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

[memoak]

46 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I went after the 360 dinner for desserts. 

We had thee late sitting so thought about going to MDR for an app then decided a 2nd martini was in order 

[2MellowCruisers]

We were invited to the 360 Experience because we are casino players.  We loved it!  They did call us before the cruise to ask if we had any food allergies.  I did let them know that while I’m not allergic, I just don’t like seafood.  That was not honored and after seeing the experience, I can totally understand why.  I like to try new things so if it was seafood, I just tried it and if it was not my thing, I would give it to my DH.  I almost didn’t try the octopus but am glad I did, it was delicious!  I just couldn’t look at it while eating. 😊  The food was fantastic.  We had great people on either side of us that added to the enjoyment.  You are seated on long curved tables that together make a large circle so while we couldn’t hear people that were not next to us, I looked like everyone was enjoying it.  I would say it was over an hour long but can’t remember exactly how long.  I do know that I was bummed when it was over but that could also be because of the wine!

 

As for the cost, we didn’t have to pay for it and will get to try it again next year on the Discovery since we are splurging on a suite.  Neither one of us likes like to spend money and the $150 does seem steep.  I just asked my DH if he would do it again if we had to pay and to my shock, he said yes.  He hates to spend money more than I do.  I would also pay to go again, but might wait to see if they change the experience to a different region.  My assumption is that our upcoming Discovery cruise will have the same experience/menu as the last one.  Again, my assumption.  

 

Enjoy your cruise and if you decide to do it, let us know what you thought.

[teachtocruis]

11 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.

When they gave us the invite I told them right off the bat we had diet restrictions. They assured us they could accommodate us. The next day they came to us and asked us to move our experience to the last night. I thought they were turning us away due to our restrictions. But no, the chef wanted more time to work out our dishes. We did not have the octopus served to us. People around us didn’t eat the octopus and wished they had our food. And this happened more than once. Can’t remember if they asked us about our steak, but it was perfection. Actually the whole meal was! While the waiters were not present the whole time, they were there enough that we felt taken care of and pampered. 

[teachtocruis]

10 hours 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!  

See! You are celebrating! What a testament to dedication from both of you! Go spend the money and have a fabulous time! Come and tell us what you thought. 

[memoak]

7 minutes ago, teachtocruis said:

When they gave us the invite I told them right off the bat we had diet restrictions. They assured us they could accommodate us. The next day they came to us and asked us to move our experience to the last night. I thought they were turning us away due to our restrictions. But no, the chef wanted more time to work out our dishes. We did not have the octopus served to us. People around us didn’t eat the octopus and wished they had our food. And this happened more than once. Can’t remember if they asked us about our steak, but it was perfection. Actually the whole meal was! While the waiters were not present the whole time, they were there enough that we felt taken care of and pampered. 

The octopus is one of the best things in the meal

[hllwdcruiser]

10 hours ago, XBGuy said:

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,

 

I think I understand your point.
The questioner, being me, asked the question because I know that most who have experienced 360 so far have not had to pay for it. I do believe that one has a different impression of something if one receives it for free as opposed to having to pay. I have not seen a lot, if any, feedback on this board from the latter, so thus, my query.
I find reviews helpful. Perhaps you do not. For example, I was recently perusing excursions for our upcoming cruise. One excursion had only one star reviews and in reading the comments, every single reviewer stated that the excursion was not worth the money spent. I'll take their word for it, perhaps you would not. I appreciate those who actually take the time to write reviews to forewarn us before we make the same mistake. 
The good news is the responses I have received on this board have mostly been positive. If they had been overwhelmingly negative, I may have considered canceling. 
By following the advice from so many on this board, we have turned ordinary vacations into unforgettable ones. I don't rely on Cruise Critic reports to make decisions for me, but I sure do value them!
 

Edited November 28, 2023 by hllwdcruiser

[hllwdcruiser]

2 hours ago, teachtocruis said:

See! You are celebrating! What a testament to dedication from both of you! Go spend the money and have a fabulous time! Come and tell us what you thought. 

Thank you! Your comment made me smile. What a wonderful way to look at it. We definitely do need to celebrate, especially during these times. 

[hllwdcruiser]

11 hours 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. 

Thanks so much for this - one more in the positive response column! Did you do the early or late seating? I'm leaning towards the early one just so our evening is free.

