Bistro on Five now $10 ?

[mpace58]

DW and I may have to rethink our embarkation day routine. Usually we go to Bistro for a quite lunch. $5 was a great price, $7 was pushing it a bit. Not sure if will go back at $10. :mad:

 

I'm going to be the nay sayer and vote against the sushi. To me the one thing I can never find on board is anything Mexican, and no I don't count that silly

"taco bar" they have once a cruise. I would love to see a nice Mexican Cantina.

[Fredric22]

DW and I may have to rethink our embarkation day routine. Usually we go to Bistro for a quite lunch. $5 was a great price, $7 was pushing it a bit. Not sure if will go back at $10. :mad:

 

I'm going to be the nay sayer and vote against the sushi. To me the one thing I can never find on board is anything Mexican, and no I don't count that silly

"taco bar" they have once a cruise. I would love to see a nice Mexican Cantina.

 

There is very large Mexican station at the buffet on all Solstice class ships. They have tacos, fajitas, chips, guacamole, salsa, chicken, beef, beans, etc. It is delicious!!

Edited April 13, 2015 by Fredric22

[Barwick Cruiser]

Jenna (needs2bespoiled) is on Summit and had lunch today at Bistro on 5 and says it's still $7 with the expanded menu!

 

Wonder why the discrepancy between ships...I would expect they'd all increase their prices at the same time or not at all, especially so soon after the most recent increase from $5.

 

Maybe the official Celebrity Cruises member could clarify....

[Laurab23]

Jenna (needs2bespoiled) is on Summit and had lunch today at Bistro on 5 and says it's still $7 with the expanded menu!

 

Wonder why the discrepancy between ships...I would expect they'd all increase their prices at the same time or not at all, especially so soon after the most recent increase from $5.

 

Maybe the official Celebrity Cruises member could clarify....

 

I posted to Celebrity on facebook and they confirmed that it is now $10.00. Seems like they are trying to get back some of the OBC they gave with the recent promotions. Not sure if I will do Bistro on 5 now.

 

Laura

[cruiseerf]

You would be blind not to notice that costs of food are rising throughout the world. This means that the cruiselines......Which are not Charities.......need to bring in additional revenue to cover this.

 

They have the choice of raising fares, which makes them noncompetitive for people who cannot afford, or will not afford upfront paying more. OR look for onboard revenue increases. Masses of people always spend more on vacation then expected....it is what keeps the cruiselines, jewelry shops afloat...ahem. What I like about the increase is that they did not just increase the cost.....They actually added some items like Hamburgers and Onion Soup etc. So in my book, we pay more but we get more.

 

The days of yesteryear, cruising with $2 sodas and $3 Gin and tonics as well as midnight buffets and french service are long gone for this price point of these type Mass Market cruises.

 

IF you want the included restaurants and no nickle and diming, then I suggest you pay for it. Seabourn, Oceania and Regent are a few who you pay one price and you can dine anywhere, drinks are free and sometimes even shore excursions. Otherwise, I suggest you skip the venue and enjoy the Buffet and crowds for Lunch and make the best of it.

 

You have now saved $10 towards your next cruise!

 

Safe sails to all!

[CruisinCrow]

I love crepes and was planning on enjoying Bistro on 5 for the crepes. When it went up to $7 with an expanded menu, I was disappointed. $7 is a lot for a crepe and I wasn't really interested in the rest of the menu. At $10 I definitely won't be going.

[Andy]

Jenna (needs2bespoiled) is on Summit and had lunch today at Bistro on 5 and says it's still $7 with the expanded menu!

 

Wonder why the discrepancy between ships...I would expect they'd all increase their prices at the same time or not at all, especially so soon after the most recent increase from $5.

 

Maybe the official Celebrity Cruises member could clarify....

 

Hi Barwick Cruiser,

 

Lately, Celebrity appears to roll things out on a ship by ship basis. When I was on Equinox in late January, Bistro was still $5 (when many other ships had already moved to $7), and offered the old menu. Curious to see where they are at on Friday, when we board the ship. I'm expecting $10 per person, but I sure hope there's a much improved menu for the higher price.

