More changes to Bistro on 5?

[bayonnejoe]

Are you sure the change is to Bistro or is someone confusing it with the Porch changing to seafood?

 

As for Bistro on 5, I liked that brief period when X was experimenting with an expanded dinner menu that included steak, chicken, pasta. On Summit, I think.

 

We were told during the October repo that Bistro on 5 is becoming sushi during the February-March refurb on the Summit.

[DrivesLikeMario]

If Celebrity is reading this, PLEASE do NOT change Bistro on 5. The surcharge is high enough at this point and we can get sushi every evening for free! :mad:

[Iamthesea]

Sushi may be discontinued from the buffet. :rolleyes:

 

I did love the original Bistro before the changes, but a Pizza Parlor would be nice. RCCL has a great set-up on their larger class ships.

[chamima]

Sushi may be discontinued from the buffet. :rolleyes:

 

I did love the original Bistro before the changes, but a Pizza Parlor would be nice. RCCL has a great set-up on their larger class ships.

 

I wondered the same thing. :(

[ghstudio]

If they changed it to a pizza parlor, there would be a string of posts about how no one likes pizza.

 

The sushi at the buffet is adequate, but not good even close to good sushi...if this is better/good sushi then it's probably going to be worth $15 and there are many who will enjoy it. I personally won't miss the pre-made, soggy crepes served at the Bistro today. We were perfectly happy on our last cruise to sit at the aqua spa cafe until our rooms were ready...there were empty tables there....the buffet was slammed. I didn't think bistro was worth $10pp....let's see if they actually do change to a sushi/asian restaurant (they won't just serve sushi/sashimi) and whether it's any good. If they pre-make the rolls as they do in silk harvest, I won't be a fan...in fact we don't eat at Silk Harvest after being served their soggy nori rolls.

[vedettes1]

If you really like sushi, and you live on the coast (east or west), then you quickly realize that Celebrity's sushi is something to avoid. It is slightly worse than you can get pre-made in any supermarket. If they were to open a real sushi bar with real fish (not just farmed salmon and low-grade tuna) and a real sushi maker, along with at least miso soup and a little salad, I think they could easily fill up Bistro's small space. I think they would have to make it a la carte however, rather than fixed price because, if the sushi is really good, people like me will eat $50 worth for a $15 fee!

[Alsmez]

If they changed it to a pizza parlor, there would be a string of posts about how no one likes pizza.

 

The sushi at the buffet is adequate, but not good even close to good sushi...if this is better/good sushi then it's probably going to be worth $15 and there are many who will enjoy it.

 

Oh, if the sushi is good, it will DEFINITELY be worth $15 - I just can't see it being good. Honestly, $15 is way TOO cheap for truly excellent or even very good sushi; I would expect to pay at least $80pp for a meal at one of the better sushi places in New York. On the other hand, I can see them putting out good pizza, BBQ, tacos, Middle Eastern food or any number of other things for a price people are willing to pay as an upcharge for lunch (i.e., $10 or less).

[Ruthk]

I don't understand why everyone is so willing to pay for this Bistro! Don't you think that after Celebrity drastically raised the cruise prices to offer us the BBB promotion, they should absorb the costs in the Bistro.

 

Celebrity really doesn't offer us many options in free dining compared to other cruise lines, and I truly believe they should cut the prices out. How much does it actually cost for the ingredients to make a crepe - gouge, gouge, gouge!

[monicajay]

If Celebrity is reading this, PLEASE do NOT change Bistro on 5. The surcharge is high enough at this point and we can get sushi every evening for free! :mad:

 

And do you think this will continue if they are charging for it in the Bistro?

[hcat]

We were on EQ last week..Bistro had the first new (expanded) menu with daily special, floats etc. $10 pp..not sure if we got any discount..but I think so...15% for E +

 

No one there knew anything whatsoever about the abbreviated new new menu..or any other changes on EQ / B on 5

 

Food and service were excellent..they let you know it'll take 15 minutes for food, so we got a mac and cheese to share as a starter...it was best ever!

