A couple of Celebrity Rants

[bigbenboys]

we had the same thoughts about food as OP on our recent Infinity cruise...buffet deli was awful.. BLU is becoming tiresome ..too much squab, pheasant was terrible, poor service (inadequate staffing)...lots of drunks b/c service was so slow..Breakfasts were fine, as always!

 

We did enjoy Tuscan..no need for the enhanced items.(ate there for lunch too).We gave up on BLU and our best meal was in the MDR (veal in phyllo) and great service at our tbl for 2

 

Hope it was a bad week for BLU!

 

While I like the service in Blu. Blu serves to much squab (pigeon), pheasant, quail or veal. And dont get me going on the Kobe meatloaf. It looked and tasted like I think Fancy Feast cat food would taste like. I eat more salmon on the cruise ship than I eat in Seattle.

[Hlitner]

Hi Hank, thanks for your post. I will be sailing Reflection in February

and will see how the food is on that cruise......I didn't sail with X in

2016 (first time in many years I didn't)....and I appreciate your insight.

I am booked in a regular balcony so will not be going to Blu or Lumine

but I am planning to dine Specialty a few times.

 

Will see how things go but I am still looking forward to the cruise:)

 

I think we mentioned that we have also booked the Reflection (21 days) for an upcoming cruise. We look forward to getting back on a S-Class ship that has the Lawn and Porch as options (these eating venues are only on a few ships). We are doing the same as you and booked a regular balcony and plan to supplement the MDR with a few Specialty restaurants. If available, we might buy the Ultimate Dining Package on one of the two back to back cruises.

 

Hank

[Lois R]

I think we mentioned that we have also booked the Reflection (21 days) for an upcoming cruise. We look forward to getting back on a S-Class ship that has the Lawn and Porch as options (these eating venues are only on a few ships). We are doing the same as you and booked a regular balcony and plan to supplement the MDR with a few Specialty restaurants. If available, we might buy the Ultimate Dining Package on one of the two back to back cruises.

 

Hank

 

Hi, yes, I know Reflection has those 2 venues......will probably be dining

in them;)

[villauk]

I think we mentioned that we have also booked the Reflection (21 days) for an upcoming cruise. We look forward to getting back on a S-Class ship that has the Lawn and Porch as options (these eating venues are only on a few ships). We are doing the same as you and booked a regular balcony and plan to supplement the MDR with a few Specialty restaurants. If available, we might buy the Ultimate Dining Package on one of the two back to back cruises.

 

Hank

 

Hank,

 

I believe the UDP is now out the window since X introduced the new specialty daily dining packages.

[GeronimoAz]

I was on the same cruise in Aqua and was really quite disappointed by the food overall. The menu selection in Aqua as pretty odd, often nothing at all there was appealing at all. I loved the staff in Blu, and breakfast was great. We did try the MDR one night when there was nothing at all on the Blue menu we'd want. We did find out that if we looked at that night's dinner menu in the morning and didn't want anything they could arrange for something else by dinner. They did their best, but they were limited. I can understand why - the MDR is on a different deck - not something easy to run back and forth to.

 

The buffet was really quite mediocre. The staff were willing to do anything they could - but complaining that the food was bad overall isn't something they could fix.

 

The ice cream was constantly icy - that's just bad technique or storage.

 

I realize I'm pickier than most with food, and I'm more than happy to pay for specialty restaurants, but there's really not much of an option. Murano is quite nice, and QSine is fun once a cruise, but Tuscan was just bad. The pasta that they were quite proud of being hand-made was so uneven in thickness that it can't possibly have been cooked consistently, and the steaks were of such poor quality I just gave up.

[riclop]

Just back from 14 days on the Eclipse (been on this vessel 6 or 7 times) which was, overall, a great cruise. But we do have a few rants (not new issues).

 

1. The sandwich bar/lunch meats in the Lido buffet. To be kind, the meat selection is near rubbish! If you except roast beef, decent corned beef. pastrami, good turkey, decent salami, Italian meats, etc.. you will be disappointed in a big way. What you get is often "mystery" meats which even baffle the servers (if you ask them what it is). Perhaps it is "Olive Loaf," or some other cheap cut....but most of these meats would be shameful on a real budget line!

