Specialty Dining 1-1-1

[luv2kroooz]

2 hours ago, v3cruiser said:

wow. it seems like getting a better than life bargain on a cruise ship is going away. I couldnt believe the cost of the brazilian steakhouse moderno chiarascurra.. it has doubled per person since our last cruise. 

Agree totally. Cruises were always marketed as great value, with included meals, lodging, and the opportunity to see the world. We have cruised from Hawaii to Europe to multiple transatlantic crossings. It is too sad to read and hear about the modern day cruise experience. I am so happy that we were fortunate enough to have the opportunity pre Corona to see places by cruise ship at tremendous value.

[luv2kroooz]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

We order as we please in specialty restaurants and just pay the up charges/additional charges. Always have. 

NCL wants customers that couldn't care less about what something costs and for good reason.

 

Think this through..... You get a meal included with your base fare which you presumably don't eat when you go to a specialty restaurant, then you pay an additional fee for the privilege to eat at the specialty restaurant, and then you pay a third fee or upcharge when you get to the restaurant. It is fee on top of fee on top of fee for just one meal....not to mention the service charge you paid for the meal you didn't eat in the dining room plus the service charge on your specialty restaurant meal and then the third service charge on the upcharged entree or side. Yikes...

 

This is definitely the customer that Frank wants though....yes, he is calling the shots for NCL, not Harry. Every time I see him in CNBC, he speaks in the first person....My ships, My crew, etc. He wants people with "fresh wallets" ready, able and willing to spend. Time will tell if there are enough people that will buy in to his stated strategy. Happy cruising.

[Shidah]

They still are a terrific value when compared to the alternative.  Has anyone priced a trip to Disney lately?  Where the dining plan was completely eliminated?  Going through a fast food line, which now takes 20-30 minutes because of a lack of labor (where I live at least, traveled this week to Chicago where they were surprisingly efficient) now costs $12.00.  A large Diet Coke that was $1 for years is now $1.29 or $1.39 depending on region. Do the percentage on that increase.  But for some reason people want to hold cruise lines to the same prices/standards that they were at previously.  It is not possible in the world we live in today.

[Shidah]

Right now, demand is telling that people are buying.  January cruises (which should be a slow time) are selling out.  Who knows about a year from now, since our economy is about to slow down, fast.  Many of us on here may not have the same vacation budgets next year or the next five years that we do now.  For us, we go, and enjoy every minute of it not worrying about the size of a zucchini or the cost of an up charge because life is too short.

[luv2kroooz]

14 minutes ago, Shidah said:

They still are a terrific value when compared to the alternative.  Has anyone priced a trip to Disney lately?  Where the dining plan was completely eliminated?  Going through a fast food line, which now takes 20-30 minutes because of a lack of labor (where I live at least, traveled this week to Chicago where they were surprisingly efficient) now costs $12.00.  A large Diet Coke that was $1 for years is now $1.29 or $1.39 depending on region. Do the percentage on that increase.  But for some reason people want to hold cruise lines to the same prices/standards that they were at previously.  It is not possible in the world we live in today.

I don't disagree with you. In fact, I think it is fair to expect to pay more for anything.  But I see a difference with the cruise lines. What we are seeing with the cruise lines is higher prices with reduced/decreased vacation experience. In your example, yes, you will pay more for a large diet coke, unless you go to McDonalds which is still $1, but you still end up with a large diet coke at the end of the day. Or you might pay more for your airfare, but you'll still fly in a 737 to your final destination.

 

I feel like with cruises you are paying more but getting less.....if they want me to pay higher daily service charges due to inflation, I get it, but don't give me less service; if you want me to pay a higher price for a beverage package, cool, but don't simultaneously take certain spirits off of the included offerings, if you want me to pay $9 for a side of zucchini in a specialty restaurant, well, never, but don't give me three slices of zucchini. Give me three zucchinis...lol.

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by luv2kroooz

[Travelling2Some]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

We order as we please in specialty restaurants and just pay the up charges/additional charges. Always have. 

I will likely do the same but the value of FAS and the value of added specialty dining for my loyalty status are still being eroded.  One of the reasons I tend to book NCL more than other lines is because I value those perks.  

 

In practice, though, I think it will turn out to be acceptable to sub a soup for a seafood appetizer.  The soup is almost certainly less expensive so they would have no logical reason to refuse. 

 

[BirdTravels]

11 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

I will likely do the same but the value of FAS and the value of added specialty dining for my loyalty status are still being eroded.  One of the reasons I tend to book NCL more than other lines is because I value those perks.  

