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Don't go to specialty restaurants

tommyj4

By tommyj4,
in Royal Caribbean International

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
You walk through and look around. There is no posted menu. Last week on Allure they did post in the Cruise Compass one day that the Windjammer was going to have a seafood bar that night.

I've seen it in the compass as well. We just walk down after dinner and check

 

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asctony

asctony

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Specialty Restaurants are really nothing more than a change of pace. If comparing to the MDR, the food is about the same to me and the service not much better either.

LIke we say - Food is subjective. However, SRs do charge extra, just like any restaurant in the world.

 

Do you honestly believe that the food is the same in the SR and MDR?

 

The service is the same in the SR and MDR?

 

What cruise lines do you cruise on?

 

I don't see steaks in the MDR like they use to have before the SRs.

I don't see the Lobster in the MDR like they use to have before the SRs.

Wonderland is a total experience I have never gotten from any MDR.

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grapau27

grapau27

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LIke we say - Food is subjective. However, SRs do charge extra, just like any restaurant in the world.

 

Do you honestly believe that the food is the same in the SR and MDR?

 

The service is the same in the SR and MDR?

 

What cruise lines do you cruise on?

 

I don't see steaks in the MDR like they use to have before the SRs.

I don't see the Lobster in the MDR like they use to have before the SRs.

Wonderland is a total experience I have never gotten from any MDR.

For a more relaxed intimate experience the Speciality Restaurants win every time.

We have never had a bad meal in the MDR but we are on holiday and like to experience different dining experiences.

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CruisingNole

CruisingNole

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If you're not eating the "regular" food in the dining room, what are you getting out of the $2,000 stateroom you purchased on the ship? Just a place to rest your head and a mode of transportation?

 

For me, the great part of cruising and what makes it such a great deal is the all inclusive dining. Having to pay for all of your meals doesn't make it such a great deal, in my opinion. Just my two cents.

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Zach1213

Zach1213

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If you're not eating the "regular" food in the dining room, what are you getting out of the $2,000 stateroom you purchased on the ship? Just a place to rest your head and a mode of transportation?

 

For me, the great part of cruising and what makes it such a great deal is the all inclusive dining. Having to pay for all of your meals doesn't make it such a great deal, in my opinion. Just my two cents.

 

I think that's one good thing about cruises - it suits many people's needs and desires. I totally get what you're saying, while also disagreeing in that going to specialty restaurants is easy money to justify in my book.

 

But, I think we're also different in that the stateroom is a place to us to rest, away from people. At a certain point, my wife and I are just done with people, so having a room where we can go back, relax, and sit on the balcony with a drink is important. It's not just a place to rest.

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
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If you're not eating the "regular" food in the dining room, what are you getting out of the $2,000 stateroom you purchased on the ship? Just a place to rest your head and a mode of transportation?

 

For me, the great part of cruising and what makes it such a great deal is the all inclusive dining. Having to pay for all of your meals doesn't make it such a great deal, in my opinion. Just my two cents.

Thats true but even just 1 night in a SR is a nice treat.

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Olympic1010

Olympic1010

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Watching Cruise Calendar every day for more than a month. Everything comes and goes on sale, except special dining. Our cruise starts 24. March. Still hoping for a good bargain. Special dining is every thing for us. We are the ones that saves money choosing inside cabins. Spending our money on every other upgrades. Fine dining , more exclusive wines, good Cognac.Always searching for best possible excursions on port days. Prefer a private boat trip with a local fisherman in front of a touristy catamaran. The best quality with cruising is all the choices. Everyone can choose their own preferences of activities,food and drinks. Just have in mind that RCCL works in the segment -purchase your ticket, and pay if you want something extras. Happy Cruising

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Robo1098

Robo1098

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If you're not eating the "regular" food in the dining room, what are you getting out of the $2,000 stateroom you purchased on the ship? Just a place to rest your head and a mode of transportation?

 

For me, the great part of cruising and what makes it such a great deal is the all inclusive dining. Having to pay for all of your meals doesn't make it such a great deal, in my opinion. Just my two cents.

 

 

 

I agree with this wholeheartedly

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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Cookiecookie

Cookiecookie

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If you're not eating the "regular" food in the dining room, what are you getting out of the $2,000 stateroom you purchased on the ship? Just a place to rest your head and a mode of transportation?

 

For me, the great part of cruising and what makes it such a great deal is the all inclusive dining. Having to pay for all of your meals doesn't make it such a great deal, in my opinion. Just my two cents.

Each to their own, we love the speciality restaurants and will go to at least 3 on a 14 night cruise.

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nelblu

nelblu

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That is quite pricey. It is cheaper to go at home and the quality and experience is just as good.

 

 

I'm with you, for $45-$49, I can get 2 hibachi dinners. We go to Fuji Japanese restaurant located in Hazlet. I order the scallops hibachi dinner entrée. It starts with miso soup, followed by salad, shrimps appetizer, noodles, scallops with either white or brown rice and vegetables. Topped off by ice cream. Fare is $21 and lobster is $24.

