Gastropub

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Wally, even with the package we buy bottles of wine with dinner, just better offerings than by the glass. We will miss the good by the glass selection at CM, package or not.

 

Mary Lou

[wpgcycler]

Hey wallie, sorry to hear it didn't work out so great as I know how much you were looking forward to it. Hope you were able to make up for it with a good "flight" or two!

[wallie5446]

Hey wallie, sorry to hear it didn't work out so great as I know how much you were looking forward to it. Hope you were able to make up for it with a good "flight" or two!

 

Hey Ian! How is ya?

Don't get me wrong, I really like the concept, and many from our roll call were there on a daily basis. At times it was hard to find a chair let alone a table. During the Packer game it was elbow to :eek::D

Just hoped for a more diverse selection, but all the bars were lacking. But we are going back next Nov for a repeat look see;)

EW

[Trialawyer]

First of all, beware of any restaurant beginning with the word "gastro" where the suffix enteritis sounds more likely to follow than pub. Second, while Celebrity is certainly wise to consider a replacement for Wine Cellars, a failed venue virtually deserted on our cruises, why substitute it with a restaurant serving for a fee the same food available in abundance at the poolside grill and the buffet restaurants for free? Hamburgers, grilled cheese, sausage and a deli sandwich, served with a side of fancy adjectives? Really? Add to the menu a pretentious list of wines and cocktails available at any of the on-board bars, and voila! Passengers stampeding for the privilege to prove that P. T. Barnum was right.

[wallie5446]

First of all, beware of any restaurant beginning with the word "gastro" where the suffix enteritis sounds more likely to follow than pub. Second, while Celebrity is certainly wise to consider a replacement for Wine Cellars, a failed venue virtually deserted on our cruises, why substitute it with a restaurant serving for a fee the same food available in abundance at the poolside grill and the buffet restaurants for free? Hamburgers, grilled cheese, sausage and a deli sandwich, served with a side of fancy adjectives? Really? Add to the menu a pretentious list of wines and cocktails available at any of the on-board bars, and voila! Passengers stampeding for the privilege to prove that P. T. Barnum was right.

 

And which sailing were you able to visit the venue on? It is like the bar from Cheers on a ship.The food quality was very good, and there is nothing like it served anywhere else. At 60 we still enjoy the circus too.

[wallie5446]

Well just to see if it gets better with age, we did go ahead and rebook on the Equinox for Nov 2015!:D .

 

It was 100% better!

 

Tho we will be land locked in 2016 we are going back to the GastroBar again in Nov 2017 with 10 others from 2014 & 2015.

EW

[Gracie115]

Hey Ian! How is ya?

Don't get me wrong, I really like the concept, and many from our roll call were there on a daily basis. At times it was hard to find a chair let alone a table. During the Packer game it was elbow to :eek::D

Just hoped for a more diverse selection, but all the bars were lacking. But we are going back next Nov for a repeat look see;)

EW

 

It was 100% better!

 

Tho we will be land locked in 2016 we are going back to the GastroBar again in Nov 2017 with 10 others from 2014 & 2015.

EW

 

We will be on Equinox for the TA in 7 weeks and I am interested in the Gastro Bar because it sounds from your posts like it is THE place to watch football games. We are Packer fans and will be on board for 2 Sundays. Interested to know how many/how large the TV's are in Gastrobar and if X set up any specials for game times. I've watched playoff games in Celebrity Central before but since this is regular season I assume they won't be in that venue...the first Sunday the time difference may be prohibitive for anything but the 2nd Sunday we will only be a day away from Ft. Lauderdale so assume there will be games broadcast. Would love to hear more about your experience in this lounge for the games!:D

[wallie5446]

We will be on Equinox for the TA in 7 weeks and I am interested in the Gastro Bar because it sounds from your posts like it is THE place to watch football games. We are Packer fans and will be on board for 2 Sundays. Interested to know how many/how large the TV's are in Gastrobar and if X set up any specials for game times. Would love to hear more about your experience in this lounge for the games!:D

 

There are 4 TV's, I would say, 40+ inch screens, and yes it is much better to watch there than at the casino bar.

 

In 2014 we did the 11 day Monday to Friday, so we only had 1 Sat for college games, we were in Panama, it opened for drink service at 4:00.

Sunday we were in Costa Rica and again opened at 4:00.

The TV's were on but no sound till it opened we were told. The staff still had 'new venue' growing pains.

 

2015 we did the Thanksgiving 10 day route Friday to Monday, and as mentioned it was 100% better. 2 of the staff returned after vacation and full knowledge of how to handle and operate a beer bar, with speciality cocktails and wine service.

 

Sat was a sea day, it opened at noon! And was packed with College conference playoff games on all day, it was S.R.O.!

Sunday another sea day, opened at 12:00, lots of friendly :eek: bantering between people wearing their team colors. Again, S.R.O.

 

Thanksgiving we were in port it did not open till 4:00, but :eek: Detroit played the first game, my Cowgirls :o the afternoon game, and your Packers an da Bears the night game. It took a bit, but we finally got the sound turned on just before 1:00. Many people in an out all day.

Sat & Sun both sea days, opened at 12:00, folks in an out, a fun week end.

 

Since they sell food, you can not bring a plate from the buffet or Mast grill. But their burger is the best I have ever had on a cruise ship, period.

