Bistro or Sushi on 5 , let the people decide

[Gishua_]

Give them time and there will be no free restaurants on cruise ships. Think back when there were no extra fee restaurants. It wasn't that long ago. Now we moving into paying for every item on the menu instead of a fee.

 

 

I think this is the way the industry is going. Every restaurant will be pay for every item and upon booking you will have options on what you want included or dont.

[Olive1950]

Give them time and there will be no free restaurants on cruise ships. Think back when there were no extra fee restaurants. It wasn't that long ago. Now we moving into paying for every item on the menu instead of a fee.

 

So glad I'm old, and started cruising in the 70s. Like you said, there were NO specialty restaurants on ships back then.

 

I can only imagine what ships of the future will be like, with fast-food franchises onboard. Wouldn't be surprised to see a scaled-down version of Walmart on some ships....

 

Hopefully I'll be dead by then!

 

[cruzeluver]

We always liked Bistro On 5 for lunch on boarding day. Not because the food itself was particularly spectacular, but because it was a far less crowded option to the buffet. However, I have never seen it busy at all, so not terribly surprised they wanted to find a new concept.

[Baron Barracuda]

Spend a lot of time at the cafe. From that vantage point always scratched my head watching the tumbleweeds blow through BO5. Aside from embarkation day never saw more than four people there at any one time.

 

If SO5 attracts half as many customers as BO5 (and that isn't many) at $20/head it will bring in the same revenue. That's a low threshold for success.

[smtcan]

Bistro on Five was not particularly popular at $5, so they raised it to $7 and then to $10. We went once and were not really impressed. I enjoy sushi, but the prices look quite high, so I would like to see the offerings before making a decision. As others have mentioned, time will tell if it proves to be a success. If it isn't we can expect to see another change. Pop Up restaurants and stores seem to be trendy around here at the moment, so maybe that is Celebrity's plan.

 

Sheila

[wallie5446]

So glad I'm old, and started cruising in the 70s. Like you said, there were NO specialty restaurants on ships back then.

 

I can only imagine what ships of the future will be like, with fast-food franchises onboard. Wouldn't be surprised to see a scaled-down version of Walmart on some ships....

 

Hopefully I'll be dead by then!

 

 

Not us! ^^^^^^^^

The changes to the industry and design of the Ships have been amazing since our first sailing on the old 20,000 ton bucket the Emerald Sea.

EW

 

ps: The cruise Co's started making changes when they couldn't fill the ships anymore with the "same ole same ole".

Edited July 11, 2016 by wallie5446

[wallie5446]

it will bring in the same revenue. .

 

Spent the 1970'ties and early 1980 ties in the restaurant business, the wifester is still slinging hash! :rolleyes:

 

Having a somewhat decent knowledge of food cost and such, the specialties on a cruise ship are not a big money maker at $30-40, even $50 a person. It is closer to a break even. The $$ are made and banked by filling the cabins at 98%++ on every sailing.

[Orator]

One Maitre'D told me that Sushi on 5 is exceeding company expectations. Expect no changes, other than higher prices, if that is correct.Personally, I don't do sushi so I'll pass on the venue. I would like to see the space used for a venue that I varies from ship to ship according to the itinerary. Sushi in Asia, a NY Deli from cruises leaving NY, or Tapas from Barcelona. This would be a more demographic centered venue and might appeal to a wider customer base.

[wallie5446]

One Maitre'D told me that Sushi on 5 is exceeding company expectations. Expect no changes, other than higher prices, if that is correct.Personally, I don't do sushi so I'll pass on the venue. I would like to see the space used for a venue that I varies from ship to ship according to the itinerary. Sushi in Asia, a NY Deli from cruises leaving NY, or Tapas from Barcelona. This would be a more demographic centered venue and might appeal to a wider customer base.

 

Talk about a staffing, training, and purchasing dept nightmare. What to do with the cooks who specialize in each of these concepts when a ship is repositioned? Switching out the different equipment needed to prep and cook the diff items.

 

Varied from ship to ship, ok. But a changing venue on the same ship, hard one to pull off.

[BND]

Sushi has been "trendy" for quite awhile.. the better part of 2 decades. All respectable metropolitan cities around the word still have new sushi restaurants opening all the time. It defiantly is not a new trend. Plus, most if not all other lines have a sushi restaurant. Those dry rolls that celebrity threw out at the buffet as an after thought didn't cut it.

 

A lot of people like myself included love sushi and eat it more than a couple times a month. Soups, sandwiches and crepes on the other hand are rarely something I eat, unless I am sick or at a fair for the latter option.

