Celebrity Silhouette Main Dining Room Experience an Embarrassment

[giraffeman]

I have a friend at RC, (and they own X),  and he told me the word around the office is they are looking at eliminating the main dining room on the newer ships and replace it with  more "specialty restaurants", as they see more people trending to them currently.  So the free food will be the buffet and if you want something better you will have to pay the up charge.   I guess they are trying to cut costs and if they make the MDR less appealing we all will be glad to pay more for better food at a specialty restaurant.

I'm sure all the major cruise lines will follow the trend once one starts. Just as they all did when they  got rid of the midnight buffet many years back

[Stockjock]

4 minutes ago, giraffeman said:

I have a friend at RC, (and they own X),  and he told me the word around the office is they are looking at eliminating the main dining room on the newer ships and replace it with  more "specialty restaurants", as they see more people trending to them currently.  So the free food will be the buffet and if you want something better you will have to pay the up charge.   I guess they are trying to cut costs and if they make the MDR less appealing we all will be glad to pay more for better food at a specialty restaurant.

I'm sure all the major cruise lines will follow the trend once one starts. Just as they all did when they  got rid of the midnight buffet many years back

I think that will go over like a lead balloon.  I would not sail on a cruise line that did this.

[kirtihk]

59 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

I think that will go over like a lead balloon.  I would not sail on a cruise line that did this.

Basically, if a person doesn't eat dinner at a buffet, I would treat the price of such a cruise as a price during booking + (a price of specialty restaurant x a number of nights).  For example, 10-night cruise is $2,000 per person with tax, and an average specialty restaurant is $50; then the total price is $2,500.  Then I would think whether I want to book this cruise for that price.  No problems, no issues.

[hcat]

1 hour ago, giraffeman said:

I have a friend at RC, (and they own X),  and he told me the word around the office is they are looking at eliminating the main dining room on the newer ships and replace it with  more "specialty restaurants", as they see more people trending to them currently.  So the free food will be the buffet and if you want something better you will have to pay the up charge.   I guess they are trying to cut costs and if they make the MDR less appealing we all will be glad to pay more for better food at a specialty restaurant.

I'm sure all the major cruise lines will follow the trend once one starts. Just as they all did when they  got rid of the midnight buffet many years back

We have next cruise in Jan in  BLU on Ascent so that should be safe 

 

After that we are booked on Apex, SV, with 4 mdr choices ( we hope)....If not offered as part of our fare,  we will cancel, lose the depisit and write X off..seems heading that way!

[leyland1989]

1 hour ago, giraffeman said:

I have a friend at RC, (and they own X),  and he told me the word around the office is they are looking at eliminating the main dining room on the newer ships and replace it with  more "specialty restaurants", as they see more people trending to them currently.  So the free food will be the buffet and if you want something better you will have to pay the up charge.   I guess they are trying to cut costs and if they make the MDR less appealing we all will be glad to pay more for better food at a specialty restaurant.

I'm sure all the major cruise lines will follow the trend once one starts. Just as they all did when they  got rid of the midnight buffet many years back

It won't surprise me if the "MDR"s on E-class ship will become surcharge specialty restaurant at some point. 

 

Maybe it was one of the reasons why they gone away with the idea of having one large MDR. 

[goofysmom99]

29 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

Basically, if a person doesn't eat dinner at a buffet, I would treat the price of such a cruise as a price during booking + (a price of specialty restaurant x a number of nights).  For example, 10-night cruise is $2,000 per person with tax, and an average specialty restaurant is $50; then the total price is $2,500.  Then I would think whether I want to book this cruise for that price.  No problems, no issues.

That's exactly how I'm proceeding for the time being.  My most recently booked X cruises are on S-class (V2 solo, $2600), specialties 10 nights ($336, bought during May sale), and 3 nights in OVC.  I actually enjoy OVC dinner for gluten-free pasta and stir-fry.  MDR is out altogether, included or not.  E-class is a no-go because of the IVs; M-class because there's only Tuscan as a specialty for gluten-free.  As long as corporate doesn't begin messing with the S-class specialty menus, I'm good.  Should that occur, I'll forego the deposits.  Definitely not the way cruising ought to be.

[hcat]

36 minutes ago, leyland1989 said:

It won't surprise me if the "MDR"s on E-class ship will become surcharge specialty restaurant at some point. 

 

Maybe it was one of the reasons why they gone away with the idea of having one large MDR. 

