Is Specialty Dining Worth It?

We ate in the specialty restaurants on the Mariner three times, because the food in the MDR went from mediocre to downright bad by the middle of our cruise. Was the food in the specialty restaurants good? Portofino was OK, but nothing to rave about. Chops was good, but not great. I'd compare it to Flemings, but it's not even close to the Capital Grill or Red The Steakhouse. That said, it's also 25% less costly.

The whole point is, is that it is totally subjective . . . We have never tried the specialty dinning so I can't say 100% which is better. We tend to be very happy with the MDR: the meal selections, the waiters etc. How can you be unhappy when someone else is cooking and cleaning and providing such a wonderful service for your enjoyment. The "atmosphere" has never bothered us (not too loud or annoying in anyway) Except for once. A very RUDE cruiser was being nasty to our waiter and even flicked a pea off her plate at the waiter. I think it was all b/c her bread didn't come to her table as soon as she sat down. Really? It put a damper on our evening to see such horrid treatment of another human being. The waiter was practically in tears. We made sure to let the Head Waiter know that the woman was being nasty and that our waiter was wonderful, professional and kind. But I digress . . . sorry. There are a lot of ppl in the MDR, that's true. It has never presented a problem for us....we are usually very busy just enjoying each others company that we truly don't notice what others are doing. And, this may sound silly, but I would rather spend my extra money in port for excursions and shopping than for eating. *Subjective*

I agree that it's all subjective. Sis and I ate at the Crown Grill on the Golden Princess and it was good, but we felt like the service wasn't what we had expected. Maybe because we didn't order wine as mentioned by a previous poster. The waiter was competent, but seemed slow and somewhat disinterested.

The food was good and the price is good for what you get. I couldn't get my "Golden Corral" sister to eat anywhere but the buffet and I didn't want to go to the dining room alone, so this was a special treat for me. Though I had to talk her into it. Under those circumstances I would do it again, but not if I could eat in MDR more often. I'm usually more than happy with what I get there.

We usually try each speciality restaurant on a cruise, and enjoy the different choice of food. It's usually cooked and presented to perfection.

We were once in the Marco Pierre White restaurant, and the great chef was in the kitchen....the food was superb, and would have cost at least x5 in London.

I agree that it is all subjective. We have never eaten in a specialty restaurant. My wife is the frugal one and she sees no reason to pay for food when you can get all you want for free.

Now, I have no doubt that they are indeed special. I have seen the menus for the Princess restaurants and they really feed you there-more food than I can comfortably eat.

So, I see no value in them foe us.

I also think if you have to ask the question, you might agree with me.

Some are better than others ..

We love the specialty dining on Celebrity. The main dining room is good, occasionally very good, but their specialty restaurants are far better. The service is much more intimate and polished, cuts of meat are of a higher quality and there is far less noise.

We have not sailed with them in a number of years, but on Norwegian we found specialty dining was the only way to get a good meal. Le Bistro used to be great (hopefully still is). Their main dining room food left a lot to be desired.

Its been a wash for us on Royal. We found Chops and Portofino to be good, but the main dining room was nearly as good.

Akman ~ We have had such wonderful experiences in the MDR that We feel no need to go to specialty dinning. It's not just that we've already paid for the cruise and what's included...but, (and I think I have said this b/f), we enjoy getting to know our waiters and their stories and joke around with them night after night. They have always treated us great. It's part of our cruising experience. My husband loves to tell the story of how he and our other 2 friends on the cruise, mentioned one night at dinner how they could eat the escargot every night for an appetizer....the waiter over heard them and EVERY night they were brought escargot no matter what they ordered....they were in heaven. One of my favorite desserts is creme brulee. I get it every night when we are on a cruise (one of my guilty pleasures).....the last night of our cruise our waiter brought me a HUGE bowl of creme brulee! Of course, I HAD to eat it! Anyway, we have story after story of funny episodes that we have collected from our experiences in the MDR . . .