 

Also, if I'm not mistaken, the $45-$49 does not include the 18% grats.

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dadofjessie

dadofjessie

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If you're not eating the "regular" food in the dining room, what are you getting out of the $2,000 stateroom you purchased on the ship? Just a place to rest your head and a mode of transportation?

 

For me, the great part of cruising and what makes it such a great deal is the all inclusive dining. Having to pay for all of your meals doesn't make it such a great deal, in my opinion. Just my two cents.

 

100% in agreement but unfortunately I do go to the specialty restaurants too.

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bigque

bigque

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Whoever said that specialty dining is supposed to be 5 Star anyway????? You would think the majority of the people that cruise RCI go out to eat. At 5 star restaurants all the time. Nobody that cruises RCI never eat at chain restaurants such as Applebee’s, Chili’s, Texas Roadhouse, or many of the other national chains because supposedly they are all nasty. Nobody goes to any of the fast food burger places but must always eat at gourmet burger places. Nobody eats at the food courts in the mall. Nobody eats at buffet restaurants until they go on a cruise and eat in the Windjammer. Nobody order pizza from Pizza Hut, Dominos, or Papa Johns. Nobody eats at little neighborhood mom and pops restaurants. Because of this I understand why most people on RCI tries to compare everything to 5 Star restaurants because they have nothing else to come the ships food too! Geez!

 

I am so glad that my taste in food covers a large spectrum of taste of all the above mentioned places and that I can find something I wherever I eat on the ship that will satisfy me. We do specialty a couple of nights on the cruise just for something different and not because we think the MDR is so god awful nasty. Price is not an issue because we always factor that into our cruise vacation cost.

 

Oh and I know no one agree with this but we think The Costal Kitchen is highly overrated!

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grapau27

grapau27

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Whoever said that specialty dining is supposed to be 5 Star anyway????? You would think the majority of the people that cruise RCI go out to eat. At 5 star restaurants all the time. Nobody that cruises RCI never eat at chain restaurants such as Applebee’s, Chili’s, Texas Roadhouse, or many of the other national chains because supposedly they are all nasty. Nobody goes to any of the fast food burger places but must always eat at gourmet burger places. Nobody eats at the food courts in the mall. Nobody eats at buffet restaurants until they go on a cruise and eat in the Windjammer. Nobody order pizza from Pizza Hut, Dominos, or Papa Johns. Nobody eats at little neighborhood mom and pops restaurants. Because of this I understand why most people on RCI tries to compare everything to 5 Star restaurants because they have nothing else to come the ships food too! Geez!

 

I am so glad that my taste in food covers a large spectrum of taste of all the above mentioned places and that I can find something I wherever I eat on the ship that will satisfy me. We do specialty a couple of nights on the cruise just for something different and not because we think the MDR is so god awful nasty. Price is not an issue because we always factor that into our cruise vacation cost.

 

Oh and I know no one agree with this but we think The Costal Kitchen is highly overrated!

Some good points.

We are from England but when we come to Florida we like:

Longhorns,Dennys and Friendlies etc.

We always like to do at least 2 speciality restaurants in a 7 night cruise because we like the feel of the speciality restaurants.

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CruisingNole

CruisingNole

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If the specialty restaurants were "pro-rated," I might eat at them. And when I say "pro-rated," I say so because I feel like the value of the food in the MDR should be taken into consideration when setting the price for the specialty restaurants, since the MDR food is essentially paid for when you purchase the cruise fare. For example, let's say that a meal comparable to what you'd get at the MDR is worth $20 at a local restaurant. That being said, the $50 specialty restaurant should cost $30. You're taking a pre-paid meal (MDR) and "upgrading it" essentially, but based on the specialty restaurant prices, it's like you're paying for the entire meal, thus completely negating the value of the food that you paid for via your cruise fair. Which, in my mind, makes those restaurants a complete rip-off.

 

That was long-winded and maybe it doesn't make sense, but if anyone comprehends, feel free to paraphrase. LOL.

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

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Posted
If the specialty restaurants were "pro-rated," I might eat at them. And when I say "pro-rated," I say so because I feel like the value of the food in the MDR should be taken into consideration when setting the price for the specialty restaurants, since the MDR food is essentially paid for when you purchase the cruise fare. For example, let's say that a meal comparable to what you'd get at the MDR is worth $20 at a local restaurant. That being said, the $50 specialty restaurant should cost $30. You're taking a pre-paid meal (MDR) and "upgrading it" essentially, but based on the specialty restaurant prices, it's like you're paying for the entire meal, thus completely negating the value of the food that you paid for via your cruise fair. Which, in my mind, makes those restaurants a complete rip-off.

 

That was long-winded and maybe it doesn't make sense, but if anyone comprehends, feel free to paraphrase. LOL.

One could easily make the argument that the price is prorated and the charge would be even higher if your uneaten MDR food were not taken into account. My point is RCI can spin the pricing anyway they want. Ultimately, they will charge as much as they determine people are willing to pay.

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