 

In practice, though, I think it will turn out to be acceptable to sub a soup for a seafood appetizer.  The soup is almost certainly less expensive so they would have no logical reason to refuse. 

 

The Platinum loyalty perk has been 1-1-1 for a while. And $35 cap on entrees. As I said, we just order what we want... I am not going to degrade my dining to try and keep within the constraints of the offers. 

[3OfDiamonds]

How strictly has this been enforced recently?  It seems… mean that they would not allow exceptions for people who want to get soup and salad as opposed to one of those two and what would be a more expensive app (for example, with Cagney’s I am allergic to shellfish and have a strong aversion to most fish incl. tuna, so all of the available apps are a no-go) 👀  If they’re not even allowing substitutions (especially if the items would be cheaper in terms of a la carte price), that would not be cool; I understand a limit on the total number of items and one main course per person, but to not allow common-sense swaps would be a major buzzkill 😒

[Sydneyberlin]

I’d really like to hear about recent experiences with this.

I also can’t eat seafood or fish (if I do, my stateroom attendant will have a nightmarish time the next day so let’s not go into details…) and would hope you can at least have you soup plus salad in a case like this.

 

Also, if you’re a really big eater who wants to double up on some of the courses (I might have been guilty of that in the past…), it makes zero sense to allow this in the main dining too still but not in the paid for rooms, I think someone else has already mentioned that up thread. 

[seemoreroyals]

If I had to guess where this is heading, NCL will continue to monetize eating on cruise ships the way they have monetized adult beverages.  Not long ago you could get just about anything you wanted with the standard adult drink package.  Then the price went up. Then the price went up some more along with the 20% gratuities that came with it.  Then the super duper drink package came along and limited what you could get with the standard adult beverage package along with additional price increases on both packages.  

 

I would not be surprised if sometime in the near future NCL introduces the super duper all you can eat on a cruise package where for an additional $500 per guest you can eat all you want with an additional 20% added to gratuities of course.  If you do not like the idea of being limited to 1-1-1-1 for your eating at both specialty diners and more than likely soon to be added regular diners this will be an option that many cruisers will be willing to pay.

 

Right now this is all conjecture.  But based on the success they have had with monetizing the adult drink packages I could easily see this happening with the way they manage our dining choices.

[tbo]

On 1/8/2023 at 10:51 PM, Travelling2Some said:

 

In practice, though, I think it will turn out to be acceptable to sub a soup for a seafood appetizer.  The soup is almost certainly less expensive so they would have no logical reason to refuse. 

 

I agree with this. Some folks can't eat seafood due to allergies, so they just don't get an appetizer? I'm not a seafood fan at all, so I'll be asking about it for sure.  I'd like to hear some first hand reporting from cruisers coming back since this change was made before jumping to conclusions. And experiences may differ ship to ship.

[tbo]

9 minutes ago, seemoreroyals said:

If I had to guess where this is heading, NCL will continue to monetize eating on cruise ships the way they have monetized adult beverages.  Not long ago you could get just about anything you wanted with the standard adult drink package.  Then the price went up. Then the price went up some more along with the 20% gratuities that came with it.  Then the super duper drink package came along and limited what you could get with the standard adult beverage package along with additional price increases on both packages.  

 

I would not be surprised if sometime in the near future NCL introduces the super duper all you can eat on a cruise package where for an additional $500 per guest you can eat all you want with an additional 20% added to gratuities of course.  If you do not like the idea of being limited to 1-1-1-1 for your eating at both specialty diners and more than likely soon to be added regular diners this will be an option that many cruisers will be willing to pay.

 

Right now this is all conjecture.  But based on the success they have had with monetizing the adult drink packages I could easily see this happening with the way they manage our dining choices.

Royal already does this, they have an "unlimited" dining package that you can purchase. Came in a little under $500 for 2 people on our cruises last year. Worked in all of their specialty restaurants for dinners and places that were open for lunch.We were usually "treated" to an extra entree for the table to share, though I expect that had something to do with how they were counting the credits and gratuities. We felt it was well worth the extra money-on 2 RCL cruises, aside from breakfast, we never set foot in the MDR and had fantastic experiences.

 

If NCL offered this, depending on the price point we would certainly try it.

 

 

[RocketMan275]

On 1/8/2023 at 8:23 PM, Warm-Water Diver said:

I also have a hard time believing "anyone" would be happy with paying $3 for a mere slice of Zucchini.

I have a hard time believing anyone would be happy paying anything for any amount of Zucchini.

