Adieu "all-you-can-eat-mains" at the Crown Grill

[CruisingIsBest]

Hello, this is your friendly neighborhood OP here... I guess I shoudn't be surprised at the overwhelming number of counter-productive comments, for example:

 

"I never order two entrees so the change doesn't bother me" - See below for changes that MIGHT bother you

"They made the change in March" - gee thanks Cap'n Obvious...

"They stopped encouraging gluttony" - What's it to you Commander McJudgy?

"Compared to a land-based restaurant, $29 is a bargain" - Idiotic or moronic, I cannot decide. Did you pay $3,500 to walk inside the door of the land-based restaurant?

 

The reason I posted this, other than I was bored and there was nothing on TV, is to point out how disappointed I was to lose another nice little perk, and how exasperating it is that the slow removal of those types of little perks seem to be the norm rather than the exception lately. If I cannot decide between the lamb chops and the filet mignon, well I can have both if I am hungry enough. What's it to you? Maybe I don't do dessert - you don't know... And believe me, I don't leave a SINGLE bite behind on the plate, so no starving children in Africa need be insulted. I am quite sure in fact that by shelling out the $29 I am helping feed hungry children in the Phillipines, Serbia, Thailand or wherever else my waiter is from.

 

For the unfortunate masses who commented that they are not bothered by this change because they are not affected, how long do you think it will be before your favorite cruiseline makes a change that does affect you, for example:

 

- You like to watch the shows from the first few rows of the theater? Well now those seats costs $5 each

- Do you enjoy dancing in the Wheelhouse Bar in the evening to the sounds of a live band? Well, sorry, we cannot afford a band anymore so from this point on the music will come from a boom box sitting on top of a stool. It will be the same CD every night, playing on a loop.

- A special seating section for evening movies: Introducing the new Odeon Class of Cabins, which give you access to a special section of the Lido Deck from where you can watch the movie in state of the art vibrating massage chairs, enjoy complimentary upgraded popcorn and two free drinks (I can actually hear people saying "gee that one sounds great, I'd pay for that")

- If you so much dare to have a quick look at your photos in the photo gallery, your cruise card (or medallion:rolleyes:) will automatically be charged 35 cents per second - see page 34 of the passage contract that you didn't bother to read

- Want to play trivia? Not before you pay a $10 deposit for each pencil you take out of the box. You'll get back $5 of that deposit when you return the pencil in good working order. Hope you have lots of OBC... All carry on and checked luggage will be scanned for writing instruments and each pen or pencil will be charged a BIC (blotting instrument charge) fee - get it? BIC... wah hahahahahahahahaha:')

 

Darn... Game of Thrones cannot start soon enough...;)

 

LOL. SPOT ON! I love the comments from those that speak for others when they can barely eat a small steak and "think"that's enough and everyone should be like them. Absurd!

 

Went to Outback last week... the steak blew away anything I had on the last three Crown visits which we left piles of grizzle and fat from the steaks... the cuts are terrible, and in October, even the waiter warned us not to get one cut because it was being sent back by other diners!! Lobster? LOL. Crap. Couldn't even eat it last time... salty, rubbery, awful. Fortunately living in New England allows for just rolling down to the grocery store and getting an entire REAL lobster for less than $10. Then there's the fabulous Crab Shack... Princess's wonderful idea to rope off a part of the Horizon Court, call it a specialty restaurant, and push it off as a $29 option. It too has the "one entree" limit. One of those entrees is the mussel put. Well, that $29 option got you tiny shrimp and mussels so small it wasn't worth the effort... and, both the mussels and shrimp were exactly the same size as what was available in giant piles at the buffet! The crab is hit or miss. In October it was quite good, in February, not so. Club Class! Take some existing mini's, throw a new mattress in there, give them a roped off part of the MDR, charge a big $ increase for the privilege and call it Club Class. Reviews of that MDR experience have been poor to say the least, with most noticing nothing different. Seriously Princess?? Jan Swartz should be in a Game of Thrones episode. She's wreaking havoc on the Princess name. No innovation whatsoever, all the new ships coming out with so many interesting innovations and cool things, but nothing new on the Princess ships, (forget the dumb Medallions), just upcharges, less and less of everything, and declines in quality overall. Moving on, trying another line that has lots of options and things to do... I used to be their biggest fan and defender, but $4600 for a mini I used to pay $2k less for (Club Class... ohh ahhh), and still have to pay more for the Enclave and things that really should be part of a unique class... like Aqua on X, or Spa and Haven on NCL... not with Princess, they just charge more, give nothing. Princess is just being left at the port. Don't spend your $29 on Crown. At $19 Crab Shack was OK, at $29 AND the one entree limit, unless you have lots of OBC to burn, don't waste your time!!

