Does HAL have a dining room just for suites?

[CowPrincess]

For HAL to do that, wouldn't they be acknowledging, in fact, the MDR has become inferior and in order to have what many consider more adequate dining, they will have to pay more? Is that an admission they want to make?

 

 

Yet there are plenty of people on this thread singing the praises of "special" dining for Suite pax. How is my thought really any different, except that having it available for purchase by anyone, it removes the "class" difference that so many posters seem to have objected to.

Edited November 18, 2015 by CowPrincess

[cruz chic]

From what I understand these restaurants for suite pax have limited room. I don't think that they can go to the regular dining room. If there are 100 seats and 100 suite pax (to keep it easy) where does the extra capacity come from for others? These rooms don't have unlimited seats.

[sail7seas]

I get your point but look at it differently.

If a Suite guest buys their cruise being advised it includes certain amenities which might also be a suite only dining room for dinner, they look at it as something akin to a 'package of benefits' included in their fare. It is not a statement by HAL that in order to have a dinner likely to be enjoyed they need to spend more such as you are suggesting. To say to non-suite guests, you, too, can have a better dining experience for a price screams, 'the food and service in MDR isn't very good'.

 

There are two dynamics going on when you suggest a non-suite purchase an upscale level of dining because MDR isn't very good. IMO

 

Edited November 18, 2015 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

From what I understand these restaurants for suite pax have limited room. I don't think that they can go to the regular dining room. If there are 100 seats and 100 suite pax (to keep it easy) where does the extra capacity come from for others? These rooms don't have unlimited seats.

 

It's the same principle as non-suite guests buying access to Neptune Lounge. Those lounges were designed to accommodate a fixed number of suite guests and are not large enough to have others spend a bit extra to use it. They have to be in a suite to go to Neptune.

 

[POA1]

From what I understand these restaurants for suite pax have limited room. I don't think that they can go to the regular dining room. If there are 100 seats and 100 suite pax (to keep it easy) where does the extra capacity come from for others? These rooms don't have unlimited seats.

You're correct. Suite pax, on Celebrity at least, can opt to dine in the MDR. However, they can also order off the MDR menu and eat in the suite restaurant, Luminae. Luminae is carved out of the regular MDR space, so it makes sense logistically. Non suite passengers can dine in Luminae, but only at the invitation of a suite guest - who is charged $50 per person as of this writing - for dinner. Most of the people on the Celebrity board have reported no wait for a table, but a few have said that it's a 30 minute wait. If you are not in a suite and you don't have a "sponsor" who's willing to pay $50 a head for your company, you're not getting in. This is based on reading the Celebrity CruiseCritic board and asking questions. I'll have some first hand reports in the future, but for now, that's all I got.

[Lizzie68]

Yet there are plenty of people on this thread singing the praises of "special" dining for Suite pax. How is my thought really any different, except that having it available for purchase by anyone, it removes the "class" difference that so many posters seem to have objected to.

 

It's no different. Some just like to gather to argue every detail.

[cruz chic]

You're correct. Suite pax, on Celebrity at least, can opt to dine in the MDR. However, they can also order off the MDR menu and eat in the suite restaurant, Luminae. Luminae is carved out of the regular MDR space, so it makes sense logistically. Non suite passengers can dine in Luminae, but only at the invitation of a suite guest - who is charged $50 per person as of this writing - for dinner. Most of the people on the Celebrity board have reported no wait for a table, but a few have said that it's a 30 minute wait. If you are not in a suite and you don't have a "sponsor" who's willing to pay $50 a head for your company, you're not getting in. This is based on reading the Celebrity CruiseCritic board and asking questions. I'll have some first hand reports in the future, but for now, that's all I got.

 

Thx for the info. Do you know if it's the same for the aqua class restaurant (blu I believe is the name)? Will be looking forward to hearing about it. I'm not terribly interested in celebrity so I don't spend time on their boards.

[POA1]

Thx for the info. Do you know if it's the same for the aqua class restaurant (blu I believe is the name)? Will be looking forward to hearing about it. I'm not terribly interested in celebrity so I don't spend time on their boards.

I think that suite pax can dine in Blu on a space available basis. (You have the name right.) From what I've read, Blu and the Aqua rooms are focused on spa cuisine and the spa lifestyle. (If I'm wrong, someone will be along to correct me shortly.)

