SHARE: Are you ready for a $49 cover charge?

[jennybenny]

Nope: that's not for a couple. $49 is the cover charge per person. For a couple that would be $98.

 

Want an additional entrée? There's a charge for that too!

 

I disembarked from Emerald on 11/21 and had visited Adagio nightly and Sabatini's twice for dinner.

 

My information came from several staff members -- who despite my dumbfounded stare-- assured me they weren't joking.

 

When I reminded myself that I saw online the GastroPub lunch menu with a $19 cover, I reasoned that maybe the staff was sincere.

 

For those who dine in Princess Specialty Restaurants, what are your thoughts? Will you visit Share with a $49/pp cover? Just once to try it? Eat there regularly if you like it? Not even once?

 

In your reply, please include your past frequency of use (i.e. "I always eat in Crown Grill/Sabatini's/Sterling/Bayou each at least once, only for a special occasion, multiple times, etc.")

 

If you NEVER eat in Specialty Restaurants, please start your own thread explaining your reasoning, rather than cluttering this one up. Thank you.

 

We always do Specialty dining, depending on the cruise length we've done up to 3 nights, wanting a 4th on a 15 day cruise last year, and we have a family of 4.

 

This next cruise we will probably do at least two nights of specialty dining, 10 day cruise.

 

There is NO WAY I would pay that much for Shares, it would have to have reviews of a Michelin starred restaurant! I can go to one of my favorites for $100 per person and that's an amazing meal. I've done the Chef's table and it's nice, but no where as nice as a land restaurant with the same tab. The reason the Chef's table is great is the tour and the ability to interact with the head chef and maître D. Besides, Shares is family style dining and I have never seen that done well enough to make me want to pay that price tag. That's disappointing that this is the direction Princess is taking. I haven't read through any of the posts, so if something was misinterpreted and I'm freaking out for nothing, I apologize.

[floridalover5623]

Let's be realistic...this is the "creep"...the beginning of increased prices for ALL premium dining venues. It has to start somewhere and SHARE and GASTROPUB are new, so Princess will start there and then move onto Chef's Table, UBD, Crown Grill, etc.

I feel sure there was same reaction when premium dining for a fee/surcharge was first introduced...no one claim to be interested in spending one extra cent when they already have their meals included in their fares.

Basically, its all a marketing strategy...

Of course it is except that with the announcements of the other Specialty restaurants I never heard such negativity for the amount they planned on charging.

We've been to the Specialty perhaps 5 or 6 times over the years and enjoyed them but in the last 3 years haven't gone. Not because of the price, service or quality but simply because the food in the DR or buffet has always been great in our opinion. I'd bet the new restaurant will survive but they'll have to lower the price to attract sufficient customers....myself not included. ;)

[Iamcruzin]

Wow First they copy Celebrity with a drink package and sip and sail now they are matching the outrageous specialty restaurant fees. What's next Evening Chic instead of formal nights. I won't pay $50pp on Celerity or Princess.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they offer special prices if you prebook before you sail or discount on embarkation day. To quote Pam follow the money. Newbies won't have a clue about the price and think that it's the norm. The rest of us oldies know better and will hold out for a deal. If even 25% pays the full price they are far ahead of the game also if they only half of the restaurants they are receiving the same revenue using only half of the food and labor.

[Iamcruzin]

It's not that it will break us but the fact that they want $100 plus tip for that "special" meal while the regular dining room is perfectly fine with us. ;)

 

There is no way in Hell that I would be tipping anyone at $50 a plate. They will have to be pooled in like everyone else with the auto tip. Sorry at that price the service better be top notch.

[floridalover5623]

There is no way in Hell that I would be tipping anyone at $50 a plate. They will have to be pooled in like everyone else with the auto tip. Sorry at that price the service better be top notch.

I'd say that the types of people that would spring for a $50 per plate would tip extra but they would be far & few between.

These prices are those that I would expect to see on the more exclusive cruise lines like Seaborne or Cunard.

Maybe someone will start a poll about how many people would attend at that price? It appears that an overwhelming majority seem dead against it.

[kruisey]

I have provisionally booked and paid my $100 on a 32 day cruise for April 2017.

For a solo in the lowest category works out for cabin $352.59 Canadian or $257.99 USA per day ,,gratuities taxes,plane fare have to top that.

As a treat in the past, I have spent $25 on a night in Sabatini's and Crown Grill which I enjoyed but certainly would not consider $49 when I can usually get a good non fee meal in the MDR and Horizon Court.

Edited December 3, 2015 by kruisey

[shredie]

You know, they could be floating this $49 idea so that when it turns out the price is really $39, they thing everyone will say "What a bargain." :rolleyes:

[Sandpiper13]

We normally dine twice at a specialty restaurant on a seven nite cruise but no will not be if the cover charge is doubled.

[TravelingEA]

We will usually go 2 nights an a 7 night cruise. We do not bring along extra clothes for formal nights, so go to the specialty restaurants then. No, we would not pay $49 each to eat at one.

[catmand]

We go to Crab Shack and Crown on 7 day. Last cruise (October) we split an entree at Crown so maybe Share is for us but not at the $49 p/p price.

[grouchomarx]

You know, they could be floating this $49 idea so that when it turns out the price is really $39, they thing everyone will say "What a bargain." :rolleyes:

 

That is actually a smart strategy. Unlike NCL's strategy of telling you a certain restaurant will be free and one month later it has a la carte pricing. That REALLY gets people mad!

[srpilo]

I'd say that the types of people that would spring for a $50 per plate would tip extra but they would be far & few between.

These prices are those that I would expect to see on the more exclusive cruise lines like Seaborne or Cunard.

Maybe someone will start a poll about how many people would attend at that price? It appears that an overwhelming majority seem dead against it.

