Do we have to pay for the treats in Cafe al Bacio now?

I picked up a friend who returned from the Infinity today and she said that Café al Bacio now charges for the morning pastries/afternoon desserts if you are not purchasing a beverage. If you purchase a beverage, the treats are available at no charge.

I have been away from the boards for most of the last 6 weeks, so haven't seen anything about this if it has already been posted. I did a cursory search but didn't find anything pertinent.

I'm really hoping this isn't true, but my friend is a seasoned cruiser...I don't see how she could have gotten this wrong. I was taking her to the airport, so didn't have time to ask her any questions, i.e. how much are they charging?

I was just wondering if anyone has any recent information on this subject. Thanks in advance! :)

Not true at all. The treats are totally free !!! Enjoy

First I've heard of it if so.

First I've heard also. You might ask on some of the recent Roll Calls, or on the upcoming one.

I picked up a friend who returned from the Infinity today and she said that Café al Bacio now charges for the morning pastries/afternoon desserts if you are not purchasing a beverage.

From consecutive cruises--the first on Eclipse; the second on Silhouette--last week... You will be pleased to know that there was no charge for treats at Cafe al Bacio during either cruise...

Wonder if they confused Gelateria where on some ships they have added in coffee machines, but in that space stuff must still be paid for?

Just got off the Summit and there is no charge for the pastries- with or without buying a drink. Just walk up and they give them to you.

The items behind the glass where they make coffee drinks should be complimentary. Where they charge is usually near the gelato. Here they sell large cupcakes and other sweets. These items are are for a charge.

Hmmm…. that's new. Didn't see any cupcakes or any other baked goods in the gelateria area on Eclipse in July. At first that I thought that the mystery had been solved but on re-reading the OP's post, it said that the sweets were complimentary if you ordered a beverage, otherwise not. If that's so, that's a real change and I hope that other posters who just got off their cruises can chime in.

Hmmm…. that's new. Didn't see any cupcakes or any other baked goods in the gelateria area on Eclipse in July. At first that I thought that the mystery had been solved but on re-reading the OP's post, it said that the sweets were complimentary if you ordered a beverage, otherwise not. If that's so, that's a real change and I hope that other posters who just got off their cruises can chime in.

Again, very recently off Silhouette, definitely NO CHARGE for cookies or pastries with or without a drink

Just off the Solstice 2 weeks and no charge.

Yesterday's chocolate chip cookies and today's blueberry muffins on the Equinox were definitely f.o.c. and, by the way, rather tasty ;)

Hmmm…. that's new. Didn't see any cupcakes or any other baked goods in the gelateria area on Eclipse in July. At first that I thought that the mystery had been solved but on re-reading the OP's post, it said that the sweets were complimentary if you ordered a beverage, otherwise not. If that's so, that's a real change and I hope that other posters who just got off their cruises can chime in.

New to me also...don't recall cupcakes.

I remember seeing cupcakes on the Solstice last year at the Gelateria but not on the Summit this week.

This thread is very interesting. My parents are recently off the Summit and spent a lot of their time in Café al Bacio... when they returned they mentioned to me that in speaking w/ one of the barista's on board she mentioned that there was talk of Celebrity beginning to charge for pastries in al Balcio to patrons who did not purchase a coffee/tea/beverage.

I wanted to bring it up earlier when they had mentioned it to me but it sounded odd to me so I never did. Very interesting that someone else had this experience.

That's really interesting given the number of drink packages sold. Someone could just get an included drink and a pastry and not drink it. You usually have to wait in line for a drink and the time for them to make it, but if I really wanted a black & white cookie, I might do it.

We've been on the Equinox twice. The first time we were told that the pastries were only complimentary with beverage purchase. The second time there was no charge. Never figured that one out.

I am probably in the minority but I have not thought the pastries in the Cafe were really that special. Not worth the calories for me and I do like sweets. I would rather pay for the gelato or head upstairs for some hard ice cream.

Just a thought...but as beverage staff earn gratuities based on drinks sold (even on the free beverage packages), I wonder if they are trying to increase their tip pool by forcing people to get a beverage so they can swipe a card in the computer, knowing that most everyone has a package these days so although it won't cost us as the guest, the employee will scam a tip out of it.

This could explain the variability of it, as well a prior posters' wonderment about why it matters with drink packages....

FYI one of my favorite college classes when I was getting my hotel degree, was we had to come up with 20 ways staff can screw a hotel and restaurant out of money....so I think like this....

Just a thought...but as beverage staff earn gratuities based on drinks sold (even on the free beverage packages), I wonder if they are trying to increase their tip pool by forcing people to get a beverage so they can swipe a card in the computer, knowing that most everyone has a package these days so although it won't cost us as the guest, the employee will scam a tip out of it.....

Curt, this is an interesting point. Have you/other experienced celeb cruises noticed an actual increase in speed and service related to drink packages?

Curt, this is an interesting point. Have you/other experienced celeb cruises noticed an actual increase in speed and service related to drink packages?

I've never really had issue with speed of service ever, except for martini bar when slammed pre and post dinner, and Molecular bar which is expected due to the complexity of the drinks.

