Do you like flying? Well then you’re going to love cruising with Royal Caribbean! The cruise line recently announced plans to charge customers who order steak in the main dining room a $14.95 surcharge.

Spokesman Harrison Liu told us that the initiative was a trial to determine whether cruise passengers are interested in “paying a little more for the option of an organically raised cut of beef.”

Now, Liu has contacted us to rescind information that we received from him and duly reported. The correction? The steak in question is actually not organic after all.

Liu says that the New York strip steak being offered in the main dining rooms on these two ships is “an all natural strip steak … it is not organic.” And here’s another clarification. It turns out that the New York strip is a Black Angus steak after all. We were first told “yes” and then “no” (after which we promptly posted a correction); now, we’re back to “yes.” Oh, and a final newsflash: the steak is also being tested in [the alternate dining room] Chops, contrary to what we were originally told. There’s no additional fee to try the all natural steak in the specialty restaurant, as it’s included in the regular cover charge.

Cruises are attractive because they’re all-inclusive, which once meant that all was included. Not anymore! Cruises are quickly devolving into luxury airlines, a slower, more expensive, way to get nickel and dimed as you try to get away from it all.

As always, the surcharges are entirely your fault. Cruise lines complain that you gluttonous cruisers are demanding more choices. Your steak needs to be natural, or organic, or whatever—you don’t care as long as it’s more expensive than the “variety meats” the rest of the floating swines are feasting on. Or, as we still can’t believe a Celebrity Cruises VP once said: “When people go on vacation, they want to spend money.”

Royal Mis-Steak: $14.95 Entree Not Organic After All [Cruise Critic via Tripso]
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