Celebrity is pushing us away again, no fresh oj?!

[SeaWatch]

I am sure the OP will enjoy his $200 a glass freshly squeezed OJ.

[flyingv4me]

If I order and pay (not everyone has a free beverage package) for fresh squeezed Orange juice, that is what I expect to receive. OK, if it is no longer being served do not include it on the menu. It should be advertised for what it is and the price should be reduced to a reasonable cost for a concentrate.

 

Many folks have jokingly commented on this issue, and I can see the funny side of stating that Celebrity is no longer the cruise line of choice now because of the lack of this item. But I think really it is more the fact that bit by bit the little luxuries that we loved are being chipped away at - chocs on pillow, etc. Please Celebrity no more changes unless it is to improve our experience.

 

And not just improvements to the suite experience. Please.

[themutis]

Originally Posted by Katgrl494 View Post

Just finished a week long cruise on the Silhouette and there was no freshly squeezed orange juice in the Oceanview Cafe. I saw that freshly squeezed OJ was on the room service menu so I ordered it (and was charged $7 even with the Premium Drink Package!) and I can tell you that it was definitely not freshly squeezed. This alone won't affect my decision to sail with Celebrity again but combined with other disappointments it's a factor.

 

So you were charged for fresh squeezed juice when you ordered breakfast? What class of cabin did you have? Did you have to write in fresh squeezed orange juice or was it listed as an option.

 

Here is a recent CC breakfast menu and it says it should be complimentary.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=42760785#post42760785

 

Just trying to figure out what the heck is going on.

[ProfessorEFFE]

It's kind of amazing how long this thread has been going. On one hand I thought the OP was being ridiculous. After reading I see that there are a lot of people who are frustrated that the little perks have been disappearing.

 

The facts are Cruise lines have to make money to stay in business. I should think people when they book cruises really look at the itinerary, duration, ship features, and price. Different things motivate different people to choose their cruise. However price is a huge factor. In order to keep prices in line perks change. Cruise lines have to remain competitive to stay in business. Hence the suite perks. The real bottom line is you get what you pay for according to that time's economy. If you want to be really pampered then it's going to cost ya.

 

I can see how the OP, in my opinion, went off the deep end. "I'm mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore". :D

[ghstudio]

It's kind of amazing how long this thread has been going. On one hand I thought the OP was being ridiculous. After reading I see that there are a lot of people who are frustrated that the little perks have been disappearing.

 

The facts are Cruise lines have to make money to stay in business. I should think people when they book cruises really look at the itinerary, duration, ship features, and price. Different things motivate different people to choose their cruise. However price is a huge factor. In order to keep prices in line perks change. Cruise lines have to remain competitive to stay in business. Hence the suite perks. The real bottom line is you get what you pay for according to that time's economy. If you want to be really pampered then it's going to cost ya.

 

I can see how the OP, in my opinion, went off the deep end. "I'm mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore". :D

 

Most actually would not even notice or know if there was a $15 increase in the fare which would probably double the food budget....however, celebrity would just push it to the bottom line instead.

 

The value proposition...the meeting of expectations for "modern luxury"...the maintaining of past passengers just don't appear to be on their radar screen right now.

 

Celebrity management currently appears to have two major focuses....maximize suite prices/profit from suites...and cut all other expenses....and it's not clear if they care if anyone leaves because they think it's easy to find enough new folks to fill the ships.

 

They might be right....at least in the short term....but they are definitely losing some passengers and of course gaining others, at least once.

 

My 2 cents on the issue...worth maybe 1/2 a cent....

Edited February 3, 2015 by ghstudio

[ProfessorEFFE]

I guess my point was all of the cruise lines, with perhaps the exclusion of the high end vendors, are doing similar things.

 

I also agree with you in Celebrity's case. Just because Johnny jumps off a cliff should you? When the cruise lines can't fill these new mega ships with enough passengers to make an acceptable profit then they will do some other marketing magic. The cold truth is that if no profit is made they go out of business. I don't think nickle and dimeing is a good way to do it but who knows ... time will tell.

 

I don't really know if $15 bucks a day is really enough to bring back all the little nice perks ... interesting thought though.

[Celebrity Cruises]

Hi all,

 

We wanted to address some of your concerns about no longer offering freshly squeezed orange juice onboard our ships. In order to ensure a consistent premium product fleetwide, we've made the decision to switch our fresh squeezed-to-order juice to a fresh pre-squeezed juice. Our main priority is to guarantee a quality juice product year-round regardless of a ship's location, so we've made this change to support that goal.

