Pay to dine! Have I missed something?

[Priya2]

We have only cruised once so far (Celebrity Century) and we are booked onto our second next year (Celebrity Eclipse). I'm really surprised reading through the various threads on the forum, the number of cruisers who seem happy to dine at the 'pay to dine' restaurants and then to say how reasonable it is at only e.g. $30 per head! Indeed many seem to plan to do so before even tasting a mouthful of food in the MDR or Buffet. I get the impression that many people who do this are not 'rich', but fairly ordinary cruisers! I don't really get it. Its rare to read a review on any major cruise line that says the 'inclusive' food was poor and there appears to be so much choice that surely most people can find something they like on most occasions, so why plan to pay to dine when you have already paid for it in the cost of the cruise?

 

I am not rich, but I don't struggle either. I love to travel and don't skimp on comfort, so its not that we couldn't eat in the pay to dine places if we really wanted to, but I don't like to waste money on things like that or excessive shopping. I like to spend the money on a 5* hotel room or to upgrade my Stateroom instead.

 

Have I missed something?

[LHT28]

I have never paid to dine on the mainstream lines but from reading about those places you seem to get a better quality of food than in the regular restaurants ...do not know if that is true or not just an observation

 

We cruise on a premium line with no extra fees for specialty dining (well 1 fee based special menu with wine pairing)

The other restaurants have enough to keep us fed well so no need for us to pay more ...that is just us

We spend more on the cruise because it suits our needs & wants

 

 

Others may differ in opinions

[paul929207]

We have a little over 500 nights on cruise ships, including 479 on Princess. We have gone to the Pay restaurants twice. The first time some friends invited us. The second we reciprocated and took them.

[redfantum]

I agree with you to a point. There is plenty of wonderful food in the MDR. Most specialty restaurant food is just as easy to get at home. Italian, steakhouses, even sushi is on every other corner here. However, French restaurants here are hard to find, so I'd gladly pay $20 for a double order of escargot and a classic entree.

[Priya2]

I would never say never. I'm just surprised its as popular as it is!

[miztressuz]

i think it depends. there are some folks that don't have easy access to upscaled or even "good" cuisine so this is an opportunity to get something special. like a previous poster who doesn't have a French restaurant available. or like some of my in-laws' that have moved away and now have fairly dreadful Chinese restaurants. they take any opportunity to get "good" chinese :)

 

personally i'm fortunate to have almost everything we'd want to eat in a reasonable area so we don't use the specialty restaurants. i'm not usually going to pay extra on top of the cruise.

 

we made an exception for our anniversary last year, we decided to go to the Crown Grill on the Crown Princess as a treat. All the reviews I read were pretty positive and a few had said it was steakhouse quality. We paid $25 a head to get the same grade porterhouse steak I can get at the local supermarket and a crock of a dozen mussels minus 3 dead ones. (funnily enough, when we pointed out the 3 dead mussels in the first crock, they insisted on bringing another, and it too had 3 dead mussels :) and no it wasn't the same pot, we had ways of checking. we just found it funny that the chef wouldn't look in the crock before sending it out to make sure all the mussels cooked proper. all the dead ones were easily visible at the top. if they had just removed them we would have never known it was supposed to have more than 9 mussels) It was worth a shot and if we got a good night, it would have been the cheapest steakhouse experience we had. It wasn't horrible by any means, just not worth the extra (or, at least, the amount extra).

 

the only other specialty restaurant we have plans to pay for is the Brazilian steakhouse on the Norwegian Epic. The Brazilian steakhouses we've gone are easily $40 and up for dinner. It's currently priced at $20 a head, and if it turns out as good as it looks, and gets reviewed, then it'll be worth it.

 

Other than that, just doesn't appeal.

[Priya2]

I think I understand now. I'm from the UK and in major urban areas, most cuisine is available at high standards. We also eat at 'upscale' restaurants when travelling on land! As an aside, I find it amusing that some of the worst French food that we have eaten was in Paris :rolleyes:

[SquishTheWhale]

I'm also from the UK and can't really understand it, so maybe it's an English thing! :) Also I was brought up by an accountant from Yorkshire, so paying extra for dinner (or anything) when I can have it for free is not really a concept that I understand! But, never say never, maybe once I've done a lot of cruising and want to try something new.

[Scrapnana]

Not just a UK thing. I've never understood why so many people want to spend extra when your meal is paid for. On my last cruise, people were lamenting on the roll call that they couldn't get a reservation at one of the "extra" restaurants.

 

That said, I have heard rave reviews for the specialty restaurant on my next cruise ship and may actually try it. (Maybe I will firgure out what the big deal is!:D)

[calliopecruiser]

Actually, unlike the OP, I've read many reviews that talked about bad food in the MDR on various ships. I figure paying more to eat in an alternate (i.e. not included) restaurant on a ship is no different than paying more to eat in a specialty restaurant on land - better food than you get ordinarily and in a different atmosphere than you get ordinarily.

