Is the $5 extra entree charge true in MDR?

[Shippy]

23 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

this sucks.

Well, I guess our first MSC cruise will be our last.

And to think that I was griping that Carnival was charging for the 3+ entrees.

 

If my kid doesn't like what he's ordered (which has happened before), it's free for him to order something else on other cruise lines. Apparently, not on MSC starting now.

We too had something we didn't like once in a while. I guess we'll have to be very choosy on our upcoming cruise. Well, like I said - it will be our last until they rescind this stupid rule. 

 ???  What do you do in a regular restaurant when he 'doesn't' like the food ?

[Itchy&Scratchy]

24 minutes ago, Shippy said:

 ???  What do you do in a regular restaurant when he 'doesn't' like the food ?

he orders the same thing in regular restaurants. Tried and true.

 

That's the thing about cruising - we are finally getting him to open up to trying other things (because food is way more exciting on the cruise), but we never had to worry about him not liking something, because we can always fall back on a different entree choice. Not anymore on MSC, though.  But after shelling out thousands for a cruise, I am not paying $5 per additional entree. Heck no. That is the real nickel and diming.

[aero777]

All this talk of nickel and diming I feel like I’m back on the NCL board!

[Mark_T]

We should keep in mind that this has only been reported on two ships sailing out of the US at the moment, so we have no idea if this is a trial or something that has been rolled out fleet-wide.

 

Also I don't think we've seen a report from anyone who has actually been charged the new fee yet either, so no idea if there is some latitude in the way the rule is being enforced to distinguish between replacement for a disliked entrée vs 'bring me one of everything' ...

 

 

[JamieLogical]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

this sucks.

Well, I guess our first MSC cruise will be our last.

And to think that I was griping that Carnival was charging for the 3+ entrees.

 

If my kid doesn't like what he's ordered (which has happened before), it's free for him to order something else on other cruise lines. Apparently, not on MSC starting now.

We too had something we didn't like once in a while. I guess we'll have to be very choosy on our upcoming cruise. Well, like I said - it will be our last until they rescind this stupid rule. 

 

I sincerely doubt they will charge if you simply send something back. I imagine they would only charge you if you ordered two entrees at once and ate them both.

[MrCarmine]

The 5.00 charge is only for dinners that have an asterisk next to the meal. It appears the higher end meals have a 5.00 charge. MSC is horrible at communicating and this is another example.  Here is am image showing the Asterisk. 

 

[JamieLogical]

1 hour ago, MrCarmine said:

The 5.00 charge is only for dinners that have an asterisk next to the meal. It appears the higher end meals have a 5.00 charge. MSC is horrible at communicating and this is another example.  Here is am image showing the Asterisk. 

 

 

If you can eat two leg of lambs or two surf & turfs, you deserve to pay an extra $5! This thing is like something out of the Flintstones.

 

[gizfish]

5 hours ago, MrCarmine said:

The 5.00 charge is only for dinners that have an asterisk next to the meal. It appears the higher end meals have a 5.00 charge. MSC is horrible at communicating and this is another example.  Here is am image showing the Asterisk. 

 

Nope.  One asterisk is the undercooked meat warning.  The $5 surcharge has two asterisks corresponding to the two asterisks next to the word entrees.

[RandomUser123]

My wife now told me she saw a Facebook post from someone currently on Meraviglia saying they are doing the $5 second entree charge as well. Sounds like this could be shipwide in the US. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

15 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I sincerely doubt they will charge if you simply send something back. I imagine they would only charge you if you ordered two entrees at once and ate them both.

yeah, but I don't want to get charged for the second entree, period. Not just for the replacement food.

 

That is a very important part of cruising for us.

[PTC DAWG]

15 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I sincerely doubt they will charge if you simply send something back. I imagine they would only charge you if you ordered two entrees at once and ate them both.

This^^^

[Pizzasteve]

22 hours ago, Mark_T said:

... and the buffet is still there as well for further calories if required...

 

We tend to agree, there is more than enough without having to order multiple entrées, yet from observation it is not an uncommon practice it seems.

I really dont think going to another venue for a second complete meal is really a valid comment.  People might want to try a different first entre due to some problem with the original one, or an entre item might be preferred as an appetizer or instead of desert. 

 

I dont think most people are 'looking for additional calories.'

 

If one dish is huge a waiter can advise and the second main has been scaled down to app size, at least on other lines we book.  I guess we will figure it out and adapt. Perhaps MSC has less kitchen flexibility.

 

For example, we almost never eat dessert because they  are usually empty calories and rarely something we find particularly exciting, whereas a main might be compelling (like having pasta before protein for a typical Italian meal). 

 

Anyway, its just a bit annoying and implementing this after taking full payment without notice is a sneaking practice that worrys me about other areas where they might be sneaking in hidden problems.

