OV dinner changes live on Summit 1/9

[dgparent]

I was today years old when I learned that apparently 1/4 of the ships passengers eats dinner at the buffet nightly. 

[drowelf]

46 minutes ago, dgparent said:

I was today years old when I learned that apparently 1/4 of the ships passengers eats dinner at the buffet nightly. 

Some nights we just don't feel like spending 1.5+ hours at dinner. After a long day ashore, sometimes all we want is a quick meal in a pleasant setting. Don't need to get cleaned up and dressed for dinner, we prefer to just go up to the buffet and get a good meal. We are going on Celebrity at month end for the first time in many years and reading all this is depressing me and bit. 

[BermudaBound2014]

58 minutes ago, dgparent said:

I was today years old when I learned that apparently 1/4 of the ships passengers eats dinner at the buffet nightly. 

 

On nights with late port calls  (especially in hot climates), I would guestimate the number is more than 25%. On more chic nights, prime rib nights, or nights with other popular items, I would guestimate the number is much less than 25%. I would also wager that the ship and itinerary play a role. Long sailings tend to cater to older clientele and I suspect they will likely bring more traditional diners to the MDR. The typical 7 day runs from Florida, not-so-much.

Edited January 11, 2023 by BermudaBound2014

[jelayne]

If 25% of passengers are eating dinner in the buffet that would 700- 800 on S class and I find that hard to believe.  Either DH or run up there between 6 -6:30 to grab a glass of wine and cheese and crackers.  We have never seen more than 100 and that includes the crew who regularly eat dinner in the buffet.  

Edited January 12, 2023 by jelayne

[Jeal]

We usually eat in OV several times during a cruise and, not counting officers and other employees, I don’t think there have ever been more than 50 passengers eating up there. Even when we eat in the dining room we usually go upstairs for dessert or ice cream and there are rarely many passengers up there. We typically sail from Florida to the Caribbean at various times of the year. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by Jeal

[Ipeeinthepools]

19 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

MDR is not better. 

This is the really bad news

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

24 minutes ago, jelayne said:

If 25% of passengers are eating dinner in the buffet that would 700- 800 on S class and I find that hard to believe.  Either DH or run up there between 6 -6:30 to grab a glass of wine and cheese and crackers.  We have never seen more than 100 and that includes the crew who regularly eat dinner in the buffet.  

 

But that is a snapshot in a half hour period. Unless you're sitting there the whole time - splitting up if there is more than one entry point - counting, you don't know that other people weren't there before or after your brief time to get wine and cheese.

[WonderMan3]

On 1/10/2023 at 7:59 PM, RTCGA said:

Another OV report thread. Here's one for a Millennium-class ship. I cruise solo a lot, so end up there most nights for dinner. I'm not going to go hungry but I'm sad for these cuts. 

 

Here's what they've had the first two nights:

 

Salad bar
Self service caesar salad station (no chicken)
Meat and cheese station (nice selection of cheeses...and sliced turkey, lol, and bologna last night)
Stir fry station
Pizza
Indian cuisine
German theme hot dishes with schnitzel (night 2, don't remember night 1, sorry)
Pasta station
Desserts

 

Things I'm used to seeing every night on every cruise I've ever been on in my entire life:

 

Some kind of baked chicken
Some kind of baked fish
Carving station
A least one hot green veggie

A baked pasta dish of some kind

 

They'll still grill some meats for you but on this sailing on this ship, at least, you need to ask your server what meats they have and then they place the order and get them for you. I've found these grilled meats to be brown-greasy, like ordering a pork chop at the Waffle House. I still eat them, haha. 

 

Reduced staff in OV. No drink waiters that I saw. Of course the bar is right out back.

 

I've been on all three classes over the past 3 weeks and it's gotten a little grimmer each time. I think they're still working through the stores on some of this. 

 

I spoke with the guy in the big chef hat who was speaking to (possibly) his boss. They acknowledged the deliberate cuts, said "the world is changing,"  and suggested I go to the MDR.

