Royal testing cutting dinner menu and charge extra for second Lobster.

[FourNines]

Lobster tails.....and to think they were once considered as slop and fed to prisoners and the poor.

We've come a long way.

[alyssamma]

2 minutes ago, FourNines said:

Lobster tails.....and to think they were once considered as slop and fed to prisoners and the poor.

We've come a long way.

Funny, but true...

[Baron Barracuda]

1 hour ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

Yeah. It's not apples to apples given the environment from 2021 to 2022, but based on RCG's last earnings....

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022 Compared to Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021

 •a $375.8 million increase in Food expense.

Probably not a meaningful comparison.  Last year a number of ships were not yet back in service and all were sailing with reduced loads.

[Mark_K]

1 hour ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

Yeah. It's not apples to apples given the environment from 2021 to 2022, but based on RCG's last earnings....

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022 Compared to Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021

 •a $375.8 million increase in Food expense.

They had over ten times as many passenger days for that period in 2022. (24M vs 1.8M)

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Don’t eat Lobster so no problem for me 😁

also it is a Maritime Lobster (big) compared to a Caribbean lobster ( small) 

long thread in the Royal forum 

 

[ICANTWAITTOCRUISE]

We had several half servings of things on the Beyond in luminae. 

[John&LaLa]

39 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Don’t eat Lobster so no problem for me 😁

also it is a Maritime Lobster (big) compared to a Caribbean lobster ( small) 

long thread in the Royal forum 

 

 

Maritime Lobster🤔

Can't say I've heard it called that. Usually Maine or Coldwater. 

 

I kinda enjoy Caribbean Lobster

 

More fun to catch

 

[helen haywood]

Remember when Celebrity tried turning The Mast Grill on a trial basis ( I think on Equinox) to a for fee eatery?  They claimed they were serving something labeled Kobe Style Beef Patties.  It lasted only one sailing.

[LouChamp]

Repulsive. Done with mainstream lines. They don’t need me…I do not need them.  On the surf in waikiki although i respect everyone’s opinion and situations. 

[jelayne]

I would be very disappointed if they eliminated the everyday items.  I can't eat fish or seafood and if you look at the menus of Luminae and eliminate those items the remaining choices are few, so the everyday steak or chicken is my go to.

 

I have often wondered why they didn't charge for extra entrees.  I have yet to go to land based restaurant and been able to order 2 entrees without being charged for both

[upwarduk]

4 hours ago, Smmessineo said:

always have the classic chicken if nothing else appeals and it's delicious. 

It was very rubbery on Silhouette in August.

 

Celebrity have been brilliant catering for Allergies, so I hope they don’t do away with the Salmon.

 

Interestingly, there was a questionnaire on Twitter today, from RCG, about the length of time you wanted to spend in MDR. The majority of people choose the 1 hour option.

Edited November 15, 2022 by upwarduk

[mac_tlc]

I can’t remember the last time I ordered two entrees, but we often utilize the “everyday” items, especially as @Jim_Iain said, in Luminae where you don’t have access to the MDR menus. Terrible idea, driven IMHO by cost, not speed. Pre-Covid, they could feed the entire MDR on an Oasis class ship efficiently and within 2 hours, with most probably around 1 1/2 hrs. Post-Covid, based on the reviews I have read and what I have seen in person, their “my time” dining is a cluster……… What they used to be able to do, seems impossible now —— and on our August Harmony of the Seas cruise the captain said they were fully staffed, so I’m not buying the “not enough servers” line. 
 

 

mac_tlc

[mac_tlc]

9 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

It was very rubbery on Silhouette in August.

 

Celebrity have been brilliant catering for Allergies, so I hope they don’t do away with the Salmon.

 

Interestingly, there was a questionnaire on Twitter today, from RCG, about the length of time you wanted to spend in MDR. The majority of people choose the 1 hour option.

So, RCG will slim down the menu, people will rant ( me included) and they will say it’s what their customers want… The cynic in me says that the results from their test are irrelevant. Their decisions recently on a number of items is certainly pushing me away and more towards X or others. As you can see by my signature, I will oblige.

 

mac_tlc

Edited November 15, 2022 by mac_tlc

[Jeremiah1212]

13 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

It was very rubbery on Silhouette in August.

 

Celebrity have been brilliant catering for Allergies, so I hope they don’t do away with the Salmon.

 

Interestingly, there was a questionnaire on Twitter today, from RCG, about the length of time you wanted to spend in MDR. The majority of people choose the 1 hour option.

 

That doesn't surprise me from a typical Royal passenger. The type of customer that will go on the floating Six Flags/outlet mall/amusement park cluster that is Icon on the Seas are not going to take their brood of kids to a 2.5 hour dinner. 