Akman ~ We have had such wonderful experiences in the MDR that We feel no need to go to specialty dinning. It's not just that we've already paid for the cruise and what's included...but, (and I think I have said this b/f), we enjoy getting to know our waiters and their stories and joke around with them night after night. They have always treated us great. It's part of our cruising experience. My husband loves to tell the story of how he and our other 2 friends on the cruise, mentioned one night at dinner how they could eat the escargot every night for an appetizer....the waiter over heard them and EVERY night they were brought escargot no matter what they ordered....they were in heaven. One of my favorite desserts is creme brulee. I get it every night when we are on a cruise (one of my guilty pleasures).....the last night of our cruise our waiter brought me a HUGE bowl of creme brulee! Of course, I HAD to eat it! Anyway, we have story after story of funny episodes that we have collected from our experiences in the MDR . . .

Another great point! I have always found the MDR to be a great place. And they do work hard to accommodate and surprise you!

I'm not big on Escargot, but I do like Pasta and they can sure serve that up to my liking.

I also like the MDR for breakfast and lunch-it is quiet and relaxed and they do provide a lot of extras for the asking as well.

We have never tried the specialty dinning so I can't say 100% which is better.

No disrespect intended, but if you have never dined in a specialty restaurant you can't even say 1% which is better. You have to actually try one to be able to make a valid comparison.

And, this may sound silly, but I would rather spend my extra money in port for excursions and shopping than for eating. [/Quote]

 

And some of us would rather spend our extra money on additional dining experiences than spend it shopping for trinkets and souvenirs. Different strokes for different folks. That is what makes these cruises so interesting to so many different people.

It has been a while since I did a Xmas cruise on Explorer of the Seas but I know they had a special menu for both Xmas and New Years. You will be amazed at how beautifully the ship is decorated and the atmosphere and anticipation on the ship. I did not participate in Xmas carols, but I remember walking through the hall on a higher deck, and the singing reverberated throughout the ship. These are the memories you will want to share.

This will also probably be a formal night where they have a special show. You will not want to miss this because you are stuck in a specialty restaurant taking 2.5 hours to eat with restless children who are stuffed. Better to get to the theatre for a good seat where they can see.

Also, I do not know if they do this on Freedom now, but they had a Xmas morning parade where everyone followed to the ice skating rink. The children got to sit on Santa's lap with artificial snow falling from the ceiling and Santa gave them presents. I know it was early (like 8:30) so a lot of people missed this. They served egg nog while you were waiting for the parade to start.

While I can't answer the question in regards to RCCL, I can say this. On our last cruise on the Carnival Liberty, we decided to give the steakhouse a try. First, for $35.00 per person, it was well worth the price. It would have cost us a lot more for a comparable meal in a land-based restaurant. Also, it was really nice, for at least once during the cruise, to have a quiet dinner without having waiters singing and dancing around the dining room.

Akman ~ We have had such wonderful experiences in the MDR that We feel no need to go to specialty dinning. It's not just that we've already paid for the cruise and what's included...but, (and I think I have said this b/f), we enjoy getting to know our waiters and their stories and joke around with them night after night. They have always treated us great. It's part of our cruising experience. My husband loves to tell the story of how he and our other 2 friends on the cruise, mentioned one night at dinner how they could eat the escargot every night for an appetizer....the waiter over heard them and EVERY night they were brought escargot no matter what they ordered....they were in heaven. One of my favorite desserts is creme brulee. I get it every night when we are on a cruise (one of my guilty pleasures).....the last night of our cruise our waiter brought me a HUGE bowl of creme brulee! Of course, I HAD to eat it! Anyway, we have story after story of funny episodes that we have collected from our experiences in the MDR . . .

I don't want a waiter making assumptions about what I want for dinner based on a random musing. Yes, I like shrimp cocktail, but I don't want it every night. Same with chicken breast, carrots, and chocolate cake. If a waiter brought me something, I'd feel more or less obligated to eat it, which one should never be made to feel.

It's one thing to directly tell a waiter you drink tea with honey every morning at breakfast and have it waiting, and another to have them overhear an off the cuff remark and make assumptions.

... Also, it was really nice, for at least once during the cruise, to have a quiet dinner without having waiters singing and dancing around the dining room.

