Increased Price of Cagney's

[SissasMomE]

We were on the Sky a week ago. We found it to be our best Cagney's ever, on any ship. The worst ever was the Epic this past Jan. and I would never pay $30 pp to eat there.

 

Cherie

 

All of the dining venues on the Sky seem to be better than the other ships for some reason. Cagney's was excellent on the Sky, I agree!

[terrydtx]

Yes, you are right about the quality of food and service in MDR in general, but I am paying the same cabin price that i did when I started cruising on Sun Viking in 1983. I don't mind paying $30 for a more personal dining experience.. we do it twice in the week.

 

You can not compare today's mass marketed cruise lines with cruising back in the 1970's and 80's. Cruise lines back then should be compared today with the super premium lines like Cunard, Seabourn, Silverseas, Regent and even Oceania for service and 4-5 star food quality. As more people can afford to cruise and ships have gotten large,r prices on the mass market lines have dropped from what we paid back then but so has service and dining quality. My wife was on the Queen Mary in 1967 on a cross Atlantic cruise that cost thousands to sail first class and they were served at every meal by waiters with white dinner jackets and gloves and the food was as good as any 5 star land restaurant.

[FinlandGuy]

Have I understood correctly that Cagney's no longer has the extra options such as king crab legs? I was totally okay to pay the surcharge for those crab legs. I'm rather disappointed if they don't have them anymore.

[Demonyte]

Have I understood correctly that Cagney's no longer has the extra options such as king crab legs? I was totally okay to pay the surcharge for those crab legs. I'm rather disappointed if they don't have them anymore.

 

AFAIK only extra options at the moment are in Le Bistro.

[johnmpcny]

I have long compared the food in the MRD to Ponderosa Bob's Big boy quality on most nights and applebees on the best nights.

 

That said if you want better pay the extra dining or book small ships with more upscale dining and experience.

 

Cruising NCL is a 3* experience if you go Balcony to suite only 4* when you hit haven level and the food is not that. I have been inside and it is about a 2* hotel with a Denny's level. Not a bad thing for the money but not a luxury.

 

Switch to small ships that target the upscale cruiser. NCL like many others is a cattle call for the lowest price. They deliver well at that.

[lanceholt]

Sounds like a lot of people here should switch to some of the luxury lines....if they dislike NCL's food that much. We cruise for the ports, for the relaxation, for the ease.....have found food to be solid middle of the road and some evenings very good. Rarely have we had a bad dinner on NCL. Traveling on land, especially in Europe, is a LOT more expensive for similar quality food so European cruising remains a bargain.

[DPurcell58]

We ate in Cagney's on the Gem two weeks ago. My husband ordered a 14 oz bone in rib eye. It was all fatty. He showed it to the head guy walking around, who took it and showed it to the chef (saw them). They credited the meal back on our account.

[MsTabbyKats]

We ate in Cagney's on the Gem two weeks ago. My husband ordered a 14 oz bone in rib eye. It was all fatty. He showed it to the head guy walking around, who took it and showed it to the chef (saw them). They credited the meal back on our account.

 

So, did your husband eat it?

[newmexicoNita]

As much as I wish prices on everything would stay the same, reality is inflation does affect what we pay and cruising is still a great value. No one has to dine in the specialty dining rooms. For those who have not sailed other lines in the past couple of years, you might not realize this, but pretty much what NCL is doing, is keeping up with the other lines. HAL has charged $30 for years: we truthfully like NCLs specialty dining rooms better than the others we have tried. Of course this is a matter of opinion.

[terrydtx]

Sounds like a lot of people here should switch to some of the luxury lines....if they dislike NCL's food that much. We cruise for the ports, for the relaxation, for the ease.....have found food to be solid middle of the road and some evenings very good. Rarely have we had a bad dinner on NCL. Traveling on land, especially in Europe, is a LOT more expensive for similar quality food so European cruising remains a bargain.

 

I agree, we sail on the mass marketed cruise lines for the same reasons. For the same reasoning, this is why I would never pay NCL what they want for Haven suites, you pay luxury cruise rates and still get the same mass marked cruise line food and pretty much have to pay for all the extras like the rest of us. If I wanted to pay for what the Haven suit costs I would prefer to cruise on the luxury cruise lines where all the extras NCL charges for are inclusive and get true 4 and 5 star cuisine and service.:p

[DMH15]

I agree, we sail on the mass marketed cruise lines for the same reasons. For the same reasoning, this is why I would never pay NCL what they want for Haven suites, you pay luxury cruise rates and still get the same mass marked cruise line food and pretty much have to pay for all the extras like the rest of us. If I wanted to pay for what the Haven suit costs I would prefer to cruise on the luxury cruise lines where all the extras NCL charges for are inclusive and get true 4 and 5 star cuisine and service.:p

 

Glad that works for you.

