Awful State of Ocean View Cafe for dinner

[Julma]

8 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Up until this month. 

Complimentary room service was still listed as a benefit on Celebrity's website after they started charging for it in realtime on their ships.  

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

Every change can have unintended consequences.  The ironic part to reducing OV buffet choices and charging for room service is it may force many to dine in the MDR where you would imagine wait service would require far more labor

[davekathy]

23 minutes ago, Julma said:

Complimentary room service was still listed as a benefit on Celebrity's website after they started charging for it in realtime on their ships.  

 

I haven't bothered to look on their website. The apps were immediately updated. Consistently inconsistent. We cruise in March on the Apex and nothing from Celebrity (concerning any of the changes being discussed on CC) and we booked directly with Celebrity! We'll wait until on the ship to see if, what and how the changes might effect us and annotate them on our PCS. 

Edited January 18, 2023 by davekathy

[Georgia_Peaches]

5 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I'm confused.  Why is it reasonable to expect suite guests to scream bloody murder when services disappear but someone in an inside or ocean view cabin should accept it when services disappear? Although the suite guest has paid handsomely for their vacation, it's entirely possible that the cost for the inside or ocean view cabin was a much a much bigger portion of their income than it was for the suite guest.  I would think that those non-suite guests have even more of a right to scream bloody murder.

I didn't say that and if you read my posts above I thanked a few people profusely for explaining that complimentary room service used to be a part of the written description of the room...ergo a service that people were paying for when they booked.  That was my point.

[drowelf]

7 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Every change can have unintended consequences.  The ironic part to reducing OV buffet choices and charging for room service is it may force many to dine in the MDR where you would imagine wait service would require far more labor

and potentially increase the time required for the meal to be served due to staff shortages.

[NevadaCruiser2023]

7 minutes ago, drowelf said:

and potentially increase the time required for the meal to be served due to staff shortages.

I think I read somewhere that they would shift the employees working in the buffet to MDR duties during dinner time. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 minute ago, drowelf said:

and potentially increase the time required for the meal to be served due to staff shortages.

 

Required MDR labor:

1.  Being checked in by a host

2.  Being escorted to your table

3.  Assistant brings bread basket

4.  Assistant fills water glasses

5.  Order your meal from the waiter

6.  Being visited by a Sommelier

7.  Meals brought by assistant, course by course

8.  Bussing dirty dishes, course by course

9.  Checking up "how was your meal?"

10.  Various unexpected surprises such as an entree being sent back and the need to grab another one

-

[NutsAboutGolf]

Room Service and Buffet labor:

1.  One food runner

2.  One busser

[Accessor]

3 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Required MDR labor:

1.  Being checked in by a host

2.  Being escorted to your table

3.  Assistant brings bread basket

4.  Assistant fills water glasses

5.  Order your meal from the waiter

6.  Being visited by a Sommelier

7.  Meals brought by assistant, course by course

8.  Bussing dirty dishes, course by course

9.  Checking up "how was your meal?"

10.  Various unexpected surprises such as an entree being sent back and the need to grab another one

-

Let's not forgot the linen on the table that must be washed, loaded, pressed, and put on the table. Also all the labor involved in setting up tables for service with silverware, drinkware, plates, etc. More costs to service a sit down vs buffet....I guess they missed all of those beans!

 

[Honolulu Blue]

44 minutes ago, mpdog42 said:

Speaking of Big time Youtubers...have not heard a word about Celebrity major changes on any of their platforms except for the Traveling Gamblers

 

This is true.  But to be fair to them, they've been busy cruising on other ships and only have limited time to scope out the deeper news stories.  And this story has been buried pretty deep - nothing on the primary cruise news sites and no press releases (yet) from Celebrity.  I think eventually they'll catch up.

 

12 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Every change can have unintended consequences.  The ironic part to reducing OV buffet choices and charging for room service is it may force many to dine in the MDR where you would imagine wait service would require far more labor

There was one person who in the other thread said that a customer service rep told them that the OVC and RS changes were meant to push more people into the MDR.  Third hand info, but the conclusion seems plausible.

 

You'd think Celebrity would want more people to dine in the OVC - the labor costs are lower (especially once they got rid of most of the serving crew), the food costs are probably lower, and there would be less waste if people actually used it.  But TPTB at Celebrity - maybe even going to Jason and the rest at the very top of RCG - have decided that this was a move they needed to make fleetwide, posthaste.  Who am I to argue with highly experienced executives?  All I can do is let my feelings know where and when I can.

[Jobeth66]

31 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

So before January, complimentary room service was in the fine print about the room?  I didn't know this and now better understand.  Thanks.

