How much would you pay...

[dakrewser]

We've had numerous threads and sub-threads (threads within threads, as it were) about the quality of food in the MDR. I was thinking we might look at it another way - how much would the typical MDR meal (Appetizer/soup/salad, entree, dessert, with or w/o wine) cost in a local restaurant (local to you, that is).

 

Here in the outer suburbs of Washington, DC, I'd expect that meal for 2 people including a bottle of wine to set me back $100 - $120.

 

Seen in that light, it appears to be quite a bargain. Oh, and the service is better on-board ship!

[kazu]

We've had numerous threads and sub-threads (threads within threads, as it were) about the quality of food in the MDR. I was thinking we might look at it another way - how much would the typical MDR meal (Appetizer/soup/salad, entree, dessert, with or w/o wine) cost in a local restaurant (local to you, that is).

 

Here in the outer suburbs of Washington, DC, I'd expect that meal for 2 people including a bottle of wine to set me back $100 - $120.

 

Seen in that light, it appears to be quite a bargain. Oh, and the service is better on-board ship!

 

a decent restaurant here that we would go to would set us back $140 Cdn easily WITHOUT wine! (suburbs outside of Saint John)

[Krazy Kruizers]

We do have a couple of restaurants that we freqent.

One is medium priced. We don't drink wine but we do order 2 cocktails each. Our bill is usually around $100 -- more if we order lobster tails.

Another restaurant you pay for each course -- that bill is usually around $200.

We always had have excellent service at these restaurants -- way better than what we have had on some cruises.

[sail7seas]

We've had numerous threads and sub-threads (threads within threads, as it were) about the quality of food in the MDR. I was thinking we might look at it another way - how much would the typical MDR meal (Appetizer/soup/salad, entree, dessert, with or w/o wine) cost in a local restaurant (local to you, that is).

 

Here in the outer suburbs of Washington, DC, I'd expect that meal for 2 people including a bottle of wine to set me back $100 - $120.

 

Seen in that light, it appears to be quite a bargain. Oh, and the service is better on-board ship!

 

The measure of the "quite a bargain" , as you put it, has to take into consideration the amount of fare each of us paid. For the person who paid $499 for a week in Alaska vs the person who paid $3,000....... is it the same bargain? Or is that a whole different conversation? :D

 

 

To answer your question, again, have to know the cost of the bottle of wine to respond.

 

We took our very close friends to a suburban restaurant last week to celebrate a major wedding anniversary. This restaurant is on a par with Capital Grill, Morton's, The Palm, Ruth's Chris and has like prices. We had a middle range bottle of wine and dinner for four totaled about $470. Comparing our dinner there to dinner in MDR is apples and oranges. The service has been as good in MDR for many of our cruises but the menu and current quality falls into whole different category......

AS IT SHOULD.

 

The restaurant served probably 1 1/2 seatings that night and in total had approximately 110 diners. How can one compare to serving 1250 guests not to mention crew?

 

 

[maxout]

We've had numerous threads and sub-threads (threads within threads, as it were) about the quality of food in the MDR. I was thinking we might look at it another way - how much would the typical MDR meal (Appetizer/soup/salad, entree, dessert, with or w/o wine) cost in a local restaurant (local to you, that is).

 

Here in the outer suburbs of Washington, DC, I'd expect that meal for 2 people including a bottle of wine to set me back $100 - $120.

 

Seen in that light, it appears to be quite a bargain. Oh, and the service is better on-board ship!

 

Bumping about $180+ with tax and tip. :eek:

[GmaPajama]

Wow, I'm in shock. Here, in farm country, we don't have much in the way of fine dining opportunities. We'd have to go into Chicago for that, and the city driving makes us crazy. I can't remember the last time we paid more than $50 for a good dinner out. Mostly, we dine at home ... sometimes a coffee shop ... but almost never in a fine restaurant. Maybe that's one of the reasons we so love to cruise - and one of the reasons I find the MDR to be a great place to eat. :)

[sail7seas]

Wow, I'm in shock. Here, in farm country, we don't have much in the way of fine dining opportunities. We'd have to go into Chicago for that, and the city driving makes us crazy. I can't remember the last time we paid more than $50 for a good dinner out. Mostly, we dine at home ... sometimes a coffee shop ... but almost never in a fine restaurant. Maybe that's one of the reasons we so love to cruise - and one of the reasons I find the MDR to be a great place to eat. :)

 

 

What a really good point, Donna.

 

Some of us who are mumbling a bit about menu, ingredients etc lately may be accustomed to more variety and many high quality restaurants very near our homes. We may have a higher expectation as we see it done so well in so many local restaurants.

 

For DH and me to have a casual dinner, near our home, the kind you don't need reservations, might be a tv in the bar area for sports viewing but not in the tables and chair area, can wear khakis to but not a chain restaurant, the cost with one drink or glass of wine each and no dessert is about $70 plus tip. The sort of place I'd have plain grilled salmon, a vegetable and probably small house salad. DH might have steak tips, half roast chicken or scallops. Nothing fancy.

