Awful State of Ocean View Cafe for dinner

[Arizona Wildcat]

6 minutes ago, talljules1 said:

I have to say, I don't really care WHY X are doing this. What I do care about is getting less than promised when I booked. And I care about and object to being charged more and more for less and less. Degrade the experience, and it means that the value of cruising (for me at least) with this line disappears. We now sail in the Retreat on Celebrity. Their prices are on the up and up, and have reached the point where they now intersect with other premium/luxury lines. If X are not going to offer the level of service we've come to expect, then it will be time to jump ship and go elsewhere.

 

Yes, I get that the Ts&Cs mean that X can make changes. These changes are going too far. If the food on board is less pleasant than what I can make at home, then it's not worth it for me.

If food was most important to me I would always stay home.  Many years in a kitchen means I hope for very good and occasionally excellent when eating out.

[Guest TopoChico]

1 minute ago, Goldenknight said:

I agree with most of the other posters here that this thread is devolved.  When I first posted, it was a factual description of our recent (Jan. 2) Celebrity cruise.  I provided factual details of what we experienced.  

 

Now, it seems, a few posters' only intent is to demean or mock other posters (looking at you stringybean :))  

It's silly and non-productive.  My advice: don't feed the trolls under the bridge.  

 

Meanwhile, we all have the ability to talk with our wallets.  I've had six absolutely delightful NCL cruises, and two more NCL cruises booked for this year.  I won't be giving Celebrity a second chance.  Whatever other posters do, it's your choice, not the trolls who spout unsubstantiated, misinterpreted "stuff."

 

 

My youngest son is booked on his first cruise (without us) on an NCL sailing in May with his fiancé. I said, why did you guys book with Norwegian?  He said Because I don’t want to have to wear my work pants in a dining room to eat tilapia. 

[Ken the cruiser]

50 minutes ago, Goldenknight said:

 

Meanwhile, we all have the ability to talk with our wallets.  I've had six absolutely delightful NCL cruises, and two more NCL cruises booked for this year.  I won't be giving Celebrity a second chance.  Whatever other posters do, it's your choice, not the trolls who spout unsubstantiated, misinterpreted "stuff."

 

Us too! We just got off an awesome 38-day B2B on the Jade and are getting ready to go on an 11-day Caribbean cruise on the Dawn next week and have absolutely no issues with booking another NCL cruise if the itinerary looks awesome. 😁

[NMTraveller]

1 hour ago, Oville said:

I don’t think anyone is going to starve.  Thank you BermudaBound2014 for the pix.

From Modern Luxury℠ to You Won't Starve℠

[Arizona Wildcat]

6 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Us too! We just got off an awesome 38-day B2B on the Jade and are getting ready to go on an 11-day Caribbean cruise on the Dawn next week and have absolutely no issues with booking another NCL cruise if the itinerary looks awesome. 😁

Today things are changing.  Just got off a Princess cruise that was barely ok, great crew and 3 major management foul

 ups.  Have both X and HAL this spring.  The itinerary are #1 as the product is changing for all the lines - and if our Princess experience is an indication; not for the best.

[Ipeeinthepools]

3 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

From Modern Luxury℠ to You Won't Starve℠

 

 

If I remember correctly Cruisemom provided the follow-up to Modern Luxury.  The new term should be Reduced Luxury.

 

From Modern Luxury℠ to Reduced Luxury℠

[Ken the cruiser]

1 minute ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Today things are changing.  Just got off a Princess cruise that was barely ok, great crew and 3 major management foul

 ups.  Have both X and HAL this spring.  The itinerary are #1 as the product is changing for all the lines - and if our Princess experience is an indication; not for the best.

We were on the Regal in July on the 21-day Med cruise the Real Love Boat series was being filmed on and had a great time! But luckily we got to eat in Club Class Dining as the ship was packed with 2500-3200 guests on each leg. One thing I can say about the Princess cruises we’ve been on, they always seem to have super funny CDs and supporting staff and we’re always able to find fun stuff to do in the evenings and on sea days! 😁

[NutsAboutGolf]

2 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

From Modern Luxury℠ to You Won't Starve℠

Isn’t their motto “Relaxed Luxury”?  Seems more fitting considering X’s ships just don’t feel modern.  Princess’s medallion feels modern

[bikerunner]

6 hours ago, cgolf1 said:

Our last cruise on the Connie was all in about 140 per person per night and we had some of the best food we personally have had on a cruise ship. Way better than Disney. Thanks to promos we ended up with zero out of pocket costs except for some extra cash tips for the staff and bartenders. 
 

