Taking a break from Celebrity after our Eclipse cruise

[ChucktownSteve]

jbuch02, TYMV for an insightful and balanced analysis. It's interesting to see your perspective based upon your experiences. You've very well summed up what I've seen others appear to be feeling...including myself.

[Catasetumkid]

Wrong. There is a separate galley for the crew. Food not eaten from the buffet is composted and/or incinerated and disposed of.

 

 

I have been on Celebrity ships for about 70 nights over the last 2-3 years. I can say I have been in the buffet maybe 10 times? Including breakfast and lunch, never for dinner. The MDR does adequate breakfast and a good lunch. The buffet does do a better job on omelets and the Mast Grill does do a better job on burgers than the MDR. But overall I have found the buffet offerings to provide a good variety. Excellent french fries! Note my opening comment above - food put out at the buffet is discarded if not eaten by passengers; no reuse of the "leftovers", no passing it on to crew. If they were to put out 10-15 varieties of cold cuts and cheeses, there is just that much more waste to discard at the end of the mealtime.

 

 

My only issue with the Celebrity buffets was on a Silhouette transatlantic. A very popular speaker was scheduled for 1100-1200 in the main theater. So at noon several thousand of us headed for the buffet and the stock of napkin-wrapped flatware quickly vanished.

 

I was there - let's see - not 10 times, 27 times. I believe you if you say they compost it. There were usually people in line for a sandwich, for grilled meats and for salads, and I saw people waiting for pizza. Never anyone in line for all that other stuff in the pots. It was there day after day, the same stuff, it looked like to me - at the very least it all looked very similar. I'm not familiar with Indian food since I don't like it. Certainly the same exact 4 pasta sauces, never a change there in 2 weeks. It made me nervous, to be honest, and I only ate food that seemed fresh. I'm just reporting and showing pictures of my experience on the Eclipse from 1/8/17 until 1/22/17. Your mileage may vary.

[Catasetumkid]

I asked once but I guess you missed my question: on what cruise line did the buffet and the food in general suit you?

Sorry! I thought I answered when I saw that I've only been on Royal Caribbean, and our last cruise was 3 years ago - so I have no idea if they've switched out their buffet foods for the pots we dealt with on the Eclipse. I was pretty happy with the food on my prior two cruises, no real complaints at all. I think that was part of my true surprise at how poor I thought the offerings were on the Celebrity Eclipse last month.

[upwarduk]

Sorry! I thought I answered when I saw that I've only been on Royal Caribbean, and our last cruise was 3 years ago - so I have no idea if they've switched out their buffet foods for the pots we dealt with on the Eclipse. I was pretty happy with the food on my prior two cruises, no real complaints at all. I think that was part of my true surprise at how poor I thought the offerings were on the Celebrity Eclipse last month.

 

If the food was so poor in the buffet, why on earth did you eat there so many times (27?)

We regularly use the MDR on sea days for both breakfast and lunch.

[Catasetumkid]

If the food was so poor in the buffet, why on earth did you eat there so many times (27?)

We regularly use the MDR on sea days for both breakfast and lunch.

Breakfast and lunch daily except one day we had lunch off-ship and one night I had dinner at the buffet. I had a salad every day for lunch and hard boiled eggs for breakfast, mostly. Since I didn't like their food, why should I pay to go elsewhere on the ship? I never considered it. If I didn't like that it was flavorless, why should it be great elsewhere on the ship? I don't know, is my logic flawed? When we ate on St. Kitts, we paid $25 for a lunch - and it was wonderful fish, so full of flavor that we realized exactly how bad the food was on the ship. :-(

[villauk]

Why didn't you try the MDR for lunch or breakfast if the food was that poor in Oceanview? It wouldn't have cost you any up-charge?

[BosoxI]

Definitely, your logic is flawed and you have consistently compared apples to oranges. land based food to ship based. Two different worlds. I would be the last to claim shipboard food is haute cuisine, but you have literally gone overboard with many of your observations. My advice would be to stay on land in the future and spare yourself the pain of terrible food. in the middle of the ocean.

