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Extra charge for premium aged steak in Chops?

jbobst

By jbobst,
in Royal Caribbean International

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jbobst

jbobst

Posted
Posted (edited)

I was reading a review of the Liberty a few days ago and the reviewer mentioned they went to Chops and we asked about an upcharge for higher quality aged beef. If this is true, you would basically pay 2x for an upcharge restaurant? (One charge to eat there and another charge for premium food???)

 

I thought the whole idea of paying extra for an upscale steakhouse on a cruise is to get premium food in the first place. I really hope this is not the case. Can someone confirm or explain this?

Edited by jbobst
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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
I was reading a review of the Liberty a few days ago and the reviewer mentioned they went to Chops and we asked about an upcharge for higher quality aged beef. If this is true, you would basically pay 2x for an upcharge restaurant? (One charge to eat there and another charge for premium food???)

 

I thought the whole idea of paying extra for an upscale steakhouse on a cruise is to get premium food in the first place. I really hope this is not the case. Can someone confirm or explain this?

Yes, there are extra cost items on the menu, see here:

 

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/menus/chops.pdf

 

I may be in the minority, but I no longer find Chops to be worth the cost.

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MattInFLL

MattInFLL

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The filet in Giovanni's *is* excellent. I also happen to really like the smallest one in Chops and the sides Chops serves so still worth it to me.

 

But I would never pay for the "special" steaks there. I've dined with a couple of people who have tried it and, while it was an excellent cut of beef, they wouldn't pay the extra extra again.

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chadbeck

chadbeck

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I'd like to hear from someone who got the upcharge steak (and obviously someone has at some point) to see if they thought it truly was worth it.

 

I've gotten it before. The only reason I did it was because I had to burn up some obc on the last day and didn't want to waste what was basically free money still on the table. It was a nice steak but I don't think I would ever do it with out the Obc just not sure it was good enough to pay what amounted to about $60 at the time with the normal cover charge plus the up charge.

 

I have always had a good steak when going there and haven't had the issue some seem to have with the quality. Maybe always using obc for these restaurants makes me a little less critical? I do think the filets have always been better for me in Gio's and Portifinos.

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spookwife

spookwife

Posted
Posted
I was reading a review of the Liberty a few days ago and the reviewer mentioned they went to Chops and we asked about an upcharge for higher quality aged beef. If this is true, you would basically pay 2x for an upcharge restaurant? (One charge to eat there and another charge for premium food???)

 

I thought the whole idea of paying extra for an upscale steakhouse on a cruise is to get premium food in the first place. I really hope this is not the case. Can someone confirm or explain this?

 

 

 

yes there is an option to spend another $30( I think) to get an even better cut of steak than what the regular surcharge covers. since we have never found the ones already included to be anything but excellent, we have never felt the need to splurge on the premium option.

 

 

I'd rather buy a bottle of Dom myself.

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kruzerci

kruzerci

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Posted (edited)

I may be in the minority, but I no longer find Chops to be worth the cost.[/font]

 

You're not alone. The last two times we went to Chops, the experience was all but ruined by the quality of the "standard" menu items and the constant upselling. They try to upsell water, they try to upsell wine, they try twice to upsell entrees. And after all that, the meal was mediocre compared to land-based restaurants. Somehow it's just really irritating to me to pay an uncharge to dine in a restaurant only to be pushed and pushed for additional upcharges.

 

I'm still a fan of Giovanni's and the almost extinct Portofino, but I won't go back to Chops.

Edited by kruzerci
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jonbgd

jonbgd

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Posted (edited)

Ive done the upcharge steal in Chops On our Allure Oct TA

 

I had heard from another couple about how great the upsell Porterhouse was at Chops.

They went to Chops the first formal night while we went to MDR

 

With all the other restaurants onboard Allure It wasn't on our list of must does

especially when Giovannis can cook a better filet than Chops can in our experience and thats what the GF likes

 

But after hearing that we decided to try

 

I was not impressed to pay more (19.95) and it wasn't any better than either the Ny strip or Filet that is normally included

 

SO NO I wouldn't recommend the upsell Porterhouse on the Allure in Chops

Edited by jonbgd
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Pizzaeater!

Pizzaeater!

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I sailed Allure in August of '14 and was really ticked off when I saw that it would cost $19 more for 8oz more steak than the small 12 oz steak you get for $35 cover charge. I recently sailed NCL Getaway and had the Unlimited Dining Package and had the upsell 32 oz Angus Porterhouse steak at no extra charge. They said since I paid for the UDP, I didn't have to pay the extra $10 for the 32oz steak. I am wanting to see if that will be the case on Harmony this November. I purchased the 4 night dining package and wanting to see if it will be like NCL's dining and can get the 20oz NY Strip included and not have to pay another $19 to get it. If not, I'll stick to Jaime's Italian Restaurant and Choppes will NEVER be in my future.

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MattInFLL

MattInFLL

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Not trying to Hijack post bust someone mentioned going to chops during a formal evening. What nights are the formal nights so I can plan my dinners around them?

 

 

If you are leaving from North America, night 2 is always formal. Your second formal night will be night 5 or 6 depending on ship and itinerary. If taking a longer cruise you may have a 3rd night.

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Ryansdaddy

Ryansdaddy

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If you are leaving from North America, night 2 is always formal. Your second formal night will be night 5 or 6 depending on ship and itinerary. If taking a longer cruise you may have a 3rd night.

 

It's Liberty of the Seas--7 day cruise. I'm trying to pick one of the formal nights as an evening to eat at Giovani's. I would prefer the later Formal evening as opposed to the first. We want to experience at least one formal evening and we felt the first might be the best.

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neflier

neflier

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I have never ordered one of the up charge items, but I do see a good number of people ordering the lobster .

 

M

 

On the New Years cruise on Anthem, Chops was $45pp (if purchased on board). The lobster (1.25-1.5#) was a $21 surcharge. For two people, the cost for lobster was $132, and you have already paid for the MDR. Locally, a twin lobster dinner (1.25#) runs about $30. IMO, this is no longer just paying an up charge for a better experience.

 

RCI..... perfecting the art of a' la cart cruising.

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jonbgd

jonbgd

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Posted
It's Liberty of the Seas--7 day cruise. I'm trying to pick one of the formal nights as an evening to eat at Giovani's. I would prefer the later Formal evening as opposed to the first. We want to experience at least one formal evening and we felt the first might be the best.

 

On the Liberty formal nites will be Monday and Friday

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WinksCruises

WinksCruises

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On a recent visit to Chops, on a red wine infused impulse, I threw caution to the wind and paid the upcharge-to-the-upcharge for the dry-aged NY Strip Steak entree. It only took a few bites to realize it wasn't any tastier than the regular strip steak offering. It wasn't bad, there was just nothing there to justify paying the premium price.

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Clarea

Clarea

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On a recent visit to Chops, on a red wine infused impulse, I threw caution to the wind and paid the upcharge-to-the-upcharge for the dry-aged NY Strip Steak entree. It only took a few bites to realize it wasn't any tastier than the regular strip steak offering. It wasn't bad, there was just nothing there to justify paying the premium price.

You're not the first person to post that reaction to the upcharge steaks.

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