Remy's

[Linco711]

Is Remy's worth the $75.00 per person up charge?:eek:

[ducklite]

There is no-one-size-fits-all answer to that question. If you enjoy gourmet food (it's not over the top gourmet), have a sense of epicurian adventure, and as my mother would say, "aren't going to choke on the food due to the price" then you'll love it.

 

But if it's really stretching your budget, if you're a "meat and taters" type of person who doesn't really enjoy stepping outside your comfort zone as far as food goes, if you will worry yourself to death over which fork or spoon to use during the meal, then no, it's probably not for you.

 

It's not an inexpensive meal, I think between service charge, tips, and a bottle of Champagne we ordered we dropped $500 on the meal. Of course you could do it for less, but that gives you an idea of how quickly the add-on's add up.

 

We thought it was 100% worth it, but we love a sublime meal at a slow pace, so it was right up our alley.

 

Be prepared to spend a minimum of three hours, more likely closer to four or more, so if you don't like a meal to take over an hour or so, Remy is probably not for you.

[alaska_planner]

i'm sure i'm going to love it (i LOVED V&A), and my mom is going to enjoy it for the experience (she's extraordinarily adventurous - in everything: food, travel, theater, everything), but my sister...she's going to hate it....hate, hate , hate hate hate hate it....

 

so i'm a bit worried that my sister will be so annoyed by the whole thing, that it will diminish our enjoyment...

 

but i'm going to reserve it anyway...i really don't want to miss it...

i don't know when i'll ever be on the dream or fantasy again, and if it's as good as V&A (and many have said it's even better), i would kick myself for passing up the opportunity.

 

i was debating about doing palo instead...

but from what i understand, palo is just a good restaurant, like any good restaurant (i've eaten at palo for brunch, but not dinner).

i can eat at good restaurants any time i want, but a top notch tasting menu is not that common. so it's going to be Remy for dinner, not palo (we'll do palo for brunch and tea).

[ducklite]

i'm sure i'm going to love it (i LOVED V&A), and my mom is going to enjoy it for the experience (she's extraordinarily adventurous - in everything: food, travel, theater, everything), but my sister...she's going to hate it....hate, hate , hate hate hate hate it....

 

so i'm a bit worried that my sister will be so annoyed by the whole thing, that it will diminish our enjoyment...

 

I would strongly suggest that you ask her to find alternate dining arrangements that night and go without her.

 

but i'm going to reserve it anyway...i really don't want to miss it...

i don't know when i'll ever be on the dream or fantasy again, and if it's as good as V&A (and many have said it's even better), i would kick myself for passing up the opportunity.

 

I think better.

 

i was debating about doing palo instead...

but from what i understand, palo is just a good restaurant, like any good restaurant (i've eaten at palo for brunch, but not dinner).

i can eat at good restaurants any time i want, but a top notch tasting menu is not that common. so it's going to be Remy for dinner, not palo (we'll do palo for brunch and tea).

 

Do both! :) Very different experiences. Palo is like any decent upscale restaurant. If you've ever dined at Seasons 52 or Flemings, they are comparable. Good but not gourmet and four star rather than five star service.

[alaska_planner]

I would strongly suggest that you ask her to find alternate dining arrangements that night and go without her.

 

Except that, this whole thing is sort of a - not sure how to put it delicately - a cruise for her. (she has 3 different kinds of primary cancer etc etc)

And also for my mom - who actually really wanted to go to alaska, and i was going to take her, but it's just not doable and i'm not sure how much she can see anymore as she's going blind...

wow - sounds sad -but this will be a very upbeat trip...not to worry..

i'll find a way for my sister to enjoy it...maybe there will be someone else there who we can quietly gossip about... that's always fun :eek:

 

though i'll have to find a way for them not to focus on the cost!! that can be a downer if you don't like the food!

 

 

I think better.

 

hard to imagine anything better than the meal i had at V&A two years ago - stupendous!!! every morsel...i think the best meal i've ever had...

the service was very good, but it was the food....perfect....absolute perfection....

 

 

Do both! :) Very different experiences. Palo is like any decent upscale restaurant. If you've ever dined at Seasons 52 or Flemings, they are comparable. Good but not gourmet and four star rather than five star service.

