Wonderland, Haute Cuisine for Royal Loyalists??

My wife and I seldom eat at the specialty restaurants because the fee doesn't usually get us a meal appreciably better or different than what we can get near our house. Wonderland, on the other hand, seems to be something vastly different than what we can get near our house and could be special enough to be worth paying for.

True, rich New Yorkers or Wall Street moguls do not generally fit RCI's demographic. But I am not rich nor am I a Wall Street mogul and in my experience, $45.00/pp is cheap for a good meal in NYC.

Ditto, and I agree.

True, rich New Yorkers or Wall Street moguls do not generally fit RCI's demographic. But I am not rich nor am I a Wall Street mogul and in my experience, $45.00/pp is cheap for a good meal in NYC.

I don't see this venue being pretentious. 150 Central Park and Chef's Table on the other hand do. Wonderland is listed as Smart Casual and it is more about an exciting dining experience than the culinary style of the meal. I could see Wonderland being big for families (maybe 13+). It looks like a really fun atmosphere with an exciting meal that should be rather amazing and entertaining for all to see.

 

On land the restaurant like this that I know of (they run 2 in Chicago) is by no way formal. The style of the food itself while elaborate is in no way formal, but more to be interesting. The high price is more because it is a more complicated and time intensive menu to produce than a standard one. The site lists it as only being smart casual.

I agree. Great value compared to a dinner in the city. I've watched these cooking shows where chefs do amazing things with food. I'm excited to experience something like that myself. Wonderland seems a little less formal than the venues on the Allure. Looking forward to it.

The paid specialty restaurants on RCI ships never appealed me enough to pay a fee for them, but I'll be glad to pay anything from $45 to $60 per person for the Wonderland experience - not only the food, but also the atmosphere.

Can't wait. :)

Paying for these Dynamic Dining experiences gets even better when you convert your RCI Visa MyCruise Rewards points into OBC. ;)

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Actually not. The restaurant looks to be a take off on Qsine offered on Celebrity but with a slight twist. We love Qsine and believe me you will not go away hungry.:)

We "loved" Qsine too when we were on the Silhouette. After experiencing yesterday's revealing, Wonderland is nothing like Qsine.

For $45 a pop for oolalala food does not fulfill either my stomach or my palate. I don't go on a cruise to starve and pay. I'll take the free S&T from the American Icon anytime. Plus I'm a pasta man and gladly pay for Jaimie's Italian restaurant.

Hello neblu,

Your comments underscore why RCI is providing us with so many dining options. We all have different opinions, tastes and preferences. Bring on Dynamic Dining.

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We're definitely in! We love fine dining and formal nights! Things we don't necessarily get the time to do and enjoy at home! it's the dining that is going to get us to switch our cruise from 10 days on the Royal Princess out of FLL to Quantam, potentially sailing in a snowstorm!

We're definitely in! We love fine dining and formal nights! Things we don't necessarily get the time to do and enjoy at home! it's the dining that is going to get us to switch our cruise from 10 days on the Royal Princess out of FLL to Quantam, potentially sailing in a snowstorm!

This year has been unusual for the entire East Coast. Who would have believed that we in Jersey got more snow than Denver, CO.

Yes, I think your Eastern Seaboard has received more snow and bad storms than we have in Toronto! Certainly more days where your airports have been crippled.

Well, I've booked it for it's first night, Sunday November 2, 2014. So we will see how this is. Based on what was said here, I am taking the big leap of faith.

It is probably one of the few pay restaurants that I would try.

We LOVED Qsine and did not walk away hungry. We went with a very large group and tried a bite of almost everything on the menu.

We've eaten at 150 Central Park and enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away by it.

As far as the Chef's Table - maybe. Depends on what are the wine pairings (if it's their house wine - no thanks). I'd rather do a real chef's table like at Disney World's Victoria and Albert's or Carte Blanche in Aruba where you can watch the chef prepare your meal.

Seems a little too pretentious for me. Seems like I could really love it or really hate it. Not sure I want to spend $90 to find out. The American Icon restaurant is more my speed. I could see myself eating there on more than one night, there are many things that appeal to me.

I'm excited to try Wonderland. DH and I weren't really interested in 150 Central Park or the Chef's Table on Allure, but the menu for Wonderland has piqued my interest. Looking forward to dining there. I wonder if you have to choose one element and stick to that throughout, or if you can try things from the various elements?

