Elite Breakfast

[DebbieMacG]

Not too sure about that reasoning. I have sailed 2 M class ships (Infinity and Millenium) whilst each was under Code Red conditions. On both occasions the buffet was laid out in moveable covered cabinet units, with a server plating your order and handing it to you, so not much wrong with that method.

 

That was, and always will be, my preferred method/style for the Elite morning offering.

 

That would work for me as well. It's not the buffet it's the handling of food/tongs by others I don't like. :o

[Oxo]

Fully understand those who do not want to go to a buffet because of how people handle food and utensils. See that type of danger when I go into a store and see people trying different food from a salad selection or trying a lipstick/gloss.

Thanks for your input. That is what makes us all different and have different opinions. Enjoy your cruise and the Elite Breakfast however it is presented.

[neverbeenhere]

You licked your fingers when you typed that.

[themutis]

Anyone have a picture of the menu?

[Spursgirl]

Haven't been to the Elite breakfast since they have introduced the menu.

 

Will definitely try it on my next Celebrity cruise. I like the peace and quiet compared with the hustle and bustle of the main buffet.

[miched]

Because I don't like buffets of any kind where other people can touch the food or the serving tongs etc

 

I was watching a video on a Royal Canadain train tour. Average cost is $8000 for 5 days pp. A server was walking thru the lounge car serving appartizers on a tray and all were the same. A passenger picked one up then put it back on the tray and took a different one. Real class, but instead of letting the passengers pick with their fingers they should have been served using tongs. People do the same in a buffet. There will be tongs but they use their fingers and also sort thru the food looking for a certain one that they feel is the best one.

 

Besides not liking buffets I don't attend pot luck type socials for the same reason. Too many people have no sense of being sanitary.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[herbanrenewal]

We loved the buffet on the M class.

Can anyone tell me where is the Elite breakfast on Silhouette, and the times it's open?

We will have a port intensive Cruise next May, and I'm not sure how much time we would want to wait for a long breakfast.

[Oxo]

We loved the buffet on the M class.

Can anyone tell me where is the Elite breakfast on Silhouette, and the times it's open?

We will have a port intensive Cruise next May, and I'm not sure how much time we would want to wait for a long breakfast.

 

Tuscan Grill from 8 - 10AM.

[JaneStarr]

Anyone have a picture of the menu?

 

From the 10/5/14 Summit Canada/New England Sailing:

 

 

We only had used the Elite Breakfast one of the 14 mornings. Service wasn't great and the mini-bagel on our pre-made platter was stale. It was also held in the main dining room (level 4 Starboard, I believe), so the atmosphere wasn't as nice as a specialty dining room space.

Hope the quality of these pics leaves them legible. I just took 1 quick cell phone shot of each page.

Jane

[The_Big_M]

We only had used the Elite Breakfast one of the 14 mornings. Service wasn't great and the mini-bagel on our pre-made platter was stale. It was also held in the main dining room (level 4 Starboard, I believe), so the atmosphere wasn't as nice as a specialty dining room space.

Hope the quality of these pics leaves them legible. I just took 1 quick cell phone shot of each page.

Jane

 

Same breakfast on Century.

 

Agree, only tried it once. More that the breakfast choices were not as appealing given the selection available elsewhere.

[JaneStarr]

From the 10/5/14 Summit Canada/New England Sailing:

 

{{{snip}}}

We only had used the Elite Breakfast one of the 14 mornings. Service wasn't great and the mini-bagel on our pre-made platter was stale. It was also held in the main dining room (level 4 Starboard, I believe), so the atmosphere wasn't as nice as a specialty dining room space.

Hope the quality of these pics leaves them legible. I just took 1 quick cell phone shot of each page.

Jane

 

Oops...too late to edit my original post. Elite breakfast was Deck 4, Aft, Port side

 

Jane

[tuggers]

Just off B2B Summit and the Elite Breakfast was in Normandie. Plated dishes only, either way too much food (7 or 8 pastries) or not proportioned correctly (Salmon Platter had way too much salmon, not enough cream cheese, tomato or onion on two toasted buttered mini bagels with lettuce).

Service was poor.

 

Cappuccino was still good and I enjoyed the Mimosas. Didn't try the Bloody Marys.

 

Breakfast was poorly attended. Some mornings I went by Cafe al Bacio and picked up the pastries I knew we would eat so as not to waste so much. I guess what I objected to most was the terrible waste caused by the pre-plated food.

 

When they first started this perk it was one of my favorites but they've pretty much managed to screw it up. Their explanation is that they are no longer allowed to have any buffets on the ship per CDC. DUH! Did they forget deck 10???????????:D

[uktog]

Their explanation is that they are no longer allowed to have any buffets on the ship per CDC. DUH! Did they forget deck 10???????????:D

 

It is actually they are not allowed unprotected buffets, not they are not allowed buffets - if you look at Deck 10 there are various guards and screens in place and recently areas where there were not were coned off and you were being served from a distance (ie dessert pastries)

 

Funny how tastes differ, we were delighted with the new process in Elite breakfast on Summit, it was busier than the buffet Elite on Reflection was last March. We thought the combo of bagels and salmon was the best as we like the salmon and not used to much cheese, which I think reflects we are from the european tastes.

