$14.95 for STEAK???

[Ocean Boy]

The following is from the 'Live from the Majesty' thread posted today by Merion_Mom.

 

Our dining companions have ordered the "regular" alternative steak several times, and have pronounced it "delicious". Yes, the $14.95 "Chops" steak is on the menu, but no one pushes it.

 

In my opinion...that makes it an option. They have not replaced the "regular" steak with the "Chops" steak.

 

OK, is appears that the regulat steak has not been replaced, yet, on Majesty. However, someone above posted that it has been replaced on Freedom.

[Ocean Boy]

I DO agree with you, and I'm sorry if I didn't make my comment clear. I was just quoting you because you seemed to misunderstand my sarcastic remark. We are on the SAME SIDE.:D The ranting and raving and name-calling and accusations are from someone who lives in the northeastern part of our country (or who has escaped from there:) ).

 

Now I understand what you were saying. Thanks for clearing it up.:)

[Ocean Boy]

I guess from their corporate perspective, why advertise bad news; it has a habit of spreading all by itself. Until the news trickles down, there's plenty of time to play dumb, make it seem like you're giving something (a marketing strategy that clearly worked, per the perception of many who posted here) rather than taking something away, and reap the rewards. IMHO, not a scam...but then again, certainly not something to which you'd be anxious to call attention!

 

That is pretty much how the charge at Johnny Rocket's was instituted. Then when people started to question the charge, and customer service finally stopped denying that there was a charge, the reason given was that it was to increase customer satisfaction by helping to cut down on the crowds.

 

Gee, speaking of Johnny Rocket's, I wonder if we will ever see a coupon in the C&A booklet good for one free CHOPS steak in the MDR???:p

[EscapeFromConnecticut]

The following is from the 'Live from the Majesty' thread posted today by Merion_Mom.

 

Our dining companions have ordered the "regular" alternative steak several times, and have pronounced it "delicious". Yes, the $14.95 "Chops" steak is on the menu, but no one pushes it.

 

In my opinion...that makes it an option. They have not replaced the "regular" steak with the "Chops" steak.

 

jobob - Right. Previous posts on this thread have documented:

- Majesty, which has no Chops specialty restaurant, is offering both steaks; the upsell AND the no-charge alternative.

This is the first report we've heard about whether the waiters are required to push it or not - it sounds like at that section of the dining room, at least, there's no hard-sell going on. Good. :)

- Freedom, which has a separate Chops specialty restaurant, removed the alternative no-charge steak in the MDR while adding the $14.95 upsell. This was done throughout the cruise. (at least 4 separate Freedom passengers have verified this here)

A few posters have questioned why anyone would pay $15 for the premium steak in the MDR, when for just $10 more they could enjoy the entire upscale meal & exclusive ambience of Chops itself.

That would make sense on Freedom, but obviously isn't an option on Majesty.

 

Could that be a reason for the two separate marketing strategies? Perhaps we'll find out in the weeks ahead.

 

 

 

End the RCL pay-per-entree scam!

 

Say "No" to Fain

[EscapeFromConnecticut]

EFC

 

Thank you for your posts.

 

Mafig - you rock!

:D :)

 

End the RCL pay-per-entree scam!

 

Say "No" to Fain

[lysolqn]

The following is from the 'Live from the Majesty' thread posted today by Merion_Mom...In my opinion...that makes it an option. They have not replaced the "regular" steak with the "Chops" steak.

 

Perhaps not on Majesty, but the "regular" steak has most definitely been replaced by the Chops steak. Even the folks at RCCL confirm this is the case.

[Jaxsonbrownie]

Great, now I have to find a way to smuggle this in my luggage, along with booze;)

[rubrrick]

Great, now I have to find a way to smuggle this in my luggage, along with booze;)

 

On our last two trips on the Monarch.......here is what we do!!

 

Are you referring to the steak............or the grill??:rolleyes: We have been smuggling our BBQ cooker (disguised as an odd shaped bottle of liquor......to get us thru security).........and so far the only problem that we have encountered is that the Los Angeles Harbor Patrol Police keep coming over the railing to our balcony..........with their steaks......to be cooked on our grill!!

 

We have been known to have special J. Beam bourbon that is supposed to be gently poured over the meat...........but somehow the bottle is empty, before the final turn of the meat.

 

Oh, by the way.........this thread is about meat........is it not???:D :D

 

Rick

[Jaxsonbrownie]

Great Post! HeHeHe.....Yes I believe the topic on hand is meat, steak to be exact.$14.95 in the MDR :D

 

 

 

pssst. where did you find your cooker?:)

[rubrrick]

pssst. where did you find your cooker?:)

 

Sshhhhhhhh,,,,,,,,,,,I smuggled it out of the Captains quarters!!

So far, he has not missed it!!

 

Rick

[Jaxsonbrownie]

[EscapeFromConnecticut]

Much thanks to Kim, Shannon and FLCruiser_64 for today's updates from their just-completed voyages on Mariner and Freedom.

Evidently the MDR menu on Mariner is still not affected, although the Freedom trial continues:

 

 

minnie00 on Mariner:

No $14.59 steak listed or offered to us. We were able to order the alternative steak.

shd157 on Mariner:

There was no $14.95 steak on the menu. There was the usual alternative steak for no extra charge. I don't know how many of the ships do have the $14.95 steak though.

