Would you pay extra for speciality dining or stay with main dining?

[time4u2go]

5 minutes ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

 

I could not agree more with your assessment.  When specialty dining first began with supplemental fees of $10 to $25ish, it was a very nice change of pace from the MDR and held value for me in both the quality of food and the elevated level of service.  The price of the experience aligned with my expectations.  Nowadays, at $60 a head  for a barely elevated experience,  not so much.  I have long held the opinion that Chops is possibly the most overrated restaurant at sea.  I've had better steaks at Outback and that red velvet cake that people love is the worst red velvet I've ever tasted, consistently.  If I want to go to a spendy steakhouse, I'll do it on land and get far better quality for my money.

 

The one thing that I know for sure is that I will never starve on a cruise eating the included food. Fortunately, I'm not a picky eater, but,  I'm pretty careful about what I order in MDR to avoid disappointment with a poorly cooked cheaper cut/grade of protein.

I totally agree.  It was occasionally worth it back when it was basically just a surcharge, in the $20 range.  Now it's basically the price of an entire land-based restaurant meal.  People tend to compare the cost of a specialty restaurant to a land-based restaurant, but they fail to consider that they've already paid for a meal in the MDR.

[SUgwoz]

32 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

I totally agree.  It was occasionally worth it back when it was basically just a surcharge, in the $20 range.  Now it's basically the price of an entire land-based restaurant meal.  People tend to compare the cost of a specialty restaurant to a land-based restaurant, but they fail to consider that they've already paid for a meal in the MDR.

I agree, though people also tend to compare the cost to a land-based restaurant in a lower cost location.  If you were to get a meal at a hotel restaurant, larger city, tourist location, the price is generally 25-50% higher than average.

[time4u2go]

17 minutes ago, SUgwoz said:

I agree, though people also tend to compare the cost to a land-based restaurant in a lower cost location.  If you were to get a meal at a hotel restaurant, larger city, tourist location, the price is generally 25-50% higher than average.

Very valid point, although the MDR meal they aren't eating (and have already paid for) should also then be compared to a hotel restaurant in a larger city and tourist location.

 

Edited January 10 by time4u2go

[CynBeth6]

We have only ever had dinner in the MDR.

[Rogueperson]

I did a B2B two years ago on Adventure.  So i said...

 

 

The b2b consisted of a 5 night to Bermuda and then 9 nights to Canada.  We did the UDP for 5 nights and then MDR for the remaining 9 nights.  We also threw in Chef's Table because of the discount for the 1st 5 nights.

 

Adventure has Izumi's, Giovanni's, Chops and Johnny Rockets, but since i don't like Johnny Rockets in general, that really wasn't in the running.

 

I ended up eating at Izumi's once, Giovanni's twice and Chops, 3 times.  Anytime lunch was offered, I took it.  I also, at the time, was able to get chili cheese fries from Johnny Rockets, but i'm not sure you can do the same thing anymore with that silly one time credit they have now.

Did i enjoy the UDP?  Yes, but to be honest, after 5 nights of nothing but specialty restaurants, I was done.  The menu is fairly limited and visiting twice, with someone, and you've tried everything on the menu already.  After that, it starts to get dull.  Second, i realized that with Giovanni's and Chops, I skew heavier on steaks there.  When i came back to the MDR, I was like "no more steak!!!"  I did not eat another steak until maybe day 4 of leg 2, i was that done with it.  I do have to say, that Chops burger at lunch is amazing.  For a while, best burger at sea was Guy's on Carnival.  Then i went on Princess and Salty Dog Gastropub blew Guy's away.  and then at the last lunch on Chops, I got a burger, and was like "wow, this is an amazing burger" and Royal took the prize.  They never had the prize.  However, the burger is absolutely not worth the price you pay for Chops at lunch and even less so if they offer for dinner, which i don't think they do.  So, technically, yes, they have the best burger in my mind, but I will ONLY get it if i get the UDP, and given how expensive its been since i got it 2 years ago, its unlikely I will get it again.

How did I fare going from all specialty to all MDR?  Easily.  MDR service will ALWAYS be better than the specialty restaurant.  The MDR mixes it up a little better, though the new menu has a little less choices, they still mix it up more meaning they go longer.  Also, the specialty restaurants are even more limiting if you have any dietary restrictions like my wife, who is gluten free.  She was quite happy to go to the MDR where they tried a little harder to accommodate her.

 

Bottom line.  I will get a meal or two at a Specialty Restaurant, but that's it.  I even stopped going to Chef's Table because they haven't change the menu since 2017.  I used to go to it for every cruise, but until Royal changes up the menu, its getting kind of stale.

