Pay restaurants charging to much ?????

[Coral]

I was recently on the Crown (cruise before OP) and one could easily make reservations on my cruise as well. I rarely saw people in there either.

 

I honestly do not think the quality of the meal is worth the $39. I would periodically eat here at $29 but I will not pay $39. The meat is just not that great. I would gladly pay that amount if I felt like the meal was worth it.

 

I came home from my cruise and made myself a great steak dinner.

Edited June 5, 2023 by Coral

[kywildcatfanone]

We used to go on formal nights because we didn't want to dress up.  The change to $35-39 has priced us out.  Like many other things.

[skents]

The apple rhubarb pie almost makes it worth the price. 

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, no1racefan1 said:

(I've usually been charged a $25-35 resort fee per room, not per person)

Fair point. But that usually covers the cost of using the gym, the pool, towels, and bottles of water. (Man, I HATE “resort fees.). For the cruise I add in the cover charge to see the band in the lounge, the ticket price to see the comedian, the ticket to see the production show, and stuff like that. My number is probably high, but the entertainment provided as part of the basic fare covers more than Marriott’s resort fee. 
 

And I agree that one of the reasons why we like to cruise is because of the economics of it all. Which is precisely why I don’t try to add the $39 on to any already sunk cost. My cruise is fully funded when I board. And is a relative bargain compared to the sum of the component parts. So the $39 is just that. $39. 

[Coral]

39 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

We used to go on formal nights because we didn't want to dress up.  The change to $35-39 has priced us out.  Like many other things.

Likewise. If I thought it was a good steak, I may consider it but.......

[CynCyn]

7 hours ago, bassmk said:

That's not ever been my experience at Crown Grille. I think Sizzler is a bit of a stretch, honestly, but I don't know...maybe you've just had a bad experience. 

 

What kind of steak and how you like it cooked can be a factor. I'm not saying that's what's going on with your experiences, but my friends who like their steaks cooked medium and above all say that they don't like steak "that much" and tend to always have negative steakhouse meals. 🤷‍♀️

 

To each their own, your mileage may vary and all that...I still don't think $39 per person is expensive at all, and even if you feel the steak is mediocre, there is plenty served WITH the entree that justifies the cost.

Just of the Discovery.  Ate in Crown Grill with 4 different entrees. The beef was awful and it took over 2 hours.  The beef tenderloin in the final night and in 360 were much better, or course the 360 beef was sublime.

 

I will not eat in Crown Grill again- even if it is free.

[Napagirl]

I can't even eat 95% of what's on the menu in the Crown Grill but I like to go to the specialty restaurants to get that added service and having a more "special" kind of experience.

[RD64]

Supply and Demand.

[mtnesterz]

9 hours ago, Shippy said:

THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE WAS....

  It did not seem that anyone was going...just mostly people that were comped.

I know about how high food prices are where we live but,

I do not think that most cruisers will pay that much .

Like I said, not even a half dozen tables.

Before, it would have been very hard to even get a reservation !

Which makes perfect sense.

Just my two cents but they don't need to sell dinners at face value. The place can be nearly empty. Princess is in the business of selling that Premium package which includes dining, use it or not. The more they charge for Specialty Dining, the more they can say Premium has value. What's it actually worth? It has to be factored in that you've already paid for dinner and service elsewere on the ship.

 

[justafem]

Pre-covid, hubs and I would eat specialty dining every other night.  We enjoyed it and felt it was worth the upcharge.

 

Post-covid, we just don't go.  We've tried them several times.  Criown, the meat quality has fallen, the sides have become ordinary and they cut out my favorite chocolate melting bomb.  Sabitini's, everything seems cheaper, the sauces aren't as rich and the pasta is a different kind, not necessarily bad, but lesser.  

 

Then again, I've been disappointed with wine-makers too.  Same issues with the meat, overcooked (asked for blu, got medium, everyone's steaks were overcooked and I mean everyone's).  And let's be honest, after 3 hours, nobody wanted to wait another 1/2 hour for another steak.  

 

There's the issue.  Those of us who know what the experience USED to be aren't going.  The newbs that are are a one and done; They're not going regularly like we oldsters did.  

 

We can get an amazing steak at cattleman's locally for the same price.  I'm disappointed paying $100 (after tip) for safeway select (or lower) cuts of meat.    

[nini]

Bottom line... What would you pay for this meal at home? Did you enjoy it? I think the specialty venues are not packed, due to staffing issues. 

This meal at home would cost us at least $50.00 each and we would not have the same lovely view.

P.S. When we ate in the Crown Grill, our steaks were tender, cooked correctly and very good.

Edited June 6, 2023 by nini
Additional words

[Abercrombie2019]

We ate at the specialty restaurants for the first time ever on our Discovery Princess cruise last October.  It was our fourth cruise.  We tried Bistro Sur La Mer, Salty Dog Gastro Pub, Sabatini's and Crown Grill (all at the old prices). 

 

We would never go to Bistro Sur La Mer again (and it looks like we wouldn't be able to anyway).  The location was way too open and noisy, and we didn't really like most of the food.  Their version of escargot was horrible, but the filet was good.

 

We would never to to Salty Dog Gastro Pub again.  We didn't like the burger (too much going on) and the calamari was overly complicated.  The short ribs were good, but a little bit cool.

