Specialty Dinning Price Increases

[Joebucks]

19 hours ago, mz-s said:

Obviously still a very good deal compared to a comparable place at home. The price of eating out is getting to be ridiculous.

 

Very good deal? I can get Hibachi for under $42. I can get a steak hibachi for about $25 at most places by me, and I could add an app if I wanted, and still be under that. $24 Asian fare is also no bargain either. I suppose if you really want to stick to your guns, you can find a scenario where it is comparable when you figure in all of the "included" courses you may or may not buy at home. "Very good deal" is an extreme stretch. Especially when the alternative is a dinner completely free of charge. 

 

You are right about one thing. The price of eating out is getting to be ridiculous. I won't influence my decisions because "more expensive food exists." 

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 

Very good deal? I can get Hibachi for under $42. I can get a steak hibachi for about $25 at most places by me, and I could add an app if I wanted, and still be under that. $24 Asian fare is also no bargain either. I suppose if you really want to stick to your guns, you can find a scenario where it is comparable when you figure in all of the "included" courses you may or may not buy at home. "Very good deal" is an extreme stretch. Especially when the alternative is a dinner completely free of charge. 

 

You are right about one thing. The price of eating out is getting to be ridiculous. I won't influence my decisions because "more expensive food exists." 

I was mostly talking about the steakhouse. I haven’t been to a Benihana etc lately so I don’t know what places like that charge these days. 

[Drew B 58]

4 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

🎻🎻🎻

 

All those things are not my problem. Carnival has to provide a competitive product in the marketplace despite headwinds, or they won't survive. They're profitable again - so they are providing a competitive product for many people now. And hopefully they will survive. Good for them! I feel like I may have outgrown their product, but that's me.

“Competitive” implies comparison to other lines.  Carnival specialty restaurant prices, even with these increases appear to be comparable to (perhaps slightly lower than) prices on RCCL and HAL and significantly lower than on Celebrity or MSC.  NCL restaurants seem to be mostly a la carte (unless it’s with a dining package).  Princess is the only line with less expensive specialty dining than Carnival.

[jimbo5544]

4 hours ago, Joebucks said:

 

Very good deal? I can get Hibachi for under $42. I can get a steak hibachi for about $25 at most places by me, and I could add an app if I wanted, and still be under that. $24 Asian fare is also no bargain either. I suppose if you really want to stick to your guns, you can find a scenario where it is comparable when you figure in all of the "included" courses you may or may not buy at home. "Very good deal" is an extreme stretch. Especially when the alternative is a dinner completely free of charge. 

 

You are right about one thing. The price of eating out is getting to be ridiculous. I won't influence my decisions because "more expensive food exists." 

Pretty sure my view of comparable would be on a cruise ship…..but that is me

[Saint Greg]

I still have some meals I booked before the last price increase. It didn't seem like a huge savings at the time but It's adding up with a second price increase before I've gotten to some of those cruises.

[Saint Greg]

4 hours ago, Drew B 58 said:

“Competitive” implies comparison to other lines.  Carnival specialty restaurant prices, even with these increases appear to be comparable to (perhaps slightly lower than) prices on RCCL and HAL and significantly lower than on Celebrity or MSC.  NCL restaurants seem to be mostly a la carte (unless it’s with a dining package).  Princess is the only line with less expensive specialty dining than Carnival.

 

I was just on my first NCL cruise two months ago. I got two specialty dinners just with their free at sea deal. Then a third when I bought the upgraded drink package that included internet. So I considered it practically free. I would say their steakhouse is slightly below Carnival's but not THAT far below. I would take theirs under free at sea vs. paying what Carnival charges. And I think you got more food there. I definitely liked that their risotto was a side not a starter.

 

I'm on Princess next so we'll see. I believe their steakhouse is $39 and their Italian restaurant is $24.

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by Saint Greg

[BlerkOne]

Did Royal just increase gratuities? Life goes on. Nobody is forced to cruise much less eat in specialty restaurants. Perhaps if Carnival stopped subsidizing gamblers, the rest of us wouldn't have to share the burden.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I was just on my first NCL cruise two months ago. I got two specialty dinners just with their free at sea deal. Then a third when I bought the upgraded drink package that included internet. So I considered it practically free. I would say their steakhouse is slightly below Carnival's but not THAT far below. I would take theirs under free at sea vs. paying what Carnival charges. And I think you got more food there. I definitely liked that their risotto was a side not a starter.

 

I'm on Princess next so we'll see. I believe their steakhouse is $39 and their Italian restaurant is $24.

 

Are they really free?  They just do a really good deal of including them on the fare.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

Did Royal just increase gratuities? Life goes on. Nobody is forced to cruise much less eat in specialty restaurants. Perhaps if Carnival stopped subsidizing gamblers, the rest of us wouldn't have to share the burden.

