What's up at Oceanview Cafe for dinner so far?

[SoBe2010]

Hello everybody,

our Connie Cruise is getting closer and it's been a while since the "turmoil" regarding the quality of dinner at the Oceanview Cafe at the beginning of 2023.

Since we will be having our meals up there in the evening for the most part of the cruise, I'm of course curious and certainly grateful for any observations you made lately.

Thanks in advance!

[twincheryl]

Not sure about Connie, but have been on Apex and Summit since the buffet debacle and there was plenty to choose from… even a rotating grill station, stir fry, and pasta station.  No issues for us and we only dine in buffet for dinner, so we are happy it is getting back to more normal!

[lostchild]

36 minutes ago, twincheryl said:

Not sure about Connie, but have been on Apex and Summit since the buffet debacle and there was plenty to choose from… even a rotating grill station, stir fry, and pasta station.  No issues for us and we only dine in buffet for dinner, so we are happy it is getting back to more normal!

Just got off Apex last week.  "Majority" of our dinners were at the Oceanview Cafe.   We had been to the main dining restaurants, Eden, and Le Petite Chef.  With the exception of Eden, OC beats all of the others.   All the stations are open as I don't find anything "missing".   There is one empty island, but I am not sure what else could be there as there are already so many choices.   My normal plate of food would have like 3 to 5 different kind of meat from turkey, steak, pork shoulder, to lamb, fish, chicken, etc...    My wife only eats veggies and there were plenty of choices for her too.   The food at the main restaurant is great but just took way too long to finish a meal.  Also, it is nice to eat dinner in your t-shirt and shorts and flip flops at the buffet.   The only improvement I would add to the current buffet is more seafood.   Right now, there is only fish.   There were mussels at one buffet lunch but that was it.   I don't remember seeing any shrimps or crab.  

[SoBe2010]

Thanks for your detailed insights so far. Sounds great.

Edited July 12, 2023 by SoBe2010

[helen haywood]

My main complaint about dinner at the Buffet is the complete lack of any ambiance.  I joke one day I’ll bring a paper tablecloth and mini battery candles…

[SoBe2010]

3 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

My main complaint about dinner at the Buffet is the complete lack of any ambiance.  I joke one day I’ll bring a paper tablecloth and mini battery candles…

That is true. It was better many many years ago. Now, Holland America is definitely an upscale experience compared to Celebrity for Dinner.

[Travel-and-See]

I was on Millenium a few weeks ago and I felt the Oceanview Cafe was a big step down compared to last year on the Solstice.

 

There were no baked potatoes available (these were available for every lunch and dinner last year), the Indian food, which was a highlight last year on the Solstice, was usually just rice and some very water-downed looking stews. The salad bar ingredients and fresh fruit usually looked very tired and on the verge of expiration. Lots of items just looked to be very poor quality items.  

 

The Pasta station and Daily Specials usually had very long lines.  

 

While you asked about Dinner, at Breakfast they were using some sort of liquid egg to make the omelets. 

 

Desserts were not good last year either but they are really bad at Ocen View. If you want a decent dessert go to the coffee shop -the ones at OceanView are really really bad. 

 

Now that being said, I was always able to find something to eat - there's plenty to choose from you just really have to walk around and look for the best options. 

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

Reportedly, the E-Class seems to have more open than the other classes and I'd guess 70% was open when I was on the Beyond this past May

 

Was on the Millie in April and the buffet was only about 30% open

 

Jan-early Feb were the peak of cutbacks where there was like 4 rotational dishes open on our Solstice sailing in addition to pizza and salad

[Travel-and-See]

6 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Was on the Millie in April and the buffet was only about 30% open

 

A few stations were closed for dinner but I think they were all open for peak Breakfast and Lunch. Definitely more than 30%... I can't imagine who thought it was a good idea to keep only 30% of the buffet open! Crazy. 

 

On the Millenium - where they have the drinks at (cans of soda, beer and wine) - did those used to be food stations as well? They look like they were... if those are cutbacks too that's a shame. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

7 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

A few stations were closed for dinner but I think they were all open for peak Breakfast and Lunch. Definitely more than 30%... I can't imagine who thought it was a good idea to keep only 30% of the buffet open! Crazy. 

 

On the Millenium - where they have the drinks at (cans of soda, beer and wine) - did those used to be food stations as well? They look like they were... if those are cutbacks too that's a shame. 

 

It was dinner only at 30%; the layout is a rectangle...Only the aft stations were open with the front and sides closed except for the pizza station and pasta station

[Debbra1024]

We were on the constellation March of this year. All my concerns, based on CC reports, were for nothing. The food in the Oceanview Cafe and MDR was very good. There was plenty of choices in both. Service was wonderful in the MDR and quite good in the buffet. Most stations were open at dinner and all seemed open at breakfast and lunch. Enjoy your cruise. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 hours ago, Debbra1024 said:

We were on the constellation March of this year. All my concerns, based on CC reports, were for nothing. The food in the Oceanview Cafe and MDR was very good. There was plenty of choices in both. Service was wonderful in the MDR and quite good in the buffet. Most stations were open at dinner and all seemed open at breakfast and lunch. Enjoy your cruise. 

