A la Carte Dining

[sail7seas]

Has anyone heard any talk of a la carte dining to any of the mass market cruise lines?

 

I keep expecting they will soon convert us from MDR and Lido included in the fare to we pay for everything we eat same as any restaurant.

 

I'm not sure how they will juggle the fares to make us think it isn't costing us 'much' more but I fully expect soon it will be pay for whatever you order.

 

Anyone heard anything like that?

[Keith1010]

I too think at some point one of the cruise lines will go this route.

 

Keith

[sail7seas]

They are likely waiting to see who is willing to go first.

My guess is NCL.

 

[mtwingcpa]

Has anyone heard any talk of a la carte dining to any of the mass market cruise lines?

 

How do you define "a la carte" for this purpose?

[sail7seas]

You pay for all food you eat same as in any restaurant.

If you want a hamburger, you buy it. If you want an omelette, you buy it.

I would venture when they first roll out such a program, they likely will continue to offer Lido (or whatever your cruise line calls their buffet) but will charge for all food everywhere else on the ship. Under that plan, the only food at no extra charge will be served in Lidol.

[LHT28]

Isn't that what all these specialty fast food outlets are on the ships or are they free?

 

I read if you want steak or Lobster it is an extra fee

If you want real brewed coffee you pay extra on some lines

[sail7seas]

Isn't that what all these specialty fast food outlets are on the ships or are they free?

 

I read if you want steak or Lobster it is an extra fee

If you want real brewed coffee you pay extra on some lines

 

 

To date, meals in the Main Dining Room on most ships are included in the fare. I suspect that is near to ending. And that is a major change for many cruisers. Your mention of added cost for steak or lobster seems to be the first step in making that changeover.

I'm almost in favor of it but think I'm likely in the minority.

 

JMO.....

 

[mtwingcpa]

You pay for all food you eat same as in any restaurant. If you want a hamburger, you buy it. If you want an omelette, you buy it.

 

In other words, NOT all-inclusive???

 

I'm not used to seeing the term "a la carte" used that way. These days I rarely see restaurants with a true a la carte menu where you order EACH ITEM individually (but maybe that's because I don't dine at high-end places).

[Krazy Kruizers]

Isn't that what all these specialty fast food outlets are on the ships or are they free?

 

I read if you want steak or Lobster it is an extra fee

If you want real brewed coffee you pay extra on some lines

 

So far on HAL you do not have to pay for steak and lobster in the main dining room.

But if you go to the Pinnacle Grill -- the cost is $25 per person. Cheaper for those that are 3, 4 and 5 star Mariners. You do get a better quality of steak as well as choices of different steaks. The Lobster -- well originally they were big -- now they are small just like the main dining room ones -- and you only get one whereas in the dining room you can ask for more.

[Krazy Kruizers]

There was a cruise line a few years ago -- Easy Cruises -- where you paid for your meals as you went along.

Think they are gone now.

[OCruisers]

Feel sure we're in the minority ... but it wouldn't bother us at all.

 

