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Joe Skipper / Reuters
To eat well costs extra on Royal Caribbean International's cruise ship Allure of the Seas.
The days of all-inclusive cruises including the cost of all of your meals seems to be vanishing.
For a few years now, cruise ships have been offering "premium" dining at a higher price. ("Want a steak dinner? Splash out for a night at a higher price.") But in 2011, a mania for up-charging for meals may be kicking into gear.
Case in point: Royal Caribbean International has bumped up its fees for a couple of its so-called "premium" restaurants: Rita's Cantina and the Seafood Shack on Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas.
Passengers used to pay $8 for meals at Rita's Cantina, for instance. They'll now pay a fee of $3 to dine at the restaurant and then pay a price for each item ordered a la carte, too. The 15 percent gratuity isn't included either. (A tip of the hat to Cruise Critic for breaking this story.)
The first absurdity here, I think, is that cruise company RCI considers Rita's Cantina and Seafood Shack to be "premium restaurants."
Rita's Cantina and Seafood Shack serve the type of food that ought to be included in the "all-inclusive" price in the first place. The menu at Rita's Cantina includes such glamorous items as chicken tacos ($2) and taco salad ($3), while Seafood Shack goes all fancy with a basket of grilled jumbo shrimp ($7). Cruise Critic says that these changes amount to a price hike, noting that a meal with guacamole, a quesadilla and grilled chicken that cost $8 in the winter now costs $11.25.
But, of course, that's because there's now ultra-premium restaurants, like Chops Grille. I'll agree that Chops Grille, with its selection of prime rib and lobster dishes, counts as a premium restaurant. I also agree that it's nice to have the option of splashing out on a fancy meal during a cruise. I'm willing to pay an extra cost for the meal, which is now $30 per person (a fee hiked by $5 this year).
Yet the danger here is that all cruise lines will begin to serve sub-standard food in their main dining rooms. After all, by making the dining hall experience less attractive, a company can make more money by upselling customers on fee-based meals elsewhere on-board.
I don't mean to pick on RCL, which offers an outstanding cruise experience overall. That corporation just happens to have been the latest one to do this.
Another example from this summer:
Norwegian Cruise Lines has put into place a $4 fee for late night room service. Room service used to be free. Royal Caribbean instituted this fee about two years ago.
In another twist, if you order a pizza to your room on Norwegian, you'll pay $5 at any time of day.
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That's all right - nobody can afford to go cruising in this stinko economy any more anyway.
People hate the airline industry for nickel-and-diming, but we have to fly. Resorts started up-charging with 'resort fees' and parking, but the backlash from travelers have actually reversed some of these, especially when consumers caught on that budget hotels offered WiFi and their gyms for free while also providing many of the amenities that are common to resorts. Why cruise anymore? I'd rather go to an all-inclusive in the Caribbean where my food, alcohol, watersports, and airfare are all included. I don't mind paying the higher rate up front, because nothing steals that post-vacation glow faster than being nickel-and-dimed at the end.
I couldn't agree more - going to an all-inclusive resort (wherever!!!) is a terrific vacation. You pay the price, and you know exactly what you get, and when you check out, you owe nothing unexpected. My family and I used to cruise a lot - now we fly and stay at all-inclusives in the caribbean. The cruise lines should think twice about this - but of course, those that have the $$ don't have to worry...those of us who budget for a family vacation will have to weigh all options.
I agree with MPDOC. We are geting nickle and dimed to death! My wife and I love to cruise ut if this trend becomes the norm we will make other vacation plans. The cruise lines must remember that many like us aapreciate the "All Inclusive" vacation and many are attracted to cruise because of it but if we have to start paying for things that were previously included I'm sure many will then forgo cxruising and make alternate plans. I dont mind paying a nominal fee for the "upscale restaurants" but I wont be taken advantage of overcharging either. I find it most annoying when going on vacation your destination keeps your hand in your wallet. Anyone been to a Disney resort lately? You can wear your wallet out in a day. Anyway, I hope the cruise lines dont continue with this trend. With todays economy people are looking for bargains, not gouges!
I cruised on RCL back in '90. Lobster and steak were included, you paid only for alcoholic beverages and gratuities.
lol no more nickle and dime
it dollar after doillar
We have traveled NCL several time over the years. Our last cruise in Hawaii was a great disappointment. The service was just bad and the food quality in the main dining room was marginal. As for their charge to go into the "specialty" dining rooms well we won't pay it...not because we can't but because if they insist on reducing their quality in the free access restaurants to encourage dining in the specialty we will choose to sail with someone else. Our next cruise will be to Alaska and well they have an abundance of options.
Cruising has been the best family choice for vacation we had found with young children.
I'll be cruising in 2 weeks on Norweign. While my husband and I did plan to visit a specialty restaurant...we will not be forced to eat there to get the service we expect. We cruise twice a year. If we are not satisfied....all inclusive resorts, here we come.
You see now that many cruise lines are making you pay a significant gratuity up front. Most likely this is because of the poor service and food in the included dining facilities. Royal Caribbean was the only cruise line that didn't add the gratuity when I booked my last cruise, which is why I went with them. If they start playing this nickle and dime game, they will be off my list as well. There are alternatives to a cruise, which they better keep in mind.