[RoperDK]

We like to mix it up.  We usually sail in suites and love eating at CK.  If there is no CK, then we enjoy breakfast in a specialty restaurant.  We do a lot of specialty restaurants for lunch.  We haven't had dinner in a specialty restaurant in quite a while.  We'll do the MDR for dinner if we like the menu or we'll hit up the Windjammer. We've been known to have the happy hour snacks in the suite's lounge and find out we're full enough to skip dinner. We just don't eat as much as we used to.     

[lenquixote66]

I never spent one cents extra on a cruise for food .

[ajtaylor29]

Great thread here and it proves the point that there is never ONE right answer to a question like this!!! I think that most people figure out what works for them and that's what they go with. Great! As it should be!

I agree with the comments about overall quality diminishing lately, but i have never gone hungry on a cruise. I have learned to be selective about what i eat and where based on past experiences, but other people will make different choices.

I also agree that we've already "paid" for the buffet and the MDR so some will argue that paying for specialty restaurants is a waste. In my opinion, the specialty restaurants add to my overall enjoyment on a cruise, so to me it's worth a few $$s.

We used to eat exclusively in the buffet or MDR, but over the years we've decided that those aren't our favorites so now we rarely go there at all.

We're fortunate enough to cruise in suites most of the time so often that gets us Coastal Kitchen which is almost always a very satisfying meal. Then we'll sprinkle in a couple of specialty restaurants. 

Some times breakfast in Solarium Bistro. Some times Park Cafe for a great salad at lunch.

Like i said, i won't go hungry on a cruise. And, i usually won't go to a venue that i KNOW will disappoint me.

all that said - i totally understand that i am fortunate to be able to cruise a lot, i'm fortunate to be able to afford a suite or a specialty restaurant. I know some people cruise on a much tighter budget than I do and that's fine! There is food for ALL of us to enjoy!!!

[wreckem2013]

12 hours ago, time4u2go said:

Yes.

We switched to specialty long before cuts to dining.

 

After doing the MDR on Navigator on a 12 day and 14 day back to back in Europe in 2016 we have never really wanted to go back. First time we ate in the main dining room since was on our B2B on Radiance this last summer but even then we ate at Chops 3 times those two weeks.

[wreckem2013]

6 hours ago, Rogueperson said:

I did a B2B two years ago on Adventure.  So i said...

 

 

The b2b consisted of a 5 night to Bermuda and then 9 nights to Canada.  We did the UDP for 5 nights and then MDR for the remaining 9 nights.  We also threw in Chef's Table because of the discount for the 1st 5 nights.

 

Adventure has Izumi's, Giovanni's, Chops and Johnny Rockets, but since i don't like Johnny Rockets in general, that really wasn't in the running.

 

I ended up eating at Izumi's once, Giovanni's twice and Chops, 3 times.  Anytime lunch was offered, I took it.  I also, at the time, was able to get chili cheese fries from Johnny Rockets, but i'm not sure you can do the same thing anymore with that silly one time credit they have now.

Did i enjoy the UDP?  Yes, but to be honest, after 5 nights of nothing but specialty restaurants, I was done.  The menu is fairly limited and visiting twice, with someone, and you've tried everything on the menu already.  After that, it starts to get dull.  Second, i realized that with Giovanni's and Chops, I skew heavier on steaks there.  When i came back to the MDR, I was like "no more steak!!!"  I did not eat another steak until maybe day 4 of leg 2, i was that done with it.  I do have to say, that Chops burger at lunch is amazing.  For a while, best burger at sea was Guy's on Carnival.  Then i went on Princess and Salty Dog Gastropub blew Guy's away.  and then at the last lunch on Chops, I got a burger, and was like "wow, this is an amazing burger" and Royal took the prize.  They never had the prize.  However, the burger is absolutely not worth the price you pay for Chops at lunch and even less so if they offer for dinner, which i don't think they do.  So, technically, yes, they have the best burger in my mind, but I will ONLY get it if i get the UDP, and given how expensive its been since i got it 2 years ago, its unlikely I will get it again.

How did I fare going from all specialty to all MDR?  Easily.  MDR service will ALWAYS be better than the specialty restaurant.  The MDR mixes it up a little better, though the new menu has a little less choices, they still mix it up more meaning they go longer.  Also, the specialty restaurants are even more limiting if you have any dietary restrictions like my wife, who is gluten free.  She was quite happy to go to the MDR where they tried a little harder to accommodate her.

