Carnival dining changes, will Princess follow?

[Cruiser933]

I don’t think anyone has brought up that these people take a very long time to eat. If you are at a shared table, the waiters will not serve your next course while your table mates are still being served multiples of the current course, so you are forced to sit waiting while they eat. In anytime dining, people may be waiting for a table to open while these people spend the entire evening taking the table. I am in favor of the charge.

[Cruise Raider]

I’m also in favor of this charge.  I see absolutely nothing wrong with charging people for extra items they may order, much as they would at any land based restaurant where you’d order.  
I’ve read where people want to try some of everything, thus, they order and take a bite or two from each plate and the rest gets thrown away.  I absolutely hate seeing food waste!  The portions are very adequate for a majority of people.  If you want to stuff yourself silly, then you should pay for it.  
People will think twice before ordering more than an entree or two if it comes out of their pockets.  

 

[geocruiser]

For me one dinner is enough.   At the buffet I only take what I can eat.  If I want more, then I will  go back.  I was taught at a very early age not to waste food.

[geocruiser]

Sorry this was a double post.

Edited November 3, 2022 by geocruiser

[Kay S]

How many people actually do this?  I admit I have not paid attention to the diners around me and their ordering habits.  I wonder if this is designed to cut down on lobsters.  The only time I remember someone eating thirds was on lobster night.  My advice would be to go get your lobster in the Crown Grill.  The upcarge will get you one good lobster as opposed to three puny ones in the MDR.

[voljeep]

we are thinking about doing the UBD - Ultimate Balcony Dining - on our next cruise if offered.  I'm concerned about the amount of food as there is no way I/we can eat all of that is a single setting ...

but do want the experience ( with OBC )

[malba2366]

1 hour ago, Kay S said:

How many people actually do this?  I admit I have not paid attention to the diners around me and their ordering habits.  I wonder if this is designed to cut down on lobsters.  The only time I remember someone eating thirds was on lobster night.  My advice would be to go get your lobster in the Crown Grill.  The upcarge will get you one good lobster as opposed to three puny ones in the MDR.

Exactly...huge difference between Maine and Caribbean lobster.

[XBGuy]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

we are thinking about doing the UBD - Ultimate Balcony Dining - on our next cruise if offered.  I'm concerned about the amount of food as there is no way I/we can eat all of that is a single setting ...

but do want the experience ( with OBC )

 

 

We are big fans of the UBD.  We've done it multiple times, and, yes, it is quite a bit of food.  I have always ordered the beef tenderloin entree, and Mrs. XBGuy has always ordered the lobster tails.  Without exception she has not been able to finish her lobster tails, but I, being the noble gentleman that I am, have always been able to finish them off for her.  Similarly, I have often had to finish off her dessert.  After dessert you're leaning back in your chair, sipping your coffee, thinking you are done, and the waiter appears with another platter.  These seem to vary.  Sometimes it's cookies.  Sometimes it's petit fours.  The good news is that these keep for days.  So, one of my UBD tips is to try to have it earlier rather than later in the cruise so that you have a few days to finish off that last platter.

 

We never eat lunch.  So, that is our strategy for enjoying any dinner -- especially, a special event such as the Ultimate Balcony Dinner.

[Arizona Wildcat]

On 11/2/2022 at 4:58 PM, MileHighAko said:

I'd rather they just raise the overall fare price (I know that comment isn't popular) vs. nickel/dime in the MDR or other venues. Everything is more expensive these days, and the constant cutting of services and quality onboard is adding up. Just charge a bit more and keep the quality and service high. The price of cruising seems to have gone down over time, and expectations have gone up. 

Absolutely not.  The extra  charge is not for the dinner.   You can still get a second appetizer, steak and dessert included.  The charge is for the THIRD entree.  Really!!  Nobody should need three entrees.

[sonomaphil]

Let me first say I have never ordered more than one entrée in the dining room. But what's the difference between the dining room and the all you eat buffet, the all you can eat room service, the all you can eat pizza and the all you can eat International Café onboard?  Are these Carnival entrees that special? 

[Kay S]

1 minute ago, sonomaphil said:

Let me first say I have never ordered more than one entrée in the dining room. But what's the difference between the dining room and the all you eat buffet, the all you can eat room service, the all you can eat pizza and the all you can eat International Café onboard?  Are these Carnival entrees that special? 

I'm still thinking it applies to lobsters mostly.

[Mara4166]

9 hours ago, voljeep said:

we are thinking about doing the UBD - Ultimate Balcony Dining - on our next cruise if offered.  I'm concerned about the amount of food as there is no way I/we can eat all of that is a single setting ...

but do want the experience ( with OBC )

We did UBD once and will never do it again.  The volume of food put us off eating.  It was not enjoyable knowing so much food was going to waste.

[GabbyRose]

Yes, charge people for more than 2 entrees in the MDR! I was once seated next to a couple that had ordered 2 of every entrees on the menu. That couple must have noticed our wide-eye glance at them because he exclaimed "I can eat". Yes, you can eat but should you eat that much.

[Mike45LC]

On 11/2/2022 at 5:23 PM, SantaFeFan said:

 

The big picture is not forcing people to pay more for something they don't use. 

I don't go to trivia or other "games" on board.  I don't go to International Cafe.  I don't use the pool or the library.  I don't go to lectures.  I don't turn n my cabin's TV once I watch the Safety At Sea lecture.  Should I get a discount from the standard fare because otherwise I am being charged for some things I don't use?