Exactly! I have never been able to understand the singing, dancing, napkin waving, and hooting and hollering in the MDR. Would we tolerate that in a land based restaurant? And I mean an upscale land based restaurant, not Texas Roadhouse!;)

I would like to add the following comments:

Only you know how much money is in your wallet and whether it is worth it. For us, we cannot eat 5 course meals anyway, but we can, for $30 each have a very nice meal at many local restaurants. So we would rather have the included meal and save the money for a date night at home, or towards a special excursion, or towards college or whatever, our choice.

I would post this question on both the family boards http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49 and the RCCL boards http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=83 .

You did not mention the ages of your children. I would post their age and see if you can get the experiences of people who have taken children to those specialty restaurants. If you think your children may be fidgety and not be able to enjoy a long meal, then why bother.

On the RCCL boards I would ask specifically about Christmas dinner. I know they generally have one dinner with the staff parade and singing but it was not Chistmas eve. (Besides, the children would probably love this). They usually try to make this a special traditional Christmas meal with either piano player of the 3 piece stringed group in the background to give the dining room a more formal feel. I believe on a lot of ships they have nights where they take the kids to dinner so the parents can eat by themselves. Of course this depends on the age of the children. You might prefer treating yourself to the specialty restaurant on another night. Your children might prefer a character breakfast or some video gifts on Christmas morning that they can take home as memories of their cruise, as opposed to the long dinner.

I would also ask on the RCCL boards if the length of the specialty dinner usually means you cannot get to the theatre in time to see the show, because Christmas Eve is usually a special show. Hopefully someone who did this cruise last year will see your question.

There is a search this forum box at the right side of the blue strip towards the top of the boards. You may be able to search and find some answers by putting in the word holiday or Christmas or specialty.

Enjoy your cruise. Holiday cruises are special.

PTMARY ~ If you go back and read either of my posts you will see that I didn't try to make a comparison on something I had no experience with . . . I only commented on how happy we have been in the MDR - And , no disrespect intended, but to assume "shopping" means "trinkets" is pretty off base. I don't usually comment back like this - I really believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion and their choices....I love diversity. It truly does make the world go 'round. Happy Sailing!

Is it worth it?...for some folks ABSOLUTELY! for other's.....NO WAY! We dined once in the "Olympic" dining room on Celebrity's "Millennium". I wasn't as concerned about the food as I was the room. I'm quite a Titanic buff and the dining room is from the original "Olympic" sister ship to Titanic. It was removed from the ship, installed in a restaurant in England and then Celebrity bought it, dismantled it and installed it in the Millennium. Anyway.....that was the experience I wanted, not so much the food. I do have to say, I thought it odd that in the MDR you can eat your way up and down the menu and it's included in the fare. In the Olympic dining room, which I think was a $50 a couple sur-charge, I selected two appetizers and was told "Sorry.....only one". The atmosphere and ambiance of the room was worth the sur-charge. The food was very good, the menu different from the MDR, but "better"?.... I didn't think so, but that's just my opinion.. But then again, this was Celebrity and I've never been disappointed with a dinner in the MDR on "X".

Marco . . . can't say that I have never been disappointed in the dinner at the MDR - It is rare, indeed. And disappointed is a strong word to describe our rare experience. And even then, the waiters bent over backwards to please us. Sometimes it's just a matter of individual taste and personal expectations when you dive into a meal.

ducklite . . . We didn't mind at all that the waiter cued into my hubby's and or other friends musings for escargot and brought it each night....we actually thought it was endearing and appreciated the attention to detail, so to speak. We could have thanked him and told him no, if we really didn't want it. I don't think we actually feel compelled to eat every last bite of what the waiter brings - especially if we haven't asked for it. One night I truly couldn't decide between two dinners . . . I finally made a choice but it must not have been convincing b/c the waiter brought both dinners to the table... I certainly didn't feel like I had to eat both dinners (who could?) . . . and the waiter made sure I knew that it was ok. Our table of 6 ended up each sharing a bite of the second dinner to sample the meal. Where else on earth can you do that????

