Kids Eat Free In Pinnacle ??

[AlohaPride]

And some of us are thankful for that.

 

And this comment does what to add to the conversation? I teach my girls to only speak when they have something nice to say. . .

Edited June 6, 2014 by AlohaPride

[Big Dawg CC]

And this comment does what to add to the conversation? I teach my girls to only speak when they have something nice to say. . .

 

Thumbs up!

[AlohaPride]

I'm not sure if you mean the message is that families with kids are not welcome in the Pinnacle or on HAL as a whole, but family-friendly doesn't necessarily mean family-focused. Look at Disney--they have adults-only restaurants, coffee bars, and pools. And I don't think anyone would call Disney "family-unfriendly."

 

You can bring your children to the Pinnacle. But if they order off the standard adult menu, they are charged as adults. It would be unfriendly to adults if kids got the same meal for less, don't you think?

 

Pinnacle, not HAL. HAL is very welcoming, except in this one place I guess.

[pmd98052]

And this comment does what to add to the conversation? I teach my girls to only speak when they have something nice to say. . .

 

 

This is what I mean when I say much of the adult behavior on cruise lines (its not restricted to HAL) appalls me much more than any ill behaved kids running around.

 

Kids being kids I get. Adults being downright rude I don't. I really was absolutely shocked at many adults behavior on the last few cruises I've been on.

 

If kids bother folks so much there are many more adult orientated cruise lines that might appeal more than the mass market family lines.

 

But yeah I can't blame HAL for wanting maximize revenue I'm sure they'll gain some customers and lose some. For example we went there last cruise because of the kids eat free - without that we wouldn't have gone so in our case they'd have lost 2 x dinner and 2 x lunch revenues.

 

I think NCL has this right with 50% off for kids under 12 and free if they eat off the kids menu (i.e. they're just sitting with parents and not over indulging with the parents).

 

Off on a Princess cruise end of this month so I'll see what happens in the Crown Grill there with our kids.

[CI66774]

This is what I mean when I say much of the adult behavior on cruise lines (its not restricted to HAL) appalls me much more than any ill behaved kids running around.

 

Kids being kids I get. Adults being downright rude I don't. I really was absolutely shocked at many adults behavior on the last few cruises I've been on.

 

If kids bother folks so much there are many more adult orientated cruise lines that might appeal more than the mass market family lines.

 

But yeah I can't blame HAL for wanting maximize revenue I'm sure they'll gain some customers and lose some. For example we went there last cruise because of the kids eat free - without that we wouldn't have gone so in our case they'd have lost 2 x dinner and 2 x lunch revenues.

 

I think NCL has this right with 50% off for kids under 12 and free if they eat off the kids menu (i.e. they're just sitting with parents and not over indulging with the parents).

 

Off on a Princess cruise end of this month so I'll see what happens in the Crown Grill there with our kids.

 

Princess didn't charge me for my daughter's meal when I and my daughter ate at the Crown Grill on the Royal Princess last month. She ate from the adult menu and loved it. Unsure whether that's the policy or just the manager's decision that night, though.

Edited June 6, 2014 by CI66774

[cruz chic]

This is what I mean when I say much of the adult behavior on cruise lines (its not restricted to HAL) appalls me much more than any ill behaved kids running around.

 

Kids being kids I get. Adults being downright rude I don't. I really was absolutely shocked at many adults behavior on the last few cruises I've been on.

 

If kids bother folks so much there are many more adult orientated cruise lines that might appeal more than the mass market family lines.

 

But yeah I can't blame HAL for wanting maximize revenue I'm sure they'll gain some customers and lose some. For example we went there last cruise because of the kids eat free - without that we wouldn't have gone so in our case they'd have lost 2 x dinner and 2 x lunch revenues.

 

I think NCL has this right with 50% off for kids under 12 and free if they eat off the kids menu (i.e. they're just sitting with parents and not over indulging with the parents).

 

Off on a Princess cruise end of this month so I'll see what happens in the Crown Grill there with our kids.

Just like a kids shouldn't be painted with the same brush don't paint all posters by one very rude post.

[pmd98052]

Apologies but after my last few cruises the behavior I've seen from adults is much worse than anything I've seen from the kids (including kids running around the main dining room - even then the adult behavior we saw was much worse).

