When did Pinnacle Grill start charging for appetizer?

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, NCTribeFan said:

Guess I'm in the minority here.  Things change.  We should be so very aware of that these days.

 

I have no problem with people paying "extra" when they get extras.

 

FTR, my Pinnacle dinners on NA and the first leg of my Zuidy B2B were excellent.  The first on Zuidy was a really good steak.  The second was a rather sad, small, overcooked lobster tail.  Supply chain issues.  With the price of lobster these days, I'm mildly surprised you can get it anywhere without a steep upcharge.

 

I can't even make room for dessert (took a cheese plate to go), let alone eat multiples of anything.  But that's me.

 

I did get my Mariner discount on Rudi's on Zuidy, which surprised me, since it's considered a pop up on that ship.

Yes, but aren't your cruises free casino cruises?  For my next 2 week cruise I'm paying well over $5K for standard balcony room.  If I paid zero or $200 I wouldn't mind paying a lot more for my keep.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, iceman93 said:

I'm also opposed to upcharges, but it's what we get as consumers where we choose based on price above all else.  When many people are booking cruises, I guess they search 7-day Caribbean itineraries (or whatever) and just pick whoever's the cheapest.

 

I'd rather HAL increase the fares a scooch and continue to deliver a non-nickel-and-dimed experience, but I don't choose based solely on base fare.  Sadly HAL may no longer have the brand cache needed to convince people they're worth more than other lines; moving to constant upcharges, though, runs the risk of diminishing the brand even further.

Well lots of free casino cruises being handed out.  I'm paying plenty for mine.  If they are hurting so much maybe start charging everyone for their cruise, no freebies.

[Laminator]

3 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Well lots of free casino cruises being handed out.  I'm paying plenty for mine.  If they are hurting so much maybe start charging everyone for their cruise, no freebies.

The casino division does pay HAL for the cabins. Granted they get a discount but they paid HAL more for my 7 day cruise than you paid for your 14 day cruise. 

[TiogaCruiser]

When did soup and salad become an appetizer?  A starter, yes. But an appetizer?

 

And in an upscale restaurant, I would expect appetizer, soup, salad, then the dessert. And I would expect small portions of each. 
 

Agree about PG not being the place it was. Our last 2 meals there (Prinsendam and Zuidie) were not worth it. And DH has made it known he would be quite happy to never return. He likes Canaletto.

[canadianbear]

1 minute ago, TiogaCruiser said:

 

Agree about PG not being the place it was. Our last 2 meals there (Prinsendam and Zuidie) were not worth it. And DH has made it known he would be quite happy to never return. He likes Canaletto.

We also enjoy Canaletto & Tamarind much better than the Pinnacle.   We aren’t cruising for awhile so will continue reading the boards as to what’s going on.  

[AV8rix]

2 hours ago, lstrong said:

 I used to order two or three appetizers and no entree 

I have also done that on numerous occasions.  Never had an upcharge ...in the past.

[NCTribeFan]

3 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Yes, but aren't your cruises free casino cruises?  For my next 2 week cruise I'm paying well over $5K for standard balcony room.  If I paid zero or $200 I wouldn't mind paying a lot more for my keep.

 

Not all.  I paid for Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam.  Zuiderdam Alaska was free inside cabin.  I'm paying for the Rotterdam TA.  The two following 5-night sailings are, again, free inside cabins.

 

My friend, who I finally convinced to try HAL, was on just the 5-night portion of the NA sailing.  She spent time in the casino, but didn't drop thousands and thousands of dollars.  After that one sailing, she received an offer and they joined me on the 2nd leg of the Alaska cruise.  In a free verandah.

 

So, if you care to join in on the casino offers, it really doesn't take much.  Even if you "only" get offers for insides, you can upgrade.  And, no, I don't particularly want to pay for extras just because I'm sailing on a good deal.  But I understand why the upcharges are happening. 

 

People just get so upset when anything changes but life isn't static.  Companies have to adapt.   That's just the economic reality of it all.

[Florida_gal_50]

3 minutes ago, NCTribeFan said:

 

Not all.  I paid for Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam.  Zuiderdam Alaska was free inside cabin.  I'm paying for the Rotterdam TA.  The two following 5-night sailings are, again, free inside cabins.

 

My friend, who I finally convinced to try HAL, was on just the 5-night portion of the NA sailing.  She spent time in the casino, but didn't drop thousands and thousands of dollars.  After that one sailing, she received an offer and they joined me on the 2nd leg of the Alaska cruise.  In a free verandah.

