Charge for second entree?

[cruisegirl1]

2 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Business as usual for one of our "regular" posters😇

Not sure why I bothered. Couldn’t help myself! 

M

 

[cruisegirl1]

5 minutes ago, Ayla4m said:

Figures this happens right as we're going on our once every ten years anniversary cruise...was looking forward to trying some new things. Pretty ridiculous if the portions are small anyways to do this. Especially when we paid so much just for the cruise itself....nickel and diming us all the way....also would have loved communication from holland america to its customers this month that will be affected by it. Not a peep.

Are you sailing HAL?  The article notes that it is just 4 ships. 

 

Hope you enjoy your anniversary cruise. 

M

[Ayla4m]

1 minute ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Are you sailing HAL?  The article notes that it is just 4 ships. 

 

Hope you enjoy your anniversary cruise. 

M

Yeah....oosterdam in 2 weeks.  Its not going to make or break our cruise for sure, we just really want some relaxtion time away. Just feel like it would have been nice for holland to notify their passengers themselves.  I will try the appetizer portion of the entree route that people have been mentioning. I like that idea better, don't need tons of food, just looking to venture out of the comfort zone in the culinary realm 🙂 Thanks for the well wishes!

[cruiseguy1016]

20 minutes ago, Ayla4m said:

Figures this happens right as we're going on our once every ten years anniversary cruise...was looking forward to trying some new things. Pretty ridiculous if the portions are small anyways to do this. Especially when we paid so much just for the cruise itself....nickel and diming us all the way....also would have loved communication from holland america to its customers this month that will be affected by it. Not a peep.

 

10 minutes ago, Ayla4m said:

Yeah....oosterdam in 2 weeks.  Its not going to make or break our cruise for sure, we just really want some relaxtion time away. Just feel like it would have been nice for holland to notify their passengers themselves.  I will try the appetizer portion of the entree route that people have been mentioning. I like that idea better, don't need tons of food, just looking to venture out of the comfort zone in the culinary realm 🙂 Thanks for the well wishes!

 

 

 I wonder if you'd have an argument if you told them that this was NOT the policy when you booked. As with increased gratuities, you should not be expected to pay more for what was included when you booked the cruise.

[andrew2346]

IS there a policy on number of entrees?

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, andrew2346 said:

IS there a policy on number of entrees?

Not in the MDR 

Edited March 3, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[RickinStl]

So if you really want a second entrée just go to the buffet after you leave the MDR..  Problem solved 🙂

 

[JTBCruiser]

As I've grown older, I've found I can't eat as much as I used to.  Gone are the days of 3-4 appetizers, 2 entrees and 2-3 desserts.  I was active and could burn it up.  Now down to 2 appetizers an entree and if lucky 2-3 desserts.  :-)

[luv2cruisekc]

Not surprising. I think eventually the only included place to eat with no charge will be the buffett. I have been saying that for quite a while.  Really sad.  

[luv2cruisekc]

I am referring to all cruise lines by the way. 

[zebra36]

Perhaps there was some motive behind the survey re: the menu layout a few months ago. I could see listing prices along the entrees for a second selection.

[kochleffel]

3 hours ago, ATC cruiser said:

They say this is a way to reduce waste. I’d be willing to bet that the vast majority of waste comes from the buffet, not the MDR.

 

At a Cruise Critic M&G last week on another cruise line, the dining manager said exactly that. He was referring to what people leave on their plates, having taken too much or trying things that they don't actually like, but there is additional waste from food that has to be discarded because it has been out of refrigeration, or kept warm at too low a temperature, for too long. There is a public-health rule about it.

[molsonschooner]

20 minutes ago, JTBCruiser said:

As I've grown older, I've found I can't eat as much as I used to.  Gone are the days of 3-4 appetizers, 2 entrees and 2-3 desserts.  I was active and could burn it up.  Now down to 2 appetizers an entree and if lucky 2-3 desserts.  🙂

that sounds like me. 

[time4u2go]

38 minutes ago, luv2cruisekc said:

Not surprising. I think eventually the only included place to eat with no charge will be the buffett. I have been saying that for quite a while.  Really sad.  

I agree.  I think the cruise lines are basically just all waiting for one of them to pull the trigger and be the first one to do this, then they probably all will.

