Playmakers price increases

[colesc15]

Looking over the menu for playmakers on my upcoming sailing on Freedom and noticed the prices are considerably higher than they were three weeks ago on Indy. Your dining credit that you get for the dining package doesn't go early as far. Wings were the most noticeable hike as previously you could get 24 wings plus a side in your $20 but not anymore. Most appetizers appear up a few bucks.

 

[OCSC Mike]

Saw this posted on social media the other day. Lots of upset posters of course.

 

TBH, I thought a lot of the food there was oddly underpriced and don't really find most of the new prices to be all that out of line.

[colesc15]

32 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

Saw this posted on social media the other day. Lots of upset posters of course.

 

TBH, I thought a lot of the food there was oddly underpriced and don't really find most of the new prices to be all that out of line.

Oh I agree. Their wings were generally cheaper than most land based places. 

[OCSC Mike]

1 minute ago, colesc15 said:

Oh I agree. Their wings were generally cheaper than most land based places. 

 

Yep. $9 for a good bacon cheeseburger and garlic parm fries is/was very cheap. I don't really eat fast food but that's probably close to what a big mac and large fries costs. I'll take Playmakers.

[firefly333]

Well you can still get 24 wi gs for $20 credit, no side. I always thought it was a bargain.

 

All the lunches went up about $5 full price now. Izumi lunch and dinner, taste of royal, hibachi izumi were 34.99 now 39.99. Started the last fake sale. I suspect the cheaper ones like chops lunch etc also went up. Giovanni lunch .. I got it in march on sale like $20 with the tip .. no more.

[SWACruising]

50 wings for 30 bucks, yes please. Still a bargain

[OCSC Mike]

Love the level headed responses here. The stuff I saw on FB was crazy.

[Cruising89143]

Had wings today at a local restaurant. Six wings was $18.99. The RCI prices are a bargain.

[Another_Critic]

Glad to see that people are happy to subsidize my free meals/snacks.  😎

[mramella]

Sure hope they increase the daily $20 UDP credit accordingly. FAT CHANCE!

[Mum2Mercury]

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

Yep. $9 for a good bacon cheeseburger and garlic parm fries is/was very cheap. I don't really eat fast food but that's probably close to what a big mac and large fries costs. I'll take Playmakers.

I'd say $9 is low-average but not "very cheap".  

1 hour ago, cruisingator2 said:

Had wings today at a local restaurant. Six wings was $18.99. The RCI prices are a bargain.

That'd be expensive in my area.  

[The Fun Researcher]

18 hours ago, colesc15 said:

Oh I agree. Their wings were generally cheaper than most land based places. 

 

18 hours ago, SWACruising said:

50 wings for 30 bucks, yes please. Still a bargain

 

18 hours ago, cruisingator2 said:

Had wings today at a local restaurant. Six wings was $18.99. The RCI prices are a bargain.

Yeah but keep in mind other cruise lines have many complimentary quick service locations with similar quality fare (i.e. Carnival).   I do think the prices are Playmakers are reasonable, don't get me wrong, but for this type of food your cruise fare should cover a good deal of the cost IMO.

[grandgeezer]

Last night, Wings Wednesday at our local sports bar. $.75 per wing, better than any of the wings we’ve ever had on a ship. Throw in $3 for a 16 oz glass of beer because of Happy Hour. 10 wings and two beers for $13.50 plus tax and tip. Now that’s cheap.

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

 

 

Yeah but keep in mind other cruise lines have many complimentary quick service locations with similar quality fare (i.e. Carnival).   I do think the prices are Playmakers are reasonable, don't get me wrong, but for this type of food your cruise fare should cover a good deal of the cost IMO.

And I've done many carnival cruises that did not have free wings. Vista didnt have free food in red frog pub, though possibly horizon same class had it. But good wings are not plentiful on any cruiseline I can remember. ..and I've done ncl, celebrity, princess and I'm diamond on carnival. Carnival also doesnt give me free vouchers for drinks and good perks like rcl. 