 

By March, X relented with their OV dinner choices.  Fleetwide, this past January, there were minimal OV dinner choices; there are many threads with photos and youtube videos

 

[keesar]

12 hours ago, SoBe2010 said:

Hello everybody,

our Connie Cruise is getting closer and it's been a while since the "turmoil" regarding the quality of dinner at the Oceanview Cafe at the beginning of 2023.

Since we will be having our meals up there in the evening for the most part of the cruise, I'm of course curious and certainly grateful for any observations you made lately.

Thanks in advance!

 

On our cruises on Equinox and Beyond, all stations at the Buffet were open for dinner.  Each night, there was a carving station offering items like beef, turkey, lamb, and pork roasts.  In addition, there were often nightly themes such as  Mexican, Eastern European, Italian, etc.  The food was of very good quality with many choices.  The fruit and salad items were fresh.

[SoBe2010]

3 hours ago, keesar said:

 

On our cruises on Equinox and Beyond, all stations at the Buffet were open for dinner.  Each night, there was a carving station offering items like beef, turkey, lamb, and pork roasts.  In addition, there were often nightly themes such as  Mexican, Eastern European, Italian, etc.  The food was of very good quality with many choices.  The fruit and salad items were fresh.

Was one of your cruises recently and in the Mediterranean by any chance?

[keesar]

1 hour ago, SoBe2010 said:

Was one of your cruises recently and in the Mediterranean by any chance?

They were in the Winter/Spring.

Edited July 13, 2023 by keesar

[Esprit]

15 hours ago, helen haywood said:

My main complaint about dinner at the Buffet is the complete lack of any ambiance.  I joke one day I’ll bring a paper tablecloth and mini battery candles…

Totally agree.

......and why can't they install a few microwave ovens for passengers to use. I'm fed up with luke warm food every time I go up there to grab something on the go?

[Essiesmom]

I was on the Summit in June and had to give up on the MDR because as a solo an hour  wait for a table in select was a no go.  I booked too late for fixed seating.  I found the OVC to be great for breakfast and lunch, but it was on,y about 2/3 open for dinner, and none of the entrees on the MRD menu were available on the buffet.  The Asian, Latin, and Indian stations were always open and dessert selection was large.  I never had a problem finding something to eat, but I wasn’t impressed.  EM

Edited July 13, 2023 by Essiesmom

[Tyler414]

8 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

By March, X relented with their OV dinner choices.  Fleetwide, this past January, there were minimal OV dinner choices; there are many threads with photos and youtube videos

 

 

I was one of the "lucky" ones on Beyond in January.  It was pretty bad, it really made me reconsider my future booking wit Celebrity.  Glad to hear things have gotten back to somewhat normal.

[NutsAboutGolf]

9 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

I was one of the "lucky" ones on Beyond in January.  It was pretty bad, it really made me reconsider my future booking wit Celebrity.  Glad to hear things have gotten back to somewhat normal.

Ditto, with slim pickins’.  It took a lot of effort to get the buffet dinner somewhat back to normal…A rare win for CC’s relentless complaining 🤣

Edited July 13, 2023 by NutsAboutGolf

[C4HCG]

12 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

A rare win for CC’s relentless complaining 🤣

If Celebrity did everything superbly people on here would be complaining that they had nothing to complain about!

[NutsAboutGolf]

22 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

If Celebrity did everything superbly people on here would be complaining that they had nothing to complain about!

 

My favorite are those who complain about complainers on a "critic" site...ha ha

[bigbenboys]

I'm glad the food situation is getting closer to normal. I just dont think Celebrity has learned from their mistake. As Celebrity is now testing vaping in the casinos on 2 of their ships. Cautiously looking forward to our cruise in Sept.

[NutsAboutGolf]

8 minutes ago, bigbenboys said:

I'm glad the food situation is getting closer to normal. I just dont think Celebrity has learned from their mistake. As Celebrity is now testing vaping in the casinos on 2 of their ships. Cautiously looking forward to our cruise in Sept.

 

In Jan-Feb, many reported excessively long MDR dinner service and I wonder if that was more of a factor than the complaining for them relenting

[C 2 C]

20 hours ago, helen haywood said:

My main complaint about dinner at the Buffet is the complete lack of any ambiance.  I joke one day I’ll bring a paper tablecloth and mini battery candles…

I remember the days when Celebrity had a designated area in OV cafe with table cloths and service for a $5 charge.  Around South America, this was THE place to dine.

[bigbenboys]

Yes, I remember table cloths in the OV. Also sorbet being served by staff around the pool area while sunbathing.