[CruisingIsBest]

I hear you and agree (except try as I might, I cannot get into Game of Thrones!).

 

Princess is not alone when it comes to cutbacks. I spend much of my time on the Celebrity boards and they are filled with laments of cutbacks, along with the same "I don't care, this cutback doesn't affect me" crowd that is here. It's just a matter of time until a cutback hits them.

 

Ironically, I came to the Princess boards because as a long time Celebrity cruiser, I noticed the death by a thousand cuts going on at Celebrity, & really enjoyed our last Princess cruise, so thought perhaps we found a new cruise hone. So here we are; same old, same old. Fortunately, we haven't noticed the Princess cuts because we don't know any better.

 

I would venture to say that you will find the same going on at all the cruiselines. They will chip and chip away until people just refuse to put up with it and find other ways to spend their vacation dollars.

 

Yeah, true... although I guess I'd rather have lots of different things to try... might temporarily confuse me into thinking it's cool and "new", like you, I won't know any better! lol Princess is just boring. Although I have had numerous friends on X, and they cruise a lot, they were still quite pleased overall. Even the new Edge ship looks pretty nice, with many new exciting venues and offerings. I hope Princess does something new with the upcoming ship... if it's just another copy of Regal, with one or two little silly ideas, forget it. Don't need any more dancing fountains, Club Classes, or Norman Love nonsense! :rolleyes:

[floridalover5623]

Yeah, true... although I guess I'd rather have lots of different things to try... might temporarily confuse me into thinking it's cool and "new", like you, I won't know any better! lol Princess is just boring. Although I have had numerous friends on X, and they cruise a lot, they were still quite pleased overall. Even the new Edge ship looks pretty nice, with many new exciting venues and offerings. I hope Princess does something new with the upcoming ship... if it's just another copy of Regal, with one or two little silly ideas, forget it. Don't need any more dancing fountains, Club Classes, or Norman Love nonsense! :rolleyes:

But they gave you Curtis Stone in the dining room and didn't charge for it. :D;);)

[Cruise Raider]

Hello, this is your friendly neighborhood OP here... I guess I shoudn't be surprised at the overwhelming number of counter-productive comments, for example:

 

"I never order two entrees so the change doesn't bother me" - See below for changes that MIGHT bother you

"They made the change in March" - gee thanks Cap'n Obvious...

"They stopped encouraging gluttony" - What's it to you Commander McJudgy?

"Compared to a land-based restaurant, $29 is a bargain" - Idiotic or moronic, I cannot decide. Did you pay $3,500 to walk inside the door of the land-based restaurant?

 

The reason I posted this, other than I was bored and there was nothing on TV, is to point out how disappointed I was to lose another nice little perk, and how exasperating it is that the slow removal of those types of little perks seem to be the norm rather than the exception lately. If I cannot decide between the lamb chops and the filet mignon, well I can have both if I am hungry enough. What's it to you? Maybe I don't do dessert - you don't know... And believe me, I don't leave a SINGLE bite behind on the plate, so no starving children in Africa need be insulted. I am quite sure in fact that by shelling out the $29 I am helping feed hungry children in the Phillipines, Serbia, Thailand or wherever else my waiter is from.

 

For the unfortunate masses who commented that they are not bothered by this change because they are not affected, how long do you think it will be before your favorite cruiseline makes a change that does affect you, for example:

 

- You like to watch the shows from the first few rows of the theater? Well now those seats costs $5 each

- Do you enjoy dancing in the Wheelhouse Bar in the evening to the sounds of a live band? Well, sorry, we cannot afford a band anymore so from this point on the music will come from a boom box sitting on top of a stool. It will be the same CD every night, playing on a loop.

