Sabor? No more!

[maitaiguy]

We had a wonderful meal at Chops on Mariner. We WILL be going back to Chops on Navigator.

 

I can't wait.....and of course will report back to all of you here...:D

[Cruise2014Fanatic]

We actually asked why there was two tables of officers in Chops which were getting "extra service" and our waiter stated, "that is the new captain, chief engineer" and .... i forgot what the other was... he seemed nervous too. It does however seem backwards though, we are also guests and customers.

 

I really dont care if officers catch a break and dine, but don't make us pay for a lack of service.

 

Any chance you asked to talk with the manager or even the new captain sitting a few tables over? It's awful that your service was so bad, but if all you did was ask a passive aggressive question of the waiter, I find it hard to feel bad. I would have posted the issue here too... So I don't fault you for that in the least.. But at some point, you need to take a bull by the horns.

[mrBit]

Any chance you asked to talk with the manager or even the new captain sitting a few tables over? It's awful that your service was so bad, but if all you did was ask a passive aggressive question of the waiter, I find it hard to feel bad. I would have posted the issue here too... So I don't fault you for that in the least.. But at some point, you need to take a bull by the horns.

 

My service was ok to good, i think the OP at Sabor had horrible service. I just added that in Chops we had Officers too, the "new captain" as our waiter stated and servers all over them.

[Cruise2014Fanatic]

My service was ok to good, i think the OP at Sabor had horrible service. I just added that in Chops we had Officers too, the "new captain" as our waiter stated and servers all over them.

 

My bad - sorry. ...

 

Bumping the same question to the OP...

[Seatravelers]

We board Navigator on Sunday, and our intent is to give Sabor a try. Stay tuned --

 

We will be interested in hearing YOUR review of Sabor! Have a wonderful cruise, Bon Voyage!

[Rancher Dave]

Had bad service on first night of Mariner sailing one evening and when asked by CD next evening how things were going I brought it up. Similar to officer table issue but more like a couple of B2B groups being fawned over...and rest of tables, more than just me, being ignored.

 

F&B director was standing right there, I didn't know what his role was at time I complained, but he suddenly became very attentive. The issue ended up resolved and I ended up with apologies from head waiter and servers who were working my table. I happened to be sailing solo...received a plate with a dozen chocolate strawberries...ended up making some cabin crew happy sharing them as I couldn't eat a dozen myself.

 

Ultimately the officers were upset to hear of the bad experience and made it right when all was said and done. It was ironically the bad specialty dining on first night that led me to trying MTD. I originally planned to dine specialty half the cruise...ended up first night and another night when I was invited back for a better experience.

 

The suggestion of asking officer's table for help is one I agree would make sense. When asked nicely and politely, 99% chance the situation will be resolved quickly and effectively. They want the ship to get good reviews when all is said and done.

 

It is sad to see a couple reviews speaking fairly unfavorable about the new venue. If D+ coupons exist for the venue I will give it a try, but otherwise can do just fine getting plenty of TexMex around here.

[garnetpalmetto]

Had bad service on first night of Mariner sailing one evening and when asked by CD next evening how things were going I brought it up. Similar to officer table issue but more like a couple of B2B groups being fawned over...and rest of tables, more than just me, being ignored.

 

F&B director was standing right there, I didn't know what his role was at time I complained, but he suddenly became very attentive. The issue ended up resolved and I ended up with apologies from head waiter and servers who were working my table. I happened to be sailing solo...received a plate with a dozen chocolate strawberries...ended up making some cabin crew happy sharing them as I couldn't eat a dozen myself.

 

Ultimately the officers were upset to hear of the bad experience and made it right when all was said and done. It was ironically the bad specialty dining on first night that led me to trying MTD. I originally planned to dine specialty half the cruise...ended up first night and another night when I was invited back for a better experience.

 

The suggestion of asking officer's table for help is one I agree would make sense. When asked nicely and politely, 99% chance the situation will be resolved quickly and effectively. They want the ship to get good reviews when all is said and done.

 

It is sad to see a couple reviews speaking fairly unfavorable about the new venue. If D+ coupons exist for the venue I will give it a try, but otherwise can do just fine getting plenty of TexMex around here.

 

Slight correction, but my impression based on the menu is that Sabor's supposed to be Mexican, not TexMex.

[Rancher Dave]

Slight correction, but my impression based on the menu is that Sabor's supposed to be Mexican, not TexMex.

 

 

Menu I saw posted is similar to upscale TexMex around here. Definitely not just a taco joint. Hopefully they get it together and it's a hit with those from areas where they don't get this food all of the time.

[krev]

Beat me to it, that was my thought too.

 

Sent from my Galaxy S4 via Tapatalk

 

 

Mine as well. Another thought, excuse me, we are paying your wages, could we please have some service! I would likely never say it that way but would like to

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[constantcruiser]

When we finally saw the Sabor Manager near the end of the meal, we did call her attention to the poor service. Her response was, "Well, this is a new restaurant, and be sure to try us again the next time you're on Navigator." Since she offered no other explanation or compensation, we immediately went to Guest Services and reported the issues. The next day the $25 service charge was removed from each of our Seapass cards. I also detailed the situation on the guest survey at the end of the cruise.

 

As far as the food is concerned, I would rate it "OK." The chicken flautas were excellent and the desserts were great, but the tacos were cold by the time we got them...and the only chips we ever saw were on the officers' table! Also their margaritas were created tableside, while ours were made in a bar far, far, far away....

