Mini Review of Top Deck Burger Bar on Constellation

I sailed on Connie from Venice for 10 days and just got off yesterday. Went to the Top Deck Burger Bar and I ordered the *** Burger for $9.95 at the counter which included french fries or onion rings. They cook it to your specification- I wanted medium/well. They gave me a flashing red device thingamajig when it was ready - about 10 min. No delivery- just pick up at the counter on a nice little aluminum tray. It was pretty delicious - cooked just right- and very thick & juicy on a very nice roll. A very significant sized burger. However the fries were kind of soggy and not very many - about the size of a Wendy's small order. What's up with that? A big complaint from many eating there is the seating. There are probably 8 tables with chairs. All taken up by people playing cards, reading, eating stuff from the Oceanview Cafe, etc. No seats reserved for the people who just paid 10 bucks each to dine there. Kind of strange although I'm sure this will make some here happy. Once a table freed up nobody came over to clear and clean it. Terrible service. The seating situation made it so I didn't go back even though the burger was good. Now I will add that I ate the Luminae burger for lunch one day which was free to me as I was in a sky suite. The Luminae burger was just a bit smaller but every bit as delicious. And fries were better, I had a nice place to sit and the service was outstanding.

Thanks for the review. It sounds like they just changed the menu, name & add a charge at the former Pool Grill and are using the same few tables and same bus your own table service if you are lucky enough to be there when someone gets up.

We will be on the Constellation in February/March & will miss the Pool Grill, fortunately we will be in a suite so I can get my burger fix at Luminae, wish they did hot dogs also:)

For people who are not in suites, is there somewhere to dine with burgers that don't have an extra charge?

Thanks for the update.

We were looking for a table in the Spa Cafe and they were filled up. There were signs on the table about having the tables for the diners. There was one where they were playing cards. The manager asked them to leave because they weren't eating. The female ( don't want to say lady and was probably a condo commando) made a remark and got up and picked up a bread stick and laid it on the table ( no plate) and then looked around in defiance just wanting someone to challenge her.

There should be signs stating no reading, or game playing during the dining hours.

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

Thanks for the update.

 

We were looking for a table in the Spa Cafe and they were filled up. There were signs on the table about having the tables for the diners. There was one where they were playing cards. The manager asked them to leave because they weren't eating. The female ( don't want to say lady and was probably a condo commando) made a remark and got up and picked up a bread stick and laid it on the table ( no plate) and then looked around in defiance just wanting someone to challenge her.

 

There should be signs stating no reading, or game playing during the dining hours.

 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

Sounds very typical of some of the older cruisers who just take of space and feel they are special. (And I am pushing 80) I"d toss their a***s out.

The lack of table service and available seating would dissuade me from ordering a burger here that I had to pay for. We like Luminae when available for lunch and the Lawn Club Grill on some ships. If we don't have access to either venue we will go to the buffet. Since Sushi on 5 is free to Royal Suites and above, I'm assuming the Top Deck Burger Bar would be free also.

Thanks for the update.

 

We were looking for a table in the Spa Cafe and they were filled up. There were signs on the table about having the tables for the diners. There was one where they were playing cards. The manager asked them to leave because they weren't eating. The female ( don't want to say lady and was probably a condo commando) made a remark and got up and picked up a bread stick and laid it on the table ( no plate) and then looked around in defiance just wanting someone to challenge her.

 

There should be signs stating no reading, or game playing during the dining hours.

 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

That's too bad. They should consider providing table service in any case and keep the table open to only paying customers.

We'll be on the Constellation in a month. I would only order the burger (and I will) if there's an open table. Maybe this one will take some time for Celebrity to figure out.

As to the comment on the fries, maybe it makes sense to order two 4 oz burgers rather than one 8 oz burger. Combine the burgers to make it a double and get double fries.

We will be doing 9 day on the Connie out of Venice on July 13th and would love to hear your thoughts on other aspects of your cruise experiences on board and in ports and any tips you might have. Please let us know if you start a new thread or post a review. Hope you had a great time!

Dianne

I wouldn't spend $10 for a burger at sea. Plenty of other excellent items that are free. If you want the best French fries at sea you have to sail on Holland America 👍

Wrong to charge for a burger, wrong that it isn't served with quality sides, wrong that there isn't a decent area reserved to eat in....sorry Celebrity, as guests who value (and don't object to paying) for premium dining options I just find this 'tacky'....

For people who are not in suites, is there somewhere to dine with burgers that don't have an extra charge?

