$150 per person for the Chefs Table

[Mt Lassen]

I have been waiting for Chefs Table reservations to be available for my upcoming cruise on the Panorama. Today they finally showed up priced at $150 per person. At that price my last cruise was my last Chefs Table.

Edited November 30, 2023 by Mt Lassen

[x lindsay x]

Yes, I noticed that same pricing for my upcoming Venezia cruise. I also noticed the print at the bottom that read:

"Sailing on Panorama, Firenze or Venezia? Your ship has an upgraded Chef’s Table experience! Enjoy an elevated menu with premium options for food and wine"

 

Does anyone know what the "upgraded" experience entails vs. the other ships?

[mz-s]

They're really hiking the prices in a hurry, wow. To me the Chef's Table is a nice experience but it is not worth that price for a typical cruise. Anniversary cruise or something like that, maybe. Each to their own!

[Frank12]

Holy cow!!!!😳

[ninjacat123]

Too rich for me🤑

[Destiny0315]

44 minutes ago, Mt Lassen said:

I have been waiting for Chefs Table reservations to be available for my upcoming cruise on the Panorama. Today they finally showed up priced at $150 per person. At that price my last cruise was my last Chefs Table.

That $150 would be equivalent to three meals in the steakhouse per person!

[BlerkOne]

Obviously a meal unique to those three ships, and perhaps unique to each one.

[LaRue1975]

If you follow through to purchase they add gratuity, it is $354 for a couple. If they are upgrading the food and wine they should have promoted it first. I didn’t purchase, just wanted to see the total cost. Edited to add I am on Panorama also so would get the upgraded experience but I would definitely need specific details and it would have to be very impressive to warrant spending $354. 

Edited December 1, 2023 by LaRue1975

[stobe1]

If people book it at those prices Carnival will keep it at that price point for a while then try another incremental raise down the road.  I don't blame them for trying at all. They are in the business to make money, after all. They just won't be getting the revenue from me at that price point. 

 

Things like FTTF, which is a pure cash cow for Carnival with ZERO cost to them, will continue to go up in search of increased revenue. And as long as people pay it they will keep that trend up. 

[DallasGuy75219]

59 minutes ago, stobe1 said:

Things like FTTF, which is a pure cash cow for Carnival with ZERO cost to them, will continue to go up in search of increased revenue. And as long as people pay it they will keep that trend up. 

However FTTF doesn't seem to be selling out on just about every cruise like it used to.

 

People used to post here about checking daily to see if slots had opened up, but on my last few cruises it seems FTTF is always available. Probably just not as many takers since they've jacked up the prices so much.

[stobe1]

11 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

However FTTF doesn't seem to be selling out on just about every cruise like it used to.

 

People used to post here about checking daily to see if slots had opened up, but on my last few cruises it seems FTTF is always available. Probably just not as many takers since they've jacked up the prices so much.

I dont know. I dont track it that closely I just always see posts about people snagging it on here. If your observation is true across all of Carnival's sailings perhaps they have found the max threshold that people are willing to pay for it. 

 

We typically cruise 4 to 5 times per year and used to do Chef's Table at least 2 times per year. At that price we won't be doing it. They crossed our threshold as frequent Carnival loyalist "cheerleaders".

Edited December 1, 2023 by stobe1

[BlerkOne]

A very misleading title. Chef's Table is only $90pp on Carnival Valor.

[stobe1]

6 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

A very misleading title. Chef's Table is only $90pp on Carnival Valor.

Not that misleading. It is true that Panorama is $150. Prices are definitely going up. I just checked my next 3 cruises on Panorama, Pride and Jubilee. Here is what Chef's Table costs for each, respectively. 

 

It definitely seems to vary by cruise.

 

 

[BlerkOne]

5 minutes ago, stobe1 said:

Not that misleading. It is true that Panorama is $150. Prices are definitely going up. I just checked my next 3 cruises on Panorama, Pride and Jubilee. Here is what Chef's Table costs for each, respectively. 

 

It definitely seems to vary by cruise.

 

Some include a Galley Tour and there may be other differences.

 

Carnival seems to be testing a new experience above a normal Chef's Table. If successful, it could be rolled out to more ships. Both could be offered on a cruise if there is sufficient demand.

 

[stobe1]

13 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Some include a Galley Tour and there may be other differences.

 

Carnival seems to be testing a new experience above a normal Chef's Table. If successful, it could be rolled out to more ships. Both could be offered on a cruise if there is sufficient demand.

 

 

Yeah hopefully for the increased prices they are trying to make it more upscale. However, I have yet to do a Chef's Table that didn't include a galley tour. Even on Fantasy amd Spirit class ships where Chef's Table was in the Library or night club there was a galley tour.

