Chef's Table Disappointing

It was our tip. My daughter is a waitress and we tip 20% of the bill.

Others say it is all ready included some say not but we tip. Been over discussed before.

I don't know about other cruise lines, but Carnival serves alcoholic drinks and often, like under all you can drink option, the gratuities are included in the daily price. However, they also include a tip line on each receipt you are asked to sign for each drink served. So, they are in fact soliciting, quietly, double tipping.

We don't double tip as a matter of routine practice and would hope families with children don't routinely double tip either. Exception for us is when/where a server or tender does some exceptional job or fulfills an extraordinary request for something we make to them.

I don't know about other cruise lines, but Carnival serves alcoholic drinks and often, like under all you can drink option, the gratuities are included in the daily price. However, they also include a tip line on each receipt you are asked to sign for each drink served. So, they are in fact soliciting, quietly, double tipping.

 

We don't double tip as a matter of routine practice and would hope families with children don't routinely double tip either. Exception for us is when/where a server or tender does some exceptional job or fulfills an extraordinary request for something we make to them.

This thread isn't about tipping...but if it was, tipping is a personal choice and has nothing to do with "families with children".

Try to focus on the topic....Chef's Table.

We are doing it for the first time next May and can't wait! We are total foodies and love long meals with great wine, food and conversation:)

We are doing it for the first time next May and can't wait! We are total foodies and love long meals with great wine, food and conversation:)

With the exception of the "great wine", you should have a very nice evening. Looking forward to trying the newest Chef's Table menu. Just noticed this thread was resurrected from several years ago !!

Tom

We are doing the Chef's Table on our sailing that leaves tomorrow. I will report back... It sounds like it is going to be great !

The red at our dinner was very nice. A Black Opal Shiraz from Australia.

 

 

 

I should also note a couple of other things that I disliked.

 

 

 

I metioned the food being lukewarm as a complaint. The calamari , I thought, were soggy. I do like calamari, and I ate them, but they were nothing to write home about. Maybe they lost their crispiness in the attempt to keep them warm. Thinking about it, I'm not sure fried calamari should be served on 7 course meal.

 

 

 

The other complaint we had is that we were seated at one end of the table next to a mother and twelve year old child. This is not an evening to bring children. It should be excusively for adults. Needles to say we had no one to talk to but the child's mother. And of couse, half way thru the meal, the kid was over the dinner and placing his head on the table and falling asleep. It would have been more enoyable having other people our age to converse with. Other than the twelve year old, all the other couples were of similar age.

 

 

 

They had a CT the night before ours and we noticed it was all elderly couples. So Carnival did make an attempt to form groupings of similar age. kudos for that.

I have attended several CT's on many different ships/cruise lines and always bring my young daughter. Admittedly, she's an adventurous eater with a great palate and is quite mature. I have always found that the chefs love having her there and I've never run into any other dining guests who have been opposed to her presence at the table. I think it's a wonderful time to showcase the conversational skills and table manners we have taught her over the years.

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Thanks for sharing your experience! We have been to the steakhouse many times but have never done CT. Was wondering if it was worth the money.

Thanks for sharing your experience! We have been to the steakhouse many times but have never done CT. Was wondering if it was worth the money.

Think of it like an excursion (one you don't even have to get off the ship for). In my opinion, it's certainly worth trying at least once. We've gone several times and most were very enjoyable. The least favorite time was thanks to some busy body table mates - sort of like the Russian Roulette you play in the MDR if you're sat with random people (one of the reasons we don't dine in the MDR anymore). I've heard enough of "my son's the quarterback... made the honor roll..." etc...

Tom

Think of it like an excursion (one you don't even have to get off the ship for). In my opinion, it's certainly worth trying at least once. We've gone several times and most were very enjoyable. The least favorite time was thanks to some busy body table mates - sort of like the Russian Roulette you play in the MDR if you're sat with random people (one of the reasons we don't dine in the MDR anymore). I've heard enough of "my son's the quarterback... made the honor roll..." etc...