 

I'm well aware that sushi has been around for a while, but the reality is most people haven't been eating it that long and it is still trendy in a lot of places. I'm not sure why you say "respectable modern cities" lol. I'm sure most cities and towns consider themselves modern and respectable. BTW, I grew up and still live the DC metro area and travel to NYC often where there are tons of great places to eat so I've been around great restaurants my whole life. Sushi isn't something that most people eat regularly and the reality is what is served in the U.S. is not real sushi. It's a very Americanized version of what is served in Japan. Most Americans wouldn't touch real Japanese sushi. And, from what's been posted on this thread, those that do eat it, feel that Sushi on 5 is overpriced.

 

I'm also sure the French would love to know you think crepes are "fair food".

Edited July 11, 2016 by BND

[Orator]

Talk about a staffing, training, and purchasing dept nightmare. What to do with the cooks who specialize in each of these concepts when a ship is repositioned? Switching out the different equipment needed to prep and cook the diff items.

 

Varied from ship to ship, ok. But a changing venue on the same ship, hard one to pull off.

 

You raise good points, but they shouldn't be major barriers. Staff are shifted from ship to ship all the time and vacations could be timed to reduce the need for some speciality staff. Celebrity has been talking about doing more local sourcing and that could be used if Bistro, or whatever you would call it, became more local. You might not need to change the venue more than twice on most ships and exceptions could be made for very short itineraries. Additional revenues that result from the change can be used to offset additional expenses. As I've said if Sushi meets or exceeds the revenue goal my proposed change, or any proposed changes will be moot.

[Gishua_]

I'm well aware that sushi has been around for a while, but the reality is most people haven't been eating it that long and it is still trendy in a lot of places. I'm not sure why you say "respectable modern cities" lol. I'm sure most cities and towns consider themselves modern and respectable. BTW, I grew up and still live the DC metro area and travel to NYC often where there are tons of great places to eat so I've been around great restaurants my whole life. Sushi isn't something that most people eat regularly and the reality is what is served in the U.S. is not real sushi. It's a very Americanized version of what is served in Japan. Most Americans wouldn't touch real Japanese sushi. And, from what's been posted on this thread, those that do eat it, feel that Sushi on 5 is overpriced.

 

I'm also sure the French would love to know you think crepes are "fair food".

 

"respectable modern Cities" because your opinion seems small city minded. I doubt anyone thinks Small City/town america is modern nor respectable. Maybe not in your circle of people you know but a lot of people I know, work with, are friends with and live near eat sushi on a regular basis. Maybe its your age group? I am also well aware of how Americanized our sushi is, I have been to and eaten sushi in Japan.

 

Yes, it most likely is over priced, just like the spa, excursions, alcoholic beverages, etc... They are all still around.

[ghstudio]

The fact is that people (that's all of us) have already voted. It's amazing to me how many now rue the loss of the wonderful bistro on 5, yet on all our cruises we have never seen anyone but the officers eating there and apparently it was not profitable.

 

While some may not feel that Sushi is better, the cash register will determine if the change was for the better or not.

 

Suite guests probably have the most valid gripe which goes back to the apparently erroneous announcement that Luminae would serve lunch every day. Suite passengers have lost a lunch option on port days (and have to eat with everyone else). I haven't been following that issue...but my guess is that Celebrity will or already has said "things change"....

Edited July 11, 2016 by ghstudio

[bogofman]

One Maitre'D told me that Sushi on 5 is exceeding company expectations. Expect no changes, other than higher prices, if that is correct.Personally, I don't do sushi so I'll pass on the venue. I would like to see the space used for a venue that I varies from ship to ship according to the itinerary. Sushi in Asia, a NY Deli from cruises leaving NY, or Tapas from Barcelona. This would be a more demographic centered venue and might appeal to a wider customer base.

 

Very good idea

 

If only it was free,

 

I don't have any issues with the main dining room or buffet, to Warrent paying more, prefer to save the money towards another holiday

[bbeltmom]

I enjoyed the Bistro, especially for embarkation day lunch. I will not eat sushi.

[BND]

"respectable modern Cities" because your opinion seems small city minded. I doubt anyone thinks Small City/town america is modern nor respectable. Maybe not in your circle of people you know but a lot of people I know, work with, are friends with and live near eat sushi on a regular basis. Maybe its your age group? I am also well aware of how Americanized our sushi is, I have been to and eaten sushi in Japan.

 

Yes, it most likely is over priced, just like the spa, excursions, alcoholic beverages, etc... They are all still around.

 

You do realize you come across as an elitist, right?

 

Not that it matters who my "circle of friends" are or who I work with, but I doubt you have any clue as to my socioeconomic status and that really isn't important in the grand scheme of things. I still maintain sushi is trendy. No one said trends only last a couple of years, but most of my friends are pretty much over it by now. What does my age group have to do with anything? I have an opinion on what yours probably is.