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New Dining option: Manfredi's on Viking's Longships


CEV426
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We're just back from our Viking Danube cruise. There is a new dinner dining venue. Viking has taken their ocean dining venue, Manfredi's and adapted it to fit in the Aquavit terrace/cafe area. It's a fixed 6 course menu: Antipasto, salad, soup (pasta fagioli), spaghetti carbonara, a lite chicken parm and tiramisu they were able to adapt the entire menu to suit the gluten-free person in our party. Must make reservations. Only 16 people per night, fixed time, fixed menu. It was all delicious. One couple ate there every night. I highly recommend.

No surcharge.

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Cindy..that sounds awesome! So it's on every Viking ship? We are looking at the Egil for 2019, on the Romantic Danube...by the way did you enjoy your cruise? Food, service, excursions were good? Looking between Viking and Avalon....:confused:

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I would imagine that Manfredi's is on all the longships. Ours was the first cruise of the season. We did enjoy our cruise. You can't go wrong with Viking. They deliver a nice product.

 

Manfredi's was a nice change from the minuscule dinner portions. I am not a finicky eater, but I am a discerning eater. I will eat just about anything, but it's more than just "filling the tank" for me. The food is very good but the dinner portions are very small. I ordered a second meal for my DH one night as his piece of meat was half the size of the other on the table. No problem. They willingly obliged.

 

At lunch there is a salad bar and a pasta of the day prepared for you. The pastas are always good. You can also order off of the menu for breakfast and lunch.

For dinner, Viking changed it up a bit.

There is the "Always available" selections...Salmon, chicken, steak, Creme Brulee is what I remember.

 

What's new is a suggested regional menu each night: Appetizer, entree, dessert.

 

And maybe on or 2 other entrees with one being a vegetarian dish.

 

Since the portions are so small, we also often order the vegetarian option as well and split is as a side dish. There was an Asian noodle and a truffle risotto that I can recall and they were both delicious.

 

The do a nice job of accommodating gluten free diet as well,

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FYI, we’re just back from Viking’s “Lyon & Provence” cruise on the Rhône. The Manfredi’s option was offered on our cruise as well. We didn’t try it, however.

 

Jeff

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...I will eat just about anything, but it's more than just "filling the tank" for me. The food is very good but the dinner portions are very small. I ordered a second meal for my DH one night as his piece of meat was half the size of the other on the table...

 

...Since the portions are so small, we also often order the vegetarian option as well and split is as a side dish...

You've cruised on VR a few times but never before reported any issue with portion sizes at dinner. You've made quite a thing of it in this post: are portions really 'miniscule' this year? Last year on our first VR cruise the portions at dinner weren't noticeably smaller than on any other of our cruises, especially in the context of all the food available on board during the day.

 

It's to be expected that cruise lines will try to control costs and reduce food waste by not putting more food on a plate than the majority of people want to eat, but it sounds as though you're implying that Viking are skimping on one of the basics of cruising. On the other hand, as it's early in the season your experience may have been an aberration or there may yet be reports of Viking overdoing the portion control.

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You've cruised on VR a few times but never before reported any issue with portion sizes at dinner. You've made quite a thing of it in this post: are portions really 'miniscule' this year? .

 

My initial post mentioned nothing about portions. I was merely mentioning Viking's new dinner dining venue. I was replying to a request from "etravel" who asked me for information on the food, etc.

 

The portion sizes are no smaller than on previous cruises, but I was comparing the normal menu (newly formatted) to Manfredi's. The Manfredi's menu portions were also small, but there were 6 courses so there was a little more food without being too much.

 

I suppose size is subjective but there were many "viking/river cruise virgins" who were making mention of the small dinner portion sizes. For example, the Caesar salad portion could fit in the palm of my hand. For some, the portions may be fine. I don't eat dessert nor fill up on bread so I was hungry later in the evening. I also mentioned that there is always more available for the asking.

 

I totally understand why the portions are so small. I was not complaining but stating a fact to someone seeking information.

There is ample opportunity to fill up at the breakfast and lunch buffets. All the food is very good.

