Oceanview Cafe dinner service being eliminated?

[NMTraveller]

15 minutes ago, steveso said:

I was about to book a Celebrity Cruise tomorrow (Scandinavia on Silhoutte) on the back of the current UK pricing deal but have just seem this thread. When my wife and I cruise on any line we rely on the buffet for lunch and dinner mainly because of the vegetarian options (which are always limited in any MDR).

 

Is the gist of what is being proposed that the buffet will be curtailed to one service station and vastly reduced offerings at dinner?

 

 

[Ipeeinthepools]

12 minutes ago, cgolf1 said:

 

Obviously it would never happen, but I wouldn't mind it and then go and eat on the Magic Carpet one or two nights I don't feel like a sit down meal.

 

I don't think either of us was really serious about the take-out window concept, but I think this could actually be something that would please a lot of passengers and not really cost Celebrity much of anything.  There are plenty of days I would like taking my meal and go and sit outside somewhere.   I'm ready to call it the Cgolf Window.

[bonagrad]

48 minutes ago, swigso said:

Has anyone given a thought that it may well be X starting the rumours to gauge the re-action. Or is that me being cynical 😱😱😂😂

If that's the case, someone needs to be fired!  That's what market research is for.  You do a targeted survey and use data to make decisions without causing a PR headache! 

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 minute ago, bonagrad said:

If that's the case, someone needs to be fired!  That's what market research is for.  You do a targeted survey and use data to make decisions without causing a PR headache! 

 

Perhaps they don't have the funds for market research.

[NMTraveller]

🙂 🙂 

 

Maybe X could put slot machines in every cabin 🙂 🙂 

 

That would generate some revenue. 🙂

[Arizona Wildcat]

2 hours ago, twincheryl said:

I am wondering if a person could show up at the check in deck of a MDR and order a meal to go? 

Yes.  Ordered a meal w/salad and entree and took it to my cabin

[bonagrad]

4 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Perhaps they don't have the funds for market research.

I know for a fact they do.  I'm in research and they used to be a client.  They are a $3B corporation.  Besides, research does not have to be expensive.  Smart companies use it to avoid having to reverse poor decisions. 

[weregoingcruising]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Maybe it does not apply to you, but I find that a number of North American cruisers do not have adventurous palates. They often do not like fish and are convinced that steak is the be-all and end-all of proteins. Lamb, squab and duck are considered "exotic".  Heaven forfend they have to deal with sea urchin or pork cheeks. Most don't know a veloute from a vierge.

 

I enjoy well prepared food with varied ingredients and rich and complex sauces, typical Continental fare. I also enjoy regional foods and would never turn down a good pho or dal or xiaolongbao. 

 

I've looked at Luminae menus and they look pretty interesting to me. Could definitely deal with those items for a week or two. Too bad I can't afford a suite. Maybe I could offer my services to some poor suite passenger who wants to sit cuddled up in a small dining room but still eat their large event food. We can swap meals. 🤣😉

 

After my last 5 cruises I can't even say Luminae was good

[weregoingcruising]

15 minutes ago, bonagrad said:

I know for a fact they do.  I'm in research and they used to be a client.  They are a $3B corporation.  Besides, research does not have to be expensive.  Smart companies use it to avoid having to reverse poor decisions. 

I wonder if they did it for the $10 mast grill burger or removing the nightly turn down chocolate on the pillow.

[Ipeeinthepools]

22 minutes ago, bonagrad said:

I know for a fact they do.  I'm in research and they used to be a client.  They are a $3B corporation.  Besides, research does not have to be expensive.  Smart companies use it to avoid having to reverse poor decisions. 

 

So, did your market research support the adoption on IV balconies for almost every non-suite balcony cabin?

[Oceangoer2]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Lamb, squab and duck are considered "exotic".  Heaven forfend they have to deal with sea urchin or pork cheeks. Most don't know a veloute from a vierge.

These items are not on the Luminae menu (sea urchin or pork cheeks) but DH finds some of the 'exotic' on the Murano menu.   He also orders shrimp cocktail and escargot from the MDR menu which is not on L.  I enjoy well prepared soups and sauces (veloute/vierge) and L does provide both.  I only have a small issue with the lack of choice on L menu.   Topic WAS the OV closing dining for dinner.

[bonagrad]

7 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

So, did your market research support the adoption on IV balconies for almost every non-suite balcony cabin?

This was years ago and I wasn't involved with them, I just know they were a client.

[LGW59]

2 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

These items are not on the Luminae menu (sea urchin or pork cheeks) but DH finds some of the 'exotic' on the Murano menu.   He also orders shrimp cocktail and escargot from the MDR menu which is not on L.  I enjoy well prepared soups and sauces (veloute/vierge) and L does provide both.  I only have a small issue with the lack of choice on L menu.   Topic WAS the OV closing dining for dinner.

Hmmmm, for shrimp and escargot not being on the menu in L, it was sure delish when I ate the there this past fall.