 

Sushi at the buffet (no charge) was fine; and also upgraded sushi on menu at Silk Harvest ...upcharge eatery but got 15% E+ discount there....more great food and service!

 

Would not visit a seafood only or sushi only eatery...dh has allergies.

 

EQ has it all right.. no changes needed to Bistro or Silk.....

 

BLU was so good that we did not go to Tuscan or Murano...and even enjoyed a dinner at the buffet.

 

ONLY BAD SPOT was Cafe Baccio. Not enough table servers, way too many take out customers who got priority, refusal to let you order table items at counter. Rude severs behind the counter..and also at the buffet bar ( not called Baccio 2 on EQ). Once was more than enough at a place we usually visit daily for tea, coffee and biscotti. Revisions needed.

Edited January 13, 2016 by hcat

[SAC69]

Sushi may be discontinued from the buffet. :rolleyes:

 

I did love the original Bistro before the changes, but a Pizza Parlor would be nice. RCCL has a great set-up on their larger class ships.

 

I'm willing to bet you are correct. The sushi at the buffet will be gone. This is BS...:mad:

[Gordoncruickshank]

This may be one of these trial things, like the Gastropub was in Equinox. It is unlikely, withot a proper trial that it would be rolled out to all ships. Gastropub isn't working, this may not work and bistro, which is not busy may stay as it is. I actually preferred it with just soup etc and crepes, elthough we nly went around twice per cruise.

[Brad1185]

I don't understand why everyone is so willing to pay for this Bistro! Don't you think that after Celebrity drastically raised the cruise prices to offer us the BBB promotion, they should absorb the costs in the Bistro.

 

Celebrity really doesn't offer us many options in free dining compared to other cruise lines, and I truly believe they should cut the prices out. How much does it actually cost for the ingredients to make a crepe - gouge, gouge, gouge!

 

Bistro on 5 was supposed to be included restaurant in the beginning

 

They should do something like princess does with the international cafe

[twin123185]

Living in NJ where there is a pizza place every 100 yards and spending a lot of time in southern Italy where most of the pizza is amazing, I wouldn't go anywhere near a pizza restaurant on a cruise ship. No way it will be any good.

[wwcruisers]

Absolutely. While I love pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven, it's not the only way to make great pizza. Many restaurants have gas or electric ovens - as long as you can get them hot enough, you can make great pizza. Great pizza also requires GREAT crust, which is something Celebrity has a real problem with (in my experience, ALL of the breads on X are terrible). High hydration, adequate fermentation time to develop flavor, etc. Then obviously you need excellent toppings/sauce, but that is much easier to get right than the dough/cooking equation. I absolutely think it can be done on a ship, but who knows if X would be willing to invest the time and attention it would take?

 

Thanks for the detailed reply -- I got hungry just reading your post! ;)

 

Try Alfredos on the Royal or Regal Princess! :D (And it's free !!!)

 

Haven't tried Princess yet, but we're seriously considering it for future bookings. One thing that I have consistently heard about the food on Princess is their outstanding pizza! :cool:

 

And, add me to the list of folks for whom Bistro sushi would be a non-starter. I do love sushi and sashimi, but I'm very picky about where I get it. In the past, I've gotten sick a couple of times, after eating sushi or ceviche on cruise ships. Nowadays, I stick to well-done seafood, whenever I'm at sea. :eek:

[Max Bet]

I'm sure there are some who don't like sushi...but Bistro on 5 has been in a tie with Quasar to see how few people step in during a day. If the sushi bar is any good and rationally priced, I think more will use the restaurant...thus more revenue for Celebrity. Sushi has become very popular now that it has evolved to rolls that have only cooked items and veggies....let's call it "modern sushi".

 

I wouldn't mind having sushi on embarkation day with some Saki....

 

Cooked sushi is not sushi in my eyes. Good quality raw fish is awesome! I hope they make the change on Infinity by May.:)

Edited January 13, 2016 by Max Bet

[TravelerThom]

Bistro on 5 was supposed to be included restaurant in the beginning...

