Adieu "all-you-can-eat-mains" at the Crown Grill

I was curious to see if the Crown Grill menu had changed lately, so I accessed it through "Specialty Dining Reservations" inside my booking manager online for my upcoming Mexico cruise in September.

I was disheartened to read the following at the top:

Cover Charge $29 per person

Dinner includes one main course. Please enjoy any additional mains for $10 each

As one who in the past thoroughly enjoyed both the NZ lamb chops AND the 8 oz. filet mignon, and not leaving a single morsel in my plate, I have to say: Princess, you've done it again. Found another way to squeeze a few measly $$$ out of passengers.

How much longer before the menu becomes "choose one from each course"? Until then, IF (a big IF) I do go to the CG this cruise, I'll be loading up on the starters.

Me: "Bring me another BLACK TIGER PRAWN AND PAPAYA SALPICON please"

Waiter: "But Sir, that is your sixth one tonight..."

Me: "Better make it two more then...":evilsmile:

Personally, I think one main dish with all the sides you can eat and endless desserts for $29.00 is more than adequate and certainly fair. Obviously there are people with much bigger appetites than the average person and you are very lucky to be offered a second main dish for only $10.00. I really don't see a down side here.

It was a slippery slope that started with SHARE, then continued with the Salty Dog, then the new Sabatini's Italian Trattoria menu, then Planks and Steamers on the Caribbean, and now the Crown Grill. Assume the Sterling Steakhouse and Bayou Cafe will follow soon.

Is it only a matter of time when they will start limiting choice in the Dining Room [emoji848]

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Personally, I think one main dish with all the sides you can eat and endless desserts for $29.00 is more than adequate and certainly fair. Obviously there are people with much bigger appetites than the average person and you are very lucky to be offered a second main dish for only $10.00. I really don't see a down side here.

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It would be interesting to read what anyone can get for USD29 at a half decent restaurant in the USA. It would be interesting also to price the Crown Grill menu in terms of the same sort of restaurant. I do feel that USD29 for what we ate there recently was very good value.

That saying, I do not feel that it is worth USD29, on top of what you have already paid in your cruise fare, to eat there, the food in the MDR is very good (and free). And where you can eat as much as you want.

Personally I would only pay for a specialty restaurant meal for a very special occasion.

When we went to the CG we would add the lobster tail to the fillet for a "surf and turf" but I won't pay another $10 for that.

Who's going to pay $29 for a 4 oz lobster tail as a main??

Several other mainstream cruise lines have been doing this for a while so Princess had to jump on the bandwagon. I have never eaten two entrees BUT we always get the lobster tails to share with our steaks. I guess I'd shell out $10 for them, because it just wouldn't be as fun without them. Still, it would be nicer if they were still included, but everyone wants to cash in on anything related to a lobster these days.

Who's going to pay $29 for a 4 oz lobster tail as a main??

I'm pretty sure they would bring you more than one....

I also feel that $29 for the whole meal, with one main, is very reasonable. I can't even eat all of that! It's a lot of food. I can't understand those who can eat more than one entree....

Also, I've had a heart attack, so I'm very aware of what eating too much can do to you!

It would be interesting to read what anyone can get for USD29 at a half decent restaurant in the USA. It would be interesting also to price the Crown Grill menu in terms of the same sort of restaurant. I do feel that USD29 for what we ate there recently was very good value.

That saying, I do not feel that it is worth USD29, on top of what you have already paid in your cruise fare, to eat there, the food in the MDR is very good (and free). And where you can eat as much as you want.

Personally I would only pay for a specialty restaurant meal for a very special occasion.

Also remember to factor in the dinner you paid for and don't consume in the MDR though.

Great that Princess has stopped encouraging gluttony!

The new change to charging additional $ for a second entree seems like a fair policy to me. Although it's a financial issue for the cruise company, hopefully it will encourage people to consume more healthfull portions and quantity in a single meal. There is always the buffet for those who need unlimited quantities of food.

