Price Increases on Specialty Restaurants?????

[Badfinger]

I would rather eat the MDR and take the $35 I would have spent at the steakhouse and go to an Brazilian Steakhouse locally after we return. I ate at the Italian place for lunch. If that is the same quality of food (not variety I know) they serve at dinner, I will pass on that...actually I did pass on that.

[golfadj]

Anything you pay at the upcharge venues is all tip.

 

No it is not. Do you really think that the $35 service charge at steakhouse is all tip? Rumor has it about 15% of that is the tip.

[Pine Bluff]

No it is not. Do you really think that the $35 service charge at steakhouse is all tip? Rumor has it about 15% of that is the tip.

 

If an extra entree is $20, the tip is $15. Pure deduction, my dear Golfadj.

[TPFKAH]

I would rather eat the MDR and take the $35 I would have spent at the steakhouse and go to an Brazilian Steakhouse locally after we return. I ate at the Italian place for lunch. If that is the same quality of food (not variety I know) they serve at dinner, I will pass on that...actually I did pass on that.

 

It's not.

[Pine Bluff]

I'm so over the MDR menus that I'll gladly pay for a specialty restaurant each night. We love the steakhouse even though it takes a lot of time. For the price I'm paying for the cruise I don't mind the up charge and I get a better dining experience. My last few cruises the dining room was so rushed.

 

How sad is it that the food and menus on Carnival are now considered sub par.

[AdGuyMG]

How sad is it that the food and menus on Carnival are now considered sub par.

 

It's the same situation and reputation Norwegian found itself in in the mid 2000's. They alleviated that and differentiated themselves by building ships with multiple up charge dining venues that have turned out to be very popular. Onboard per person spending revenues for NCL last year were the highest in company history. 2014 1st quarter revenues were up over 21% from last year while Carnival and RCL saw only 4% increases

 

I don't see Carnival going this route all out, but based on what I've seen on the Breeze and Sunshine (Bonsai, JiJi, Italian, Steakouse, 2.0 lido restaurants) these expanded specialty venues will probably be incorporated into any future ships.

[TPFKAH]

It's the same situation and reputation Norwegian found itself in in the mid 2000's. They alleviated that and differentiated themselves by building ships with multiple up charge dining venues that have turned out to be very popular. Onboard per person spending revenues for NCL last year were the highest in company history. 2014 1st quarter revenues were up over 21% from last year while Carnival and RCL saw only 4% increases

 

I don't see Carnival going this route all out, but based on what I've seen on the Breeze and Sunshine (Bonsai, JiJi, Italian, Steakouse, 2.0 lido restaurants) these expanded specialty venues will probably be incorporated into any future ships.

 

The big difference is NCL has the infrastructure to support such. Carnival does not.it will be interesting to see if Vista starts a new trend for them.

[jonbgd]

How sad is it that the food and menus on Carnival are now considered sub par.

 

I agree

What happened to retiring at 10,000 posts;)

[Disconnections]

How sad is it that the food and menus on Carnival are now considered sub par.

 

At least the shrimp cocktail debacle is over with.

[AdGuyMG]

The big difference is NCL has the infrastructure to support such. Carnival does not.it will be interesting to see if Vista starts a new trend for them.

 

That's exactly what I was trying to say.

[AdGuyMG]

How sad is it that the food and menus on Carnival are now considered sub par.

 

Personally I don't find Carnival MDR dining to be the the ultimate dining experience on the high seas but I've never had a sub par experience or meal served.

 

But your post reminded me of an old joke:

 

Two women are having dinner at a fancy restaurant, and one of ‘em says, ‘Boy, the food at this place is really terrible. It's like poison!’ The other one says, ‘Yeah, I know; and such small portions.’

[Topo Gigio]

It's the same situation and reputation Norwegian found itself in in the mid 2000's. They alleviated that and differentiated themselves by building ships with multiple up charge dining venues that have turned out to be very popular. Onboard per person spending revenues for NCL last year were the highest in company history. 2014 1st quarter revenues were up over 21% from last year while Carnival and RCL saw only 4% increases

 

I don't see Carnival going this route all out, but based on what I've seen on the Breeze and Sunshine (Bonsai, JiJi, Italian, Steakouse, 2.0 lido restaurants) these expanded specialty venues will probably be incorporated into any future ships.

 

When I asked the Jiji's mgr if there were plans to incorporate Jiji's on other ships, she told me that they were looking first how well (revenue wise) it was going on the Sunshine.

[Lovtotravel2]

I think the MDR food is OK, not the quality I would ever go back to a place on land for, but matches TGIF or Ruby Tuesdays. I tried every specialty dinning on Sunshine and not one served a meal that was less then Great. Went to JiJi twice it was so good. its no surprise the quality in MDR has gone down, it gets people who like good food to go and pay for it. The real joke in my opinion is eating a meal on the Ledo cold bad food, and people pile it up like they are starving. The only bad meal on Sunshine was Guys, I am not a fan of grease burgers, I don't like Five Guys either, just my taste.

[TxChick]

How sad is it that the food and menus on Carnival are now considered sub par.

 

The food isn't bad, I just want more variety. It's been the same menu for years now. People are complaining about American Table menus but I look forward to it as it is something different.

[TxChick]

No it is not. Do you really think that the $35 service charge at steakhouse is all tip? Rumor has it about 15% of that is the tip.

 

We still tipped on top of our up charge

[Topo Gigio]

I think the MDR food is OK, not the quality I would ever go back to a place on land for, but matches TGIF or Ruby Tuesdays. I tried every specialty dinning on Sunshine and not one served a meal that was less then Great. Went to JiJi twice it was so good. its no surprise the quality in MDR has gone down, it gets people who like good food to go and pay for it. The real joke in my opinion is eating a meal on the Ledo cold bad food, and people pile it up like they are starving. The only bad meal on Sunshine was Guys, I am not a fan of grease burgers, I don't like Five Guys either, just my taste.

 

I went during my 7 days on the Sunshine: 1 Fahrenheit, 1 Bonsai,1 Cucina and 4 Jiji's. Really don't care for Carnival's MDR food. Meh, meh and meh!

[AdGuyMG]

When I asked the Jiji's mgr if there were plans to incorporate Jiji's on other ships, she told me that they were looking first how well (revenue wise) it was going on the Sunshine.

 

Pretty much an expected answer.

[Wilgr]

Only on CC can someone tell you how to spend your own money and come off like they are somehow better than you for doing so. LOL

[MissKIA]

If an extra entree is $20, the tip is $15. Pure deduction, my dear Golfadj.

 

But you only get the entree when ordering the steakhouse options in the MDR.. You don't get the DELICIOUS appetizers offered in the steakhouse or the desserts. (which to me are even better than the entrees)

[Disconnections]

But you only get the entree when ordering the steakhouse options in the MDR.. You don't get the DELICIOUS appetizers offered in the steakhouse or the desserts. (which to me are even better than the entrees)

 

Have you ever wondered why you are able to order as many appetizers, soups, salads and desserts that you can want at the steakhouse for no additional charge, yet an extra charge is added to your folio if you get an extra entree?

[Wilgr]

Nope, just spend MY money on MY dinner and enjoy it. No need to pull out a slide rule and abacus to deduce the ins and outs of the exchange.

[AdGuyMG]

Have you ever wondered why you are able to order as many appetizers, soups, salads and desserts that you can want at the steakhouse for no additional charge, yet an extra charge is added to your folio if you get an extra entree?

 

My understanding was you could order 1 additional of each app, each soup, each salad or dessert but if you say it's all you want then I've learned something.

 

And I think I know why an entree would be additional charge. What's the answer?