Equinox Mast Grill Now Extra Cost

[CruisingChick]

Hopefully most people will not pay and maybe they will reconsider that plan.

 

They have already added it to 2 ships. At first I thought they would give it a longer trial on Constellation before adding it to any other ship, but seems Equinox was not far behind.

[waverunner43]

They have already added it to 2 ships. At first I thought they would give it a longer trial on Constellation before adding it to any other ship, but seems Equinox was not far behind.

It's only a matter of time before all ships will be charging for the burgers. Celebrity stopped caring about passenger complaints years ago and is only driven by revenue. As mentioned by others earlier, it has been nothing but cutbacks for years. A once proud cruiseline offering many perks is now nothing more than a costly run of the mill cruiseline. Celebrity knows that after a short time the dust from this burger fiasco will settle and passengers will pay the new charge without thinking about it.

 

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[Swagner36]

It isn't free, it is included in your cruise fare.:)

Which Carnival is a lot cheaper.

[CruisingChick]

\Celebrity knows that after a short time the dust from this burger fiasco will settle and passengers will pay the new charge without thinking about it.

 

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Maybe their new customers will, but we won't. We do not even go to the specialty restaurants any longer because we feel they are not worth it and cannot compare to Olympic, Normandie, etc. We did like Bistro on 5 when it first started and was only $5.

 

We just got off Summit on Sunday. Our final bill was $12 since we had a classic drink package and enough OBC to cover gratuities and beyond. We had to buy a hat and t-shirt the last day to make sure we didn't leave any OBC behind.

[waverunner43]

Maybe their new customers will, but we won't. We do not even go to the specialty restaurants any longer because we feel they are not worth it and cannot compare to Olympic, Normandie, etc. We did like Bistro on 5 when it first started and was only $5.

 

We just got off Summit on Sunday. Our final bill was $12 since we had a classic drink package and enough OBC to cover gratuities and beyond. We had to buy a hat and t-shirt the last day to make sure we didn't leave any OBC behind.

I totally agree with you. We miss Bistro on 5 but will never do Sushi on 5. On our January cruise we booked the Tuscan Grille but cancelled once we saw the new menu and found out the tomato bread was gone as well. We may do Murano just to burn some OBC but it sure won't be for a burger. If I have to switch to Carnival I no longer care. I've had it with Celebrity.

 

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[Hlitner]

Had a nightmare last night. Many older folks might remember when Horn and Hardart operated self-service cafes called "Automats." In an Automat, you have hundreds of little compartments which are loaded from the rear (kitchen) and customers get their food from the front. But to get your food you had to pay money to open the little windowed compartment. Well, we can see LLP doing this on the new builds. One would have to swipe their cruise card (they would likely change this to wrist band transponders) to get the window to open with the food. You would be charged for each item. So, for example, a hotdog might cost you $25....and you would have to pay another $5 for a dab of mustard. Water (out of a dispenser would still be free), but if you wanted your water out of a "filtered dispenser" it would be $2 per ounce. Weak coffee (kind of like dishwater) would be free....but if you wanted it stronger (with some flavor) it would only cost $5 per ounce. And I also dreamed that Bingo cards would be sold at the bargain price of 3 cards for $100! But you would be eligible for the Million Dollar Jackpot...if you could cover your card in the first 23 numbers. Deck loungers would cost $5 per hour....and would automatically dump their patrons if they failed to pay up. Cabin showers would have meters....and you would pay $25 per minute for water. And in a move to have something similar to "resort fees," LLP would impose an "Air Fee" which would be $30 a day for just breathing the filtered air inside a ship. But there would be no charge for the air on deck :).

 

Hank

[trishkri]

They have already added it to 2 ships. At first I thought they would give it a longer trial on Constellation before adding it to any other ship, but seems Equinox was not far behind.

 

I wonder if they will make the change on Reflection and Silhouette since they already have fee-based burgers at The Porch one deck up. If you consider those two then it makes four ships with paid burger bars. I'm not counting the GastroBar on Equinox as it's not in the upper/open air portion of the ship.

