Charging For Steaks- What else??

[LemurCat]

We may do that on our next cruise outing. Celebrity treated us well last time out on the Constellation. That may have changed though with the economy.

 

I don't know. The last two cruises we've been on seem to have lost that "sparkle". It's like we're not being "pamperred" anymore. That make sense?

 

Anything will get old after a while. No harm in switching it up to keep things fresh. You might totally hate a land vacation and have a new appreciation for cruising. Or you might decide you like them equally.

[vegasnine]

1. I understand Sub Par food but I am not going to Starve either, man I'll eat anywhere, even at Dennys :D

 

2. That 15.00 dollar steak used to be included with your cruise fare, thats what pisses me off.

 

 

 

Fred

 

 

Hey Fred,

 

1. If you go eat at Denny's you will be paying for a meal that you could have eaten inclusive in your resort - so how is that any different?

 

2. We had the steak on RCL and I can tell you that it is NOT the same steak that used to be on the menu for free. It's a much bigger, nicer steak - truly premium. That and they do still offer the normal steak on the "alternative choices" or "carnival classics" section of the menu.

[blindrid]

I don't know. The last two cruises we've been on seem to have lost that "sparkle". It's like we're not being "pamperred" anymore. That make sense?

 

I understand what you're saying but we have chalked it up to losing the "newness" of being on a cruise ship. That's why I always have said the best cruise is the first cruise as it's a pretty awesome experience. Then one becomes used to it, becoming more cynical.

[papilliontraveler]

Hey Fred,

 

1. If you go eat at Denny's you will be paying for a meal that you could have eaten inclusive in your resort - so how is that any different?

 

This makes no sense as you aren't paying $2000 to go to Denny's in the first place. You are paying $4-$5 in gas.

[hubofhockey]

The last time that $15 steak was included in my cruise fare, the cruise fare was over $200 more than what I'm paying for my next cruise on Freedom.....

 

Just sayin'.

 

It is doubtful that steak was EVER included in your cruise fare. Mass market lines never served up USDA Prime dry aged steaks in their MDRs.

[MustardMan]

Or they don't obsess over every change in life, let alone on a vacation.

 

 

Or say, it's not that much..... I'm on vacation!!

[dan40]

1. I understand Sub Par food but I am not going to Starve either, man I'll eat anywhere, even at Dennys :D

 

2. That 15.00 dollar steak used to be included with your cruise fare, thats what pisses me off.

 

 

 

Fred

 

 

NO mass market cruise line has ever had a dry aged USDA Prime rated steak included in their Main Dining Room fare. OR, until Carnival, has had that quality available in a specialty restaurant.

RCL, PCL, X, and HAL all have steaks available in their specialty restaurants. NONE are USDA Prime grade meat. All advertise words like, "Our Premium," "Our Finest," "Registered Black Angus," "our Highest or Top Quality," steaks. All of which are 'code words' for NOT Prime. I've never even seen one of those lines advertise that their steaks were USDA Choice, although I assume that they are Choice rather than Select grade.

 

The same is true at land restaurants, if the exact words, USDA PRIME are not shown, the meat IS NOT USDA Prime, but Choice at best. I was at a restaurant in the northeast last year. They had a steak on the menu that was under $25.00 and the menu said, "Our own selected prime steak." So I asked if that was a USDA Prime rated steak. The answer was NO.

[salty dingo]

We had the steak on RCL and I can tell you that it is NOT the same steak that used to be on the menu for free. It's a much bigger, nicer steak - truly premium.

Same as with Carnival.

 

Any steak you get for free in the MDR is going to be a lower grade of meat than you get at the grocery store. Standard/Commercial beef. Hope you like to chew!

 

USDA grades of beef are below. Choice used to be what you got at the grocery store, but even that is being replaced by Select. In the steakhouse you are (supposed to) get Prime. You will never see prime beef in the MDR. Not even if you pay $18, LOL.:D:D

 

Quality Grades:

 

• Prime grade is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. It has abundant marbling and is generally sold in restaurants and hotels. Prime roasts and steaks are excellent for dry-heat cooking (broiling, roasting, or grilling).
  
• Choice grade is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime. Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib will be very tender, juicy, and flavorful and are, like Prime, suited to dry-heat cooking. Many of the less tender cuts, such as those from the rump, round, and blade chuck, can also be cooked with dry heat if not overcooked. Such cuts will be most tender if "braised" — roasted, or simmered with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan.
  
• Select grade is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades. It is fairly tender, but, because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades. Only the tender cuts (loin, rib, sirloin) should be cooked with dry heat. Other cuts should be marinated before cooking or braised to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor.
  
• Standard and Commercial grades – are frequently sold as ungraded or as "store brand" meat.
  
• Utility, Cutter, and Canner grades are seldom, if ever, sold at retail but are used instead to make ground beef and processed products.
  

[constansl]

I agree with the OPR on this one. I'll pay more for an all inclusive. That is part of the luxury of a cruise. I feel a bit spoiled. With all the little pay to upgrade on the cruise, it loses the appeal. Hopefully, Carnival will not spiral down.

