Cookies now cost $2 plus 20%

[NutsAboutGolf]

On 8/23/2023 at 2:24 PM, lv2cruisgrl said:

Royal caribbean was thinking of charging for pizza.  They sent out a questionnaire asking if guests would still eat pizza if they had to pay. Well you know what the answer to that was!  Heck No.  So they didn't do it....yet!  

Lately it seems RCG is trying to see what they can get away with new/increased fees and cutbacks.  It’s like they’re trying to be the spirit/frontier of cruise lines

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 minute ago, TeeRick said:

Well not if you avoid sailing on Celebrity in the future.  That's what it will come down to for a number of us if this continues.  Sad really.

So true.  In fact, I was reading some reviews on the Regent Seven Seas ships yesterday as we just booked a new ship for 2025.  It's funny because I have no barometer having never sailed with them but I was surprised at many of the reviews across various ships being given 1, 2, or three stars.  Main complaint seems to be in the downgraded food..  No line is immune to cutbacks and downgrades, I guess.

[karmamule]

For me one of the joys of cruising is front-loading all the cost so I can eat and drink and be entertained while on the ship and not be mentally tracking what some final bill will look like. I can truly relax and indulge.

 

While I can understand people being upset at Princess' new plans, at least they still let me front-load costs and have that sort of experience. If I go on Celebrity and start seeing random extra charges popping up it will push me away from them because I'm not paying the kind of fares I am to constantly see the hand extended for more money on top of that.

 

I'm happy to see reports earlier in the thread that the Summit has still not fallen to cookie-gate as that's what I'll be on next. I'll keep an eye out on any nickel and diming and report back if this thread or an equivalent is still going.

[HMR74]

5 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

As I said the Equinox.

LOL, I was being sarcastic , the new and exciting "additions" or upgrades that are being tested. Not the takeaways aka downgrades,  and not LeVoyage type additions. If I am looking for world class fine dining, there are plenty of those restaurants in the big cities and some smaller areas where the chef shops daily at the market for the best fresh main courses, sides and deserts. You pay a few hundred PP but the meals are great, truly unusual, and the service is spectacular.

 

Seriously though, vaping if only in casino is not a big deal, IMHO and I am not a smoker. While the small issues failing can be a big problem, first the busiess has to get the  big issues right.

 

BTW, Not talking about ICON class "new", where you go on intimate cruises with ~7500 other folks. How do you spell institutional.

[TeeRick]

3 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

So true.  In fact, I was reading some reviews on the Regent Seven Seas ships yesterday as we just booked a new ship for 2025.  It's funny because I have no barometer having never sailed with them but I was surprised at many of the reviews across various ships being given 1, 2, or three stars.  Main complaint seems to be in the downgraded food..  No line is immune to cutbacks and downgrades, I guess.

I guess we should have truly believed this was coming and not be surprised for the entire cruise industry to do this after the 18 month shutdown.  But it is like slapping us in the face with cold water.  

[terrydtx]

19 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

You could usually get free cookies in the OVC too.  Usually at the ice cream station.

But, are they available 24/7? I might have a cookie craving at 2am! If I call room service that $2 cookie just became $9.95 + 20%🤢

Edited August 25, 2023 by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

13 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

So true.  In fact, I was reading some reviews on the Regent Seven Seas ships yesterday as we just booked a new ship for 2025.  It's funny because I have no barometer having never sailed with them but I was surprised at many of the reviews across various ships being given 1, 2, or three stars.  Main complaint seems to be in the downgraded food..  No line is immune to cutbacks and downgrades, I guess.

I have also seen similar reviews on Oceania about downgraded food, but when you start with luxury restaurant quality food and downgrade you hopefully are still better than the mainstream cruise lines.

[Orator]

The new cruiser sees this as normal. The experienced cruiser sees this as a downgrade. They must be trying to save lots of money by having new cruisers replace experienced cruisers. so that they can save on benefits.The cutbacks in the Zenith level and the general downgrade in the loyalty program only showed what was coming.

[HMR74]

Just thinking, always dangerous.

 

Anybody remember Freshman year dorm food?

the jokes about mystery meals.

Chicken Fried Steak? With lots of gravy . Greasy burgers.

many nights of pasta?

 

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, HMR74 said:

Just thinking, always dangerous.

 

Anybody remember Freshman year dorm food?

the jokes about mystery meals.

Chicken Fried Steak? With lots of gravy . Greasy burgers.

many nights of pasta?

 

I was in a fraternity in college and complained about the quality of the food we got on weekends when our normal cook was off. I was then offered the job of cooking Saturday and Sunday breakfasts and dinners in exchange for my room and board costs. The complaints stopped after I took over, LOL

[HMR74]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I was in a fraternity in college and complained about the quality of the food we got on weekends when our normal cook was off. I was then offered the job of cooking Saturday and Sunday breakfasts and dinners in exchange for my room and board costs. The complaints stopped after I took over, LOL

my family had a couple of restaurants back in the 1960's -I worked the regsiter when I was 14, but got experience on the way up to cook. Was a great life experience.

