dining packages have gone way up and you get less

[Cruise a holic]

However, IMO no comparison MSC to Royal.  MSC beautiful ships- the yacht club is a step above the regular MSC passenger areas, but the food isn't good.  Entertainment not nearly as good as Oasis class ships.  

My only complaint about Royal, I am an Diamond plus member, is the Adventure of the seas- old ship- needs major renovation.  Also the Adventure,  school cafeteria buffet room needs major overhaul.  Need to be more like Celebrity with multiple stations all around the buffet area.

[joeyancho]

12 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I have it booked several times for 28.99 plus 18%, 34.99 total.

 

I hope it's worth that much. Soup, fried veggies and shrimp and a sushi roll. 

 

Now I'm getting worried. I'm not a big eater in one sitting. 

IMHO,  it is worth it..  the food is very good.  It is a lot of food.  Try the tempura.  

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, joeyancho said:

IMHO,  it is worth it..  the food is very good.  It is a lot of food.  Try the tempura.  

Yea that's what I meant by fried veggies. I think I've had them in the diamond lounge. I loved tempura red peppers. But shrimp would be good too. Thanks. I hope the dinner is worth it. Soup first course isnt that filling if broth. I keep reading this is a mistake, cancel and do ala carte. I cant decide which sushi with the tempura. I havent done the set price before. Sept is a long time coming. 

[joeyancho]

17 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Yea that's what I meant by fried veggies. I think I've had them in the diamond lounge. I loved tempura red peppers. But shrimp would be good too. Thanks. I hope the dinner is worth it. Soup first course isnt that filling if broth. I keep reading this is a mistake, cancel and do ala carte. I cant decide which sushi with the tempura. I havent done the set price before. Sept is a long time coming. 

The soup is ramen or udon.  Quite filling.  The tempura didn't have red peppers.   I would not hesitate to ask.  The tempura in Izumi is far superior to what is served in the diamond lounge. 

Edited May 29, 2023 by joeyancho

[JamesEM]

Not only have prices gone up on Harmony, but the quality has gone down. 

[Coralc]

42 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Yea that's what I meant by fried veggies. I think I've had them in the diamond lounge. I loved tempura red peppers. But shrimp would be good too. Thanks. I hope the dinner is worth it. Soup first course isnt that filling if broth. I keep reading this is a mistake, cancel and do ala carte. I cant decide which sushi with the tempura. I havent done the set price before. Sept is a long time coming. 

Try the won ton soup. It's good. I just get won ton soup, 4 tempura shrimp and dessert. That's plenty. 

Edited May 29, 2023 by Coralc

[Pandamonia]

10 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

However, IMO no comparison MSC to Royal.  MSC beautiful ships- the yacht club is a step above the regular MSC passenger areas, but the food isn't good.  Entertainment not nearly as good as Oasis class ships.  

My only complaint about Royal, I am an Diamond plus member, is the Adventure of the seas- old ship- needs major renovation.  Also the Adventure,  school cafeteria buffet room needs major overhaul.  Need to be more like Celebrity with multiple stations all around the buffet area.

 

Thing is. 

 

Royals food isnt great most of the time. hit and miss even in speciality. The entertainment is also sometimes very good and others entirely forgettable with occasionally too painful to watch. 

 

The difference is royal is charging prices now like its a cut above everyone on all areas. Especially once you are on the ship. Its about delivery sub par for top shelf money. 

[Pandamonia]

5 hours ago, JamesEM said:

Not only have prices gone up on Harmony, but the quality has gone down. 

 

This should be royals corporate slogan going forward.

 

'Always striving to charge you more....... whilst we work out how to get away with delivering less ' 

[firefly333]

7 hours ago, Coralc said:

Try the won ton soup. It's good. I just get won ton soup, 4 tempura shrimp and dessert. That's plenty. 

That sounds exactly right plus sushi. If I dont eat every tempura it's ok. I am not a member of the clean plate club. On grandeur they let us make requests for the nightly happy hour and someone requested the tempura. Just on that ship I've had it. I dont see how it would be a cost savings for me to do the ala carte. I guess if you just wanted to try one large plate. Plus I like wonton soup. I'd probably have that. And whatever the dessert is. If its booked and not ala carte I'm more apt to show up. 

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Pandamonia said:

 

Thing is. 

 

Royals food isnt great most of the time. hit and miss even in speciality. The entertainment is also sometimes very good and others entirely forgettable with occasionally too painful to watch. 

 

The difference is royal is charging prices now like its a cut above everyone on all areas. Especially once you are on the ship. Its about delivery sub par for top shelf money. 

I'm noticing people no longer bother to type the myth go try carnival its cheaper. Their prices are getting high too. The difference is their pay restaurants are cheaper. I'm more apt to do a lot more at a lower cost to me. Their steak place just as good imo and can still order surf and turf. Thought they added $2 or something in a round of upping prices on restaurants. At least they did it openly and pre announced. 

 

Unless you get casino rates, gone are the $100 a day cruise I used to get. It's not just rcl who upper their price. We just complain more imo than other lines. 

[Pandamonia]

22 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I'm noticing people no longer bother to type the myth go try carnival its cheaper. Their prices are getting high too. The difference is their pay restaurants are cheaper. I'm more apt to do a lot more at a lower cost to me. Their steak place just as good imo and can still order surf and turf. Thought they added $2 or something in a round of upping prices on restaurants. At least they did it openly and pre announced. 

 

Unless you get casino rates, gone are the $100 a day cruise I used to get. It's not just rcl who upper their price. We just complain more imo than other lines. 

 

I had a fillet steak on P&O on a hot lava stone, perfect quality, cooked to perfection due to the stone and it was 15 USD equivalent with no tips to pay.  42 USD per day for the drinks package (no tips) 

 

Prices are sometimes per course which means i dont need to force down a dessert if i dont want to just to get my moneys worth. 

 

No daily tips on the room either.... 

[firefly333]

12 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

 

I had a fillet steak on P&O on a hot lava stone, perfect quality, cooked to perfection due to the stone and it was 15 USD equivalent with no tips to pay.  42 USD per day for the drinks package (no tips) 

 

Prices are sometimes per course which means i dont need to force down a dessert if i dont want to just to get my moneys worth. 

 

No daily tips on the room either.... 

Carnival cc is going crazy right now with live reviews. 2 or 3 got on pride in Barcelona yesterday and today 4 at least are getting on costa ship, renamed to carnival Venezia. Im following intrepid who is a foodie and went thru France by train first. Anyway he just boarded and posted the wifi prices for their cruise. No bargain imo but people over there excited and not thread after thread complaining.

 

From costa ship carnival Venezia.. $30 a day isnt a bargain in my book and buying before not as discounted as rcl.