 

Celebrity has a whole bunch of suite classes and room classes that make a direct comparison difficult. I'll do my best to sort it out and provide translation.

[innlady1]

It's not any different. Some folks just like to be contrary.

[cruz chic]

I think that suite pax can dine in Blu on a space available basis. (You have the name right.) From what I've read, Blu and the Aqua rooms are focused on spa cuisine and the spa lifestyle. (If I'm wrong, someone will be along to correct me shortly.)

 

Celebrity has a whole bunch of suite classes and room classes that make a direct comparison difficult. I'll do my best to sort it out and provide translation.

 

Spa cuisine, yikes. I'll take a pass on that one ;). Thx for the info.

[JimAOk1945]

My guess is that it's sour grapes and jealousy. This is coming from someone that spends more time in balcony or lower than suites.

 

You may be right about this. Thanks for replying to my post.

[Laminator]

For HAL to do that, wouldn't they be acknowledging, in fact, the MDR has become inferior and in order to have what many consider more adequate dining, they will have to pay more? Is that an admission they want to make?

 

 

From reading these threads I think the PAX have already acknowledged this for them. Although I do not comment, many on here have said the quality of food and service have declined over the past several years.

 

I am sure it is going to get much more difficult for HAL to sell the Neptune Suites with the amenities that accompany them when you can sail another line and have a 24 hour butler, a pool and additional dining venues for suite guests only. Plus guaranteed seating to the various shows. And all of this for basically the same price.

 

 

Forget about the experienced cruisers who prefer a brand. How does HAL sell their experience to new cruisers who will be comparing amenities from one line to another. HAL does not add up.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Laminator

[cruz chic]

From reading these threads I think the PAX have already acknowledged this for them. Although I do not comment, many on here have said the quality of food and service have declined over the past several years.

 

I am sure it is going to get much more difficult for HAL to sell the Neptune Suites with the amenities that accompany them when you can sail another line and have a 24 hour butler, a pool and additional dining venues for suite guests only. Plus guaranteed seating to the various shows. And all of this for basically the same price.

 

 

Forget about the experienced cruisers who prefer a brand. How does HAL sell their experience to new cruisers who will be comparing amenities from one line to another. HAL does not add up.

Princess is no better, at least on their older ships. They make Hal's look like best in industry.

[Laminator]

Princess is no better, at least on their older ships. They make Hal's look like best in industry.

 

Correct...Another line that simply not add up!

[dakrewser]

I am sure it is going to get much more difficult for HAL to sell the Neptune Suites with the amenities that accompany them when you can sail another line and have a 24 hour butler, a pool and additional dining venues for suite guests only.

 

In our two X cruises we've found the butler service to be less than worthless. We don't use any pool. And, frankly, I'd rather that they upped the quality in the MDR rather than provide some faux elite 'special' resto for suites. I think it's a generational, not a class, thing. The younger folk with the money to afford suites have an over large sense of entitlement which would be laughable if it wasn't so irritating.

[JimAOk1945]

Am I the only one who has noticed that the OP hasn't acknowledged any of the responses posted to his/her question in post #1, which seemed to be the reason for starting this thread?

[POA1]

Am I the only one who has noticed that the OP hasn't acknowledged any of the responses posted to his/her question in post #1, which seemed to be the reason for starting this thread?

No. You're not. :)

[VioletHorse]

Spa cuisine, yikes. I'll take a pass on that one ;). Thx for the info.

 

It's really not spa cuisine per se. It is food prepared with a lighter hand. There aren't lots of heavy sauces or gravies, and it is prepared by a separate kitchen staff. IMO it is light years better than the food in the Celebrity MDR which I find to be consistently overcooked and under seasoned.

 

You can't get into Blu unless you're in Aqua Class or a Suite. No guests are allowed, unlike Luminae where a Suite passenger may invite guests to join at $50 pp.

 

That said, I think S7S made a good point about the separate dining room concept. The cruise lines have tacitly admitted that the food in their MDRs is not as good as it used to be. They're not going to fix that by serving better food to the majority of their passengers who pay lower prices for their cruise, but they will give passengers who are spending significantly more for their rooms a better dining experience.

