One Main Course

[knittinggirl]

100% against charging $10 second entree fee.   Tweeted and sent messages to corporate on this.

 

I wonder if they'll charge you if we get 1/2 order of two entrees.

Edited March 3, 2019 by knittinggirl

[lb0103]

I have a question for those on the "test" ships with this charge. Has anyone ordered and been charged for a second entree? Do you sign a slip for the charge with your cabin #? How is the bookkeeping handled?

I am against this charge but will still go on my 14 day cruise with my eyes open and when booking next cruise decide what is best for me. Many here have made good points pro and con but bottom line it is a take away that affects more people than say not printing all those ads in the cabins, think of the trees saved and the ink used as well as the person/s that make them and deliver them, bigger savings there and less push back from customers, I think. Anyone here enjoy the ads?

 

I wonder of Hal reads this. I am a Celebrity cruiser and remember 2 years ago they did a "test" on $10 hamburgers saying the meat quality was better, I think it only lasted one cruise and they stopped it as the push back was quick, and that was only on one ship.

 

[CATandSQUID]

On 3/2/2019 at 8:49 AM, CATandSQUID said:

You people are funny!  I have never needed to order a 2nd entree.  You must be some BIG eaters! 🤣  Please stay home from cruising and bitching so others can enjoy it.

I am sorry that my post offended people. The CC police have plled me over and scolded me for "hijacking the post"  I will pay $10 for another Main course.  

[Tampa Girl]

4 hours ago, ithaca gal said:

It is a test that is the policy on four ships this month.  To those of us travelling on those ships this month, it's policy.

 

No, a test is not policy until it is officially implemented as a regular, ongoing practice.  My understanding of the present testing is to try it for a limited time (1-2 weeks) on two occasions during the month of March.  The first test is to limit the one-entree to gala evenings only.  The second test, on four different ships, is to test it on all MDR dinners.  

[Boytjie]

On 2/24/2019 at 8:49 PM, *Miss G* said:

I am mystified at the outrage against charging for additional entrees.

 

But the they should be consistent and charge extra for double starters and desserts too, no? And do the same in the Lido, no?

[AtlantaCruiser72]

This is a revenue generating cash-grab pure and simple. If they REALLY want to cut down on food waste there are many ways they could do so, starting with evaluating their food preparation process (less banquet more a'la minute). The amount of pre-prepped, unserved food that must be thrown out daily is immense. Charging for a 2nd entree does nothing to change this. It just adds revenue to the cruise lines balance sheet. If HAL is struggling financially then they need to find a way to raise base fares in the markets they serve.  

[Boytjie]

On 2/24/2019 at 9:03 PM, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

I can't understand why anyone would want/need more than one entrée. Does this happen often?

On 2/24/2019 at 9:09 PM, Roz said:

Based on the responses to my comments, apparently it does.  Fortunately I've not been at a table where passengers felt the need to engorge themselves.

 

Roz

 

There are times when I two entrees appeal to me and then I may order both instead of choosing. The entree portions are usually not all that big so it in not as if I get two piles of food. I do finish the food on my plate (as my mother taught me) unless it isn't good - but I have not encountered that on a dam ship yet. I have frequently been at tables where double entrees were ordered and I don' recall any going to waste; in most cases the people were enjoying their dinner and having a great time with the people at their table.

 

I have noticed posts about people gorging  on piles of food,  and on a Facebook discussion of this same topic people who ordered two entrees were called pigs. This is uncalled for.

 

Yes, there are people that waste food and that can happen anywhere: in the dining room, specialty restaurants, room service and the Lido (likely the place where most waste occurs). How often do we read here about all the extra lobster consumed on gala night yet nobody ever calls that out as being a waste, pigging out or gorging.

[3rdGenCunarder]

9 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

This is a revenue generating cash-grab pure and simple. If they REALLY want to cut down on food waste there are many ways they could do so, starting with evaluating their food preparation process (less banquet more a'la minute). The amount of pre-prepped, unserved food that must be thrown out daily is immense. Charging for a 2nd entree does nothing to change this. It just adds revenue to the cruise lines balance sheet. If HAL is struggling financially then they need to find a way to raise base fares in the markets they serve.  

