Is there NOTHING positive about Celebrity any more? (Threads Merged)

[antsnanny]

Because they don't want anyone to know that they use a dozen less eggs than they used to use. I know there are a lot of people just waiting to compare their old saved dailies to the new ones in order to catch Celebrity cutting back on food.:rolleyes:

 

 

I was told this is an effort to cut down on waste by a very reliable source. ! I agree, there is too much food thrown away but so far I don't feel Celebrity has found the right answer…

I know there are a few people going to jump all over me for saying this!

[richsea]

Okay, they haven't cut back on anything...I was wrong.

 

No, you're probably right. I can see it now; a secret meeting in a corner office overlooking Miami. Harold, the chief bean counter tells Bayley, "you know sir, with this new buffet setup, we will probably be able to use less food"; Mr. Bayley responds, "you're right Harold, I'll make sure they stop posting the amount of food used per cruise, this way they'll never know."

[NLH Arizona]

If the buffet had been designed in their current method, I might agree with you. The issue is the current warming tables do not keep much of the food warm.

.

I think you are right on the money here. As an example the Caesars Palace buffet started in the fall of 2012 and was made for this type of presentation. I was there two weeks ago and noticed that the items under the warmers where they usually put the baskets (there were no baskets at breakfast), were very, very hot to the touch. If Celebrity is going to continue with this presentation, they should consider retrofitting the warmers. Maybe this is why they are trying it on one ship, to see what works and what doesn't.

[antsnanny]

Whether you pick and choose from the buffet or some of it's "pre plated", isn't that how it usually is regardless how the buffet food is served...?

 

 

 

True but what is available other than the pre-plated meals is limited. DH and I walked around the buffet and wound up empty handed on more than one occasion. Were not fans of the prepared meals because sometimes we liked just two if the three things plated together and sometimes we could not identify what was in these dishes. I love veggies so I usually pass up the meat and choose a few different veggies for lunch. I couldn't do that. Was it the end of the world? No but we ate way too much pizza which was fabulous BTW. The pasta station had some nice selections but the lines were always long. I am a big fan of Celebrity and have faith that they will make this right.

 

 

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[cle-guy]

All I can say to you is that Im scratching my head wondering why you think your solutions are good for others. I sailed May 11 and I can debate most of what you say……Are you for real? Perhaps we should have thought in advance and carried a thermometer to prove that the food at the buffet was cold??? GEEZ… THE FOOD WAS COLD TO TASTE, IT REALLY DOESN"T MATTER WHAT TEMP. YOU THINK FOOD SHOULD BE SERVED AT . THEY NEED TO FIND A WAY TO KEEP THE FOOD WARM…….

 

You are doing such a good job at jumping all over anyone who is of the opinion that the buffet changes are not for the better so I will leave the search for "BLASTS" up to you…. You found most of them but there are some you missed. Its up to you...

 

What I did was present both sides to the arguments in a single place in my long post. Not sure why you take such posts so personally. I posted the complaint, and my version of how it really isn't such a complaint, now folks have both sides of the complaint side-by-side to make their own educated judgements when determining what ship is right for them.

 

I find it amusing the one point of my argument you choose to pick and argue back is one that I in fact indicated is in fact subjective, and offered a real solution - "ask for a warm one". I never once myself found anything too cold to consume.

 

You sailed May 11, that may have been the very first trial of the new buffet, if not, it was the sailing right before you. Each week since new cruisers return and tell a better, and better story of how they found it, that logically leads me to conclude that perhaps data taken from several sailings ago may no longer be as valid as data from a more recent sailing. I'd also say the last 2 cruises passengers have data that is better than mine from May 25th. Given my observations of how carefully they were monitoring and adjusting things, and other cruisers comments on their conversations with staff (and your "very reliable source" they are trying to cut back on food (i.e. waste)) I think one needs to temper any comparison to the earlier buffet changes with regard to more recent observations.

 

What I try to do with my posts is offer an opposing view to perceptions I believe to be off, just like posters offer their views of how they perceive things to be off. I'm not sure why it's not OK for me to argue things are improved, if others can argue things have gone down the ****ter. I think giving both sides to the argument in a single source in the forum is a good idea, and people can take or leave my analysis to each point as they wish, and use their own mind to come to a reasonable conclusion as to what reality is.

