basil1

23 hours ago, Cap_D said:

Amen.  No one would book reservations at a restaurant with the baseline being they "won't starve."  In 2023, for restaurant dining, one can look at the menu, read reviews, see pictures, and generally make informed decisions.  On Celebrity they make that difficult, and have run their food program into the ground.  The only reason why the ships are full are because of past reputation.  The menus aren't even contemporary in their preparations.  Scoops of mashed potatoes that appear as if they are from a 1960s hospital cafeteria are not normal for modern dining.  The local Applebees, Cheesecake Factory, Chili's and other chain restaurant menus are more interesting. The pandemic and supply chain issues are over, and any company that purchases as much food as Celebrity does that can't figure out how to have interesting menus, choice, and some semblance of quality should go out of business. 

YES!!!!

I just looked at VV's site and they don't have much selection for itineraries. If I try them I'd like to start with a 7 day Caribbean sailing out of a US mainland port but they don't have that.

We were on the Constellation in February and honestly the food was terrible. I am 5'3" and 105 lbs so not really a foodie, lol, but it was bad. We are looking at Princess for our next cruise. It's that and some of the other cut backs.

On 8/29/2023 at 11:34 AM, 1620rock said:

There has been a lot of discussion of the reduced menu options.  Starting a thread to post what are some favorites from the MDR menu you would like to see return. One of my favorites I order every cruise when available is the jerk chicken with black bean and pineapple rice but I don't see it on the current Equinox menu or my October Equinox cruise

 

 

 

i love the jerk chicken, it was one of my favorites. Tournedos of beef (not sure I spelled that correctly). And I saw someone say chocolate cake was gone...if so that as well!

This is the most cheap ass ridiculous thing I have ever seen....

Sounds like our experience on Constellation in February. I got a couple of good items in the MDR but most was just as you described. 

Agreed. It's not a tip or gratuity it's a service charge. A tip or gratuity implies that it's intended for the person who did the job for you and did a better than expected job. IMHO

Thank you!

Thank you. We want to go sightseeing but without wearing a heavy coat.  :-)

Hello,

I am looking at booking a Princess Med cruise in early April but am a bit iffy about the weather that time of year. I've been to the Med (including Greek Isles) in September and it was fabulous and then to Turkey (on Thanksgiving day, lol) and it was really cold. Any thoughts on Greek Isles, Istanbul, Naples in early April?

Thanks 🙂

46 minutes ago, cw2go said:

I booked with a full buffet offering which was not available on my sailing and with a no fee room service menu. I understand the economics behind some of his but to what end? Cruisers book and pay deposits based on a product that no longer exists once they set sail. 

This exactly. It happened to us on the Constellation in February.

Thanks everyone!! I appreciate all your feedback. I think I am going to forgo the Celebrity Hawaii and look at a Princess Med. Food isn't the only factor but my hubby was so aggravated by it all and then now with additional cuts being raved about on the Celebrity forum it's just time to try Princess again :-)

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I would definitely disagree. We sail on Princess for food and food alone. Royal Princess and newer.

Our friends switched from RCI to Princess for food, but tried out Celebrity once. They said - never again, the food was not good at all.

The food used to be great on celebrity but not so much anymore. And I am not a big eater, lol. But it was really subpar on the last cruise.

42 minutes ago, Purplsmurf said:

We just got off of a Celebrity ship and there was no change in the menu. Everything was wonderful!

They'd make changes starting right at the time of our February cruise but if you go over to the celebrity forum, it's apparent they have made even more.