 

Either way, for $150 I won't be doing it.

Edited December 1, 2023 by stobe1

[BlerkOne]

20 minutes ago, stobe1 said:

 

Yeah hopefully for the increased prices they are trying to make it more upscale. However, I have yet to do a Chef's Table that didn't include a galley tour. Even on Fantasy amd Spirit class ships where Chef's Table was in the Library or night club there was a galley tour.

 

Either way, for $150 I won't be doing it.

Princess has a Chef's Table, and also the 360 Experience on a couple of ships. 360 goes for $149 for non-suite guests.

 

Carnival could be going more upscale, or perhaps letting the Chef prepare a real Chef's Table of his/her choice, or... The regular Chef's Table could still offer a fleet standard menu.

[x lindsay x]

On my 11 day Venezia sailing the Chef's table appears to be available at the $150 price on 9 of the 11 nights, which also seems like a lot of availability. It used to be a tough ticket to book, they might have outpaced demand on this one.

 

And as the above poster noted, at that price its $27 pp for gratuities which in my mind less than I would pay on land for a $150 meal. 

 

I will say since I know my DH won't attend I am somewhat tempted to book just to see what the upgraded experience entails. 

Edited December 1, 2023 by x lindsay x
They censored a joke about taking donations via a known site to fund it

[mz-s]

7 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Some include a Galley Tour and there may be other differences.

 

Carnival seems to be testing a new experience above a normal Chef's Table. If successful, it could be rolled out to more ships. Both could be offered on a cruise if there is sufficient demand.

 

 

More likely, they are testing different price points to see what their clientele will bear. If you're booked on a cruise where Chef's Table is only $90 and you have thought about doing it, book it NOW because it won't be $90 for much longer I bet...

[LaRue1975]

1 hour ago, x lindsay x said:

On my 11 day Venezia sailing the Chef's table appears to be available at the $150 price on 9 of the 11 nights, which also seems like a lot of availability. It used to be a tough ticket to book, they might have outpaced demand on this one.

 

And as the above poster noted, at that price its $27 pp for gratuities which in my mind less than I would pay on land for a $150 meal. 

 

I will say since I know my DH won't attend I am somewhat tempted to book just to see what the upgraded experience entails. 

Besides the NYE cruise I will be on Panorama in February with a girlfriend and I think we might do it. It seems more doable if you only have to pay for one, lol! We did the Chefs Table on the Radiance in May, it was her first cruise. She loved the cruise but we were both a little disappointed in the Chefs Table, it wasn’t bad, maybe our expectations were too high. 🤷‍♀️ My friend is a foodie and appreciates good wine and the wine definitely missed the mark. It would be worth paying 50% more if the experience is 50% better. 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

"upgraded" experience = hogwash

[Joebucks]

12 hours ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

However FTTF doesn't seem to be selling out on just about every cruise like it used to.

 

People used to post here about checking daily to see if slots had opened up, but on my last few cruises it seems FTTF is always available. Probably just not as many takers since they've jacked up the prices so much.

 

Whenever you have something consistently sell out in minutes/hours, you have clearly underpriced it. I could be wrong, but I'd bet they found a new system that makes them much more money.

 

Specialty dining has escalated in price far too much for my liking. I did always want to try this one, but it looks like I've waited too long. There is zero chance I'm paying $350 for a dinner on a cruise.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Just now, Joebucks said:

 

....There is zero chance I'm paying $350 for a dinner on a cruise.

 

But, it's an upgraded experience... 😉

[jimbo5544]

It def is pricey

[staceyglow]

There are plenty of cruisers who buy things on the ship that I think are ridiculously priced - suites, art, jewelry, spa treatments, shore excursions, bingo cards, etc. 

 

The profit that Carnival makes on those items keeps my cruise fare low. That's why I don't complain about it. Quite the opposite - please, please buy that stuff, fellow cruisers! 

[DallasGuy75219]

5 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

Whenever you have something consistently sell out in minutes/hours, you have clearly underpriced it. I could be wrong, but I'd bet they found a new system that makes them much more money.

 

Specialty dining has escalated in price far too much for my liking. I did always want to try this one, but it looks like I've waited too long. There is zero chance I'm paying $350 for a dinner on a cruise.

I understand microeconomics. Carnival's goal should be to maximize total revenue from FTTF (within the limits of available resources), which may happen at a price point where FTTF does not sell out.

 

My point was that demand for FTTF is elastic, and at current prices there are some people who just won't bite like they did when FTTF was priced lower.