We dined once in the "Olympic" dining room on Celebrity's "Millennium". I wasn't as concerned about the food as I was the room. I'm quite a Titanic buff and the dining room is from the original "Olympic" sister ship to Titanic. It was removed from the ship, installed in a restaurant in England and then Celebrity bought it, dismantled it and installed it in the Millennium.

We'll be on the Millennium in two months. Thanks for the interesting history, something we did not know until your post.

From the Celebrity website:

Inside The Olympic

Inspiration

Britain's White Star Line entered RMS Olympic into service in 1911 as the first ocean liner of their Olympic Class. Her sister ship, the RMS Titanic, famously went to sea in 1912. The Olympic was spared her sister's fate, successfully crossing the Atlantic for 24 years, even serving her country as a troopship in World War I. Our RMS Olympic Restaurant actually features French walnut paneling from the A La Carte restaurant on the RMS Olympic. The panels were found in a suburban house in Southport, England. The current owner of the home was willing to sell us the panels, as long as we bought the entire house along with them! The deal was done, and the paneling was carefully removed and put in the hands of craftsmen who restored the faded walnut to its former splendor. Many guests tell us that the Olympic Restaurant one of the most beautiful of our four maritime restaurants.

And we're going to Bermuda next season on the "Summit". We'll dine one evening in the sur-charge restaurant only because part of the interior of that dining room is from the French Line's "Normandie".

Marco . . . can't say that I have never been disappointed in the dinner at the MDR - It is rare, indeed. And disappointed is a strong word to describe our rare experience. And even then, the waiters bent over backwards to please us. Sometimes it's just a matter of individual taste and personal expectations when you dive into a meal.

 

ducklite . . . We didn't mind at all that the waiter cued into my hubby's and or other friends musings for escargot and brought it each night....we actually thought it was endearing and appreciated the attention to detail, so to speak. We could have thanked him and told him no, if we really didn't want it. I don't think we actually feel compelled to eat every last bite of what the waiter brings - especially if we haven't asked for it. One night I truly couldn't decide between two dinners . . . I finally made a choice but it must not have been convincing b/c the waiter brought both dinners to the table... I certainly didn't feel like I had to eat both dinners (who could?) . . . and the waiter made sure I knew that it was ok. Our table of 6 ended up each sharing a bite of the second dinner to sample the meal. Where else on earth can you do that????

Book a meal at a Chef's table and you'll get more food offered than you can eat in a year.

Are specialty dining rooms worth it?...........now that you've mentioned escargot...... we were on a "Freestyle" cruise and asked if we could order escargot in the MDR. We were told, "no, but it was available in the French themed surcharge dining room". We dined there one night and enjoyed our escargot which we got for the $25 pp surcharge. More recently we were on "a love boat" and asked for escargot in the MDR. The waiter said we could have them the next evening. When he served them he said, "would you like a standing order for them every evening?" I guess on some lines, specialty dining rooms are "worth it" depending what you'd like to have for dinner that you can't get in the MDR.

....we were on a "Freestyle" cruise and asked if we could order escargot in the MDR. We were told, "no, but it was available in the French themed surcharge dining room". We dined there one night and enjoyed our escargot which we got for the $25 pp surcharge. More recently we were on "a love boat" and asked for escargot in the MDR. The waiter said we could have them the next evening. When he served them he said, "would you like a standing order for them every evening?".....

This is more an example of the level of service on one line vs. the other. And not at all surprising. From my experience, "Freestyle" also means "We don't make the extra effort for the customer".

Book a meal at a Chef's table and you'll get more food offered than you can eat in a year.

We have a cruise on Allure booked for next year and one of the things I am looking forward to is the Chef's Table for our Anniversary Dinner. happy cruising

I would like to consider myself a "Foodie".

I would recommend you consider The Chef's Table. While not a specialty restaurant, per se; it is something you need to experience, at least once. While I can't speak to RCIs version, but The Chef's Table on the Grand Princess was absolutely fantastic! Price was $95 per person and worth every penny!

Will be on Oasis next November and will be trying their Chef's Table. Purely for comparitive purposes, of course! :D