[Sandy1975]

Hi all,

 

We wanted to address some of your concerns about no longer offering freshly squeezed orange juice onboard our ships. In order to ensure a consistent premium product fleetwide, we've made the decision to switch our fresh squeezed-to-order juice to a fresh pre-squeezed juice. Our main priority is to guarantee a quality juice product year-round regardless of a ship's location, so we've made this change to support that goal.

 

Thanks for answering the question. While this might bring consistency in flavor, it is no longer fresh squeeze OJ. It is just like Florida's Natural or Tropicana and probably has been pasteurized. They are acceptable and better than the free orange colored sugar juice but I think it will be wrong to labeled it as Fresh Juice. They should also be cheaper IMO

Edited February 3, 2015 by Sandy1975

[DinaS]

Hi all,

 

We wanted to address some of your concerns about no longer offering freshly squeezed orange juice onboard our ships. In order to ensure a consistent premium product fleetwide, we've made the decision to switch our fresh squeezed-to-order juice to a fresh pre-squeezed juice. Our main priority is to guarantee a quality juice product year-round regardless of a ship's location, so we've made this change to support that goal.

 

Isn't "fresh pre-squeezed juice" an oxymoron? How can it be fresh if it is pre-squeezed?

 

It's just like the bottles or cartons of orange juice you get in the supermarket - the ones that say "natural" or "not from concentrate".

 

After all, every orange juice (bottled, canned, frozen, etc) was "fresh squeezed" at some point in time.

[MR_T]

Hi all,

 

 

 

We wanted to address some of your concerns about no longer offering freshly squeezed orange juice onboard our ships. In order to ensure a consistent premium product fleetwide, we've made the decision to switch our fresh squeezed-to-order juice to a fresh pre-squeezed juice. Our main priority is to guarantee a quality juice product year-round regardless of a ship's location, so we've made this change to support that goal.

 

 

Thanks for clearing up as to why this has happened... Or at least giving us your version!! 😏

 

However not that I'm too fussed about it and it will in no way stop me booking celebrity cruises in the future but we had the so called fresh pre-squeezed Orange juice on our last cruise and noticed a massive difference in taste... To the extent I stopped ordering it as it was extremely sharp/sour...

 

Whatever way you look at it or dress it up there really isn't any better way of producing freshly squeezed orange juice other then what you used to do in the zumex juicer machines onboard!

 

It's a simple process... Put a good product in and your get a good product out, good oranges are available all year round all over the world so I can only assume this is a cost cutting exersice!! 😏

 

As I said it won't stop me booking any future cruises or stop me enjoying any of the 4 I have booked already but just wanted to put my thoughts on orange gate down in writing!! 😁

Edited February 3, 2015 by MR_T

[cle-guy]

I'm just Off Summit, and had the OJ daily (assuming it was the new stuff based only not his thread) and I couldn't tell the difference. I know it tasted like fresh squeezed as always, versus what you get out of the machines in the buffet.

 

Not reading this thread, I'd have had no clue there was any sort of change.

 

I even saved a couple glasses one day for drinking later, and it separated, just local fresh squeezed does when sitting in a glass.

 

I look at it similar to "fresh fish" in a grocery store. It's always frozen at some point in order to ship it in (unless you get local caught fish on a coast right off a boat).

Edited February 3, 2015 by cle-guy

[20pluscruises]

Isn't "fresh pre-squeezed juice" an oxymoron? How can it be fresh if it is pre-squeezed?

 

It's just like the bottles or cartons of orange juice you get in the supermarket - the ones that say "natural" or "not from concentrate".

 

After all, every orange juice (bottled, canned, frozen, etc) was "fresh squeezed" at some point in time.

 

I think fresh pre- squeezed OJ comes without added sugar and/or preservatives

[flyingv4me]

Florida's Natural OJ packaging calls it, "squeezed from our fresh Florida oranges." I'd suggest a minor change in the wording by Celebrity will remove most confusion as it is no longer "fresh squeezed."

 

No biggie as far as I'm concerned, so long as there is truth in advertising.

 

Thanks, Celebrity Cruises, for getting back with us!

 

Bruce

[20pluscruises]

Florida's Natural OJ packaging calls it, "squeezed from our fresh Florida oranges." I'd suggest a minor change in the wording by Celebrity will remove most confusion as it is no longer "fresh squeezed."

