Why do you eat dinner in the Oceanview Cafe?

[bikerunner]

Like others there times after long days excursions just want something very casual.  The food is always really good and lots of different choices available.  Always enjoyed the many different options.   I use it for lunch and breakfast also

[maggie.1008]

I also remember the tables with waiters serving. Yes, it was for training staff. Very enjoyable. Would be nice if they brought it back to OVC.

[rickdent]

An “upper” class bistro. Scenic. Convenient. Anything you want to eat. Drinks. Coffee. Cocktails. On your own time.

Did I say convenient- and free?

[davekathy]

5 minutes ago, rickdent said:

An “upper” class bistro. Scenic. Convenient. Anything you want to eat. Drinks. Coffee. Cocktails. On your own time.

Did I say convenient- and free?

What's an "upper" class bistro? 

[DCPIV]

8 minutes ago, davekathy said:

What's an "upper" class bistro? 

 

Stimulating? 

[Beach Nut]

1 hour ago, basenji56 said:

Don't forget those of us who go the Oceanview AFTER we leave the main dining room.  😉

A person after my own heart! 

 

Actually, there's nothing like a slice of pizza just before it closes.  My close-to-midnight snack!

 

I sometimes go to OVC for a late-ish dinner with a book and/or crossword puzzle when my husband doesn't want to eat dinner or is not feeling well.  But just as often,  I will  buck up, dress up, and ask for a table by myself and eat in the Main Dining Room.  What I've discovered is that, 9 times out of 10, I get into a lively and rewarding conversation with a couple at an adjacent table.  I'm better with meeting one or two people at a time than I am with a group situation, although with my job before retirement I successfully led many therapy groups.

 

But the OVC experience is a bit lonely as a singleton, I've found.  

[PTC DAWG]

I very much enjoy the pasta station, pretty much made to order, at least once a cruise…maybe after a drink or 4 I may miss dinner. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

One night when we got back from an excursion and were too tired to deal with the dining room we went to the OV cafe and discovered they had brought on mussels from whatever port we were in that day.  After that, we checked there first to see what other goodies they might have.  Greek night when we were in Greece, for example.  The officers loved that one!  Had some very good meals there.  On longer cruises, it's nice to take a break from your dining room once in a while.

[rickdent]

9 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

 

Stimulating? 

Nah. Scenery, I am on Vacation. 
Not as friendly as your local home watering/quick food/close & convenient establishment. 
But: almost anything to eat, and- I am sailing on the Ocean. (that’s what makes it “upper” class in my neck of the woods!

[RTShaker]

I have dined there numerous times, especially when the daily offerings in the MDR are not to my liking. I can only eat the everyday items repeatedly for so many days The OVC has a quiet, unrushed feel for dinner, and never a problem getting drinks.

[shipshape sam]

3 hours ago, dateacher said:

Another post got me thinking.  I have been on about 5 Celebrity cruises (Summit, Reflection, Silhouette) and we have never eaten dinner in the OVC.  We either eat in the MDR or a specialty restaurant.  We do eat in the OVC for our occasional breakfasts and most lunches. 

 

Other than it being more casual, what about the food makes you go back to the OVC for dinner?  I'm trying to decide if it's something we are missing.  We are very happy with the MDR and don't need to change.  Just looking to see if we there is something special that they are providing at dinner.

We only ate in the Oceanville Cafe a few times in the 2000's and our main reason was the sushi AND/OR we were back late in afternoon from an excursion.  Thus, just wanted a relaxing meal in shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops. 

 

In 2009, our table of 8, I think it was 2009 on Infinity's Panama Canal cruise, all met and had dinner in the back starboard section of Oceanville cafe where they were training some staff to become dining room staff.  Meal was fine and there were some learning experiences.  As a group we had a fun evening and were glad to help in their learning experience.  After dinner, we headed to a bar as a group to continue the fun with our tablemates.

 

I will say I do miss our round table of 8 fixed seating table mates when fixed dining was at it's height.  Last cruise we tried a round table,  in 2012-2013, of 8, 3-4 nights only had 6 people assigned and one couple missed at least 3 of the evenings.  

 

We actually now tend to get dinner packages and on one night, might do a table for 2 in the main dining room unless we are traveling with others.  Like it or not, the absence of the fixed seating for the entire cruise and less of the specialty restaurants, has LESSED  my desire to sail.  In reflection, it is an interesting aspect of sailing that has gone by the wayside.  Also really enjoyed formal evening with most of ship's passengers dressed in tuxes or suits (men) which is another chink now missing, at least, in my value proposition. 

Edited February 13, 2022 by shipshape sam

[1620rock]

When nothing appeals to us on the MDR menu we like a casual dinner in the Oceanview to just check out the stations and see what looks good and and have a mix of this and that.  Our recent sailing was 10-days and we had dinner in the Oceanview twice I think and liked checking out the special station each evening.  One night it was falafel and another burritos made to order.  We enjoyed the stir-fry made to order and since very few guests were dining there it was easy to distance and have a private conversation.

 

 One highlight for DH was cupcake night at the buffet.   Having the crew serve instead of self-serve this cruise is a bonus for us.  The Reflecton crew were so friendly and always wanted us to try whatever they were serving it added to our enjoyment of dinner there.  

[gold1953]

2 hours ago, TeaBag said:

Way back, they used to have table service in the Oceanview at dinner.  A corner of the area by the back windows was set aside with tablecloths on the tables and you were served by waiters.  I believe they were waiters in training and the fee to eat there was $2/per person.  Anyone remember this?  I don't think it lasted very long.  I remember sailing from Victoria to Vancouver and we had a table in the corner surrounded by windows.  It was delightful.

We did this in January of 2010 and enjoyed it

[PMT51]

2 hours ago, TeaBag said:

Way back, they used to have table service in the Oceanview at dinner.  A corner of the area by the back windows was set aside with tablecloths on the tables and you were served by waiters.  I believe they were waiters in training and the fee to eat there was $2/per person.  Anyone remember this?  I don't think it lasted very long.  I remember sailing from Victoria to Vancouver and we had a table in the corner surrounded by windows.  It was delightful.

We remember this, it was great. We enjoyed it so much we went almost every night and most of the time were the only guests.  Talk about personal service.  We miss this a lot.

[RedneckBob]

Don’t have to dress up and seems like every cruise there is a hero bar once a cruise; I mean gyro bar.

[Arizona Wildcat]

Have gone as said for specialty nights in OV and after a long day on shore.  Have also had sashimi in OV a while ago on Summit and DW loved lobster night. 

OV for dinner is quiet and relaxed. A couple bars close by or wonderful servers.  It can be fast or slow.

We probably do OV once a week for dinner

[Chanbre]

2 hours ago, CruisnDeb said:

How do find out theme nights? Do they post it in the daily?

Look in the daily at the OVC entry for evening meals.

 

 

By the way, there is another current thread about the OVC, see https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2829554-best-and-worst-food-on-celebrity-buffet/

 

[Honolulu Blue]

4 hours ago, dateacher said:

Another post got me thinking.  I have been on about 5 Celebrity cruises (Summit, Reflection, Silhouette) and we have never eaten dinner in the OVC.  We either eat in the MDR or a specialty restaurant.  We do eat in the OVC for our occasional breakfasts and most lunches. 

 

Other than it being more casual, what about the food makes you go back to the OVC for dinner?  I'm trying to decide if it's something we are missing.  We are very happy with the MDR and don't need to change.  Just looking to see if we there is something special that they are providing at dinner.

 

My story:

 

I've cruised with Celebrity twice before - on the Summit back in 2017 and on the Summit in September.  I'll be back on the Summit in two weeks.  I've done all my dinners except one at the OVC (the other one was room service).  Why do I do what I do?  Generally, I value convenience, choice, and my time over service and food quality.  I actually think the OVC's food is very good - the best buffet food I've had at sea.  It's hard to imagine the MDR food being much better.

 

One more thing before I go.  I notice no one has mentioned the elephant in the room.  I'll take a bit of time to do so, since it's part of reason why I prefer the buffet.  Interactions with crew and (especially) other passengers are considerably briefer, unless I choose to stick around.  And I can pick my own seat away from others if I choose, rather than being at the mercy of the staff - who may have other priorities that I don't necessarily agree with.  The chance that I'll pick up you-know-what from an MDR encounter at this point is slim, but I do appreciate being allowed to choose where and when I'll do more risky activities.

[WonderMan3]

3 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Some nights we do eat there.  Over the MDR or even Luminae.  We go for the decent food choices, the quieter setting, and no fuss.  We find it a good option maybe once a cruise.  It is very different for dinner vs the craziness at breakfast and lunch.   Sometimes we are in a hurry and don't have the time or inclination for a sit down meal.

Same

[JBSteelerfan]

4 hours ago, chemmo said:

 

 

If you return from a long tour shattered but hungry you can just head there. Eat now, bathe later and head to a bar!

 

 

 

That's a motto we can ALL agree on and live by!!!  You should put that on a t-shirt!!

[AZ Ocean Lover]

We rarely plan eating at the OVC but after a couple of cocktails on our balcony and a long day in the sun one of us will say “How about the cafe?”  We can eat outside, it’s quiet, casual and there is always something we like to eat.  

[WNCtourist]

We enjoy eating when we want without being tied to a schedule, having to get dressed up evening after a busy day, or spending hours at a meal. Dinner isn't that important to us. We might do a specialty restaurant once during a cruise if we have OBC to spend.

[mauimary]

A few years back we ate at the OVC on many of our evenings cruising from Hawaii down through Polynesia to Australia and New Zealand on the Solstice.    It was wonderful to enjoy the evening ambience of the beautiful sunsets from our table outdoors on the aft of the ship.  We had the bar right there for drinks.  It was great to not be sitting indoors with the shades pulled and having to dress up and sit for several hours.  Many of the main items served were the same offerings in the MDR.  We plan to do the same for our Mediterranean Cruise this summer. 

[Rayhorn]

I think everyone else has covered everything already. 

 

In our case, we’ve had cruises where we don’t eat any dinners in the OVC and other times when we ate almost every dinner in the OVC. It really just depends on how we’re feeling and the circumstances. 

 

- Come as you are. If its been a busy day and you got back late you can just go without “getting ready”. Even sometimes when we’ve had a lazy day, we want to keep the lazy day going and just eat at OVC and watch a movie.

 

- Quick. If you’re tired or there’s some event that you’d like to attend you can get in and our much faster.

 

- Ability to graze. Sometimes you just don’t know what you feel like and it’s nice to graze.

 

- Quiet. If I’m tired or just in a “different” mood, the OVC can be nice because it’s so quiet, dark, and even has soft music playing at dinner time. There are comparatively few people and its just a very quiet environment because of the huge space with few people. I think people even subconsciously speak softer because the room is so quiet that a loud talker would stand out. In other venues the noise of eating (dishes, silverwear, etc) can be quite loud and conversation is loud to compensate and in a smaller space like Blu or a specialty restaurant, that can add up to quite a noisy place.

 

- Broader service time. If we want to eat earlier/later or have something specific that would interfere with our dining time, OVC is a great alternative.

 

- The food is good. Finally, the food is nothing to shake a stick at. We’ve had some REALLY good dishes at dinner in OVC. The dinner food is often quite different to the lunch food and there’s even some themes or special dishes that they do too.

 

- ICE CREAM STATION. Need I say more?

 

[Virginia100]

I ate there the last night on my 10 night cruise as at the end of our last port call I developed a kidney stone.only a few opioids from on board doctors gave me a little relief, not enough for s full seat down dinner.