Steakhouse problem

[LBroxon]

My husband and I are currently waiting to get off the Pride this morning. We dined at the Steakhouse on Thursday night. Upon being seated at the Steakhouse we were told by the wine steward that our bill was being "taken care of" by the casino. We told him we thought he had the wrong reservation because the we had not spent more than a few dollars in the casino. He went and checked with his manager came back and confirmed our name and cabin number. We still told him we thought it was a mistake and he again assured us it was not. However, last night, which was the last night of the cruise, there was a charge for the Steakhouse and the bottle of wine the wine steward insisted we get because the casino was paying for it. Guest Services asked me to come back this morning to resolve the issue. Upon doing so, I was handed a phone by the guest services agent and made to talk tothe Steakhouse manager who refunded the bottle of wine, but refused to refund the dinner charges. I informed her of everything that happened (which she knew about because I believe she was the manager present that night).

I just want everyone's opinion on how this should be handled and who to follow up with.

[okgirl]

My husband and I are currently waiting to get off the Pride this morning. We dined at the Steakhouse on Thursday night. Upon being seated at the Steakhouse we were told by the wine steward that our bill was being "taken care of" by the casino. We told him we thought he had the wrong reservation because the we had not spent more than a few dollars in the casino. He went and checked with his manager came back and confirmed our name and cabin number. We still told him we thought it was a mistake and he again assured us it was not. However, last night, which was the last night of the cruise, there was a charge for the Steakhouse and the bottle of wine the wine steward insisted we get because the casino was paying for it. Guest Services asked me to come back this morning to resolve the issue. Upon doing so, I was handed a phone by the guest services agent and made to talk tothe Steakhouse manager who refunded the bottle of wine, but refused to refund the dinner charges. I informed her of everything that happened (which she knew about because I believe she was the manager present that night).

I just want everyone's opinion on how this should be handled and who to follow up with.

 

This should not have happened. However, you were prepared to pay for the steakhouse anyway, so you are really not out any money that you didn't intend to spend. Therefore I understand the logic of the Steakhouse manager and don't feel like you are entitled to any further refund.

[irishnyc]

If you thought at the time of your dinner you shouldn't be entitled to a free dinner, and they've refunded the portion of your dinner you wouldn't have purchased otherwise, I wouldn't follow up with anyone. You expected to pay for dinner at the Steakhouse, and now you're paying for it.

[Tithonus]

Amazing how some accept being told something and then taken away. It's incompetence at best, and never put up with.

 

Yes, fight for it. You didn't seek it, want it, expect it, but got it. Hold your ground.

[Pyrate13]

Sorry, I don't understand, you were refunded for the wine which you possibly would not have purchased and only accepted when it was insisted, makes sense. However, you must have planned and expected to pay for the steakhouse when you went there. If nothing was said about the casino you would have paid correct? Why should you get a refund for the restaurant? It was obviously a mistake, you said so yourself, and you had the meal you expected except for the wine. Just my opinion and I'm sure others will disagree, but I don't see any reason for a refund of the dinner and I don't see anything else that needs to be handled.

[cv322]

From personal experience I can tell you, that when you are a guest of the casino, they give you a little card which specifically says your name...inviting you & a guest to dine at the Steakhouse. It's never just "by word". The Steakhouse manager should've known this.

 

That having been said...since you were prepared to pay the $35/pp for your meal, I'd say just let it go.

[dougandmo]

I don't see what the problem is. You booked the steakhouse originally, why would they refund that?

[DanBoy]

Sorry, I don't understand, you were refunded for the wine which you possibly would not have purchased and only accepted when it was insisted, makes sense. However, you must have planned and expected to pay for the steakhouse when you went there. If nothing was said about the casino you would have paid correct? Why should you get a refund for the restaurant? It was obviously a mistake, you said so yourself, and you had the meal you expected except for the wine. Just my opinion and I'm sure others will disagree, but I don't see any reason for a refund of the dinner and I don't see anything else that needs to be handled.