 

An employee was clicking people in on her hand-counter. 

 

Like I said, I'm sad to see these changes. Some cruise lines do super bare-bones dinner buffets and it looks like Celebrity is heading there. It's a highlight of my solo cruise day and it's just kinda blah now. 

 

FWIW if I was choosing cruises just for the dinner buffet (I'm not) it would be Holland America. 
 

Standard disclaimer, times changes, cruise lines change, don't sail if you don't like it, cruising is still so cheap, etc.  Maybe if I say it for you it will save some time. 😀

"The world is changing"

Yes...many Celebrity cruisers will be "changing" to other cruise lines...

[WonderMan3]

11 hours ago, Wakepatrol said:

So another words. Nobody will starve to death. Thank goodness 

These types of responses remind me of a thread years ago in the NCL forum where the NCL Dream experienced a sewage back up that caused it to spill into some people's cabins. Some of those affected posted about this horrible experience only to be met with disinterest and derision by many NCL cheerleaders one of whom I distinctly recall saying they'd rather be on a cruise ship dealing with that sewage mess than be at home "cooking and cleaning".

 

If these changes to OVC don't impact you that's great. But respect the fact that there a number of cruisers who regularly use this venue in the evening who are very disappointed by the changes.

 

And it's "in other words"...

[NMTraveller]

4 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

If these changes to OVC don't impact you that's great. But respect the fact that there a number of cruisers who regularly use this venue in the evening who are very disappointed by the changes.

 

Oh I think that these changes will end up affecting everyone.  The OCV people will go to the MDR and it will become more crowded.  Some of the MDR people will go to the specialty restaurants and they will become more crowded.

 

Anyways sooner or later everyone will become affected by some cut that they value.

Edited January 12, 2023 by NMTraveller

[LMaxwell]

4 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

These types of responses remind me of a thread years ago in the NCL forum where the NCL Dream experienced a sewage back up that caused it to spill into some people's cabins. Some of those affected posted about this horrible experience only to be met with disinterest and derision by many NCL cheerleaders one of whom I distinctly recall saying they'd rather be on a cruise ship dealing with that sewage mess than be at home "cooking and cleaning".

 

If these changes to OVC don't impact you that's great. But respect the fact that there a number of cruisers who regularly use this venue in the evening who are very disappointed by the changes.

 

And it's "in other words"...

i wonder why some of these people that claim to dislike the ovc go there for 2/3rd of all their meals. they can just go to MDR for breakfast every day and lunch on sea days or specialty dining. strange

[WonderMan3]

9 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

i wonder why some of these people that claim to dislike the ovc go there for 2/3rd of all their meals. they can just go to MDR for breakfast every day and lunch on sea days or specialty dining. strange

Apparently it's a horrible venue with trash food in the evening hours that they wouldn't be caught dead in but somehow magically transforms into a gourmet dining experience for breakfast and lunch. Go figure...

[LMaxwell]

17 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

Apparently it's a horrible venue with trash food in the evening hours that they wouldn't be caught dead in but somehow magically transforms into a gourmet dining experience for breakfast and lunch. Go figure...

Not entirely sure....its so packed and chaotic at breakfast I sometimes go to the MDR.  Go figure. 

[hcat]

will X really leave these buffet spaces like ghost towns at night?

 

eventually they will re group or  re invent ...Maybe make it a casual

(shorts allowed) limited mdr type of served meal venue.?   Years ago, for a small fee ,   you could book a sit down dinner in a portion of the buffet  and be served great meal by " trainees".  i think we did this on Infinity...only neg was unsupervised children climbing all over,!

 

sometimes folks just need a break from mdr etc

[WonderMan3]

2 hours ago, hcat said:

will X really leave these buffet spaces like ghost towns at night?

 

eventually they will re group or  re invent ...Maybe make it a casual

(shorts allowed) limited mdr type of served meal venue.?   Years ago, for a small fee ,   you could book a sit down dinner in a portion of the buffet  and be served great meal by " trainees".  i think we did this on Infinity...only neg was unsupervised children climbing all over,!

