items for a fee in the main dining room?

[maritaysa]

Add the rib eye, and DH would order it every night. I'd probably order it at least twice on a 7-day.

[eponym]

Add the rib eye, and DH would order it every night. I'd probably order it at least twice on a 7-day.

 

Is that the 18 ounce'r from steakhouse your referring to? That's a great steak!

Edited April 9, 2015 by eponym

[ctkathchick]

Have to agree with the post about the flat iron steak being sub par. I have tried it numerous times and it has yet to be good. Back about 10 years ago they used to have an amazing strip steak on the menu each day.Now that was a good steak but that went the way of the dinosaur along with the quality of all their beef plates. That being said believe me I never starve to death when I cruise I just don't expect quality unless we visit the steakhouse and that is delicious.

[maritaysa]

Is that the 18 ounce'r from steakhouse your referring to? That's a great steak!

 

Yes! Yum, yum!

[eponym]

Have to agree with the post about the flat iron steak being sub par. I have tried it numerous times and it has yet to be good. Back about 10 years ago they used to have an amazing strip steak on the menu each day.Now that was a good steak but that went the way of the dinosaur along with the quality of all their beef plates. That being said believe me I never starve to death when I cruise I just don't expect quality unless we visit the steakhouse and that is delicious.

 

Going from a moderate strip steak to "flat iron" seems shaky.

 

Here's what I read about Flat Iron's. Heck the name doesn't even sound appealing..

 

Also known as top blade steak.

Cut with the grain, from the shoulder, producing a cut that is flavorful but is a bit tougher because it's not cross-grain. To make it more marketable, the steak, which has fascia dividing the infraspinatus within it, has recently been cut as two flatter steaks, each corresponding to one muscle, with the tougher fascia removed.

 

When I thought about this - In more than 30 years I never recall buying top blade steaks or flat iron steaks to cook at home. Always seemed like a lower grade, tough piece of meat in the stores.

 

Are flat irons the ones that get marinated for days for mexican dishes like carne asada? If so, it seems like that should be left for making fajitas or tacos/burritos instead of the steak choice standard in MDR's.

 

I will try one next month for the first time, and order something else that night if it is hard to choke down.

Edited April 9, 2015 by eponym

[simplelife]

I personally hate the upcharge trend. When we first started cruising, one of its major appeals was the ease of budgeting, knowing we would not be incurring many expenses once the fare was paid. Now each cruise we schedule has found more and more ways to extract additional fees. When will the upcharge madness end?

[ldlewis45]

Have to agree with the post about the flat iron steak being sub par. I have tried it numerous times and it has yet to be good. Back about 10 years ago they used to have an amazing strip steak on the menu each day.Now that was a good steak but that went the way of the dinosaur along with the quality of all their beef plates. That being said believe me I never starve to death when I cruise I just don't expect quality unless we visit the steakhouse and that is delicious.

 

Yeah, the flat iron leaves a lot to be desired. The last time I got it, I had one bite and then just ate the sides. It was tough (and cooked medium, so it wasn't like it was overdone) and tasted like a cheap Walmart steak. The filets in the steakhouse are SO much better, so I hope the one that's an upcharge in the MDR is the same quality. Although, I'd probably pay the extra $15 to go to the steakhouse and get the French onion soup (also much better than the MDR version), portabella mushroom app, wasabi mashed potatoes, and creamed spinach. Mmm.

[ldlewis45]

I personally hate the upcharge trend. When we first started cruising, one of its major appeals was the ease of budgeting, knowing we would not be incurring many expenses once the fare was paid. Now each cruise we schedule has found more and more ways to extract additional fees. When will the upcharge madness end?

 

But you don't HAVE to spend anything extra. No one is forcing you to pay for the upcharge items. They're there if you want them, but there are free/included alternatives.

[newbeestl]

But you don't HAVE to spend anything extra. No one is forcing you to pay for the upcharge items. They're there if you want them, but there are free/included alternatives.