[Husky61]

Technically, it's at no additional charge; not included. :D

 

So how can you say it's included in Carnival's fare when they charge less for the cruise and don't charge extra for the burger? They obviously didn't include the cost of a burger in their fare. :p

 

If there is no additional charge for the food, then it is included in your cruise fare. Not too hard to figure out.:):)

[ChucktownSteve]

Had a nightmare last night. Many older folks might remember when Horn and Hardart operated self-service cafes called "Automats." In an Automat, you have hundreds of little compartments which are loaded from the rear (kitchen) and customers get their food from the front. But to get your food you had to pay money to open the little windowed compartment. Well, we can see LLP doing this on the new builds. One would have to swipe their cruise card (they would likely change this to wrist band transponders) to get the window to open with the food. You would be charged for each item. So, for example, a hotdog might cost you $25....and you would have to pay another $5 for a dab of mustard. Water (out of a dispenser would still be free), but if you wanted your water out of a "filtered dispenser" it would be $2 per ounce. Weak coffee (kind of like dishwater) would be free....but if you wanted it stronger (with some flavor) it would only cost $5 per ounce. And I also dreamed that Bingo cards would be sold at the bargain price of 3 cards for $100! But you would be eligible for the Million Dollar Jackpot...if you could cover your card in the first 23 numbers. Deck loungers would cost $5 per hour....and would automatically dump their patrons if they failed to pay up. Cabin showers would have meters....and you would pay $25 per minute for water. And in a move to have something similar to "resort fees," LLP would impose an "Air Fee" which would be $30 a day for just breathing the filtered air inside a ship. But there would be no charge for the air on deck :).Hank

 

Cute Hank but don't you feel your pricing is a tad high even for Celebrity? I wonder if anyone else caught the fact that in your scenario, Celebrity guarantees no Bingo winner. ;p

[davekathy]

...Hopefully most people will not pay and maybe they will reconsider that plan.

 

Agree. Just because Celebrity introduces the so called TDBB on all their ships doesn't mean it will or has to be a success. Walk on by. Time will tell. In my world it's all about choices.

[hubofhockey]

I was on the reflection in January. They had the lawn grill where they had gourmet burgers for an up charge. The grill was full. It had an air conditioned enclosed seating area. The burgers were very good, but also had the poolside grill where the burgers were included.

 

 

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The burgers at the Top Deck Burger bar are very good and made from dry aged prime beef. They are juicy, huge, and they use great cheese as well. They do a good business there at the Constellation and the burgers available for no added charge are only steps away at the grill in the ocean view, where they also grill up steak (pretty good for steak sandwiches).

 

There is an area near the pool for seating, but the burgers are served on a tray and you can eat anywhere. The burgers are all made to order and take ten minutes. They give you a buzzer when your burger is ready.

 

It would be nice if they charged a little less, but that's a minor gripe. It would be nice if all cruise lines would provide these quality dry aged beef burgers at no extra charge, but that can't happen and the wait is long enough as these are made to order.

[deliver42]

All Celebrity has it see is one positive post about the new for FEE burgers, and they will see it as a success.

[waverunner43]

I'm going to see if Celebrity can come to their senses over the next few months. I've doubled booked cruises for next year on the same dates. One with Celebrity and one with Princess, if things don't change I will cancel the Celebrity cruise just before final payment is due. My loyalty to Celebrity will be the same as theirs towards me, zero.

 

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[richsea]

The burgers at the Top Deck Burger bar are very good and made from dry aged prime beef. They are juicy, huge, and they use great cheese as well. They do a good business there at the Constellation and the burgers available for no added charge are only steps away at the grill in the ocean view, where they also grill up steak (pretty good for steak sandwiches).

 

There is an area near the pool for seating, but the burgers are served on a tray and you can eat anywhere. The burgers are all made to order and take ten minutes. They give you a buzzer when your burger is ready.

 

It would be nice if they charged a little less, but that's a minor gripe. It would be nice if all cruise lines would provide these quality dry aged beef burgers at no extra charge, but that can't happen and the wait is long enough as these are made to order.

 

Glad to hear that the burgers are good, they ought to be for $10. I am curious as to what "steps away" means. Where is the grill in the OVC? I can't recall where in the OVC it is. I recall that it might have been in the rear, next to the Sunset bar aft. Do you know if they are allowing swimwear in there. That never used to be the case.

 

I do not mind adding an extra charge burger; no one is forcing me to buy it, but I do feel that they should provide adequate seating and table service for the cost. Also I think it is wrong to make the included burgers more inconvenient to get to.

[Gonzo70]

The burgers at the Top Deck Burger bar are very good and made from dry aged prime beef. They are juicy, huge, and they use great cheese as well. They do a good business there at the Constellation and the burgers available for no added charge are only steps away at the grill in the ocean view, where they also grill up steak (pretty good for steak sandwiches).