[Joesantos]

My wife and I had trouble finishing what we enjoyed  at Cagneys ! Certainly could not eat anymore and it was excellent tooo! Salad was amazing as was steak and dessert.

[cruiseny4life]

My experience last week was just a small example using the Free at Sea meal. We ate in Teppanyaki. My husband wanted a side of udon noodles. The server was insistent (he told us three times) there would be an extra charge for this given it was not a part of the entree he selected.

 

When we received the bill, there was no charge for the udon. We paid the cover charge and that is all. Obviously this isn't the same as an extra app, salad, or soup, so certainly may be a different experience for others, especially in the a la carte restaurants.

[BirdTravels]

21 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I have a hard time believing anyone would be happy paying anything for any amount of Zucchini.

Every steakhouse we eat at on land charges for each side. Your entrée gets you a piece of meat. And we are happy to pay for a side on land and at sea. 

 

At a recent dinner at Ramsay steakhouse, we even paid for a side of Foie Gras with our rib eye, along with potatoes and asparagus. 

 

 

Edited January 11, 2023 by BirdTravels

[cruiseny4life]

2 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Every steakhouse we eat at on land charges for each side. Your entrée gets you a piece of meat. And we are happy to pay for a side on land and at sea. 

This is exactly the mentality cruise lines take and I'm not here for it. Sorry, but it's disgusting cruise lines expect you to pay full on land prices for a hunk of meat when you could just go to the main dining room or buffet for your meal. I am absolutely not happy (and no passenger should be unless they have millions, in which case they shouldn't be sailing NCL) about paying land prices for specialty dining that is nowhere near the quality of land-based restaurants.

 

It's simply cruise lines seeing how far they can go. Thanks to attitudes like this, they know they can charge more and more, and get away with it. Say no and the price will stop going up. Hence the reason I'll never have more than the Free at Sea meals on NCL. I would never, ever pay additional money for the mediocre food in the specialty restaurants. I've had better food in NCL's main dining room than Cagney's, Moderno, and La Cucina.

[BirdTravels]

3 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

This is exactly the mentality cruise lines take and I'm not here for it. Sorry, but it's disgusting cruise lines expect you to pay full on land prices for a hunk of meat when you could just go to the main dining room or buffet for your meal. 

There is absolutely nothing that compels anyone to go to specialty dining. It is your choice. If you choose to go to a specialty restaurant, the menus are available for you to make an informed decision. Complaining about something you choose to do seems silly. You can go to the main dining room and have a steak or two every night of your cruise along with as many complimentary sides and appetizers as you want. 

[cruiseny4life]

2 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

There is absolutely nothing that compels anyone to go to specialty dining. It is your choice. If you choose to go to a specialty restaurant, the menus are available for you to make an informed decision. Complaining about something you choose to do seems silly. You can go to the main dining room and have a steak or two every night of your cruise along with as many complimentary sides and appetizers as you want. 

Don't worry, I'll continue to complain about folks that are happy to spend their money on what should be a nominal fee, versus land-based prices...because it raises prices for me. That's why I whine, moan, and thrash about.

By the way, I'd love to hear a comparison between Cagney's steak and Gordon Ramsey's restaurant. I'm guessing Ramsey's was on an entirely different planet than Cagney's. Much like I'd never compare Peter Luger's to anything onboard a NCL ship, even my beloved Haven Restaurant.

 

BTW, There's plenty of places in the US you can get a much better filet/rib eye/whatever than at any restaurant onboard for the same price (or less) than Cagney's charges. Eye popping price comparisons aren't really necessary. For instance, Texas Roadhouse is better than Cagney's. Heck, you can get a sirloin for under $25 with two sides there and a rib eye, with sides, was under $30 last time I went (probably 3 or 4 months ago). I could give fancy schmancy examples too, but NCL isn't fancy schmancy.

 

But, as I said, I make the choice to not go to specialty dining (outside of the Free at Sea meals). Alas, I do have issues with your use of the word "complimentary" too. That means "free." Included would be a more accurate word choice. Kind of like Free at Sea is actually included, not "Free." Oh well!

 

Having said all that, I don't really mind the 1-1-1-1. It's plenty of food, just not great food.

[New2cruise2022]

9 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

There is absolutely nothing that compels anyone to go to specialty dining. It is your choice. If you choose to go to a specialty restaurant, the menus are available for you to make an informed decision. Complaining about something you choose to do seems silly. You can go to the main dining room and have a steak or two every night of your cruise along with as many complimentary sides and appetizers as you want. 

