Gulp. I just booked Experience 360. Is it worth it?

[memoak]

1 minute ago, azbirdmom said:

 

You would have loved our steaks then.  As for substitutions we could just ask them to hold the octopus.  As I recall it was served on lettuce and we could nibble on that.

It does help to be an adventurous eater. We saw some families in suites who attended with grade school children and just toyed with the food. They would have been happy with Mac and cheese 

[hllwdcruiser]

12 hours ago, teachtocruis said:

We were invited about a year ago. It was absolutely one of the best things I’ve ever experienced! I was hesitant even with a free invitation due to some eating restrictions. We also do not drink. They catered to all our needs and went above and beyond to make sure we had the WHOLE experience. While I don’t think I would ever pay for it, I sure am glad we got to do it. If you have the money and are celebrating something, or just need to celebrate something, I say go for it. IT WAS AMAZING!

Thank you!
This may be TMI, but the thing is, I was a single mom raising 3 children with $0 child support and DH began his life in the projects in Brooklyn. Even though I moved up the corporate ladder with a global conglomerate and DH became successful in his field, we both still have a really hard time spending money. Thus the "gulp". Old habits die hard!  

[donaldsc]

If you ignore all the kitchy theatre - is the food worth $150 per person.  That is a lot of money for just a meal.

 

DON

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, hllwdcruiser said:

Thank you!
This may be TMI, but the thing is, I was a single mom raising 3 children with $0 child support and DH began his life in the projects in Brooklyn. Even though I moved up the corporate ladder with a global conglomerate and DH became successful in his field, we both still have a really hard time spending money. Thus the "gulp". Old habits die hard!  

I myself grew up fairly poor. We knew the money was tight when lunch consisted of white bread with margarine and sugar. We were told it was a treat. No years later retired well and no kids it is hard to spend large amounts but as my financial planner said who are you going to leave money to ?  We attended for free because we had a discounted suite

[hllwdcruiser]

12 hours ago, karatemom2 said:

I totally get it. I just paid to reserve it for our family of 5 for New Year’s Eve. I was sort of nauseous about the price, but I really wanted to do something very special for our NYE celebration and it seems it is more than just a fabulous meal. It is a show and an experience! I pay $150 for theatre tickets so I just kind of looked at it like that - it is a one time splurge for my family and we will make a special memory. So hoping I will walk away saying it was worth it - I know it will be a great surprise for them!

Actually, if you think about it, $150 pp for NYE for a dinner and a show is pretty reasonable. 
Which ship are you on?

[hllwdcruiser]

12 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Yes!  You have to try it once.  Great experience, unlike the other CT or WMD.  Sensory effects are great.  What a nice surprise for your DH.

 

We probably won’t do it again, but we did really enjoy it.

 

Unless, we are going to surprise another family member with it.  🥴

 

 

Thanks! I have a feeling it may be a one and done because I can't imagine paying twice for the same experience. Perhaps further down the road if the experience changes, we might consider it.

[hllwdcruiser]

10 hours ago, c-boy said:

👍 invitations given and accepted,  only later informed the event was canceled 😞.  $210.00 AU. was too steep for invited guests. Sad ...

 Yes. Our pockets aren't sewn shut but, we are a minority on board.  We'll try again 🥂

Yes ~ I follow you and @jwattle. I know you would appreciate the finer wines. I can totally understand how it would be worth it to you.
My sister and BIL lived in SF for years and they and all their Cali friends truly loved their wine. Although I can easily tell the difference between a good wine and a fair wine, I am not a regular wine drinker and neither is DH (he's strictly a scotch man) so the Caymus would just be lost on us. 
On the other hand, I am a foodie and love to cook (I have a subscription to NYT cooking). I found the regular WMD beyond worth it just for the meal that was served. 

[hllwdcruiser]

10 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

We are currently on the Enchanted and experienced 360 last week.  It was an amazing experience and we would do it again! 

 

See post #212 from my "Live"thread for photos, link below.

 

 

 

I saw your review of the 360 - I am following your Live. We board the Enchanted the day you get off.
It has us leaving PE at 3, but I don't see how that is possible since you will first be returning from overseas and the ship has to go through the inspections.
We still have a condo in Hollywood so we will be parking our car there and taking an Uber to the port.  I will definitely be tuned in to your live report to see how your return and disembarkation goes.

[hllwdcruiser]

3 hours ago, vakamalua said:

We were in a reserve mini-suite on the Discovery a few weeks ago & were comped 360.  Thrilled to get it for free, but, yes, we would have done it at cost.  We thought it was the best dining experience we've had in 35 cruises--for the artfully presented delicious tasting menu; the accompanying beverages; the impeccable service (one server for the two of us); the intimate venue that allows for the 360 immersive experience of the sights & sounds of Greece, Italy, Spain & France; & the super fun interactive table projections.  The whole experience was delicious, surprising & delightful.

 

Pre-Covid, we did the Chef's Dinner that included the galley tour--a very good meal (too much food) with nice presentation but not anything like 360.  Apples & Oranges.

 

I say, if at all within your budget, go & enjoy!

