Extra cost meals

[Taxguy77]

CC has an article about extra cost food on cruiseships. I can not post my disgust with the concept at that site, so started this thread.

Charge more for the cruise, but give us what you USED to do.!

[kitty9]

In concept, I think a lot would agree with you. But in reality, if they did that, you could expect to pay three times the fares you now see. Most cruises would probably start at $2500 for a 7 day cruise.

[househunter]

CC has an article about extra cost food on cruiseships. I can not post my disgust with the concept at that site, so started this thread.

Charge more for the cruise, but give us what you USED to do.!

 

When and what cruiseline did you used to have no added cost specialty restaurants?:confused: I love the way it is now- super low base cost (cruise prices haven't gone up in close to 20 years!:eek:) and then let people add on what they want. They are "options", you don't have do participate. The main dining rooms and the buffet were all that there used to be when we took our first cruise. We enjoy the specialty restaurants like Chops and Portotfino on RCI. We do not want them to be free because they are too small and there is no way they would be able to accomodate everyone. We hardly ever eat in the MDR room, we CHOOSE to spend the extra money in the smaller, more intimate rooms just like others may CHOOSE to spend lots of money on photos or spa time.

[sail7seas]

Years ago, HAL had four ships that had Specialty Italian Restaurants that were no additional charge.

 

Rotterdam and Amsterdam had Odyssey and Zaandam and Volendam had Marco Polo.

 

Those restaurants have since been converted to Pinnacle Grill and every HAL ship has that restaurant. We think the additional cost well worth it. The meal is outstanding.

 

HAL currently has Italian Specialty Restaurant (casual) that is no extra charge. You need a reservation but pay nothing extra unless you wish to tip.

 

No one has to go to an 'extra cost' restaurant if they don't want. You can still have all your meals included at no additional charge in Main Dining Room or Lido.

 

[Gonzo70]

I LOVE specialty restaurants. One of the many things that makes Celebrity my favorite cruise line is that all their newer ships offer such a great variety of amazing specialty restaurants. For me dining in the specialty venues is one of the highlights of my cruise.

[firefly333]

I did Carnival back in the late 80s, and the extra cost pay for dinner was $10 pp back then, now its $30.

 

Its not like this just started.

 

Cruise rates have come down a lot in the past 30 years... and you now get dinner free in the MDR. I seem to remember the ship I was on the choice was buffet or the $10 dinner.

[beachchick]

I'm not the least bit disgusted with the concept or the implementation. Why should my cruise fare go up because someone else wants to eat caviar and lobster? Ditto with alcohol. My DH doesn't drink and shouldn't, IMO, be expected to subsidize anyone's drinking but mine. We like that there are options keeping our cruise fare lower and that give us the choice of where to spend extra.

 

If we are ever able to cruise with the luxury lines, it will be for the overall experience, not because alcohol or truly gourmet food is included in the fare.

 

beachchick

[uppitycats]

CC has an article about extra cost food on cruiseships. I can not post my disgust with the concept at that site, so started this thread.

Charge more for the cruise, but give us what you USED to do.!

 

 

As best as I can tell, they DO "give us what (they) used to" -- main dining room meals, buffet, a few smaller food venues...

 

and then they give us EXTRA, in the form of specialty restaurants, that..if we choose to go there, and choose to pay extra, we can. Or we can stay away from them and have "what they used to do" -- meals at the buffet nearly 24 hours a day, fancier meals in the main dining room, snacks, etc.

 

What's your issue with that?

[Doug R.]

CC has an article about extra cost food on cruiseships. I can not post my disgust with the concept at that site, so started this thread.

Charge more for the cruise, but give us what you USED to do.!

 

Sorry but you are howling at the wrong moon. Your cruise would be exponentially more expensive if the dining experience of the extra cost venues were included, and if not for all meals at the MDR, it would be nearly impossible to get reservations since everyone on the ship would want to eat there every night. Some of the extra costs are to prevent abuse, such as the surcharge for Johnny Rockets on RCCL or room service Pizza on Princess. I have no problem with this concept although some of the "seasoned cruisers" consider it "nickle and diming" and they too are barking up the wrong tree. Please notice they never complain about the comparative low cost of cruise fares these days. :rolleyes:

[Krazy Kruizers]

we love the specialty restaurants

 

but to have them free would mean raising the cruise fare for everyone in order to cover the costs of these restaurants -- which is just not fair to people who never bother to use them for whatever reason

[trish1c]

I don't particularly care for the specialty restuarants but other than NCL which now charges for all other venues other than the MDR, the buffet & the pool, I don't see where people are getting less. They are simply getting another choice & that choice costs money.

We don't cruise for the food b/c IMHO mass market cruise food just isn't that great. It's impossible to make amazing food for that many people every day 3+ meals per day non stop.

Our next cruise is dirt cheap. If I want a spectacular meal, I'll make a reservation in NYC at a 5 star place & literally expect to pay for dinner for 2 what I'm paying pp for 7 days on this cruise.