 

No biggie as far as I'm concerned, so long as there is truth in advertising.

 

Thanks, Celebrity Cruises, for getting back with us!

 

Bruce

 

They sell (comes in gallon size) fresh pre-squeezed orange juice here in my grocery store right next to the cartons of OJ and it does taste just like freshly squeezed oj. The downside...it has a much shorter shelf life

[DinaS]

I'm just Off Summit, and had the OJ daily (assuming it was the new stuff based only not his thread) and I couldn't tell the difference. I know it tasted like fresh squeezed as always, versus what you get out of the machines in the buffet.

 

Not reading this thread, I'd have had no clue there was any sort of change.

 

I even saved a couple glasses one day for drinking later, and it separated, just local fresh squeezed does when sitting in a glass.

 

I look at it similar to "fresh fish" in a grocery store. It's always frozen at some point in order to ship it in (unless you get local caught fish on a coast right off a boat).

 

 

Any of the store-bought containers of orange juice with pulp will settle, so that's not really a good comparison.

[cle-guy]

Any of the store-bought containers of orange juice with pulp will settle, so that's not really a good comparison.

 

Good to know, but in any case, it still tasted like the previous fresh squeezed stuff, and not the reconstituted stuff.

 

I think it really is taste that matters not so much what method gets it onto the glass.

 

I'll gladly take this tasty beverage over the sometimes sour from not quite ripe fruit or too much skin making its way in.

 

Some call it a cutback, I call it Quality Assurance.

Edited February 3, 2015 by cle-guy

[NLH Arizona]

Hi all,

 

We wanted to address some of your concerns about no longer offering freshly squeezed orange juice onboard our ships. In order to ensure a consistent premium product fleetwide, we've made the decision to switch our fresh squeezed-to-order juice to a fresh pre-squeezed juice. Our main priority is to guarantee a quality juice product year-round regardless of a ship's location, so we've made this change to support that goal.

Thanks for the clarification, on my next cruise just like I did on my January cruise, I'll enjoy whatever orange juice you serve without a peep of a complaint. Unfortunately it seems like our darn if you do respond and darned if you don't respond. Edited February 3, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[laslomas]

Last week in the UK there was a TV programme 'Eat well for less'. One part of it was on the subject or fresh squeezed juice v juice from concentrate. They showed the whole process, both were said to taste very similar - the difference being the price. One tanker transporting concentrate would make 160,000 litres. To have the same amount of fresh juice requires 6 tankers to be on the road. Overall producing the fresh juice is 3 or more times the cost of the juice from concentrate. So there is the answer, I expect. Saving money.

[ghstudio]

Hi all,

 

We wanted to address some of your concerns about no longer offering freshly squeezed orange juice onboard our ships. In order to ensure a consistent premium product fleetwide, we've made the decision to switch our fresh squeezed-to-order juice to a fresh pre-squeezed juice. Our main priority is to guarantee a quality juice product year-round regardless of a ship's location, so we've made this change to support that goal.

 

It's good to know that Celebrity is focused on providing a quality juice year round.....unlike those other cruise lines such as Regent, Crystal, Oceania, Cunard, and so on that have chosen, I guess, to risk providing that quality by continuing to provide real fresh squeezed orange juice.

[soxfan2013]

Is this a joke post? Fresh OJ??!! Get a life. Pay an extra 6 grand for fresh squeezed OJ.

 

I have seen a lot of strange posts but this one takes the cake. Thanks for the chuckle!

 

I think you are way off base to give the OP a hard time about wanting fresh squeezed OJ.

 

Fresh squeezed OJ is an ESSENTIAL baseline component of an upscale resort or cruise.

 

But my understanding is that it is available on Celebrity, probable pre-packaged out of Florida and loaded on board pre-cruise, so I presume it's still very fresh!

 

Even my local Whole Foods has switched from store made fresh OJ to this type, and it's generally delicious.

Edited February 3, 2015 by soxfan2013

[sportfishers]

http://www.kennesawjuice.com/About_Us.html

 

Kennesaw fresh-squeezed OJ is a delicious product and I find the taste equal to what you get at a juice stand, where the oranges are squeezed right in front of you and you drink it on the spot. With Kennesaw you do have to be careful about the expiration date. Looking at Kennesaw's "Products" page I see they also offer this, but I have never tried it:

Pasteurized juices

New super premium

Some customers have requested a longer shelf life product. So we created the new super premium product to taste as closes to fresh squeezed. We developed a unique process to freshly squeeze the juice then rapidly heat and rapidly chill the juice, doubling the shelf life and still maintaining the high-quality fresh taste. Taste and compare.

