Trying to understand the alternative dining

[OC Mom]

I felt exactly like the OP and wasn't going to visit Scarletts and pay an additional fee for food that is essentially already paid for. My husband's boss wanted us the check it out (he cruises on the premium lines and doesn't quite understand why we cruise with Carnival) so he gave me the $60 as a birthday present. We'll see how it goes.;)

[Happy ks]

from Happy ks:

"The specialty restaurants are there for those of us who appreciate a finer dining experience."

 

...how insulting and condenscending...

 

Suggesting that only people who eat in the extra fee restaurants are capable of appreciating finer dining. Saying: "those of us" makes it seem like the rest of us "common folk" should be segretaged from the you because the dining room is good enough for us.

 

I'm very sorry, I did not mean to insult anyone, perhaps you read too much into that. The main dining rooms are fine, the food is edible, I've eaten in them many times. Pehaps I worded this incorrectly. The specialty restaurants do have a much finer dining experience. I don't have to have every meal a specialty meal, it is something we treat ourselves to every cruise, if possible. All I'm saying is the attitude, by a few, is that the food is just as good in the main dining room (not true), that it's not worth it (not true) and they do sound as if they are forming an opinion without the experience. Many times throughout my life I have thought I would feel one way about something that should happen, then when after experiencing that thing, I feel quite differently.

 

I have no intention of making this into a debate thread, those do get a bit tedious and boring. All I'm saying is to try it before judging. There is a reason why those restaurants charge more, they are definitely a finer dining experience. As for the "common folk" comment, I am probably more common than most here on the boards, I just do enjoy finer things, sometimes. We book ourselved into an inside cabin, or ocean view, we don't drink a lot, spend very little gambling, perhaps a spa treatment. For us, the finer dining is what we spend the exta on.

 

Food is such a subjective thing. I have a dear brother in law that will recommend a restaurant at times, we go and think the food is horrible. I read on these boards that some people like major chain restaurants that I think are awful. But, I'm sure some of the places I like, others would not step foot in. One of my favorite places for a good burger is our local Dennys.

 

It is difficult to read tone into a a message, never would I suggest that people don't have a fine palate just because they don't want to spend extra$$.

 

One more time, try it before you judge it.

[doone]

I have always been very happy with the food onboard the ships I have sailed. I have also been extremely happy with the few alternative restaurants I have tried onboard the ships. I look at an alternative dining as strictly another option. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

We really enjoy having at least one dinner per cruise in alternate dining and have never regreted the experience or felt we were wasting money or resented the cruise ship company for having a restaurant that charges extra.

 

That said, I guess I understand those who feel alternate dining is wasteful because I feel that way about paying extra in the gym for yoga classes, spinning, kick-boxing, cardio-kick, and other special classes. I don't think the gym should charge for activities that cost nothing extra in a World's gym or a Gold's gym. So I refuse to pay for those classes and don't attend. In a way that attitude is no different than not wanting to pay extra for alternative dining.

 

Here's another twist to this question. While we do enjoy alternate dining, my husband refused to go to Johhny Rockets on the Mariner, because there is a small fee and he feels we shouldn't have to pay extra for hamburgers, hot dogs and french fries. He doesn't mind paying much more in the Portofino, but won't pay a small amount extra for "fast food."

 

So, at the end of the day, it is a personal decison about how you wish to spend your money. That includes all of life off ship as well as life on ship. Each to his own preferences.