Goodbye to Free Burgers and Mast Grill ???

[LonnyLee]

It's a lot closer than you may think. I just compared my March 2019 14 day cruise in an extended veranda on Oceania to a 14 day concierge on Celebrity for the same month. The difference in cost for the cabin (including taxes/fees) is only $400. That's not per person.

 

Both have the liquor package as perks. O is throwing in free internet and international air fare for $500pp.

 

I realize I could get a lesser category to save money but the last few cruises I was either in a Celebrity Concierge or Aqua Class cabin. I wonder how the Edge would compare however they're only doing seven day sailings.

 

But I hope lots of people buy those burgers in the new joint by the pool. I'm keeping my RCL stock because of their current profits. If you don't keep booking and buying the add on food, I'll have to sell my shares. ;p

 

I wish that were the case. Us Aussies seem to get slammed with much higher costs, and it's a good $3-4000 difference between 2 similar cruises on O and X, for the same cabin type. That's without air-fare (we paid about$1800 per person on top of cruise for that).

 

Personally I don't mind paying for burgers and hot dogs for this reason.

 

 

 

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[ECCruise]

I wish that were the case. Us Aussies seem to get slammed with much higher costs, and it's a good $3-4000 difference between 2 similar cruises on O and X, for the same cabin type. That's without air-fare (we paid about$1800 per person on top of cruise for that).

 

Personally I don't mind paying for burgers and hot dogs for this reason.

 

 

 

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I see your point. But you are comparing O and =X= as if they were equal. They are not really even close.

 

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[CEOofVacation]

... Oceania has more health related issues on their ships the last time I checked...

[ChucktownSteve]

... Oceania has more health related issues on their ships the last time I checked...

 

One of the reasons may be the size of the ships at O vs. Celebrity. CDC requires reporting when the health issue is triggered by a percentage. As an example, if the reporting criteria is 7%, an R class ship represents only 49 people of the 685 passengers while that same percentage won't be triggered until it hits 151 passengers on the M class Summit which has a 2,158 passenger capacity.

 

Even the two O class ships only have about 1,258 passengers which would be triggered at 88 people using the 7% figure. Sometimes percentages can be misleading.

[CEOofVacation]

One of the reasons may be the size of the ships at O vs. Celebrity. CDC requires reporting when the health issue is triggered by a percentage. As an example, if the reporting criteria is 7%, an R class ship represents only 49 people of the 685 passengers while that same percentage won't be triggered until it hits 151 passengers on the M class Summit which has a 2,158 passenger capacity.

 

Even the two O class ships only have about 1,258 passengers which would be triggered at 88 people using the 7% figure. Sometimes percentages can be misleading.

Use of percentages is actually a better measurement than absolute number. We had originally booked on Regent Seven Seas Explorer for a Dec 2017 sailing and their CDC report was quite shockingly bad. I cancelled the booking.

[chamima]

The food cost for the escargot Celebrity serves is miniscule; canned snails, generic butter and garlic - tastes good, but extremely inexpensive ingredients. The food cost for high quality cuts of high quality beef (necessary for a truly "gourmet" and great tasting burger) are quite high (much higher than the "lobster" Celebrity serves) - an upcharge for a truly high end burger is necessary or the food cost would make it too large to be feasible. Am a bit skeptical the Burger Bar will truly source high enough quality beef (and accompaniments) and execute it properly to make $10 charge worthwhile, but if they do $10 is an extremely fair price - even factoring that basic food is included in the cruise fare.

 

 

They are also charging $10 for the veggie burgers at the new burger bar.

Please tell me what "high quality" ingredients they could possibly use to justify that.:rolleyes:

Kobe beans? Kobe lettuce? Kobe potatoes?

 

A previous poster said that what marketing is doing is figuring out whatever is popular and putting an add-on charge for that. :mad:

[DYKWIA]

The food cost for the escargot Celebrity serves is miniscule; canned snails, generic butter and garlic - tastes good, but extremely inexpensive ingredients. The food cost for high quality cuts of high quality beef (necessary for a truly "gourmet" and great tasting burger) are quite high (much higher than the "lobster" Celebrity serves) - an upcharge for a truly high end burger is necessary or the food cost would make it too large to be feasible. Am a bit skeptical the Burger Bar will truly source high enough quality beef (and accompaniments) and execute it properly to make $10 charge worthwhile, but if they do $10 is an extremely fair price - even factoring that basic food is included in the cruise fare.

 

It will probably start as "Gourmet Kobe Beef" then one day the menu will change to "Gourmet Wagyu Beef". Next season it will become "Gourmet Black Angus Beef", then the "Finest Beef from (Named) farm (with optional picture of farmer))", finally just "Finest Gourmet Burger"

[shipshape sam]

It will probably start as "Gourmet Kobe Beef" then one day the menu will change to "Gourmet Wagyu Beef". Next season it will become "Gourmet Black Angus Beef", then the "Finest Beef from (Named) farm (with optional picture of farmer))", finally just "Finest Gourmet Burger"

 

That seems to be the 'dumb down' formula of companies. I hope Celebrity will reconsider a number of things they have changed or deleted.

[Gonzo70]

They are also charging $10 for the veggie burgers at the new burger bar.

Please tell me what "high quality" ingredients they could possibly use to justify that.:rolleyes:

Kobe beans? Kobe lettuce? Kobe potatoes?