 

Don't discount the appeal of the different atmosphere as well as the change in food - eating in the MDR is kind of like eating in a ballroom - crowded, noisy, and constantly bustling. Sometimes the smaller, calmer alternate restaurant is more preferred - either just for a change, or for a special occasion.

[MrsPete]

The food in the MDR and windjammer is good. I've preferred some things over others, and of some things I've said, "It's okay, but I wouldn't order it again", but I've also had things so good that I've come home and searched for the recipes. In general, I skip the bread; it's just ordinary stuff, and it's not worth the calories in comparison to the other choices. I really like their soup options. Dessert often is just so-so -- I definitely make better in my own kitchen -- but occasionally something'll pop up and be incredible.

 

So why do people pay extra for specialty restaurants? I think it's the gotta-have-something-special attitude that's become pervasive in the last couple decades. Going on a cruise (or any other vacation) is already something special in and of itself, but many people feel they have to have that little-something-extra to make their vacation "their own", to make it a little better than the standard experience. It's the same reason people insist that they "must" have a suite, or "must" book a cabana on the private island, or "must" book an exclusive shore excursion.

 

In the end, if you choose to spend extra and go to the specialty restaurants, you'll enjoy the meal. If you choose not to do so, you will not find yourself gnawing on stale bread crusts.

[MermaidWatcher]

We have never paid extra to dine. Why would you pay for eating twice, IMO ? If I can't find something between the MDR and the casual venues, shame on me. I don't expect everything in the MDR to be gourmet, after all they are feeding several thousand people, but have never not been able to find something to eat that was tasty enough to work.

[Budget Queen]

I do enjoy, occasionally eating at the specialty restaurants. I am a long time cruiser, starting in 1983, when cruise dining WAS of much higher quality than it is now. I just completed cruise 81. All lines have cut back significantly in the last 10 years, which gives me my cheap cruises. (will be doing 7, from May to end of year, this year). So it all just depends on each preference.

[Priya2]

I think I understand why sometimes people do now. Is it really the case that the quality of the food has gone down over the years? Has the cost of cruising adjusted in keeping with that?

[ChiGal1962]

I choose my cruises in large part due to the food in the MDR - love trying new things and eating good quality food, great variety, etc. So in general, I don't have any desire to go to a specialty restaurant and pay the upcharge. (Nor will I choose to travel on cruise lines that have simply mediocre food on the MDR menus.)

 

I've only been to three specialty restaurants -- the italian one on Holland America's Noordam (invited by a friend), the steakhouse on the Norwegian Sun (my travel partner was dying to eat there - and since I thought the rest of the food on the ship was pretty dreadful, it was worth it) and Qsine on Celebrity Infinity last year. The last one is one I would do again strictly for the complete uniqueness of the concept. It was a fantastic thing to do with a group of people and the entertainment value was totally worth the additional expense.

[Budget Queen]

I think I understand why sometimes people do now. Is it really the case that the quality of the food has gone down over the years? Has the cost of cruising adjusted in keeping with that?

 

In my opinion, absolutely yes. I have seen a BIG drop in quality on every line. In the past 2 years, I have sailed NCL, HAL, Princess, Celebrity, Carnival, RCI. This year, I have sailed Princess, twice and Carnival, in a few weeks I am back on Carnival, have 2 NCL and a final Carnival in Dec.

 

As I said, I started cruising in 1983, but only did 4 cruises in the 80's. It stepped up in the 90's which still had plenty of quality, but those prices I paid was more than I have paid in the last 13 years, by far. In fact my first cruise in an inside cabin was more than I pay now.

 

So, I am delighted in the low costs, and I have plenty of favorite restaurants I go to, so eating on a cruise ship is just fine. But as I mentioned in my first post, I do enjoy an upscale "pay" meal occasionally. :)

[Priya2]

I'm glad for that then Budget Queen. Better that the cost of cruising is more affordable and that people can then choose to add extras as they wish.

[jsmeeker]

It's not always about the food. It could be about the whole experience. Some people just don't like the big huge main dining rooms with their banquet style of service. They prefer a more intimate, traditional land restaurant experience. And not just people from small towns that don't have a lot of option.s People from big cities that are used to dining like that on land may want to continue to do that at sea.

 

Are you missing anything? Not really. If it's not for you, it's not for you. I mean, for some people, spending a lot of money on accommodations (upgraded cabin, fancy 5* hotel, etc.) isn't for them. They are OK with a plain box that contains a bed and a basic bathroom.

Edited August 9, 2013 by jsmeeker

[attilamom1217]

We all choose to how to spend our vacation $s. We have not ever really been disappointed in the MDR food; however, the extra fee dining venues are more than just the food - many are also an experience. The steaks are prime rather than choice, are larger portions than the MDR.

