Cunard Introduces A La Carte Pricing For Diners

[Joserus]

What is everyones opinion on this?

I'm not sure that I like the idea of paying per item. One of the things I love most about cruising is not having to worry about how much things cost. Even at Todd English it is still just a relatively small supplement and you can still indulge yourself and order as much as you want. I just have a feeling that the cruise lines are "testing the waters" to see how much they can get away with nickel and diming people and pretty soon just about everything will be on top of your cruise fare.

[alita]

It sounds very strange to me... can you please tell us where you learned this?

[Joserus]

It is in the cruise news today. It states,"Starters will cost $6 or $7, main courses $16 to $18 and desserts $6 to $7."

 

See link below...

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4014

[Ray66]

It was discussed on here a couple of months ago.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1198084

 

It is applicable for speciality dining for 3 sections of the King's Court, and the Lido on the QV and the Verandah on the new QE.

[karl_nj]

It was discussed on here a couple of months ago.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1198084

 

It is applicable for speciality dining for 3 sections of the King's Court, and the Lido on the QV and the Verandah on the new QE.

 

This is actually a bit different then what was discussed before. This announcement says that you will be charged different prices, depending on which items you order on the menu. This would just be for the Verandah on the QE (for now).

[Brad1185]

One more reason NOT to cruise with Cunard. Hopefully people won't go and the a la carte trend will be stopped. I think this is a really bad idea and trend.

[heywood]

The cost seems to be just a bit more than Todd English. It seems that most of the cruise lines have added dining choices at a cost - $20- $30 so I suppose it is QE's speciality dining service. Idon't think the cost was known in the previous discussions.

[Cinema15]

Like the Cunard Line having sailed twice on the QM2...however this "al la carte"pricing, I believe, is just the beginning of the latest way to suck every penny they can from their paying customers. Get ready my friends it's going to be a bumpy ride and a certainly more expensive one!

[Ray66]

Like the Cunard Line having sailed twice on the QM2...however this "al la carte"pricing, I believe, is just the beginning of the latest way to suck every penny they can from their paying customers. Get ready my friends it's going to be a bumpy ride and a certainly more expensive one!

 

All you need to do is dine in the Britannia where there is no extra charge.

[david,Mississauga]

One more reason NOT to cruise with Cunard. Hopefully people won't go and the a la carte trend will be stopped. I think this is a really bad idea and trend.

 

Why should anyone avoid Cunard because the option of an a la carte restaurant is available? It is not mandatory to go to an extra-charge dining venue. Every passenger is assigned to a regular restaurant, whether it be Britannia or a Grill room. If you want something extra you have to pay for it. It's similar to paying extra for the Grills experience on Cunard, or first or business class on an aeroplane, or a concierge section of a hotel, or first class on a train - these are simply options to enhance your travel experience.

 

I have always been happy with my dining room on Cunard on both QE2 and QM2, no matter what level of service I have paid for, and have never used the buffet or considered paying for Todd English. But I know some people like a change from their main dining room, so if they want to pay for it why should they not have that choice?

[JimandStan]

We don't object to an A La Carte Restaurant per say, however, this one seems to be a yawn.

 

The Veranda Grills on the original Queen Mary and Elizabeth were nightclubs that served food and had fantastic views over the stern.

The present incarnation seems to be just another alternative restaurant, tucked away in the corner of the atrium... pardon me, the Grand Lobby.

 

The idea of a "supper club at sea" is long overdue, and that is an area where Cunard could have made an impact with the Veranda Café brand.

 

Sadly, they have lowered the bar (no entertainment, no dancing, crummy location on the ship) to the point where to call this space the Veranda Café is an insult to Cunard's heritage.

 

Isn't it odd that Carnival would purchase Cunard for its' panache and then fritter it away like this?

[keithm]

What is everyones opinion on this?

I'm not sure that I like the idea of paying per item. One of the things I love most about cruising is not having to worry about how much things cost. Even at Todd English it is still just a relatively small supplement and you can still indulge yourself and order as much as you want. I just have a feeling that the cruise lines are "testing the waters" to see how much they can get away with nickel and diming people and pretty soon just about everything will be on top of your cruise fare.

If it's for the Veranda, then it's ok. This is the alternative rest. on the QE, It's basically like the Todd English, but without a formal name(well, except the Veranda Grill on the older liners)I guess you can choose to dine or not dine there. I do not like the possibility of a charge for using the Lotus,Kings Carvery,etc. on the QM2 during their more formal nights. I do love the "tasting" menu in Lotus, but I'll stick to the Grills, if there's an extra charge in the King's court area.

[heywood]

We have only ever eaten dinner in Britannia and have always enjoyed it.

However, my friend who cruises with Celebrity always has a meal at the alternative restaurant which has a cover charge.

When, this year, she sailed QM2 for the long weekend at the end of May, she and her friends ate in Todd English for a dinner. That is what she chooses to do and she enjoys the experience.

If you don't want to pay for the Veranda experience then you don't need to but some will.

[foodsvcmgr]

I agree with David and others who have said no problem if this is

simply a variation on the extra tariff alternative dining concept for

this particular ship.

 

As long as standards are kept in Britannia grade, fine - if it is debased

to the point that one is "forced" to pay extra for a decent meal, no.

