Jump to content

Can P&O Be Serious With Pacific Explorer Add On Charges?


Recommended Posts

Just read the Cruise Critic review of the Pacific Explorer, the renewed Dawn Princess which we quite enjoyed in the past. Surely others must feel somewhat puzzled by the latest cruise industry grab for guests cash.

The new Luke's Café to charge $6 for French fries and up to $15 for a hamburger, a seven course meal at the Chef's Table $99. The Pizzeria will set you back $25 for a cheese board,$9 for salads and $12 to $16 for a pizza. That's not all folks, $10 for breakfast room service and the P&O Edge Adventure park will be a steal at $139 adults and $119 kids for unlimited access.

We know what they are thinking in the P&O board room, profit, profit, profit but will cruisers go for it?

Add to this the service charge on drinks, tour costs and the extras may cost as much as the cabin hire for the cruise.

Is this the future of cruising? If so our cruise days are numbered after more than 50 cruises.

Obviously the new generation of cruisers have a different attitude to cash and cruising than us old timers and the cruise industry is planning ahead but will cruisers follow?

Well P&O are at the very least teaching the Aussie cruisers a few lessons after being forced to suspend gratuities on all Aussie cruises.

Edited by Cruisemagpie
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Edge is definitely worth it, and has been priced like that for a couple of years so is recognised as that.

 

 

Chef's table is also value at that price, and similarly priced to the competition.

 

 

As for the other food items, they're over priced imo - but still in line with what the market is doing. Time will tell, but the industry seems to think that the consumer will accept it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't cruised with P&O before, and am going on the Explorer at the end of July.

 

I will probably pay to attend the Black Circus as I find the idea of Dinner and a Show appealing. However we won't be visiting Lukes, 400 Gradi Pizza or the Edge. I think we will stick with the Waterfront Restaurant and the Pantry. I'm also not buying into the Drinks Packages as I think they are extremely over priced. There is no way I would drink $89 a day in soft drinks, juices and alcohol ($105 a day to include tea and coffee...really????) , and it makes me wonder how many people drink up big just to get their money's worth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm also not buying into the Drinks Packages as I think they are extremely over priced. There is no way I would drink $89 a day in soft drinks, juices and alcohol ($105 a day to include tea and coffee...really????) , and it makes me wonder how many people drink up big just to get their money's worth.

 

True that. I thought they were way over priced when they started with them. However, they've turned to be very popular and many people bought them up. Thus, as with this example it's not the value you get but whether there's enough of a market out there.

 

It doesn't always go right though. As a food example, though not with P&O, Celebrity have struggled with their Bistro on 5 pricing, such that it became Sushi on 5 - and still struggles.

 

It's not a given that all the pricing here will be accepted - but it is the way the mainstream lines are going. Charges have been introduced for previously included food items across a number of cruise lines in the past year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The new Luke's Café to charge $6 for French fries and up to $15 for a hamburger, a seven course meal at the Chef's Table $99. The Pizzeria will set you back $25 for a cheese board,$9 for salads and $12 to $16 for a pizza.

 

Here is the menu for Luke's.

64d43f81884cc2d8455eba6e887abe3b.jpg

As you can see the prices are much lower than previously reported.

My partner and I had the cheese burger, hot dog, Korean chicken burger, French fries, chicken wings and the prawns (not at the same sitting lol). Everything was ok for the price and in my opinion the tastiest being the Korean chicken burger.

I must also mention that the "grilled spiced Sydney prawns with caesar salad" were delicious, however included only three prawns so should have been described as "caeser salad with prawns".

 

Also note that the pizzas at 400 gradi are tasty and great value for $10 ea, however not up to the standard of the 400 gradi restaurants on land (pizzas there are around the $28 mark).

 

Chef's table is $99 and I highly recommend it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those prices actually look pretty good $5 for a quality burger. Is it that much better than the burgers on Carnival Spirit or the hot dogs on Ovation OTS though??

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those prices actually look pretty good $5 for a quality burger. Is it that much better than the burgers on Carnival Spirit or the hot dogs on Ovation OTS though??

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I cannot comment on carnival or OTS as I haven't tried those, however I can say the patty was not very "beefy" like the American style burgers (eg burger project, 8 bit etc.), but had a proper bun (not a fall apart brioche), tasty sauce and good quality cheese. Keep in mind that taste is subjective and in my opinion it is a good burger.

On the other hand the Korean burger was delicious :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I cannot comment on carnival or OTS as I haven't tried those, however I can say the patty was not very "beefy" like the American style burgers (eg burger project, 8 bit etc.), but had a proper bun (not a fall apart brioche), tasty sauce and good quality cheese. Keep in mind that taste is subjective and in my opinion it is a good burger.

On the other hand the Korean burger was delicious :-)

 

 

 

How does it compare to burger project?? Better or worse? I eat a lot of burger project, love them!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How does it compare to burger project?? Better or worse? I eat a lot of burger project, love them!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

It is not like burger project at all. The patty lacks the delicious pure "beefy" taste of burger project, like herbs and possibly fillers have been added to the mince.

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is not like burger project at all. The patty lacks the delicious pure "beefy" taste of burger project, like herbs and possibly fillers have been added to the mince.