[bnurick]

Next X will limit the number of cookies you can bring onboard like bottles of wine. #TheCookieMonster

   

[kirtihk]

39 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

So true.  In fact, I was reading some reviews on the Regent Seven Seas ships yesterday as we just booked a new ship for 2025.  It's funny because I have no barometer having never sailed with them but I was surprised at many of the reviews across various ships being given 1, 2, or three stars.  Main complaint seems to be in the downgraded food..  No line is immune to cutbacks and downgrades, I guess.

Correct (from my experience on their December 20, 2022 cruise).

[kirtihk]

1 hour ago, HMR74 said:

However we are paying for that all inclusive vacation which is not all inclusive anymore, at least on X. perhaps unless you spend a large chunk and go upper level suites. However even inside cabins on decent itineraries are running 400 a night now which is more than we paid for Aqua 3 years ago (albeit cancelled).

I booked a Silversea cruise with an exceptional itinerary recently for $330 per night.

[HMR74]

13 minutes ago, bnurick said:

Next X will limit the number of cookies you can bring onboard like bottles of wine. #TheCookieMonster

   

2 plus 20% is  or was the early hedge fund manager compensation. 2% base fee and 20% of profits for taking risks with other peoples money.

[terrydtx]

13 minutes ago, HMR74 said:

my family had a couple of restaurants back in the 1960's -I worked the regsiter when I was 14, but got experience on the way up to cook. Was a great life experience.

Our Weekday cook was fabulous and she gave me some of her recipes for cooking for 40+ in our Fraternity. I still love cooking and many in my family consider me to be a gourmet chef, with no training.

[terrydtx]

16 minutes ago, bnurick said:

Next X will limit the number of cookies you can bring onboard like bottles of wine. #TheCookieMonster

   

Sir, will you report to the naughty room we found a package of Orios in your checked bag.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, OysterD said:

But has he confirmed there are no longer any free cookies at Al Bacio? That's the only thing that matters really. 

All I've seen here is talk, no proof any cookies are for charge. .. just that one much copied photo which might or might not be real. 

 

I'd like to see another photo not touched up. I cant decide if it's TRUE from what said here.

[cublet]

45 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Lately it seems RCG is trying to see what they can get away with new/increased fees and cutbacks.  It’s like they’re trying to be the spirit/frontier of cruise lines

Hello,

 

What I think is careless is that the Pilgrim Fathers, en route to New Plymouth, seem to have lost the recipe/method for making 'biscuits' and the soggy mess called 'cookies' is the result.

 

Royal, Celebrity, Uncle Tom Cobley and All can charge what they want 'cos I won't be eating them - for free or for a fee. Don't be too upset, the Aussies can't make 'biscuits' either even though they do call theirs that.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[HMR74]

Just now, terrydtx said:

Our Weekday cook was fabulous and she gave me some of her recipes for cooking for 40+ in our Fraternity. I still love cooking and many in my family consider me to be a gourmet chef, with no training.

OJT, best training around. Assuming that the mentors were great.

 

Our friends who are couples; the wives humorously said that if they go first they want their husbands to move in with me because they wil lbe well fed. 

 

But I generally avoid things that take too much time to clean up.

 

But if I am disappointed with meals on board ship and with family or friends, I generally will not say anything if I am disappointed because my expectations are high and I do not want to wreck the trip for others,

 

I would say hopefuly we could meet up on board some time but I am afraid my days cruising are getting  short just because I am not as happy cruising, and prefer land trips now.

[gizmodog]

That picture of a fee for cookies is not a doctored picture. I read smart news every morning on my I pad and I saw the same thing on my smart news app “celebrity now to charge for chocolate chip cookies” was the headline. . That news is out there, it will be interesting to see if it actuality ever takes off. Most ridiculous thing ever I’ve ever seen if it does, they will not get $2 out of me for a cookie after what I paid for a cruise.

Edited August 25, 2023 by gizmodog
Mispelled

[firefly333]

1 minute ago, gizmodog said:

That picture of a fee for cookies is not a doctored picture. I read smart news every morning on my I pad and I saw the same thing on my smart news app “celebrity now to charge for chocolate chip cookies” was the headline. . That news is out there, it will be interesting to see if it actuality it ever takes off. Most ridiculous thing ever I’d it does, they will not get $2 out of me for a cookie after what I paid for a cruise.

Isnt it odd to you only the one picture? No one else has a picture of cookies for a fee. 

 

Idk .. just wondering. I will wait for something other than the one picture. Odd to me no one here knows. Just saying they saw the same picture. 

[terrydtx]

16 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Isnt it odd to you only the one picture? No one else has a picture of cookies for a fee. 

 

Idk .. just wondering. I will wait for something other than the one picture. Odd to me no one here knows. Just saying they saw the same picture. 

On another site we can't mention, it has been reported more than once by current Equinox passengers that that sign is in place and they are indeed charging for the cookies.  What other proof do you need?

Edited August 25, 2023 by terrydtx

[TeeRick]

56 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I was in a fraternity in college and complained about the quality of the food we got on weekends when our normal cook was off. I was then offered the job of cooking Saturday and Sunday breakfasts and dinners in exchange for my room and board costs. The complaints stopped after I took over, LOL

terry I hear they are looking for dedicated butlers for the upper suites.  Perhaps you could do this on board during your next cruise.

[ladylemondrop]

This whole situation is really taking the biscuit! Things at Celebrity are clearly crumbling. They are just choc chipping away at our loyalty!