Goodbye to Free Burgers and Mast Grill ???

[hcat]

The gastro pub on Equinox was never added to another S class ship so maybe this new entry will be a one of a kind..

 

Where we live many of these "fancy ...read pricey" burger places are closing...maybe the grown up Mickey D generation is branching out to discover real food. How refreshing!

[NLH Arizona]

Well one should take such comments with a certain grain of salt - but however, I do not find it to be extreme, since the charges for fast food (!) are not the only cost-cutting factors Celebrity is implementing, look at Sushi, too.

 

And with all those saving and cost-cutting meausrements this cruise line is abolishing itself, that's very sad to see, because the ships themselves (at least I can speak for M-Class) are really appealing and comfortable, IMHO.

But cutting the signature brunch, sushi, removing the dressing service in MDR for salads, rising prices and charging more and more causes a change from premium to standard.

 

Sorry, even the middle class parent company Royal Caribbean offers more value for money...

Sure there have been some changes. I for one only went to the brunch once and it was such a zoo with people pushing to get food, filling their plates so high that food spilled all over the floor, that I'm glad it is gone. I'm not sure what you mean by removing the dressing service in the MDR for salads, but, on my January cruise, we were given our salads and the Assistant Server came after with a tray of different dressings for us to pick from...not sure if that is what you were posting about.

 

All three cruise lines I cruise on have been raising prices and I bet if I look at all the others they have been as well. There are still burgers in the buffet, as has been reported, so people can still get a free burger if they want one.

 

I'll take Celebrity over Royal Caribbean any day, but if folks feel they are a better value, then that might be the line to book.

[CRZR58]

How much money are they saving by charging for burgers and hotdogs, which are cheap, when it takes 9 staff instead of 2 to run the venue?

[hubofhockey]

How much money are they saving by charging for burgers and hotdogs, which are cheap, when it takes 9 staff instead of 2 to run the venue?

 

What makes people think this is a cut back? They may lose money on this, but are trying to upgrade the cruise experience.

[richstowe]

What makes people think this is a cut back? They may lose money on this, but are trying to upgrade the cruise experience.

Ha Ha Ha - Good one ! :D

[DYKWIA]

The gastro pub on Equinox was never added to another S class ship so maybe this new entry will be a one of a kind..

 

It was added to the Eclipse as well, although I think it was just the menu that went into a refurbished Passport Bar

[shipshape sam]

What makes people think this is a cut back? They may lose money on this, but are trying to upgrade the cruise experience.

 

If using your standard, then they could gut 50% of the remaining standard cabins and implement suite only cabins in those cabin spaces, charge more money and by your definition, tell those passengers not willing or able to pay the up charge for a suite cabin, sorry we are improving the cruise experience.

 

Alternatively, they could have made a made to order FRESH burger and NOT charge any thing for it. THAT is improving the product IMHO! Creating a second option for a FEE and making the original product harder to get, seems to be at odds with improving the product.

 

Many here are discussing the issue of the slippy slope, where Celebrity (and most other cruise lines. For sure Celebrity is not alone in this strategy) Used to get sushi at the buffet for free in late afternoon as another example. Used to have great service and quality of food close to if not the same as now in the Speciality Restaurants. Speciality Restaurants use to be priced at $15-$20 retail, now they are $45 to $50 retail. Used to have much more live music, now it is harder to find and more limited duration. Use to have free breezes, but now there will be a charge starting sometime in 2018 and if you expect sunshine, that is a fee based add on. Pricing has not been announced yet to my understanding.

 

What we can most likely agree on is that each of us have different perspectives of what is a change that does not effect our perspective of the cruise and those changes that do, especially when there are many over a reasonable time horizon.

Edited June 1, 2017 by shipshape sam

[shipshape sam]

 

 

LOL! Its only a burger......this time.

 

 

The burger issue reminds me of the slow boiling of a frog analogy and just one more thing we accept over time.

[RedneckBob]

LOL! Its only a burger......this time.

 

I guess you may not have understood my "Priceless" satire several posts ago. Two threads about a hamburger now almost 40 pages of posts;

 

"It's only a burger"

 

Yes, I seen many cutbacks on all cruise lines; been cruising over 40 years. It still best travel bargain you can find. The last thing I consider when choosing a cruise is if the burgers are free. Now if the cruise line does not serve grits, that's a deal breaker ! :)

[shipshape sam]

I guess you may not have understood my "Priceless" satire several posts ago. Two threads about a hamburger now almost 40 pages of posts;

 

"It's only a burger"

 

Yes, I seen many cutbacks on all cruise lines; been cruising over 40 years. It still best travel bargain you can find. The last thing I consider when choosing a cruise is if the burgers are free. Now if the cruise line does not serve grits, that's a deal breaker ! :)

 

 

"It's only a burger....this time"

 

DW might agree on the grits not being served, but she makes the best of it for me.

