New menus 2023 ?

[CHEZMARYLOU]

C-Dragons, I disagree.  Once downgraded it will stay downgraded and will become the new normal. Why upgrade if you are getting away with the downgraded menu and bookings are staying the same.

 

If you do a search on other reviews by this couple there are probably more recent reviews, albeit pre Covid, with more recent menus which had much more in the way off offerings than what is available today.  

Edited October 7, 2023 by CHEZMARYLOU

[hcat]

14 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

I think part of the disagreements here stem from the fact that some of us who have been sailing with Celebrity for a number of years (us, 30+ since 1998) have an established "mean" of what we have experienced in dining.

Those who have only sailed recently or never on Celebrity have a different "mean" of what they have experienced.

 

Neither is right nor wrong, but it is fairly obvious that the difference in experiences (and expectations) is pretty evident. 

agree but it always seems to come to choosing sides!

[C-Dragons]

2 minutes ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

C-Dragons, I disagree.  Once downgraded it will stay downgraded and will become the new normal. Why upgrade if you are getting away with the downgraded menu and bookings are staying the same.

We will have to agree to disagree. 😉

 

[ECCruise]

4 minutes ago, hcat said:

agree but it always seems to come to choosing sides!

True.

 

We will make do on the 4 that we have scheduled because they were booked long ago at decent prices (there is zero chance that we would book at the prices today with the depreciated dining experience).  Maybe more Specialties, maybe more Oceanview.  From that point we will make decisions going forward whether to add new bookings or quietly stick with the other lines that we enjoy.

[saffy12]

34 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

2014?

Well We sailed on X in 2014 and I don’t recall there being a Pandemic which caused cruising to stop while the cruise line continued to have debts to pay.

I guess that just might have something to do with the menus not being the same. This situation is only temporary. IMO.

Yes, but as has been said,  the 2014 examples used remained the norm through 2022, which means that celebrity maintained their standard after the pandemic before they started the recent drop in quality.   Don't let them continue ot use the pandemic as an excuse for lesser quality for more money!

[calicakes]

42 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

2014?

Well We sailed on X in 2014 and I don’t recall there being a Pandemic which caused cruising to stop while the cruise line continued to have debts to pay.

I guess that just might have something to do with the menus not being the same. This situation is only temporary. IMO.

What is temporary? The dumbing down of the menus?  Nope, its here to stay.  X is trying to make the most profit. 

[calicakes]

31 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

Maybe more Specialties, maybe more Oceanview. 

Specialties are ridiculously priced.  Ocean view has also been downgraded.  They used to serve Albacore tuna salad, no more of that.  I never see fresh berries( even when in season).  They serve your everyday granny smith or red delicious apples too.  I was shocked to see fresh berries in the buffet on Oceania. 

[Cruise till you drop]

1 hour ago, ECCruise said:

I think part of the disagreements here stem from the fact that some of us who have been sailing with Celebrity for a number of years (us, 30+ since 1998) have an established "mean" of what we have experienced in dining.

Those who have only sailed recently or never on Celebrity have a different "mean" of what they have experienced.

 

Neither is right nor wrong, but it is fairly obvious that the difference in experiences (and expectations) is pretty evident. 

Plus ca change
Plus c'est la meme chose

[phoenix_dream]

1 hour ago, ECCruise said:

I think part of the disagreements here stem from the fact that some of us who have been sailing with Celebrity for a number of years (us, 30+ since 1998) have an established "mean" of what we have experienced in dining.

Those who have only sailed recently or never on Celebrity have a different "mean" of what they have experienced.

 

Neither is right nor wrong, but it is fairly obvious that the difference in experiences (and expectations) is pretty evident. 

I get your point.  But what is wrong is the signicant increase in price coupled with the significant decrease in quality or level of offerings (meaning, for example,  less steak and a lot more chicken, pasta, and cheaply priced fish) and number of options.

[ECCruise]

16 minutes ago, calicakes said:

Specialties are ridiculously priced.  Ocean view has also been downgraded.  They used to serve Albacore tuna salad, no more of that.  I never see fresh berries( even when in season).  They serve your everyday granny smith or red delicious apples too.  I was shocked to see fresh berries in the buffet on Oceania. 

We aren't going in with any misconceptions. Specialty prices are nuts. We've dined in them probably 50 times since all 4 Ocean Liners on the M Class. Have never paid full price and never will. Either discounted with flash sale or discount onboard. We'll do Ocean View if we are in a salad mood, e.g. 

We will make do since we got good pricing on unique itineraries and that's why we sail. 

[phoenix_dream]

5 hours ago, Smmessineo said:

Thanks for posting these! I remember referring to  them before every cruise , I'd always be so excited before a trip!

Most of the items in these menus were available and free in the MDR  right through December of 2022. The snarky responses on this thread ,that imply we are complaining over nothing  or asking for extravagant choices,  are unwarranted.  

 

Agree. Much higher price.  Much lower quality and quantity of offerings.  And we're the ones being criticized for not being happy with that equation??? Where's the logic in that?

[ECCruise]

3 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I get your point.  But what is wrong is the signicant increase in price coupled with the significant decrease in quality or level of offerings (meaning, for example,  less steak and a lot more chicken, pasta, and cheaply priced fish) and number of options.