[Laminator]

In our two X cruises we've found the butler service to be less than worthless. We don't use any pool. And, frankly, I'd rather that they upped the quality in the MDR rather than provide some faux elite 'special' resto for suites. I think it's a generational, not a class, thing. The younger folk with the money to afford suites have an over large sense of entitlement which would be laughable if it wasn't so irritating.

 

Our butler on NCL was wonderful. All we asked was for a large pot of coffee and sweet rolls to be brought to the room between 10am and 10:30am. I can tell you this poor kid was delivering pizzas to a cabin down the hall from us between 3am and 4am every night.

 

My DW used the pool everyday for a few hours or so. We never used the restaurant for suite guests so I can not tell you how it was. We ate at the specialty restaurants every night except one where we ate at the buffet.

 

But if you are comparing amenities there are many better choices than what HAL offers.

[CaveDiving]

Are we the only ones who enjoy dining in he MDR? We are always in fixed seating at a table for 8 and like the conversation and the leisurely dining. We have many times passed up complementary dinners in the Pinnacle because we look forward to the time spent with our new friends.

 

Last winter we were each given something like 70 Pinnacle dinners, of which we only used around 15. And 8 of them were when we invited the entire table to join us for a birthday party for one very nice lady.

 

Scott & Karen

[ellieanne]

Are we the only ones who enjoy dining in he MDR? We are always in fixed seating at a table for 8 and like the conversation and the leisurely dining. We have many times passed up complementary dinners in the Pinnacle because we look forward to the time spent with our new friends.

 

Last winter we were each given something like 70 Pinnacle dinners, of which we only used around 15. And 8 of them were when we invited the entire table to join us for a birthday party for one very nice lady.

 

Scott & Karen

 

No. You are not the only person who enjoys dining in the Main Dining Room. I prefer it to the speciality restaurants. I've had a few meals in the Pinnacle Grill, I don't need to go back. I did not find it all that great and the fact that the menu does not vary over the course of the cruise makes it less of a choice for me. I've tried the Tamarind and I wasn't really impressed with it either. And while I did enjoy the Canelletto's old menu, the new one didn't grab me enough to want to spend money for it.

 

But then I don't believe that food is better just because it's in a small, exclusive, fancy room.

 

I have never had a bad meal in the dining room. And if I do not care for what I ordered initially, the staff is all to happy to get me something I will enjoy.

[POA1]

Are we the only ones who enjoy dining in he MDR? We are always in fixed seating at a table for 8 and like the conversation and the leisurely dining. We have many times passed up complementary dinners in the Pinnacle because we look forward to the time spent with our new friends.

 

Last winter we were each given something like 70 Pinnacle dinners, of which we only used around 15. And 8 of them were when we invited the entire table to join us for a birthday party for one very nice lady.

 

Scott & Karen

No. We do as well.

[sammiedawg]

It's really not spa cuisine per se. It is food prepared with a lighter hand. There aren't lots of heavy sauces or gravies, and it is prepared by a separate kitchen staff. IMO it is light years better than the food in the Celebrity MDR which I find to be consistently overcooked and under seasoned.

 

You can't get into Blu unless you're in Aqua Class or a Suite. No guests are allowed, unlike Luminae where a Suite passenger may invite guests to join at $50 pp.

 

That said, I think S7S made a good point about the separate dining room concept. The cruise lines have tacitly admitted that the food in their MDRs is not as good as it used to be. They're not going to fix that by serving better food to the majority of their passengers who pay lower prices for their cruise, but they will give passengers who are spending significantly more for their rooms a better dining experience.

 

Some friends really enjoy Blu and book Aqua class when on Celebrity. Celebrity has a lot going for it, including lots of beautiful new ships. Better food is very important to many people, especially after a few cruises.

Mainstream cruise lines serve food that is quite banquety, especially to people eating in traditional seating on HAL. Food is plated hours in advance, even entrees are plated way ahead of time in order to serve hundreds of courses simultaneously. Kitchens are set up to be assembly lines. First time cruisers may be impressed but the food quality is very Middlin.

[avian777]

... But then I don't believe that food is better just because it's in a small, exclusive, fancy room ...

 

Although I generally agree with your post, I hardly think that the section of the Lido dinning area that Canaletto is in qualifies as "a small, exclusive, fancy room" :) ... JMO

[avian777]

Are we the only ones who enjoy dining in he MDR?

 

Scott & Karen

 

No, add us to the list, please.