 

2. Salad bars without lettuce or Romaine? It happened on numerous days...not to mention empty salad dressing bottles. And the quality of ice cream in the Lido has really gone downhill in the past couple of years.

 

3. My final rant has to do with constant annoying loud noise on the pool deck during most afternoons. There is simply no need for the cruise director's staff to do loud play by play for a pool game attended by 4 passengers...while several hundred others are trying to relax, chat, listen to their own music, etc.

 

4. We have probably done our last cruise in Blu (Aqua Class). We love the venue and the staff. But the dinner menus leave much to be desired and one can quickly grow tired of repetitive stuff such as osso bucco, short ribs (as both a main and a starter), ravioli with short rib filling, lamb shank (that was just like the short ribs and osso bucco), etc. They did serve prime rib one night, which was less then an inch thick and covered with a brown gravy (yuck). We are certainly not new to Blu, but its now history as we think even the MDR has a better menu.

 

Otherwise it was a great cruise. To end on a positive note we thought Murano was beyond excellent (had 2 dinners and lunch) and Qsine was marvelous as always.

 

Our advice would be to avoid Aqua Class, book a better located balcony (many Aqua cabins are in a lousy location just under the pool deck with a balcony in a giant shadow). The money you save by not booking Aqua can then be put to better use by enjoying some of the alternative dining venue.

 

Hank

P.S. The most expensive dining venue is now the mediocre Tuscan Grill...if one partakes of the "add-on" steak options. Think of it. First you pay for your cruise....which includes food. Then you pay extra (up to $50 per person) for better food (which is often about the same quality we saw in MDRs many years ago). And now, they want you to pay additional ala carte add-ons! We expect that Celebrity will soon have a sur charge for metal cutlary (with plastic being the default).

 

Hank

 

Sounds like you need a change.

[Hlitner]

Hank,

 

I believe the UDP is now out the window since X introduced the new specialty daily dining packages.

 

We suspect you are correct, although we have not seen confirmation. If that is true, we would possibly consider one of the dining packages (which we would review once aboard the ship) or simply do our usual thing of negotiating discounts at our favorite venues.

 

One tip we did not mention (until now) is that you get more with "honey." Over the years we have made friends with multiple crew members (some have remained long term friends)...but the crew will bend over backwards for those they like...where they will simply be polite (and proper) to many others. It is human nature that folks go out of their way to help friends or those they like. We have seen passengers rant and rave at crew members to get a discount....and they usually get squat. We could just walk up to that same crew member, say a few nice things, be empathic because they have to deal with rude passengers. and will often score big discounts (up to 50%). The new dining packages (really promoted onboard) do raise the question of whether one is better off buying a package...or negotiation discounts. We do not have the answer, as of yet.

 

Hank

[Sandie]

You can call customer service and make your reservations for select dining over the phone.

 

Thank you for your reply. We will definitely call to take care of this prior to sailing.

[uktog]

We suspect you are correct, although we have not seen confirmation. If that is true, we would possibly consider one of the dining packages (which we would review once aboard the ship) or simply do our usual thing of negotiating discounts at our favorite venues.

 

One tip we did not mention (until now) is that you get more with "honey." Over the years we have made friends with multiple crew members (some have remained long term friends)...but the crew will bend over backwards for those they like...where they will simply be polite (and proper) to many others. It is human nature that folks go out of their way to help friends or those they like. We have seen passengers rant and rave at crew members to get a discount....and they usually get squat. We could just walk up to that same crew member, say a few nice things, be empathic because they have to deal with rude passengers. and will often score big discounts (up to 50%). The new dining packages (really promoted onboard) do raise the question of whether one is better off buying a package...or negotiation discounts. We do not have the answer, as of yet.

 

Hank

 

Whilst I totally agree with your be nice philosophy I would like to suggest that these variable discounts whether I like you or not highlights one of the biggest issues on Celebrity, inconsistencies between the answers you get from crew.

 

Add in that they overlook that all guests are not from one culture for negotiating or rewarding service and it's a recipe for a shambles. Far too many mavericks now some of whom are genuine and others are just playing games for tips.

 

I'm on holiday I don't want to waste time "negotiating" for discounts, it should be stated package prices only supported by daily advertised additional discounts if times were slow.

