Jump to content

Escape Margaritaville now has a cover charge?


QuickieGlenn
 Share

Recommended Posts

We were on Escape last week and this place seemed empty most of the time, probably due to the cover charge. We stopped a few times for the margaritas which were included in the drink package but it was always dead in there. Such a waste.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would have been nice if it was complimentary, as it was when we first booked the Escape.

 

Prices were reasonable but a 17.00 approx. cover/flat fee NO WAY is it worth that.

 

Agree NCL is probably looking for a way out of paying royalties. Let's raise price and destroy revenue. Sorry JB projected money doesn't live up to contract/expectations.

Given that it was originaly complimentry, what projected revenue would have been in the contract?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to agree. The only thing that makes sense about this recent change HAS to be that they want to "kill" the agreement with NCL and Buffett.

 

Like others had posted, I originally booked the Escape for a few reasons, one being the initial announcement that Margaritaville was "COMPLIMENTARY." We are sun people and hang out at the pool so the thought of not having to don clothes etc. and meander into the buffet and instead take a short walk up for a burger and nachos was thrilling.

 

ALAS, that did not last long and NCL changed it to ala carte pricing by the time we took our first Escape cruise.

 

That said at the current prices I never entertained ordering and paying anything off the menu. Just way too much money for regular burger joint food priced extra on my cruise. Nope, not doing that.

 

Now 16.95 fee per person.... Are you kidding me? It WAS a ghost town on all 3 our Escape cruises and now will be guaranteed to be the same...

 

Well...that wasn't the plan, I guess, since Margaritaville is now on the Bliss too. I guess the service charge will follow - as well! :rolleyes:

https://www.ncl.com/partners/margaritaville

http://www.bliss.ncl.com/dining/margaritaville_at_sea

Edited by happy cruzin
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Unfortunately this is true.

 

When I went on board the Escape last week, there was a 15.00 cover which when you add 3 buck mandatory gratuity is $18.00.

 

What that "buys" is an appetizer, main course and dessert. Drinks are extra.

 

They still need to work out the kinks. Complimentary use caused way too much carnage because the venue is too small for the number of passengers. The initial al a carte pricing drove people away. And now they are trying something else kind of like a prix fixe offering. And that is not working either.

 

The space is criminally under utilized. For breakfast you can get free omelets here but little else. No other food offering on Deck 17, so if you don't want omelets you're in the wrong place. It's only open 12pm to 5pm so spending nearly 20 bucks for lunch is ludicrous.. It might have been a nice casual dinner alternative to the "Pub" or Buffet but it's closed after 5pm. God forbid you might want to open it up as bleed over from Spice H20, or to get some nachos halfway through the glow party at 11pm.

 

Well, at least you can sit down and enjoy a book there. It's deserted most of the time.

 

Don't know why this is so tough for NCL. Blue Iguana Cantina and Guys Burger Joint are big hits for Carnival and they're complimentary. NCL should be able to figure out the right price point.

 

Had a huge Buffett Fan on board my cruise. Went to Margaritaville in all the ports we stopped at but never used the one on the ship. That tells you something.

Edited by p.opus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We went one day last week on our cruise but we decided we won't do it again. We loved it when it was al a carte, we would just go in for the nachos or key lime pie and drinks. The price isn't actually bad if you compare it to the prices in ports but it is too much food. There are no microwaves in the rooms so you can't just take it and eat it later. I wish they would either go back to al a carte pricing or at least take the price down a little and instead of everyone getting an appetizer make it one per 2 people or one per table. By the time we had the appetizers we didn't need any more food.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Margaritaville was only complimentary for a couple of months in 2015. It quickly moved to a la cart status, and was installed on the Breakaway and Getaway. On the Escape, it is $14.95 + 20% gratuity.

 

O’shehan Nachos are inedible. Margaritaville nacho, when a la cart were worth the $$$.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I keep hearing about people just getting nachos. Are the nachos at Margaritaville that much better than O'sheehan's?

 

 

Completely different. Margaritaville nachos have a tremendous variety of toppings on them and are a meal, O'sheehans are simpler and appetizer sized.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have the Bev Package, is it good good for drinks only or do you still have to pay the cover?

Yes, you'd have to pay the cover to dine, just as you would in any other specialty restaurant. The beverage package is for beverages, and there are dining packages for dining.

 

You can sit at the bar in Margaritaville, The Chill Bar, and drink to your heart's content.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Margaritaville was only complimentary for a couple of months in 2015. It quickly moved to a la cart status, and was installed on the Breakaway and Getaway. On the Escape, it is $14.95 + 20% gratuity.

 

O’shehan Nachos are inedible. Margaritaville nacho, when a la cart were worth the $$$.

 

The price seems to fluctuate. On our Feb cruise, it was $16.95 + 20%. Came to just over $20/each. Definitely not worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I know the difference in packages! I just didn’t know if they had a separate bar area.

 

 

Yes...they have a separate bar. Nothing stands out about it though other than the themed drink menu.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They really are great Nachos, we used to go there for lunch when is was alacarte and they were delicious. They are huge and can feed 4 or 5 adults. But with the cover charge it isnt worth it.

 

You mean dropping $100 for a plate of nachos for your group isn't worth it? Come on... Don't be cheap. :')

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You mean dropping $100 for a plate of nachos for your group isn't worth it? Come on... Don't be cheap. :')

We would use a SDP. On our recent cruise on the Escape, we actually left a SDP unused because there were other things we wanted to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

I've been trying to find out if this cover charge is still the case for Margaritaville on the Escape.  It seems insane.  Anyone on Escape recently who can update if there is any a la carte pricing or if it is only a cover charge?  
 

(It seems to me they should do something of a combination -- a la carte if you prefer -- i.e., if you're just going for some nachos -- but cover charge if you're going for an actual meal...)

 

Thanks in advance to anyone who can update!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...