Upselling in the MDR? Really?

[CruisinNole]

We were interrupted on two different nights in the middle of dinner in the main dining room on an Equinox cruise last year by a member of the wait staff offering reduced rate at a specialty restaurant. There's a time and a place that's appropriate to hawk something and in the dining room when a passenger is eating isn't it. It's just plain rude.

 

[2chiefs]

10 minutes ago, CruisinNole said:

We were interrupted on two different nights in the middle of dinner in the main dining room on an Equinox cruise last year by a member of the wait staff offering reduced rate at a specialty restaurant. There's a time and a place that's appropriate to hawk something and in the dining room when a passenger is eating isn't it. It's just plain rude.

 

 

1 hour ago, miched said:

It is the same as a robo call there is never ever ever really a good time.    

 

I am sure that some would compalain that they weren’t asked because they didn’t know that it was available or informed about any of the stuff they were selling.  Believe it or not but there are passengers sailing that think they  have to eat in buffet because they didn’t know that’s the MDR was included.    There are others that are in suites and AQ and dine in the MDR because they didn’t know that  Blu or  Luminae was their restaurant.   It is a shame that the host in the MDR didn’t inform them.   So to add more revenue  Celebrity wants to make sure that all passengers know about the extras or the special prices that just brings it down to what it should be.  

 

Upselling is part of doing business everywhere.  A friend was a manager at Office Depot and was fired becasue his store didn’t improve performance.  I asked how can you generate more business and he said by having the employees upsell or seek more.  Eg when someone purchases paper ask or suggest ink, pens,  and etc.

 

Fast food restaurants.  How many times have you been asked if want fries or larger drink to go with it?

 

 

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree with both of these comments. Upselling OK but there's a point where it's overdone and inappropriate and it seems to be getting worse in the past few years on both Celebrity & RCI (I haven't cruised any other lines)... No flames please .. just an observation 

T

[cruising cockroach]

Have to keep on pushing for earnings growth!

[Duanerice1]

Maybe we just don't care as much or they don't approach us as much but it's never been a bother.  A quick no and it's over.  Guess I don't see it in the same light as others.  Certainly not enough to come on Cruise Critic and complain about it.  I'm on vacation and it will take a lot to bother me.

Edited January 6, 2019 by Duanerice1

[clskinsfan]

You get hawked on the Caribbean beaches, in foreign airports and on the cruise lines as well. It is just part of the experience. A simple no usually does the trick. We just dont let it bother us anymore. Vacations are too short and too infrequent to worry about the little stuff.

[ghstudio]

I don't mind the selling of specialty restaurants or meals in the MDR or bars.....In general, my approach is to say something along the lines of "let me save you the sales pitch...if we can both eat for the price of one, we're interested....otherwise, no thank you."....if they say they can't do that...the best they can do is $x....you can say OK or smile and say "thank you but I'll pass" ending the sales pitch.  You'd be amazed at how well that works and the $'s you'll save.

[CruisingWalter]

On 1/4/2019 at 5:00 PM, 2chiefs said:

2. While dining in the MDR during our late seating, the head waiter came up to our table of 8 with a chef from the galley. The two of them together pitched specialty dining while we were eating our dinner!!! Unbelievable! If it gets any worse, I wouldn't be surprized that they drive people away.

 

 

On our recent Princess cruise there were options in the MDR to order specialty items from the Crown Grill for an upcharge, but this was a part of the menu and mentioned by the servers as a matter of going over the menu each evening.   

[hcat]

6 minutes ago, creativegenius said:

 

On our recent Princess cruise there were options in the MDR to order specialty items from the Crown Grill for an upcharge, but this was a part of the menu and mentioned by the servers as a matter of going over the menu each evening.   

Seems more civilized than haggling!

[Oville]

3 hours ago, hcat said:

Seems more civilized than haggling!

Do you remember on Royal when you could get a Chops steak in the MDR for an upcharge?  We haven’t been on Royal for years but I do remember ordering the steak from Chops.

[jagoffee]

5 hours ago, creativegenius said:

 

On our recent Princess cruise there were options in the MDR to order specialty items from the Crown Grill for an upcharge, but this was a part of the menu and mentioned by the servers as a matter of going over the menu each evening.   

 

4 hours ago, hcat said:

Seems more civilized than haggling!

Can you imagine the complaints if Celebrity offered upgraded extra cost items in the MDR menu? ie I have to play extra to get a good steak in the MDR.

 

Probably more complaints than when someone make a generous offer to enjoy specialty dining on a future night.  (Sounds do much better than hawking).

[Nachosdelux]

On 1/4/2019 at 9:58 PM, GottaKnowWhen said:

No, I haven’t experienced anything like this.  I can recall times when waiters asked if I wanted a dessert or a refill on my coffee. I can recall times when I was asked if I wanted the bed made up. I can recall times when I was asked if I wanted extra ice with my drink. I can recall times when I was asked if I wanted to try a specialty restaurant. I can recall times when the sommelier wondered if I wanted to try a wine tasting event. I can recall times when severs in the bar asked if I wanted another drink. I don’t find any of these requests to be unusual or offensive or intrusive in any way. As far as I am concerned, there are three ways to respond to such offers of service: a) Yes please. b) No thanks. or c) Tell me more. Getting all huffy seems a bit of an over reaction.

 

Frankly, Stan, if you can't tell the difference between a customer oriented interaction and one that is sales pitch, then this discussion is wasted on you.

 

It is one thing to have a staffed table set up outside the Buffet, for specialty reservations.

 

It is quite another to have your dinner interrupted by a captive sales pitch.

 

It is the little things that make or break a cruise, and this practice falls in the negative.

