Celebrity's New Menu: I'm just the messenger.

[Cruise Junky]

Do we know for sure that the baked potatoes are going? if so my Mom is going to have to cancel. She's the world's pickiest eater and has a baked potato every single night and will not eat anything else. As silly as it sounds, this would be a complete deal breaker for their cruise.

[TNVolTD]

Calm down Chicken Littles! :rolleyes: I agree with the few that think the "I'm done with Celebrity" and Carnival comparison posts are unwarranted hyperbole. As Host Andy indicated, not all change is bad. Like it or not change is needed. Though we all enjoy the fine service we get, X is still a mass market line and must continuously evolve to do appeal to an ever evolving mass market (of which CC posters likely represent a small, albeit vocal, minority). Sometimes they miss the mark, but I think they have shown to be good at recognizing that and further adjusting as needed. Celebrity became our line of choice for a reason (our entire cruise experience, not a particular menu offering), and we give them some deference to know what they are doing.

 

Like a couple of the prior posters, I too just returned from a Solstice sailing, which employed the new menus. As noted, escargot was on the every night menu (and was served). Lobster bisque was not on the left menu but was on the right one night. I seem to recall there was a chilled soup one night too. A couple of the new dishes (the fish in particular) were very good. This was our 9th X cruise, and we found the food this sailing to be among the best we've had. We saw no need to spring for the specialty dining as the food in the MDR was very good all week. We also enjoyed having a few new choices on the menu so that dinner was not entirely repetitive of stuff we've eaten before.

 

As for baked potatoes, I don't recall whether they were actually available. I agree they ought to be simple. For us, though, that's why their absence/presence did not matter - we can get baked potatoes anytime/anywhere. The cruise is often a chance to try something new.

 

So, I would encourage all to give the menus a chance. Like with anything new, going into the experience convinced you will not like it is likely to prove you right. As is often said on here, the cruise is what you choose to make of it.

[Orator]

attached are the new menus with the new font and reduced choice from Solstice, as posted by "CAVOK" on another thread.

 

This is in my opinion a cost cutting exercise combined with an attempt to lighten the workload on the galley and thus improving overall quality of the remaining choices. Some Celebrity veteran dishes seem to have reappeared, eg. Chateaubriant and lamb shank, which is good.:)

Shame though about the lobster bisque and strawberry soup, which I loved:(

 

Before making conclusions, I will try all 14 menus on my upcoming Connie cruise on 24/03/12. with an open mind.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222759&d=1329874696

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222760&d=1329874696

 

Thank you for posting the menus. Appear to confirm what I was told by the Chef. The descriptions remind me of menus that were available before the last changes. JVS is noted for frequently adding and deleting items.

[ORDMan]

These changes don't look all that bad. I do see Caprese salad and Escargot on some of the menus, so it's not as bad as originally reported. I was looking forward to chilled soups (why do no land restaurants serve these??) but overall it looks reasonable.

 

It does seem like they are attempting to streamline the galley operation a bit. With all the complaints about cold food and slow service, this might be an improvement from the status quo. Still probably inferior to what the cuisine was 5-10 years ago, but that's the industry trend.

[MVPinBoynton]

For some reason this morning, I only saw the first page of the provided menus. Now that I am at work and read the comments on the other pages, I went back and looked at them again. The Classic Favorites that are available every day include escargot and all the other items that I seem to recall were there. The other menus looked quite appetizing.

 

I have to take back my concerns about these menus. They look quite appetizing and once again I will overeat and put on more weight than I would like. :D

[JezzaC]

I think the new menus look very good. I can't wait for our cruise to Bermuda in June.

 

Have to say the same I think new menus look better than older ones. I am not into chilled soups so not going to miss them.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

At the end of the second batch of Solstice menus, isn't escargot at the top of the menu? The available every day menu? Please let me know if my eyes decieved me, but I believe that I saw it there. HAL may have chilled soups, but they do not have creme brulee, and we still have it as an option every night.

 

These menus look like a definite improvement over what was served on the Silhouette last fall. They ALMOST make me regret that I'm doing AQ in April. But at least I'll get to try these in September.

 

Baked potatoes? I believe that all the cruise lines are looking for ways to shave weight on the ship to improve fuel efficiency.Taking instant potatoes saves pounds (or tons, in the aggregate). Look at it as a trade-off for not (yet) getting a fuel surcharge.

