Specialty restaurants

I thought of asking this as a poll, but wasn't sure how to do it. :confused:

So the question is :

Do you dine in the specialty restaurants? Frequently, occasionally or never? And why/ why not? Service, food, atmosphere, special occasion, or other reason?

Thanks for your input!

We dine in specialty restaurants (chops and Portofino) 3-4 nights on a 7 night cruise. The reason? We aren't interested in the pork-chicken-pasta stuff in the main dining room. Even the prime rib last cruise in MDR was bad. The other nights we do windjammer. there will be MDR lovers here and more power to them. We burned out on MDR same old same old (waiter, bread, salad, etc etc). The specialty dining venue's are a cooked to order fine restaurant, compared to the mass buffet in the main dining room. No real comparison.

k

Very occasionally. We enjoy the MDR food and conversation.

We have tried Chops and Chef's Table. Our reason for going to specialty restaurants is curiosity about what they have to offer and it's a change from the MDR. It's like an intimate formal night for us. Generally, we will go to the MDR for dinner. Between one and three nights, we'll go to the WJ for dinner. One night, we may try a specialty restaurant.

We typically do at least a night at Portofino's, but we found the MDR food to be so good on this last cruise with the new MDR menu that we will stick with the MDR next month.

We tend to do MDR & on many cruises stick with it for the full week.

We have tried Chops and Portofino once each; found Chops steaks to be quite nice but not exceptional, Portofino was amazing.

On Oasis we did do specialties 3 nights: 150 Central Park, and it was as exceptional as advertised; dinner in the Solarium, which was different and lovely; and on the 2nd formal night did wine flights and ordered dinner from the tapas menu in Vintages. Enjoyed the 3 nights "out" and enjoyed the 4 nights in the MDR.

Reasons for doing specialties? sometimes a better menu, or just for something a little different and more intimate.

Reasons for MDR? We like the conversation, the food, and the interactions with the wait staff.

Mary

I haven't eaten in the MDR in probably my last five cruises. I prefer the specialty restaurants or the Windjammer. I mostly cruise alone, and while I never have trouble meeting interesting new people, I don't necessarily want to spend an entire meal with them. Also, I prefer the food and service in the specialty restaurants. I also hate the noise level in the MDR, so if I'm not eating dinner in a specialty, I tend to head to the Windjammer, which is much quieter in the evenings.

We love going to Specialty restaurants on RCCL cruises. :)

LuLu

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We always book a night at Chops for our anniversary and usually will book a night at Portofino. We never eat dinner in the Windjammer. We did all specialty restaurants except one night on Allure (Feb 2012). We had originally booked specialty for 4 of the 7 but had such a poor experience in MDR the first night, we decided to try out all of the specialty restaurants. In order of preference (favorite to least) we liked: 150 Central Park, Chops (went twice), Giovanni's Table, Rita's Cantina, Samba Grill. The only one we would not try again was Samba Grill....meat overload!

We've started eating more and more in the specialty restaurants. What started out as maybe one time per cruise has changed to every night on one cruise, and four nights on our last cruise. There are several reasons, for us anyway. We had a really bad experience in the MDR one trip. We used to request a large table so we could meet different people at dinner, but more and more found ourselves sitting by ourselves at a table for eight, or six. The quality of the food in the MDR has declined, and while the service is still good, it usually feels rushed.

We try to do one night in Portofino (Giovanni's Table on the upcoming Indy cruise) but we really enjoy the MDR too. We like the special service we get at the specialty restaurants.

We love the specialty restaurants and dine in them as much as possible. The food and service is really great. I'm not a big fan of the MDR for a few reasons. It always seems to have uncontrolled kids running around screaming and yelling. Plus I am not a big fan of singing and dancing waiters.......lol. If I want entertainment, I'll go see a show after dinner.

<snip>We enjoy the MDR food and conversation.

Same here, Bob!

We never dine in the specialty restaurants. No need to spend more money when we like the food and experience that's included.

Last few cruises we have only done the MDR once a cruise. Too much like a banquet hall; we much prefer the ambiance, service and upgraded cuisine at the specialities - more like dining at an actual restaurant. Well worth the nominal charge.

Same here, Bob!

