Lobster on formal night?

[brenderlou]

This will be our first Celebrity cruise (Century on 2/23/09) and was wondering if lobster is served on formal night? The last 3 or 4 cruises on RCCL didn't offer lobster and we were kinda bummed but got over it.....hey, it's vacation :D. How more "upscaled" is the menu on this cruise (5 nights going to Key West & Grand Caymen).

Anyway, reason I'm asking was if the menu isn't that different on formal night, we were thinking of eating at Muranos instead or should we do eat there on another night?

 

Thanks

[hylasgirl]

This will be our first Celebrity cruise (Century on 2/23/09) and was wondering if lobster is served on formal night? The last 3 or 4 cruises on RCCL didn't offer lobster and we were kinda bummed but got over it.....hey, it's vacation :D. How more "upscaled" is the menu on this cruise (5 nights going to Key West & Grand Caymen).

Anyway, reason I'm asking was if the menu isn't that different on formal night, we were thinking of eating at Muranos instead or should we do eat there on another night?

 

Thanks

 

We were on the Century this summer and we had lobster. It wasn't a huge lobster tail, but it was like a half of a tail and served with shrimp and scallops. If I remember right. I DID order this, I just don't remember exactly what it came with. It was good though! The French Onion soup was amazing!

[jayoldschool]

The lobster is Rock Lobster, not the kind from the Northeast. Not as good, but... it's still lobster!

 

I usually get a little surf and turf happening by ordering a steak and a couple of tails to go with it :)

[CathyCruises]

Last week it was a very small lobster tail with two shrimp and two scallops. . .last year it was a nice plump tail.

[Brad1185]

I thought I would never say this because I have always enjoyed lobster night and expect it on a cruise. But after my Infinity cruise in October, the lobster was pitiful. If that quarter of a tail is what they are down to, they should just forget and serve something else. You barely get 2 bites and it comes with a couple of shrimps and scallops.

 

Trust me its nothing to look foward to.

[wildatheart]

Recently off the Summit Med cruise - lobster was served on the last formal night. It was not very good, tasted as if it had been frozen forever, and it was very tiny and served with a few shrimp along side it. So not worth it! The food on the ship left a lot to be desired. In the main dining room some nights the food was good, but most nights it was just so-so. I did have good prime rib, rack of lamb, escargot, shrimp cocktail and one or two decent steaks. Another time I ordered lamb and it tasted like it still had the wool on it... yuck! One steak I got had tons of fat and was tough. Chicken Kiev was tons of breading over a tiny piece of chicken. The desserts were mostly good. Buffets were not very tasty, although the stir fry bar was good and the Waterfall Cafe for dinner was a nice alternative to the formal dining room on occasion (you need to make a reservation and there's a $2.00 per person charge). The service was a bit slow but the food was always nice and hot they had escargot and good steaks every night. The hamburger bar by the pool had okay burgers, hot dogs and nachos, but I think they used some kind of filler in the burgers as it had a strange texture to it. Overall I was not impressed with the food on Celebrity.

[FortyNinerLiz]

I thought I would never say this because I have always enjoyed lobster night and expect it on a cruise. But after my Infinity cruise in October, the lobster was pitiful. If that quarter of a tail is what they are down to, they should just forget and serve something else. You barely get 2 bites and it comes with a couple of shrimps and scallops.

 

Trust me its nothing to look foward to.

 

Our experience was identical. We were on the Panama Canal Oct. 19th cruise and were shocked at the very poor quality and size of lobster. Ours tasted soggy and burned on the outside and was 1/2 of the usual tail size. We also had problems with food being delivered cold. It would be sent back and come up cold again. There are signs of financial cut-backs in the main dining room. However, I must say the specialty restaurant was fabulous!!!!!

[wvufan]

As others have said, you get a small so called lobster. It is actually a rock lobster, which is NOT a lobster at all, but still good. One of the problems with trying to cook lobster is that there is such a small window between being undercooked and being tough and chewy. Very hard to pull off for so many people, and many folks complain about their lobster. One other poster notes that he also orders a steak, which is a good idea.

 

Personally, we like to eat at the specialty restaurant on a formal night as it adds a little more to the elegance.

 

Happy Sails to You

 

OOOEEE :D:D Bob and Phyl

[LiLyjack]

for the the specialty restaurant , do you have to wear formal?

 

i mean clothing?

[ellbon]

for the the specialty restaurant , do you have to wear formal?

 

i mean clothing?

 

formal night means formal clothing

[pcur]

When they have surf and turf, DH and I each order it. I give him my steak, and he gives me his lobster/shrimp!! :D

 

Yes, the lobster has shrunk in both size and flavor, but I agree, at least it's lobster. I went to Red Lobster last night and had their rock lobster, shrimp, and scallops dinner. Cost me $28, so I'm happy to have any seafood combo on a cruise ship included in the price of the cruise. :D

[Checkmate1955]

From what I read about Celebrity cruising... (and I have not yet cruised on a celebrity ship) ... It is upscale and you are expected to dress nice for dinner every night and dress formal on the formal nights.... Is that true?

