One Main Course

[slidergirl]

Anyone who thinks that email from HAL was personal is deluded - it's yet another "roboreply", meant to try to pacify people who will take the first reply as "wow, HAL is really listening to me."  

 

HAL will continue to try out new features and tweak things.  They are OK with the "traditional" and "how it used to be" crowd leaving - there are plenty of others out there to take their places on the ships.  Unless you are a paid cheerleader, you are just one of the thousands.

 

If the new charge bothers someone, they have a few choices: order and pay, don't order, whine, go elsewhere.  And, HAL will be fine with your choice.   HAL is part of a publicly traded corporation.  They only have responsibility to their shareholders.  Until actions negatively affect the bottom line, they will do what they do... 

[AncientWanderer]

It occurs to me that many of the cruise "deals" these days include onboard credit.  That's kind of a trend with many of the cruise lines.

 

These little 10-dollars-here, 10-dollars-there charges are a great way for them to recoup that giveaway OBC.  

 

Just something to factor in when number-crunching cruises.

[Hawaiidan]

9 minutes ago, AncientWanderer said:

It occurs to me that many of the cruise "deals" these days include onboard credit.  That's kind of a trend with many of the cruise lines.

 

These little 10-dollars-here, 10-dollars-there charges are a great way for them to recoup that giveaway OBC.  

 

Just something to factor in when number-crunching cruises.

 

9 minutes ago, AncientWanderer said:

It occurs to me that many of the cruise "deals" these days include onboard credit.  That's kind of a trend with many of the cruise lines.

 

These little 10-dollars-here, 10-dollars-there charges are a great way for them to recoup that giveaway OBC.  

 

Just something to factor in when number-crunching cruises.

Yes...it is.  BUT  consider that   it HAL   or any cruise line gives you $100 OBC,    It is NOT costing them $100.   Its more like $20-33  or  less in real cost to the line  but  it makes the customer  "spend to get the saving  and human nature being what it is  you will spend far more. 

 The  OBC  is just chum to get the fish ( you) biting and when it is gone  you will be in a spending mode... Using your card ( Hey its not real money attitude)     No its a very well thought out program.

I agree with SliderGal too...    It is actuality to the lines advantage to turn over their older clientele, who cost them more in perks , with newer less demanding people .         Have a complaint, upset, things are changing..???. 

 

 The bottom line is from HAL,........ dont  let the door hit you in the butt....  Have a nice day.

[tpwolfe]

I’m thinking part of reason they are charging for the 2nd entree is vlogging.  I’ve seen videos on YouTube where people ordered every entree on the menu just to photograph them and I then say “I did it because I can”.   I think a good solution would be start charging after the second entree that way you cut down on the waste of vloggers and  giving those who don’t abuse the system a couple different options for dinner if they want them. Maybe HAL can sit up a display table with that night's entrees for people to photograph to help cut down on waste.

[3rdGenCunarder]

34 minutes ago, tpwolfe said:

I’m thinking part of reason they are charging for the 2nd entree is vlogging.  I’ve seen videos on YouTube where people ordered every entree on the menu just to photograph them and I then say “I did it because I can”.   I think a good solution would be start charging after the second entree that way you cut down on the waste of vloggers and  giving those who don’t abuse the system a couple different options for dinner if they want them. Maybe HAL can sit up a display table with that night's entrees for people to photograph to help cut down on waste.

 

That kind of waste is just immoral!! I take pictures of memorable food so that I can send "food porn" pictures to friends and family. But it's always something that I ordered because I wanted it. I would never order something I didn't intend to eat. 

 

[VTcruisenut]

This appeared on a FB page today: 

March 1, 2019

(9:50 a.m. EST) -- In an effort to crack down on food waste, Holland America Line is testing a menu upcharge in the main dining room of four ships.

Passengers sailing on Nieuw Amsterdam, Eurodam, Zuiderdam and Oosterdam will notice the option to order a second entree for $10. First courses as well as starters, desserts and other menu items will continue to be offered on a complimentary basis, in traditional main dining room fashion; there will be no additional fee to order a second starter or dessert.

"Over the years we have upgraded the menu, and we have experienced that guests occasionally order additional main courses they simply can't finish," a spokesperson for Holland America told Cruise Critic. "Holland America Line has made great efforts to reduce food waste and with this we can better determine if guests who order a second entree will truly enjoy it."

One test involves charging $10 for a second entree only on Gala Nights, while a second trial charges $10 every night. Holland America plans to evaluate the results in late March 2019 and make a decision based on its findings.

[Shmoo here]

2 hours ago, VTcruisenut said:

This appeared on a FB page today: 

March 1, 2019

(9:50 a.m. EST) -- In an effort to crack down on food waste, Holland America Line is testing a menu upcharge in the main dining room of four ships.

