Why pay when you can eat for free?

[reallyitsmema]

The only water that is free in the MDR is the tap water, which is also free in Chops.

 

If you paid $6.50 it's because you had sparking or bottled water, which you also would have paid extra for in the MDR had you ordered it.

 

Just wanted to clarify this for people who may be reading this thread and think that they will have to pay for tap water.

I agree that only tap is free but we experienced the same thing the PP was referring to. When we sat down, before we even opened the menu, we were offered "plain" or sparkling water. Having not eaten in Chops before, we assumed it was part of the fixed price, we were wrong. Not a big deal since I would have opted for sparkling anyway and have every other time we have eaten in a specialty restaurant. They need to present it better so people who haven't dined there before understand.

[Ruby71]

I'm not even going to bother reading the replies on this thread, I don't need to. I know why WE won't pay extra for it - it's just like at home. We rarely go out to eat, it's too expensive. I rarely buy coffee at Starbucks, it's too expensive. We rarely go out for ice cream, it's too expensive.

 

Why would I want to pay more money for a good meal, coffee, or ice cream (or anything else) when all of those items are available for the price I already paid to cruise? As far as I'm concerned, I'm already going out for a restaurant-quality meal, a cup of coffee, and ice cream - because it isn't coming out of MY kitchen!

 

Well stated, I totally agree!

[cruisecrasy]

the dinning room food used to be as good as the extra cost food. If stupid people did'nt pay extra for specialty dinning the main dinning room would serve the better quality food. Fifteen yrs. ago you would get fellet mingion and large lobster tails along with free soft drinks in the MDR. All the food was free and very good. No extra charge for ice cream or hambergers and fries back then.

 

Stupid people??? Never mind being a tad rude, it is JYO of course..and u are incorrect - there are no stupid people on CC.. :) Well..perhaps the odd one!!

 

On many other threads here many folks have posted re: the cruising costs of yesteryear! Yrs ago cruise fares were a lot higher in yesterdays $s and covered the costs of all u mention, today the cruise fares don't..

 

U wld have to at least double your cruise fare and then u might get it all (remember not only wages, food, other goods like soap etc but fuel has also gone up - of course so have your wages) and most folks don't want higher cruise fares!..

 

They want cheap cruise fares and being able to have a choice - spending what they want for whatever extras they like. No one is asking u to do that however - u are free to cruise & not spend another dime but if u do want nicer food then u must pay for it..

BUT u wld still, even eating every nite in a specialty restaurant, pay less than u wld for your cruise yrs ago in todays $s.

 

I suspect though what u really want is cheap fares and the same calibur of food, etc u got yrs ago..not going to happen but JMO anyway :)

 

Have happy cruisin'!

[cruisecrasy]

I'm not even going to bother reading the replies on this thread, I don't need to. I know why WE won't pay extra for it - it's just like at home. We rarely go out to eat, it's too expensive. I rarely buy coffee at Starbucks, it's too expensive. We rarely go out for ice cream, it's too expensive.

 

Why would I want to pay more money for a good meal, coffee, or ice cream (or anything else) when all of those items are available for the price I already paid to cruise? As far as I'm concerned, I'm already going out for a restaurant-quality meal, a cup of coffee, and ice cream - because it isn't coming out of MY kitchen!

 

U have your preferences and I have mine and we can both do as u please - neither of us is forced to compromise - aren't choices wonderful? :)

[insulationbabe]

We have done portofino's but not chops yet - and maybe someday we will

We so enjoy our tablemates - only had one bad experience in all the cruising we have done

Maybe for a special occasion and if our friends want to join us that would be fine, but for now we are more than happy with the main dining room food and service

The Med cruise in May was a little iffy - but their menu was a lot different than the Carribean trips we have taken - so back to the Carribean we go for the next 5 cruises - We also love the dining room at lunch time which is a new experience for us on the last few cruises

We order a light breakfast in the cabin - and then do lunch in the MDR - maybe a light snack later on and then east late - so it works out for both of us - hate eating big in the morning and then big at night as well

Looking forward to our upcoming Oasis - and then Radiance trips which will be a back to back in the Grand Suite:)

[griffy116]

We choose to eat in the MDR; other's prefer a couple of nights in the speciality restaurant, a couple of meals at Johnny Rockets. JUST US..we always find something we like in the MDR. We have only returned a dish once and I think it was a poached fish dish, which our waiter did not recommend. We have learned to listen to the waiters suggestions on most dishes. We aren't impressed with Johnny Rockets, in spite of the fact that up until this year, we would get free coupons in our C&A booklet. We would always give them to some of the teens onboard. Ben & Jerry's is good ice cream, but I can get it in the supermarket at home, the flavors are limited and I can get the soft serve with any topping I want for free. I don't feel deprived in the least skipping these. As for the specialty dining rooms, if I felt the food was bad or I didn't have anything that appealed to me, I might spend the money. Since I haven't caved and gone, I'm just fine in the MDR, and.....2 hours is the minimum of what I hear you spend at the specialty dining room and I just get antsy to move on to something else by the time I've spent an hour dining. Just us...everyone's entitled to feel differently. We're just perfectly satisfied in the MDR so why pay to go elsewhere?