[Piepkorn]

I also detailed the situation on the guest survey at the end of the cruise.

 

Personally, I'd send a letter off to corporate. Those survey cards don't mean a thing at the end of the day. It just gives staff and corporate a statistical breakdown about the percentages that liked (or disliked) aspects of the cruise. Hopefully someone high up in the command chain of the ship will actually read them and take action.....although I truly doubt it. A survey card with a really negative comment isn't going to make it off the ship.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Piepkorn

[BecciBoo]

Yep, looks like a repeat of my review! Now you know why I said Navi has some serious problems with service, especially at Sabor's although the food is the main problem. If our meal had not been comped I would have had a serious problem with them. We went the 3rd night.

Edited February 14, 2014 by BecciBoo

[BecciBoo]

Stop it, children!

Everyone has a right to their opinion; no need to be nasty:mad:

 

[fletch1027]

When we finally saw the Sabor Manager near the end of the meal, we did call her attention to the poor service. Her response was, "Well, this is a new restaurant, and be sure to try us again the next time you're on Navigator." Since she offered no other explanation or compensation, we immediately went to Guest Services and reported the issues. The next day the $25 service charge was removed from each of our Seapass cards. I also detailed the situation on the guest survey at the end of the cruise.

 

This whole experience you described is no way to run a restaurant, whether on land or sea.

 

I totally understand working out the kinks in a new concept / new restaurant, but what I don't understand is RCI charging full price while they are practicing.

 

Also it didn't seem like there was an issue with working out the kinks when it came to the officers table!

 

In the end, the restaurant dropped the ball, but Guest Services did their job by crediting back what you paid. Probably wasn't the first visit they had that week...

 

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[Big_G]

When we finally saw the Sabor Manager near the end of the meal, we did call her attention to the poor service. Her response was, "Well, this is a new restaurant, and be sure to try us again the next time you're on Navigator." Since she offered no other explanation or compensation, we immediately went to Guest Services and reported the issues. The next day the $25 service charge was removed from each of our Seapass cards. I also detailed the situation on the guest survey at the end of the cruise.

 

As far as the food is concerned, I would rate it "OK." The chicken flautas were excellent and the desserts were great, but the tacos were cold by the time we got them...and the only chips we ever saw were on the officers' table! Also their margaritas were created tableside, while ours were made in a bar far, far, far away....

 

Thanks for coming back to post the end result. In my experience they want and need to get it right so talking to the manager and guest services along with mentioning it on the survey was the right way to address it. I'm pretty sure they'll figure it out. It's too bad it wasn't before you walked through the door.

[mpoole3]

My friend Matt's on the ship now doing a live review on a different cruise form and said Sabor has been the best dinning experience he has ever had at sea.

 

So perhaps they are still working things out? But bases on his pictures of all the fresh items made table side, I can't imagine this is a poor dinning experience.

 

Hopefully more people have a better experience in the coming weeks.

 

Michael

[travelgoddess1]

Personally, I'd send a letter off to corporate. Those survey cards don't mean a thing at the end of the day. It just gives staff and corporate a statistical breakdown about the percentages that liked (or disliked) aspects of the cruise. Hopefully someone high up in the command chain of the ship will actually read them and take action.....although I truly doubt it. A survey card with a really negative comment isn't going to make it off the ship.

 

Surveys/comment cards are now emailed and must be completed within one week of the end of the cruise. (No opportunity to throw away bad comment cards.) We always felt our comment cards had been received and read -- we do many B2B cruises, and we always got feedback on our comments, both positive and negative, the following cruise.

[BecciBoo]

The couple who sat over the divider from us who were just finishing, told us the same thing Michael so we were encouraged, but after waiting 35 minutes for our Sangria to arrive and with stone cold entrées, not so much. We ran into those same people up at Izumi's and they couldn't believe we had such a bad experience right after their great one.

 

Different strokes for different folks. If you don't really know how Mexican cuisine should be prepared and served, you would probably think it was o.k. We,here in Texas, are just too educated about it.:o

Edited February 14, 2014 by BecciBoo

[wolfganghowell]

mpoole3 - where is your friends thread? I would be interested in following it but the search function is broken here (AGAIN).

[mpoole3]

mpoole3 - where is your friends thread? I would be interested in following it but the search function is broken here (AGAIN).

 

 

It's not on CC or I'd post. They send me nasty emails anytime I do post about it.

 

But feel free to shoot me an email with any questions :)

 

Mpoole3@gmail.com

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Piepkorn]

Surveys/comment cards are now emailed and must be completed within one week of the end of the cruise. (No opportunity to throw away bad comment cards.) We always felt our comment cards had been received and read -- we do many B2B cruises, and we always got feedback on our comments, both positive and negative, the following cruise.

 

The Vision cruise on November 11th had comment cards given out onboard, and also received an email survey about a week after we got home.

 

But with that said, we are willing to try Sabor. Have seen several good writeups on it. Chops?....I've nothing but bad luck with them, and will not go even if a freebie.

[travelgoddess1]

The Vision cruise on November 11th had comment cards given out onboard, and also received an email survey about a week after we got home.

 

But with that said, we are willing to try Sabor. Have seen several good writeups on it. Chops?....I've nothing but bad luck with them, and will not go even if a freebie.

 

You are correct. In November RCI was still using comment cards, December, as well. Now they have switched over to email only. :) I presume it was January 1.