Awful State of Ocean View Cafe for dinner

[rmalbers]

2 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

You won't avoid bankruptcy by losing your long-time cruisers.

Actually, long time cruisers age out at a predictable pace,  that's very easy for them to measure.  I don't think that is an issue for them at all.  The E class ships are the 'long-time cruiser' replacement. 

[bonagrad]

1 minute ago, southernbreezes said:

You still get your buffet with more than enough food and hopfully a lot less waste.  You don't book suites and you are not charged for one. Keep in mind my suite on Apex costs $24,000.00 so yes I get The Retreat and Luminae and free room service but I paid for it.  

Enough food according to you.  It lacks proteins and vegetables.  Those happen to be important to us.  As I've stated before, they can still reduce waste without reducing the OVC to the worst in the industry.  

 

My point about suites was that some say they don't use the OVC so, the cuts are fine.  It was a joke.  I paid for one OVC and getting one that is substantially worse than what I paid for.

[Ipeeinthepools]

Just now, rmalbers said:

Actually, long time cruisers age out at a predictable pace,  that's very easy for them to measure.  I don't think that is an issue for them at all.  The E class ships are the 'long-time cruiser' replacement. 

 

Ok, how about this.  You won't avoid bankruptcy when you offer a more expensive, inferior product.

[bonagrad]

3 minutes ago, rmalbers said:

Actually, long time cruisers age out at a predictable pace,  that's very easy for them to measure.  I don't think that is an issue for them at all.  The E class ships are the 'long-time cruiser' replacement. 

Not if you can't bring in and hold onto younger cruisers.  We're approaching our late 40s, aiming for early retirement, where we'd cruise more.  After our Apex cruise last April, we had planned on having Celebrity in heavy rotation.  Now, maybe not as much unless we see things trending in the right direction again.

[DaKahuna]

 I have said this before but we have a Royal Caribbean cruise next month, and Millennium booked for April and November.  Whether or not we keep the November sailing will depend on how our April cruise goes. 

 

 We have no sailing booked beyond 2023.  Whether we sail again or not is going to be dependent on how our cruises this year go.  If the cut backs and price increases adversely affect our cruising experience, I am sure we will find alternative vacations. 

 

[bonagrad]

16 minutes ago, southernbreezes said:

If the room service fee is going to break you maybe you should stay home or go to a less expensive cruise line. How cheap are some of you!

I think Celebrity will do fine weeding out the bargin hunters.

Wow!  You do know that some of us don't have the luxury of just driving to the port.  We have more than our cruise fare.  There is air, baggage fees, hotels, car rentals, etc.  We also have plenty of other places we can spend $24K , so I'm not how that makes anyone cheap.  Good for you being able to spend that on a cruise, but because we can't or wouldn't doesn't make us cheap or bargain hunters!

Edited January 17, 2023 by bonagrad

[rmalbers]

2 minutes ago, bonagrad said:

Not if you can't bring in and hold onto younger cruisers.  We're approaching our late 40s, aiming for early retirement, where we'd cruise more.  After our Apex cruise last April, we had planned on having Celebrity in heavy rotation.  Now, maybe not as much unless we see things trending in the right direction again.

Ya, I sort of wonder if the 'bring in and hold' period of cruising is over.  The reason I say that is not because of these covid costs, inflation costs, things, but because of the way the cruise ships are being build these days.  There are the specialty ships (Viking Exp. ships), the mega resort ships, the old fashioned ships, very small yacht like ships,   there is just such a variety ships that are being designed differently than in the past.  I did Viking after, mostly all, X and it was an eye opener.  

[Cruzinforpeace***]

2 hours ago, BeachTunes said:

 

This question actually makes me feel for the crew. If there are cuts being made to the cuisine of paying customers, undoubtedly cuts are being made to crew meals. 

 

I was a crew member aboard a Disney ship over 20 years ago when the line was brand new. The crew mess was "something" to put it nicely. I was told the budget per crew member per day for food was a measly $1.00. Not sure if that was true but I believed it at the time. I hope dining has improved for crews on all fleet. They work so hard, many of them with zero accolades or recognition. 

 

Ah, now I'm reminiscing! Pig tail and pig feet were featured multiple days of the week! Lots of "mystery fish" in sauce. The majority of the crew wasn't North American/Western European/Australian so most meals weren't catered to what we were used to. I completely understand having to cater for diversity but I lost a LOT of weight during those two 6-month contracts! LOL! The officer's mess, the few times I was invited as a guest, was much better. The best time to eat in the  mess was around 10pm when the extra steaks and other MDR mains were sent down for the crew. I will say that the line did an excellent job for festivities like Christmas dinner and various cultural celebrations. (I will save tales from the crew bar for another thread!  😉)

 

Back to the topic... We'll be on the Millennium in Aqua Class this March for our first Celebrity cruise since 2015. We enjoyed the food and service on two previous X cruises on The Reflection and The Summit. We're hoping for the best as we sailed with Paul Gauguin and Crystal pre-pandemic and were totally spoiled. (Alas, what happened and is happening to Crystal is another story!) 

 

I'll be sure to post lots of foodie photos when we return!

