Food on Silhouette

[Lottie A]

In case you thought I was mistaken please see menu below. Irish stew was the offering on this menu which is the only one I have a pic of. Liver was offered twice on the timeless entrees section, I know as my husband had it. Can’t remember the other days sorry.

 

Pauline is correct. I was on this cruise too. I not only remember Irish Stew and Liver but also some kind of sausage creation. Needless to say, we did not order them!

 

Whether Celebrity thought they could offer this everyday food because it was a cruise booked by mainly British passengers is open to opinion. The food in the MDR was mostly lukewarm and the service not that great either. I also noted some waiters being quite rude to guests...not to me personally but to some people who were obviously first time cruisers and a bit unsure of what to do.

 

Hence our three bookings in Murano and once in Tuscan Grille where the food and service was just fantastic.

[pnjfronce]

Pauline is correct. I was on this cruise too. I not only remember Irish Stew and Liver but also some kind of sausage creation. Needless to say, we did not order them!

 

 

 

Whether Celebrity thought they could offer this everyday food because it was a cruise booked by mainly British passengers is open to opinion. The food in the MDR was mostly lukewarm and the service not that great either. I also noted some waiters being quite rude to guests...not to me personally but to some people who were obviously first time cruisers and a bit unsure of what to do.

 

 

 

Hence our three bookings in Murano and once in Tuscan Grille where the food and service was just fantastic.

 

 

 

We had our 2nd experience with Blu on the Constellation in April. We were

very disappointed as our first experience on Sillouette was awesome! Celebrity is doing actually what they want-- drive you to the specialty restaurants $$$$!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Marelaine]

Having a problem with pic sorry

 

Thank you for posting the menu. My husband is a picky eater and depends on the NY strip as a backup meal, just in case the nightly specials don't appeal to him. He would not be happy with Irish Stew, which is what I make when I want to stretch the food budget. And liver? No way. I hope that change was connected to Bravo, rather than Celebrity.

 

We have never had a problem with MDR food temperature, but we usually eat early in select with a table for two.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up. We will be checking menus before we decide where we will eat each evening.

[BosoxI]

This is funny, as I have little good to say about the food on the Summit recently. But one of the better items I tried was calves liver in the Oceanview . To my complete amazement, it was properly done, not overcooked like an old piece of leather, but pink in the middle and tasty and tender.

[BosoxI]

For this food topic, which is frequent on these boards, the main point IMO is that food is highly subjective. On the same cruise at the same time, perhaps at the same table, posters will describe the same food served in a range from "awful/inedible" all the way to "terrific/exceptional". The message here is to not get yourself too negative or too positive pre-cruise based upon comments here. Just try and judge the food based on your own standards. When you serve a dish to everybody in your family at home - does everybody like it the same?

 

I don't mean to seem harsh, but

I am sure everyone knows that tastes differ on virtually every subject. When I say a piece of meat is inedible, I am saying that it is full of gristle and fat. If people like gristle and fat, then I stand corrected. For them it is not inedible. When I say food is Bland and tasteless, or tasty and well seasoned, I leave it to each individual to determine whether that suits him or not. There are reviewers who make a handsome living critiquing restaurants. Should they not bother because some people will agree with their comments and others will not?

At home people know they are not eating the product of a highly trained professional cook so they tend to be more lenient in their judgement. Sometimes at least. And they also haven't dropped thousands of dollars for that privilege.

[misprint]

Thank you for posting the menu. My husband is a picky eater and depends on the NY strip as a backup meal, just in case the nightly specials don't appeal to him. He would not be happy with Irish Stew, which is what I make when I want to stretch the food budget. And liver? No way. I hope that change was connected to Bravo, rather than Celebrity.

 

We have never had a problem with MDR food temperature, but we usually eat early in select with a table for two.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up. We will be checking menus before we decide where we will eat each evening.