Passengers sailing on Nieuw Amsterdam, Eurodam, Zuiderdam and Oosterdam will notice the option to order a second entree for $10. First courses as well as starters, desserts and other menu items will continue to be offered on a complimentary basis, in traditional main dining room fashion; there will be no additional fee to order a second starter or dessert.

"Over the years we have upgraded the menu, and we have experienced that guests occasionally order additional main courses they simply can't finish," a spokesperson for Holland America told Cruise Critic. "Holland America Line has made great efforts to reduce food waste and with this we can better determine if guests who order a second entree will truly enjoy it."

One test involves charging $10 for a second entree only on Gala Nights, while a second trial charges $10 every night. Holland America plans to evaluate the results in late March 2019 and make a decision based on its findings.

Gee, I wonder, if in the rare chance that they decide not to continue it, will they refund those of us who participated in the test.

[OlsSalt]

2 hours ago, VTcruisenut said:

This appeared on a FB page today: 

March 1, 2019

(9:50 a.m. EST) -- In an effort to crack down on food waste, Holland America Line is testing a menu upcharge in the main dining room of four ships.

Passengers sailing on Nieuw Amsterdam, Eurodam, Zuiderdam and Oosterdam will notice the option to order a second entree for $10. First courses as well as starters, desserts and other menu items will continue to be offered on a complimentary basis, in traditional main dining room fashion; there will be no additional fee to order a second starter or dessert.

"Over the years we have upgraded the menu, and we have experienced that guests occasionally order additional main courses they simply can't finish," a spokesperson for Holland America told Cruise Critic. "Holland America Line has made great efforts to reduce food waste and with this we can better determine if guests who order a second entree will truly enjoy it."

One test involves charging $10 for a second entree only on Gala Nights, while a second trial charges $10 every night. Holland America plans to evaluate the results in late March 2019 and make a decision based on its findings.

 

Green creds matter. Cruise industry under attack for environmental concerns. 

Edited March 1, 2019 by OlsSalt

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, VTcruisenut said:

This appeared on a FB page today: 

March 1, 2019

(9:50 a.m. EST) -- In an effort to crack down on food waste, Holland America Line is testing a menu upcharge in the main dining room of four ships.

Passengers sailing on Nieuw Amsterdam, Eurodam, Zuiderdam and Oosterdam will notice the option to order a second entree for $10. First courses as well as starters, desserts and other menu items will continue to be offered on a complimentary basis, in traditional main dining room fashion; there will be no additional fee to order a second starter or dessert.

"Over the years we have upgraded the menu, and we have experienced that guests occasionally order additional main courses they simply can't finish," a spokesperson for Holland America told Cruise Critic. "Holland America Line has made great efforts to reduce food waste and with this we can better determine if guests who order a second entree will truly enjoy it."

One test involves charging $10 for a second entree only on Gala Nights, while a second trial charges $10 every night. Holland America plans to evaluate the results in late March 2019 and make a decision based on its findings.

 

I am glad that HAL made a statement.  (More proof to me that someone(s) in Seattle do indeed monitor this Message Board.)

[rkacruiser]

10 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

Green creds matter. Cruise industry under attack for environmental concerns. 

 

HAL's "green creds" is the reason that the grass-fed Double R Ranch Beef is served in the Pinnacle Grill rather than the Sterling Silver Beef that once was served, I believe.

 

My question is this:  Since Princess Cruises and Holland America Line are both under the same Carnival Corporation Corporate umbrella of "The Holland America Group", why do Princess' guests get to enjoy Sterling Silver Beef in their specialty restaurants while HAL's PG guests get to be served an inferior tasting piece of beef?

 

 

[smeck]

On 2/24/2019 at 6:35 PM, richwmn said:

I am also on NA right now. The menu I posted is what shows on Navigator. On the thread where I posted it I mentioned that it appeared to be the same as NS from yesterday and might not have been updated online. I checked outside the MDR and a different menu appeared.

 

New policy only on certain ships as a experiment. 

[OlsSalt]

12 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

HAL's "green creds" is the reason that the grass-fed Double R Ranch Beef is served in the Pinnacle Grill rather than the Sterling Silver Beef that once was served, I believe.

 

My question is this:  Since Princess Cruises and Holland America Line are both under the same Carnival Corporation Corporate umbrella of "The Holland America Group", why do Princess' guests get to enjoy Sterling Silver Beef in their specialty restaurants while HAL's PG guests get to be served an inferior tasting piece of beef?

 

 

 

Is Princess based in Seattle? 

Princess is based in Santa Clarita, California. The heart of Reagan country. And there in perhaps hangs the tale.

 

Which headquarters is more likely to be surrounded by environmental protestors, plus being a port city where their floating environmental assault vehicles also dock.

