Tuscan Grill

[hammo]

Why is the Tuscan Grill experience so ordinary given the price we pay for the privilege ?:confused:

[kevinyork]

We are thinking of booking Tuscan Grille for our May cruise. Could you say what you did and didnt like about it please?

 

 

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[Lovemychoos]

Don't you think it's a case of peoples perception of ordinary?

 

We love Tuscan Grill - and would compare it to a very up market steak house experience, but only better, cause it's on a Celebrity ship :)

 

We've always had fabulous food, excellent service, and our only criticism would be sometimes the portions are a little 'large', and we're absolutely stuffed before we reach desert. Mind you, I can always squeeze in one of their creme brulee's. Yuuuuummmmm

 

We'll definitely we going on our May cruise Kevin, perhaps we'll see you there? We'll be the party of 6, probably making too much noise,lol

 

Lou

[dkjretired]

Why is the Tuscan Grill experience so ordinary given the price we pay for the privilege ?:confused:

 

 

Sorry, but most people do not think it is just ordinary or they would have closed the venue long ago. It is your opinion which of course you are entitled to but you are in a minority.

Edited April 6, 2014 by dkjretired

[jonsmum]

We love the Tuscan Grill as well. The only thing that occasionally bothers me is actually over-attentive service! Not that it stops us from going there, we just have a little giggle when we get back to our room.

[terigo]

We actually prefer the Tuscan to Murano...so you can see everyone has their own subjective taste.

[TLCOhio]

Why is the Tuscan Grill experience so ordinary given the price we pay for the privilege ?

 

Having just gotten off of the Solstice a couple months ago when sailing from your wonderful country to New Zealand, we enjoyed the Tuscan Grille twice during our 14-day adventure. As happened during our first Solstice sailing in June 2011 in the Med, we liked the Tuscan Grille very much. Perfect? No, but worked very well for us. It's a personal choice!!

 

Below is some of my "photo evidence" for why and how we liked this dining spot. Look good? Check out these postings for more info/background on this nice ship, its entertainment, food options, exploring all over Australia and NZ, detailed port info, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Just back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 49,984 views for this fun posting.

 

 

For dining in Tuscan Grille on the Solstice in January while sailing from Australia to New Zealand, we started with a nice glass of sparkling Italian wine (Prosecco Spumanti). Fun, especially as the glass kept being re-filled!! One bread stick (got to save room for the later “good stuff). My first choice for “primi piatti” was this pictured crab cake with a good sauce. It’s called Polpette do Granchio. Roasted pepper caponata and basil emulsion. Then, this next shows this “warm-up dish” of Pomodora Mozzarella di Bufala. The main course was Lobster Papardella Alfredo. But, the best is always saved for last . . . a nicely designed and super tasting of this Italian favorite, Tiramisu. I also had some Limoncello to top off the dining delights. Did we like it all? Absolutely!! Plus, we had lots wave action to see (and survive) from this great viewing position on the back of the ship with its big glass windows on the fifth floor of the Solstice. :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[waterbug123]

Why is the Tuscan Grill experience so ordinary given the price we pay for the privilege ?:confused:

 

You find the experience "ordinary" but imply that you find the price extraordinary. Really? What similar restaurant on land do you go to that you get appetizer, soup, salad and entree for $35, inclusive of tax/tip? I've been to the TG a number of times and even if I found the experience ordinary, I'd say it's a bargain at that price.

[agathasmum]

We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at Tuscan on Silhouette in February. It wouldn't have been our first choice as we are very light eaters, but we had eaten at Murano on our last cruise, and are not fans of Qsine, so Tuscan it was. We chose lightish dishes, managed 3 delicious courses and had a fabulous time. Someone has already praised the creme brûlée, and I will give the tiramisu a big thumbs up.

 

All in all the food and service was excellent and we had a memorable evening.

[Cruise Raider]

You find the experience "ordinary" but imply that you find the price extraordinary. Really? What similar restaurant on land do you go to that you get appetizer, soup, salad and entree for $35, inclusive of tax/tip? I've been to the TG a number of times and even if I found the experience ordinary, I'd say it's a bargain at that price.

 

I, too, have become a big fan of the specialty restaurants and loved both Muranos and the Tuscan Grill. While I don't think the charge of $35 pp is outrageous, you cannot compare it to what you would find on land as you have already paid for the meal in the MDR through your fare and the tip through your gratuities. Maybe add that in and now the dinner is more like $50 - $60 per person and you can find that experience in a decent restaurant at home. It still works for me, though....just for the fact that I don't have to dress in formal wear.

[Lois R]

Hi, food is definitely subjective. I have always enjoyed Tuscan:)

If a person does not feel it is worth the price to dine there? The option

is yours....don't spend the money to dine there.

