Steakhouse on the Breeze

[kntwait2cruz]

We booked a 6 day Western Caribbean on the Breeze for September 2014. This will be our third cruise. We were thinking about booking the steakhouse and wanted to know if it was worth the price. Can you give me pros and cons on the steakhouse and would you book it again? If we book, I was thinking of the first night since you get a complimentary bottle of wine. What is the dress code for the steakhouse especially the first night aboard?

 

The itinerary for this cruise is going to Key West, Fl, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. What do you suggest for excursions? We are in our late 50's and DW has knee problems.

 

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

[edinboro cruiser]

We book the steak house on every cruise. It is worth the money. I've seen blue jeans and golf shirts in the steakhouse. The first night is pretty relaxed.

 

 

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[patz]

The Steak House was very nice...appetizers, etc. We both had the lamb chops and were very disappointed...they were tough and chewy. Our friends had the fillet and found it to be very good.

[klfrodo]

Pros?

Damn good food and presentation for the small amount of extra charge

 

Cons?

To me, the wait staff try too hard to be upscale and end up coming off pretentious. What's up with the fake French accent in a supposed American Steakhouse?

 

The free bottle of wine that you get on the first night? You could get for $3.95 at your local store. You are not receiving a free bottle of high end wine from your favorite winery.

[PCHENG]

I have yet to sail the Breeze, so I can't comment on the 555 Steakhouse. I did, however, eat at the Steakhouse on the Spirit and the Pride, and both meals were wonderful.

 

It is a shame that I may not be able to go to the Scarlet steakhouse on my upcoming Valor cruise as I now have two kids in tow. On prior Carnival cruises, we have three adults and just one baby, so we can take turns taking care of the baby. This upcoming cruise will be just me, my wife and two kids. No grandmother or sister in-law to help out.

 

Pros - first rate ingredients, first class presentation, meal cooked to order, personalized service, dining room is less rowdy and hectic.

Cons - takes a long time to finish, too much food for an average person, wish Carnival will offer smaller portions at lower upcharge as I hate to see unfinished food get thrown away.

Edited April 15, 2014 by PCHENG

[nowitall]

Three of us enjoyed a 5:30pm meal at the Magic's Steakhouse on the first night of our recent cruise. The complimentary bottle of wine and the compliment-of-the-chef's soup were nice touches. My mom-in-law had lamb chops and my bride and I had steak 'n lobster tail. All were delish! I really enjoyed watching the maître d' whip from table to table keeping everyone's wine glass filled. And yep, the desert was a nice finish. Nice atmosphere, great food, and impeccable service definitely worth the price.

[crewsweeper]

We always dine one night in the Steakhouse. It's a great value. Way too much food. Steaks are very good. The fish is an overlooked option but worth looking into if you're not a big red meat fan.

 

If you have anytime dining, going to the steakhouse on the first night is a good idea. While , yes, the "free wines" aren't Wine Spectator 99+ rating, they're decent everyday type wines and the mark up isn't that outrageous compared to what chain restaurants want for similar varietals.

 

We never found the waitstaff to be pretentious, certainly not on the hautiness of any NYC 5 Star wannabe "hot spot". But all the waiters/waitresses there do seem to be Eastern European, which might explain the "faux" accents klfrodo hears.

 

Biggest con though, IMO, is the time it takes to have your meal (up to 3 hours if busy) and the lack of availability of reasonable dining times in the 7-8P range, even with advanced reservations.

[nowitall]

Pros?

Damn good food and presentation for the small amount of extra charge

 

Cons?

To me, the wait staff try too hard to be upscale and end up coming off pretentious. What's up with the fake French accent in a supposed American Steakhouse?

 

The free bottle of wine that you get on the first night? You could get for $3.95 at your local store. You are not receiving a free bottle of high end wine from your favorite winery.

 

'Ya, well, the BRONCOS will git'cha next season! :D

[zephyrhillscruisers]

From the Breeze Steakhouse, October, 2013. Medium well, served by a staff with not a hint of pretentiousness.

 

This steak was soooooo good. Drop by your local steakhouse and see if you can duplicate the experience for $35 plus gratuity.

[Linerguy]

We did the steakhouse on the SPLENDOR just this past November...excellent. Didn't find the service to be pretentious at all, and never heard a fake accent the entire evening. The food was wonderful and the staff were very accommodating (my brother is diabetic, and they actually went to the regular kitchen and brought him sugar-free pumpkin pie).

 

We're doing a b2b next month (8nt BREEZE, 6nt FREEDOM) and are booked at the steakhouse on both cruises. I just booked them last week, and got 7:30pm on both ships without a problem.

 

We like to dress up a bit....but, I don't think it would be a problem if folks want to go less-than-formal.

[wickedhangover]

we did the steakhouse on the breeze this past Feb, excellent food as usual my only complaint is that Carnival is cutting back on the staff in the steakhouse. Not that I needed to have a wine steward but I found that the staff get caught up in too many steps so that service can be a little lacking at times. But for what it's worth, I'm not in a rush to get out of there when I go so I don't care if it's a 3 hour dinner so long as the wine is flowing and I'm not waiting on a new bottle to arrive :)

[kntwait2cruz]

Forgot to ask how do you pay at the Steakhouse? Is it charged to your S&S card? How about tipping? I have already requested prepaid gratuities. Does that get charged to the S&S card at the end of the cruise?

 

Again, thanks for your replies---they are very helpful!

[GatorGirl57]

If you go to Carnival's site, they specifically say that tips are included. I have heard there is a line to leave more if you desire. It is charged to your S&S card after you go.

[SkyMaster]

We found the "Breeze" steakhouse to be exceptionally good. Ours was FREE, due to being "Diamond", but I'm sure you could pay via your sign-n-sail card. Tip could go either way as well, but I left a cash tip. Don't forget to try the "chocolate sampler" for your dessert. OUTSTANDING!

 

"SKY"

[belkin]

The steakhouse on the Breeze is excellent. I would suggest that you get reservations ahead of time. It is a small venue and can be hard to get reservations. It is casual dress the first night. No gym or basket ball shorts, flip flops, cut-off jean, men's sleeveless ****s, or ball caps/hats.

 

I did see several people in jeans with polo shirts.

[driver899]

Yes do it well worth it. First night service may not be up to par since on embarkation day crew has so much work to do besides their regular job. Some people dress up a little others like me just wear a collared shirt and khakis.

[BellaBaci4]

Back to your original question, we had a very relaxing day at Nachi Cocum in Cozumel. There is a website to pre-book, which I think is a good idea since they limit the amount of guests per day. Lunch and drinks were included and was delicious. Hubby was recoxering from a broken leg, very doable for someone with a bad knee.

Have Fun!

Bella

[pietrowolf]

We were on the Breeze March 2013 and ate in the 555 Steakhouse! We highly recommend it! You have to try it at least once! Never have had a bad meal or bad service in the 5 times we have eaten at one of Carnival's steak houses! The only con would be there is too much food to to eat. Come time to eat dessert, your belly will be too full! Lol We have however, learned to pace ourselves so we can enjoy some dessert! Sure hope you decide to try it! Enjoy!