Sailing FOS soon. Questions on Portofino and the Solarium

[nschille04]

Hello all,

 

 

We are sailing FOS in a couple weeks and as it gets closer I am getting so excited. We previously cruised on the Emerald Princess. On the Emerald, I loved Sabatini's! The food was great and the atmosphere was wonderful. So, i'm wondering if Portofino is comparable..? How to the two stack up against one another?

 

Also- Can someone please tell me their thoughts on the Solarium? I understand this is an adult area. Is it generally packed? How's the pool? I would appreciate any thoughts on this area. Im so excited!

 

I'd appreciate any other advice or tips you can give. We are in our mid-twenties and have an inside cabin...so we are going to try to spend most of our time out of the cabin.

[crooksy532]

We have been wanting to go to Portofino's and last time we cruised we decided to go for it. I have to say that it was a less than ideal experience. I got the lobster along with my mother-in-law and we were both very disappointed. The lobster in the main dining room was much better. My husband and his father both got the steak. They felt the same way. Not anything what they had expected. The desert was wonderful along with the wine, but overall, a disappointing meal.

[nschille04]

Well thats a bummer...

[izzie335]

I loved Portofinos on my last cruise (April 2010). We went to both Portofinos and to Chops. In advance I assumed I would prefer Chops because i really do love my meat and potatoes. Chops was good but Portofino was FABULOUS. I can't compare Portofinos to Sabatinis, I've never been to Sabatinis.

 

Honestly I think a lot of the back and forth in differing opinions of the food and specialty restaurants is just how life operates. I have a favorite restaurant at home that I have occasionally been disappointed about. But it happens on so few occasions I am still going to call them my favorite restaurant!

 

In my experiences the service at both Chops and Portofinos was superb. Our MDR waitstaff was also amazing but we did feel we received "extra attention" in the specialty restaurants.

 

I have Portofinos and Chops booked for my July 2011 cruise. Can't wait!

 

The solarium was rarely packed on my April 2010 cruise. I didn't go in the pool but loved how peaceful it was there.

 

I hope you have a wonderful time!

[nschille04]

Does anyone know the theme nights for the Freedom Eastern sailing? I'd like to book Portofino...but want to do it on a night that I'm not so interested in in the MDR

[39august]

In my opinion, the filet in Portofino is as good as the filet in Chops. I would order it instead of the seafood skewer. My last two times the tiny piece of lobster on the seafood skewer was tough and salty. But the other foods are very, very good. Love the tiramisu in its chocolate "bowl" with the Bailey's shot on the side!

[birdylady]

I can't speak for Portifinos as we did Chops (which was excellent). And last week on FOS, we found the Solarium to be a bit busy, but not overly crowded. And we could always find room in those wonderful Jacuzzi's. But I will say, we couldn't use the pool (others did on occassion) as the water always seemed to cold to us. Oh, well... The cruise was great just the same.

 

Erika

[nschille04]

Thanks Erika! Do you have any other impressions you can share?

[birdylady]

Thanks Erika! Do you have any other impressions you can share?

 

Anything in particular? FYI - I'm still working on my review (darn work getting in the way) and hope to have it posted by the end of the weekend. Tracy (PhoenixDawgCruising) has a great review out there already from last week. Granted, it's the Western route, but still worth a read.

 

Erika

[BillOh]

Hello all,

 

 

 

Also- Can someone please tell me their thoughts on the Solarium? I understand this is an adult area. Is it generally packed? How's the pool? I would appreciate any thoughts on this area. Im so excited!

 

The Freedom class Solarium is my favorite so far. It was busy, but I was always able to find a chair, or two chairs together for my wife and I. On a couple of occasions chair may not be available, but we would hang around the pool area and chairs would open up. We were usually looking for chairs in the sun near the pool. It seemed like there was usually chairs available in the shade areas and along the walkway near the cantilevered hot tubs.

 

I'm looking forward to my 3rd Chop's experience. We had a wonderful experience on Freedom in Chops, the experience was still nice on Navigator in 09, but the steaks were not as good. My baked potato on Navigator was half the size of the one on Freedom and not nearly as good.

[GSuitesailing]

Hello all,

 

 

We are sailing FOS in a couple weeks and as it gets closer I am getting so excited. We previously cruised on the Emerald Princess. On the Emerald, I loved Sabatini's! The food was great and the atmosphere was wonderful. So, i'm wondering if Portofino is comparable..? How to the two stack up against one another?

 

Also- Can someone please tell me their thoughts on the Solarium? I understand this is an adult area. Is it generally packed? How's the pool? I would appreciate any thoughts on this area. Im so excited!

 

I'd appreciate any other advice or tips you can give. We are in our mid-twenties and have an inside cabin...so we are going to try to spend most of our time out of the cabin.

 

I can only tell you about Portofino. We ate ther twice last week on Freedom and both nights were wonderful. The service was great as was the meal.

Appetizers and desserts were also delicious. I hope you try it one night and have an equally great experience!

[nschille04]

Thanks! I really would like to make a reservation ahead of time. Does anyone know the different theme nights on FOS Eastern?

[sailingawaysoon]

Portifino's was my favorite of the two. I love good steak, and it was very good at Chops, but I have to cast my vote for Portfino's out of the two. I love the pear salad w/balsamic vinegar and glazed walnuts....I wouldn't have thought something would taste so good, but it was out of this world. I also loved, loved, loved the risotto...delish. My husband had the seafood skewer several times, and I had steak or chicken. We've eaten there several times. I plan to book this restaurant at least 2 times when we cruise the Freedom in August. Have a great cruise.