 

It is certainly not going to change back to a buffet, no doubt they will refine the plated offerings over time

[kenevenpar]

Just off B2B Summit and the Elite Breakfast was in Normandie. Plated dishes only, either way too much food (7 or 8 pastries) or not proportioned correctly (Salmon Platter had way too much salmon, not enough cream cheese, tomato or onion on two toasted buttered mini bagels with lettuce).

Service was poor.

 

Cappuccino was still good and I enjoyed the Mimosas. Didn't try the Bloody Marys.

 

Breakfast was poorly attended. Some mornings I went by Cafe al Bacio and picked up the pastries I knew we would eat so as not to waste so much. I guess what I objected to most was the terrible waste caused by the pre-plated food.

 

When they first started this perk it was one of my favorites but they've pretty much managed to screw it up. Their explanation is that they are no longer allowed to have any buffets on the ship per CDC. DUH! Did they forget deck 10???????????:D

 

If I recall from your live from ... you went to this event everyday? What did you like, the location and service?

 

Thanks,

 

Ken

[tuggers]

Hey Ken! I liked the fact that I could get a cup of cappuccino and Mimosas!

Those are two things I enjoy at home and I like being able to have them while on vacation. Besides it has now become a tradition. I go for my beverages (and used to be for the Lox and Bagels but the toasted bagel that had sat for a couple of hours gets rubbery), to read the Daily and get ready for my day.

 

I think I said the service was slow but they did start to bring me a double cappuccino at first so I could get my caffeine fix. :)

 

As far as the buffet on deck 10 there were many unguarded, unscreened areas where you served yourself. The days they had the cake desserts as well as the pie desserts were totally open, you had to reach over desserts to cut ones behind, etc. Bread was very much out in the open as was dishes of sauces for sushi, baked potatoes and meats.

 

In fact the only time there was someone serving desserts was when they had the flavors of creme brulee. There was a waiter with a torch who would put on sugar and make the nice crust.

 

As I said before, if I had to pick one thing that bothered me most it was the waste I saw as plates were picked up off tables.

 

As far a the European tastes of the Lox and Bagels crowd I've never really made a study of it. I just know what I like. ;)

[cle-guy]

The days they had the cake desserts as well as the pie desserts were totally open, you had to reach over desserts to cut ones behind, etc. Bread was very much out in the open as was dishes of sauces for sushi, baked potatoes and meats.

 

In fact the only time there was someone serving desserts was when they had the flavors of creme brulee. There was a waiter with a torch who would put on sugar and make the nice crust.

 

This is odd, as on both my summer Bermuda cruises, they actually had the velvet ropes blocking off the desert stations requiring staff assistance, on all days, not just the creme' brûlée days.

 

Some days I noticed the deserts were out with the ropes and no staff, and I realized I was there at a time just before or after the published serving times in the dailies however...during their setup/prep time.

Edited November 4, 2014 by cle-guy

[junetraveler2014]

I can't imagine anyone preferring to stand in a buffet line over sitting down with a mimosa and being served a freshly made to order breakfast :confused:

I am with you.

[Oxo]

Originally Posted by SheriffJoe

'I can't imagine anyone preferring to stand in a buffet line over sitting down with a mimosa and being served a freshly made to order breakfast.'

I cannot ever recall standing in the Elite Breakfast buffet other than to obtain/select fresh items from the buffet, then go to the table and sit down with a drink. Very fast and quick service.

In fact, last Silly cruise in Sept. we first experienced the new serving of various plates. The small bagels were small, stale and very hard. Had items on the plate that we did not want and did not eat, but selected that plate to get what we wanted instead of selecting only what we wanted as in the past when we served ourselves. Waited longer to get the freshly made to order breakfast PLATE than if we served ourselves.

[JaneStarr]

Originally Posted by SheriffJoe

'I can't imagine anyone preferring to stand in a buffet line over sitting down with a mimosa and being served a freshly made to order breakfast.'

I cannot ever recall standing in the Elite Breakfast buffet other than to obtain/select fresh items from the buffet, then go to the table and sit down with a drink. Very fast and quick service.

In fact, last Silly cruise in Sept. we first experienced the new serving of various plates. The small bagels were small, stale and very hard. Had items on the plate that we did not want and did not eat, but selected that plate to get what we wanted instead of selecting only what we wanted as in the past when we served ourselves. Waited longer to get the freshly made to order breakfast PLATE than if we served ourselves.

 

Definitely wouldn't call what we got "Freshly made to order".

[Oxo]

Definitely wouldn't call what we got "Freshly made to order".

