Cruise line rationale for Specialty Restaurant upcharge

[NantahalaCruiser]

On 10/27/2018 at 4:21 PM, SunsetPoint said:

First, I will say that I think the food in the MDR is very good (really, my only complaint with the MDR is the service during lunch).  We did Aqua last time and LOVED Blu.  Did one evening in Murano because another couple we were hanging out with had booked there one night to celebrate their anniversary and invited us to join them.  We did and thought it was very good, but not really any better than Blu as far as the food was concerned.  Yes, we had more people waiting on us, but we kind of considered it to be "unnecessary" and if anything a bit intrusive to trying to carry on conversation and enjoy each other's company, so to each his own.  We got to thinking about the upcharge later and asking ourselves if it was really worth it, and the answer was a resounding "No," especially in the context of having already paid more for Aqua/Blu.  

 

This may not sit well with guests who are not in Aqua/Blu or Suite/Luminae, but I feel like there should be a sliding scale of payment towards the specialty restaurants.  I'm just going to make up numbers here for the sake of illustration.  Let's say that dinner in the MDR is worth $35 per person, that dinner in Blu is worth $50, and that dinner in Luminae is worth $75, and that everyone's paying the full upcharge of $50.  I'll probably never be in a suite myself, but why should suite guests effectively pay $125 per person for dinner in Murano ($75 for the dinner cost built into their fare + $50 upcharge), while Aqua guests effectively pay $100 ($50 for the dinner cost built into their fare + $50 upcharge), and others pay $85 ($35 for the dinner cost built into their fare + $50 upcharge)?  I think a $50 per person upcharge is way too much anyhow, but I find it particularly hard to justify when already paying an upcharge for Aqua/Blu. 

On my 9/6/19 Reflection Iberian Cruise, the current fare difference between a 1A and A2 is about $115 pp per day. Does that make a dinner in Blu worth $35 + $115 = $150? If so, with your logic, there should be a negative "upcharge" for Murano for AQ passengers!

[Luvcrusn]

We have been offered a 50% discount in Murano the first evening because we were Aqua Class. Verandah, Ocean View and Insides were being offered 20%. The website is currently offering 30% discounts to everyone for first night reservations in all the specialties. 

[TeeRick]

I would like an option of a base fare without any dining included.  Then I could choose a price to add for MDR, Specialty, Buffet whatever I want.  Personally if I had a base price I would add specialty restaurants every night without being double charged for the MDR.

[Orator]

7 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I would like an option of a base fare without any dining included.  Then I could choose a price to add for MDR, Specialty, Buffet whatever I want.  Personally if I had a base price I would add specialty restaurants every night without being double charged for the MDR.

Interesting idea! However, my initial reaction is that prices for Specialty Restaurants would be significantly increased since the demand would most likely increase. The availability of space, especially on M Class ships, might be a problem. I can just see the comments on Cruise Critic from those who were shut out.

[CulverCityCruisers]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[TeeRick]

On 10/30/2018 at 1:41 PM, Orator said:

Interesting idea! However, my initial reaction is that prices for Specialty Restaurants would be significantly increased since the demand would most likely increase. The availability of space, especially on M Class ships, might be a problem. I can just see the comments on Cruise Critic from those who were shut out.

 

Yes you are correct of course.  But when I sail in a non-premium suite (SS or CS) and I dine in a specialty restaurant I am paying for the base MDR plus the Luminae premium in my cruise fare and then paying extra on board for the Specialty.  If you think about it that way it is quite an expensive meal.  The same holds for people in Aqua.