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Cindy..your reply was quite helpful to me!! I didn't come away with the notion that Viking was scrimping on meals at all!!! I thank you for putting on the info about the new dining choice, and I appreciated you telling me a little bit more about Viking and their dining offerings...

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I was on the Viking Star in January and ate at Manfredi's restaurant twice, the food was amazing. We traveled with another couple so we ordered a variety of different items, the portions were generous and we over ate each time, we are on the Viking Mani in October and looking forward to eating at Manfredi's again ! Thanks for the information

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Does this Manfredi's dining option mean that the Aquavit Terrace is no longer available as a more low-key dinner option?

 

i have mixed feelings about this. Loved Manfredi's on ocean. Loved dining informally on Aquavit, the nicest dining experiences we had on river. Not sure that a more regimented reservation required system for dinner on Aquavit will be better. Obviously, need to actually experience it before judging. Change can be hard for us geezers set in their ways.

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Does this Manfredi's dining option mean that the Aquavit Terrace is no longer available as a more low-key dinner option?

 

Yes, it appears that is the case. Perhaps Viking is just trying this out to see how passengers like it. I liked it a lot. I never utilized the Aquavit Terrace for dinner.

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So there are 95 cabins with perhaps 2 people per cabin, thats 190 passengers

 

Manfredi seats 16. On a 7 night cruise it can take 112 diners.

 

So 78 people will not be able to dine in Manfredi, even though they have paid the same as those selected.

 

Plus those who like a quick and light dinner will no longer be able to opt for the Acquavit lounge in the evening.

 

I suppose they'll copy ocean practise of more expensive cabins getting first reservations, and maybe surcharges.

 

And what about the pressure on the tiny galley?

 

Seems to me this is a bad idea.

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My initial post mentioned nothing about portions.

Your followup post made quite an issue of portion size given the number of times you mentioned it, and it was very clear that I was responding to that post and to your loaded language, e.g. 'tiny', 'miniscule'. Without any context or comparison it would be easy for someone who hadn't already cruised on VR to think that they scrimp on portion sizes.

 

If the portion sizes at dinner in the MDR haven't changed that's good news, but by giving undue emphasis on the size of main courses you managed to convey the impression that things had changed: last year I travelled with three fellow VR 'virgins', all of us have hearty appetites. None of us felt short changed by what was provided for dinner, but then we eat all the courses offered (you didn't initially mention you don't eat desserts).

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So there are 95 cabins with perhaps 2 people per cabin, thats 190 passengers

 

 

 

Manfredi seats 16. On a 7 night cruise it can take 112 diners.

 

 

 

So 78 people will not be able to dine in Manfredi, even though they have paid the same as those selected.

 

 

 

Plus those who like a quick and light dinner will no longer be able to opt for the Acquavit lounge in the evening.

 

 

 

I suppose they'll copy ocean practise of more expensive cabins getting first reservations, and maybe surcharges.

 

 

 

And what about the pressure on the tiny galley?

 

 

 

Seems to me this is a bad idea.

 

 

 

Where is the rolling eyes emoji when I need? So many are overreacting and assuming facts not in evidence. It’s just an option, people, and since it’s not even mentioned on their website they are probably just experimenting to see how it’s received.

 

We will gladly be 2 of those not dining at Manfredi’s. We ate there once on our ocean cruise, and while it was nice, we liked the Restaurant better. I’m sure we are not alone.

 

It’s not the full Manfredi’s menu that they serve on the Ocean cruises anyway. It looks to be a pretty set menu with maybe 1 or 2 choices.

 

Seating 16 probably means 4 tables of 4. There are more tables than 4 at the Aquavit Terrace, if people want it, they will probably continue to serve other meals there, weather permitting. I’m quite sure they will respond to what people want, it’s what they do. When you are onboard, they rarely say, “no,” and they do their best to keep everyone happy. At least that has been our experience.

 

The kitchen is right there under that area of the lounge and buffet, I’m sure they will manage to do what they have to do. Viking is very good at that.

 

Seriously, relax, they’re just trying to offer choices and expand the experience. They are probably hearing from people who have done both and enjoyed the Manfredi’s experience and food.

