5 April West Caribean Review - Not Impressed

[casique]

The Celebrity experience has definitely cheapened since our last Celebrity cruise in 2010. The food was not good in either the MDR, or the buffet, it tasted like cheap cafeteria food and the coffee was horrible, and most places did not have cream. Not even the coffee shop! We were not impressed at all. We left the ship disappointed and let down. We will try another cruise line next year. To start off, I became sick after eating a hamburger at the Bistro on 5 and sat in my room 1.5 days recovering. Our cabin veranda glass was never cleaned, so the sea was hard to see through the glass.

 

Overall:

• Check in was fast

• The medical staff was fast and friendly, I received meds and was not charged for the 20 minute visit after getting food sick

• The kid Fun Factory was great and our 9 year old loved it

• Excursions were easy to book, and also cancel due to food sickness after seeing the nurse to get an excuse letter

• The Lawn Grill, Porch, and Quisine were very good

• Cabin was ready soon after embarkation

o Cabin was clean and adequate, great bunk beds for the kids

o The main bed was large and comfortable

o The cabin was adequately cleaned, other than the veranda glass

o There was a coffee station one floor down from the cabin making it easy to grab coffee, the coffee was bad

o The veranda glass was not cleaned, was dirty and could not see the ocean through it

o The cabin was near the elevators and one floor up from a hangout area which made it very noisy due to teens hanging around till 3 am - had to call for assistance several times and they took for ever, and the teens returned soon after

• The pool was always packed during normal hours

• There was no half and half (cream) at the buffet, or coffee shop - CRAZY!

• Coffee was mediocre at best at Bacio, to include the other specialty restaurants

• MDR food was horrible, burnt steak that took over an hour to serve

• Buffet offered low quality cafeteria food

• Teenagers ran amok through the ship screaming till 3 am on most nights

• I became sick after eating at the Bistro on 5 and sat in my room 1.5 days recovering

• The entertainment was ok

• Overall food was a huge let down on this cruise, the biggest let down of the cruise

• The Lawn Grill, Porch, and Quisine were very good

• The team club was a waste and no team was ever there or attracted to the activities

• Disembarkation took three hours, and we had to leave our room by 0800 to wait around for 3 hours. The crew had no idea on what was going on and could not answer any questions

• Time changes were a secret and were not communicated effectively with the passengers causing issues with the excursions

[wallie5446]

Trying to read between the lines, were you on the Reflection?

[Kasupe]

I think this was the Silhouette which did the Western Caribbean itinerary on April 5. I did Eastern Caribbean on April 12th on the Silhouette and loved it.

[4774Papa]

We just finish a cruise on Century three weeks ago and found Celebrity has improved the coffee in the buffet. It is Lavanza, Italian coffee. Before the change DW would drink tea instead of the coffee, with the change she is back to the coffee.

 

Did your ship have the Italian coffee?

 

As for the MDR food, we have not found it to be going downhill, but I realize how subjective food can be.

[Aquahound]

Our cabin veranda glass was never cleaned, so the sea was hard to see through the glass.

 

I know this might seem nitpicky to some, but I had this complaint on every single one of my Celebrity cruises. Only on Celebrity do I have to take a wet bathroom towel out to the veranda and reach over the railing to clean as much as I can safely reach. I don't know why they are so bad at this. :confused:

[blueboro]

Man, sounds so different than our recent Equinox cruise. We found the buffet to be about the best it has been on any recent cruises and MUCH better than Princess and HAL. MDR was also good although I thought some nights the menu was uninspired. But, I love some restaurants while friends to do not so I will just go with my experience and continue with X. FYI, debarkation is not always the fault of the cruise line as customs has a HUGE impact on that.

[DinaS]

I know this might seem nitpicky to some, but I had this complaint on every single one of my Celebrity cruises. Only on Celebrity do I have to take a wet bathroom towel out to the veranda and reach over the railing to clean as much as I can safely reach. I don't know why they are so bad at this. :confused:

 

Perhaps I am a bit confused as to why this is even an issue, but if it was dirty when you first entered your cabin, why wouldn't you immediately call your cabin steward OR the Hotel Director and ask that it be cleaned?

[DinaS]

The food was not good in either the MDR, or the buffet, it tasted like cheap cafeteria food and the coffee was horrible, and most places did not have cream. Not even the coffee shop!....

 

• MDR food was horrible, burnt steak that took over an hour to serve

 

 

 

Was ALL the MDR food horrible, or just the burnt steak? I would hope you asked for something else when you encountered an unacceptable or undesirable food item.

[Aquahound]

Perhaps I am a bit confused as to why this is even an issue, but if it was dirty when you first entered your cabin, why wouldn't you immediately call your cabin steward OR the Hotel Director and ask that it be cleaned?

 

Ask the op. I was just agreeing on that point.

 

I never said anything about my balcony glass being dirty when first entering my cabin. It's the salt film that collects throughout the cruise. And yes, I do ask for it to be cleaned but the point is, I shouldn't have to.

[DinaS]

Ask the op. I was just agreeing on that point.

 

I never said anything about my balcony glass being dirty when first entering my cabin. It's the salt film that collects throughout the cruise. And yes, I do ask for it to be cleaned but the point is, I shouldn't have to.

