Chef Rudi, watch your 6

[cf_chuck]

I'm not familiar with Celebrity so I can't assess the significance of these dining changes, but some appear to me to be worthwhile considerations for HAL.

 

http://www.mycruiseblog.co.uk/blog/_archives/2008/8/18/3843168.html

[Roz]

Chuck,

 

I don't click on links...have contracted viruses that way. Would you or someone else be kind enough to provide a brief summary of what the article says? Thanks!

 

Roz

[jhannah]

Special luncheons, gourmet cheeses and coffees, etc. all equate to greater expense. Are we willing to pay more to get higher-quality foods? I think the food is just fine, but many will say they'll be willing to pay more to get more.

[Roz]

Thanks, Jim. I don't like this trend towards paying extra, but it appears to be the way things are headed.

 

Roz

[cf_chuck]

Chuck,

 

I don't click on links...have contracted viruses that way. Would you or someone else be kind enough to provide a brief summary of what the article says? Thanks!

 

Roz

 

You can google: Celebrity dining enhancements

 

Without getting into copyright issues, here's the summary posted:

 

Celebrity Cruises is shining its spotlight on a series of enhancements for dining that include:

- more than 200 new menu offerings included in its culinary program

- significantly upgraded the casual dining areas

- an entirely new brunch offering

[cf_chuck]

Special luncheons, gourmet cheeses and coffees, etc. all equate to greater expense. Are we willing to pay more to get higher-quality foods? I think the food is just fine, but many will say they'll be willing to pay more to get more.

 

Overall, I agree with you that the food is just fine. As I read the article, it seems to me that many of the changes proposed fit within the existing cost constraints by adjusting or substituting one thing for another. While I would appreciate a better grade of coffee, what is served is acceptable (especially given that I drank stuff produced by a vending machine for over 30 years). I find the cheeses served to be quite acceptable (expecially the white brick cheese with rye seeds). Since I'm not a late night person, substituting something that I can enjoy for the traditional late night events (such as the dessert extravaganza) would be welcome. Expanding the menu selection does not necessarily increase costs.

 

Since one of the marketing pushes HAL uses is the Culinary Arts program, I found the article an interesting competitive counter.

[RuthC]

HAL already has an "after-theater" menu! :)

It's called "dinner". :rolleyes:

[Roz]

Chuck,

 

I think the cheese you're referring to is havarti with caraway seeds...yum!

 

Roz

[codyody]

I wonder how long a river rock can stay cold?

[cf_chuck]

Chuck,

 

I think the cheese you're referring to is havarti with caraway seeds...yum!

 

Roz

 

 

I think you are correct, thanks.

[cf_chuck]

HAL already has an "after-theater" menu! :)

 

It's called "dinner". :rolleyes:

 

LOL - but only for half the pax.:)

[STANCPA44]

As a coffee drinker, a good cup of java in a full size cup should be the norm.

Celebrity also has upgraded its complimentary coffee to the European brand, "Seventh," a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans, which guests can sip from new, full-sized coffee mugs.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL already has an "after-theater" menu! :)

 

It's called "dinner". :rolleyes:

 

I love it -- you are so right!!! :D

[iceman93]

Having never cruised X, I may be way off here, but doesn't this just sound like X's long-overdue response to the multitude of dining enhancements put into place by HAL over the past several years, mainly under the watchful eye of Chef Rudi?

[barbon2]

Ok now, no bashing here.....our last several cruises (and our upcoming cruise is on HAL), but I have always found Celebritiy to be a notch above in the quality and presentation of their food. That being said, it has been a little while since we have done Celebrity so their food qualitiy/presentation may have changed.

Just an opinion.

Barbara

[usha]

Ok now, no bashing here.....our last several cruises (and our upcoming cruise is on HAL), but I have always found Celebritiy to be a notch above in the quality and presentation of their food. That being said, it has been a little while since we have done Celebrity so their food qualitiy/presentation may have changed.

Just an opinion.

Barbara

Yeah, and now, Celebrity is raising the bar a little more.... Way to go, Celebrity!:cool:

[m steve]

They had gone down in food quality in recent years and fired the name chef. I'm glad they have done this and hope other lines upgrade as well. Although we won't be traveling on X due to smoking rules I like the idea of 14 different menus. I would like HAL to increase the items on room service cocktail menu that you can purchase like bringing back caviar and having a wider selection of canapes.

