La Dame- $160 pp or $320 for dinner for 2!!!!

[Camillus112]

Oh my, it was one of my first SS cruises early on the 2000 millennium when I met this wonderful couple from Mexico at La Dame, and she was wearing the loveliest long gown, which made feel sorry I had not worn mine.  How much has changed in less than 25 years!!  However, I remember we had the best of all cruises interacting with our Mexican couple in our SS cruise.

[Dolcevita Diva]

5 hours ago, Rothko1 said:

 

Formal or "formal"?   There's a difference these days.

And will it be enforced?

Cannot envision them turning away a party that has paid an additional $320-$640 if the gentleman did not pack a tux or suit. 

 

[A Tucson Guy]

A new wrinkle- Having heard that Barbara said somewhere, that they will honor previously made ressies for La Dame at the old price, I went in to try and put in new reservations for La Dame on the Nova 8-21-23 and 118-23 cruises. I was only able to make one ressie for La Dame on either cruise and the second attempt for a second ressie was not allowed- humm!!

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, A Tucson Guy said:

A new wrinkle- Having heard that Barbara said somewhere, that they will honor previously made ressies for La Dame at the old price, I went in to try and put in new reservations for La Dame on the Nova 8-21-23 and 118-23 cruises. I was only able to make one ressie for La Dame on either cruise and the second attempt for a second ressie was not allowed- humm!!

 

This is part of an overall industry trend.  But, harder for Silversea to "pick you pocket" when they want to be seen as an "All-Inclusive" luxury line.  But in small ways, such as uncharges for better excursions versus the basic tours, they can gain added revenue to pay off the billions of dollars in debt floated to cover the Covid losses.  

 

From MSN News and this financial news website this morning, they had this headline: “Cruises are increasingly adopting the strategy of budget airlines: Get ready to pay more for all the extras.” with these highlights: “Cruise lines are seemingly adopting the budget airline model: Charge a base fare and pile on extras.  Newer cruise ships have 'more opportunities to upsell' with restaurant and entertainment options.   Cruise companies have been raising the cost of packages like specialty dining, beverages, and WiFi."

 

With Silversea, in most cases, you see less of this trend.  Maybe?  Hopefully.  But this reporting noted: "Going on a cruise can be one of your cheapest travel options — as long as you don't sign up for too many of the optional packages and extra amenities."  However, as noted with La Dame on some of the newer ships, is parent Royal Caribbean pushing certain of these "financial tricks"?  Bait and switch?

 

Full story at:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tips/cruises-are-increasingly-adopting-the-strategy-of-budget-airlines-get-ready-to-pay-more-for-all-the-extras/ar-AA1exFvA

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 72,277 views:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

[Globalia]

16 hours ago, A Tucson Guy said:

A new wrinkle- Having heard that Barbara said somewhere, that they will honor previously made ressies for La Dame at the old price, I went in to try and put in new reservations for La Dame on the Nova 8-21-23 and 118-23 cruises. I was only able to make one ressie for La Dame on either cruise and the second attempt for a second ressie was not allowed- humm!!

 From my ongoing experience re the "premium paid Nova restaurants" issue, and that of friends on the same cruise, I think it's all still in an execution mess (of a type that certainly should have been avoided).
 

As noted above, we still have only 5 continuous nights at the very beginning of a 31-day November 18 Nova cruise where we can in any way book these restaurants (for all other nights these restaurants completely vanish as options) - yet I could book for example La Dame on each of these 5 nights if I wished (I tried this out merely as an experiment versus a yearning desire to pay down more of RCL's debt). My local SS rep says this is all "Nova teething issues" and will soon be fixed. 

[CruiserFromMaine]

7 hours ago, Globalia said:

yet I could book for example La Dame on each of these 5 nights if I wished

And therein lies one of the problems with Silversea’s approach. I can in fact book 5 nights in La Dame and block someone else out from booking, then cancel four or even all five reservations once on board at no penalty to me, but others have been shut out and then need to scramble to find an opening after embarking. I much prefer the system Regent uses where you get one reservation at each specialty restaurant per cruise prior to boarding and then you can perhaps get others while on board; it reduces or even eliminates this game. 

[Rothko1]

36 minutes ago, CruiserFromMaine said:

And therein lies one of the problems with Silversea’s approach. I can in fact book 5 nights in La Dame and block someone else out from booking, then cancel four or even all five reservations once on board at no penalty to me, but others have been shut out and then need to scramble to find an opening after embarking. I much prefer the system Regent uses where you get one reservation at each specialty restaurant per cruise prior to boarding and then you can perhaps get others while on board; it reduces or even eliminates this game. 

 

I concur.  That seems a much more logical system.

 

 

[Tothesunset]

You mean there might be passengers aboard SS who would use the system to their advantage without regard to anyone else? Surely not. 

[Mr Luxury]

1 minute ago, Tothesunset said:

You mean there might be passengers aboard SS who would use the system to their advantage without regard to anyone else? Surely not. 

Yes Brits mainly 😀

[Tothesunset]

3 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

Yes Brits mainly 😀

Don't they usually sneak into La Dame before it opens and put a towel and book on the chair they want? 

[Mr Luxury]

Just now, Tothesunset said:

Don't they usually sneak into La Dame before it opens and put a towel and book on the chair they want? 

Yes,after forcing open the wine cabinet and having a couple of bottles Of Dom away.

[jpalbny]

2 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

You mean there might be passengers aboard SS who would use the system to their advantage without regard to anyone else? Surely not. 

 

I was going to say that they are probably the same ones who reserved the deck chairs at 6AM...

 

2 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

Don't they usually sneak into La Dame before it opens and put a towel and book on the chair they want? 

 

But you beat me to it. And I liked your humorous way of putting it!

[spinnaker2]

4 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

Don't they usually sneak into La Dame before it opens and put a towel and book on the chair they want? 

Don’t forget the socks.

[Globalia]

18 hours ago, CruiserFromMaine said:

And therein lies one of the problems with Silversea’s approach. I can in fact book 5 nights in La Dame and block someone else out from booking, then cancel four or even all five reservations once on board at no penalty to me, but others have been shut out and then need to scramble to find an opening after embarking. I much prefer the system Regent uses where you get one reservation at each specialty restaurant per cruise prior to boarding and then you can perhaps get others while on board; it reduces or even eliminates this game. 

Seabourn of course has its premier restaurant, namely the Thomas Keller The Grill (with no upcharge), and effectively they impose a 'one booking only per (approx) 7 days' booking restrictions regime and this works well with few complaints as it's fair. Guests can enquire as to whether there are spare reservations available when onboard and after all guests have had their allocated chance to book, and if there are spares, of course sometimes if desired you may get to dine in The Grill more than once per week.

[Mr Luxury]

5 minutes ago, Globalia said:

Seabourn of course has its premier restaurant, namely the Thomas Keller The Grill (with no upcharge), and effectively they impose a 'one booking only per (approx) 7 days' booking restrictions regime and this works well with few complaints as it's fair. Guests can enquire as to whether there are spare reservations available when onboard and after all guests have had their allocated chance to book, and if there are spares, of course sometimes if desired you may get to dine in The Grill more than once per week.

You can always get to dine at TK more than once.

They always have early and late tables.

I prefer later 20.30

Edited August 1, 2023 by Mr Luxury

[tv24]

I have spent a couple of days thinking about how to respond to the prospect of paying $160 for dinner on a cruise ship when I have already spent $500+ per day for my "all inclusive" experience.  Even if I had excessive OBC to burn, I think I might find another way to spend it.  And my one experience in La Dame was nothing special.  So I am not their target customer.  But I do love Silversea, for other reasons.

[Globalia]

Just a passing update regarding the Nova 'booking upcharge restaurants' glitch whereby even if a booked Nova passenger is within the 120 Nova restaurant booking window on MySilversea many guests were/are finding that these two bookable venues could only be booked in the first 4-5 days of their cruise and subsequent to that period the opportunity to book them would entirely vanish. 

Well, at least for me and some others I know that glitch has today (August 3) been repaired and we can now book these two restaurants for the entire voyage duration, day by day. Though with the exorbitant new (Nova only?) upcharges, it might well be surmised that there will be no rush to secure seats in these venues.

[Utopia1]

Worrying about getting a reservation for fine dining in specialty restaurants is ridiculous when going on a luxury cruise.  

I have to plan on dining in fine restaurants at home-  when I am on a luxury cruise ship reservations should be the least of my concerns.

[Gourmet Gal]

18 minutes ago, Utopia1 said:

Worrying about getting a reservation for fine dining in specialty restaurants is ridiculous when going on a luxury cruise.  

I have to plan on dining in fine restaurants at home-  when I am on a luxury cruise ship reservations should be the least of my concerns.