- A special seating section for evening movies: Introducing the new Odeon Class of Cabins, which give you access to a special section of the Lido Deck from where you can watch the movie in state of the art vibrating massage chairs, enjoy complimentary upgraded popcorn and two free drinks (I can actually hear people saying "gee that one sounds great, I'd pay for that")

- If you so much dare to have a quick look at your photos in the photo gallery, your cruise card (or medallion:rolleyes:) will automatically be charged 35 cents per second - see page 34 of the passage contract that you didn't bother to read

- Want to play trivia? Not before you pay a $10 deposit for each pencil you take out of the box. You'll get back $5 of that deposit when you return the pencil in good working order. Hope you have lots of OBC... All carry on and checked luggage will be scanned for writing instruments and each pen or pencil will be charged a BIC (blotting instrument charge) fee - get it? BIC... wah hahahahahahahahaha:')

 

Darn... Game of Thrones cannot start soon enough...;)

 

I am not sure if that was a friendly OP response or what?? I was hate to see what a disgruntled neighborhood OP sounded like.

Anyway ... moving along ...

I see so many complaints about cutbacks on cruiselines and having cruised over 50 times over the course of over 30 years, I can agree on this. Yes, there have been cutbacks, some of which do not affect me as my expectations are not set to the standards of what it 'used to be like'. Many major cruiselines have more or less gone in the direction of low frills and if you want more, you pay for more ....much the same as the airlines now do. It is a business decision and I completely understand that. Would I like to pay less for port charges and government fees? Would I like to pay less for photos, specialty dinners, excursions, etc.? I would have to say yes! But, on my first cruise, which I think was back in 1983, I paid roughly the same for my cruise fare then for an oceanview room on Carnival as I do now on Princess for the same cabin type or maybe one that is even better. But now, I can also get onboard credit, free gratuities and maybe another nifty little perk ... and yes, all for the same price as I paid well over 30 years ago. The only mandatory fees that have really gone up are the port charges, government fees and taxes (and I suppose you could throw gratuities in there, too). I would much rather they charge people that consume more or want the niceties of days long gone more money while I can still cruise for a reasonable rate if I am willing to forego the first class experience ... but honestly, I still consider most of my cruises to be first class experiences. And .... I am oh so glad they are still affordable and the prices are kept low for the basics. I can always choose which extras I am willing to pay for based on my travel budget.

[Iamcruzin]

For the unfortunate masses who commented that they are not bothered by this change because they are not affected, how long do you think it will be before your favorite cruiseline makes a change that does affect you,

Look around, the world is cutting back. When was the last time coffee was packaged in 16oz can or Ice cream came in a half gallon container? Less is more is the new theme. Read any of these cruise line boards and you will see that free is being replaced with fee. Do I like it? No? Do I accept it? Yes at least for now. I have 10 day cruise booked in a deluxe balcony with sip and sail for $135 a night including taxes and transportation to the airport on the way home. I don't know where I can vacation for less than that where hotel ,food, cocktails and entertainment are included. So for now I will continue to cruise until It is no longer a value to me. I only eat in the specialty restaurants if I don't want to dress for formal night. Personally I don't consider them anything special like some who consider them fine dining. The Crown Grill is nothing but Outback with nicer decor and better service. Since the Veal Chop has been removed from Sabatini's menu I won't be eating their either. My next trip is on the Regal and the one thing that has been consistent in all of the comments I read about the Royal class ships is that the buffets are fantastic. I'm looking forward to seeing it for myself. Thanks for the update on the CG. Now I know to book wine makers dinner and to avoid the restaurants.