Bingo

[Saint Greg]

18 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Are they really free?  They just do a really good deal of including them on the fare.

Well the fare was only $429. I used 7 of their $50 off excursion deals with free at sea. Add that in with a couple steakhouses and there is no fare.

 

[jimbo5544]

Just now, Saint Greg said:

Well the fare was only $429. I used 7 of their $50 off excursion deals with free at sea. Add that in with a couple steakhouses and there is no fare.

 

You got a good deal, as they said in the 3rd Raiders of the Lost Ark, you chose wisely.  That said, people really think the 3 free at sea are free….

[Saint Greg]

13 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

You got a good deal, as they said in the 3rd Raiders of the Lost Ark, you chose wisely.  

Yeah they weren’t charging double for solos in interiors on that one. Princess has also been significantly cheaper for me lately. And they just upgraded me from an interior guarantee to a standard balcony for only $210.

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, Saint Greg said:

Well the fare was only $429. I used 7 of their $50 off excursion deals with free at sea. Add that in with a couple steakhouses and there is no fare.

 

Marketing 101. They still have your $429 plus gratuities on a cabin that may have gone unsold.

 

Carnival likes to give deals to gamblers, other cruise lines spread them out.

[Saint Greg]

45 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Marketing 101. They still have your $429 plus gratuities on a cabin that may have gone unsold.

 

Carnival likes to give deals to gamblers, other cruise lines spread them out.

Math 101. It’s better to give them 429 than to give carnival 2429.

 

 

Edited November 4, 2023 by Saint Greg

[LatinaInTexas]

53 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Math 101. It’s better to give them 429 than to give carnival 2429.

 

 

My math adds up the same, will be sailing Norwegian to Alaska next year.

[jimbo5544]

10 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

Math 101. It’s better to give them 429 than to give carnival 2429.

 

 

 

9 hours ago, LatinaInTexas said:

My math adds up the same, will be sailing Norwegian to Alaska next year.

It is hard to argue those numbers

[WKUFan1]

I have the Steakhouse, Cucina, and JiJis booked twice each on my next cruise in March on the Horizon. I booked the cruise last month and purchased Cucina and JiJis at the old price 1X and when I went to book for a second time I got hit with the higher fees (I should have booked everything at once last month). I don't mind the additional upcharge as the food quality is decent in all those restaurants.  I also have Chef's Table booked for this cruise (as I book on every cruise) and feel Chef's Table is the best value at sea...you pay 2X the fee for a comparable experience on land.

[maryann2]

19 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Did Royal just increase gratuities? Life goes on. Nobody is forced to cruise much less eat in specialty restaurants. Perhaps if Carnival stopped subsidizing gamblers, the rest of us wouldn't have to share the burden.

I agree.

As a solo Carnival is too expensive for me now.

[maryann2]

17 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

Yeah they weren’t charging double for solos in interiors on that one. Princess has also been significantly cheaper for me lately. And they just upgraded me from an interior guarantee to a standard balcony for only $210.

I am sailing Princess next week.  TA from Southampton.

No solo supplement.

First time on Princess.

Their Princess Plus includes wifi and tips for $60 a day.

[Saint Greg]

5 minutes ago, maryann2 said:

I am sailing Princess next week.  TA from Southampton.

No solo supplement.

First time on Princess.

Their Princess Plus includes wifi and tips for $60 a day.

I did the plus upgrade as well. I really like the bundles NCL and Princess have. Now I have to figure out how to spend my $250 OBC with everything paid for. 
 

Edited November 4, 2023 by Saint Greg

[maryann2]

3 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

I did the plus upgrade as well. I really like the bundles NCL and Princess have. Now I have to figure out how to spend my $250 OBC with everything paid for. 
 

Yes it's good to still get $250 stock OBC.

[Saint Greg]

Just now, maryann2 said:

Yes it's good to still get $250 stock OBC.

Oh yeah mine is just a 7-day cruise so $100 stock. $150 TA.

[vwrestler171]

21 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Did Royal just increase gratuities? Life goes on. Nobody is forced to cruise much less eat in specialty restaurants. Perhaps if Carnival stopped subsidizing gamblers, the rest of us wouldn't have to share the burden.

Carnival "subsidizing" the gamblers helps keep the prices down for YOU.  The gamblers spend a lot more in the casino than their room would cost so the casino offers them cheap rates to get them onboard.

[Colorado Beach Bum]

23 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Perhaps if Carnival stopped subsidizing gamblers, the rest of us wouldn't have to share the burden.

Are you saying that casino offers are causing Carnival to lose money so they have to make it up by charging everyone else more?  Then why would they keep doing this if they are “losing” so much off of gamblers.  

[mz-s]

Many of those who bemoan gamblers have let it slip elsewhere that they themselves get casino rates. So my advice is don't feed the trolls.