A few years ago a group of us sailed on the "Century"....In all of the cruise lines that we have cruised on I will say that "Celebrity has the best food"....(especially the desserts) How many agree with me? I would give it 5 stars
We just got back from the Eastern Carrib. on Century and found the food to be not as good as in the past. The dining room was nice, but i seem to feel that the quality and variety on Celebrity is somewhat slipping. I will say that Celebrity has outstanding service and dining is still a pleasure, but perhaps with the growth of the brand and the merger with RCCL they have leveled the food quality off a bit.
I was on the Mercury 10 Day Mexican Riviera last year and I would have to say that while the food was edible I did get the runs a few times. Im not sure if the chocolate mousse or the creamed corn caused the problem. It did appear to be a combination of the both of them.
Just back from 2 week cruise. Not as good as it used to be. It's okay. The worst service and food was in the Olympic Room. It costs extra $30pp and it was not worth the time or $$. They also have discontinued the midnight buffets. Instead there is only one grand buffet and some nights have gourmet bites. Waiters circulate on public decks. I only saw them on one night and it wasn't very good. Also, the pizza is a matter of who makes it. Galaxy has great pizza, but Millennium is the worst ever. Millenium has good gelato and the spa food is top notch.
Well this is all very interesting. This will be my fourth cruise (still a newbie in comparison to many of you), first time on Celebrity based on so many rave reviews about Celebrity especially its food. Dont care about the midnight buffets since we have late seating dinner but was hoping to get the wonderful food that has been described. We are going on the Mercury in January and to hear the food is only "edible" makes one wonder what all the hoopla over Celebrity is then. And yes while I am not going for the food, we all know that the food is an important part of any cruise.
I chose Celebrity and the Century based on the food. I have to take all with a grain of salt and will wait to see. Can drive myself crazy reading these reviews.
Based on past experiences & Summit this March, food is still good & sometimes excellent but there are noticeable cutbacks in portions & offerings--- seems more mass produced but still not like Royal's school cafeteria offerings.. 2 asparagus was the worst for a veg. But they will gladly bring more. The aquaspa cafe food was fabulous as was the Sushi offerings each day & the sandwiches, & buffet restaurant for kunch & breakfast Lunch once in the main dr ws enough--too time consuming.. The Normandie specialty rest was superb in all ways --a very long meal with many courses, wine offerings that are pricey & extraordinary service. Save room for dessert! Best kept secret is casual dining Blvd....check it out....
We were on the Century in April with 4 first time cruisers and they thought the food was fantastic and we did too. It's our second time on Century and thought the food was top notch.
As a long time cruiser on Celebrity....the food(taste and selection) has gone down a lot. The service is still very good.
I wish they would raise the price by $100.00 per person per week and restore the food to its former quality.
I can't afford Crystal or Raddison.
We were on the Infinity in March and I thought the food was good. I can't believe that a person can't find something that he or she thinks is good or even great. They have such a choice of food that you can choose from. We must remember that they are feeding 2000 plus people and not maybe a 100 in some fine restaurant at home. Just my thoughts.
Don
"I wish they would raise the price by $100.00 per person per week and restore the food to its former quality. I can't afford Crystal or Raddison."
David... to help you feel better, I just spent two weeks on Crystal Serenity and I have to HONESTLY say that we believe the food on Celebrity is better. I had just one dinner that if we were at home I'd go back and order it again (venison, of all things... and we eat a lot of game as all four of us hunt). We did NOT like the Asian restaurant, Silk Roads (discovered we don't like Japanese food)... and the Italian restaurant, Prego, put the Olive Garden to shame. Presentation was amazing... flavor was definately lacking.
If your benchmark for an Italian restaurant is the Olive Garden, you've set the bar pretty low to begin with.
Even though all cruise ships of any size must prepare "steam table" meals on an assembly line basis (otherwise known as "banquet food"), some do it better than others, and I think Celebrity does it as well as anyone.
But any ship or line that can't do better than ANY franchise restaurant, and I mean ANY, shouldn't be collecting fares.
AS far as the quality going down - it seems like most cruiselines are experiencing the same - If you read other boards, you will find people mentioning the same. I think it has to do with the extremely low prices compared to years ago.
Going on the Summit in Oct., so appreciate your thoughts...very much
like our thoughts on the Millie a couple years ago...But what is dining
Blvd? Must have missed that!
You reserve space at the daytime buffet location (aft) & you are served a great meal (not a buffet) by trainees. It is cooked down there & is same menu as the main DR..a bit more casual in dress & much quieter atmosphere (unless alot of children are there) The service may not be up to pro standanrds but the trainees really aim to please & you get lots of attention. It was great! We went back twice....Between that & the specialty rest we were able to break up the monotony of doing the same time same place every night of the ten day trip! Has anyone cruised n Constellation recently? We go in Sept--any suggestions?
My wife & I have always found the food aboard Celebrity to be at least 1 "notch" above almost all the others. We recently sailed of the Carnival "Pride" at the recomendation of our TA, and couldn't even cut the Filet with an axe!! It was horrable!!!! By comparison, "Century" gives good quality beef, and great selection of seafood etc., as do all the other Celebrity ships we've sailed.
