Speciality dining - worth it?

[Stoffel1982]

What's your opinion and tell us why...

 

I like dining in a main dining room, but on the other hand i'd love to experience the other restaurants as well. There are lots of other options (too many?) and i would hate the feeling of "missing" something. However, if the extra cost is too much, i wouldn't even consider taking the package.

[rwr235]

What's your opinion and tell us why...

 

I like dining in a main dining room, but on the other hand i'd love to experience the other restaurants as well. There are lots of other options (too many?) and i would hate the feeling of "missing" something. However, if the extra cost is too much, i wouldn't even consider taking the package.

 

Hi,

 

Not sure if you are asking our opinion on what we think you should do ? or what and why we do or don't eat at Specialty Restaurants ?

 

As for you...if you would "love to experience" the other restaurants...then by all means, go for it ! As you probably know, they often offer discounts on-board/packages etc...so if the price is right !:D

 

As for us...we have gone in the past, but with each subsequent cruise we have taken, we have gone less and less. In fact on our last 11 nighter, we didn't eat at any Specialty Restaurants. Not that we haven't enjoyed them in the past, but we too enjoy the MDR; we only cruise once per year, so the options/variety and the quality of the MDR menu are plenty and satisfactory for us; and we have been privileged to have had some wonderful wait staff, and thoroughly enjoy our meals and times with them in the MDR...in fact, on our last cruise to Hawaii, I almost felt guilty about telling our waiter the night before that we would be dining on-shore at a Luau at our overnite port in Lahaina...I felt like we would be missing something on-board with him !!

 

Enjoy...wherever you dine !!

 

Woody

[happicruzer]

My husband stated, on our last Summit cruise and while dining in Normandie, that eating in the specialty dining areas isn't something he has to do (done so four/five times, and all complementary or at no (additional) cost due to cabin category).

 

I also believe that the MDR fits our tastes and expectations of a dinner to our lifestyle; one reason there may be so many differences of opinion.

 

The food was very good, the service top notch, but the cost (currently $45pp (look for 1/2 price offers on board) is such that even if at $22.50pp, we don't feel the necessity to eat there again. May also explain why the rooms have been so empty each time we've been.

[Cruising89143]

I think that you will receive different answers but for us yes we like it and it's worth it. We like the smaller more quiet venues where you're not rushed through dinner. The food is better IMHO. On a seven night cruise we usually dine four to five nights in a specialty restaurant.

[blueboro]

It was definitely worth it when prices were in the $20 - $25 range. But I am re-evaluating doing specialty restaurants on our February 2014 cruise due to the fact they are now $40 - $45 range. I think they are now too expensive and hope they experience a drop in passengers using them. It seems from what I read they are now having to give discounts on certain sailings to get them filled.

[kitty9]

We dine every night in a specialty. For us, the better food and service, being able to enjoy the meal without feeling rushed, and avoiding the noise and general craziness of the MDR is definitely worth the cost.

[dln929]

What's your opinion and tell us why...

 

I like dining in a main dining room, but on the other hand i'd love to experience the other restaurants as well. There are lots of other options (too many?) and i would hate the feeling of "missing" something. However, if the extra cost is too much, i wouldn't even consider taking the package.

 

We like the MDR too. In fact, we were on several X cruises before we even saw the need to go to one of the specialty restaurants, and that was only because we were invited to join friends. I've never felt that we're "missing" out on a cruise experience just because someone else does it and we choose not to. Never had a ship board massage, for example. Not missing a thing. Now if you feel like dining in one of the specialty restaurants and the added cost is worth it to you, do it. Dining out on a ship restaurant is really not much different than eating at a land restaurant. Pick the menu and ambiance you prefer and if you want to give it a go, make a reservation. It's as simple as that. ;)

[CruisingChick]

Not at $45 per person. Plus there's wine and/or drinks with dinner and the bill really adds up.

 

The Specialty Restaurants need to go back down to $30 per person. That's the most we would pay.