Edited November 28, 2023 by hllwdcruiser

[MissP22]

5 hours ago, hllwdcruiser said:

I don't rely on Cruise Critic reports to make decisions for me, but I sure do value them!

It takes a while, but after some time you'll know which posters opinions to trust. 

[spethstation]

Debating booking another Princess cruise just to try it!

[disneyochem]

I’ve done this experience twice—once with the hubby, once on a girls’ cruise.  Both times we were comped (not in suites nor casino players)—not sure why we were offered but certainly took advantage of it!  Both times I was able to have my dietary issues addressed (am a celiac); the second time I requested no octopus.

 

I enjoyed the first time much more than the second—it was new, exciting and fun!  The second time with the hubby, I really enjoyed watching him experience the meal.  The food and wine were great.  The service was exceptional.

 

I was sent a survey afterwards (both times) asking about our experience as well as how much would I pay for a 360 experience.  I equated it to a Chef’s Table meal.

 

We will not pay to do this but to be fair, we’ve already experienced it!  We’ve done the WMD, the Chef’s Table and other fine dining experiences on Princess and other lines.  We consider them a ‘one and done’ experience and move on to try the next!

 

I do recommend people experience the dinner at least once—it was fabulous.

 

Enjoy!

[hllwdcruiser]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

It takes a while, but after some time you'll know which posters opinions to trust. 

Absolutely ~ and in case you don't remember, I've told you before that you and I agree on more things than not! 

[tootsiescurly]

On 11/26/2023 at 7:15 PM, hllwdcruiser said:

I'm a sucker for anything new that Princess has to offer, but I fear DH is going to have a coronary when he finds out how much it costs.
I told him I booked something special for us, but I gave him no details.
I know many in the suites have experienced it for free, but would you deem it worth it if you had to pay? Would you do it again?
If you were to compare the menu to Chef's Table or Winemaker's, is there any similarity?
Do you remember how long the experience lasts?
 

We were in a suite but we would have happily paid for the experience.

[MamaFej]

This experience sound like the love child of Le Petite Chef and Disneyland's Circle-Vision 360*. I've just signed up as part of a group on the Total Solar Eclipse cruise next year. Thanks for this thread!

 

 

I've also had trouble loosening the pursestrings. I have a thread over in the 55+ cruisers forum essentially about that, and someone in it recommended a book called Die With Zero by Bill Perkins. No one here will actually 'die with zero," and the author does exhibit more than a wee bit of privilege, but he also makes some excellent* points. The book is largely geared toward folks younger than I am (56) but Hubby and I have found it helpful, and I've gifted it to my brother (54). I'm considering sending excepts to my dad (82).

 

 

*Full disclosure: I may think his points are excellent because they largely align with our philosophy that we've worked hard to have what we do in savings and investments, and it's time to enjoy it. 

 

 

[startedwithamouse]

On 11/27/2023 at 9:39 PM, hllwdcruiser said:

Thanks so much for this - one more in the positive response column! Did you do the early or late seating? I'm leaning towards the early one just so our evening is free.

We did the early seating.

[tootsiescurly]

3 hours ago, MamaFej said:

This experience sound like the love child of Le Petite Chef and Disneyland's Circle-Vision 360*. I've just signed up as part of a group on the Total Solar Eclipse cruise next year. Thanks for this thread!

 

 

I've also had trouble loosening the pursestrings. I have a thread over in the 55+ cruisers forum essentially about that, and someone in it recommended a book called Die With Zero by Bill Perkins. No one here will actually 'die with zero," and the author does exhibit more than a wee bit of privilege, but he also makes some excellent* points. The book is largely geared toward folks younger than I am (56) but Hubby and I have found it helpful, and I've gifted it to my brother (54). I'm considering sending excepts to my dad (82).

 

 

*Full disclosure: I may think his points are excellent because they largely align with our philosophy that we've worked hard to have what we do in savings and investments, and it's time to enjoy it. 

 

 

The food, service, and experience was exquisite! The Chef's Table does not come close!

[hllwdcruiser]

3 hours ago, MamaFej said:

I've also had trouble loosening the pursestrings. I have a thread over in the 55+ cruisers forum essentially about that, and someone in it recommended a book called Die With Zero by Bill Perkins.

