Anyone try the MDR upsells?

[atexsix]

Interesting video. Different cruise line obviously, but most ships will operate in a similar way.  The video does imply that each restaurant does their own cooking.

 

 

[atexsix]

15 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Tamarind has it’s own kitchen which is why it’s only on certain ships.

Where is it exactly?  I've walked past that restaurant a hundred times but don't recall a galley nearby.

[Florida_gal_50]

5 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Where is it exactly?  I've walked past that restaurant a hundred times but don't recall a galley nearby.

Now I’m trying to go by memory so it can be shaky.  On the eurodam and n Amsterdam when you walk in there are silver doors straight ahead.  That is where the galley is.  Do I have a sworn statement from Gus?  Nope.  It makes no sense to drag food from a galley 8 plus floors below.  Maybe there is a big slide behind those doors.  Fun going down but it would suck to crawl up with food in your hands 😛.

[Cruising-along]

Bruno, if you’re ever up around Mt. Vernon, I highly recommend Il Granaio for lunch or dinner. We’ve been going there for about 15 years. The original owner came over from Milan and we love the food there! He sold the restaurant last year. We miss him and his family but the new owner is keeping all the same dishes and still excellent. Would love to know your opinion as an Italian!

[kazu]

15 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Where is it exactly?  I've walked past that restaurant a hundred times but don't recall a galley nearby.

 

You don’t see it unless you are in the restaurant and then you see the doors.  The galley is on the inside of the ship - like most of the galleys..  The kitchen for the PG on the Prinsendam was on the same.  If you looked you could see where the servers were coming from but it’s very discreet 😉 

 

5 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Now I’m trying to go by memory so it can be shaky.  On the eurodam and n Amsterdam when you walk in there are silver doors straight ahead.  That is where the galley is.  Do I have a sworn statement from Gus?  Nope.  It makes no sense to drag food from a galley 8 plus floors below.  Maybe there is a big slide behind those doors.  Fun going down but it would suck to crawl up with food in your hands 😛.

 

LOL on the slide.  They definitely have their own galley and chef.  I remember the silver doors in a slightly different spot but it’s been a while since I have been on a Signature ship so I don’t trust my memory 😉 

[atexsix]

27 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Now I’m trying to go by memory so it can be shaky.  On the eurodam and n Amsterdam when you walk in there are silver doors straight ahead.  That is where the galley is.  Do I have a sworn statement from Gus?  Nope.  It makes no sense to drag food from a galley 8 plus floors below.  Maybe there is a big slide behind those doors.  Fun going down but it would suck to crawl up with food in your hands 😛.

Well it could work....maybe, lol 😁

 

[atexsix]

22 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

You don’t see it unless you are in the restaurant and then you see the doors.  The galley is on the inside of the ship - like most of the galleys..  The kitchen for the PG on the Prinsendam was on the same.  If you looked you could see where the servers were coming from but it’s very discreet 😉 

 

 

LOL on the slide.  They definitely have their own galley and chef.  I remember the silver doors in a slightly different spot but it’s been a while since I have been on a Signature ship so I don’t trust my memory 😉 

Thanks to both of you.

 

That explains why I never saw it, when on my out I would have no reason to be focused on it.  I'll look for it this weekend and maybe even snap a picture. 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Something not mentioned in this thread. When you order something that is an UpCharge in one of the Specialty restaurants and you are a Mariner that gets a discount, you do receive that discount on the upcharge item. But when you order one of the upcharged items in the MRD you do not receive any discount.

[Evilmuffin]

I haven’t been on a cruise since 2015.   Can someone quickly explain what an upsell is?   

[Hlitner]

6 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Take a look at the cost of cruising on a line like Holland America a decade or so ago and now.  It partially explains the onboard extra charges.  They make the bulk of their money from on board spending not from the booking itself.

