New Cruise Review - Back to Bermuda

cruisetarp · August 20, 2014

"Fun, last minute getaway"

KeithnRita · August 20, 2014

MaryLou, thanks for the nice review! It sounds like the OceanView buffet "testing" was a disaster.

cruisetarp · August 20, 2014

Thanks Keith & Rita. As far as I'm concerned it was a disaster. They claim it is to avoid spreading germs and to cut down on food waste. Jim & I always eat everything we take from the buffet but threw away more food than we ate. We did have a piece of veal piccata that neither one of us could cut.

DebbieandJerry · August 20, 2014

Marylou, gotta say that the last minute decisions to cruise are the best decisions. Congrats for being able to take advantage.

I cannot believe that this is Celebrity's way of dealing with the buffet. It sounds like a backwards system that takes more work - each plate being plated. I would not have been able to eat at the buffet because of all of my food allergies. Let's hope that the evaluations are poor and that this new idea does not catch on.

Hear ya loud and clear on the "let's relax" idea. Jerry and I really look forward to our at sea days. We haven't been to Bermuda. Guess we need to add that to our bucket list as well.

cruisetarp · August 20, 2014

Marylou, gotta say that the last minute decisions to cruise are the best decisions. Congrats for being able to take advantage.
I cannot believe that this is Celebrity's way of dealing with the buffet. It sounds like a backwards system that takes more work - each plate being plated. I would not have been able to eat at the buffet because of all of my food allergies. Let's hope that the evaluations are poor and that this new idea does not catch on.

Hear ya loud and clear on the "let's relax" idea. Jerry and I really look forward to our at sea days. We haven't been to Bermuda. Guess we need to add that to our bucket list as well.

I brought the allery aspect up to the hotel director and the loyalty hostess as our grandson has Celiac. They said we would just have to ask for different meals. I agree it is a lot more work for the staff

Jan115 · August 22, 2014

Marylou, thanks for sharing your cruise experience. I hope this new buffet dining configuration won't fly for long - it sounds awful, and I imagine there will be a lot of complaints. The buffet setup on Reflection was excellent, with large plates and many stations. I wonder if they're planning on trying this new buffet thing on the Solstice class ships. Hope not.

I love Bermuda, too. We spent our honeymoon there 37 years ago at Elbow Beach, and on our 20th anniversary we returned, that time to Grotto Bay. We did Boston to Bermuda in 2008 on the old Norwegian Dream when it docked in St. George. I much prefer St. George over the new more touristy Dockyard. That was the most relaxing cruise ever, with 3 days in port and no rush to get anywhere.

Glad you had a great time!

cruisetarp · August 22, 2014

Jan - We also spent out honeymoon at Elbow beach nearly 48 years ago and that's where our love affair with Bermuda began.

From what we heard on board the Summit it a "pilot" ship to gauge reaction to the new buffet. I did send a letter to Celebrity afterwards telling them how much we disliked the new set up and just yesterday received a phone call from Corporate telling me they are compiling reaction to the new set up and have forwarded our letter both to corporate and the ship. At least they read their mail.

Jan115 · August 23, 2014

That's good to know that they read their email. I just sent a letter blasting their "on your own" tour of Istanbul. It was hardly "on your own" but instead a shopping trip to the Spice Market and Grand Bazaar, with a Turkish carpet pitch thrown in for good measure.

Maybe they'll bless me with some onboard credit. :smile:

jacketwatch · August 23, 2014

The buffet thing sounds like a prison system. No choices??? Terrible. I am glad the rest of the cruise was pleasant. The Breakaway has a nice cruise to Bermuda and we would like to try that ship someday .

saltydog · August 30, 2014

We are not real big fans of buffets anyway. We usually do breakfast there but that is all. No matter what cruise line we are on they never seem to get the flow of people right. The Celebrity 'test' sounds just awful. Hopefully they will discontinue before it goes fleetwide. Glad you enjoyed the rest of your trip. Bermuda is a beautiful island. We may have to cruise there. We sail out of Baltimore since we live closeby.