New Food Review on Solstice today

[Tricia28]

Saw this posted in the review section (they still gave the ship 4/5 so I don't think this is a "negative" person in general). Is there a way we can take a poll on the Soltice food. The reviews seem to be either really good or really bad...

 

This was it:

FOOD We agree with another member's recent review that the food was not even passable. The first night;s dinner we booked in the Murano (specialty restaurant) and the food was quite good, but it was all downhill from there. Grand Epernay (main dining) offerings were boring to downright unpalatable. We have had better food on lesser cruise lines. Our Epernay waiter was professional, but the sommelier was pushy, insisting every tine that we try a wine other than the one we had already selected. I will not even consider Celebrity again if the food quality does not significantly improve. We booked Celebrity based on their reputation for higher quality cuisine, and we were very disappointed. Even trying to pay more for your food to get better quality didn't work - $5.00 (+gratuity) for a weak cup of espresso at Al Bacio was a waste of money - not sure what it was, but it wasn't espresso. Silk Harvest (specialty restaurant) is beautifully decorated, but the quality of the food doesn't match the upscale design. Oceanview buffet was average cafeteria quality, with a few luxuries thrown in - sushi, fancy pastries.

[jt1120]

That review is ridiculous. Out of all of the dining we did in the GE (5 of the 7 nights), the only bad thing we had was some pork that my wife had. She found it bland and dry. Other than that, the food was great. I'll add that the lamb shank on Saturday night was probably the best I've ever had, and I love lamb! We ate at Murano's one night and found it to be good, but almost too froo froo (sp) and we like froo froo. Still, the food was incredibly presented and had wonderful flavors. The poster must not know asian cuisine that well, because Silk Harvest had an awesome variety of foods from different asian cultures, and all were spectacular. Our night at Silk Harvest was worthy of five stars, from the service to the setting to the food itself. The appetizers were magnificent (I wanted to order all of them there was such a good selection), the sushi was very creative and not just the standard sushi fare that you'd find on NCL, and the Red Curry Duck was unbelievable. The buffet was a buffet. Good selection, tasty, and I always went back for seconds. Nothing to write home about, but still very good and an excellent selection. One drawback was the breakfast potatoes, which I did not care for. Hash browns would have been better. Still, if we're arguing about potatoes, then we're being REALLY picky.

 

While the food on Solstice did not exceed my expectations (except for Silk Harvest which was phenomenal), it definitely deserves a better rating than what was given in the post. Also, out of the four cruiselines that we have sailed, Celebrity's food is still the best.

[ellbon]

I find it very funny that people can eat the same food in the same place and had total different views. i am looking forward ot my spec dinners.

[firefly333]

I'm guessing that folks have higher expectations for Celebrity and hold it to a higher standard. Im looking forward to finding out for myself too.

[BurgerBits]

Food is, IMHO, the MOST subjective part of your cruise experience.

 

There is no way to know on what your fellow posters are basing their opinion unless you know them personally and dine with them often away from the ship.

[sunnyjack]

Food is, IMHO, the MOST subjective part of your cruise experience.

 

There is no way to know on what your fellow posters are basing their opinion unless you know them personally and dine with them often away from the ship.

 

I agree completely.

[Tricia28]

My DH eats lamb and I have heard from almost everyone posting that it is phenomenal. I guess I tend to trust the opinions of those who have dined on Celebrity before so they have a basis for comparison. I have been on many cruises and only lost weight on one because the food was bad!

[dutchess43]

Do they still have the free sushi at around 5 p.m. in the evening at the Oceanview like they do on their other ships?

[dkjretired]

I agree completely.

 

Exactly, I'm sure there is a great difference between someone who goes to gourmet and fancy restaurants frequently and someone who is a meat and potatoes person. Each to his own.

[RodPat]

I found the food on Solstice Nov. 30 sailing to be good. Only one night I had something that I thought was overcooked.. We ate in Muranos and Tuscan Grille and loved them both. Some people loved their wait staff as we did and others complained about the service. I guess it depends on who you have wait on you. Our waiter Joshua was very attentive. We were never pressured to buy another bottle of wine other than what we wanted. We had ordered wine before we sailed and also ordered more wine for the table and no problem.

 

Pat

[phoenix_dream]

We were on 11/30 sailing and ate dinner exclusively in the dining room. I thought food was prepared well. My issue (and maybe this falls into someone's definition of 'good') is that the choices were pretty 'sophisticated' for our tastes. Alot of unique combinations of ingredients. Often an entree would basically sound good but then have an ingredient that I did not like and would not expect it to have. I am not making a social statement here, but just as facts, we are an upper middle class family who normally eats out at 'nice' restaurants fairly regularly. I found this cuisine to be too 'fancy' for our tastes.