 

You do see the trend though, don't you? Soon the only thing you'll get for "free" is a hotdog and french fries in the MDR. The cost of the cruise is supposed to include quality food and drink, at least is used to. Not anymore. Now there's all kinds of "upgrades" you can buy. The people buying these will drive the cruise lines to do more and more of it. As long as the price of the cruise goes down, that's fair, but I don't think the price is coming down. They're charging the same amount and now charging for decent room service food, MDR food, decent coffee and who knows what is next. I heard desserts in the MDR is next. Sure you can still get lower quality stuff for free, but it's a shame watching this happen and knowing where it's going.

[RCmommy]

There's the steakhouse selection items available for $20 in the MDR.

 

 

 

I tried this once and ordered the surf and turf. Food tastes are subjective but I enjoyed it. I'll pass the next time as the spice rub available in the actual steakhouse isn't available in the MDR.

 

 

Here's the flat iron steak and lobster served during elegant night. I'll stick with this in the MDR and will go to the actual steakhouse for those ships that have one.

 

 

Is this on the regular MDR menu or do we need to ask for this separately?

[Warm Breezes]

You do see the trend though, don't you? Soon the only thing you'll get for "free" is a hotdog and french fries in the MDR. The cost of the cruise is supposed to include quality food and drink, at least is used to. Not anymore. Now there's all kinds of "upgrades" you can buy. The people buying these will drive the cruise lines to do more and more of it. As long as the price of the cruise goes down, that's fair, but I don't think the price is coming down. They're charging the same amount and now charging for decent room service food, MDR food, decent coffee and who knows what is next. I heard desserts in the MDR is next. Sure you can still get lower quality stuff for free, but it's a shame watching this happen and knowing where it's going.

 

I tend to disagree with your assessment. For the price we pay for our Carnival Cruises, which in our case has essentially not gone up in the past 10 years, the quality of the MDR food is consistent with what I would expect for the price. I do not expect 5* but I do expect good to great food which is what I have always received on Carnival. Having the choice to pay more for a higher quality is just that, a choice. I have no problem with more choices even at a cost if I feel that the price I paid for what is "included" was a price I was willing to pay. I am the consumer. I choose what is a value to me and what is not. If it ever got to the point where the price for my Carnival Cruise was not something I was willing to pay for what was "included" in that price, then I would take my business elsewhere. So far that has not been the case. I paid $1313 for a balcony room for 2 on the Splendor next week. IMHO that is more than fair for the quality of food, entertainment, service, etc that we receive on a Carnival Cruise....even if DH decides to upgrade his steak for $20.

 

Carnival is a business. The goal of businesses is to make a profit for their shareholders. Businesses constantly make changes meant to increase their profits. That is why they exist. We are the consumers. Our goal is get the best value for us for our vacation dollars. Value is subjective. Choices are good because of that reason alone. Figure out what you value in a vacation and how much you are willing to pay for it then make the right choice for you whether that be Carnival, RCCL, NCL, an all-inclusive or a camper. If Carnival is moving in a direction that no longer makes it a value vacation for you then find something else that is. You do have the power to choose.

[Kobayashi]

Is this on the regular MDR menu or do we need to ask for this separately?

 

 

This is on the MDR menu. I just isolated the steakhouse selection option. This is also a copy of the American Table Menu from the Imagination during the Ensenada port visit.

 

 

[eponym]

You do see the trend though, don't you? Soon the only thing you'll get for "free" is a hotdog and french fries in the MDR. The cost of the cruise is supposed to include quality food and drink, at least is used to. Not anymore. Now there's all kinds of "upgrades" you can buy. The people buying these will drive the cruise lines to do more and more of it. As long as the price of the cruise goes down, that's fair, but I don't think the price is coming down. They're charging the same amount and now charging for decent room service food, MDR food, decent coffee and who knows what is next. I heard desserts in the MDR is next. Sure you can still get lower quality stuff for free, but it's a shame watching this happen and knowing where it's going.

 

The trend is blatantly obvious. The way people estimate, budget and otherwise further consider taking vacations on Carnival ships is also going to change. Not necessarily a bad thing, still very much in the air and in testing.

 

By the way, nothing is free. You are paying for the food in the current rates charged. It could come to pass that there will be a Carnival OPTION for fares without included food or drink of any kind - and you a la carte your way completely during the cruise. The middle ground in the meantime - having to now become aware of all the options and up charges relating to food and drink - will require people to make many more decisions in planning and during their vacations on Carnival ships than ever before.

