
3. The quality/variety of food in the MDR was very good to excellent but has declined over time; Celebrity needs to refocus on MDR and improve food quality/preparation which I find to now be only poor to average.
   
4. MDR food quality and variety has and remains above average compared to the competition, but I still believe there is room to make improvements
   
5. The quality and variety of food in the MDR has constantly improved over the years and the food in the MDR on my most recent cruises is actually better than earlier experiences.
   
6. My experience of MDR food quality has varied over the years, varying by ship but in general I find it to be good to excellent although there were cruises where I was disappointed.
   
7. I have had good meals in the MDR, but in recent years I prefer to dine in alternative venues as much as possible as food quality and variety in the alternative venues is generally better than what is served in the MDR.
   
8. None of the above answers come close to reflecting my opinion about food quality trends in the MDR. I would like to give my own answer.
   

 

I could have given more answer choices but it becomes confusing. So feel free to choose an answer which comes closest to your point of view but then go ahead and qualify your chosen answer anyway you like. Just remember you are only comparing food on various Celebrity cruises and not making comparisons to food service on other cruise lines.

[bjm07]

When I answer surveys of this sort, I like to know what is the reason behind the survey and where the results are going. Then I can judge, when answering your questions, whether I believe that the parameters you have set can meet your objectives, in my opinion, or whether your posed questions are structured in such a way to produce results that you have already identified.

 

Might you consider sharing with us where you are going with this?

[mathgeek1978]

Celebrity has long had the reputation of having better food than the other Premium Lines. Whether that is true or not, I have a different question for those who have cruised on Celebrity three or more times, with their first Celebrity cruise being prior 1/1/10.

 

 

I have a problem with this. What is a "premium line"? Is Carnival a premium line? Princess? HAL?

 

Or, by "premium line" do you mean Crystal or Reagent?

[slp123]

When I answer surveys of this sort, I like to know what is the reason behind the survey and where the results are going. Then I can judge, when answering your questions, whether I believe that the parameters you have set can meet your objectives, in my opinion, or whether your posed questions are structured in such a way to produce results that you have already identified.

 

Might you consider sharing with us where you are going with this?

 

Although I have cruised often (I have lost count, but it is more than 40), I have never been on Celebrity, although I have booked a cruise on Reflection for March. Since I have no experience with the line, I just wondered what people who have cruised on the line over a number of years thought of the food in the MDR both recently and as compared with cruises they took 3-5 years ago. I have my opinion on this topic regarding HAL, Cunard, Azamara, Regent and to a lesser extent on some of the other lines. So given Celebrity's reputation for very good food, I was wondering if that was a reputation earned historically and still true today or not. No other agenda.

[harz99]

It has to be 3 for me.

[Kevnzworld]

My only other cruising experience was Regent. I sailed with them five times for almost 70 nights.

Overall their quality of food was superior . I think that Celebrity's food is often good , but mostly adequate. The 14 day menus are the same on every ship. Even the buffet. Changes are made once a year ship wide. I was just on the Eclipse and we were informed that Tuscan grills menu was about to get a make over .

Blu is a relatively new experiment that seems to be working well. AQ cabins rarely seem to go on sale and they command a considerably higher rate , just for the ability to avoid the MDR!

[slp123]

I have a problem with this. What is a "premium line"? Is Carnival a premium line? Princess? HAL?

 

Or, by "premium line" do you mean Crystal or Reagent?

 

The classification of a cruise line as bargain, mass-market, premium, deluxe or luxury has long been debated. I really don't wish this thread be about which line belongs in which category so for the sake of agreement and keeping focus on my question about food in the MDR, I asked that responders simply compare cuisine on earlier and later Celebrity cruises.

 

Generally on this site Celebrity, HAL and Princess are considered Premium, Oceania and Azamara are categorized as deluxe and Seabourn, Regent, Silver Seas and Crystal are considered luxury. Royal Caribbean, Disney, Carnival are considered examples of Mass Market cruise lines. NCL could be considered Mass Market or discount and Costs MSC are definitely discount.

