Cookies now cost $2 plus 20%

[LMaxwell]

On 8/23/2023 at 5:41 PM, the penguins said:

 

Don't you just love choices:

Choice1

Warm, hand crafted cookies $2 plus service

Or

Walk the length of Al Bacio for a cold, free cookie.

Choice 2:

Gelato @ $ various

Or

Pop up to the Buffet for free ice-cream with sprinkles (I prefer this option)

Choice 3

Buy a Latte at Al Bacio

Or

Pop up to the buffet or the Hideaway for a free self service coffee.

 

lol, how naive to think these other "free" choices will still exist. 

[LMaxwell]

They should charge everyone $1 for boarding the ship and $2 for tender access, because you're dumb, and this is modern luxury 

[NMTraveller]

19 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

They should charge everyone $1 for boarding the ship and $2 for tender access, because you're dumb, and this is modern luxury 

Ah yes.  How naive.  Why are they not charging $100 to board the ship.

[rj59]

On 8/23/2023 at 2:41 PM, the penguins said:

 

Don't you just love choices:

Choice1

Warm, hand crafted cookies $2 plus service

Or

Walk the length of Al Bacio for a cold, free cookie.

Choice 2:

Gelato @ $ various

Or

Pop up to the Buffet for free ice-cream with sprinkles (I prefer this option)

Choice 3

Buy a Latte at Al Bacio

Or

Pop up to the buffet or the Hideaway for a free self service coffee.

 

Another free secret I found on Apex was an automatic espresso machine in the Solarium Cafe. I honestly have never found anything compelling in the Al Bacio sweets, since they're just little things thrown in a bag, and the ice cream buffet station offers more pleasure for the sugar and calories. The buffet dessert station on Solstice was mostly cakes and other junk (except for baclava on Greek day), but Apex had some quality desserts in their buffet. To me the worst cutback was the experiment with the Incredible Shrinking Evening Buffet, which was offensive to both passengers and the crew who had to eat there. A $2 cookie also pales in comparison to the fare increases recently, which are 5x higher that what I paid last year to go to Mexico, and their last Mexico cruise out of LA before they completely abandon it is more than double what I paid for it a few months ago. On the positive side, I managed to get 5 solo inside cruises on Solstice for an average price of $50/nt or so the first year after restart, and I bought their stock at $40 to get a shareholder benefit, and sold it at over $100, so my 7 Celebrity cruises will all be covered by my RCL stock sale. The only really compelling cookies I've had on ships were on Ovation of the Seas, because they cooked them in the buffet and you could get them gloriously fresh and warm, with the incredible smell from the oven. 

[sunlover33]

This really is scraping the barrel. Celebrity cruises is rapidly becoming a laughing stock. Luxury line, more like a thrift store  line? It’s actually embarrassing to say we will be cruising with them, but only once more because we are fully paid up then onto something with a little more class. The pathetic explanation of it being an experience like cooking with mom is even more cringeworthy. Celebrity how low can you go? 

[the penguins]

2 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

lol, how naive to think these other "free" choices will still exist. 

I'm happy to take your bet. I will buy you a cocktail at the Martini  Bar against you buying me a mock cocktail if X removes the free cookies and/ or free ice cream within the next 12 months. 😂💲😀

[cublet]

14 hours ago, Robert de Beaumont said:

FWIW: I received this in response to an email expressing some concern. 
 

“Thank you so much for your email. We are piloting offering a hot chocolate chip cookie right out of the oven for our guests for a small fee. All other treats that have been offered complimentary are still being offered. Absolutely nothing has changed in that regard. This is an additional offering for those guests that may really want it.”

My reaction: 🙄

Hello,

 

Just how close is this oven out of which the cookies are offered?

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[cublet]

9 hours ago, kwokpot said:

As someone else mentioned on M & S Class ships I think the Gelato counter is underutilized. They would be much better served by moving the Gelato to the Oceanview Cafe Ice cream counter, just like on the E-Class ships, and using that counter for an expanded FOR PAY, snacks and light bites area. It could include the new hot cookies but also hot Panini sandwiches and other sweet and savory snacks. It would be similar to Royal's Promenade Cafe but I would be totally fine with them offering a higher level of snacks for a fee. 

Hello,

 

On Silhouette in June, the Gelato station was used as a 'to go' overflow for the Cafe al Bacio in the mornings before the ice cream was put out.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[the penguins]

6 hours ago, helen haywood said:

If that were true and everything else remained the same then why are we seeing pictures/reports of the cookie containers at Cafe al Bacio and by the ice cream counter at the Oceanview Cafe having been removed?

One picture and when I questioned when the pic was taken (it looks as if it was just before closing) I got no response.

If anyone had privilege of hearing any of John Maxtone - Graham cruise talks you will know that cruise lines have always charged for extras ( the Titanic charged for squash balls and you could pay for squash lessons). Passengers also boarded many cruise ships carrying crates of beer to avoid the high onboard charges. Unfortunately John passed away a few years ago but you can still buy his highly entertaining and informative book - The Only to Cross - on Amazon. 

[OysterD]

7 hours ago, helen haywood said:

If that were true and everything else remained the same then why are we seeing pictures/reports of the cookie containers at Cafe al Bacio and by the ice cream counter at the Oceanview Cafe having been removed?