 

I would agree it is the best bargain around if you want to see multiple ports for 6-8 hours and then head on to the next port of call, basically doing an overview of each port. If you want to enjoy a port of call/location for more than the allotted docked or tendered hours of that day, then maybe not.

 

We are doing our first overnight on Celebrity in January and will see how that works although we don't arrive till 6 pm, so it is not as good as I would like. May not get off ship till 7 pm depending on a number of factors. We are still deciding what to do for an evening in San Juan, PR.

 

For sure you have been sailing a long time! I started in 1998.

[CRZR58]

What makes people think this is a cut back? They may lose money on this, but are trying to upgrade the cruise experience.

Cuz they're not in the business of losing money.:rolleyes:

[Cruise Junky]

 

 

Yes, I seen many cutbacks on all cruise lines; been cruising over 40 years. It still best travel bargain you can find.

 

The more land trips I do, the more I strongly disagree with that statement. Might be true hanging around the Caribbean but not other areas. Yes, there is the odd bargain but not many.

[bigbenboys]

January we did a 12 night cruise Hong Kong to Shanghai. Hong Kong hotel with breakfast and happy hour was $625 USD per night. Shanghai Disney Hotel with breakfast and happy hour was $310 USD per night. Our 12 night cruise in a S1 suite with all 4 perks was $512 USD per night. But the cruise came with access to food and drink all day every day.

 

As to hot dogs and hamburgers. It is my understanding that the free hot dogs and hamburgers food was moved to the Oceanview Cafe.

[hcat]

It was added to the Eclipse as well, although I think it was just the menu that went into a refurbished Passport Bar

 

Oops..sorry. have never been on Eclipse so was unaware of Gastro pub at Passport Bar area,,.On Equinox it was never open for food when we went...too early I gues so we never got a chance to try the food,. Nice quiet reading area early in the day!

[Cruise Junky]

January we did a 12 night cruise Hong Kong to Shanghai. Hong Kong hotel with breakfast and happy hour was $625 USD per night. Shanghai Disney Hotel with breakfast and happy hour was $310 USD per night. Our 12 night cruise in a S1 suite with all 4 perks was $512 USD per night. But the cruise came with access to food and drink all day every day.

 

As to hot dogs and hamburgers. It is my understanding that the free hot dogs and hamburgers food was moved to the Oceanview Cafe.

 

5 star hotel in Crete. Loft suite, maybe 600 sq ft. Plunge pool off the bedroom and 300 sq ft deck upstairs overlooking the ocean with hammock, hot tub, two giant bean bag loungers and table and chairs for 2 = $235 us a night.

[jagoffee]

What makes people think this is a cut back? They may lose money on this, but are trying to upgrade the cruise experience.

 

Ha Ha Ha - Good one ! :D

 

Good example. Anyone that thinks the Standard included burgers offered in the Mast Grill are even close to the quality of the burger offering in the Lawn Grill or Luminae would view it has a cut back. I have experienced all three and IMO they are not even close to being the same. Offering a Lawn Grill type burger on a ship that does not have a Lawn Grill is an attempt to upgrade the cruise experience for some people. Of course some people will only view it has a "cut back". Time will tell whether the change is successful.

[The_Big_M]

What makes people think this is a cut back? They may lose money on this, but are trying to upgrade the cruise experience.

 

Upgrade it by making it like a theme park, where you're reaching into your pocket for every food stand you go to?

 

Why then introduce drink packages, which go away from that by making it more inclusive?

[Luvcrusn]

35 pages of posts about the fact that they moved the cost included burgers from the mast grill to the OVC grill area and added for fee burgers at the Mast Grill! Now if I want a price included burger/hot dog I will have to WALK a few extra feet. Wow!....but then I just added another post:o

[shipfriend_max]

Sure there have been some changes. I for one only went to the brunch once and it was such a zoo with people pushing to get food, filling their plates so high that food spilled all over the floor, that I'm glad it is gone. I'm not sure what you mean by removing the dressing service in the MDR for salads, but, on my January cruise, we were given our salads and the Assistant Server came after with a tray of different dressings for us to pick from...not sure if that is what you were posting about.

 

There are still burgers in the buffet, as has been reported, so people can still get a free burger if they want one.

 

I'll take Celebrity over Royal Caribbean any day, but if folks feel they are a better value, then that might be the line to book.

 

 

Yeah the tray with different dressings I meant. Obviously on your cruise they had it, our last time in Alaska you needed to talk the particular dressing you would like to have, no tray anymore.

And you also have been dining in MDR? Or Blu?

 

Burgers for free in the buffet is okay.

But it seems to be a very plain offer, not comparable to the variety you get with Princess at Trident Grill (or the new one installed on Caribbean P.), or HAL's Dive In.

 

RCI is not my favorite line, but their current prices are okay for the value you get imho. The menus in MDR do not differ very much from those ones offered with Celebrity, and also the service does not really. So I don't see any need to pay far more for X by getting hardly more...

 

Sure there's always changes, saving and cost reducing measures with any line, but I think you really recognize it with Celebrity, sadly. Bare in mind they are still promoted as premium, upper class or "modern luxury "...