Oceanview café.

Oceanview café.

Do they have veggieburgers there like the Pool Grill used to have?

Thanks for the fedback.

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Do they have veggieburgers there like the Pool Grill used to have?

Sorry I don't know if they offer a veggie bugger or not. The only place I have ever eaten a burger on any Celebrity ship was at the Pool Grill. Not a buffet fan anyway.

Did they offer a variety of toppings? onions, mushrooms, different cheeses, tomatoes, avocado etc??

I thought that was supposed to be the big difference and draw?

Wrong to charge for a burger, wrong that it isn't served with quality sides, wrong that there isn't a decent area reserved to eat in....sorry Celebrity, as guests who value (and don't object to paying) for premium dining options I just find this 'tacky'....

And wrong that there isn't table service. And it goes without saying that it is wrong to charge for a burger in tge first place.

There is only one way to end the charge for burgers: Don't buy it! It won't last if it doesn't add to the bottom line.

Wrong to charge for a burger, wrong that it isn't served with quality sides, wrong that there isn't a decent area reserved to eat in....sorry Celebrity, as guests who value (and don't object to paying) for premium dining options I just find this 'tacky'....

Agreed [emoji35]

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There is only one way to end the charge for burgers: Don't buy it! It won't last if it doesn't add to the bottom line.

No fear of that happening. Of course at this point, they would not go back to the free burgers at the pool grill, but most likelyfind another thing to charge for there.

I don't eat the burgers on cruises at this point, but I'm sorry to hear this. My kids always preferred having burgers for lunch because that meant they could be outside and in swimsuits. If I was still traveling with kids- I'd be disappointed by this. Fortunately I'm not-but would think twice about traveling with my grandkids on Celebrity when the time comes. One of the great things about sitting by the pool- is having a burger. $10.00 is expensive for a cruise ship burger- since meals are included in the cruise fare.

Thanks for the update.

 

We were looking for a table in the Spa Cafe and they were filled up. There were signs on the table about having the tables for the diners. There was one where they were playing cards. The manager asked them to leave because they weren't eating. The female ( don't want to say lady and was probably a condo commando) made a remark and got up and picked up a bread stick and laid it on the table ( no plate) and then looked around in defiance just wanting someone to challenge her.

 

There should be signs stating no reading, or game playing during the dining hours.

 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

No defense for her manners or lack of willingness to follow regulations, but Celebrity created this problem when they turned the card room on M-class into additional seating for cafe el bacio in order to facilitate more sales.

There is only one way to end the charge for burgers: Don't buy it! It won't last if it doesn't add to the bottom line.

That's what we are going to do. We'll wait until we get home to get our burger fix.

No defense for her manners or lack of willingness to follow regulations, but Celebrity created this problem when they turned the card room on M-class into additional seating for cafe el bacio in order to facilitate more sales.

They will aggravate it more if they stop card playing at these tables.

For sure, I think that during opening hours, tables should be for those passengers willing to pay extra for a burger.

If people are willing to pay $10 for a burger without a place to sit, God bless them. I'm not one of those people. If I'm going to pay $10 for a burger, I'm going to be in a restaurant where I get waited on.

Since I'm the OP I will answer some of the questions that have come up here. First off there is the usual tray of precooked burgers and hot dogs in the Oceanview Cafe. The door right next to the Top Deck Burger Bar (TDBB) leads directly into the Oceanview Cafe area so you can just go get free burgers there. But they in no way compare to the TDBB burgers. I suppose you can also bring your $10 burger in there to the Oceanview and sit to eat it so people can continue their card games at the tables next to TDBB. I don't see how you can ask these folks to give up their tables unless Celebrity ropes them off and sets up a specialty restaurant type area. On S-Class you do this in Lawn Club so perhaps TDBB will only be an M-Class thing. Or an option on Edge. Yes the TDBB has other items like veggie burgers and the menu has been posted on these boards elsewhere. The smaller 4oz burgers for $5 are also an option but I did not try them. There are a selection of toppings for the Build-Your-Own-Burger. There is a $10 hot dog but I never saw anybody order one in two weeks. All that being said I think the TDBB is another expanded option and the only place for non-suite passengers to get a decent cooked-to-order burger. The Mast Grill type burgers are still available about a 30 sec walk into the Oceanview Cafe. Perhaps you can also get a better burger on At-Sea Days in the MDR if on the menu.

I will post a review separately of our 10 day Venice-to-Venice Adriatic and Italy cruise - the ports were amazing!