 

i'm hesitant to miss one of the regular rotation..

we're on the 4 night cruise, so i thought we could go to remy on pirate night (which i assume is on CC day). That way we would still experience each of the regular restaurants.

I'm not sure if that's silly or not.

i thought of doing the brunch and tea there - though that will have to be on the same day (our only sea day).

 

i don't know.

 

i just want it all to be perfect! :)

[Doobie31]

i'm hesitant to miss one of the regular rotation..

we're on the 4 night cruise, so i thought we could go to remy on pirate night (which i assume is on CC day). That way we would still experience each of the regular restaurants.

I'm not sure if that's silly or not.

i thought of doing the brunch and tea there - though that will have to be on the same day (our only sea day).

 

i don't know.

 

i just want it all to be perfect! :)

 

That's definitely not silly! That's the reason I usually do Palo brunch - I don't want to miss dinner both for the restaurant itself and I usually enjoy our servers so much I hate to miss a night. On my last cruise I had an early seating so I went to my rotational restaurant, enjoyed the restaurant and experience and ate a very little bit, then had Palo later that evening. Don't forget - that is an option.

 

While Pirate night is in a restaurant you've gone to, it is a different experience that I enjoy even though I usually skip the Pirates stuff itself up on deck. So honestly, it is a tough choice. I'd do both in the same night if I could or I'd do brunch. If not, it would come down to what's more important to you - great food and a different experience, or the fun experience of regular dining. Early in my cruise life I chose the former. These days I choose the latter.

 

Doobie.

[ducklite]

Except that, this whole thing is sort of a - not sure how to put it delicately - a cruise for her. (she has 3 different kinds of primary cancer etc etc)

And also for my mom - who actually really wanted to go to alaska, and i was going to take her, but it's just not doable and i'm not sure how much she can see anymore as she's going blind...

wow - sounds sad -but this will be a very upbeat trip...not to worry..

i'll find a way for my sister to enjoy it...maybe there will be someone else there who we can quietly gossip about... that's always fun :eek:

 

though i'll have to find a way for them not to focus on the cost!! that can be a downer if you don't like the food!

 

Once you demanufacture the food, it's not all that gourmet. Definitely not a Gary Danko/French Laundry type of gourmet anyhow. I'm a bit on the picky side and have food allergies and had no problems finding items I could eat and would enjoy. My husband can't seem to wrap his head around pulling apart what the items are (on the menu) until I do it for him. ie "boar" is pork, "wagyu" is beef, and "chorizo" is spicy sausage. Then he's totally OK with it. Maybe try that approach with your sister.

 

hard to imagine anything better than the meal i had at V&A two years ago - stupendous!!! every morsel...i think the best meal i've ever had...

the service was very good, but it was the food....perfect....absolute perfection....

 

When we ate there a number of years ago we had less than stellar service but the food was excellent.

 

i'm hesitant to miss one of the regular rotation..

we're on the 4 night cruise, so i thought we could go to remy on pirate night (which i assume is on CC day). That way we would still experience each of the regular restaurants.

I'm not sure if that's silly or not.

 

Ask the concierge to book you MDR rotation with AP on the first night. The others, eh.

 

i thought of doing the brunch and tea there - though that will have to be on the same day (our only sea day).

 

i don't know.

 

i just want it all to be perfect! :)

 

I've done both brunch and tea but not on the same day. It would be too much, there's no way of doing both. Tea is lovely, along the lines of the one at the Grand Floridian, but brunch is not to be missed.

[alaska_planner]

That's definitely not silly! That's the reason I usually do Palo brunch - I don't want to miss dinner both for the restaurant itself and I usually enjoy our servers so much I hate to miss a night. On my last cruise I had an early seating so I went to my rotational restaurant, enjoyed the restaurant and experience and ate a very little bit, then had Palo later that evening. Don't forget - that is an option.

 

While Pirate night is in a restaurant you've gone to, it is a different experience that I enjoy even though I usually skip the Pirates stuff itself up on deck. So honestly, it is a tough choice. I'd do both in the same night if I could or I'd do brunch. If not, it would come down to what's more important to you - great food and a different experience, or the fun experience of regular dining. Early in my cruise life I chose the former. These days I choose the latter.

 

Doobie.

 

i never thought of doing that - going to the MDR just to have a look and then continuing on to palo.

i have requested 1st seating, because my sister said she prefers to eat early, so we do have main seating.

