Rant about Infinity MDR

[Georgia_Peaches]

9 hours ago, Team Stag said:

As someone who ventured out to a different cruise line, I quickly discovered that there is a lot more about the cruise experience than just food. 

Like what?  
 

genuinely asking. Maybe we need a fresh thread detailing all things cruising related that goes beyond the food. 
 

I will start…not having to think about anything logistical regarding my vacation once I step foot on board.. no cleaning, cooking (oops, food related, sorry 😊) no worries about transportation or entertainment. I can read a book, eat (oops), sleep, workout (yeh right), grab some lunch (yikes, food again) participate in a salsa lesson, go to the martini bar, hang on my balcony and become one with the ocean, order room service (dang it…food AGAIN!   I’m so bad), lay on the sun deck, order a drink, peruse the dinner menu (🤦‍♀️). I give up…food, food, food. All roads lead to food. I can’t help it!  
 

 

[RichYak]

18 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

Let it go

That’s entirely up to you. 

[wilmingtech]

As an inexperienced cruiser, I'll give you my take on the food thing.   Every so often when itineraries change and ships start sailing out of different ports, this can often line up with contract changes for crew including managers as well.  

 

Since the Infinity just recently started sailing out of Lisbon, I wonder if the kitchen (Including the guys who manage the manifest for the food) had a turn over and the new crew just didn't have its chops up yet.

 

So some misommunication with what was ordered, the qty of items they should have had for the menu and maybe being limited budget wise and not completely aware of what was possible to get vs what was easily available within the budget for this sailing.

 

I've seen many posts where the first two or three sailing after a big crew change over (especially after a dry dock or ship repair) where the dining room is in disarray until the crew settles into the flow.

 

Just a thought.

Edited October 14, 2023 by wilmingtech

[Cat4158]

Even if that is the case it’s not good news for those of us who have paid our hard earned money in full expectation an advertised standard. Whether that’s reduced due to corporate decisions or reduced due to new crew coming on it’s still our looked forward to holiday that is being compromised. I’m reading on cruise critic that menus might be changing for the better at the end of the month - but I cruise on Infinity next week! And I’ve paid just as much as someone who will be cruising at the end of the month. 
I’m hoping I won’t be disappointed and I will report back. Good, bad or indifferent I’ll be very honest. 

[scouseronline]

We were recently on a b2b in Greece on the Infinity, 1st week we were Aqua, but no availability in Aqua for the 2nd week. 

1st week - Food in Blu was very good, enjoyed every meal we ordered and the staff were amazing

2nd week - MDR - We sailed the Infinity less than a year earlier and we noticed major changes in the quality of the MDR food, it was so bad that we ended up (along with many other passengers) going to the buffet to eat on quite a few nights, which is something we hardly ever did on past sailings.  I noticed that they had really improved the dinner buffet food , this makes me wonder if they were intentionally trying to steer guests away from the service in the MDR to a self serve option ? (Reminds me of supermarkets and the trend toward self serve checkouts)   

[wilmingtech]

On 10/14/2023 at 1:04 PM, Cat4158 said:

Even if that is the case it’s not good news for those of us who have paid our hard earned money in full expectation an advertised standard. Whether that’s reduced due to corporate decisions or reduced due to new crew coming on it’s still our looked forward to holiday that is being compromised. I’m reading on cruise critic that menus might be changing for the better at the end of the month - but I cruise on Infinity next week! And I’ve paid just as much as someone who will be cruising at the end of the month. 
I’m hoping I won’t be disappointed and I will report back. Good, bad or indifferent I’ll be very honest. 

I totally get it.  For most of us its a hard earned vacation.  Im just sharing what I have seen on past cruises and in my limited cruise experience.  Just things to look out for when you book a cruise. 

We are booked on the Infinity in 2025.  Definitely not a ship I would have picked but we are going with a group and hopefully its still Israel/Egypt by then.  Again hard earned money to go to these locations but if the itinerary changes we will probably still go regardless as its not easy for us to just find 3 weeks of a calendar year that we can go overseas.

[Stupot74]

What I think is amusing, is that it seems to be only this particular forum that's so critical of Celebrity.

 

Just about everywhere else, the reports are glowing.

 

Cruise Critic indeed!

[jmfdr]

7 minutes ago, Stupot74 said:

What I think is amusing, is that it seems to be only this particular forum that's so critical of Celebrity.

 

Just about everywhere else, the reports are glowing.

 

Cruise Critic indeed!

Where are those glowing reports?

[Stupot74]

Just now, jmfdr said:

Where are those glowing reports?

Reddit, Youtube etc etc

[ECCruise]

Don't know about Reddit, but YouTube is filled with "influencers" whose opinion I wouldn't even consider let alone put any faith in.

 

If they are normal, everyday cruisers with no "incentivized" or sponsored axes to grind, then maybe.

[Stupot74]

The thing about this forum in particular, is that there seems to be very little middle ground. People seem to either love things or hate things, and naturally people are more vocal about the things they hate.

 

And not only that, but anything that rates below 8/10 is unacceptable. Surely things greater than 5/10 are acceptable, and things less than 6/10 are unacceptable?

 

it seems everything here gets rated less than 3 or greater than 7!

[NutsAboutGolf]

54 minutes ago, Stupot74 said:

Reddit, Youtube etc etc

 

FB groups are generally the most popular place for passengers to share their opinions and often do so in real time

 

Since you mention youtube, you might enjoy this: 

 

[Stupot74]

Sure, that's focusing on the negatives.....but he's one of those 'influencers' trying to drive traffic to the channel. Nothing gets views like outrage.