 

What I do not understand is this upscale cruise line serving poor quality rock lobster and having poor quality service even on formal night.. Is that true?

 

Is it also true that celebrity charges a surcharge if you eat in the buffet at night? and that the selection in the buffet is not as good as the selections on NCL?

 

I have cruised NCL, Princess, RCCL and Carnival and each of these ships had very good buffets and no service charge for the buffets at night...

 

formal night means formal clothing

[shalornew]

Dh and DFS went on the Spirit and didn't want to go to the formal night. The next night,I asked our waiter if we could have lobster some night, and he said sureand asked what night we woud like it. We ate t on the last night....DH's was so freezer burnt, nobody could eat it at our table, but mine was great:eek:

[Brad1185]

From what I read about Celebrity cruising... (and I have not yet cruised on a celebrity ship) ... It is upscale and you are expected to dress nice for dinner every night and dress formal on the formal nights.... Is that true?

 

What I do not understand is this upscale cruise line serving poor quality rock lobster and having poor quality service even on formal night.. Is that true?

 

Is it also true that celebrity charges a surcharge if you eat in the buffet at night? and that the selection in the buffet is not as good as the selections on NCL?

 

I have cruised NCL, Princess, RCCL and Carnival and each of these ships had very good buffets and no service charge for the buffets at night...

 

The $2 apt dining is fantastic. The menu is so much improved over last year, withthe nightly specials, many nights is was better than the mdr. I'm against extra charges but with it all a tip and you get very personalized service $4 for two is a deal. Btw we usually left $10 the waiters are great up there.

 

It's so much more quiet up there.

[pcur]

From what I read about Celebrity cruising... (and I have not yet cruised on a celebrity ship) ... It is upscale and you are expected to dress nice for dinner every night and dress formal on the formal nights.... Is that true?

 

What I do not understand is this upscale cruise line serving poor quality rock lobster and having poor quality service even on formal night.. Is that true?

 

Is it also true that celebrity charges a surcharge if you eat in the buffet at night? and that the selection in the buffet is not as good as the selections on NCL?

 

I have cruised NCL, Princess, RCCL and Carnival and each of these ships had very good buffets and no service charge for the buffets at night...

 

The dining room service has always been great on ALL my Celebrity cruises: every night.

 

The buffet appointment dining charge is just to reserve a table; consider it a tip for the staff. You can also just walk in.

[Checkmate1955]

Thanks for the replies and updated info... It seems that service and food may vary on different ships or even different cruises but it also seems that some are not happy with the food and service on their cruise....

[pcur]

Do not let 5 posters' comments on one thread make a decision for you. Check the industry cruise line reviews, including those on Cruise Critic. They rate the whole experience for you.

 

We've been on 4 Celebrity cruises, and 22 RCCL, and we're booked for another Celebrity next March. We have found the service and food on ALL our Celebrity cruises to be outstanding. We especially enjoyed the Millie in 4/07 in Europe. Wonderful ship, food, service, and itinerary. One night's lobster does not a whole cruise make! :D

[CathyCruises]

From what I read about Celebrity cruising... (and I have not yet cruised on a celebrity ship) ... It is upscale and you are expected to dress nice for dinner every night and dress formal on the formal nights.... Is that true?

 

What I do not understand is this upscale cruise line serving poor quality rock lobster and having poor quality service even on formal night.. Is that true?

 

Is it also true that celebrity charges a surcharge if you eat in the buffet at night? and that the selection in the buffet is not as good as the selections on NCL?

 

I have cruised NCL, Princess, RCCL and Carnival and each of these ships had very good buffets and no service charge for the buffets at night...

 

 

Whoa--you are mixing apples with oranges--or lobster with steak in the case. The lobster is not great, granted, but there are other choices. Service was great every night--exceptionally so.

 

Yes, you are expected to dress nicely each night--'smart casual' (skirt or slacks with a blouse for women, nice pants and shirt for gentlemen); formal night requires more formal clothes--a suit or tux for men, dressy pantsuit or cocktail dress or full length evening dress for women.

 

And there is NO surcharge for the buffet at night. There is, however, an alternative dining venue in the buffet area where they set the tables with linens, and you order from a menu and they serve you. In that case, there is a "suggested" $2.00 gratuity per person.

 

Some ships/itineraries have pizza/pasta and sushi only in the buffet at night; others have a 'light buffet' along with the above. But the buffet definitely is not the focal point for evening dining.

 

Hope this helps and enjoy your cruise!

 

Cathy