[GORDONCHICK]

I LOVE the options! We've found the MDR to be acceptable, if not pretty good on all 4 lines we've been on to this point. We've only gone to a specialty restaurant once in 6 cruises, and it was our choice!

[iheartbda]

CC has an article about extra cost food on cruiseships. I can not post my disgust with the concept at that site, so started this thread.

Charge more for the cruise, but give us what you USED to do.!

Be careful for what you wish.;)

 

You also have the option of your wish now, just choose Regent, Oceania, Seabourn or a comparable lines.:)

[sail7seas]

Some of the ships/cruise companies added these restaurants to stay competitve with the other lines. People like having the choices for numerous places to dine and ship's in like category that doesn't offer the choices would not be considered by some cruisers. DH and I really like HAL's Main Dining Rooms but we also really like their alternative restaurants, Tamarind and Pinnacle Grill that are extra charge and Canaletto which is no charge. We look for the variety and 'change of scenery'. :)

 

[toberman]

I've been to AI Resorts that also offered upscale dining rooms and higher-end liquor for a surcharge.

[BIG_Steve]

Some folks think (I've read their posts) that MDR food quality has come down in order to drive folks to the specialty restaurants. I don't necessarily agree, but I know many believe it.

[BruceMuzz]

"Give us what they used to..............." ????

 

The SS Bremen offered an extra charge restaurant in 1906.

Would you be willing to pay the fare they charged for a standard cruise that year?

 

How about the RMS Titanic?

Dinner in the First Class dining Room was NOT included in the fare.

There was no surcharge or cover charge. Everyone paid full ala carte prices - in cash.

Dinner averaged over $100 per person.

A First Class cabin for the 5 day "cruise" cost nearly $2,000 per person.

That was in 1912 - when the average American earned $300 per year.

 

Were these the higher prices you volunteered to pay?

[Morgsmom]

As indicated, cover charges at specialty restaurants are used to control capacity. Originally (and for a very short time) Johnny Rockets was free, but then the teens hung out there all day ordering food they barely ate and hogging up tables. A cover charge kept some of this at bay. If the specialty higher end restaurants were included there would be no way to mitigate demand and folks would have to be allocated a meal slot in one of them.

 

Personally we don't use the specialty restaurants. I travel with DD and before she was too young to go in (though she has been eating at fine dining restaurants on land for years now). Now she has developed a shellfish allergy and many of the restaurants are swimming in lobster tails and even the smell of lobster can cause issues, so we just don't go. I also work in fine dining so even their best steaks can't compare to what we are used to so it's not worth the $30pp to us. No big deal. Cruising is not about fine cuisine to me as we eat very well every day.

 

I'm cool with the way it is, but have never traveled NCL where, I suppose, there are more venues with cover charges so you may feel more as if you are nickeled & dimed.

[Happy ks]

We've only been cruising together since 1998, my husband cruised twice in the late 70's (before "us"). We've never had the quality of food in the MDR that would come anywhere close to what is served in the specialty restaurants.

 

The MDR food, even on luxury lines, is mass produced and much of it pre-cooked. To get the same quality of the specialty restaurants, the food has to be cooked to order.

 

I was glad my husband told me to expect the quality of Marie Callenders (chain restaurant) on the first cruise we took, that way I wasn't disappointed expecting gourmet quality.

 

We enjoy having the options and sometimes do eat in the specialty restaurant, only have one or two mediocre experiences (Sapphire Princess, Sterling Steakhouse and Portofino on Radiance ot Seas). Food was still great, service sucked.

[sail7seas]

"Give us what they used to..............." ????

 

The SS Bremen offered an extra charge restaurant in 1906.

Would you be willing to pay the fare they charged for a standard cruise that year?

 

How about the RMS Titanic?

Dinner in the First Class dining Room was NOT included in the fare.

There was no surcharge or cover charge. Everyone paid full ala carte prices - in cash.

Dinner averaged over $100 per person.

A First Class cabin for the 5 day "cruise" cost nearly $2,000 per person.

That was in 1912 - when the average American earned $300 per year.

 

Were these the higher prices you volunteered to pay?

 

 

We read repeatedly what cheap rates we are paying and to a large extent it is true for many cabins but, please keep in mind there are some people sailing in suites paying $1,000 per diems for some suites, some itineraries. Not everyone is paying low down, inexpensive fares. Our Canada/New England Maasdam cruises go up in price every year and for our 2012 booking it probably will exceed $1,000 per day.

 

I know you are a cruise line Officer so I'm sure you keep us suite dwellers in mind when you repeatedly tell us how cheaply we sail. ;)

[beachchick]

I don't particularly care for the specialty restuarants but other than NCL which now charges for all other venues other than the MDR, the buffet & the pool, I don't see where people are getting less. They are simply getting another choice & that choice costs money.

