Cafe al Bacio~pastries no longer free w/o beverage?

[mafig]

I'm not disagreeing that the new boss is worse than the old boss. But don't be confused - they aren't charging for the pastries.

 

As a frequent visitor to Al Bacio (I nearly lived there on sea days), shorter lines to get drinks is not a bad thing when the same snacks are available in the Oceanview Café. This is doubly true during the morning rush. Maybe the compromise is "no snacks without coffee until noon" or something.

 

I don't see where making people order a beverage when they just want a pastry makes for shorter lines.

Although if your point is that people who don't want to pay for a beverage will not go there at all .... then, of course, you're correct.

 

I don't think the same snacks are available in the buffet. If they are, they sure are presented more nicely in the cafe.;):)

[gold1953]

I'm not disagreeing that the new boss is worse than the old boss. But don't be confused - they aren't charging for the pastries.

 

As a frequent visitor to Al Bacio (I nearly lived there on sea days), shorter lines to get drinks is not a bad thing when the same snacks are available in the Oceanview Café. This is doubly true during the morning rush. Maybe the compromise is "no snacks without coffee until noon" or something.

 

Only the cookies are available in the buffet.. not the muffins, tarts, pastries, or cakes or other fancy treats

[keesar]

People get worked up over rumors. Believe me, the pastries are FREE at the Cafe and you don't have to buy anything and you don't have to show your SeaPass card either. You just have to be patient and wait for your turn.

 

On the other hand, if you want a gelato across from the Cafe, then you either have to present a coupon for your FREE gelato or show your SeaPass card as there will be a charge.

[WEGL81]

I can see that now several people that were on my cruise reported that they didn't have to buy a drink to get a pastry. I can only report what I was told on the first day. I didn't ask after the first day so I can't comment. It may very well be that they started out doing it one way and so many people complained or they started seeing people leave drinks on the counter just to get a pastry that they changed their policy. After the first day, I only went by there every morning to get DW's morning coffee and didn't try any other time of the day due to the policy change. Since we had a drink pkg, I never asked again.

 

We experienced the same type of on ship change on the Apple iPod/iPad/iPhone tips class. Celebrity decided to charge $10 for the class and half the people (including DW) got up and left. That group complained so much that they offered the class gratis a few days later. But then a few days after that they were back to charging for the class.

 

So maybe the ship has the option to do the Cafe Al Bacio thing one way or the other depending on what type of feedback they get.

Edited October 18, 2015 by WEGL81

[Elainemh]

Just off the Summit 10/4. I stopped at Café numerous times and never

had to pay for pastries.

[keesar]

Some people may feel obligated to purchase a drink in order to get a pastry. But that is not true.

 

This thread seems like "I heard from someone who heard from someone who said……"

[dorisis]

celebrity weight loss program? Too many cookies for me.

 

like!

[ORV]

This thread is another one that we see come up every few months, and usually is determined to just be a misunderstanding.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Celebrity weight loss program? Too many cookies for me.

 

I'm a major cookie fan - mainly Chocolate Chip, and I'll just say that (IMO) theirs are just "ok". I've tried them many times on many ships. Most of the pastries there look much better than they taste, but that's true of many things!

 

Tom

[elena7seas]

This thread is another one that we see come up every few months, and usually is determined to just be a misunderstanding.

 

I started a thread similar to this in August, and it was not just a misunderstanding. My friend, who is a well-travelled TA, and two of her friends, were all told that they had to purchase beverages in order to get the complimentary pastries. They questioned this at the time, and had the position confirmed, so there was no misunderstanding. This only happened one time to them because they are not coffee drinkers, so they did not go back to Caffe al Bacio.

 

WEGL81 had his own experience on the same ship, and he doesn't seem to see where there could be a misunderstanding.

 

It is very clear that these are very isolated incidents, but they did happen and it makes me wonder what the issue could be...is there a staff member on Infinity that fills in from time to time when the coffee bar is busy, and doesn't know the policy?

 

I have never seen a post regarding this situation that explained it away as a "misunderstanding", except as supposition that this was the case by people that were not involved.

[Baron Barracuda]

Was on the Infinity through the Panama Canal last month and ate more than my fair share of pastries at the cafe with nary a request for a purchase. Hope they don't plan to start charging, but the conspiracy theorist in me wonders if they might have begun setting the stage for this by limiting the offerings at the buffet. Lots of breads, few sweets. This drove me to the cafe each morning.

[Ma Bell]

It wouldn't surprise me if they did start charging for pastries without a beverage. It was meant to be a nice place for people to come to enjoy a beverage and pastry. When the whole ship starts stopping by multiple times a day for sweets only, they will do something to limit that.

[mafig]

It wouldn't surprise me if they did start charging for pastries without a beverage. It was meant to be a nice place for people to come to enjoy a beverage and pastry. When the whole ship starts stopping by multiple times a day for sweets only, they will do something to limit that.

 

But if many (most?) have a beverage package, how will that limit it? People will just still get their pastries and order a beverage that they may not want.:confused:

[GranthamMommy]

So if you did not buy a coffee and wanted to purchase an almond croissant.....were there prices on the items? Did anyone ask ?

 

Just wondering.....I have a drink package for my dec 5 cruise so it doesn't matter, but I'm wondering what they would have come up with for prices.

Do we have a rogue employee sending money home? Hmmmm. Maybe a contest to see how many people they can fool in a week or two.

 

I stopped there at least 2-3 times a day on my only other Celebrity cruise and didn't have a drink package. Thank God for OBC.