Edited April 9, 2015 by eponym

[TerReuv]

Add the rib eye, and DH would order it every night. I'd probably order it at least twice on a 7-day.

 

I love the ribeye! That is my steak of choice and I would love to see that one added to the pay menu. I like that they added some steakhouse selections for extra. If one person really wants steakhouse and the rest don't they can still have their steak (or whatever is offered).

[MaineYachtClub]

I have not been on a cruise for a long time, so I've been reading through the 1st timers forums. It has been mentioned by several people that in the MDR, if you don't want the daily menu, ask for something different. If you want 2 entrees or 3 appetizers, just ask, you can get it. The posters make it sound like the substitutions and extras are all free. Is this not the case anymore, or were maybe they referring to non-Carnival policies?

 

Thanks for all the great advise.

[Honolulu Blue]

I have not been on a cruise for a long time, so I've been reading through the 1st timers forums. It has been mentioned by several people that in the MDR, if you don't want the daily menu, ask for something different. If you want 2 entrees or 3 appetizers, just ask, you can get it. The posters make it sound like the substitutions and extras are all free. Is this not the case anymore, or were maybe they referring to non-Carnival policies?

 

All meal items in the MDR on Carnival are free and unlimited in availability, except for the steakhouse additions.

[SurferJoe57]

By the way, nothing is free. You are paying for the food in the current rates charged.

Sadly you're exactly right. As others have written here, I’m predicting that the end game for the pricing model is that everything’s ala-carte, keeping the basic cruise fares the same or higher.

I've always assumed that the cruise lines use the Cruise Rate - the "Brochure price" which is almost always discounted - as the price to compete against and compare themselves to other lines. Carnival is, of course, in the mass-market/value end of the spectrum, but they've still got essentially the same costs as the more expensive lines - fuel, maintenance, staffing, so the only way they can make money is on selling ala-carte food, liquor and gift items. I'm going to make a wild guess that if everyone simply sat on the ship, avoided the casino, drank tap water, and ate off the regular menu, that they'd loose a small fortune on every sailing. (One of the most critical administrative jobs on each ship is the Revenue Analyst.)

So we all understand the lines have to make money, and yes, I’m a Carnival stockholder myself, so I realize how thin the margins actually are, but I think most of us would rather see a rise in the basic cruise rate than the nickle & dime irritation that comes from unbundling what used to be ‘all inclusive.’ Shockingly, Carnival leadership does listen to us, as evidenced by this year's offerings of "Carnival Journeys," (repositioning and longer sailings, so those of us that want that sort of thing don't literally have to jump ship to a rival line), they might take it under advisement to raise the basic cruise rates and not unbundle everything. Perhaps what's been suggested here, which has already been implemented in half-steps, where the line offers "packages" such as the soda or liquor packages, which have the effect of raising your cruise rate by $50 a day, but relieving you of the burden of worrying about by-the-drink-costs, might be where things wind up.

Of course, the other lines (RCI, NCL, etc.) have to cooperate and not get into what's tantamount to a phony discounting war.

Edited April 10, 2015 by SurferJoe57

[Brad1185]

I don't want to ever see a dollar sign on a menu in the mdr

[eponym]

I don't want to ever see a dollar sign on a menu in the mdr

 

Hate to disappoint you. they are already there for the 'options'.

[TerReuv]

Sadly you're exactly right. As others have written here, I’m predicting that the end game for the pricing model is that everything’s ala-carte, keeping the basic cruise fares the same or higher.

I've always assumed that the cruise lines use the Cruise Rate - the "Brochure price" which is almost always discounted - as the price to compete against and compare themselves to other lines. Carnival is, of course, in the mass-market/value end of the spectrum, but they've still got essentially the same costs as the more expensive lines - fuel, maintenance, staffing, so the only way they can make money is on selling ala-carte food, liquor and gift items. I'm going to make a wild guess that if everyone simply sat on the ship, avoided the casino, drank tap water, and ate off the regular menu, that they'd loose a small fortune on every sailing. (One of the most critical administrative jobs on each ship is the Revenue Analyst.)