 

Yeah - it was always listed as a perk, and for Aqua/Concierge, not only a perk but an expanded room service menu and exhortations to tuck into eggs on your balcony, all included!

 

It's one of the things that we look forward to.  I have dietary restrictions due to allergies, and my husband prefers to eat simply.  No sauces, no rich gravies, no fancy preparations.  He's happy with a steak or a burger or a piece of grilled chicken every night.  There are things in the MDR that not only won't we eat, but I /can't/ eat, neither of us wants to take 2 hours for a meal,  and we much prefer to grab food in the buffet for a quick dinner and then go about our evening.  In shorts and flip flops.  That's how we cruise.  We don't want to get dressed up for dinner every night.

 

This impacts how we vacation, and takes away a large part of why we enjoy cruising.  Instead of doing pans full of cheaply prepared foods in the OVC, just have the grill station/Asian station/pasta stations open along with some pre-prepared items, then you actually DO minimize waste, if that's the true concern.  You'd only be cooking what was ordered, not throwing away food that was cooked and not eaten.  Leave the Mast Grill open until 10 for burgers/hot dogs.  

 

What they're doing is forcing many of us to consider other options for our vacation dollars.  And we're not alone.  I realize they couldn't care less about us, but it's a shame that they want to reduce the quality of their product and offerings.

 

and I realize that a lot of people don't care because they don't use those services - but I'd be just as upset if cruise lines got rid of the kids clubs and arcades and teen clubs and splash pads, etc.  Even though I don't use those.  would all of those who never eat at the buffet or use room service be just as blase if X started charging $9.95 to see the show?  $15 cover for the comedian?  $20/day for the kids club.  $5 per towel.  $5/hour for a lounger and umbrella by the pool.  $10/day for pool access.  $30 cover at a night club or piano bar.  Tip jars for the performers.  At some point, we'll hit on something that /they/ would be upset about losing as a 'freebie', and then, I'm sure, it'll be different.

[Salt Lifer]

3 minutes ago, Jobeth66 said:

 

 

Even though I don't use those.  would all of those who never eat at the buffet or use room service be just as blase if X started charging $9.95 to see the show?  $15 cover for the comedian?  $20/day for the kids club.  $5 per towel.  $5/hour for a lounger and umbrella by the pool.  $10/day for pool access.  $30 cover at a night club or piano bar.  Tip jars for the performers.  At some point, we'll hit on something that /they/ would be upset about losing as a 'freebie', and then, I'm sure, it'll be different.

 

Please don't give The Powers That Be any ideas!!!

[cw2go]

I want to express that no one is "steerage" and cruising in an OV or Interior stateroom has no barring to this situation. We are all worthy of respect and what we purchased from Celebrity should be honored. 

 

I have 10 cruises booked, all prior to Jan 1st

I am staying in Interiors up to Aft Balconies. I have sailings in Alaska, Caribbean and Europe. This said, I base my accommodation preferences on the itinerary and budget that suits me. This has nothing to do with NOT being able to afford Room Service Fees or The Suite Life. I can afford the $24,000 suite (boasted about previously) if I chose to but I opt for other stateroom categories. When I booked all of those sailings, a plentiful buffet and room service were included in my fare wether I opted to partake or not. I am not nearly as upset as others because I seldom utilize these options but this doesn't make it okay nor negate others feelings of being slighted in the cruise experience they hoped for. 

 

Those who choose to book suites are just as worthy of respect and we shouldn't begrudge them.This isn't about status!

 

The one who needs to communicate with their customers and hasn't is Celebrity. The one who made these drastic changes without any warning is Celebrity. I am focusing my frustrations towards them because my fellow cruisers are not to blame. 

 

This buffet video in the first post is not acceptable! No matter what stateroom we reserved or how often we eat there! It needs push back from all of us! Celebrity needs to know their customers aren't happy, isn't this why they beg us for feedback at the end of every sailing? If this is still the buffet caliber on my Beyond sailing next month, I'll report to Corporate my opinion even if I never take a single bite. 

 

As I mentioned earlier I also believe that Celebrity should Grand Father in RS fees for those previously booked or add OBC.

 

 

Patty 

 

 

 

[markeb]

38 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Every change can have unintended consequences.  The ironic part to reducing OV buffet choices and charging for room service is it may force many to dine in the MDR where you would imagine wait service would require far more labor

I could be dead wrong, and I don’t care for the changes either, but my first thought when I saw the changes was they don’t have and can’t keep enough actual cooks. Eggs for RS, cooked to order meats in the OVC, stir fry stations, etc. require actual cooks. Continental breakfast, prepared dishes on the buffet, etc. can all be prepared ahead of time and devote more skilled labor to the MDR. If that’s the case, it’s not the amount of labor, but the skill set that’s the issue. 
 

