Crown Grill comes to MDR

I received an interesting email from Princess regarding my Jan 18 Star cruise to Hawaii. For a “nominal fee” you can now order steak, lobster, and “much more” from the Crown Grill in the MDR. I think this is new.

Something new for me. Haven’t received a similar email for our Jan 24 Asia cruise.

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Wonder if it is fleetwide or a test run on certain ships? We are leaving on the Crown Saturday.

Although I have no argument with the MDR and have always been treated well and felt welcome the Crown Grill was supposed to be a step above. Billed as a totally different dining experience. I am not sure I would do the CG in the MDR. Don't try to be everything to everybody. It is not that hard to get reservations at one of the upscale dining venues to have to use them through the MDR.

I received an interesting email from Princess regarding my Jan 18 Star cruise to Hawaii. For a “nominal fee” you can now order steak, lobster, and “much more” from the Crown Grill in the MDR. I think this is new.

Personally I hope it falls flat on its face. Once they start charging for certain kinds of food it is not far behind to start charging for other kinds of food to charging just to eat in the MDR. If you want these types of food there are venues to do that. I would say keep them separate. Remember if you do this you are supporting further charges.

I would guess that this is a test run... And hasn't this been mentioned before.

I think that MANY cruisers might opt to pay a reasonable premium for better steak, without having to make reservations and do the whole specialty dining thing.

I certainly do not think that they would price this at the full surcharge that passengers now pay for the experience of leaving the MDR behind and enjoying the whole specialty dining experience.

It might be a bit of a slippery slope.

But, hasn't the quality of food in the MDR been sliding downhill for the past few years now?

They now charge for extra mains (lobster/steak) in the Crown Grill.

And, remember crab and seafood on the buffet, like on embarkation night.

WOW.... lest we forget.

If they are going to limit food quality and options that are included for the basic cruise fare... WHICH THEY HAVE, AND ARE...

Then maybe adding some easy convenient and optional better choices would be welcomed by some.

Didn't Princess hire some F&B bigwig from Royal Caribbean? Who is being blamed for the changes in the Elite lounge? If so this is likely just another case of forcing an outside idea where it doesn't belong. Where it will be as useful as a screen door on a submarine--especially if when someone tries to order the upcharge items and they are told "the steakhouse is to busy for outside orders tonight" which has been reported on the RCI board.

Wow, Fishywood....

If that is true, and logistics are an issue....

: (

Wonder how much the 'nominal' fee will be, and how much would you pay, IF ANY??

$ 10 for each 'upgraded entre' since that is the surcharge in the CG for an 'extra'?

oh, you want a 'loaded baked potato' - $ 3 extra won't be far behind, along with the 'specialty dessert of the night - $ 5

I think there are some serious problems with this idea. If you order a Crown Grill filet when dining in the main dining room, will that steak really be prepared in the Crown Grill kitchen? If so, how hot will it be by the time it arrives at your main dining room table? Also, what about the timing required so everyone at your table receives their main courses at the same time when those courses come from two different kitchens located on two different decks.

Wonder how much the 'nominal' fee will be, and how much would you pay, IF ANY??

 

$ 10 for each 'upgraded entre' since that is the surcharge in the CG for an 'extra'?

 

oh, you want a 'loaded baked potato' - $ 3 extra won't be far behind, along with the 'specialty dessert of the night - $ 5

When NCL went to the A La Carte system they did start charging by the item in their specialty restaurants. Could Princess be progressing towards more revenue with this move. Will A La Carte become the norm?

Carnival has done for a couple of years now. It has worked out quite well. DH orders the steak in MDR, it saves us money as I prefer the MDR sides. You dont have to buy it, but it sure is a nice option if you want Lobster or Steak for dinner. And when everyone in your group dose not want to go to the steakhouse your still good. This would take away nothing from your steakhouse experience by offering entres in the MDR.

I think there are some serious problems with this idea. If you order a Crown Grill filet when dining in the main dining room, will that steak really be prepared in the Crown Grill kitchen? If so, how hot will it be by the time it arrives at your main dining room table? Also, what about the timing required so everyone at your table receives their main courses at the same time when those courses come from two different kitchens located on two different decks.

I believe on Carnival it is cooked in the MDR, just a better cut of beef.

This CC article from 2010 shows that 10 years ago RCI began offering better steaks for a fee in the MDR and that Carnival had begun to test this option in 2010.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4122

Carnival currently offers the upcharge option in their MDR...$20 for either a lobster tail, filet mignon & lobster tail, 9 oz filet mignon or a 12 oz New York Strip steak. That’s only for the entree & other courses would be from the nightly menu.

https://www.carnival.com/~/media/Images/explore/dining/menus/dining-room-steakhouse-selections.pdf

That’s probably an indication of what Princess would be charging. My guess is that these items will be prepared in the main galley & not at the Crown Grill to be delivered to the MDR.

So if you can pay to get better food does the already sometimes marginal quality of food (IMHO) go down even further?

Is this a win-win for Princess? Increase revenue by charging for food and decrease cost because people aren't eating the "included" entree's?