We usually sail with Celebrity or Princess. We haven't sailed with Princess in a few years and most recently sailed with Celebrity in February. We were quite disappointed with the food in the buffet (other than breakfast) and the MDR food as well. BUT I was still going to book a Celebrity Hawaii cruise because it's got 2 overnights and is one way so I could add on in Honolulu. Princess doesn't offer anything close. So now I am thinking about looking at a Princess Mediterranean because there is a big stink on the Celebrity forum about how celebrity has cut their food selection again...just this week. So that was a long way to go to get to my question. Has Princess gone bare bones in the buffet and MDR? I am not a big foodie but it was bad on Celebrity and now it has, apparently, gotten worse. I was really ready to go back to Princess anyway it's just they don't have the itinerary  I want for Hawaii. So maybe I'll do a Med. Thanks a bunch 🙂 

I was just getting ready to put a deposit down for a Hawaii cruise in the spring. But after our Constellation cruise in February and the pitiful buffet selection (other than breakfast) and the downgraded dinners in the MDR, sadly we will look for another cruise. We aren't foodies per se but enjoy a good meal. They'd already cut the menu and had taken away some of our favorites. I am in a calorie deficit right now getting ready for a fitness competition...maybe if I do it again I should do so while on a Celebrity cruise, lol.

I was on the Constellation for 10 days in February. We ate all breakfasts in the OVC and they were all very good (no complaints). We had lunch on sea days there as well and it was hit or miss. We ate most dinners in the MDR and all was pretty good. The choices have been tapered down a little and the quality wasn't what it used to be, however it wasn't bad. 

As far as the condition of the ship...our cabin was great and mostly everything looked well maintained. My hubby complained about the chairs in the OVC they are really worn down. The cushioning in some is gone. He's a very slim guy so it's not a weight issue. We had a great time but if you're a foodie you might be a little dissappointed.

We've been invited to sail away on the helipad several times. We are elite status but I am not sure if that has anything to do with it. Last time, in February, we were in a concierge cabin...not sure if that's related either. But we have never inquired about it. We've just received an invitation.

I was on Constellation in February and that's about the time the boards were on fire about the buffet. We had a delayed embarkation due to fog in Tampa so the first night we did the dinner buffet and there was a really nice selection and we thought the rumors weren't 100% true. Well, apparently it was because it was a late embarkation and they must have expected a large buffet for dinner turnout. All subsequent nights, when we went to check out the buffet, it was pitiful. We mostly ate in the MDR but were checking out the buffet due to all the negative reports. We did eat in the buffet at least one other time and the offerings were not only very limited but the quality just wasn't there. Hopefully there have been enough complaints that they've gone back to normal. There is a Celebrity cruise I want to book but hubby isn't game due to the disappointment in food both in the buffet and the MDR (they've cut selections there too...and it seems quality was lacking).

We sailed on the Constellation out of Tampa February 2023. There was fog for our embarkation and we didn't get on the ship until late. I want to say it was about 6:30 pm and apparently some of those disembarking from the previous cruise got off really late. We didn't have any problem with our disembarkation day. 

On 5/10/2023 at 11:44 AM, CruiseCrew123 said:

I think the Celebrity veg of choice is green beans - seems to come with everything 

My hubby once asked our waiter if they had a green bean farm somewhere on the ship. Because, you're right, they serve them with everything, lol.

I noticed mine had disappeared as well and I just tried the instructions above and it worked. I am 208 points away from elite plus! yay (lol)

20 hours ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

Those who have been concerned about cutbacks in the OVC may be happy to know that tonight for dinner they have the grill station open with fish, chicken, pork chop, steak, and multiple sausages. The stir-fry, carving, and pasta stations are also open.

Was it a late port day? From other posts is sounds like they increase the offerings on late port days.

It depends on a couple of factors. How long is the cruise? On a 7 night voyage we probably eat dinner only once in OVC. On a 10 night plus then probably twice. Also if it's a European cruise with late ports then we're more likely to go to the buffet.

41 minutes ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

When I sailed Edge in 2021 it was listed as "snacks" from 4-5 and that was the tea time. There were scones, clotted cream, etc. I think it is just dependent on the ships. I had family sail Edge and Equinox within months of each other in 2022 and Edge had the "snacks" listed and Equinox did not, and had nothing besides pizza in the buffet at that time. 

I am crossing my fingers because hubby and I always liked to get a scone or sometimes they had mini empanadas. I'll keep y'all posted late next week.