 

BTW I am a long-time Celebrity fan, but just calling it as I see it.

 

Edited January 6, 2019 by Nachosdelux

[m8zenblue]

I am not as seasoned as some posters.

My last 2 cruises have been on Celebrity.

The staff/sales people were not that bad, they were not rude nor did the attempt to pressure you into buying something you did not want.

I agree with a previous poster, if you allow yourself to be sold something you you don't want then that's on you.

You can either say yes or no, your choice.

[BosoxI]

On ‎1‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 6:43 PM, phoenix_dream said:

So where on the survey do you actually have a place to discuss what you didn't like about a cruise?!?!  They did away with that section years ago.  Now they only want to know more about what you did like.  The one and only reason I ever fill them out now is to mention those staff members who have done an outstanding job.  Otherwise I would not bother, but I don't want to hurt them.

I put any critical comments in the first comment box I run into, regardless of what it's stated purpose is.  

[hcat]

2 hours ago, Nachosdelux said:

 

Frankly, Stan, if you can't tell the difference between a customer oriented interaction and one that is sales pitch, then this discussion is wasted on you.

 

It is one thing to have a staffed table set up outside the Buffet, for specialty reservations.

 

It is quite another to have your dinner interrupted by a captive sales pitch.

 

It is the little things that make or break a cruise, and this practice falls in the negative.

 

BTW I am a long-time Celebrity fan, but just calling it as I see it.

 

I like this reply

Maitre d bringing around a chef to one's table to sell dining seems a bit heavy handed to me...

Also dislike the acupunturist pitching that service while  you are waiting for your spa appointment,  or having the Master of the Ship pull raffle tickets at the shops..

[Projunior]

4 hours ago, Nachosdelux said:

It is the little things that make or break a cruise, and this practice falls in the negative.

 

I never let little things break my cruise. I'm on vacation. I'm there to chill, not to get wound up over inconsequential things like someone asking me if I'm interested in booking a specialty restaurant.

[hcat]

I am practicing my  stock line.  We are eating lunch/dinner now, and no thank you!

 

The more annoying is on the first day or two when they swarm you in the main seating area...urge to hide!

[Nachosdelux]

25 minutes ago, Projunior said:

 

I never let little things break my cruise. I'm on vacation. I'm there to chill, not to get wound up over inconsequential things like someone asking me if I'm interested in booking a specialty restaurant.

 

I guess I'm more sensitive than you to things like this.  I expect the hard sell on a timeshare presentation, not a so-called luxury cruise.  

Edited January 6, 2019 by Nachosdelux

[m8zenblue]

Lol, this topic is really rolling !

Since this about upsetting of services I have a question.

As I said earlier I have cruised on Celebrity twice before.

Each time we were approached many times about purchasing and upgrading of services.

We once upgraded our beverage package from Classic to Premium, it was well worth it, in my opinion.

My question to all more experienced cruisers with Celebrity is can you negotiate the the offers that they submit to you ?

Say for instance they offer a service for $200 can you counter the offer for a lower price and would they accept negotiations ?

[Waterluv]

Just off the Infinity and I agree the Upselling and constant pushing was very tacky and I think it is worse on Celebrity than others. It was the same 2 years ago on Solstice Alaska cruise. These frustrations have to be known to management by now it is really ridiculous 

[villauk]

7 hours ago, m8zenblue said:

Lol, this topic is really rolling !

Since this about upsetting of services I have a question.

As I said earlier I have cruised on Celebrity twice before.

Each time we were approached many times about purchasing and upgrading of services.

We once upgraded our beverage package from Classic to Premium, it was well worth it, in my opinion.

My question to all more experienced cruisers with Celebrity is can you negotiate the the offers that they submit to you ?

Say for instance they offer a service for $200 can you counter the offer for a lower price and would they accept negotiations ?

 

 

Which particular services are you referring to?

[m8zenblue]

Sorry, the services I was referring to is beverage packages, photo packages and dining packages.

[ghstudio]

You can always try to negotiate (with a smile)....the worst that can happen is that they say, sorry but the price is the price....and you walk away. Of course, the best is that they say....I can do that....

[bEwAbG]

Underlying all of this is a ton of research that shows asking works.  When I was in high school 25 years ago and working in a restaurant, we were forced to ask people if they wanted iced tea to drink.  We all thought it was a stupid question to have to ask repeatedly (even to regulars), but you would be surprised at the number of customers who acted like it was something that would never dawn on them in a million years to order and enthusiastically thank you for the suggestion.  We sold a lot more (high-margin) tea after we explicitly started asking people if they wanted it.  So, blame your fellow passengers for the constant upsells because they work enough to justify it.  

[villauk]

2 hours ago, m8zenblue said:

Sorry, the services I was referring to is beverage packages, photo packages and dining packages.

 

 

Dining at specialty restaurants, a definite yes, but don’t think you’ll have much luck with the other two (not that I’ve tried negotiating for those 2 previously, though).

[Jim_Iain]

On ‎1‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 3:43 PM, phoenix_dream said:

So where on the survey do you actually have a place to discuss what you didn't like about a cruise?!?!  They did away with that section years ago.  Now they only want to know more about what you did like.  The one and only reason I ever fill them out now is to mention those staff members who have done an outstanding job.  Otherwise I would not bother, but I don't want to hurt them.

You would put it in your general comment section where you also compliment the service of those that gave you good service.

 

A way to complain prior to that is to fill out the "Attention to Detail" for that is either in your room or at front desk.   I know for a fact they read these and depending complaint make adjustments.    I filled out a complaint about some OVER AGGRESSIVE sales activity and complained -  received a call from the Food and Beverage Director apologizing.