 

Do you want to start imposing charges for the Production Shows?  Or the so-called Comedy Shows?  So that people who don't attend don't have to pay for what they are not using?

 

I like the fact that most everything is included in the basic fare, and I oppose the idea of an extra charge for third entree.  I have never ordered three entrees, but I like the idea of being able to try something new and if it is horrible, sending it back and going for a different main entree.  I don't do this because I am not an adventurous eater, but I like the idea!

 

I'd prefer paying a little bit more for the basic fare and not having new limits imposed.

 

[Mike45LC]

16 hours ago, Kay S said:

I'm still thinking it applies to lobsters mostly.

If those lobster tails were not microscopic, people might eat fewer of them.  Last week, Princess served the smallest lobster tails ever seen by man!

[Mike45LC]

17 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Absolutely not.  The extra  charge is not for the dinner.   You can still get a second appetizer, steak and dessert included.  The charge is for the THIRD entree.  Really!!  Nobody should need three entrees.

"Steak" -- do you know how rare it is to find steak on the dinner menu these days?  And the steaks they did serve were pretty tough.  Does sending back a steak that cannot be cut to be replaced count as ordering a second entree? 

 

What about sending back a steak that was order medium rare and which was delivered well-done?  Does that count as a second entree?

 

[DCThunder]

35 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

If those lobster tails were not microscopic, people might eat fewer of them.  Last week, Princess served the smallest lobster tails ever seen by man!

Maybe they were really crawfish.

[SantaFeFan]

2 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

I don't go to trivia or other "games" on board.  I don't go to International Cafe.  I don't use the pool or the library.  I don't go to lectures.  I don't turn n my cabin's TV once I watch the Safety At Sea lecture.  Should I get a discount from the standard fare because otherwise I am being charged for some things I don't use?

 

Do you want to start imposing charges for the Production Shows?  Or the so-called Comedy Shows?  So that people who don't attend don't have to pay for what they are not using?

 

I like the fact that most everything is included in the basic fare, and I oppose the idea of an extra charge for third entree.  I have never ordered three entrees, but I like the idea of being able to try something new and if it is horrible, sending it back and going for a different main entree.  I don't do this because I am not an adventurous eater, but I like the idea!

 

I'd prefer paying a little bit more for the basic fare and not having new limits imposed.

 

 

Agree to disagree. As my wife always tells me: "If I agreed with you, then we would both be wrong."  🙃

[Over from NZ]

Anybody worried about their third entree really needs to take a look at themselves. Although I don't want to see the cruise-lines continue down the "nickel and dime" road they all appear to be on.. that's an overdue change and a fair one. The upsell charge is over the top.. but if people want to choose to dine in the specialty restaurant.. that's their choice. 

[Mary loves to travel]

On 11/3/2022 at 12:26 AM, caribill said:

 

Almost everyone on a cruise is paying for things they do not use.

 

o You are paying for entertainment in the Princess Theater even if you never attend a show.

o You are paying for swimming pools even if you never take a swim.

o You are paying for movies on MUTS even if you never see one.

o You are paying for ping pong tables and equipment even if you never use them.

o You are paying for food at the International Cafe, even if you never get something there.

o You are paying for soft-serve ice cream even if you never get any.

o Etc.

 

Almost.   We're paying for a variety of entertainment choices and activities.   There's not enough pool space for everyone to swim on the same day, for example.    Same with MUTS, shows, ping pong tables, sports courts.     Even if you do none of the offered activities, you may well benefit from having many other occupied & not in the hallways 🙂

Edited November 4, 2022 by Mary loves to travel

[Tiggerontheseas]

6 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

"Steak" -- do you know how rare it is to find steak on the dinner menu these days?  And the steaks they did serve were pretty tough.  Does sending back a steak that cannot be cut to be replaced count as ordering a second entree? 

 

What about sending back a steak that was order medium rare and which was delivered well-done?  Does that count as a second entree?

 

 

Just guessing, but I think its unlikely that it would count as a second entrée.  It doesn't in a land restaurant that charges you for every entrée so I don't see it happening here.  I think Carnival is being upfront that they are trying to maximize their bottom line by trying to cut waste in a way that won’t affect many passengers.   

 

And also, as some have mentioned, limit the amount of 6 entrée orders on lobster nights.  🦞 

[Wakepatrol]

[JimmyVWine]

Back to the topic at hand…I have been reading lots of articles on this topic this week and I am amazed at the price difference between PCL and its competitors when it comes to Specialty dining. $48 here. $60 there. And Princess is  at $29/$25. Hard to imagine that a $$10+ price jump isn’t coming soon. 

[Over from NZ]

3 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Back to the topic at hand…I have been reading lots of articles on this topic this week and I am amazed at the price difference between PCL and its competitors when it comes to Specialty dining. $48 here. $60 there. And Princess is  at $29/$25. Hard to imagine that a $$10+ price jump isn’t coming soon. 

hmmm. $29 seems excessive already. But I bet you it is coming..

[MissP22]

5 hours ago, Over from NZ said:

hmmm. $29 seems excessive already. But I bet you it is coming..

We stopped going when they eliminated the BOGO coupon on the first night.

Not that it wasn't a decent meal but just not worth the extra charge compared to what we receive in the main DR.