SS Normandie - Summit

[Hlitner]

I should have mentioned that DW was so angry she did not order any tea! We will be on the Silhouette in a couple of weeks and will, again, try one of the alternative restaurants. But, that is only because our TA is buying! We will be dining in Blu (on the Silly) which some feel has many of the benefits of alternative restaurants without the cost.

 

Hank

[sailandcruise]

A three course lunch was offered on a sea day for $25.

[Cybercsp]

The comments on tea have really struck a chord with me. At the end of our lovely meals in Celebrity's alternate restaurants (Murano, Normandie), I have always been disappointed to get a tea bag at the end of a meal.(And the last time, not even with a POT of water, but a cup). To me, that final presentation deflates the "premium" experience that the restaurant attempts to offer. Little touches, like a personal pot that brews loose tea leaves, are to me the things that elevate a dining experience to "special" on land or sea. I am in 100% agreement that an attempt to "nickle and dime" at the end of a relaxing evening of good food and service would end the experience on a sour note. I actually wrote about the tea bag in the cup on my comment card...I think it was the first time I had a negative thing to say!

[Lsimon]

I should have mentioned that DW was so angry she did not order any tea! We will be on the Silhouette in a couple of weeks and will, again, try one of the alternative restaurants. But, that is only because our TA is buying! We will be dining in Blu (on the Silly) which some feel has many of the benefits of alternative restaurants without the cost.

Hank

 

Well at least it is good to know that they didn't just give you the high end tea and charge you for it without asking. But I'm curious how the tea with a charge was presented to you and if it might possibly still be the case that the 'standard' no-extra charge tea was available for the asking?

 

 

....Little touches, like a personal pot that brews loose tea leaves, are to me the things that elevate a dining experience to "special" on land or sea....

 

Your expectations might be too high. The only time I've ever seen tea brewed with loose tea on Celebrity, or any other cruise line we've sailed, is at the new "champagne tea" on Celebrity which is an afternoon tea that runs $19 to $25/per person. I haven't been to that but their advertisement on the ship indicated they used loose tea. Other than that the specialty restuarants, afternoon teas (even the nicer discontinued ones) have always used standard tea bags.

 

I can't say what kind of tea the $4 a pop tea offered to Hlitner was but I'd guess it was the premium tea they serve at the Cafe Al Bacio coffee bar which is advertised as Tea Forte which isn't a standard tea bag but one of the higher end tea bags that uses whole leaf tea: http://www.teaforte.com/about/behind-the-designs/

So it should brew tea that is the same, or similar to, loose tea.

[Hlitner]

Am laughing at the comments. DW (who is sitting next to me at this time) just said, "I have had high-end teas and low-end teas and they all taste like tea!" Too funny.

 

Hank