Tracking additional charges at Remy, Palo etc

[professorandmom]

Scott's Trip Log on the Disney blog site talks about his Remy dinner and the $5.50 charge for "still" water from the "water menu" (he found out when he got the bill and suggested that asking for "tap water" may be the best option)
He also mentions lots of other food upcharge options
with that in mind, I am worried that I'll be selecting things that add to the $85 cost without knowing it. How can I be sure I am only selecting food and drinks that don't have an additional charge? Are my only options:

• ask the cost every time I ask for food or drink?

• Don't worry and pay whatever the bill is...it's only money?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Scott's Trip Log on the Disney blog site talks about his Remy dinner and the $5.50 charge for "still" water from the "water menu" (he found out when he got the bill and suggested that asking for "tap water" may be the best option)
He also mentions lots of other food upcharge options
with that in mind, I am worried that I'll be selecting things that add to the $85 cost without knowing it. How can I be sure I am only selecting food and drinks that don't have an additional charge? Are my only options:

• ask the cost every time I ask for food or drink?

• Don't worry and pay whatever the bill is...it's only money?

When I'm offered a choice of items, I always ask which ones have a charge. It's up to you what you're comfortable with.

 

[Flossbolna]

Interesting, when we had our meal at Remy in November 2014, we were told that one bottle of water was included in the price. I guess that when they raised the price by 15$ they eliminated that perk?

And as to your question: I would request at the beginning of the meal that your server please alert you to anything that requires an additional charge and that he please explains what is included in the charge that you pay for the meal. Our Remy server was truly excellent and I would any Remy server to be able to deal with these instructions and not go against them.

 

[VFL]

We had dinner at Remy last month on the Fantasy. We were given a water menu and ordered a bottle in the $7-$8 range. Tap wasn't offered and I didn't ask. There were 2 up charge items offered on the menu - wagyu beef and a caviar offering. We passed on both.

 

[psac]

The concept of a water menu boggles my mind. I would just ask for "regular ice water." Sounds better than tap.

 

[ScrappinGran]

I would like to read this blog. Where can I find it?

 

[KristiMc]

I would like to read this blog. Where can I find it?

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/201...-seas-bahamian-cruise-on-disney-dream-nassau/

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Scott's Trip Log on the Disney blog site talks about his Remy dinner and the $5.50 charge for "still" water from the "water menu" (he found out when he got the bill and suggested that asking for "tap water" may be the best option)
He also mentions lots of other food upcharge options
with that in mind, I am worried that I'll be selecting things that add to the $85 cost without knowing it. How can I be sure I am only selecting food and drinks that don't have an additional charge? Are my only options:

• ask the cost every time I ask for food or drink?

• Don't worry and pay whatever the bill is...it's only money?

OMGosh! This is so TRUE! Remy champagne brunch on Dream 4-night in Sept....had a group of like 12 of us....everyone had the champagne pairings....we were asked at the beginning if we wanted still or sparkling water. I don't recall ever seeing a water menu. Everyone said "still". Of course we all answered still because we didn't want to pay for sparkling. We weren't there to pay for water. We were there to pay for champagne! Well, imagine our surprise when our checks came with a charge for our still water? I can go out and buy a bottle of Moët Ice for what they charged our group for the stinkin' still water. We wanted tap. FREE. I will have to remember that the correct answer to the water question is "free water". LOL!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

This actually isn't anything new, My wife always makes a point of saying tap water and we do not get charged. They ever since we started cruising have pushed still or sparkling water and we knew it had a charge.

Anyone who cruises regularly or goes out for a meal, knows to say tap water for no charge and if you say still water you get a charge.

 

[wilkeliza]

This is common at fancier restaurants. Still water is bottled water, sparkeling is selterz, and tap is tap. They never will willingly offer tap. We always just say Tap water is fine. If they don't have tap (can't imagine anywhere that wouldn't) we order our cocktails and soda and nothing else. Now in our travels if we are somehwere with questionable tap water we will pay for the bottle.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

This actually isn't anything new, My wife always makes a point of saying tap water and we do not get charged. They ever since we started cruising have pushed still or sparkling water and we knew it had a charge.

Anyone who cruises regularly or goes out for a meal, knows to say tap water for no charge and if you say still water you get a charge.

I've dined in Remy twice on the Dream prior to this year. Was never asked about water either time. This year was different in being asked then charged.

 

[Mommytok]

Anyone who cruises regularly or goes out for a meal, knows to say tap water for no charge and if you say still water you get a charge.

That sounded kind of snooty but, I'm not sure of your intention since I am new here. If this were the case many people would not be complaining of a water charge especially those that cruise regularly like the person above (sweetpee_1993)

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I've dined in Remy twice on the Dream prior to this year. Was never asked about water either time. This year was different in being asked then charged.

That sounded kind of snooty but, I'm not sure of your intention since I am new here. If this were the case many people would not be complaining of a water charge especially those that cruise regularly like the person above (sweetpee_1993)

Not " snooty" it's a fact, - back in 2002 in a MDR we were , nearly taken in by the offer of still water, we asked, is there a charge? Answer yes, ok we will have tap water. My wife doesn't like soda, doesn't like alcohol, she just wants water. If we go to Palo, ( since 2002) , and Remy 2012, she says clearly tap water, and there is no charge.

Personally I am rather shocked, it's now presented as something new, or a change, it's not, it's as it was, fact, some people are making something out of nothing, which also seemed to occur.

Remy wasn't there in 2012, but any seasoned cruiser on DCL will know there is a charge for still water, we did in 2012, - not snooty, - fact. Not intended as snooty, but I am shocked why this has become " news" now.