 

Sitting here printing out stuff for Dec 5....so excited.

[WEGL81]

Some people may feel obligated to purchase a drink in order to get a pastry. But that is not true.

 

This thread seems like "I heard from someone who heard from someone who said……"

 

While your experience may differ, MY EXPERIENCE was that I was told that I had to purchase a drink from Cafe Al Bacio to get a pastry. No rumor, not something I heard from anyone. Experience ON A CRUISE just finished. I will say that I only asked on the first day and was told that, so even people from my cruise had a different experience. However, it is not rumor. Please read the content of the thread before assuming it's just a rumor or stating facts to which you were not present.

[WEGL81]

This thread is another one that we see come up every few months, and usually is determined to just be a misunderstanding.

 

I didn't misunderstand the barrista when he told me that I had to purchase a coffee to get a "complimentary" pastry. It was pretty clear to me and my DW who was with me. But again, people on my same cruise have said they didn't have to do that. I certainly didn't imagine it nor did the people around me on the 1st day of our cruise. Maybe he was misinformed, but what he informed me was pretty clear.

 

BTW, they also had cookies at the Gelato station and indicated the same thing- had to buy gelato to get a cookie.

[Ma Bell]

But if many (most?) have a beverage package, how will that limit it? People will just still get their pastries and order a beverage that they may not want.:confused:

 

I think there are probably a lot of people who wouldn't do something like that just to get a pastry. Most people are a little more considerate than that.

[mafig]

I disagree. I think most people who had a drink package would order a drink. Inconsiderate? If I wanted a slice of coconut cake and was told I'd have to order a beverage and I didn't feel like coffee and I had a beverage package, I would order a water and take it back to my cabin, drink it later or take it home. If that makes me inconsiderate, I guess I am.:)

Edited October 18, 2015 by mafig

[Wine-O]

If they won't give you a cookie or piece of pastry without ordering a drink, I would just walk by and say: "Hi, I'm Elite Plus. I would like two blueberry muffins and an espresso, hold the espresso." :rolleyes:

[Ma Bell]

I disagree. I think most people who had a drink package would order a drink. Inconsiderate? If I wanted a slice of coconut cake and was told I'd have to order a beverage and I didn't feel like coffee and I had a beverage package, I would order a water and take it back to my cabin, drink it later or take it home. If that makes me inconsiderate, I guess I am.:)

 

I'm sorry I even brought up the possibility of them some day doing this. It was just pure speculation and not something to worry about. It's just one more of the unintended consequences of "free" beverage packages.

 

The easiest thing for them to do would be to just downgrade the pastries to what is served in the buffet, and there won't be anything more to worry about.

Edited October 18, 2015 by Ma Bell

[Harborgirl246]

If they won't give you a cookie or piece of pastry without ordering a drink, I would just walk by and say: "Hi, I'm Elite Plus. I would like two blueberry muffins and an espresso, hold the espresso." :rolleyes:

 

 

Do elite plus get free coffee at Baccio?

 

Answered my own question: yes.

I forgot since I had the beverage package on my last cruise![emoji35]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited October 19, 2015 by lucielou526

[keesar]

I'm sorry I even brought up the possibility of them some day doing this. It was just pure speculation and not something to worry about. It's just one more of the unintended consequences of "free" beverage packages.

 

The easiest thing for them to do would be to just downgrade the pastries to what is served in the buffet, and there won't be anything more to worry about.

 

I have never thought much of the pastries served at the Cafe. Those black and white cookies are nasty.

 

They have the same cookies that are served at the buffet.

[shipshape sam]

I posted a thread like the OP's a few months ago, when my friends travelling on the Infinity had the same experience. I cruised on the Infinity in September and everything in Café al Bacio was as usual for the whole cruise...no problems getting a pastry without a beverage.

 

I'm wondering if my friends' experience in August was a trial run.

 

If it's a permanent change in protocol, I think it's a wrong-headed decision. The good-will that is lost will be far greater than any savings they can make, as most people order beverages anyhow. I've spent many hours in Café al Bacio, and most people DO get beverages. As well, you rarely see anyone sitting at the tables without a beverage, so there is very little to be gained in terms of freeing up seating. The turnover in Café al Bacio is pretty quick; I rarely have to wait for a seat, and then it is only a minute or two.

 

With the number of people who have beverage packages or are elite plus, there is a much bigger danger of having people order a beverage (with no additional revenue to Celebrity) when all they really want is a cookie. This decision could actually cost Celebrity money in the long run. In the meantime, people like me will feel just a little bit more cynical about a brand that I used to love whole-heartedly.

 

What part of this decision supports the concept of modern luxury? Add this one to the ledger under "death by a thousand paper cuts".

 

 

I think you make a good point in that with each change/decision what measure is it made by.

 

Does it enhances their mission/standard of excellence!

[The_Big_M]

I'm sorry I even brought up the possibility of them some day doing this. It was just pure speculation and not something to worry about. It's just one more of the unintended consequences of "free" beverage packages.

 

The easiest thing for them to do would be to just downgrade the pastries to what is served in the buffet, and there won't be anything more to worry about.

 

...Except further complaints about the downgraded selection, and how modern luxury is moving further and further from traditional luxury.

[Ma Bell]

...Except further complaints about the downgraded selection, and how modern luxury is moving further and further from traditional luxury.

 

Don't you know that no one cares about that any more? As long as we all think everything is free, that's all that matters.:rolleyes: