Any ships with no specialty restaurants?

[bar_20]

Are there any ships or cruise lines that have no specialty restaurants or if they have them there is no upcharge to eat in them?

[dorisis]

There is no Charge for speciality restaurants on Oceania.

[Essiesmom]

Carnival fantasy class ships do not have specialty restaurants. EM

[calliopecruiser]

Are there any ships or cruise lines that have no specialty restaurants or if they have them there is no upcharge to eat in them?

 

There is no upcharge to eat in the any restaurants on premium and luxury lines like Oceania, Paul Gauguin, Windstar, Crystal, Seabourn, or Regent......it's part of the almost-all-inclusive pricing (as are drinks on many of those lines).

[paul929207]

I have not seen any on the river cruises we have taken.

[SadieN]

Carnival fantasy class ships do not have specialty restaurants. EM

 

 

And a few others.

Less than half the fleet has speciality restaurants.

 

But all have the Chef's Table.

[MCC retired]

Carnival fantasy class ships do not have specialty restaurants. EM

 

That is 9 ships with no specialty restaurant to choose from.

However most all are shorter cruises, less than a week.

[KC Gorilla]

I'm curious why you are asking?

[OCruisers]

We didn't realize how much we would miss not having a specialty restaurant until we took a 7 Day cruise on Carnival Fantasy. :rolleyes:

LuLu

[calliopecruiser]

I too am interested in the motivation for the question........is it about not wanting the temptation of a specialty restaurant?

[donaldsc]

Are there any ships or cruise lines that have no specialty restaurants or if they have them there is no upcharge to eat in them?

 

I don't get it. You can ignore the presence of the specialty restaurants and not eat there. We almost never do.

 

Am I missing something?

 

DON

[EdmPair]

Are there any ships or cruise lines that have no specialty restaurants or if they have them there is no upcharge to eat in them?

 

 

Your signature file shows multiple cruise already so I too am puzzled. Near as I can tell, a bit of web research for the various companies could answer this. The very high end would have them included. I would guess the low end like the combined ferry boat/cruise type lines will not.

[iheartbda]

I too am interested in the motivation for the question........is it about not wanting the temptation of a specialty restaurant?

Almost seems like they want specialty restaurants but don't want to pay the upcharge.

[ducklite]

Almost seems like they want specialty restaurants but don't want to pay the upcharge.

 

 

No problem, just choose a luxury or some luxury-lite lines.

[iheartbda]

No problem, just choose a luxury or some luxury-lite lines.

Sure, that's the answer and others have made the suggestion but, if they don't want to pay an upcharge they may not want to spring for the cost of a luxury line.

[ducklite]

Sure, that's the answer and others have made the suggestion but, if they don't want to pay an upcharge they may not want to spring for the cost of a luxury line.

 

 

Well then I guess they need to resign themselves to the options available. Champagne taste in a beer budget.

 

We only take one cruise every couple if years so we can afford to cruise in the lines that offer what we are looking for in a cruise, and take less expensive vacations on the alternate years. It's always an option.

[bar_20]

It is my feeling and again my feeling only that cruise lines that have up scale restaurants on their ships have lowered the quality in the MDR to make the experience seem better in a specialty. I can remember cruising on the old Sitmar line back in the 80's where the dining experience included salads prepared at your table, flaming desserts at the table done by your waiter. Sitmar was equivalent to Oceania. If you don't feel that dining is one of the key elements of a cruise then it won't matter to you. I know cruise lines have cut back their food budgets however eating a fantastic meal alone with your partner in a specialty restaurant and a similar meal at your table in the MDR is not the same.

[ducklite]

It is my feeling and again my feeling only that cruise lines that have up scale restaurants on their ships have lowered the quality in the MDR to make the experience seem better in a specialty. I can remember cruising on the old Sitmar line back in the 80's where the dining experience included salads prepared at your table, flaming desserts at the table done by your waiter. Sitmar was equivalent to Oceania. If you don't feel that dining is one of the key elements of a cruise then it won't matter to you. I know cruise lines have cut back their food budgets however eating a fantastic meal alone with your partner in a specialty restaurant and a similar meal at your table in the MDR is not the same.

 

 

Not the case with the luxury ships. The luxury ships have great food in all venues, they offer different restaurants to vary the menu and dining experience. By the way, we had tables to ourselves in the MDR on our last cruise, all we had to do was ask as we entered.