 

Mardi gras does include more venues. Its dining room is so small all cant eat in there.. but before this ship at a higher fare, less included. Mardi gras does have shaqs big chicken. ..but is more expensive than I can do a oasis balcony for. Not one cruise on carnival included free wings that I took. Not including any buffet item. .. just saying .. or truffle fries for free, those nachos. And the onion ring tower. .. have you eaten at a playmakers? 

[Tiggerontheseas]

13 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

Last night, Wings Wednesday at our local sports bar. $.75 per wing, better than any of the wings we’ve ever had on a ship. Throw in $3 for a 16 oz glass of beer because of Happy Hour. 10 wings and two beers for $13.50 plus tax and tip. Now that’s cheap.

 

That certainly is!  Nice!  I wanna move to wherever you are.  We have no bars that have those type of specials, even during Happy Hours.  So jealous.  Unfortunately, our prices run closer to the $18.00 average for 6 wings that a previous poster cited.  Sigh.  

[Another_Critic]

Celebrity (at least Mercury) had free wings at the pool grill.  They were very popular and usually only lasted a few days each cruise.

[neverbeenhere]

Is 50 wings too many for one person? Or is the one person serving 100 wings? 

[The Fun Researcher]

42 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

And I've done many carnival cruises that did not have free wings. Vista didnt have free food in red frog pub, though possibly horizon same class had it. But good wings are not plentiful on any cruiseline I can remember. ..and I've done ncl, celebrity, princess and I'm diamond on carnival. Carnival also doesnt give me free vouchers for drinks and good perks like rcl. 

 

Mardi gras does include more venues. Its dining room is so small all cant eat in there.. but before this ship at a higher fare, less included. Mardi gras does have shaqs big chicken. ..but is more expensive than I can do an oasis balcony for. Not one cruise on carnival included free wings that I took. Not including any buffet item. .. just saying .. or truffle fries for free, those nachos. And the onion ring tower. .. have you eaten at a playmakers? 

My point is that we should not be surprised that the price is very reasonable for bar food on a cruise ship.  That’s all.
 

I love Playmakers, specifically the wings.  Had them on Navigator when it was freshly Amped.  Finally a place to have something other than pizza or finger sandwiches late at night especially.  I wish every Royal ship had Playmakers.

 

I’m not a fan of Carnival, just doesn’t fit my cruise wants.  However Carnival has far more complimentary casual food venues, which is my point, not just wings.  
 

Royal has gotten better with their newer ships as well as the amped Oasis, freedom in voyager classes
 

Just like Playmakers doesn’t just offer wings.  NCL has O’sheehans on almost every ship which includes a wide menu and wings, (good wings in my experience on the Getaway.). Not only that, but it is full service and complimentary and 24/7.

 

No single cruise line has yet to give us everything we wanted. Of them all we still prefer Royal. Playmakers was a huge improvement.

[Tree_skier]

I just checked the menu for my Navigator cruise in August and it is still showing the old prices.

 

[Boz575]

Same on Oasis in July. 

[LilBlackDress]

Same for Oasis, but my cruise is Feb 2024... I have a ways to go!! 

 

While on the subject. 2 questions. 

The UDP is a $20 credit and you can only use it once per day 

Isn't that $40 if you have 2 people? 
Can I use the $20 for lunch and DH use his $20 for late-night snacks? 

[Tree_skier]

30 minutes ago, LilBlackDress said:

The UDP is a $20 credit and you can only use it once per day 

Isn't that $40 if you have 2 people? 

Correct

 

We did that on Odyssey last year.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, LilBlackDress said:

Can I use the $20 for lunch and DH use his $20 for late-night snacks? 

Yes

[Jt4428]

I went there on the Navigator in April.  I was not impressed at all.  

[Billy Baltic]

IMO it’s not a case of it being value or not. It’s a huge percentage increase over the old prices. Some people will say it seems fair but it’s just another area where RC will keep edging up the prices. In another few months and it’ll be another $5.