 

Terry.......your photos are always awesome:D

[dln929]

We find the Tuscan Grill experience marvelous! From the view, to the service, to the food (and of course, not necessarily in that order) it's all good to us. We've never had a disappointing meal there and look forward to dining there on every Celebrity cruise we take.

[tomcruiser1234]

It's our favorite.

 

Close second is the Lawn Grill

 

I think the experience beats many of the shore excursions value for the $$$$$

[ClaudiaB]

We LOVE Tuscan Grill and on a 14 night cruise we will likely eat there 4 times or more. We've had the best wait staff, the best wine steward, the ambiance - the food - - it's just a wonderful place to spend an evening, either as a couple or with a bunch of our new friends from the roll call. We MUCH prefer it to Murano.

Edited April 6, 2014 by ClaudiaB

[carolslc]

Maybe it depends on the ship, or the batch of meat, but our experience at Tuscan Grill was not good a couple of weeks ago on the Reflection. The only thing that was really good was the calamari appetizer. The crab cake was mostly breading and the crab in it was so fine it was indistinguishable from the breading and I couldn’t even really taste the crab. My rib eye steak was ordered medium rare, and looked like it was that, but it was so thin that it was just a sliver of red in the middle. It was so tough it was inedible. I took 2 bites and left it and the waiter never asked about it. Yes, I could have said something, but luckily in addition to steaks, we had ordered the lobster pasta to share, so I just ate that. That was good, although just a few small pieces of lobster in it. I wouldn’t recommend Tuscan Grill based on our experience even at the 50% discount that we got for Aqua Class. The service in Blu and food in Blu was much better.

[waterbug123]

Maybe add that in and now the dinner is more like $50 - $60 per person and you can find that experience in a decent restaurant at home.

 

That $50 meal on land? It's about $40 before you add sales/hospitality tax and a 15% tip. I don't know where you typically eat on land, but I'm not familiar with very many restaurants along the lines of Tuscan Grill where you can get 4 courses for $40. Applesbees and places like that, sure. But an upper end steakhouse? Nope. So back to my original reply to the OP- $35 is really not that extraordinary, considering what you get, and even after factoring in the fact that you've turning down and already-included dinner in the MDR to eat at TG. YMMV

[Hlitner]

You find the experience "ordinary" but imply that you find the price extraordinary. Really? What similar restaurant on land do you go to that you get appetizer, soup, salad and entree for $35, inclusive of tax/tip? I've been to the TG a number of times and even if I found the experience ordinary, I'd say it's a bargain at that price.

 

My problem with your reasoning is that you have already paid for dinner in your cruise fare. So that $35 is actually a "supplement" on top of what you have already paid. That being said, we have enjoyed the Tuscan....but only go there when we can get at least 30% off of their normal price.

 

Hank

[Cruising89143]

We enjoy the TG. The only entree that I ordered on the Reflection that was bad was the Rib Eye. On another evening I ordered the filet and it was very good. I'm a huge fan of the added specialty restaurants.

[carolslc]

We enjoy the TG. The only entree that I ordered on the Reflection that was bad was the Rib Eye. On another evening I ordered the filet and it was very good. I'm a huge fan of the added specialty restaurants.

 

The bad steak I had on the Reflection was the rib eye. Next time I'll try the filet. :)

[rkacruiser]

In my sole experience on Celebrity, the cuisine, service, and atmosphere in the Tuscan Grill on Celebrity Eclipse exceeds what I experience in the Pinnacle Grill on recent Holland America ships that I have sailed.

[terrierjohn]

We find the Tuscan Grill experience marvelous! From the view, to the service, to the food (and of course, not necessarily in that order) it's all good to us. We've never had a disappointing meal there and look forward to dining there on every Celebrity cruise we take.

We would echo all the above, and if you can ensure you are dining there on a beautiful evening, enjoying a magnificent sailaway, then the experience is hard to beat.

[Northern Aurora]

We also have always enjoyed the Tuscan Grill experience. But a question for the OP -- that was a rather enigmatic statement and I am curious if you have actually been to TG, or were asking if the TG is worth the additional charge?

[royalcruz]

I don't eat steak, but have enjoyed the eggplant, mushroom ravioli, arugula salad, branzino, and creme brulee a lot. We've been there 3 times and would return. The last time, I did find the server to be too intrusive.

[kevinyork]

I don't eat steak, but have enjoyed the eggplant, mushroom ravioli, arugula salad, branzino, and creme brulee a lot. We've been there 3 times and would return. The last time, I did find the server to be too intrusive.

 

 

Hi

 

My other half is veggie and won't eat any meat or food with meat derivatives in it such as cheese with Animal rennet in it. The TG menu doesn't state was is vegetarian or not. Did you have to clarify what was suitable with the waiters?

 

 

 

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[Shake]

To each their own. Pretty obvious the OP would be happier in the all you can eat ""For Free"" program.

 

For us Tuscan Grill always has been a great experience. :cool: