Oceanview Cafe dinner service being eliminated?

[LGW59]

29 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

I think that the only way out for the big three is filing for reorganization. Far too much debt. Right now they’re just kicking the can down the road. I may be wrong but for the amount that they all owe, I don’t see any other way. Celebrity is becoming more mass market by the day. The line that separates them from RCI becomes thinner each day. 

The big three being RCCL, NCL & Carnival?

[Cruising89143]

5 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

The big three being RCCL, NCL & Carnival?

Yes. MSC is the only cruise line that’s private and we have no way of knowing their financials. I took a quick glance and if I looked correctly, RCG is over 19 billion in debt and Carnival Corp is over 28 billion in debt. That’s mind blowing or at least for me. RCG also has one Oasis class, three Icon class, two Edge+ class and two new Silversea ships under construction or on order. 

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, LMaxwell said:

 

 

If prices go up and quality goes down, you can kill a brand off in a couple quick years. 

. 

It may not take a couple of years. 
 

 

[redjetz]

On 1/1/2023 at 2:13 PM, CHEZMARYLOU said:

We are on Reflection right now and I can confirm the $9.95 + 18% room service fee.

That is not acceptable to us - Royal Carribbean BS. If it continues, we will go to Oceania full time. Celebrity should be above that crap. Seriously.

[Arizona Wildcat]

38 minutes ago, redjetz said:

That is not acceptable to us - Royal Carribbean BS. If it continues, we will go to Oceania full time. Celebrity should be above that crap. Seriously.

You would move to Oceania over a room service fee?

[redjetz]

6 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

You would move to Oceania over a room service fee?

of course not, if was the only issue! but you must be a cheerleader if you think think that is the only cutback of significance. But at some point, we should all consider moving up if Celebrity starts buckle and dining us like RCCL. We are just about there, sadly.

[C4HCG]

6 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Most people don’t eat at the Oceanview for dinner. If they do it may be once a sailing. So only a few will be impacted by the cutback. Certainly Celebrity has factored that in. I don’t eat there because the Celebrity buffet food had become pretty bad. It is only good at breakfast. Breakfast is pretty hard to ruin. 
 

 

We go often and whilst not full by any means, there are always a good number of people there. We prefer it to the MDR as you can find a quieter and more private spot where private conversations are possible. And shorts are allowed.

[C4HCG]

7 hours ago, aggiejd2000 said:

Yes, I understand that but again, I never said X should do away with the buffet. 

And I never suggested that you said they should so I am still missing your point.

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, C4HCG said:

We go often and whilst not full by any means, there are always a good number of people there. We prefer it to the MDR as you can find a quieter and more private spot where private conversations are possible. And shorts are allowed.

Maybe they will have to allow shorts in the MDR. 
 

Will fewer food choices necessarily drive people who use the Oceanview for dinner to the MDR? 

[C4HCG]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

Maybe they will have to allow shorts in the MDR. 
 

Will fewer food choices necessarily drive people who use the Oceanview for dinner to the MDR? 

It probably would us as I don’t think speciality restaurants are value for money.

[Ipeeinthepools]

2 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Maybe they will have to allow shorts in the MDR. 
 

Will fewer food choices necessarily drive people who use the Oceanview for dinner to the MDR? 

 

Nope.  Celebrity is planning on adding a few microwaves and a refrigerator with leftovers from lunch by each coffee station.  Guests that choose not to go to the MDR will be able to warm up their own dinner.

[Married90]

6 hours ago, redjetz said:

of course not, if was the only issue! but you must be a cheerleader if you think think that is the only cutback of significance. But at some point, we should all consider moving up if Celebrity starts buckle and dining us like RCCL. We are just about there, sadly.

I find it interesting that we shifted to X from NCL due to feeling that NCL was making too many cut backs and nickel and dimming you to death…. This started long before COVID.   Years ago, lobster was completely cut out, fee for room service was the norm, cut backs in general at buffet, Drink prices sky rocketed, etc…  Trust me.   Oceania is owned by NCL and is not immune to corporates mandates to maximize profit….  This buffet cutback at dinner is a new one, I will admit, but if there is enough guest pushback it will change….  Maybe not back to what it was.   Often things are tried and then adjusted based on response….  

[BermudaBound2014]

3 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Maybe they will have to allow shorts in the MDR. 
 

Will fewer food choices necessarily drive people who use the Oceanview for dinner to the MDR? 

They will likely have to allow shorts in the MDR if the choices on the buffet remain as limited as what is currently being reported this week. Requiring pants 100% for dinner will likely cause cancellations for those outside the penalty period (and many unhappy customers). People want choice to dress in shorts for at least a few nights of their cruise. 
 

Lack of the grilling station will absolutely drive us into the MDR. In fact I adjusted my packing last night to accommodate this possible change. 

[LMaxwell]

4 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Maybe they will have to allow shorts in the MDR. 
 

Will fewer food choices necessarily drive people who use the Oceanview for dinner to the MDR? 

1. They'll have to if there's no alternative for casual dining

2. Yes. I'm not interested in pizza and hot dogs. I'll order just what I would have had in OVC and leave it up to MDR staff to figure out how to accommodate. 

Edited January 6, 2023 by LMaxwell

[mac_tlc]

7 hours ago, redjetz said:

of course not, if was the only issue! but you must be a cheerleader if you think think that is the only cutback of significance. But at some point, we should all consider moving up if Celebrity starts buckle and dining us like RCCL. We are just about there, sadly.

I don’t disagree that at some point everyone should look elsewhere, but there is no cruise line that is immune to this problem. Oceania  is under the NCL umbrella.

 

Every single cruise line forum has the same posts, Changes , cuts, nickel-and-diming. 
 

Unfortunately, the cruise lines are on the airline path —- less for more. 
 

mac_tlc

[Ipeeinthepools]

14 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

1. They'll have to if there's no alternative for casual dining

2. Yes. I'm not interested in pizza and hot dogs. I'll order just what I would have had in OVC and leave it up to MDR staff to figure out how to accommodate. 

 

You forgot Option 3.   Find another cruise line.

[DaKahuna]

Here's a thought.  

 

Take a cruise, go to the OV for dinner and experience it for yourself.  Inform an officer on the ship your thoughts on how it was. Send emails to Celebrity's upper management. Put your comments on the feedback card.  

 

These will go a lot farther in getting the attention of someone who can impact change than making comments here based on the observations of other.  

 

[LMaxwell]

17 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

You forgot Option 3.   Find another cruise line.

 

What will they eliminate between my deposit and my sailing?  

[manmachine]

On 1/1/2023 at 12:39 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

New room service charges are appearing on the reflection app (unless the poster fabricated the screen shot and that's unlikely). Discussion here:

 

 

 

Oh, it’s real.  I am onboard and see it.  And when I checked pre-cruise it was all free for those of us in Aqua Class.

[chamima]

15 minutes ago, manmachine said:

Oh, it’s real.  I am onboard and see it.  And when I checked pre-cruise it was all free for those of us in Aqua Class.

 

 

😡

Cruise Critic needs to add the emoji above to the three choices at the end of posts.

We're on the Equinox in 3 weeks also in Aqua and it still says free but I'm sure they'll change it by the time we cruise. 😡

[Cruising89143]

I wonder how full the ships are right now? The reason that I ask is last month we only had about 1650 guests on our Solstice sailing. I think the one prior to us was around 950-975. On our sailing all suites were fully booked so Luminae was busy. With 1650 guests, spreading them out between Luminae, Blu, specialty dining and the MDR makes me wonder just how busy the Oceanview was. I have no idea as we never ventured up there in the evening. I wonder if X is doing this until all ships start sailing closer to capacity? Not trying to take up or make excuses for X but thinking out loud. Maybe this is something that LLP should publicly address.  

[anniegb]

4 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

I wonder how full the ships are right now? The reason that I ask is last month we only had about 1650 guests on our Solstice sailing. I think the one prior to us was around 950-975. On our sailing all suites we’re fully booked so Luminae was busy. With 1650 guests, spreading them out between Luminae, Blu, specialty dining and the MDR makes me wonder just how busy the Oceanview was. I have no idea as we never ventured up there in the evening. I wonder if X is doing this until all ships start sailing closer to capacity? Not trying to take up or make excuses for X but thinking out loud. Maybe this is something that LLP should publicly address.  

Interesting - does anyone have any empirical evidence rather than conjecture on the busyness of the various restaurants.

I frequently use OVC for dinner as it is quieter and quicker than the MDR,  I have dined previously in MDR and Blu and found the food choices restrictive.

However if they wish to have cruises with more passengers, decrease the prices??

I have only one cruise booking going forward with Celebrity and I am Elite Plus. 

Higher pricing, extra fees and removing dining options will probably mean my next Celebrity saiing will be my last.

Fun while it lasted.

 

 

[davekathy]

...

Jennifer Morales
Senior Director of Celebrity Engagement
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
jennifermorales@celebrity.com 

 

Chief Executive
Lisa Lutoff-Perlo
President and Chief Executive Officer
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
lLutoff-Perlo@celebritycruises.com 

 

Associate Vice President of Loyalty Marketing

andrea-shey@celebritycruises.com

 

[Oceangoer2]

On 1/4/2023 at 8:39 AM, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Now you've gone too far.  The pool and the hot tub are the heartbeat of the ship's activity.  I object to any charges for using the pool or the hot tub.  Please look somewhere else for your nickels and dimes.

Oh my....hot tubs...pools...your avatar sign on...😕😉.  My thoughts exactly when I see so many 'soaking' in the hot tubs....what are they soaking in??  I avoid them like the plague...oops...bad choice of words.

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, LMaxwell said:

 

What will they eliminate between my deposit and my sailing?  

Only the Shadow knows for sure