Adieu "all-you-can-eat-mains" at the Crown Grill

[floridalover5623]

Personally, IMO, I feel it is fair. For those who want 2 meals, they are only charged $10 and not $29. Really there is way too my food. I feel they should have a 6 oz filet and 8 oz for those who can't eat the 8 oz. It is a shame to waste it as it is very good.

 

Then by that reasoning they should have two prices. $19 for the smaller size & $29 for the regular cut.

 

I have taken the statement of better to mean different selections. Not that the food was prepared better.

 

No, I did mean quality but they do have room to offer more selection also.

[CruisingObsessed]

I do not feel that it is worth USD29, on top of what you have already paid in your cruise fare, to eat there, the food in the MDR is very good (and free). And where you can eat as much as you want.

 

This highlights what people forget. You already paid for dinner. The $29 plus tip is EXTRA, so it's no great bargain. It still might be worth it to some folks, and that's fine, but eating in the specialty dining is expensive.

 

 

Kind of a shame they don't have mixed plates like a surf and turf option---smaller amounts of each protein, but 2-3 different kinds on the plate, for those who don't need quantity but would like variety. I find CG starters to be lacking. I'd gladly give them up for a surf and turf or 2 different meats with some veggies; and have ordered lobster tail and the 6 oz filet and skipped the starter in the past. With that option at a costly $39 plus, I'm done eating there.

[floridalover5623]

This highlights what people forget. You already paid for dinner. The $29 plus tip is EXTRA, so it's no great bargain. It still might be worth it to some folks, and that's fine, but eating in the specialty dining is expensive.

 

 

I agree fully with your thinking.

 

What price would you consider the dining room meal to be worth? $10,20,30 ? :confused:

It is still all you can eat in the DR compared to the Specialty restaurants charging extra for additional courses. :o

And don't forget the tip in the DR has already been paid.

[tailspintom]

I agree fully with your thinking.

 

What price would you consider the dining room meal to be worth? $10,20,30 ? :confused:

It is still all you can eat in the DR compared to the Specialty restaurants charging extra for additional courses. :o

And don't forget the tip in the DR has already been paid.

I know that you didn't mean it in a gluttony way, but whenever I see all you can eat, I think of those folks in the HC actually trying to eat all that they can eat. I saw a promo over the weekend on ESPN for the Coney Island hot dog eating contest. I guess it is now a sport. At any rate, I thought of HC on embarkation day.

[Yosef42]

I saw a promo over the weekend on ESPN for the Coney Island hot dog eating contest. I guess it is now a sport.

The current incarnation of the Nathan's hot dog eating contest has been going on annually since 1972 or so; its roots go back to 1916 or 17. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

[XBGuy]

Personally, IMO, I feel it is fair. For those who want 2 meals, they are only charged $10 and not $29. Really there is way too my food. I feel they should have a 6 oz filet and 8 oz for those who can't eat the 8 oz. It is a shame to waste it as it is very good.

 

My solution. If you want two entries, go back a second time for another meal. Why leave there so stuffed you can't move? Again, just my opinion.

 

There is no restaurant anywhere that will give you another entrée for free. This is an extra on the ship and is NOT included in the price of the fair should you choose to go there.

 

Everytime we go, there are people trying to get in last minute without a reservation and they try to accommodate best they can.

 

We prefer Crown Grille as I am allergic to shell fish, so Sabatini's is mostly fish.

 

Always had excellent service....always.

 

Mellon, I agree with most of what you say. Food is a cost for the cruise lines, in the specialty restaurants I agree that it is fair for the cruise line to have a sliding scale of charges. For the record, my wife and I dine in the specialty restaurants four or five times on a seven-day cruise. I am very OK with a sliding price schedule.

 

I sympathize with you regarding your shellfish allergy. As a shellfish (and seafood, in general) lover, I wouldn't wish that on anybody, but, fortunately, it seems that you have learned to cope.

 

However, I want to take exception to your comment that Sabatini's menu is "mostly fish." That is just not true. Unfortunately, I know there are people who will think, "I read it on Cruise Critic. So, it must be."

 

Here is a link to the SabatinI's menu on the Princess web site.

http://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/sabatinis-trattoria/sabatinis-trattoria-main-menu.pdf

 

Like most meuns, it is broken into courses:

 

* Appertivo -- One offering. It does not include seafood.

 

 

* Antipasti -- Five offerings. Three do not include seafood.

 

 

* Soup/Salad -- Two offerings. Neither contain seafood.

 

 

* Pastaio -- Five offerings. Four do not include seafood.

 

 

* Secondi Piatti -- Six offerings. Four do not include seafood.