[RetireeWannabee]

OP, I'm with you. Food isn't why I cruise and what's provided is just fine. I have no reason to pay more for different food.

[MyNameIsGermy]

Why would anyone pay for Ben and Jerry's ice cream on a ship? Because they want to and have the choice to do it.

 

Pretty much the answer to this entire thread, but some folks like to make a stink about what others do on-board. :D

[jenmouse]

We will eat in the MDR because my husband is a steak and potatoes type of guy. If it has a fancy sauce, or has ingredients that he is not familiar with, then he won't eat it. There is no sense in us paying for a specialty restaurant when he would be just as happy (if not happier) in the MDR. That said - we WILL go to Johnny Rockets because my younger son wants to experience it. We WILL get specialty coffee drinks because my older son and I enjoy them. And we WILL get Ben & Jerry's, or cupcakes from the Cupcake Cupboard, because, gosh darn it, we're on vacation and they look YUMMY!!!! :D

 

Seriously, though - to each his own. The specialty dining is there because people are willing to pay for it. No one HAS to - it is a matter of choice.

[temple1]

I agree that only tap is free but we experienced the same thing the PP was referring to. When we sat down, before we even opened the menu, we were offered "plain" or sparkling water. Having not eaten in Chops before, we assumed it was part of the fixed price, we were wrong. Not a big deal since I would have opted for sparkling anyway and have every other time we have eaten in a specialty restaurant. They need to present it better so people who haven't dined there before understand.

 

Dratted double post!

[temple1]

I agree that only tap is free but we experienced the same thing the PP was referring to. When we sat down, before we even opened the menu, we were offered "plain" or sparkling water. Having not eaten in Chops before, we assumed it was part of the fixed price, we were wrong. Not a big deal since I would have opted for sparkling anyway and have every other time we have eaten in a specialty restaurant. They need to present it better so people who haven't dined there before understand.

 

I noticed it also when we ate there, but I knew from landbased restaurants that it was not going to be a freebie.

[Annieeee]

the dinning room food used to be as good as the extra cost food. If stupid people did'nt pay extra for specialty dinning the main dinning room would serve the better quality food. Fifteen yrs. ago you would get fellet mingion and large lobster tails along with free soft drinks in the MDR. All the food was free and very good. No extra charge for ice cream or hambergers and fries back then.

 

 

The "filet mignon" is very, very good in Chops. I don't particularly care for "hamburgers" so I don't go to Johnny Rockets, but then everyone does have different likes and dislikes. In any case, I would not say that people that prefer to eat in a specialty restaurant and are willing to pay the extra charge are stupid. That is their personal preference, their money, their choice.

 

Annieeee

[Oscar_the_Grouch's_Sis]

This question should be added to the new FAQ that is stuck at the top.

 

It should read like this:

 

Q: Why should I pay for "specialty" food on a ship when there is so much food that is included with my cruise?

 

A: Specialty dining is an option on cruise ships that many people enjoy. It has been described as more of a personal experience along with menu items not found elsewhere on the ship. There is a minimal charge for these dining alternatives. If you feel it is worth it, then you pay the price. If you don't think it is worth it then you are not under any obligation to partake of this service.

 

 

Every time this question gets asked there always such a heated debate? If you want it then go for it ... if you don't, then don't.

 

For the people who don't, why call the ones who do names? What's it to you? It is their money, they can spend it however they want.

 

 

BTW, if you ever had a craving for Ben and Jerry's in the middle of the night, then you will understand why someone might pay "inflated ship prices" (especially on vacation!)

[househunter]

You might also ask:

 

Why pay for a balcony cabin when an inside is fine?

Why fly first class when coach is fine?

Why eat at a steak house at home when McDonalds is fine?

Why take a limo when the bus is fine?

Why stay at Four Seasons when the Motel 6 is fine?

Why drink Grey Goose when Absolute is fine?

 

Its all about choice and the ability to enjoy the finer things if you can and if you want to. Everyone has different budgets and different things that are important to them on vacation.

