1/8/23 Aboard Apex Oceanview Cafe report

[lola2013]

6 hours ago, johhnnyt said:

I had kind of the same thought. The ships still aren't at full capacity as they were pre pandemic, I wonder if the scaling back at Ocean view is based on that. I know when we were on apex last month, it was a ghost town up but at the buffet so we all ro in the evening

I sailed both Edge and Reflection since the re-start.  Each time, the ship sailed at about 30-40% capacity.  On each sailing the OVC offerings were the same as pre-Covid.  Lots of selection!  

[Jim_Iain]

7 hours ago, natshala said:

How does one get these numbers? I’m on a B2B Apex 2/11 and I’m curious.

Generally once on board you can ask various People -  CC Host, Retreat Host, Customer Service Manager, Hotel Director -  they are usually very open.    They also often announce the passenger count at the Captain's Toast and the  CC Reception.

[the penguins]

8 hours ago, natshala said:

How does one get these numbers? I’m on a B2B Apex 2/11 and I’m curious.

On our last cruise on Silhouette the Captain and other officers took great delight in saying there were over 1000 crew and only  800 passengers. The numbers have been given on all our 4 Covid cruises.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

2 hours ago, RichYak said:

I would also agree with this list.

 

And I think you're confusing marketing with reality.  Lines like Oceania and Azamara are premium, not Celebrity, Princess, and Holland, which are mass market. Celebrity doesn't even market themselves as premium, they are in complete fantasy-land using the word "luxury".

Celebrity is just Royal without the slides and bumper cars

Edited January 10, 2023 by Cruzinforpeace***

[Cruzinforpeace***]

2 hours ago, ABoatNerd said:

RichYak, 100% correct. Your knowledge is evident. Interesting history about Celebrity. When Celebrity first started in early 1990's, I was on the inaugural of the Zenith. At that time Celebrity's product was not mass line, it was the only premium cruise line, a step above the mass lines, rather the Oceania of the day. The product was vastly superior to the RCL, HA of the day. Celebrity served afternoon tea in the forward lounge almost identical to Oceania's current afternoon tea service with wood trollies etc. There was no Oceania, Azamara etc at that time, there was a big jump up to the luxury lines, Cunard rather straddled the divide.

Over the decades Celebrity abandoned this level of all inclusive quality and went downwards into the mass market courtesy of RCL. Celebrity went big ship, mass amenities, started into the class apartheid, nickle and dime, art auctions and onwards. In the interim Renaissance went under and Oceania started up and picked up the small R ships a while later RCL built the premium Azamara with R ships. All the while the premium lines were building, Celebrity was getting bigger and more mass, despite using the bull s line of "modern luxury", not. 

It was only in the 1990's where Celebrity would be considered premium, since that time, just another mass line, albeit, the highest level of the mass lines, and becoming more mass - reheated frozen casseroles every day.

 

100% correct!  I worked on the Celebrity Meridian as a singer in the 1990’s and that’s exactly how it was.  Caviar each night and sorbet in between courses, extravagant midnight buffets and white glove service all the way.  People dressed to the nines EVERY night.  It was truly a 5 star operation.  There were also many wealthy international passengers.  I remember the ship announcements were made in about 5 different languages.  It was a great time to be cruising on Celebrity.  Then I believe it was mostly owned by Chandris Lines, a Greek company.  Once they went more to the RCL owners it started to become just like the other lines but trying to still act like they were a luxury line.  The only time I’ve experienced any type of luxury was in suite class but still nothing like it was in the 90’s.  It’s definitely “quieter” than the other mass market lines but I definitely wouldn’t classify it as premium or luxury.

[zitsky]

This banana split thing.  Is there a separate dessert area?  I haven’t been in the buffet much. Asking for a friend.

[kwokpot]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

This banana split thing.  Is there a separate dessert area?  I haven’t been in the buffet much. Asking for a friend.

On E-Class ships it would be the counters on the left right past Segundo Bacio where they put out breads and then sometimes desserts, which could wrap around the counter. It could also be the island direct across from there. Those are always the areas where desserts are placed. 

[Honolulu Blue]

7 hours ago, the penguins said:

On our last cruise on Silhouette the Captain and other officers took great delight in saying there were over 1000 crew and only  800 passengers. The numbers have been given on all our 4 Covid cruises.

On my last cruise on the Millie in November, my best guess is that the ratio was flipped - 800-ish crew, 1000-ish passengers. But it's only a guess as neither count was ever announced publicly (that I'm aware of) and I didn't ask anyone. 

 

Of the three Celebrity cruises I have taken since the restart, the passenger count was only publicly announced once. I never heard the crew total on any of them.

