So Are things Looking up?

[mpdog42]

Back on the boards after a seven day Vacation, and it seems to be some positive Reviews

coming out about the Food..One poster stated that a grill station had been added to the OV cafe at night

So possibly Celebrity listened to some of the Feedback and Adjusted?...Lets hope for the best!!!😀

Your Thought's???

[Married90]

How dare you post something positive and mess up everyone’s pity party….

[Georgia_Peaches]

I read that as well and I’m hopeful.  We still have a month to go before our cruise so a lot can happen (continue to happen) in that time. 

[mpdog42]

I am Guarded but Hopeful...

[NMTraveller]

Well I just took a look at the MDR menus for my cruise.  They look like they are back to 80% of what they were.  Where there WAS Tilapia most nights in the MDR and NOW it is back to some of the better cuts of fish.  I only see Tilapia on one night and not on all 6.  I can deal with one meh night in the MDR.

Edited February 3, 2023 by NMTraveller

[mpdog42]

17 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Well I just took a look at the MDR menus for my cruise.  They look like they are back to 80% of what they were.  Where there WAS Tilapia most nights in the MDR and NOW it is back to some of the better cuts of fish.  I only see Tilapia on one night and not on all 6.  I can deal with one meh night in the MDR.

me too!!!

[C4HCG]

4 hours ago, mpdog42 said:

Back on the boards after a seven day Vacation, and it seems to be some positive Reviews

coming out about the Food..One poster stated that a grill station had been added to the OV cafe at night

So possibly Celebrity listened to some of the Feedback and Adjusted?...Lets hope for the best!!!😀

Your Thought's???

Good question. I remain as I’ve always been, make my judgement when we sail in September. Think generally feelings remain the same here, many remain annoyed that elements of the holiday they booked have been removed or reduced in a negative way, others like me will wait and see.

[twincheryl]

On Apex now and dinner buffet has no grill station yet… but there has been a carving station each night and several nights the Stir Fry station has been open.  Must say the bakery people on this ship are superb!  The breads and desserts are the best we’ve ever had.  Overall the reduced offerings have been excellent.  They are actually using some seasonings and even the veg fried rice had a little zip. 
 

We were very leary the first night but are totally ok if they keep things like this, although would really like a grill and/or pasta station.  Had a conversation with one of the Exec Chefs who was standing around and he said they are kind of in a tough spot… if they cut too much people won’t come, but if they have too much it is wasted.  

[mpdog42]

11 hours ago, twincheryl said:

On Apex now and dinner buffet has no grill station yet… but there has been a carving station each night and several nights the Stir Fry station has been open.  Must say the bakery people on this ship are superb!  The breads and desserts are the best we’ve ever had.  Overall the reduced offerings have been excellent.  They are actually using some seasonings and even the veg fried rice had a little zip. 
 

We were very leary the first night but are totally ok if they keep things like this, although would really like a grill and/or pasta station.  Had a conversation with one of the Exec Chefs who was standing around and he said they are kind of in a tough spot… if they cut too much people won’t come, but if they have too much it is wasted.  

That's why a grill station is perfect...Heck I would be happy with a Double Cheeseburger with Fries

some nights..I should sneak in to Luminate..ask for that with a large diet coke...😁

[mpdog42]

Delete

Edited February 4, 2023 by mpdog42

[mpdog42]

1 minute ago, mpdog42 said:

 

Myself in Luminate or blu!!!

[rpht]

SO happy to hear they may be bringing back the grill station in Oceanview in the evening. The carving station is also a good option! Will continue to follow this as it is a big issue for me due to food sensitivities. And YES---I know I can go to the dining room but sometimes I don't want to do that after a long day

 

[wrk2cruise]

From what I've been reading it's pretty inconsistent between ships at this point.

[Thameside]

Just returned off of Constellation Friday and can inform you that the grill was open every Lunch time but never in the evening and that it alway served the same three items for freshly cooked, pork loin, chicken fillet and rock fish. Also many stations closed in the evening and that was on a fairly full cruise.

[coaster]

5 hours ago, Thameside said:

Just returned off of Constellation Friday and can inform you that the grill was open every Lunch time but never in the evening and that it alway served the same three items for freshly cooked, pork loin, chicken fillet and rock fish. Also many stations closed in the evening and that was on a fairly full cruise.

Does not sound good. Stir fry station is my favorite and sounds like it is not there at dinner. The stations would have less food waste so not sure what Celebrity is trying to accomplish. 

[tomcruiser1234]

I am certain all cruise lines want things back to normal. These ships were not built to sail half full so food and beverage manager has to ramp up slower than most of us would like. 

 

In answer….. Yes the last 3 cruises since startup, that we have gotten to go on, have improved greatly. 

 

Celebrity is getting there…..S..L…O…W…L…Y

[twincheryl]

40 minutes ago, coaster said:

Does not sound good. Stir fry station is my favorite and sounds like it is not there at dinner. The stations would have less food waste so not sure what Celebrity is trying to accomplish. 

We had stir fry station on Apex several nights last week and they switched it up with pasta station on the last night… heading in the right direction.

[horseymike]

On 2/2/2023 at 11:27 PM, NMTraveller said:

Well I just took a look at the MDR menus for my cruise.  They look like they are back to 80% of what they were.  Where there WAS Tilapia most nights in the MDR and NOW it is back to some of the better cuts of fish.  I only see Tilapia on one night and not on all 6.  I can deal with one meh night in the MDR.