 

Again, if somebody has an allergy, and I've known people who cannot be in the same room where shrimp are served, I understand, perfectly. In the case, though, where an individual just doesn't care for seafood, they should not be discouraged from trying Sabatini's because there are plenty of other options. It is not mostly seafood.

[Vineyard View]

XBGuy....thank you very much for posting this menu. I also have a shellfish allergy, and after reviewing the options I have no concerns....I was worried that the menu may have really changed since our last time.

[Iamcruzin]

I know that you didn't mean it in a gluttony way, but whenever I see all you can eat, I think of those folks in the HC actually trying to eat all that they can eat. I saw a promo over the weekend on ESPN for the Coney Island hot dog eating contest. I guess it is now a sport. At any rate, I thought of HC on embarkation day.

That Coney Island Nathan's hot dog eating contest has been going on since 1916. Hardly a new sport.

[GRAYTech]

...Kind of a shame they don't have mixed plates like a surf and turf option---smaller amounts of each protein, but 2-3 different kinds on the plate, for those who don't need quantity but would like variety...

 

Agree completely. Paid for the upscale restaurant food and experience yet my DW and I are ordering in tandem. I get the steak she orders the seafood and we play switcheroo tableside to get the surf and turf. We used to just order an extra entre like the lobster and split that but can no longer eat that much and it now costs you another $10. Not that $10 is a huge price but it's that jab into your wallet at every turn that I don't like the taste of. (and the lobster tails really would not have been worth $10 as we found out)

[tailspintom]

That Coney Island Nathan's hot dog eating contest has been going on since 1916. Hardly a new sport.

Yeah Mike, I know it has been around. I guess I didn't make my point clear. I just don't see the sense of considering stuffing food down one's throat a sport. I suppose that Alfred the Great was one of the first British athletes to practice the "sport". Nero well before him in Rome?

[RDC1]

Mellon, I agree with most of what you say. Food is a cost for the cruise lines, in the specialty restaurants I agree that it is fair for the cruise line to have a sliding scale of charges. For the record, my wife and I dine in the specialty restaurants four or five times on a seven-day cruise. I am very OK with a sliding price schedule.

 

I sympathize with you regarding your shellfish allergy. As a shellfish (and seafood, in general) lover, I wouldn't wish that on anybody, but, fortunately, it seems that you have learned to cope.

 

However, I want to take exception to your comment that Sabatini's menu is "mostly fish." That is just not true. Unfortunately, I know there are people who will think, "I read it on Cruise Critic. So, it must be."

 

Here is a link to the SabatinI's menu on the Princess web site.

http://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/sabatinis-trattoria/sabatinis-trattoria-main-menu.pdf

 

Like most meuns, it is broken into courses:

 

* Appertivo -- One offering. It does not include seafood.

 

 

* Antipasti -- Five offerings. Three do not include seafood.

 

 

* Soup/Salad -- Two offerings. Neither contain seafood.

 

 

* Pastaio -- Five offerings. Four do not include seafood.

 

 

* Secondi Piatti -- Six offerings. Four do not include seafood.

 

Again, if somebody has an allergy, and I've known people who cannot be in the same room where shrimp are served, I understand, perfectly. In the case, though, where an individual just doesn't care for seafood, they should not be discouraged from trying Sabatini's because there are plenty of other options. It is not mostly seafood.

 

While food is a cost to the cruise line, it is far less than one might think. For food for all of the lines owned by CCL, the average cost per day per passenger last quarter was $11.91.

[tailspintom]

While food is a cost to the cruise line, it is far less than one might think. For food for all of the lines owned by CCL, the average cost per day per passenger last quarter was $11.91.

Where may I find this information? If CCL is managing their food cost to that extent, I am impressed.

[XBGuy]

While food is a cost to the cruise line, it is far less than one might think. For food for all of the lines owned by CCL, the average cost per day per passenger last quarter was $11.91.

 

That number is very interesting, RDC. Thanks. I agree that it is less than I would think, but it does not affect my thinking on Princess' pricing policy.

 

By the way, I was curious where you found that number. I went to the CCL website and downloaded the latest Annual Report. I could not find that number, but I did find enough data to calculate that in 2016 the average food cost per passenger was $87.39. Using your $11.91/day number, that worked out to an average cruise length of between seven and eight days. That seems reasonable to me, but, is certainly not a rigorous proof. (How many passengers are taking 3-day cruises vs. how many passengers are taking 100-day cruises? Beats me.) The total number of passenger cruise days might be buried somewhere in the Annual Report, but I was too lazy to look for it.

