Ten Dollar Meals in MDR

[Carol28]

I read that several ships were experimenting for a month charging cruisers ten dollars if they ordered an extra main dish.  I'm wondering if the experiment is over?

[Shmoo here]

6 minutes ago, Carol28 said:

I read that several ships were experimenting for a month charging cruisers ten dollars if they ordered an extra main dish.  I'm wondering if the experiment is over?

Yes, it is.

[catl331]

for now ...

[Krazy Kruizers]

Do agree that it is over for now.

 

But who knows what will happen in a few months???

[DaveOKC]

13 hours ago, Carol28 said:

I read that several ships were experimenting for a month charging cruisers ten dollars if they ordered an extra main dish.  I'm wondering if the experiment is over?

I was on the Eurodam April 6 cruise and it was ended.  The dining stewards I mentioned it to seemed to be VERY glad it was over!

 

[Windsailer]

Probably the only way we will find out how this experiment turned out (in HALs eyes) is if and when the $10 surcharge shows up on the menus again. 

[Roz]

The title of this thread is very misleading.  Just my opinion.

 

Roz

[billbunger]

Just what we needed another “dining room charge” thread. Let’s beat a dead horse some more, we may end up with soufflé. That would lead to a hijacked thread about food and that would be hijacked by a thread about “Club Orange charge” which in turn would be hijacked by a thread about  “dining room charges”.

 

hmmmmmmm just a minute here.

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, Roz said:

The title of this thread is very misleading.  Just my opinion.

 

Roz

Agree, misleading and the topic has already been beat to death.

[catl331]

2 hours ago, billbunger said:

Just what we needed another “dining room charge” thread. Let’s beat a dead horse some more, we may end up with soufflé. That would lead to a hijacked thread about food and that would be hijacked by a thread about “Club Orange charge” which in turn would be hijacked by a thread about  “dining room charges”.

 

hmmmmmmm just a minute here.

It was just a simple question ... has it ended or not. 

[Despegue]

Yes! 🙄

[DaveOKC]

3 hours ago, catl331 said:

It was just a simple question ... has it ended or not. 

Yes on the Eurodam as of April 6-13 cruise.

 

[san diego spartan]

Yes.  Just off the Nieuw Amsterdam.  They did offer in the MDR a $20 option for a lobster tail nightly.

 

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, san diego spartan said:

Yes.  Just off the Nieuw Amsterdam.  They did offer in the MDR a $20 option for a lobster tail nightly.

 

Not sure if that is what the OP is asking about. I think the OP was asking about the $10 for the second entree test run that has been discussed extensively. 

 

But, we may never know.

[TAD2005]

2 hours ago, san diego spartan said:

Yes.  Just off the Nieuw Amsterdam.  They did offer in the MDR a $20 option for a lobster tail nightly.

 

And $75 for a 36 oz Bone-In Rib-Eye, hand selected by Orlando Ashford himself.   That's pretty steep for any 36 oz. steak, it better melt in your mouth and you can cut it with s butter knife.  Never tried it.  But the "Broiled Whole Hawaiian Lobster" was offered on our Eurodam Hawaii-Tahiti cruise for $20, every night.  The OP's question was about the $10 surcharge for an extra main course.  It was in effect on the Eurodam through April 6, when we got off.  The next cruise to Mexico, I hear, did not have that ridiculous note on each dinner menu. 

[avian777]

On 4/20/2019 at 9:22 AM, Windsailer said:

Probably the only way we will find out how this experiment turned out (in HALs eyes) is if and when the $10 surcharge shows up on the menus again. 

 

As a CCL shareholder, I hope a $10 surcharge for each extra entree is implemented by HAL.

Edited April 22, 2019 by avian777

[TAD2005]

19 hours ago, avian777 said:

 

As a CCL shareholder, I hope a $10 surcharge for each extra entree is implemented by HAL.

Considering the level of bad press and public opinion that this "test plan" generated, I am amazed that as a CCL shareholder,  you would want to promote a plan that had a negative impact on the company.  If the plan was successful, then it would be a done deal.  It apparently was not well received by passengers AND crew, so it was dumped.   As told to me by the food & beverage manager on the Eurodam, one of the test ships, the real food waste is in the Lido market, not the MDR.  The revenue gained by hitting up the few guests who actually ask for a 2nd main course is far offset by the bad publicity of the program.