 

Bottom line.  I will get a meal or two at a Specialty Restaurant, but that's it.  I even stopped going to Chef's Table because they haven't change the menu since 2017.  I used to go to it for every cruise, but until Royal changes up the menu, it’s getting kind of stale.

UDP works best on ships with more restaurants and playmakers. Which is mostly the newer big ships. Also I actually prefer the playmakers burger over the chops burger but the chops truffle fries are better than the garlic parm fries in playmakers.

 

On Odyssey we did the following over NYE

Giovanni’s twice for lunch(meat and cheese board plus pizzas and go bananas)
Giovanni’s twice for dinner

Teppenyaki once for dinner

Teppenyaki once for lunch

Wonderland once for dinner

Chops twice for dinner

Playmakers twice for afternoon snacks and three times for late night dessert(read: skillet campfire cookies).

 

We did lunches at 12 afternoons snacks at 4 dinner at 8 and late night desserts at 10:30.

 

If I’m on any of the new ships there are enough restaurants to make UDP worthwhile.

 

Just booked a back to back on Voyager in Europe in 2025. It will be the next time we we eat in the main dining room. Probably a 50/50 split.

 

[erby2283]

As a picky eater, it’s personally not worth it for me to eat at a specialty restaurants. Chops is really the only one that has a menu with options I would enjoy and honestly, I am such a plain jane, I usually end up ordering off the mdr’s anytime dining 3 or 4 times a cruise and skip the pay restaurants. 

Edited January 11 by erby2283

[ReneeFLL]

On 1/9/2024 at 9:34 PM, wreckem2013 said:

People spend a fortune on drink packages not sure why people don’t see the dining packages the same way.

 

If a ship has 4 or more different specialty restaurants I always get the UDP.  3 or less I just do a 3 night package.

 

 

People buy the drink package because there aren't any alcoholic drinks included in the regular cruise price, while the food is. 

[ReneeFLL]

13 hours ago, JeffT237 said:

 

In your opinion what exactly are the cruise lines trying to do here? Purposely lower the quality and quantity of the included food options to force passengers to spend more on speciality dining?  

Absolutely that’s what I think they are doing. I’ll continue to eat in the WJ, MDR or some other place besides specialty dining.

[SUgwoz]

7 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

People buy the drink package because there aren't any alcoholic drinks included in the regular cruise price, while the food is. 

Much like the dining package, some one can go on a cruise without a beverage package and have the free beverages provided (which is included in the cruise price) . Just they prefer to have alcohol, not unlike someone preferring food that is not offered in MDR/windjammer.

Edited January 11 by SUgwoz

[Mum2Mercury]

On 1/10/2024 at 1:21 AM, Another_Critic said:

If I can eat my own cooking at home, I can certainly eat MDR food.  🙃

Cooking's my thing.  My own cooking's better than anything I've had in any restaurant -- onboard or ashore.  

On 1/10/2024 at 9:38 AM, Cruiser 5452 said:

We stick to the MDR for dinner, but we seem to eat lunch at the specialty locations.  You can get a fantastic lunch for a great price many times, plus we don’t have to fight for a table in the windjammer.  Lunch in the MDR is also very good and much more peaceful.

If you're going to eat at a specialty restaurant, lunch is a better value, but I'm usually in a swimsuit /cover up and don't want to change /take a shower for lunch.  

I almost always have lunch in the Windjammer -- and while I don't always get a prime window seat, I'm always able to find a table -- largely because I habitually go with a big salad and grilled chicken or fish.  I don't particularly enjoy breakfast or lunch in the MDR -- seems to take too long.  

On 1/10/2024 at 10:55 AM, LobsterStalker said:

Eventually , phasing out of free "traditional dining" is on the way out.

There will still be free options , buffets etc. , but not a dining hall style

I can imagine them expanding the specialty options, but I don't see the MDR going away as a "standard" dinner meal.  

On 1/10/2024 at 1:54 PM, RFerrington said:

However, for the past few years, we have come to the conclusion that the UDP is just too much food for us...especially if the cruise has a number of sea days.  Too many big lunches followed by big dinners is just too much.  

I'm a small person, and I feel sure I'd feel the same.  

On 1/10/2024 at 2:53 PM, LoisGriffin1 said:

I never find there is enough vegetables in the main dining room

That's my biggest complaint about the MDR!  They definitely skimp on the vegetables.  Perhaps people just aren't eating them?  

[thefog]

Im not paying extra for any food that i already paid for other than some good chicken wings watching football.