 

I always say there are 3 sides to a story -- yours, mine and the truth. As they used to say on the X files, the truth is out there....

 

All I know is I am a very finicky traveler who seeks service and luxury first and foremost, within a budget, and I have found Celebrity to fit my personal style of travel, meeting and exceeding expectations, listening to feedback, resolving issues that arise above and beyond expectation, and providing a new, modern way of cruising (based on what I read here from olden days cruising styles that admittedly I have never really been a part of though in my business, I have studied about everything there is to study about the Titanic and her sister ships having presented their artifact exhibits professionally since 1996). That I've sailed them exclusively 7 times since March 2013 should prove that I am very, very happy with the product they were and are becoming, and I have noticed a lot of changes and modifications and even cutbacks (though I believe most cutbacks are insignificant and help keep fares consistent). in this short period of time.

Edited June 12, 2014 by cle-guy

[momofmeg]

You guys have lost me on these buffet food posts. I find buffet food similar no matter the line. it is not gourmet food and not meant to be, it is what you have when you are in a rush or too tired to sit through a 2 hour dinner. At least that is what it is for me.

 

As far as waste, I have seen people stack up food at the buffet like it is their last meal and then leave most of the food on their plates. If you are not sure you will like something why not just get a small amount to try it? You can always go back for seconds.

 

So Celebrity is trying to cut costs on their buffet food? Who can blame them with all the waste Ii see there. so what-big deal.

 

My feeling if they really want to cut costs-is they should just keep it simple, with things like pizza,salad, sandwich fixings, a simple choice of veggies, maybe roast beef, and ham, you know universal foods and leave off the Asian/Mexican/or whatever other themed food. I say that because ethnic food only appeals to a small amount of cruisers. Hey I love Mexican, but many don't, so why offer it at the buffet?

 

I do not consider pizza ethnic because no matter where you go people eat it, it is pretty much like hamburgers- it is not Italian really, unless you get it in Italy like Naples, and then it is not the pizza we normally have for sure. Now that's Italian and excellent!

[SnorkelMoose]

momofmeg's right.

 

I've seen less venom in political debates than I have in Celebrity buffet discussions. ;)

Edited June 12, 2014 by SnorkelMoose

[meatloafsfan]

As far as waste, I have seen people stack up food at the buffet like it is their last meal and then leave most of the food on their plates. If you are not sure you will like something why not just get a small amount to try it? You can always go back for seconds.

 

Celebrity has eliminated this option with the preplated containers. You get their idea of an ideal serving and that's that.

 

To me it boils down to 2 issues:

 

1. Hot food being served cold.

2. Portion sizes of a lot of the preplated food are too large or contain too many items (i.e. why not have eggs and bacon and then some with eggs and sausage - why bacon, eggs, and sausage OR side salads, green beans, appetizer stuff being served as a full portion on their own).

 

The concept can (and in other places does) work. But if Celebrity rolls this out without adjusting their warming trays and looking at different sized containers for some of their dishes, I think in the long run, there will continue to be complaints and waste.

 

I mean, we encountered no less than 5 different sizes/shapes of spoons to eat with on our cruise - you're telling me they can't have some small sizes of containers so you have only a taste of an item and not a full meal of it?

Edited June 12, 2014 by meatloafsfan

[cle-guy]

Ok I don't know that you read the post that I was answering, most were in favor of the buffet and one borderline… No apology required...

 

Here it is.

Burt, have you read the reviews in the review section of Cruise Critic? There are many different opinions as to the dining. I just looked at the first 5 or so, a few really didn't go into detail, but here are a few that did:

The food in the Main Dining Room for dinner was terrific as was our service.

We did the buffet for lunch every day and loved the new little baskets, bowls and pans. The food was very good but I would have liked a little more variety. They did expand the carving/meats section and the cheese section during lunch. They also have pizza, pasta, sandwiches, a pool side grill with hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and waffles with chicken (which I had never seen before). Le'ts just say I gained a lot of weight on this cruise.

