What type of cruiser are you? MDR vs Specialty

[1ParticularHbr]

On 7 nights w/a Chops & Portofino we do 5 in MDR and one night each in the specialty restaurants. Windjammer is not something we've ever tried for dinner. We enjoy dressing up a bit & taking the time to be served. When we did Allure, we only did MDR once and specialty all the rest of the nights. We're really excited to try Dynamic Dining on Oasis. With the three no-fee full-serve restaurants (w/two different menus each) it will give us 6 nights of unique, no-fee dining if we choose. We'll likely still do a couple nights in a specialty restaurant though. They're too good to miss and IMHO, are worth the surcharge.

Edited October 28, 2014 by 1ParticularHbr

[molsonschooner]

We have only dined in the mdr. I am not a steak eater so chops would be a waste for me.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

I'm a MDR person. Never eat at a specialty restaurant. Love the service (and the food) in the MDR

 

The only cruise I went to a specialty restaurant on was the NCL Epic, because the free dining room food was pretty bad, along with the service.

Edited October 28, 2014 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[davekathy]

Always MDR for breakfast and our evening meal (early).

[CRUISEBOY305]

Not looking to judge or anything just generally curious as to what everyone's preference is.

 

Are you the type that stays with MDR most of the week because they change the menu?

 

Or are you the type that loves to spend most nights in the specialty dining?

 

I myself prefer the MDR, I do like that they change the menu and to me it keeps it fresh and I feel like I miss out if I go elsewhere. Plus it saves me extra money.

 

I have had one experience in specialty dining and I enjoyed it very much and I am not adverse to trying again just prefer the variety every day and money savings of the MDR.

 

What say you?

 

I prefer specialty dining, may use MDR once or twice depending on length of cruise.

[nelblu]

We're MDR, however, on a 7 niter, we usually go the specialty restaurant at least once. On longer cruises a minimum of 2. Last August ('13) we cruised the Medit. on a 12 niter and took advantage of their 3 restaurant special which basically gave us one free. On the upcoming 11 nite Quantum we've reserved Jamie's Italian twice.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

MDR, unless the specialty restaurant is comped. :D

 

I've only been on 3 RC cruises and to be honest, I'm already getting a tad bored with them. To the point we passed on the MDR one night and decided to just do the Windjammer. We've enjoyed Chops & Sabor in the past as well.

[kontraxed]

Typically, we eat in the MDR. That being said, we don't enjoy dressing up for the formal nights. Up to now, we have felt forced to eat in Windjammers on those nights but I think we are going to join those people who eat in the MDR anyway. I wear slacks and a nice shirt, I just don't want to wear a tie and jacket. I spent my whole life dressed like that and don't want to ever wear another tie.

 

I have always thought the ships could divide the various venues or floors so that the formal folks could have their area and the non-formal folks could still have the MDR environment.

[3CatsInMA]

MDR 98.3% if the time. Give or take.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Forums mobile app

[Wilda]

Typically 3 specialty restaurants (on Oasis class) and MDR, WJ, or Cafe Promenade.

[sross6019]

MDR. Don't like paying extra for meals.

[cruiseapril]

We usually do MTD in the MDR. Have always found good selections.

 

We're from Maine- have plenty of lobster and dine in Portland where there are many fine restaurants- so don't need specialty dining.

[dacsmom]

Usually 4 in the MDR and 3 in specialty, depending on the ship and what specialty restaurants are available. We did Chops twice on the Allure because it was so good, Giovanni's and Vintages were great options for lunch. It also depends on if I am cruising as a solo or not, if I am alone I usually stick to the MDR to have tablemates.

[Yorkvillain]

For a 7-day cruise: 4-5 nights in MDR, 2-3 nights in a specialty restaurant.

[ksawyercruiser]

1"

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[1ParticularHbr]

We usually do MTD in the MDR. Have always found good selections.