Yep, it was included when X took my money at Final Payment date (= NO refund) for the Solstice inaugural, but it magically was a pay venue when we boarded. There is no other name for this than Bait and Switch:mad: Celebrity sure garnered a lot more ill-will than the then $5 they were charging.

[DebbieMacG]

Lunch In Bistro is an embarkation tradition for us. We do it everytime we cruise on Celebrity and then again a couple more times during the cruise. If they change it to sushi then we will never go again.

 

I do NOT think people would pay an upcharge for a sushi bar.:(

 

official confirmation would be good.

Edited January 13, 2016 by DebbieMacG

[Max Bet]

Lunch In Bistro is an embarkation tradition for us. We do it everytime we cruise on Celebrity and then again a couple more times during the cruise. If they change it to sushi then we will never go again.

 

I do NOT think people would pay an upcharge for a sushi bar.:(

 

official confirmation would be good.

 

If the sushi is better quality than the buffet we would be happy to bone up 15 bucks!:cool:

[twin123185]

If the sushi is better quality than the buffet we would be happy to bone up 15 bucks!:cool:

 

 

No way a cruise ship can serve sushi equivalent to a land restaurant that gets fish each day. I love sushi but count me out here.

[NCNina]

I spoke to a friend today who works for Celebrity and said this change is coming in February (switch over to sushi and $15.00 charge).

 

Edited to add: this was specific to Reflection, I don't know about the other ships.

 

Thanks for the response. It seems like there are many others who will be missing the relative peace and quiet of B on 5. Too bad about the decision to serve sushi-- I agree with other posters that this is a cuisine that evokes a love/hate response. This doesn't seem to be the case with (good quality) pizza!

 

Ah well, we still feel grateful to be able to enjoy a week relaxing on a cruise!

[Cruise Raider]

Yes I agree - we have 50% lovers and 50% haters in our household alone!! But I not a big seafood eater either yet I wouldn't deny anyone their seafood options just on my account!

 

Funny so far there is a strong reaction to leaving Bistro on 5 stratus quo, yet as mentioned above its never been one of the most popular venues onboard (and the small, but increased surcharge possibly keeps it that way).

 

One of the reasons we like it though, feels like a secret venue that's never too crowded!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

That is exactly why we like it ... it is never too crowded. I wasn't a fan of their crepes ...and I usually love crepes. I just don't like it when they are too thick and overdone. Crepes should not be totally brown ... they are supposed to be a pale yellow. Not totally criticizing them, just am not a fan of their crepes ... love their salads and the atmosphere.

I will definitely not be visiting if they are only serving sushi, though. I have friends that love sushi ... they will be disappointed if it is now only in the Bistro and no longer offered up in the buffet area....but can see them spending a little extra for having it in the Bistro. We just won't be accompanying them, though.

[Ma Bell]

It's just another misguided attempt at doing something that they equate with modern luxury.

[tine-tine]

I just don't get Sushi? Cold Rice and raw fish! I do like B5 as a venue but the menu and service has always been sadly lacking and seriously needed some management intervention. The location would be perfect for an italian pizzs/pasta venue, with a couple of alternative menu items. I always felt it was sadly underused apart from crew and cannot understand why Celebrity do not make more of this venue.

[MicCanberra]

I was intrigued by the poster who suggested replacing Bistro with an upscale pizzeria. A small up-charge for good quality (gourmet) pizza, sandwiches, and salads. :cool:

 

My question to all of you pizza aficionados is this: Is it feasible to put in a restaurant-quality pizza oven on a cruise ship (where safety restrictions prohibit anything wood-fired)? :confused:

 

All I know is that, in 14 years of cruising on X and RC, I have yet to run across a decent slice of pizza -- deep dish or thin crust. :eek:

 

Princess and Cunard both manage it, and it is free:D

Edited January 14, 2016 by MicCanberra