No, that doesn’t explain decreased quality of ingredients. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

16 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

 

This is true.  But to be fair to them, they've been busy cruising on other ships and only have limited time to scope out the deeper news stories.  And this story has been buried pretty deep - nothing on the primary cruise news sites and no press releases (yet) from Celebrity.  I think eventually they'll catch up.

 

There was one person who in the other thread said that a customer service rep told them that the OVC and RS changes were meant to push more people into the MDR.  Third hand info, but the conclusion seems plausible.

 

You'd think Celebrity would want more people to dine in the OVC - the labor costs are lower (especially once they got rid of most of the serving crew), the food costs are probably lower, and there would be less waste if people actually used it.  But TPTB at Celebrity - maybe even going to Jason and the rest at the very top of RCG - have decided that this was a move they needed to make fleetwide, posthaste.  Who am I to argue with highly experienced executives?  All I can do is let my feelings know where and when I can.

 

Let's look at the customer service rep angle logically; the Reps rarely know anything about the on board experience.  In order for the customer service reps to know that X is trying to steer more into the MDR, X would need to either have a meeting and/or send out a memo.  It seems like a minor detail not worth mentioning to your front like booking reps

[NutsAboutGolf]

5 minutes ago, markeb said:

I could be dead wrong, and I don’t care for the changes either, but my first thought when I saw the changes was they don’t have and can’t keep enough actual cooks. Eggs for RS, cooked to order meats in the OVC, stir fry stations, etc. require actual cooks. Continental breakfast, prepared dishes on the buffet, etc. can all be prepared ahead of time and devote more skilled labor to the MDR. If that’s the case, it’s not the amount of labor, but the skill set that’s the issue. 
 

No, that doesn’t explain decreased quality of ingredients. 

 

I see your point but it would only apply to dinner which is the only meal that the buffet selection is reduced...Who knows

Edited January 18, 2023 by NutsAboutGolf

[mpdog42]

3 minutes ago, cw2go said:

I want to express that no one is "steerage" and cruising in an OV or Interior stateroom has no barring to this situation. We are all worthy of respect and what we purchased from Celebrity should be honored. 

 

I have 10 cruises booked, all prior to Jan 1st

I am staying in Interiors up to Aft Balconies. I have sailings in Alaska, Caribbean and Europe. This said, I base my accommodation preferences on the itinerary and budget that suits me. This has nothing to do with NOT being able to afford Room Service Fees or The Suite Life. I can afford the $24,000 suite (boasted about previously) if I chose to but I opt for other stateroom categories. When I booked all of those sailings, a plentiful buffet and room service were included in my fare wether I opted to partake or not. I am not nearly as upset as others because I seldom utilize these options but this doesn't make it okay nor negate others feelings of being slighted in the cruise experience they hoped for. 

 

Those who choose to book suites are just as worthy of respect and we shouldn't begrudge them.This isn't about status!

 

The one who needs to communicate with their customers and hasn't is Celebrity. The one who made these drastic changes without any warning is Celebrity. I am focusing my frustrations towards them because my fellow cruisers are not to blame. 

 

This buffet video in the first post is not acceptable! No matter what stateroom we reserved or how often we eat there! It needs push back from all of us! Celebrity needs to know their customers aren't happy, isn't this why they beg us for feedback at the end of every sailing? If this is still the buffet caliber on my Beyond sailing next month, I'll report to Corporate my opinion even if I never take a single bite. 

 

As I mentioned earlier I also believe that Celebrity should Grand Father in RS fees for those previously booked or add OBC.

 

 

Patty 

 

 

 

Thank you for saying this!!...In today"s America is all about" ME" and" MY" situation.....not let's work as a Team or together to solve a problem....

 

“We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

― Benjamin Franklin

[markeb]

1 minute ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

I see your point but it would only apply to dinner as during breakfast and lunch as the buffet selection is reduced for dinner...Who knows

I suspect more people eat breakfast and lunch in the OVC than in the MDR. And opposite for dinner. Probably means they’d reinforce the OVC for breakfast instead of the MDR. Which galley prepares room service?

[goofysmom99]

Just now, markeb said:

I suspect more people eat breakfast and lunch in the OVC than in the MDR. And opposite for dinner. Probably means they’d reinforce the OVC for breakfast instead of the MDR. Which galley prepares room service?