 

I do think the buffet was definitely a step up from other Celebrity ships - well prepared, lots more variety, good layout.

[as41shots]

Food is, IMHO, the MOST subjective part of your cruise experience.

 

There is no way to know on what your fellow posters are basing their opinion unless you know them personally and dine with them often away from the ship.

 

Here's a start as to how I rate the food on a cruise ship:

 

I don't have to go shopping for ingredients - 1 point

I don't have to cook the ingredients - 1 point

I don't have to clean up - 1 point

If at a restaurant, I don't have to wait for the waiter/waitress to finally bring the check - 1 point

After they bring the check, I don't have to wait for them to come fetch it - 1 point

After they fetch it, I don't have to wait for them to bring it back - 1 point

 

So most cruises are at 6 out of 10 for feeding me even before I set foot in the dining room.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

We were on 11/30 sailing and ate dinner exclusively in the dining room. I thought food was prepared well. My issue (and maybe this falls into someone's definition of 'good') is that the choices were pretty 'sophisticated' for our tastes. Alot of unique combinations of ingredients. Often an entree would basically sound good but then have an ingredient that I did not like and would not expect it to have. I am not making a social statement here, but just as facts, we are an upper middle class family who normally eats out at 'nice' restaurants fairly regularly. I found this cuisine to be too 'fancy' for our tastes.

 

I do think the buffet was definitely a step up from other Celebrity ships - well prepared, lots more variety, good layout.

 

We have not yet sailed on the Solstice - but we felt the same as you regarding the main dining room menu on the Constellation. It was difficult trying to pick something on the 6 nights we ate there - MANY of the choices just did not click with me. We ate in Ocean Liners 4 evenings. It was VERY good: two standard menu evenings, one wine pairing, and one "special menu" (Wine Connoisseur Dinner) which they offered only one evening --- eight people from the entire ship opted for that... one of the best meals we have had ANYWHERE. Do they offer something like that on the Solstice?

 

Honestly - I prefer the main dining room choices on Carnival (for the most part) over what we have seen in the main dining room on the Century and Constellation. I was actually EXPECTING the opposite to be true!!!

 

Tom

[Host Anne]

Dutchess ~ yes, they do have fresh Sushi in the Oceanview cafe every afternoon....even have some very nice Sushi Bar tables.

[BurgerBits]

Here's a start as to how I rate the food on a cruise ship:

 

I don't have to go shopping for ingredients - 1 point

I don't have to cook the ingredients - 1 point

I don't have to clean up - 1 point

If at a restaurant, I don't have to wait for the waiter/waitress to finally bring the check - 1 point

After they bring the check, I don't have to wait for them to come fetch it - 1 point

After they fetch it, I don't have to wait for them to bring it back - 1 point

 

So most cruises are at 6 out of 10 for feeding me even before I set foot in the dining room.

 

:D:D

 

Loved it!

 

When DH and I were first dating, he asked, "What's your favorite meal?"

 

I replied, "The one I don't have to choose, shop for, prepare, serve, and clean up after..."

[judie43]

We were on 11/30 sailing and ate dinner exclusively in the dining room. I thought food was prepared well. My issue (and maybe this falls into someone's definition of 'good') is that the choices were pretty 'sophisticated' for our tastes. Alot of unique combinations of ingredients. Often an entree would basically sound good but then have an ingredient that I did not like and would not expect it to have. I am not making a social statement here, but just as facts, we are an upper middle class family who normally eats out at 'nice' restaurants fairly regularly. I found this cuisine to be too 'fancy' for our tastes.

 

I do think the buffet was definitely a step up from other Celebrity ships - well prepared, lots more variety, good layout.

 

We were on the 11/30 sailing also. I agree that some of the choices sounded a little too "gourmet" for me. Things I never heard of. I dont eat red meat so my choices were a little limited but I always managed to find something good even if I didnt quite know what the ingredients were. Our servers were great and that added to our enjoyment.

I personally thought the buffet was very good...many choices, nicely presented and rarely a line for anything.

[pete_coach]

I find it very funny that people can eat the same food in the same place and had total different views. i am looking forward ot my spec dinners.

I do find it quite right that many people eat at the same place and have different opinions of the food and service. It is no different than any restaurant in your town or city. They get good reviews and bad reviews, depending on the night and the client. We all expect something from our dining experience. Perhaps the opinions are more varied because as many as 2000 people are eating there on any given night? There are not many restaurants that can make a claim to so many clientele every night. Not everything can be perfect for all those folks and they should let it be known.