[Cruise Junky]

Breakfast and lunch daily except one day we had lunch off-ship and one night I had dinner at the buffet. I had a salad every day for lunch and hard boiled eggs for breakfast, mostly. Since I didn't like their food, why should I pay to go elsewhere on the ship? I never considered it. If I didn't like that it was flavorless, why should it be great elsewhere on the ship? I don't know, is my logic flawed? When we ate on St. Kitts, we paid $25 for a lunch - and it was wonderful fish, so full of flavor that we realized exactly how bad the food was on the ship. :-(

 

There is no extra charge for the MDR any time of day.

[TFLG]

Definitely, your logic is flawed and you have consistently compared apples to oranges. land based food to ship based. Two different worlds.

 

 

 

Can't speak to his logic but I expect the food on a cruise to be pretty darn good. Not expecting Peter Luger good but in the MDR I expect at least as good as a main stream chain restaurant (olive garden, outback etc). My expectation is the buffet food will be as good as any decent casino buffet. Again, I'm not expecting Caesars Palace or MGM Grand levels but I don't expect to see Golden Corral either. As much as we are paying I expect the food to be on par with most good land based restaurants. I've been pretty happy with most of the food on my Celebrity cruises but there's room to improve. The Mast grill on the Eclipse last Nov was pretty bad. If I were the F&B manager I would be embarrassed by that food, the pizza was also horrid. I'm no master chef but really, how hard is it to make a decent pizza or a burger?

[whtlhntr]

Our first cruise with Celebrity is rapidly approaching. We are by no means experienced cruisers, having just 4 previous cruises with Carnival, and we hope that Equinox is a better experience than Carnival. A big part of the experience that we enjoy is the food, Carnival was good, for us, but we are trying to switch it up, as the kids have left and we aren't looking for water slides and Dr. Suess. These posts make me worry whether we should have gone with a different line, but we will keep an open mind, and if not satisfied we'll try another. Until the grandkids want to go, then be back to Carnival or Disney.

[oneputt18]

Our first cruise with Celebrity is rapidly approaching. We are by no means experienced cruisers, having just 4 previous cruises with Carnival, and we hope that Equinox is a better experience than Carnival. A big part of the experience that we enjoy is the food, Carnival was good, for us, but we are trying to switch it up, as the kids have left and we aren't looking for water slides and Dr. Suess. These posts make me worry whether we should have gone with a different line, but we will keep an open mind, and if not satisfied we'll try another. Until the grandkids want to go, then be back to Carnival or Disney.

We are booked for our fourth cruise in four years on the Equinox. She is a beautiful ship, clean and well cared for. The crew is fantastic and the officers are always visible. I am sure you will enjoy yourself.

 

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[TFLG]

Our first cruise with Celebrity is rapidly approaching. We are by no means experienced cruisers, having just 4 previous cruises with Carnival, and we hope that Equinox is a better experience than Carnival. A big part of the experience that we enjoy is the food, Carnival was good, for us, but we are trying to switch it up, as the kids have left and we aren't looking for water slides and Dr. Suess. These posts make me worry whether we should have gone with a different line, but we will keep an open mind, and if not satisfied we'll try another. Until the grandkids want to go, then be back to Carnival or Disney.

 

It's way better so don't worry about that. (unless of course you like the drunken party atmosphere on Carnival)

[cruising cockroach]

I'm thinking on using the Millennium as a means of crossing the Pacific in September. Reviews on CC since the ship got to Asia in September last year are almost universally horrid, specifically in regard to MDR food, service and upkeep of the cabins (or ship overall). Seems that crewing is so minimal that staff can't handle the volume (same can be said for a Star Princess cruise last spring).

 

I've read elsewhere that it's Aqua or suites as a minimum for Celebrity but even Aqua customers were complaining that they couldn't get seated.

 

Only consolation is that we got a fare that costs slightly less than a Classic Beverage Package for the entire cruise.

[Catasetumkid]

Definitely, your logic is flawed and you have consistently compared apples to oranges. land based food to ship based. Two different worlds. I would be the last to claim shipboard food is haute cuisine, but you have literally gone overboard with many of your observations. My advice would be to stay on land in the future and spare yourself the pain of terrible food. in the middle of the ocean.

 

Hello - Funny that you feel the great need to criticize my complaints. I might have my fruit mixed up as you say, but I just wish I would have known before this trip that eating at the buffet was not going to be the fun experience it was for me in the past. That's all. I hope that if others see this thread and my comments on it, they at least are forewarned what the buffet was like for the Eclipse on the two week Southern Caribbean trip. They can see the photos for themselves and make their own mind up about it.

