Fotographic Aspirations wrote:
]"what if some just want to have a soda ... is that worth $ 15 ?"

the soda probably isn't worth that much, but that's probably the price of admission to board the QM, which would then make it worth it.

btw... this should have been posted in the "Off Topic" forum.

P O T T S wrote:
Who owns it? Should they let you use their property for free?

The City of Long Beach owns it, it is a public entity (aka the public owns it). For the last 40 years has been free to the public to visit. Its ok if that changes, and a small fee is charged for attendance. The issue was and remains the the policy is not posted and is parsed out in small bits.

BTW I posted this same comment to social media, local press etc... Quickly the QM management has reached out , refunded my money and offered free passes.

But the mindset is still the same. I posted this in the general form such that other photographers in SoCal would just be forewarned, care to shoot at the QM ? Fine just bring funds - FYI

F   A

Fotographic Aspirations wrote:
The City of Long Beach owns it, it is a public entity (aka the public owns it). For the last 40 years has been free to the public to visit.

The few times that I was on it I had to pay.  The first time was somewhere in 1979.
The only time I ever got on for 'free' is for a product demonstration where my company rented out some space in a ballroom, but the price the company paid for it basically included a fee for letting us wander around the ship.

Maybe they let the public on for free, albeit in just a small section?

Fotographic Aspirations wrote:

The City of Long Beach owns it, it is a public entity (aka the public owns it). For the last 40 years has been free to the public to visit. Its ok if that changes, and a small fee is charged for attendance. The issue was and remains the the policy is not posted and is parsed out in small bits.

BTW I posted this same comment to social media, local press etc... Quickly the QM management has reached out , refunded my money and offered free passes.

But the mindset is still the same. I posted this in the general form such that other photographers in SoCal would just be forewarned, care to shoot at the QM ? Fine just bring funds - FYI

F   A

By the way, The Monterey Bay Aquarium has always been very good to the locals!  For example, every 6 months or so ... they promote a week of free admission for all local folks.  They also have a restaurant, and do not charge admission in order to eat there.  That would not make sense as there are many other choices of eating establishments along Cannery Row ... I am sure that Long Beach has many place to eat as well.

Fotographic Aspirations wrote:

The City of Long Beach owns it, it is a public entity (aka the public owns it). For the last 40 years has been free to the public to visit. Its ok if that changes, and a small fee is charged for attendance. The issue was and remains the the policy is not posted and is parsed out in small bits.

BTW I posted this same comment to social media, local press etc... Quickly the QM management has reached out , refunded my money and offered free passes.

But the mindset is still the same. I posted this in the general form such that other photographers in SoCal would just be forewarned, care to shoot at the QM ? Fine just bring funds - FYI

F   A

But they have leased the rights to operate it to a business. Unless the lease says they are required to give free admission, they surely have the right to make money?

Fotographic Aspirations wrote:
Friends , colleagues and visitors to Long Beach,

Very bad experience at QM. For years I have visited the QM being a Long Beach resident, as a published photographer, its been a great place to take new clients for a light snack and discuss business - until today 

When I approached the entrance to the elevator i was asked by a staff member to show my ticket , I explained that we were just going to visit for lunch and take in the view during a business meeting , I was told I would need "a" restaurant "voucher", and the cost would be credited to my meal. Ok simple enough walk back to the ticket boot and get in line with 10 others to pre pay for the ability to have lunch ! Ok so I get to the booth and was told that a voucher is $15, so I purchased such. Walk back to the entrance and a young lady says, sorry EVERYONE in your party must have a meal voucher !

Effectively the QM is charging in advance to board the ship and have lunch, what if some just want to have a soda ... is that worth $ 15 ? Consulting with the others in my party everyone just decided to take our business lunch funds to some place else in LB.

I then asked for a refund as we would not be supporting a " forced to spend funds " policy of the QM, it was then I was told that food vouchers are not refundable. I asked to talk with a supervisor, and I waited a good 10 minuets, when I asked what was holding things up as I was now paying to park my auto in the metered parking lot, I was told that the supervisor was eating lunch and I would need to wait. I sent my group on without me and waited about another 10 minuets. When the supervisor arrived and spoke with the young lady who informed me of the policy (after the purchase), she then felt it was important to simply lie and state I was " rude " to her ! By asking to speak to a supervisor.

The supervisor simply advised that no refund was possible but I could fill out a form. And that someone would review such.

In the 60's my parents took us to watch the QM glide into port , living in Long Beach 30+ years it has been a pleasure to invite friend / business people / friends from Europe to visit the QM. When it was hard times, years back for the Queen Mary through insolvency and various legal actions as a tax payer in the city, we Long Beach residents have always worked to keep this Maritime treasure around. I can not, nor will not recommend the patronage of this poorly managed venue.