[avian777]

13 hours ago, TAD2005 said:

Considering the level of bad press and public opinion that this "test plan" generated, I am amazed that as a CCL shareholder,  you would want to promote a plan that had a negative impact on the company.  If the plan was successful, then it would be a done deal.  It apparently was not well received by passengers AND crew, so it was dumped.   As told to me by the food & beverage manager on the Eurodam, one of the test ships, the real food waste is in the Lido market, not the MDR.  The revenue gained by hitting up the few guests who actually ask for a 2nd main course is far offset by the bad publicity of the program.

 

You are certainly entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine.  The fact that HAL did not immediately implement the surcharge after the test concluded is probative of nothing, as is the "bad press and public opinion" allegedly surrounding the test.  In all likelihood, HAL is currently working on some variation of the $10 surcharge plan and may run future "tests" on some of those plans.  Whether HAL's goal is to reduce waste or increase revenue (or both), I think it is likely some variation of the recent test plan will be implemented ... probably in both the MDR and Lido.

[syesmar]

I was away for awhile, so sorry if this was previously answered: were the passengers aboard the ships with the test cases given any advance notification of the surcharge, or were they completely surprised?

[Roz]

8 minutes ago, syesmar said:

I was away for awhile, so sorry if this was previously answered: were the passengers aboard the ships with the test cases given any advance notification of the surcharge, or were they completely surprised?

No advance notice.

[VennDiagram]

On 4/21/2019 at 10:09 PM, avian777 said:

 

As a CCL shareholder, I hope a $10 surcharge for each extra entree is implemented by HAL.

 

I hope they have made a permanent against this charge.  As another CCL shareholder, I would far prefer that HAL was more interested in innovating, and less interested in penalizing. 

[RMLincoln]

20 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

 

I hope they have made a permanent against this charge.  As another CCL shareholder, I would far prefer that HAL was more interested in innovating, and less interested in penalizing. 

That's it!  Nobody feels good about being penalized on their vacation.  I'm so glad you focused on that aspect!

 

I/we have sometimes wanted to try a different dish, have asked for advice from our waiters about choosing between two options... some waiters have brought out a dish for the table to try which was very thoughtful and helpful.  It's usually difficult to get just a small portion of something else, say on the side, so they bring the whole dinner as it is already plated, which is wasteful. 

Food is very important to people's enjoyment of their cruise experience, so penalizing them leaves a "bad taste!"  I'd prefer to not have the $10 charge in place and hope that they can economize in a different way. I'm not a marketing specialist so I have no suggestions, but I know that Happy Cruisers become return customers, and that's good for the stockholders!   m--

[Hlitner]

I would speculate that it will return but will likely be increased to $20 with a 25% discount for 3 Star Mariners and a 50% discount for 4-5* Mariners :).  Perhaps they can bring back fresh squeezed OJ at breakfast (only a $9.99 surcharge) and actually be very bold and offer omelets made with real eggs for only $9.99.

 

The reality is that it truly is a pandora's box and current management is unlikely to close that box.

 

Hank

[Roz]

6 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I would speculate that it will return but will likely be increased to $20 with a 25% discount for 3 Star Mariners and a 50% discount for 4-5* Mariners :).  Perhaps they can bring back fresh squeezed OJ at breakfast (only a $9.99 surcharge) and actually be very bold and offer omelets made with real eggs for only $9.99.

 

The reality is that it truly is a pandora's box and current management is unlikely to close that box.

 

Hank

That would be a nightmare for the already overstretching MDR and Lido staff.  

 

Roz

[Hlitner]

28 minutes ago, Roz said:

That would be a nightmare for the already overstretching MDR and Lido staff.  

 

Roz

This kind of thing is happening across most of the mass market lines (we cruise on many lines).  Some of the cut-backs are almost laughable such as when Celebrity stopped giving those in Aqua Class...unlimited free bottled water (which cost them pennies).  Princess has been experimenting with a supplemental menu in their MDR which offers some higher end steaks (that are also available in their alternative restaurant).  MSC is also playing with add-on items (for an extra fee).  And now we are seeing a trend to charge for room service and/or some room service items.  I recently heard that Carnival has been playing around with cabin stewards only servicing a cabin once per day...and I can see a future where folks will have to pay extra for twice a day service in regular cabins.   It is a downward spiral when it comes to the quality of mass market cruising.

 

Hank