I totally agree with you about it being 'freshly made to order.' I was using the other person's words as it was 'plated after we ordered.' So, maybe they did use a 'Fresh Plate that we ordered.' LOL

[tuggers]

Ken, nope, desserts were out in open almost all the time with no screens or barriers. And I never saw any velvet ropes. When it was blocked off for the creme brule it was with the stanchions that have that nylon looking tape stuff that is threaded through.

 

I really think the sauces are more of an issue than the desserts. I saw the sour cream sitting outside the barrier with flecks of other foods in it. Same with sauces set outside barriers near meats. Sushi just had all the accoutrements sitting on edge of counters where some people were using their own utensils to dip.

 

I was also told that if you ordered say just berries in place of whole fruit plate they would take the berries off and throw the rest of the fruit away. So it was wasted, you just didn't see it. Marvin and Harriet were told when he requested just pineapple that a waiter had to go to the dining room to get it. Or maybe it was buffet. Whichever, it took a lot more time.

Edited November 5, 2014 by tuggers

[Can'tstopcruising]

If people do not like the new set-up, they will stop going.

 

Our last cruise was port-intensive and we went to the Elite breakfast only a few times. It was the Eclipse in August and we still had the usual buffet. It was never crowded. On port days, it opened too late for most tours. On seadays (when we went), I guess others were tired and slept in!

 

Personally, we were very happy with the buffet set-up. I like to choose the fruit that looks good that day. I like to choose my yogourt. And I like to choose my muffin. Those new menus won't work so well for me.

 

By the way, the bagels were never real bagels and always hard as a rock (and tasteless)

[bbappel]

Just off B2B Summit and the Elite Breakfast was in Normandie. Plated dishes only, either way too much food (7 or 8 pastries) or not proportioned correctly (Salmon Platter had way too much salmon, not enough cream cheese, tomato or onion on two toasted buttered mini bagels with lettuce).

Service was poor.

 

Odd, I was on Summit just before you, and I thought the service was fine. Maybe my expectations are different. We didn't go in the beginning of the cruise because we had read the negative reports and expected the tiered plates. For our first time I ordered a plate from the menu since I thought that was required. The couple we sat with were served a plate with a little from this plate, a little from that plate, and only the fruit they desired and there was no waste.

 

I didn't think there was too much salmon, but then it is a rare treat for me. I don't get it at home, just on board ship.

 

I preferred it to the buffet since in the past if we arrived late, there was little left and wasn't looking forward to the tiered plates concept. I'll see if I can order what I want on the Equinox in January.

 

All this said - to each his/her own. This isn't a criticism of anyone else's choices. If we are in a hurry and don't want to sit and relax, we often have breakfast at the buffet even though I really don't like buffets but accept that it is quicker. We like the MDR breakfast if we want a hot breakfast and have the time. And on rare occasions we order room service, but I'm usually disappointed because it is difficult to communicate what we want.

 

Beth

[fleckle]

....... And on rare occasions we order room service, but I'm usually disappointed because it is difficult to communicate what we want.

We have had very good luck with room service by writing what we want on the breakfast hang tag and leaving it out on the door knob the night before. We find that much easier than trying to communicate our order verbally over the phone.

 

Only very rarely do we not receive an item that we ordered, and the order is always delivered within the time frame specified, usually right at the beginning of that time period.

 

Our only problem has been that they sometimes bring us far too much of whatever we ordered for 2 people, even though we write 2 for the quantity.

But we do not order any food that needs to be served piping hot, like eggs, from room service. Coffee has usually been fine, however.

 

Edited November 5, 2014 by fleckle

[british betty]

I had the menu on Equinox and went to the breakfast daily. Having had the buffet style too there are good and bad with each. It's nice to be served at your seat, but the choices are plated food and too much of it in my view. The first morning I had a huge medley of pastries to choose from. Once I got the hang of things I'd order specific items like a croissant and a Danish. The cheese plate included cheeses I didn't like and I felt wasteful leaving what I didn't want and a yearn for more cheddar.

 

They will bring you toast if you ask and the smoothies were great. It was civilised to be served, but overall I prefer the buffet style to pick what I want.

 

Phil

 

I agree with you Phil.

 

We were on Connie in October and the Elite breakfast was chosen from a set menu and the plated food had cheese types we didn't want and pastries and muffins we didn't want.

 

My DP asked for a bagel, I think it took about 20 minutes to be served so it must have come from the main breakfast buffet which is madness. If they would have said, we would have maybe told them not to worry.

 

The fruit platter had a very thin slice of papaya, melon and pineapple one berry and half a strawberry on it.... I never understand half a strawberry, why cant they put two halves on the plate :confused:

 

We loved the location, which was Ocean Liners on Connie and the lack of hustle and bustle, but personal opinion is that we prefer to choose. We started to eat in the main buffet and DP would go down for his Mimosa and coffee.

 

The smoothies were great though and nicely chilled too!