The MDR food was quite good most nights - the appetizers and soups were consistently very good, and main courses were mostly as good. The lobster on lobster night was excellent, as was the scallop appetizer that night. The duck that I had on lobster night was very good too, but not as good as the excellent lobster that my wife had. Steaks in the dining room were hit & miss - the tournedos and prime rib were excellent, but the classic menu steak was borderline edible.

The buffet was quite nice - the stir fry station was very good, the pizza was excellent, the little baskets of food felt more upscale than a typical buffet and allowed for some items that are unusual at buffets: fajitas, breakfast sandwiches, etc. The various sausages available at all meals were good, the waffles at breakfast were a treat. I really think Celebrity is onto something with these little baskets of food - not only does it seem more upscale and in keeping with the idea behind their QSine restaurant, but it seems more sanitary to avoid using tongs/scoopers wherever possible. My only complaint would be that the pasta bar area was quite bland and the pasta not particularly well cooked. They need to spruce that up somehow.

We did have one breakfast at the Buffet and two lunches there as well... While there was much to select from it did, at times, cool off by the time you got to your seat. We also had 3 lunches in the MDR and found them to be acceptable, nothing really different or unique.

The buffet was borderline. I didn't care for the food served in little metal bowls and baskets and most of it did not look appetizing. There really wasn't the variety they have had in the past. Most of the food stations served the same items if they were even open. The sushi station didn't open until 5:30. In the past it opened at 4:00 and had a much larger variety.

As you can see there was good and bad opinions with regard to dining and this is just the first 5 or so reviews for the Summit. I guess I look it as who do I believe, because people's expectations are different. I choose to believe what I see and experience over what others are saying. If I go in with a preconceived notion that it is going to be lousy, then it probably will be, but if I go in with an open mind, I might just like it a whole lot more.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise on the Summit. I'll be on her in January and am looking forward to it.

 

I see several negatives comments in the posts NLH posted. And if you recall her original posting of this she simply grabbed the 5 most recent reviews from whatever source she got them from, she didn't pick and choose just grabbed the 5 most recent.

Edited June 12, 2014 by cle-guy

[chamima]

Celebrity has eliminated this option with the preplated containers. You get their idea of an ideal serving and that's that.

 

To me it boils down to 2 issues:

 

1. Hot food being served cold.

2. Portion sizes of a lot of the preplated food are too large or contain too many items (i.e. why not have eggs and bacon and then some with eggs and sausage - why bacon, eggs, and sausage OR side salads, green beans, appetizer stuff being served as a full portion on their own).

 

The concept can (and in other places does) work. But if Celebrity rolls this out without adjusting their warming trays and looking at different sized containers for some of their dishes, I think in the long run, there will continue to be complaints and waste.

 

I mean, we encountered no less than 5 different sizes/shapes of spoons to eat with on our cruise - you're telling me they can't have some small sizes of containers so you have only a taste of an item and not a full meal of it?

 

 

There's a third issue - people with food allergies that can get sick from cross contamination .

It's always safer to eat in the MDR but Celebrity has eliminated that option for lunch on port days .

Edited June 12, 2014 by chamima

[Christine Frances]

I actually think I will like this option!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2055751

[cle-guy]

There's a third issue - people with food allergies that can get sick from cross contamination .

It's always safer to eat in the MDR but Celebrity has eliminated that option for lunch on port days .

 

A few posters have commented that in the buffet, they have had staff go to extents as going to kitchen to get fresh pans to prepare stir fry and pasta dishes for those with food allergies.

 

Additionally, the cooked-to order panini station, salad bar and carved meats should all provide additional levels of safety in ways to avoid cross-contamination. Gluten free breads are available for the panini's and they will make pizza fresh with gluten free crust for those that request it.

 

As always, find a manager in the Buffet area and discuss concerns, and they will happily accommodate. there are so many versions of food allergies in existence, it's impossible really to provide an entire meal service that will be safe for all, so those with such issues are most likely well in tune with how to best ensure their own safety and who to talk to to get best advice when dining in public spaces.

[20pluscruises]

momofmeg's right.

 

I've seen less venom in political debates than I have in Celebrity buffet discussions. ;)

 

ITA! ...but I don't like to see someone person get slammed over and over again for simpy stating how she felt on her cruise. It's ridiculous. Esp when she keeps stating she is a fan of Celebrity and enjoyed the cruise.