 

Tom

We have done 5, 4 on Carnival (the other on Oasis) and have enjoyed them all. We were in the been there done that camp, but it has been a while and maybe will try again on the Horizon next July. Hey Tom, long time, no time (not to steal the thread).

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Think of it like an excursion (one you don't even have to get off the ship for). In my opinion, it's certainly worth trying at least once. We've gone several times and most were very enjoyable. The least favorite time was thanks to some busy body table mates - sort of like the Russian Roulette you play in the MDR if you're sat with random people (one of the reasons we don't dine in the MDR anymore). I've heard enough of "my son's the quarterback... made the honor roll..." etc...

Tom

We did the CT for the first, and only time thus far, two years ago on the Conquest. It was fantastic. My wife and I have never experienced a dinner like that! Both the food and presentation were outstanding. Our table mates were great (I think we had maybe 10 in our group), and everyone was very nice.

One of the things that stood out the most, at least to me, was our trip through the galley to the pastry section where they did the presentation on making the batter for the lava cake. On our way back you could see all the servers lined up waiting to fill their table's orders. As you can imagine, it's a pressure-cooker situation back there and one might expect frustration to be on display. But no, everyone we saw we calm and collected and went out of their way to say "hello" to us and give us a genuine smile. You really get a deeper appreciation for just how hard those folks work.

We booked the CT again for our Glory cruise next year, as we're taking my wife's brother and his wife with us. They're cruise newbies and think they will really enjoy this experience.

We have done 5, 4 on Carnival (the other on Oasis) and have enjoyed them all. We were in the been there done that camp, but it has been a while and maybe will try again on the Horizon next July. Hey Tom, long time, no time (not to steal the thread).

 

 

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Hiya Jim !!

I would also like to try a Vista class CT - if only due to the dedicated room !

... On our way back you could see all the servers lined up waiting to fill their table's orders. As you can imagine, it's a pressure-cooker situation back there and one might expect frustration to be on display. But no, everyone we saw we calm and collected and went out of their way to say "hello" to us and give us a genuine smile. You really get a deeper appreciation for just how hard those folks work.

...

Given the pressure they work under, their work is definitely to be commended. Not a job I'd be able to handle LONG days in, days out, for several months at a time!

Tom

Think of it like an excursion (one you don't even have to get off the ship for). In my opinion, it's certainly worth trying at least once. We've gone several times and most were very enjoyable. The least favorite time was thanks to some busy body table mates - sort of like the Russian Roulette you play in the MDR if you're sat with random people (one of the reasons we don't dine in the MDR anymore). I've heard enough of "my son's the quarterback... made the honor roll..." etc...

 

Tom

Thanks for sharing! I definitely want to try it at least once!

Thanks for sharing! I definitely want to try it at least once!

Go hungry

Go hungry

Dang Jimbo :D:'):D

Dang Jimbo :D:'):D

LOL, I doubt you are taking it the way I meant it. I meant that there is a lot of food, never left one not being stuffed.

This thread isn't about tipping...but if it was, tipping is a personal choice and has nothing to do with "families with children".

Try to focus on the topic....Chef's Table.

Literally. GFY.

I responded to their post in PART talked about tip.

GFY= Good for you. Right?

Our Chef’s Table experience on the Sensation was Sensational! It was about 3 hours long and worth it. The Chef met us and we toured the Galley. We had about 15 courses, endless wine, champagne and coffee if desired. We learned a lot about the inner workings of a ship and there was also a very good magician. We received group photos, the recipe for Chocolate Melting Cake and a complete listing of our tastings.

We had duck, caviar, Japanese Wohu(?) beef and so many other treats.

We treated it as an excursion and dressed up as a group for formal pictures.

It was pricey but worth the experience

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I've done the Chef's Table on several Princess ships and loved it each time. Never on Carnival, but considering it for our Med cruise on the Breeze next summer. Does anyone have any comments/observations on how Carnival's Chef's Table compares to Princess'.