In June, my husband and I cruised on Carnival. We were tempted to visit the specialty steak restaurant for my birthday, but changed our minds because of the service we got in the main dinning room. The specialty restaurant was always filled to capacity, which left the regular dinning areas less crowded and made for a more enjoyable dinning experience.
i don't think cruises have ever been considered all-inclusive...the first cruise i took back on NCL in 1981 had additional charges for gratuities, alcohol etc. while all-inclusive resorts like beaches and sandals include those charges. this is just an updated version of the already existing cost add-ons that cruise lines have had for years.
just cruised RCL Allure of the Seas, the main dining room fare was great and good service, too. The specialty places were excellent as well, but the highest-end one 150 Park we'll skip next time. Food was outstanding, but not for the upcharge.
I agree with pepspencer. And will add that the cruise industry is a business like any other and in order to stay in business needs to turn a worthwhile profit. Lines like NCL, Royal, Carnival, Princess are mass market products. The consumer demands budget pricing and these cruise lines reciprocate. I was looking at a cruise folio from 20 years ago and the prices are close to the same, yet the cost of business has increased significantly. It only stands to reason that if you are paying budget pricing, somewhere something will be sacrificed. This can translate in to a restructure of on board pricing which ultimately gives the consumer more choices to cater their cruise vacation to their needs and budget.
As far as gratuities go, the majority of staff on these lines work hard and rely on tips as their main compensation. It is unbelievable how many travelers feel no conscience walking off the ship without tipping. Thus the prepaid tipping or adding the tips to your folio.
There are cruise lines with a more all inclusive concept that include top notch service, unlimited premium brand drinks, and some even include shore excursions. They appeal to a clientele that appreciates these services and is willing to pay for them.
We are lucky that today there are tons of vacation options at our fingertips - we just have to remember in most cases we get what we pay for. Sometimes we get more...
After all the outbreaks of disease on these 'vacation ships' you might wonder how smart it is to charge more for the experience.........
What do you mean "will" serve inferior meals. Have you checked out the swill on Royal Caribbean lately?
I am a Diamond Member who has sailed with them for years. The quality has greatly diminished.
Bah.
When I was on RCI with two other couples the food was so bad that we could only eat the appetisers asnd they were nothing to write home about. The waiter told us that this was because they had cut the food budget. This was on a European cruise which was expensive to begin with. I cruise quite a bit and Carnival has the best food for the average cruiser. Of course Regent has the best food period.
"will begin to serve sub-standard food in their main dining rooms???" Have you actually been a a cruise lately? I took my first cruise ever on Royal Caribbean last month and the food was dreadful. So bad that one night I ordered grilled cheese from the children's menu figuring it's pretty hard to screw up grilled cheese, but they did! Horrible imitation cheese slices barely melted between 3 slices of barely toasted white bread.
And let's not forget the $11 or so per person per day gratuities, whether the staff deserves them or not. I wish cruiselines would just charge what it costs instead of playing these games. Pay your staff and crew a decent wage and don't rely on smoke and mirrors to get your customers to pay for it.
Never again!!
I agree with Brad completely. I am a Diamond member also and have cruised with RCL since 1993. The quality and customer service have declined so much I have switched to Celebrity. I know it is still the same parent company over both cruise lines, but the food and customer service are better than Royal. I paid an outrageous price for the "maiden" voyage of the Freedom and it was the worst experience ever! Bad food, bad service and disgruntled crew. I have to say that Azamara was the best cruise experience I have ever had and I loved the small ship. I have a cruise booked with Celebrity for the Spring but it may well be the last cruise I take. Cruise lines do need to understand that we have other options out there and we will choose to vacation another way unless they get their stuff together!
The food is deplorable and the shows are high school level at best. Cruises are for the over 70 crowd for sure!
Thanks for all the comments.
As a 30 year veteran I have watched the rise, and decline, of the value of cruising for my clients. At one time I would extol the huge value vesus a land vacation but not anymore. My primary focus is to match, by recommendation, the client and the type of trip (ship, hotel, destination, etc.) and at the same time make sure they know what the WHOLE trip should cost. There are now too many unknown factors with cruising unless you sail the luxe lines or river cruising with almost eveything included. Land vacations, especially all inclusives, are now a much better value. I predict within 5 years you will be paying upfront for only the cabin (hotel room anyone?) and the cost of the fuel to get you to the various ports. Everything else will be additional.
We chose to cruise the first time this coming fall. We wanted something slightly exotic in destination, a decent room, and decent food and drink. We sat down and put a cost to everything that we wanted that we thought would make a great vacation. Flights, cabin, meals, drinks, tours, premium meals, premium drinks, and tips for mediocre service (cause if you don't tip you get spit meals).
In the end we figured it would cost the slightly more to travel on a regular cruise line than it would to travel on a super premium ship. So a super premium ship it is.
As a frequent cruiser, I'm not quite sure what the big deal is. Unless you're looking at premium cruise lines it's never truly been all-inclusive (mainly alcohol). All of the price increases mentioned in the article are for optional items, so that only those who are interested have to pay. Would people rather have the total cruise price increased to include things that they may not want?
And Royal still includes steak and lobster dinners in the main dining room, free of charge. If you want a steakhouse quality steak (think Smith and Wollensky) then you can visit Chops, which I visit on every cruise and highly recommend.