 

So, if you care to join in on the casino offers, it really doesn't take much.  Even if you "only" get offers for insides, you can upgrade.  And, no, I don't particularly want to pay for extras just because I'm sailing on a good deal.  But I understand why the upcharges are happening. 

 

People just get so upset when anything changes but life isn't static.  Companies have to adapt.   That's just the economic reality of it all.

The thing is, the meal is $39 usd if I remember correctly.  Maybe it’s more.  That’s about $51 Canadian.  I don’t expect to go out for an inclusive meal at home ( if the city I live) and then tell you oh by the way, it’s going to be extra.  I’ve been known to have more than one appetizer at times, but not every time.  I eat pretty darn sensibly throughout the day.  I’m not eating cookies, huge cream puffs, fries, pizzas, burgers etc so I’m going to eat more at supper.  I shouldn’t have to pay for that.  It’s bad enough to get snide remarks from the waiter saying “you sure cleaned that up” and then I get to pay extra on top of that. That will be a no.  If more people complain about it, hopefully it will die a quick death like the extra entree did.  I really don’t want to hang in the casino especially if there is smoking.  I just get super annoyed because someone posted the other day that hal is getting to be known as the free cruise line for gamblers meanwhile I’m paying a good sum for my cruises.  Then they get snarky when you ask about a price reduction on a refundable cruise before final.

[doone]

Maybe the upcharges are due people being  wasteful ………… I order what I can eat and no more….some peoples eyes are bigger than their stomachs…..my opinion, but another way to look at it….

[Florida_gal_50]

2 minutes ago, doone said:

Maybe the upcharges are due people being  wasteful ………… I order what I can eat and no more….some peoples eyes are bigger than their stomachs…..my opinion, but another way to look at it….

Yes that’s always the excuse.  If that’s the case they could put something on the menu to say that you will be charged extra for an extra appetizer if you order it and waste it.  It’s a cash grab just like the extra entree test was.  I mean maybe it’s a “supply chain issue”. That’s another favorite. 

[canadarocks]

Has anyone other than the OP been charged for ordering extra appetizers at the Pinnacle Grill? 

[OVgirl]

Initially when Rudi's was brought on the Pinnacle class ships it was a la carte, with the appropriate mariner discount for each item.  

I like that better because if I'm not hungry I skip one of the courses, maybe appetizer, maybe dessert.

Of course, they might give me $7 refund if I don't have the first course,. One can hope.

 

Maybe have all their specialty dining venues a la carte and then no worries about upcharges.

[DaveOKC]

3 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

Has anyone other than the OP been charged for ordering extra appetizers at the Pinnacle Grill? 

No and I ALWAYS order two - crab cakes and the lobster bisque - at LEAST 20 times, three of which were in past year.

Edited September 1, 2022 by DaveOKC

[Florida_gal_50]

1 minute ago, OVgirl said:

Initially when Rudi's was brought on the Pinnacle class ships it was a la carte, with the appropriate mariner discount for each item.  

I like that better because if I'm not hungry I skip one of the courses, maybe appetizer, maybe dessert.

Of course, they might give me $7 refund if I don't have the first course,. One can hope.

 

Maybe have all their specialty dining venues a la carte and then no worries about upcharges.

I think the reason they changed it was because they weren’t making enough $ because maybe people just had a main etc.  I know my meal was cheaper when it was a la carte.  Now they make the money no matter what.

[Florida_gal_50]

3 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

No and I ALWAYS order two - crab cakes and the lobster bisque - at LEAST 20 times, three of which were in past year.

But that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.  This could be a trial or they  could be rolling it out ship by ship.  I wouldn’t assume because it hasn’t happened it never will.  I doubt the op is making it up just for fun.  If they were that would be really childish.

[crystalspin]

40 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Then they get snarky when you ask about a price reduction on a refundable cruise before final.

You need a PCC or a new PCC. Mine never blinks when I re-fare, even numerous times, and always lets me know if the new fare's conditions are going to "hurt" me in loss of perks.

 

ETA: sorry to change the subject!

Edited September 1, 2022 by crystalspin

[Florida_gal_50]

1 minute ago, crystalspin said:

You need a PCC or a new PCC. Mine never blinks when I re-fare, even numerous times, and always lets me know if the new fare's conditions are going to "hurt" me in loss of perks.