Edited July 7, 2017 by Iamcruzin

[CruisingIsBest]

Look around, the world is cutting back. When was the last time coffee was packaged in 16oz can or Ice cream came in a half gallon container? Less is more is the new theme. Read any of these cruise line boards and you will see that free is being replaced with fee. Do I like it? No? Do I accept it? Yes at least for now. I have 10 day cruise booked in a deluxe balcony with sip and sale for $135 a night. I don't know where I can vacation for less than that where hotel ,food, cocktails and entertainment are included. So for now I will continue to cruise until It is no longer a value to me. I only eat in the specialty restaurants if I don't want to dress for formal night. Personally I don't consider them anything special like some who consider them fine dining. The Crown Grill is nothing but Outback with nicer decor and better service. Since the Veal Chop has been removed from Sabatini's menu I won't be eating their either. My next trip is on the Regal and the one thing that has been consistent in all of the comments I read about the Royal class ships is that the buffets are fantastic. I'm looking forward to seeing it for myself. Thanks for the update on the CG. Now I know to book wine makers dinner and to avoid the restaurants.

Yes, I agree for sure, the Regal and Royal buffets are terrific. Great layout, and lots of choose from! You'll love it compared to the corals on the Grand class ships. You sound like me... specialty only on formal nights! LOL And you are right, like Outback, although the steaks are not even as good as that anymore. Sadly. I felt the same, when the deals were good, I just stuck with Princess... with the Elite benefits, stockholder OBC, etc... it was a great value, but it's just getting old. I may not like the other lines, but you have to go give it a try or you'll never know, right?

[mthomp5]

Hello, this is your friendly neighborhood OP here... I guess I shoudn't be surprised at the overwhelming number of counter-productive comments, for example:

 

"I never order two entrees so the change doesn't bother me" - See below for changes that MIGHT bother you

"They made the change in March" - gee thanks Cap'n Obvious...

"They stopped encouraging gluttony" - What's it to you Commander McJudgy?

"Compared to a land-based restaurant, $29 is a bargain" - Idiotic or moronic, I cannot decide. Did you pay $3,500 to walk inside the door of the land-based restaurant?

 

The reason I posted this, other than I was bored and there was nothing on TV, is to point out how disappointed I was to lose another nice little perk, and how exasperating it is that the slow removal of those types of little perks seem to be the norm rather than the exception lately. If I cannot decide between the lamb chops and the filet mignon, well I can have both if I am hungry enough. What's it to you? Maybe I don't do dessert - you don't know... And believe me, I don't leave a SINGLE bite behind on the plate, so no starving children in Africa need be insulted. I am quite sure in fact that by shelling out the $29 I am helping feed hungry children in the Phillipines, Serbia, Thailand or wherever else my waiter is from.

 

For the unfortunate masses who commented that they are not bothered by this change because they are not affected, how long do you think it will be before your favorite cruiseline makes a change that does affect you, for example:

 

- You like to watch the shows from the first few rows of the theater? Well now those seats costs $5 each

- Do you enjoy dancing in the Wheelhouse Bar in the evening to the sounds of a live band? Well, sorry, we cannot afford a band anymore so from this point on the music will come from a boom box sitting on top of a stool. It will be the same CD every night, playing on a loop.

- A special seating section for evening movies: Introducing the new Odeon Class of Cabins, which give you access to a special section of the Lido Deck from where you can watch the movie in state of the art vibrating massage chairs, enjoy complimentary upgraded popcorn and two free drinks (I can actually hear people saying "gee that one sounds great, I'd pay for that")

- If you so much dare to have a quick look at your photos in the photo gallery, your cruise card (or medallion:rolleyes:) will automatically be charged 35 cents per second - see page 34 of the passage contract that you didn't bother to read

- Want to play trivia? Not before you pay a $10 deposit for each pencil you take out of the box. You'll get back $5 of that deposit when you return the pencil in good working order. Hope you have lots of OBC... All carry on and checked luggage will be scanned for writing instruments and each pen or pencil will be charged a BIC (blotting instrument charge) fee - get it? BIC... wah hahahahahahahahaha:')

 

Darn... Game of Thrones cannot start soon enough...;)

 

Hi Friendly Neigborhood OP,

 

I get it. It's not about $10. It's the principle and the foresight to see what is coming.