I agree. Which is why I wouldn't even consider booking at current pricing. 

[Cruise till you drop]

49 minutes ago, calicakes said:

X is trying to make the most profit. 

Are you saying they shouldn’t make a good profit so they can stay in business longer ?

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, calicakes said:

You are NOT seeing the difference from the Preisman's menus posted from 2014?  Huge difference.  

Maybe you could explain or describe this “huge” difference?  Should be easy.

[ECCruise]

3 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

Are you saying they shouldn’t make a good profit so they can stay in business longer ?

Celebrity is not the only cruise line that needs to stay in business.

 

And yes, virtually all of the lines have had some sort of cost cutting measures in place. But, IMHO, they are the deepest cuts on =X= with absolutely the highest price appreciation of all the lines that we've sailed/considered.  And that is spoken with 20 sailings deposited and booked (4 with =X=) in the next 22 months. 

[basil1]

23 hours ago, Cap_D said:

Amen.  No one would book reservations at a restaurant with the baseline being they "won't starve."  In 2023, for restaurant dining, one can look at the menu, read reviews, see pictures, and generally make informed decisions.  On Celebrity they make that difficult, and have run their food program into the ground.  The only reason why the ships are full are because of past reputation.  The menus aren't even contemporary in their preparations.  Scoops of mashed potatoes that appear as if they are from a 1960s hospital cafeteria are not normal for modern dining.  The local Applebees, Cheesecake Factory, Chili's and other chain restaurant menus are more interesting. The pandemic and supply chain issues are over, and any company that purchases as much food as Celebrity does that can't figure out how to have interesting menus, choice, and some semblance of quality should go out of business. 

YES!!!!

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, Islander500 said:

True.  And some folks are just having fun just being deliberately obtuse. 

True. And some folks still don’t see what the problem is.  Because they’re still waiting for someone to compare old and new menus.  
 

This is like arguing over the difference between 6 and 12 month old aged cheddar.

[Cap_D]

3 hours ago, C-Dragons said:

2014?

Well We sailed on X in 2014 and I don’t recall there being a Pandemic which caused cruising to stop while the cruise line continued to have debts to pay.

I guess that just might have something to do with the menus not being the same. This situation is only temporary. IMO.

No one considers their vacation temporary.  And, the downgrade in quality is more significant in recent months, and not evident to this degree during the cruises in the year or more after return to sail. 

[Cap_D]

Meanwhile over at Royal they appear to be giving a lot more thought to their food and how it syncs with their expected passengers:

 

 

[Cruise till you drop]

28 minutes ago, Cap_D said:

Meanwhile over at Royal they appear to be giving a lot more thought to their food and how it syncs with their expected passengers:

 

 

1. It’s a commercial.  It can be made to look spectacular

 

2. Do you really think it will be like this for 7,500 passengers

[hcat]

44 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

1. It’s a commercial.  It can be made to look spectacular

 

2. Do you really think it will be like this for 7,500 passengers

  what 7,500.. pax?

is the ship that big..if so crazy!

[Baggy178]

10 hours ago, zitsky said:

True. And some folks still don’t see what the problem is.  Because they’re still waiting for someone to compare old and new menus.  
 

This is like arguing over the difference between 6 and 12 month old aged cheddar.

 

 

I'm still having a laugh and titter at the poster who described the sirloin steak on the new menu as a cheaper cut of meat.

Where's the gold-covered 30-day aged Wagyu tomohawk  steak personally grilled at their table by Salt Bae himself, I hear them demanding ....😅

 

 

[ECCruise]

1 hour ago, Baggy178 said:

 

 

I'm still having a laugh and titter at the poster who described the sirloin steak on the new menu as a cheaper cut of meat.

Where's the gold-covered 30-day aged Wagyu tomohawk  steak personally grilled at their table by Salt Bae himself, I hear them demanding ....😅

 

 

No, what many are asking (not demanding) is where is the decent New York strip steak that was on the menu for over 20 years?  

 

And yes, sirloin is definitely a cheaper cut than strip steak.

[Baggy178]

17 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

No, what many are asking (not demanding) is where is the decent New York strip steak that was on the menu for over 20 years?  

 

And yes, sirloin is definitely a cheaper cut than strip steak.

 

A strip steak is exactly the same as a sirloin steak.

It's the same piece of meat from the short loin area of the cow - in the USA you call it strip steak, everywhere else calls it sirloin.

Again, exactly which high-end steaks do you regard to be missing from this mass catering menu ?

 

 

 

 

[ECCruise]

2 minutes ago, Baggy178 said:

 

A strip steak is exactly the same as a sirloin steak.

It's the same piece of meat from the short loin area of the cow - in the USA you call it strip steak, everywhere else calls it sirloin.

Again, exactly which high-end steaks do you regard to be missing from this mass catering menu ?

 

 

 

 

They are absolutely not the same.  Strip steak vs. Sirloin

. 

And the last time I checked, =X= is a USA cruise line, so their description would be that of the USA. 

 

I already said what many feel is missing.  What was there for 20+ years.  Nothing new.