They can always cut up the tilapia and use if for bait on the new fishing excursion off the back deck.

[terrydtx]

Interesting conversation with my TA who books mostly cruises with Celebrity on Friday. I have been telling her for weeks about CC and the number of loyal Celebrity customers who are very upset over the cutbacks and changes instigated last month. She had a meeting with her Celebrity rep this week and brought up my comments and the CC complaints. The rep told her that Celebrity management does monitor CC and is aware of the complaints on CC.  He told her the cutback in the OVC for diner was to reduce the nightly food wastes that are over 50% on most cruises. He also told her the whole OVC changes are going to be a reassessed on a regular basis. The new charge for a second lobster tail in MDR was again to cut down in waste, too many people would order multiple lobsters and not eat all of them.

[Georgia_Peaches]

48 minutes ago, tomcruiser1234 said:

I am certain all cruise lines want things back to normal. These ships were not built to sail half full so food and beverage manager has to ramp up slower than most of us would like. 

 

In answer….. Yes the last 3 cruises since startup, that we have gotten to go on, have improved greatly. 

 

Celebrity is getting there…..S..L…O…W…L…Y

I agree with you regarding start up but in this case, Celebrity isn’t ramping up in their food offerings, they’re scaling back…on purpose. In fact, I’m gathering that the food offerings before Jan. 1 2023 were pretty much precovid normal. This is a calculated cost cutting measure brought about by Covid indeed, but not a result of ramping up slowly. Just my take on things. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 minute ago, terrydtx said:

Interesting conversation with my TA who books mostly cruises with Celebrity on Friday. I have been telling her for weeks about CC and the number of loyal Celebrity customers who are very upset over the cutbacks and changes instigated last month. She had a meeting with her Celebrity rep this week and brought up my comments and the CC complaints. The rep told her that Celebrity management does monitor CC and is aware of the complaints on CC.  He told her the cutback in the OVC for diner was to reduce the nightly food wastes that are over 50% on most cruises. He also told her the whole OVC changes are going to be a reassessed on a regular basis. The new charge for a second lobster tail in MDR was again to cut down in waste, too many people would order multiple lobsters and not eat all of them.

Wow. Good to have some inside intel!  I have many times mused about the obvious food waste on cruise ships. I’ve seen countless abandoned plates of food left on tables waiting to be bussed and I wondered why someone would take all that food if they weren’t going to eat it. I think Celebrity are right to make efforts to counter food waste. I’m glad, even. But I hope they reassess their strategy. Cook to order stations like the stir fry are no brainer ways to reduce waste while keeping passengers happy. Another option is to serve hot meals at dinner that people actually want to eat. 

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Wow. Good to have some inside intel!  I have many times mused about the obvious food waste on cruise ships. I’ve seen countless abandoned plates of food left on tables waiting to be bussed and I wondered why someone would take all that food if they weren’t going to eat it. I think Celebrity are right to make efforts to counter food waste. I’m glad, even. But I hope they reassess their strategy. Cook to order stations like the stir fry are no brainer ways to reduce waste while keeping passengers happy. Another option is to serve hot meals at dinner that people actually want to eat. 

That same meeting the rep said the charge for room service was also to cut down waste and the needless use of understaffed crew to deliver the RS.  Too many abused RS and order things they never eat and would leave the full plates outside their cabins. Just walk down the hallways early in the morning to see what is left outside the cabins from the night before.

[wrk2cruise]

@terrydtx   Let's remember your TA's rep reports up through Celebrity sales management chain.  While I agree waste is probably and issue with the buffet I believe it is more staff related.  If it was waste then why would they close the grill where things are cooked to order (low waste).

 

With the lobster tails I found it discussing when on Equinox just over a year ago and the guy at the next table in the MDR ordered in excess of 10.   I think if they limited to 2 nobody would have complained.

 

I do think they totally mismanaged the changes.   They certainly could have made an announcement late fall that starting in January they were going to refresh their MDR menus and make some changes overall to reduce food waste.   Lipstick on the pig.

 

Much of the reaction (including mine on my Jan 2 Equinox sailing) was being surprised by the changes.  I do hope they listen to feedback and adjust

 

Just my thoughts.

 

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

@terrydtx   Let's remember your TA's rep reports up through Celebrity sales management chain.  While I agree waste is probably and issue with the buffet I believe it is more staff related.  If it was waste then why would they close the grill where things are cooked to order (low waste).

 

With the lobster tails I found it discussing when on Equinox just over a year ago and the guy at the next table in the MDR ordered in excess of 10.   I think if they limited to 2 nobody would have complained.

 

I do think they totally mismanaged the changes.   They certainly could have made an announcement late fall that starting in January they were going to refresh their MDR menus and make some changes overall to reduce food waste.   Lipstick on the pig.

 

Much of the reaction (including mine on my Jan 2 Equinox sailing) was being surprised by the changes.  I do hope they listen to feedback and adjust

 

Just my thoughts.

 

I can agree with your comments, Celebrity mishandled how they rolled out the changes with no communication prior to January 1. 

[weregoingcruising]

7 hours ago, Thameside said:

Just returned off of Constellation Friday and can inform you that the grill was open every Lunch time but never in the evening and that it alway served the same three items for freshly cooked, pork loin, chicken fillet and rock fish. Also many stations closed in the evening and that was on a fairly full cruise.

Ditto