Question for recent Celebrity cruisers.

[Baggy178]

1 hour ago, Wichenford Wolf said:

 We are booked on Infinity in November. All but one of our previous Celebrity cruises have been in Aqua, basically because we love Blu restaurant. This time the difference in price between Aqua and Concierge was just too great for us. It was quite a recent booking and Concierge was actually cheaper than a regular veranda stateroom. 
 

I have put in a Move Up bid at what is described as a “weak” level, but at least I don’t have previous MDR experience on Celebrity to compare! We do have lots of Princess cruises under our belt, always using their MDR on most occasions. 
 

Whatever experiences others have had, and however disappointing MDR might be, we will surely have a fantastic cruise. 
 

Karen and Paul 

 

 

It's probably just me but if a holiday company started with any of that nonsense about putting in bids to upgrade to a higher level I'd tell them where to shove it.

Doesn't anyone have any self-respect these days ?

The more you indulge these grifters the more they're going to rip you off.

 

[gizmodog]

If you all accept short ribs and don’t care about the yummy steaks that were once served then I guess celebrity is for you. . Short ribs can be tasty but to me it’s prepared like stew. I  Miss the filet mignon days, the lobster that use to be a lobster worth getting excited about, steak Diane that was once made with tenderloin tips, not sirloin. Waiters that never messed up who ordered what and put the correct plate in front of you, the not feeling rushed feeling and being able to chat with your servers. I miss it all, there seems to be no steaks other then the everyday New York sirloin which is sometimes good sometimes not. 
do you get prime rib now? On our last two cruises it was not there but that was in January and February, edge and infinity. Dining room is no longer a special night to look forward to. Pork, short ribs, pasta and fish every night it seems. Very sad even for the new cruisers who will never experience how special it was and how you were treated like a king and queen regardless of your stateroom. No never seemed to be part of their vocabulary now it seems it is used quite often.

 

 

[padgman1]

On one of our best cruises, the poor waiter continued to mix up my meal with my cruising friend’s meal. Of course, we are both named Bill. This went on EVERY night until the last. We decided to switch places after ordering to see if we would get our appropriate meals - NOPE. Great fun and lots of laughs ( service was excellent despite this).

[phoenix_dream]

1 hour ago, Baggy178 said:

 

 

It's probably just me but if a holiday company started with any of that nonsense about putting in bids to upgrade to a higher level I'd tell them where to shove it.

Doesn't anyone have any self-respect these days ?

The more you indulge these grifters the more they're going to rip you off.

 

I think it is just you. The move up program gives you a shot at sailing in a cabin you may not have been able to afford before.  What does that have to do with self respect?   If I want to gamble and try to attain a better cabin that I couldn't afford or cost justify at original booking you disrespect me?? And how do you figure that's ripping anyone off?  Someone gets a nicer cabin at a better cost and Celebrity gets a little more $$. Sounds like win-win to me.

[C4HCG]

1 hour ago, gizmodog said:

If you all accept short ribs and don’t care about the yummy steaks that were once served then I guess celebrity is for you. . Short ribs can be tasty but to me it’s prepared like stew. I  Miss the filet mignon days, the lobster that use to be a lobster worth getting excited about, steak Diane that was once made with tenderloin tips, not sirloin. Waiters that never messed up who ordered what and put the correct plate in front of you, the not feeling rushed feeling and being able to chat with your servers. I miss it all, there seems to be no steaks other then the everyday New York sirloin which is sometimes good sometimes not. 
do you get prime rib now? On our last two cruises it was not there but that was in January and February, edge and infinity. Dining room is no longer a special night to look forward to. Pork, short ribs, pasta and fish every night it seems. Very sad even for the new cruisers who will never experience how special it was and how you were treated like a king and queen regardless of your stateroom. No never seemed to be part of their vocabulary now it seems it is used quite often.

 

 

We were made to feel very special on our cruise week before last, crew couldn’t do enough for us. MDR was a treat each time we went due to excellent servers. Spoken as a new cruiser who first sailed in 2019, don’t really care what it was like before then, we have loved our cruises since and live for today.

[Rustyman]

10 hours ago, C4HCG said:

It is, take it from someone who is speaking from the experience of sailing just last week. Me and others have posted first hand from our cruises but some people choose to ignore that, not sure why.

That’s good to know then, clearly there has been a u turn as Silhouette in August was nothing like your cruise in the MDR. 

[SbbquilterUT]

Sailed Solstice two weeks ago - had a lovely Alaska experience.  Enjoyed Raw on 5 twice for celebrations.  Ate in MDR the rest - food ranged from fine to very nice.  Just like eating at the buffet there are things I do not choose but usually I had 2 or 3 starters and added  the entree a couple nights.  DH ate entrees each night and enjoyed them.  I enjoy good food but do not expect fine dining in the MDR, just well cooked food in the smaller portions as they are serving.  The lamb shank was very nice and much too big for me so DH helped out.  The night there was prime rib it was also delicious.  Mashed potatoes are not my thing so I asked for extra vegetables.

