Downgrading of Aqua Spa Cafe

[20pluscruises]

A cruise is about lots of different enjoyable elements. As cruise lines chip away at little extras it does spoil the overall enjoyment.

 

ITA! It would have been better spacing these cutbacks out a bit more.

[nikel]

Yum...I have been on many cruises, but do not ever remember seeing onion rings at the grill. :(

 

and along with onion rings they used to have delicious chicken wings

[Iamthesea]

I was the only one in our group of 6 who found anything interesting in AQ Cafe this time, so I never got to eat there after the first time we tried it. But I did want to comment that my BIL asked for, and received, grilled to order salmon in Oceanview every day.

 

Where in OV was the salmon ordered?

 

There was no signage for it on our most recent cruise (Connie TA) but whenever I ordered grilled Salmon or Tuna it was delivered cooked as ordered too my table for me to add to my salad or other items that had. I did notice the Aqua Spa was not quite as nice on Connie as the M Class ships, but since it was our first M Class cruise, we were hoping it was just because of the different (smaller?) configuration.

 

Did you ask for Salmon or was it just not listed as an option? Maybe that had a challenge provisioning it?

 

Happy Sailing,

Jenna

 

Was this in the Aqua Spa Café. I'll have to give it a try in March. :)

[Waterlily777]

It seems to me that the bulk of the cutbacks have coincided with the Michael Bayley regime. After years of sailing 3-4 times per year, predominantly with Celebrity, we have seen the value sharply decrease in the last 18 months. Due to the continual downgrading of the onboard experience, and the sharp increase in prices, we have cancelled our X bookings for 2014 in favor of two land vacations and two cruises on other lines booked for 2014.

 

I just feel that Bayley does not know who his client base really is, or what they value in a Celebrity cruise. AquaSpa Café was a signature Celebrity venue, and was well-loved by almost everyone. Why would you tinker with something so successful? On both of my X cruises in 2013, since the downgrading of the Aqua Spa Café, any time that I went there to check out the offerings, it was almost or completely empty. I just can't see where the changes are an improvement, and it can't be a financial improvement. Judging from posts online, and the people I know personally, the Aqua Spa Café no longer seems to be the draw it used to be, and it doesn't seem as if there are very many who want to pay for those $5.00 smoothies or yogurt parfaits either.

[wedding96]

It seems to me that the bulk of the cutbacks have coincided with the Michael Bayley regime. After years of sailing 3-4 times per year, predominantly with Celebrity, we have seen the value sharply decrease in the last 18 months. Due to the continual downgrading of the onboard experience, and the sharp increase in prices, we have cancelled our X bookings for 2014 in favor of two land vacations and two cruises on other lines booked for 2014.

 

I just feel that Bayley does not know who his client base really is, or what they value in a Celebrity cruise. AquaSpa Café was a signature Celebrity venue, and was well-loved by almost everyone. Why would you tinker with something so successful? On both of my X cruises in 2013, since the downgrading of the Aqua Spa Café, any time that I went there to check out the offerings, it was almost or completely empty. I just can't see where the changes are an improvement, and it can't be a financial improvement. Judging from posts online, and the people I know personally, the Aqua Spa Café no longer seems to be the draw it used to be, and it doesn't seem as if there are very many who want to pay for those $5.00 smoothies or yogurt parfaits either.

 

They should be embarrassed about charging $5 for those yogurt parfaits. For those of you who don't know, they opted to include an area of the AquaSpa buffet where they will charge $5 for some greek yogurt with your choice of toppings. The toppings are not especially exotic, noteworthy, or plentiful and certainly not worth the money. Shame on Celebrity for this ridiculous offering! Anyone interested in starting a petition to bring back the delicious variety of rolls (unique to AquaSpa) and homemade jams they used to serve at breakfast, which they have since replaced with highly caloric mini-muffins? What were they thinking!

Edited January 12, 2014 by wedding96

[GRBlizz]

Where in OV was the salmon ordered?