 

[bumbershoot]

This actually isn't anything new, My wife always makes a point of saying tap water and we do not get charged. They ever since we started cruising have pushed still or sparkling water and we knew it had a charge.

Anyone who cruises regularly or goes out for a meal, knows to say tap water for no charge and if you say still water you get a charge.

Actually, you're one up on it because you're not from the US. In Europe, the phrase "still water" is used; in the US, it really isn't used that much. The ONLY reason I know about it is because of Royal Caribbean, and the drinks packages. It's just not used that often in the US. So to you it's old hat, because you live in Europe, where the phrase is used. You also seem to dine in fancy places, where they might have expensive bottles of water. At normal US restaurants, if you order water you're getting water from the tap (and with ice).

What you think of as normal actually isn't, based on where the vast majority of Dis'ers live.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Actually, you're one up on it because you're not from the US. In Europe, the phrase "still water" is used; in the US, it really isn't used that much. The ONLY reason I know about it is because of Royal Caribbean, and the drinks packages. It's just not used that often in the US. So to you it's old hat, because you live in Europe, where the phrase is used. You also seem to dine in fancy places, where they might have expensive bottles of water. At normal US restaurants, if you order water you're getting water from the tap (and with ice).

What you think of as normal actually isn't, based on where the vast majority of Dis'ers live.

True in the UK we know in a restaurant that if you ask for tap water it's free, if you ask for still water there will be a charge, it's always been that way, for ever, we have always been very clear, when discussing with DCL servers, we want tap water, no charge, ever. This is why this just seems such a minor thing that's very old and not a big new issue.

My wife, as said wants nothing fancy, just water, so since 2002, she says, tap water please, and gets it. - no charge.

If you go to McDonalds here, order a meal and ask for tap water it's free, ( newspapers would go to town if there was a charge, and some have tried), if at McDs you ask for still water, you will be charged.

 

[professorandmom]

Personally I am rather shocked, it's now presented as something new, or a change, it's not, it's as it was, fact, some people are making something out of nothing, which also seemed to occur.

As the OP, I was not trying to "make something out of nothing" - just want to know how to approach Remy
I've dined in Palo and never "worried" about upcharges or asked "will this be an extra charge?" - and I have never paid extra for anything but alcohol and tip
Didn't even occur to me to ask
Now I know

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Not " snooty" it's a fact, - back in 2002 in a MDR we were , nearly taken in by the offer of still water, we asked, is there a charge? Answer yes, ok we will have tap water. My wife doesn't like soda, doesn't like alcohol, she just wants water. If we go to Palo, ( since 2002) , and Remy 2012, she says clearly tap water, and there is no charge.

Personally I am rather shocked, it's now presented as something new, or a change, it's not, it's as it was, fact, some people are making something out of nothing, which also seemed to occur.

Remy wasn't there in 2012, but any seasoned cruiser on DCL will know there is a charge for still water, we did in 2012, - not snooty, - fact. Not intended as snooty, but I am shocked why this has become " news" now.

Like I said, I've had Remy dinner twice before on the Dream. I wasn't asked about water either time. I would guess those sailings were in 2012 & 2013. Then, in 2015 I'm asked about water with no further explanation beyond the question "Sparkling or still water?" Additional info would be helpful. When the champagne pairings were offered "additional charge" along with the cost was clearly stated. I'm not saying this is anything unusual in the rest of the world. Not saying it's snooty. It was different in my recent experience as opposed to 2 prior experiences. That's why I was under the impression this was another of the "enhanced offerings". Every time I've ordered something that was an additional cost at any other time on Disney, Royal, & NCL it was mentioned as an added fee. This was the only time I've ever been surprised. I said nothing. I paid it. Next time I'll be sure to specify no-charge water.

 

[sillecruisers]

When we dined in Remy in September, we were given a menu, which had no tap or free water options, and I always have water with my meal, so I felt like we had no choice. I believe we ordered one bottle and shared, and made it last. I think when you are paying so much per person, $8 more is not the biggest deal in the world, but on the flip side, you are paying SO MUCH for your meal, it doesn't seem right that they are nickel and diming you with water, of all things. I think its fine that they have such elegant water offerings, but dang, they all taste the same to me and I would have been perfectly happy with the free tap water. I wish I'd known. Next time, if we dine at Remy again, I will for sure ask for tap water.

 

[jahber]

Based solely on my personal experience, if a water menu is not presented (say, as it is at V&A at WDW), I'm going to assume water is free. Alternately, if I am told directly that there is a non-free option and a free option, I'll take the free option. If I'm given the choice between sparkling and still, I, too, would assume sparkling may have a charge (pretty much everyone knows that these days), but still is free. In fact, when we were in Europe many moons ago we would just ask for water without gas and always be given free tap water. If things have changed and we always need to assume there's an up charge--even for WATER!--then it's good to know!

 

[TimeAndTide]

We live in the US and have lived in several cities. In nicer restaurants, "still water" refers to bottled, non-carbonated water and there is a charge for it. We're rarely advised of the charge; it's just a given.

I've never been to a restaurant that uses the term "still" to mean tap water. (There are some restaurants that serve free chilled tap water from a plain bottle but they usually don't ask your water preference.)

I do understand that in a restaurant like Remy, a person might think most things are included. But they are really just following traditional service for a finer dining restaurant. They did tell us about the up charge for the 50 year old port we bought. It was delicious with the Roquefort (and I typically despise blue cheese.) So we had two.