 

Are our expectations and 'demands' higher? Maybe. :o

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Bumping about $180+ with tax and tip. :eek:

I agree as well ......:)

[peaches from georgia]

 

To answer your question, again, have to know the cost of the bottle of wine to respond.

 

We took our very close friends to a suburban restaurant last week to celebrate a major wedding anniversary. This restaurant is on a par with Capital Grill, Morton's, The Palm, Ruth's Chris and has like prices. We had a middle range bottle of wine and dinner for four totaled about $470. Comparing our dinner there to dinner in MDR is apples and oranges. The service has been as good in MDR for many of our cruises but the menu and current quality falls into whole different category......

AS IT SHOULD.

 

 

 

Wine and cocktails should be eliminated from the equation. Food only. A bottle of wine alone might be $20 or $100, and you're paying separately for alcohol in the MDR or on land anyway, so it doesn't need to be included when comparing the price of the meal.

 

Sail, I totally agree with you. You can't compare the MDR to the restaurants you reference and I think some posters are trying to compare the MDR to the finest restaurant they frequent at home. MDR doesn't pretend to serve anything of the quality of food at The Palm or any upscale 5* restaurant. The meal without wine you reference with your friends would average $100-110/pp.

 

I would price the average dinner in the MDR, excluding alcohol and formal night lobster/escargot, and tip, at about $30-35/pp tops at a medium priced restaurant on land.

[iancal]

It is difficult to say. The local restaurants that we frequent serve better food. It is individually prepared, served hot, and the service is much better. It might not be as fancy or well presented but it is better-at least to our tastes.

 

 

We find these restaurants much more relaxing since they have a much quieter environment. By the time we get our coffee on a cruise ship dining room we are ready to bolt...the noise level bothers us after a time.

[peaches from georgia]

.....

 

 

For DH and me to have a casual dinner, near our home, the kind you don't need reservations, might be a tv in the bar area for sports viewing but not in the tables and chair area, can wear khakis to but not a chain restaurant, the cost with one drink or glass of wine each and no dessert is about $70 plus tip. The sort of place I'd have plain grilled salmon, a vegetable and probably small house salad. DH might have steak tips, half roast chicken or scallops. Nothing fancy.

 

You posted this while I was typing and posting. Exactly my calculations, though I didn't include a drink, and the meals I was considering. This is apples to apples comparing the average MDR dinner. We both are dining out in similar cities and suburbs also so our restaurant experiences would be similar. I just don't see paying $150+/2 people anywhere for MDR dinners.

[sail7seas]

Wine and cocktails should be eliminated from the equation. Food only. A bottle of wine alone might be $20 or $100, and you're paying separately for alcohol in the MDR or on land anyway, so it doesn't need to be included when comparing the price of the meal.

 

Sail, I totally agree with you. You can't compare the MDR to the restaurants you reference and I think some posters are trying to compare the MDR to the finest restaurant they frequent at home. MDR doesn't pretend to serve anything of the quality of food at The Palm or any upscale 5* restaurant. The meal without wine you reference with your friends would average $100-110/pp.

 

I would price the average dinner in the MDR, excluding alcohol and formal night lobster/escargot, and tip, at about $30-35/pp tops at a medium priced restaurant on land.

 

I think it a better comparison for Pinnacle vs. the local version of The Palm, Ruth's Chris, Morton's etc and excludes wine/liquor.

 

We have had a number of dinners in Pinnacle that were very close to as good as those restaurants in terms of entrees/steaks.

 

For the price in Pinnacle, most of the time, it is a very good value. Yes, the menu is a bit more limited and I'd change some of the sides if I could but on the whole, I think that very worth the reasonable upcharge.

 

I can find a comparison to Pinnacle with The Palm etc but not to the MDR.

 

[peaches from georgia]

The Pinnacle with upcharge is definetely a bargain. :)

[hypercafe]

I don't like the service and environment of the MDR. However if I just look at the food it's about 50$ or 75$ for two in a rest. As stated before if I paid a flash sale price of 499$ for a week it is a great deal. If I paid 3 or 4 grand it would not make me happy. I guess this is what Cunard tries to head off.

[dot73]

The Pinnacle with upcharge is definetely a bargain. :)

Agree. I dine there at least 2 times every cruise. A filet mignon done just right and the creme brule make it a perfect dining experience. Add a good glass of wine and you have a near perfect dining experience for less than $50.00.

[Kamloops50]

We've had numerous threads and sub-threads (threads within threads, as it were) about the quality of food in the MDR. I was thinking we might look at it another way - how much would the typical MDR meal (Appetizer/soup/salad, entree, dessert, with or w/o wine) cost in a local restaurant (local to you, that is).

 

Here in the outer suburbs of Washington, DC, I'd expect that meal for 2 people including a bottle of wine to set me back $100 - $120.

