Cruise ships have come a long way in the last 20 years. Once the province of seniors, honeymooners and party-types, cruise lines have increasingly become a popular mainstream vacation for all ages, including families.
One of the strongest seller points for a vacation at sea has always been the all-inclusive nature, at least regarding food. Now, the free, all-you-can-eat seems to be going overboard.
Many ships have abandoned the huge midnight buffets, but it’s generally been possible to eat all you want, when you want, without worrying about the price tag.
For travelers on a budget, it’s a real luxury to be able to walk into a dining room and make a choice based on what sounds good, as opposed to “well, the steak sounds good, but the pasta is half the price.”
As frequent cruisers have learned, however, and first-timers have discovered, the rise of “alternative dining rooms” has eroded the concept. While the most-deluxe cruise ships include all restaurants in their prices, the more mainstream cruise line charge additional for many of these meal choices.
(Alcoholic drinks, on the other hand, are not only not included, but also have been going up in price, and cruise lines are increasingly vigilant against anyone trying to BYOB.)
Originally, it was maybe one or two options on a ship. Norwegian Cruise Line had “Le Bistro,” a relatively casual but quiet room; Celebrity started with a small premium restaurant on their newer ships; Holland America has the “Pinnacle Grill,” etc.
These more exclusive dining experiences have been a success. Many cruisers like to splurge one night at such a restaurant, where it’s not just a carefully prepared meal with special items, but more personalized service and a break from the often loud main dining rooms.
However, increasingly, cruise lines are coming up with more and more options designed to tempt diners into paying extra. “Premium” ice cream, cupcakes, even hamburgers are amongst the choices with surcharges on various ships. Beyond alcohol, soft drinks and specialty coffees such as cappuccinos have long been extra charges as well.
On Royal Caribbean’s megaship, the Oasis of the Seas, about half of the more than 20 dining choices have additional fees involved.
Now Carnival is going a step further, by moving these additional fees into the main dining room, with four options a night that carry a surcharge on three of their ships – the Paradise, Triumph, and Inspiration.
We’re not talking a trivial amount of money here, the entree surcharge is $18 per entree. The choices include filet mignon, a prime rib chop, a broiled Maine lobster tail and a surf-and-turf combo (a half lobster and a petite filet mignon)
(Ironically, as Carnival has tried to shed their low-budget party reputation, they have targeted ads to consumers and travel agents alike about the fact that they serve lobster, although usually only once or twice a cruise.)
The cruise line will keep a basic flat-iron steak available for no charge, and the change is being touted as a “test,” for three months. (Royal Caribbean, the only other line to introduce fees in the main dining room, has one premium steak available.)
In the grand scheme of things, $18 is not that much compared to the total cost of a vacation, but it’s a worrisome trend.
It takes away from the total vacation experience. Now families may have to tell junior, “no, you can’t order what you want, stay with the main menu.” Plus, it may set up the question in many travelers’ minds, “Okay, I’m on vacation, but should I splurge or be prudent?” Which is exactly the kind of question travelers face at regular resorts.
Of course steak and lobster cost more. Fish costs more than chicken too. Shrimp cocktails cost more than fruit salad. What’s next? And why stop at dinner? Want some smoked salmon on that bagel? Only $5. It could happen.
Presumably some executives at Carnival think these new premium entree fees will bring in revenue without upsetting consumers. But each new fee has to make a regular land-based resort vacation seem more and more appealing.
And at least on land you have the option of driving to buy meals outside the resort, not to mention having other options than high-priced hotel drinks.
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
