Premium Dessert ????

[gizmo]

I was reading brand X this morning and came across a discussion that mentioned a Premium Dessert Menu that has an addional charge. One of the posters mentioned she saw this on Hal on her recent cruise.
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=102735

I don't recall ever seeing a menu for Premium Desserts. I did post a question asking about the desserts with this charge but thought I would ask here also.
Does anyone know what she is talking about?

[sail7seas]

.... No....

[FlorenceItaly]

I am just back, 9 days ago from a 12 night Celebrity cruise on the Horizon, and saw no such menu, so perhaps it is in the "test" phase. I can't imagine people wanting to pay an additional fee for a dessert, when there is already such a wide selection on the menu.

Marie

[sail7seas]

Hi Marie.....


I agree that few people would pay for 'premium desserts' when there are so many to choose from on the regular menu.

Of course, the plan could well be that there will be fewer and fewer choices on the regular menu thereby necessitating people buying the premium dessert if they want a sweet at the end of their meal.

I have seen a number of articles that cruise ships may be headed to having all food aboard purchased the way we buy food in any restaurant. You want to eat it, you pay for it order by order.

This could be another step along the way of getting to 'no food included' in the price of your cruise.

(They started by getting us accustomed to the concept of alternative restaurants that bear an additional cost. There was much resistance to that at first and now there is little conversation about paying to go there. We all accept that you don't have to eat there (at present). Our next conversation may be about 'you don't have to order a deluxe piece of cheesecake from the premium menu' if you do not want to pay extra. In time, the cruiselines will inure us to that concept and the hamburgers or pizza will be next.)

Is this Possibly what is on the horizon???

[gizmo]

I received an answer.

Well, I sailed on HAL the week of Sept 11 on the Zuiderdam.....I don't know what is going on now;)

It was on the menu in the dining room.......there were 2 choices, something like "Cherries Jubilee"....maybe not that exact one but a dessert of that nature.
Now, when I was Century I remember Mario (Asst Maitr'd) making that dessert ....(by the entrance of the dining room) and there was not an extra charge for it.

Now, of course, If I wanted something not offered...for instance, ice cream with baileys poured on top, I would expect to pay more.

But, again, I wasn't going to pay 6.75 for a dessert....that is just me though.

[sail7seas]

Which was the ship with the charge? Century of Zuiderdam? Did this person sail both recently?

[gizmo]

She was referring to the Zuiderdam.

Her post says she sailed the Zui the week of Sept 11.

[sail7seas]

We were on Zuiderdam in October and never heard of or saw anything like that. I have not heard anyone else mention it.

[gizmo]

Maybe they were testing it out on that cruise?

We have addional costs for "Premium Coffee and Pastries", and "Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream", so adding Premium Desserts seems feasable.

[sail7seas]

I think it seems feasible we could be headed to 'no food included' in the price of our cruises.

[HeatherInFlorida]

There was nothing like that offered on the Oosterdam when we sailed 11/7 to 11/14. And believe me;) , I pay close attention to desserts on a cruise because I never eat them at home .... well, almost never:) .

I really hope they don't go that route of food not included in the cost of the cruise. And I truly doubt they will. It seems to me that they're adding more food, not less. When we started cruising in 1980, the only food offered was at meals and the Midnight Buffet (every night). But there was no "in-between" stuff like there is now. IMHO, the amount of food put forth now borders on obscene. Hope no one flames me for that, but all we hear is how Americans on average are too overweight, eat too much as it is, and then we're "enabled" by all day food provided by the cruiselines.

I do think, however, that they will offer more and more "premium" restaurants and alternatives. So a "premium" dessert menu could be on the horizon.

[elmorejj]

As the flambe`d desserts on the Zuiderdam are served in the Explorers lounge, maybe the person "overheard" someone saying there was a charge. We all know how shipboard rumors get around!! Personally, in the DR, we never stay for dessert, so wouldn`t pay for it anyway......jean :cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

Charge for "Premium Desserts"? - don't like the sound of that!

On the Statendam I reported that we had flambees nearly every night - and there wasn't a charge.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just remembered - on the Statendam, there was a Ben & Jerry's ice cream cart by the Lido where they charged $1.75 for a scoop of either vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

But I don't consider that a "premium dessert".

[sail7seas]

Maasdam offers flambe at no additional charge.

[sail7seas]

Just remembered - on the Statendam, there was a Ben & Jerry's ice cream cart by the Lido where they charged $1.75 for a scoop of either vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

But I don't consider that a "premium dessert".



HAL's ice cream at the Ice Cream Parlor is good. Why would anyone want to pay for Ben & Jerry's vanilla or chocolate? I don't understand that.

[gizmo]

As the flambe`d desserts on the Zuiderdam are served in the Explorers lounge, maybe the person "overheard" someone saying there was a charge. We all know how shipboard rumors get around!! Personally, in the DR, we never stay for dessert, so wouldn`t pay for it anyway......jean :cool:
Her post said in was on the menu so maybe they were only trying it out to see what happened.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we were on the Statendam, we asked if anyone ever bought the Ben & Jerry's ice cream. We were told that they were lucky to sell a scoop every 3 or 4 days.

Agree - in fact, we think the ice cream in the Lido is better than Ben & Jerry's - and it's free!

[HeatherInFlorida]

The Ben & Jerry's cart sat all by itself almost always unattended and always unvisited for our entire cruise. I would imagine we either won't be seeing it there for very much longer or they'll just start charging for all ice cream.

That would be so sad ... I loved going for my waffle cone in the afternoon...such a sumptious decadent treat which one owes oneself on a cruise:D (IMHO) .