Price in the Specialty venues is why I never eat there. I have already paid for meals on the ship that I enjoy so why should I pay this kind of price to eat there. Sorry but I am not cheap and I do enjoy what I consider a good meal. Just can not see paying twice to eat a meal.

Great that Princess has stopped encouraging gluttony!

Yes, and then they should increase avg drink price to $15 and limit AIBP to 6/day to discourage alcoholism!

Ps, I've seen more over eaters in the buffet than in crown grill and having surf and turf with your wife is not gluttony. when the price of surf and turf in grill for 2 is $70 or more I say let those who think it's a deal enjoy themselves, at that price we'll go to nice local restaurant on port days for the variety, value and experience.

Glad you started this thread as I do not think this has been discussed before :rolleyes:

Price in the Specialty venues is why I never eat there. I have already paid for meals on the ship that I enjoy so why should I pay this kind of price to eat there. Sorry but I am not cheap and I do enjoy what I consider a good meal. Just can not see paying twice to eat a meal.

I agree, we just went for the grilled steak after getting a steak in the MDR that seemed like it was baked in the oven.

I do think that anyone who orders 3 entrees or orders every appetizer and side on the menu who doesn't make a good effort to finish them should be charged a "waste of food fee". The couple next to us in the grill both ordered the 22oz porterhouse and 2 lobster entrees along with nearly every appetizer and side on the menu and only ate half their steaks and a few bites from each side... very wasteful.

It was a slippery slope that started with SHARE, then continued with the Salty Dog, then the new Sabatini's Italian Trattoria menu, then Planks and Steamers on the Caribbean, and now the Crown Grill. Assume the Sterling Steakhouse and Bayou Cafe will follow soon.

 

Is it only a matter of time when they will start limiting choice in the Dining Room [emoji848]

When the Sabatini's menu was changed in the renovated dining rooms to the ItalianTratorria menu the price was reduced from $29 to $25. It limits diners to one option per course and to pay an additional $10 for another pasta or entree.

http://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/sabatinis-trattoria/sabatinis-trattoria-main-menu.pdf

Since Sabatini's & Crown Grill had cost the same $29, it was thought that eventually CG would follow the same procedure...$25 dinner, $10 extra entree & one per course limit. Instead CG kept its original $29 price & added a $10 fee for a second entree but have not read about instituting a one item per course limit. That's probably just a matter of time before the one item per course happens & if the limit will result in a price reduction to standardize the procedure at both restaurants.

At the CG my wife skips the other courses to get 2 entrees...mussels & a steak...which now will cost $39 for her meal. We'll reevaluate going to the CG on every cruise & may stop paying extra to dine there. But that's just us & other passengers will vote with their wallet to tell Princess how we feel about the changes.

We already get a MDR meal which is included in the cruise fare so the specialty dining fees are in addition to what we've already paid to eat.

I wonder if they're testing the one per course limit at specialty dining restaurants to discover how much pushback they get from passengers. Maybe the way courses are now grouped into fewer courses on the MDR menus is in preparation to reducing our choices by adding a one item per course limit.

Appetizers and soup/salad courses are now combined into a Starters, Soups & Salads; Signature Pastas have now been combined with the Mains course. Changing the groupings isn't a big concern; changing from 4 to 2 groups to limit us to one item per course would be a big concern. While that may never happen, they are already limiting us to one item per course at many of their specialty dining restaurants where we pay extra to dine.

It would be crazy to have a one item per course limit but I previously thought such a limit at a restaurant where we pay extra to eat would be crazy...but it has happened.

I was disheartened to read the following at the top:

 

Cover Charge $29 per person

Dinner includes one main course. Please enjoy any additional mains for $10 each

It was in effect last March on the Crown.

People go to the CG and eat like it's the buffet but wonders why they have now put a limit on the mains [emoji848] $29 or $15 for kids is a good deal for what you get compared to land based or other cruise lines.

