Oceanview Cafe dinner service being eliminated?

[Oceangoer2]

1 minute ago, LGW59 said:

Only the Shadow knows for sure

ohhhh...you're as old as me!  but I was only a baby so that's not toooo old.

[CruiseRQA]

7 hours ago, C4HCG said:

e And shorts are allowed.

People here complaining about losing the niceties of cruising in the past but want to wear shorts to dinner. 

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, Oceangoer2 said:

ohhhh...you're as old as me!  but I was only a baby so that's not toooo old.

No no no you are wrong, I just read about it in an old time radio show history book, I promise, I know nothing about radio dial knobs, nothing!

[CruiseRQA]

3 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Nope.  Celebrity is planning on adding a few microwaves and a refrigerator with leftovers from lunch by each coffee station.  Guests that choose not to go to the MDR will be able to warm up their own dinner.

Don't laugh.   People would do that if it saved them a few bucks on their cruise fare. 

[helen haywood]

13 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

I think if they eliminate traditional dining more people are going to want to be in that 6:30-7:30 sweet spot.  If you have ALL anytime dining you (as the restaurant/hotel) have no real control over demand/wait times/service level at that point.  

They have already discontinued traditional dining on Beyond.  Everyone is Anytime.  I expect that to be the norm on the E Class ships.

[Ocdublin]

I guess we don’t fit the mold.  We prefer to eat in ocean view cafe over main dinning room.  We don’t enjoy the crowds at the dinning room and prefer to have a table by ourselves with a beautiful view.  Hate dressing up for dinner, love the casual atmosphere, we dressed up for 47 yrs in the corporate world and don’t need it now.

On our New England/Canada cruise in September on the Summit we notice changes as far as food. One of the craziest things was the cookies at the ocean view, we usually get a few cookies for our afternoon snack, our favorite oatmeal and now they only make them a few times during the 10 night cruise.  They would put up sugar free!  But, we still had a wonderful time.  
 

We are elite members and pay for the ocean view, if it is true that they switch to hot dogs, hamburgers and just pizza (this is not a Disney cruise) we are gone! 
 

 

[Oceangoer2]

On 1/4/2023 at 12:15 PM, weregoingcruising said:

Just don’t ask anyone to lend you  a hand.

that deserves a double 😁😄

[C4HCG]

16 minutes ago, CruiseRQA said:

People here complaining about losing the niceties of cruising in the past but want to wear shorts to dinner. 

Your point? I haven’t been complaining about cruising in the past as our first ever cruise was 2019. Please explain, not sure my post warranted your response.

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, mac_tlc said:

I don’t disagree that at some point everyone should look elsewhere, but there is no cruise line that is immune to this problem. Oceania  is under the NCL umbrella.

 

Oceania may be under the NCL umbrella but you would never know it booking and onboard.They keep it distinct.  It is unlike an NCL cruise. Their clientele would drop it if the quality went down. The problem would be if NCL goes bankrupt. Whatever cruise folks book on whatever cruise line all should purchase third party insurance. 

[LMaxwell]

24 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

They have already discontinued traditional dining on Beyond.  Everyone is Anytime.  I expect that to be the norm on the E Class ships.

Interesting to see how well it works out

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

They will likely have to allow shorts in the MDR if the choices on the buffet remain as limited as what is currently being reported this week. Requiring pants 100% for dinner will likely cause cancellations for those outside the penalty period (and many unhappy customers). People want choice to dress in shorts for at least a few nights of their cruise. 

 

I take issue with your fallback assumption being that Celebrity will have to allow shorts in the MDR. I find it just as ridiculous to think people would leave a line they otherwise like because they had to don a pair of pants for an evening meal as that they would go due to being limited to a single lobster entree or a $9.95+ room-service charge.

 

Perhaps those who want to wear shorts for dining and experience an alfresco dinner will just have to weigh that + the limited buffet offerings versus eating dinner in the MDR (sans shorts).  

[cruisemom42]

28 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

They have already discontinued traditional dining on Beyond.  Everyone is Anytime.  I expect that to be the norm on the E Class ships.

 

Do we know yet whether this is happening on all ships or only on E class ships?

[jagoffee]

14 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Most people don’t eat at the Oceanview for dinner. If they do it may be once a sailing. So only a few will be impacted by the cutback. Certainly Celebrity has factored that in. I don’t eat there because the Celebrity buffet food had become pretty bad. It is only good at breakfast. Breakfast is pretty hard to ruin. 
 

 

Based on my observations I would say a very small number of non staff people have dinner in the OV, but I can understand why those that do use it are not pleased.

[LMaxwell]

1 minute ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I take issue with your fallback assumption being that Celebrity will have to allow shorts in the MDR.

I read your whole post, but I don't understand why you take issue with it. If they are going to neuter the casual dining venue, the more reasonable expectation is the other complimentary dining become MORE inclusive, not less. 

[jagoffee]

13 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

All cutbacks are a bad thing. I don’t know though how people stand the crappy buffets. I can’t eat even take lunch in the Oceanview anymore. They used to be pretty good. They need to go back to the good buffets. Instead of cutting back the dinner lido service they should upgrade it. In all honesty I am  pretty much given up on Celebrity except for Bermuda sailings. Oceania or lines like it will get my bookings. The food and service is so much better. Food at their version of the lido is fresh and delicious. 

