Awful State of Ocean View Cafe for dinner

[Jeal]

1 minute ago, drowelf said:

I wonder how those folks feel about the reduced offering. Most of the staff that you interact with (CD, Assistants, Bridge Staff, Casino Staff, Entertainers, Shop attendants, etc.) generally eat in the buffet. 

I doubt they care - they are usually at the salad bar. 

[basenji56]

It's funny to read the comments.  Seems like there are cruisers who cruise to eat and those who cruise to drink.  I could care less about cutbacks to the Premium package because I don't drink.  But I understand why people who paid for the Premium package would be upset if the premium liquors were not available. 

 

Likewise, I don't eat at the buffet for dinner but can understand why people who do are upset in not getting what they paid for.  I also hear the people who say that inflation has increased prices--but I also see that cruise fares have significantly increased at the same time food and drink is cut back.

 

[RD64]

1 hour ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Cancel upcoming cruises and send LLP a note telling her why you cancelled.

Agreed but people are not going to cancel. They will continue to cruise and complain after the fact.

[bigbenboys]

35 minutes ago, Lena11033 said:

 

Correct, I work in digital advertising in Canada. There isn't any $ for TV here (or I haven't seen any commercials at least on TV). I do get daily ads on digital platforms like web and mobile apps.

With the Edge and Celebrity seeming to be going for a younger group. A TV now is just a monitor for streaming digital content. I've seen many ads for Celebrity.

[RD64]

45 minutes ago, Lena11033 said:

 

Correct, I work in digital advertising in Canada. There isn't any $ for TV here (or I haven't seen any commercials at least on TV). I do get daily ads on digital platforms like web and mobile apps.

Also in Canada! Viking and Disney yes on traditional tv but nobody else.

[mpdog42]

22 minutes ago, RealBatman said:

I'm surprised that this is an issue. Having done a fair number of cruises, we NEVER eat dinner in the 'cafe'. We have always cruised Aqua and so would not give up Blu for the cafe! But that's ok, obviously there are other people who prefer it.

 

Like Jeal, it bothers me about the waste of food - especially what I've seen in Oceanview cafe at the noon hour. Mom always said: "If you take it, you eat it".

Sorry to hear your needs are not being met. 

Time to get out the PomPom’s!’

[mpdog42]

7 minutes ago, RD64 said:

Agreed but people are not going to cancel. They will continue to cruise and complain after the fact.

That’s shows their Pretty Stupid Doesn’t it?Change for the better will not happen until people vote with their Money!!

Edited January 16, 2023 by mpdog42

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

5 minutes ago, RD64 said:

Agreed but people are not going to cancel. They will continue to cruise and complain after the fact.

 

And if cruises are booked with non-refundable deposits? All you get back is $100/person and the rest in a FCC. So though it's not the price of a cruise, X gets to keep most of the money from those and you're out a cruise AND the money.

[RD64]

Just now, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

And if cruises are booked with non-refundable deposits? All you get back is $100/person and the rest in a FCC. So though it's not the price of a cruise, X gets to keep most of the money from those and you're out a cruise AND the money.

But if you choose to book a non-refundable fare, hopefully you know those details going into the game instead of being shocked that the fare all of a sudden is non-refundable.

[basenji56]

Even if Celebrity eliminated all food, some enthusiasts would say "Well, you can always pack a sack lunch."

 

[LGW59]

17 minutes ago, RD64 said:

But if you choose to book a non-refundable fare, hopefully you know those details going into the game instead of being shocked that the fare all of a sudden is non-refundable.

Hopefully absolutely, but unfortunately many don't bother to read everything BEFORE making their deposit, they just complain after

[BermudaBound2014]

43 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

The times we've had dinner in the OV were pre-covid after a busy port day of touring. Even then it was barely occupied. When few guests dine there, it makes financial and environmental sense to have limited offerings.

You don’t think the chefs at X are capable of providing limited offerings that are a step above college dorm life? 

 

I’m well aware of the financial position of RCL and am not suggesting they must go back to what was offered pre covid. Times have changed. Cut backs are inevitable.
 

However; I am suggesting they add some fresh, healthy, made to order options that at least compete with a $10 Chinese buffet. X went from a 9 or 10 to a 1 or 2 in terms of both selection and quality. I think they would be better served to find a 5.

Edited January 16, 2023 by BermudaBound2014

[bEwAbG]

There's a happy medium somewhere between what they had and what they are now offering.  The hot items look like what you would see at a grocery store buffet, only less appetizing.  We first started sailing Celebrity because everyone we knew who had been on a cruise kept saying that X was the best for food.  I still hear that as a talking point years later.  Hard to get that back once you go bottom-of-the-barrel like this. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Big advertising $$.  Where

All over prime time tv on major networks in my area. Since we neighbor major Florida ports, perhaps the advertising is regional. 

[morfred]

54 minutes ago, RD64 said:

Agreed but people are not going to cancel. They will continue to cruise and complain after the fact.