[RDC1]

Where may I find this information? If CCL is managing their food cost to that extent, I am impressed.

 

If you pull the last 10Q from edgar on the SEC web site you get the following info.

 

Food expense was 253 million.

 

Later on in the filing (page 22) it lists the passenger capacity days (2 person per cabin rate) Available Lower Berth Days at 20,397,000.

 

That page also shows the occupancy percentage as 104.1%. Basically 4.1% above ALBD.

 

That gives you 20.397,000 X 1.041 = 21,233,000 passenger days.

 

$253 million divided by 21,233,000 = $11.91 per passenger per day

 

XBGuy you apparently used the passenger number which for the first quarter was 2,906,000 which would have yielded $87.06 per passenger carried. Now not totally sure from the data if CCL reports unique passengers carried during the quarter or treat passengers as just the sum of all the total of the number of passengers of each cruise (you might have some people doing more than one cruise in a quarter). Assuming the later that would yield an average cruise length of

21,233,000 divided by 2,906,000 = 7.34 days.

Edited July 9, 2017 by RDC1

[XBGuy]

Excellent. Thanks RDC. I thought I was in the ballpark, but I admire your extra effort.

[cruzsnooze]

Also remember to factor in the dinner you paid for and don't consume in the MDR though.

I remind people of this all the time but it falls on deaf ears. You have also tipped twice for the same dinner, once in the auto tip and another in the specialty upcharge AND some people claim they tip with cash a third time .

[RDC1]

Excellent. Thanks RDC. I thought I was in the ballpark, but I admire your extra effort.

 

Keep in mind that the food expense number may also include food for the crew, in which case the real number per passenger day will be lower than the calculated number.

[mellon1]

Then by that reasoning they should have two prices. $19 for the smaller size & $29 for the regular cut.

 

 

 

No, I did mean quality but they do have room to offer more selection also.

 

The steak here at Longhorn is $23+ (only includes steak, one side and salad) for the flo's filet last time we had it, which was a very very long time ago, as hubby was not able to eat it (he had neck cancer, so food has to be very tender and lean and moist), for me it was good at Longhorn, but not for him. However, at Crown Grille, he is able to eat the steak butterflied and medium rare. I would pay even more than the $29 fee as he is able to enjoy it, as this is the only time he eats steak is on Princess in Crown Grill. He does need the juice and gravy with it, but this is the new normal, but he is able to enjoy...which means so much to me. Plus...I don't have to cook!!! That is a super plus!

[mellon1]

Mellon, I agree with most of what you say. Food is a cost for the cruise lines, in the specialty restaurants I agree that it is fair for the cruise line to have a sliding scale of charges. For the record, my wife and I dine in the specialty restaurants four or five times on a seven-day cruise. I am very OK with a sliding price schedule.

 

I sympathize with you regarding your shellfish allergy. As a shellfish (and seafood, in general) lover, I wouldn't wish that on anybody, but, fortunately, it seems that you have learned to cope.

 

However, I want to take exception to your comment that Sabatini's menu is "mostly fish." That is just not true. Unfortunately, I know there are people who will think, "I read it on Cruise Critic. So, it must be."

 

Here is a link to the SabatinI's menu on the Princess web site.

http://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/sabatinis-trattoria/sabatinis-trattoria-main-menu.pdf

 

Like most meuns, it is broken into courses:

 

* Appertivo -- One offering. It does not include seafood.

 

 

* Antipasti -- Five offerings. Three do not include seafood.

 

 

* Soup/Salad -- Two offerings. Neither contain seafood.

 

 

* Pastaio -- Five offerings. Four do not include seafood.

 

 

* Secondi Piatti -- Six offerings. Four do not include seafood.

 

Again, if somebody has an allergy, and I've known people who cannot be in the same room where shrimp are served, I understand, perfectly. In the case, though, where an individual just doesn't care for seafood, they should not be discouraged from trying Sabatini's because there are plenty of other options. It is not mostly seafood.

 

I agree with you. I will get the chicken on the skewers and ask them to keep all away from anything on the grille that had any shrimp, etc. It is a lot to ask to do things so different...just like the chef's table...would love to do it, but do not want to ask for everything different from someone else, it really calls attention and we don't want that. They are really good on Princess about my allergies, as if someone even touches my plate and touched shellfish I swell up and get hives for a week. Not good for me! So I try to be careful and go with what I know works. We prefer the atmosphere in Sabatini's over CG, much more romantic.