[LHT28]

Then stick with Oceania :D

[iheartbda]

Glad the OP came back and explained their question. If you want the old way of cruising, you have to pay for it, like you did back then.;):)

Edited May 12, 2014 by iheartbda

[hubofhockey]

The overall cost of cruises, when adjusted for inflation, is probably much less expensive than it used to be because of the competition. All considered, I don't mind paying $300 for my wife and I to dine in specialty restaurants or surcharge dinners five nights on our cruises. That $300 is cheap compared with the cost to cruise on a luxury line. At some point, we'll try Oceania. For now, it's Princess, Royal Caribbean, etc. and some upcharge restaurants and dining experiences. If OP believes he can ever get a higher end steak or real good food without paying for it, that "ship sailed a long time ago". Waiting for the opportunity to use that pun. :D

[boogs]

It is my feeling and again my feeling only that cruise lines that have up scale restaurants on their ships have lowered the quality in the MDR to make the experience seem better in a specialty. I can remember cruising on the old Sitmar line back in the 80's where the dining experience included salads prepared at your table, flaming desserts at the table done by your waiter. Sitmar was equivalent to Oceania. If you don't feel that dining is one of the key elements of a cruise then it won't matter to you. I know cruise lines have cut back their food budgets however eating a fantastic meal alone with your partner in a specialty restaurant and a similar meal at your table in the MDR is not the same.

 

Another case of wanting champagne on a beer budget. You can't expect the same experience today as you had then while happily paying much lower cruise fares. Cruise prices have gone down dramatically when inflation is considered. For instance, a $350 cruise in 1980 would cost $1003.67 today due to inflation (source http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm). Cruising costs much less than that today. If you want that same experience you had 30 years ago, you'll have to pay higher cruise fares to get it.

 

In 1988 Sitmar became part of the Princess Cruise Lines. For a comparison of Princess cruise prices, check out this thread that included a .pdf file of an old flyer for a three night cruise in the 1977/78 cruise season on the Mexican Rivera http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1708454. Compare those prices to the current prices for a 7 night cruise to the same area. It is clear that we are getting quite a bargain today compared to then, especially considering how much nicer the ships are now with many more amenities that we have become accustomed to enjoy.

 

1977/78 PRICES - 3 night cruise:

 

 

CURRENT PRICES - 7 night cruise:

 

Edited May 12, 2014 by boogs

[momofmeg]

It is my feeling and again my feeling only that cruise lines that have up scale restaurants on their ships have lowered the quality in the MDR to make the experience seem better in a specialty. I can remember cruising on the old Sitmar line back in the 80's where the dining experience included salads prepared at your table, flaming desserts at the table done by your waiter. Sitmar was equivalent to Oceania. If you don't feel that dining is one of the key elements of a cruise then it won't matter to you. I know cruise lines have cut back their food budgets however eating a fantastic meal alone with your partner in a specialty restaurant and a similar meal at your table in the MDR is not the same.

 

True on some lines, but look how prices have barely increased in the last 10 years. I know what we paid for cruises in the late 90's/early 2000's for a basic inside room-now we pay about the same price for a balcony or better. To be honest, if we factor in cost of living etc. I think we would be eating in a specialty restaurant for the same price as before. what I mean is if you compared what your cruise budget is to you monthly grocery bill then and now-percentage wise. I think the problem is many of us have not gotten raises in income to offset the cost of living so we can't afford to eat in a specialty every night. that is okay with me. On a long tour day, I usually do not really care what I eat for dinner as I am tired. I do like the specialties on sea days though.

 

BTW, I think Celebrity has done a good job of keeping their food still fairly good. The specialties ARE better but not a lot better like NCL and RCI.

[calliopecruiser]

It is my feeling and again my feeling only that cruise lines that have up scale restaurants on their ships have lowered the quality in the MDR to make the experience seem better in a specialty. I can remember cruising on the old Sitmar line back in the 80's where the dining experience included salads prepared at your table, flaming desserts at the table done by your waiter. Sitmar was equivalent to Oceania. If you don't feel that dining is one of the key elements of a cruise then it won't matter to you. I know cruise lines have cut back their food budgets however eating a fantastic meal alone with your partner in a specialty restaurant and a similar meal at your table in the MDR is not the same.

 

On my last Crystal cruise, I found the food in the MDR to be equally as good as in one of their specialty restaurants (one was supreme, the other was "just" very good), but the experience in a specialty restaurant was totally different (and much better, IMO). However, I don't know if what you suggest is true on other lines.....it wouldn't surprise me to find out it's true on many mass market lines.

 

I'm very happy there is no more flaming desserts and table-side preparation. I hate that kind of showiness, and unless I'm sitting kitchen-side (or at a sushi bar), I don't want to see them cooking.

[momofmeg]

On my last Crystal cruise, I found the food in the MDR to be equally as good as in one of their specialty restaurants (one was supreme, the other was "just" very good), but the experience in a specialty restaurant was totally different (and much better, IMO). However, I don't know if what you suggest is true on other lines.....it wouldn't surprise me to find out it's true on many mass market lines.

 

I'm very happy there is no more flaming desserts and table-side preparation. I hate that kind of showiness, and unless I'm sitting kitchen-side (or at a sushi bar), I don't want to see them cooking.

 

The flaming desserts had to be stopped because of fire hazards. No biggie to me.