Is the Crab Shack worth a visit???????

[SadieN]

Mom got an unopened clam, only one is served in the soup. She decided if they cannot see an unopened clam they're not getting her business again. Even worse none of the waiters were concerned about it. One even said she should open it![emoji79]

[geoherb]

We enjoyed the Crab Shack on the Caribbean Princess. It was a nice change of pace. On the cruise where we tried it, we had a ton of onboard credit and tried all the specialty restaurants--Sabatini's, Crown Grill, Crab Shack, plus the Ultimate Balcony Dinner. The latter is my favorite specialty dining option--but of course it's a lot more expensive than the other ones.

[Chunder Worthy]

You're on a ship that has a "Crab Shack." Why on Earth would you elect NOT to go and try it yourself? Only then would you truly be able to gage whether or not it was "worth it."

[Astro Flyer]

We enjoyed the Crab Shack on the Caribbean Princess. It was a nice change of pace. On the cruise where we tried it, we had a ton of onboard credit and tried all the specialty restaurants--Sabatini's, Crown Grill, Crab Shack, plus the Ultimate Balcony Dinner. The latter is my favorite specialty dining option--but of course it's a lot more expensive than the other ones.

For $42 more than those other options the UBD provides nearly $100 in extras...photo, flowers, cocktails, half bottle of champagne (we've traded for a $32 bottle of wine)...with a great dinner served by tuxedoed waiters on our balcony. :D

[Krozulo]

You're on a ship that has a "Crab Shack." Why on Earth would you elect NOT to go and try it yourself? Only then would you truly be able to gage whether or not it was "worth it."

 

With mixed reviews like on this thread, I agree that the OP should try it for themselves. But if the reviews were resoundingly negative, the OP could save money by not going. I would do the same.

[missdenise]

Simple answer - YES.

[cruisingready]

Loved the crab shack if you live sea food be sure and try it

[shredie]

Mom got an unopened clam, only one is served in the soup. She decided if they cannot see an unopened clam they're not getting her business again. Even worse none of the waiters were concerned about it. One even said she should open it![emoji79]

 

That sounds like a problem with the staff, not the venue itself. The negative things I've heard all seem to fall into that category. As with everything else, it depends on the specific ship, I imagine.

[JimmyVWine]

That sounds like a problem with the staff, not the venue itself. The negative things I've heard all seem to fall into that category.

But unless one is talking about the physical structure, what is a "venue" other than the collective of the staff that works there? It is hard to say that a venue is impeccable if the kitchen staff and servers are lax, no? Otherwise we might be left with: "The chef was a hack; the servers were lazy; the bussers were nowhere to be seen. But those are just staff issues. The restaurant itself was great!" Incongruous, no?

[kennicott]

Mom got an unopened clam, only one is served in the soup. She decided if they cannot see an unopened clam they're not getting her business again. Even worse none of the waiters were concerned about it. One even said she should open it![emoji79]

 

If an unopened steamer clam will kill you I should have been dead long ago. Below is some pertinent advice from another site that equates with what I practice and believe.

 

I was born an raised on the Pacific Coast (Alaska); the town I come from was once known as the Razor Clam capital of the world, (The 1964 earthquake did in the majority of the clam beaches though through uplifting). We also have "steamer" clam beaches there, I love em, and jillions of (mussels) which I don't like but my wife loves. Nobody ate them then, but today they are in every seafood restaurant including the "Crab Shack". We mistakenly called those "cockels" back then, which there were plenty of as well, but not in the magnitude of the mussels. The mussels were everywhere, on every pileing, rock, beach you name it. When the Sea Otters were introduced they really hammered the clam and mussel populations though. I also love oysters on the half shell (yearlings), not cooked.

 

"After you have steamed the clams, most of them should be open. The few clams that stay closed doesn't necessarily mean they are bad. Take a thin knife and pry it apart. It's very easy to tell if the clam is bad just by smell.

 

After being called out on my fallacy to believe certain kitchen myths without further research, I learned that indeed it is a myth that clam/mussel that refuse to open after being cooked is unsafe to eat.

 

A clam/mussel has a shell with two halves. These shells have elastic ligaments that naturally want to be open. To keep the shells closed, they have adductor muscles to hold the shells together. Most of the time the heat will denature the proteins in the adductor muscles causing it to release the shells. But sometimes it can cause the muscle to "seize" and hold firm."

 

"This article gives a background of how this kitchen myth started: http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/10/29/2404364.htm

 

Clam or Mussels that refuse to open after they have been cooked IS NOT an indicator that they are bad. Pry them open and it can easily be determined whether they are bad by the smell."

Edited September 21, 2016 by kennicott

[pablo222]

We book the "Crab Shack" almost every time we have the opportunity (Do yourself a favor and don't miss that if you love shell fish).

 

If one is from a place where there is fresh, good shellfish,

I don't think one would find the crab shack appealing.