There was one photo, don't know when it was taken and that's it. Plenty of people have said there are still free cookies available and X have emailed/messaged several people to say there will still be free cookies available. 

 

Can we please please stop the fake uproar now?! 15 pages of moaning for no reason just beggars belief.

[LMaxwell]

4 hours ago, the penguins said:

I'm happy to take your bet. I will buy you a cocktail at the Martini  Bar against you buying me a mock cocktail if X removes the free cookies and/ or free ice cream within the next 12 months. 😂💲😀

Deal

[LMaxwell]

1 hour ago, OysterD said:

Can we please please stop the fake uproar now?! 

Cruise line did this to themselves. No one here made this up.  We need to sweep stuff under the carpet to appease you? Are you actually happy about these charges and cutbacks? Someone always champions increased costs as Fantasy CFO. 

[OysterD]

6 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

Cruise line did this to themselves. No one here made this up.  We need to sweep stuff under the carpet to appease you? Are you actually happy about these charges and cutbacks? Someone always champions increased costs as Fantasy CFO. 

What? 

 

There isn't a cutback. There is an additional, different product that people can purchase if they so choose. It's really that simple. 

[LMaxwell]

43 minutes ago, OysterD said:

What? 

 

There isn't a cutback. There is an additional, different product that people can purchase if they so choose. It's really that simple. 

 

This is 100% a cutback but I'll give you a silver medal in the mental gymnastics

[deliver42]

Just wait till they put turnstiles in the MDR so they can charge for that plus the 20% service fee that the turnstiles work so hard for.

[OysterD]

7 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

 

This is 100% a cutback but I'll give you a silver medal in the mental gymnastics

I assume that's because you get the gold medal? Lol

 

The definition of a cutback is something that has been reduced, taken away, eliminated. 

 

On the (ridiculous to even still be discussing this) cookie front, nothing was reduced, taken away or eliminated. 

 

The old product is still available for free, no change there. There is a new product that does have a fee. That is not cutting back. 

[Joker54]

On 8/24/2023 at 5:30 PM, C4HCG said:

Anyone reading these posts would feel the same but hold your nerve, take your cruise and you may well love it, or you may not. The negativity on here is astounding - and frankly boring. Judge for yourself when you sail.

Just to be clear, you read 8 pages of boring posts????

[LMaxwell]

5 minutes ago, OysterD said:

I assume that's because you get the gold medal? Lol

 

The definition of a cutback is something that has been reduced, taken away, eliminated. 

 

On the (ridiculous to even still be discussing this) cookie front, nothing was reduced, taken away or eliminated. 

 

The old product is still available for free, no change there. There is a new product that does have a fee. That is not cutting back. 

No, I get no medal because I don't work for the cruise line and I am not trying to justify cutbacks and cost increases. 

 

Actually, many people are reporting that cookies are removed from the ice cream bar now.  Maybe you want to stop with assumptions and pay attention to what is actually occurring. Claiming the old product is free and no change is categorically false 

[TeeRick]

21 hours ago, MamaFej said:

$11.95 +20%. You forgot to include the cost of the cookie. 

 

I never had a craving during any of my preganacies that was worth $14.34

$14.27, maybe, but certainly not $14.24.

OK add a bag of Chips Ahoy to my cruise packing list.

[terrydtx]

9 hours ago, 2023 said:

Everyone take a deep breath…..

I am sorry this is the typical Celebrity Kool-Aide spin on changes. We give you more by taking away. This was the same spin they used for the Butler changes for Sky Suites, you will have better service with fewer butlers. 

Edited August 26, 2023 by terrydtx

[TeeRick]

2 hours ago, OysterD said:

There was one photo, don't know when it was taken and that's it. Plenty of people have said there are still free cookies available and X have emailed/messaged several people to say there will still be free cookies available. 

 

Can we please please stop the fake uproar now?! 15 pages of moaning for no reason just beggars belief.

Reports are that the $2 cookies are another "test" on one ship.  Equinox.  Not sure if this can be confirmed or if the cookies are now $2 on other ships.  

[TeeRick]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I am sorry this is the typical Celebrity Kool-Aide spin on changes. We give you more by taking away. This was the same spin they used for the Butler changes for Sky Suites, you will have better service with fewer butlers. 

I will still pack my Chips Ahoy.  Maybe I can warm them onboard in a microwave and feel like a kid again!

[CaroleSS]

Nostalgia......feel like a kid again???? What a crock!

 

My mother used to sing me to sleep at night. Can I get someone to do that for a fee?

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Reports are that the $2 cookies are another "test" on one ship.  Equinox.  Not sure if this can be confirmed or if the cookies are now $2 on other ships.  

I think part of the uproar is during the test on Equinox, there were not any "free" cookies in the Cafe Al Bacio and Gelato area like before the test. This has been confirmed by a very well known and respected forum moderator on another social media site who is currently on the Equinox with his sister. If this continues the perception by passengers will be that the free cookies were taken away in favor of pay for cookies.

[terrydtx]

5 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I will still pack my Chips Ahoy.  Maybe I can warm them onboard in a microwave and feel like a kid again!

We actually prefer Oreos, I just hope I do not end up in the naughty room when I smuggle them in my checked bags.