"Stacy-- If your benchmark for an Italian restaurant is the Olive Garden, you've set the bar pretty low to begin with."
AR, looking back at my original comment, I can see that I worded it wrong. I SHOULD have said, "The Olive Garden puts the Prego to shame." I wrote exactly the opposite. It would be like saying McDonald's makes a better hamburger than the grill onboard. I didn't mean for it to be complimentary!
>My wife & I have always found the food aboard Celebrity to be at least 1 "notch" above almost all the others,
I have to agree with you on this. I wonder if some of us are also having the natural "jading" process that comes with "been there, done that" and where our bodies have changed a little which also affects our sense of taste? Our memory is tricky too. I'm sure you've gone back to more than one location that you thought was fabulous only this time to find it isn't as good as it was before? The longer the absence, sometimes the larger the change like when we go back to our childhood haunts and find that our memory and reality have changed with time.
That's not to say that maybe things have changed but I think there are other factors involved. Remember your first cruise and how wowed you were at the time? I'm just suggesting that as a factor.
I was concerned before our May cruise to the Baltics from what I read on these boards about Celebrity's food so I wrote to them. They answered, which of course they'd have to deny for PR reasons but claimed that they have not cut back and that the kitchens are supervised by award winning chef so and so. I was pleased on the Constellation with the food, service and accomodations. Even so, one of these days, I want to try Radisson. I've done Crystal and they were superb.
Frank-in-CA
I've been reading so many reviews as I await my departure on my "first" cruise ever. I will be going on a cruise next month. A Celebrity Galazy one. 10-day.
Some of the reviews made me want to cancel my cruise, but most make me think I'll have the time of my life.
I am coming up on my 4 cruise so still considered new to cruising. While I enjoy reading the boards, remember you are reading personal opinions from a wide range of people from all over the world. Having been on Carnival twice, Princess once and again September 2005 and Celebrity coming up in January, I suggest you trust yourself to be the best judge and reviewer.
Everyone's first ever cruise is (usuall) fantastic as you have no point of comparison and it is truly an awesome experience driving up to the port and seeing these mammoth hotels afloat and the excitement of all your fellow cruisers. If you get hooked as we have, you cannot imagine doing any other type of holiday.
Objectively, the presentation and variety certainly is down.There's less variety in sauces, what once distinguished the line. If people like it, they like it, but there have been cutbacks through the years.
Of course there have been cutbacks. Industry wide. Anybody who sailed in the 70's and earlier knows that the food is nothing like it was then. But then, neither are the prices, when adjusted for inflation (and sometimes WITHOUT adjusting). Cruising is a bargain today; it wasn't then.
The cutbacks have come with mass marketing and larger ships, and that's just how it is. The caviar days are pretty well gone.
What's more, the cutbacks and surcharges are bound to continue for as long as rock-bottom base fares continue to be the primary marketing strategy.
But among today's comparable lines, Celebrity still turns out a very pleasant meal. Most cruisers are not Cordon Bleu gourmands, and it's clear that the food is highly acceptable to most of today's passengers.
So Tamie, don't cancel. You will have a wonderful time and you will eat well.
I just got back from Western Carribean Cruise on the Celebrity Century. I thought the food was very good. I thought the choices were adequate but the service was what I was most impressed with. The service was impeccable and our waiters were very attentive. I have eaten in some 5 star resturaunts and I think it is important to remember you get what you pay for. Cruising is a bargain if you look at your per day cost for accommadations, entertainment ,and meals. The kitchen is preparing meals for 1700 plus people so it would be impossible to get 5 star meals. I would rate the food 3+ to 4. If you are not satisfied with something, the waiters go above and beyond to keep you satisfied. I got a lobster tail that my waiter felt was overdone(he found this out when he removed it from the shell for me). I told him it was okay because I also ordered prime rib(surf and turf). But he brought me a new lobster tail anyway.
Enjoy your cruise!!!!!! I agree with everyone who says it's your vacation to enjoy or to complain about . I had a great time and can't wait to go again.
food is much better when compared to other lines. most people say that holland america is compariable to celebrity but after sailing on the two lines many time celebrity is much better. if u want to have the best food then be ready to pay for it with lines like crsytal. where u pay double the price. with all of the new things like the sushi bar and all they are really showing the other lines that they are here to stay and other lines need to make some major changes if they want to keep up with celebritry.
I agree after coming back from a recent Horizon sailing that the food is good but not what it use to be. Service is better than most and still very good--not what is once was. I believe in a few years it will be just like RCL--after all it is the same company.
We are heading out on Constellation for a New Eng cruise in a few weeks so I wil llet you know if it's better or worse than Summit in March. Food was good to very good but not great! Still better than Royal
Just got off the Horizon yesterday. The food in the dining room was quite good. The service was impeccable! The food at the buffet was so-so. Yes there was some variety but it was lacking in flavor. We ate both breakfast and lunch there because it was faster than the dining room. Also, if you are a vegetarian there are few choices. You can request different food when you are in the main dining room.
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