Rudi's - what a wasted space - empty

[ghstudio]

From a potential revenue point of view, I guess Rudi's looks like a great idea on a flip chart....but currently on a 21 day cruise on the Nieuw Statendam and we pass it every night a couple of times between 7 and 8 and at most we have seen about 3 tables filled and waiters just standing around...and it's not used during the day.  One would expect an on board sale (other than the 4/5 stars discount) to perhaps garner some positive reviews on cruise boards or even among folks chatting on board....or a complete change of concept to better use that large space.  What is HA management thinking???  Clearly, at least to me, they would make more by using that space to gain revenue than the increase on prices on some drinks so I pay an extra 50 cents plus 9 cents gratuity on a Woodford or similar nit changes. 

 

 

 

Edited August 12 by ghstudio

[ChinaShrek]

51 minutes ago, ghstudio said:

From a potential revenue point of view, I guess Rudi's looks like a great idea on a flip chart....but currently on a 21 day cruise on the Nieuw Statendam and we pass it every night a couple of times between 7 and 8 and at most we have seen about 3 tables filled and waiters just standing around...and it's not used during the day.  One would expect an on board sale (other than the 4/5 stars discount) to perhaps garner some positive reviews on cruise boards or even among folks chatting on board....or a complete change of concept to better use that large space.  What is HA management thinking???  Clearly, at least to me, they would make more by using that space to gain revenue than the increase on prices on some drinks so I pay an extra 50 cents plus 9 cents gratuity on a Woodford or similar nit changes. 

 

 

 

I was on the Nieuw Statendam for 10 days and thought the same thing about Rudi's. It was pretty empty most nights, although I spoke to a server in Club Orange and they said the ship was short staffed so the workers didn't mind it "slow." Hmmm.

[Roz]

How much does it cost?

[Lido deck main]

Last time we went it was $99.00, we are five star so they do give a 25% discount.  (Rather than 50%). I won’t go back as I always got the Dover Sole, but they changed the menu and now the Dover Sole is considered an upcharge item. So all this is from out last 2023 experience.  I have no idea of current situation.  

[hummingbird_206]

What's Rudi's?

[Sir PMP]

5 minutes ago, hummingbird_206 said:

What's Rudi's?

A pricey specialty seafood restaurant.

[Hlitner]

Many here may not be aware that Rudi Sodaman is also functioning as the top chef for Princess.  Like HAL, Princess has refitted many of its existing ships to include a "Rudi's" venue.  The difference, on Princess, is that Rudi's is usually packed (sold-out most nights) and is an excellent restaurant.   This person wonders why that venue is so popular on Princess, and apparently not very popular on HAL.  

 

I should add that on our last Princess Cruise (Sky Princess) DW and I liked Rudi's so much, that we tried to get a 2nd reservation (on a 2 week cruise).  There was no availability on the app so we had a conversation with the restaurant manager who sqeezed us in at 9pm.  When we finished dinner (about 10:30) the restaurant was still nearly full!   What is nice on the Sky Princess, is that Rudi's is located just off the main Atrium, where there is live music entertainment until about 11:30pm.  When one dines in Rudi's, you can hear (in the background) the music coming from the nearby Atrium which just seems to add to the ambiance.

 

Hank

[terrydtx]

8 minutes ago, hummingbird_206 said:

What's Rudi's?

From HAL website:

Rudi's Sel De Mer

Additional

 

Rudi’s Sel de Mer is an intimate brasserie featuring classic French dishes reimagined with contemporary flair. Menu selections include whole Dover sole meunière with shaved pink Himalayan sea salt, oysters on the half shell, fruits de mer, and salt-crust baked branzino, as well as favorites such as steak frites, duck cassoulet and coq au vin. Conclude your dinner with a classic dessert and fine French cheeses.  

Meals at Sel de Mer are half price for kids 12 years old or under, or free when they order from the kids’ menu.

Rudi’s Sel de Mer restaurant is available on Rotterdam, Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam, but on other ships, the Rudi’s Sel de Mer menu is available on select evenings in Pinnacle Grill.

[Sir PMP]

[DE Solo]

8 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Many here may not be aware that Rudi Sodaman is also functioning as the top chef for Princess.  Like HAL, Princess has refitted many of its existing ships to include a "Rudi's" venue.  The difference, on Princess, is that Rudi's is usually packed (sold-out most nights) and is an excellent restaurant.   This person wonders why that venue is so popular on Princess, and apparently not very popular on HAL.  

 

I should add that on our last Princess Cruise (Sky Princess) DW and I liked Rudi's so much, that we tried to get a 2nd reservation (on a 2 week cruise).  There was no availability on the app so we had a conversation with the restaurant manager who sqeezed us in at 9pm.  When we finished dinner (about 10:30) the restaurant was still nearly full!   What is nice on the Sky Princess, is that Rudi's is located just off the main Atrium, where there is live music entertainment until about 11:30pm.  When one dines in Rudi's, you can hear (in the background) the music coming from the nearby Atrium which just seems to add to the ambiance.