[Guest]

As a regular balcony cabin customer, Celebrity still gives me the best value for money above the other lines I use (RCI, Princess, P&O). I pay more to expect more, and so far that is still the case. When the line between them all is level, i will reconsider.

 

But on P&O I am served tinned carrots, the blended cocktails are watery and bar tenders will not make drinks that are not on their bar menu. The buffet lacks and the service is no where near X standard. And they charge the same as Celebrity at the moment. 
 

Easy choice to make. 

[AstoriaPreppy]

Looking forward to people starting to wax nostalgic for the good ol' days on this thread, instead of realizing that culture moves forward. Caviar? Men in suits? Cheese trolleys? It's like we're playing the $100,000 Pyramid, and the category is "classy things from the 70s." I'm surprised someone hasn't mentioned the lack of a proper ballroom dancefloor onboard modern ships yet. 😂

 

There's a reason Lutèce is just a memory, but Le Bernardin packs them in. Times change.

Edited January 11, 2023 by AstoriaPreppy

[Bo1953]

1 minute ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

Looking forward to people starting to wax nostalgic for the good ol' days on this thread, instead of realizing that culture moves forward. Caviar? Men in suits? Cheese trolleys? It's like we're playing the $100,000 Pyramid, and the category is "classy things from the 70s." I'm surprised someone hasn't mentioned the lack of a proper ballroom dancefloor onboard modern ships yet. 😂

 

There's a reason Lutèce is just a memory, but Le Bernardin packs them in. Times change.

Methinks that quite a few posting here have never dined in Lutece nor Le Bernardin and a few other establishments that are equivalent as most of us are just coming into our own in terms of climbing up the proverbial economic ladder of which one of the first stops is 'cruising' for pleasure...

 

While enjoying fine dining is someplace where a well 'heeled' cousin/relative would take us for a special a special occasion every couple of years or so... maybe where we would take ourselves out of desire or curiosity to see how the other side lives... LOL

 

Nothing wrong with this, to be sure... and to be clear, just my observation.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

[zitsky]

Does anyone know when they’re bringing back the ballroom dance floor?  I heard they’ll be using the space no longer needed for the ocean view buffet?

[natshala]

18 hours ago, Cruzinforpeace*** said:

100% correct!  I worked on the Celebrity Meridian as a singer in the 1990’s and that’s exactly how it was.  Caviar each night and sorbet in between courses, extravagant midnight buffets and white glove service all the way.  People dressed to the nines EVERY night.  It was truly a 5 star operation.  There were also many wealthy international passengers.  I remember the ship announcements were made in about 5 different languages.  It was a great time to be cruising on Celebrity.  Then I believe it was mostly owned by Chandris Lines, a Greek company.  Once they went more to the RCL owners it started to become just like the other lines but trying to still act like they were a luxury line.  The only time I’ve experienced any type of luxury was in suite class but still nothing like it was in the 90’s.  It’s definitely “quieter” than the other mass market lines but I definitely wouldn’t classify it as premium or luxury.

At the risk of annoying some by waxing nostalgic…I don’t remember caviar on X but I do on Crystal.
 

Our first X cruise was on the Celebrity Galaxy in 2000. Waiters wore white gloves (really) to serve, prepared your lobster at table, explained in detail the goings on that night onboard, etc. I’m not sure when they discontinued it, but the waiters did a parade down the grand staircase waving napkins and served the Baked Alaska after extinguishing the flames!  Haven’t thought about this in a while.

[zitsky]

I will enjoy my $10 monkfish caviar that I bring with me from Publix and my free Aqua 1967 vintage sparking wine from Lodi, California.

Edited January 11, 2023 by zitsky

[freshjive1479]

22 hours ago, ABoatNerd said:

RichYak, 100% correct. Your knowledge is evident. Interesting history about Celebrity. When Celebrity first started in early 1990's, I was on the inaugural of the Zenith. At that time Celebrity's product was not mass line, it was the only premium cruise line, a step above the mass lines, rather the Oceania of the day. The product was vastly superior to the RCL, HA of the day. Celebrity served afternoon tea in the forward lounge almost identical to Oceania's current afternoon tea service with wood trollies etc. There was no Oceania, Azamara etc at that time, there was a big jump up to the luxury lines, Cunard rather straddled the divide.

Over the decades Celebrity abandoned this level of all inclusive quality and went downwards into the mass market courtesy of RCL. Celebrity went big ship, mass amenities, started into the class apartheid, nickle and dime, art auctions and onwards. In the interim Renaissance went under and Oceania started up and picked up the small R ships a while later RCL built the premium Azamara with R ships. All the while the premium lines were building, Celebrity was getting bigger and more mass, despite using the bull s line of "modern luxury", not. 

It was only in the 1990's where Celebrity would be considered premium, since that time, just another mass line, albeit, the highest level of the mass lines, and becoming more mass - reheated frozen casseroles every day.

