No more prime rib?

[Oceangoer2]

2 hours ago, patty1955 said:

The prime rib on our Oct cruise wasn't good enough to want it on our next cruise. It was about 1/2 inch thick and sitting in a pool of some generic sauce/gravy. 

Was that in the MDR?  The butter is served in little containers now?  Always has been 3 choices in a common dish.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

11 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

Was that in the MDR?  The butter is served in little containers now?  Always has been 3 choices in a common dish.

The butter packets totally remind me of diner food

[sfaaa]

7 minutes ago, Cruzinforpeace*** said:

The butter packets totally remind me of diner food

It's sealed, hygienic and no wastage. I like it. 

[OysterD]

5 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

  Maybe people will be willing to pay that increase but if they do, they expect at least the pre-Covid levels of service.  So maybe the costs need to increase by $250 or $300 per week to account for other costs increases but they won't be able to get the higher prices if they reduce the level of service. 

 

No business can cut their way to profitability.

 

 

Actually, businesses can and frequently do make cuts to return to profitability. 

 

In the case of the cruise lines, its absolutely the right course of action. 

 

Ignoring bankruptcy which shouldn't be and isn't really an option, they have two options. Increase revenue or decrease expenses. They have little to no choice over many of their expenses (interest payments, fuel costs, staff) so where they can save money they will, and must. They have put prices up but they're now getting to the level where many people will think twice about paying so much.

 

Many economies are verging on recession, consumers are being hit with a barrage of increased costs from heating their homes to paying their mortgages and filling their fridges. Cruising and actually all holidays are luxuries, not necessities. Most people when picking a holiday or if they've already decided on a cruise, will look at options from numerous different cruise lines. Headline price of the cruise will be in the top 3 deciding factors (dates/length of cruise and itinerary probably being the other two) for the majority of people. Like I've said before, I bet less than 0.05% of people will decide to not take a particular cruise because they find out one restaurant on the ship no longer has prime rib. Its just not a deciding factor. Put the price up another 10% and you'll turn away tens of thousands of potential cruisers. 

 

Absolutely do not increase the price for everyone by another $300 a week. With that saving I can go to one of the specialty restaurants and have a much better cut of beef and still have $250 in my pocket. 

[OysterD]

25 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

It's sealed, hygienic and no wastage. I like it. 

Actually there's a huge amount of wastage - a complete and utter waste of plastic. I detest tiny food stuffs like butter that come in plastic wrapping, there's no need. Knobs of butter in restaurants should be in small washable pots like Celebrity normally do. Little things like that on grand scales all help reduce the amount of plastic sent to landfills.

[NutsAboutGolf]

33 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

It's sealed, hygienic and no wastage. I like it. 

 

The plastic container and foil top aren't considered wastage? 🤔

[sfaaa]

Most plastic containers are recyclable these days.

[cruisemom42]

5 minutes ago, OysterD said:

Actually there's a huge amount of wastage - a complete and utter waste of plastic. I detest tiny food stuffs like butter that come in plastic wrapping, there's no need. Knobs of butter in restaurants should be in small washable pots like Celebrity normally do. Little things like that on grand scales all help reduce the amount of plastic sent to landfills.

 

Not to mention that I like having three different "butters" to choose from for my bread.

[NutsAboutGolf]

8 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

Most plastic containers are recyclable these days.

 

Which is a myth, note these studies are peer-reviewed:

 

And on a more playful note:

 

[Ipeeinthepools]

2 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Which is a myth, note these studies are peer-reviewed:

 

 

 Peer reviewed by peers of Greenpeace?  LOL

[NMTraveller]

Well there is a lot of talk about wastage these days.  Especially in the OVC.

 

When I go to the OVC I pick the exact portions that I want to consume.  If I want more I go back and get small portions of what I want a taste of.

 

When I go to the MDR they serve me these large portions that I only eat half of.  If I want a taste of something I get the full dish and waste a lot.

 

If you ask me the MDR is the wasteful dining venue.