 

Hank

We sailed on the Sky Princess earlier this summer for two weeks, and dined twice at the Catch by Rudi, which is his French inspired seafood restaurant. The food and service both times were excellent. We all agreed that they were two of the best meals we have eaten on any cruise ship in the past 20+ years. Unfortunately we were not as pleased with the noise and traffic through the restaurant caused by its proximity to the Atrium. At times it was impossible to converse across the table, or to hear the waiter's questions. At $39 per person (they will add 18 percent gratuity) it is also considerably cheaper than Rudi's on HAL. I had Dover Sole at my first dinner at the Catch by Rudi and it was delicious and perfectly filleted tableside, with no upcharge. Highly recommended.

[Hlitner]

10 minutes ago, DE Solo said:

We sailed on the Sky Princess earlier this summer for two weeks, and dined twice at the Catch by Rudi, which is his French inspired seafood restaurant. The food and service both times were excellent. We all agreed that they were two of the best meals we have eaten on any cruise ship in the past 20+ years. Unfortunately we were not as pleased with the noise and traffic through the restaurant caused by its proximity to the Atrium. At times it was impossible to converse across the table, or to hear the waiter's questions. At $39 per person (they will add 18 percent gratuity) it is also considerably cheaper than Rudi's on HAL. I had Dover Sole at my first dinner at the Catch by Rudi and it was delicious and perfectly filleted tableside, with no upcharge. Highly recommended.

I know this is not the Princess blog, but will agree that the Dover Sole was delicious.  I also had some excellent Oysters.  Perhaps, things being cheaper on HAL, the quality reflects the lower price.  We have previously posted (and got flamed by quite a few) that we now see HAL as one of the "budget" mass market lines in terms of onboard cuisine.  It is one reason, among many, that we currently choose to avoid HAL cruises in favor of other higher quality lines.

 

When DW and I dined at the Catch by Rudi (Sky Princess) we also thought it was among the two best meals we have ever had on any mass market line (the other was at Murano's on Celebrity).  For whatever reason, we have always found the alternative venues on HAL adequte, but nothing special.  In fact, the only reason we go to the Pinnacle is because we get some free meals.  We have also previously posted that we thought the best alternative restaurant option, on HAL, was lunch at the Pinnacle.

 

Hank

[swin26]

We ate there on our last cruise on the Rotterdam. It was fantastic. They brought us an extra appetizer because they thought we would like it.  With the amuse bouche, 3 appetizers- to share, main courses, fries ( because they are the best on the ship), desserts and the candies they bring - we walked out feeling like it was a Thanksgiving feast.   We ended up canceling our second reservation there, because we have no  willpower (everything is delicious) and didn’t like feeling so stuffed. 

[taxmantoo]

9 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

When DW and I dined at the Catch by Rudi (Sky Princess) we also thought it was among the two best meals we have ever had on any mass market line (the other was at Murano's on Celebrity).  For whatever reason, we have always found the alternative venues on HAL adequte, but nothing special.  In fact, the only reason we go to the Pinnacle is because we get some free meals.  We have also previously posted that we thought the best alternative restaurant option, on HAL, was lunch at the Pinnacle.

 

Hank

This has also been our experience. Very sad to see that both Rudi's and Pinnacle Grill on HAL have become very ordinary ho-hum dining experiences.  The lunch at Pinnacle Grill continues to be as enjoyable as ever.

[mcrcruiser]

imo definitely not worth the up charge on HAL cruises

[Hlitner]

6 minutes ago, taxmantoo said:

This has also been our experience. Very sad to see that both Rudi's and Pinnacle Grill on HAL have become very ordinary ho-hum dining experiences.  The lunch at Pinnacle Grill continues to be as enjoyable as ever.

I have a theory (unproven).  A few years ago, HAL began to include "free" alternative restaurant meals in some of their booking packages (such as HIA).  In addition, HAL gives big discounts to 4* Mariners and free meals to 5*.  It seems like as they kept extending "free meals" to more folks, they simply increased the prices (to account for the discounts) and reduced the quality.  I still remember the days when one could get a wonderful tableside Ceaser Salad in the Pinnacle, and the steaks were excellent quality.   The Pinnacle steaks we got on our last HAL cruise, would not even come close to what we eat in our own home.  And that was also when HAL had a policy where we had to pay extra (in the Pinnacle) if we wanted to order both a starter and salad!  

 

Hank

[taxmantoo]

You had to know it was not going to get any better when people started talking about 3 strips of "bacon"  being the highlight of their cruise 😁

[mcrcruiser]

7 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I have a theory (unproven).  A few years ago, HAL began to include "free" alternative restaurant meals in some of their booking packages (such as HIA).  In addition, HAL gives big discounts to 4* Mariners and free meals to 5*.  It seems like as they kept extending "free meals" to more folks, they simply increased the prices (to account for the discounts) and reduced the quality.  I still remember the days when one could get a wonderful tableside Ceaser Salad in the Pinnacle, and the steaks were excellent quality.   The Pinnacle steaks we got on our last HAL cruise, would not even come close to what we eat in our own home.  And that was also when HAL had a policy where we had to pay extra (in the Pinnacle) if we wanted to order both a starter and salad!  