 

I fondly remember the Zenith days back when X's only other ships were the Meridian and Horizon. It really was a fantastic product, regardless of what type of cabin you were in.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

1 hour ago, natshala said:

At the risk of annoying some by waxing nostalgic…I don’t remember caviar on X but I do on Crystal.
 

Our first X cruise was on the Celebrity Galaxy in 2000. Waiters wore white gloves (really) to serve, prepared your lobster at table, explained in detail the goings on that night onboard, etc. I’m not sure when they discontinued it, but the waiters did a parade down the grand staircase waving napkins and served the Baked Alaska after extinguishing the flames!  Haven’t thought about this in a while.

Oh yes, indeed we had caviar on the Meridian in the 90’s; it was the first time I ever tried it.  I remember the Baked Alaska and also we had cherries jubilee prepared right next to our table.  Oh the good old days.   I just read an article that talked of past activities that were on cruise ships.  I remember the skeet shooting and the horse races.  People used to go NUTS for the horse racing.  They had their horse for the entire cruise.  They’d decorate it and name it.  Cruisers then would bet on the different horses throughout the cruise.  People had a blast with it.  They should bring the horse races back.  

[Cruzinforpeace***]

4 hours ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

Looking forward to people starting to wax nostalgic for the good ol' days on this thread, instead of realizing that culture moves forward. Caviar? Men in suits? Cheese trolleys? It's like we're playing the $100,000 Pyramid, and the category is "classy things from the 70s." I'm surprised someone hasn't mentioned the lack of a proper ballroom dancefloor onboard modern ships yet. 😂

 

There's a reason Lutèce is just a memory, but Le Bernardin packs them in. Times change.

Yes things have changed, but not for the better.  Cruising is just like any other mass market vacation (other than a select few luxury cruise lines).  It used to be special to cruise. Those of who remember those days will always remember them fondly and rightly so.

[Shiba_Lover]

On 1/9/2023 at 8:14 AM, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Or maybe they didn't get that you wanted it without the bun?

They really should offer a GF bun option.  Or maybe they throw the buns on the grill and therefore did not want to risk serving the burgers?  

[drevil0208]

Can someone on the Apex currently confirm as to whether the "Celebrity Signature" menu in the MDRs has been reduced from 5 to 3 choices each night?  I know it had been reported that they had removed 1 but not 2. 

[WonderMan3]

5 hours ago, drevil0208 said:

Can someone on the Apex currently confirm as to whether the "Celebrity Signature" menu in the MDRs has been reduced from 5 to 3 choices each night?  I know it had been reported that they had removed 1 but not 2. 

Yes. This Apex menu was posted in another thread. It's just missing the dining room specific options, Tuscan, etc.

[NMTraveller]

4 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

Yes. This Apex menu was posted in another thread. It's just missing the dining room specific options, Tuscan, etc.

Three choices and two are tilapia and turkey...  Sigh...

[Arizona Wildcat]

On 1/11/2023 at 9:29 AM, Bo1953 said:

Methinks that quite a few posting here have never dined in Lutece nor Le Bernardin and a few other establishments that are equivalent as most of us are just coming into our own in terms of climbing up the proverbial economic ladder of which one of the first stops is 'cruising' for pleasure...

 

While enjoying fine dining is someplace where a well 'heeled' cousin/relative would take us for a special a special occasion every couple of years or so... maybe where we would take ourselves out of desire or curiosity to see how the other side lives... LOL

 

Nothing wrong with this, to be sure... and to be clear, just my observation.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

Bo - there are lots of regular people at those restaurants.   I try to visit one a year to experience a magnificent meal.  What is sad is the clientele is much the same, but the attire with to sloppy just before covid along with civility.  Covid has simply accelerated the decline.

I would in middle management many years ago before moving to teaching.  More satisfying.

[zitsky]

10 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Three choices and two are tilapia and turkey...  Sigh...

Bring a can of cranberry sauce and it’s Thanksgiving every day!

[Cap_D]

Not one "Fit Fare" option on the page. Old Country Buffet and the local diner refer to Turkey as signature items, too. 

[Wakepatrol]

On 1/11/2023 at 1:32 PM, natshala said:

At the risk of annoying some by waxing nostalgic…I don’t remember caviar on X but I do on Crystal.
 

Our first X cruise was on the Celebrity Galaxy in 2000. Waiters wore white gloves (really) to serve, prepared your lobster at table, explained in detail the goings on that night onboard, etc. I’m not sure when they discontinued it, but the waiters did a parade down the grand staircase waving napkins and served the Baked Alaska after extinguishing the flames!  Haven’t thought about this in a while.

I think this was nixed, once people started to show up to dinner in track suits.