Molecular will be replaced!?

I have just returned from a cruise on Celebrity Reflection and was told by one of the bar staff at the Molecular Bar that in 60 days it will be no more. celebrity have decided not to renew their contract with Junior Merino as it was too expensive. A great pity as loved the drinks in this bar. No one was sure what will go in its place. Also heard on board that Cellar Masters was becoming a Gadtro bar.

Thanks for telling us this firsthand information. It's people like you that keep this forum interesting. I really appreciate it when people try to keep the cruising world informed of the latest information.

Celebrity responded to my email. Below is part of their response. It appears the bar will be available on the Reflection until July.

quote

"We have contacted the Beverage Operations Manager and he has advised that the Molecular Bar will be operational onboard the Celebrity Reflection until July. It will be available for your cruise date.

Thank you for choosing Celebrity Cruises. We look forward to welcoming you onboard the Celebrity Reflection in May."

unquote

Hi all,

 

 

 

The Molecular Bar is currently operated by a 3rd party vendor - Junior Merino. We have decided to not renew our contract with him, and therefore as the drinks were licensed, we will be unable to serve the same specific drinks in the future. In the next 90 days, we will be migrating to a new, but somewhat similar experience and will continue serving specialty drinks in this venue. At this time, we can't reveal our new partnership, any of the new drinks, or if we will continue to call it "The Molecular Bar."

 

 

 

However, we are confident that guests will enjoy this new and exciting bar that we will be introducing.

We are sailing on the Eclipse on the 9th May will it still be the Molecular bar then? Thanks

Just returned from our Solstice cruise and whilst the Molecular Bar drinks are super , the experience was less so . Apparently the duo who have bartendered there was nolonger , with one leaving after docking - the dynamic duo gone. . The replacement , with no previous Molecular Bar experience didnt work out with the more experienced guy assigned elsewhere, midcruise, which resulted in the bar being staffed by 2 bartenders who struggled, having to read the recipies for each drink ..Anyone who knows how long these drinks take to make will undersatnd the wait in a crowded Molecular bar . Twice , after a 25 minute wait I even received the wrong drink .( it was still nice ). The bartenders were doing the best they could , not their fault , but it was disappointing.

Just returned from our Solstice cruise and whilst the Molecular Bar drinks are super , the experience was less so . Apparently the duo who have bartendered there was nolonger , with one leaving after docking - the dynamic duo gone. . The replacement , with no previous Molecular Bar experience didnt work out with the more experienced guy assigned elsewhere, midcruise, which resulted in the bar being staffed by 2 bartenders who struggled, having to read the recipies for each drink ..Anyone who knows how long these drinks take to make will undersatnd the wait in a crowded Molecular bar . Twice , after a 25 minute wait I even received the wrong drink .( it was still nice ). The bartenders were doing the best they could , not their fault , but it was disappointing.

I am so excited to try the drinks and will wait as long as it takes. Of course it may be showing there with a regular drink in my hand to help me kill the time.

Any idea when the last sailing for the Molecular bar on the Silhouette will be?

Celebrity responded to my email. Below is part of their response. It appears the bar will be available on the Reflection until July.

 

quote

"We have contacted the Beverage Operations Manager and he has advised that the Molecular Bar will be operational onboard the Celebrity Reflection until July. It will be available for your cruise date.

 

Thank you for choosing Celebrity Cruises. We look forward to welcoming you onboard the Celebrity Reflection in May."

unquote

Any idea when the last sailing for the Molecular bar on the Silhouette will be?

We were on Equinox TA Oct-Nov, 2014. We experienced M Bar several times. We booked on Eclipse early next year. Eclipse is going into dry dock for upgrades in April. Upgrades include Gastrobar, Slush and Suite dining. After retrofit the likely changes to Eclipse M bar would take place possibly. I will get back to this thread when I learn updates after dry dock.

Remember they built an entire suite dining room while at sea.

