Port Days - Lunch in MDR

[Dena]

I for one pay for a lot of services I do not use, want or need onboard. I don't need to be paying even more for something else I have never once attended. Although I have sympathy for those that NEED to dine in the diningroom for lunch on port days (not just because they want to), I for one again am not prepared to pay more for my cruise fare for this service. Sorry. but I think even suggesting this is ridiculous and in a sense very selfish!

Let's face it, for right now, this is the cruise lines decison and you aren't going to change their minds.

Over time, if they receive enough complaints (such as they did for those wishing non-smoking nights in the casino along with many other changes coming up), they might decide to change this over time. But you can complain until the cows come home on CC, it isn't going to change the minds of those of us that never have lunch (especially on port days) in the MDR.

 

I hear you. Perhaps everything should be a la carte: food, shows, lounge chairs, everything! The all inclusive nature of cruising is basically a thing of the past anyway. I believe if everything were a la carte, DH and I would save money. Nobody has to subsidize anyone else and we all get exactly what we pay for.

[Cruisin' Chick]

On the last couple of cruises (15 and 14 days), I don't believe we ate lunch in the MDR at all. But we don't mind eating in the buffet or grabbing a chicken sandwich at the grill by the pool. And we had a total of 8 port days then (I count Ensenada as a sea day). But I can see people who plan to stay onboard or come back early to like the option of a sit down lunch. And certainly disabled passengers may prefer being served rather than trying to grab an available crew member to put together and carry a plate for them. I am highly allergic to seafood (notably shellfish) so I wish the Horizon would label their food better...and work to avoid cross-contamination.

 

When I told hubby about this change, he said he hoped that this wouldn't make the Horizon extremely crowded on port days at lunch.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Princess should just open up Sabatini's for lunch, charge $15 per person and try it for 6 months. That way the people that want to pay can go ahead without effecting the rest of the ship.

I actually like this idea. Although I do think for lunch $10 would be a more popular price. After all, RCI charges that much for a hamburger joint and it's standing room only. Perhaps a small charge would increase the perceived value and it would draw more business. I do hope they continue to keep the MDR open on sea days and turn-around days, though. That is when we enjoy the sit down lunch in the MDR - at least once every cruise.

 

I hear you. Perhaps everything should be a la carte: food, shows, lounge chairs, everything! The all inclusive nature of cruising is basically a thing of the past anyway. I believe if everything were a la carte, DH and I would save money. Nobody has to subsidize anyone else and we all get exactly what we pay for.

Well, I certainly hope that it does not come to that! Even a la carte resorts provide free lounge chairs and other amenities to it's guests. The free shows are one of the reasons we like to cruise. If we had to pay for it all then we would probably spend a lot more time on land vacations and less time cruising. The A-I Resorts would certainly hold a lot more appeal.

 

BTW, we don't drink alcohol, eat at many of the specialty restaurants, gamble or sit around on pool loungers. We still feel that cruising is a good value. I don't mind paying for services we don't use. That especially comes into play on RCI with their flowriders, rock walls, etc. But I am glad they are there. I figure the passengers are spread out, each enjoying what is special to them. We all have different interests. That is one of the things I like about cruising - the variety of activities & dining options offered. I can use them if I want or not and do not have to worry about fitting them into my budget - that is freestyle cruising. :D

[Liz54]

I actually like this idea. Although I do think for lunch $10 would be a more popular price. After all, RCI charges that much for a hamburger joint and it's standing room only. Perhaps a small charge would increase the perceived value and it would draw more business. I do hope they continue to keep the MDR open on sea days and turn-around days, though. That is when we enjoy the sit down lunch in the MDR - at least once every cruise.

 

 

Well, I certainly hope that it does not come to that! Even a la carte resorts provide free lounge chairs and other amenities to it's guests. The free shows are one of the reasons we like to cruise. If we had to pay for it all then we would probably spend a lot more time on land vacations and less time cruising. The A-I Resorts would certainly hold a lot more appeal.

 

BTW, we don't drink alcohol, eat at many of the specialty restaurants, gamble or sit around on pool loungers. We still feel that cruising is a good value. I don't mind paying for services we don't use. That especially comes into play on RCI with their flowriders, rock walls, etc. But I am glad they are there. I figure the passengers are spread out, each enjoying what is special to them. We all have different interests. That is one of the things I like about cruising - the variety of activities & dining options offered. I can use them if I want or not and do not have to worry about fitting them into my budget - that is freestyle cruising.