 

I also have had seen some similar feedback - which makes me think I'm not totally crazy. ;-) I had a great cruise, and it was a bargain. As I've said many times over, we had a very enjoyable time in every aspect except for the food.

[wallie5446]

Our first cruise with Celebrity is rapidly approaching. We are by no means experienced cruisers, having just 4 previous cruises with Carnival, and we hope that Equinox is a better experience than Carnival. A big part of the experience that we enjoy is the food, Carnival was good, for us, but we are trying to switch it up, as the kids have left and we aren't looking for water slides and Dr. Suess. These posts make me worry whether we should have gone with a different line, but we will keep an open mind, and if not satisfied we'll try another. Until the grandkids want to go, then be back to Carnival or Disney.

 

Just as on the Carnival boards, you know to take half of the post with a grain of salt, here is no different.

We are booked for our fourth cruise in four years on the Equinox. She is a beautiful ship, clean and well cared for. The crew is fantastic and the officers are always visible. I am sure you will enjoy yourself.

 

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We are on the Equinox for the third time this yr with 8-10-12 others we have cruised with, along with Pat n Joe, oneputt.

[Catasetumkid]

There is no extra charge for the MDR any time of day.

 

Hello! I'll admit that this did occur to me as an option, but part of my dislike in the buffet area was waiting around for my food. For lunch, I really would prefer to just get a plate or bowl, and serve myself. This is why I didn't try the bread that someone spoke of earlier - I saw someone get busted for taking an entire loaf, and truly when I was there, I never saw anyone slicing it! It almost just looked like it was just for decoration! Shows what a Celebrity gringo I am.

 

Was the MDR good for breakfast and lunch? Did they have burgers and fries, tacos, stuff like that? It seemed pretty fancy for the type of fare I prefer at lunchtime. I should have checked it out, though, you're 100% correct.

 

 

[Catasetumkid]

Can't speak to his logic but I expect the food on a cruise to be pretty darn good. Not expecting Peter Luger good but in the MDR I expect at least as good as a main stream chain restaurant (olive garden, outback etc). My expectation is the buffet food will be as good as any decent casino buffet. Again, I'm not expecting Caesars Palace or MGM Grand levels but I don't expect to see Golden Corral either. As much as we are paying I expect the food to be on par with most good land based restaurants. I've been pretty happy with most of the food on my Celebrity cruises but there's room to improve. The Mast grill on the Eclipse last Nov was pretty bad. If I were the F&B manager I would be embarrassed by that food, the pizza was also horrid. I'm no master chef but really, how hard is it to make a decent pizza or a burger?

 

It was Sveden house level in that buffet, IMO....Thank goodness for the salad bar and fresh fruit. I agree, these are exactly my expectations as well. No excuse for pizza not having any browning on top or bottom, unless it's impossible to get an oven hot enough for some reason? Like I said yesterday, I realized when I went grocery shopping that if they had something that looked like the local Kroger Deli section that would have been fine. They have stuff you can heat up that looks appetizing. Maybe that's an idea for them. They seem pretty hooked on those big pots though. LOL...

[Catasetumkid]

Our first cruise with Celebrity is rapidly approaching. We are by no means experienced cruisers, having just 4 previous cruises with Carnival, and we hope that Equinox is a better experience than Carnival. A big part of the experience that we enjoy is the food, Carnival was good, for us, but we are trying to switch it up, as the kids have left and we aren't looking for water slides and Dr. Suess. These posts make me worry whether we should have gone with a different line, but we will keep an open mind, and if not satisfied we'll try another. Until the grandkids want to go, then be back to Carnival or Disney.

 

I, for one, would be very interested in your experience. I do think that maybe a lot of my complaints were perhaps stemming from the fact that our cruise was 2 weeks long - that's a lot of food to provide over a long time. Good luck I hope you have a great time!

[villauk]

I'm thinking on using the Millennium as a means of crossing the Pacific in September. Reviews on CC since the ship got to Asia in September last year are almost universally horrid, specifically in regard to MDR food, service and upkeep of the cabins (or ship overall). Seems that crewing is so minimal that staff can't handle the volume (same can be said for a Star Princess cruise last spring).