 

2013 on the Reflection we hung at the Sunset bar, 2014 split 50/50, and last year it was the GastroBar. Don't know if it was football or beer that made everyone more friendly than even at the Martini bar across the way. I am a craft beer nerd, the selection is ok. You need the Premium pkg to fully enjoy the choices.

 

There were no game day specials. They do have a happy hour where the drinks were half price for 2 hours.

They offer a beer and food paring a couple of time's for $25 and it sold out both times before I could buy in. Everyone I talked to said it was outstanding!

EW

 

We are back on in Nov 2017 for the ABC route, and the GastroBar.

Edited September 5, 2016 by wallie5446

[Gracie115]

There are 4 TV's, I would say, 40+ inch screens, and yes it is much better to watch there than at the casino bar.

 

In 2014 we did the 11 day Monday to Friday, so we only had 1 Sat for college games, we were in Panama, it opened for drink service at 4:00.

Sunday we were in Costa Rica and again opened at 4:00.

The TV's were on but no sound till it opened we were told. The staff still had 'new venue' growing pains.

 

2015 we did the Thanksgiving 10 day route Friday to Monday, and as mentioned it was 100% better. 2 of the staff returned after vacation and full knowledge of how to handle and operate a beer bar, with speciality cocktails and wine service.

 

Sat was a sea day, it opened at noon! And was packed with College conference playoff games on all day, it was S.R.O.!

Sunday another sea day, opened at 12:00, lots of friendly :eek: bantering between people wearing their team colors. Again, S.R.O.

 

Thanksgiving we were in port it did not open till 4:00, but :eek: Detroit played the first game, my Cowgirls :o the afternoon game, and your Packers an da Bears the night game. It took a bit, but we finally got the sound turned on just before 1:00. Many people in an out all day.

Sat & Sun both sea days, opened at 12:00, folks in an out, a fun week end.

 

Since they sell food, you can not bring a plate from the buffet or Mast grill. But their burger is the best I have ever had on a cruise ship, period.

 

2013 on the Reflection we hung at the Sunset bar, 2014 split 50/50, and last year it was the GastroBar. Don't know if it was football or beer that made everyone more friendly than even at the Martini bar across the way. I am a craft beer nerd, the selection is ok. You need the Premium pkg to fully enjoy the choices.

 

There were no game day specials. They do have a happy hour where the drinks were half price for 2 hours.

They offer a beer and food paring a couple of time's for $25 and it sold out both times before I could buy in. Everyone I talked to said it was outstanding!

EW

 

We are back on in Nov 2017 for the ABC route, and the GastroBar.

 

THANKS for all the info!! Sounds like our last day at sea could be a lot of fun in the Gastrobar. My husband loves craft beers too so I suspect we will spend several evenings there. Thanks again!:D

[wallie5446]

THANKS for all the info!! Sounds like our last day at sea could be a lot of fun in the Gastrobar. My husband loves craft beers too so I suspect we will spend several evenings there. Thanks again!:D

 

Your on board, have you gone, what do ya'll think?

EW

[Gracie115]

Your on board, have you gone, what do ya'll think?

EW

 

Sorry...just saw this....didn't look at CC while on board.

 

I LOVE the Gastrobar!! It's so much better use of space than Cellar Masters was....on football days especially, Saturday college football and all day Sunday(on the 6th anyway...time was too far off on the 1st Sunday-- 6 hour difference!!)

 

Unfortunately they didn't show the Packer game this past Sunday(which is probably better since they lost!:()

 

Don't really understand why they didn't convert other "S" class ships to this concept.....don't get me wrong I liked the "quiet" area of Cellar Masters too but you still get that during the day but evenings the Gastrobar is very cool and fun!!! We tried a few of the food offerings which were really good too...they serve the same burger in Gastrobar that is on lunch menu in the suite restaurant Luminae...really good!!! :)

[wallie5446]

Sorry...just saw this....didn't look at CC while on board.

 

I LOVE the Gastrobar!! It's so much better use of space than Cellar Masters was....on football days especially, Saturday college football and all day Sunday(on the 6th anyway...time was too far off on the 1st Sunday-- 6 hour difference!!)

 

Unfortunately they didn't show the Packer game this past Sunday(which is probably better since they lost!:()

 

Don't really understand why they didn't convert other "S" class ships to this concept.....don't get me wrong I liked the "quiet" area of Cellar Masters too but you still get that during the day but evenings the Gastrobar is very cool and fun!!! We tried a few of the food offerings which were really good too...they serve the same burger in Gastrobar that is on lunch menu in the suite restaurant Luminae...really good!!! :)

 

Bout time! :D Welcome Home Gracie!

I think part of the success is the space its self. As it has not gone over on the ships where it was added to the Passport bar. There were times during the games it was really active.

 

Oh well, just another 362 days till we go back.

 

Did ya remember to leave a note in the book?

Edited November 8, 2016 by wallie5446

[Gracie115]

Bout time! :D Welcome Home Gracie!

I think part of the success is the space its self. As it has not gone over on the ships where it was added to the Passport bar. There were times during the games it was really active.

 

Oh well, just another 362 days till we go back.

 

Did ya remember to leave a note in the book?

 

Oh no I didn't!!:o Was having so much fun I just forgot!!! We just LOVED the staff on the Equinox.... excellent everywhere we went!!!:)

Edited November 8, 2016 by Gracie115