 

Luxury lines are nice too but you still have some dress up nights. A lot of us prefer to pack lightly and more casual. I find the suite venue breakfast and lunch quite good. Dinner is our light meal and I have always found something acceptable. And I have a culinary degree and am a foodie. Luckily for me I don't mind eating something two or three times if I like it so the suite breakfast and lunch satisfies me.

 

I have slso heard first hand reports that the luxury lines food is not what it once was.

 

 

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[rvsullivan]

I agree, we sail on the mass marketed cruise lines for the same reasons. For the same reasoning, this is why I would never pay NCL what they want for Haven suites, you pay luxury cruise rates and still get the same mass marked cruise line food and pretty much have to pay for all the extras like the rest of us. If I wanted to pay for what the Haven suit costs I would prefer to cruise on the luxury cruise lines where all the extras NCL charges for are inclusive and get true 4 and 5 star cuisine and service.:p

 

Do you really think the $1500-2000 per person a Haven cost would get you all the perks on Silversea or Cunard etc? I can't believe they would give you Concierge and Butler plus free specialty breakfast and lunch for the same $1500.

 

I just don't understand the never ending complaints about food and service on NCL or any of the other main stream cruise lines? If it is below the standards of some, why not pay the price and cruise on some of the "elite" lines? Perhaps some want caviar and pay for hamburg? It is what it is, there are cruise lines for every taste, why not use them?

On all of our NCL cruises, I have never left a meal hungry, nor have I ever had to send something back.

[terrydtx]

Do you really think the $1500-2000 per person a Haven cost would get you all the perks on Silversea or Cunard etc? I can't believe they would give you Concierge and Butler plus free specialty breakfast and lunch for the same $1500.

 

I just don't understand the never ending complaints about food and service on NCL or any of the other main stream cruise lines? If it is below the standards of some, why not pay the price and cruise on some of the "elite" lines? Perhaps some want caviar and pay for hamburg? It is what it is, there are cruise lines for every taste, why not use them?

On all of our NCL cruises, I have never left a meal hungry, nor have I ever had to send something back.

 

I will prove my point. On our Jewel cruise the least expensive haven suite is $2600 per person. Silver Seas offers a Dec 13th cruise from Ft Lauderdale with a similar itinerary for 8 nights for $2750pp. This includes taxes, all beverages, liquor and wines, and all gratuities so it is pretty much all inclusive. All rooms are outside suites with personal butlers too. Also there is no set dinning times for dinner. If I wanted to spend that kind of money for a cruise I would take Silver Seas over NCL without hesitation. But since I do not choose to pay that kind of money for a cabin I spend very little time in other than sleeping I choose to sail with mass marketed cruise lines like NCL and HAL and be very happy with just average dinning, food and service.

[SuiteCruiser]

I will prove my point. On our Jewel cruise the least expensive haven suite is $2600 per person. Silver Seas offers a Dec 13th cruise from Ft Lauderdale with a similar itinerary for 8 nights for $2750pp. This includes taxes, all beverages, liquor and wines, and all gratuities so it is pretty much all inclusive. All rooms are outside suites with personal butlers too. Also there is no set dinning times for dinner. If I wanted to spend that kind of money for a cruise I would take Silver Seas over NCL without hesitation. But since I do not choose to pay that kind of money for a cabin I spend very little time in other than sleeping I choose to sail with mass marketed cruise lines like NCL and HAL and be very happy with just average dinning, food and service.

 

Outside "vista suites" on Silver Seas are Oceanview cabins, just FYI.

[terrydtx]

Outside "vista suites" on Silver Seas are Oceanview cabins, just FYI.

 

And the Vista Suites on the Silversea Spirit are 312sq feet in size. To be fair I should have quoted the veranda 1 cabin at $3050pp and it is 376 sq ft in size. Still a better deal than the NCL Jewel Haven on our cruise when you consider it is all inclusive 8 nights instead of 7 on the Jewel.