 

We were on fixed dining early sitting but on a sharing table of either 6 or 8. Thinking if we had a table for 2 food might have been hotter as would not have to wait for others to be served before I started eating.

 

My husband had the liver twice, once good, once tough, hoping for some more positive reviews.

[jagoffee]

Having a problem with pic sorry

Thanks. Let’s hope it was something unique for your itinerary.

[Lottie A]

We were on fixed dining early sitting but on a sharing table of either 6 or 8. Thinking if we had a table for 2 food might have been hotter as would not have to wait for others to be served before I started eating.

 

My husband had the liver twice, once good, once tough, hoping for some more positive reviews.

 

Sadly No Pauline. We had a table for two every night we dined at the MDR and the food was still lukewarm at best.

 

I sent a stone cold dinner back once and I'm sure all they did was put it on a warmer plate. I didn't eat it and when the waiter asked why I politely told him that it was still stone cold. He just shrugged and took the plate away.

I made do with cheese and biscuits as it was a night we were rushing to see Katherine Jenkins.

The wait staff seemed rushed and overwhelmed in the MDR. Maybe due to the timing of the shows, Select dining had everyone turning up at the same times?

[excitedofharpenden]

Sorry the food was not to your liking on this sailing.

 

Had you returned dishes which were not to your liking/preference at any time? I think if you had, the wait staff would know how you like food presented each time and do so.

 

In my experience, X wants to get it right and will work hard to do so, when brought to their attention immediately.

 

bon voyage

I'm afraid my experience in the MDR of late on other Celebrity ships has been the same. As for returning it like you suggest, it's not really the point. To have it heated up? This puts the whole meal out of sync and really isn't satisfactory if it happens more than once (which it did for us). In Select dining you may well not get the same wait staff either who will know you like your food hot (I think most people expect that anyway!). I really hate sending food back in land based restaurants too. By the time the food comes back I've kind of lost interest.

 

It's clear that if I eat in Luminae I will stand a much better chance of good food and nice service. And be paying the high cost of a suite. Eating elsewhere I may well be out of luck and indeed have to put up with poor or even rude service. Modern Luxury it certainly isn't.

 

Phil

[excitedofharpenden]

For this food topic, which is frequent on these boards, the main point IMO is that food is highly subjective. On the same cruise at the same time, perhaps at the same table, posters will describe the same food served in a range from "awful/inedible" all the way to "terrific/exceptional". The message here is to not get yourself too negative or too positive pre-cruise based upon comments here. Just try and judge the food based on your own standards. When you serve a dish to everybody in your family at home - does everybody like it the same?

Luke warm food on cool plates is a school boy error, which is what is being discussed and I have had experience of more than once in the MDR. No "food is subjective" about it.

 

Phil

[Doug & Cindy Scrap Hunter]

Folks I am seeing a trend here. Makes me want to try Crystal Cruise Line first to compare.

[upwarduk]

I can't believe Irish stew probably made with left overs is on the MDR menu. Is "Modern Luxury Lives Here" pub grub. How low can Celebrity go.

 

 

Maybe they think that as they are sailing out of Southampton they need to serve ‘British’ food!!:evilsmile:

[24acorns]

I was on the first Cruiseco Charter cruise some 3 years ago from Southampton. I felt the menu was definitely somewhat different to those previously experienced on X and got the impression there may be a price constraint. Given what we had paid I quite accepted that. Later in the year I was also on Eclipse and thought the food to be somewhat better although still probably tailored to the more British market.

The following year I returned to Equinox sailing out of Barcelona, the menu seemed much more as I had remembered.

This was a Charter cruise bought at a price by Cruiseco where the emphasis was on the entertainment, which I am sure did not come cheap given the names on board. The cruise was also still being sold at discounted price up to about 3 weeks before. I also read that CC benefits were not available on boarding having been promised pre cruise, later to be given some OBC as compensation for lack of benifits. So perhaps as original poster said there was a problem between X and Cruseco.