 

On the other hand, on at least some ships in Alaska, they bring

local seafood on board, so that would be different than in

the caribbean.

[kennicott]

If one is from a place where there is fresh, good shellfish,

I don't think one would find the crab shack appealing.

 

On the other hand, on at least some ships in Alaska, they bring

local seafood on board, so that would be different than in

the caribbean.

 

You are correct with the Alaska positive comment and perhaps so the negative on a few points around the globe, you can't prove it by my experience though on Princess. Being from Prince William Sound which is perhaps the richest area for seafood, generally speaking, in the world, including shellfish, I am a tad familiar with that diet.

 

But more to the point, we have enjoyed the Princess "Crab Shack(s)" in Northern Europe, British Isles, Canada, US East Coast, Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean Sea. One will get nothing but raving reviews from us.

[helenb]

Is there a way to accompany someone to the Crab Shack but not eat and not be assessed a service charge? My husband loves seafood, but I can't eat it (minor food allergy). I sometimes go with him to pub lunch and sit while he enjoys the fish & chips. At pub lunch there are other things I could nibble on, if I wanted, but it seems that there is nothing at Crab Shack that is not seafood. My husband would like to try it, but also does not want to sit alone. So can I go and sit with him or will they charge me $29 for the privilege?

[TracieABD]

My husband really liked it on one ship and not so much on another. Though both times he commented it was just too much food.

[cheeseclan]

HelenB,

 

Yes you can go with your husband. Just tell them that you will not be partaking and that you want to get your food from the buffet. No problems at all. It is located in a section of the horizon court area.

[TracieABD]

HelenB,

 

Yes you can go with your husband. Just tell them that you will not be partaking and that you want to get your food from the buffet. No problems at all. It is located in a section of the horizon court area.

 

I did that with my mom and brother. I don't really like crab, so I just had a salad from the buffet. They were fine with that .

[shredie]

But unless one is talking about the physical structure, what is a "venue" other than the collective of the staff that works there? It is hard to say that a venue is impeccable if the kitchen staff and servers are lax, no? Otherwise we might be left with: "The chef was a hack; the servers were lazy; the bussers were nowhere to be seen. But those are just staff issues. The restaurant itself was great!" Incongruous, no?

 

Let me rephrase that. The Crab Shack is many restaurants in many places. Maybe a better word to describe it would be "franchise."

[JimmyVWine]

Let me rephrase that. The Crab Shack is many restaurants in many places. Maybe a better word to describe it would be "franchise."

Got it. In that vein, every restaurant is only as good as the people running it. So a great experience at one Crab Shack is no guarantee of a great experience at another. Or even the same one two years later.

[shredie]

Got it. In that vein, every restaurant is only as good as the people running it. So a great experience at one Crab Shack is no guarantee of a great experience at another. Or even the same one two years later.

 

I think that was my point. The people whose negative comments I remember had to do with a particular waiter or chef not the concept of the restaurant. Of course, my original advice to OP was to try it and decide for himself since the experience is by nature subjective.

[TracieABD]

I think that was my point. The people whose negative comments I remember had to do with a particular waiter or chef not the concept of the restaurant. Of course, my original advice to OP was to try it and decide for himself since the experience is by nature subjective.

 

Exactly. In our case, it has been hit and miss...

[JimmyVWine]

Exactly. In our case, it has been hit and miss...

Which brings me back full circle to the the post made by Astro Flyer back on page 1. At $19, I don't mind risking "hit or miss". At $29 per person, I only want "hits".

[TracieABD]

Which brings me back full circle to the the post made by Astro Flyer back on page 1. At $19, I don't mind risking "hit or miss". At $29 per person, I only want "hits".

 

Yep. And at $39, I want fabulously memorable and a foot massage!

[keithm]

Mom got an unopened clam, only one is served in the soup. She decided if they cannot see an unopened clam they're not getting her business again. Even worse none of the waiters were concerned about it. One even said she should open it![emoji79]

We eat seafood all the time here in New England. An occasional "unopen" Clam/Mussel comes with the territory! Just set it aside & keep on with your meal. If you get several, then I'd ask to see the MGR.

[elliair]

Hi. We are 2 Aussies who love seafood and just wondering if the Crab Shack is worth a visit for dinner at least 1 night on our 25 night upcoming cruise on the Golden Princess. We have heard mixed reports about this venue.

 

Kind Regards Bob.

 

DH is not a seafood lover like I am. He compromised one night and we went to the crab shack. He loved it! First time he ever ate crab. They give you lots and lots of snow crab, peel and eat shrimp, deep fried shrimp, hush puppies and coleslaw IIRC. I could not eat all of it, just too much to eat. So, give it a try, you'll never know until you try it.

[helenb]

HelenB,

 

Yes you can go with your husband. Just tell them that you will not be partaking and that you want to get your food from the buffet. No problems at all. It is located in a section of the horizon court area.

 

Thank you, that is great to know!