 

I've read elsewhere that it's Aqua or suites as a minimum for Celebrity but even Aqua customers were complaining that they couldn't get seated.

 

Only consolation is that we got a fare that costs slightly less than a Classic Beverage Package for the entire cruise.

 

We had a wonderful time on Millie over Christmas (fabulous service in the MDR - in fact, one of our best), however, I couldn't comment on a TA on any ship as my DH would be crawling the walls after a few days at sea :).

 

I also think it depends what you are cruising for as to your enjoyment e.g. if food is the most important aspect of you cruise, then go for one of the more luxury lines who concentrate highly on food presentation. Alternatively, if price is a huge consideration (as you have pointed out in your post), then don't dwell on all the small faults and minor occurrences you can find. If you don't enjoy multiple sea days, don't book a TA, just the same as saying don't book a 14 night cruise if you prefer shorter vacations - you get my drift ;).

[BosoxI]

These posts make me worry whether we should have gone with a different line, but we will keep an open mind, and if not satisfied we'll try another. Until the grandkids want to go, then be back to Carnival or Disney.

 

 

 

If you're cruising only for the food, I am afraid you did choose the wrong line. Princess food is better. But, you know what? That's my taste and yours might differ markedly. One man's meat is another man's poison is never more true than on a cruise ship. Unless you know a reviewer's taste and yours are the same, don't be too accepting about what you read hear. Good or bad.

 

 

As I'm sure you know, if you don't like what you ordered, ask for something else. No need to suffer through a bad meal on a ship. It won't cost you a red cent more to try a different dish. This is particularly true in the buffet on a larger ship where there are so many things available. We spent twenty two days on the Eclipse in December, and while DW insists on eating lunch in the MDR some of the time, I ate lunch in the buffet a good number of times and always found something I enjoyed. If I erred, I would have replaced it with another item. Such a simple solution.

 

 

Out of sixty five cruises there are only two where I can honestly say the food was really bad across the board. Unfortunately, one was on the Infinity where the preparation and the foodstuff itself were terribly inferior. I'm sure you'll have a great time, the odds are so much in your favor.

[cruising cockroach]

I really enjoyed my long TPAC in March, Kaohsiung to Long Beach, large (~380 s.f.) cabin under the captain's nd above the first officer's. Just under 2 continuous sailing weeks. No entertainment being better than bad entertainment. :)

 

Just reading about Millennium's horrid food and service, often coming from those who have sailed Celebrity several times, was revealing. I am glad you experienced otherwise. What is interesting is that it was o.k. for Alaska and the TPAC, but horrid after the ship arrived in Asia. Often overcooked or undercooked meat of poor quality (as in, can't saw your way through it), people sending food back (near-raw chicken served), hardly any vegetables (even when one orders a side), oily smelly fish (must have served mackerel which I love when broiled). Not to mention surly and/or inept service (similar to my Star Princess experience last Spring after my TPAC). A Romanian sailor's meal (tripe soup) would seem to have been more appetizing.

 

 

I'd welcome any news of improvement. and I would pay more to sail on the Volendam except the dates don't suit me. Only 2 TPACs on the north Pacific this autumn.

 

Really tempted by Ponant's Le Boréal sailing to Honolulu but that doesn't even get me half way across.

 

We had a wonderful time on Millie over Christmas (fabulous service in the MDR - in fact, one of our best), however, I couldn't comment on a TA on any ship as my DH would be crawling the walls after a few days at sea :).

 

I also think it depends what you are cruising for as to your enjoyment e.g. if food is the most important aspect of you cruise, then go for one of the more luxury lines who concentrate highly on food presentation. Alternatively, if price is a huge consideration (as you have pointed out in your post), then don't dwell on all the small faults and minor occurrences you can find. If you don't enjoy multiple sea days, don't book a TA, just the same as saying don't book a 14 night cruise if you prefer shorter vacations - you get my drift ;).

[jbuch02]

It's way better so don't worry about that. (unless of course you like the drunken party atmosphere on Carnival)

 

Small sample size (3 recent Carnival cruises out of 38 total) but there's been a pretty significant change within Carnival that belies that characterization. While we did find our first Carnival cruise on Inspiration in 2008 disappointing and, at times, because of the characterization of Carnival made in your post, we've not experienced it of late.

