Two disappointments with an otherwise wonderful cruise

[Fouremco]

I've never had a poor experience with a sommelier, but DW and I usually choose set dining. Having the same passengers every night makes it so much easier for all of the MDR staff to anticipate your needs and to provide appropriate service more efficiently.

[Tomato53]

The wine service in Blu on our January 2016 Constellation cruise was one of the disappointments. The sommelier was stretched too thin (I think she was the only one in Blu) and she was clearly doing me a favor bringing a glass mid-meal. We couldn't get her attention before that. After the first night, we brought our own wine from Cellar Masters and I even went out to Cellar Masters for a refill. Boris provided great service out there.

[Benjo8]

Just got off he Summit yesterday. Ate late seating MDR right next to Captain's table (sat empty late seating the entire cruise but at least one night had dinner with Captain in Qsine so I knew where he was). We had no problem getting good sommelier service, but then again the table of 8 next to us appeared to have relocated from Napa so sommelier was always around. In the past hard part is getting sommelier trained early in the cruise. And he/she seems to train quicker and better if you are buying bottles and not on a beverage package.

[eddiethekub]

I am surprised by the complaints. We were on Silhouette last fall, B2B. Always ate in MDR and had terrific service from the wine steward. Always showed up promptly after we sat. We were on the classic package for the first cruise. There were a number of reds and whites available, and the sommelier made recommendations and always kept our glasses filled. We usually had to stop him from overserving us. Second cruise was a TA, so we bought by the bottle. Again, prompt, courteous service. We could not have asked for better.

Edited February 29, 2016 by eddiethekub

[hillbilly73]

We were on the same cruise as the OP and we are simple in our wine tastes so can't comment on the knowledge of the sommelier but I will say they were always there within a minute or two of setting down inquiring about our needs and our glasses were never empty before someone was asking if we needed another glass. Yes we had the drink package so our service was always by the glass. We did bring a local wine we always toast or anniversary with and they were very good explaining the corkage fee and the cost. Which is on the high side in my opinion.

 

Shore excursions we did three from the ship which is out of character for us. One was a big disappointment due to a change by the vender that really changed the feel of the day trip. My wife went down and brought it to the shore excursion desk she did not request any refund just wanted to make sure they knew. Within a few hours we had a message from them thanking us for bringing it to their attention and a unsolicited 25% refund. Our other 2 were last minute and great including a Catamaran trip on St. Kitts. Also a short afternoon trip on St. Thomas to join friends and eat some OBC that turned out great.

 

Al

[waterbug123]

We were on The Eclipse last year & agree that the wine servers are hard to find when in the MDR. We noticed that the wine server in our area spent most of her time dealing with diners who were not on a package & ordered wine from the wine list. It got our table & others very annoyed.

 

Um, that's really who the wine server is SUPPOSED to spend time with- people trying to choose a bottle of wine off the list. If you just want a glass of wine included in your drink package it shouldn't require a lengthy consultation and your regular server should be able to manage your order.

:confused:

[Oceangoer2]

Um, that's really who the wine server is SUPPOSED to spend time with- people trying to choose a bottle of wine off the list. If you just want a glass of wine included in your drink package it shouldn't require a lengthy consultation and your regular server should be able to manage your order.

:confused:

Servers don't serve wine, just your meal order. They call for the sommelier, whether it's a glass or bottle of wine. I've known a server to go around the procedure occasionally and pass your request to the sommelier but most often they ask the sommelier to visit your table to take your wine order.

Edited February 29, 2016 by oceangoer2

[GUT2407]

Thanks for telling us about the issues.

[TOPCATS2]

Um, that's really who the wine server is SUPPOSED to spend time with- people trying to choose a bottle of wine off the list. If you just want a glass of wine included in your drink package it shouldn't require a lengthy consultation and your regular server should be able to manage your order.

:confused:

 

You have to talk to a sommelier because what you order from the menu is NEVER in stock! Not the servers fault, they are always apologetic (lots of practice) but it is extremely annoying to keep happening over and over again. You can bet the new wine list will have subpar wines at premium drink package pricing!

[mdcelebrity]

Just off the Eclipse Feb 7th sailing. We had absolutely NO problem with the Sommelier provided wine service. We ate in MDR most nights, and he could not have been more attentive...to everyone in the area.

I saw no indication that they are trying to slow service at all. It was exceptional all the way!

 

We were also on the 7Feb2016 sailing on Eclipse and the wine service could not have been better. Nicolo, the Sommelier, always had an interesting (and tasty!) suggestion, despite the fact that I had the Premium Beverage package and was ordering wine-by-the-glass. In fact, after the first night he was ready with a glass of Proscecco for my girl friend, remembering that she liked to start that way.

I am as critical as anyone with the some of the things happening with the "X" line, but in this case they got it right. Perhaps, it helps to hire the right people. The "Celebrity is downsizing so staff is stressed and rude" memo was apparently not received by the Eclipse team: service was beyond competent and quite attentive and friendly though out the ship. We booked the same cruise (5Feb2017) for next year (they won't DARE to eliminate Bonaire again!). Good people can trump bad corporate decisions. Kudos to the staff.:)

[Champagne Cruiser]

We just returned from the Summit this past Saturday. It was an outstanding cruise. Kudos to Captain Alex and the entire crew. Now on to the wine service. We had Select dining and the Premium package. The first 2 nights we were seated in different sections with different servers and Sommeliers. The last 4 nights we were in the same section with the same waiters and Sommelier. We ate around 7-7:15 each night, the busiest time. We had great service every night both by the waiters and our Sommeliers. We never experienced having a bottle left on the table, but DH and I drank different wines. Sommelier was very knowledgable and helpful. Only issue I encountered was the Sauvignin Blanc in MDR, Clifford Bay was too astringent for my taste. There was a very good one, Aresti, in Revelations but it was not available in MDR.