How will the existing size buffet area  fit all those who choose NOT  to pay extra for dining.?

 

What if cruisers already booked with  a real dining room included in their fare? 

 

 How about just call it an overnight  ferry boat with  take out coffee shop.? ..cookies extra

[Cruise a holic]

2 hours ago, Rustyman said:

Thank you for your positive comments and I hope that you’re right. In anticipation we’ve taken a 3 meal deal in specialities and hope not to hear any negative comments about the Ascent or Beyond. I see that the price is now over £1k more for our Ascent cruise only about 8 weeks after we booked it! 
 

We just got off to oasis last weekend.  Funny we booked a balcony for next summer on the symphony on the second day of the cruise.  Typically we like suites but the rate was very high.  But after a couple more days we decided to upgrade to a suite.  The fare increaed over $500!  We were stuck as we wanted the suite.  I have been watching the fares as i hope with a Labor Day or nlack friday sale the fare will decrease!  So i learned an important lesson!  Book then research

[zanderblue]

On 8/20/2023 at 3:48 PM, zanderblue said:

we are currently on Solstice. My views are very similar to original post.

Sorry to tell you that apps are not much better. We have always ways liked the Caesar salad, unfortunately the last 2 nights they have come with no dressing (or so little dressing that you can’t taste it or see it)

Second time I asked for more dressing, which eventually arrived after we’d eaten our entrees. Can’t say I blame the wait staff for this, they were just run off their feet.

just a bit of follow up. We disembarked the Solstice this morning. 
MDR food improved slightly, but IMO still noticeably worse than before the latest changes.

Staff in MDR are aware of issues and asked us to voice our dissatisfaction in the survey.

[Guera53]

On 8/19/2023 at 5:32 AM, Rustyman said:

Just home from a 13 nighter on the Silhouette, our 4th cruise on her and our last. The main dining room food quality, presentation and choice was very poor and an embarrassment to many including the poor waiting staff and Maitre D. If you want a return to school dinners you’ll enjoy it, every night a slice of chicken, meat or fish and an ice cream scoop of mashed potato with green beans and sliced carrots. The presentation was that which your school dinner lady would provide. Our table lost 2 couples to the Ocean View buffet for the entire cruise, the rest of us endured the MDR for the company only. As always our waiting staff were exceptional but I felt for them as every night they asked all at the table how the food was and every night they were told the same with “but it’s not your fault”.

I complained to the waiter, the Maitre D, reception, Guest Relations and to the Captains Club, never heard a peep back! The waiter, Maitre D and MDR reception all apologised and said that Celebrity have just changed to the new menu and quality and that many on board have complained.

We have 3 cruises booked for next year on Celebrity but if things don’t change back to the previous excellent food quality then we’re cancelling, I couldn’t take more of this new regime. We’re only glad that we didn’t take family or friends with us.

The food selection and quality was far superior in the Oceanview buffet, the only issue there was the lack of available tables, a couple of times we had to circumnavigate the Oceanview twice before finding one, also as the cruise was so busy, on a few occasions we had to lift dirty plates from our table and take them to a trolley to clear the table before  we could eat.

For information the rest of the cruise was very good, all staff as ever were happy, helpful and a joy to be around.

Apologies for the negative post but we’ve had 15 cruises with Celebrity and this was a real shock and embarrassment. If this is the path cruising is choosing to take then hell mend them.

I hope enough people complain to Celebrity corporate before our November cruise. The staff told you this is a recent menu change. My mother and her friends are in the market for a 2024 winter cruise, and reading this, I’m navigating them to Princess where they ate great food in the MDR earlier this year. 

[Guera53]

On 8/19/2023 at 10:26 AM, OysterD said:

I took a look too and thought the same. There is plenty on the current 7 night menu that I'd be happy with. Actually on day 5 I'd struggle deciding because a few of the mains sound good.... crispy pork schnitzel, French pot pie, calves liver, bourbon glazed pork ribs. Other nights they have fish and chips, Irish stew, pork loin, leg of lamb, masala potatoes, prime rib, lobster, haddock, lamb t-bone, butter chicken (curried), gnocchi...

 

To the OP, what was it you didn't like, was it the choices weren't to your taste or the fact that some of the dishes just come with mash and standard veg - it looks like the standard steak, chicken and salmon that are on every night do but very few of the options which change every night have the standard mash and veg as sides. 