I'm hoping they just worded it weirdly - because the description makes it sound like you pick one element. I don't think it would work that way though because then you might be eating 4 courses of veggies, or 6 courses of desserts. I'm hoping the elements are just a unique way of arranging the menu. Wind, Ice, and Fire look like appetizers, Sea and Earth are mains dishes, Dreams are dessert.

I'm hoping they just worded it weirdly - because the description makes it sound like you pick one element. I don't think it would work that way though because then you might be eating 4 courses of veggies, or 6 courses of desserts. I'm hoping the elements are just a unique way of arranging the menu. Wind, Ice, and Fire look like appetizers, Sea and Earth are mains dishes, Dreams are dessert.

My take on it is that the portions are more in line with tapas-sized items and they want you to try something from every element to get the full experience. (Pun intended for those thinking they might leave hungry)

I'm hoping they just worded it weirdly - because the description makes it sound like you pick one element. I don't think it would work that way though because then you might be eating 4 courses of veggies, or 6 courses of desserts. I'm hoping the elements are just a unique way of arranging the menu. Wind, Ice, and Fire look like appetizers, Sea and Earth are mains dishes, Dreams are dessert.

It's a multi course menu (similar to 150 Central Park or Chefs Table) but they themed each course as a different element. By design you would go through and experience one dish from each elements.

It's foodertainment.

We are totally in but we do dine in a lot of specialty restaurants no matter who we cruise with as dining is very important to our definition of a great vacation. We will actually save $$ on our 10 days on board as we paid for wonderland for 2 times and Jamie's 2 times. All the rest including Coastal Kitchen is complementary! We will reserve the Chef's Table as soon as it is available. All our reservations are done.

We have booked Wonderland for all three of our Quantum cruises.

still room for my 2 a.m. sandwiches at the promenade cafe! :D

 

in all seriousness, i usually skip the "frou frou" restaurants on each ship because there's nothing i like there. we haven't eaten at 150 central park because the menus are way too limited and just not appealing. in contrast, i found 6 or 7 things on the wonderland menu that i'd eat. when i showed DH the menus, the only thing i said was "we need to eat at wonderland," and when our friend saw the menus she said the same thing. I think it will be a hit (and we're going to have to make our reservations very early)!

Wonderland strikes me as being like Q sine on X. I enjoyed qsine SO much, we went a second night! I am sorry you skipped 150 Central Park. It was one of the best dining experiences I have had on land or sea, and it is comparable to some fine restaurants in NY. Consider it if you get back on Allure.

Wonderland strikes me as being like Q sine on X. I enjoyed qsine SO much, we went a second night! I am sorry you skipped 150 Central Park. It was one of the best dining experiences I have had on land or sea, and it is comparable to some fine restaurants in NY. Consider it if you get back on Allure.

We've heard 150 is great. I wish I liked more different foods. I do try new things, but apparently I have the palate of a 5-year-old. :p It's an expensive experiment if I end up not liking the food there. We'll see how it goes on Wonderland, though - I think there's enough variety I'll find plenty.

Wonderland will be a huge success. I know I'll eat there.

In my travels, I have never met anyone who wanted haute cuisine!

 

Look at this menu & pictures, does any of this look inviting, and something you would personally pay $45pp for?? :eek::confused::rolleyes:

 

If you have never met anyone who wanted haute cuisine then all I can say is you must have been very sheltered in your travels and the others you've met while traveling.

And yes, I'd go there. Just made a reservation today as a matter of fact, for our November cruise. :D

Very interesting, that's why I asked the question. I forgot that she would be sailing from New York and would be competing against a new NCL ship. This now does make some sense to me.

I think it's rather inaccurate to imply that only people from NYC can afford or would be interested in this type of menu. :rolleyes:

If you have never met anyone who wanted haute cuisine then all I can say is you must have been very sheltered in your travels and the others you've met while traveling.

And yes, I'd go there. Just made a reservation today as a matter of fact, for our November cruise. :D

 

 

 

I think it's rather inaccurate to imply that only people from NYC can afford or would be interested in this type of menu. :rolleyes:

Not to worry Meg, I have reservations for Wonderland Nov 2, for the Quantum's first night at sea; thus I will be among the first people to experience her. By the way, we who live on Collins Ave./Miami Beach (who's condo overlook the ocean) can afford what New Yorker's can. In fact, they are some of the same people who are here now, you know, "in season".