I may not cancel an upcoming cruise but I will shop other cruise lines in the future. I just do not feel that Celebrity is "special" any longer. (Elite+ and very disappointed)

[MamaFej]

Canceling can be an option for cruises that have not reached final payment. We are definitely going on our 5 cruises out of Sydney in very late February through April. Flights, hotels, tours, etc. have been paid for on this upcoming 82 day trip. The last cruise has not yet reached FP, but the costs to change our plans at this point are prohibitive. 

 

However, we will definitely be taking the actual experience into account when deciding whether or not to take the 5 X cruises we have planned for Asia next year. I'm in the process of coming up with Plans B & C for those, just in case. 

 

I"m glad we have discovered that we enjoy smaller ship cruising in the last 13 months. I think there will be lots more of it in our future. We have 42 days on smaller and river ships booked at the moment, and that will likely increase. We know they are needing to make changes, as well, but the value still seems better for us.

 

 

 

[basenji56]

Just now, morfred said:

I may not cancel an upcoming cruise but I will shop other cruise lines in the future. I just do not feel that Celebrity is "special" any longer. (Elite+ and very disappointed)

Yes. No need to be loyal to any cruise line. There is a lot of competition. Explore the alternatives. 

[2tixParadise]

I guess my next question is What cruiseline is known as the 2nd best in the food category?

[Mrearl]

The price of food and all items have gone up.  With the price we paid and free drink package, free gratuities $400 on board credit and free Wi-Fi. This was all done before inflation took over. I can see were Celebrity had to make adjustment.   I will not be surprised if the prices for cruises in the future with go up drastically.  Yes the OV has limited dinner selections but there are enough selections for me.   

 

8 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

d to be loyal to any cruise line. There is a lot of competition. Explore the alternatives. 

3 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Thanks!  This is a very good summary of the cutbacks.  I did not realize that specialty dining was going up also.  I should have guessed.

 

It is a very good view of the OVC in the evenings.

 

[Mrearl]

Just now, Mrearl said:

The price of food and all items have gone up.  With the price we paid and free drink package, free gratuities $400 on board credit and free Wi-Fi. This was all done before inflation took over. I can see were Celebrity had to make adjustment.   I will not be surprised if the prices for cruises in the future with go up drastically.  Yes the OV has limited dinner selections but there are enough selections for me.   

 

 

I have also seen people eat up to 5 lobster tails at dinner.  A cruise line can not do this with the price of lobsters going up.  What do you think you would pay for a dinner out for lobster tail.  How about the price of a hotel for a night and meals for a day.  You will be paying a lot more then what you are paying for a day on the cruise line. 

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, Mrearl said:

The price of food and all items have gone up.  With the price we paid and free drink package, free gratuities $400 on board credit and free Wi-Fi. This was all done before inflation took over. I can see were Celebrity had to make adjustment.   I will not be surprised if the prices for cruises in the future with go up drastically.  Yes the OV has limited dinner selections but there are enough selections for me.   

 

 

I'm glad you feel you are getting your moneys worth, that's very important.  I have felt that way as well, just one comment, the drink package, gratuitites and WiFi are not free, we pay for them in our fare, we're just paying them ahead of time.  Celebrity has always been on the high side, they are now just on the HIGHEST side, at least IMO.

[bikerunner]

Celebrity, yes handled it wrong, but they will adjust the food options.  Honestly most times I wandered thru the Dinner Buffets, mostly it was staff I saw.  Yes people were there also but lots of the staff.  I think we are in the initial, which stinks for the current cruisers and next couple of cruises, and then an adjustment will be made with more stations open, and options.  Will we get the full dinner buffets, I don't think so, or hope not but definitely need adjusting.  Not going to panic at this point as my next cruise is not till November.  

 

[Mrearl]

Just now, LGW59 said:

I'm glad you feel you are getting your moneys worth, that's very important.  I have felt that way as well, just one comment, the drink package, gratuitites and WiFi are not free, we pay for them in our fare, we're just paying them ahead of time.  Celebrity has always been on the high side, they are now just on the HIGHEST side, at least IMO.

Agree but it still is cheaper then buying them separate.  I just got back from NCL Joy and I had to pay gratuities on the free drink package $160 for each of us. We did not have to pay extra gratuities on Celebrity and the drink package if cheaper on Celebrity.  

[mpdog42]

Cutbacks in Food & Service:

Inflation….Supply Chain Issues…Covid….I Love You….Checks in the mail….Illuminati….UFO’s

Anymore Excuses???

Edited January 16, 2023 by mpdog42

[Bo1953]

1 hour ago, drowelf said:

I wonder how those folks feel about the reduced offering. Most of the staff that you interact with (CD, Assistants, Bridge Staff, Casino Staff, Entertainers, Shop attendants, etc.) generally eat in the buffet. 

It has always been an option for staff to eat in The OVC as there is a dining venue for them already...

 

bon appetit and bon voyage