 

Seen in that light, it appears to be quite a bargain. Oh, and the service is better on-board ship!

 

A decent supper without wine I would expect to pay about $100 -$200.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Pinnacle with upcharge is definetely a bargain. :)

 

I agree!!

We can't get a meal like that around here for $25 per person.

[swedish weave]

I guess we are spoiled here in So Calif. We can get filet mignon with soup and salad drink and dessert for under twenty dollars per person. And it is very good !!! Norm's restaurant isn't fancy, but the food is good.

[kazu]

Wine and cocktails should be eliminated from the equation. Food only. A bottle of wine alone might be $20 or $100, and you're paying separately for alcohol in the MDR or on land anyway, so it doesn't need to be included when comparing the price of the meal.

 

Sail, I totally agree with you. You can't compare the MDR to the restaurants you reference and I think some posters are trying to compare the MDR to the finest restaurant they frequent at home. MDR doesn't pretend to serve anything of the quality of food at The Palm or any upscale 5* restaurant. The meal without wine you reference with your friends would average $100-110/pp.

 

I would price the average dinner in the MDR, excluding alcohol and formal night lobster/escargot, and tip, at about $30-35/pp tops at a medium priced restaurant on land.

 

The bolding is mine - you're lucky - no way here could we get the meal (even without lobster or escargot) here for that price. I envy you:)

[George C]

We've had numerous threads and sub-threads (threads within threads, as it were) about the quality of food in the MDR. I was thinking we might look at it another way - how much would the typical MDR meal (Appetizer/soup/salad, entree, dessert, with or w/o wine) cost in a local restaurant (local to you, that is).

 

Here in the outer suburbs of Washington, DC, I'd expect that meal for 2 people including a bottle of wine to set me back $100 - $120.

 

Seen in that light, it appears to be quite a bargain. Oh, and the service is better on-board ship!

 

The MDR quality is like rolling the dice sometimes you win other times you loose and while we might pay 100- 150 at our favorite resturant the food and service is so much better than anything we have ever had in MDR. Pinnacle is another story what you get for 50 dollars for a couple would cost at least double that.

[richwmn]

The measure of the "quite a bargain" , as you put it, has to take into consideration the amount of fare each of us paid. For the person who paid $499 for a week in Alaska vs the person who paid $3,000....... is it the same bargain? Or is that a whole different conversation? :D

To weigh in on your comment on the difference in fares. Yes you pay a lot more, but in return you get a lot more.

Looking at a 7 day Western Caribbean on the Westerdam in November the lowest inside cabin is $549 and the lowest Suite is $3791. Based on the smallest cabin for each fare, the inside is about $8.55 per square foot while the Suite is $7.58 per square foot. So on that basis you are paying less. Add in the other extras that the Suite provides and the dining experience becomes less a part of it.

 

To further the comparison, and I will use Atlanta since I know it a bit, you pay the same price for a meal at Waffle House whether you live in Buckhead or Cabbagetown. The same goes for the "High Class" restaurants -- where you live does not determine the price you pay for your meal.

[sandij]

I have to agree that the price for the specialty restaurants is great, but I also think the MDR is good and that price is included in the ticket.

[magandab]

I guess we are spoiled here in So Calif. We can get filet mignon with soup and salad drink and dessert for under twenty dollars per person. And it is very good !!! Norm's restaurant isn't fancy, but the food is good.

 

Okay, I just about choked on my corn dog! I honestly am not trying to be rude or a smart*ss but there is no way you can compare Norm's to the MDR and the Pinnacle is in a different galaxy!

 

One point regarding the price in the Pinnacle - its not costing you $25 each for that meal - its costing you $25 plus whatever portion of your fare is covering dinner that night. Worth it - no doubt about it, but let's stick to apples-to-apples.

[dakrewser]

Please remember my actual question folks - what would you pay for the equivilent of an MDR meal at a restaurant near your locality?

 

That doesn't mean a Ruth's Chris or Morton's, but also doesn't mean an Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday.

 

The quibble about the bottle of wine is worth noting, so I'll adjust my estimate to $70-75.But if you add in an espresso, then boost it to $80-85.

 

As to how much you pay for the cruise - that's totally irrelevant to the question. Just trying to establish a baseline for MDR expectations.

[sail7seas]

 

<snip>

 

 

To further the comparison, and I will use Atlanta since I know it a bit, you pay the same price for a meal at Waffle House whether you live in Buckhead or Cabbagetown. The same goes for the "High Class" restaurants -- where you live does not determine the price you pay for your meal.

 

 

Good point.

 

But, when we evaluate was a given cruise a 'good value for the money' as that is a question HAL asked on their end of cruise survey for a great many years, then we have to factor in the dining experience. The question they asked was/is "Was this cruise a good value for your money?"

 

Don't we all judge our whole cruise experience in relation to how much we paid when we evaluate whether a good value for how much money we spent?