Extra $5.00 more per day, could Chef's improve dining room food

[Spartan Tartan]

We have all read how the dining room menu has been downgraded in past years. If we were charged an additional $5.00 more per cruise passenger ticket. This additional amount to go directly towards the main dining room menu, would you think it would improve the quality of food currently served? Not sure what the daily amount Celebrity allocates to the MDR in 2014 dollars, but I am sure an additional $5.00 per person would greatly assist. Would you be willing to pay $5.00 more? If someone knows how to set up a vote thread it would be interesting to see the results. Comments!

[Purplsmurf]

I have never had a bad meal in the MDR. Actually, everything has been super good so to me it hasn't gotten worse the last few years

[bigeagle12]

I have never had a bad meal in the MDR. Actually, everything has been super good so to me it hasn't gotten worse the last few years

 

 

 

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[Christine Frances]

I have never had a bad meal in the MDR. Actually, everything has been super good so to me it hasn't gotten worse the last few years

 

I agree! But I am sure an extra $5 could help to make it even better!

Edited April 11, 2014 by Christine Frances

[NLH Arizona]

I agree!

Me too!

[Pennstatedj]

I have found food to be good over the years. I have been sailing with Celebrity since 1995 and 31 cruises. I have not seen a decline. If you look at the outside world, where can you eat, sleep and tip for under $200/day.

[diesel1973]

I also have had no complaints about the food. I doubt if $5 a day would make much of a difference considering how the price of food has has been going up crazy lately!!!!!:eek::eek::eek:

[foodsvcmgr]

I am very favorably impressed with the food quality and variety on Celebrity.

 

That being said, from my perspective in the F&B field I would estimate their food cost for a typical dinner to be around $10 per person, per day.

 

So undoubtedly another $5, or 50% additional allocated to their food budget, could result in a very significant change in their offerings.

 

unfortunately in the real world of cruise business, any fare increases will go to offset fuel costs or add to the bottom line, not to enhance food offerings as long as a majority of pax find them to be satisfactory or better.

[TroubleT]

Please, don't give them the ideas!

[Prada Cowboy]

$5 more would do a lot!!! Better quality and better perpetration and taste! Food cost raised in the years and fares came down a lot!

I would be very happy to pay a bit more for an all around better dining room experience!!!!!!

 

 

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[wallie5446]

Now this is a different kinda thread. Price drop after final, X would not up grade me, they won't combine 2 perks, only for new bookings need I continue?

Now we are saying we would pay more? Really!

[neverbeenhere]

$5 per pax per day. Boy, would we all be hearing about the "Dining Supplement Fee" being added to your cruise fare. Carnival would jump on that marketing mistake.

[d4m]

I am very favorably impressed with the food quality and variety on Celebrity.

 

That being said, from my perspective in the F&B field I would estimate their food cost for a typical dinner to be around $10 per person, per day.

 

So undoubtedly another $5, or 50% additional allocated to their food budget, could result in a very significant change in their offerings.

 

unfortunately in the real world of cruise business, any fare increases will go to offset fuel costs or add to the bottom line, not to enhance food offerings as long as a majority of pax find them to be satisfactory or better.

 

Spot On! Money would never go to food IMO.

 

Frankly, our latest 14 night TA had some of the most outstanding food we have had on Celebrity.

[happy cruzer]

Many don't go to the mdr.

 

Don't think a main stream line is going to heavily market an idea like this.

[lexdisic]

I agree that there has been a decline in the MDR, as long ago there were no "speciality restaurants" and our first cruise with X we had 8/9 course dinners served by white gloved waiters with decent steaks "always available". Now we are lucky to get 4/5 with steaks once in a while. I think we should'nt just limit the increase to dining. How about an overall increase back to the level we were paying 10-15 years ago so we get better meals (no need for specialities and surcharges), increase in staff levels and wages to improve service, no more nickel & diming etc etc. As ever, you get what you pay for !!!

[jkgourmet]

To protect those who claim to be traumatised by the possibility of cruising without limes, I propose a $10/day pp surcharge to make sure these cruisers don't suffer LimeAggedon. :rolleyes:;)

 

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[cle-guy]

So I'll go along with $5 more for food, $10 more for limes (yeh I realize that post as a joke, it'd cost more like $15 a day LOL) But I like luxurious 600 count Egyptian cotton sheets. So let's now tack on $10 more a day for better linens.

 

I don't want to see a mini bar charge on my final bill, so add on $15 a day to all fares so we have unlimited access to mini bar.

 

I want a butler when I sail in an ocean view cabin, that's luxury, so let's just raise all cabins another $25 a daly to cover butlers for all.

 

I don't like having to pay for drinks as I go, so let's just tack on $80 a day to everyones fare to cover drinks so no more papers to sign.

 

Add $125 a day so everyone gets spa treatments included. that would luxurious.

 

Add a 50 surcharge to get extra porters so luggage can be at cabin within an hour of boarding. that would luxurious.

 

Or, let's leave things as it is and let everyone pay for only those things that are important to them. Rather than inflate the entire cruise fare, those who feel the MDR has slipped can spend the extra in a specialty and buy the unlimited dining package when available or a couple 3 or 5 dinner packages when not on offer.

 

I don't want to subsidize the MDR detractors, as I find the MDR food quite enjoyable as it is, though I have nothing historical to compare to. But I do know I'd be quite annoyed at an 8/9 course meal taking so long every night on a 14 day cruise. the 5 course now is long enough and too much to consume for me.