Edited April 13, 2015 by Host Andy

[mpace58]

I posted to Celebrity on facebook and they confirmed that it is now $10.00. Seems like they are trying to get back some of the OBC they gave with the recent promotions. Not sure if I will do Bistro on 5 now.

 

Laura

That is probably the best reasoning I've heard for raising the price. Not that it make it legitimate, but it does make sense.

[uktog]

I see reports that it is FOC to Celebrity Suites on one ship - I wonder if this is a new CS perk or just one ship misunderstanding the PH/RS perks

Edited April 13, 2015 by uktog

[ailetoile]

It is definitely NOT only crepes for the Bistro on 5 menu. They have specials each day, everything from Duck Confit, to Bouillabaisse, etc. See post number 12 on this thread for the menu:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2186271&highlight=bistro+on+5

 

It still seems crazy that it doubled in price over the period of a little more than a year or so. I also think it's crazy that it costs the same whether you order a crepe for lunch or a whole meal for dinner.

 

Just FYI: I ate at Bistro on Five with the "new" $10/pp menu (this was on Silhouette on the 3/22/15 sailing) and the menu pictured in post #12 of the thread you linked definitely was NOT the same. There are just six crepe offerings now (three sweet and three savory). The daily specials were different and much less "special." There were fewer appetizers offered, and NONE of the non-crepe entrees on that menu were still there.

 

What was actually on the $10/pp menu were things like a cheeseburger, a Ceasar salad, a Cobb salad, French onion soup, etc. The food offerings were not special at all aside from the gelato (which we did not eat as we were antsy after sitting there for two hours waiting on our two courses with a VERY rude waiter), and the ice cream shakes.

 

To say that the new Bistro on Five was disappointing is an understatement.

Edited April 13, 2015 by ailetoile

[DYKWIA]

A street food cafe - all you can eat but more intimate and specialised than the buffet, - with a rotating solo theme - SE Asian, Mexican, North American, Middle eastern etc - by rotating the theme you might get people dining there more than once during a cruise - if not in Bistro it would make a great outdoor concept - thinking of those fantastic night food markets in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

[gsb]

IMO, it wasn't worth the $5. No way is it worth $10!

 

Never tried it on 6 cruises--was going to, but not with this increase.

Thanks for your input.

[Barwick Cruiser]

Hi Barwick Cruiser,

 

Lately, Celebrity appears to roll things out on a ship by ship basis. When I was on Equinox in late January, Bistro was still $5 (when many other ships had already moved to $7), and offered the old menu. Curious to see where they are at on Friday, when we board the ship. I'm expecting $10 per person, but I sure hope there's a much improved menu for the higher price.

 

Thanks, Andy, I look forward to hearing about your experiences on Equinox this weekend. I would pay $10 for the expanded menu that Summit is serving but have also seen the reduced menu that others are referring to with only 6 varieties of crepes and don't feel I could justify spending $10 for that one. Seems strange to me that Summit has had the expanded menu the longest and is still charging $7 when other ships are charging more for less:D

[Oxo]

You would be blind not to notice that costs of food are rising throughout the world. This means that the cruiselines......Which are not Charities.......need to bring in additional revenue to cover this.

 

They have the choice of raising fares, which makes them noncompetitive for people who cannot afford, or will not afford upfront paying more. OR look for onboard revenue increases. Masses of people always spend more on vacation then expected....it is what keeps the cruiselines, jewelry shops afloat...ahem. What I like about the increase is that they did not just increase the cost.....They actually added some items like Hamburgers and Onion Soup etc. So in my book, we pay more but we get more.

 

The days of yesteryear, cruising with $2 sodas and $3 Gin and tonics as well as midnight buffets and french service are long gone for this price point of these type Mass Market cruises.

 

IF you want the included restaurants and no nickle and diming, then I suggest you pay for it. Seabourn, Oceania and Regent are a few who you pay one price and you can dine anywhere, drinks are free and sometimes even shore excursions. Otherwise, I suggest you skip the venue and enjoy the Buffet and crowds for Lunch and make the best of it.

