Say goodbye to Charlie Palmer

[cruisewmn]

Just read in USA Today that Seabourn and Charlie Palmer are parting ways in December.

[cwn]

I for one am glad to here this...it is past time.....the menu change should be well worked out before we board for 30+ days in August.

[JaneBP]

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2011/11/charlie-palmer-seabourn-cruise-line/563501/1

 

And..

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/story/2011-10-31/Cruise-ships-woo-foodies-with-celebrity-chefs/51018678/1?csp=obinsite

[Host Dan]

Great decision IMHO.... Its about time..

 

Host Dan

[Honorine]

I'm very happy to hear it.

[Keith1010]

Thanks for posting this.

 

Keith

[cwn]

Thanks Jane...

 

The Comments about HAL were interesting having spent 2 weeks in Sept on the Amsterdam and a month last year on the Rotterdam.

 

We love the Pinnacle Grill food and always eat there many times, but we really like good beef (not covered in a sauce) and simple side dishes. The big name chefs may consult on the HAL MDR items...but after the SEAsian chefs (cooks) get finished with the dishes, they are not the same. LOL It all has a Asian flare.

 

We did enjoy the tasting menu on Seabourn and many of the MDR items especially those being talked about on another thread.

[wripro]

I agree it's about time. The chefs onboard can now have the freedom (to a certain extent) to design and execute menus according to their individual preferences and strengths. I look forward to different menus.

[Harvey2442]

Whilst we would all like some variation from Charlie Palmer's menu they were off a standard and quality indeed it was said that one of the advantages of using him was it could almost guarantee winning the acolade for best food. It would appear that the Seabourn website has already been changed he doesn't appear to be mentioned as have some items on the sample menus. There is no announcement whether he will be replaced. I just hope that this isn't a cost saving measure if it is we may come to regret Charlie's passing.

[Lefty Bob]

On Holland America the Pinnacle room is $25 pp extra.

 

LB

[Chairsin]

So can we hope that the money they save from this will go toward upgrading the wine???

[cruisewmn]

so can we hope that the money they save from this will go toward upgrading the wine???

 

:d:d:d

[JaneBP]

So can we hope that the money they save from this will go toward upgrading the wine???

 

I wouldn't bet on it.

[markham]

When is Charlie Palmer clearing out his supplies pantry at Seabourn and what's the plan for transitioning to another standard/benchmark of cuisine? We know that there has to be consistency and constancy across the fleet and that a successful transition will be one of Rick Meadows' upcoming challenges.

 

Any insider information would be appreciated... When we know that and we know what to expect we can all opine about the new kitchen of Seabourn.

 

I will be joining the Quest's world cruise on 5 Jan., 2012 and would be happy to represent what my friends and I experience then.

 

Happy sailing!

[marazul]

markham,

Happy sailing!

Do keep us posted on the new menu and if you can get the wine list, post it also.

Thanks!

M

[JaneBP]

I think it will take several months to develop a new menu, let alone a contract with a new chef. I doubt the cruisers in early 2012 will notice any difference.

[cwn]

On Holland America the Pinnacle room is $25 pp extra.

 

LB

 

Thats true, but the food and service is wonderful! Our TA always gives us several meals and as 3 or 4 Star Mariner you get a 25%-50% discount, but we don't mind the extra cost...cuts down on the crowds given the size of the ships. It's a good use of OBC.

 

Ships use to have good food and interesting menus 20-30 years ago before the move to the big name chefs....surely they can do that again.

[Xcrew]

On Holland America the Pinnacle room is $25 pp extra.

 

LB

 

Wow, HAL really has taken over (even the SCL boards?).

;-)

[markham]

I would not be unhappy if the HAL faithful would stop drawing parallels between life on those mass market ships and Seabourn ships. For goodness sake, the reason there are these Pinnacle-type surcharge restaurants at HAL is to deliver for a couple of dozen passengers superior food, service and ambiance relative to their stuffed, noisy and run of the mill 2 seating restaurants.

 

Seabourn is anything but mass market. Representing my points are the 450 passenger ships Odyssey, Sojourn and Quest with seating for 700+ in 4 restaurants for their 450 guests. The food is terrific, the ambiance refined, and the server/passenger ratio is more than twice that of HAL.

 

It's up to its loyal and discerning customer base to ensure that Seabourn NOT learn what to do restaurant-wise from HAL. I trust that Seabourn management knows how to enhance its existing brand and I intend to deliver reminders if I see anything HAL-ish in 2012.

 

Happy cruising on whatever type and style of ship you choose to book!

[Chairsin]

My head is beginning to swim with all of the "uncertainty" regarding what may or may not happen on Seabourn vis a vis our past cruises( most recently the Pride in August)when we board on Dec 22.

 

1) Will be be able to board before 2PM(stated boarding time) as in the past? Will be be able to wander the ship, have lunch in the Colonade or order room service at the Sky bar?

 

2) Will our welcome sparkler be prosecco or old NF? Will the house "fine" wines be "finer' than on our last cruise?

 

3) Will Charlie Palmer's imprint be a thing or the past or in the process of sliding into posterity?

 

4) What garments will our fellow passengers adorn themselves with on our two "optional formal nights"?

 

I can tell you this, even with the uncertainty( which drives me crazy) we will have our usual terrific time on Seabourn !!!

[Flamin_June]

The times they are a- changin...

 

Actually I feel sorry for poor ol Charlie P

Everyone says they are fed up of him - yet in the same breath every one says how great the food is on Seabourn - surely much of that must be thanks to Charlie??

Having only sailed once I thought the food was pretty good - I guess if you have sailed on SB dozens of times then you might feel its time for a change - but will a change be a change for the better?

As noted elsewhere they might hire Gordon Ramsay -then you would be sorry - my vote would go to Nigel Slater -

I have to admit I hardly know any US celebrity chefs - is Betty Crocker still going ?

[JaneBP]

I can think of worse chefs than Gordon Ramsay, say Paula Deen or Heston Blumenthal!

[vistaman]

i am VERY happy and a lot op people will share my opinion!

instead of paying royalties to that chef Seabourn better had spent the money to some better ingredients like fresh lobsters instead of frozen ones...

and the finishing of cheese trolleys ...

and poaring prosecco on welcome parties...

ans many more economising what regulars do not like at all!

[NEOPHYTUS]

It's about time. IMO, Palmer and his menu overstayed their welcome.

[lincslady]

It's about time. IMO, Palmer and his menu overstayed their welcome.

 

I imagine that Seabourn have to order ingredients and supply them on a centralised basis to all ships, and therefore do have to standardise menus to an extent; but it will be good to have some different dishes from the Charlie ones. Maybe Pascale and some of the SB chefs could get together to devise new dishes??

 

I don't think the cruise lines normally use fresh shellfish mainly because of possible contamination problems. Anyone know if this is the case?