Dining Venues - Finally!

[mafig]

I don't think you can compare sailing on Oasis as the same as flying a discount, no-frills airline.

 

I'm OK with most of the food charges so far, except for the Seafood Shack. I don't see the value there, so I won't even consider going there. I'm booked and certainly won't cancel (since my cabin has gone up over $400 per person since I booked - and it might even be more; I haven't looked lately). Whether I'll sail on Royal again after Oasis remains to be seen. We used to love the ships.

[mama02girls]

"I don't think you can compare sailing on Oasis as the same as flying a discount, no-frills airline."

 

 

I was merely pointing out the similarities in the IDEA of paying for the services you want and not paying for other's habits of specialty dining by raising the fare for everyone.

 

If I were Charlie Brown I would say, "Good Grief."

[mafig]

Well say "good grief" all you want.

 

I didn't find your post all that clear-----I still don't.

People are paying a premium for Oasis.

[MrPete]

And your perfectly entitled to it, however wrong you might be:):):):D;)

 

Touche!

 

And BTW, MrsPete is not my wife, nor do I even know her. I will leave the definition of befriend up to Oxford.

[ChipLondon]

Touche!

 

And BTW, MrsPete is not my wife, nor do I even know her. I will leave the definition of befriend up to Oxford.

 

 

Well MrPete, you can see how the natural assumption can be made, with both a MrPete and a MrsPete having such strong and yet similar views.

So I do apologise for making an incorrect assumption, but do remind you that as the language is called English, surely an Englishman can at least advise those with different accents.:);) I hope we meet on a cruise one day, it would be a pleasure to shake your hand.

[MrPete]

I hope we meet on a cruise one day, it would be a pleasure to shake your hand.

Same here! :)

[Older Party]

Am I to understand most who post here cruise for the free food more than anything else? I am more concerned with the entertainment options than the food options, but I am also one who doesn't blink an eye at a $100 meal when I go out with friends. I am also someone who limits my caloric intake to no more than 10500 calories per week and works out at least an hour a day. Maybe I shouldn't be participating in this discussion?

[DEIx15x8]

There are a lot of people who seem to feel that the Seafood Shack does not hold any value and should be included. Couldn't the same thing have been said 10 years ago when RCCL decided to charge people for hamburgers and fries at Johnny Rockets? Look how well that turned out.

[janetz]

Am I to understand most who post here cruise for the free food more than anything else? I am more concerned with the entertainment options than the food options, but I am also one who doesn't blink an eye at a $100 meal when I go out with friends. I am also someone who limits my caloric intake to no more than 10500 calories per week and works out at least an hour a day. Maybe I shouldn't be participating in this discussion?

 

 

Ditto! Food is not high priority for me. :)

[Older Party]

Ditto! Food is not high priority for me. :)

 

Phew ... I was beginning to feel like the odd man out! ;)

[janetz]

Phew ... I was beginning to feel like the odd man out! ;)

 

There is more to a ship....besides FOOD! :D

[lakette3]

I am always amazed that people get so excited about Johnny Rockets. We have one here in Myrtle Beach area and believe me we have dozens of other hamburger/milk shake restuarants that are far superior to JR. We did try it on the Liberty and felt that even though we don't consider the one here great, it was better than on the ship. The entertainment here is ongoing - meaning much more than you see on ships' JR.

 

Not knocking it for those who enjoy it. I also think it should be a free venue.

[ALSEAU]

I am torn. I just looked thru all the dining options and the majority are additional charges. It just seems more and more things are extra. I eat at Portifinos and Chops and not much in the dining room, but it seems like the Oasis has taken additional costs to the limit.

 

Please dont flame, just my opinion. I had a cruise booked on Oasis but cancelled, want to hear some reviews first.

 

Linda sorry to hear that you have canceled. You were booked for one of our weeks. For the record I have never eaten in one of the pay-extra restaurants. I am a simple meat and potatoes guy and I find that the MDR, buffets, grill, snack and etc. are more than adequate to satisfy my cruise experience. I see no change here on the Oasis.

 

But if you are in doubt, it is a smart decision on your part to wait for some reviews before booking. This ship and it's amenities may not be a fit for you. It's size and all of it's options can be overwhelming and it remains to be seen how well RCI handles everything.

 

I don't think people flame posters who have doubts and want to take a wait and see attitude. It's those posters that have already made up their mind that no way no how are they sailing the Oasis and insist that we should agree with them. They think RCI has made a big mistake. They want us to go along with them and boycott(DON'T SAIL THE OASIS) or RCI to help make their point. If not we are fools!

