Chops Grille on Allure $49?

[kevinyork]

Prices does seem fluid. Our Independence 14 nighter in Sep has Chops priced at £29/$37 with a BOGO offer at £25/$31 to eat in Chops/Giovannis on night one and two.

 

 

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[nelblu]

Does anyone know if you have a dining credit from a TA, will they let you pay the difference if it's more than the credit covers?

 

Go to Guest Services and see if they'll give you a voucher for 2 free dinners without any price cap. Did this a couple of times.

[nelblu]

@ $49 per, it's cheaper to order the specialty steak and or lobster in the MDR.

[Don Pedro]

Careful what you wish for. When Cagney's went a la carte on NCL it was easy to see how much more it would cost for a four course meal (appetizer, soup or salad, main with a side, dessert) versus the price fixed menu.

 

I guess if you got a house salad and a small steak you'd save money versus price fixed, but that's not the way most people order.

 

Do you really think they are looking to improve quality after the recent (previous 2 years) menu changes?

 

I think I wrote superb steak not small steak but I understand your point. I think your comments about menu changes and improving quality are spot on. I also don't see that happening.

 

Fixed price menus are common in New Orleans so I am quite familar with them. Chop's more resembles a smorgasbord with a menu. I am an admitted foodie and price is rarely concideration when I have an opportunity to dine at a great restaurant. Guess we all waste money in our own way.

 

Sometimes I'm just in the mood for an ice cold beer and some fried pickles or a greasy cheeseburger where the juice runs down your arm and drips off your elbow. But, when it comes to fine dining I prefer quality food and service over quantity. If I want quantity I'll go to the Windjammer.

[sheezsmith]

Does anyone know if you have a dining credit from a TA, will they let you pay the difference if it's more than the credit covers?

 

Our TA certificate covered the whole meal (was $49) this past December on Allure

[njmomof2]

We sailed Allure the week of April 16th. Dined at Chops with a voucher that my agency gave out for 2 free meals at the specialty. We were a party of 3 so paid $49 for all three of us to eat.

 

I've eaten in Chops before, several times. I have felt that the quality and service have been slipping slowly over the last few visits. This time I was completely unimpressed with the meal.

 

Appetizers were brought out quickly, but our main course was delivered before the appetizer plates were even removed from the table. I ordered the 6 oz filet, son the 9 oz. His was rare, mine medium rare. Mom ordered the chicken, as she was "red meated out" from Sabor.

 

My steak was raw in the middle. Her chicken was red at the bone. Side dishes were lukewarm. Server never came over to ask how things were and if we needed anything. Table beside us had the same server, she was all over them.

 

Before anyone asks if I called someone over, I didn't bother. If I had been paying upwards of $150 for the meal, absolutely. But at $49 for all three of us, we had enough food and not finishing my steak since it was raw wasn't that big of a deal.

 

However, I won't bother booking it on our next trip. If I get the voucher again, I think I might use it at Giovanni's or one of the other specialty restaurants. I just don't think Chops is worth $49/pp at this point.

[BillOh]

They will keep raising the prices as long as there are passengers willing to pay it.

 

 

did you have to type that out, or do you have it saved to cut and paste?

[FSUNole]

Holy smokes! It is not a $100 dining experience for 2 people. I don't think that we would pay that much to dine there. But I guess people do.....

Seriously, another $25 or so and you could have a seriously good meal in some of the finer steak restaurants across the country. I won't be paying that on my upcoming cruise.

[nelblu]

did you have to type that out, or do you have it saved to cut and paste?

 

 

I know on the Feb. Navigator cruise it was $35 per, but they were having problems filling specialty restaurants on certain nights and were offering 20% off on next visit. Also, saw them tried to entice pax by the WJ as the 2 specialty restaurants are located. Eventually, they will price themselves out.

[TinyPinkBug]

did you have to type that out, or do you have it saved to cut and paste?

 

I typed it out. If it is a frequent response, I wouldn't know. I don't have unlimited amounts of time to spend on message boards reading and responding to posts. But thanks for asking.

[Don Pedro]

I know on the Feb. Navigator cruise it was $35 per, but they were having problems filling specialty restaurants on certain nights and were offering 20% off on next visit. Also, saw them tried to entice pax by the WJ as the 2 specialty restaurants are located. Eventually, they will price themselves out.

 

I was also on the Navigator in February and what you are saying is true. They gave our group BOGOs mid way through the cruise to eat in Chops. The managers have quotas and as RCCL keeps raising prices they are having trouble making them. RCCL's pricing pixie must be puffing some potent pot. It may well be the same one that comes up with all their crazy booking stuff.

[LMaxwell]

I was also on the Navigator in February and what you are saying is true. They gave our group BOGOs mid way through the cruise to eat in Chops. The managers have quotas and as RCCL keeps raising prices they are having trouble making them. RCCL's pricing pixie must be puffing some potent pot. It may well be the same one that comes up with all their crazy booking stuff.