 

 

 

 

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[caribill]

There are still burgers in the buffet, as has been reported, so people can still get a free burger if they want one.

 

 

As long as you do not mind an overcooked burger that has been in a tray for a while.

[RedneckBob]

:)

"It's only a burger....this time"

 

DW might agree on the grits not being served, but she makes the best of it for me.

 

I would agree it is the best bargain around if you want to see multiple ports for 6-8 hours and then head on to the next port of call, basically doing an overview of each port. If you want to enjoy a port of call/location for more than the allotted docked or tendered hours of that day, then maybe not.

 

We are doing our first overnight on Celebrity in January and will see how that works although we don't arrive till 6 pm, so it is not as good as I would like. May not get off ship till 7 pm depending on a number of factors. We are still deciding what to do for an evening in San Juan, PR.

 

For sure you have been sailing a long time! I started in 1998.

 

We started cruising in 1976. Things have changed a lot except the price. We paid almost the same price for a cabin with a window as we do today. Balcony cabins had not been invented yet ! :)

 

We have done three overnite cruises on Celebrity. The only thing I liked was getting off the ship early the 2nd day in port before other ships arrived. We use to sail Holland America a lot and on their longer cruises they were in port two full days. Now that was great. Places like Bora Bora, Amsterdam, Iceland, Honolulu, Dublin, Barecelona, etc the ships were in port two full days.

[hubofhockey]

Cuz they're not in the business of losing money.:rolleyes:

 

So is Carnival in the business of losing money by adding Guy Fieri's burger joint to their ships? They are going with higher quality fresh meats and rolls and not charging for them. It's great marketing and improves the cruise experience. Celebrity's decision to go to gourmet burgers with "Kobe" beef was a step in that direction, but they are probably using a higher end beef than Carnival is. I think Celebrity made a mistake here for two reasons. The first is that the location of the place is near the pool, making the optics look bad and like they ARE taking something away. The second is that they should have followed the Carnival model.

 

Someone wrote on another thread that the quarter pound sized burger is $5 and the half pound size is $10. That's not as bad as I originally read here and I always doubted that they would be charging $10 for a freaking hot dog. I don't think any of this is a cutback. I do think the marketing is awful and fun of bad optics. On my Constellation cruise next month, I'll try the $5 four ounce burger. Maybe it will be outstanding. If not, $5 is what I would probably get charged for a can of diet coke (whereas fountain diet cokes will be no added charge with my package).

[NLH Arizona]

Yeah the tray with different dressings I meant. Obviously on your cruise they had it, our last time in Alaska you needed to talk the particular dressing you would like to have, no tray anymore.

And you also have been dining in MDR? Or Blu? It was in the MDR. Maybe you just had a lazy server.

 

Burgers for free in the buffet is okay.

But it seems to be a very plain offer, not comparable to the variety you get with Princess at Trident Grill (or the new one installed on Caribbean P.), or HAL's Dive In. But this isn't Princess or HAL. As long as they offer the same burgers as they did at the Mast Grill, I personally don't see why it would be an issue. Some folks say they will lose their lounger if they have to go to the buffet, well they could have lost it standing in line at the Mast Grill. Some said they have to dress, no they just have to dry off, put a t-shirt or cover-up on and some shoes, not really that difficult, if you ask me.

 

RCI is not my favorite line, but their current prices are okay for the value you get imho. The menus in MDR do not differ very much from those ones offered with Celebrity, and also the service does not really. So I don't see any need to pay far more for X by getting hardly more...

 

Sure there's always changes, saving and cost reducing measures with any line, but I think you really recognize it with Celebrity, sadly. Bare in mind they are still promoted as premium, upper class or "modern luxury "...I remember when Michael Bayley was the President of Celebrity, he did an interview and said that Celebrity was a luxury line and I couldn't believe it. Celebrity never has been nor will they probably ever be a luxury line. A company can say anything they want to make the customer think they are more than what they are, but saying Celebrity is a luxury line, well that was laughable.

 

 

 

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I also cruise on NCL and Crystal and I think Celebrity is positioned right between the two of them, with regard to guality, service and experience and I've never been disappointed on any of my cruises. Has things changed, been cut out and evolved over the many years I cruised with them, sure, but I look at my overall experience and it is still a good value to me.

[dkjretired]

35 pages of posts about the fact that they moved the cost included burgers from the mast grill to the OVC grill area and added for fee burgers at the Mast Grill! Now if I want a price included burger/hot dog I will have to WALK a few extra feet. Wow!....but then I just added another post:o

 

And get dressed properly to get that burger. By the way for about the 5th time just from me, it's not about the burger.

[Luvcrusn]

As long as you do not mind an overcooked burger that has been in a tray for a while.

It was my understanding that they were at the buffet grill area, so you would be able to get a freshly cooked one, just at a different location. (Of course, I'm sure they'll have some ready to just pick up and go.)