[TrinaLC]

The point is - it never used to be that way. I've been cruising since I was 15 years old. Cruising used to be top notch. Top notch everything. It's not anymore. Now you have to pay extra to get an acceptable meal, and that is not cool at all. Even with the speciality dining, it in no way compares to the quality you used to get.

 

Yes, but have you compared the price of what you are paying v. what you paid back then?

[MsTabbyKats]

What I paid back in 1979 was equivalent to 1.5 months rent for my apt. The rent was $350. This was for a shared inside cabin on HAL. (I don't remember the exact cost.)

 

That apt now goes for $2500. So, it would be like paying $3750 for one week now.

 

How can anyone expect the same food/service.......????

[lanceholt]

Do you really think the $1500-2000 per person a Haven cost would get you all the perks on Silversea or Cunard etc? I can't believe they would give you Concierge and Butler plus free specialty breakfast and lunch for the same $1500.

 

I just don't understand the never ending complaints about food and service on NCL or any of the other main stream cruise lines? If it is below the standards of some, why not pay the price and cruise on some of the "elite" lines? Perhaps some want caviar and pay for hamburg? It is what it is, there are cruise lines for every taste, why not use them?

On all of our NCL cruises, I have never left a meal hungry, nor have I ever had to send something back.

 

 

RVSullivan, I couldn't agree more. We mostly get suites, but not always, sometimes a balcony or mini suite. We spend a lot of time on the balcony, so it is worth it to us. Can't understand why those who are bitterly complaining don't go over to the luxury lines. For ourselves, we are very satisfied.

[insidecabin]

We ate in Cagney's on the Gem two weeks ago. My husband ordered a 14 oz bone in rib eye. It was all fatty. He showed it to the head guy walking around, who took it and showed it to the chef (saw them). They credited the meal back on our account.

 

I wonder if there is still a supply chain issue.

 

Fillets seemed to be trimmed on board from full cuts so you rarely get a bad one and the minis in Cagnies breakfast are usually the best.

 

I suspect the rib eyes are now pre cut vacuum packed like the previous T-bone/porterhouse were, very variable and never seemed to be quality controlled on the ship, unpack, cook, deliver to the plate even if they were clearly substandard.

 

Once a load of steak has got to the ship the cost of rejecting a batch might be quite high.

[johnmpcny]

And the Vista Suites on the Silversea Spirit are 312sq feet in size. To be fair I should have quoted the veranda 1 cabin at $3050pp and it is 376 sq ft in size. Still a better deal than the NCL Jewel Haven on our cruise when you consider it is all inclusive 8 nights instead of 7 on the Jewel.

 

 

As a Amex Platinum card holder I also get many more free upgrades, more OBC and often 50% off or free 2nd person with the higher lines. Since I take the kids it was not something I was doing. I can tell you I would do them rather than pay the haven rates and on stay a much larger ship like NCL is now pushing.

 

Freestyle works for the family right now, but with the food quality issues and the to be honest the quality of the people I experienced on my last cruise left me wanting to bump up a few levels.

[newmexicoNita]

I'm definitely not paying the same price to cruise now as I was in 1995. It is much cheaper to cruise now, and the quality of food has gone way downhill. It is not the $30 that is an issue. It's the point of having to pay more to get an acceptable meal. The 5-star meals are a thing of the past. You are lucky if you get an Outback quality steak in any pay venue on the ship, and even that is not consistent.

 

Well I pretty much have to disagree with what you are saying, but we all have our own ideas: The only thing I agree with is the pricing. Cruising did used to be for the upper mobile and upper class only, so of course it was much more expensive and yes, the food was better, but we paid for it. Now, families can cruise and it won't put them in the poor house. cruising is becoming more al la carte. You pay less and you decide for yourself where you want to spend your extra $$S. Some like to do ship excursions, some upscale dining and other spend their money in the casino or spa treatments.

 

As for the food in the specialty dining rooms being no better, at best than Outback, the Outbacks in Canada must be a heck of a lot better than in America. I have eaten at t a lot of them, throughout the country and Cagney's, as well as LeBistro are much better, much better service and much better atmosphere. The Brazilian steak house is comparable to any one I have tried in America with a price tag about 1/2 that here. Yes, the MDRs are not that great, but they are certainly acceptable and the buffets are usually outstanding, considering they are buffets. How many places on land do you know where the breakfast buffets include eggs benedict and lox without a huge price?

 

We usually eat at 3 specialty dining rooms on a 7 day cruise and maybe 4 on a longer one, regardless of the line. We are rarely disappointed or think we have paid too much.