 

My BIL would just ask the waiter who was covering the area where we sat, and it would be brought to the table. On the first day, he asked for "a couple of pieces" and got 8 pieces. So we all had salmon for lunch. After that, he was more specific. ;)

[Rick-cruiser]

It seems to me that the bulk of the cutbacks have coincided with the Michael Bayley regime. After years of sailing 3-4 times per year, predominantly with Celebrity, we have seen the value sharply decrease in the last 18 months. Due to the continual downgrading of the onboard experience, and the sharp increase in prices, we have cancelled our X bookings for 2014 in favor of two land vacations and two cruises on other lines booked for 2014.

 

I just feel that Bayley does not know who his client base really is, or what they value in a Celebrity cruise. AquaSpa Café was a signature Celebrity venue, and was well-loved by almost everyone. Why would you tinker with something so successful? On both of my X cruises in 2013, since the downgrading of the Aqua Spa Café, any time that I went there to check out the offerings, it was almost or completely empty. I just can't see where the changes are an improvement, and it can't be a financial improvement. Judging from posts online, and the people I know personally, the Aqua Spa Café no longer seems to be the draw it used to be, and it doesn't seem as if there are very many who want to pay for those $5.00 smoothies or yogurt parfaits either.

 

I couldn't have said it better myself.. The Aqua Spa Cafe used to be one of the highlights of our Celebrity cruise - a daily destination for its healthy, delicious food.. While we were on the third inaugural sailing of of the Solstice in Dec 2008 - we noticed all the changes Celebrity made to this new class of ship and decided it was not for us.. We have not been back since.. The reposition of the Aqua Spa Cafe as a open thruway on the pool deck (as opposed to its own, semi-private room on the Century- and Millenium-Class ships), with its diminished offerings and impersonalized service, made a very big difference to us.

 

That, along with other physical changes to this class of ship, lower standards, focus on new clientele, lack of enforcement of rules .made it very easy for us to pursue other cruiselines.

.

[redjetz]

yes we to miss the the tuna and salmon cooked to order we really loved having lunch there. We also miss the little sandwiches at cafe de bacco but i guess everyone has different choices that matter to them.:p

 

I really miss the little sandwiches in Cafe Bacio, too. And the chicken wings at the Mast grill, and the changes at the aqua spa cafe are yet another disappointment. I have been on 7 celebrity cruises since 2010 and there has been a noticeable dribble of changes. Not enough to put me off Celebrity (going again in March) certainly, but enough to make me start looking around.

[keesar]

I really miss the little sandwiches in Cafe Bacio, too. And the chicken wings at the Mast grill, and the changes at the aqua spa cafe are yet another disappointment. I have been on 7 celebrity cruises since 2010 and there has been a noticeable dribble of changes. Not enough to put me off Celebrity (going again in March) certainly, but enough to make me start looking around.

 

We were talking tonight about the early Mast Grill offerings. Try this for a meal. Hamburger with all the fixins, hot dog, chili, fries and onion rings, nachos with that warm gooey yellow cheese on top, and some chicken wings. Cannot beat that on a cruise! When we felt guilty, we went over to the Aqua Spa Cafe...

[20pluscruises]

I couldn't have said it better myself.. The Aqua Spa Cafe used to be one of the highlights of our Celebrity cruise - a daily destination for its healthy, delicious food.. While we were on the third inaugural sailing of of the Solstice in Dec 2008 - we noticed all the changes Celebrity made to this new class of ship and decided it was not for us.. We have not been back since.. The reposition of the Aqua Spa Cafe as a open thruway on the pool deck (as opposed to its own, semi-private room on the Century- and Millenium-Class ships), with its diminished offerings and impersonalized service, made a very big difference to us.

 

That, along with other physical changes to this class of ship, lower standards, focus on new clientele, lack of enforcement of rules .made it very easy for us to pursue other cruiselines.

.

 

Who is your fav cruise line? We too are looking around for what Celebrity once was.