 

I agree!...You were prepared to pay for the meal to begin with...FORGET IT!...and you got a free bottle of wine to boot....You are ahead of the game..LET IT GO

[Pine Bluff]

No way should you have to pay for your meal after being told it was comped, going so far as challenging the comp, and being told you were wrong.

 

But I suggest a comprimise. We know the meal is $20, and the tip is $15, and you should tip on a comp anyway, so offer them $30 for the tip.

 

To those that have been comped: do they normally cover the tip as well?

[vacruizer]

While you really aren't out anything you wouldn't have spent anyway, it was Carnival's mistake and they should honor it. You told them it was a mistake, they insisted they were right and comped your dinner anyway. Sorry, good customer service is that they eat that loss.

 

Should I expect that if for some reason I'm comped a drink, that the last morning Carnival will have changed their mind and it be on my bill?

[dougandmo]

No way should you have to pay for your meal after being told it was comped, going so far as challenging the comp, and being told you were wrong.

 

But I suggest a comprimise. We know the meal is $20, and the tip is $15, and you should tip on a comp anyway, so offer them $30 for the tip.

 

To those that have been comped: do they normally cover the tip as well?

 

I'd buy your logic if they got a note in their room telling them they had a free meal at the steakhouse. But they were already in the steakhouse when they were told that, and it's fixed cost for the meal. So they were already committed to that before they were told they were being comped. The wine wasn't charged to them, so they are no worse off then when they walked in to the steakhouse. I fail to see why Carnival would owe them more than that.

[marshhawk]

If they told you that the wine would be covered because ot the mistake, then the dinner should have been covered by the same mistake. Steak house should just suck it up after they told you the meal was "on the house" expected or not, because it was imcompetence. On their part. It's called taking responsability for ones actions, and n one wants to seem to do that these days.

However what can you do about it? You can complain, and that's about it. I guess if this happens to me, I would get it in writing, or simply state-if I know it's wrong i would say, "thank you, but we prefer to pay. it will make my concience feel better"

[MsTabbyKats]

I'd buy your logic if they got a note in their room telling them they had a free meal at the steakhouse. But they were already in the steakhouse when they were told that, and it's fixed cost for the meal. So they were already committed to that before they were told they were being comped. The wine wasn't charged to them, so they are no worse off then when they walked in to the steakhouse. I fail to see why Carnival would owe them more than that.

 

I am in 100% agreement with you...but, everyone wants something for nothing.

 

The dinner was not a mistake. The OP went in expecting to pay for dinner.

 

Perhaps the OP was planning to get wine anyway...just not that wine. So, he got an upgrade "on the house".

 

He won...he got free wine. Sorry...but expecting the entire dinner for free is acting like a hog.

[nomadron]

It seems to me you committed to buying the meal in the Steakhouse before the "casino comp" business came up. They are not charging for the wine. They are only charging for what you originally wanted. They admitted their mistake. My opinion is stop trying to get something for nothing!

[MyDogRudy]

I'd be happy with the free bottle of wine.

 

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[Tithonus]

I'd buy your logic if they got a note in their room telling them they had a free meal at the steakhouse. But they were already in the steakhouse when they were told that, and it's fixed cost for the meal. So they were already committed to that before they were told they were being comped. The wine wasn't charged to them, so they are no worse off then when they walked in to the steakhouse. I fail to see why Carnival would owe them more than that.

 

Sorry, but they already admitted to the mistake by comping the wine.

 

That mere fact tells any court of opinion they were wrong.

[okgirl]

From personal experience I can tell you, that when you are a guest of the casino, they give you a little card which specifically says your name...inviting you & a guest to dine at the Steakhouse. It's never just "by word". The Steakhouse manager should've known this.

 

That having been said...since you were prepared to pay the $35/pp for your meal, I'd say just let it go.

 

That isn't always the case. We wanted to go to Cucina for dinner the last night but couldn't get a reservation. My sister mentioned it to the Casino host that we had become very friendly with and he came back and asked if 7:30 would be okay. We thought great! and were fully prepared to pay for our meal but we were told it was comped by the casino when we got there.