[tutzig]

9 hours ago, ditmar2007 said:

 

 

I hate to see good food wasted because someone feels entitled to try out a lot of food just to see if they like it.

 

This is the advantage of a cruise. I can try something that I have never tried before, to see if I like it. Because, if I don't, then I can get a different entree. 

 

As with anything, people will abuse it.

 

But, I LOVE being able to try something..

[nelblu]

Many times I don't like any appetizers and order a main entrée as an appetizer in addition.  As others have said, I probably go to the WJ & SR,  remove my daily grats. and distribute as service is provided.

 

I guess they could convert the MDR's to add'l cabins and larger DLs.

[nelblu]

41 minutes ago, luv2cruisekc said:

Not surprising. I think eventually the only included place to eat with no charge will be the buffett. I have been saying that for quite a while.  Really sad.  

 

Prices of cruises better come down and I can use the savings towards the SR package.

[nelblu]

38 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

 

At a Cruise Critic M&G last week on another cruise line, the dining manager said exactly that. He was referring to what people leave on their plates, having taken too much or trying things that they don't actually like, but there is additional waste from food that has to be discarded because it has been out of refrigeration, or kept warm at too low a temperature, for too long. There is a public-health rule about it.

 

That applies to buffet dining environment.

[ditmar2007]

5 hours ago, JAMESCC said:

... and the portions intentionally small....

They seem quite normal to me. I live in Denmark.

[kochleffel]

22 minutes ago, nelblu said:

 

That applies to buffet dining environment.

 

Well, yes. He did not say that second main courses in the MDR were a source of waste. Whenever I have seen someone order two mains, she or he ate every bite of both.

[time4u2go]

58 minutes ago, nelblu said:

 

Prices of cruises better come down and I can use the savings towards the SR package.

Prices of cruises will come down the same amount the price of airline tickets came down when airlines started charging for checked bags.

[Clepire]

15 hours ago, Mikew0805 said:

So looks like Holland America is trying it out. As the article states... where one line goes, others seems to follow. I personally am not one to order a second entree, although I am guilty of a salad and two appetizers. I wonder if it will be successful, and if it will come to RCI/CCL, as I have read many reviews on both where multiple entrees are ordered.

 

https://cruiseradio.net/cruise-line-adds-fee-for-second-entree-in-main-dining-room/

 

John Heald confirmed Carnival will not be doing this.

[TwoMisfits]

It's a dumb plan...I don't expect this one to survive b/c here's what will happen...

 

1. Folks will order their 1st entree - then if they don't like it for whatever reason (it was something they never had, it was cold, it was subparly prepared, etc) - they will SEND IT BACK, no matter how much they tried off it - I can totally see someone eating the "desired protein" and sending back the plate for subpar sauce/sides/etc!  And then, they will ask for a complementary 2nd entree.  And the poor wait staff will now have to hold desserts for the table while rushing to get a 2nd main for the person who would have normally pre-ordered two...and figure out how not to charge them or deal with a customer service issue at the same time.

2. Folks will order an insane amount of apps...and then poor waitstaff will have to figure out how to send them out, in what order, etc...again, they will have extra work (b/c delivering 2 mains vs 4 apps is easier).

 

Last cruise, I ordered a side protein only twice to go with my main entree (ordered the lobster tail with the braised beef gnocchi and the fish of the day with the vegetarian ratatouille over polenta)...both times, I think I actually made a better dish as a core:).  I also ordered no entree 2 nights and stuck to 2-3 apps. 

 

The way waste is avoided in the dining room is to let folks order what they want to eat and make that (and I thought RCCL was GREAT at that, b/c they did deliver me the 2 side proteins with no other parts of the entrees, which Carnival was unable to do my prior trip)...so, like other posters, I agree this is NOT about waste, but is all about revenue...but they will have unintended consequences that might cost them more revenue...and if not, might cost them wait staff employee satisfaction...

 

[JMukamuk]

Not that this addresses the fee for a second entree, but I think it would be pretty neat to offer a "sample size" of some entrees.  There are several entrees that sound appealing to me, but I'm incredibly picky and hate to waste an entire plate for something I didn't like.  

[ValerieJo]

Unfortunately, I see the poor waitstaff being stiffed.  This gives people even more reason to withhold their gratuities as they may end up at the buffet instead.  😞