[Gonzo70]

I find the specialty restaurants to be a large step up from the MDR; the MDR is akin to a large banquet hall, not a restaurant. While I am impressed with how well they do mass producing meals on a limited budget without access to many fresh ingredients, there is only so much that can be accomplished under the circumstances. If I have really fun tablemates I enjoy the MDR, otherwise I rarely dine there.

 

The specialty restaurants are an area where Celebrity shines; nice variety of options, nice ambiance, good service and generally really good food. Unfortunately they have raised the price so much that they no longer are a real good value, but if you booked packages or look for sales then it is far more palatable of an expense.

[Hlitner]

Its a great topic. Sometimes we get the feeling that X does not fully appreciate the basic economic principle of "price elasticity." In simple terms, if you keep increasing the price there is a point at which a lot of folks will simply say NO! We think that $45 is simply too high a price point for Murano and even $40 might be too high for some of the alternative restaurants. But we also think that Murano and Qsine are excellent venues..so we are always on look-out for discount deals. We have sometimes been able to get into these restaurants at half price which we do think is a reasonable deal.

 

One other minor annoyance is the wine list they promote in Murano. It is not the same wine list you get in the MDR...but rather a shortened very overpriced list (I have issues with paying $60 for a bottle of wine worth less then $15). But, it is possible to get the regular wine list in Murano (you just have to make it a point to ask) and on one occasion we asked them to get us our already open bottle of wine from the MDR.

 

Hank

[BEAV]

What's your opinion and tell us why...

 

I like dining in a main dining room, but on the other hand i'd love to experience the other restaurants as well. There are lots of other options (too many?) and i would hate the feeling of "missing" something. However, if the extra cost is too much, i wouldn't even consider taking the package.

 

If you do a search, you'll find dozens of different threads on this popular subject. But here's a link to just one recent thread you may find helpful. Good luck and happy cruising!

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1871150&highlight=specialty+restaurants

[mickey89]

Like in all walks of life supply and demand control the prices. Only recently aboard the Equinox I dined in Murano every night, only the first and last night was quiet. On all the other nights people could only get reservations for 6.00 or 9.30 due to its popularity. I don't believe the prices will get any cheaper - $45 is about right to control the numbers.

[M&Dcruisers]

We used to dine in the speciality restaurants on each new ship we sailed. This was just to experience them. Now we rarely go to them. The price is too high considering we have already paid for the MDR, the additional $40 per person makes it an expensive dinner.

[jd1966]

It's a little pricey but the food and service is usually excellent. We generally go to a specialty restaurant once on weeklong cruise and twice on longer cruises. It's mainly a change of pace for us.

[jenniebnyc]

I think Murano is very good, esp when you ask for Steak Diane ahead of time. We also asked for something with truffles on our last cruise and were treated to a fresh pasta with a truffle cream sauce. It was delightful.

 

Qsine - go once for the novelty.

[anonymousegirl]

My husband is a big 'Foodie" and he prefers the specialty restaurants because the food is made "a la minute" just like a restaurant here. Plus when we cruise, we like dining by ourselves as the cruise is our time to reconnect. The smaller dining room is a plus as well.

 

We have had lovely table mates in the past at the MDR. We have had great service at the MDR as well. But overall, my husband prefers the food and service at the specialty restaurants.

[srlafleur]

We've occasionally splurged on a specialty restaurant, for no particular reason other than to try it. We're pretty satisfied with the MDR fare, for the most part. I don't feel the need to on every cruise, and certainly not every evening. If our cruise is port intensive (and therefore, excursion $$ intensive), we're much less likely. If the cruise is otherwise less expensive and/or less exciting overall, and especially if there are deals to be had (free bottle of wine, for example), we're more likely to indulge.

I guess it's just a question of where your priorities lie.