[ConnMom]

I appreciate all the personal experiences (and photos) people have shared; you have offered some good suggestions, which is why I have valued Cruise Critic for many years.  I do hope the next year might bring some better quality food  as well as more choice, but if that is not the case, I will do what I can to make the cruise as enjoyable as possible.  

Cheryl

[zitsky]

14 hours ago, Molly123. said:

Just remembered why I avoid posting anything on cruise critic.I always try to give a balanced and fair viewpoint on anything I comment on in life but appreciate it is solely my opinion. I respect others views but clearly some people feel differently. Note to self don't post on cruise critic in future.

No please keep posting.

[GIZMO81]

After reading all the posts thought I would give you guys our 2 cents. We are Lynn and Ed from Miami and we recently got back from a 10 day Adriatic and Med cruise on The Beyond. We ate at almost every imaginable venue all MDR , Ocean View and Specialty restaurants. 95 plus percent of t time food was fantastic. The 5 per cent that it wasn’t we reorder something different. Our process for maximizing the chance of abundant great choices daily is a relentless search of what is being offered at all venues and booking our nightly meal accordingly. There are plenty of choices and it has worked, for us, to perfection. Enjoy our small sample of what we put in our BELLIES. 

 

[Chrisclaire]

Thankyou so much for posting these, the dishes look delicious!

We are going on Solstice in 4 weeks and I was starting to become a little concerned after reading some of the posts on CC.

I always described our dining in the MDR as eating out every night in a 5 star hotel. 

Not sure this will still be the case, but will go with an open mind, judge for ourselves and will have a blast, whatever 😉 

Thanks again!

[CruiseCrew123]

I’m currently on Infinity. Can confirm the mash potato is everywhere ! However we got round that by ordering the veggie main as a side dish in the MDR

[villauk]

1 hour ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

Can confirm the mash potato is everywhere !

 

Oh no, mashed potato makes me physically sick 🙈! I’ll definitely be ordering a plate of steamed vegetables instead. We haven’t cruised with X since before COVID, so we are expecting a few changes when we sail to Japan next year on Millie. We’re not great foodies - suspect we won’t go hungry 🤞🏻. We kept staying on a recent Princess cruise that X has the edge over them regarding food. After reading all the recent posts, it appears that may not be the case.

[Chrisclaire]

3 hours ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

I’m currently on Infinity. Can confirm the mash potato is everywhere ! However we got round that by ordering the veggie main as a side dish in the MDR

These dishes look lovely!

[billc23]

On 9/17/2023 at 8:15 AM, Molly123. said:

Just remembered why I avoid posting anything on cruise critic.I always try to give a balanced and fair viewpoint on anything I comment on in life but appreciate it is solely my opinion. I respect others views but clearly some people feel differently. Note to self don't post on cruise critic in future.

I agree and, while not posting much for years, I  have recently started posting factual information of my experience on specific ships at a specific time. I have learned a lot on CC from some posters over the years and if I can add to the mix in situations where my experiences may benefit others I will post. The "chair hog type" posters, the negative posters who feel the need to add negative comments (often the same ones) to every thread, and the posters with frequent snarky comments are ignored.

 

I have a question for you so please post at least once more - What is the significance of 123 after your name??

[sunkey1]

On 9/17/2023 at 12:18 PM, gizmodog said:

If you all accept short ribs and don’t care about the yummy steaks that were once served then I guess celebrity is for you. . Short ribs can be tasty but to me it’s prepared like stew. I  Miss the filet mignon days, the lobster that use to be a lobster worth getting excited about, steak Diane that was once made with tenderloin tips, not sirloin. Waiters that never messed up who ordered what and put the correct plate in front of you, the not feeling rushed feeling and being able to chat with your servers. I miss it all, there seems to be no steaks other then the everyday New York sirloin which is sometimes good sometimes not. 
do you get prime rib now? On our last two cruises it was not there but that was in January and February, edge and infinity. Dining room is no longer a special night to look forward to. Pork, short ribs, pasta and fish every night it seems. Very sad even for the new cruisers who will never experience how special it was and how you were treated like a king and queen regardless of your stateroom. No never seemed to be part of their vocabulary now it seems it is used quite often.

 

 

I also miss seeing people dress nice for dinner and seeing amazing shows every night. Cruising has changed, just as life in general has changed. I miss the “good old days” but I’ve adjusted my expectations and, (sadly) in some cases, lowered my standards. This stops me from being disappointed and allows me to have a great time on EVERY cruise. I simply remind myself of the people in Ukraine, Maui or Libya and realize how great I truly have it to be on vacation and to have family, a home and a job waiting for me. Kind of makes me realize how minor some of these issues that people constantly gripe about truly are. If you don’t like the cuts or changes, stop cruising. It’s really quite a simple solution.