 

We did enjoy Sabatini's and Crown Grill.  We enjoyed them enough to book each of them twice on our next cruise (Regal), at the new prices.

 

When we were younger, we avoided the extra fees because we couldn't afford them.  When we are older we will probably do the same.  For now, we are grateful to be able to travel again.

[MissP22]

54 minutes ago, nini said:

Bottom line... What would you pay for this meal at home?

If there were two restaurants at home, both were of equal quality, and one offered a free meal and the second one charged $80 per couple plus gratitude, which one would you choose? 

[SargassoPirate]

30 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

If there were two restaurants at home, both were of equal quality, and one offered a free meal and the second one charged $80 per couple plus gratitude, which one would you choose? 

Is there a timeshare or investment plan presentation involved?

[Cruise Raider]

21 hours ago, Shippy said:

THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE WAS....

  It did not seem that anyone was going...just mostly people that were comped.

I know about how high food prices are where we live but,

I do not think that most cruisers will pay that much .

Like I said, not even a half dozen tables.

Before, it would have been very hard to even get a reservation !

 Now it has been added as part of the Premier Package and with full capacity, I imagine they were having a hard time fulfilling their obligations as part of that package.  Maybe raising the price by $10 per person did just what they intended to do .. make demand less to keep tables open for those with the packages.  
 

With that being said, I still think it’s a decent value compared to nice restaurants on land, especially here in San Francisco.  I am not a red meat eater and have thought the Chilean sea bass and lobster in the crown grill have been outstanding!  I can’t but a nice piece of Chilean sea bass at Costco for less than $80, so it’s well worth it for me.  My DH always gets the lamb chops and he says they are wonderful.  
BTW, we were on Celebrity recently and their meal at Murano is twice the price of that at the Crown Grill once they add in the mandatory 18% gratuity.  $30 and $35 sound very reasonable in comparison.  
 

 

[bassmk]

18 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

I haven't seen it discussed here, but I think that a valuable component of this cost discussion is the price that competitors are charging.  Princess is certainly not oblivious to those numbers when it sets its price.  I'm sure that others will chime in, but I'd be surprised if Princess was not at or below its market competitors.  

THIS. Carnival's steakhouse is $48pp and IMO, it's equally good AT BEST. I think Crown Grille on Princess is a tiny bit better and $9pp less!

[Shippy]

2 hours ago, nini said:

Bottom line... What would you pay for this meal at home? Did you enjoy it? I think the specialty venues are not packed, due to staffing issues. 

This meal at home would cost us at least $50.00 each and we would not have the same lovely view.

P.S. When we ate in the Crown Grill, our steaks were tender, cooked correctly and very good.

   But you are not at home...

My husbands baked potato was so cold the butter would not melt at all. At least at home I could quickly microwave it for a minute.

 I am sure this really has nothing to do with my original post about tables being empty...but if people want to talk about service...

[Kay S]

2 hours ago, nini said:

Bottom line... What would you pay for this meal at home? Did you enjoy it? I think the specialty venues are not packed, due to staffing issues. 

 

I think you might have a point about staffing issues, but that's a problem all over the ship.  DH says the prices have gone over his "threshold," but I still think I'll visit CG for the lamb chops.

[MissP22]

5 minutes ago, Kay S said:

I think you might have a point about staffing issues, but that's a problem all over the ship.  DH says the prices have gone over his "threshold," but I still think I'll visit CG for the lamb chops.

I will say that that the lamb chops that they serve at Specialty restaurants are definitely a step above the ones served at their buffet. 

Still not worth $40 plus tip.

[Doug R.]

5 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I will say that that the lamb chops that they serve at Specialty restaurants are definitely a step above the ones served at their buffet. 

Still not worth $40 plus tip.

Plus tip? Never had a mandatory gratuity except with drinks.

[MissP22]

1 minute ago, Doug R. said:

Plus tip? Never had a mandatory gratuity except with drinks.

The time we've attended there was always a tip line on the check.

Of course you're not obligated to give extra. 

[Doug R.]

Just now, MissP22 said:

The time we've attended there was always a tip line on the check.

Of coursee1 you're not obligated to give extra. 

Back when you got a paper receipt with drink orders, they had a tip line also. I treated them just like I treat the tip jar at some fast food places.

[Cruise Raider]

17 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

The time we've attended there was always a tip line on the check.

Of course you're not obligated to give extra. 

They haven’t handed out a paper receipt since the post CoVid restart .. not that I’ve seen anyway and we usually go to a specialty restaurant at least once on every cruise.  

[voljeep]

15 minutes ago, Doug R. said:

Back when you got a paper receipt with drink orders, they had a tip line also. I treated them just like I treat the tip jar at some fast food places.

I had our home A/C repaired yesterday - got the invoice today online - had a "tip" line for an A/C repair - 10-15-20-Custom tip

 

didn't happen, of course.

[SargassoPirate]

1 minute ago, voljeep said:

I had our home A/C repaired yesterday - got the invoice today online - had a "tip" line for an A/C repair - 10-15-20-Custom tip

 

didn't happen, of course.

What?!?!

 

HVAC techs are not working for minimum wage.  That's pretty ballsy for a company to add a tip line.

 

What's next?  I guess the next time one of the cars goes into the stealership there will be a tip line on the invoice and a tip jar at the parts counter.

 

And I'm the guy who tips a little extra for my wee dram on a cruise - To Insure Prompt Service!