 

On our last cruise the conclusion of a romantic dinner in a speciality restaurant was ruined by the hard sell first of the waiter then the Maitre d even going so far as to say we've provisionally booked you. Had to get very assertive to ask for the bill because they were holding onto it to 'give us more discount if we rebooked". In the end because it spoilt the end we left no additional tip, no doubt our cards are marked so that's us stuffed for future discounts.

 

That my rant over, stop the barrow boy hawking, that's not modern luxury.....

[sanger727]

Whilst I totally agree with your be nice philosophy I would like to suggest that these variable discounts whether I like you or not highlights one of the biggest issues on Celebrity, inconsistencies between the answers you get from crew.

 

 

 

Add in that they overlook that all guests are not from one culture for negotiating or rewarding service and it's a recipe for a shambles. Far too many mavericks now some of whom are genuine and others are just playing games for tips.

 

 

 

I'm on holiday I don't want to waste time "negotiating" for discounts, it should be stated package prices only supported by daily advertised additional discounts if times were slow.

 

 

 

On our last cruise the conclusion of a romantic dinner in a speciality restaurant was ruined by the hard sell first of the waiter then the Maitre d even going so far as to say we've provisionally booked you. Had to get very assertive to ask for the bill because they were holding onto it to 'give us more discount if we rebooked". In the end because it spoilt the end we left no additional tip, no doubt our cards are marked so that's us stuffed for future discounts.

 

 

 

That my rant over, stop the barrow boy hawking, that's not modern luxury.....

 

 

Completely agree with you. Coming from US culture, I'm not used to or comfortable with negotiating prices. I simply want to be presented with a price and informed of specials if there are any, but I'm not going to waste my vacation time dickering with a sales person about the price of my dinner. Celebrity's specialty prices are too high for me, so I don't pay them. I've seen people report 40-50% savings offered onboard sometimes, and if that was offered to me, I would pay that. But That's money out of celebrity's pocket that they are offering inconsistent deals based on bargaining. In my book, the dining experience at Murano can't possibly be worth $30 pp plus the headache of wearing the sales people down to get that price.

 

 

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[Ladesign]

Whilst I totally agree with your be nice philosophy I would like to suggest that these variable discounts whether I like you or not highlights one of the biggest issues on Celebrity, inconsistencies between the answers you get from crew.

 

 

 

Add in that they overlook that all guests are not from one culture for negotiating or rewarding service and it's a recipe for a shambles. Far too many mavericks now some of whom are genuine and others are just playing games for tips.

 

 

 

I'm on holiday I don't want to waste time "negotiating" for discounts, it should be stated package prices only supported by daily advertised additional discounts if times were slow.

 

 

 

On our last cruise the conclusion of a romantic dinner in a speciality restaurant was ruined by the hard sell first of the waiter then the Maitre d even going so far as to say we've provisionally booked you. Had to get very assertive to ask for the bill because they were holding onto it to 'give us more discount if we rebooked". In the end because it spoilt the end we left no additional tip, no doubt our cards are marked so that's us stuffed for future discounts.

 

 

 

That my rant over, stop the barrow boy hawking, that's not modern luxury.....

 

 

Sort of agree with the post. Dont like the haggling over prices either . Interesting that that the poster is saying that the Bill for the meal they had enjoyed would be discounted further if they agreed to rebook.

 

I would have played them at their own game. Agree to a rebooking - the bill gets lowered - cancel the following day [emoji41]

 

 

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[Ladesign]

I was in a Michelin starred restaurant last night. Chatting with the Head Chef afterwards I asked how much Romaine or Iceberg lettuce he uses in a year.

 

"None" he said. Then he added "no decent restaurant would use such rubbish". I pointed out that a lot of Cruise people seem to like it. Dare not post what his response was as the Hosts will not like it [emoji12]

 

I will not return to this restaurant. The meal was fantastic but for the Chef to question the taste of Cruise Critic posters is quite unacceptable. [emoji15]

 

 

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Edited December 18, 2016 by Ladesign

[Gracie115]

I was in a Michelin starred restaurant last night. Chatting with the Head Chef afterwards I asked how much Romaine or Iceberg lettuce he uses in a year.

 

"None" he said. Then he added "no decent restaurant would use such rubbish". I pointed out that a lot of Cruise people seem to like it. Dare not post what his response was as the Hosts will not like it [emoji12]

 

I will not return to this restaurant. The meal was fantastic but for the Chef to question the taste of Cruise Critic posters is quite unacceptable. [emoji15]

 

 

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well iceberg lettuce really is rubbish...no fiber, no vitamins, no minerals, mostly made up of water.....no idea why he would say that about romaine.... on Equinox last month there was a wide array of lettuces...so it really is a ship to ship issue....