 

But again there are those that would debate the above and again please let's not make this thread about that debate.

[ladylemondrop]

I work for a small cruise line, fred olsen, and the food on our ships is much better than Celebrity in MDR, but they do not offer any alternatives. I think because they are smaller, and not catering to so many people the food is quality over quantity.

 

But, on celebrity although we find MDR food ok, we are finding more and more we choose all the other amazing speciality restaurants to eat at, i love them all and the food is fantastic. The menus in the MDR dont seem to have changed much since we began cruising with celebrity.

[excitedofharpenden]

Absolutely number six for me.

 

Phil

[tomcruiser1234]

Got to go with number 4

 

Added comment ....... Its not the quality of food but the Service is not up to par yet on all the new ships in the MDR or for select dining. Just way to many new people learning the Celebrity System.

 

Select dining has gotten way over booked now and is having growing pains, but our first couple of cruises with it were outstanding because my understanding was they robbed some of the best waiters from the main MDR to get it up and running on each new ship.

 

You will love Celebrity...... Trust me

[dkjretired]

Celebrity has long had the reputation of having better food than the other Premium Lines. Whether that is true or not, I have a different question for those who have cruised on Celebrity three or more times, with their first Celebrity cruise being prior 1/1/10.

 

Thinking of all your past cruises on Celebrity, which statement most closely matches your opinion about the quality and variety of food in the Main Dining Room (MDR).

1. The quality and variety of food in the MDR is excellent and has been consistently so over the last 5 years
   
2. The quality and variety of food in the MDR was excellent but has not been as good on recent cruises, but is still very good or acceptable
   
3. The quality/variety of food in the MDR was very good to excellent but has declined over time; Celebrity needs to refocus on MDR and improve food quality/preparation which I find to now be only poor to average.
   
4. MDR food quality and variety has and remains above average compared to the competition, but I still believe there is room to make improvements
   
5. The quality and variety of food in the MDR has constantly improved over the years and the food in the MDR on my most recent cruises is actually better than earlier experiences.
   
6. My experience of MDR food quality has varied over the years, varying by ship but in general I find it to be good to excellent although there were cruises where I was disappointed.
   
7. I have had good meals in the MDR, but in recent years I prefer to dine in alternative venues as much as possible as food quality and variety in the alternative venues is generally better than what is served in the MDR.
   
8. None of the above answers come close to reflecting my opinion about food quality trends in the MDR. I would like to give my own answer.
   

 

I could have given more answer choices but it becomes confusing. So feel free to choose an answer which comes closest to your point of view but then go ahead and qualify your chosen answer anyway you like. Just remember you are only comparing food on various Celebrity cruises and not making comparisons to food service on other cruise lines.

 

If you are doing the last five years, I don't see a difference. If you are doing 20 yrs ago there is a big difference. The food and service in the MDR 20 yrs ago is what you get now in the Speciality restaurants. I don't remember having a bad meal on Celebrity but then I don't go to the dining room looking for problems.

[Dunelm]

I have to go with #1. Why? The MDR is banquet food and is not a top rated restaurant. As banquet foods go, it is excellent!

[Solstice23]

Chefs can change from ship to ship this has a factor in the overall taste of the same dish from ship to ship

 

 

Compared to back in 2004 I do like the new food selection and creativity and the specialty options way more then before and BLU is just as good as the mdr on azamara who really good food also

[Lsimon]

I'd go with 5 or 6.

 

I think the food was declining a bit for a few years but has been great on our last two cruises (March and Dec of 2012).

 

Overall, prior to that the food has been a bit inconsistent which I attribute both to the staff on the ships and the quality of the groceries they're able to obtain on a given cruise.

 

I hope the nice improvements we've seen on the past two cruise continue on our future cruises and that the change is part of a planned trend of Celebrity increasing the quality of their food and service to what it once was.