LuLu

~~~~

[sail7seas]

In other words, NOT all-inclusive???

 

I'm not used to seeing the term "a la carte" used that way. These days I rarely see restaurants with a true a la carte menu where you order EACH ITEM individually (but maybe that's because I don't dine at high-end places).

 

 

Many restaurants we go to are a la carte.

We were at a fine steakhouse in our area this week. If we wanted a potato, we purchased it. If we wanted a vegetable, there was a separate charge.

 

A few family style restaurants we go to include a salad or vegetble with our meal but most is extra charge. One could say McDonalds is a la carte. If you want fries with your burger, you purchase them separately so it isn't only 'high end'.

 

We don't eat much at the chain type restaurants. We go to mostly locally owned and operated.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't a la carte mean you order each item you want to eat individually and you pay for each? That is what I suggest the cruise lines could switch to.

 

If I understand you correctly, you are saying the term is wrong as it should indicate that if you order a burger, you would get fries with it. I'm not sure that is what they would do.

 

Of course, this all speculative so none of us know unless we've been sitting in the meeting rooms where such things are discussed and decided.

[SadieN]

Wasn't that part of Ocean Village's model?

[sail7seas]

What is Ocean Village?

[LHT28]

What is Ocean Village?

Was a U.K. based cruise line

[kitty9]

If people think food is on the decline now, just wait and see the crap they'll try and shove on cruisers if they go via a pay-for basis. I don't see this happening anytime soon, especially if they keep prices at the same level. I just can't see this as working on any level unless someone like Carnival would experiment with it on their Costa line. But I don't see many cruisers accepting this without a fight. I think it would be a silly decision and a near death knell for any cruise line that did it. It didn't work for Easy Cruise and it won't work with any mainstream line.

 

Can you imagine how expensive it could turn out to be for families having to pay for three meals a day, especially if fares aren't reduced incrementally? Food is one of the main reasons why people cruise, and to make cruise ship restaurants into a pay only option would be insane.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Ocean Village we saw years ago was originally the Star Princess (1989) . Originally she was Fairmajesty for Sitmar but Sitmas was bought out by Princess. I know this as we were booked on the Fairmajesty when the sale took place.

P&O bought her and she became the Arcadia and then Ocean Village bought her. She is now the Pacific Pearl sailing out Auckland, New Zealand.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If people think food is on the decline now, just wait and see the crap they'll try and shove on cruisers if they go via a pay-for basis. I don't see this happening anytime soon, especially if they keep prices at the same level. I just can't see this as working on any level unless someone like Carnival would experiment with it on their Costa line. But I don't see many cruisers accepting this without a fight. I think it would be a silly decision and a near death knell for any cruise line that did it. It didn't work for Easy Cruise and it won't work with any mainstream line.

 

Can you imagine how expensive it could turn out to be for families having to pay for three meals a day, especially if fares aren't reduced incrementally? Food is one of the main reasons why people cruise, and to make cruise ship restaurants into a pay only option would be insane.

 

I agree

People with children could rack up some hefty bills if they had to pay for everything.

And cruise lines are not going to reduce their cruise fares.

[Nebr.cruiser]

If this happens, we'll most likely stop cruising. I don't want to have to think about price every time I eat; it's one of the perks of cruising. Just go and order what you want, without worrying about how much it is all adding up to or whether a certain item is 'worth' the price.

 

It would be a nightmare for families as well, and logistically more difficult too. I like having good to very good food included in the price.

 

The one benefit is that I'd probably eat less!

[sail7seas]

Was a U.K. based cruise line

 

Thanks. :)

 

 

 

 

If people think food is on the decline now, just wait and see the crap they'll try and shove on cruisers if they go via a pay-for basis. I don't see this happening anytime soon, especially if they keep prices at the same level. I just can't see this as working on any level unless someone like Carnival would experiment with it on their Costa line. But I don't see many cruisers accepting this without a fight. I think it would be a silly decision and a near death knell for any cruise line that did it. It didn't work for Easy Cruise and it won't work with any mainstream line.

 

Can you imagine how expensive it could turn out to be for families having to pay for three meals a day, especially if fares aren't reduced incrementally? Food is one of the main reasons why people cruise, and to make cruise ship restaurants into a pay only option would be insane.

 

 

 

 

I can just imagine the bill a family with teen boys would get at the end of the cruise. :eek:

 

 

It seems likely the cruise lines are planning another 'evolution' and this seems a direction they could go. Maybe.

 

[Kartgv]

Wouldn't this approach require significantly more staffing? It seems that switching to an 'a la carte' menu would necessitate more choices: if I'm paying for my food item by item, I would insist on more options. More choices would seem to require more individual attention from your waiter and from the kitchen staff.

 

I wouldn't be too surprised to see a line try it on some sort of a limited basis. Not that long ago many resorts offered the choice of "American" vs. "European" plan, which was basically "with" or "without" food included in the price (never could remember which was which!). A cruise line could try something similar, but it could get complicated. I don't think it would be popular, and I would switch my allegiance to a line that continued to include at least the basic dining we enjoy today.

[mtwingcpa]

Please correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't a la carte mean you order each item you want to eat individually and you pay for each? That is what I suggest the cruise lines could switch to.

 

In my mind "a la carte" implies an extensive list of INDIVIDUAL menu items, where each item you want must be ordered. There are no package deals. So, yes, if you wanted a chicken breast with mashed potatoes and a side vegetable, you would have to order THREE items. Don't want those annoying vegetables? No problem, just don't order 'em. :-)

 

How you pay for it is, in my mind, a separate issue. (As someone else noted, I would think in terms of "American Plan" versus "European Plan" in that regard.)

 

But to your question, which I think is a good one, I suppose NCL (as one example) could certainly try converting their MDR to a surcharge restaurant, like the many other such restaurants they have on board. You basically pay a "cover charge" to enter the restaurant, and thereafter can generally order anything on the menu that evening. I'm not sure an MDR surcharge would really go over that well, but they could certainly try it.

 

However, I can't see them trying the type of "a la carte" dining that involves an extensive menu that has to be individually priced, etc., as I believe it would lead to "mistakes" and add an enormous administrative burden to the already hectic MDRs.

[Sailor_Sally]

Instead of going ala carte maybe they should try limiting the amount of entrees people can order . This would probably result in a savings .

[NMLady]

Isn't that what all these specialty fast food outlets are on the ships or are they free? ...

 

The specialty restaurants are not a la carte. Even though there is a charge it includes all the appetizers you want and all the desserts you want plus your entree. There is not a separate charge for each.

[happy cruzer]

AIDA seems to be similar to what is being discussed.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1372828

 

If the dining room is not included, I don't think we would cruise. We would switch to land vacations. Room and board included is what makes a cruise appealing to us. It is different for those who cruise to get to beaches and warm weather. Home port cruising would take a hit since many of those cruisers are going to enjoy the ship and food not the ports so much.

 

I'm not sure that cruising would evolve that way. All inclusive resorts seem to be booming and seem to be the major competitor to cruising. Luxory lines certainly are not a la carte.