Upselling Galore - Specialty Restaurants

[Jingerwoppy]

Just got back from a cruise on Liberty on which were inundated with upselling for the specialty restaurants. As soon as we sat down in the waiting area, we were approached with an upsell and then a few more times before we were able to board the ship (there was a delay in boarding). And every time we were in the Windjammer we were approached at least once and a few times on the promenade.  

 

Are the specialty restaurants being ignored or is this simply a new approach to try and generate more revenue? 

 

 

[tinkr2]

It seems like when sales are low, they pitch. I was pitched the drinks package quite a bit on Freedom on a very port intensive cruise.

[travelplus]

I just purchase the BOGO Specialty Dining for two nights and tel the server that we booked a package before the cruise. All it takes is a polite no thank youl

[Jam0610]

Was on the Liberty last week. Same thoughts are shared by me. Everyday there was a consistent "upsell" starting with each meal, at the pool decks, in bars, or shopping on board stores.

I have to think Specialty Dining is simply not being used by guests. Pricing?

 

Meals in the Main Dining Room compare and are included, at no cost. As I stated in another post, wife and I wanted to try Sabor, but the smoke smell from the Casino was overpowering. 

 

 Vintages was empty the entire cruise. Same problem, wine offerings are way overpriced. 

 

RCL will have to rethink pricing to fill these extra spots. Working in the Wine Business for 40 years even I was put off by pricing. Typical mark up is 100%. RCL seems to be pushing 125% to 150%.

 

 

[grapau27]

7 hours ago, Jingerwoppy said:

Just got back from a cruise on Liberty on which were inundated with upselling for the specialty restaurants. As soon as we sat down in the waiting area, we were approached with an upsell and then a few more times before we were able to board the ship (there was a delay in boarding). And every time we were in the Windjammer we were approached at least once and a few times on the promenade.  

 

Are the specialty restaurants being ignored or is this simply a new approach to try and generate more revenue? 

 

 

I believe in turning this into a positive as I have got some big discounts and free drinks included when I have been approached.

 

 

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

I believe in turning this into a positive as I have got some big discounts and free drinks included when I have been approached.

 

 

Agreed

 

They will negotiate prices on occasion. We try to get at least 40% off or BOGO (50%). 

 

We don’t have any problem saying “no thanks”. 

Edited May 2, 2019 by Milwaukee Eight

[Sancho_proudfoot]

I agree that sometimes the "listed price" is so offputting that the speciality restaurants are virtually deserted.

 

On Brilliance last year, we were offered Chops (for that night) for $1.

 

Other guests reported similar discounted prices for Giovanni's and Izumi.

[Wordell1]

I hope they stay empty at the prices that they are charging.  When they are selling you, it is a good opportunity to give the reasons you are not booking.

[Cruisegirl6]

That sure can be annoying...we generally get the ultimate dining package and just tell them we have it and keep walking, but we are so tired of the same menu's and find all the restaurants to us are not as good any longer (150 is our favorite), I guess I just tell them we do not like the food in those restaurants, surprise them, you be sure they leave us alone and go to somebody else.  LOL. Honestly, if the quality kept up we would be dining each night there but it isn't worth it any longer to us.

[Colorado Babe]

I am not a big fan of the way they aggressively sell on the ship, but I have gotten some great deals. 

[sgmn]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

I believe in turning this into a positive as I have got some big discounts and free drinks included when I have been approached.

 

 

We got 50%discount on the dinner theatre at Giovanni's on Jewel in February 

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, sgmn said:

We got 50%discount on the dinner theatre at Giovanni's on Jewel in February 

That's fantastic, thanks for sharing and proof that rather than be annoyed with speciallity restaurant upselling,for some of us who like speciality restaurants they are doing is a big favour.

[Iamcruzin]

5 hours ago, grapau27 said:

I believe in turning this into a positive as I have got some big discounts and free drinks included when I have been approached.

 

 

That's what I am hoping for on my sailing.  The prices are way to high and the menus aren't all that special.

[grapau27]

4 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

That's what I am hoping for on my sailing.  The prices are way to high and the menus aren't all that special

Hope you have a great cruise and that you get offered speciality restaurants so you can negotiate an excellent price.

