Up charge for specialty restaurants

[SeaBunny]

Is it accurate that the uncharge is $45/pp? That seems terribly high. After all, you're already paying for dinner in MDR.

 

I could go into the best upscale restaurants around here and order an appetizer and entree (don't eat dessert) for about the same amount or very close to it.

 

Is the food that awesome?

[cruisestitch]

It can be. But also you can almost always ask for and negotiate a discount.

[ghstudio]

The price varies a bit by specialty restaurant...actually they now go up to $55 for some meals (and more for wine dinners, special dinners)....and if you find yourself in the tuscan grill, they have some items you can order at an additional charge on top of what you paid for your reservation.Yes, it can get pricey.

 

No, the food is not worth the upcharge...it's better, but not worth $50 or so extra. You are paying for the ambiance and the opportunity to try something new rather than always eating in the MDR or Aqua.

 

We cruise often and our approach is to wait until we get on board and see if they make a lower price offer. It's pretty common to get 20-25% off, but you may not get the time you want...or the night you want. We try for 50% off...BOGO...and if they drop to maybe 45% off, we'll book the restaurant.

 

Some folks love the specialty restaurants....it's really up to you.

[FunInTheSun9]

I have found that the best deal on Specialty dining is offered during 72 hour flash sales. We paid $150 for 6 specialty dinners ($25 per meal) this way - no negotiation required. Worked out great for our 14 night sailing last month. Keep an eye out on your roll call for when flash sales are in effect.

 

 

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[fizzy1]

It is very much a personal choice . We always eat in the speciality restaurants and OV , never the MD as just don’t like the atmosphere in there . We have found the food and service in these restaurants and in OV more to our taste

 

 

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[George C]

We were in suite, so we had suite restaurant but still did specialty twice, daily programs had discounts listed many days, really liked Tuscan grill for us it was well worth the price

[nhsails]

Bless your heart..you don't have to go. However for us, we enjoy them. Certainly well below pricing for our favorite places here. Each can customize as they wish, great thing about cruising isn't it?

[ggo85]

Food and its value is a very subjective thing -- just like whether you should pay more for a "better" cabin. We prefer specialty restaurants for the following reasons:

 

1. We prefer a table for 2. In the MDR, we find our table is invariably in some inconvenient place, not near a window, and in the traffic flow. Always happens. In the specialty restaurants, we have no trouble with a table for 2 and, if there's a window, usually are seated there. Nicer view, not as crowded.

 

2. We think we get better service b/c the wait staff doesn't cover as many tables. We actually counted on one (RCL) cruise. Our waiter and busboy had 5 tables with 24 people total. In a specialty restaurant, it's often 1 water for 2 tables of 2/4. Even when crowded, the ratio is better. We like to eat fairly quickly and thus don't have to wait for 20 other people potentially to figure out what to eat, be served, etc.

 

3. We have found that the wait staff in the specialty restaurants generally are more experienced than in the MDR. There are obviously exceptions but it appears that working in a specialty restaurant is considered a good deal and goes to those who have done well in the MDR.

 

4. We like some of the menu options (e.g., sushi) that aren't available in the MDR.

 

5. We think some items (definitely not all) are just better in the specialty restaurants. Steak is one. There are others.

 

The reasons above are based on our preferences and experience -- I'm not suggesting that everyone else feels the same way or has had the same experience. For us, the cost of the specialty restaurants is worth it and we've done a number of cruises eating only in those.

 

The above said, we have spent many cruises in the MDR. We have found that the servers work very hard and we have almost always been incredibly impressed with how well they serve a lot of people with a smile. And the food is certainly edible and at times quite exceptional. But we don't do it any more for the above reasons.

[fizzy1]

Food and its value is a very subjective thing -- just like whether you should pay more for a "better" cabin. We prefer specialty restaurants for the following reasons:

 

 

 

1. We prefer a table for 2. In the MDR, we find our table is invariably in some inconvenient place, not near a window, and in the traffic flow. Always happens. In the specialty restaurants, we have no trouble with a table for 2 and, if there's a window, usually are seated there. Nicer view, not as crowded.

 

 

 

2. We think we get better service b/c the wait staff doesn't cover as many tables. We actually counted on one (RCL) cruise. Our waiter and busboy had 5 tables with 24 people total. In a specialty restaurant, it's often 1 water for 2 tables of 2/4. Even when crowded, the ratio is better. We like to eat fairly quickly and thus don't have to wait for 20 other people potentially to figure out what to eat, be served, etc.

 

 

 

3. We have found that the wait staff in the specialty restaurants generally are more experienced than in the MDR. There are obviously exceptions but it appears that working in a specialty restaurant is considered a good deal and goes to those who have done well in the MDR.