 

Hopefully good reviews will renew your interests to join us. There is plenty of time before our sail date to change your mind again. If the reviews are not satisfactory to your taste, you should not have any problem finding a cruise that will fill your dreams. GOOD LUCK!

[megacruisa]

With regards to Johnny Rockets, I would hazard a guess that the the upcharge is less of a bother because us Cruise Critic folks use the RC booklet coupon.

And of course there is more to a ship than food (On our Thanksgiving cruise on the QM2 one of our family members was not only on her first cruise but was also on a liquid diet so she brought along all her own food. We were extremely proud that she did not stray even once and she still had a great cruise) However this is a thread about Dining Venues.

Samantha.

[MrPete]

I am always amazed that people get so excited about Johnny Rockets.

 

Not everybody. I had never been to one on land, but they always looked interesting.

 

One late night on the ExOS, we were hungry, with no real food options (would have preferred a buffet or something). We went to JR, and were not impressed, nor did we think we had eaten anything on par with even a good diner.

[dougp26364]

With regards to Johnny Rockets, I would hazard a guess that the the upcharge is less of a bother because us Cruise Critic folks use the RC booklet

 

What coupon? They did away with the free entry coupon and have replaced it with a BOGO milk shake coupon.

 

This actually works better for us as we'd just as soon get a milk shake to go as to eat in JR's. I'm not even interested in it if it were free.

[NenaCruise]

Honestly, I booked and I know its super expensive....I booked for the ship. I'll probably forgo Johnny Rockets and try giovanni's table and Izumis but thats about it. I can't afford all the other ones or even all of them which would be ideal. HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cthy651]

I have never paid for food on a cruise ship, not because I did not want to, because I chose not to. That is the great thing about cruising, it is all about choice.

Never left a cruise ship feeling hungry, as a matter of fact have always gained weight.:rolleyes:

[jamesboat]

It kills me to pay extra on a ship (and I wont do it), but looking at the sushi prices its clear that everything is "subsidized" by around 50%. So still a good deal, and some of the options tempt me, but on principal alone I wont be eating there. Ill take the basic tuna roll in the buffet for free.

[jamesboat]

There are a lot of people who seem to feel that the Seafood Shack does not hold any value and should be included. Couldn't the same thing have been said 10 years ago when RCCL decided to charge people for hamburgers and fries at Johnny Rockets? Look how well that turned out.

 

Was JR always charged?

 

I remember cruising on the Voyager around the year 2000 (maybe 2001?) and some people in my party ate at JRs, but I dont think they payed.

 

Would they have used the book coupon or was the charge added later?

[mafig]

Initially it was free to all, then in early 2004 (?) a charge was added. However, a coupon was given to all C&A members----until recently.

[SpongeAlan]

Let me start by saying that I will cruise on this ship sometime in the future.

 

My question is whether the quality of the free dining venues will suffer on this ship? Will most of the resources go towards the "Pay" venues and leave the included ones below the normal RCI standards for MDR quality?

 

It seems to me that if the quality of the included venues drops, then perhaps cruisers will feel the need to go to the pay venues in order to get a fabulous meal. This would serve to increase the ships on board profits, and would be helpful to RCI's bottom line.

 

I am sure it will be a fine line that RCI is walking, but if people chose a Pay venue for 10 meals on the ship, it would be a windfall to the line.

 

I can't wait to hear the reviews of the included and pay venues....

[jamesboat]

Initially it was free to all, then in early 2004 (?) a charge was added. However, a coupon was given to all C&A members----until recently.

 

Ah, I thought so.

 

I wonder what the uproar on this forum was like when that was announced. I have no problem with a new concept being introduced at an additional cost, but making something that was free cost extra? Hell no.

[mafig]

It was quite an uproar.

 

At first, Royal Caribbean said it was to reduce crowding and waste -- because supposedly teens were sitting there for hours and ordering everything and not eating. They also said it was just a "test." But what happened was they never (to my recollection) said the "test" was over and it was to be made permanent, it just was. I remember the year because the charge was put in place just before my cruise on Mariner in June 2004. At our table there was a couple who were livid.:eek: They said they had called Royal before the cruise and Royal told them it was just a test and that they would never put the charge in place without notifying people first. Ha, ha.

 

Well this guy had a fit and made a fuss and ate at JR's every chance he got and told them they better not charge him. He said they didn't. He and his wife were both physicians, staying in a suite, and he was used to getting his way.

[sweetone0523]

i was told there was a charge to keep the line down to many people were going there

 

 

even when it was Free that was for french fries oniion rings hamburgers and tuna fish

 

you always had to pay for milkshake ice cream etc

 

 

 

the cruise line is making plent of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ on all these dining venues