I’m on the Silhouette in November and I just looked at half the itinerary that is posted. I don’t see lobster, don’t see schnitzel, no other fish than salmon, no pork ribs.  Just as the OP indicated ….chicken, Turkey stroganoff, the same 3 sides nightly ….

[giraffeman]

4 hours ago, hcat said:

How will the existing size buffet area  fit all those who choose NOT  to pay extra for dining.?

 

What if cruisers already booked with  a real dining room included in their fare? 

 

 How about just call it an overnight  ferry boat with  take out coffee shop.? ..cookies extra

No one is saying this will Happen, it is just being talked about an it would only be on newly built ships.

So the way they get new ships, (one or two every few years), it would take a very long time to replace the fleets or retrofit the older ones.

And lets face it you know it would be a trial run on the first ship and if reviews don't go over well they will be forced to rethink everything.

I'll be on the summit in November and I just checked the app for the MDR menu. Just as the OP indicated …. menu is one different seafood, pasta, meat/chicken, and vegan choice each day. Other then that they have Grilled Chicken Brest  and NY Sirloin listed every night and it looks like  most of them  are served with Mashed Potatoes and Green beans-carrots, (some say seasonal vegetables). Choices don't look like anything special; hopefully enough bad surveys will make them re-think the Menu choices. 

 

Premium selection are now a up charge  (Listed every night)

Filet Mignon $19.99

Broiled Lobster Tail $16.99

Surf and Turf  $34.99

 

 

[Stockjock]

I sail in about a week.  When I check the app, under menu, the only things shown are breakfast, desserts and wine.  Any idea why?

Edited August 26, 2023 by Stockjock

[doghog]

20 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

I sail in about a week.  When I check the app, under menu, the only things shown are breakfast, desserts and wine.  Any idea why?

Lets see, desserts and wine. What's the problem. 😉

[tigervixxxen]

3 hours ago, Stockjock said:

I sail in about a week.  When I check the app, under menu, the only things shown are breakfast, desserts and wine.  Any idea why?

Because they deleted the previous menu and haven’t put in the new one 

[chemmo]

A couple of my friends are presently on Silhouette….I had been saying for years they should give Celebrity a go.

 

Unfortunately they booked a short cruise which last year had reviews as a booze cruise and now poor reviews on the MDR…

 

I do hope that the weather at least is kind to them…

[leyland1989]

17 hours ago, hcat said:

How will the existing size buffet area  fit all those who choose NOT  to pay extra for dining.?

 

What if cruisers already booked with  a real dining room included in their fare? 

 

 How about just call it an overnight  ferry boat with  take out coffee shop.? ..cookies extra

I hope you enjoy queuing 🙂 ? 

 

If they want to race to the bottom, 

It could be a new revenue stream to have paid reservations in the buffet and skip the line! 

 

Cunard also pioneered the idea of turning the underutilized sections of the buffet into specialty restaurants at night with a cover charge.

 

Wait until they turn the buffet into a cafeteria with a cashier at the end of the food stations ! 

 

They seafloor is the limit here. Maybe I should stop giving them ideas. 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by leyland1989

[hcat]

on QM2,  Cunard , we took a short cruise NY  up around  a few Canadian ports.  We walked through the buffet once and never returned.  

 

Forgot our cabin level, but we had a lovely table in mdr with 4 others we got along with..excellent service and menu..heavy towards seafood.great for me. 

 

No idea what it is like now..

[hcat]

20 hours ago, giraffeman said:

I have a friend at RC, (and they own X),  and he told me the word around the office is they are looking at eliminating the main dining room on the newer ships and replace it with  more "specialty restaurants", as they see more people trending to them currently.  So the free food will be the buffet and if you want something better you will have to pay the up charge.   I guess they are trying to cut costs and if they make the MDR less appealing we all will be glad to pay more for better food at a specialty restaurant.

I'm sure all the major cruise lines will follow the trend once one starts. Just as they all did when they  got rid of the midnight buffet many years back

We are concerned that by the time we get to our Sunset Veranda, APEX cruise in 2025,with the 4 mdrs, they will have made some more awful  changes     

 

Two of the included 4 mdrs are very cozy( both our favs) . The other 2 are larger  dining halls with many long tables where u sit on top of the stranger next to you knees almost touching, with your partner across from you.....Not really a tbl for 2 by any means and you are served  tediously in a big group .