[NutsAboutGolf]

4 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 Peer reviewed by peers of Greenpeace?  LOL

Negative ghost rider, green peace is summarizing the study.  If anyone cares, Google is your friend

[patty1955]

2 hours ago, Oceangoer2 said:

Was that in the MDR?  The butter is served in little containers now?  Always has been 3 choices in a common dish.

Okay, I confess; that's not my dinner. I usually take pictures before we eat but I forgot that night, so I took a picture of the neighboring table. 

My guess is the butter was specifically for the baked potato. The 3 choices you get with the bread don't always include butter. By the way, I don't eat baked potatoes on cruises. The texture is  wrong; waxy rather than flaky. 

[Pinboy]

3 hours ago, Oceangoer2 said:

☺️...At least you get to the 11th!  7 more holes for 28 strokes gives you 87!  Not bad at all.  BTW...isn't that Sloth Tour something else?  As a bonus, we had the pleasure of a bug invasion when the 'boat' got caught in the mud. 

87-91 is my game--- Unless on a cruise ship---- 78-81-- when the other guy tells me his game is 79-82.

"BTW...isn't that Sloth Tour something else?"----

Total waste of $$ and time -- 

 Our Tour Guide ( almost in tears ) told us we were the nicest tour he ever had --- got the bus to stop at a stand to buy spices and souvenirs ( funny that the lady selling the " stuff " handed him an envelope as we were getting back on the bus--- probably a letter to mail ?), even showed us pictures of his kids ( mind you, the guy looked too young to have 6 kids ), and for the " safety " ( what " safety ?? ") of everyone getting off the bus at the end of the tour, er, to make sure everyone tipped him, he had the back door locked !!

Rumor has it that he now works as a Spa Attendant selling Free 5 minute massages for $347 !!!

 

 

 

 

[kirtihk]

On 1/13/2023 at 10:48 PM, Host Anne said:

The cost cutting has been happening for awhile.  Continuing to raise prices for cruises and lowering quality is not going to work for cruise lines very long....

One who's in a "blame" mood (for last 2 years and 10 months) needs to condemn a proper "company", not a cruise line that just have been trying to survive like any of us ...

 

Voyage, Voyage...

Edited January 16, 2023 by kirtihk

[kirtihk]

On 1/14/2023 at 7:07 PM, OysterD said:

 

The tricky thing for Celebrity is most of the people currently onboard most likely booked their cruises almost a year ago, some even further back. You can't ask those people to pay extra after booking, nor is it really fair to expect people booking now for next year to pay even more, for both increases in their own food costs and to cover the increases of those sailing now. 

 

Also fuel costs have risen a LOT over the last 12-18 months (although falling again now), as have staff costs. 

 

Celebrity know much better than any of the people commenting here on what they need to do and what they realistically can do to remain profitable while being hit with a worldwide pandemic, a war in Eastern Europe, massive debt together with interest rate hikes, labour shortages and massive inflationary pressures on food, labour and fuel. 

 

I've read on here over the last few weeks constant complaining and moaning about room service charges, what cut of steak is served, increased drink prices, reduced service in the buffet in evenings, how evil tilapia is.... but does anyone have any better suggestions as to what Celebrity (& other cruise lines) can do because they absolutely have to do something. Genuinely curious. 

 

None of the changes (either announced or merely speculated over) bother me one bit. We had a fantastic cruise a couple months ago and I'm sure our next one later this year will be just as good. 

 

It's amazing, how everyone who loves cruising was exclaiming for last 2+ years - "When will we be able to cruise again!""  And now ...

 

Voyage, Voyage...

[mahasamatman]

22 hours ago, patty1955 said:

The prime rib on our Oct cruise wasn't good enough to want it on our next cruise. It was about 1/2 inch thick and sitting in a pool of some generic sauce/gravy.

 

That's nowhere near 1/2 inch. More like 1/8 inch.

[LGW59]

3 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

It's amazing, how everyone who loves cruising was exclaiming for last 2+ years - "When will we be able to cruise again!""  And now ...