 

Our first Princess cruise was in 2002 and I see the changes. I still do enjoy sailing with Princess for the moment but am doing research on other lines. Have been on a couple other lines and I was thinking of trying Celebrity but they have more pay eating venues than Princess. And I prefer not having a "class" system with separate dining rooms or areas. Yes, Princess is there too.

 

Been thinking about Viking Ocean Cruises. I know they cost more but they often have 2 for 1 fares and $500 off airfare or even included airfare. While their fares may be more then Princess, it includes unlimited wifi, beer, wine and soft drinks with dinner and I think specialty coffee and bottled water too. They also include a complimentary excursion in every port and at least 2 guaranteed reservations in their specialty restauarants. Yes...depending on what category of room you get, you get 2 or 3 reservations in the specialty restaurants but I feel this causes less "segregation" in terms of "classes". Yes, if one pays more, one should get more more. And from what I've been reading, it seems like Viking does it in a tasteful way.

 

Plus, I love that they have heated bathroom floors!

 

But anyway, I just wanted to say I get what you're saying.

[dtb55]

I never order two entrées in the Specialty restaurants. However, if you are going to use the better price than a restaurant at home argument, then Surf and Turf should be offered on the menu like it is at a restaurant at home.

 

 

 

Yes, but if you ordered surf and turf at a decent restaurant at home you'd pay more than $29, which also includes appetizer and dessert.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Knickearth]

you are correct about 29. at another type of restaurant would be lots more than 29. BUT remember, we are on a ship that we have paid the passage for and so the overhead isn't charged like restaurants have and the staff gets salary from the passages as well. So the 29. is just a small cover charge and the Princess ships are getting chintzy for lack of a better word to describe it.

 

The meals have always been more than adequate and we avoid the desserts at the Crown Grill(mainly because none are enticing to us), but our group of 8 always enjoyed the lobster they would bring on a plate for everyone to share in addition to our entrees

 

Just my opinion

[Iamcruzin]

Yes, I agree for sure, the Regal and Royal buffets are terrific. Great layout, and lots of choose from! You'll love it compared to the corals on the Grand class ships. You sound like me... specialty only on formal nights! LOL And you are right, like Outback, although the steaks are not even as good as that anymore. Sadly. I felt the same, when the deals were good, I just stuck with Princess... with the Elite benefits, stockholder OBC, etc... it was a great value, but it's just getting old. I may not like the other lines, but you have to go give it a try or you'll never know, right?

 

All of these mass market lines are becoming more the same than different. The loyalty programs are not enticing to me since we only get to cruise every few years or so. I'm Platinum on Princess but I don't see myself sailing with them exclusively for the next 10 cruises to become Elite. Now I look at all of the options out there. Being able to drive to port has become a higher priority than it has in the past. This puts Princess at the bottom of the list since few if any sailings start and end in N.Y. Now I look at Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and even NCL which I would have never considered in the past. The one with the best bang for the buck wins. Times are changing and either we change with them or we will no longer be cruising.

[Iamcruzin]

Yes, but if you ordered surf and turf at a decent restaurant at home you'd pay more than $29, which also includes appetizer and dessert.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

I live in NY on Long Island where Restaurants range from all you can eat buffets to 5 star. Yes it would cost more than $29 in a decent restaurant. However the Lobster would be Atlantic and not the defrosted clawless sometimes rubber sometimes dry Caribbean lobster on cruise ships. I can pass on the appetizers and even the deserts. Most restaurants include salad or soup and the deserts at seafood restaurants are nothing to write home about.

[Outatown]

Wow - This thread should be given to somebody's grandchild in business school. It is not about the CG or rubber lobsters, it is about the effects of how business operates these days, with their structure of accountability to corporate goals of efficiency and increased profitability lamented into each and every manager and officer. It is no longer satisfactory to say 'we met the expectations of our customers' on this last cruise, we must now say 'we increased our profits by doing more with less, as we said we would'. If that can't be said, guess who is out of a job. This scenario does not generate the kind of performance that translates into a better cruise experience. I have gone to the CG for many years, it has not change at all, I still cannot get something as simple as a red wine reduction sauce to accompany my filet. Asking for A1 is a supermarket experience, not that of a steakhouse. Last meal there on the Regal this winter our table neighbors had terrible ribeyes, full of bristle and fat. I suspect it was the first cuts from the small end, which are better reserved for beef tips or sauces. My point is, in spite of ample opportunity to improve the CG experience, that hasn't happened. Instead we have the Magicband guru from Disney hired to invent a whole new type of experience of cruising, that certainly has resulted in, or planned for, more crew reductions due to system efficiency. That can be the only justification for Medallion Class, otherwise it would have never happened. Time will tell just how this corporate decision plays out, in the meantime