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Thanks, I would consider trying it

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While the new cruiser will probably accept the prices at the pay for food outlets we still cannot help feel that the cruise lines are telling us that if you want good food it will come at additional cost. In 2002 the midnight buffet on the QE2 was something amazing. The free German special dinner we were invited to included magnificent food and free wine and beer. Never see that sort of thing now. Cruise Critic reviews will tell you the dining room and buffet food quality and range is on the decline. Pay extra for good food is not the cruise dining future we would like to see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While the new cruiser will probably accept the prices at the pay for food outlets we still cannot help feel that the cruise lines are telling us that if you want good food it will come at additional cost. In 2002 the midnight buffet on the QE2 was something amazing. The free German special dinner we were invited to included magnificent food and free wine and beer. Never see that sort of thing now. Cruise Critic reviews will tell you the dining room and buffet food quality and range is on the decline. Pay extra for good food is not the cruise dining future we would like to see.

 

Me neither, I will only pay extra for food if it is something special

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Just another idea to charge passengers extra on cruises. COME ON GIVE US A BREAK !!!

We go on cruises because of the food and shows that’s supposed to be included in our fare, now they are charging for so called speciality restaurants where you are not even served by the Celebrity themselves only by some random person who is unknown, now speciality shows . What's next charge for using the pool. P.S Cruise companies if you read this, that was not a suggestion. :mad:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agree, after 32 cruises, this will be our last in September with P&O. Forever putting your hand in your pocket

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

History repeating itself. My family used to holiday every year at a different Whitsunday Island resort, which were all inclusive. In addition, we used to spend short holidays at all inclusive mountain resorts at Binna Burra and O'Reillys, in the Gold Coast hinterland. When they stopped being all inclusive, we stopped going. When prices get too high for families, they will find less expensive alternatives.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi MicCanberra My wife and I are RCL loyalists but did enjoy the pacific Jewel and my wife usually gets nails done on the ships and she stated that prices for nails and facials were cheaper than other lines and very friendly staff as well, not that RCL staff are not friendly they are as well. The things you have to pay extra for are the activities where as it's included on other lines then there is the ice cream as it is New Zealand ice cream but you can get sorbet free in the MDR just ask and your friendly waiter will bring you heaps then there is the burgers and pizza which you pay extra for I don't know how much as I was happy with the all inclusive food. What ship are you going on and when?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi MicCanberra My wife and I are RCL loyalists but did enjoy the pacific Jewel and my wife usually gets nails done on the ships and she stated that prices for nails and facials were cheaper than other lines and very friendly staff as well, not that RCL staff are not friendly they are as well. The things you have to pay extra for are the activities where as it's included on other lines then there is the ice cream as it is New Zealand ice cream but you can get sorbet free in the MDR just ask and your friendly waiter will bring you heaps then there is the burgers and pizza which you pay extra for I don't know how much as I was happy with the all inclusive food. What ship are you going on and when?

I am on the Eden in November and the Explorer in December. I tend to eat in the MDR whenever possible so do not pay for the ice cream or burgers. I do go to specialty restaurants and will pay for wine tastings or cocktail making and such but you do that on most lines any way. We tend to select our P&O cruises by cheap deals lately.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On Monday we are off on our third P&O cruise, and fourth overall. We spend on average $10 per day - mainly as the hubby has super sensitive taste buds so we may buy water, and a daily barista coffee. I have an occasional coke. For me I don't feel like there is a demand for extra money - you can spend plenty if you choose too, but we have an amazing time without a huge additional spend.

 

We have purchased extras (hot dog etc) but mainly when it is late night and you just feel like junk food. I have always felt the prices were reasonable.

 

It is not just cruising that is becoming less generous. A few years ago room service used to be free, now even breakfast comes with a $5 charge at most hotels.

 

While some people see a loss of generosity with the midnight buffets etc disappearing I also see the limitation of waste and the reduction of gluttony. I do eat more than normal when on a cruise, and I guess you can say I don't know what I have missed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I find that variety falls in the food in MDR and Buffets when there is a speciality restaurant on board and I have been on a 5 star ship that the MDR room and buffets were set up to force you into the speciality restaurant or "it felt like that" by either having very poor food choices and quality or the MDR you had to wait even though we had made a booking and we still had to wait over an hour to get a table and a lot of passengers felt the same way we did that the line was trying to push us into the speciality restaurants. Those speciality restaurants are popping up everywhere on ships. I found that P&O Pacific jewel had better food and service than on that 5 star ship and we were sorry we didn't stay with RCL or P&O Australia but you live and learn. The benefits of P&O Australia cruises is that there is no gratuities,and they use Australian dollar not US$ that in it's self is a big money saver and you still get great service and great food in the Buffets and MDR not feeling like you are being pushed into a speciality restaurant, I just like to see all inclusive and leave the wallet at home. Let those TV chefs set up their restaurants on land and leave the cruise ships alone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it would be price dependent. Recently found an invoice from a cruise in 2002 and cannot believe how expensive it was compared to todays prices. The competition is doing us many favours even if standards or quality have dropped on some lines.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...