[lowbass]

I agree with the OPR on this one. I'll pay more for an all inclusive. That is part of the luxury of a cruise. I feel a bit spoiled. With all the little pay to upgrade on the cruise, it loses the appeal. Hopefully, Carnival will not spiral down.

 

 

But then Carnival does not say they are a luxury cruise line, right? Celebrity would be considered more of a luxury cruise line than Carnival yet you still have fee based restaurants on them too, right?

[salty dingo]

Hopefully, Carnival will not spiral down.

That is my hope.

 

That Carnival will NOT keep lowering the cruise fare, and starting more gimmics like the "ES" fare which keep people glued to the prices in hope of securing an even lower fare. Yeech!

 

The only thing low fares do is guarantee low quality food and service. And entice more low quality people to book a cruise.

 

You like low fares? Better check for your price drop? You could be missing out on some OBC :rolleyes:

[halos]

So stick to ships with steakhouses and you will never even notice.

 

;) good answer.

[amusea]

I have cruised on almost all premium lines - Seabourn, Regent, Silversea, Crystal, etc. as well as almost all mass cruise lines except Carnival and NCL. The premium lines with premium prices usually but not always had food of excellent quality and presentation. My first Carnival cruise is next January so I am setting my expectations lower. But I still am excited about experiencing Carnival. For me, the most fun is trying as many lines as possible. This will be my 64th cruise.

I've sailed a lot on Holland America. On my recent 64 day cruise the food was of a completely different quality than on HAL's seven and ten day cruises. I inquired about this situation and was told that the chef received a much greater budget for food on the long cruise. What a difference! So you can't just compare line X with line Y.

Celebrity was originally an upscale branch of Chandris and their claim to fame was great food by famous chefs. That certainly was true for a few years but gradually as they developed a loyal clientelle their standard was lowered very slowly in order to compete with other mass cruise lines regarding price. The sad fact is that most folks will opt for the lower price rather a slightly higher price with the promise of better food. Cruise lines respond accordingly and with so many ships the competition is fierce.

Also, it is interesting to note that a line such as Cunard has always had and still has a class system on their ships when it comes to dining venues. I sailed the first year (1969) of the QE2 and there was tourist restaurant, a first class restaurant and then a Grill Room that was extra fare for first class passengers only. The newer Cunard ships have a main dining room and then Grill Rooms for passengers that have more expensive accommodations.

There is no question that the food selection and quality has declined in recent years, especially on the mass cruise lines, but if that is an important consideration when spending your cruise dollars my advice is to look around. Sometimes you can find a line that is known for its food and it costs only a few dollars more. But it takes lots of research and usually the ability to book far in advance or at the last minute. Repositioning cruises are an especially good bargain.

As for me, the first consideration is the itinerary. Then comes the accommodation, especially a comfortable bed. Third, service and food.

Fourth, the dress code depending on how dressy I want to be on that particular cruise. Fifth, the port of departure. Casino, entertainment, etc. are not important. I sail to commune with the sea and hopefully find a peaceful environment where I can read and relax. Food just can't compare with the beauty of the sea. Sometimes I feel that many people never even enjoy the very special atmosphere that sailing provides. They seem to be looking for Las Vegas at sea. That is why I usually opt for smaller ships when possible. They offer less and spend less for entertainment and continual planned activities and tend to offer better food and service as well as more unique itineraries. The key is not to expect too much from today's most popular lines and large ships with short itineraries when it comes to food.

[wimsiecruise]

They've taken away the Baked Alaska parade? No more Baked Alaska at all? That is blasphemy !:(

[dan40]

Same as with Carnival.

 

Any steak you get for free in the MDR is going to be a lower grade of meat than you get at the grocery store. Standard/Commercial beef. Hope you like to chew!

 

USDA grades of beef are below. Choice used to be what you got at the grocery store, but even that is being replaced by Select. In the steakhouse you are (supposed to) get Prime. You will never see prime beef in the MDR. Not even if you pay $18, LOL.:D:D

 

Quality Grades:

 

• Prime grade is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. It has abundant marbling and is generally sold in restaurants and hotels. Prime roasts and steaks are excellent for dry-heat cooking (broiling, roasting, or grilling).
  
• Choice grade is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime. Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib will be very tender, juicy, and flavorful and are, like Prime, suited to dry-heat cooking. Many of the less tender cuts, such as those from the rump, round, and blade chuck, can also be cooked with dry heat if not overcooked. Such cuts will be most tender if "braised" — roasted, or simmered with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan.
  
• Select grade is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades. It is fairly tender, but, because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades. Only the tender cuts (loin, rib, sirloin) should be cooked with dry heat. Other cuts should be marinated before cooking or braised to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor.
  
• Standard and Commercial grades – are frequently sold as ungraded or as "store brand" meat.
  
• Utility, Cutter, and Canner grades are seldom, if ever, sold at retail but are used instead to make ground beef and processed products.
  