Customers should always be treated with respect and fairness, a company policy that is vague and ambiguous, not posted clearly and left to employees to parse out, is a recipe for failure.

I suspect the meal tickets are meant to help control crowds.  SOMEONE probably complained about it being too crowded and this is the response.

Patrick Walberg wrote:
Attitudes certainly have changed!  Guess what ran as a local story on the evening news last night here in Monterey?  A long time restaurant on Cannery Row standing firm on their recent policy of "No children" in their eating establishment!  They get a lot of tourists there during the day and evening hours.  The owner does not care if he loses any customers because of his policy.  Are business owners and CEO's feeling so entitled that they don't feel a need to care about customer service?

That's your position? that because they are willing to lose some business to maintain a particular dinning experience with no children they are entitled?

smh...I'm hoping I misunderstand you.

SayCheeZ!  wrote:

The few times that I was on it I had to pay.  The first time was somewhere in 1979.
The only time I ever got on for 'free' is for a product demonstration where my company rented out some space in a ballroom, but the price the company paid for it basically included a fee for letting us wander around the ship.

Maybe they let the public on for free, albeit in just a small section?

I don't think so. I have been on the Queen Mary, for lunch, many times before and never paid to get into the restaurant. We were week end regulars through the 90's and never paid admission to just wander around the ship.

DOUGLASFOTOS wrote:
OP...I have come to the conclusion...you got caught. Ok...move along..nothing to see here. And OP...let me explain their explanation.  If you were really going to eat at Sir Winston's you would of accepted the policy. 15 dollar voucher is to make sure you and your party of what?.... were actually going to eat at the place. Not pretend and mingle around and take free pictures. Oh the humanity. I hope you will be able to move on with your life.
And remember they explained it to you..If you buy the 15 dollar Restaurant Voucher...it will be taken off your bill. Pretty Simplistic there! Don't you think?

This is basically very true, but really, don't you think if the OP was entertaining some high dollar clients it would look bad on his part to tell the server, at the table, "Oh, wait, I have some coupons"

MerrillMedia wrote:
Let the restaurant know they lost a party of __ and copy the Mayor, etc.

The restaurant may not see it that way.

If in the past, the gate was allowing in 200 people a day for free because they said they were going to eat at the restaurant, but the restaurant was only serving 150 people per day...there were 50 people not paying admission to see the ship.

It makes perfect sense to me to charge the admission fee for everyone going onto the ship...then giving credit for the admission fee against their meal if they choose to eat while on the ship.  It is an easy way to make sure everyone who visits the ship pays.

GeorgeMann wrote:

This is basically very true, but really, don't you think if the OP was entertaining some high dollar clients it would look bad on his part to tell the server, at the table, "Oh, wait, I have some coupons"

Only if he has stupid clients.  Perhaps they'd see the value.  Plus...they shouldn't see the check anyhow.  You put them in with the credit card/cash and be done with it.

GeorgeMann wrote:
This is basically very true, but really, don't you think if the OP was entertaining some high dollar clients it would look bad on his part to tell the server, at the table, "Oh, wait, I have some coupons"

In order to get on the ship, the "high dollar clients" would have been aware their host was presenting tickets to board...and when the check comes, wouldn't the host just hand the vouchers to the waiter with his payment.

ernst tischler wrote:
The restaurant may not see it that way.

If in the past, the gate was allowing in 200 people a day for free because they said they were going to eat at the restaurant, but the restaurant was only serving 150 people per day...there were 50 people not paying admission to see the ship.

It makes perfect sense to me to charge the admission fee for everyone going onto the ship...then giving credit for the admission fee against their meal if they choose to eat while on the ship.  It is an easy way to make sure everyone who visits the ship pays.

And its a pretty sweet deal for the restaurant - not matter the base cost - they can charge 15 bucks per head for anything they serve, since they know it's the "Cover charge" to get on.  "Salami on wheat? - why yes, that sandwich is 15 dollars."

Fotographic Aspirations wrote:
BTW I posted this same comment to social media, local press etc... Quickly the QM management has reached out , refunded my money and offered free passes.

But the mindset is still the same.

Really? I see these two sentences as antithetical. Seems to me they had a complete change of mind regarding your misunderstanding.

Vintagevista wrote:
And its a pretty sweet deal for the restaurant - not matter the base cost - they can charge 15 bucks per head for anything they serve, since they know it's the "Cover charge" to get on.  "Salami on wheat? - why yes, that sandwich is 15 dollars."

I don't see it that way.  At most attractions, you pay a fee to enter the attraction and then on top of that you have to pay an inflated price for any food or drink you want while inside.