 

I also don't see the justification in charging for served dinners in QM2 King's Court, other than for the demonstration kitchen presentation in

Chef's Galley as they did at one time. The food would have to be dramatically upgraded to compensate for the venue itself IMO

[curlyQ]

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2010/07/cunard-queen-elizabeth-verandah-restaurant-qe2-mary-2-dining-/101927/1

 

This is no different to any alternative (extra charge) restaurant on most ships today. If you dont want the specialty dining experience than simply stick to the regular dining venues where the meals are included in your fare.

 

Interesting to read that Todd English on QV is struggling, which no doubt is why Cunard went for 'The Verandah' idea on the new QE instead.

[BigMac1953]

Unbelievable!

 

The Todd English was so popular in June, that half way through the 17 night trip they reduced the price by 50%, and still nobody went.

 

All they'll do is create another empty space.

 

Someone really ought to give them some proper advice and stop them pandering to Shanks and the bean counters, who are determined to try to wring every last penny out of their loyal customers (not guests).

[Norfolk Brit]

Unbelievable!

 

The Todd English was so popular in June, that half way through the 17 night trip they reduced the price by 50%, and still nobody went.

 

IMHO Todd English isn't good enough to tempt diners from Britannia, let alone the Grills, to eat there. We booked for five evenings just after boarding QV last year. After the first three meals, one of them pretty dire and the rest depressingly average, we cancelled the remaining two bookings. On all three evenings, the service was laughably over-attentive, probably because the restaurant was deserted. The only person who didn't ask, mid-mouthful, if we were enjoying everything was the cleaning lady. It was only a matter of time, as they were popping out of the woodwork from every direction.

 

The problem is that the contrast between Britannia and TE isn't great enough - on P&O Arcadia the food in the main restaurant was absolutely dreadful; the food in Gary Rhodes (supplemented) restaurant was wonderful, several notches above Todd English, and well worth the supplement. Cunard needs a better speciality chef!

Mary

[Slow Foxtrot]

Interestingly enough, on P & O's World Cruise (Aurora) earlier this year the food in the two main restaurants was excellent. Furthermore, one could have both breakfast and lunch in the speciality restaurant (Marco Pierre White) free of charge. If one booked dinner in the Marco Pierre White Restaurant then the surcharge was only £4.99.

P & O, of course, is part of the Carnival Group which owns QM2.

As regards QM2 and the Todd English restaurant; why would anyone from the Grills or even the Britannia Restaurant wish to pay £15 extra to eat there when the food is already highly satisfactory in their own restaurant? £60 for a table for 4 seems quite a lot for a change of scenery!

[lord of the seas]

Another line under Carnival ownership is Seabourn,who do not charge extra for any food in any of the restaurants,even caviar is included and any drinks and wines that you care to have.

The slightly higher cruise cost far outweighs what you pay on Cunard after you have added up all of the extras that are on your final bill.

I sailed with Cunard for twenty four years and would not go on these newer ships again after experiencing Seabourn and Silversea.

[yrrah]

I do not think an upscale optional restaurant aboard QE, with an a la carte menu, priced per course, is a good idea!

 

Interestingly, I can even see immediate issues affecting Cunard revenue and restaurant booking availability (e.g., passengers who only come for one course, passengers who decide to share items) ... so, will that mean that Cunard may have to then institute a per-person minimum (e.g., a tacky way to go).

 

I could envision a more-standard industry fixed-price option for a meal with surcharges for certain higher-cost items [as is done in many land-based restaurants with fixed-price meals].

 

As to Todd English, that entire QM2/QV venture has issues that Cunard is hopefully trying to resolve on QE with this new concept (e.g., current limited Cunard control over never-changing Todd English menu selections/recipes). As many others on this board have alluded to, Todd English now is not as good as the two Grills and QM2's Britannia Club ... an expensive vessel speciality restaurant should be at least as good -- and really better -- than those [one would think that Cunard itself would want to show off its culinary skills so that Britannia passengers might in the future travel in Grill or Britannia Club space].

[guernseyguy]

What's not to like? More choice for passengers - you can skip a starter, or not have dessert if you are full - unlike the current flat fee in Todd English. I wish the venture well - and whether its a success or not will depend on the quality of the food, not griping on a cruise board......:rolleyes:

[Cruachan]

As regards QM2 and the Todd English restaurant; why would anyone from the Grills or even the Britannia Restaurant wish to pay £15 extra to eat there when the food is already highly satisfactory in their own restaurant? £60 for a table for 4 seems quite a lot for a change of scenery!

 

Foxy, I totally agree. I have never felt the need to pay extra for a meal just because it's served in a restaurant bearing the name of some chef I've never heard of. I can dine in the Britannia Restaurant "free" and, after all, the Britannia serves food that is almost up to Army standards - what more could I ask for? :):)

 

J

[Slow Foxtrot]

..Foxy, I totally agree. I have never felt the need to pay extra for a meal just because it's served in a restaurant bearing the name of some chef I've never heard of. I can dine in the Britannia Restaurant "free" and, after all, the Britannia serves food that is almost up to Army standards - what more could I ask for?

 

 

No complaints with the Army food in my military days. But then again, our palates were not as refined in those days. Did your Scottish regiment march on Porridge and Haggis? And did you order this in the Britannia Restaurant for old time's sake? I think we should be told!

[wripro]

What's more two to one the menu itself will reflect what fine dining was fifty years ago.

[Cruachan]

No complaints with the Army food in my military days. But then again, our palates were not as refined in those days. Did your Scottish regiment march on Porridge and Haggis? And did you order this in the Britannia Restaurant for old time's sake? I think we should be told!

 

Never managed the haggis Foxy, but I've drummed up the odd bit of black pudding for breakfast. Porridge?

 

J