 

"a la minute" would improve some of the food item, but there are costs to that, as it requires more cooks to do the last-minute cooking. And it would also require more kitchen space, and that's a limited resource. 

 

I agree that there is a lot of potential waste that is not changed by the second-entree fee.' Food that has been prepped but not cooked and served can be "repurposed" for lunch items. DH and I used to joke about "cream of yesterday's vegetable soup." A good cook can make leftovers look new.

 

 

[Roz]

Boytjie,

 

That was a poor choice of words on my part.  My apologies.  What I was attempting to say was that I've never been at a table where ordering a 2nd entrée was a nightly occurrence.  I wouldn't like that simply because it would hold up the rest of the table.  I've been at tables where a couple would share a 2nd entrée, or someone would order something for the whole table to share.  If you read my other posts on this thread, you'll see where I object to others prescribing a caloric intake or protein portion for others.

 

Roz

[Boytjie]

10 minutes ago, Roz said:

Boytjie,

 

That was a poor choice of words on my part.  My apologies.  What I was attempting to say was that I've never been at a table where ordering a 2nd entrée was a nightly occurrence.  I wouldn't like that simply because it would hold up the rest of the table.  I've been at tables where a couple would share a 2nd entrée, or someone would order something for the whole table to share.  If you read my other posts on this thread, you'll see where I object to others prescribing a caloric intake or protein portion for others.

 

Roz

 

Understood, Roz. I admit I have not seen all the posts yet and I did not intend to single you out but used it as an example.

 

 

[Tatka]

43 minutes ago, Roz said:

Boytjie,

 

That was a poor choice of words on my part.  My apologies.  What I was attempting to say was that I've never been at a table where ordering a 2nd entrée was a nightly occurrence.  I wouldn't like that simply because it would hold up the rest of the table.  I've been at tables where a couple would share a 2nd entrée, or someone would order something for the whole table to share.  If you read my other posts on this thread, you'll see where I object to others prescribing a caloric intake or protein portion for others.

 

Roz

 

I cannot say that we are big eaters. I can explain how second entrees happen for us more or less often. We often skip lunch, we also don’t order room service or eat pizza, we never eat desserts. We also rarely to never eat side dishes. We, especially my husband likes different types of meat and/or fish/seafood. We would be just fine  if we could get combos without sides, but as it’s more work for staff we just get two entrees. 

 

We’ll find a way around it, but I just don’t believe this is a “waste cutting” measure Buffets produce more waste, but they are not affected. They can try to charge for second entree ordered, but not eaten... if they want to cut what they think is a waste

Edited March 3, 2019 by Tatka

[cruisequeen4ever]

Princess did that in its steakhouse. 😏 One of the big exciting moments for a first time cruiser is when they find out they can order steak AND lobster or whatever entrees they like at the same time. The benefit cutting and extra charges are slowly eating away at the selling points of a cruise. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We are slowly migrating toward a cruise ship being a floating hotel. Your cruise fare pays for cabin only. Everything else is extra. Hotel service charge will be the new resort fee. As soon as they figure out how to charge for everything they will.

 

I sailed on Seabourn and Crystal recently. If you want all inclusive, they are available and offer an excellent product.

 

But I could have paid for every nickel and dime on HAL and HAL is still less expensive than Crystal or Seabourn and a good value for me.

 

 

www.theinsidecabin.com

 

[AncientWanderer]

It seems like, from what I'm reading on this thread, that lots of the extra orders are for pastas, risottos, stuff like that.  Which makes me think that it's not the food cost that's the real issue, but rather the labor involved in prepping and serving extra plates.  Labor is nearly always the biggest expense in any business.

 

Anyhow, super interesting thread.  So many valid considerations.  But honestly, we have over 200 actual sea days with HAL, and we've just never seen many multiple entree orders.  Other than one lady at our table who had just completed chemo and was having two of everything, God love her.  And why the heck not?