[ECCruise]

For those so reticent about what they call "negotiation" (which might take a whopping 30 seconds out of your day), do you pay full price for your cars? Accept the trade-in value blindly? Pay full price for your houses? If so, the money you are not saving on specialty restaurants rather pales in comparison.

 

Not sure where the "negotiation is not part of the American culture' mindset comes from. It sure is part of mine (if needed).

[chamima]

For those so reticent about what they call "negotiation" (which might take a whopping 30 seconds out of your day), do you pay full price for your cars? Accept the trade-in value blindly? Pay full price for your houses? If so, the money you are not saving on specialty restaurants rather pales in comparison.

 

Not sure where the "negotiation is not part of the American culture' mindset comes from. It sure is part of mine (if needed).

 

 

 

But I've never gone into a restaurant and negotiated the price of my meal.

[Smallfamily]

We were just on Infinity for b2b and ate the buffet no romaine or iceburg either. On the days they had a Cesar salad station I took my plate down there and got lettuce and then went back to salad bar. The salad guy bar suggested it said he only had spinach and whatever that other fancy one is.

 

Lunchmeat was really bad looking and not sure what it was.

 

Not sure why someone giving their opinion is attacked on here. I appreciate all the comments good and bad. We either ate in the main dining room that had horrible service or room service. Room service had the best food and service of all the choices. And yes we spoke to dining room managers and guest services with no improvements.

 

 

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[hcat]

We enjoyed our ABC Island cruise on Infinity but many aspects of the sailing experience seemed "off " and compared less favorably to our Connie criuse..same class ship. We heard the same from others.

 

Poorly organized embarkation although we were in an early group so ok for us, late and disorganized life boat drill, bad organization processing pax onto the ship in ports, BLU off,. Solaroum pool kept at very high temps so we could not use. Best were Tuscan and Q sine, the Billy Joel Tribute show, and the amazing Halloween party!

 

Hoping things improve for next time..After that we are booked on Silhouette and awaiting Edge Class..where we are expecting to be awed

Edited December 18, 2016 by hcat

[Fish Lover]

Completely agree with you. Coming from US culture, I'm not used to or comfortable with negotiating prices. I simply want to be presented with a price and informed of specials if there are any, but I'm not going to waste my vacation time dickering with a sales person about the price of my dinner. Celebrity's specialty prices are too high for me, so I don't pay them. I've seen people report 40-50% savings offered onboard sometimes, and if that was offered to me, I would pay that. But That's money out of celebrity's pocket that they are offering inconsistent deals based on bargaining. In my book, the dining experience at Murano can't possibly be worth $30 pp plus the headache of wearing the sales people down to get that price.

 

 

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Asking if there are any discounts is hardly "negotiating". That's all I have ever done and been offered very favorable discounts. Nobody has suggested anything more and complaining about negotiating is giving an incorrect impression.

[uktog]

I am with those who say when we go to a "fine dining" restaurant we would consider it tacky even to ask "do you do a discount" and we certainly do not expect the waiter and maitre d to be pushing us to come back with offers of a discount on tonights meal if we come back again.

[DYKWIA]

If discounts are available they should be available to all and openly advertised, I shouldn't pay more to dine in a restaurant just because I didn't realise I could haggle for a discount as though it's a carpet in Ali Baba's market. I then shouldn't be financially penalised because I don't drive as hard a bargain as SWMBO.

 

It is tacky IMO to ask for a discount in a restaurant, deals are usually advertised openly. I can only imagine if tomorrow when I'm in London what response I will get if when passing Gordon Ramsey's restaurant in Chelsea I nip in and see if they're up for a bit of haggling over dinner that evening

 

On the basis that others believe that as we haggle over the price of car so why not restaurants, I'm wondering what else I should start haggling over - Prices in the Duty Free Shop , cost of the Pringles Crisps in the on board Shop, price of a bottle of wine in the MDR, will they do me a deal on upgrading to the Premier Drinks package?

Edited December 18, 2016 by DYKWIA

[ECCruise]

OK, for the last time.