That is so good to hear. Thank you! I'm regretting the expense less and less!
I agree about the Chef's Table, too much food. That's why we booked the old WMD whenever we could.

 

[hllwdcruiser]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

It was great when it was free but not at $300 for both of us. 

I just heard that Celebrity had introduced something similar.

Le Petit Chef?

[hllwdcruiser]

2 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

 

I have heard this and are curious how they found out about your eating restrictions.  Do they ask when you are invited?  Do they alter the choices for you too?

 

I ask because we did 360 in October 2022 right after they started the trial on the Discovery.  We weren't asked about preferences and there were a couple of things we'd change.  First off we didn't touch the Octopus (note others around us were commenting on how tender it was but it's not our thing).  Second the steak came mooing as in if it came close to the cow it would heal back to the source.  I like mine medium, DH likes his medium well.  The waitstaff disappeared after delivering each course so we couldn't send it back nor would it have been appropriate given the timed visuals.

 

Thought it was weird that they didn't ask because folks have such clear preferences for how they like their steaks.  I'm asking because we booked a full suite on the Enchanted next Spring and we will be invited back.  If the meal is "as is" DH won't want anything to do with it.  I'm hoping to go again as it was a wonderful experience, but would just like it better if we didn't have to skip a couple of the courses.

 

It could very well be that they adapted after the trial.  When we were leaving we saw TV monitors were set up for every couple so they definitely observed us and I'm guessing that there were hidden microphones too.  We weren't asked for opinions but that's because they likely already knew.

I just read this last night, it was just published in October 2023:
 

Once the experience begins, however, the meals are served to the chef's preference; that is, you don't have the liberty to select your steak's degree of doneness and condiments are not made available to alter the flavor of any of your courses. 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/a-taste-of-princess-cruises-360-an-outstanding-experience
 

Fortunately, we are adventuresome eaters!

Edited November 27, 2023 by hllwdcruiser

[Cruise Raider]

To be brutally honest, I wouldn’t pay $149 pp for the ‘experience’.  But, I would also not pay $149 for one meal.  We’ve done the Winemakers Dinner a few times when it was $40 pp.  The meals and presentation were absolutely superb and we really enjoyed those dinners.  We were gifted a Super Tuscan dinner and it was also very good but it’s doubtful I would return to that one.  We’ve never done the Chef’s Table and it just sounds like way too much food.  
 

A friend of ours did get a reservation for the 360° Experience.  While she thought it was ok, she commented that she felt rushed.  She went to the early seating and they had to prepare the room to get ready for the second seating.  Plus, I understand the courses are coordinated with the surrounding 360° experience, so one would have to not dilly dally.  I guess at one point, they had projections of bees crawling on you.  It just doesn’t sound appealing to me.  While I only heard the personal opinion of my friend, I would probably only attend if the meal was comped.  Since we rarely book a suite, it’s doubtful that would happen.  
 

BTW, when we went to the winemakers and the super Tuscan dinners, the staff was always very good about altering the menu items for those that had special requests.  I don’t eat beef so was given the best Chilean sea bass I’ve ever had as a replacement for my main course,  

 

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

I myself grew up fairly poor. We knew the money was tight when lunch consisted of white bread with margarine and sugar. We were told it was a treat. No years later retired well and no kids it is hard to spend large amounts but as my financial planner said who are you going to leave money to ?  We attended for free because we had a discounted suite

Don't forget about the meal you didn’t eat in the DR.😁

[hllwdcruiser]

56 minutes ago, memoak said:

I myself grew up fairly poor. We knew the money was tight when lunch consisted of white bread with margarine and sugar. We were told it was a treat. No years later retired well and no kids it is hard to spend large amounts but as my financial planner said who are you going to leave money to ?  We attended for free because we had a discounted suite

I agree with your financial planner. We have 6 kids between us and our financial planner tells us the same thing. I don't know why we find it so hard!

[azbirdmom]

15 minutes ago, hllwdcruiser said:

I just read this last night, it was just published in October 2023:
 

Once the experience begins, however, the meals are served to the chef's preference; that is, you don't have the liberty to select your steak's degree of doneness and condiments are not made available to alter the flavor of any of your courses. 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/a-taste-of-princess-cruises-360-an-outstanding-experience
 

Fortunately, we are adventuresome eaters!

 

I will definitely ask when we get the invite.  Sounds like you will enjoy it.  The food I did eat was tasty and the visual / sensory experience was fabulous.

[hllwdcruiser]

11 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

To be brutally honest, I wouldn’t pay $149 pp for the ‘experience’.  But, I would also not pay $149 for one meal.  We’ve done the Winemakers Dinner a few times when it was $40 pp.  The meals and presentation were absolutely superb and we really enjoyed those dinners.  We were gifted a Super Tuscan dinner and it was also very good but it’s doubtful I would return to that one.  We’ve never done the Chef’s Table and it just sounds like way too much food.  
 