 

You also must recognize that Dry Aging can reduce the weight of the meat by as much as 40%. So a butcher cuts the loin and it weighs 20 lbs. @$20.00 or more per pound. After dry aging that loin weighs only 12 lbs. but it still cost $400.00 plus the cost of aging. And now it produces only 8, 1.5 lb. steaks Which means that if a restaurant sold each steak for $52.50, they would only break even. That's why one can figure on over $100.00 per person when dining at a real steakhouse.

 

Carnival SAYS the $18.00 MDR steak WILL be the same steak as the Steakhouse serves. Dry Aged USDA PRIME.

[salty dingo]

Carnival SAYS the $18.00 MDR steak WILL be the same steak as the Steakhouse serves. Dry Aged USDA PRIME.

I took a tour of the meat locker on the Miracle, and I can tell you there is NO dry aging going on there. It's all primal cuts in cryovac straight from the slaughterhouse, and frozen.

 

Do they have a separate meat locker that they did not show us? Well, we saw the ice cream locker, beer locker, poultry locker, fish locker, etc. I really doubt there is more than one meat locker down there.

[waldocruiser1]

That's my concern.

 

I have slowly returned to land vacations, AI's, and even places I used to go to as a kid, just because cruising is in a downward spiral.

 

So would you say it is simalar to the downward spiral you find in the small room in your house, sometimes called the "bathroom"

 

Or would you say it is not a downward spiral, and actually a "woooosh" and it is gone?

[MrPete]

Never invited to the debate team, eh?

[PAcop141]

Not to beat a dead cow but my only concern would be........whats next? Sure they say they are just trying it out on ships without steakhouse's but whats to say they won't implement it across the fleet? Next will be the lobster tail, oh, you want the better one,that will be $20 more. Hmm maybe breakfast will be next......you can have your omlet with our powdered egg mix but for $5 you can have fresh eggs. Its kinda like the goverment saying this tax increase is only temporary, once it starts it never ends..................

[dan40]

I took a tour of the meat locker on the Miracle, and I can tell you there is NO dry aging going on there. It's all primal cuts in cryovac straight from the slaughterhouse, and frozen.

 

Do they have a separate meat locker that they did not show us? Well, we saw the ice cream locker, beer locker, poultry locker, fish locker, etc. I really doubt there is more than one meat locker down there.

 

 

Fell free to notify the Florida Attorney General that Carnival Corporation is lying about their Steakhouse steaks. You could copy the USDA with that charge.

[LemurCat]

I took a tour of the meat locker on the Miracle, and I can tell you there is NO dry aging going on there. It's all primal cuts in cryovac straight from the slaughterhouse, and frozen.

 

Do they have a separate meat locker that they did not show us? Well, we saw the ice cream locker, beer locker, poultry locker, fish locker, etc. I really doubt there is more than one meat locker down there.

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're not a foodie.

 

No kitchen dry-ages their own beef. They buy it dry-aged from their butcher. The butcher dry-ages and cuts the beef. The kitchen just cleans up the cuts. That's why chefs aren't butchers and butchers aren't chefs.

[dan40]

Not to beat a dead cow but my only concern would be........whats next? Sure they say they are just trying it out on ships without steakhouse's but whats to say they won't implement it across the fleet? Next will be the lobster tail, oh, you want the better one,that will be $20 more. Hmm maybe breakfast will be next......you can have your omlet with our powdered egg mix but for $5 you can have fresh eggs. Its kinda like the goverment saying this tax increase is only temporary, once it starts it never ends..................

 

 

There is no, "What's next." Specialty restaurants started on ships over 30 years ago. The hue and cry then was, "What's next?" No more food included in the cruise fare? This is an add to CHOICE, not a takeaway downgrade.

 

Star cruises has done that for decades, they have/had a no food price, a buffet only price, a good buffet price, a dining room price and a good dining room price. It never caught on outside the far east.

[PAcop141]

By your own post there has been a next...."specialty restaurants started 30 years ago"......sorry if i offended the carnival cheerleaders.

[salty dingo]

It never caught on outside the far east.

Not surprised... you know how skinny those people are?

 

The Americans want all-you-can-eat super-size everything, and they have the body mass to prove it. That can be backed up by this US Goverment study which says in part:

 

In 1999–2002 mean weight of men 20 years and over was almost 190 pounds while among women the mean weight was approximately 163 pounds.

 

I was one of them until very recently. (Lost about 40 lbs, now I am in the "ideal" category, yea!) Now I think much of the talk of food on a cruise is pretty un-healthy. I gotta resist thinking that food = fun and happiness. It doesn't.:D

[lola61]

Six of us are cruising for less $2500, food, entertainment, lodging etc. I have done all inclusives for more and it was buffet's every meal and the reservation restaurants were of ok quality. Order 2 lobster tails, the steaks are alright, you can't eat at Buffalo Wild Wings for under $50 for two. I love Carnival 13th cruise in January :D