Steakhouse at The Verandah - Increased charge again?

[Gomac]

I’m seeing on the Cunard website that the Steakhouse at The Verandah supplement is now $50 for dinner, I’m sure it was $35 when we sailed in 2021 (maybe we paid $40 on our QE Med cruise last year I can’t remember exactly ). The cost just seems to be endlessly creeping up!
 

We very much like The Verandah but the cost now is too high to make it worthwhile in comparison to The Britannia on our upcoming short cruise 2 night cruise . We have a longer week long cruise booked for later in the year in PG and would have maybe changed things up one evening at $35 but not at $50.

[bluemarble]

Prior to the shutdown in 2020, the prices for Steakhouse at The Verandah were $25 for lunch and $39 for dinner. The Kings Court/Lido Alternative Dining venue was $19.50 for dinner.

 

During our first voyage after the restart (November 2022 on QM2), the price for Steakhouse at The Verandah was still $25 for lunch but the price had increased to $45 for dinner. The Kings Court Alternative Dining venue had increased to $25 for dinner.

 

This past May on QM2, the price for Steakhouse at The Verandah had increased to $30 for lunch and $50 for dinner if booked on board. The Kings Court Alternative Dining venue was still $25 for dinner.

 

But a $5 discount had been introduced if you booked Steakhouse at The Verandah prior to boarding the ship. That meant dinner at Steakhouse at the Verandah was still $45 if booked in advance but $50 if booked on board. That parallels what they have done with the drinks packages where you receive a discount if booking them prior to boarding. I'm not certain at this point if they also offered a $5 discount for booking the Kings Court Alternative Dining venue in advance.

 

That pricing structure for Steakhouse at The Verandah is what I'm seeing listed on this page on the Cunard website: https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/activity-types/dining/the-verandah

 

"The cost for dinner is $45 if booked pre-cruise, or $50 if booked on board, and for lunch, $25 or $30, respectively."

[majortom10]

You do get a discount for the King's Court alternative dining of you book pre cruise

 You pay $20pp instead of $25pp if you book pre cruise, or you do at least on QM2. 

[BklynBoy8]

John,

 

As of this mornings Daily Program Live On Board QM2.

Steakhouse at the Verandah cover charge 

Lunch $30pp

Dinner $50pp

[ratflinger]

How does the Veranda compare to say a Smith & Wollensky's?

[BklynBoy8]

On 7/5/2023 at 10:26 AM, ratflinger said:

How does the Veranda compare to say a Smith & Wollensky's?

IMHO.....

There is a mark difference in all steakhouses.

 

Where they source their protein makes a difference. Who the buyer is. Their experience in rating the protein they are selecting.

 

Cunard has to reply on their buyer and source.

[NE John]

1 hour ago, BklynBoy8 said:

IMHO.....

There is a mark difference in all steakhouses.

 

Where they source their protein makes a difference. Who the buyer is. Their experience in rating the protein they are selecting.

 

Cunard has to reply on their buyer and source.

NYC steakhouses have special high temperature ovens that crank up the heat to sear the steaks, chops, etc. I believe these specific ovens make up the unique flavor and experience of a NYC steak experience. 

I doubt any cruise ship has the same type of “searing” ovens found in these steakhouses. 
I do appreciate that Cunard has access to and offers UK meat and fish (Scottish salmon, chalk stream trout, Cornish crab, Dorset lamb, British beef) that we can’t find here in a NYC steakhouse. I enjoyed all the proteins offered on our TA last week. 

[D&N]

5 minutes ago, NE John said:

Scottish salmon

We try and avoid the stuff unless it's line caught. And that's very rare.

We only buy Pacific Salmon, and rarely order in a restaurant as it's likely to be from Scottish or Norwegian farms.

[NE John]

3 minutes ago, D&N said:

We try and avoid the stuff unless it's line caught. And that's very rare.

We only buy Pacific Salmon, and rarely order in a restaurant as it's likely to be from Scottish or Norwegian farms.

Last week they offered H. Forman &Son wild salmon from a specific Loch and the salmon was top shelf. All the smoked fish was excellent (kippers, trout, and milk-poached haddock). We get a lot of Nova salmon here. 
My goal is to try things onboard we can’t easily get in US. 
 

[D&N]

16 minutes ago, NE John said:

Last week they offered H. Forman &Son wild salmon from a specific Loch and the salmon was top shelf. All the smoked fish was excellent (kippers, trout, and milk-poached haddock). We get a lot of Nova salmon here. 
My goal is to try things onboard we can’t easily get in US. 
 

Good to hear.

Much Scottish Salmon these days has a pale pink flesh and is raised in vast net cages. They may have cleaned up their act, but for years these had a bad reputation for sea lice and antibiotics being added to the feed.

 

Have found Foreman and their retail site. Will give them a call.

We get smoked Pacific here easily, but need to bring fresh from UK as there's only a couple of chains of freezer shops here that stock it. We've tried both and they didn't match up to the stuff from Waitrose or M&S/Ocado.

Edited July 5, 2023 by D&N

[ace2542]

On 7/5/2023 at 3:26 PM, ratflinger said:

How does the Veranda compare to say a Smith & Wollensky's?

It is not a patch on our favourite nyc steak house Nick and Stefs by MSG in terms of the quality of the food. Price wise a lot cheaper you will pay a couple of hundred at least for two a bit more at Smith/Wolensky or Luger in Brooklyn.

[DreamingOfSunnyDays]

The Cunard verandah steakhouse is our favourite steakhouse- bar none