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Price in the Specialty venues is why I never eat there. I have already paid for meals on the ship that I enjoy so why should I pay this kind of price to eat there. Sorry but I am not cheap and I do enjoy what I consider a good meal. Just can not see paying twice to eat a meal.

I wholeheartedly agree with Potstech. I thought I was the only one that felt like I was paying more than the cover charge for a specialty meal when all other posters would state that $XX (price of cover charge) is a real bargain compared to a land based restaurant.

I don't know. An extra $30 bucks each and the rib-eye was pretty thin. A small lobster tail made it a little better but I am honestly not sure it's worth it now.

I was curious to see if the Crown Grill menu had changed lately, so I accessed it through "Specialty Dining Reservations" inside my booking manager online for my upcoming Mexico cruise in September.

 

I was disheartened to read the following at the top:

 

Cover Charge $29 per person

Dinner includes one main course. Please enjoy any additional mains for $10 each

 

As one who in the past thoroughly enjoyed both the NZ lamb chops AND the 8 oz. filet mignon, and not leaving a single morsel in my plate, I have to say: Princess, you've done it again. Found another way to squeeze a few measly $$

 

How much longer before the menu becomes "choose one from each course"? Until then, IF (a big IF) I do go to the CG this cruise, I'll be loading up on the starters.

 

Me: "Bring me another BLACK TIGER PRAWN AND PAPAYA SALPICON please"

Waiter: "But Sir, that is your sixth one tonight..."

Me: "Better make it two more then...":evilsmile:

If you check the new menu for Sabatini's you will see that "choose one from each course" is already here.

Recently returned from Crown Princess and thoroughly enjoyed our meal in Crown Grill and we both had appetizer, soup and then I had Porterhouse steak and the OH had Filet Mignon and asked for lobster tails like she has always done. We were aware of the $10 extra charge for the lobster tails and when they arrived there was only 2 but larger than ones on our previous cruises. We ordered the French fries and he then said he would bring all the vegetable choices. Having then had the dessert we were totally stuffed and very satisfied and sorry if it upsets some people do not understand why you would want entrée of filet mignon and lamb chops together and do not blame Princess for charging extra $10.

It was a slippery slope that started with SHARE, then continued with the Salty Dog, then the new Sabatini's Italian Trattoria menu, then Planks and Steamers on the Caribbean, and now the Crown Grill. Assume the Sterling Steakhouse and Bayou Cafe will follow soon.

 

Is it only a matter of time when they will start limiting choice in the Dining Room [emoji848]

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While I can understand the additional charge in the Specialty Restaurants, It will be a sad day if they ever start doing it in the MDR.....:(:(:(

Bob

I'm pretty sure they would bring you more than one....

 

I also feel that $29 for the whole meal, with one main, is very reasonable. I can't even eat all of that! It's a lot of food. I can't understand those who can eat more than one entree....

 

Also, I've had a heart attack, so I'm very aware of what eating too much can do to you!

First, you've already PAID for the food in your fare...you are being asked to pay additional for "a better dining experience"...and some extra items they don't serve in the MDR. So, you can't compare the dining to a land restaurant at all.

It won't be long before all the lines will be only including the buffet...wait and see! In the last 20 years, they've gone from NO surcharge dining to many, many "fee" venues. As long as folks continue to fork over their $$$, it will only get more onerous!

I was on the Crown at the end of March. Nothing had been said about the extra $$ for the extra main. Unfortunately our experience was not the greatest, it even started before we entered the restaurant. The only thing was, my DH always ordered the surf and turf. When he told the server what he wanted all she said was "No" nothing else. So he just took the lobster, I got a filet, which I shared with him. The service that night was non existent. When my DH got his lobster, it was a curled up fried looking, not resembling lobster at all. As the server was taking it out of the shell, she noticed my filet was well done. I order medium, so it went back, while my filet was being redone, she brought the sides, spooned them on the plate and left with the bowls...my question is being that they now ask additional $ for another main, have they also diminished the amount of sides you get. They used to be family style as much as you wanted, now with our upcoming cruise, I am wondering about booking the CG again.