 

 

 

4. We like some of the menu options (e.g., sushi) that aren't available in the MDR.

 

 

 

5. We think some items (definitely not all) are just better in the specialty restaurants. Steak is one. There are others.

 

 

 

The reasons above are based on our preferences and experience -- I'm not suggesting that everyone else feels the same way or has had the same experience. For us, the cost of the specialty restaurants is worth it and we've done a number of cruises eating only in those.

 

 

 

The above said, we have spent many cruises in the MDR. We have found that the servers work very hard and we have almost always been incredibly impressed with how well they serve a lot of people with a smile. And the food is certainly edible and at times quite exceptional. But we don't do it any more for the above reasons.

 

 

 

We agree on 1-5 all the way

 

 

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[CYNSport]

Is it accurate that the uncharge is $45/pp? That seems terribly high. After all, you're already paying for dinner in MDR.

 

I could go into the best upscale restaurants around here and order an appetizer and entree (don't eat dessert) for about the same amount or very close to it.

 

Is the food that awesome?

 

 

Wow. The best upscale restaurants around me often have have $45 main courses and appetizers $20 or more, so the upcharges on the specialty restaurants don’t seem outrageous to me. Whether the charge is worth is, as everyone says, up to each person to evaluate. Happy cruising!

[Muffinz]

Well on our recent cruise on Solstice we were considering shouting ourselves to Tuscan Grille or Murano, but after the first night in the Main Dining room we thought the food / service / atmosphere was great so that's where we ate every night.

[dabear]

While food is definitely a subjective matter, where we live an upscale restaurant easily runs more than $50pp without drinks. X definitely spends more on food costs and has a higher level of service in the specialty restaurants (most of the time). Also the food is made to order where as in the mdr it's mostly prepared in advance. Is the uncharge worth it depends on your values (& tastes).

[Duanerice1]

We don't go to the specialty restaurants but that's our choice. We've been before but there is not that much appeal to us. Food isn't that important to us. Give us good food, decent service and we are happy. But I have no issue with those that go. More power to them. I think of it as subsidizing my cruise. Figure the more people spend on board the better the income for Celebrity which helps with cruise prices. Same applies with upgrading drink packages, ship excursions, etc. The more they spend the better for me. Everyone is different and has different priorities.

[chemmo]

Before speciality dining was included with our suite package we used to prebook a 4/5 night dining package that really brought the cost down. On boarding we would then make the reservations we wanted without having to ‘haggle’ for reduced prices and we always got the times we wanted.

 

We do enjoy the ‘ambiance’ of the speciality restaurants as well as the food. Each has something different to offer. In Tuscan, if you book early evening you can often see the ship leave the port from those amazing big windows. In Murano’s enjoy the ‘theatre’ of tableside preparation. At the Lawn Club Grill have the feeling of al fresco dining and in the Porch feel like you are in a Mediterranean street cafe....

 

We never had major issues with the MDR. The food was generally fine, the waiters worked hard and although tables were quite close the atmosphere was also fine.....the speciality restaurants just have generally better quality food and more of a real restaurant feel.

[K12Guy]

We do enjoy the ‘ambiance’ of the speciality restaurants as well as the food. Each has something different to offer. We never had major issues with the MDR. The food was generally fine, the waiters worked hard and although tables were quite close the atmosphere was also fine.....the speciality restaurants just have generally better quality food and more of a real restaurant feel.

 

So much truth to what you've written. We are lucky that we don't have to worry about bottom line costs as compared to perks included. For us the perks are what make the stateroom as attractive as the square footage. Having Michael's Club and Luminae available makes life even better that the thought of a cruise whilst being pampered. Having specialty restaurants included makes it all even better and worth every extra cent paid. Last fall we did a four night Princess cruise off California, booked in a basic stateroom. That sure makes one appreciate a suite experience. For us life is too short to put up with a crappy stateroom and buffet, but that's just our individual choice. :cool:

[blueboro]

If you want a lower cost a package of 4 specialty will come to a little over $30 pp for each restaurant...much better!

[Zoedokey]

For us, specialty restaurants are not worth the price. We enjoy the regular dining venues and don't feel the need to spend another 100 a night on dinner.

[Hlitner]

One nice thing about the Specialty Restaurants is that it is an option...nor a one size fits all kind of thing. For us, Murano is one of the best dining venues on the 7 seas and we like to dine there on a regular basis. On our last 21 day cruise we ate in Murano 10 times. As to the cost, we simply took advantage of one of the 20% Off Flash Sales and purchased a dining package which got our cost per/person meal down to $25. This was actually less money then it would have cost us to upgrade our balcony cabin to Aqua Class. And to us, there is no comparison between Blu and Murano (or Qsine).

 

Hank