[sail7seas]

If they are selling so little of the Ben & Jerry's ...which makes sense IMO as I cannot imagine many buying it.....

Those who do buy it are getting 'stale' ice cream that has been sitting in that cart for who knows how long. If they sell a scoop a day.....that ice cream sits in that thing longer than I like to think about.

[JDee]

I would not consider a flambe of any kind as a premium dessert. However, I for one, have noticed the gradual deterioration of the DR dessert menu and the Lido luncheon desserts over the past few years. Now, more often than not, we skip dessert in the DR and head to the Lido after dinner and make use of the ice cream sundae bar and coffee. Much rather have a wide selection of ice creams rather than some sheet cake quality dessert that is offered many nights in the main DR. Just because its sweet, doesn't mean its good. Have had more than my share of jello on various cruise ships. Why put on weight just to eat a lousy dessert?? As alway, just another opinon.

But I do think a "real premium dessert" would have many takers. Have paid extra for "premium coffee", so why not desssert.

Happy cruising.....

[Lois R]

Hi HAL friends...it was me who posted that...when I sailed the Zuiderdam, it was listed on the Dining Room Menu.

I realize most of you don't believe what I saw...but It was printed on the Dinner
Menu.
Maybe it was served in the Explorer's Lounge....I don't remember that part.

I never inquired about it because I never cared to pay extra for dessert.

[peaches from georgia]

[QUOTE=Krazy Kruizers]Just remembered - on the Statendam, there was a Ben & Jerry's ice cream cart by the Lido where they charged $1.75 for a scoop of either vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

Well, HAL's first mistake is trying to charge for any brand's vanilla or chocolate. The no-charge ice cream in the Lido is Breyer's and their basic flavors are fine.

However, if the ships were to offer B & J's Cherry Garcia and Chunky Monkey, $1.75 would be a deal. :D If you're going to sell B & J's you have to sell the flavors that make the brand unique and better than Breyers (which is good, too).

[Lois R]

Hi Peaches:) It wasn't Ice Cream......

I just remember looking at the menu and being a bit surprised there were 2 desserts offered that had prices next them.
Maybe whoever said it was for the "Explorers Lounge" is correct....as I said, I was a bit surprised to see them.

[peaches from georgia]

Hi Peaches:) It wasn't Ice Cream......

I just remember looking at the menu and being a bit surprised there were 2 desserts offered that had prices next them.
Maybe whoever said it was for the "Explorers Lounge" is correct....as I said, I was a bit surprised to see them.
Lois- I was replying to the posts about HAL selling Ben and Jerry's from a cart in the Lido for $1.75, not your post about the flambes. ;)

We have seen the flambes in the Explorers Lounge, though, and it is listed at the bottom of the dining room menu, but there never was a charge. Not doubting you in the least. It is not surprising they would try something out on different ships for a week or so to see how a new idea goes over.

[sail7seas]

Lois....


I don't doubt you at all. I just didn't see it the week in October that we were on Zuiderdam.

Seeing as I rarely eat dessert, for all I know, maybe it was there and I didn't read it as I knew I would not be eating anything sugary.

[Roadwork]

This wouldn't suprise me in the least. After all it is only a nominal charge for something yummy. Many have no problem paying extra for other things, so premium desserts may be right up a cruise line's alley for more revenue. As long as people are willing to pay, they will keep on adding whatever they think they can get away with. People are paying for the Pinnacle and coffee so dessert may very well be the next item on the list. I hate to see this happen.

[Marie-Claude]

Hi Lois R,
We were on the Zuiderdam in August 04, and we too saw each night at the bottom of the menu a dessert, often a flambé, offered in the Explorer's Lounge. It was always offered with a specialty coffee, so I assumed the price was for the coffee (brazilian coffee type) not for the dessert. But I could be wrong, as we never went for it... always had enough to eat in the dining room!!
Cheers!

[Lois R]

Hi 7:) nice to see you again.

I never tried it either....saw no reason to pay extra for dessert.

[sail7seas]

Hi Lois... :) Good to 'see' you.


Marie-Claude has a point. Now that she mentions it, I am wondering if maybe there was mention of 'enjoy an after dinner liquor coffee' w/ the fambe and the charge indicated was for the liquor and not for the dessert???? I just don't know.

[HeatherInFlorida]

It was also my understanding that when you bought one of the exotic coffees in the Windstar Cafe, you could have one of the many yummy desserts they offered there for "free". So what you'll all saying about this dessert and coffee thingie in the Explorer's Lounge makes sense to me.

They did not offer any such thing in the DR on the Oosterdam, however.

Peaches, I quite agree with you about the Ben & Jerry's ... offer the right flavors and people will pay:) .

Sail, do you simply not care for sweets? Or do you just have admirable self control? I do try to avoid such tasty treats in my daily life, but when I'm on vacation I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy a scrumptious morsel of dessert.

[peaches from georgia]

I agree with you, Heather. 'In moderation' is the secret. On vacation I will enjoy a moderate amount of the foods (and desserts) I enjoy which I would rarely eat at home- prime rib, shellfish, real ice cream . A small scoop of Cherry Garcia isn't going to hurt anyone (who is not sugar-free for medical reasons, of course).

[Peggy Sue]

Just off the Volendam - ben and jerrys cart next to the dolphin bar on the pool .. only saw one person ask for anything, and that was because it was after 5 pm and the icream in the lido wasn't available. The were ice cream bars..but I never looked inside the cart to see what was available. I think the bar tender asked for $2.50 for the icecream. The man purchased it because he said his wife sent him up for ice cream and he didn't want to go back to the cabin without it!!:p Didn't see any desserts with $$ on the menus.