[caribill]

The steak here at Longhorn is $23+ (only includes steak, one side and salad) for the flo's filet last time we had it, which was a very very long time ago, as hubby was not able to eat it.(

 

The ship's food cost as described in above posts is just the cost of the food itself. It does not include on board storage costs, food preparation and food serving. It also does not include cost of providing menus, cost of space used for restaurants and galleys, cost of linens and silverware, cost of washing dishes, etc.

 

The Longhorn cost includes all of those items plus, hopefully, a profit.

 

If the cost of all those items was added to the Princess food cost, it might exceed the cost of the Longhorn menu price.

 

So your cruise fare pays much more for daily food than the $11.91/day for the food acquisition alone.

[floridalover5623]

The ship's food cost as described in above posts is just the cost of the food itself. It does not include on board storage costs, food preparation and food serving. It also does not include cost of providing menus, cost of space used for restaurants and galleys, cost of linens and silverware, cost of washing dishes, etc.

 

The Longhorn cost includes all of those items plus, hopefully, a profit.

 

If the cost of all those items was added to the Princess food cost, it might exceed the cost of the Longhorn menu price.

 

So your cruise fare pays much more for daily food than the $11.91/day for the food acquisition alone.

Thanks. I've always thought that number to be ridiculously low.

[RDC1]

The ship's food cost as described in above posts is just the cost of the food itself. It does not include on board storage costs, food preparation and food serving. It also does not include cost of providing menus, cost of space used for restaurants and galleys, cost of linens and silverware, cost of washing dishes, etc.

 

The Longhorn cost includes all of those items plus, hopefully, a profit.

 

If the cost of all those items was added to the Princess food cost, it might exceed the cost of the Longhorn menu price.

 

So your cruise fare pays much more for daily food than the $11.91/day for the food acquisition alone.

 

Unlike a land based restaurant where rent is paid, along with utilities and labor is a variable cost, on a cruise ship all of those costs are pretty much fixed for a given cruise and is independent of the number of meals/passengers served. Even if zero meals were served for a given cruise the cost would be the same. As such the goal of the cruise line is to increase revenue, which is about the only thing they can impact for a given cruise.

[azdmelani]

I was curious to see if the Crown Grill menu had changed lately, so I accessed it through "Specialty Dining Reservations" inside my booking manager online for my upcoming Mexico cruise in September.

 

I was disheartened to read the following at the top:

 

Cover Charge $29 per person

Dinner includes one main course. Please enjoy any additional mains for $10 each

 

As one who in the past thoroughly enjoyed both the NZ lamb chops AND the 8 oz. filet mignon, and not leaving a single morsel in my plate, I have to say: Princess, you've done it again. Found another way to squeeze a few measly $$$ out of passengers.

 

How much longer before the menu becomes "choose one from each course"? Until then, IF (a big IF) I do go to the CG this cruise, I'll be loading up on the starters.

 

Me: "Bring me another BLACK TIGER PRAWN AND PAPAYA SALPICON please"

Waiter: "But Sir, that is your sixth one tonight..."

Me: "Better make it two more then...":evilsmile:

 

Just back from the regal- I had the tiger prawns and lobster tails- no additional charge. YMMV

[XBGuy]

I agree with you. I will get the chicken on the skewers and ask them to keep all away from anything on the grille that had any shrimp, etc. It is a lot to ask to do things so different...just like the chef's table...would love to do it, but do not want to ask for everything different from someone else, it really calls attention and we don't want that. They are really good on Princess about my allergies, as if someone even touches my plate and touched shellfish I swell up and get hives for a week. Not good for me! So I try to be careful and go with what I know works. We prefer the atmosphere in Sabatini's over CG, much more romantic.

 

Oh, wow, Mellon. Again you have my sympathy. Not to rub it in, but I am an omnivore. I love to eat just about everything (OK, yes, I do draw the line at beets.), and I would be very disappointed if I could not eat the very things that are so dangerous to you.

[jamesboat]

It would be interesting to read what anyone can get for USD29 at a half decent restaurant in the USA. It would be interesting also to price the Crown Grill menu in terms of the same sort of restaurant. I do feel that USD29 for what we ate there recently was very good value.

That saying, I do not feel that it is worth USD29, on top of what you have already paid in your cruise fare, to eat there, the food in the MDR is very good (and free). And where you can eat as much as you want.

Personally I would only pay for a specialty restaurant meal for a very special occasion.

 

By eating in the specialty restaurant, you are giving up your MDR "pre-paid reservation" which is around $15.

 

So think $45, not 29.

 

 

I can do better on land.

 

Never mind that at sea, Princess is paying a lot less than a land based restaurant would. Theyre paying staff pennies, they're their own landlord, and they have very little regulation because of the flag they fly.