[Cruising89143]

Like in all walks of life supply and demand control the prices. Only recently aboard the Equinox I dined in Murano every night, only the first and last night was quiet. On all the other nights people could only get reservations for 6.00 or 9.30 due to its popularity. I don't believe the prices will get any cheaper - $45 is about right to control the numbers.

 

We found Qsine hard to get into on the Reflection. Tuscan Grille was a little easier.

[Honeybearhollow]

It depends on the cruise. If the food is good in MDR, then I don't think so. It is nice to have that option when celebrating a special occasion. We have had Blu on all of our Celebrity cruises, so we have not done many of those Specialty restaurants. But we have a Norwegian cruise lined up and we will probably do Specialty a lot, because we hear the MDR food leaves something to be desired.

[Miss SeaBee]

Yes yes yes! I like MDR, but love Murano and Tuscan Grill. I think they are a big sep up in food quality and restaurant ambience. Very nice and special. Next cruise, in addition to these, we are going to try the Lawn Club grill.

 

 

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[maxwebr]

I am a bit confused. I guess the $40pp would be if you bought it individually. I bought the 5 night package and it works out to ~$24pp. I think that is a good deal to experience all of the speciality resteraunts. But I assume that this does not mean you can eat at Murano all 5 nights.

[spearmint]

Sure it's worth it to us....if we decide to go. We spend enough to get on board, another $100 or so won't make much difference; after all, it is for our pleasure. However....

I am too fussy to be a foodie (although my size would say otherwise :eek:), so it depends on the menu offerings as to whether we attend. For example, we were just on Explorer of the Seas and one of the TA enticements was dinner for two in the specialty restaurant. There was nothing on Portofino's that I would have wanted so we did not even use the freebie! So far Tuscan Grille has not enticed us either...

 

We like the ambience of the original M-class restaurants and love the service . The menus, unfortunately, have had to change when Michel Roux was replaced, but still there is at least one or two things that have been tweaked and kept on the menu. (We never book without checking the menu offerings though.) So, we get dressed up (yes, even if it isn't formal night :eek: but I told you we like the ambience) and head to Murano or Normandie or Olympic or Ocean Liners.....:)

 

I did not know until this thread that one could ask for something else...like steak Diane...to be prepared other than what is on offer. Whoopie!:D

 

Bill

[enj2012]

My husband and I ONLY ate at the specialty restaurants while on the Silhouette. We ate at the dining hall once and hated it. We found better choices with the specialty places

[Janetsilverlegend]

HI...we sailed on silhouette june 26th 2013. we found early seating in mdr not good for us. too early,I didn't care for the food, and we found that our table of 10 was not our "cup of tea." so, we ate in Tuscan grill two nites, each nite on 50% off we got from a strolling marketing guy, and it was WONDERFUL. We ate at Qsine also on discount, a real experience, not to be missed. We ate at the lawn grill, really fun place, fabulous food, not to be missed. no discount. Finally at the bistro on 5 for two nite. Had room service a couple of nites too in our room on the aft of the ship.

 

with the exception of the bistro on 5, all specialty restaurants were pleasantly busy.

just my two cents. If you can afford it, go to Tuscan grill at a minimum. its lovely.

[enj2012]

HI...we sailed on silhouette june 26th 2013. we found early seating in mdr not good for us. too early,I didn't care for the food, and we found that our table of 10 was not our "cup of tea." so, we ate in Tuscan grill two nites, each nite on 50% off we got from a strolling marketing guy, and it was WONDERFUL. We ate at Qsine also on discount, a real experience, not to be missed. We ate at the lawn grill, really fun place, fabulous food, not to be missed. no discount. Finally at the bistro on 5 for two nite. Had room service a couple of nites too in our room on the aft of the ship.

 

with the exception of the bistro on 5, all specialty restaurants were pleasantly busy.

just my two cents. If you can afford it, go to Tuscan grill at a minimum. its lovely.

 

How great was Tuscan grill?? I LOVED it! I wish there was a place like that by my house. The food was to die for!