Say It Isn't So!

[Sillyjilly]

4 hours ago, georgiavol said:

Quit your bellyachin’ and be glad we aren’t stuck with bug juice and cold midrats. Lol

Dave T MM1(SS)

 

Love it!

[Sillyjilly]

Bottom line. Cruising prices are still a great deal. IMHO.

For those who want the extras you can still get them. Just pay the price and book on more expensive lines.

[MissP22]

8 hours ago, apeller said:

When we were on the Emerald in Dec., our headwaiter said that he predicts that soon there will be a charge for eating in the MDR, and the cruise fare will just include the buffet.  He blamed it on the high cost of passengers "taking advantage."  That would be even worse than no lobster and escargot.  But I do agree that Princess has definitely been cutting back on a lot of things.  The whole menu is a shell of what it used to be.

It's difficult to believe since they only spend less than $18 per day per person for food as it is. 

Almost all the DR items are included at the buffet so what are the savings other than waiters serving the food? 

Given the choice people will overload their plates at the buffet & waste a lot of food whereas in the DR they'll be forced to place an order to get more. 

[terrysko2000]

On the Crown in February I asked. Our waiter said there was a shortage and they had replaced it on the menu with oysters Rockefeller. Hopefully it will return. 

[phabric]

I was on RC’s Symphony of the Sea in January 2019 and had their escargot dish every night which was offered in their every day dining room menu.

[GannonsGal]

Escargot was on the last formal night of our cruise a month ago. It didn't look any different than on previous cruises.

Now as far as the lobster is concerned, they did introduce Lobster Thermador as a test to see if passengers like it. If so, they will charge extra for it. The Lobster Thermador looked like the lobster used to look like. I talked to the F&B Director about the lobster and he said the prices have gone way up, it's hard to get and people are taking 4 pieces saying that "they paid for it" (in the cost of their cruise) so Princess has had to cut back on the size of it and start charging for extra. Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just reporting what I was told.

[JF - retired RRT]

22 hours ago, MixerDave said:

 

If they use shrimp in the garlic butter I would like that - can't think about eating snails - I've seen too many slugs crawling around.  We were served escargot at a friend's house - that's when I found out they can be swallowed whole.

Doesn't make a lot of sense to eat something without tasting & chewing before swallowing. Yuck.

[JF - retired RRT]

16 hours ago, apeller said:

When we were on the Emerald in Dec., our headwaiter said that he predicts that soon there will be a charge for eating in the MDR, and the cruise fare will just include the buffet.  He blamed it on the high cost of passengers "taking advantage."  That would be even worse than no lobster and escargot.  But I do agree that Princess has definitely been cutting back on a lot of things.  The whole menu is a shell of what it used to be.

That would definitely end my cruising.

[JimmyVWine]

14 hours ago, Thrak said:

I wondered about it the first time but tried it anyway and found it was great.

My daughter will be disappointed if escargot is not available.  It has been a favorite dish of hers since she was about 6.  In her mind, escargot is merely a "garlic and butter delivery system."  And I ask you: What's wrong with that?

[JF - retired RRT]

16 hours ago, jwattle said:

We have lots of "escargot" in our garden: serve yourself, all you can eat, free 😁

You should see the "escargot" we have in Hawaii...they are HUGE!!

[JimmyVWine]

Here's an interesting factoid.  I did an internet search for "escargot shortage" to see if the scarcity was real or just a convenient excuse by Carnival Corp or Princess to move the dish off the menu.  And lo and behold, I found articles about a shortage (specific to Carnival Corp) from 1/2019. So, pretty recent.  But I also found similar articles from 3/2014; 1/2013 (also specific to Carnival); 6/2012 and 8/2008.  So apparently this shortage is either a slow motion catastrophe, or very cyclical.  Not sure what this means for the near-term.  But I found it interesting that people have been declaring the escargot sky to be falling since at least 2008 with cruise companies (particularly Carnival) reacting accordingly.  

[cattman]

3 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

Here's an interesting factoid.  I did an internet search for "escargot shortage" to see if the scarcity was real or just a convenient excuse by Carnival Corp or Princess to move the dish off the menu.  And lo and behold, I found articles about a shortage (specific to Carnival Corp) from 1/2019. So, pretty recent.  But I also found similar articles from 3/2014; 1/2013 (also specific to Carnival); 6/2012 and 8/2008.  So apparently this shortage is either a slow motion catastrophe, or very cyclical.  Not sure what this means for the near-term.  But I found it interesting that people have been declaring the escargot sky to be falling since at least 2008 with cruise companies (particularly Carnival) reacting accordingly.  

 

22 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

If I remember correctly, Celebrity used mushrooms as a replacement a number of years ago. 