[Christine Frances]

I absolutely love the solarium but we really don't enjoy eating in the Aqua Spa Cafe. Usually find ourselves surrounded by people in wet bathing suits, housecoats etc. The only place with enough seating is the port side during which you get a whiff of smoke every time the doors open. Lots of better places to eat on the ship.

[mcrcruiser]

We agree about the downgrade & cost cutting at the Aqua Spa Café :o.

 

We once order cooked to order AHi Tuna steaks:) .That has been taken away & now we just don't bother going any longer:eek:

[teecee60]

Stopped there a couple of times in November on the Reflection transatlantic and didn't see a SINGLE thing that was interesting or appealing. I miss the different flavored poached pears they used to serve! I had them at least a dozen times on a Panama Canal cruise on Infinity a couple of years ago.

[20pluscruises]

Stopped there a couple of times in November on the Reflection transatlantic and didn't see a SINGLE thing that was interesting or appealing. I miss the different flavored poached pears they used to serve! I had them at least a dozen times on a Panama Canal cruise on Infinity a couple of years ago.

 

I miss the tuna tartar, black bean tostada, soups, seared tuna, fresh berries, cold chicken curry dish, papya and mango tuna and/or chicken dishes, fresh moxerella salads, flan desserts, so many things are long gone :(

 

Even the cous cous was excellent......mis all of it!

Edited January 13, 2014 by 20pluscruises

[20pluscruises]

Imiss the cous cous, too!:(

[Iamthesea]

[quote name='GRBlizz']My BIL would just ask the waiter who was covering the area where we sat, and it would be brought to the table. On the first day, he asked for "a couple of pieces" and got 8 pieces. So we all had salmon for lunch. After that, he was more specific. ;)[/quote]

Waiters in the ocean View Café? :confused: I have heard of them at night, but not during the day.

[quote name='redjetz']I really miss the little sandwiches in Cafe Bacio, too. And the chicken wings at the Mast grill, and the changes at the aqua spa cafe are yet another disappointment. I have been on 7 celebrity cruises since 2010 and there has been a noticeable dribble of changes. Not enough to put me off Celebrity (going again in March) certainly, but enough to make me start looking around.[/quote]

Yesterday, we booked a 4th cruise (all to be taken between March 2014 and 2/2015) with Celebrity. Those will make 7 in a row (cruised 2/2013, 5/2013 and 9/2013) on Celebrity. It was the offering of the drink package that lured us again. Otherwise, we would have looked closely at other cruiseline offerings. I hope we do not get tired of the food. :rolleyes:

[20pluscruises]

[quote name='teecee60']Stopped there a couple of times in November on the Reflection transatlantic and didn't see a SINGLE thing that was interesting or appealing. I miss the different flavored poached pears they used to serve! I had them at least a dozen times on a Panama Canal cruise on Infinity a couple of years ago.[/QUOTE]

Oooo, the pears were yummy!

[GRBlizz]

[quote name='Iamthesea']Waiters in the ocean View Café? :confused: I have heard of them at night, but not during the day.
[/QUOTE]

Of course! I may be using the wrong term, but it's the people there to get you drinks, clear plates, and otherwise help keep things moving. Some of our nighttime staff from Blu was usually in Oceanview at lunchtime.

[20pluscruises]

[quote name='GRBlizz']Of course! I may be using the wrong term, but it's the people there to get you drinks, clear plates, and otherwise help keep things moving. Some of our nighttime staff from Blu was usually in Oceanview at lunchtime.[/QUOTE]

Um...2 weeks ago...nobody was taking drink orders in the Oceanview...there is a very small bar area (no seats) you can go up and order one at

[Iamthesea]

[quote name='GRBlizz']Of course! I may be using the wrong term, but it's the people there to get you drinks, clear plates, and otherwise help keep things moving. Some of our nighttime staff from Blu was usually in Oceanview at lunchtime.[/quote]

Oh, I see what you mean. I'll try to track one down in March. ;)

[Chooz2Cruz]