[cle-guy]

...but I don't like to see someone person get slammed over and over again for simpy stating how she felt on her cruise. It's ridiculous. Esp when she keeps stating she is a fan of Celebrity and enjoyed the cruise.

 

You're right. that would be wrong. I think it's better to present both sides of an argument, and also be aware that the buffet and F&B operations are constantly changing and being modified, often daily, and service to service within a day. So more current information is going to be better to consider, than say information from a month ago.

 

Slamming someone is not the same as providing an alternate view to someone's opinions. Fortunately there's not mush slamming going on here, so much as presentation of differing view points in an effort to provide a fair, factual, and balanced review of the evolving experiments going on with Summit.

Edited June 12, 2014 by cle-guy

[antsnanny]

ITA! ...but I don't like to see someone person get slammed over and over again for simpy stating how she felt on her cruise. It's ridiculous. Esp when she keeps stating she is a fan of Celebrity and enjoyed the cruise.

 

Thanks. Ive also stated that I have faith that celebrity will get it right and I hope they do as I have always considered them a cut above the mass market cruise lines.

[20pluscruises]

Thanks. Ive also stated that I have faith that celebrity will get it right and I hope they do as I have always considered them a cut above the mass market cruise lines.

 

:):):)

[K.T.B.]

momofmeg's right.

 

I've seen less venom in political debates than I have in Celebrity buffet discussions. ;)

 

Then maybe I'm mis-reading things...... :confused:

 

With the exception of some snooty/nose-up-in-the-air comments, the buffet discussion has been fairly calm. Some disagree with how others view it, but there hasn't been any venom attached.

 

Curt, as an example, has been very "matter of fact" about it. He's right about there not being much slamming going on...

[CruisingChick]

All I know is the whole discussion is just making me hungry.

[antsnanny]

What I did was present both sides to the arguments in a single place in my long post. Not sure why you take such posts so personally. I posted the complaint, and my version of how it really isn't such a complaint, now folks have both sides of the complaint side-by-side to make their own educated judgements when determining what ship is right for them.

 

I find it amusing the one point of my argument you choose to pick and argue back is one that I in fact indicated is in fact subjective, and offered a real solution - "ask for a warm one". I never once myself found anything too cold to consume.

 

You sailed May 11, that may have been the very first trial of the new buffet, if not, it was the sailing right before you. Each week since new cruisers return and tell a better, and better story of how they found it, that logically leads me to conclude that perhaps data taken from several sailings ago may no longer be as valid as data from a more recent sailing. I'd also say the last 2 cruises passengers have data that is better than mine from May 25th. Given my observations of how carefully they were monitoring and adjusting things, and other cruisers comments on their conversations with staff (and your "very reliable source" they are trying to cut back on food (i.e. waste)) I think one needs to temper any comparison to the earlier buffet changes with regard to more recent observations.

 

What I try to do with my posts is offer an opposing view to perceptions I believe to be off, just like posters offer their views of how they perceive things to be off. I'm not sure why it's not OK for me to argue things are improved, if others can argue things have gone down the ****ter. I think giving both sides to the argument in a single source in the forum is a good idea, and people can take or leave my analysis to each point as they wish, and use their own mind to come to a reasonable conclusion as to what reality is.

 

I always say there are 3 sides to a story -- yours, mine and the truth. As they used to say on the X files, the truth is out there....

 

All I know is I am a very finicky traveler who seeks service and luxury first and foremost, within a budget, and I have found Celebrity to fit my personal style of travel, meeting and exceeding expectations, listening to feedback, resolving issues that arise above and beyond expectation, and providing a new, modern way of cruising (based on what I read here from olden days cruising styles that admittedly I have never really been a part of though in my business, I have studied about everything there is to study about the Titanic and her sister ships having presented their artifact exhibits professionally since 1996). That I've sailed them exclusively 7 times since March 2013 should prove that I am very, very happy with the product they were and are becoming, and I have noticed a lot of changes and modifications and even cutbacks (though I believe most cutbacks are insignificant and help keep fares consistent). in this short period of time.