 

Celebrity(and obviously RCCL) still offers escargot on their 'everyday' menu.... we ordered it every night but one on our May 9 Eclipse 10N Alaska cruise, even in Blu(Aqua Class dining room) and it was wonderful. Seems the "snail shortage" is limited to Carnival ships.

 

[JimmyVWine]

14 minutes ago, cattman said:

Seems the "snail shortage" is limited to Carnival ships.

And this could be taken one of two ways.  1.) The shortage is imagined and Carnival Corp just wants to be rid of the dish; or 2.) The shortage is real and Carnival Corp. is taking its environmental responsibilities seriously and other cruise companies are not. 

[Gracie115]

23 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

If I remember correctly, Celebrity used mushrooms as a replacement a number of years ago. 

 

Celebrity used crab at one point in 2011 when there was a shortage of escargot(or so that was claimed) don't ever remember them using just mushrooms.

[Mom33]

Plenty of escargot on Disney cruise our family took last month.😎

 

[cattman]

50 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

And this could be taken one of two ways.  1.) The shortage is imagined and Carnival Corp just wants to be rid of the dish; or 2.) The shortage is real and Carnival Corp. is taking its environmental responsibilities seriously and other cruise companies are not. 

 

"environmental responsibilities"? It is my understanding that these things are farmed, like salmon and shrimp. It is more likely the former.

 

Curiously, Celebrity never offered crab legs, which are still offered on the Princess menu.  Crab has always been a staple of our Alaska cruises. Wife was bummed.

 

 

Edited June 6, 2019 by cattman

[XBGuy]

3 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

My daughter will be disappointed if escargot is not available.  It has been a favorite dish of hers since she was about 6.  In her mind, escargot is merely a "garlic and butter delivery system."  And I ask you: What's wrong with that?

 

That's, pretty much the way I think of it.  I'm pretty sure that Julia Child and Jacques Pepin would also agree.  Snails?  Shrimp?  Who cares?  Of course, they could make it even better by wrapping it with bacon.

[nukesubsailor]

22 hours ago, georgiavol said:

Quit your bellyachin’ and be glad we aren’t stuck with bug juice and cold midrats. Lol

Dave T MM1(SS)

Dave, that certainly is a no-s_ _ _ _ _ r.   The best thing about midrats was the fresh baked bread provided you didn't get a loaf that was still raw dough in the center.  I drank only water and of course coffee on the boat.  To this day I will not drink bug juice.

Edited June 6, 2019 by nukesubsailor

[Ombud]

On 6/5/2019 at 1:29 PM, neverbeenhere said:

If I remember correctly, Celebrity used mushrooms as a replacement a number of years ago. 

Hope Princess will follow suit .... love stuffed mushrooms 

Edited June 7, 2019 by Ombud
Typo

[eqj60]

On 6/5/2019 at 3:19 PM, memoak said:

Too bad was hoping to have it once on our 15 day Hawaii trip in October

Just ask head waiter

[apeller]

7 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

That would definitely end my cruising.

Me too.  I never eat at buffet restaurants, and only rarely eat at the buffet on a ship.  I will say that we were impressed with the buffet when we were on the Royal, but I much prefer to sit down and have my food delivered.  I can serve myself at home.

[dweeb]

On 6/5/2019 at 6:52 PM, georgiavol said:

Quit your bellyachin’ and be glad we aren’t stuck with bug juice and cold midrats. Lol

Dave T MM1(SS)

+100   

[cr8tiv1]

On 6/5/2019 at 9:19 AM, memoak said:

Too bad was hoping to have it once on our 15 day Hawaii trip in October

 

I had it on my Hawaii cruise in April 2019.  

[happy cruzer]

9 hours ago, apeller said:

Me too.  I never eat at buffet restaurants, and only rarely eat at the buffet on a ship.  I will say that we were impressed with the buffet when we were on the Royal, but I much prefer to sit down and have my food delivered.  I can serve myself at home.

You would not have to give up cruising just cruising on lines that charge for the MDR.  There are lines that include all dining venus and they cost the same as a mini suite/suite on the major lines (if you bargain hunt).  People who enjoy better dining experiences are already filling more "luxury" all inclusive ships.

[meatloafsfan]

23 hours ago, cattman said:

 

 

Celebrity(and obviously RCCL) still offers escargot on their 'everyday' menu.... we ordered it every night but one on our May 9 Eclipse 10N Alaska cruise, even in Blu(Aqua Class dining room) and it was wonderful. Seems the "snail shortage" is limited to Carnival ships.

 

We have been on RCL twice where the "daily" escargot from their menu was replaced with scallops in butter (bay scallops - the small, round ones) due to shortages.

 

The escargot is farmed and dependent on weather. If there are issues in Morocco or Indonesia, then the escargot prices go up and cheap, farmed escargot becomes a rare commodity.