We hear you and continue to have mixed emotions.  Having been cruising for over 45 years on mostly mass market lines (with a few luxury lines mixed in the bookings) we have long been very comfortable with the mass market lines (such as HAL).  But lately (in the past 5 years) we are starting to understand the big advantage offered by the premium and luxury lines.   On our recent Seabourn cruise we had many tender ports.  Never once did we need a tender ticket or wait in a queue.  When we wanted to go ashore we simply walked down to the tender area and there was never more then 10 folks waiting.  In fact, when DW and I tendered ashore in Santorini we were the only 2 passengers on a large shore-based tender!  I kid you not.  We had the tender to ourselves and even had the entire cable car to ourselves (about 8:45 am).  It was really weird but true.    We have been on HAL cruises where over 75% of the passengers were 4-5 Star Mariners and all had tender priority :).  Obviously when everyone gets priority nobody get priority and there was still the usual tender ticket game, waiting in a lounge to be called, etc.    For this ole guy, being on a ship for 2 weeks without a single line (queue) was worth extra money.   And I will say (with no doubt) that the filet mignon they served on Seabourn in the MDR was the best filet mignon I have had at sea and rivaled anything I have had at the best land based steak houses.   What they serve in the Pinnacle does not even come close (although it is good).    Also consider on Seabourn if I wanted caviar (darn good caviar) I simply had to ask (at any bar or via room service) and quickly had a spread that would have cost me $70 -$100 on just about any mass market line that even had it!    I should mention on Seabourn there are no extra charges for their alternative restaurants (Silverseas does charge extra for some alternative venues).

 

Hank

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, Evilmuffin said:

I haven’t been on a cruise since 2015.   Can someone quickly explain what an upsell is?   

Food item with a price supplement on them like a tomahawk steak in the mdr.

[rkacruiser]

8 hours ago, MikeD4134 said:

I have taken the tour of the kitchen facilities on 2 different HAL ships, neither of which had separate facilities for specialty restaurants. 

 

I have taken the Behind the Scenes Tour and I can assure you that the Galleys for the Pinnacle Grill are separate from the MDR Galley.  Adjacent?  Yes.  But, they are separate.

 

7 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

So the tamarind is on the 10 or 11th floor, I can’t recall.   The galley is on 2 or 3.  So they are carting food up the elevator I guess.  That makes total sense 😂.

 

Well, it doesn't make any sense.

 

7 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Tamarind has it’s own kitchen which is why it’s only on certain ships.

 

That is correct as far as what I know.  

 

7 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

Canaletto 

 

Canaletto's Galley is incorporated within the Lido Restaurant Galley.  If there is a distinct separation between the two, I have no idea.  

[Florida_gal_50]

13 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We hear you and continue to have mixed emotions.  Having been cruising for over 45 years on mostly mass market lines (with a few luxury lines mixed in the bookings) we have long been very comfortable with the mass market lines (such as HAL).  But lately (in the past 5 years) we are starting to understand the big advantage offered by the premium and luxury lines.   On our recent Seabourn cruise we had many tender ports.  Never once did we need a tender ticket or wait in a queue.  When we wanted to go ashore we simply walked down to the tender area and there was never more then 10 folks waiting.  In fact, when DW and I tendered ashore in Santorini we were the only 2 passengers on a large shore-based tender!  I kid you not.  We had the tender to ourselves and even had the entire cable car to ourselves (about 8:45 am).  It was really weird but true.    We have been on HAL cruises where over 75% of the passengers were 4-5 Star Mariners and all had tender priority :).  Obviously when everyone gets priority nobody get priority and there was still the usual tender ticket game, waiting in a lounge to be called, etc.    For this ole guy, being on a ship for 2 weeks without a single line (queue) was worth extra money.   And I will say (with no doubt) that the filet mignon they served on Seabourn in the MDR was the best filet mignon I have had at sea and rivaled anything I have had at the best land based steak houses.   What they serve in the Pinnacle does not even come close (although it is good).    Also consider on Seabourn if I wanted caviar (darn good caviar) I simply had to ask (at any bar or via room service) and quickly had a spread that would have cost me $70 -$100 on just about any mass market line that even had it!    I should mention on Seabourn there are no extra charges for their alternative restaurants (Silverseas does charge extra for some alternative venues).

 

Hank

 

 

Would it be the same if they were sailing at 100 percent capacity? I guess I’ve been unlucky because I wasn’t paying more 10 years ago.  I’m paying quite a bit more now.

[mr. godfredo]

7 hours ago, atexsix said:

Where is it exactly?  I've walked past that restaurant a hundred times but don't recall a galley nearby.

We were on a cruise on Eurodam a few years back and there was a small fire in the Tamarind galley that caused an alarm to go off. The Captain came on the PA and announced that there was a "small fire in the galley in Tamarind that caused the alarm and that it was distinguished and all was safe and clear." 

[kazu]

2 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Something not mentioned in this thread. When you order something that is an UpCharge in one of the Specialty restaurants and you are a Mariner that gets a discount, you do receive that discount on the upcharge item. But when you order one of the upcharged items in the MRD you do not receive any discount.