 

Offensive to pot smokers; their business plans would make more sense.

 

If they offer me a BOGO on the $35 price on Navigator I might bite, but that just shows me they really feel the meal is only worth $17.50 per person over the baked in price of food and services in the MDR; which is probably about the reality of the situation.

[Schasz]

We were on the Apr. 2nd Allure cruise and we had initially booked 2 specialty restaurants and the captain in the MTD the first night asked us if we knew we could do 3 for $85. We told him to add Chops as they were not in our first two reservations. I suppose that is one way to avoid paying $49 as I would agree while we enjoyed our dinner it was not a $49 per person charge.

[nelblu]

Offensive to pot smokers; their business plans would make more sense.

 

If they offer me a BOGO on the $35 price on Navigator I might bite, but that just shows me they really feel the meal is only worth $17.50 per person over the baked in price of food and services in the MDR; which is probably about the reality of the situation.

 

I took advantage with the 2 free from out TA. On the 2nd nite, used the D+ BOGO coupon for Giovanni's. The waiters at Giovanni's got me Parmigiano Reggiano cheese which I never knew that RCL carried. It was an enjoyable surprise as I'm a cheese nut.

 

Hoping that they have Reggiano cheese at Giovanni's on our upcoming Brilliance cruise

[TBone2K]

If you really want the experience, I would say do it now while you have a credit you can apply to bring the cost to you down.

[critterchick]

Prices does seem fluid. Our Independence 14 nighter in Sep has Chops priced at £29/$37 with a BOGO offer at £25/$31 to eat in Chops/Giovannis on night one and two.

 

I wish that RCI would realize that, now that they have all kinds of special deals for the first night, the dining experience is chaotic. We usually get the 5-night dining package and find that the restaurants are much less crowded toward the end of the cruise. And if Chops ends up at $49 fleetwide (it was $35 on Serenade in March), then the BOGO is more expensive and not worth using, especially given the constraint that it's only valid on nights 1 and 2.

[tugboat]

I think I will spend my specialty dinning dollars on shore, I am thinking it won't take 2 1/2 hours to eat.;)

[kalliekae]

We have always enjoyed dining on Chops patio on the first night of the cruise as we really dislike the MDR that night. It's loud and chaotic with banquet quality food. The waiters are rushed and it just isn't relaxing to us. We have found the Chops staff to be very attentive and there are just a few diners on the first night. The increased price is a little high, but we would rather have a good meal with a nicer atmosphere so I'm sure we'll continue to dine at Chops.

[tnt10]

Anyone know the current prices for the specialty restaurants on the Brilliance?

Thanks!

[johnjen]

I took advantage with the 2 free from out TA. On the 2nd nite, used the D+ BOGO coupon for Giovanni's. The waiters at Giovanni's got me Parmigiano Reggiano cheese which I never knew that RCL carried. It was an enjoyable surprise as I'm a cheese nut.

 

Hoping that they have Reggiano cheese at Giovanni's on our upcoming Brilliance cruise

 

They had Reggiano cheese on the Anthem @ Jamie Oliver's. Good stuff. We're hitting Giovanni's on our Brilliance cruise in June doing the mystery dinner theater.

[kevinyork]

I wish that RCI would realize that, now that they have all kinds of special deals for the first night, the dining experience is chaotic. We usually get the 5-night dining package and find that the restaurants are much less crowded toward the end of the cruise. And if Chops ends up at $49 fleetwide (it was $35 on Serenade in March), then the BOGO is more expensive and not worth using, especially given the constraint that it's only valid on nights 1 and 2.

 

 

 

I agree. Unfortunately Royal are behaving like Celebrity in constantly increasing their prices for the speciality restaurants then offering discounts. I think the quite good pre-sailing offers for our ex UK sailing might be down to the exchange rate which makes the onboard dollar prices seem even higher.

 

 

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[nelblu]

Anyone know the current prices for the specialty restaurants on the Brilliance?

Thanks!

 

 

My cruise planner for Aug. sail shows $35 per and Giovanni's a steal @$21 per.

[molsonschooner]

for us it would be over $60 Can. I can't see me wanting to pay that much. I am not a big steak eater anyway but even if I was i don't think it is worth it.

[mra9955]

Ate there last week. Service was sub par. Food not that great. Wouldn't go there again, even if free. royal could do so much more. Disappponting that they don't.

 

 

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[Pstreet12]

We have a back-to-back coming up in Sept/Oct on the Allure. I just called to ask about 1st Night Done Right. The representative said, "Royal assigns the restaurant; if you want a particular restaurant, you'll have to book it." I said, "That's a problem; we don't eat sushi. If we were assigned there, we simply wouldn't go." His reply was, "You shouldn't book 1st Night Done Right then."

 

I'd say that pretty much sums it up.