 

sometimes folks just need a break from mdr etc

They have done some special pay extra themed nights on some of the ships like an Indian food night and the Poolside grill. Maybe they could do some things like that but in the OVC space? There is likely enough space there for them to do something like that in one section and still keep another section for the complimentary reduced buffet.

[CruiseRQA]

Recall that dining in the buffet of a cruise ship was a "change".   In the old days of cruising that we are all pining for in this thread, there was no dining at the buffet.   You had a scheduled time for breakfast, lunch and dinner.    Dining room was set up for buffet lunch on occasion.    You had to dress appropriately for the MDR and the food and service were great.

 

HAL had a small sit down service in their buffet for dinner the last few times we cruised with them.   When we switched to Celebrity, I could not believe the quality and variety of food in the buffet for dinner.  Especially for what seemed to be a fairly small number of diners.    Not surprised that Celebrity has concluded this is not economically viable and has scaled it back.

 

What does surprise me is the vitriol so many have for Celebrity because you might have to put on a pair of pants for dinner.   Is this what living in FL does to you? 

[WNCtourist]

Princess used to block off part of its buffet in the evening and serve more of a "themed" dinner -- perhaps the same as what was available in the MDR? I can't remember exactly, possibly because our waiter brought us limoncello that he made?😄

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, CruiseRQA said:

What does surprise me is the vitriol so many have for Celebrity because you might have to put on a pair of pants for dinner.   Is this what living in FL does to you? 

 Vitriol? I haven’t read anything I would consider vitriol, can you please point to an example? Otherwise using the word vitriol is just hyperbole 😉 

 

 

What I have read is that people are disappointed and some intend to vote with their wallet. That’s not vitriol (again if i missed this in a post please point me in the right direction and accept my apologies).
 

Celebrity has not communicated changes effectively. Unless you are a member of CC, guests are likely boarding this weekend expecting the option of the relaxed dinner choices some of us appreciate. I can see nothing on the website about the increase in room service charges either. IMO- Criticism is fair in this case. 

 

 

[Honolulu Blue]

2 hours ago, CruiseRQA said:

Recall that dining in the buffet of a cruise ship was a "change".   In the old days of cruising that we are all pining for in this thread, there was no dining at the buffet.   You had a scheduled time for breakfast, lunch and dinner.    Dining room was set up for buffet lunch on occasion.    You had to dress appropriately for the MDR and the food and service were great.

I'm definitely not pining for the "good old days" of cruising with set dining 3 meals a day.  Thankfully, most cruise lines had moved on from this by the time I started cruising.

 

And while I do appreciate a high quality sit-down meal on occasion, a lot of the time I just want to eat some good food at my own pace while not having to worry too much about how I look.

[kwokpot]

11 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

These types of responses remind me of a thread years ago in the NCL forum where the NCL Dream experienced a sewage back up that caused it to spill into some people's cabins

I've been sailing NCL since 2000 and I don't recall a ship in their fleet called the Dream. Do you mean the Dawn? 

Edited January 12, 2023 by kwokpot

[rmalbers]

I have to say whenever I've had dinner in OV, it was a ghost town, strange.  Anyway, I've had the best food ever there.  It was beef wellington and I'm sure someone screwed up and used prime beef, it was just 'cut it with a fork' and incredible.   I went back for more and they were carving a new one and the beef in it was not even close to as good.  Anyway, that's all I've got. 

[LouisV]

On 1/10/2023 at 6:28 PM, WNCtourist said:

Thank you for your reporting. Sounds like it's going to be difficult to find decent food anywhere on Celebrity now.

cruising is such a hardship!

[Bo1953]

1 minute ago, LouisV said:

cruising is such a hardship!

... are you willing to continue the task???

 

😂😂😂

 

bon voyage

[LouisV]

Just now, Bo1953 said:

... are you willing to continue the task???

 

😂😂😂

 

bon voyage

If I must!

[Ipeeinthepools]

Hopefully the situation in the OVC will improve before I get to the Edge in October.