I can expect 'less from fewer', and not a better cruise experience. This reminds me of the JCP experiment, hiring the technology guru who tried to replace cash registers with iPads, we all know how well that turned out.

[srpilo]

Wow - This thread should be given to somebody's grandchild in business school. It is not about the CG or rubber lobsters, it is about the effects of how business operates these days, with their structure of accountability to corporate goals of efficiency and increased profitability lamented into each and every manager and officer. It is no longer satisfactory to say 'we met the expectations of our customers' on this last cruise, we must now say 'we increased our profits by doing more with less, as we said we would'. If that can't be said, guess who is out of a job. This scenario does not generate the kind of performance that translates into a better cruise experience. I have gone to the CG for many years, it has not change at all, I still cannot get something as simple as a red wine reduction sauce to accompany my filet. Asking for A1 is a supermarket experience, not that of a steakhouse. Last meal there on the Regal this winter our table neighbors had terrible ribeyes, full of bristle and fat. I suspect it was the first cuts from the small end, which are better reserved for beef tips or sauces. My point is, in spite of ample opportunity to improve the CG experience, that hasn't happened. Instead we have the Magicband guru from Disney hired to invent a whole new type of experience of cruising, that certainly has resulted in, or planned for, more crew reductions due to system efficiency. That can be the only justification for Medallion Class, otherwise it would have never happened. Time will tell just how this corporate decision plays out, in the meantime

I can expect 'less from fewer', and not a better cruise experience. This reminds me of the JCP experiment, hiring the technology guru who tried to replace cash registers with iPads, we all know how well that turned out.

99% agree

 

Solid Post

Srpilo

[TFM70]

I am trying to decide if this is the dumbest statement I have heard this month or if you are trying to make a joke.

Well, don't lose any sleep trying to decide, just flip a coin.

[Skai]

They will chip and chip away until people just refuse to put up with it and find other ways to spend their vacation dollars.

 

We have no qualms spending more for the same if the value is still there, however...we refuse to pay more and more for less and less.

 

It might be a while before we set foot on a Princess ship again...Oh the lament of letting our FCDs expire...

[Karlzmom]

It's not "just $29" as you didn't eat the meal you paid for on the dining room. It also seems like there is a difference in the money spent on overhead between a restaurant that must cover overhead thru food and beverage sales and a cruise ship....

 

 

It would be interesting to read what anyone can get for USD29 at a half decent restaurant in the USA. It would be interesting also to price the Crown Grill menu in terms of the same sort of restaurant. I do feel that USD29 for what we ate there recently was very good value.

That saying, I do not feel that it is worth USD29, on top of what you have already paid in your cruise fare, to eat there, the food in the MDR is very good (and free). And where you can eat as much as you want.

Personally I would only pay for a specialty restaurant meal for a very special occasion.

[caribill]

But, on my first cruise, which I think was back in 1983, I paid roughly the same for my cruise fare then for an oceanview room on Carnival as I do now on Princess for the same cabin type or maybe one that is even better. But now, I can also get onboard credit, free gratuities and maybe another nifty little perk ... and yes, all for the same price as I paid well over 30 years ago.

 

I can't compare to over 30 years ago, but I see pricing on some itineraries I have taken with princess have doubled or tripled in price in less than 10 years.

 

Princess takes advantage of economy of scale. It costs less per passenger to operate the Royal and Regal than it costs to operate the older (and smaller) ships in the fleet.

[floridalover5623]

I can't compare to over 30 years ago, but I see pricing on some itineraries I have taken with princess have doubled or tripled in price in less than 10 years.