That said we aren’t foodies so our food opinions may not count for much. 
 

IMO Ruth Chris is overrated, give me a WI supper club steak:)

Food is so subjective overall. It's all perception, to the individual.  Yes Ruth is way overrated so are most steakhouses, but I also get steaks straight from the farmer/rancher in VT.  

 

[jules27556]

10 hours ago, bonagrad said:

 

Yes, there are a lot of possible reasons for the cutbacks, but these were extreme and as many of us have stated, there is a happy medium.  There are ways to reduce waste without sacrificing variety or quality.

I agree.

 

Celebrity set the expectations we have by promoting their cruises as " Wonderfull,  Colorfull, Flavorfull, etc ", so why would it be unreasonable to believe they will be  FULLfilled?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

 

[redransom]

Never heard of Tilapia in Australia, so a quick google doesn't inspire any confidence!

[NMTraveller]

[terrydtx]

12 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

But you won't starve!!  Like you won't starve at Golden Corral.

[weregoingcruising]

13 hours ago, TheHawk1 said:

We get it, for the 100th time... you hate Tilapia.  Geesh!

You forgot Retreat Suite Luminae

[bruzin_for_a_cruizin]

17 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

But you won't starve!!  Like you won't starve at Golden Corral.

At least the buffet at Golden Corral is fully staffed and laden with "food."

[NMTraveller]

36 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

But you won't starve!!  Like you won't starve at Golden Corral.

But you might turn vegetarian 🙂🙂🙂 

[lexmiller]

 

There is a lot of anger on this thread, so much that it makes me a bit uncomfortable and question motives/goals, of some of the posters.  I don’t quite understand the vitriolic attacks on posters that have different opinions. Costs for all of us across every single aspect of our lives, are up, way up.  A fee now for room service?  4 and 5 star hotels charge for room service.  I for one found the original video illustrating the Ocean View Cafe dinner reduction to be good news, a bit of fresh air, the look of reason and common sense - not awful or that we as passengers are somehow being ripped off or betrayed, ha, quite the opposite in fact.  There were ample choices in several category for those VERY FEW who eat dinner in the OVC.  I have often walked through the OVC at dinner time and it’s basically dead up there, so to cut back on the offerings and focus on a few dishes makes sense.  Cruise lines, as part of their absolute need to save money in order to pay their crippling debt,  are analyzing where the people are at different times of day - lunch buffet still is huge as most people on sea days eat lunch in the buffet with small percentages eating in the Aqua Spa Cafe and the Eden Cafe (on Edge Class ships).  MDR at lunch - deadsville.  OVC at dinner - deadsville.  Resources are being shifted. All cruise lines are working hard to stay in business without spoiling their brand - and a fee for room service and a reduced dinner buffet does not spoil “X”’s brand.  Cruising on any line, still remains an incredible overall value.  At the end of the day, Celebrity still provides the best all around product in it’s category - food, entertainment, casino, staff, ambiance - deciding to cruise on a different line lower in this category will surely make one come running back to Celebrity as cuts are pervasive everywhere, and far deeper and more evident on lesser lines.  Move up to Oceania (though I’d choose Regent) - very different product and price point. And though I don’t know, I’d wager that people who regularly cruise Oceania and Regent are also complaining!  That’s my .02 cents.

[NMTraveller]

18 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

Move up to Oceania (though I’d choose Regent) - very different product and price point. And though I don’t know, I’d wager that people who regularly cruise Oceania and Regent are also complaining!  That’s my .02 cents.

I posted a post asking about the food on O.  Most of the complaints were insignificant and about hot sauce and other condiments.  They were mostly supply chain related and not the we have decimated the buffet and decimated the MDR like on X.