Edited August 10, 2023 by Pizzasteve

[KennyFla]

17 hours ago, Mark_T said:

We should keep in mind that this has only been reported on two ships sailing out of the US at the moment, so we have no idea if this is a trial or something that has been rolled out fleet-wide.

 

 

 

could well be a trial, and whether they keep it going will depend on how much pushback they get

 

Also, if the goal is to cut down on waste, have employees serve at the buffet like during Covid. 

[KennyFla]

21 hours ago, mvh said:

This should have been done years ago. No one needs 2 dinners. The excuse that you just wanted to try a little is b.s. If that is truly the case it's only going to be $5. 

You try to stir things up.  What are you, 12?

[thistimeplease]

My dh and I often order a second entree, especially if there is a fish and beef we like.  We then split the 2nd entree and have a "surf & turf".  We also like to have a pasta entree to split with our dinner.  It really isn't that unusual to order 2 entrees.

[go.without.you]

22 hours ago, mvh said:

This should have been done years ago. No one needs 2 dinners. The excuse that you just wanted to try a little is b.s. If that is truly the case it's only going to be $5. 

This is a little judgmental.

 

Back when I was working out an hour or more every day I could eat 2 entrees plus 2 desserts. And I was a size 4 at the time (5'8" 130 lbs). Some people live more active lifestyles that burn a lot of calories.

I only have an issue with extra entrees if they are being wasted.

[south-carolinagirl]

So who do we complain to?  Anyone want to start a petition?  I have three weeks to cruise date.  It really makes me angry that you know they knew they were going to do this (they had to get menus printed) but not a heads up at all when I booked just less than a week ago...vent over 

[mvh]

Again, Only $5. Order 2 meal per night and it's $35 for the week. It blows my mind how many people whine over these petty things. I know, I know it's the principal, right?

[mvh]

15 minutes ago, go.without.you said:

This is a little judgmental.

 

Back when I was working out an hour or more every day I could eat 2 entrees plus 2 desserts. And I was a size 4 at the time (5'8" 130 lbs). Some people live more active lifestyles that burn a lot of calories.

I only have an issue with extra entrees if they are being wasted.

Point taken.

[Beaver1975]

There is a lot of confirmed information about this on Facebook.

[CruiseCruiseAndMoreCruise]

6 hours ago, RandomUser123 said:

My wife now told me she saw a Facebook post from someone currently on Meraviglia saying they are doing the $5 second entree charge as well. Sounds like this could be shipwide in the US. 

That's interesting, as I was on the Meraviglia last week and this wasn't the case.  Perfect timing on my part as I had multiple entrees a few nights! 

[morpheusofthesea]

This is unfortunately similar to "let them eat cake" mentality to those in the Yacht Club. Just experienced the end of the Seafood Extravaganza. Yet there are so many newbies that knew nothing about this popular event and will know nothing about it. Only 'happenings' are announced with fanfare and invitations. Nonevents are relegated to the dustbin of history. We just happened to ask what day will the S.E. be and were told it is gone. (We had it onboard just 2 weeks ago).

   So in leaving the YC restaurant after a delightful lunch of 2 entrees, we overheard a couple of YC guests that had just finished their lunch in the YC restaurant exclaim " Let's go up and have a second lunch at the OnePool buffet."

Edited August 10, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[nferr]

23 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

he orders the same thing in regular restaurants. Tried and true.

 

That's the thing about cruising - we are finally getting him to open up to trying other things (because food is way more exciting on the cruise), but we never had to worry about him not liking something, because we can always fall back on a different entree choice. Not anymore on MSC, though.  But after shelling out thousands for a cruise, I am not paying $5 per additional entree. Heck no. That is the real nickel and diming.

 Of course MSC has the lowest cruise fares around, so to save maybe $15 on his food you'll pay hundreds more in cruise fare. Makes sense.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

3 minutes ago, nferr said:

 Of course MSC has the lowest cruise fares around, so to save maybe $15 on his food you'll pay hundreds more in cruise fare. Makes sense.

oh, please, lowest fares, my behind. We can only cruise during school breaks, which doesn't afford us low fares. Our November's cruise fare is right up there with the rest of the cruise lines. And if I were to book it now instead of last year, it would have been way more than other cruise lines, and might I add -  unjustifiably so.

[nferr]

1 minute ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

oh, please, lowest fares, my behind. We can only cruise during school breaks, which doesn't afford us low fares. Our November's cruise fare is right up there with the rest of the cruise lines. And if I were to book it now instead of last year, it would have been way more than other cruise lines, and might I add -  unjustifiably so.

 

All the other lines are also highest priced during school breaks. I'd love to see your comparison pricing against the other lines. It's not even close out of NY.