 

11 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

I can’t remember the last time I ordered two entrees, but we often utilize the “everyday” items, especially as @Jim_Iain said, in Luminae where you don’t have access to the MDR menus. Terrible idea, driven IMHO by cost, not speed. Pre-Covid, they could feed the entire MDR on an Oasis class ship efficiently and within 2 hours, with most probably around 1 1/2 hrs. Post-Covid, based on the reviews I have read and what I have seen in person, their “my time” dining is a cluster……… What they used to be able to do, seems impossible now —— and on our August Harmony of the Seas cruise the captain said they were fully staffed, so I’m not buying the “not enough servers” line. 
 

 

mac_tlc

 

There is a line in the latest earnings quarterly report that suggests they are not fully staffed. They don't segment it brand by brand so it's hard to say which line or ship that applies to.

 

I definitely see Royal going more fast casual based on the food offerings on Icon. They are even doing a fast casual option for suites. I don't see that translating well to Celebrity although I wouldn't rule out changes to Celebrity's food offering just in light of much food costs have risen. 

[Jim_Iain]

We never order 2 lobsters and actually have to specifically tell the waiter only ONE.   I have seen customers order as many as 6 and will refrain what we said to each other.   

 

I was chuckling when I read the article, thinking back to Lisa's first mistake.   She took away the little chocolates on the pillows.   You would have thought the dams had broken.   They quickly bought them back, albeit a cheaper chocolate.

[NutsAboutGolf]

7 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

https://www.thestreet.com/travel/royal-caribbean-tests-major-dining-changes-you-wont-be-happy

 

Interesting article from the owner of Celebrity.   They will test slimming down the MDR menu and elimination of anytime menu to "Speed Up" the dinner service.  

 

Currently, the test is only being done on Symphony of the Seas and the cruise line "is adamant they will be listening to guest feedback onboard the ship for their opinions," wrote Hochberg, whose blog is not affiliated with Royal Caribbean.

 

In addition, the company also made a change to one of its most popular offerings, lobster tails, which are generally served on the second formal night of sailings six nights or longer. Previously, while your entree was served with one lobster tail, you could get more if you asked. On the test menu, a second lobster tail would cost $16.99 plus an 18% gratuity.

 

 

"Listening" and "taking action" are two different things, RCG 🙃

[Ex-Airbalancer]

2 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Maritime Lobster🤔

Can't say I've heard it called that. Usually Maine or Coldwater. 

 

I kinda enjoy Caribbean Lobster

 

More fun to catch

 

 I am told all the best lobsters come from Atlantic provinces in Canada which are called the Maritimes 😁

[Mike45LC]

28 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

I was chuckling when I read the article, thinking back to Lisa's first mistake.   She took away the little chocolates on the pillows.   You would have thought the dams had broken.   They quickly bought them back, albeit a cheaper chocolate.

On my last two cruises (Princess), I brought my own pillow chocolates.  And I just bought a bag of mini chocolates for my upcoming Celebrity cruise -- I am not sure if they give out chocolates in Aqua.  It isn't a cruise without pillow chocolates!!

[PTC DAWG]

3 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Maritime Lobster🤔

Can't say I've heard it called that. Usually Maine or Coldwater. 

 

I kinda enjoy Caribbean Lobster

 

More fun to catch

 

Nice..

[PTC DAWG]

2 hours ago, LouChamp said:

Repulsive. Done with mainstream lines. They don’t need me…I do not need them.  On the surf in waikiki although i respect everyone’s opinion and situations. 

Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon? 

[DirtyDawg]

Just like I have never fretted about the plans for a Stanley Cup parade for my beloved Maple Leafs at the beginning of each of the last 55 hockey seasons, I won't worry about a possible change to the MDR menu, that may or may not happen, sometime in the future, at  a sister cruise line to the one I prefer to cruise on. Just like I won't constantly worry about what I will do when I win the Powerball lottery. 

 

Now I'm off to cook up my two Maritime Lobster tails! 😁

[DirtyDawg]

3 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Maritime Lobster🤔

Can't say I've heard it called that. Usually Maine or Coldwater. 

 

I kinda enjoy Caribbean Lobster

 

More fun to catch

 

What lobsters? I don't see any lobsters. 🤔

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by DirtyDawg

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Mike45LC said:

On my last two cruises (Princess), I brought my own pillow chocolates.  And I just bought a bag of mini chocolates for my upcoming Celebrity cruise -- I am not sure if they give out chocolates in Aqua.  It isn't a cruise without pillow chocolates!!

My understanding is they have then in all classes. 

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, Mike45LC said:

On my last two cruises (Princess), I brought my own pillow chocolates.  And I just bought a bag of mini chocolates for my upcoming Celebrity cruise -- I am not sure if they give out chocolates in Aqua.  It isn't a cruise without pillow chocolates!!

Don't cruise with RC then. 

[Mike45LC]

11 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

My understanding is they have then in all classes. 

But the healthy menus and other health related concerns in Aqua might cause someone to decide against pillow chocolates.  So since I've started bringing my own pillow chocolates due to Princess's new policy, I will bring pillow chocolates on X just in case.  

 

And if I have to eat twice the number of pillow chocolates (my own plus X's), well, I will force myself!!