 

You have now saved $10 towards your next cruise!

 

Safe sails to all!

 

I appreciate your opinion. Everyone has an opinion. What I think we need to understand is that Celebrity is raising their costs more than any other cruise line. It is trying to make itself Crystal or Sea Bourne and not doing well in that attempt. When you look back at the past18 months you will see how their prices have increased. I cruise X twice a year and RCI and Princess during that year, too. Those other two lines are not increasing their prices like X. We understand a price increase, HOWEVER::::

Tips 15% to 18%

Pkgs

Bistro $5-7-10

Check the same items on X that RCI and Princess are selling. X is $5 more on a $10 item.

X charges $45 and $50 for their Specialty Restaurants (SRs.) RCI and Princess $25 and $30. There is not much if any difference between their SRs.

Drink vouchers (3 per evening except Embarkation night and Sr. Office Cocktail night) when used are limited to the hours of 5 - 7pm, can't be used in MDR, etc.

Aqua Spa charging for yogurt with cereal $5.50.

Slushes without booze $7 with booze $10.

I could add more, but I think I have made my point.

Yes, I know I don't have to pay for that if I don't want it. That is not the point.

When people try to justify X's increases, WHY?

The more people who do that, the more they will increase the prices.

Now I have expressed my opinion.

How often do you cruise X?

[thebutlerdidit]

Another CC thread shows the new menu and photos of some of the food..can't recall the ship...

I believe this is the report you're referring to. Posts 12-14 contain photos of some of the new menu items at Bistro on 5.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2186271

[iandjm]

At $10 my chances of going to Bistro on 5 now are now roughly zero. It is such a shame that Celebrity seem to be trying to extract every last penny out of us, to the point where I fear we will be paying to use the theatre next! I used to use the speciality restaurants quite a lot, but not steer clear now as the cover charge has gone up and up. It is worth noting that on other lines ie Cunard you can dine in the 'pub' and at other locations for zero extra charge. Let's face it you only eat the cruise lines food once each mealtime, so paying extra for it seems pretty unnecessary, and will only serve to drive us away in time.

 

Such a shame.

[hcat]

Be careful in the AQUA Spa Cafe as there are items that cost. $5.50 and $6.50. However, you can get the same thing in the Oceanview Cafe and make you own for free. LOL

 

Interesting...we usually stick with salad, fruit and chicken or grilled salmon...not interested in smoothies or parfaits....what else has an extra charge!

[miched]

I can also see them eliminating the Mast Grill when The Grastro Bar is in full operation. Why should they give away hamburgers for free when people will be willing to pay for them?

 

I see the trend with other cruise lines. I think Carnival is charging per piece for their sushi.

 

We did the Bistro a few times on embarkation to avoid the chaos in the buffet. It was the original menu and didn't appear to be worth spending extra for except for the relaxed area during that time. I think many felt the same as it always looked empty during the rest of the cruise.

 

Best way to discourage any of those changes is to vote with your dollars and avoid them.

 

I avoid the Gelato bar for the same reason. I don't see where it is much better or different than the ice cream they serve in the buffet except they charge for it and is available during more hours. I think if the waiters served you a scoop of that instead of ice cream in the MDR most wouldn't know or realize that it was different or tasted better.

 

happy crusing 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[H2OH!]

This is a bummer as DH and I loved to eat breakfast a few times during our cruise...was worth $10.00 for 2 people as we each ate a breakfast crepe and shared the nutella crepe...definitely not worth $ 20.00. IMO:(

[hcat]

I believe this is the report you're referring to. Posts 12-14 contain photos of some of the new menu items at Bistro on 5.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2186271

 

Yes...thanks

Bistro menu at post 12, , photos of the lamb chops post14 ...they look great

[TommyD3]

If one were to order the lamb or steak I think the price increase is justified.

Still a 100% in less than a year......