There is a separate room service kitchen and staff.

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 minute ago, markeb said:

I suspect more people eat breakfast and lunch in the OVC than in the MDR. And opposite for dinner. Probably means they’d reinforce the OVC for breakfast instead of the MDR. Which galley prepares room service?

 

To me it sounds like two different knee-jerk reactions from management and has nothing to do with meal operations.

 

Room Service fee:  "We need to increase on board spending, what are we not yet charging a fee for that other lines already are?"

 

OV:  "We've (for whatever reason) decided to slash the OV budget, the F&B team can figure out how to move forward"

[Cruising Cindy Lou]

53 minutes ago, NevadaCruiser2023 said:

I think I read somewhere that they would shift the employees working in the buffet to MDR duties during dinner time. 

I feel like this is part of their reasoning too.  They must be short dining room staff.  There were way too many staff working the buffet area on the Edge in December in the evenings.  We were on the week before Christmas so maybe they were beefed up in the buffet getting ready for Christmas week.  But they easily could have moved some out of that area.  

[HS2BS]

We just got off the Reflection(Aqua) and the first video of the ovc was the same as witnessed on our cruise at night. We did cruise on the Summit in June and on Beyond in November, and the cutbacks were not visible.

This afternoon we did our grocery shopping and the offerings that the supermarket has on their food bars makes the Reflection’s ovc look like a camp offering. There was a wing bar, salad bar & soup bar, hot food bar; all were kept clean and stocked. Other hot offering are offered at the counter, pizza, burgers, fried chicken, ect.

Maybe Celebrity needs to increase the quality and presentations to bring cruisers back upstairs!

 

Hal

[Mr&MrsBee]

That was last year .  The changes are 2023. Forget about the past .

[jean87510]

50 minutes ago, Jobeth66 said:

 

Yeah - it was always listed as a perk, and for Aqua/Concierge, not only a perk but an expanded room service menu and exhortations to tuck into eggs on your balcony, all included!

 

It's one of the things that we look forward to.  I have dietary restrictions due to allergies, and my husband prefers to eat simply.  No sauces, no rich gravies, no fancy preparations.  He's happy with a steak or a burger or a piece of grilled chicken every night.  There are things in the MDR that not only won't we eat, but I /can't/ eat, neither of us wants to take 2 hours for a meal,  and we much prefer to grab food in the buffet for a quick dinner and then go about our evening.  In shorts and flip flops.  That's how we cruise.  We don't want to get dressed up for dinner every night.

 

This impacts how we vacation, and takes away a large part of why we enjoy cruising.  Instead of doing pans full of cheaply prepared foods in the OVC, just have the grill station/Asian station/pasta stations open along with some pre-prepared items, then you actually DO minimize waste, if that's the true concern.  You'd only be cooking what was ordered, not throwing away food that was cooked and not eaten.  Leave the Mast Grill open until 10 for burgers/hot dogs.  

 

What they're doing is forcing many of us to consider other options for our vacation dollars.  And we're not alone.  I realize they couldn't care less about us, but it's a shame that they want to reduce the quality of their product and offerings.

 

and I realize that a lot of people don't care because they don't use those services - but I'd be just as upset if cruise lines got rid of the kids clubs and arcades and teen clubs and splash pads, etc.  Even though I don't use those.  would all of those who never eat at the buffet or use room service be just as blase if X started charging $9.95 to see the show?  $15 cover for the comedian?  $20/day for the kids club.  $5 per towel.  $5/hour for a lounger and umbrella by the pool.  $10/day for pool access.  $30 cover at a night club or piano bar.  Tip jars for the performers.  At some point, we'll hit on something that /they/ would be upset about losing as a 'freebie', and then, I'm sure, it'll be different.

100% agree.  Throw in being charged for trivia games, extra for chairs near the pool, entrance for water parks, rock climbing, gym...

I was showing my husband the video of the evening buffet and he said we will just make the best of it on our 2 cruises but I'm not paying for Celebrity again until this changes.  We both know we won't starve however, we probably won't be back.  We sailed during the restrictions with the forced eating in the MDR on Royal at dinner on 3 separate cruises at about 40%.  It was long, and we couldn't stand the lines, the time in between courses...etc... So part of our apprehension is due to that and we just don't want to dress up and sit around half awake with a beeper to sit in close tables to others.  

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Every change can have unintended consequences.  The ironic part to reducing OV buffet choices and charging for room service is it may force many to dine in the MDR

It's my opinion that the consequence of forcing many to dine in the MDR is neither ironic nor unintended.