Johnny Rockets - disappointed

[gatour]

On 6/4/2019 at 7:25 AM, Iamcruzin said:

I agree with your logic. However there is just so much people are willing to pay for fast food. A few years ago Celebrity attempted to swap our the free burgers by the pool with a pay for burger that was claimed to have been made from Kobe beef. They tried it on one ship and it didn't go over. As a matter of fact there was an uproar on Cruise Critic. I think they were charging $15.  These pay for restaurants are a big attraction for those who come from a rural area and don't have a lot of choices at home and think that mall chain restaurants are the bomb. The worst critics are those of us from big cities. I'm surprised that Cheese Cake Factory hasn't made an appearance as an up-charge restaurant on a cruise ship. 

Please explain your definition of a rural area.

 

After college, I lived 9 years in Omaha.  after growing up and attending college in Florida.  To this day, some of the most amazing Mexican and Italian restaurants I have eaten at were in Omaha.  Mexican/Hispanics worked in the meat packing plants and there were many Mexican restaurants that served authentic food (think beyond burritos and tacos).

 

Also there is a "little Italy" section because many Italians settled in Omaha in the the 1800's with many restaurants that would stack up against an Italian restaurant in the big city of New York, Chicago etc .  And I have eaten at many non-chain restaurants in your definition of a big city.

 

In my opinion your  comment "The worst critics are those of us from big cities."  is correct.  As you/they make assumptions about the opinions of others that are not from so-said big cities.

[Iamcruzin]

Just now, gatour said:

Please explain your definition of a rural area.

 

After college, I lived 9 years in Omaha.  after growing up and attending college in Florida.  To this day, some of the most amazing Mexican and Italian restaurants I have eaten at were in Omaha.  Mexican/Hispanics worked in the meat packing plants and there were many Mexican restaurants that served authentic food (think beyond burritos and tacos).

 

Also there is a "little Italy" section because many Italians settled in Omaha in the the 1800's with many restaurants that would stack up against an Italian restaurant in the big city of New York, Chicago etc .  And I have eaten at many non-chain restaurants in your definition of a big city.

 

In my opinion your  comment "The worst critics are those of us from big cities."  is correct.  As you/they make assumptions about the opinions of others that are not from so-said big cities.

Omaha is a city. I wouldn't consider that rural. 

[LMaxwell]

39 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

I knew it wasn't going to be the best burger that I have ever eaten but I figured it's a burger how bad can it be? Was I ever taken back. It was mush. I'm not even sure it was beef. I even gave it a second shot on Labadee. It wasn't any worse but I can't imagine that it could get any worse. Honestly, I can live without a hamburger on a cruise there are so many other much better choices so I'm not about to pay for one either.

We had a Freebie at JR's; left Labadee picnic to go back and have that.  Coco Cay food has improved, Labadee is awful.  WJ burger don't know what, it is all gristle and no flavor, you are right, just mush.  Gross.  I am not a food snob.  don't need a gourmet burger.  WJ burger is nastiest burger I've had.  Anywhere.  I am sure that "meat" costs cents per pound. 

[brentconn]

What is so amazing about JR's? Apparently there has to be something to it. This thread may spawn 500 replies before its done with. I have eaten at JR's a few times at amusement parks and it was never bad but it was never special either. I have seen so many posters worried about if they can get a complimentary shake or meal at JR's. Heck, just plug in JR's in the search box and you get thread after thread about cruisers wanting to know about JR's. There is a good reason why many may be disappointed with JR's. Because it's meant to be average.

[terri1020]

We ate at JR once last week on our Adventure cruise. The service was SO bad that we asked for our grease burger to be packaged up to eat it at our chair by the pool. There weren't enough servers. We were seated outside and after a 40 minute wait, after we ordered, my husband went inside to see if there was a problem. Our server was ALSO working the counter as well as the people who did walk-up for ice cream or shakes. So, in looking at the whole experience;  we waited to be seated (acceptable), we waited to order, we waited 40 minutes with no food after the order, and we waited for the food to be packaged up for take-out. It was just awful! Never going back!

[ryano]

10 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

We had a Freebie at JR's; left Labadee picnic to go back and have that.  Coco Cay food has improved, Labadee is awful.  WJ burger don't know what, it is all gristle and no flavor, you are right, just mush.  Gross.  I am not a food snob.  don't need a gourmet burger.  WJ burger is nastiest burger I've had.  Anywhere.  I am sure that "meat" costs cents per pound. 

 

Not only is it poor quality "meat", that huge vat of grease they float in is just off putting as it can be.   A Bubba burger would be a huge upgrade to what they call a burger in the Windjammer.  