 

We usually will do an extra fee dinner once during our cruise.

 

the extra $s goes for the tip to the staff (they are not included in the usual tips) as well as the upgraded food (prime vs choice; whole lobsters...).

 

If you don't want to pay the extra fee, that is your choice and since the MDR food is usually good, you are not missing anything. Those of us who do partake of the extra fee venues are also making a choice based on our preferences and how we choose to spend our money. Neither is the right or wrong decision!

[cruisinnewfy]

I enjoy the food in the MDR and think it is quite good generally. The specialty restaurants are a dining experience. The food is top quality, the service is excellent. There is attention to detail. The upcharge is worth every penny. On land, we go out for dinner once a week at reasonably priced restaurants. But, every once in awhile we spend the extra to go to a very good restuarant. We treat the time on the ship the same. It is a holiday and we enjoy the special treatment in the specialty restaurants. If it is within your budget, try it. The worst that can happen is you feel the extra $50 for a couple was not worth it and you won't do it again.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

And all these people that purchase soda and alcohol when there is all that free water.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SeagoingMom]

We have had two dinners in two specialty (extra-fee) restaurants -- the "United States" on board Celebrity Infinity and the "Pinnacle Grill" on HAL Zuiderdam. We made this choice because it was, we thought, the best (only) way to have a nice dinner alone together to celebrate two milestone anniversaries. This is because we have always had a large table in fixed seating in the MDR, and in the case of Infinity, there was no option but fixed seating at that time. This is one reason, I think, pax choose (or maybe used to choose?) the specialty restaurants -- to get a table for two.

 

Another reason is just advertising. The cruiseline pushes these venues, and pax are attracted by the advertising. I think some pax eat at these restaurants just to say they did, or because they fear they might be missing something if they don't. Of course, the quieter atmosphere is important for some people, as others have pointed out.

 

I am convinced after our two tries that the specialty restaurants are not worth paying extra for. We did not find the food or service to be significantly better in either one than what we had gotten in the MDR -- on Infinity, we weren't sure it was not the same food as in the MDR. And now that flexible dining seems to be available on most ships, we will probably opt for a table for two in the MDR, at least if we want to celebrate alone together.

 

I would like to point out that both times we ate in a specialty restaurant, there were very few other diners (I think we were the only ones in the Pinnacle Grill), and when we passed by these restaurants on other evenings, they did not seem very busy. So maybe they are not as popular as one might be led to believe? (But we do dine quite late, so maybe they were busier earlier in the evening...)

[Priya2]

And all these people that purchase soda and alcohol when there is all that free water.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sarcasm or wit? :rolleyes:

[tjaker11]

i think it depends. there are some folks that don't have easy access to upscaled or even "good" cuisine so this is an opportunity to get something special. like a previous poster who doesn't have a French restaurant available. or like some of my in-laws' that have moved away and now have fairly dreadful Chinese restaurants. they take any opportunity to get "good" chinese :)

 

personally i'm fortunate to have almost everything we'd want to eat in a reasonable area so we don't use the specialty restaurants. i'm not usually going to pay extra on top of the cruise.

 

we made an exception for our anniversary last year, we decided to go to the Crown Grill on the Crown Princess as a treat. All the reviews I read were pretty positive and a few had said it was steakhouse quality. We paid $25 a head to get the same grade porterhouse steak I can get at the local supermarket and a crock of a dozen mussels minus 3 dead ones. (funnily enough, when we pointed out the 3 dead mussels in the first crock, they insisted on bringing another, and it too had 3 dead mussels :) and no it wasn't the same pot, we had ways of checking. we just found it funny that the chef wouldn't look in the crock before sending it out to make sure all the mussels cooked proper. all the dead ones were easily visible at the top. if they had just removed them we would have never known it was supposed to have more than 9 mussels) It was worth a shot and if we got a good night, it would have been the cheapest steakhouse experience we had. It wasn't horrible by any means, just not worth the extra (or, at least, the amount extra).

 

the only other specialty restaurant we have plans to pay for is the Brazilian steakhouse on the Norwegian Epic. The Brazilian steakhouses we've gone are easily $40 and up for dinner. It's currently priced at $20 a head, and if it turns out as good as it looks, and gets reviewed, then it'll be worth it.

 

Other than that, just doesn't appeal.

 

 

we also were not impressed with Princess's steakhouse

[calliopecruiser]

We have had two dinners in two specialty (extra-fee) restaurants -- the "United States" on board Celebrity Infinity and the "Pinnacle Grill" on HAL Zuiderdam......Of course, the quieter atmosphere is important for some people, as others have pointed out.

 

Yes, I remember dining at the Pinnacle Grill with my family -- as I recall, the food was no better, but the overall dining experience was better.

 

To each his/her own.