One Main Course

[Overhead Fred]

I wonder how uniformly this $10 charge for a second entree will be enforced?

 

We have always had good relationships with our table stewards. They have often brought second entrees, or at least a portion thereof, when we have had trouble deciding or expressed curiosity about a particular dish. On our last cruise, they also brought extra desserts unbidden.

 

I have observed "high maintenance" tables every cruise that might not be so lucky. Perhaps the waiters will exercise some discretion, but if it is a test then perhaps not. 

 

I do not ever remember ordering two entrees. With all the food available throughout the day, one is more than enough (and I do like to eat & unfortunately it shows a bit!) for me at dinner. However, I pass no judgement on others that may wish/need to consume more. It is a shame to see food (especially seafood ) wasted, though. 

 

The thing that bothers me about this charge is it seems a bit tawdry and tarnishes the elegant cruise image HAL seemingly tries to project. 

 

 

[fatcat04]

14 minutes ago, UM-Fan said:

I just called and talked with the Mariner Society. They have not heard of this and transferred me to ship services. Ship services confirmed this is a test that is currently being conducted.  Two ships are testing the full cruise of the extra charge per additional entree and two other ships are testing the extra charge just for the Gala nights.

Ship services did say that people order two entrees and then waste a lot of food.

 

My two cents, if portion sizes were somewhat normal, there would not be a need to ask for an extra entree.  The last two cruises I was on the meat portions were really small.

That is good info. I hope they come up with a solution that is a good compromise for both sides. 

And yes, we found some meat portions smaller this last cruise. 

[TAD2005]

21 minutes ago, UM-Fan said:

I just called and talked with the Mariner Society. They have not heard of this and transferred me to ship services. Ship services confirmed this is a test that is currently being conducted.  Two ships are testing the full cruise of the extra charge per additional entree and two other ships are testing the extra charge just for the Gala nights.

Ship services did say that people order two entrees and then waste a lot of food.

 

My two cents, if portion sizes were somewhat normal, there would not be a need to ask for an extra entree.  The last two cruises I was on the meat portions were really small.

I agree that some people have "eyes that are bigger than their stomachs" as the saying goes.   So if you do order a 2nd item, you really should eat it.  Same for the Lido,  you can request a larger serving of whatever is served that day in the "Carvery", but the old saying "take all you want, but eat all you take" should be posted at the entrance of the MDR and the Lido.   

Edited February 27, 2019 by TAD2005

[Despegue]

Not only that, but a cruisemisma perfect opportunitymto try something new without risk.

with an extra charge, people will not be inclined to try the beef cheeks or liver, but will choose the known familiar dish, being afraid to not like it and having to order another main course and charged 10 $ for being adventurous.

moreover, some dishes are simply not well executed. Will the paying guest have to literally pay for the Galley’s mistakes?

 

this will NEVER get past the test phase. Guaranteed.

 

[Hawaiidan]

17 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

 

 

 

One reason we also stay away from "all inclusive" cruise pricing - we don't drink. How much has the new requirement to support so many special demand diets of late also cut into the bottom line, since those extra service menus don't carry a surcharge but take a lot more staff and preparation time and special facilities, along with huge liability issues for the cruise line,  if not followed precisely. 

 

 

To be fair to your self  I suggest you look at the ala cart inclusive  which , if you dont drink give you huge OBC's  or let you choose  free shore excursion as an option in each port.     Whats even more interesting  is that an inside cabin on a 15 day Rome to Barcelona... runs around 165 pp/pd.         about $50 a day more than HAL inside.   But you have to subtract from  the  $165  the value  of 8 shore excursions and free soda and all non alcoholic bev. + no surcharge for any of the special dinning ( 5) that you get....   It just may be less on a  ala carte line ???  You do your math on your taste.

 

I do agree that cruise lines, like  car sales attract  customers with rock bottom prices to expose them , once on board to a captive market sales machine  they can not run away from.    Unless they can swim real good.    Thats fine if you have the discipline to withstand the  hard sell on everything .     You can not have both a cheap fare and  your unlimited desires fulfilled.

[Hawaiidan]

23 minutes ago, TAD2005 said:

I agree that some people have "eyes that are bigger than their stomachs" as the saying goes.   So if you do order a 2nd item, you really should eat it.  Same for the Lido,  you can request a larger serving of whatever is served that day in the "Carvery", but the old saying "take all you want, but eat all you take" should be posted at the entrance of the MDR and the Lido.   

I remember in the NAVY,  you  were in for a bad time  if you did not finish what you put on your tray..