I used to use a pcc but after my last fiasco of a cruise I switched to a ta.  My ta got told that was the last reduction I’d be getting because I’d had one.  Excuse me? I guess they forgot I could cancel the whole thing and rebook.  I know it wasn’t the ta that came up with this story.  I was mystified because it was total garbage.  I think they think people are dumb and they can get away with it.  When it come to stuff like this I will put up a fight.  

[CafeBruno]

We are on the Westerdam next week, and on the Navigator app it is showing the $7 charge for an extra appetizer on the Pinnacle menu, in tiny print at the bottom. So it appears this may be a HAL test on Westerdam. I am trying to add a screenshot, hope this works:

[canadarocks]

Thank you so much @CafeBruno. It is NOT currently on the Rotterdam (at least not on my Navigator app). Hopefully it is a "trial run" that won't continue.

 

Was it the Westerdam that just recently did the "just pay the difference" on drinks above the $11 Signature Beverages?

Edited September 1, 2022 by canadarocks

[Wakepatrol]

6 hours ago, iceman93 said:

I'm also opposed to upcharges, but it's what we get as consumers where we choose based on price above all else.  When many people are booking cruises, I guess they search 7-day Caribbean itineraries (or whatever) and just pick whoever's the cheapest.

 

I'd rather HAL increase the fares a scooch and continue to deliver a non-nickel-and-dimed experience, but I don't choose based solely on base fare.  Sadly HAL may no longer have the brand cache needed to convince people they're worth more than other lines; moving to constant upcharges, though, runs the risk of diminishing the brand even further.

Only speaking of inside and Ocean View cabins. The price we paid 22 years for an Alaskan cruise is the same price now or cheaper. Meanwhile everything else has gone up. Everybody wants a cheap cruise, but the cruise experience and everything that got me hooked is slowly eroding.

Live music at Dinner- Gone

Automatic piano playing at dinner- gone

Dessert extravaganza- Gone

Midnight Buffet with ice sculptures and shrimp everywhere- Gone

Getting to know your waiter- Gone, he’s got 87 tables to attend to.

The Maitre’D stopping by every evening to check on you

Don’t make me laugh.

 

Cruising is cheap and there’s lots of new people posting questions like “How Much Do I Tip The Bag Guy At The Port” followed up with 19 pages and 487 replies to this skull numbing question.

 

The crux is all the little things that hooked me are gone forever but cruising is still cheap 

Edited September 1, 2022 by Wakepatrol

[CafeBruno]

6 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

Thank you so much @CafeBruno. It is NOT currently on the Rotterdam (at least not on my Navigator app). Hopefully it is a "trial run" that won't continue.

 

Was it the Westerdam that just recently did the "just pay the difference" on drinks above the $11 Signature Beverages?

On the Navigator app for our Westerdam cruise this Sunday it's also showing the Have It All and More deal in the Dining and Drinks section

[canadarocks]

Again, not on the Rotterdam. The Westerdam is obviously marching to its own drum.... 🤷‍♀️

[richstowe]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

The thing is, the meal is $39 usd if I remember correctly.  Maybe it’s more.  That’s about $51 Canadian.

My Nieuw Amsterdam cruise has it at $46 which is 62 with exchange rate fee put in. No thanks .

 

Pinnacle Grill Dining Experience

• $46.00 - Dinner

[1ANGELCAT]

This must be the same genius that was in charge of the previous extra charge experiment. As the line from the song goes: When will they ever learn. 

[Florida_gal_50]

18 minutes ago, Wakepatrol said:

Only speaking of inside and Ocean View cabins. The price we paid 22 years for an Alaskan cruise is the same price now or cheaper. Meanwhile everything else has gone up. Everybody wants a cheap cruise, but the cruise experience and everything that got me hooked is slowly eroding.

Live music at Dinner- Gone

Automatic piano playing at dinner- gone

Dessert extravaganza- Gone

Midnight Buffet with ice sculptures and shrimp everywhere- Gone

Getting to know your waiter- Gone, he’s got 87 tables to attend to.

The Maitre’D stopping by every evening to check on you

Don’t make me laugh.

 

Cruising is cheap and there’s lots of new people posting questions like “How Much Do I Tip The Bag Guy At The Port” followed up with 19 pages and 487 replies to this skull numbing question.

 

The crux is all the little things that hooked me are gone forever but cruising is still cheap 

I can hardly wait to get one of these cheap cruises.  It never happens to me.  I'm paying at ton more than I did 20 years ago.  Maybe for inside or outside room because they are not as in demand.