Aqua Spa cafe has always been our favorite. We go straight there when we board. Not been on S class yet, but on 5 M class cruises it is our go to, mostly for the made to order fish. Every day DH and I would order one Seared Tuna, and one Seared Salmon to split. It is so tasty and clean and the veggies with it are also delish. We would have it along with our salads. We also would go there for a egg white omelette in the morning, before we we did AQ and Blu. We never, EVER, have eaten at the Mast (greasy) grill, and Avoid the buffet all together. We are healthy eaters, and never find much of anything appealing there, other than when it is sushi time. I don't know what we will do when we cruise later this year, again M-class. From the sounds of it, we won't be eating lunch at all. Very sad!

[GRBlizz]

[quote name='Chooz2Cruz']Aqua Spa cafe has always been our favorite. We go straight there when we board. Not been on S class yet, but on 5 M class cruises it is our go to, mostly for the made to order fish. Every day DH and I would order one Seared Tuna, and one Seared Salmon to split. It is so tasty and clean and the veggies with it are also delish. We would have it along with our salads. We also would go there for a egg white omelette in the morning, before we we did AQ and Blu. We never, EVER, have eaten at the Mast (greasy) grill, and Avoid the buffet all together. We are healthy eaters, and never find much of anything appealing there, other than when it is sushi time. I don't know what we will do when we cruise later this year, again M-class. From the sounds of it, we won't be eating lunch at all. Very sad![/QUOTE]

I'm also a healthy eater, and the good news is that the buffet now has some excellent choices for us! You can get your made-to-order fish there, the salad bars have much more selection, and they have a stir-fried veggie station that rocks (just tell her to use olive oil only, and don't add in the rice unless you want it.) Of course there are also the fresh fruits. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by what you can find at the main buffet.

[2SeaAll]

Thanks for all the insights in response to my posting. We thought we were not alone, and the responses certainly indicate we are not.

I'm totally sympathetic to Celebrity's margin pressures and its need to make a profit, but nothing excuses poor judgment; it's all about reducing waste and cost in the right places. Celebrity has been our mass market product of choice because it [B]WAS[/B] a differentiated, higher tier product in that segment, with Aqua Spa Cafe standing out as a prime point of differentiation. The Celebrity differentiation is eroding; I would like to say slowly, but I'm not sure that's accurate any more:eek:.

Let's hope our voices are heard. I'm glad Celebrity is willing to experiment, but experimentation carries the burden of admitting failure.
[SIZE=5][B]
CELEBRITY: PLEASE RESTORE THE AQUA SPA CAFE TO WHAT IT ONCE WAS!!! [/B][/SIZE]

[SnowshoeCat]

[quote name='2SeaAll']
[SIZE=5][B]
CELEBRITY: PLEASE RESTORE THE AQUA SPA CAFE TO WHAT IT ONCE WAS!!! [/B][/SIZE][/QUOTE]

By next week, please ;)

(Although, GRBlizz's post about the buffet is reassuring. Thank you) Edited January 13, 2014 by SnowshoeCat

[20pluscruises]

[quote name='2SeaAll']Thanks for all the insights in response to my posting. We thought we were not alone, and the responses certainly indicate we are not.

I'm totally sympathetic to Celebrity's margin pressures and its need to make a profit, but nothing excuses poor judgment; it's all about reducing waste and cost in the right places. Celebrity has been our mass market product of choice because it [B]WAS[/B] a differentiated, higher tier product in that segment, with Aqua Spa Cafe standing out as a prime point of differentiation. The Celebrity differentiation is eroding; I would like to say slowly, but I'm not sure that's accurate any more:eek:.

Let's hope our voices are heard. I'm glad Celebrity is willing to experiment, but experimentation carries the burden of admitting failure.
[SIZE=5][B]
CELEBRITY: PLEASE RESTORE THE AQUA SPA CAFE TO WHAT IT ONCE WAS!!! [/B][/SIZE][/QUOTE]

I see you have done Regent, Oceania, and Silver, etc. ....would you mind if i asked which of these were your favorite? Thanks