Royal Caribbean knows how to make decent pizza.
It demonstrates that on ships that have the expanded version of Giovanni's, which sells pizza both at its sit-down specialty restaurant and the accompanying wine bar.
Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar for now can be found only on Freedom of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Odyssey of the Seas. It's expected to be included on the upcoming Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas.
DON'T MISS: MSC vs. Royal Caribbean: Comparing the Two Cruise Lines
Those pizzas are, of course, made in much smaller quantities than the ones Royal Caribbean (RCL) -) gives away for free at Sorrento's.
The cruise line, however, is also the parent of Celebrity. And the pizza that cruise line offers on its buffet -- served until at least 1 a.m. -- is dramatically better than the free offerings on Royal Caribbean ships.
Royal Caribbean recently surveyed past passengers about charging for pizza at Sorrento's, and the customers overwhelmingly opposed the idea. What the cruise line did not ask, however, is a more complex question:
"Would you pay for higher-quality pizza at Sorrento's if we also made more free food available during the late-night hours?"
Image source: Daniel Kline/TheStreet
MSC charges for pizza; Virgin high-end pizza is free
Many Royal Caribbean cruisers complain that after dinner, the free-dining options dwindle. After the Windjammer buffet closes (usually at 10 p.m.) the only free choices are snacks (like cookies and pastries) and small sandwiches at Cafe Promenade or pizza at Sorrento's.
As a regular Royal Caribbean cruiser who tends to stay up late, either playing in the casino or watching the guitar player at the pub, I have fallen prey to having a few adult beverages and deciding that a few greasy slices from Sorrento's is an excellent idea.
The same thing has happened on MSC ships, some of which have added-fee late-night pizza venues, and on Virgin Voyages, where made-to-order pizza is included. On all three cruise lines, I have indulged after midnight, but I generally feel better about my choice when my poor judgment leads to a quality meal.
And because on both MSC and Virgin the pizzas are made to order, they're just much better than Royal Caribbean's free offerings.
I'd prefer that Royal Caribbean follow its Celebrity model and make decent free pizza available. If that's not cost-effective, however, I'd be willing to pay for a decent pizza as long as the cruise line adds other free choices.
Royal Caribbean should give and take away
If Royal Caribbean charged a nominal fee for pizza -- say, $5 for a small pie -- that equals what it offers on Celebrity, that would be a win for cruisers as long as the cruise line expands its late-night free offerings.
That's actually something that Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) -) has begun doing on all its ships. Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald recently posted about the expanded late-night menu on his Facebook page.
Lots of you have been asking about the rumors that we will be starting the “midnight buffet” that we had many years ago. The answer is no we wont but we will be complimenting the wonderful pizza we offer with these late night options.
The opening/closing timing may vary from ship to ship, and it will be determined by each ship, considering factors such as peak periods and guest demographics.
The new menu, called "Good Eats: Late Night Snack," offers chicken noodle soup, cole slaw, potato salad, and chips and salsa on the "Soup & Salad" side of the menu. The entrees will include Chicago-style pizza in pepperoni and cheese, chicken fingers, a meatball sandwich, and a ham-and-cheese roll. Dessert will include both chocolate chip and sugar cookies.
If Royal Caribbean added a similar menu for late-night dining, it could justify charging for much-improved pizza.
That may not be a popular argument, but if you're going to eat pizza as a fourth meal or late-night snack, it should at least be good pizza and that's worth paying a little extra for.