Thanks for this. 
I know we are not alone in our frugality and conversely, we have friends who spend all their money the minute it comes in. We used to be so smug about them, but now I'm wondering who are the fools. 
We are both in our sixties and are still very active, but I know how much we've aged since our fifties. Muscles are cramping, bones are creaking, fatigue is a far too constant companion. What does the next decade hold for us?
An African Safari, the Galapagos, the arctic and even a simple transatlantic are on my bucket list. I know we won't end up doing all of them, but if not now, when? 
I will definitely download the book ~ thanks so much for the recommendation. 

[memoak]

1 hour ago, hllwdcruiser said:

Thanks for this. 
I know we are not alone in our frugality and conversely, we have friends who spend all their money the minute it comes in. We used to be so smug about them, but now I'm wondering who are the fools. 
We are both in our sixties and are still very active, but I know how much we've aged since our fifties. Muscles are cramping, bones are creaking, fatigue is a far too constant companion. What does the next decade hold for us?
An African Safari, the Galapagos, the arctic and even a simple transatlantic are on my bucket list. I know we won't end up doing all of them, but if not now, when? 
I will definitely download the book ~ thanks so much for the recommendation. 

Wait till your seventies. LOL

[Catherine Claus]

On 11/26/2023 at 8:36 PM, 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!

It is definitely worth it.  We were privileged to experience 360 on Discovery and it was AMAZING! It will be a special time for you and your family to remember.  Have fun, it's only money and you can't take it with you bu you will always have memories.  Enjoy!

[Catherine Claus]

On 11/27/2023 at 7:08 PM, teachtocruis said:

When they gave us the invite I told them right off the bat we had diet restrictions. They assured us they could accommodate us. The next day they came to us and asked us to move our experience to the last night. I thought they were turning us away due to our restrictions. But no, the chef wanted more time to work out our dishes. We did not have the octopus served to us. People around us didn’t eat the octopus and wished they had our food. And this happened more than once. Can’t remember if they asked us about our steak, but it was perfection. Actually the whole meal was! While the waiters were not present the whole time, they were there enough that we felt taken care of and pampered. 

Such a shame you did to try every dish offered.  I am not a seafood person and reluctantly tried it. To my surprise, I ate the whole thing.  It is all part of the experience.  So worth it even if you have to pay. We did not as were in a suite also. 

[hllwdcruiser]

22 hours ago, memoak said:

Wait till your seventies. LOL

Exactly my point! I'm lying on a heating pad as I type.

[DiRonT]

We were in a suite on Discovery so we were comped.  We loved it and would definitely pay to do it again, but our next 3 cruises on Discovery will be in suites, so I am hopeful the current policy of comping suites will still be in effect.  However, either way- we will attend.  I am not much of a seafood fan and do not eat shellfish, but I promised myself I would at least taste whatever they served and am I glad I did because I loved the octopus.  The steaks were just as we like them, medium-rare.  My husband has food allergies and we provided this info when they originally offered us the invitation.  Also, the day before our reservation the host of the 360 experience tracked us down ( we were in the Piazza having a drink) and confirmed the allergies, which we very much appreciated.  I hope you enjoy your evening as much as we did.

[mrmarklin]

On 11/27/2023 at 9:05 AM, donaldsc said:

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

It’s really not. 
Just ate tonight at Delmonicos steakhouse in the Venetian, here in Las Vegas. It was $560, including tip for three of us. We do not drink alcohol. One of the mains was split between two people, and the dessert was split three ways. Food and service was excellent.  It was a great experience. I have done 360, and it is a bargain. 

[JGmf]

On 11/27/2023 at 2:44 PM, LACruiser88 said:

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

 

Same here.  That's terrific news.  Now, I'm extra-pumped for this experience!

 

(Thanks for sharing that information!)

[Steelers36]

On 11/27/2023 at 6:15 PM, 2MellowCruisers said:

As for the cost, we didn’t have to pay for it and will get to try it again next year on the Discovery since we are splurging on a suite.  Neither one of us likes like to spend money and the $150 does seem steep.  I just asked my DH if he would do it again if we had to pay and to my shock, he said yes.  He hates to spend money more than I do. 

NO judgment here, but contrasting booking a suite and not liking to spend money, sounds a but incongruous.  Hey, you should get a freebee to 360 unless they take that perk away.