 

We're from Maine- have plenty of lobster and dine in Portland where there are many fine restaurants- so don't need specialty dining.

 

We lived in the Portland area for years and agree that lobster on a ship pales in comparison to any lobster in Maine BUT....all of the wonderful restaurants in Portland (and now in Atlanta) have us used to dining that's a few notches above what the MDR provides so we eat in specialty when it's an option.

[Ladysilver]

We prefer the MDR mosts nights. Sometimes we go to a speciality restaurant on a special occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary. :)

[karena1]

Not looking to judge or anything just generally curious as to what everyone's preference is.

 

Are you the type that stays with MDR most of the week because they change the menu?

 

Or are you the type that loves to spend most nights in the specialty dining?

 

I myself prefer the MDR, I do like that they change the menu and to me it keeps it fresh and I feel like I miss out if I go elsewhere. Plus it saves me extra money.

 

I have had one experience in specialty dining and I enjoyed it very much and I am not adverse to trying again just prefer the variety every day and money savings of the MDR.

 

What say you?

 

NEVER do Specialty restaurants anymore. We have tried it twice and both times the food was horrible. Give me MTD. It is included and the food is always good, I can ask for what I want. Last time we did Specialty was on Jewel in Chops. DH steak was so tough he could not eat it. I asked for a spicy chicken breast since I don't eat meat. What I got was a plain chicken breast with tobacco sauce on it. REALLY???? That was all you could come up with when we PAY to eat?

 

In MTD I ask for curry vegetarian dishes and they always deliver. I ask for salad and steamed veggies and I always get it. Nope not for me, they can keep the restaurants that I have to pay extra for.

[Yorkvillain]

NEVER do Specialty restaurants anymore. We have tried it twice and both times the food was horrible. Give me MTD. It is included and the food is always good, I can ask for what I want. Last time we did Specialty was on Jewel in Chops. DH steak was so tough he could not eat it. I asked for a spicy chicken breast since I don't eat meat. What I got was a plain chicken breast with tobacco sauce on it. REALLY???? That was all you could come up with when we PAY to eat?

 

In MTD I ask for curry vegetarian dishes and they always deliver. I ask for salad and steamed veggies and I always get it. Nope not for me, they can keep the restaurants that I have to pay extra for.

 

Ewwww, tobacco sauce

[holden0301]

If it's just me and DH - specialty only. If we bring the DDs (12 and 8), a mix of MDR and specialty.

[readytolose]

We did Chops one night on our first cruise and the MDR for the rest of the nights.

 

Our next cruise we took the kids so saved money by eating in the MDR every night.

 

My next cruise was with my sister and she had never cruised and is frugal so we dined in the MDR each night.

 

Our upcoming Allure cruise we have Specialty reservations for 5 nights, MTD for 1 night and we will decide on the ship what we want to do on the other night. We are thinking about giving the Windjammer a try for dinner.

 

We enjoy the MDR but thought we would try things a little differently this cruise.

[Paulette3028]

I think DD will be different restaurant different menu. So really the discussion then become free vs fee.

 

There is more to the changed to DD than just free vs fee.

 

For DH and I we enjoy the MDR; we have overall always found the food fine, yet if I order something that dissatisfies me, I ask for something else -- simple as that. We only enjoy Izumi, because Japanese food is not on the MDR menu option on any night.

[hailmary25]

I had one experience in specialty and it was good. Besides the variety of the mdr, I am already paying a lot for the food and everything else plus drinks and excursions it's tough to add another 50 or more a night to dine specialty. Maybe things have changed in the time I last cruised but service and food was always exceptional to me in the mdr

[OCruisers]

On RCCL cruises we almost always have dinner in a specialty restaurant EVERY night. :D

LuLu

[jndsilver31]

6 nights in the MDR, 1 night in Chops.

 

and by the way, DW and I think the food in the MDR is just fine, but then we aren't foodies or food critics writing a newspaper article like some on these boards do.