 

LOL - you posted this, so I was asking YOU as well as the OP:

 

I know this might seem nitpicky to some, but I had this complaint on every single one of my Celebrity cruises. Only on Celebrity do I have to take a wet bathroom towel out to the veranda and reach over the railing to clean as much as I can safely reach. I don't know why they are so bad at this. :confused:

 

Now you said you ask for it to be cleaned, but earlier you posted that you take a towel and clean it yourself.

 

Just trying to keep up with the stories :rolleyes:

[CruisersTimesThree]

When did Bistro on 5 put hamburgers on their menu???

[wallie5446]

When did Bistro on 5 put hamburgers on their menu???

 

Well depending on how much someone had to drink, I guess the,

Beef Panini

Marinated Flank Steak, Sliced Mushrooms, Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Lettuce and Cheddar Cheese

could be taken as a burger.:D

[CRUZBUDS]

Well depending on how much someone had to drink, I guess the,

Beef Panini

Marinated Flank Steak, Sliced Mushrooms, Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Lettuce and Cheddar Cheese

could be taken as a burger.:D

 

The new Bistro on 5 menu has burgers salads and a daily entree - last Saturday on the Equinox we lamb chops --- $10 now :)

 

I think the paninis are gone -- they still have crepes

[casique39]

The Veranda glass was clean when we arrived, did ask, but never happened. This was an issue to me, just my opinion. If not an issue to you move on.

 

Bistro on 5 had burgers, not bad but made me sick.

 

This was on the Silhouette.

 

We all had nasty food at the MDR, and did not go back. We heard similar complaints from other cruisers. Not there to sample bad food, we just went somewhere else.

[iMedic]

The Veranda glass was clean when we arrived, did ask, but never happened. This was an issue to me, just my opinion. If not an issue to you move on.

 

Bistro on 5 had burgers, not bad but made me sick.

 

This was on the Silhouette.

 

We all had nasty food at the MDR, and did not go back. We heard similar complaints from other cruisers. Not there to sample bad food, we just went somewhere else.

 

How exactly was the food nasty?

Also, when at home what type of coffee do you regularly drink? Are a folgers/Tim Hortons/Dunkin donuts coffee drinker (i.e.: someone who drinks double doubles on the regular), or do you prefer beans from smaller independent coffee shops?

[Aquahound]

Now you said you ask for it to be cleaned, but earlier you posted that you take a towel and clean it yourself.

 

Just trying to keep up with the stories :rolleyes:

 

Nope. Gonna bow out now. I can already see where this is going and I can tell no explanation will be good enough for you. Have a splendid evening. :)

Edited April 28, 2015 by Aquahound

[kenevenpar]

OP, there is no coffee in "Bacio". Closest is Cafe Americano.

[kenevenpar]

We just finish a cruise on Century three weeks ago and found Celebrity has improved the coffee in the buffet. It is Lavanza, Italian coffee. Before the change DW would drink tea instead of the coffee, with the change she is back to the coffee.

Did your ship have the Italian coffee?

 

Actually it is Lavazza, if I'm not mistaken. I thought for a cruise ship, it was as good as it gets :cool:. I agree with your DW, some of the dregs served over the years on cruise ships were hard to take.

[neverbeenhere]

Yes, Virginia (OP) it is okay to have an opinion. Thanks for the short review and I hope your next cruise will be a finer experience. Cruise On.

[Jade13]

It sounds like the major issue you had resolved around the food.

 

We do not drink coffee so could never comment on it.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Jade13

[TeaBag]

We thought the food in the MDR on Silhouette TA in Nov was about the best we have had recently. The LCG was outstanding, best steak ever and that Lobster mac 'n cheese. Oh my.

 

Sorry you got sick OP, that is the pits when on a cruise.

[jelayne]

Sorry you were disappointed in your cruise. I applaud you for pointing out the many positives.

 

Getting sick on vacation, whatever the cause - hamburger, breakfast or a bug would be a downer. Food is a very personal thing. We have a friend who always ordered her steak burnt so what someone likes is a big disappointment to the next person.

 

Hope you find your next cruise more enjoyable.

[Flafun888]

Thank you for your review - so sorry to hear you got sick. How disappointing that must have been. Would you mind telling me where your cabin was or where this "hangout" spot was on the ship? (Just booked for next year and hoping to avoid that.) :eek:

[kborth]

Not impressed either, just returned from Constellation TA and found many of the same issues, in Bistro on Five the food was not up to snuff, creeps cold after waiting twenty minutes for them, at Cafe Al Bacio another long wait and again cold cappuccino and when I asked for another was told no. Could not get desired dining time at main dining room so we gave up on that. Oceanview grill was a zoo and many of the food items were lukewarm. My biggest issue on this cruise was the rudeness of the passengers and lack of manners. I saw a woman with runners dip her shoe in the Thalassotherapy pool and then walk away, some eating as they were walking and licking their fingers, woman with dog in baby buggy in the Oceanview, drunks yelling at the back of the theatre during the Beatles show. Would not sail on the Constellation again, actually we could not believe it was the same cruise line and the cheesy cruise director and TopChef over and over on a 13 day cruise,would not sail onConstellation again.

[Cruzaholic41]

Perhaps I am a bit confused as to why this is even an issue.

 

Because to some, it is. I also happen to find it annoying when they don't clean the balcony glass. Like the op said, if you don't agree, just move on.