You can bet this will become the norm and you will have "free" so-so options and expensive much better options. I can't be the only one that would rather pay a little more up front to stop the nickel-n-dime at every turn.

Horrible idea, because of the slippery slope. Soon, they will be charging for every item on the menu, just like a coffee shop on land. {Coffee shop, because the food quality has gone to about coffee shop levels already.}

I am pretty sure this is a test. If the results are not satisfactory--however the corporate types have defined that--it will be discarded.

However, this seems like a slam dunk to me. It is not, at all, trailblazing. Like most corporations, Princess is risk-averse. In this case, the corporate types are saying, "Hey, it works for our competition, any cost is minimal and, may, in fact, be recoverable. Why not try it?"

Above somebody alluded to what, I think, is the best opportunity for this idea: families. I have seen more than one thread here on the Cruise Critic Princess Board complaining that children are charged half-price (currently, $14.50) at the Crown Grill. With this scenario, the familiy can go to the dining room to celebrate, say, Mom and Dad's anniversary. Dad can order the "Crown Grill Filet Mignon," Mom can order the "Crown Grill Lobster Tails," and the kids can order the Chicken Nuggets off the children's menu.

Since this is the internet where every person has the inalienable right to speculate, I might as well speculate. My guess is that the cost is going to be $10, and that will be for certain entrees, only. I really don't think that the sides served in the Crown Grill are particularly special. So, whatever starch or vegetable is being served in the dining room on any given night would work fine. Continuing recklessly down this road of speculation, I would think that these entrees would be prepared in the dining room galley. Grilling a steak or a lobster tail is just not that hard.

Now, if I could just get the dining room Creme Brulee added to the Crown Grill dessert menu, my life would be happier.

I am pretty sure this is a test. If the results are not satisfactory--however the corporate types have defined that--it will be discarded.

 

However, this seems like a slam dunk to me. It is not, at all, trailblazing. Like most corporations, Princess is risk-averse. In this case, the corporate types are saying, "Hey, it works for our competition, any cost is minimal and, may, in fact, be recoverable. Why not try it?"

 

Above somebody alluded to what, I think, is the best opportunity for this idea: families. I have seen more than one thread here on the Cruise Critic Princess Board complaining that children are charged half-price (currently, $14.50) at the Crown Grill. With this scenario, the familiy can go to the dining room to celebrate, say, Mom and Dad's anniversary. Dad can order the "Crown Grill Filet Mignon," Mom can order the "Crown Grill Lobster Tails," and the kids can order the Chicken Nuggets off the children's menu.

 

Since this is the internet where every person has the inalienable right to speculate, I might as well speculate. My guess is that the cost is going to be $10, and that will be for certain entrees, only. I really don't think that the sides served in the Crown Grill are particularly special. So, whatever starch or vegetable is being served in the dining room on any given night would work fine. Continuing recklessly down this road of speculation, I would think that these entrees would be prepared in the dining room galley. Grilling a steak or a lobster tail is just not that hard.

 

Now, if I could just get the dining room Creme Brulee added to the Crown Grill dessert menu, my life would be happier.

Kids price has gone up......$29 per person (adults & children over 12 years of age) $21.75 per person (children 3-12 years old) No charge (children 0 to 2 years old)

Sad, Sad times

In October on a Royal Princess transatlantic cruise we didn’t notice any decrease in MDR quality & choices...except for most of the beef courses. It didn’t appear to be due to the preparation but to the lower quality of beef. Also for years most of the lobster tails we’ve had in the MDR & CG haven’t been great either...mostly small with a rubbery texture. We had a good lobster tail on that cruise but that was during the wonderful Ultimate Balcony Dinner. Taste is subjective but this is what my tastebuds tell me. ;)

Now comes the new option to purchase better cuts of steak & possibly a better lobster tail. I think that a decline in most beef (in particular steaks & Prime Rib) has already occurred. And that some passengers may be willing to pay a nominal fee for the new MDR options.

That option has been available for years in the RCI & Carnival MDRs but it has not expanded to an ala carte menu. I haven’t sailed those cruise lines in several years so I don’t have an opinion about whether it’s resulted in a deterioration of their MDR food.

A recent post from the Regal after beginning implementation of Ocean Medallion shows photos of an expanded room service menu with more fee based items. Like the new MDR options & things such as Club Class some passengers are willing to pay additional for such things. That doesn’t include me & as long as such changes don’t negatively affect my cruise experience then it’s not a major issue for me.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=55000559&postcount=9

Not a good thing! I hope this idea fails miserably. I too see what's coming, Eventually we will be paying in all venues a la cart for what few choices/selection they will finally leave us with when they are done taking things away from us. .

As a CCL stockholder I say go for it, revenue! As a cruiser, I now sail Viking Ocean.

We like the CG, and we go to the CG at least once on every cruise we take. However, we won't order CG entrees in the MDR. I agree that it's a slippery slope, and I don't like the idea at all.

Personally I hope it falls flat on its face. Once they start charging for certain kinds of food it is not far behind to start charging for other kinds of food to charging just to eat in the MDR. If you want these types of food there are venues to do that. I would say keep them separate. Remember if you do this you are supporting further charges.

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