I agree  on cruise ships. too.    I watched  this guy order prime rib, lobster and  Wellington..  He took 2 bites of the wellington ,Then ate 1/2 the prime rib and asked for another and sent the other to plates to the trash while he ate his lobster.    When the Prime Rib arrived he ate 1/4   before sending it away and asking for 2 deserts.     

 That  is the extreme... but this guy made a habit of this  meal after meal.    I was  a combination of sickened and disgusted and asked the Mater D to move me,  I was embarrassed to sit at the same table.    The guy saw nothing wrong with this.. felt it was his right and the lines owed him.

[retafcruiser]

1 hour ago, Overhead Fred said:

The thing that bothers me about this charge is it seems a bit tawdry and tarnishes the elegant cruise image HAL seemingly tries to project. 

 

 

It is simply another money-grab by HAL and its "leadership".

[Hawaiidan]

6 minutes ago, retafcruiser said:

It is simply another money-grab by HAL and its "leadership".

 

6 minutes ago, retafcruiser said:

It is simply another money-grab by HAL and its "leadership".

 

6 minutes ago, retafcruiser said:

It is simply another money-grab by HAL and its "leadership".

Elegant.... yes, Luxurous  Yes,     Every Line  even Carnival ..claim that your going to be in the lap of Luxury...  Its just a copywriters  phrase.   Hal is  very nice... I would not call her elegant though.     If you get cheap fares, then why would you object to letting the cruise line charge for things over and above a normal usage, in order to maintain those low fares you love.

You can not have it both ways. 

  When I bought a Chevy, I asked the dealer if for the same price  I could get a new Mercedes..   He said  Yes,  you will just need to pay for a few extras...!

[killsport]

26 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

  When I bought a Chevy, I asked the dealer if for the same price  I could get a new Mercedes..   He said  Yes,  you will just need to pay for a few extras...! 

I'd align it with saying you can have your Chevy but if you want BOTH the left and right directional, it will cost extra. You'd had both directionals in your previous Chevy and were disappointed and surprised that you now had to pay extra for what you'd enjoyed previously. Of course, with one directional you can get to your location... you just might be making more turns (the parallel being you could go from the MDR to the Lido for your second entree without additional cost).

[Hawaiidan]

4 minutes ago, killsport said:

I'd align it with saying you can have your Chevy but if you want BOTH the left and right directional, it will cost extra. You'd had both directionals in your previous Chevy and were disappointed and surprised that you now had to pay extra for what you'd enjoyed previously. Of course, with one directional you can get to your location... you just might be making more turns (the parallel being you could go from the MDR to the Lido for your second entree without additional cost).

You mean a turn Signal Directional?      Yes  my directional signals  left and right did not need   any change.   

 The extras for the chevy  were  UP grade the chassi, Wind shield, Headlights, Upholstry and seats, different motor  and transmission, special paint, special trim,  special suspension, body and frame, I Special dash  special gages.  special delivery charge the factory in Detroit had to get the up grade from a factory in Germany, Stuttgart  I think  Do they have a Chev plant in Stuttgart...          I previously enjoyed on my stock chevy  all the stock chevy options.... but I wanted them to give me the Mercedes options, instead of  all those  chevy provides  that I had  with the stock chevy.  

 

Humor aside... at  some time it is folly  to expect, in light of increased cost for everything, for HAL to not either make serious increase in fares or serious change in services and charges.       To quote Mayo in Officer and Gentel man what he wanted.  He said" I want to fly Jets:    To which came the  reply'   "Right...my grandmother wants to fly jets so what"

Every day is a new day and each new day brings new things.

[AmazedByCruising]

2 hours ago, Overhead Fred said:

The thing that bothers me about this charge is it seems a bit tawdry and tarnishes the elegant cruise image HAL seemingly tries to project.

 

Then, why doesn't does work it that way on land? At least over here, I wouldn't know an elegant fine dining restaurant where they don't simply put every item you order on the bill. Every all-you-can-eat restaurant is the very opposite of elegant.

[fatcat04]

16 minutes ago, AmazedByCruising said:

 

Then, why doesn't does work it that way on land? At least over here, I wouldn't know an elegant fine dining restaurant where they don't simply put every item you order on the bill. Every all-you-can-eat restaurant is the very opposite of elegant.