 

It is not haggling. You ask and they give a response. Pretty idiot level.

 

Obviously, a lot of you are paying full price (which, after dozens of trips to Celebrity specialties, we feel are way overpriced). Have at it. Don't try to denigrate those who are smart enough to ask a simple question for less than a minute. They are more than happy to give you a lower price should you ask. If they can't oblige, they will let you know. That is the way they fill the seats, you know.

 

And Gordon Ramsey does not require that you pay a $2,000-$20,000 entrance fee (your fare) and leave a good meal in the street before they serve you. Apples and oranges.

Edited December 18, 2016 by ECCruise

[DYKWIA]

OK, for the last time.

 

It is not haggling. You ask and they give a response. Pretty idiot level.

 

Obviously, a lot of you are paying full price (which, after dozens of trips to Celebrity specialties, we feel are way overpriced). Have at it. Don't try to denigrate those who are smart enough to ask a simple question for less than a minute. They are more than happy to give you a lower price should you ask. If they can't oblige, they will let you know. That is the way they fill the seats, you know.

 

And Gordon Ramsey does not require that you pay a $2,000-$20,000 entrance fee (your fare) and leave a good meal in the street before they serve you. Apples and oranges.

 

What do you mean idiot level? I think you are being culturally insensitive. There are plenty of countries where people expect to pay the listed price and it would never cross their mind to even contemplate asking for a discount that wasn't advertised that includes cars and houses. Further more, if they were to ask and were turned down they may well feel embarrassed.

 

There are plenty examples of people who have reported here in the past that they've asked for a discount not been prepared to accept the initial offer and then been offered a lower one - that is haggling in my book. As is common in countries where haggling is accepted those that don't haggle will get ripped off.

 

No, Gordon Ramsey doesn't have to persuade you leave a meal, but he does have tables to fill and an incredible amount of local competition.

 

Are you ok with me asking for a discount in the on-board shop on the Pringles, the wine in the MDR, the brandy in the Duty Free shop - surely just an idiot level request?

Edited December 18, 2016 by DYKWIA

[ECCruise]

 

Are you ok with me asking for a discount in the on-board shop on the Pringles, the wine in the MDR, the brandy in the Duty Free shop - surely just an idiot level request?

 

Do whatever you like, including paying full price.

 

By idiot level I mean anyone can do it. Don't have to train or practice. Just smile, be polite and ask a simple question.

 

And no, it has nothing to do with being "culturally insensitive" :D It has to do with common sense. They have seats to fill. If they cannot fill them at full price, they will lower the price. If they don't lower the price, we pass.

 

BTW, when the specialties were at reasonable price ($25) we never asked or needed a discount. The prices now are unreasonable and the highest in the industry.

Edited December 18, 2016 by ECCruise

[4774Papa]

Negotiating for a marked price varies a lot from country to country.

 

I lived in Saudi Arabia for five years and have visited all the continents several times except the frozen one.

 

I have never been in a restaurant were I had to bargain for the price of a meal. However, I understand the scenario outlined on this post and would be somewhat irritated at getting the hard sell for a promo that I didn't want. Some cruise lines are worse than others. Celebrity is generally pretty good about this.

 

In developed countries negotiating from a price is usually not an option. I have been in a men's clothing store where I purchased an expensive suit and asked for a free tie to match the suit to seal the deal. On one occasion, I didn't get the free tie, but got it for half price.

 

The places were you absolutely must negotiate is in the Middle East. It is a part of their culture and negotiations may take half an hour and two glasses of hot tea over the price of a handmade carpet. I have seem Americans on a later visit to Turkey that bought expensive carpets and did not negotiate at all. They were ripped off. It was their fault.

 

In many developing countries even a nice shop will negotiate for some discount. Street vendors require extensive negotiation. I remember buying a handmade chess set in Mexico for 10% of the asking price.

 

In Europe, it is rare to negotiate for a price, but I remember on my first trip to Venice having my 13 year old Daughter negotiate the price of a gondola ride. Someone told me that children can sometimes get a lower price for that.

 

I think another item, even in developed countries that requires some negotiation is jewelry. Most jewelry is marked up quite a lot.

 

Yes, I don't go on a cruise to negotiate on anything, but depending on the item, I may try.

 

Sorry if I got off topic.

[hcat]

Modern Luxury!