 

One of  these. larger halls,  Cosmopolitan  serves sit down  bkfst and lunch, gets quite crowded at peak lunch hr

 

  Hope they do not tinker with all 4 being included!..

 

[neverlaysup]

On 8/20/2023 at 2:53 PM, tigervixxxen said:

There aren’t appetizers anymore, just soup and salad. I guess my strategy will be to ask for the pasta or veggie dish as an appetizer to make up for it. 

I was about to comment "you're crazy, there were plenty of apps in the MDR on my last cruise" but then I checked the menu for my upcoming cruise and WOW, just soups, salads and the classics. They still have some apps in Luminae and BLU so we will survive this next one but WOW, the change is not good!

[Captain-John]

Please provide your feedback to Celebrity loud and clear, for the sake of future cruises even if it won't make any difference for those cruising in the immediate future (and my comiserations to those who are).

 

The MDR choices being touted are wholly unappealing and I do regret chosing 2024 as the time to try Celebrity for the first time.

[jules27556]

What I find interesting is that once Celebrity was awarded/announced the Forbes ratings,  the cuts appeared to really take off.

 

Celebrity has been able to use the prestigious awards in their marketing material.  The executive office can proclaim "Mission accomplished!"

 

Perhaps the possibility of "anonomyous" inspections was anticipated in 2022 and therefore

miraculously Celebrity was able to manage supply chain, post covid and financial challenges.

What has followed in 2023 simply doesn't seem to value or want to maintain Forbes' nod.

Does Forbes give a followup report of what their assessment was?   Is lowering quality a likely recommendation?  

 

Long ago I was involved in our companies team applying for the Malcolm Baldrige Award.

We were thrilled to receive a site visit!  Although we did not receive an award, the valuable

self assessment and examining of our policies and procedures challenged us to never stop

working toward even greater excellence.

 

I used all my FCC on the April Silhouette TA.  I knew of the MDR changes and had decided

no complaining!  I booked 4 Specialties, enjoyed an app and French Onion soup when the

entrees weren't to my liking, had pasta/pizza in the OVC and it worked well for me.  The entertainment was terrific ( Jayne Curry!!!!), the 2 Celebrity excursions I took excellent and

2109 spacious and perfect location!

 

WIll I book Celebrity again?   I am paying attention, but not willing to at this time.

 

Happy and Healthy Sailing!!

 

Julie

 

 

 

 

[OysterD]

5 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

I was about to comment "you're crazy, there were plenty of apps in the MDR on my last cruise" but then I checked the menu for my upcoming cruise and WOW, just soups, salads and the classics. They still have some apps in Luminae and BLU so we will survive this next one but WOW, the change is not good!

How far off is your cruise? 

 

I'm on Beyond in 3 weeks so thought I'd just check the menu in Blu, and it's...odd lol. I thought it might be relatively accurate by now but day 5 is showing 11 appetisers and day 8 lists 12! Every other night lists 6 apps which seems more realistic. Although the current Beyond sailing has the same menus, also showing 12 appetisers for day 8, which surely can't be right. 

 

I think they might have left the menu loading to interns, I noticed a few glaring spelling mistakes on some of the MDR menus... like "schrimp" with a c thrown in for good measure, "ribsvv", "cesar salad" plus items repeated. Think I might just wait till I'm onboard to see what's for dinner!

[Robert de Beaumont]

19 minutes ago, OysterD said:

I think they might have left the menu loading to interns, I noticed a few glaring spelling mistakes on some of the MDR menus... like "schrimp" with a c thrown in for good measure, "ribsvv", "cesar salad" plus items repeated. Think I might just wait till I'm onboard to see what's for dinner!

I’m on the Beyond on the Sept. 8 sailing and things seem to be moving and changing frequently. I thought night 7 was lobster night and now it’s not. 

[neverlaysup]

17 minutes ago, OysterD said:

How far off is your cruise? 

I am on the Millennium TransPac leaving Sept 15th. Our cruise is 14 days but only about 5-7 days of menus are loaded up and the rest still say "Venue Closed". From just looking through the MDR, BLU and Luminae menus, the MDR app selection is looking BLEAK but BLU and Luminae still look like they have some proper foods to offer. We will be in the Retreat for this journey so I don't think I will have a hard time finding something to eat!! For what it's worth, I wouldn't put a lot of faith in the app until I have boarded the ship, hooked up to WIFI and refreshed the whole thing.