Land based restaurants vs cruise dining have always had differences because you are a captive audience on a ship. Where else you gonna eat in the middle of the ocean, maybe you could book a verandah, bring along your fishing pole, and a weber grill? And I don't doubt someone has tried and it's on youtube somewhere

And some cruise lines are moving away from MDR and even Lido dining. Only specialty restaurants onboard though I do think most lines that do will be all inclusive and have the price tag to show for it.

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by fatcat04

[HokiePoq]

On 2/24/2019 at 8:39 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

I have been.  Not just two entrees, but other items as well.  A woman at our table was a severe over-order.  Her husband did not follow her example, but she would almost always order several of the entrees, take a bite or two or three--that's it.  The waste of food was obscene in my mind.   The Steward would then serve the next item.  I was seated at a table for 7, second seating, and we never made it out of dinner in time to see the full show except for once on a 14 day cruise.

 

Roz:  it happens, as God is my witness.

That is my nightmare scenario.   I would have had to ask to be moved.  The food waste was awful but making me late to what I wanted to do would have been intolerable.

[HokiePoq]

3 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

In any case, it will be interesting to see if this goes fleet-wide.  HAL's ships are not in any way uniform in quality.  What will fly on the Nieuw Statendam may not fly on the Zaandam,  We hesitantly have a cruise booked on Veendam, knowing it's kind of crusty and we could have plumbing problems.  But we do still find the gracious service onboard these older, small ships quite charming, and so we keep booking.  But our hesitation is there.  How many additional annoyances beyond bad plumbing and rust will we overlook?  Not sure.

We've spent 90 of our cruise days on the Veendam and loved every one.  Before our first one in 2007, people were expressing the same concerns, lol.    The cruises have all been wonderful thanks to the great crew.   You raise a good point about the tolerance for upcharges.  I have found HAL has less of them than the other three lines in the same category we've cruised.  Is this the first of many new charges or an example of putting it up the flagpole to see how it works out?   Will it result in less waste of food as measured by the garbage output?  How much revenue is raised?  How many passengers submit complaint cards about it?   

This will be interesting to watch to see how it plays out.

[sail7seas]

No thoughts about my  above question?  Seeing  it  appears HAL has  chosen to add a $10 fee for a second entree, should they refund to the solo cruiser what was paid for a ' not present,  Not eating guest ?    In order for  a  solo cruiser to book many of t he cabins,  t hey must pay  full fare for a second' (make believe) guest.      all   those uneaten meals, every day of the cruise...........   Think of the good will  that would produce.    Yes,  I know about  on board spending etc but  there are  great man y guests on every cruise, who drink no liquor, b ook no HAL  excursions ,   do no t  spend any money in the  shops and/or hardly gamble.  Many guests end their cruise  with a tiny on  board bill or owing nothing. 

 

Not every second   guest in a cabin produces on board revenue.  Some people  spend very little.  NOT a criticism, just a statement of fact

 

Any thoughts?  🙂

Edited February 27, 2019 by sail7seas

[Despegue]

5 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

No thoughts about my  above question?  Seeing  it  appears HAL has  chosen to add a $10 fee for a second entree, should they refund to the solo cruiser what was paid for a ' not present,  Not eating guest ?    In order for  a  solo cruiser to book many of t he cabins,  t hey must pay  full fare for a second' (make believe) guest.      all   those uneaten meals, every day of the cruise...........   Think of the good will  that would produce.    Yes,  I know about  on board spending etc but  there are  great man y guests on every cruise, who drink no liquor, b ook no HAL  excursions ,   do no t  spend any money in the  shops and/or hardly gamble.  Many guests end their cruise  with a tiny on  board bill or owing nothing. 

 

Not every second   guest in a cabin produces on board revenue.  Some people  spend very little.  NOT a criticism, just a statement of fact

 

Any thoughts?  🙂

Yes,

I think that you're absolutely right.

I was not aware that you pay double the cruisefare as a single passenger. I was guessing a 50% supplement.

 

[OlsSalt]

Considering HAL is based in Seattle a big part of the "green" movement is to reduce food waste - there are some appalling statistics out there about how much food gets thrown out in the US alone every day.

 

The cruise industry in general is taking a lot of "environmental" hits as  well - fossil fuel, air pollution, marine life disturbance and waste disposals (legal or illegal). Perhap HAL was trying to polish its "green" credentials demonstrating what it was doing to mitigate food waste. If you live on the West Coast of the US  one hears a lot about these issues.

 

As also from an occasional port city on Coastal repositioning cruises, believe me we hear plenty of local howls about letting these "traveling petri dishes" discharging contagious diseases on to our local shores while pandering to first world over-consumption demands, when they even enter our local waters.  If you want to start class warfare in our fair city, just mention cruise ships. 