 

No way should you have to pay for your meal after being told it was comped, going so far as challenging the comp, and being told you were wrong.

 

But I suggest a comprimise. We know the meal is $20, and the tip is $15, and you should tip on a comp anyway, so offer them $30 for the tip.

 

To those that have been comped: do they normally cover the tip as well?

 

The meal is $35 and you don't have the option of only paying part of it. John Heald has repeatedly refused to breakdown what part of the meal is for the gratuity, but just last week he indicated that it was less than 10%.

 

People make mistakes, and cabin numbers get mixed up....the Steakhouse made an honest mistake on bad information from the Casino....they comped the wine to make up for the mistake, that should be enough.

 

The issue I have is that they waited to make the correction.

[Pine Bluff]

 

 

 

The meal is $35 and you don't have the option of only paying part of it. John Heald has repeatedly refused to breakdown what part of the meal is for the gratuity, but just last week he indicated that it was less than 10%.

 

People make mistakes, and cabin numbers get mixed up....the Steakhouse made an honest mistake on bad information from the Casino....they comped the wine to make up for the mistake, that should be enough.

 

The issue I have is that they waited to make the correction.

 

Not sure why you would take the lead from someone who also said the tip wasn't included. He is in entertainment, and only pay attention to things he writes that covers his field. Other than that, he is playing telephone, and seems to be wrong more than right. Somehow when you try to correct him, he doesn't get it until someone explains it to hi.

 

But I do know that an extra entree is $20, and will continue to use that breakdown until I am told otherwise.

[Pyrate13]

"incompetence" really? It was a simple mistake. Someone was given a wrong name and cabin number. Last I knew the crew on a cruise ship were humans and all humans make mistakes, not one of us is perfect. They refunded what should not have been pushed on the guest and the OP paid for what they originally wanted and expected, end of story.

 

I can't understand this feeling of entitlement some people seem to have over a simple error. No one got injured, there was no damage and the excess cost was taken care of. :confused:

[Notaworryintheworld]

I can understand why they'd want the dinner comped as well. They probably relied on the fact that the meal had been comped and then spent the money they had set aside for the steakhouse. It's not fair to the customer to now go over their budget bc they relied on the offer they were given.

[Tithonus]

I can understand why they'd want the dinner comped as well. They probably relied on the fact that the meal had been comped and then spent the money they had set aside for the steakhouse. It's not fair to the customer to now go over their budget bc they relied on the offer they were given.

 

Exactly. An extra $70 in your "pocket" is likely to be spent, when it's a gift. Now, they could be out $140.

 

A refund is due. Quickly!

[LBroxon]

You all are right. We went in fully intending to pay for our meal. We were seated and offered wine, which we refused. The wine steward returned after a few minutes and the events that I detailed above occurred. Upon dessert, we were told by the steward and our server that we did not need to give our sail and sign card and that we did not need to sign anything because the casino would do that. For a FOURTH time we confirmed that this was true, to which they agreed and bid us good night. We left.

Last night at 11:30pm (which was 48 hours since the meal) we discovered the charges on our sail and sign account. I went to guest services and was asked to come back this morning. This morning, I was handed the phone to speak with who I presume to be the steakhouse manager who told me that the mistake was discovered when the bill was sent to the casino and they refused to pay it. In turn, the charge was applied to my account.

I agree that we made the reservation, but I don't agree that I should have to pay for something when we clarified and were told four times that it was taken care of.

[brendrek]

Hopefully that Carnival employee that reads the boards will chime in here and take care of this. It really is poor customer service to promise something and then not honor it. It doesn't matter what the OP's original intentions were, they promised the meal was comped. Is something like this worth losing a customer over? What are we talking here, $100 bucks?

[LBroxon]

$70, to be exact.

[Tithonus]

They don't even have a receipt with a signature on it.

 

Won't hurt to tell them that it's on Cruise Critic, so ask them their names so you can "add it to the story".