So perhaps maybe not read too much into the food options on this particular cruise, that said the quality of what was available should have been up to scratch.

I agree the food offerings are not as they were in past year's but from what I read that goes for most lines.

I have been following a detailed review from reflection, where the poster has photographed the nightly main dining room menu. The "every night favourites" are the same each night Salmon, Chicken and Steak. This was in March so may have changed since.

[misprint]

I know fixed dining should have had everyone turning up between 6 and 6.30 for early sitting but it appeared that people were arriving all the time. A lot were coming down the stairs that led from upper balcony level to the main dining room. I wondered if due to show timings people were not happy to wait for a table upstairs so they were told to come downstairs.

[Doug & Cindy Scrap Hunter]

Maybe they think that as they are sailing out of Southampton they need to serve ‘British’ food!!:evilsmile:

 

Don't knock it all folks, a broken clock is right twice a day. My grandma's Sussex Pond Pudding was delicious. :hearteyes:

[Atriumgirl]

Having a problem with pic sorry

 

Definitely looks like pub grub, not the offerings of a MDR on a ship which classes itself as being in the luxury market. I've been interested in the 'luke warm' theme of this thread. We have always found the food on Celebrity to be luke-warm and have always been told that Americans don't like their food too hot!!! Even the plates for the 'hot' dishes in Ocean View have been stone cold on all our X cruises.

[Bo1953]

I'm afraid my experience in the MDR of late on other Celebrity ships has been the same. As for returning it like you suggest, it's not really the point. To have it heated up? This puts the whole meal out of sync and really isn't satisfactory if it happens more than once (which it did for us). In Select dining you may well not get the same wait staff either who will know you like your food hot (I think most people expect that anyway!). I really hate sending food back in land based restaurants too. By the time the food comes back I've kind of lost interest.

 

It's clear that if I eat in Luminae I will stand a much better chance of good food and nice service. And be paying the high cost of a suite. Eating elsewhere I may well be out of luck and indeed have to put up with poor or even rude service. Modern Luxury it certainly isn't.

 

Phil

 

e - Your point is well taken and understood. I can be similar in temperament with food, yet I find for myself, after a second bad meal requesting to speak with the chef immediately will go a long way to see them walk down the aisle of shame when being called out on the preparation and presentation can help going forward.

 

On X I have only had to do it once and the results were fantastic. Our whole table received great attention to detail, prep and presentation going forward all without me raising my voice or trying to teach them a 'public' lesson, yet I assure you that all of the tables around us knew the reason he was there... he had a smile afterwards and everyone began to be happier.

 

I even had the Maitre 'd try to discourage me from requesting the chef during 'prime' serving time, no way, I needed to see him right then and there. The food was not up to my desire or liking and as such, not acceptable.

 

I say go to the person who really can make a difference and insure that requests are generally overall met. All the staff will know who was called out on the carpet and it pushed downward to the server..

 

bon voyage

[TeeRick]

I don't mean to seem harsh, but

I am sure everyone knows that tastes differ on virtually every subject. When I say a piece of meat is inedible, I am saying that it is full of gristle and fat. If people like gristle and fat, then I stand corrected. For them it is not inedible. When I say food is Bland and tasteless, or tasty and well seasoned, I leave it to each individual to determine whether that suits him or not. There are reviewers who make a handsome living critiquing restaurants. Should they not bother because some people will agree with their comments and others will not?

At home people know they are not eating the product of a highly trained professional cook so they tend to be more lenient in their judgement. Sometimes at least. And they also haven't dropped thousands of dollars for that privilege.

 

Not harsh at all. I have also occasionally had a meal not to my liking on sea and on land. I would also not be happy about a steak with gristle and fat. I am not trying to deter specific comments about bad meal experiences. But I was just stating the very general point that food tastes are highly subjective.

[bigbeergut]

Pauline is correct. I was on this cruise too. I not only remember Irish Stew and Liver but also some kind of sausage creation. Needless to say, we did not order them!

