It's not just Celebrity charging for extras at dinner

[emmas gran]

[Ipeeinthepools]

Thanks for the info, I’m not going to cruise MSC either.

[cgolf1]

When we were on HAL this year, there was no free lobster in the MDR, so I guess enjoy the small free one on X.

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 minute ago, cgolf1 said:

When we were on HAL this year, there was no free lobster in the MDR, so I guess enjoy the small free one on X.

ok, Club Orange for me.

[hcat]

hope no charge for extra veggies..

three on  plate is pathetic!

[cgolf1]

4 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

ok, Club Orange for me.

 

We are too cheap to pay for the add on, and for me not having lobster on a cruise is not a big thing. I did get prime rib though on HAL. 

 

So does club orange change the dinner menu? I thought it was just priority seating. We booked like 32 days before the cruise, so we didn't have much time to research our options.

[Mark_T]

Unclear at the moment if the MSC MDR charge is fleet-wide or market specific, or an experiment...

 

More clarity in the days ahead I'm sure.

[kywildcatfanone]

Welcome to the future of cruising.  You will pay more, get less, and get charged for things you used to not get charged for.  And you will like it or find another vacation type. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

"Charging extras for dinner" is such a blanket term, in this case it's MSC charges $5 or more for a second entree, X doesn't at the moment except for lobster.  X now offers filet and/or lobster yet the pricing is excessive since X is still serving inferior tiny Spiny/Caribbean Lobster and X charges $35 + tips for surf and turf.  Both Carnival and RCI serve the superior Maine lobster and Carnival charges $23 + tips for surf and turf

[Ipeeinthepools]

7 hours ago, cgolf1 said:

 

We are too cheap to pay for the add on, and for me not having lobster on a cruise is not a big thing. I did get prime rib though on HAL. 

 

So does club orange change the dinner menu? I thought it was just priority seating. We booked like 32 days before the cruise, so we didn't have much time to research our options.

Club orange benefits depend on the ship.  The best deal is on the Pinnacle class ships where there is a dedicated suite/Club Orange dining room.  There is also the room upgrade if you book upgraded cabins within a class.  But booking within 32 days of departure, Club Orange may be full.

[OysterD]

5 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Welcome to the future of cruising.  You will pay more, get less, and get charged for things you used to not get charged for.  And you will like it or find another vacation type. 

Welcome to the future of everything I think! 

[horseymike]

9 hours ago, cgolf1 said:

 

We are too cheap to pay for the add on, and for me not having lobster on a cruise is not a big thing. I did get prime rib though on HAL. 

 

So does club orange change the dinner menu? I thought it was just priority seating. We booked like 32 days before the cruise, so we didn't have much time to research our options.

MDR menu + 1 extra entree option each evening in Club Orange.

[zgscl]

16 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

ok, Club Orange for me.

No free lobster in Club Orange, or anywhere on HAL for that matter. It is an upcharge even in most specialty restaurants. If I remember correctly Sel de Mer is the only one that has a lobster included in the restaurant charge (there is an exception on long cruises where lobster appears on the 3rd or 4th gala night). 

[Ipeeinthepools]

7 hours ago, horseymike said:

MDR menu + 1 extra entree option each evening in Club Orange.

 
I know that’s how it’s advertised but our experience on the Rotterdam and maybe all Pinnacle class ships is that they offer several additional main selections.  Here are tonight’s menus.

 

Here’s the MDR

 

 

Here’s Club Orange

[ElmaLee]

Will they be checking how many "mains" you have at the buffet? 🙂

Edited August 8, 2023 by ElmaLee

[Ipeeinthepools]

22 minutes ago, ElmaLee said:

Will they be checking how many "mains" you have at the buffet? 🙂

 I’m guessing you mid-interpreted +1 extra entrée comment.  That referred to one additional choice.  You can have as many mains, starters or deserts as you can eat at no additional charge in the MDR, Club Orange or the buffet.

[ElmaLee]

14 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 I’m guessing you mid-interpreted +1 extra entrée comment.  That referred to one additional choice.  You can have as many mains, starters or deserts as you can eat at no additional charge in the MDR, Club Orange or the buffet.

I'm guessing you mis-interpreted my 'smiley'  😉

[C4HCG]

For us thankfully food is not a major part of our cruise experience, we know we will get by. Realise it is for many though and if it was for us, we’d not sail again but would revert to land holidays.

[horseymike]

6 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 
I know that’s how it’s advertised but our experience on the Rotterdam and maybe all Pinnacle class ships is that they offer several additional main selections.  Here are tonight’s menus.

 

Here’s the MDR

 

 

Here’s Club Orange

That's good to know.

Thanks

[Georgia_Peaches]

I’m currently on Seaside in the Yacht Club. No such blurb exists on the YC menus…yet. Guess I’m gonna field trip to the MDR today and check it out. 

[cublet]

Hello,

 

Could we be missing the point?

 

The charge is not for extra food but for the efficiency of the kitchen staff, that have moved onto other courses/things, to stop what they are doing to go back to dishes that have already 'gone'?

 

Perhaps it's a hint at reduced numbers in the kitchen team.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[NantahalaCruiser]

The very reason we will no longer be taking mass market ocean lines.  I was going to say, no more Nickle and Diming - but it's really 5 and 10 bucking.

 

[Mark_T]

5 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

I’m currently on Seaside in the Yacht Club. No such blurb exists on the YC menus…yet. Guess I’m gonna field trip to the MDR today and check it out. 

It has been confirmed on Seascape as well as Seaside, but also confirmed it is not in YC.

 

Waiting with interest to see if this is fleet-wide, or just the US based cruises...

[emmas gran]

54 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

It has been confirmed on Seascape as well as Seaside, but also confirmed it is not in YC.

 

Waiting with interest to see if this is fleet-wide, or just the US based cruises...

I have Canaries on Virtuosa on September 9th , will be YC but can try and investigate 

Edited August 8, 2023 by emmas gran

[OysterD]

I know the MSC board on here isn't quite as busy as the Celebrity one, but I do find it interesting how there currently isn't even a thread started over there about the $5 charge for a second main course. That to me would be a pretty huge thing, surely the ability to have a second main course if you like (or getting an extra one to share for the table) is a mainstay of cruising hahah.

 

Meanwhile over here we had 40 odd pages of moaning, rumour and conjecture about a potential renaming and minor adjustment of roles for butlers...something nobody has even experienced yet!