Denny01 Posted September 27, 2022 #26 Share Posted September 27, 2022 I’ll agree w the posts questioning less portions. Just ask for another serving and all is well. and quality? I start to tell friends about my favorite local restrauant and they interrupt telling me how terrible it is. Life. I love trying different foods on cruise. If I don’t like it, I can either order something else or dine later at the dozen or so options! everything was sooo much better back in the good ole days! Yeah right. den 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAl94 Posted September 27, 2022 #27 Share Posted September 27, 2022 3 minutes ago, Denny01 said: everything was sooo much better back in the good ole days! Yeah right. den At least then we got proper Baked Alaska, not the inedible rubbish served now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny01 Posted September 27, 2022 #28 Share Posted September 27, 2022 Just now, BigAl94 said: At least then we got proper Baked Alaska, not the inedible rubbish served now! Here’s the perfect example…..I hate Baked Alaska. den 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare calicakes Posted September 27, 2022 #29 Share Posted September 27, 2022 I noticed X changed the tuna fish at OV from Albacore to Chunk Light tuna. I was disappointed since I enjoy a scoop of tuna salad on my salad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LB_NJ Posted September 28, 2022 #30 Share Posted September 28, 2022 On 9/26/2022 at 7:31 PM, LGW59 said: If we’re honest, there really is only so much that can be done with a buffet. Oceania (at least pre-COVID) had the best buffet I have had on a mainstream cruise line. On 9/26/2022 at 10:15 AM, kywildcatfanone said: We have seen lots of downgrades in quality and portions since we started cruising in 2006. That will continue regardless of costs, as all businesses are first and foremost looking to cut costs in everything they do. At a certain point people will decide the quality does not justify the price of the cruise and business drops off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LB_NJ Posted September 28, 2022 #31 Share Posted September 28, 2022 10 hours ago, Denny01 said: Here’s the perfect example…..I hate Baked Alaska. den And I love it. To each his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letsgogogo Posted September 28, 2022 #32 Share Posted September 28, 2022 I’m not sure why anyone would balk at smaller portion sizes when you can simply order another ________ at no cost. I think large portions (that aren’t eaten) lead to waste, which is bad for cruise fares, bad for the environment. Given that you can order multiple entrees, appetizers, everything…smaller portions seem totally practical. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrcruiser Posted September 28, 2022 #33 Share Posted September 28, 2022 At one time on the deck near the inside pool there was a healthy restaurant that served Ahi tuna . We were bummed when X duscontinued serving Ahi tuna In general we feel the good quality is about the same over the years we sailed with Celebrity . Other than the Ahi Tuna we do not find huge quality or selection changes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare chemmo Posted September 28, 2022 #34 Share Posted September 28, 2022 Dining, like everything is subject to trends and fashion… We first started ‘serious dining out’ in the 80’s in the UK the focus of many higher end restaurants was to provide… Ingredients seen as expensive (steak, venison, duck) , vegetables which were expensive and shipped in frequently out of season, (asparagus, baby carrots). The only fish option was usually salmon. Desserts had out of season fruit (strawberries or cherries) and a decadence of cream….Plates were large, if you didn’t leave feeling stuffed you felt cheated! Now there seems a reversal. Sweetbreads, , free range chicken, exclusive sausages and traditional dishes (shepherds pie) can appear as entrées in high end restaurants accompanied by seasonal vegetables (even better if home produced). Far more fish options. Desserts frequently now have limited cream and alternatives like yogurt. Portions are smaller, dainty and ‘pretty’. Often ‘healthy options’ are listed… I guess Celebrity is combining all of the above to try to appeal to as many as possible. Still some evidence of the decadence of the 80’s but many dishes presented with modern portion size…Yes, I think portions are definitely smaller but I think this is a sign of the times. As someone else said, you can always ask for more! Re the buffet…I think you always need to look and choose at a buffet carefully. Head for the made to order sections or dishes that do not particularly suffer by standing (Indian selection). Choose a pork chop or a chicken portion that has been sat in a silver tray for longer than half an hour and you will get leather! One thing that has improved in my opinion is the ‘themed’ lunchtimes in the buffet. Pie day or Indian or Italian day adds variety to an already fairly big selection. Made to order sandwiches very nice too. We only ever use the buffet once or twice per cruise so plenty of variety for us. The only comment I would make is in our opinion you get better steaks when cruising from the US than when cruising in Europe. The steaks served in Europe are usually as tender as those when cruising from the US but just not as tasty…This has been our observation on several ships over several years so more likely down to supply than a drop in standards. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locksley10 Posted September 28, 2022 #35 Share Posted September 28, 2022 I have never lost weight on any cruise. Have you? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arizona Wildcat Posted September 28, 2022 #36 Share Posted September 28, 2022 5 hours ago, letsgogogo said: I’m not sure why anyone would balk at smaller portion sizes when you can simply order another ________ at no cost. I think large portions (that aren’t eaten) lead to waste, which is bad for cruise fares, bad for the environment. Given that you can order multiple entrees, appetizers, everything…smaller portions seem totally practical. Absolutely. Years ago the amount of food left on plates to be thrown out was staggering. Shrimp cocktails with 8 shrimp were half eaten. Today they serve with 3 or 4. Great. Want 8 or 12 or16? They will bring them to you. Just ask. Ask for quality, we recently noticed cheaper cuts of meat and fish. Disappointed in being served 1/2" thick steaks. Would rather have a smaller but thicker piece. Miss the halibut etc. But understand the reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weregoingcruising Posted September 28, 2022 #37 Share Posted September 28, 2022 7 hours ago, LB_NJ said: To each his own. I agree I don't plan on sharing mine either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfs2k Posted September 28, 2022 Author #38 Share Posted September 28, 2022 On 9/26/2022 at 7:31 PM, LGW59 said: If we’re honest, there really is only so much that can be done with a buffet. Have you ever seen the Wynn brunch buffet in Vegas? wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfs2k Posted September 28, 2022 Author #39 Share Posted September 28, 2022 18 hours ago, Denny01 said: Here’s the perfect example…..I hate Baked Alaska. den How do you feel about unflamed ice cream cake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfs2k Posted September 28, 2022 Author #40 Share Posted September 28, 2022 (edited) 6 hours ago, letsgogogo said: I’m not sure why anyone would balk at smaller portion sizes when you can simply order another ________ at no cost. Well, take a steak for example. They can’t do much about the length or width because that’s cow dependent. But they reduce the thickness of a steak to make it weigh less and thus reduce the portion size. And there’s a huge difference in taste between a thin, cooked steak and a thick juicy rare steak. Mmmm Edited September 28, 2022 by mfs2k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kywildcatfanone Posted September 28, 2022 #41 Share Posted September 28, 2022 4 minutes ago, mfs2k said: Have you ever seen the Wynn brunch buffet in Vegas? wow Well yeah, but that's probably a $75-100 buffet, so you could probably have that if you wanted to pay more for the cruise overall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kywildcatfanone Posted September 28, 2022 #42 Share Posted September 28, 2022 On 9/26/2022 at 1:22 PM, jwlane said: I don't recall ever being denied as much of something as desired. I wasn't trying to convey that, just responding that the quality and quantity has changed since I've been cruising. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare calicakes Posted September 28, 2022 #43 Share Posted September 28, 2022 10 hours ago, LB_NJ said: Oceania (at least pre-COVID) had the best buffet I have had on a mainstream cruise line. At a certain point people will decide the quality does not justify the price of the cruise and business drops off. We cruised oceania in February. Buffet was good, better than celebrity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vermonter16 Posted September 28, 2022 #44 Share Posted September 28, 2022 DH and I always ate in the buffet, we did it once on our Eclipse cruise the last 2 weeks - it was a 12 day cruise...the buffet was not up to the standards we are used to. Fortunately, we had luminae which was fantastic. We also spent $130 in the Tuscan Grille and it was not worth $10 more. Very disappointed and will not sail Celebrity in the forseeable future for that and other reasons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandgeezer Posted September 28, 2022 #45 Share Posted September 28, 2022 5 hours ago, locksley10 said: I have never lost weight on any cruise. Have you? Probably the same mindset of the people who buy the drink package, “I’m going to get my monies worth”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare dlh015 Posted September 28, 2022 #46 Share Posted September 28, 2022 (edited) 6 hours ago, locksley10 said: I have never lost weight on any cruise. Have you? As a matter of fact we did! And we ate (and drank) as much as we wanted. But our excursions in the Mediterranean this past June (for 3 weeks) were all in the high 80s/low 90s (except Gibraltar)...and almost all of them involved a *lot* of walking. I lost a pound (lol) and DW lost 2 pounds. First and only time... Edited September 28, 2022 by dlh015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IZZYDAD Posted September 28, 2022 #47 Share Posted September 28, 2022 I think Celebrity could hire only Michelin stared chef’s and some people would still complain. Some people are only happy when they are complaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambrtonj Posted September 28, 2022 #48 Share Posted September 28, 2022 6 hours ago, locksley10 said: I have never lost weight on any cruise. Have you? I have. Of course it had little to do with food, and more to do with activity. (I am usually sedimentary while at work) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Smmessineo Posted September 28, 2022 #49 Share Posted September 28, 2022 (edited) In my experience , there haven't been changes over times as much as changes per sailing. With MDR but especially with the buffet, we have had great experiences some sailings and average experiences on others. I think so much depends on the chefs , food managers and other staff. Example..We sailed on Edge for 2 7 night cruises. First time, the buffet had great options and special one-day-only stations, at lunch and dinner. And the dessert station had delicious options, like a day of cream-filled cupcakes. Second cruise, only 4 months later, buffet had only 2 special themed lunch days ( Italian, American) and did not carry over to dinner. Desserts were the usual Celebrity options , no WOW factor. Food was still good, just uninspired. Edited September 28, 2022 by Smmessineo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Smmessineo Posted September 28, 2022 #50 Share Posted September 28, 2022 (edited) 6 hours ago, mfs2k said: Have you ever seen the Wynn brunch buffet in Vegas? wow Even buffets like that can be hit or miss. Went to Caesar's Bacchanal for dinner , i think it was 70 or 80 pp. It was awful, no selection, room temperature food, dry meats, to the point we reached out to the manager the next day to ask what happened. He invited us back to give them another chance 3 days later and it was incredibly good! Even a place like that has a bad day sometimes, we were lucky to be in town long enough to experience what people rave about! Edited September 28, 2022 by Smmessineo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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