 

For example:

 

1. Grown man banging on the bar shouting "HEY" loudly to get the bartender. No "excuse me" no "please" after he did get the guys attention, no "thank you" on receiving the drink

 

2. Passengers pushing their way down the stairs to the tender separating our kids from us

 

3. Passengers behind us on a bus jumping up and pushing through to get off the bus "first"

 

4. Passengers shouting and demanding a refund at the front desk staff since a tour driver didn't "talk enough"

 

5. Passengers pushing in front of our kids in the line outside the dining room.

 

6. Lines of passengers removing the hotel charge despite knowing it is stiffing the hard working staff

 

So my apologies but adult behavior has been much more of a problem on every cruise I've been on versus the kids. I'd take the worst behaved kids on a cruise anyday over many of the adults.

Edited June 6, 2014 by pmd98052

[Wakepatrol]

Apologies but after my last few cruises the behavior I've seen from adults is much worse than anything I've seen from the kids (including kids running around the main dining room - even then the adult behavior we saw was much worse).

 

For example:

 

1. Grown man banging on the bar shouting "HEY" loudly to get the bartender. No "excuse me" no "please" after he did get the guys attention, no "thank you" on receiving the drink

 

2. Passengers pushing their way down the stairs to the tender separating our kids from us

 

3. Passengers behind us on a bus jumping up and pushing through to get off the bus "first"

 

4. Passengers shouting and demanding a refund at the front desk staff since a tour driver didn't "talk enough"

 

5. Passengers pushing in front of our kids in the line outside the dining room.

 

6. Lines of passengers removing the hotel charge despite knowing it is stiffing the hard working staff

 

So my apologies but adult behavior has been much more of a problem on every cruise I've been on versus the kids. I'd take the worst behaved kids on a cruise anyday over many of the adults.

 

Makes you wish you had packed a set of nunchucks

[Mary Ellen]

OK, I found the thread I'd remembered seeing on the Princess forum. While the numbers deal specifically with Princess, I would imagine they are fairly similar to HAL's.

 

I opened and managed the most expensive restaurant in America for several years.

We built the restaurant for $1.2 million.

We were fully booked for several years in advance.

Average check for dinner for 2 was $800 - without wine.

The restaurant never once made a profit.

Luckily the owners didn't need a profit. They used the restaurant as a showcase to attract investors. And they had huge egos that made them want to have the highest rated and most expensive restaurant in America.

 

By comparison, the Crown Grill cost around $5 million to build and install.

Building a restaurant on a ship is far more challenging - and far more expensive - than one on land.

Forgetting about food costs and labor costs, how many passengers need to pay $25 to cover the $5 million construction cost?

200,000

Crown Grill serves an average of 100 people per night.

It will take them 2,000 nights or 5.48 years just to pay off the construction costs.

 

But then, Princess pays around $21 per pound for the steaks they serve there.

Many of the steaks they serve are over 1 pound.

Just the main course at Crown Grill costs Princess more than the $25 you pay to eat the entire meal. But wait, Princess actually budgets an additional $15 or so from your daily cruise fare to pay for all the meals you eat onboard every day. So if they take $5 or $10 of that money and add it to the $25 you paid for the entire meal, they might be able to cover the actual cost of the food you eat in that outlet. No profit of course, but at least they cover the cost of the food.

 

But if they use that food cost money to cover the cost of the food, how are they going to pay for the $5 million construction costs?

The answer is, "They are not".

And that is why Princess loses money every time you eat in the Crown Grill.

 

So, if like Princess and the Crown Grills, HAL actually doesn't make money, possibly loses money, when adults pay extra for their dinners in the PG, I'm sure they'd lose even more with kids eating for free. I'm sorry, but not losing money on children and their parents, that's most likely a win-win for HAL.

 

Even DCL, undoubtably the most 'child friendly' cruise line out there does NOT allow passengers under the age of 18 in their speciality restaurant, Palo. Cut and dried. I read of one family who wanted to dine there the night before their daughter turned 18. Didn't happen. HAL at least allows families to dine in the PG - if meals for everyone over the age of three is paid.

[pmd98052]

I dont buy that no money is made from speciality restaurants. There is a reason more and more are being added while food quality in the MDR is allowed to decline.

[sherilyn70]

I dont buy that no money is made from speciality restaurants. There is a reason more and more are being added while food quality in the MDR is allowed to decline.

And that reason is to attract more people to their ship. The decline in quality is because of the prices never going up in relationship to the cost of living.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[sunsetbeachgal]

Most folks, myself included, are more likely to order a bottle or glass of wine and or after dinner drink in the specialty restaurants. Not always the case in the MDR. That certainly must contribute to the profitability!