That's an interesting idea!!

 

Once you demanufacture the food, it's not all that gourmet. Definitely not a Gary Danko/French Laundry type of gourmet anyhow. I'm a bit on the picky side and have food allergies and had no problems finding items I could eat and would enjoy. My husband can't seem to wrap his head around pulling apart what the items are (on the menu) until I do it for him. ie "boar" is pork, "wagyu" is beef, and "chorizo" is spicy sausage. Then he's totally OK with it. Maybe try that approach with your sister.

 

i noticed that you can pick and choose from the menu (not just pick a set menu), so that should be good for my sister.

I'm a fish eating vegetarian (probably vegetarian isn't the correct term), so won't be having either of the main tasting menus either. But i saw many things that sound wonderful.

my mom, on the other hand, will certainly go for the most adventurous things there are. She's a riot. She just loves the experience of it all.

 

Ask the concierge to book you MDR rotation with AP on the first night. The others, eh.

 

you liked AP the best? For the show? the food?

 

I've done both brunch and tea but not on the same day. It would be too much, there's no way of doing both. Tea is lovely, along the lines of the one at the Grand Floridian, but brunch is not to be missed.

 

we won't have any choice but to do both on the same day.

We'll just have to watch ourselves about not eating too much at brunch.

I'll ask for the 10 AM seating (that's what DH, DD, DS and i had on our cruise and it was a nice time to be there, when it was a bit quieter).

And i'll ask for 3 PM for the tea (so as not to be too close to dinner). All i want is a scone anyway. I wonder if they're good scones. And i love a good cup of tea. i can't think of anything nicer than a good cup of tea and a nice scone, while watching the ocean go by! :)

 

in any case, for us sea day will be mostly just lazing around.

I assume my sister and i will go to the fitness room (i wonder how crowded it gets), and that's about all we'll probably do - unless there's a ship tour.

we won't go to the pool - i can't abide crowds, and i'm not interested in the ship spa, and a coed rainforest room sounds awful to me, so basically its just lazing away the day while watching the water - actually my favorite thing to do on a ship!!!!!

[ducklite]

fish eating vegetarian=pescatarian

[alaska_planner]

fish eating vegetarian=pescatarian

 

sounds like an annoying person!!...

 

just saw on the internet a woman who hates the word pescatarian and so called her restaurant a "veggiquarium" restaurant ....cute

 

i don't eat any creature fish - just fish fish....salmon, trout, bass (though i'm not a big bass fan, i've had a few really great bass over the years - including at citricos a few years back - one of the most outstanding bass dishes i've ever had)...

 

but basically i live on vegetables. Raw vegetables. Love the stuff. Can't get enough.

 

at V&A - i told them i was a vegetarian - no fish. I wanted to see what they would do with just vegetarian. Fish is too easy for them.

and wow - what they did with vegetarian was outstanding!!!!

[Doobie31]

i noticed that you can pick and choose from the menu (not just pick a set menu), so that should be good for my sister.

I'm a fish eating vegetarian (probably vegetarian isn't the correct term), so won't be having either of the main tasting menus either. But i saw many things that sound wonderful.

 

I'm a vegetarian (and don't eat fish) and I still love my time at Palo brunch and dinner. There are plenty of options. Even the antipasto plate they bring at the start for the table - they prepared one just for me without the meats.

 

If your sister really doesn't want to do Palo or she will make everyone else miserable, definitely enjoy the MDR with her then she can go her own way and you can go have a great meal upstairs. That's what I did on my last cruise as I was the only one at our table going to Palo (it was a business dinner).

 

Doobie.

[alaska_planner]

I'm a vegetarian (and don't eat fish) and I still love my time at Palo brunch and dinner. There are plenty of options. Even the antipasto plate they bring at the start for the table - they prepared one just for me without the meats.

 

If your sister really doesn't want to do Palo or she will make everyone else miserable, definitely enjoy the MDR with her then she can go her own way and you can go have a great meal upstairs. That's what I did on my last cruise as I was the only one at our table going to Palo (it was a business dinner).

 

Doobie.

 

I'm sure my sister will like palo, it's just a regular restaurant, similar to restaurants she eats in all the time - the one i'm worried about is remy.

i love long drawn out meals. my sister eats like a speed demon and is out of there before i've finished my appetizer.

my mom used to be like that, but recently has learned to slow down and smell the roses so to speak.