 

In that climate, would a cruise line want to brag about what they are doing to be "environmentally conscious" at every level of operations?   Just one more layer of Seattle management consideration to start charging for the consumption of "extra food". 

Edited February 27, 2019 by OlsSalt

[sail7seas]

1 hour ago, killsport said:

I'd align it with saying you can have your Chevy but if you want BOTH the left and right directional, it will cost extra. You'd had both directionals in your previous Chevy and were disappointed and surprised that you now had to pay extra for what you'd enjoyed previously. Of course, with one directional you can get to your location... you just might be making more turns (the parallel being you could go from the MDR to the Lido for your second entree without additional cost).

 

 

The fares I just paid for my two upcoming cruises, are not "cheap fares'.

 

sail.nordam@gmail.com

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

21 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

No thoughts about my  above question?  Seeing  it  appears HAL has  chosen to add a $10 fee for a second entree, should they refund to the solo cruiser what was paid for a ' not present,  Not eating guest ?    In order for  a  solo cruiser to book many of t he cabins,  t hey must pay  full fare for a second' (make believe) guest.      all   those uneaten meals, every day of the cruise...........   Think of the good will  that would produce.    Yes,  I know about  on board spending etc but  there are  great man y guests on every cruise, who drink no liquor, b ook no HAL  excursions ,   do no t  spend any money in the  shops and/or hardly gamble.  Many guests end their cruise  with a tiny on  board bill or owing nothing. 

 

Not every second   guest in a cabin produces on board revenue.  Some people  spend very little.  NOT a criticism, just a statement of fact

 

Any thoughts?  🙂

 

Totally with you on this! I never eat two entrees, but now that I'm sailing alone, I'm paying for an entree that doesn't get eaten. If they're going to charge somebody $10 for a second entree, they should credit solos for the entree that isn't eaten. 

 

They don't have to give me the $10 pp back as money. Give it to me as a spa credit to offset the extra cost of a spa pass for a single--on K it's $399 for two and $249 for one. Somebody want to tell me the logic in THAT????

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

20 minutes ago, Despegue said:

Yes,

I think that you're absolutely right.

I was not aware that you pay double the cruisefare as a single passenger. I was guessing a 50% supplement.

 

Go back about 20 years and it was 50%. On HAL it's 100%. On Cunard it's 75%. 

[sail7seas]

9 minutes ago, Despegue said:

Yes,

I think that you're absolutely right.

I was not aware that you pay double the cruisefare as a single passenger. I was guessing a 50% supplement.

 

I pay the same fare for the same ca bins in which I and my late husband sailed, I pay for me and for him ( as though he is still alive  and   sailing  with me,   don't  I  Wish !!!

   If one wants a cabin with veranda, or a suite, Far more often than not, we  pay 200%

[sail7seas]

12 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Totally with you on this! I never eat two entrees, but now that I'm sailing alone, I'm paying for an entree that doesn't get eaten. If they're going to charge somebody $10 for a second entree, they should credit solos for the entree that isn't eaten. 

 

They don't have to give me the $10 pp back as money. Give it to me as a spa credit to offset the extra cost of a spa pass for a single--on K it's $399 for two and $249 for one. Somebody want to tell me the logic in THAT????

THANK you so much.  I  was  hoping   some one  would see it that way. 

 

Some cruise lines give the solo cruiser  who  is paying  doub le repeater club credit for  the 'phantom' second guest  HAL  does notgive Mariner days for those funds paid.!  

Quote

 

I don't use the  spa but if they wanted to give it back to me  as OBC,  that would me more than fine.

Edited February 27, 2019 by sail7seas

[boards]

Is the price for a solo cruise double the price of a cabin?   I thought the solo would be higher, but not double?  I truthfully hope I never have to find out, but God Bless those of you who do it.

Edited February 27, 2019 by boards

[rkacruiser]

1 minute ago, boards said:

Is the price for a solo cruise double the price of a cabin?   I thought the solo would be higher, but not double?

 

My experience:  it depends upon the cruise and the accommodation booked.  Sometimes, particularly several years ago, there was a 50% supplement, but not always.  Sometimes, it was a 75% supplement.  Most recently, I pay the per person price times 2.  This is particularly true if I book a veranda stateroom

[*Miss G*]

26 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Go back about 20 years and it was 50%. On HAL it's 100%. On Cunard it's 75%. 

 

I paid 75% for a verandah in April.

Edited February 27, 2019 by *Miss G*