[vidsmart]

Can't believe I am still following this thread; kind of fun, reminds me of a thread I followed last year for what seemed like weeks about Sorrentos pizza quality. Have never eaten a burger in Windjammer (why would one given their variety?) but in light of what I have read and my upcoming cruise on Harmony: "Siri, remind me in 39 days to not let my granddaughter eat hamburgers in Windjammer!"

[st5310]

On 5/28/2019 at 11:34 AM, ECCruise said:

This is where cruise lines have brainwashed the cruising public.  Why in heaven would anything be MORE expensive on a cruise ship than land?  This goes for JR, booze, spa, etc.

You have paid a huge entry fee to get to these venues (your cruise fare, thousands of $$$) that you don't pay on land.  You are foregoing a fully free meal (whether in MDR or the buffet) so the cruise line saves food costs there. The employees on ships are paid WAY less than those on land, so employment costs are lower.  Land based businesses pay real estate taxes.  Pay employment taxes.  Have lots of other fixed expenses that a ship based business does not have.  

To Bouhunter's point, you are forgetting about the expenses cruise ships incur that land-based brick-and-mortars do not, such as the 80,000 gallons of fuel needed PER DAY, which transposes to between 1 and three million dollars each sailing just to fill up.  Cruise ships are also liable for port fees, food, supplies, and a thousand other expenses, not to mention that new ships cost billions to construct.  To recoup these investments and stay solvent, cruise ships MUST come up with ways to be profitable; at the end of the day, Royal Caribbean Cruises is a corporation whose prime mission is to make a profit, the same mission as any other corporate entity at home and abroad, on sea or on land.  You may not like it, but it is the system in which we live.

[ECCruise]

3 minutes ago, st5310 said:

To Bouhunter's point, you are forgetting about the expenses cruise ships incur that land-based brick-and-mortars do not, such as the 80,000 gallons of fuel needed PER DAY, which transposes to between 1 and three million dollars each sailing just to fill up.  Cruise ships are also liable for port fees, food, supplies, and a thousand other expenses, not to mention that new ships cost billions to construct.  To recoup these investments and stay solvent, cruise ships MUST come up with ways to be profitable; at the end of the day, Royal Caribbean Cruises is a corporation whose prime mission is to make a profit, the same mission as any other corporate entity at home and abroad, on sea or on land.  You may not like it, but it is the system in which we live.

But you totally missed the point.  Cruise ships charge a huge entry fee (the FARE) that I have never had a land based restaurant like Johnny Rockets. That is designed to recoup the expenses that you enumerate. In addition, port fees, which you mentioned, are directly paid by the pax, not the cruise line. 

The whole point is that eating in the same type of restaurant as those on land should never cost more.  But then....PT Barnum didn't say it....but....

[st5310]

1 minute ago, ECCruise said:

But you totally missed the point.  Cruise ships charge a huge entry fee (the FARE) that I have never had a land based restaurant like Johnny Rockets. That is designed to recoup the expenses that you enumerate. In addition, port fees, which you mentioned, are directly paid by the pax, not the cruise line. 

The whole point is that eating in the same type of restaurant as those on land should never cost more.  But then....PT Barnum didn't say it....but.... 

No, I did not.  First, a ship cannot just recoup expenses; it must make a profit.  Second, you are complaining because a cruise ship charges more than a comparable venue on land.  This is not, however, apples-to-apples.  A Johnny Rockets on land operates on a different business model and cannot accurately be compared with their shipboard version.  Third, the passengers pay port fees, but the cruise ship still has to pay them and cannot afford to break even.  And they have the exorbitant fuel fees that you did not address.  Compared to other vacation types, cruising is still a good value; if it wasn't you wouldn't do it, I would guess.  What I have trouble grasping is why complain about a few of the upcharges when you have the freedom to avoid the restaurants you think rip you off and dine in the MDR or Windjammer where meals are included in the fare.

 

I resent your impertinent insinuation that I have been brainwashed or I am one of those "suckers born every minute" if I choose to pay more than you feel I should for a meal in a chain restaurant on a ship.  When I dine in an upcharge restaurant I am well aware that the cost is probably higher than its counterpart on land.  I don't care as long as the food is decent and the service is friendly and attentive.  I do not cruise to save money.  I cruise to spend and enjoy myself.  If I whine about every dollar spent that is over and above what I would pay on land, then my vacation would be miserable. 

 

[brentconn]

FYI, "land based" Las Vegas drinks on the strip normally run $15-$20 and sometimes more. They charge these prices because they can. Same with RCL. Again use the search box and type in UDP or DBP and most of those threads are people deciding if they are worth it. Almost all of the replies are overwhelmingly YES. It has never been about profit. It's about how much profit can we make?