 

We travel with grandchildren on cruises at least once a year and stick to the main dining room traditional fixed seating. The wait staff love well behaved children, and they cater to them, and bring their meals quickly, before the adults and their appetizer fruit plate and glass of milk is waiting for them when they sit down. For us, The slower pace of the specialty dining restaurants Is not a good mix for dining with small children!!

Edited June 6, 2014 by sunsetbeachgal

[POA1]

OK, I found the thread I'd remembered seeing on the Princess forum. While the numbers deal specifically with Princess, I would imagine they are fairly similar to HAL's.

 

 

 

So, if like Princess and the Crown Grills, HAL actually doesn't make money, possibly loses money, when adults pay extra for their dinners in the PG, I'm sure they'd lose even more with kids eating for free. I'm sorry, but not losing money on children and their parents, that's most likely a win-win for HAL.

 

Even DCL, undoubtably the most 'child friendly' cruise line out there does NOT allow passengers under the age of 18 in their speciality restaurant, Palo. Cut and dried. I read of one family who wanted to dine there the night before their daughter turned 18. Didn't happen. HAL at least allows families to dine in the PG - if meals for everyone over the age of three is paid.

 

Based on the thread you quoted, the poster would have been the manager at Masa in the Time Warner Center in NYC. (Assuming the info in the post was correct.)

[POA1]

I dont buy that no money is made from speciality restaurants. There is a reason more and more are being added while food quality in the MDR is allowed to decline.

 

Publicly, you hear that quoted all the time in articles about the industry. It not what they tell their analysts on earnings calls though.

[sherilyn70]

Publicly, you hear that quoted all the time in articles about the industry. It not what they tell their analysts on earnings calls though.

Nope is a value add type service that takes a negative hit but generates income in other ways. Much like my IT department at work. We cost the company money to keep us but we keep the company running so the sales people can turn the profits.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[pmd98052]

Wow adding the Crab Shack to the mix is going to bring down Princess then if they lose even more money with each new specialty restaurant.

 

Must be why HAL isn't rolling out Tamarind more broadly too - it would cripple them. ;-)

 

And as for NCL - wow they're really going to be in trouble with all their extensive specialty restaurants.

[Tampa Girl]

We eat quite often in the PG and hardly ever see kids in there. The ones we have, have been quite well behaved. I believe most parents know their kids well enough to know whether they can make it through a long dinner.

 

 

Yes, but do the parents care? From the behavior of many children these days, it appears not.

[YubaSutter]

And this comment does what to add to the conversation? I teach my girls to only speak when they have something nice to say. . .

 

I'm not one of your girls.

[pmd98052]

Yes, but do the parents care? From the behavior of many children these days, it appears not.

 

I could say the same for many adults on the ship though. Do their parents care? Its a shame many of the adults parents aren't on the ship to keep them under control. There were only 8 kids on our last HAL cruise, their behavior was great - I saw terrible behavior from far more than 8 adults.

 

Also don't forget a PG dinner doesn't have to take 2 hours! We've asked for it to be faster (due to having kids) and as with similar requests in the MDR we can be in and out within an hour or less. Perfect.

Edited June 6, 2014 by pmd98052

[pmd98052]

I'm not one of your girls.

 

Reminds me of another classic bad mannered "adult experience" I had on the last HAL cruise. Having a pleasant conversation with someone out near the pool - They asked where I worked and after I told them proceeded to tear into the company and products that I work on. Fair enough if you don't like them but this wasn't constructive criticism but a nasty rant. It proceeded on to how the company I work for must be encouraging illegal immigration and all sorts - It was nuts.

 

Not what you'd expect in "polite adult company" right?

Edited June 6, 2014 by pmd98052

[midwest 852]

I'm not one of your girls.[/

 

I feel so sorry for you. Bless you honey

[solocanadian]

The amount of money you are paying for a cruise does not give you the right to disrespect old people. All old people DO NOT walk slow and talk loud. Maybe one day you will live long enough to walk slow also. Hopefully, young people then will still respect you :rolleyes:

Hear, Hear!

[cruz chic]

I think we get it. Adults behave badly and all children are well behaved. Got it.

[pmd98052]

I think we get it. Adults behave badly and all children are well behaved. Got it.

 

I think the point folks are trying to make is *some kids* might behave poorly in the PG just as *some adults* also behave poorly.

 

Kids I can understand behaving poorly - I might not like it but I *get* it. Adults behaving poorly - I don't get at all.

 

That is all I am trying to say.

Edited June 6, 2014 by pmd98052

[AlohaPride]

I think we get it. Adults behave badly and all children are well behaved. Got it.

 

Who said all children are well behaved?? Please quote that post.