 

I noticed similar price points on X and O for at least the cruises that I priced.  X prices have skyrocketed especially when you add in all of the nickel and dime fees.

Edited January 20, 2023 by NMTraveller

[LGW59]

12 hours ago, MamaFej said:

But if you do, it will be luxuriously.

Only if in the Retreat, otherwise steerage eat talapia

[Arizona Wildcat]

9 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Isn’t their motto “Relaxed Luxury”?  Seems more fitting considering X’s ships just don’t feel modern.  Princess’s medallion feels modern

Princess's medallion would be modern if it worked. Just got off a 15 day Princess cruise.  Their app required calling in - they were polite and helpful with little waiting - to even checkin.  The medallion on board was out of service 4 days so one needed to call - nobody usually answered - so bad it made Celebrity IT almost, but not quite, look good. LOL

[dodger1964]

37 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

 

T...for those VERY FEW who eat dinner in the OVC.  ...

I appreciate your thoughts, but I would say this part of your comment is off! I guess we could debate how to define "VERY FEW", but i would suggest that the number is way higher than that categorization! my 2 cents!

[bonagrad]

47 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

 

There is a lot of anger on this thread, so much that it makes me a bit uncomfortable and question motives/goals, of some of the posters.  I don’t quite understand the vitriolic attacks on posters that have different opinions. Costs for all of us across every single aspect of our lives, are up, way up.  A fee now for room service?  4 and 5 star hotels charge for room service.  I for one found the original video illustrating the Ocean View Cafe dinner reduction to be good news, a bit of fresh air, the look of reason and common sense - not awful or that we as passengers are somehow being ripped off or betrayed, ha, quite the opposite in fact.  There were ample choices in several category for those VERY FEW who eat dinner in the OVC.  I have often walked through the OVC at dinner time and it’s basically dead up there, so to cut back on the offerings and focus on a few dishes makes sense.  Cruise lines, as part of their absolute need to save money in order to pay their crippling debt,  are analyzing where the people are at different times of day - lunch buffet still is huge as most people on sea days eat lunch in the buffet with small percentages eating in the Aqua Spa Cafe and the Eden Cafe (on Edge Class ships).  MDR at lunch - deadsville.  OVC at dinner - deadsville.  Resources are being shifted. All cruise lines are working hard to stay in business without spoiling their brand - and a fee for room service and a reduced dinner buffet does not spoil “X”’s brand.  Cruising on any line, still remains an incredible overall value.  At the end of the day, Celebrity still provides the best all around product in it’s category - food, entertainment, casino, staff, ambiance - deciding to cruise on a different line lower in this category will surely make one come running back to Celebrity as cuts are pervasive everywhere, and far deeper and more evident on lesser lines.  Move up to Oceania (though I’d choose Regent) - very different product and price point. And though I don’t know, I’d wager that people who regularly cruise Oceania and Regent are also complaining!  That’s my .02 cents.

Why is it the people that don't eat at the OVC keep determining that what is now available is adequate or ample.  So, essentially you're deciding for us what is adequate or ample.  Those of us that eat there don't get a say in that?

Edited January 20, 2023 by bonagrad

[bonagrad]

4 minutes ago, dodger1964 said:

I appreciate your thoughts, but I would say this part of your comment is off! I guess we could debate how to define "VERY FEW", but i would suggest that the number is way higher than that categorization! my 2 cents!

Right?  People judge the number by a stroll through.  One of the reasons people enjoy the OVC is because it doesn't take 2+ hours.  You get in and out in say 30 minutes.  So you have people coming and going the whole time it's open, you're just not spending 2 hours there.

[NutsAboutGolf]

10 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Princess's medallion would be modern if it worked. Just got off a 15 day Princess cruise.  Their app required calling in - they were polite and helpful with little waiting - to even checkin.  The medallion on board was out of service 4 days so one needed to call - nobody usually answered - so bad it made Celebrity IT almost, but not quite, look good. LOL

they just announced they got Starlink as well so hoping that improves the service

[Bo1953]

52 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

But you might turn vegetarian 🙂🙂🙂 

LOL - hopefully vegan!!!

 

bon appetit and bon voyage