 

 

We never dine in the specialty restaurants. No need to spend more money when we like the food and experience that's included.

I agree! I tried Chops once and it was fine. Not exceptional but good. Now that they removed my favorite steak AND dessert from the menu, no reason for me to go back.

If it were a Prime cut of beef it would be more "worth it" but I can get just as good a steak and service for 30.00 pp on land at our local steakhouse.

I'm a huge fan of the MDR though and haven't had a bad experience. Plus they serve things there that I don't normally get on land. Love the lamb shank, duck and escargot.

I was gonna try Portofino on Freedom on the last cruise but didn't like the extremely early or extremely late dining times that were left. We didn't prebook.

I agree! I tried Chops once and it was fine. Not exceptional but good. Now that they removed my favorite steak AND dessert from the menu, no reason for me to go back.

 

If it were a Prime cut of beef it would be more "worth it" but I can get just as good a steak and service for 30.00 pp on land at our local steakhouse.

 

I'm a huge fan of the MDR though and haven't had a bad experience. Plus they serve things there that I don't normally get on land. Love the lamb shank, duck and escargot.

I was gonna try Portofino on Freedom on the last cruise but didn't like the extremely early or extremely late dining times that were left. We didn't prebook.

I agree, these items are rare at land restaurants, at least where we live.

We will usually do one or two, however, on our last cruise I felt the the mdr was better.

This will be our first cruise with RCI but based on the menus (YUMMY), I am going to dine at Chops and Giovanni's on the nights I don't like the MDR menu. (Based on the menu, I know of 2 nights I don't care for but I'm still trying to figure out which nights they serve which menu)

I probably wouldn't have, but one of our perks is a free specialty dining dinner so that had me drooling, err...I mean looking at all of the menus. Chops and Giovanni's menus really caught my stomach, err...I mean eye.

OP here. Figured I would answer my own question. :)

I have never been to a specialty restaurant. My reasoning for this - why should I pay extra for food when I have already paid for meals included. But I have to admit, that almost every time I order a steak in the MDR, it is really pretty bad. I often wondered is this their way of "persuading" you to order a chops steak for an extra fee. Anyway, I just quit ordering steaks anymore. :)

But as I read more and more about people dining in specailty restaurants, makes me think maybe I should check it out.

OP here. Figured I would answer my own question. :)

I have never been to a specialty restaurant. My reasoning for this - why should I pay extra for food when I have already paid for meals included. But I have to admit, that almost every time I order a steak in the MDR, it is really pretty bad. I often wondered is this their way of "persuading" you to order a chops steak for an extra fee. Anyway, I just quit ordering steaks anymore. :)

But as I read more and more about people dining in specailty restaurants, makes me think maybe I should check it out.

I know the mentality of having already paid for the food in the MDR, but consider what just an entree would cost at a semi-decent steakhouse at home. Maybe you could get a piece of chicken for $30 but not a nice steak. And that wouldn't include appetizers, sides and dessert either.

Only if we're cruising on a special occasion.

We only use the specialty restaurants if our ta gives one to us. I've tried Chops and it was good but nothing special that I would pay for. You can't compare the steaks to a NY Steakhouse which I thought it would be like.

I never wanted to try the pay venues either until we had some extra shipboard credit. Now that I've been to Chops, I think I need Chops every night! Ha! But we try to limit it to two visits during the cruise, then I order the Chops filet a couple nights in the MDR as well. We use our Visa shipboard credit for it.

I know the mentality of having already paid for the food in the MDR, but consider what just an entree would cost at a semi-decent steakhouse at home. Maybe you could get a piece of chicken for $30 but not a nice steak. And that wouldn't include appetizers, sides and dessert either.

I get what you are saying but I personally still can't justify it. After all, at home, I am not paying thousands of dollars to get to the specialty steakhouse to eat an expensive meal.

It's good to read about all kinds of differences in opinions though. It solidifies and affirms my choices. Thanks!

We always do Portofino's one night of the cruise. I don't prebook and have never had a problem getting a reservation once on board for the time I want. I think you should give it a try once and then decide for yourself. We normally travel with a group of friends, some go to Portofino's some stick with the MDR or WindJammer.