 

For me, I prefer lower overall cabin fares so I can use my savings towards enhanced cabins, as I more enjoy lounging in my cabin and hosting gatherings there often as a higher priority than an 8 course white gloved dining experience at a banquet table.

 

The a-la-carte system allows more flexibility for everyone to get their hot button issues satisfied I think.

 

Remember cruise fare that was $2000 in 1985 should sell for $4800 today tied to inflation, but still sells for $2000, while costs have risen just as much - something has to give, so reduced standards and a-la-carte for those that want more that will pay for it. To get back to the good old days, we need to more than double current cabin fares. I'm not willing to pay double. Not sure who is. If you are, then Queen Mary and Queens Grill is what peel are looking for.

[wallie5446]

So I'll go along with $5 more for food, $10 more for limes (yeh I realize that post as a joke, it'd cost more like $15 a day LOL) But I like luxurious 600 count Egyptian cotton sheets. So let's now tack on $10 more a day for better linens.

 

I don't want to see a mini bar charge on my final bill, so add on $15 a day to all fares so we have unlimited access to mini bar.

 

I want a butler when I sail in an ocean view cabin, that's luxury, so let's just raise all cabins another $25 a daly to cover butlers for all.

 

I don't like having to pay for drinks as I go, so let's just tack on $80 a day to everyones fare to cover drinks so no more papers to sign.

 

Add $125 a day so everyone gets spa treatments included. that would luxurious.

 

Add a 50 surcharge to get extra porters so luggage can be at cabin within an hour of boarding. that would luxurious.

 

Or, let's leave things as it is and let everyone pay for only those things that are important to them. Rather than inflate the entire cruise fare, those who feel the MDR has slipped can spend the extra in a specialty and buy the unlimited dining package when available or a couple 3 or 5 dinner packages when not on offer.

 

I don't want to subsidize the MDR detractors, as I find the MDR food quite enjoyable as it is, though I have nothing historical to compare to. But I do know I'd be quite annoyed at an 8/9 course meal taking so long every night on a 14 day cruise. the 5 course now is long enough and too much to consume for me.

 

For me, I prefer lower overall cabin fares so I can use my savings towards enhanced cabins, as I more enjoy lounging in my cabin and hosting gatherings there often as a higher priority than an 8 course white gloved dining experience at a banquet table.

 

The a-la-carte system allows more flexibility for everyone to get their hot button issues satisfied I think.

 

Remember cruise fare that was $2000 in 1985 should sell for $4800 today tied to inflation, but still sells for $2000, while costs have risen just as much - something has to give, so reduced standards and a-la-carte for those that want more that will pay for it. To get back to the good old days, we need to more than double current cabin fares. I'm not willing to pay double. Not sure who is. If you are, then Queen Mary and Queens Grill is what peel are looking for.

 

Nice and consice, well, maybe not, but very to the point! Well said.

[zoncom]

Food is very important to me, more than cabins. I would happily pay $5 more daily. Cruise X several times yearly and find food varies. Did the Feb 15 St Barts Century, found improved food. Last time on Century worst of all X dining. Celebrity pricing now so low it attracts a different crowd than say 10 yrs ago. Often less than Royal pricing.

[wallie5446]

Celebrity pricing now so low it attracts a different crowd than say 10 yrs ago.

 

I dont know? We first sailed X in 1994, so we are in our 21st year of sailing Celebrity, and talking to folks on ship the number of repeat cruisers; ie; Capt Club mnembers is increasing with each sailing.

 

Our Jr Suite in 2011 on RCCL Freedom, and mini suite on the Ruby in 2012 both cost less than our cruise on the Reflection last year in a standard C2.

 

We still dress nice, buy pictures, go to the speciality, and book a tour thru the ship. Not much has changed for us.

Edited April 11, 2014 by wallie5446

[Prada Cowboy]

With 9/11 the cruise fares went down to the bottom! They just tried to fill up the rooms since everybody was scared about not having money! (Worked at that time for major cruise lines)

The fares have not recovered as of yet! Guests still want to pay less, want more, have more expectations ... It doesn't fit together with me!

 

Lets say $15-20 a person per day extra, would be amazing what it could do to the whole cruise experience! And we are talking not just about the MDR! By the end it is YOUR vacation you worked so hard for!!!

 

By the end X stands for better then the usual Mass Market Line!

[RickT]

While I'd certainly be willing to pay an extra $5 a day for better food (not that I really have an issue with what is currently being served) I would suspect this would be a temporary improvement as the "bean counters" would quickly figure out they could serve similar food and save $5 and we'd be back to square one just paying $5 more :p

[Honeybearhollow]

I think it might start off budgeted for better meals and would end up in the general budget. I think the meals are good. I doubt if the cruise lines want them better, as they would be a competition for the specialty restaurants.

[seadancer]

I would pay at least 5 or 10 been a while since we bragged about any cruise lines dining room . Used to be one of our greatest pitches to our friends to get them to go with us.

[cpj]

They will add more specialty restaurants in the future. They seen how sucessful NCL has been by doing this. It's one way of creating more onboard revenue. RCCL has done it on there new ship and I think more cruise lines will follow. Also the younger crowd that there trying to get will want more choices. Just my opinion.