Wow, that’s a big change Lisa. Thanks 🙂

 

BC (Before Covid) we never got a discount on the upcharge items in the specialty restaurants.  I’ll be delighted if that happens and yes, we order the caviar in he PG and the shellfish appetizer in Sel de Mer.  

Both well done and if you want to price caviar it’s a really decent price 👍 

 

[kazu]

2 hours ago, Evilmuffin said:

I haven’t been on a cruise since 2015.   Can someone quickly explain what an upsell is?   

 

A clarification on your question - an upsell is an offer to upgrade your cabin choice at a discounted price (but still costs).

 

An Up Charge - which people are talking about here are items on the specialty dining menus and the MDR menu which you can order if you want to pay extra.  Hope this helps. 🤞 

[Chickadee910]

I have seen the new menus on navigator but I don’t see the items anymore that are standard like the steak or chicken. Hope that alternative is still available in case I don’t feel too curious that night. Thanks.

[Mary229]

2 hours ago, Evilmuffin said:

I haven’t been on a cruise since 2015.   Can someone quickly explain what an upsell is?   

An upsell is a marketing term for attaching another option to a sale such as  home or auto warranties.  

[kazu]

53 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We hear you and continue to have mixed emotions.  Having been cruising for over 45 years on mostly mass market lines (with a few luxury lines mixed in the bookings) we have long been very comfortable with the mass market lines (such as HAL).  But lately (in the past 5 years) we are starting to understand the big advantage offered by the premium and luxury lines.   On our recent Seabourn cruise we had many tender ports.  Never once did we need a tender ticket or wait in a queue.  When we wanted to go ashore we simply walked down to the tender area and there was never more then 10 folks waiting.  In fact, when DW and I tendered ashore in Santorini we were the only 2 passengers on a large shore-based tender!  I kid you not.  We had the tender to ourselves and even had the entire cable car to ourselves (about 8:45 am).  It was really weird but true.    We have been on HAL cruises where over 75% of the passengers were 4-5 Star Mariners and all had tender priority :).  Obviously when everyone gets priority nobody get priority and there was still the usual tender ticket game, waiting in a lounge to be called, etc.    For this ole guy, being on a ship for 2 weeks without a single line (queue) was worth extra money.   And I will say (with no doubt) that the filet mignon they served on Seabourn in the MDR was the best filet mignon I have had at sea and rivaled anything I have had at the best land based steak houses.   What they serve in the Pinnacle does not even come close (although it is good).    Also consider on Seabourn if I wanted caviar (darn good caviar) I simply had to ask (at any bar or via room service) and quickly had a spread that would have cost me $70 -$100 on just about any mass market line that even had it!    I should mention on Seabourn there are no extra charges for their alternative restaurants (Silverseas does charge extra for some alternative venues).

 

Hank

 

 

 

Thanks,  I’ve only been cruising for 30+ years so I guess my experience doesn’t count.  My Oceania cruise was a complete bust l and I will never get DH back on one of their ships ever.  Best food at sea?  If you call a green bean an amuse bouche  then I have better food here. (Although. I am tired of cooking 😉)

If we don’t like our future HAL experiences ( no one else has the itinerary we do in Norway) then we will look to other luxury alternatives.  

If you want to do the same old ports then any cruise will do , but so far only HAL has offered some fantastic itineraries.  We don’t just cruise to be on a ship- we sail also for itinerary.  Now that the Prinsendam is gone, we’ll see what happens.  But the Volendam’s itinerary in Norway next year can’t be found anywhere else that I have seen.

Smooth sailing 😆 

 

 

 

[Aquahound]

8 hours ago, MikeD4134 said:

I have taken the tour of the kitchen facilities on 2 different HAL ships, neither of which had separate facilities for specialty restaurants.  The expense to do so would be far beyond the the upcharge for the restaurants.

 

8 hours ago, MikeD4134 said:

You asked me a fair question that I answered. So here is a fair question for you.  Why do you think there are separate facilities for specialty restaurants?  Have you seen them, do you have any communication from HAL documenting their existence, etc.

 

I've been behind the scenes on MANY cruise ships; not as a passenger, but in my USCG role.  Yes, in many cases, specialty restaurants have their own kitchen.  In fact, on some cruise lines, the kitchen is open to the dining area.  