 

 

Its interesting, you said that if something is cold, just ask for a warm one. Thats fine but once you have settled in your seat with your meal and drink in front of you, the last thing you want to so is get up to try to get someone to go back into the kitchen and get you a warm one. At that point your table mates could likely be done with lunch and ready to hit the pool. Secondly, another poster said they tried to grab french fries from the back because the ones in the front were cold and they were told not to do that. That was from someone who recently returned.

My point, is the solutions you offered don't always work for others and wouldn't be great if we didn't have to do all that problem solving just to eat a breakfast or lunch at the buffet.

Yes, people are saying things are improving, thats great for me as Im sailing on the Summit again in September for 14 days. I do also see negative comments and as I have said I believe Celebrity will be working on making things right, we just have to continue to ask them too..

[K.T.B.]

All I know is the whole discussion is just making me hungry.

 

Maybe the buffet is open.

 

:p

[cle-guy]

Maybe the buffet is open.

 

:p

 

It's open now, but it's that in between time between breakfast and lunch. so the food is cold, and the condiments are missing, and there's no bacon out. So my cruise is ruined. :D

[20pluscruises]

Then maybe I'm mis-reading things...... :confused:

 

With the exception of some snooty/nose-up-in-the-air comments, the buffet discussion has been fairly calm. Some disagree with how others view it, but there hasn't been any venom attached.

 

Curt, as an example, has been very "matter of fact" about it. He's right about there not being much slamming going on...

 

FYI...I have no problem with what Curt has stated as he has recently been on the ship. My wording could have been better....maybe tag teamed? Go ahead, let me have it. But we all see it.

[cle-guy]

Yes, people are saying things are improving, thats great for me as Im sailing on the Summit again in September for 14 days. I do also see negative comments and as I have said I believe Celebrity will be working on making things right, we just have to continue to ask them too..

 

I guess this may sum up our differences here, I use the guest comment cards and letters to their guest services to tell celebrity how I feel. I don't at all expect them to use this forum for any real value other than cursory information and anecdotal stories to make change. So I use this forum to post what is happening, not to alert celebrity about what and how to change things or ask them to fix something I don't like. Just the facts ma'am.

 

I wouldn't believe for one minute CelebrityCrusies reads all the back and forth in all these posts, (I can hardly keep up with the few threads that interest me) I believe they may read titles and then move on, giving far greater weight to the on-board surveys than a fractional outlying group of posters on these boards who are clearly not their true standard demographic - we tend to be the "super cruisers" the top frequent ones that occupy a very, very, very small fraction of cabins on any cruise, and the other end of the spectrum, the brand new first or 2nd time cruiser here. We are really not where their focus needs to be to keep ships full, though we are valued clients, most likely just not the MOST valued clients.

 

I believe They focus on the large percentage of their demographic, those who are not on Cruise Critic. And therefore any sort of posts here requesting change, will go relatively unnoticed.

[antsnanny]

I guess this may sum up our differences here, I use the guest comment cards and letters to their guest services to tell celebrity how I feel. I don't at all expect them to use this forum for any real value other than cursory information and anecdotal stories to make change. So I use this forum to post what is happening, not to alert celebrity about what and how to change things or ask them to fix something I don't like. Just the facts ma'am.

 

I wouldn't believe for one minute CelebrityCrusies reads all the back and forth in all these posts, (I can hardly keep up with the few threads that interest me) I believe they may read titles and then move on, giving far greater weight to the on-board surveys than a fractional outlying group of posters on these boards who are clearly not their true standard demographic - we tend to be the "super cruisers" the top frequent ones that occupy a very, very, very small fraction of cabins on any cruise, and the other end of the spectrum, the brand new first or 2nd time cruiser here. We are really not where their focus needs to be to keep ships full, though we are valued clients, most likely just not the MOST valued clients.

 

I believe They focus on the large percentage of their demographic, those who are not on Cruise Critic. And therefore any sort of posts here requesting change, will go relatively unnoticed.

 

 

Now we agree, I did fill out my card and as I have always said, I anticipate Celebrity making things better, if what you saying is true right now, they already are...

[antsnanny]

It's open now, but it's that in between time between breakfast and lunch. so the food is cold, and the condiments are missing, and there's no bacon out. So my cruise is ruined. :D

 

So far I haven't heard that the buffet ruined anyones cruise, have you?