 

Voyage, Voyage...

Cruising is no different than any other consumer driven business post pandemic.  Everything has risen in cost drastically, most have been to the grocery store, dined in a restaurant, filled the gas tank,  flown on an airplane, seen rent increases, bidding wars on home purchases and used cars etc. etc.  What day-to-day costs have not increased, 20 percent-ish?  It has hit the leisure travel industry as well and most of us here, I assume have a few extra dollars to spend beyond our regular expenses, many do not so we are all fortunate.  Where, how and when we spend those dollars is up to us.  My most recent cruise vacation was this past fall on Edge and it was fantastic in every way, I'd still and will sail Celebrity again (E-class only) when I feel I am getting the cruise that gives me the most bang for my buck.  For my next cruise that was not the case, so I booked on another premium line and I'm happy with that decision.  I don't ever expect perfection but can almost always find the better even if it isn't the best, I guess that's life too.  If I had a cruise booked in the near future on Celebrity, I'd def be going on that cruise and making my own real time informed decision and not letting any keyboard cruisers influence me.  If you've not gone on your paid cruise yet and all you are already do is whining incessantly, news flash, you're not going to have a good time.  I guess just take the vacation with your family or friends or whoever, find the good and enjoy it, deal with the bad and then go find the line that can meet what you feel is important to you.

[Orator]

19 hours ago, OysterD said:

 

Actually, businesses can and frequently do make cuts to return to profitability. 

 

In the case of the cruise lines, its absolutely the right course of action. 

 

Ignoring bankruptcy which shouldn't be and isn't really an option, they have two options. Increase revenue or decrease expenses. They have little to no choice over many of their expenses (interest payments, fuel costs, staff) so where they can save money they will, and must. They have put prices up but they're now getting to the level where many people will think twice about paying so much.

 

Many economies are verging on recession, consumers are being hit with a barrage of increased costs from heating their homes to paying their mortgages and filling their fridges. Cruising and actually all holidays are luxuries, not necessities. Most people when picking a holiday or if they've already decided on a cruise, will look at options from numerous different cruise lines. Headline price of the cruise will be in the top 3 deciding factors (dates/length of cruise and itinerary probably being the other two) for the majority of people. Like I've said before, I bet less than 0.05% of people will decide to not take a particular cruise because they find out one restaurant on the ship no longer has prime rib. Its just not a deciding factor. Put the price up another 10% and you'll turn away tens of thousands of potential cruisers. 

 

Absolutely do not increase the price for everyone by another $300 a week. With that saving I can go to one of the specialty restaurants and have a much better cut of beef and still have $250 in my pocket. 

I'm in basic agreement with your points, but believe that cutbacks can be a two edge sword. In December I took a Viking Ocean cruise and in January I cruised on the Oceania Riviera. Saw many former Celebrity loyalist who decided to go a bit upscale because of the "decline in the quality and value of Celebrity".

[kirtihk]

On 1/14/2023 at 8:06 PM, 4-2-N-8 said:

IMO, if you are going for luxury, Regent is a better option than Oceania. Again, my opinion, but since everyone is chiming in about where to find "luxury," thought I'd chime in with another angle. If not that, private charters can be cost effective, dependent upon yacht choice and pax number in your charter. Again, just an alternative option for those determined to find consistent quality. It still exists.

 

For me, I am trying a big ship in the likes of the Retreat offering, though will/would only choose the Retreat on the newest of Celebrity ship(s). I like the design of the ships and want to experience it firsthand.

 

I'll give grace to those who staff and crew the ship. Supply issues are still a thing, as well. We're all in this together. 

 

I think the gripes about Celebrity service/quality/options, while they may very well represent change from historical norm, maybe it would help to consider through the prism that everyone is trying to solve for our new normal.

 

Want more consistent quality? It's out there. Just pay for it. Don't gripe about it. Sheesh.

 

I'll soon be on my first trial for Celebrity. I'm open to simply experience what is offered. I'm hopeful that it renders IRL as depicted by Celebrity and as my TA has advised me.