[RedmondCruiser]

Gourmet ???? As for the coffee, when you mix Arabica and Robusta beans you have a coffee that is made from good beans and cheap beans. This is not gourmet. They can call the changes anything they want but a Yugo is not a Lexus.

[STANCPA44]

Gourmet ???? As for the coffee, when you mix Arabica and Robusta beans you have a coffee that is made from good beans and cheap beans. This is not gourmet. They can call the changes anything they want but a Yugo is not a Lexus.

 

I was on a transatlantic this past May on the Celebrity's Galaxy. The coffee at dinner was undrinkable. It was so bad I switched to tea. I drink my coffee black so adding more sugar or cream was not an alternative.

 

It is my guess that they made their coffee with the cheapest beans available. It also was not a brewed coffee, instant junk.

 

It is too bad that all cruise lines uses micro coffee cups instead of normal cups.

[usha]

Gourmet ???? As for the coffee, when you mix Arabica and Robusta beans you have a coffee that is made from good beans and cheap beans. This is not gourmet. They can call the changes anything they want but a Yugo is not a Lexus.

They aren't calling the coffee "gourmet".

They're calling it an improvement.

[arzz]

I am not a Celebrity expert here, I have cruised Azamara once and Celebrity once (both in the past year) and I do not consider Celebrity's food to be a notch above HAL -- it may only be there by reputation, not particularly substance IMHO --- before you flame me please understand that I recognize that food is subjective.

 

As a Captain's Club member I received notification of the proposed food changes a few weeks ago and I was intrigued. As Iceman93 commented, IMO these changes will attempt to bring Celebrity on par to the changes that HAL has made in their food service.

 

Lets hear it for a change in the coffee on Celebrity. The coffee on board our Celebrity cruise that you did not have to pay extra for in our opinion was almost undrinkable. We traveled with a party of six and we all ended up enjoying teas after dinner. DH choked down a cup or two of their coffee in the am to get his day started and avoided all but the purchased coffee from the Cova cafe the rest of the day. The rest of us totally avoided it.

 

IMO HAL's lido offerings have it way over Celebrity. Lots more choice and much much more variety. I never have trouble having an incredible and healthy lunch at the HAL lido, and though I prefer HAL dining room breakfast I can eat a great breakfast on the HAL lido also. Such was not the case during our Celebrity experience. Their choices in all venues, especially the lido were limited and obviously recycled from day to day. In our experience the dining room choices on Azamara were downright repetitive, though delicious, and there were few if any healthy choices -- and we were only on board for 7 days.

 

Celebrity has sent out the message that their food is special but in my humble opinion it is good food but not special in any way. Different from HAL's food but no better.

[STANCPA44]

Aside from the undrinkable coffee, I found the food on Celebrity to be quite good. Out of 15 dinners, I only found one that was not at least very good. The desserts for most parts were among the best I had on a cruise ship. (22 sailings).

 

It has been nearly four years since I have been on a HAL ship, traveled the MED. on the Westerdam and then did the Carib on the Zuiderdam.

 

I guess I am one of those people do not sail on just one line. I enjoy the diversity in cruising. (Actually, if a great deal pop up I will go for it, if the time is right.).

 

Stash

[RoupMom]

I was intrigued by what was listed as changes. We sailed on HAL to Alaska 3 years ago and Celebrity in the Mediterranean last summer. When it came time to plan our Christmas cruise to NZ we quickly narrowed it down to those two. The food was our primary reason for choosing HAL! We had excellent service on X -- the best I've ever had anywhere --- but other aspects were disappointing. On our 14 day cruise I tired of the menu after about 5 days; it seemed repetitious with only slight variations on a theme. We found the Lido not very desireable. They had limited hours and limited selections. We returned after our assigned dinner time on one excursion and had a choice in Lido of only sushi or pizza. I gave up on the desserts and stuck with only ice cream and sorbet after just a few days; in fact one night I was tempted to order something else, and our waiter suggested I might prefer not to. However, they have a wonderful spa dining area just outside their spa, open for breakfast and lunch. The choices were very healthy and delightful, and there was usually hardly anyone there. Those reasons made our choice of HAL simple, but it would have been more difficult had we known of these changes.