 

I'm just talking about regular trip reports from regular people. The ones I'm reading are, in general, very positive about Celebrity. Not 100% positive - but overall many people seem very happy with their Celebrity cruises.

 

Here's the Celebrity sub-reddit:

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/celebritycruises/

 

Not the difference in tone between there and here.

[NutsAboutGolf]

On 10/12/2023 at 4:33 PM, Cruise till you drop said:

Any subject that doesn’t lead to a lot of moaning, whining and complaining endlessly, of which allows those people to get off on each others sufferable comments 

 

When the next anti-food thread is created, will you post your opinion on it?  How about the one after that and the one after that, etc., etc.?  I seem to recall a term where if you're doing the same thing over and over and expect different results... 🙃

[Stupot74]

3 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

When the next anti-food thread is created, will you post your opinion on it?

Probably not. This is the first time I've posted my opinion about a thread. It will likely be the last.

 

Edit: Sorry, I thought you were replying to me!

Edited October 17, 2023 by Stupot74

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 minutes ago, Stupot74 said:

Sure, that's focusing on the negatives.....but he's one of those 'influencers' trying to drive traffic to the channel. Nothing gets views like outrage.

 

I'm just talking about regular trip reports from regular people. The ones I'm reading are, in general, very positive about Celebrity. Not 100% positive - but overall many people seem very happy with their Celebrity cruises.

 

Here's the Celebrity sub-reddit:

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/celebritycruises/

 

Not the difference in tone between there and here.

 

Are they specifically talking about the food?  The first 50 posts are mostly X-related questions.  I cruise on X about 8 times a year, while I have some food item favorites, it's mostly misses, and therefore love eating off the ship.  Many will tell me to just book a different cruise line and I reply that I'm way ahead of them as I've always had multiple cruise lines booked since I first sailed X.  Obviously I do like many aspects of X but the food and entertainment aren't one of them so perhaps a positive trip report doesn't necessarily mean good food

[Stupot74]

Food is talked about often, but 'food in particular' is less frequent.

[Janedoe2012]

32 minutes ago, Stupot74 said:

Probably not. This is the first time I've posted my opinion about a thread. It will likely be the last.

 

Edit: Sorry, I thought you were replying to me!

Looking forward to hearing your review of your FIRST Celebrity Cruise in May 2024.

 

 

[Stupot74]

8 minutes ago, Janedoe2012 said:

Looking forward to hearing your review of your FIRST Celebrity Cruise in May 2024.

 

 

Yes, I'll definitely do that!

 

Edit: Hopefully I can make it a bit more circumspect than what I'm often reading here.

Edited October 17, 2023 by Stupot74
Forgot to say something.

[hcat]

2 hours ago, Stupot74 said:

Sure, that's focusing on the negatives.....but he's one of those 'influencers' trying to drive traffic to the channel. Nothing gets views like outrage.

 

I'm just talking about regular trip reports from regular people. The ones I'm reading are, in general, very positive about Celebrity. Not 100% positive - but overall many people seem very happy with their Celebrity cruises.

 

Here's the Celebrity sub-reddit:

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/celebritycruises/

 

Not the difference in tone between there and here.

We trust long time frequent X cruisers who have been on all the ships over the years... some we have sailed with and been with on roll calls  Their opinions and reviews carry great weight.  Much more than video producers and internet influencers.

 

The current  experience for many is not as great as it used to be,  but  many still enjoy cruising on X..we do. 

 

There is some gen agreement about Infinity being shabby... and  an overall decline in mdr food quality..hopefully improving!

[cruiseallways]

Infinity menu for my first night 10/30/23. Who servers this sh.....I can't believe it this is all thats listed for meals in the dining room. If I had know it would be this bad I would have never booked.

What a joke. Pretty sad Whtat are polenta fries?

[calicakes]

On 10/12/2023 at 12:14 AM, tigervixxxen said:

Bring a few of your favorite sauces and seasonings from home. It actually does make a difference. 

On our next cruise( Oct 28th, Eclipse) I'm actually going to bring some seasonings( for the turkey burger at the mast grill) and my organic half and half and a quart of skim milk.  We're driving to the port so I can bring the cream in a small cooler.  I can't stand that boxed milk and cream they use. 

[calicakes]

46 minutes ago, cruiseallways said:

Infinity menu for my first night 10/30/23. Who servers this sh.....I can't believe it this is all thats listed for meals in the dining room. If I had know it would be this bad I would have never booked.

What a joke. Pretty sad Whtat are polenta fries?

Polenta fries are leftover polenta( a corn product that is served loose with Osco Bucco( maybe its leftover from Tuscan grill?)  They pour it into a pan, cut it into "Fry shapes" and either bake or fry it.  

[doghog]

3 minutes ago, calicakes said:

On our next cruise( Oct 28th, Eclipse) I'm actually going to bring some seasonings( for the turkey burger at the mast grill) and my organic half and half and a quart of skim milk.  We're driving to the port so I can bring the cream in a small cooler.  I can't stand that boxed milk and cream they use. 

Just off the Eclipse (15 Oct.). Bring salt and pepper. I got carpal tunnel trying to get salt and pepper out of those stupid grinders in the MDR. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

49 minutes ago, cruiseallways said:

Infinity menu for my first night 10/30/23. Who servers this sh.....I can't believe it this is all thats listed for meals in the dining room. If I had know it would be this bad I would have never booked.

What a joke. Pretty sad Whtat are polenta fries?

 

For those wanting to hear something positive...No...More...Mashed...Potatoes!