 

We don't cruise for the food b/c IMHO mass market cruise food just isn't that great. It's impossible to make amazing food for that many people every day 3+ meals per day non stop.

 

Our next cruise is dirt cheap. If I want a spectacular meal, I'll make a reservation in NYC at a 5 star place & literally expect to pay for dinner for 2 what I'm paying pp for 7 days on this cruise.

 

A minor correction and an observation.

 

NCL does not charge for room service (whereas RCI and a couple of others do in some circumstances). NCL also does not charge for its diner (e.g., Blue Lagoon), whereas RCI does charge for Johnny Rockets. So NCL's included venues are the MDRs (usually two), buffet, diner, poolside grill (or similar), and room service.

 

My observation is that it is incorrect to say that NCL is giving passengers "less" than the other mainstream cruise lines. In general, the included venues and options are the same: MDR(s), buffet, poolside grill (or similar), and room service. In particular, each cruise line seems to include something that others may not. One will include premium ice cream, where another will charge for it; one will include some specialty coffees, where another will charge for it; one will include pizza/Italian, where another will charge for it; one will include a diner, where another will charge for it. Etc.

 

We could not agree more about not cruising on the mainstream lines specifically for the food. We don't expect or receive gourmet fare on those lines. We do expect and generally receive decent to good food with some "yucks" and some "oh my, yums." We also dine at the surcharge restaurants because we're willing to pay the extra for more gourmet food and the more intimate environment.

 

beachchick

 

p.s., This is not a "cheer" for NCL. We like them, but they are not perfect or even our favorite cruise line.

[Taxguy77]

BruceMuzz...I was refering to cruiseships, not ocean liners.

On NCL not so many years ago, they had MDR, Buffet, an Intalian venue and a venue for lighter food (health food type, but delicious recipes). The last two were reservation, not extra cost. They also had an oriental extra cost room. The food iin the MDR was better than any low or medium cost line I have been on for ten years.

Somebody mentioned all the great places on HAL; I cruised on the Rotterdam which did not have most of them.

[Happy ks]

A minor correction and an observation.

 

NCL does not charge for room service (whereas RCI and a couple of others do in some circumstances). NCL also does not charge for its diner (e.g., Blue Lagoon), whereas RCI does charge for Johnny Rockets. So NCL's included venues are the MDRs (usually two), buffet, diner, poolside grill (or similar), and room service.

 

My observation is that it is incorrect to say that NCL is giving passengers "less" than the other mainstream cruise lines. In general, the included venues and options are the same: MDR(s), buffet, poolside grill (or similar), and room service. In particular, each cruise line seems to include something that others may not. One will include premium ice cream, where another will charge for it; one will include some specialty coffees, where another will charge for it; one will include pizza/Italian, where another will charge for it; one will include a diner, where another will charge for it. Etc.

 

We could not agree more about not cruising on the mainstream lines specifically for the food. We don't expect or receive gourmet fare on those lines. We do expect and generally receive decent to good food with some "yucks" and some "oh my, yums." We also dine at the surcharge restaurants because we're willing to pay the extra for more gourmet food and the more intimate environment.

 

beachchick

 

p.s., This is not a "cheer" for NCL. We like them, but they are not perfect or even our favorite cruise line.

 

 

We've only cruised twice on NCL, both times we felt that with the exception of the specialty dining rooms, the food was the worst we've had at sea out of all the lines we've cruised. It wasn't our worst cruise experience...just the food wasn't great. It didn't seem to matter what venue we went to, it was all bad...really a good choice for those who don't want to gain weight on a cruise ;) The good news is that NCL's specialty restaurants have been our favorites at sea so far, they do a great job on the food and the ambience. So much so that our second NCL cruise we ate almost exclusively in those venues at night. The last night, we ate in an included venue and sure enough, they screwed up Mexican food royally.

 

We've eaten at Johnny Rockets a couple times on RCI and I have to say, hands down far better than the dried out burgers served at any ships poolside grill. Worth the minor cost.

 

The charge for room service doesn't mean much to us on RCI, we're rarely awake at midnight and since we typically have late dining, not interested in eating again until the next day.

[Jimnbigd]

I don't mind the extra charge restaurants. I hardly ever use them, but I have enjoyed them when I do. The most costs, what, $30 -- and that is the total cost including tip and tax. The same quality meal on land would cost $80 or more with tip and tax? So, I like the choices we have now. Same for cabins -- I can choose to be in an inexpensive inside cabin, or upgrade and pay more. Likewise I can choose to eat in the MDR or buffet for "free", or pay more for a fancier meal.

 

What I could see for the future is more optional extra charge items in the MDR. Royal Caribbean already has the Chops Fillet steak for $14.95 extra. (I would love an option for a whole lobster.) This way a group -- even just 2 people -- could eat together without all having to pay the extra surcharge. The ships can also still keep the current specialty restaurants for those who want a quieter and more elegant dining experience.