Celebrity Restaurants - Just Ask For It

[Archaegeo]

In case you didnt know...

 

This is one of the service points that just keeps us coming back to Celebrity over and over. You can do this in the MDR to an extent, but in the specialty restaurants, it is almost like the menus are suggestions of popular choices, but go ahead and give us a challenge.

 

Seriously.

 

My MIL has a dietary thing where she will not eat dairy and meat on the same dish. This has always been treated by the specialty restaurants like "Of course you do and we are so glad we were expecting that and here is what we can do for you"

 

It is phenominal.

 

My FIL has a stomache allergy to garlic, which is used so much in so many dishes, yet it is amazing the number of times they can cook without it, and if they cant, say the main item has been seeped overnight in a garlic sauce or something, they come up with an entirely new menu item for him.

 

And heaven forbid you even hint that you are torn between two dishes, because you know that both will appear unless you FIRMLY say NO. Hehe.

 

And at bistro on 5, want a crepe made to order, say with chocolate and strawberries, no problem, let us go cook that for you now.

 

I just love me some service that is set to that standard, and we tip well every single time because not only do they do it, but more importantly, they ALWAYS make you feel like it is absolutely no bother and they are pleased to address your challenge.

[loosygoosy]

We heartily must agree!!!

My husband LOVES hot sauce. On one Celebrity cruise he asked our MDR waiter to bring him some hot sauce. He brought Tabasco. That is not hot sauce according to my husband. He thanked our waiter and was resigned to the fact that he would have to make do without.

The next night when we arrived at our table, there sitting on my husband's plate wrapped caringly in a napkin bow was a bottle of Caribbean Hot Sauce!

Our waiter had his "time off" that day and bought it for my husband from money out of his own pocket.

That's why we cruise with Celebrity.

Ask...if they can they will. If they can't....they will offer you something else.

[wednesday]

I have been extremely happy with the service we have received on other lines. Posts like this make me really excited to try Celebrity, because if the service is even better than the other lines, it is going to be an amazing cruise! :)

[TLCOhio]

]My husband LOVES hot sauce. On one Celebrity cruise he asked our MDR waiter to bring him some hot sauce. He brought Tabasco. That is not hot sauce according to my husband. He thanked our waiter and was resigned to the fact that he would have to make do without. The next night when we arrived at our table, there sitting on my husband's plate wrapped caringly in a napkin bow was a bottle of Caribbean Hot Sauce! Our waiter had his "time off" that day and bought it for my husband from money out of his own pocket.

 

Great to hear such "success stories". Many times, some will only post about problems and/or slip-ups. Overall, our first cruise with Celebrity went well and we found the MDR staff to be trying and working very hard.

 

THANKS for sharing! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 67,001 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[sjaak]

Ask sashimi in Silk Harvest and you get sashimi. Ask lobster thermidor in Murano for your next visit (it need some preparation) and you will get your lobster thermidor.

 

Only thing they couldn't make was Sabayon. Because they hadn't the right equipment :confused: Now everyone who knows what Sabayon is, also knows you need very little equipment to make it. Makes me wonder with what equipment they prepare all the other food :D

 

But, no problem, we were already extremely happy people with the lobster thermidor :)

[Sloop-JohnB]

Hi All,

 

Well as someone NEW to Celebrity, we certainly didn't stray far from the written word on any menu... (BTW, they had Lobster Thermidor on the regular menu in Murano's when we were there... and it was EXCELLENT !!)

 

But maybe we'll be a bit more adventurous in the future.

 

We did have a special request one night (albeit a small one... but it went a long way to making someone's day)

 

Knowing that the MDR has small cakes that they make up for special occasions (the couple seated with us were on their Honeymoon and had had one earlier in the week)...

 

We asked...

 

Would it be possible to get one "to go" ?

 

We had befriended a Bartender and had discovered by overhearing a fellow Crew Member during our Before Dinner Cocktail, that it was the Bartender's B-Day (info that had been printed in that day's Crew News)

 

Our Head Waiter, was fully aware, that the cake we were requesting was going to a fellow crew member (and not to us)... and yet he obliged. Even asked us what we wanted written on the cake. And got us our one single small candle too.

 

It was with great delight, that we showed up at our favourite bar with the "surprise" cake singing Happy Birthday.

 

The Bartender was stumped as to how we had discovered his secret... until Mr Sloop revealed he'd overheard a fellow crew member extend his best wishes earlier in the evening.

 

Our Head Waiter, who "sort of knew" the Bartender (amazing that even though they both had over 15 years with Celebrity... that their paths rarely cross... one of course working in the "MDR Pool" and the other in the "Bar Pool" so work different hours / shifts etc) made a point of dropping by the Bar after his shift to see us, and give his Congrats as well... Our Bartender of course couldn't eat the cake while working... but he did chit-chat with some fellow crew (who were ending their shifts... lol, we were at one of the late-night bars) who "heard" about the celebration, and there was talk of sharing the cake later after his shift in the Crew Quarters with some Jamaican Rum.