So we all understand the lines have to make money, and yes, I’m a Carnival stockholder myself, so I realize how thin the margins actually are, but I think most of us would rather see a rise in the basic cruise rate than the nickle & dime irritation that comes from unbundling what used to be ‘all inclusive.’ Shockingly, Carnival leadership does listen to us, as evidenced by this year's offerings of "Carnival Journeys," (repositioning and longer sailings, so those of us that want that sort of thing don't literally have to jump ship to a rival line), they might take it under advisement to raise the basic cruise rates and not unbundle everything. Perhaps what's been suggested here, which has already been implemented in half-steps, where the line offers "packages" such as the soda or liquor packages, which have the effect of raising your cruise rate by $50 a day, but relieving you of the burden of worrying about by-the-drink-costs, might be where things wind up.

Of course, the other lines (RCI, NCL, etc.) have to cooperate and not get into what's tantamount to a phony discounting war.

 

I am curious about this. You say unbundling, and yet the additions to the MDR from the Steakhouse for a fee were never offered in the MDR were they? I mean, yes there is still a filet on one of the Elegant nights, but on the whole isn't everything that is being added for a fee (both to the MDR and the Room Service menu) additions and not a true "unbundling"?

[Brighton Line]

...the "Brochure price" which is almost always discounted - as the price to compete against and compare themselves to other lines.

 

Have you ever looked at the back of your hotel room door at the "rack rate" for the room?

Have you ever paid that?

Just the other day Motel 6, $48 for the night, rack rate was $199.

Same thing for the brochure price, who pays brochure or rack rate?

FWIW

[eponym]

I tend to disagree with your assessment. For the price we pay for our Carnival Cruises, which in our case has essentially not gone up in the past 10 years, the quality of the MDR food is consistent with what I would expect for the price. I paid $1313 for a balcony room for 2 on the Splendor next week. IMHO that is more than fair for the quality of food, entertainment, service, etc that we receive on a Carnival Cruise....

 

I can say with certainty that not everyone gets balcony rooms on Splendor for $1313 cabin price for 2 persons. Accordingly, your perception of value could be much different than all others not paying that same low rate for the type of balcony room.

[Warm Breezes]

I can say with certainty that not everyone gets balcony rooms on Splendor for $1313 cabin price for 2 persons. Accordingly, your perception of value could be much different than all others not paying that same low rate for the type of balcony room.

 

I totally agree. But that is my reality and I am sure I am not the only one who can say that. I am almost positive I am not the only one who bought a room on that sailing at that rate when it was an advertised sale. Like I said before value is subjective. Everyone must choose what is a value for them and at what price and make their vacation choices accordingly. Thus this whole conversation will be subjective per the person reading/responding to it. I may disagree with your assessment because it is not my reality and you may not agree with me because it is not your reality. Neither of us is wrong because there isn't a right answer here. We just have to agree to disagree.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Warm Breezes

[SurferJoe57]

I am curious about this. You say unbundling, and yet the additions to the MDR from the Steakhouse for a fee were never offered in the MDR were they? I mean, yes there is still a filet on one of the Elegant nights, but on the whole isn't everything that is being added for a fee (both to the MDR and the Room Service menu) additions and not a true "unbundling"?

My friends at Corporate Carnival are far smarter than I; however, there was something you could call a lobster that used to appear on the rotational MDR menu. I'll agree that yes, well, true, most of what we're seeing are "additional" or "premium" items - but it's on the road to un-bundling everything.

When I was a young undergraduate at the Cornell Hotel School 40 years ago, we used to analyze long term industry trends; unsurprisingly, most hotel (and ship) menus had far less variety then than they did 100 years ago, even more so today. Additionally, the number of items that were "complementary" or "bundled" (never say 'free') has gradually decreased in favor of ala carte, thinly veiled as a way to increase revenues.

 

And yes, to respond to Brighton Line, no one pays the "brochure price." My point with that remark was to note that the usual selling price of a cabin ("Cruise Rate"), stated as a discount off the brochure price, is the price to compare, and one of the few ways to keep that number low is to unbundle food.

Edited April 22, 2015 by SurferJoe57

[amysb]

Any ship with a steakhouse will have this option OP.

 

It is also available on ships without steakhouses, such as the Triumph ;). My SIL had one in November and thought it was great.