 

Reserving judgment to future tense.

 

Much peace to all.

I cannot judge Oceania.  We just came back (Jan 5) from a 16-night "Christas on the Canal" Regent Splendor cruise (first time on Regent) - the majority of those on the ship who previously traveled with Regent mentioned that quality on our cruise was also down from 3 years ago.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed our cruise to its full extend (we learned from a couple on our Ponant Le Bougainville cruise last June to never complain).  The consistent matter on our ship is the best space-to-guest ratio ("the enclosed space (measured in cubic feet) per passenger" - it is over 70.

 

We've booked 2 Celebrity cruises (Beyond and Ascent) for April 2024 (last February) and April 2025 (a few days ago).

[kirtihk]

11 minutes ago, Orator said:

I'm in basic agreement with your points, but believe that cutbacks can be a two edge sword. In December I took a Viking Ocean cruise and in January I cruised on the Oceania Riviera. Saw many former Celebrity loyalist who decided to go a bit upscale because of the "decline in the quality and value of Celebrity".

Could you please express your experience?  We are planning to book our first Viking cruise (for November 2025 when it becomes available) and would like to know an opinion (perhaps, in comparison with Celebrity).

[kirtihk]

On 1/14/2023 at 8:51 PM, LGW59 said:

Not decided yet.  We are looking at either a 9 night all Spain itin or a 9 night Med.  We are doing our first Oceania in May 7 nights Med and the Azamara includes a few of the ports on the O cruise but also has several places we really like that we have not yet been to.  I remember you advising me oh many many Covid months ago to consider and seriously look at Azamara.  Like O, when compare to current Celebrity prices, makes it a no brainer.  

We will have a 16-night "Norway Intensive Voyage" Azamara cruise in June.  We previously sailed on Azamara (our last normal full cruise prior to shmandemic - August 2019 North Pacific crossing on Azamara Quest), and we liked it very much!

Edited January 16, 2023 by kirtihk

[kirtihk]

40 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

I cannot judge Oceania.  We just came back (Jan 5) from a 16-night "Christas on the Canal" Regent Splendor cruise (first time on Regent) - the majority of those on the ship who previously traveled with Regent mentioned that quality on our cruise was also down from 3 years ago.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed our cruise to its full extend (we learned from a couple on our Ponant Le Bougainville cruise last June to never complain).  The consistent matter on our ship is the best space-to-guest ratio ("the enclosed space (measured in cubic feet) per passenger" - it is over 70.

 

We've booked 2 Celebrity cruises (Beyond and Ascent) for April 2024 (last February) and April 2025 (a few days ago).

Forgot to mention: the least expensive Regent price on our double holiday (Christas and New Year) Caribbean cruise (after subtraction included air and shore excursions) that includes all 4 specialty restaurants with unlimited visits in each was 20-25% less the least expensive non-holiday Retreat on Celebrity Edge class, and "entire Regent ship" is yours at a better overall quality than the Retreat area and Luminae (and the SEA Thermal Suite on the Edge class is extra for the least expensive Retreat cabin - about $800 special per couple with tax for a 10-day cruise while on Regent it's included for all).

 

PS. Meats quality on Regent (including specialty Prime 7 restaurant) was just OK.

Edited January 16, 2023 by kirtihk

[JeanieC,Aston]

Looking at the menus on the App for our Silhouette cruise in May and I know these things can change,,it shows Prime Rib for dinner on Day 4.

It only shows the menu for 7 of the 10 nights but Talipia is only on for one night,,,it shows different fish dishes every night plus Lobster tail.

 

[patty1955]

1 minute ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Looking at the menus on the App for our Silhouette cruise in May and I know these things can change,,it shows Prime Rib for dinner on Day 4.

It only shows the menu for 7 of the 10 nights but Talipia is only on for one night,,,it shows different fish dishes every night plus Lobster tail.

 

Our cruise is May looks the same as usual. Several appetizers and entrees, include chicken liver parfait and prime rib.