 

All-in-all a feel good story... Celebrity's Crew are great... and seem to genuinely care for the Passengers as well as each other's well-being.

 

Cheers!

[Archaegeo]

Yeah.

 

It is REALLY easy to get over pampered on Celebrity if you just go into things with a smile and ask friendly questions, not demands.

 

Last time they were out of the sail away glasses on our cruise and almost seemed crushed they couldnt provide them for us (the ones with the recipes of the sail away drinks printed on the sides, we broke too many).

 

This isnt after some big tip or anything, just basic human kindness, knowing that the answer might be no, but being so darn happy when every time they can it is yes.

 

Like I said, they seem the have the least amount of flexibility in the MDR, but they still try there, but in the specialty restaurants, its like they have a theme, but to heck with it, we will make what you want. Just love em.

 

I am a little leary of the service level on my upcoming RCL, but I am sailing it for a different experience. Just like when we did Princess for Alaska, the service wasnt the same (not bad by any means, just not the same), but there were other areas that were nice.

[Archaegeo]

Another example, not in a dining facility, but at the martini bar...

 

We often stop there once or twice a cruise for flights, but the MIL loves chocolate martini's. She often asks if they can make her once as chocolaty as possible (she gets drunk off these, but refuses to admit it, calls it getting "happy").

 

One time she asked, and the waiter brought her the first time the bartenders version, then the next time, his, but along with that, he took time out to go make/acquire chocolate covered strawberries to go with it. She will NEVER forget that cruise.

[Ma Bell]

Celebrity always goes out of their way to fulfill special requests. If it really is "special" just ask and they'll do their best.

 

That being said there is nothing quite as obnoxious as being seated with someone who has a special request every night that keeps the poor waiter running around trying to satisfy one person and compromising the service for everyone else at the table.

[dabear]

While I am an X fan, fyi, almost all of the mass market lines will accomodate special requests.

[cherylroslyn]

We heartily must agree!!!

My husband LOVES hot sauce. On one Celebrity cruise he asked our MDR waiter to bring him some hot sauce. He brought Tabasco. That is not hot sauce according to my husband. He thanked our waiter and was resigned to the fact that he would have to make do without.

The next night when we arrived at our table, there sitting on my husband's plate wrapped caringly in a napkin bow was a bottle of Caribbean Hot Sauce!

Our waiter had his "time off" that day and bought it for my husband from money out of his own pocket.

That's why we cruise with Celebrity.

Ask...if they can they will. If they can't....they will offer you something else.

That is the cutest story ever.... That is why i love Celebrity. Their staff and crew are second to none.........

[DivasDare]

Hi All,

 

Well as someone NEW to Celebrity, we certainly didn't stray far from the written word on any menu... (BTW, they had Lobster Thermidor on the regular menu in Murano's when we were there... and it was EXCELLENT !!)

 

But maybe we'll be a bit more adventurous in the future.

 

We did have a special request one night (albeit a small one... but it went a long way to making someone's day)

 

Knowing that the MDR has small cakes that they make up for special occasions (the couple seated with us were on their Honeymoon and had had one earlier in the week)...

 

We asked...

 

Would it be possible to get one "to go" ?

 

We had befriended a Bartender and had discovered by overhearing a fellow Crew Member during our Before Dinner Cocktail, that it was the Bartender's B-Day (info that had been printed in that day's Crew News)

 

Our Head Waiter, was fully aware, that the cake we were requesting was going to a fellow crew member (and not to us)... and yet he obliged. Even asked us what we wanted written on the cake. And got us our one single small candle too.

 

It was with great delight, that we showed up at our favourite bar with the "surprise" cake singing Happy Birthday.

 

The Bartender was stumped as to how we had discovered his secret... until Mr Sloop revealed he'd overheard a fellow crew member extend his best wishes earlier in the evening.

 

Our Head Waiter, who "sort of knew" the Bartender (amazing that even though they both had over 15 years with Celebrity... that their paths rarely cross... one of course working in the "MDR Pool" and the other in the "Bar Pool" so work different hours / shifts etc) made a point of dropping by the Bar after his shift to see us, and give his Congrats as well... Our Bartender of course couldn't eat the cake while working... but he did chit-chat with some fellow crew (who were ending their shifts... lol, we were at one of the late-night bars) who "heard" about the celebration, and there was talk of sharing the cake later after his shift in the Crew Quarters with some Jamaican Rum.

 

All-in-all a feel good story... Celebrity's Crew are great... and seem to genuinely care for the Passengers as well as each other's well-being.

 

Cheers!

 

Very sweet and caring. You just made my day.