If you like to eat dinner in the buffet, you will love Oceania.  Their evening product is excellent even includes grilled lobster tails.

[BermudaBound2014]

1 minute ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I take issue with your fallback assumption being that Celebrity will have to allow shorts in the MDR. I find it just as ridiculous to think people would leave a line they otherwise like because they had to don a pair of pants for an evening meal as that they would go due to being limited to a single lobster entree or a $9.95+ room-service charge.

 

Perhaps those who want to wear shorts for dining and experience an alfresco dinner will just have to weigh that + the limited buffet offerings versus eating dinner in the MDR (sans shorts).  

 

I do believe that IF the dinner  buffet remains as scaled back as it first appears, THEN celebrity will choose to allow shorts in the MDR.

 

I am of the belief that more people will turn away from Celebrity if the option for shorts is removed than will cancel if they allow shorts in the MDR. Time will tell. 

[cruisemom42]

1 minute ago, LMaxwell said:

I read your whole post, but I don't understand why you take issue with it. If they are going to neuter the casual dining venue, the more reasonable expectation is the other complimentary dining become MORE inclusive, not less. 

 

I'm just saying it isn't the only logical assumption, from my point of view. And if there are many fewer OVC evening diners than MDR diners (as many have suggested), why should the rules bend for the few?

[BermudaBound2014]

4 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Based on my observations I would say a very small number of non staff people have dinner in the OV, but I can understand why those that do use it are not pleased.

 

Based on my personal observations, I believe the number is probably close to 10-25% of the occupancy. There are evenings when it's hard to find a table in the dinner buffet.

[cruisemom42]

1 minute ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Time will tell.

 

Yep, as always. And I fully expect a montage of options will be tried before there is a new "normal".

[Oceangoer2]

11 hours ago, cruisingator2 said:

I think that the only way out for the big three is filing for reorganization. Far too much debt. Right now they’re just kicking the can down the road. I may be wrong but for the amount that they all owe, I don’t see any other way. Celebrity is becoming more mass market by the day. The line that separates them from RCI becomes thinner each day. 

How do you suggest they reorganize?  ...would like some suggestions how they could reduce their $19-20 billion bank loans and still provide a 'luxury' experience without cut backs or increasing prices - both of which seem to be the topic here and are in direct conflict with each other.

[LGW59]

2 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I'm just saying it isn't the only logical assumption, from my point of view. And if there are many fewer OVC evening diners than MDR diners (as many have suggested), why should the rules bend for the few?

If they decide to allow shorts in the MDR then the rule is not being bent it is being changed, new rule shorts allowed in the MDR.  Honestly though, does it really matter, dinner will still taste the same

[BermudaBound2014]

1 minute ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I'm just saying it isn't the only logical assumption, from my point of view. And if there are many fewer OVC evening diners than MDR diners (as many have suggested), why should the rules bend for the few?

 

The better question is... "Will allowing shorts in the MDR attract more people than it will offend?"

 

It appears to me that that vast majority of cruisers really don't care one way or the other. Sure they may choose to wear pants, but most aren't bothered when other people wear shorts.

[cruisemom42]

1 minute ago, LGW59 said:

If they decide to allow shorts in the MDR then the rule is not being bent it is being changed, new rule shorts allowed in the MDR.  Honestly though, does it really matter, dinner will still taste the same

 

1 minute ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

The better question is... "Will allowing shorts in the MDR attract more people than it will offend?"

 

It appears to me that that vast majority of cruisers really don't care one way or the other. Sure they may choose to wear pants, but most aren't bothered when other people wear shorts.

 

I for one would prefer the MDR experience not be further changed. I foresee that if the "rules" change officially to allow shorts, we can shortly also expect tablecloths to be done away with, condiments on the tables and further degradations of the menu. 

[BermudaBound2014]

1 minute ago, Oceangoer2 said:

How do you suggest they reorganize?  ...would like some suggestions how they could reduce their $19-20 billion bank loans and still provide a 'luxury' experience without cut backs or increasing prices - both of which seem to be the topic here and are in direct conflict with each other.

 

Lots of options. Chapter 7. Chapter 11. Full on Bankruptcy. Most include Wiping out the shareholders and starting fresh.

 

If I'm not mistaken, didn't RCL put up the entire Celebrity cruise line as collateral for their last debt restructure? Selling an entire cruise line would work (assuming a buyer). 

 

RCL isn't the only one in this position. CCL is actually fairing much worst because they are twice the size of RCL. I personally believe Seabourn will be sold to the Saudi's. It's rumor right now, but the Saudi's already own 8% of CCL post covid. They are building huge terminals in Dubai. They have the money. 

[Oceangoer2]

1 minute ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

The better question is... "Will allowing shorts in the MDR attract more people than it will offend?"

 

It appears to me that that vast majority of cruisers really don't care one way or the other. Sure they may choose to wear pants, but most aren't bothered when other people wear shorts.

IMO...shorts belong outside the dining room....and if worn inside, they infer a Carnival dining experience.  Why are so many quoting the 'luxury X logo' and feel they're being let down when their offerings that perhaps edge on luxury are being cut back, then they want to go shorts and flipflops in the dining room?  I don't know what this thread is about anymore.