[funfamilyof6]

We will be on the Explorer and I keep reading that we should try Portofino's and that they have Ben and Jerry and Johnny Rocket for extra charges. My DH and I wonder why we should pay extra for food when there is so much food available for free? Is it really that much better?

 

Anyone else feel that way?

 

Loralie

 

We're with you. We have four kids so we don't go out to nice restaurants often. The main dining room, to us, is very nice. With that being said...we see nothing wrong if you want to pay extra money for a nicer meal or location. Personally, we probably wouldn't notice the difference.

 

What we are guilty of is spending all of our extra money in the photo shop. Now some people would consider that a waste!:rolleyes:

[cruiserbryce]

you can easily and happily eat for free but we have enjoyed each of the meals in the specialtydining rooms...especially on the longer cruises when the food really starts to taste the same after quite a few nights

[Wilda]

You might also ask:

 

Why pay for a balcony cabin when an inside is fine?

Why fly first class when coach is fine?

Why eat at a steak house at home when McDonalds is fine?

Why take a limo when the bus is fine?

Why stay at Four Seasons when the Motel 6 is fine?

Why drink Grey Goose when Absolute is fine?

 

Its all about choice and the ability to enjoy the finer things if you can and if you want to. Everyone has different budgets and different things that are important to them on vacation.

 

I like your analogy. No one is making you go, it's a choice. The OP said that she keeps reading that they should try alternative choices. That's what you get on these boards; lots of different opinions.

[catrick]

My husband and I have lucked out our last cruise and the one coming up in a couple weeks. Our TA has given us dinner certifcates to eat at a speciality restaurant for free. Chops was amazing but I have to say we probably wouldn't have tried it if it hadn't been for the certificate. Looking forward to trying Portifinos this coming up cruise on the Freedom for free as well.

[pltag]

My DH and I wonder why we should pay extra for food when there is so much food available for free?

If you have to ask ......... :) :)

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I guess the 4 of us fall under "Stupid" too. [NOT]

 

Our 21 and 17 yo this past June were stunned when we said we thought they wouldnt want to go to Portofino one or two nights with us. :eek: So, the 4 of us enjoyed a wonderful dinner in a different atmosphere from the MDR (which we very much enjoy, altho I DO consider it part of my Cruise Fare and we do not consider it FREE food, LOL). Different strokes for different folks, isnt it GREAT to have those choices in life? Some folks post all the nevers they do; they never go out for dinner, they never go out to movies, they never buy designer ice cream and they would never buy starbucks. They would probably never book a balcony or suite cabin either. Choices and something for everyone. You can cruise cheap or cruise expensive- neither should make anyone call folks stupid. So, those that pay for extras and have exhorbetant end of cruise bills are possibly more able than those that dont. CHOICES.

 

The food and ambiance of [can only speak for] Portofino, to us, is worth the upcharge, even tho we thoroughly enjoy the MDR. JR's, yes, we go there once, again, different venue. We function the same at home, lol, variety, diff surroundings etc. Our DD likes the idea that she can have B&J's on board and I would never think of saying no to the once or twice she indulges while on board. It is part of our vacation.

[MrPete]

Each sailing, I have checked the menu. Nothing has ever jumped out at me.

 

On Carnival, I KNOW they serve USDA Prime in their specialty restaurants, and never miss an oportunity to eat there.

[ehfl]

the dinning room food used to be as good as the extra cost food. If stupid people did'nt pay extra for specialty dinning the main dinning room would serve the better quality food. Fifteen yrs. ago you would get fellet mingion and large lobster tails along with free soft drinks in the MDR. All the food was free and very good. No extra charge for ice cream or hambergers and fries back then.

 

People tend to romanticize the past. But the MDR food has always been banquet food....there's simply no other way to feed that number of people in such a short amount of time.

 

If you're fine with banquet food, then stick with the MDR. It's decent for banquet food. But it's still just banquet food. Chops and Portofino are a totally different experience. It's not a banquet setting.

[Tyler80]

We will be on the Explorer and I keep reading that we should try Portofino's and that they have Ben and Jerry and Johnny Rocket for extra charges. My DH and I wonder why we should pay extra for food when there is so much food available for free? Is it really that much better?

 

Anyone else feel that way?

 

Loralie

 

I say WHY NOT? Why not try something new onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise? That's why you're joining the "Nation of Why Not", right? ;)

[sandravb79]

We don't do the specialty restaurants since until now we have been very happy with MDR.

We might try JR on our upcomping cruise, but that is basically because there are no real hamburger joints where we live :)

[hockeyken]

;) Just a reminder: the food in the MDR is not free...you paid for it in your cruise fare.