 

A previous poster said that what marketing is doing is figuring out whatever is popular and putting an add-on charge for that. :mad:

 

Oh, I don't disagree; as I stated in some of my posts on this thread I am skeptical Celebrity will really source product of sufficient quality to justify the $10 charge - I was just stating that theoretically if really good beef was being sourced, $10 is quite reasonable. As for the veggie burgers, it is just plain silly for them to charge $10. Sure, it is technically possible to have ingredients that justify that price-point (i.e. if they were utilizing truffles - not truffle oil, but actual fresh truffles), but no way are they going to be doing that. The food cost for the veggie burgers will very likely be minuscule.

[ChucktownSteve]

Certainly they can justify a $10 veggie burger. All they have to do is add the word ORGANIC and people will flock to it willing to pay top price. :rolleyes:

[Gonzo70]

Certainly they can justify a $10 veggie burger. All they have to do is add the word ORGANIC and people will flock to it willing to pay top price. :rolleyes:

 

Looks like you are correct, on Celebrity's FB page they referred to the veggie burger as an "Organic Gourmet Artisan Truffled Osetra Kobe Jidori veggie burger." With that name I'm surprised they are not going for $16.95.

[chamima]

Looks like you are correct, on Celebrity's FB page they referred to the veggie burger as an "Organic Gourmet Artisan Truffled Osetra Kobe Jidori veggie burger." With that name I'm surprised they are not going for $16.95.

 

 

I'm not sure if this was a joke that just combined every word known for more expensive foods but I was curious so googled the individual words.

Truffles are vegetables - ok there.

Gourmet and Artisan are meaningless marketing words.

Osetra is caviar so not vegetarian. (Fish eggs)

Kobe is beef.

Jidori is to chicken what Kobe is to beef.

 

So again - I hope that was just a joke. :eek:

[DYKWIA]

Certainly they can justify a $10 veggie burger. All they have to do is add the word ORGANIC and people will flock to it willing to pay top price. :rolleyes:

 

Adding provenance or the word "artisan" is another good ruse to adding profit . If you can't add provenance then you can always create a fictional provenance to your mass produced and farmed products - Marks and Spencer the British retailer created the name "Lochmuir" for its Salmon and "Oakham" for its chicken and copyrighted. You'd think your salmon was coming from a specific Scottish loch, but no it comes from fish farms all over Scotland

[Gonzo70]

 

So again - I hope that was just a joke. :eek:

 

My mistake, the Organic Gourmet Artisan Truffled Osetra Kobe Jidori veggie burger is only available for an up-charge over & beyond the standard $9.95 fee. I knew it was too good to be true. :mad::loudcry::evilsmile::halo:

[trashnob]

You can get it in the buffet. Get a grilled beast and pick out the type of roll or bread that you want from the bread section. There is a Mayonnaise dispenser across from the Asian grill.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

 

Yay! Thanks for setting my mind at ease. Haha

 

Do they have malt vinegar at the buffet or at the Mast, or both, do you know?

[hcat]

Looks like you are correct, on Celebrity's FB page they referred to the veggie burger as an "Organic Gourmet Artisan Truffled Osetra Kobe Jidori veggie burger." With that name I'm surprised they are not going for $16.95.

 

 

That's a load of burger!

[helen haywood]

Yay! Thanks for setting my mind at ease. Haha

 

 

 

Do they have malt vinegar at the buffet or at the Mast, or both, do you know?

 

 

They have malt vinegar at the buffet on a tray near the mayo dispenser. No idea about the Mast Grill.

 

 

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[blueboro]

That's a load of burger!

 

It's a load of something...that's for sure!

[villauk]

It's a load of something...that's for sure!

:D:'):p

[ChucktownSteve]

That's a load of burger!

 

Do male cow patties count as vegetarian because that's what it sounds like they're made of.

[trashnob]

They have malt vinegar at the buffet on a tray near the mayo dispenser. No idea about the Mast Grill.

 

 

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Awesome!

[Fouremco]

Do male cow patties count as vegetarian because that's what it sounds like they're made of.

I've never seen a male cow. Would it be the biological opposite to a female bull? :cool:

[hubofhockey]

I've never seen a male cow. Would it be the biological opposite to a female bull? :cool:

Let's not go there on the canine species. ;)

[hcat]

They did have some very good bison in a specialty restaurant on Oasis...at the rear of the ship...a buffet by day tablecloths by night.,.

 

 

If the bison doesn't sell well, maybe X will give it to us as gourmet ground bison burger on a bun! Upcharge of course.,,

[sanger727]

Why is it so hard for some to understand that paying $10 for a hot dog onshore is NOT the same as paying $10 for one after a $2000 - $10000 cover charge?

 

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Completely agree. I've never had a mast grill burger because they just look like standard fast food fare which isn't my thing. I'm definitely a customer for a 'gourmet' burger; but not paying an upcharge for a to-go pool stand. Would be much more willing to consider $15 at the lawn club grill for a full service lunch than $10 for burger and fries to eat on my lounge chair.

 

I think that it's possible that within 10 years you'll see no food included in your cruise fare outside of the buffet. With room service surcharges being added, all the specialty dining, and now an upcharge for the pool side grill. It's a step at a time towards all dining being at an upcharge. And at that point cruising will no longer be for me.

 

 

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