When I worked on Celebrity in the “90’s” I was allowed to eat anywhere (I had passenger status as an entertainer) and I can say that many times on show nights I would

opt for some of the food from the crew mess (more specifically the sailor’s mess).  I thought it was simple but delicious; usually a meat sauce and white rice with a salad (energy food).  Of course these were different times.  They even let us fish off the back of the ship in Bermuda.  Then we would bring it down to the crew mess and they’d cook it up for all of us to share.  I remember getting the phone call from the Greek officer in charge of the sailors who would cook it for us, “It’s George.  Come to mess.”  Some of the best fresh fish I’ve ever had in my life!  I even ate fish soup with the eyeballs floating around in it.  MUCH different times now.  Now we have fish “fingers” on the passenger buffet line.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

26 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Only non-refundable cruise fares. 

I agree.  I’m seeing you have to add “refundable” deposit when making reservations.  The default is “non refundable”.

[rmalbers]

35 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Ok, how about this.  You won't avoid bankruptcy when you offer a more expensive, inferior product.

The thing about this is, the big three are sort of all in a similar position and all making cuts.  The competition is going to be land based resorts and they still have the food cost issues.

Edited January 17, 2023 by rmalbers

[LMaxwell]

48 minutes ago, southernbreezes said:

You still get your buffet with more than enough food and hopfully a lot less waste.  

Anything with 2/3 of options removed is not the same.  Just because you paid MORE for your cruise, doesn't mean I need to be satisfied with mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, and pizza. Seriously. This isn't Days Inn, and this isn't an a la carte vacation format.  Cruising, at least as advertised, remains a mostly inclusive type of vacation. 

 

You brushing aside quality declines because you are in a suite, ultimately leads to quality declines in suites. Us peasants advocate for ourselves, and also for you. IJS 

Edited January 17, 2023 by LMaxwell

[cgolf1]

32 minutes ago, southernbreezes said:

If the room service fee is going to break you maybe you should stay home or go to a less expensive cruise line. How cheap are some of you!

I think Celebrity will do fine weeding out the bargin hunters.

 

We are really thrifty, and sail insides by choice and haven't done upcharge dining in a long time and even then it was once a trip for a higher end brunch we liked on Disney.  We tried retreat level rooms on Disney and found that much attention wasn't for us. We are happy being thrifty even though we don't need to anymore. We just like to hang out and relax and forget about the stresses of work. I am sure the cruise lines hate us lol. We spent money on the ships early on, but many cruises in no longer feel the need to. That and I will give Disney props the merchandise was pretty cool.

 

If the MDR food becomes inedible we will find a new line. Of all years to try the buffet at night this was our year for 3 of our 11 nights. Time will tell if that will work or if we will be back in the mdr.

[LMaxwell]

41 minutes ago, southernbreezes said:

If the room service fee is going to break you maybe you should stay home or go to a less expensive cruise line. How cheap are some of you!

I think Celebrity will do fine weeding out the bargin hunters.

Almost snagged someone 😆

[Ipeeinthepools]

46 minutes ago, southernbreezes said:

If the room service fee is going to break you maybe you should stay home or go to a less expensive cruise line. How cheap are some of you!

I think Celebrity will do fine weeding out the bargin hunters.

 

Wow.  I'm sure glad you spend your time in the Retreat and Luminae.  

[RichYak]

51 minutes ago, southernbreezes said:

If the room service fee is going to break you maybe you should stay home or go to a less expensive cruise line. How cheap are some of you!

I think Celebrity will do fine weeding out the bargin hunters.

Another shareholder perspective.

[terrydtx]

I just received this picture of a Celebrity ship's pantry it was smuggled out by a crew member.

[Guest TopoChico]

53 minutes ago, southernbreezes said:

If the room service fee is going to break you maybe you should stay home or go to a less expensive cruise line. How cheap are some of you! 

I think Celebrity will do fine weeding out the bargin hunters.

I certainly hope someone with your high standing in ship society gets first crack at the nicer lifeboats! The aristocracy shouldn’t have to mingle with the rubes. 

[Guest TopoChico]

Checked in to see if the thread was hitting the fan yet. Yep.  CC never disappoints.
 

You can really see who, in an emergency, would be knocking other people out of the way and waving money in the air for the crew to push the women and children out of their way.  😂
 

 

[ldubs]

5 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I just received this picture of a Celebrity ship's pantry it was smuggled out by a crew member.

 

What, no Spam?  

[Guest TopoChico]

12 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Another shareholder perspective.

Honestly, that’s just a classless perspective. A $24,000 cabin doesn’t come with class.  You have to bring it with you. 

[bonagrad]

7 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I just received this picture of a Celebrity ship's pantry it was smuggled out by a crew member.

Here is Duke at his press conference announcing that he is the new Executive Chef for Celebrity!  A big day indeed!

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

What, no Spam?  

Bummer. I was thinking the same thing. 

[terrydtx]

6 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

What, no Spam?  

My crew contact is working on that, but he said they keep SPAM under lock and key behind closed doors.

[Guest TopoChico]

1 minute ago, terrydtx said:

My crew contact is working on that, but he said they keep SPAM under lock and key behind closed doors.

That’s because it’s made from all the passengers who aged-out of X. 

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, bonagrad said:

Here is Duke at his press conference announcing that he is the new Executive Chef for Celebrity!  A big day indeed!

Now that is funny, LOL