Missing Jacques on Vista?

[Acrusa]

What's the take on Embers.

[edgee]

1 minute ago, Acrusa said:

What's the take on Embers.

Very upscale Appleby's. Noisy atmosphere. Food is pretty good. Fine alternative to dining in GDR for a night or two, but NOT really a "special" specialty restaurant. Nowhere near a really neat experience one looks forward to like Jacque or Red Ginger. Clearly a mistake on Oceania's part.

[Sthrngary]

I will be cruising the Vista next.  I just got off the Riviera.  My favorite Specialty Restaurant was Red Ginger.  Second was indeed Jacque's.  If the reviews continue to be average and folks say they want Jacque's back, maybe Oceania MIGHT listen.  I hope the do.  The experience at Jacque was lovely.  Just my two cents. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[Acrusa]

We have cruised on the O style ships since 2014 and always looked forward to  dinners at Jacques .Very disappointing for our upcoming cruise on Vista 

[basor]

We enjoyed Embers and it was a nice change of pace from the heavier fare in Polo and Toscana.  The filet mignon melts in your mouth and the crab cakes from Polo are now served in Embers,  Request a table by the window or in the front section and not as noisy

[maxamize]

We always loved Jacques. Ember not so much. The decor looks great, acoustics very bad, service rushed, menu simple compared to Jacques and we found the execution and quality of the dishes mediocre at best. It’s okay but not culinary.  Wouldn’t say it’s THE FINEST CUISINE AT SEA®. 

[Snaefell3]

My 2¢:

• Oceania probably thinks that M. Pépin's current reputation no longer justifies his royalties.

• M. Pépin's lawyers would ...react were Oceania to sail a French restaurant under another name.

[EJL2023]

We also enjoyed Embers. No issues.  Also, do we really need another thread on this topic. Just take a look at the other threads out there. 

[Queen of DaNile]

1 hour ago, basor said:

We enjoyed Embers and it was a nice change of pace from the heavier fare in Polo and Toscana.  The filet mignon melts in your mouth and the crab cakes from Polo are now served in Embers,  Request a table by the window or in the front section and not as noisy

We too enjoyed it and think folks need to get over their grief about no Jacques on the new ships. We actually ate there 3x because prejudice about trying it made it very available. Baked potato soup, Burrata & lemon confit, and grilled beef tenderloin with chimichurri were delightful. Service was exceptional because they knew the pressure was on and they were working very hard to please.

[edgee]

14 minutes ago, Queen of DaNile said:

15 minutes ago, Queen of DaNile said:

We actually ate there 3x because prejudice about trying it made it very available.

 

Prejudice?😆 Or more likely guests tried it once and made their own decision not to return. 

[jazznruby]

Just wish O had named it something else...so that people would get it right. Ember...no s.

 

[TFree]

The search function could be your friend here.  This has been discussed in multiple threads.  The quick summary: many people have been unhappy about the switch.  Others (probably a minority) like Ember.

 

Tom & Judy

[Acrusa]

18 minutes ago, jazznruby said:

Just wish O had named it something else...so that people would get it right. Ember...no s.

 

Ember  Embers Shmembers who Remembers 

Still not Jacques 

[Waltershipman]

5 hours ago, edgee said:

Very upscale Appleby's. Noisy atmosphere. Food is pretty good. Fine alternative to dining in GDR for a night or two, but NOT really a "special" specialty restaurant. Nowhere near a really neat experience one looks forward to like Jacque or Red Ginger. Clearly a mistake on Oceania's part.

 

5 hours ago, edgee said:

Very upscale Appleby's. Noisy atmosphere. Food is pretty good. Fine alternative to dining in GDR for a night or two, but NOT really a "special" specialty restaurant. Nowhere near a really neat experience one looks forward to like Jacque or Red Ginger. Clearly a mistake on Oceania's part.

I am wondering if any grand style buffets are served on sea days in GDR. Once had on Azamara and thought i saw simeone say Vista mayvhave it Thanks

[edgee]

Just now, Waltershipman said:

 

I am wondering if any grand style buffets are served on sea days in GDR. Once had on Azamara and thought i saw simeone say Vista mayvhave it Thanks

IME including recent multi week cruise on Vista with many sea days, no buffets in GDR.

[Waltershipman]

1 minute ago, edgee said:

IME including recent multi week cruise on Vista with many sea days, no buffets in GDR.

Got it thank you much

 

Cruise well

[basor]

I have only seen the GDR brunch on a sea day when crossing the Oceans with many sea days in a row.

[jazznruby]

2 hours ago, Acrusa said:

Ember  Embers Shmembers who Remembers 

Still not Jacques 

You're right. It's not. Time to get over it.

[chloemonkey]

I am trying not to think about a cruise with no Jacques......as it is surely one of our top choices when onboard.  And of course we will try Ember....but it seems too close to a combination of a steak house (Polo) and the buffet grill that so many seem to think is haute cuisine.....trying to keep an open mind...but am already missing my Escargot, that salad with the poached egg?.....truly first world problems right?  Happy to sail on Oceania no matter what...but do feel that we will miss Jacques.  Of course it doesn't help that both he and his lovely daughter were on our last sailing two months ago!

[DrHemlock]

15 hours ago, Snaefell3 said:

Oceania probably thinks that M. Pépin's current reputation no longer justifies his royalties.

Something bad that I missed, or just aging out?

[pinotlover]

Vista, and soon to sail Allura, are new ships for a new era of cruisers. A new era of restaurants and stage productions.  I’m sure some are likewise crying the demise of the Brill Bldg, Peggy Lee, and other 1950s oriented shows, along with Perry Como on the speaker system. They are all still there for you on the other ships.

25 minutes ago, DrHemlock said:

Something bad that I missed, or just aging out?

Just aging out! FDR, Sr. said there would be no more refits for the R ships. Just aging out

 

When the new “ A” line was first announced it was stated that there would be no Jacques, but we were getting a hugely updated Barrista. Even though We didn’t get the new reimagined steak house, the menu there on the Vista does delete some items and add others.

 

The only thing constant in the Universe is change. 

Edited December 1, 2023 by pinotlover

[Snaefell3]

1 hour ago, DrHemlock said:

Something bad that I missed, or just aging out?

No scandal, just more folks asking "Who's Jacques?"

[Waltershipman]

5 minutes ago, Snaefell3 said:

No scandal, just more folks asking "Who's Jacques?"

My DW still makes some of his recipes from his book that was in our cabin and purchased years ago

Thanks

[pilgrimage]

Unfortunately, there's a lot more Jack 🤡 and a lot less Jacques these days.

[Harters]

1 hour ago, Snaefell3 said:

just more folks asking "Who's Jacques?"

I had never heard of Jacques Pepin until we took a cruise on Marina in 2017. Thought the food was fine. I suppose its plus point is that it serves the sort of dishes that foreign tourists expect to find on restaurant menus when they visit France  - but rarely will, as French restaurants are generally catering to a French customer base and not stuck with the traditional. I'm looking forward to trying Ember as another restaurant serving "foreign food".