Vista restaurants revealed

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, Jancruz said:

Jacques menu items will be available in the GDR

Jancruz1

I hope that will include some of my favorites from Jacques

[Beagle5]

14 hours ago, ORV said:

 

One thing to note is that Ember is not a specialty and is open for lunch and dinner. This means there will be 3 specialty restaurants on Vista, not 4 like the O ships. 

 

 

There is a footnote under the Ember images on the webpage that reservations will be required for Ember for Dinner (but not for Lunch). Does that make it a specialty or not I wonder? (Would seem to make sense that they keep the 4 specialties and 4 guaranteed reservations formula for a standard balcony cruise consistent with Marina/Riviera)

[pinotlover]

8 hours ago, Beagle5 said:

There is a footnote under the Ember images on the webpage that reservations will be required for Ember for Dinner (but not for Lunch). Does that make it a specialty or not I wonder? (Would seem to make sense that they keep the 4 specialties and 4 guaranteed reservations formula for a standard balcony cruise consistent with Marina/Riviera)

This is really going to be a “ wait and see”. On port days, the GDR is now normally closed. Lack of demand. The Terrace and Waves easily facilitates those remaining on board. Will Ember be open on port days for lunch? Will something else close? On sea days, will all four venues be open for lunch? Seems to be a lot of staffing needs without an increase in demand.

 

On sea days, we’re “maybe, sometimes” for lunch depending upon several factors, but I don’t ever recall the three venues being crowded because everyone spread out lunch times. Now staffing a fourth venue for lunch? Someone will be bearing that extra expense if that’s actually what’s done! Wait and See!

[ORV]

8 hours ago, Beagle5 said:

There is a footnote under the Ember images on the webpage that reservations will be required for Ember for Dinner (but not for Lunch). Does that make it a specialty or not I wonder? (Would seem to make sense that they keep the 4 specialties and 4 guaranteed reservations formula for a standard balcony cruise consistent with Marina/Riviera)

I could have sworn I replied to this earlier. I wouldn’t bet on it but I think that footnote was added some time yesterday. I specifically looked at the bottom of each image before I made that post and didn’t see it then. 
 

Have to agree with Pinot that there will be a wait and see. 

[RedneckBob]

12 hours ago, Paulchili said:

I hope that will include some of my favorites from Jacques

Me too; and I thought Jacques was everyone’s favorite. It was very hard to make extra reservations once on board.

[1985rz1]

17 hours ago, Paulchili said:

I for one am not pleased at all as Jacques was by far my favorite restaurant  My first clue of this day coming was when they eliminated J from refurbished Sirena.

 

 

15 hours ago, Jancruz said:

Jacques menu items will be available in the GDR

Jancruz1

I agree with Paul that Jacques is my favorite restaurant on Oceania, and I'm saddened by its elimination on the new Vista.  Even if (some) menu items from Jacques will be on the GDR, eating in Jacques was about more than just the food.  The ambiance, the small venue, and the personalized service all contributed to a French Bistro like experience.  That will be missing in the GDR.

Edited August 13, 2021 by 1985rz1

[clairol]

23 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

 

I agree with Paul that Jacques is my favorite restaurant on Oceania, and I'm saddened by its elimination on the new Vista.  Even if (some) menu items from Jacques will be on the GDR, eating in Jacques was about more than just the food.  The ambiance, the small venue, and the personalized service all contributed to a French Bistro like experience.  That will be missing in the GDR.

And the cheese cart!!

[1985rz1]

Just now, clairol said:

And the cheese cart!!

YES! And the Cheese Cart!!!!!

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

 

I agree with Paul that Jacques is my favorite restaurant on Oceania, and I'm saddened by its elimination on the new Vista.  Even if (some) menu items from Jacques will be on the GDR, eating in Jacques was about more than just the food.  The ambiance, the small venue, and the personalized service all contributed to a French Bistro like experience.  That will be missing in the GDR.

I agree. Jacques is by far our favorite specialty restaurant and the ambiance of tts smaller venue is completely different. We try to avoid the GDR as we've found the service and atmosphere to be lacking.  We didn't eat in the GDR once on a 36 day Marina cruise, dining only in specialty restaurants and the Terrace Cafe .

[fluffies]

Jacques and its cheese cart introduced us to Epoisses on our first Marina cruise....now we can't get enough of the stinky stuff.  It's our favorite restaurant too.  We book by itinerary, not ship, and are certainly planning to try Vista, but will miss Jacques.

Edited August 13, 2021 by fluffies

[redraider1966]

38 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

I agree. Jacques is by far our favorite specialty restaurant and the ambiance of tts smaller venue is completely different. We try to avoid the GDR as we've found the service and atmosphere to be lacking.  We didn't eat in the GDR once on a 36 day Marina cruise, dining only in specialty restaurants and the Terrace Cafe .

Plus 1.

[Harters]

Losing Jacques and keeping Red Ginger is not a good deal, IMO (regardless of my comments upthread about the commercial ties with Pepin loosening). RG was my sole disappointment of the Marina eating experience.

[pinotlover]

Everyone has their personal best and favorites and it varies greatly by individual. Same goes for wines. Some styles of wine drinkers love, why others dislike immensely.

 

The saga with the Specialties, in my opinion , is that the GDR nor the Terrace do a comparable job in creating the same dish. Joe’s Diner just can’t  make Julia Child’s recipe like Julia, regardless of following the recipe to a T. Same goes for Oceania. On a 2019 cruise, the Nautica had a Red Ginger night in the Terrace. The results were a disaster . An insult to RG. I highly doubt, that regardless of intent, the GDR can on occasion/demand create Jacques dishes like Jacques does/did. It’s just not the way things work. The GDR has done Jacques menu before, it’s just not the same. If Jacques is that important, stay with the O ships! I’m guessing there is an end date for there also, which may be sooner than some want/expect.

[ORV]

20 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Everyone has their personal best and favorites and it varies greatly by individual. Same goes for wines. Some styles of wine drinkers love, why others dislike immensely.

 

The saga with the Specialties, in my opinion , is that the GDR nor the Terrace do a comparable job in creating the same dish. Joe’s Diner just can’t  make Julia Child’s recipe like Julia, regardless of following the recipe to a T. Same goes for Oceania. On a 2019 cruise, the Nautica had a Red Ginger night in the Terrace. The results were a disaster . An insult to RG. I highly doubt, that regardless of intent, the GDR can on occasion/demand create Jacques dishes like Jacques does/did. It’s just not the way things work. The GDR has done Jacques menu before, it’s just not the same. If Jacques is that important, stay with the O ships! I’m guessing there is an end date for there also, which may be sooner than some want/expect.

Why does there have to be an end date on the O ships? We don't really know the details of the contract with Jacques. It might be perpetual. 

[courtside]

Jacques is my favorite. In fact I've booked it for 9/8, the 1st night of our Baltic cruise on Marina! Having some of the menu items in the GDR is not the same as the complete experience of Jacques. 

 

[shank63]

29 minutes ago, pinotlover said:I highly doubt, that regardless of intent, the GDR can on occasion/demand create Jacques dishes like Jacques does/did. It’s just not the way things work. The GDR has done Jacques menu before, it’s just not the same. 

The GDR menu has for some time included “signature dishes” from Jacques, but it is never the same.  Each of the specialty restaurants have a more intimate atmosphere than GDR, so we will see how it works on Vista.  We all have our favorites in the dining venues and Jacques is my favorite but my DW has other preferences.  Looking forward to Riviera in 2022.

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Why does there have to be an end date on the O ships? We don't really know the details of the contract with Jacques. It might be perpetual. 

There is a cost for using Jacques name. We don’t know what that cost is, but apparently it’s more than what Oceania wants to pay going forward on its new Vista ships. 
 