[journeymore]

I'll take #6.

[cruisinelsewhere]

I must go with 6 myself. Back in the mid-nineties I found the food to be fabulous. With growing pains I saw changes I did not like but that seems to have come full circle. I have found it depends on the particular sailing.....well I have my chance to find out very soon on Reflection!

[spav01]

#1. I have never had a bad meal in the MDR.

[agathasmum]

#6 for me.

[junglejane]

I would have to say #3: The quality/variety of food in the MDR was very good to excellent but has declined over time; Celebrity needs to refocus on MDR and improve food quality/preparation which I find to now be only poor to average. This is based on 3 cruises so it's obviously just my personal experience.

 

We cruised on the Infinity in 2006 and the Summit in 2008, and definitely felt that the MDR food was clearly superior to our other favorite line, Princess. But our MDR experience in 2011 on the Equinox was disappointing. To be fair, we have read many reports after we were on the Equinox that say that the MDR has improved, so maybe we hit it at a low point. But our experience motivated us to give AQ and Blu a try. We have booked our family of 4 into AQ for our upcoming Spring Break cruise on the Silhouette in the hopes of an improved dining experience.

[Ma Bell]

Absolutely number 6 for me too.

[SuwaneeCard]

I would say a combination of 3 and 7.

We are approaching 30 cruises with a wide variety of mass-market lines concentrating recently on HAL and X.

I know a bit about the meat business having worked in retail and sold to restaurants in my younger days. That said, while the graded quality of the proteins used has not changed, in some cases the parameters of those grades have changed. Additionally the types of cuts used in the MDR v. specialty dining areas is often significantly different. There is only so much that can be done to enhance flavor and tenderness if you start with an inferior cut. The changes I've experienced in the MDR are driven primarily by food cost constraints. You either use a slightly smaller cut (The difference between 6oz and 5.75oz portion is visually impossible to discern, but it means huge $ savings to use the smaller portion across an entire line), or a "new" cut (flat iron steak comes to mind) that is less tender but cheaper. When you couple that with what has necessarily become more of a banquet style service due to the size of the ship, you end up with lots of braised entrees in less than exciting sauces.

The advent of specialty dining (and passengers' willingness to pay for same) has allowed the lines to a bit of breathing room on food costs and product quality/portion size. But there have been changes and alterations here as well, with increased prices and reduced offerings over the years.

[Lady Arwen]

#6 for me too. We remember the quality of food and service from 20 years ago on the Meridian, Horizon and Zenith....outstanding. However, we still enjoy the Celebrity product and would never hesitate to recommend it to others.

[deserttraveler]

Because I've had both worst and best on Silhouette a year apart, mediocre on Solstice a few years ago, terrific twice on Infinity before and after Solstice, great in Blu on Summit, I can only go with 6. I've also sailed on HAL, Princess, and Azamara. Azamara's food was better, HAL comparable, and Princess a little below. But I think it's important to recognize that no line has absolutely consistent food across all its ships. Sometimes you can tell when a staff is happier and producing better results.

[kelmac]

#6 will work, but below is my "Mac-O-Meter" comparing cuisine on Celebrity with other lines I have cruised:

 

Azamara -- 9.3

 

Celebrity -- 8.8

 

Cunard -- 8.6

 

Holland America -- 8.2

 

NCL -- 6.9

 

Oceania -- 9.4

 

Princess -- 7.9

 

Royal Caribbean -- 8.0

 

As of late, Royal Caribbean seems to be improving; HAL is on a gradual slide; will try Princess again in the fall; if I try NCL again, I will only eat in the alternative restaurants; Oceania is the best, although Azamara is close; MDR on Cunard is pretty good, but their buffet is awful; dollar for dollar, you can't beat Celebrity and their alternative restaurants are some of the best at sea.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[excitedofharpenden]

Mac-O-Meter. Love it!

 

Phil