 

That said, also on some ships, particular specialty restaurant kitchens share the same space as the mdr kitchen, but still have their own distinct area.  On HAL Signature Class (and probably Vista Class), I seem to remember Pinnacle kitchen being part of the mdr kitchen.  

[Hlitner]

14 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Thanks,  I’ve only been cruising for 30+ years so I guess my experience doesn’t count.  My Oceania cruise was a complete bust l and I will never get DH back on one of their ships ever.  Best food at sea?  If you call a green bean an amuse bouche  then I have better food here. (Although. I am tired of cooking 😉)

If we don’t like our future HAL experiences ( no one else has the itinerary we do in Norway) then we will look to other luxury alternatives.  

If you want to do the same old ports then any cruise will do , but so far only HAL has offered some fantastic itineraries.  We don’t just cruise to be on a ship- we sail also for itinerary.  Now that the Prinsendam is gone, we’ll see what happens.  But the Volendam’s itinerary in Norway next year can’t be found anywhere else that I have seen.

Smooth sailing 😆 

 

 

 

We also miss the Prinsendam (our favorite HAL ship) with nothing else in the fleet coming close.  Funny you mention "O" because that is one of the few US based lines that we have never cruised.  We do have our first "O" cruise (on the Marina) coming up in December (if O does not cancel) and we are curious if their cuisine measures up to the comments we always see from their CC fans.  

 

We do agree that HAL has had some great itineraries and have often said, here on CC, that we favor HAL primarily for their terrific itineraries.  Otherwise, in terms of cuisine and entertainment we have never been overly impressed with HAL.  The line has been good enough (especially for the price) but nothing overly impressive.  Many of our favorite things on HAL (i.e. piano bar, crows nest) have either been eliminated or changed :(.  If we ever get on a future HAL cruise (HAL keeps canceling our bookings because of COVID) we will be eager to see if they have improved some things (especially their entertainment).  We do have a 42 day HAL cruise booked in 2021 but are reluctant to book any other future HAL voyages until we see what the line is like post COVID.  At the moment, DW is still raving about our most recent Seabourn Cruise (Ovation 3 weeks ago) which was near perfection!  I do not know how any line can deliver a near faultless cruise after being shut down for nearly 1 1/2 years but somehow Seabourn pulled it off.  We hope HAL can deliver a similar experience.

 

Hank

 

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

Wow, that’s a big change Lisa. Thanks 🙂

 

BC (Before Covid) we never got a discount on the upcharge items in the specialty restaurants.  I’ll be delighted if that happens and yes, we order the caviar in he PG and the shellfish appetizer in Sel de Mer.  

Both well done and if you want to price caviar it’s a really decent price 👍 

 

Jacqui, in July when we dined inTamarind I ordered the Crab Legs which was an UpCharge and they only charged me 50% plus gratuity, then Tom ordered the Lobster Tail in the Pinnacle and again was only charged 50% plus the gratuity. I am able to pull up our November 2019 on board statement and Tom had the Lobster then as well and they also only charged the 50% of the upcharge. I know from talking to others they are NOT giving the Mariner discount if you order the Upsell items in the MDR.

[kazu]

12 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Jacqui, in July when we dined inTamarind I ordered the Crab Legs which was an UpCharge and they only charged me 50% plus gratuity, then Tom ordered the Lobster Tail in the Pinnacle and again was only charged 50% plus the gratuity. I am able to pull up our November 2019 on board statement and Tom had the Lobster then as well and they also only charged the 50% of the upcharge. I know from talking to others they are NOT giving the Mariner discount if you order the Upsell items in the MDR.

 

Thanks Lisa.  That’s a big plus.  We always got charged full price for our up change items in the PG.  I’ll happily take the caviar at 1/2 price 👍. Thanks again 🙂 

 

We were charged full price in April/May 2019 - or was that inconsistency on the ships?  No matter - we’ll order and pay full price or not as long as it’s good, we are too.

[caviargal]

13 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Something not mentioned in this thread. When you order something that is an UpCharge in one of the Specialty restaurants and you are a Mariner that gets a discount, you do receive that discount on the upcharge item. But when you order one of the upcharged items in the MRD you do not receive any discount.

 

Interesting.  Is this written somewhere?  Is it specific to a certain level and above? 

[Florida_gal_50]

24 minutes ago, caviargal said:

 

Interesting.  Is this written somewhere?  Is it specific to a certain level and above? 

Written? It hal.  How could they be inconsistent then😛.  It think the restaurant discounts start at 3 star so it would be that level and above.