FWIW, I randomly asked my Lions Club group who Jacques Pepin was. Many are travelers and cruisers. A couple thought he was an old skier, while others mistook him for Jacques Cousteau. Moral being , he’s lost /losing name recognition.

 

Another issue, as he drifts into oblivion, are the Oceania chefs  that like to do their “ interpretation “ of a dish. Already an issue in the GDR, where their “ interpretation “ no where resembles the original dish. Numerous examples of this have been discussed on these boards. What happens when Jacques isn’t ready Jacques anymore?
 

There’s an end date for sure.
 

 

[Godblessourhome]

On 8/13/2021 at 12:05 PM, clairol said:

And the cheese cart!!

Red Ginger is our favourite!!  I know, everybody's taste is different!!  Our friends took the cruise with us all because of Red Ginger!!!!

[Paulchili]

On 8/13/2021 at 2:16 PM, fluffies said:

Jacques and its cheese cart introduced us to Epoisses on our first Marina cruise....now we can't get enough of the stinky stuff.

We love that cheese as well.

Have you tried St. Agur?

https://www.cheese.com/saint-agur/

Best served at room temp (not cold)

[cruisingxpert]

8 hours ago, Paulchili said:

We love that cheese as well.

Have you tried St. Agur?

https://www.cheese.com/saint-agur/

Best served at room temp (not cold)

I love Epoisses and Agur is a lovely blue but my new and hard to find is D"Affinois Blue

[cruisingxpert]

On 8/13/2021 at 6:00 PM, pinotlover said:

The saga with the Specialties, in my opinion , is that the GDR nor the Terrace do a comparable job in creating the same dish.

I agree that is true for the most part but I had an opposite experience with Red Ginger's famous Miso Cod.  I had it on Riviera in Red Ginger and really didn't like it.  On a later Insignia cruise it was on the GDR menu and we ordered it to share.  I loved it, so now I will usually order it in Red Ginger.  

[KS&JW]

Someone should start a cheese thread.
 Until then my vote is for  https://www.cheese.com/delice-de-bourgogne/

[Paulchili]

59 minutes ago, KS&JW said:

Someone should start a cheese thread.
 Until then my vote is for  https://www.cheese.com/delice-de-bourgogne/

As you seem to live somewhere near me can you recommend the place where you buy this cheese (or do you get it online)?

D’Affinois Blue sounds good as well

Apologies for a brief OT note about French cheeses. Some years ago on a trip in France we’ve discovered a new favorite cheese - Livarot. Shortly afterwards while visiting Tahiti we took a local bus tour with 5 or 6 strangers that included lunch. Straining for conversation with strangers I had asked an obviously French gentleman if he was familiar with Livarot. He said nothing but pulled out his French passport that indicated his place of birth as Livarot, France.

What are the odds?

Edited August 15, 2021 by Paulchili

[avalong]

10 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

As you seem to live somewhere near me can you recommend the place where you buy this cheese (or do you get it online)?

D’Affinois Blue sounds good as well

Apologies for a brief OT note about French cheeses. Some years ago on a trip in France we’ve discovered a new favorite cheese - Livarot. Shortly afterwards while visiting Tahiti we took a local bus tour with 5 or 6 strangers that included lunch. Straining for conversation with strangers I had asked an obviously French gentleman if he was familiar with Livarot. He said nothing but pulled out his French passport that indicated his place of birth as Livarot, France.

What are the odds?

I buy delice de bourgogne at Trader Joe's. Yum.

[Clutj]

I’ve not been on many cruises w O (yet) but 2 butlers told me the most demand was for Jacques, so puzzling to me that they’d delete that one.  As much as I have enjoyed Pinotlover’s posts over the years, seems wrong that the cost of J’s name would be the main issue, just name it Cafe Paris and keep the classic/semi-modern French cooking.  Also hard to believe the licensing deal with Jacques is that long-lived or in favor of Jacques vs $x Billion Company after this long.