[El Crucero]

You can bet the new wine list will have subpar wines at premium drink package pricing!

 

Really? I always have a positive attitude that I will have a great time on my Celebrity cruise and therefore I do!

[Fouremco]

Really? I always have a positive attitude that I will have a great time on my Celebrity cruise and therefore I do!

May your wine glass always be half full! :)

[BrendaJ]

We just returned yesterday from the Silhouette and had no problem whatsoever with sommelier service. This was our first time doing Select and I thought we might have to wait for sommeliers but this was not the case at all - we had terrific, prompt service. We had the classic package and had no problem getting something we enjoyed every night. One day they were out of Pinot Grigio, but we were offered Sauvignon Blanc instead which I like even better and it usually isn't included on the Classic package, so I was happy.

[HokiePoq]

Our wine steward on Equinox in January was very attentive, but it was obvious he had way too many tables to look after. After a couple of days he knew what we wanted and came with it. There was a wait sometimes but I could see him busy with other folks in the MDR.

While one can get some really good private excursions, I can't say enough nice things about the X excursion we took at St. Kitts...A Day in Nevis. Loved Nevis (didn't know about its history before), great guide, and a beach without salespeople...complete with chair and umbrella.

[Redtravel]

Many people have liquor packages. The bar service has become very slow. If they don't show up, you may give up and not drink. It can be a way for Celebrity to save money. I is also a way to irritate guests. I was recently on the Summit for b2b. In MDR at dinner, I was never asked if I wanted anything from the bar. I may have ordered if I had been asked. I didn't have a beverage package. I will not let my dinner be ruined by the bar service ineptness. MDR servers were very slow at asking us if we wanted coffee. On several nights we left the MDR and got coffee later at Cafe AlBaccio. On the pool deck, there were only a few waiters. It seems as if Celebrity has fewer bar servers everywhere. If you really wanted a drink, step up to the bar and wait.

[OkanaganRon]

May your wine glass always be half full! :)

 

Just as mine was - never less than half full on the Feb. 7/16 Eclipse..thanks to Enrikko the terrific sommelier:):cool:

[OkanaganRon]

Many people have liquor packages. The bar service has become very slow. If they don't show up, you may give up and not drink. It can be a way for Celebrity to save money. I is also a way to irritate guests. I was recently on the Summit for b2b. In MDR at dinner, I was never asked if I wanted anything from the bar. I may have ordered if I had been asked. I didn't have a beverage package. I will not let my dinner be ruined by the bar service ineptness. MDR servers were very slow at asking us if we wanted coffee. On several nights we left the MDR and got coffee later at Cafe AlBaccio. On the pool deck, there were only a few waiters. It seems as if Celebrity has fewer bar servers everywhere. If you really wanted a drink, step up to the bar and wait.

 

Experiences obviously differ, but again I have to say that on the Eclipse I had NO problems getting drinks in the MDR or at any bar. Typically there were 2 bartenders at all the bars, wait times were minimal. If by waiting, you refer to being served in turn when several guest show up at the same time I have experienced this, but it's no different at a bar on land. I give no credence to the suggestion that it is a deliberate ploy by Celebrity to reduce consumption.

[DrivesLikeMario]

It wouldn't have been carambola beach club as it is very quiet and no vendors.

 

Thank you.

[minidonuts85]

I might have missed this, but which beach did you end up at in St Kitts?

[waterbug123]

Servers don't serve wine, just your meal order. They call for the sommelier, whether it's a glass or bottle of wine. I've known a server to go around the procedure occasionally and pass your request to the sommelier but most often they ask the sommelier to visit your table to take your wine order.

 

Interesting. When ordering wine by the glass with the beverage package I really don't recall the server deferring to the wine server, only when ordering bottles. Then again, these days Celebrity is nothing if not inconsistent in how things are done from cruise to cruise.

 

You have to talk to a sommelier because what you order from the menu is NEVER in stock! Not the servers fault, they are always apologetic (lots of practice) but it is extremely annoying to keep happening over and over again. You can bet the new wine list will have subpar wines at premium drink package pricing!

 

Again, I don't recall having a huge issue with ordering included wines by the glass, but maybe we've just been lucky. Ordering wine by the bottle has been entirely different though, and we have indeed been disappointed with the inventory levels, often going through several choices before finding something they actually have in stock, and then half the time if we subsequently want a 2nd bottle we are told "oh, sorry, that was the only bottle we had."

[waterbug123]

Many people have liquor packages. The bar service has become very slow. If they don't show up, you may give up and not drink. It can be a way for Celebrity to save money.

 

The biggest thing we've noticed is the lack of beverage servers in the casino. Used to be they swarmed all over you, to the point that sometimes we had to ask them to please stop asking us if we wanted a drink. Now that everyone has a drink package they are no where to be found. We usually have to ask the dealer to have the pit boss summon a server for us.