 

But i'm sure it will be fine. I'm now very much looking forward to remy. :)

the trick is to not think about the upcharge. Things like that tend to annoy me. But i won't think about it!

 

but now that i'm thinking about it - there is a spa we like to go to in arizona - all inclusive, no tipping ,etc etc.

The service in the restaurant is extraordinary. There is no tipping, yet the service is stellar.

So why can't it be the same on the ship?

I really do hate tipping. I like it to be all inclusive. I guess i understand charging the $75. It's a way to keep the demand down or something like that. Maybe.

(or rather they can charge it so they do - whatever the market will bear).

But why can't the $75/person charge cover the tip? I just hate tipping. Hate hate hate it. Not to say i don't tip. Of course i do. But i don't like doing it. And it is possible to have a system set up that doesn't require tipping. So why can't the ship be like that.

 

ok....rant over. it just bothers me, but nothing i can do about it and so i will try not to think about it when i'm on the ship.

[Shmoo here]

I'm sure my sister will like palo, it's just a regular restaurant, similar to restaurants she eats in all the time - the one i'm worried about is remy.

i love long drawn out meals. my sister eats like a speed demon and is out of there before i've finished my appetizer.

my mom used to be like that, but recently has learned to slow down and smell the roses so to speak.

 

But i'm sure it will be fine. I'm now very much looking forward to remy. :)

the trick is to not think about the upcharge. Things like that tend to annoy me. But i won't think about it!

 

but now that i'm thinking about it - there is a spa we like to go to in arizona - all inclusive, no tipping ,etc etc.

The service in the restaurant is extraordinary. There is no tipping, yet the service is stellar.

So why can't it be the same on the ship?

I really do hate tipping. I like it to be all inclusive. I guess i understand charging the $75. It's a way to keep the demand down or something like that. Maybe.

(or rather they can charge it so they do - whatever the market will bear).

But why can't the $75/person charge cover the tip? I just hate tipping. Hate hate hate it. Not to say i don't tip. Of course i do. But i don't like doing it. And it is possible to have a system set up that doesn't require tipping. So why can't the ship be like that.

 

ok....rant over. it just bothers me, but nothing i can do about it and so i will try not to think about it when i'm on the ship.

 

It's my understanding the a (small) portion of the upcharge is for tips :confused:

 

Just as the upcharge at Palo, a portion of that goes for tips. However, many people (including us) tip additional to that.

 

:)

[alaska_planner]

It's my understanding the a (small) portion of the upcharge is for tips :confused:

 

Just as the upcharge at Palo, a portion of that goes for tips. However, many people (including us) tip additional to that.

 

:)

 

the entire amount should go to the tip and there should be a strict no tipping policy.

no tipping. Tips are refused. the service is amazing because the service is amazing, not because they're hoping i'll drop $100 on them.

 

(can you tell i spent a lot of time when i was growing up in japan - where service was service, no tip involved).

 

anyway, i hate tips. I find the whole practice distasteful. But when in rome....

[Host Mick]

the entire amount should go to the tip and there should be a strict no tipping policy.

no tipping. Tips are refused. the service is amazing because the service is amazing, not because they're hoping i'll drop $100 on them.

 

(can you tell i spent a lot of time when i was growing up in japan - where service was service, no tip involved).

 

anyway, i hate tips. I find the whole practice distasteful. But when in rome....

 

I like tips. It gives me an opportunity to pay someone what I think that their service was worth.

It's also a service to future cruisers. If a server is consistently coming up lower than others, it's a sign that perhaps he should seek employment elsewhere. If they get more, they're encouraged to stay on and to keep up the good work.

[ducklite]

I don't think the extra charge should entirely go to the tip--it offsets the costs of better quality food and more personalized service. I believe that most people add an additional tip which makes the evening more expensive. This works in the favor of those who really want to dine there as it lessens competition for those hard to come by reservations.

 

That said, I do wish that they would spell out exactly how much of the service charge went to the service staff.

[unica_14]

Does anyone know if there is a waiting List that we can be added for Remy. I am trying to make reservations for our cruise and is not letting me. Thanks

[ducklite]

As soon as you board go to the place they are taking Remy reservations and try to get one. If there are none available, ask to be put on a wait list, and call back every day to try to snag one.