 

Hank

HanK things do change . After many years of cruising ,we now find it of less value than we did 10 to 15 yers ago .Seems to us that all the cruise lines want to do today is focus on profits only vs value to profit 

[minabruuke]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Many here may not be aware that Rudi Sodaman is also functioning as the top chef for Princess.  Like HAL, Princess has refitted many of its existing ships to include a "Rudi's" venue.  The difference, on Princess, is that Rudi's is usually packed (sold-out most nights) and is an excellent restaurant.   This person wonders why that venue is so popular on Princess, and apparently not very popular on HAL.  

 

I should add that on our last Princess Cruise (Sky Princess) DW and I liked Rudi's so much, that we tried to get a 2nd reservation (on a 2 week cruise).  There was no availability on the app so we had a conversation with the restaurant manager who sqeezed us in at 9pm.  When we finished dinner (about 10:30) the restaurant was still nearly full!   What is nice on the Sky Princess, is that Rudi's is located just off the main Atrium, where there is live music entertainment until about 11:30pm.  When one dines in Rudi's, you can hear (in the background) the music coming from the nearby Atrium which just seems to add to the ambiance.

 

Hank

That venue has not always been popular on Princess.  We took a 10 night cruise on the Sky Princess and we never saw more than a few occupied tables in Catch and there were nights it was completely empty.  We actually had a pretty long conversation with a couple of the staff on a night it was empty and they said that there were a staggering number of complaints over the location and that many people found it way too loud for a nice dinner. It really was indeed extremely loud when we were speaking with them; the noise that night did not fit the intended ambience of that restaurant.  They felt that there needed to be more thought about the planned entertainment in the atrium during dinner times.  Perhaps, that ship's staff is doing a better job of that now.  We did notice that on the nights that the musical entertainment was a group of violinists and also the nights when they just had a pianist were the same nights that there were actually diners in Catch.  Alfredo's was busy every night and just as loud but given that Alfredo's is meant to be more casual, I guess I can see why the noise wouldn't affect that venue as negatively.

[ghstudio]

I think the mdr/orange food has gotten better and specialty restaurants worse in the past 2 years. Pinnacle grill rib eye was inedible, perhaps the worst piece of meat I’ve ever been served on a cruise.

 

rudi’s is $55 plus 18% on Nieuw statendam…but $55 buys a much better meal on Celebrity.  We were on 2 princess cruises last year and the food was really poor quality, overcooked and tasteless.  We aren’t booking any more princess cruises.  For completeness, we were also on one RCl cruise this year with family and they make Princess look like a gourmet cruise line.

[HollDoll]

I know I’m in the minority, but I absolutely loved eating at Rudi’s on the Rotterdam. My understanding is it’s being replaced with Morimoto and I’m not happy about that. But I know most people don’t agree, that’s just my two cents worth.

 

 

[Destiny0315]

 

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Many here may not be aware that Rudi Sodaman is also functioning as the top chef for Princess.  Like HAL, Princess has refitted many of its existing ships to include a "Rudi's" venue. 

And even more here are not aware that Rudi has a 'fin' in even more Carnival Corp. owned ships including the Carnival Mardi Gras, Celebration, and Jubilee, with Rudi's Seagrill Restaurant at $49pp. Note the Dover Sole on the menu here also with no upcharge.

Edited August 12 by Destiny0315

[Seasick Sailor]

Loved Rudi's Dover sole. Looking forward to the Morimoto dinner, and meeting Chef Morimoto on our Japan Cruise next month.

 

 

[Mary229]

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

This person wonders why that venue is so popular on Princess, and apparently not very popular on HAL.

This is a valid question.  HIA has been successful but anything off the package doesn’t sell well. The servers confirm this. They bitterly complain about the grand voyages where HIA is not available and their extra service tips disappear. I can think of solutions but HAL doesn’t pay me😊

[FlorenceItaly]

2 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

This is a valid question.  HIA has been successful but anything off the package doesn’t sell well. The servers confirm this. They bitterly complain about the grand voyages where HIA is not available and their extra service tips disappear. I can think of solutions but HAL doesn’t pay me😊

WOW, on those voyages they are mainly 4 and 5 star receiving 50 percent discount, yet are not tipping extra???!!!!

[Mary229]

Just now, FlorenceItaly said:

WOW, on those voyages they are mainly 4 and 5 star receiving 50 percent discount, yet are not tipping extra???!!!!

The HIA spurs drinking and eating.  The servers don’t care if the 18% is from the HIA or from direct funds. Without HIA there just aren’t as many dinners or drinks sold so far less 18% tip revenue