FLCruiser_64 on Freedom:

Yes, the Chops steak is offered at $14.95 every day but the NY Strip is also offered on one of the nights at no extra charge, Prime Rip is offered on several nights (for all those meat lovers).

 

End the RCL pay-per-entree scam!

 

Say "No" to Fain

[FL_Cruiser64]

Holy smokes!

 

I did not know this thread is still alive until someone just pointed me to it.

 

35 pages (!!) over a steak?

 

If you don't have a perfect 20/20 vision you probably couldn't even read it on the menu.

 

This is absolutely hilarious.

 

[lettienets]

So what we've clarified is that the review was correct - that an alternative steak is offered on the menu for $14.95........... Not a rumor after all.

 

Wonder who cooks these steaks - main DR chefs or Chops chefs. Could make a difference.

 

This whole thing of paying extra in the regular dining room is terrible. What next, pay for big shrimp instead of little shrimp? Anything they can get another buck for! They are starting to treat their customers like cattle.

[psac]

This whole thing of paying extra in the regular dining room is terrible. What next, pay for big shrimp instead of little shrimp? Anything they can get another buck for! They are starting to treat their customers like cattle.

 

I agree. I recently was on an NCL cruise, and they have about 6-10 premium restaurants on each ship, ranging from $10-$25 per person. However, the main dining room is still free. Part of the premium charge is the special ambience of the other restaurants. To pay extra just for the food and still be in the MDR is insane.

 

... and not to mention it's a strip steak, not a filet or porterhouse!

[KMagz]

They are starting to treat their customers like cattle.

 

Unintentional irony??

:o :o

[bionicman97]

what is this about charging for steak. . . just kidding :-)

[lettienets]

On Holland America they tried upping the price in the Pinnacle Grill from $20 to $30 people and stopped going and the price went back down to $20

I say, don't pay these upcharges. Especially in the main dining room.

You couldn't pay me to go on NCL.

So far I haven't eaten in any extra charge venue because I don't want to encourage them appearing onboard. Another interesting thing - a lot of people in the Pinnacle Grill are only there because they receive a certificate fron their travel agents, a complimentary meal from HAL because of some kind of complaint and I think top suites get a freebie. So the people you see are not all paying customers.

[Brad1185]

Holy smokes!

 

I did not know this thread is still alive until someone just pointed me to it.

 

35 pages (!!) over a steak?

 

If you don't have a perfect 20/20 vision you probably couldn't even read it on the menu.

 

This is absolutely hilarious.

 

 

I dont look at this being about a steak, rather its about starting tocharge for meals in the MDR.

[FL_Cruiser64]

I dont look at this being about a steak, rather its about starting tocharge for meals in the MDR.

 

How do you know?

 

Maybe passengers requested that option on their comment cards. I bet you that there is probably a lot of families who don't want to dish out $25 a pop for one person to have a good steak. Now RCI is testing it if there is demand.

[lettienets]

How do you know?

 

Maybe passengers requested that option on their comment cards. I bet you that there is probably a lot of families who don't want to dish out $25 a pop for one person to have a good steak. Now RCI is testing it if there is demand.

 

Then why did they remove the "included steak"?

People don't seem to have a choice for a steak except once or twice from what I have read in other posts.

[Jeka]

Then why did they remove the "included steak"?

People don't seem to have a choice for a steak except once or twice from what I have read in other posts.

 

Because on a 7 day cruise they have prime rib twice, filet, sirloin and shoulder steak. That's beef on a least 5 nights.

[jobob]

I agree. I recently was on an NCL cruise, and they have about 6-10 premium restaurants on each ship, ranging from $10-$25 per person. However, the main dining room is still free. Part of the premium charge is the special ambience of the other restaurants. To pay extra just for the food and still be in the MDR is insane.

 

... and not to mention it's a strip steak, not a filet or porterhouse!

 

What is a strip steak?

 

The strip steak is one of the highest quality beef steaks on the market. In the United States and Canada it is also known as striploin, shell steak, Delmonico, New York or Kansas City strip steak. In the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the same steak is traditionally called a Porterhouse steak. Cut from the strip loin part of the sirloin, the strip steak consists of a muscle that does little work, and so it is particularly tender. Unlike the nearby filet mignon, the strip loin is a sizable muscle, allowing it to be cut into the larger portions favored by many steak eaters.

 

When still attached to the bone, and with a piece of the beef tenderloin also included, the strip steak becomes a T-bone steak or a Porterhouse steak as the latter term is understood in the United States and Canada.

 

The Kansas City strip steak usually has a portion of the bone connected, whereas the New York strip steak is boneless.

[floatel_lvr]

We will be on the Freedom in a few weeks... I know 3 people who will NOT order the $14.95 steak in the MDR... :D

 

This is just a bad sign of things to come... Low entry price and "pay per" charges for anything of any value.

 

The times they are a changing and not for the better.

RA

[G'ma]

Good Grief!!!!

 

It's still here!!!

 

Now it's 700 posts about a piece of meat!!!

 

I've seen shorter smoking threads or "dress code" threads.

 

WOW!!