 

 

Oops! It sounds like the cruiselines are losing money on you! If you arent drinking, eating at specialty retsurants or gambling...You are not doing your share!!!:D

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Oops! It sounds like the cruiselines are losing money on you! If you arent drinking, eating at specialty retsurants or gambling...You are not doing your share!!!:D

Yep! I love it.:D But thank you to all of you who are subsidizing my cruising, LOL!

[wrecks]

We truly enjoy the MDR for lunch on sea days and always are there for our lunch and enjoy meeting new folks each day there (we do LTD for dining). We choose most of our voyages based on more sea days than port days. We usually leave the ship when we're in port and very seldom return when the MDR is still open. Although, since we have been cruising since 1989 we are now more likely to remain onboard is some ports, not all of course. When we do have an early return from a shore excursion, usually after the MDR is closed, we do have a snack, either at the Grill, Pizza or even the Horrible Court, opps, I mean the Horizon Court (joke). It, the HC, to us, isn't as bad as many make it out to be, that is our opinion of course. So, the closing of the MDR during port days is not a big deal to us, it is just another change.

Rex

[monakayk]

So now since the MDR is closed on port days for lunch...I guess our only option when at Princess Cay is to eat in the buffet/hot dog-burger stand/pizza or the cold BBQ food on the island? That's the pits!:(:(:(

 

I hope they will still have the Afternoon Tea going on when at a port? Sure hope so...guess I could get something good to eat there and enjoy the MDR.

[Cruise Junky]

So now since the MDR is closed on port days for lunch...I guess our only option when at Princess Cay is to eat in the buffet/hot dog-burger stand/pizza or the cold BBQ food on the island? That's the pits!:(:(:(

 

I hope they will still have the Afternoon Tea going on when at a port? Sure hope so...guess I could get something good to eat there and enjoy the MDR.

 

And the International Cafe, The Sanctuary and Room Service.

[4cats4me]

But the only wait staff is not just in the dining room, they are also at the buffet, and room service personel. So, although you are not tipping the MDR staff, you are tipping those that take care of you at the HC. So, I see no difference, or see how you are subsidizing the MDR staff, as you are tipping the HC staff. Wait staff is wait staff no matter where you dine. IMHO With all of the alternate places for each and every meal onboard, from my understanding, that is why the auto tip (hotel charge) was put in place, to be fair to all of the wait staff onboard.

 

We never have breakfast in the MDR, or lunch, and even some cruises dinner. But we leave our auto tip on and tip extra to those that take care of us in other places onboard for meals.

 

Well, then, how do you reconcile the fact that I always sleep in and rarely if every eat breakfast at all? sometimes I'll grab a a sweet roll and a yogurt. That's nothing you would tip for at Starbucks, so why would one-third of the daily dining tip go for simply grabbing one sweet roll for breakfast? I thought tips were for SERVICE, i.e., being served, not for venues where you actually help yourself.

 

I realize the idea behind auto tip is to disseminate the money to the various employees, but if that is so, then why does it say, "waiter" "Asst waiter" and "cabin Steward"

It's not like there is a specificity for "buffet steward at HC" "hamburger cook at grill"

 

Are you saying that if I leave my waiter their full auto tip that a portion of their auto tip is taken away from them and given to the "hamburger griller"

the "Pizza maker" and the "ice cream scooper person"

 

Please, enlighten me. I'd love to know.

[Cruise Junky]

Well, then, how do you reconcile the fact that I always sleep in and rarely if every eat breakfast at all? sometimes I'll grab a a sweet roll and a yogurt. That's nothing you would tip for at Starbucks, so why would one-third of the daily dining tip go for simply grabbing one sweet roll for breakfast? I thought tips were for SERVICE, i.e., being served, not for venues where you actually help yourself.

 

I realize the idea behind auto tip is to disseminate the money to the various employees, but if that is so, then why does it say, "waiter" "Asst waiter" and "cabin Steward"

It's not like there is a specificity for "buffet steward at HC" "hamburger cook at grill"

 

Are you saying that if I leave my waiter their full auto tip that a portion of their auto tip is taken away from them and given to the "hamburger griller"

the "Pizza maker" and the "ice cream scooper person"

 

Please, enlighten me. I'd love to know.

 

To simplify the tipping process for our passengers, a discretionary gratuity of $12 per person for mini-suites and suites, and $11.50 per passenger in all other staterooms per day (including children) will be automatically added to your shipboard account on a daily basis. This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet.

I don't see Waiter, Assistant Waiter and Cabin Steward...