[hcat]

15 hours ago, GIZMO81 said:

After reading all the posts thought I would give you guys our 2 cents. We are Lynn and Ed from Miami and we recently got back from a 10 day Adriatic and Med cruise on The Beyond. We ate at almost every imaginable venue all MDR , Ocean View and Specialty restaurants. 95 plus percent of t time food was fantastic. The 5 per cent that it wasn’t we reorder something different. Our process for maximizing the chance of abundant great choices daily is a relentless search of what is being offered at all venues and booking our nightly meal accordingly. There are plenty of choices and it has worked, for us, to perfection. Enjoy our small sample of what we put in our BELLIES. 

 

Thanks for posting...did not entice me very much.. but you seemed to be happy..that's what counts.

 

Some  pics are upside down...but even so, there were many I could not figure out.  The bacon,  omelet, fruit, cheeses and shrimp cocktail looked okay.  Not sure why so many dishes are literally swimming in broth or sauce..esp shrimp in the green stuff.

 

hope we can get plain un sauced food in BLU

 

[Texed]

12 hours ago, villauk said:

Oh no, mashed potato makes me physically sick 🙈! I’ll definitely be ordering a plate of steamed vegetables instead.

 

Maybe you can change the mashed potatoes for mushy peas.  😆

[hcat]

13 hours ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

I’m currently on Infinity. Can confirm the mash potato is everywhere ! However we got round that by ordering the veggie main as a side dish in the MDR

these look better.. will remember the veggie tip!

[villauk]

1 hour ago, Texed said:

 

Maybe you can change the mashed potatoes for mushy peas.  😆

 

🤣😂🤣 I can’t stand mushy peas either 😂. I’m obviously not your typical British traveller.

Hi Ed, 

Hope you and Jacquie are well. We’re looking forward to our Japan trip next year on Millie; perhaps not the mashed potato so much 🤣. Still travelling as our group of 7. The boys are now in their 20s 😲! Our eldest is at Oxford completing his doctorate and the youngest is in his last year of his Masters - how time flies. We were back in Norway last month; it’s still one of our favourite places to visit.

[Texed]

9 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

🤣😂🤣 I can’t stand mushy peas either 😂. I’m obviously not your typical British traveller.

Hi Ed, 

Hope you and Jacquie are well. We’re looking forward to our Japan trip next year on Millie; perhaps not the mashed potato so much 🤣. Still travelling as our group of 7. The boys are now in their 20s 😲! Our eldest is at Oxford completing his doctorate and the youngest is in his last year of his Masters - how time flies. We were back in Norway last month; it’s still one of our favourite places to visit.

 

We are doing wonderful, thanks for asking.  Very nice to hear from y'all.  And great news about your sons.  🤠

[D. B.]

To ConnMom.

 We were on Summit early September and noticed the same MDR changes you mentioned.

 There are so many Positive things I love about Celebrity that we will continue to sail with them (6 future cruises booked) But this year we tried Azamara and Oceania and although the Food was sometimes better they both  filter out all the FUN things we love on Celebrity.

 Paying more for the food was not worth giving up the Fun things that Celebrity offers.

[Georgia_Peaches]

50 minutes ago, D. B. said:

they both  filter out all the FUN things we love on Celebrity.

Interesting observation. Do you mind elaborating on this?  I won’t consider Azamara due to lack of casino (fun thing?) but have considered Oceania. 

[Pear30]

We just returned from 14 night Alaska on the Millenium.  We have cruised for many years on Celebrity. 

The staff are fantastic!! The food.... Not so ... 

The prime rib for us was the best item on the menu. The chicken dishes were tough and tasteless, the poor quality of beef- Steak Dianne, flank steak were less than desirable to eat- tough and loaded in gravy for flavour. We spent many nights at the buffet which was ok.. Just the same items pretty much each night. 

We were very disappointed in the paired down menu items for starters and the mains. If you are not a fish or "other game meat lover" then there are not many choices. We are definitely not rushing to book more cruises on Celebrity and are enjoying reading other reviews on other cruise lines. We will try something else..maybe a land vacation. 

[D. B.]

28 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Interesting observation. Do you mind elaborating on this?  I won’t consider Azamara due to lack of casino (fun thing?) but have considered Oceania. 

My wife will not do Azamara again because of the small ship ocean motion and lack of a casino but we did that cruise for the almost daily stops in ports around Japan.

 As for Oceania (on Marina one of it's larger ships) we loved the ship but the Fun daily activities we enjoy on Celebrity that involve Guest Participation like Fun Dancing, Bean Bag toss, Safe archery, ring toss, Paper airplane contest, and the like are not there.

 Even Bingo is conducted like it's so low key it's boring.

 I guess people who do high price cruises live for string quartets and 4pm Tea and hiding in their expensive suites.

 Look I don't need a belly flop contest or group hugs but a little Fun is appreciated.