Extra charge in Pinnacle for 2nd appetizer - Eurodam starts 10-30-22

[DaveOKC]

Just off the Eurodam and was told that the Pinnacle will start charging for second (or more) appetizers effective today.  Cannot remember if it is $6 or $7.  I guess the current test of this on the Westerdam is now being rolled out!

[Mary229]

When we ordered an extra appetizer on the Zuiderdam in September we were told there would be an extra charge.  That charge never appeared on our account and we had not complained either.  

[albingirl]

Wow, that's being cheap. Alot of people seem to cruise to eat alot so this is bad news for them.

[FOPMan]

This is a bad decision by HAL, especially given the lack of complexity (and comparatively low cost) of many of the apps. I’d imagine most of the apps cost less than mains. A double shrimp cocktail is less expensive than a shrimp cocktail, a filet, and the accoutrements. Not to mention, of course, that it’s unlikely one is going to have a meal in the MDR and then again in the PG (or vice-versa).

[sfocruiser]

So if I order salad and crab cake I get an additional charge?    Sorry this seems to be shortsighted.     Wonder if Tamarind and Rudi’s are next 

[Florida_gal_50]

6 minutes ago, sfocruiser said:

So if I order salad and crab cake I get an additional charge?    Sorry this seems to be shortsighted.     Wonder if Tamarind and Rudi’s are next 

Yup, you will get an additional charge.  I wonder the same about the tamarind and Rudi's. 

 

I remember a few people on this board that swore it was only a test on the  Westerdam and wouldn't move forward.  So much for that theory.

[SilvertoGold]

HAL appetizers are usually quite small: I am thinking of the 2 tiny crab cakes, the 3 medium prawns, the 3 pieces of bacon.  

 

However, in talking to the Manager of the Pinnacle on our Noordam cruises we learned that on 7 day cruises a large percentage of the pax dining there are on freebies, mostly Have-it-all and 5 stars, with some TA gifts of a complimentary dinner.  I guess the profit doesn't add up to much each night, so limiting the number of appetizers limits the loss.

[Navybikermom]

Well that really sucks. Sometimes I get two appetizers with my meal since the sides are too big for one little person. 😡

[rkacruiser]

Am I understanding this correctly?  If I order an appetizer or soup, a salad, a entree with one or two sides, and a dessert, I will be charged  for an extra appetizer?  

[Sea42]

20 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

HAL appetizers are usually quite small: I am thinking of the 2 tiny crab cakes, the 3 medium prawns, the 3 pieces of bacon.  

 

However, in talking to the Manager of the Pinnacle on our Noordam cruises we learned that on 7 day cruises a large percentage of the pax dining there are on freebies, mostly Have-it-all and 5 stars, with some TA gifts of a complimentary dinner.  I guess the profit doesn't add up to much each night, so limiting the number of appetizers limits the loss.

But really only the 5* dinners are not paid for. The others are paid for in the cost of HIA or by the TA.

[SilvertoGold]

1 minute ago, Sea42 said:

But really only the 5* dinners are not paid for. The others are paid for in the cost of HIA or by the TA.

The ship won't be showing that payment, though. They do like to bring in some money, too.

[Sea42]

1 minute ago, SilvertoGold said:

The ship won't be showing that payment, though. They do like to bring in some money, too.

I see what you mean. I'm sure every little bit helps at this point.

[Florida_gal_50]

30 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

The ship won't be showing that payment, though. They do like to bring in some money, too.

And yet they are not worried about handling out free cruises like candy.  One less reason to go to the pinnacle. 

[Sea42]

34 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

And yet they are not worried about handling out free cruises like candy.  One less reason to go to the pinnacle. 

I've read, many times, that HAL is reimbursed a percentage of the "free" cruise by CCL's casino division.

I know in my case I wouldn't have considered a Caribbean cruise if I hadn't been offered a "free" cruise. My mom enjoys them so we went. We purchased Club Orange to be able to select our cabin. We purchased a wine package. Mom went on 2 excursions and had a massage.. We ate in the specialty restaurants. This is all money HAL would not have had if not for the "free" cruise they offered. I'm pretty confident HAL has run the numbers and found that these cruise bring in enough revenue to justify offering them. Perhaps you have information to share with HAL that would help them see where this is a mistake on their part.

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

Am I understanding this correctly?  If I order an appetizer or soup, a salad, an entree with one or two sides, and a dessert, I will be charged  for an extra appetizer?  

Yes, that is what we were told.   

[Iamthesea]

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Yup, you will get an additional charge.  I wonder the same about the tamarind and Rudi's. 