 

The beverage package offered by Celebrity as a perk with its unlimited imbibing creates the environment for "drunken parties" aboard Celebrity ships more readily than anything Carnival is doing and, I've seen it. Carnival Cruise Lines (part of the Carnival Corp. which includes: AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Fathom, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia) puts emphasis on family, kids and fun. You don't see a lot of drunks on board because of that it seems. There's also plenty of spaces designed for adults only and even there, in the last three recent cruises, I never saw anyone drunk and acting foolishly.

 

I post this because I think it is inaccurate characterization of Carnival Cruise line ships in the current era. In the past, perhaps, but, I think that characterization is unfair for the most part.

[CruisinNewb]

Our first cruise with Celebrity is rapidly approaching. We are by no means experienced cruisers, having just 4 previous cruises with Carnival, and we hope that Equinox is a better experience than Carnival. A big part of the experience that we enjoy is the food, Carnival was good, for us, but we are trying to switch it up, as the kids have left and we aren't looking for water slides and Dr. Suess. These posts make me worry whether we should have gone with a different line, but we will keep an open mind, and if not satisfied we'll try another. Until the grandkids want to go, then be back to Carnival or Disney.

 

I would keep all the comments you read here in perspective. The people who post here, whether they have been on 1 cruise or 100 are a minute sampling of the tens of thousands who set sail every week on Celebrity.

 

 

I do not think you have to sail In Aqua or a suite to enjoy the cruise or the food.

 

 

I remember reading here comments before my cruise to Bermuda on the Summit. From the comments I read you would have expected a large rusty bucket ready to sink. My experience was exactly the opposite.

 

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise,

[TFLG]

Small sample size (3 recent Carnival cruises out of 38 total) but there's been a pretty significant change within Carnival that belies that characterization. While we did find our first Carnival cruise on Inspiration in 2008 disappointing and, at times, because of the characterization of Carnival made in your post, we've not experienced it of late.

 

The beverage package offered by Celebrity as a perk with its unlimited imbibing creates the environment for "drunken parties" aboard Celebrity ships more readily than anything Carnival is doing and, I've seen it. Carnival Cruise Lines (part of the Carnival Corp. which includes: AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Fathom, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia) puts emphasis on family, kids and fun. You don't see a lot of drunks on board because of that it seems. There's also plenty of spaces designed for adults only and even there, in the last three recent cruises, I never saw anyone drunk and acting foolishly.

 

I post this because I think it is inaccurate characterization of Carnival Cruise line ships in the current era. In the past, perhaps, but, I think that characterization is unfair for the most part.

 

 

 

Sorry, not trying to bash carnival. I've only done 4 Carnival cruises with the last in 2011. But all 4 of them were far from "kid friendly". It does depend on the itinerary and time of year as to what type of crowd you get. The drunkest cruise was the one I did over Halloween. It was a non-stop booze cruise (also Carnival). But even the last one in 2011 on the Splendor was much worse than any Celebrity cruise I've been on. I remember the pool and it looked like there was 200 people in it, packed like sardines, standing side by side drinking. The water (and you couldn't see much of it) had a film of sunscreen and scum on top. That was the last straw for Carnival for me. Even with the bevy packages you don't see very many people over indulging on Celebrity. It's a very different crowd.

[Gerrym]

Can't speak to his logic but I expect the food on a cruise to be pretty darn good. Not expecting Peter Luger good but in the MDR I expect at least as good as a main stream chain restaurant (olive garden, outback etc). My expectation is the buffet food will be as good as any decent casino buffet. Again, I'm not expecting Caesars Palace or MGM Grand levels but I don't expect to see Golden Corral either. As much as we are paying I expect the food to be on par with most good land based restaurants. I've been pretty happy with most of the food on my Celebrity cruises but there's room to improve. The Mast grill on the Eclipse last Nov was pretty bad. If I were the F&B manager I would be embarrassed by that food, the pizza was also horrid. I'm no master chef but really, how hard is it to make a decent pizza or a burger?

 

 

 

Oh dear, I feel my expectations are too high as I expect the MDR standard to be well above Olive Garden and Outback... HELP!!