I wonder who is providing Celebrity with the fresh pre-squeezed juice. Further musings...if you're squeezing whole oranges on board, spoilage would be of little concern...the "container" that the juice is in has a pretty long shelf life. And even though the Kennesaw juice is a treat, it is still not as special as the juice you get at the juice stand. The experience is part of the enjoyment and Celebrity is selling an experience, not orange juice. My take, I'm not sure I'm buying Celebrity's argument...I think they are now providing a consistently average product of consistently average quality and it's not worthy of a built-in or upfront charge or upcharge.

[Arwen]

We accept the cutbacks. We understand things change. But completely taking fresh orange juice off the ships? Modern luxury includes fresh juice! We have three trips booked on celebrity in the next two years but will need to rebook at Oceania. We have standards. These same standards made Celebrity our favorite cruise line for the last 5 years. Sad to think its time to upgrade again.

 

 

We just returned from a cruise on the Equinox. They, indeed had fresh squeezed OJ. But you pay for it!

 

It was quite good, but a waiter came around with glasses of OJ on a tray, in the Oceanview Cafe and asked 'Want some OJ' to which my husband and I said 'yes'. Then he said, 'can I have your key card?' $4.00 for a glass of OJ!

 

I don't know about now, but HAL often had fresh squeezed OJ and it was even better than Celebrity's...and free. But it has been a few years since we have sailed HAL so maybe that has changed.

[az_tchr]

http://www.kennesawjuice.com/About_Us.html

 

Kennesaw fresh-squeezed OJ is a delicious product and I find the taste equal to what you get at a juice stand, where the oranges are squeezed right in front of you and you drink it on the spot. With Kennesaw you do have to be careful about the expiration date. Looking at Kennesaw's "Products" page I see they also offer this, but I have never tried it:

Pasteurized juices

New super premium

Some customers have requested a longer shelf life product. So we created the new super premium product to taste as closes to fresh squeezed. We developed a unique process to freshly squeeze the juice then rapidly heat and rapidly chill the juice, doubling the shelf life and still maintaining the high-quality fresh taste. Taste and compare.

I wonder who is providing Celebrity with the fresh pre-squeezed juice. Further musings...if you're squeezing whole oranges on board, spoilage would be of little concern...the "container" that the juice is in has a pretty long shelf life. And even though the Kennesaw juice is a treat, it is still not as special as the juice you get at the juice stand. The experience is part of the enjoyment and Celebrity is selling an experience, not orange juice. My take, I'm not sure I'm buying Celebrity's argument...I think they are now providing a consistently average product of consistently average quality and it's not worthy of a built-in or upfront charge or upcharge.

 

OK - I'll buy it. This juice has a 13-17 day shelf life. Lets say a day to package and another to get it to FLL. Thus what is it like on a 12 night cruise at the end? No so good if I can answer myself. Now the next leg leaves Italy for the Med. What happens then? Would love to hear from Celebrity what the real truth is on this WORLDWIDE! Cannot imagine they can buy fresh squeezed juice in say Buenos Aires!

[ghstudio]

OK - I'll buy it. This juice has a 13-17 day shelf life. Lets say a day to package and another to get it to FLL. Thus what is it like on a 12 night cruise at the end? No so good if I can answer myself. Now the next leg leaves Italy for the Med. What happens then? Would love to hear from Celebrity what the real truth is on this WORLDWIDE! Cannot imagine they can buy fresh squeezed juice in say Buenos Aires!

 

Most "fresh squeezed" orange juice is pasteurized and has a much longer shelf life....well over a month. If frozen, it can last much longer. I am pretty confident that the new orange juice is both pasteurized and frozen....so this isn't any more of a problem then getting meat and fish to the ships, all of which is also frozen.

Edited February 3, 2015 by ghstudio

[az_tchr]

Hi all,

 

We wanted to address some of your concerns about no longer offering freshly squeezed orange juice onboard our ships. In order to ensure a consistent premium product fleetwide, we've made the decision to switch our fresh squeezed-to-order juice to a fresh pre-squeezed juice. Our main priority is to guarantee a quality juice product year-round regardless of a ship's location, so we've made this change to support that goal.

How do you get your "fresh squeezed juice to say Venice Italy?