 

And what you pay for are 3 meals a day, not any specific dining experience.

 

I give them props for continuing to evolve and respond to customer input and comments.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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We've just come off Delling, Lyon to Avignon.

 

The Manfredi's option on Aquavit terrace had very mixed reception. I have to confess we didn't dine there as the menu really did not inspire us. However speaking to others they were very disappointed with the menu. It is nothing like the Ocean ships which is really good. Portions were really quite small, more a tasting menu than anything. There was no pre booking it was literally a case of first come first served, I believe to was 20 diners per night.

 

Apparently it is on a trial basis at the moment to be reviewed at some point. So it may be a case of 'watch this space'.

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Where is the rolling eyes emoji when I need? So many are overreacting and assuming facts not in evidence. It’s just an option, people, and since it’s not even mentioned on their website they are probably just experimenting to see how it’s received.

 

We will gladly be 2 of those not dining at Manfredi’s. We ate there once on our ocean cruise, and while it was nice, we liked the Restaurant better. I’m sure we are not alone.

 

It’s not the full Manfredi’s menu that they serve on the Ocean cruises anyway. It looks to be a pretty set menu with maybe 1 or 2 choices.

 

Seating 16 probably means 4 tables of 4. There are more tables than 4 at the Aquavit Terrace, if people want it, they will probably continue to serve other meals there, weather permitting. I’m quite sure they will respond to what people want, it’s what they do. When you are onboard, they rarely say, “no,” and they do their best to keep everyone happy. At least that has been our experience.

 

The kitchen is right there under that area of the lounge and buffet, I’m sure they will manage to do what they have to do. Viking is very good at that.

 

Seriously, relax, they’re just trying to offer choices and expand the experience. They are probably hearing from people who have done both and enjoyed the Manfredi’s experience and food.

 

And what you pay for are 3 meals a day, not any specific dining experience.

 

I give them props for continuing to evolve and respond to customer input and comments.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

 

There are 3 tables of 4 and 2 tables for 2. The rest of the tables are outdoors. It’s a set menu, no choices. You know what the menu is before reserving. I liked it as a change of pace, but I’m not one of the normal aquavit diners that may miss it.

There is no room for the normal aquavit Buffett and the manfredi’s set up.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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We've just come off Delling, Lyon to Avignon.

 

The Manfredi's option on Aquavit terrace had very mixed reception. I have to confess we didn't dine there as the menu really did not inspire us. However speaking to others they were very disappointed with the menu. It is nothing like the Ocean ships which is really good. Portions were really quite small, more a tasting menu than anything. There was no pre booking it was literally a case of first come first served, I believe to was 20 diners per night.

 

Apparently it is on a trial basis at the moment to be reviewed at some point. So it may be a case of 'watch this space'.

 

Definitely a trial basis, no need to get all fussed! Someone in the other place we are not allowed to mention has an inside contact at Viking. This is just a test.

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We have a river cruise on the Danube booked for this October and I am sorry to hear of this development. We chose the cruise partly because of the opportunity to eat outside in a more casual setting for dinner if desired.

We have eaten in Manfredi's on Viking Ocean and loved it (some of the best meals we had on Ocean and the food was really good on that ship!) but the menu is huge and the portions are generous on Ocean. The menu described for Viking River is not appealing and not at all reflective of the Danube/Germany/Hungary.

I hope Viking is listening - my vote is a return to casual outdoor dining for dinner, a feature of Viking River extensively promoted by Viking when I booked my cruise.

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We have a river cruise on the Danube booked for this October and I am sorry to hear of this development. We chose the cruise partly because of the opportunity to eat outside in a more casual setting for dinner if desired.

We have eaten in Manfredi's on Viking Ocean and loved it (some of the best meals we had on Ocean and the food was really good on that ship!) but the menu is huge and the portions are generous on Ocean. The menu described for Viking River is not appealing and not at all reflective of the Danube/Germany/Hungary.

I hope Viking is listening - my vote is a return to casual outdoor dining for dinner, a feature of Viking River extensively promoted by Viking when I booked my cruise.

 

This was an experiment. What comes next has not been decided.

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