What does concern me a bit is the almost evangelistic zeal with which posters of lesser reviews get attacked or belittled on the Celebrity forum. They are entitled to their opinions and critiques and their experience may not have been the same as yours or others. I value all the opinions and thank them for posting. If all was perfect in all posts and I had even the slightest issue on my cruise, I would be sorely disappointed. I am OK with finding out that Celebrity has a few warts, or is it rust spots, on a ship? :).

[Tricia28]

We were on the 11/30 sailing also. I agree that some of the choices sounded a little too "gourmet" for me. Things I never heard of. I dont eat red meat so my choices were a little limited but I always managed to find something good even if I didnt quite know what the ingredients were. Our servers were great and that added to our enjoyment.

I personally thought the buffet was very good...many choices, nicely presented and rarely a line for anything.

 

I don't eat beef so it does wipe out alot of the menu. Though I am not vegetarian I always find the vegetarian entrees to be quite good on most cruise lines. Perhaps I'll try that. I am also glad to hear about the buffet. Can you eat in the dining room for breakfast though? I am not a morning person and find the morning buffet is not so relaxing if it's crowded.

[ellbon]

Pete

 

I so agree with you. I can understand the main DR but in the spec restuarants the different comments on Silk Harvest surprise me as it is a love/hate on the food no middle ground. meaning liking one thing and not the other.

 

I am not a lamb eater so no matter what i would not like it. no one realy talks about the fish either.

[judie43]

I don't eat beef so it does wipe out alot of the menu. Though I am not vegetarian I always find the vegetarian entrees to be quite good on most cruise lines. Perhaps I'll try that. I am also glad to hear about the buffet. Can you eat in the dining room for breakfast though? I am not a morning person and find the morning buffet is not so relaxing if it's crowded.

 

Yes,you can eat in the dining room for breakfast and the service is actually quite good and fast...I so envy you that you have your cruise to look forward to...I am going through withdrawl and we have no other cruise planned !

[ssCRUISERS]

Pete

 

I so agree with you. I can understand the main DR but in the spec restuarants the different comments on Silk Harvest surprise me as it is a love/hate on the food no middle ground. meaning liking one thing and not the other.

 

I am not a lamb eater so no matter what i would not like it. no one realy talks about the fish either.

 

Robin-

 

I have always been very happy with Celebrity's fish. On our Summit cruise to Hawaii we got to know the restaurant manager well. All fish is brought on board whole then cut up and frozen on the ship. Definitely tasted very fresh.

I think you will really enjoy the Celebrity product.

See you soon.

[willysgrandma]

Here's a start as to how I rate the food on a cruise ship:

 

I don't have to go shopping for ingredients - 1 point

I don't have to cook the ingredients - 1 point

I don't have to clean up - 1 point

If at a restaurant, I don't have to wait for the waiter/waitress to finally bring the check - 1 point

After they bring the check, I don't have to wait for them to come fetch it - 1 point

After they fetch it, I don't have to wait for them to bring it back - 1 point

 

So most cruises are at 6 out of 10 for feeding me even before I set foot in the dining room.

 

LOVE your reasonsing!!!!:D

[alfiemom]

i commented on the sushi on the questionnaire at the end of the cruise. They never vary the sushi. It's the same every night. On the 11/30, it wasn't very good, either......yellowtail (which isn't my fav), cucumber maki and a sort of California-type maki. Love the miso, however. We only went there one night. Would really like to have some tuna and/or salmon, but I guess that may be more expensive.

 

I only had fish the lobster night. I had the sea bass that others called....well, I won't say. I thought it was very good. However, it was presented with the skin side up and that may turn off some people who don't eat fish skin. I had a turkey cutlet one night (something I don't usually eat) and was surprised by how good it was. I was expecting dry and it was so moist.

 

Bobbie

[as41shots]

LOVE your reasonsing!!!!:D

 

As you and everyone else should.

 

If I wanted a five star meal I'd say the heck with Celebrity and just go to Lutece.

 

When was the last time anyone was at an event where they served 2500 - 300 people and got a meal to be remembered.

 

One needs to put things in context.

 

You want a great individually cooked meal? Cruise on Silversea. :D

 

For me, I'm in a CC on Xmas week... I paid $1200 for a CC pp... and unless they poison me I'm a happy guy.

[as41shots]

I had a turkey cutlet one night (something I don't usually eat) and was surprised by how good it was. I was expecting dry and it was so moist.

 

Bobbie

 

Marinate it in a little water and salt and you will be amazed at how moist it can be.

 

And I am sincere about that. Not many people take the trouble to see how to make a bird palatable. If it wasn't for a little water and salt poultry would totally be useless as a meal. Additional spices are a plus. ;)