Changing a menu at molecular bar, certainly needs no dry dock time.

Even if they changed the full fixtures and fittings, it can be done at sea with no dry dock, just as with SDR additions going on now.

I'm really keen to hear on Eclipse if they do add GastroBar and Slush. Other threads claim people "in the know" say GasttoBar is not happening, then there's a thread in last day or 2 of people just off eclipse being told it is getting done in drydock. I'm a firm believer that you can't believe any of the gossip that goes on on these ships, not even from the captains.

Eclipse is getting Suite Dining room done PRIOR to drydock, they aren't; even waiting to do this in Drydock in a few weeks, even though SDR doesn't officially start till it's Transatlantic sailing.

Also the UK website has lots about GastroBar being added to Eclipse.

FWIW recently on the Reflection we were told the following by an officer during the cruise critic gathering. The bar isn't changing much, the drinks will stay the same, and the name molecular bar may even stick around. It's "Liquid Chef" that has to go. Take that as you will.

We were also told by a bartender that the bar itself will be expanded in size (remember it's already bigger on the Reflection).

On our last Solstice cruise, we never tried the Molecular bar. Every time we walked by, on our way to the Martini Bar, the Molecular Bar was empty. We occasionally saw a few people, but it was never crowded. The Martini Bar, however, was always packed. We had the premium package as did most of the folks we chatted with and no one had any interest in the Molecular Bar.

On our one and only Celebrity cruise it was hard to find a seat at the Molecular Bar, and as many as we drank we needed seats.

We just got off Solstice and always met at Molecular Bar for pre dinner drinks. Loved the speciality drinks but the service was worst on the ship. They seemed to be so 'exclusive' they forgot customer service is still important.

They were quite 'cold' and it severely lacked atmosphere. One mixologist would only do one drink at a time and refuses to even make eye contact with you until HE was ready to serve you. Maybe this guy was just outright arrogant.

The other mixologist at least asked for 2-3 orders in a hit, which on many nights they had a full bar and there was just the two of them. No table service, you had to go up to the bar an wait for 'eye contact' to get your drink.

If that is the style trained for the Molecular Bar experience, then sorry but can't wait to see it go[emoji22]

Just hope Celebrity keep the bar with an alternative/unique drink selection to other bars, but with their own wonderful bartenders servicing it. [emoji322][emoji484][emoji322]

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Just back from Solstice, molecular was always busy! Asked onboard but no one knew of any changes. Any updates?

We just got off Solstice and always met at Molecular Bar for pre dinner drinks. Loved the speciality drinks but the service was worst on the ship. They seemed to be so 'exclusive' they forgot customer service is still important.

 

They were quite 'cold' and it severely lacked atmosphere. One mixologist would only do one drink at a time and refuses to even make eye contact with you until HE was ready to serve you. Maybe this guy was just outright arrogant.

 

The other mixologist at least asked for 2-3 orders in a hit, which on many nights they had a full bar and there was just the two of them. No table service, you had to go up to the bar an wait for 'eye contact' to get your drink.

 

If that is the style trained for the Molecular Bar experience, then sorry but can't wait to see it go[emoji22]

 

Just hope Celebrity keep the bar with an alternative/unique drink selection to other bars, but with their own wonderful bartenders servicing it. [emoji322][emoji484][emoji322]

 

 

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Just back from the same solstice cruise and can definitely agree with the service.

Loved the molecular bar and we did go often, however the female staff member just took heaps of orders and kept getting side tracked while making the orders. I think the male staff member was an assistant only which is why he didn't make much customer contact.

Love the bar but on this ship they do need to have at least three staff members taking orders one at a time and making cocktails.

Hi LuckiePuris. Did we miss each other on board lol?! Yes she seemed to make up for him, but he just came across as arrogant.