 

How do you know they are dry aged? Celebrity was dishonest with calling the patties Kobe beef, so I am skeptical they are dry aged (an expensive process, but that significantly enhances the texture and flavor of the beef). If the reference on the Top Deck Burger Bar's menu to "Buckhead" is referring to Buckhead Beef, my understanding is the "American Style" Kobe ground beef Buckhead Beef sells (which is sourced from Snake River Farms) is wet aged, not dry aged (a much less expensive process that does not do yield nearly as much flavor enhancement as dry aging).

[CHEZMARYLOU]

 

I do not mind adding an extra charge burger; no one is forcing me to buy it, but I do feel that they should provide adequate seating and table service for the cost.

 

That's my gripe too and we are in a RS for our next 2 cruises so the burgers should not cost us. There is very limited seating at the grill on S class ships and it is all in the sun. A bit more on M class but it is often taken up by card players or people reading.

[flyingv4me]

They have already added it to 2 ships. At first I thought they would give it a longer trial on Constellation before adding it to any other ship, but seems Equinox was not far behind.

 

I'm curious what they'll do, if anything, on the Silhouette and Reflection. These two ships already essentially have this in place with the burgers at LCG. Solstice class ships already have different venues (glass show -vs- LCG), so this wouldn't be much of a stretch.

[ChucktownSteve]

I'm curious what they'll do, if anything, on the Silhouette and Reflection. These two ships already essentially have this in place with the burgers at LCG. Solstice class ships already have different venues (glass show -vs- LCG), so this wouldn't be much of a stretch.

 

But the Equinox already has a $12 gourmet burger at the GASTROBAR on deck 4. Why would they need the $10 deluxe KOBE burger at TDBB?

[ISABELLA]

But the Equinox already has a $12 gourmet burger at the GASTROBAR on deck 4. Why would they need the $10 deluxe KOBE burger at TDBB?

Are you questioning Celebrity rationality?;)

[pixey]

Iit seems wise Celebrity manangement should read these.Advertising Kobe beef is illegal or LIKE Kobi beef is a lawyers's dream.Make the cruise fun as in the pas nad OT a pain in the ass!!!

[dkjretired]

But the Equinox already has a $12 gourmet burger at the GASTROBAR on deck 4. Why would they need the $10 deluxe KOBE burger at TDBB?

 

So they can Nickel and Dime the people sitting at the pools on sea days...Just like they did with Bait on Five.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I was on the reflection in January. They had the lawn grill where they had gourmet burgers for an up charge. The grill was full. It had an air conditioned enclosed seating area. The burgers were very good, but also had the poolside grill where the burgers were included.

 

Fine. You were in an air-conditioned restaurant with table service and you knew there was an extra charge for eating there. Would you really pay $10 for a burger that you had to stand in line to order, then search in vain for table at which to eat it in the hot sun? Not the same thing at all.

[Swagner36]

Fine. You were in an air-conditioned restaurant with table service and you knew there was an extra charge for eating there. Would you really pay $10 for a burger that you had to stand in line to order, then search in vain for table at which to eat it in the hot sun? Not the same thing at all.

 

 

 

 

 

No I wouldn't pay. Just saying the Reflection has both options. I would not want to pay that and sit outside or even worse stand outside. If it's raining it is worse. I will not pay that when I'm on the Equinox in October. It may very well be my last Celebrity cruise. The last two have been less than luxury. Giving them one more chance. Actually had better food and choices when we cruised with Carnival. The bottom line is Celebrity is giving customers reasons to look into other company's to spend their money with. Choose wisely.

 

 

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[Jade13]

Actually the "Dive In" burgers on Holland are outstanding, cooked to order AND FREE!!

 

 

 

Was going to post this. Yes, HAL does not charge at the Dive In.

 

 

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[Jade13]

If they wanted a private, nore relaxed atmosphere, they shouldn't have located it at the Mast Grill, or the pool grill as they did on Constellation. Both venues are outside with limited seating. They don't even offer table service; it's like a fast food place. IMO, the whole thing is ill conceived.

 

 

 

Exactly what my DH just said. If they are going to charge it should be at a venue with seating...

 

He mentioned a Bistro on 5 type location. I had to tell him it is now a sushi restaurant. And they took away my favorite 5 o'clock sushi in the buffet when they created that restaurant.

 

 

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