Picture of New Menu with $14.95 Chops Steak

[dak_friendly]

Hmmm... the alternative isn't "Certified Angus Beef" ... so what is it?

[shaggyofwv]

We seem to be heading towards a day when the price you pay for the cruise actually only includes your ticket onboard the ship and your room and board, everything else will cost you extra.

 

I think this is a test by RCI to gauge cruiser reaction and to see how much money it may add to the bottom line.

[Merion_Mom]

Hey Carol

 

I had the Black Angus alternative on Friday. On Sunday they had a New York strip on the regular menu, same description as the $14.95. I think they had to use the steaks they haven't sold.

 

Got back last night. My review is up.

 

I loved meeting you and sailing with you, Ray. I'm going to go read your review now.

 

Say hello to that vegetarian wife of yours!!! ;) :D

[Ladylouwho]

Looks like the menu Merion Mom posted a picture of on this thread shows CHOPS GRILL (with a circle around it) prominently displayed in writing on the "Ad" for the $14.95 steak offered on the new menu. But if you read the cruise critic article that Laura S. posted today under Cruise Critic News and Feature Articles they say this steak is NOT from Chops, NOT cooked by a Chops Chef, etc. What gives RCL? Looks like false advertising to me. And anyway, (again to RCL) just exactly why are you advertising food for sale in the Main Dining Room at all? Tacky, tacky, tacky. Is there no other way for you to make ANOTHER nickle and dime off your passengers? Just wondering?

[NautiqueBelle]

Actually... you are incorrect about this, sort of... The application/hiring process for Chefs at Chops/Portofino is different than that of the MDR... the qualifications needed are different for those venues as the food cooked in MDR is more mass-produced, banquet style (heavy focus on prep is needed) and what is served in the specialty restaurants is cooked to order...

 

For the specialty restaurants, they seek a staff that has more restaurant kitchen experience whereas for MDR, they seek culinary folks who have more of catering-type experience... One is more prep-based and not as fast-paced as the other...

 

DH interviewed with RC Culinary a few months back... :)

 

I would say though, that ordering this steak probably entails pulling one of the MDR kitchen folks to "fire up a $15 steak", he then stops chopping veggies and proceeds to the grill... Whereas ordering it at Chops means you are getting someone who grills a heck of a lot more steaks in his day to day...

 

There's a skill-set involved with grilling steaks that not all culinary professionals possess...

 

Great job of getting the facts out there. I love reading posts like this that clearly dispute erroneous information --- and you were nice about it, too. :)