[regnig]

AncientWanderer - I would have willing offered to pay her $10 surcharge were it in effect at that time.  GOOD FOR HER!! 

[JRG]

At the sake of sounding wishy-washy,   I'm going to sit on the fence on this one till the first Vegas line comes out on keeping or canning the new policy

 

 

 

But my principles say for $10 or even $20 it doesn't matter because it is immaterial to the overall cost of the cruise.

 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2019 by JRG

[iancal]

Of course it is a revenue generating cash grab. HAL is a for profit company.  No different than other cruise lines.

 

 They will charge what the market will bear.  There are two choices.  Accept the change or switch to another cruise line. Wringing  hands or knashing teeth has little impact.

Edited March 3, 2019 by iancal

[Tatka]

10 minutes ago, iancal said:

Of course it is a revenue generating cash grab. HAL is a for profit company.  No different than other cruise lines.

 

 They will charge what the market will bear.  There are two choices.  Accept the change or switch to another cruise line. Wringing  hands or knashing teeth has little impact.

 

This is not some new offered service for which HAL can charge more.

It is taking away something basic of cruising. 

This is also a premium line...

[OCruisers]

While I hate this $10 for second entree thing, wonder if the no charge has  been abused by some?

Like on Lobster Night :  "How many lobster tails can I eat".  

[Wasasalad]

I was on Royal Carribean recently, first time in 30 years!

We choose our entree then picked the sides individually! If more than one or everyone had the same sides they came family style!

Everything was on an individual plate! We just put it onto our entree plate!

This worked out very well! A lot of small plates but all delivered at the same time!

Queen Mary also did this when we were on a few years ago. 

Edited March 3, 2019 by Wasasalad

[Tatka]

5 minutes ago, OCruisers said:

While I hate this $10 for second entree thing, wonder if the no charge has  been abused by some?

Like on Lobster Night :  "How many lobster tails can I eat".  

 

Abused as in “ordered and not eaten” or ordered and eaten.

I admit I almost always order 2 tails. My DH can eat 3 of them.

[rkacruiser]

3 minutes ago, Tatka said:

I admit I almost always order 2 tails. My DH can eat 3 of them.

 

In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this.  I have consumed more than one myself.  This type of ordering should not have an extra charge and I hope that is not the intent of "this test".

[iancal]

I would certainly not consider HAL to be Premium line. 

 

All of the the mass market cruise lines, this includes HAL, have been ‘taking away’

things that have been considered basic to cruising for years in an effort to keep base fares low.  

 

This is not the first time and no doubt it will not be the last time.  It is one of the reasons why we have been doing fewer cruises and more independent travel or AI’s.

Edited March 3, 2019 by iancal

[Underwatr]

4 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

This is a revenue generating cash-grab pure and simple. If they REALLY want to cut down on food waste there are many ways they could do so, starting with evaluating their food preparation process (less banquet more a'la minute). The amount of pre-prepped, unserved food that must be thrown out daily is immense. Charging for a 2nd entree does nothing to change this. It just adds revenue to the cruise lines balance sheet. If HAL is struggling financially then they need to find a way to raise base fares in the markets they serve.  

I've been under the impression that food isn't wasted until it's plated. Today's roast duck is used in tomorrow's duck tacos and the next day's duck soup. At some point it moves from the guest dining rooms to the crew dining hall.

 

In any event, it's not difficult to watch the progression of meal proteins from one day's menu to the next with a little attention to the menu.

[BPCW]

19 hours ago, iancal said:

When we read some of these posts we can easily understand why America is well down the list (number 35) of the world’s healthiest nations.  

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-24/spain-tops-italy-as-world-s-healthiest-nation-while-u-s-slips

 

Perhaps HAL is trying to move the needle up a place or two.

 

 

 

Really? Guess what, most people (American or not) use a cruise as a getaway vacation and don’t really care about eating or drinking more than they normally do. That doesn’t make them fat, or a bad person, or unhealthy. 

 

Jeez, what is wrong with some people? The number of people supporting this or saying “this doesn’t impact me so I don’t care” is crazy.