[dex08]

Currently on Harmony and it’s been a huge push for the specialty restaurants. On the way into the main dining room the first night I felt like I was nearly being stalked and pounced on by the peddlers selling the dining packages. In the main dining room the Head Waiters came to us on the first two nights offering us deals in them. One evening we were offered $20 off Izumi (only for the hibachi and not the a la carte sushi). We have politely declined each time. It’s a bit annoying how frequently this is occurring. We are on Day 5 of a 7 nighter and I’m hoping they give up soon. 

[HBE4]

 

Specialty restaurants are not really that special anymore.  I remember when they were packed each night, now often times they seem to be at 50-70% capacity.

 

As others have said, increasing the price and decreasing the size on the menu and quality of food is a triple whammy.

 

I always said I would do Chops at $25/pp (the price when I first tried it) but would not touch it at $42/pp (the price it was on my Nov 2018 cruise). Now I'm not sure I would even do it for anything above $20/pp.

 

Hopefully those that are being hounded by upsells can use that to their advantage.

 

 

[HBE4]

5 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Agreed

 

They will negotiate prices on occasion. We try to get at least 40% off or BOGO (50%). 

 

We don’t have any problem saying “no thanks”. 

 

Agreed.

 

When people say they are being hounded for upsells, I always picture the beaches of Jamaica where someone always wants to braid your hair or sell you pot. I've never found the upsells on Royal to be pushy and always polite.

[grapau27]

7 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

Agreed.

 

When people say they are being hounded for upsells, I always picture the beaches of Jamaica where someone always wants to braid your hair or sell you pot. I've never found the upsells on Royal to be pushy and always polite.

Compared to some of the timeshare touts we have encountered over the years in the Canary Islands the pushing of extras on RC is child's play.

[mousefan73]

Now I don’t feel so cheap by not booking specialty dining on our next cruise.  We are also a family of four so specialty dining is simply out of our budget. And for me personally doesn’t make sense if we are on a cruise to spend that much money on dining when there are other options included. I told my kids either we’re on a cruise or we go out to dinner every night fir a week but not both.  We are relatively new to cruising and it is just simply insane And what one can spend on port excursions and specialty drinking and dining packages. Makes the cruise fare look like a cover charge. But thank God cruise line are not at the point yet where one has to do book extra. we choose not to and I’m pretty sure we will still have a great  time.  If we are asked we simply say no. Unless the deal is too good to be true. 

Edited May 2, 2019 by mousefan73
Typo

[blueridgemama]

We rarely go to a specialty restaurant on a ship. The MDR menus have more than enough choices for us and I just don't see the need to spend another $25 or more per person for a specialty restaurant. When you add in all the extras you can purchase on a cruise it can be more than the cost of the cruise itself.

[Artemus]

Recently on Enchantment a crew member started talking to us out of nowhere complimenting my wife and so forth being really nice and we were thinking Oh he is really nice and then he started talking about the specialty restaurants. We just politely moved on but it fell a bit disingenuous and gave us a feeling of negativity about the whole thing.

[twangster]

Specialty dining has no value for me.  Considering I've already paid for a meal in the MDR, specialty should be $10-15 per person tops.

 

Instead they charge more for a meal that is lesser quality than I can get at home in a restaurant that has a much more diverse menu.  Absurd.

 

Glad to see they have priced themselves out of the market and guests are avoiding specialty dining.    

[Big_G]

6 hours ago, Colorado Babe said:

I am not a big fan of the way they aggressively sell on the ship, but I have gotten some great deals. 

 

We've never been annoyed by it and have scored some good deals. They're usually very responsive to no thank you.

[nelblu]

Depending on the time and ship.  On our upcoming Anthem sail in late August, the SR pricing show no sign of discounting pre-boarding.  As a matter of fact, the BOGO 1st 2 nights which was selling for $49.99 has been replaced with "Chops +1" at $75 pp.  Rather use my D+ coupon.

[Iamcruzin]

8 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Depending on the time and ship.  On our upcoming Anthem sail in late August, the SR pricing show no sign of discounting pre-boarding.  As a matter of fact, the BOGO 1st 2 nights which was selling for $49.99 has been replaced with "Chops +1" at $75 pp.  Rather use my D+ coupon.

I'm sailing on Anthem in June I have not seen one drop in price for the restaurants. I have only seen the sale for dining packages which I'm not interested in. I guess if they don't sell enough  packages they will discount on the ship to fill seats.