On my Sille cruise last November, X actually set up a temporary"Satellite" bar in Martini bar to make simple drinks and serve bottled beer since it was so crowded, and most all had drink packages - that tells me there is no secret mission to slow down drinks because they are all "free".

Just a thought...but as beverage staff earn gratuities based on drinks sold (even on the free beverage packages), I wonder if they are trying to increase their tip pool by forcing people to get a beverage so they can swipe a card in the computer, knowing that most everyone has a package these days so although it won't cost us as the guest, the employee will scam a tip out of it.

 

This could explain the variability of it, as well a prior posters' wonderment about why it matters with drink packages....

 

FYI one of my favorite college classes when I was getting my hotel degree, was we had to come up with 20 ways staff can screw a hotel and restaurant out of money....so I think like this....

Have never had the barista ask if we wanted a drink when we just get a pastry.

They give you the pastry and that is it.

"Just a thought...but as beverage staff earn gratuities based on drinks sold (even on the free beverage packages), I wonder if they are trying to increase their tip pool by forcing people to get a beverage so they can swipe a card in the computer, knowing that most everyone has a package these days so although it won't cost us as the guest, the employee will scam a tip out of it."

But this begs the question, how much are they (supposedly) charging for the food if you don't buy a beverage. The cookies, for instance, are free up on the buffet. How much are they charging for them at al Bacio. How much for the pastries, the donuts, the brownies, the fruit tarts?

Until I see a menu with prices written on it, I won't be believing this.

Or are they saying, no beverage, no food, and turning people away?

Seems a bit strange to me.

"Just a thought...but as beverage staff earn gratuities based on drinks sold (even on the free beverage packages), I wonder if they are trying to increase their tip pool by forcing people to get a beverage so they can swipe a card in the computer, knowing that most everyone has a package these days so although it won't cost us as the guest, the employee will scam a tip out of it."

 

But this begs the question, how much are they (supposedly) charging for the food if you don't buy a beverage. The cookies, for instance, are free up on the buffet. How much are they charging for them at al Bacio. How much for the pastries, the donuts, the brownies, the fruit tarts?

 

Until I see a menu with prices written on it, I won't be believing this.

 

Or are they saying, no beverage, no food, and turning people away?

 

Seems a bit strange to me.

I was so shocked that I didn't ask any follow up questions...I was driving to the airport and trying to keep in my lane. :) This was yesterday, and I had three people in my car whom I had just picked up from the Infinity. It was a very reliable friend who told me about the charges for the baked goods and she was very specific that it was Café al Bacio. Her friends in the back seat chimed in and corroborated the story. My friend has been on more cruises than I have, although probably less with Celebrity. However, she is very familiar with Café al Bacio/Cova Café and the practices there.

I will give her a chance to get settled back at home then will email her some further questions about the pricing, and how this worked. Also, I'll ask how many times she went to Café al Bacio and saw this happening, and what the feedback was from passengers.

Maybe they were running a trial on the Infinity to see how it would be received.

Anyhow, I will let you know what I find out.

If Celebrity is listening, I think charging for the treats in Café al Bacio is a really BAD idea (not that I need them, but I am a black coffee drinker and I do enjoy a little indulgence with a cuppa java when on a cruise. It makes me feel pampered.) But since I shouldn't be eating them anyway, I sure wouldn't be inclined to pay extra for them.

I was so shocked that I didn't ask any follow up questions...I was driving to the airport and trying to keep in my lane. :) This was yesterday, and I had three people in my car whom I had just picked up from the Infinity. It was a very reliable friend who told me about the charges for the baked goods and she was very specific that it was Café al Bacio. Her friends in the back seat chimed in and corroborated the story. My friend has been on more cruises than I have, although probably less with Celebrity. However, she is very familiar with Café al Bacio/Cova Café and the practices there.

 

I will give her a chance to get settled back at home then will email her some further questions about the pricing, and how this worked. Also, I'll ask how many times she went to Café al Bacio and saw this happening, and what the feedback was from passengers.

 

Maybe they were running a trial on the Infinity to see how it would be received.

 

Anyhow, I will let you know what I find out.

 

If Celebrity is listening, I think charging for the treats in Café al Bacio is a really BAD idea (not that I need them, but I am a black coffee drinker and I do enjoy a little indulgence with a cuppa java when on a cruise. It makes me feel pampered.) But since I shouldn't be eating them anyway, I sure wouldn't be inclined to pay extra for them.

Based on Cruisestitch's query, a specific question to ask would be "When they said treat were free with coffee, did you get the coffee with package and get the treats or did you actually pay for treats? Did you actually see anyone have to pay for the treats?"

Bear in mind sometimes they leave a sales folder even with drink packages hoping people add to that tip line, so simply seeing a check presented, dose not necessarily mean they were charged anything.

The investigator side of me wants to see if it's a sales play, where if someone ends up without a package, they wink and say, that's OK take the treat it's on me. This would be a way they can hide scamming for tips by running more cards than they need to. This would ensure no guest actually is ever being billed erroneously - and as Cruisestitch said, if it's a new policy, how are they ringing the sale on the register - they would have had to add the pastry items as a sellable item.