[4cats4me]

Got it! Thanks for the edification. I always leave the auto tip in place anyway and tip extra, and haven't read the info in the brochure in years.

 

I guess I'm operating under the olden days when we tipped each person individually, when there were no auto tips, when we handed the envelopes to each staff member personally.

[wrecks]

So now since the MDR is closed on port days for lunch...I guess our only option when at Princess Cay is to eat in the buffet/hot dog-burger stand/pizza or the cold BBQ food on the island? That's the pits!:(:(:( I hope they will still have the Afternoon Tea going on when at a port? Sure hope so...guess I could get something good to eat there and enjoy the MDR.

 

Hi Mona, we have missed the Cays a couple of times because of weather and storm damage, but the times we have been able to land, the food had been great. Nothing cold at the buffet and there was a lot more than just hot dogs, hamburger and pizza. Maybe you hit a bad day. The food and the relaxation at PC was great, we loved it!

Rex

[Princess Patches]

I certainly do not want to see cruise prices go up, but I don't want to see fine dining go by the wayside. I do not want Princess to become the buffet only cruiseline.

 

To me, it is similar to Princess informing us that there are now offering a luxury pool area for $25 per day (no chair hogs, no MUTS, no loud pool parties, etc), but of course there would still be the usual complimentary pool area. I would say "Okay, well I won't be using the luxury pool area and as long as they keep the complimentary pool area, I can live with this change."

 

But what if Princess informed us they would be adding a $25 per day pool area and at the same time they are eliminating the complimentary pool area. So now if you want to enjoy the pool, it is pay only. That is a completely different situation to me and a significant downgrade in what was previously offered as part of the all inclusive cruise price.

 

Princess is eliminating complimentary fine dining lunch on about 1/2 of the days of a standard cruise. Even if at some point they add a pay lunch option, it is not the same. They are no longer including fine dining lunch as part of the cruise price. This change is not enough for me to consider sailing on another line, because I enjoy Princess so much. However, it does give me pause and causes me to wonder about the future of the Princess product.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I hear you. Perhaps everything should be a la carte: food, shows, lounge chairs, everything! The all inclusive nature of cruising is basically a thing of the past anyway. I believe if everything were a la carte, DH and I would save money. Nobody has to subsidize anyone else and we all get exactly what we pay for.

 

There used to be an a la carte cruiseline (Easy Cruise) that apparently went out of business. I had looked the website when I first heard of it and it didn't sound like a cruise I wanted to go on -- you have to get out your wallet if you want to eat, and the ship only traveled late at night to the next port. No sea days.

[4cats4me]

Well I agree, and when you hit 'submit reply' before thinking, you can get a 'ding' from the moderators, much like I have :D!

Well, I see you edited again, much like I am doing.

It would be great to sail together, maybe in the future. We're sailing on the Coral thru the Canal this Saturday and Hawaii in April. Will buy a couple more FCC's on our way to Hawaii. Maybe we will finally hook up!

We don't have 4 cats but do have a Bengal, Emma, she is extremely sweet. We love her. Did have 2 Abbys, Lilly and Sara and before them the best Blue Point Siamese, Layla.

See you on the water,

Rex

 

Abbys are so full of personality. We have one who is part Siamese and a real talker. Bengals are so handsome, too!

We have 4 ungrateful cats, especially when we leave them to cruise

[bugspost]

You are a very good detective. I admitted that I am a dumb dumb, and you can enlighten me more on our cruise in April on the Star to Hawaii!;):D

 

These posters can tear 'ya up and spit 'ya out sometimes. -- oh heck, I just checked and you're on the sailing after us. we were originally scheduled to

be on that one but changed, and a couple years ago we were supposed to go on the Star when you were and we had to cancel that too due to a family emergency. You sound like a very nice person.

 

yes,,,he is..(a very nice person) oh and detective...HA HA..I look forward to meeting him on our Panama cruise...

by the way...I got what you were saying about the tipping as I just went on my first cruise last year Royal Caribbean...........

.THEY do still give the envelopes for steward $5.00 a day, waiter $3.75 a day, asst waiter $2.15 a day & head waiter 75cents a day.......they break down how much per day for each one...Gratuities for other service personnel are at your discretion. A 15% gratuity will automatically be added to any purchases in the bar, dining room, spa services and salon services.

 

I doubt that the head waiter shares that 75cents a day w/other food service personnel........BUT...that is a different cruise line.....so now we are on Princess & will go by their guidelines.....I really do like the envelopes though...it was nice to be able to hand them out the last evening.....but understand most cruisers prolly just prepay so they can pay by cc....