 

Yes a poll would be useful listing various price points starting at $49.00 and going down from there. .. It would be interesting to actually quantify how many are opposed and at what price (??)

 

Srpilo

[DebJ14]

We eat at both Crown Grill and Sabatini's at least once per cruise. No way would we pay $49.00 per person for Share. I don't like the concept, nor do I care for Curtis Stone. We will definitely miss Sabatini's.

Wonder where they will do the suite breakfast after the change? We find breakfast in Sabatini's to be a most relaxing way to start the day.

[PenguinLife]

For me it comes down to one thing, how much would I pay for a comparable meal near home. Lets assume that the MDR meal equates to a $25-$35 PP meal at a casual dining restaurant, possibly a bit more counting appetizer and dessert. That puts this new prime dining rate equal to about $85 PP on shore, and the simple fact is I can find a LOT of very good food complete with nicely dressed wait staff and nice dining atmosphere for under $85 PP near home, of course I do live in south Louisiana, and we are sort of known for good food.

[cruisequeen4ever]

Wow, I am most displeased to hear this! DH and I will be boarding the Emerald 12/14 and will soon confirm the final price and menu. It better not be $49 pp because that's ridiculous! It's one thing on land for dining, but dining at sea has always offered a better value. DH and I have been looking forward to trying SHARE; we usually dine at a specialty restaurant at least twice per cruise. Princess has just over a week to come up with a fair price! Pretty please, Princess; don't over charge!

[dtb55]

It seems like a lot of cruisers were against the concept of Share from the beginning, so it's no surprise to me that they won't be trying it at $49. I'm tired of Sabatini's and am looking forward to trying Share.

[floridalover5623]

It seems like a lot of cruisers were against the concept of Share from the beginning, so it's no surprise to me that they won't be trying it at $49. I'm tired of Sabatini's and am looking forward to trying Share.

Please let us know what you thought of it although I suspect that you already feel it's worth the price.

[MrMan]

Yes a poll would be useful listing various price points starting at $49.00 and going down from there. .. It would be interesting to actually quantify how many are opposed and at what price (??)

 

 

 

Srpilo

 

 

I suspect that is what Princess is doing with their reach out. IMHO this board is not looking at this from Princess point of view. They have a dated concept and not getting the proper return to be successful. If it was widely popular they would not change. Whatever the price point ends up be it $1 or $100 if it brings more than $1 in than Sabatini's that would be a success for the books.

 

If one does not see value that's ok, I don't see value paying cash to sit on a high price excursion bus waiting for the laggers. My ADD meter goes crazy. But if one wants to no worries, their value prop is different than mine and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

Again my guess is this is a dated Sabatini's ROI on valuable real estate issue and if it was not Share it would be another venue added.

 

I plan to give Share a try.

[dtb55]

Please let us know what you thought of it although I suspect that you already feel it's worth the price.

 

 

There is no way for me to know if it's worth the price until I do try it, but I'm not going to dismiss it without trying it first. I'm sure there will be many reviews before my next cruise in September.

[Viesczy]

Don't like it, don't go.

 

Is $49 a lot, uhm not really. I mean any major city's "best" restaurants are more than that PP.

 

Where's the problem/rub?

 

Don't like it, don't go.

[geoherb]

Is $49 a lot, uhm not really. I mean any major city's "best" restaurants are more than that PP.

The difference is that you've already paid for a good meal--something I'd say is equivalent to what we'd get at a local restaurant in the $30-$40 price range per person. The $49 is an extra charge. That brings it up to nearing $100 a person. Maybe folks in New York, Washington, Chicago, and L.A. are used to paying that much, but we aren't.

[luvseaside]

My husband & I have discussed this issue of whether there is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to dining out at a restaurant. For example, if we go to a moderately upscale restaurant, we expect it to be @ $150 (w/drinks & a bottle of wine & tip). We've also eaten at "fancy" restaurants with those prix fixe menus (w/wine) in Las Vegas for @ $250-$300. For 2 people! Every time, we just look at ourselves and go "was the food & service really so good that it was worth that cost?" Answer has almost always been "no."

 

We've eaten at both Crown Grill & Sabatinis on each cruise and found them to be a good dining experience and value for the money you spend. I would spend $25-$30 pp at a steakhouse at home, so it seems reasonable. But ratchet that up to $49, add drinks on top of that, and I'm headed to the dining room or buffet instead. Or cutting at least one of them out per cruise.

 

I was okay with the new SHARE restaurant concept, but in my limited knowledge, it looks actually less intimate and, thus, more downscale than Sabatinis. So why would I pay twice as much? Again, I would seriously bet that the food quality won't be high enough to warrant doubling the costs.

[Thrak]

Don't like it, don't go.

 

Is $49 a lot, uhm not really. I mean any major city's "best" restaurants are more than that PP.

 

Where's the problem/rub?

 

Don't like it, don't go.

 

I sincerely doubt that the food and service will be comparable to a city's "best" restaurants. For those who want to do this I say great. Go for it and enjoy. It's just not for me.

[floridalover5623]

I sincerely doubt that the food and service will be comparable to a city's "best" restaurants. For those who want to do this I say great. Go for it and enjoy. It's just not for me.

$49 is not a lot to have to pay in NYC or Tokyo but where I come from that's more than the total tab for 2.

I'm sure Princess will get some suckers to bite, but from the sound of it the price won't hold for to long before they lower it.

[floridalover5623]

The difference is that you've already paid for a good meal--something I'd say is equivalent to what we'd get at a local restaurant in the $30-$40 price range per person. The $49 is an extra charge. That brings it up to nearing $100 a person. Maybe folks in New York, Washington, Chicago, and L.A. are used to paying that much, but we aren't.

That's a huge point that most people don't consider.