 

(On a recent detour to RCI, the reduction in choices and quality was such that I had the every-night salmon at least three times, and the curry alternative once. I don't do that on Celebrity.)

 

That's what I saw also, escargot at the top of the everyday menu. If it is not available maybe it is a temporary shortage and crab stuffed mushrooms are being substitued.

 

I can do without a baked potato, too filling. I like the cold soup but usually don't order it because of the calories.

 

The menu's look like an improvement and I am looking forward to our 15 day April cruise.

 

Mary Lou

[Bridge Maven]

Then you would love the chilled 'three-berry' soup on board HAL! ;)

 

Geriatric Nurse, I agree that HAL has very good chilled berry soup. I've also had good chilled soups on every mass market cruise line we have sailed.

[luv2sail7]

I realize now that a cruise is more than just the menu in the MDR. It's the entire package: the friends you make, the entertainment you enjoy, the ambiance of the ship, the exciting places you visit, relaxing and spending time unwinding to the rythm of the sea, and being on the open ocean with the wind on your face.

 

I can't wait to get back to Celebrity Cruises, new menu or not.

 

So agree with the above! We recently returned from the Solstice on Sunday and were in AQ/Blu. And as a FYI, I did notice one evening that the couple next to us had ordered the escargot which I assume our waiter was able to obtain from the MDR.

[Bridge Maven]

Maybe this is a way to further increase the difference between Celebrity's main dining room and specialty restaurants, to encourage more people to use them.

[CanuckCFAN]

Have to say the same I think new menus look better than older ones. I am not into chilled soups so not going to miss them.

 

I have to concur, the new menus seem more in keeping to our tastes :D.

 

I never did understand the concept of "cold" soup anyway :confused:... Where I come from most of those "soups" would be served in a glass as a beverage not as an appetizer :p ...

 

I just hope the escargot is reinstated before our TA in April :o!

 

Bev

[SoBe2010]

These changes don't look all that bad. I do see Caprese salad and Escargot on some of the menus, so it's not as bad as originally reported. I was looking forward to chilled soups (why do no land restaurants serve these??) but overall it looks reasonable.

 

It does seem like they are attempting to streamline the galley operation a bit. With all the complaints about cold food and slow service, this might be an improvement from the status quo. Still probably inferior to what the cuisine was 5-10 years ago, but that's the industry trend.

 

However, child soups and caprese salad can´t get any colder though:)

[shoreham01]

All I can say is that I have just put on 5 pounds reading the menu. I really hope they don't stop the chilled soup as that is a favourite of mine.

 

Having experienced P&O last year, I can confirm that on the cruise we were on the food was terrible. We have always travelled Princess before and loved the food and chilled soup they serve.

 

We are hoping that Celebrity will be as good as Princess, there is always so much choice on a cruise, no-one is going to go hungry that is for sure.

 

Must just go for a run (well a walk) around the block!

[buffi001]

Let's step back a minute and think about this. After years and years

of great Celebrity service, I'm not going to change my opinion based on a CC post or two, and I hope others won't either. We've all been on cruises that were spectacular and then read a review that slammed it. I certainly wouldn't be so rash as to move other cruise lines above Celebrity based on a post or two. I'd like to think that Celebrity knows it's strengths and weaknesses and that this situation is a repositioning rather than a decline.

[bowlinmoe]

Cold soup? Huh?

[mkazmer]

Maybe this is a way to further increase the difference between Celebrity's main dining room and specialty restaurants, to encourage more people to use them.

 

We just returned from the 2-18 sailing of the Eclipse - Escargot, Ceaser Salad, Lobster Bisque and Creme Brulee were offered every night-the Escargot was lacking in taste and quality IMO - and we only ordered it once - all the rest of the food in the MDR was good - some great - but the lobster/crab dish the last formal night was sorely lacking - we had not been on Celebrity for 8 years (have 8 prior cruises with them) and we enjoyed this cruise immensely. Service was good in the MDR-we had late seating - and the waiters and asst waiters worked hard to be sure it was. We have been Princess cruisers for the last 8 years - and there are things we love about both lines.

 

There were no specialty restaurants when we started cruising - the first one we tried was on the Millenium and then it was a $12/pp cover charge and there was only the one - now it is 2-4 per ship - this is telling me that the cruise lines are saying that the food in the MDR is inferior and that if you truly want a great food experience you have to utilize the specialty restaurants.