[terrydtx]

10 minutes ago, weregoingcruising said:

I wonder if they did it for the $10 mast grill burger or removing the nightly turn down chocolate on the pillow.

What???? The turn down chocolate is gone????  That is the final straw, I am done with this cheapo line, LOL

 

What happens when the OV is shut down?

[C-Dragons]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

Now this is what I consider tacky on a cruise ship.

The moment I saw this the theme song from Green Acres started playing in my head… 😁

[bonagrad]

As other have done, I wrote Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.  I'm also a very part-time travel agent, so I wanted to make sure they are aware of the feedback that this has caused.  As other have, I got a call within two hours.  I think they have a group that does triage on her email and reaches out to those with concerns.  To their credit, it is nice to get a response and so quickly.  The person who responded thanked me for my feedback and noted I made good points and that they'd review and see what they can do.  I suggest people do the same as the more people they hear from, the better.  If you remember when Royal launched Anthem years ago, they launched with what they called Dynamic Dinning.  People HATED the idea and within just a few weeks they ditched the concept.  Put pressure on them!

[Oceangoer2]

30 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Hmmmm, for shrimp and escargot not being on the menu in L, it was sure delish when I ate the there this past fall.

We were on the Equinox in Nov. past and Shrimp Cocktail and Escargot were only on MDR menu, not Luminae, which we thought kind of backwards.    Maybe it was a 'supply issue'..🤔...on that particular cruise or, if you were on before us, maybe you ordered them all?? 😁😉

Edited January 8, 2023 by Oceangoer2

[asnaleah]

21 hours ago, Sunrise913 said:

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by asnaleah
Wrong board

[LGW59]

8 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

We were on the Equinox in Nov. past and Shrimp Cocktail and Escargot were only on MDR menu, not Luminae, which we thought kind of backwards.    Maybe it was a 'supply issue'..🤔...on that particular cruise or, if you were on before us, maybe you ordered them all?? 😁😉

I was on Edge TA Oct/Nov

[dlh015]

35 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Hmmmm, for shrimp and escargot not being on the menu in L, it was sure delish when I ate the there this past fall.

This is part of a new cost-cutting measure that they are testing...

 

Y'see, they release an odorless and colorless gas in the dining areas...it makes pax hallucinate that they are eating exactly what they ordered. However, everything is really just pork and beans...

 

I guess it's working??😁

 

 

 

[cgolf1]

As far as the research goes, I wonder how different the opinions of standard cruisers compared to many of us on here that cruise a lot and will move around once a line doesn’t meet our expectations?

 

Guessing cruise critic is a small percentage of their cruisers, but I feel most of us are better informed and have higher expectations. 

[RichYak]

10 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

We were on the Equinox in Nov. past and Shrimp Cocktail and Escargot were only on MDR menu, not Luminae, which we thought kind of backwards.    Maybe it was a 'supply issue'..🤔...on that particular cruise or, if you were on before us, maybe you ordered them all?? 😁😉

To be clear, your Equinox waiter refused to bring you shrimp cocktail and escargot? Or you just didn't see it on the menu?

[chamima]

2 hours ago, swigso said:

Has anyone given a thought that it may well be X starting the rumours to gauge the re-action. Or is that me being cynical 😱😱😂😂

 

That is an interesting idea except that people currently on ships are reporting seeing this (and the $9.95 + tip charge for room service).

[terrydtx]

27 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

We were on the Equinox in Nov. past and Shrimp Cocktail and Escargot were only on MDR menu, not Luminae, which we thought kind of backwards.    Maybe it was a 'supply issue'..🤔...on that particular cruise or, if you were on before us, maybe you ordered them all?? 😁😉

To my knowledge Escargot and the shrimp cocktail have never been on the Luminae menu, they have to be ordered from the everyday classics MDR menu, which we always have done at least once or twice per cruise in Luminae. They are not advertised and have to be asked for with your Luminae waiter. On the Equinox last year, I ordered the Escargot in Luminae and the gentleman in the table next to mine asked how I got them when they were not on the menu and I explained why he needs to be on CC for the "insider" information, LOL.

Edited January 8, 2023 by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

Apparently, it is not only the OV that is cutting back on menu items, this menu was also posted on another thread from a current passenger on the Apex about how Celebrity has gone from 5 entrees and starters to only 3 options on the Celebrity Signatures list. This is why we only cruise in suites with Celebrity for Luminae, nothing on that menu is gourmet and more like you can get at Denny's or Golden Corral. Oven Roasted Turkey and Tilapia is a joke, right? Tilapia is the cheapest farm raised fish you can buy, read about how some country's farm raise and what they feed Tilapia, I would starve to death before I eat this trash fish. Turkey is less than$1 a pound so no wonder they serve it, again this is Denny's type entrees. I won't even discuss what they call starters, again this is nothing more than Dinner Food fare.

Edited January 8, 2023 by terrydtx