For $160 PP plus what you’ve already spent for that meal in your cruise fare you can probably find a much more enjoyable meal on land…and you most likely will not have to wear formal attire. However, if one is a heavy drinker then it could be a bargain!

[A Tucson Guy]

3 hours ago, Globalia said:

Just a passing update regarding the Nova 'booking upcharge restaurants' glitch whereby even if a booked Nova passenger is within the 120 Nova restaurant booking window on MySilversea many guests were/are finding that these two bookable venues could only be booked in the first 4-5 days of their cruise and subsequent to that period the opportunity to book them would entirely vanish. 

Well, at least for me and some others I know that glitch has today (August 3) been repaired and we can now book these two restaurants for the entire voyage duration, day by day. Though with the exorbitant new (Nova only?) upcharges, it might well be surmised that there will be no rush to secure seats in these venues.

I just tried a second ressie in LaDame and it did not work for me.

[LAL Cruiser]

3 hours ago, Globalia said:

Just a passing update regarding the Nova 'booking upcharge restaurants' glitch whereby even if a booked Nova passenger is within the 120 Nova restaurant booking window on MySilversea many guests were/are finding that these two bookable venues could only be booked in the first 4-5 days of their cruise and subsequent to that period the opportunity to book them would entirely vanish. 

Well, at least for me and some others I know that glitch has today (August 3) been repaired and we can now book these two restaurants for the entire voyage duration, day by day. Though with the exorbitant new (Nova only?) upcharges, it might well be surmised that there will be no rush to secure seats in these venues.

 

Thank you for the heads-up!

 

We are still more than 120 days out from departure so it is too soon to make reservations, but La Dame and Kaiseki now showup as Restaurants offered.  The prices listed are the increased fees.  Hopefully, at least the IT issue is resolved.  Silversea has done a very underwhelming job with the launch of the re-imagined upcharge restaurants on Nova: increased charges appearing without proper notice, no genuine explanation of the price increases setting forth why the restaurants are so much more expensive on Nova when compared to the other vessels, and then the IT glitches.

 

That said, of course we plan on trying the new products!  Again, thanks.

[ronrick1943]

51 minutes ago, LAL Cruiser said:

 

Thank you for the heads-up!

 

We are still more than 120 days out from departure so it is too soon to make reservations, but La Dame and Kaiseki now showup as Restaurants offered.  The prices listed are the increased fees.  Hopefully, at least the IT issue is resolved.  Silversea has done a very underwhelming job with the launch of the re-imagined upcharge restaurants on Nova: increased charges appearing without proper notice, no genuine explanation of the price increases setting forth why the restaurants are so much more expensive on Nova when compared to the other vessels, and then the IT glitches.

 

That said, of course we plan on trying the new products!  Again, thanks.

I agree, SS did a bad job - that said we’re going to try it again, however on the sprite last Jan we were underwhelmed with the food in La Dame-service was good.

[Globalia]

8 hours ago, A Tucson Guy said:

I just tried a second ressie in LaDame and it did not work for me.

 

Hello, I have just tried to book again multiple La Dame reservations within the first Nova voyage period of our two November B2B Nova voyages and, yes, it certainly seems I can book La Dame as many times as desired in both periods, with no limit at all. (As others here have pointed out, this is a potentially unfair system as passengers can just block reserve to suit their whims, then cancel only when onboard, and others could thus miss out entirely. However, it is likely SS could care less as clearly with the new Nova upcharge pricing the company's and RCG's goal is onboard sales revenue maximization even on our - cough, cough - 'all inclusive' cruise programs.) 

Just wondering, did you log out and then back into MySilversea? This may assist, not sure. Otherwise, perhaps contact SS directly to fix it for your booking.

[sea bright]

Clearly the roll out by Silversea has not been good and provided little to no description of the new concept.

 

I really hope it is similar to the $120 pp pairing dinners they had in Le Champagne circa 2007: multiple menus from different wine regions in which premium wines were thoughtfully paired with each course. We loved those wine dinners and often went more than once per cruise (always on nights we could sleep in the next day...)

 

As we have found La Dame underwhelming since before the pandemic, we've been on a comment card campaign (since at least 2019) suggesting they return to the Le Champagne wine pairing dinner model. If the new $160 offering is a similar experience we would go. However, even with OBC we won't go to La Dame as it is now whether it's $60 or $160.

[caripoo]

We just got off the Dawn.......It was WELL worth the price, BUT it won't at the new price......