 

Princess takes advantage of economy of scale. It costs less per passenger to operate the Royal and Regal than it costs to operate the older (and smaller) ships in the fleet.

One thing that it hard to understand is that if Princess purchases their food on a mass scale, why do the Royal class ships consistently serve better food (most noticeable at the buffet) than the other ships? we have seen this time and time again going back & forth from the Royal to any of the other ships over the years.

It can't be that the top chefs are only assigned to the Royal/Regal?

[Iamcruzin]

Instead we have the Magicband guru from Disney hired to invent a whole new type of experience of cruising, that certainly has resulted in, or planned for, more crew reductions due to system efficiency. That can be the only justification for Medallion Class, otherwise it would have never happened. Time will tell just how this corporate decision plays out, in the meantime

I can expect 'less from fewer', and not a better cruise experience. This reminds me of the JCP experiment, hiring the technology guru who tried to replace cash registers with iPads, we all know how well that turned out.

 

 

The first to go will be the ticket takers at port. Airports have been self service at check in for years now.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Woobstr112G]

One thing that it hard to understand is that if Princess purchases their food on a mass scale, why do the Royal class ships consistently serve better food (most noticeable at the buffet) than the other ships? we have seen this time and time again going back & forth from the Royal to any of the other ships over the years.

It can't be that the top chefs are only assigned to the Royal/Regal?

 

Your statement, in my opinion, is subjective. When I sailed the Royal, I found the food, most noticeably the buffet to be no better or worse than the other ships.....

 

Bob

[floridalover5623]

Your statement, in my opinion, is subjective. When I sailed the Royal, I found the food, most noticeably the buffet to be no better or worse than the other ships.....

 

Bob

True, but many people on this board and other boards do share similar opinions.

Actually I haven't read many that think Princess's food on either the Royal or Regal is below that of the older ships.

[mellon1]

Personally, IMO, I feel it is fair. For those who want 2 meals, they are only charged $10 and not $29. Really there is way too my food. I feel they should have a 6 oz filet and 8 oz for those who can't eat the 8 oz. It is a shame to waste it as it is very good.

 

My solution. If you want two entries, go back a second time for another meal. Why leave there so stuffed you can't move? Again, just my opinion.

 

There is no restaurant anywhere that will give you another entrée for free. This is an extra on the ship and is NOT included in the price of the fair should you choose to go there.

 

Everytime we go, there are people trying to get in last minute without a reservation and they try to accommodate best they can.

 

We prefer Crown Grille as I am allergic to shell fish, so Sabatini's is mostly fish.

 

Always had excellent service....always.

[Iamcruzin]

Your statement, in my opinion, is subjective. When I sailed the Royal, I found the food, most noticeably the buffet to be no better or worse than the other ships.....

 

Bob

I have taken the statement of better to mean different selections. Not that the food was prepared better.

[Cruise Raider]

I can't compare to over 30 years ago, but I see pricing on some itineraries I have taken with princess have doubled or tripled in price in less than 10 years.

 

While I am sure anyone can find that some sailings have increased in price, but that does seem to be based on a simple supply and demand. I have also found sailings that haven't gone up at all. I have actually booked cruises with a cheaper 'cruise fare' now (not including port charges and government taxes and fees) that I could find decades ago. It really can still be the best bargain out there.

I would be pretty hard pressed to find other industries on land where the cost is the same as 30 years ago....I am sure they are out there but the cost of living for basics has gone up in these last 3 decades many times over the increase in cruise prices ....at least the ones I book. Housing prices, insurance, gasoline for my auto and other transportation costs, groceries, restaurants, education, doctor's visits, child care, utilities, etc. have all gone up exponentially in comparison.

Again, I am sure we can all look for cruises that have gone up but overall, I think the industry does not demonstrate this across the board.

[Astro Flyer]

Cruise Raider...I agree with you & here's a digital copy of a Princess brochure to back up your point of view.

 

Forty years ago in 1977 the cheapest 3-day Princess cruise listed in this brochure was $228 which an inflation website shows would currently be $920. For that price I'd expect to be sailing on a luxury cruise line & not on Princess.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=245585&d=1348005243