@BirdTravelsYou are speaking from a perspective of privilege that most people do not share or enjoy. NCL has marketed specialty packages and perks for everyone to purchase and participate. The terms and conditions have either been adjusted or are being enforced in such a way that there has been a shift in the value for MOST passengers. @cruiseny4lifeis simply noting that NCL does not offer a dining experience that meets the expectations of many land based restaurants and the idea of paying on top of the specialty dining package price results in a downgrade in value. 

[sailorusvi]

12 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

There is absolutely nothing that compels anyone to go to specialty dining. It is your choice. If you choose to go to a specialty restaurant, the menus are available for you to make an informed decision. Complaining about something you choose to do seems silly. You can go to the main dining room and have a steak or two every night of your cruise along with as many complimentary sides and appetizers as you want. 

I agree.  It's a choice. 

 

I personally would never pay that much for steak at a Ramsey restaurant, but in the summer we happily spend that much (or more per person) at Le Bernardin (NYC restaurant).    Everyone has different things they find value.  You do you (and do research so you are not surprised when the bill comes!

 

That said, I would definitely be calling out the F&B manager on the 3 zucchinis slices. Not even 3 zucchinis, 3 zucchini SLICES.  Hubby is a chef and calculates food cost all the time, we "get" inflated prices, but that was beyond ridiculous.

[PATRLR]

On 1/8/2023 at 10:25 PM, Shidah said:

They still are a terrific value when compared to the alternative.  Has anyone priced a trip to Disney lately?  

Not Disney, but, I did  3 nights in Miami and then Encore (balcony) in November and then in December I did Phoenix AZ, Grand Canyon, Zion, Las Vegas.  Stayed in very nice accommodations at each point (i.e. suites in the hotels IN the park, MGM Grand condos in Vegas).  Yes, I was doing the driving between locations, not someone else.  Had to fly to both trips.  The December trip was about 50% the cost of the Encore in November.   This idea that cruises are great value, even low level mass markets lines like NCL, simply isn't correct.

(Bonus points to anyone that might recognize the REAL reason for that December trip 🙂 )

Edited January 11, 2023 by PATRLR

[cruiseny4life]

Argh, can't edit my post anymore. @BirdTravels, I wasn't graceful with my words. I stand by them, but it could have been said in a different way. I do appreciate many of your posts, just disagree with you on this. Sorry about being flip/rude/however you took my words.

Edited January 11, 2023 by cruiseny4life

[PATRLR]

On 1/8/2023 at 8:37 PM, BirdTravels said:

We order as we please in specialty restaurants and just pay the up charges/additional charges. Always have. 

On 1/8/2023 at 8:49 PM, phoenix1181 said:

I'm with you!  After spending thousands, it makes no sense to worry about another few dollars for something I want.

 

I basically agree with this and that is what we do. That doesn't change the fact that NCL is nickel and diming it's customers.  And the constant reminder of what they are doing gets old - it's annoying.  By "reminder" I mean things like needing to sign a slip for $1.20 if I order a Baileys to go with my coffee in the MDR (if they even have Baileys which is just another example of N&D except on the cost side of the ledger). 

 

 

50 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

This is exactly the mentality cruise lines take and I'm not here for it. Sorry, but it's disgusting cruise lines expect you to pay full on land prices for a hunk of meat when you could just go to the main dining room or buffet for your meal. I am absolutely not happy (and no passenger should be unless they have millions, in which case they shouldn't be sailing NCL) about paying land prices for specialty dining that is nowhere near the quality of land-based restaurants.

Right.  Paying land prices when you in theory have already paid for a meal, so, you are paying twice.  

 

 

43 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

There is absolutely nothing that compels anyone to go to specialty dining. It is your choice. If you choose to go to a specialty restaurant, the menus are available for you to make an informed decision. Complaining about something you choose to do seems silly. You can go to the main dining room and have a steak or two every night of your cruise along with as many complimentary sides and appetizers as you want. 

"choice" has nothing to do with the fact that they are nickel and diming their customers and I will complain about that. 

And I would not consider that so called NY strip they serve in the MDR a steak.  I'm not sure what it is, but it most definitely is not what I consider to be an edible steak.  So, no, you can't go to the MDR and have steak every night.

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

At a recent dinner at Ramsay steakhouse, we even paid for a side of Foie Gras with our rib eye... 

You paid $24.95 for a bowl of cat food?

Next time just go to Kroger and get a can of Fancy Feast.  

You won't notice the difference.