 

We will still cruise with both Princess and Celebrity - I will make our opinion known to those that matter at both lines - but we won't be among the patrons of these restaurants - I would rather pay more for the cruise or book Aqua Class on Celebrity - if that is the answer -

 

There are so many facets of cruising that we love and truthfully we can't eat huge servings and multiple courses anymore - don't even enjoy it - so it is easier to pick and choose - will be interesting to follow what is happening -

[YOW]

Yeah that new font really isn't doing it for me. Sounds like something that could ruin a trip.:rolleyes: Guess we'll have to cancel our upcoming Silhouette cruise. ;)

 

... Maybe we should go back to HAL. *cough* :cool:

[Brad1185]

Unfortunately the menu changes appear to be a big step down, not an improvement that we were led to believe.

 

Cant believe they got rid of the chilled soups.

 

Seems the goal is to drive people out of the mdr to the pay restaurants.

[YOW]

Seems the goal is to drive people out of the mdr to the pay restaurants.

 

We hear this quite a bit. And I'm not saying it's not the case... I don't know what goes on with the powers-that-be in Miami. But for all the people who would be driven to the pay venues in such a manoeuvre, how many would be driven to other cruise lines -- or to not cruising at all? Seems to be a risky venture, if in fact it were true.

[patty1955]

 

Before making conclusions, I will try all 14 menus on my upcoming Connie cruise on 24/03/12. with an open mind.

 

If you will email me scans/pictures of the new menus from your cruise, I'll update the text menu and post them. My email address is patty1955 at sbcglobal.net

[greeneg]

I would have to argue that the real issue is whether or not what is on the menu is properly prepared and properly served. In my humble, this becomes an issue of how many cooks you have to service the kitchen and how many waiters you have to service the tables. We've seen poor food and service on the Equinox because the staffing simply wasn't appropriate for the number of patrons needing to be served. If you have poor quality ingredients, disguising the fact in a gloppy, poorly executed "sauce" or Cajun Spices will not really mitigate the offense.

 

There is nothing wrong with simple, well prepared food made with fresh, high quality ingredients. Personally I'd like to see that direction explored; I think that more customers would be pleased and it would actually reduce costs since the number of "send-backs" to the kitchen would likely be reduced.

[Bruin Steve]

I can understand how some people dislike the changes...and others like them...

We all have different tastes...especially when it comes to food...

 

For me?

I am OVERJOYED....

I read through the new menus as posted and I am exceptionally happy...

One bit of sadness, though--I am disappointed in the departure of the Lobster Bisque...I think I had the Lobster Bisgue about 7 or 8 nights out of 13 on my recent Century cruise...

OTOH, that was largely because I was UNHAPPY with the daily choice of soups...They typically had one hot, one cold...

And I just DO NOT LIKE cold soups...

So, if I didn't like the hot option, I defaulted to Lobster Bisque...

 

Looking at these new menus, in every one of them, there was at least one soup I liked...

 

I also typically scan through each menu and try to think, "Hmmm...if I were ordering, what would I order?"...

 

On most of these posted menus, there were at least one, if not two, appetizers I would order and often at least two entrees I would order as well...Quite an improvement over the old menus where several times I defaulted to the New York Steak...

 

I like a good New York Steak, but it gets a little ordinary...Nice to have choices of interesting entrees...

What had gotten disappointing for me was how many menus in the Jacques Van Staden era had NO entrees I found compelling...all a little too wierd or difficult or lacking in one way or another...

The menus I see here are a great improvement...

 

I guess one man's meat is another man's poison...

[teltrainer]

First, I found lots of great menu items we will enjoy trying. Second, Glad to hear about all the cancellations due to potatoes and cold soup as that is more open cabins for us to choose from

[cruzeluver]

Change is good. Who wants the exact same thing year after year, cruise after cruise? Boring!!

[NLH Arizona]

Do we know for sure that the baked potatoes are going? if so my Mom is going to have to cancel. She's the world's pickiest eater and has a baked potato every single night and will not eat anything else. As silly as it sounds, this would be a complete deal breaker for their cruise.

Oh no, first they take the baked potatoes away - if they take my favorite salad dressing away, what I'm going to do!!!!