Edited March 1, 2019 by OlsSalt

[Despegue]

36 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

HAL's "green creds" is the reason that the grass-fed Double R Ranch Beef is served in the Pinnacle Grill rather than the Sterling Silver Beef that once was served, I believe.

 

My question is this:  Since Princess Cruises and Holland America Line are both under the same Carnival Corporation Corporate umbrella of "The Holland America Group", why do Princess' guests get to enjoy Sterling Silver Beef in their specialty restaurants while HAL's PG guests get to be served an inferior tasting piece of beef?

 

 

Your Sterling Silver beef is actually full with Artificial hormones and antibiotics!

it is smoke and mirrors by Cargill, 

it is even forbidden to be sold in Europe due to the chemicals injected to the animals.

 

[VennDiagram]

3 hours ago, VTcruisenut said:

This appeared on a FB page today: 

March 1, 2019

(9:50 a.m. EST) -- In an effort to crack down on food waste, Holland America Line is testing a menu upcharge in the main dining room of four ships.

Passengers sailing on Nieuw Amsterdam, Eurodam, Zuiderdam and Oosterdam will notice the option to order a second entree for $10. First courses as well as starters, desserts and other menu items will continue to be offered on a complimentary basis, in traditional main dining room fashion; there will be no additional fee to order a second starter or dessert.

"Over the years we have upgraded the menu, and we have experienced that guests occasionally order additional main courses they simply can't finish," a spokesperson for Holland America told Cruise Critic. "Holland America Line has made great efforts to reduce food waste and with this we can better determine if guests who order a second entree will truly enjoy it."

One test involves charging $10 for a second entree only on Gala Nights, while a second trial charges $10 every night. Holland America plans to evaluate the results in late March 2019 and make a decision based on its findings.

I would be very displeased to be in the focus groups that HAL has forced into this experiment. 

This is just a bunch of PR "spin" to cover their butts, for an ill-conceived and badly rolled-out testing of the waters.

 

To be clear, we have NEVER ordered a 2nd main but this cavalier attitude of "Let's just give it a whirl and see what happens" grips me to no end.

 

(As an aside, for anyone who sailed on HAL pre-2008 this is laughable "Over the years we have upgraded the menu".  )

Edited March 1, 2019 by VennDiagram

[TAD2005]

If HAL really wanted to give this a true test, they should have started back in early January on the Amsterdam World Cruise with their elite clients.   I'm sure they would get some very colorful comments from passengers who pay $30,000 and up for a world cruise. 

Of course HAL would never want to ruffle the feathers of their most elite guests.   They run these tests on the run-of-the-mill expendable passengers.    

And if the test fails, and they kill this money-grabbing idea couched in a lame excuse of "food waste reduction", I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the $10 fees to be refunded.   It looks like it will be Lido time for dinners where I want a 2nd entree.

[sail7seas]

On 2/24/2019 at 8:04 PM, fatcat04 said:

I guess some folks were abusing the privilege. No skin off my nose as most nights I can't finish one entree but it does seem once again nickle and dimey. We only ever ordered the vegetarian dishes like risottos or pasta "for the table" and only on Gala nights when those look so yummy, it was really more like a big side to share at the whole table.

 

Are you usually seated at a large table?

 

 

 

[OlsSalt]

3 minutes ago, TAD2005 said:

If HAL really wanted to give this a true test, they should have started back in early January on the Amsterdam World Cruise with their elite clients.   I'm sure they would get some very colorful comments from passengers who pay $30,000 and up for a world cruise. 

Of course HAL would never want to ruffle the feathers of their most elite guests.   They run these tests on the run-of-the-mill expendable passengers.    

And if the test fails, and they kill this money-grabbing idea couched in a lame excuse of "food waste reduction", I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the $10 fees to be refunded.   It looks like it will be Lido time for dinners where I want a 2nd entree.

 

My guess would be 90 day world cruisers already learned to eat more modestly on longer cruises.

 

Mixed reactions here; Some claim they never or very rarely have even seen people order two entrees. Others claim they will starve if they cannot eat entree after entree, and to charge for this is the be all end all for HAL.  Wonder where the truth is.

 

And if desire for a second entrees are only a very rare occurence, then it was a cheap price to pay for a symbolic green cred.  If most people will not even be affected by this surcharge, why the surfeit of outrage. 

[kazu]

10 minutes ago, TAD2005 said:

If HAL really wanted to give this a true test, they should have started back in early January on the Amsterdam World Cruise with their elite clients.   I'm sure they would get some very colorful comments from passengers who pay $30,000 and up for a world cruise. 

Of course HAL would never want to ruffle the feathers of their most elite guests.   They run these tests on the run-of-the-mill expendable passengers.    

