Will Fred Olsen’s extra-charge Grill restaurant turn out to be a mis-steak?

Restaurants on cruise ships are always news – food is high on the list of reasons people book holidays at sea. But the Grill now open on Fred Olsen’s Boudicca has left a nasty taste in the mouths of some fans.
They have taken to Facebook – where the news was first disclosed – to voice their displeasure.
Why, you might ask, should such an innocent announcement raise temperatures by enough to cook a well-done steak?
Regulars are worried that the £10 cover charge is the thin end of the wedge and Fred Olsen will finally follow the example of other cruise lines by adding extra costs.
“Don’t like this. Please don’t go all Cunardy on us,” wrote one – who may well have a chip on his shoulder and was being rather unfair to both cruise lines. Another said: “We all love Fred for the very fact you are different to all the rest.”
“Very disappointed,” “not a good sign,” and “you need to think again” were among the other comments, although passengers who have actually eaten in the Grill were quick to praise both the food and the value for money.
Fred Olsen spokeswoman Rachael Jackson said the 80-cover restaurant – on the open deck by the ship’s pool – was intended to give guests an “atmospheric dining experience.”
It serves breakfast and lunch as well as the extra-fee dinner, when the menus include steak and lobster.
Sister ship Black Watch is about to be provided with a similar restaurant, as will the line’s other two ships, Braemar and Balmoral.
The complainers who think they are getting a raw deal may have forgotten that Fred Olsen was among the first to introduce an extra charge for its “premium” afternoon teas.
And they should remember they can still dine for no extra charge in the ships’ main restaurants and buffets.