A friend of ours did get a reservation for the 360° Experience.  While she thought it was ok, she commented that she felt rushed.  She went to the early seating and they had to prepare the room to get ready for the second seating.  Plus, I understand the courses are coordinated with the surrounding 360° experience, so one would have to not dilly dally.  I guess at one point, they had projections of bees crawling on you.  It just doesn’t sound appealing to me.  While I only heard the personal opinion of my friend, I would probably only attend if the meal was comped.  Since we rarely book a suite, it’s doubtful that would happen.  
 

BTW, when we went to the winemakers and the super Tuscan dinners, the staff was always very good about altering the menu items for those that had special requests.  I don’t eat beef so was given the best Chilean sea bass I’ve ever had as a replacement for my main course,  

 

I agree 100% with you in regards to the Winemaker's Dinner. I think it was the best value on the ship by far.
I haven't been a fan of Crown Grill over the last several years and only just returned to Sabatini's last year. We went to Sabatini's on the Ruby back in 2009 - and that was when it was that multi, multi coursed meal. It was way too much food for us and we literally rolled out of the restaurant. However, we really enjoyed the new menu and will probably use up some of our OBC to dine there again.
I did book the early seating even though it is way too early for us. Since we had a choice I just thought it might be better so we could enjoy the shows in the evening. As you said, it has to be coordinated with the 360 experience so I don't see how it would make a difference.

[startedwithamouse]

We were invited last year on Discovery Princess.

 

Our kids loved it, we did too.

 

Would we pay for the experience?  Absolutely. 

 

We easily drop much more than $149 on concert or theatre tickets, so this is a meal and show all in one. 

[hllwdcruiser]

6 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

We were invited last year on Discovery Princess.

 

Our kids loved it, we did too.

 

Would we pay for the experience?  Absolutely. 

 

We easily drop much more than $149 on concert or theatre tickets, so this is a meal and show all in one. 

Thank you! 
I don't know why, but I need these affirmations! 😊

[XBGuy]

I always chuckle at posts that ask, "Is <fill in the blank> 'worth it?'" or opine whether or not "<fill in the blank> is or is not 'worth it.'"

 

Here is the universal answer to that question.  Yes, it is worth it.

 

Presumably, the questioner has not experienced the subject event.  Is not one of the purposes of travel to expand your experience?  Well, this is what that means.  If you experience it and find the experience pleasant, or useful, then you have learned something.  That makes it worth it.  If you experience something and, for whatever reason, that you do not find it pleasant or useful, then you have learned something,  That makes it worth it.

 

We have not tried the 360 Experience.  For well-known reasons and for one personal reason we have not cruised since 2020.  We are, in fact, food and wine buffs.  To be honest, however, there are things about the 360 Experience that do not sound attractive to me at all.  That being said, when we return to cruising, we will be trying it at our first opportunity.  I am not going to rely on Cruise Critic reports to make the decision for me,

 

[memoak]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

To be brutally honest, I wouldn’t pay $149 pp for the ‘experience’.  But, I would also not pay $149 for one meal.  We’ve done the Winemakers Dinner a few times when it was $40 pp.  The meals and presentation were absolutely superb and we really enjoyed those dinners.  We were gifted a Super Tuscan dinner and it was also very good but it’s doubtful I would return to that one.  We’ve never done the Chef’s Table and it just sounds like way too much food.  
 

A friend of ours did get a reservation for the 360° Experience.  While she thought it was ok, she commented that she felt rushed.  She went to the early seating and they had to prepare the room to get ready for the second seating.  Plus, I understand the courses are coordinated with the surrounding 360° experience, so one would have to not dilly dally.  I guess at one point, they had projections of bees crawling on you.  It just doesn’t sound appealing to me.  While I only heard the personal opinion of my friend, I would probably only attend if the meal was comped.  Since we rarely book a suite, it’s doubtful that would happen.  
 

BTW, when we went to the winemakers and the super Tuscan dinners, the staff was always very good about altering the menu items for those that had special requests.  I don’t eat beef so was given the best Chilean sea bass I’ve ever had as a replacement for my main course,  

 

The visual presentations are themed to each course so it would not make sense to be served fish when there is a beef presentation going on. Nothing is projected on you  it on the table

[LACruiser88]

9 minutes ago, memoak said:

The visual presentations are themed to each course so it would not make sense to be served fish when there is a beef presentation going on. Nothing is projected on you  it on the table

We are pescatarians and they altered a couple of courses for us.  Delicious!!!

[doghog]

$149.00 per person, no way! 

[karatemom2]

2 hours ago, hllwdcruiser said:

Actually, if you think about it, $150 pp for NYE for a dinner and a show is pretty reasonable. 
Which ship are you on?

Yes, exactly! That is how I rationalized it to myself!

 

We are on Discovery Dec 30 Mexico cruise. Very excited for a fun New Year’s week onboard. 

[memoak]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

Don't forget about the meal you didn’t eat in the DR.😁

You are assuming that I didn’t go to the MDR after or before this meal. I could have but decided not to be a glutton 

 

[MissP22]

20 minutes ago, memoak said:

You are assuming that I didn’t go to the MDR after or before this meal. I could have but decided not to be a glutton 

 

I went after the 360 dinner for desserts.