And if the test fails, and they kill this money-grabbing idea couched in a lame excuse of "food waste reduction", I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the $10 fees to be refunded.   It looks like it will be Lido time for dinners where I want a 2nd entree.

Or another cruise line 😉. 

 

I have no plans to eat in the Lido for dinner unless plans demand it. 

 

And, while I don’t need a 2nd entree, if my first is disappointing and it won’t take 10 years to get an alternative, I would see red if I were charged for it.  Time will tell.

[chill6x6]

This kinda takes away some of the fun of being on a cruise, especially for those of us that only get to cruise once or twice a year.    I can't tell you how many times we have had a hard time deciding on which entree to get or might be apprehensive to try something new and the waiter simply said "I'll bring you both" or they simply showed UP with both.  It sure added some fun to the dining experience AND goes a long way to showing me that it was important to them for us to enjoy our experience. 

[rkacruiser]

53 minutes ago, Despegue said:

Your Sterling Silver beef is actually full with Artificial hormones and antibiotics!

it is smoke and mirrors by Cargill, 

it is even forbidden to be sold in Europe due to the chemicals injected to the animals.

 

 

So?  I know what a proper piece of beef should taste.  It should have a "beefy" flavor.  Sterling Silver Beef does.  Double 7 Ranch Beef tastes like "meat" with nothing to distinguish it from quality beef that I have eaten and have the right to expect to enjoy in a specialty restaurant like PG.

 

Is Double 7 Ranch Beef the "most healthful" for me?  Maybe not.  My cardiologist agrees with my philosophy:  enjoy what I like and do so in moderation.  PG Beef is inferior beef and it is an insult to those of us who enjoy a good steak for HAL to serve it to us.  And, then, expect us to pay a surcharge for such a privilege.

[fatcat04]

26 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

 

Are you usually seated at a large table?

 

 

 

This last cruise we had a table of 6, all our party and we all enjoyed the extra entree risotto with our other gala night entrees. It was like a side dish for everyone. HAL does a good job with risotto and it is one of dh's weaknesses. In the past, we have ordered a ravioli dish before too, can't remember the filling now but they were vegetarian and exceptionally good, so fresh. We now have a table of 4 early dining booked on our next cruise for our family. That may increase depending on with whom we are sailing. 

[Fouremco]

39 minutes ago, kazu said:

And, while I don’t need a 2nd entree, if my first is disappointing and it won’t take 10 years to get an alternative, I would see red if I were charged for it.

There has been a dearth of reporting on the actual implementation of this trial, but I would definitely not view a replacement entrée as falling within the ambit of the second entrée charge. Like you, I'd be furious if HAL attempted to charge me for a substitute.

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

Is Princess based in Seattle? 

Princess is based in Santa Clarita, California. The heart of Reagan country. And there in perhaps hangs the tale.

 

Santa Clarita is still on the return address for Princess mailings.  It is my understanding that this office is being maintained.  However, much of the upper level management functions of the Company have been transferred to Seattle.  If anyone knows where Jan Schwarz, the Princess CEO has her office, your question as to where Princess is really based could be accurately answered.

[VennDiagram]

31 minutes ago, chill6x6 said:

This kinda takes away some of the fun of being on a cruise, especially for those of us that only get to cruise once or twice a year.    I can't tell you how many times we have had a hard time deciding on which entree to get or might be apprehensive to try something new and the waiter simply said "I'll bring you both" or they simply showed UP with both.  It sure added some fun to the dining experience AND goes a long way to showing me that it was important to them for us to enjoy our experience. 

 

I agree with it taking away some of the fun.  For me, it isn't about the $10 extra charge -- we don't order extra entrees.  Even if we did, what's $10 overall?  It's the unspoken message HAL is sending to the cruisers.

 

Truly I have no horse in this race, but it seems ridiculous to alienate customers over $10.

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

 

My guess would be 90 day world cruisers already learned to eat more modestly on longer cruises.

 

Mixed reactions here; Some claim they never or very rarely have even seen people order two entrees. Others claim they will starve if they cannot eat entree after entree, and to charge for this is the be all end all for HAL.  Wonder where the truth is.

 

And if desire for a second entrees are only a very rare occurence, then it was a cheap price to pay for a symbolic green cred.  If most people will not even be affected by this surcharge, why the surfeit of outrage. 

 

Mixed reactions are due to mixed experiences. It's a long time since I've seen someone order a second entree in the MDR. But I have seen people eat five lobster tails in the Lido (I wasn't following him around, he was at the next table. Started with 3, went back for 2 more.)

 

DH and I were always content with one entree, but I've seen my BIL eat, and he'd probably order two if he could. Different people eat different amounts.

 

Edited March 2, 2019 by 3rdGenCunarder