 

I remember a few people on this board that swore it was only a test on the  Westerdam and wouldn't move forward.  So much for that theory.

Since when is a salad, or soup for the matter, an appetizer?  I almost always get a salad or soup, plus an appetizer (shrimp, crab cake, pate') with my entrée.  Sometimes I do not like the entrée, and instead get two appetizers.

[wdw1972]

The Pinnacle menu I've seen online, on the app & in person all have the soups, salads and appetizers listed in one section as "Appetizers".  I agree it's tacky to limit a person to soup OR salad OR appetizer, but we'll see how it works for people actually onboard.  My next cruise is Nov 30 on Eurodam and thus far the menu on the app hasn't been updated to indicate any extra charge for extra "appetizers".  The only extra charge is $15 for an extra entree and $20 corkage fee (plus the usual upsell items that have been on the menu since the restart).  

 

I'd swear that bacon used to be 4 slices but now is 3.  That's a great choice to share at the table, but if the extra charge thing is true then in order to avoid an extra charge somebody would have to do without anything else.  For me not a big deal, but most people eat more than me!

 

Sue/WDW1972

[Florida_gal_50]

36 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

I've read, many times, that HAL is reimbursed a percentage of the "free" cruise by CCL's casino division.

I know in my case I wouldn't have considered a Caribbean cruise if I hadn't been offered a "free" cruise. My mom enjoys them so we went. We purchased Club Orange to be able to select our cabin. We purchased a wine package. Mom went on 2 excursions and had a massage.. We ate in the specialty restaurants. This is all money HAL would not have had if not for the "free" cruise they offered. I'm pretty confident HAL has run the numbers and found that these cruise bring in enough revenue to justify offering them. Perhaps you have information to share with HAL that would help them see where this is a mistake on their part.

I’m speaking more of the cruises NOT associated with the casino but that too.  I’ve seen many people on here that have casino rates saying they won’t take club orange, they don’t do upsells because it will cost them more than the $200 they paid for the cruise.  Fine.  I’m sure there are examples of people that do spend a lot in association with a free cruise but I’m sure many do not.

[Florida_gal_50]

34 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

Since when is a salad, or soup for the matter, an appetizer?  I almost always get a salad or soup, plus an appetizer (shrimp, crab cake, pate') with my entrée.  Sometimes I do not like the entrée, and instead get two appetizers.

While I many not have two “appetizers” in the pinnacle I definitely do in the tamarind.  It’s a slippery slope.  Where does it stop?   I do not eat constantly all day on burgers, fries, cookies, cakes milkshakes like it seems some do.  No wonder they won’t have two apps.  I wouldn’t even eat dinner if I did that.

[Mary229]

54 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Yes, that is what we were told.   

I think I misread your query.  You can order a soup, salad, a single appetizer, an entree and a dessert.  I forget if they limited the sides 

Edited October 30, 2022 by Mary229

[Mary229]

4 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

While I many not have two “appetizers” in the pinnacle I definitely do in the tamarind.  It’s a slippery slope.  Where does it stop?   I do not eat constantly all day on burgers, fries, cookies, cakes milkshakes like it seems some do.  No wonder they won’t have two apps.  I wouldn’t even eat dinner if I did that.

One thing we did not ask which I would like to know, is often I order appetizers instead of an entree.  I assume I could have the substitution at no additional cost?

[Florida_gal_50]

25 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

One thing we did not ask which I would like to know, is often I order appetizers instead of an entree.  I assume I could have the substitution at no additional cost?

That would be really dirty if they didn’t.  

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, wdw1972 said:

I'd swear that bacon used to be 4 slices but now is 3. 

You are correct. My last pre-covid cruise had four slices of the candied bacon. My first post-covid cruise had three. 
Very disappointing. 

[boze9999]

We were also told this new uncharge for a second pre-entre item in the Pinnacle was rolling out fleet wide beginning Nov 1st!

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Iamthesea said:

Since when is a salad, or soup for the matter, an appetizer?  I almost always get a salad or soup, plus an appetizer (shrimp, crab cake, pate') with my entrée. 

 

So much for "fine dining" as some of us understand the term, at least, from our past cruise ship dining experiences on many different cruise lines as well as HAL.

 

It's a continuation of the "extra cost" items on the MDR menu philosophy.  How to stop this?  Stop ordering such items!  Make your voices heard in objection to this practice--not just to Corporate--but to the Guest Relations Manager and Hotel Director on the ship.  Enough voices heard may irritate these individuals sufficiently to encourage the "Seattle suits" to change this "policy".  

 

 

Edited October 31, 2022 by rkacruiser