[Orator]

In previous posts I've discussed my thesis that Celebrity is attempting to drive away the bargain and low spending cruiser. The future elimination of short cruises and the increased emphasis on top Suite cruisers serve as evidence of this change in corporate strategy. I've concluded that this is a high risk, high reward strategy. If it works Celebrity will attract a higher margin passenger. If it doesn't Celebrity might lose some traditional passengers to other lines. Part of this strategy is to approach an all inclusive package for top spending passengers and make others pay a premium for food and beverage packages. I've had an opportunity to be on a number of cruises since the Suite emphasis started and can tell you that it appears to be working. I've met so many in Michael's Club who can't stop saying how they just love the new perks. Several have told me that they will no longer book anything less than a CS. There have been many who have posted the same on these boards. I walked away from Bistro on 5 when I saw the new menu and increased price. Others will be there to filmy seat and will enjoy the experience. We tend to see things as consumers, Celebrity sees things as bottom line decisions. Only time will tell.

[iandjm]

In previous posts I've discussed my thesis that Celebrity is attempting to drive away the bargain and low spending cruiser. The future elimination of short cruises and the increased emphasis on top Suite cruisers serve as evidence of this change in corporate strategy. I've concluded that this is a high risk, high reward strategy. If it works Celebrity will attract a higher margin passenger. If it doesn't Celebrity might lose some traditional passengers to other lines. Part of this strategy is to approach an all inclusive package for top spending passengers and make others pay a premium for food and beverage packages. I've had an opportunity to be on a number of cruises since the Suite emphasis started and can tell you that it appears to be working. I've met so many in Michael's Club who can't stop saying how they just love the new perks. Several have told me that they will no longer book anything less than a CS. There have been many who have posted the same on these boards. I walked away from Bistro on 5 when I saw the new menu and increased price. Others will be there to filmy seat and will enjoy the experience. We tend to see things as consumers, Celebrity sees things as bottom line decisions. Only time will tell.

 

Great post. Everything you say appears to be true. The risk is they will attract people that cruise less and will alienate the more frequent regular cruisers. I used to book suites, then the prices went up. I moved to balconies, then the prices went up. I now book inside staterooms. I guess the next move is to another cruise line. It is worth noting that Queens Grill in Cunard is now cheaper than a Sky Suite on many ex UK Eclipse cruises!

[rvlandandsea]

I think the Bistro on Five might become a lovely quieter alternative restaurant for those who prefer smart casual dining and get a more intimate atmosphere then the MDR. I just might try it one night for dinner instead of just boarding day. Also on port days when the MDR is closed, it might be a good option where I can relax and order my meal, instead of the buffet. At 10$ per person it is worth my while to get away from the buffet chaos.

 

Johanne

[Tricia724]

....Seems like they are trying to get back some of the OBC they gave with the recent promotions....Laura

 

I think you have hit the proverbial nail on the head!

 

I have read post after post from cruisers who have buckets of shipboard credit, much of it from Celebrity, some from other sources. I think a lot of people look at "credit" differently than they do if they have to cough up the bucks. A lot of these upcharges for drink packages and specialty restaurants will be paid for with cabin credit by people who feel like they have free money and won't hesitate to spend it.

 

For most of us, though, it really isn't "free." We have two cruises booked on Silhouette in July, and both include the 1-2-3 and some additional credit from our TA. My personal feeling is that we have just paid for the packages up front, because we could have done similar itineraries in similar accommodations on other lines for far less. For many reasons, we chose to sail Silhouette, and we are satisfied with that choice and the price we paid, but we have no delusions that the extras we are receiving are "free."

 

Celebrity is experimenting with many pricing models right now to maximize profit. They have done a great job selling their passenger base on drink packages and specialty restaurants. Now they are tweaking prices to see just how far they can go before the bottom falls out. It's a business, so I can't fault them for trying to make money....but as a cruiser, I'm starting to get annoyed with all of the money grubbing. I've always felt their drinks and specialty restaurants were out of line pricewise, and it's getting worse.

 

Bistro on 5 was a nice alternative to the chaotic buffet on embarkation day, but a couple of trips there on Eclipse were lackluster experiences in both food and service. Since I don't believe in rewarding bad behavior, I doubt we'll pay extra money for more of the same.