Carnival is $75 plus 18% gratuity. It’s $172 for 2 people with tip.

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Just got off the Triumph yesterday. Following the advice of many on these boards, I booked the Chef’s Table upon boarding the ship. It was confirmed for the last evening on the cruise.

 

While the evening was enjoyable and the service very good, I must say the food was disappointing. It arrived lukewarm. Maybe this is because of the distance between the library and the kitchen. Regardless, if I am paying $75 for a meal, I expect it to be top notch.

 

It is a very long evening and by the time you leave the table you are so full, all you can think about is crashing on your bed. I can’t say I left the table feeling great.

 

Unlike many on these boards, we did not get a signed or unsigned cookbook to take home. There was no mention of a cook book.

 

My advice would be to save your money and enjoy the food in the dining room, which is plenty good. If you want to splurge, order from the specialty items on the bottom of the dining room menu.

The $75 price is the first clue to look at the date of the OP's comments and realize this is outdated.

But let me venture on anyways, based upon the creative Chef's Table Dining Experience I enjoyed September 2017 on Miracle.

Having been in the culinary world in the past, I appreciated the thought and time that went into preparing a "top-notch" meal. Our chef was informative with each course, explaining the unusual techniques used to create dishes that were artistic masterpieces as well as tasty. At least in our group the emphasis for evaluating the meal was placed upon presentation and taste. Those two factors were enough to make the evening "top-notch"

There is a STRIKING CONTRAST between Chef's Table and MDR meals. In fact, I wondered if the team preparing the meal for the Chef's Table were flown in by helicopter just for that meal: there was NO EVIDENCE of their handiwork in the MDR, which consistantly disappointed with the meal offerings. In fairness on the 14 day cruise, there were good meals and the service by the wait staff and "above and beyond" attentiveness by the Maitre 'd was "top notch." However, there were enough fails to consistently disappoint some of us at our table of 10.

Chef's Table is a nice evening of good food and wine with a current cost of $85. I would do it again, and encourage others to try it at least once.

The $75 price is the first clue to look at the date of the OP's comments and realize this is outdated.

 

But let me venture on anyways, based upon the creative Chef's Table Dining Experience I enjoyed September 2017 on Miracle.

 

Having been in the culinary world in the past, I appreciated the thought and time that went into preparing a "top-notch" meal. Our chef was informative with each course, explaining the unusual techniques used to create dishes that were artistic masterpieces as well as tasty. At least in our group the emphasis for evaluating the meal was placed upon presentation and taste. Those two factors were enough to make the evening "top-notch"

 

There is a STRIKING CONTRAST between Chef's Table and MDR meals. In fact, I wondered if the team preparing the meal for the Chef's Table were flown in by helicopter just for that meal: there was NO EVIDENCE of their handiwork in the MDR, which consistantly disappointed with the meal offerings. In fairness on the 14 day cruise, there were good meals and the service by the wait staff and "above and beyond" attentiveness by the Maitre 'd was "top notch." However, there were enough fails to consistently disappoint some of us at our table of 10.

 

Chef's Table is a nice evening of good food and wine with a current cost of $85. I would do it again, and encourage others to try it at least once.

I just sailed 11/11/17 on the Carnival Sensation and our price was $75 pp, $172 for two with gratuity as quoted above.

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I just sailed 11/11/17 on the Carnival Sensation and our price was $75 pp, $172 for two with gratuity as quoted above.

 

 

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Sorry, I guess I was thinking of the eighty-something charge which would have been inclusive of the gratuity. Thanks: now I feel I got an even BETTER value since it was $10 less!

I tell the waiter I've had issues with food temps and want my food hot. It was a problem on Lido on Magic earlier this month.

We had duck, caviar, Japanese Wohu(?) beef and so many other treats.

 

We treated it as an excursion and dressed up as a group for formal pictures.

 

It was pricey but worth the experience

 

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Just FYI, it's called Wagu beef, just in case you decide you'd like to try it again (YUM!). And more importantly, what a lovely couple you are!