One night someone waited for a drink only to ask for a 'gin and tonic'. He (bartender) rolled his eyes and said 'we don't make those here' and suggested he go elsewhere. The guy then said oh ok, well what about the cocktail of the day (Molecular posted their own each day in the newsletter). Bartender Man said 'what do you mean, tell me what cocktail you want...I hate being asked to make cocktails of the day’ By this time I would have been done and dusted but they customer said he'd like something with bourbon as a base and finally got a drink!!

Not once did mr bartender try and explain the concept of Molecular Bar...to us he did neither himself nor the Junior Merino any favours that night.

Oh on another night our friend asked for a straw for her cocktail. Mr Bartender again rolled eyes (do they train them in that art form?!) and said Madame, we do not do straws here...you will not experience the drink as it should be experienced. He may have had a point but again in the delivery it was lost!!

But many yummy drinks...Shame they ran out of Chambord as would have loved to indulge in an Indulgence or three, one of our facorites from last cruise!!

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Just back from Solstice, molecular was always busy! Asked onboard but no one knew of any changes. Any updates?

Me again!! Was it this tread or another but Celebrity actually chimed in and confirmed that Junior Merino had not renewed his contract with Celebrity. So the bar will likely remain but the concept/drinks will change.

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IMHO, Molecular bar could leave and it would be a good thing.

IMHO, Molecular bar could leave and it would be a good thing.

I didn't like the molecular bar. Staff weren't engaging. Bar seemed devoid of atmosphere.

Me again!! Was it this tread or another but Celebrity actually chimed in and confirmed that Junior Merino had not renewed his contract with Celebrity. So the bar will likely remain but the concept/drinks will change.

 

 

 

 

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I think it was the other way round as celebrity thought it was to expensive to renew the contract... But either way I've heard yes it is changing but most likely for something similar!

And personally I'm happy about this as I've always enjoyed this bar & drinks and found the staff to be very friendly & engaging..

As we have gone through the current menu a few times the change could be a good thing with a new full menu of drinks to work through! [emoji483][emoji39]

 

As we have gone through the current menu a few times the change could be a good thing with a new full menu of drinks to work through! [emoji483][emoji39]

Will be glad to assist in that regard [emoji12][emoji484][emoji38][emoji483]

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I'm joining the group of disappointed Celebrity cruisers. We have 4 cruises booked, 3 on S class. I so missed the Molecular Bar on the Infinity South America cruise and we were very much looking forward to the most awesome drinks ever on the Equinox in October. I hope the replacement is equal and not another mistake like Michael's.

Hope this small preview may alleviate some of your concerns ! Different drinks but similar unique concept served with flair. Time will tell! Looking forward to seeing the full new cocktail list [emoji483][emoji483][emoji483]

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Hope this small preview may alleviate some of your concerns ! Different drinks but similar unique concept served with flair. Time will tell! Looking forward to seeing the full new cocktail list [emoji483][emoji483][emoji483]

 

 

 

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Whilst I will miss Molecular -hoping for one last session ( or more [emoji12]) on Reflection in June ?- perhaps a change of menus could be good. Just hope that the mixologists will be allowed a little freedom like they were in Molecular.

I found all the staff in Molecular really good and happy to accommodate one's taste preferences. Jelena in particular was outstanding - hope her talents will continue to be used on the ships.

Whilst I will miss Molecular -hoping for one last session ( or more [emoji12]) on Reflection in June ?- perhaps a change of menus could be good. Just hope that the mixologists will be allowed a little freedom like they were in Molecular.

 

I found all the staff in Molecular really good and happy to accommodate one's taste preferences. Jelena in particular was outstanding - hope her talents will continue to be used on the ships.

I agree 100%...

I do believe Jelena (from our NYE eclipse cruise) was due to finish her contract in March just gone... But I believe she might have extended it for a short while? I'll ask her?

We did sail with another Jelena at the molecular bar on the silhouette in March and she was also very good and made all the off menu drinks on request... [emoji483][emoji39]

I'll be on the eclipse sat 9th may so will report back with the latest!