 

Whether Celebrity thought they could offer this everyday food because it was a cruise booked by mainly British passengers is open to opinion. The food in the MDR was mostly lukewarm and the service not that great either. I also noted some waiters being quite rude to guests...not to me personally but to some people who were obviously first time cruisers and a bit unsure of what to do.

 

Hence our three bookings in Murano and once in Tuscan Grille where the food and service was just fantastic.

 

Last night was the first time I saw the liver on the menu and thought we had hit rock bottom. I was disappointed to read that sausage is coming soon for a Modern Luxury dinner. We ended up at the pasta station in the OCV for dinners. I don’t think I’ll be coming back for a British Immersion cruise any time soon. If X brings this menu back to the Caribbean we’ll need to find something else to do in February.

[hrhdhd]

Even the plates for the 'hot' dishes in Ocean View have been stone cold on all our X cruises.

 

A couple of weeks ago on the Silhouette I had trouble holding the plates in the OVC because they were so hot.

 

And this American likes her food hot. ;)

[Mr Sea Gull]

Last night was the first time I saw the liver on the menu and thought we had hit rock bottom. I was disappointed to read that sausage is coming soon for a Modern Luxury dinner. We ended up at the pasta station in the OCV for dinners. I don’t think I’ll be coming back for a British Immersion cruise any time soon. If X brings this menu back to the Caribbean we’ll need to find something else to do in February.

 

BBG

 

Are these extra dishes Irish Stew, Liver etc in addition to the normal everyday items. Are Chicken, Salmon and Steak still on the menu too or can you request them?

 

Thanks

[DYKWIA]

BBG

 

Are these extra dishes Irish Stew, Liver etc in addition to the normal everyday items. Are Chicken, Salmon and Steak still on the menu too or can you request them?

 

Thanks

 

IIRC they swap in one of these dishes and swap out one of the normal everyday items. On our last cruise the everyday steak was shockingly poor I wouldn't miss it (sub cheap pub quality) - thin, salty and weirdly slimy

[bigbeergut]

BBG

 

Are these extra dishes Irish Stew, Liver etc in addition to the normal everyday items. Are Chicken, Salmon and Steak still on the menu too or can you request them?

 

Thanks

 

These are not extra items, they replace one of the classic items. I haven’t kept complete records, but it appears that the steak was missing every night on this cruise. I’ll try to remember to check tomorrow. We’ll be in St Petersburg tomorrow, hopefully we’ll get back in time for dinner.

 

Check post 25, there’s a picture of a typical menu

[Mr Sea Gull]

BBG Thank you for letting us know.

 

Is it possible to request steak? Any chance you could photograph menus and update when you return home?

 

Thanks

[phoenix_dream]

We were on our eighth Silhouette sailing on January 7 and it was also our eighth sailing on her in AQ. The previous 7 experiences dining in BLU were excellent. On this sailing, I sent back my entrée three of the seven evenings. On the last evening our waiter told us how important it was to give him a 10 on the survey. I responded while he deserved a 10 for excellent service, there was no way food was getting a 10. He replied if I didn't give the food a 10, it would be viewed as a reflection on him and I should also give the food a 10 but I could then write my feedback in the comments section. Needless to say, that is not what I did.

 

So on our January 2019 Silhouette sailing, with the fantastic rate we received from our TA booking a standard balcony, we'll use the difference we saved over booking AQ and make Specialty dining reservations for the entire cruise.

It is an unreasonable, but true, fact that any rating on the food does not reflect on the cooks, but rather on your waiter. If the food was not really good, I would speak to the Maitre d' and/or Guest Relations and would not take it out on my waiter by giving him/her less than the grade they deserved for their service. IMHO the Celebrity survey is pretty much of a joke these days anyway - there really is not place to write comments for suggestions or to explain low ratings. They only want to hear good things apparently.