Speciality Restaurants

[GStonelake]

Confession ... after many, many years of cruising I have NEVER eaten in a Speciality Restaurant. Have you, and if so why, when IMO Celebrity normally offers great food for no additional cost? Just wondering if I'm the only one, or if I should just try it.

 

 

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[bogofman]

We haven't either, on any line

 

however it appears as if the lines are driving more people that way with the lowering of standards/choice in the MDR and buffets

 

Our recent cruises have seen a drop off even compared to just two years ago.

 

It will not push us to pay extra though on top of ever increasing prices for the main cruise.

 

Saying that , i wouldn't mind if all the food on board was a pay extra as long as the cruise price was a lot lower.

 

We tend to skip a lot of meals and or courses during a cruise.

 

eg. Have breakfast skip lunch or skip breakfast have lunch

 

We just cannot eat that much food, and after a few days need a rest from continual eating.

[north29]

And for the most part disappointed in both food and service. However Quzine was our favorite fun speciality restaurant on any ship.

[skipperanne]

Well, I have yet to pay extra for specialty restaurants. However I have taken them as a perk or a thank you from the cruise line. I like the steak. And I like the hibachi show. Beyond that it is all ambiance.

 

 

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[Husky61]

On our last 14 day cruise on the equinox we ate in specialty restaurants at least half the time. We enjoy the food and the ambiance. We rarely eat in the MDR or buffet.:)

[ak1004]

I found the food in the MDR inconsistent (sailed on Equinox). Some meals very good, some pretty bad. Definitely expected more from Celebrity.

 

We have been offered nice discounts (30-50%) at Murano and Tuscan. We tried both and found both excellent, in terms of food quality and service.

[GeronimoAz]

The big difference I see is that the main dining room is really just a glorified buffet or banquet hall - everything is prepared at once - where the specialty restaurants are more like going to a normal restaurant where your food is prepared to order. Whether that makes a difference to you is a matter of personal preference.

 

Confession ... after many, many years of cruising I have NEVER eaten in a Speciality Restaurant. Have you, and if so why, when IMO Celebrity normally offers great food for no additional cost? Just wondering if I'm the only one, or if I should just try it.

 

 

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[Cruise Raider]

We usually sail on Celebrity or Princess, once in awhile on RCCL and we always go to one or two dinners in the specialty restaurants. Like many, we used to feel as though the meals in the MDR are already paid for through our cruise fare but started going to the specialty restaurants to avoid taking formal clothes. Now, even though the rules have relaxed and elegant chic is in vogue onboard, we still go to a couple dinners in the specialty restaurants. Our status with Mlife allows us a comped meal for two on Celebrity and RCCL so we are usually just responsible for the tip. On Princess, the Crown Grill is more reasonable than Murano and the Tuscan Grille and the food is all as good ... and we don't get that one comped but it is still worth it for us.

 

On Celebrity, my absolute favorite specialty restaurant is Silk Harvest. I do also like Murano a lot and can take it or leave it at the Tuscan. I wouldn't pay for that one; that's just me, though. The atmosphere really has little to do with it ... I just like the food!! We do tend to eat smaller meals, though so if we don't get our meals comped or at a great discount, we are happy enough with the MDR.

[Xray12280]

We ate in the Tuscan grill for dinner and it was great! We also had lunch at bistro on five, which I guess is no longer. But we ate there to use up some of our onboard credit we had, and the MDR was unimpressive on the Summit.

 

 

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[teamflames]

We usually try them and love them. The quality of the food is better without doubt. The service is always better. The rooms are smaller and more intimate.

We have always had a fun time in them ... however there is no doubt they are starting to become very expensive on celebrity.

It's all about choice which is good because different people like and value different things differently [emoji4]

 

 

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[Essiesmom]

Have never paid to eat in a specialty restaurant. Have been twice when they were comped, and once as a guest of friends. We feel the food in the MDR is good enough, and there is more of it than we can comfortably eat. Why pay more to eat in a specialty restaurant, to be served even larger portions than we can consume? EM

[doublebzz]

We have been offered nice discounts (30-50%) at Murano and Tuscan. We tried both and found both excellent, in terms of food quality and service.

 

How do you get these discounts?

[Tedferg]

On Princess, the Crown Grill is more reasonable than Murano and the Tuscan Grille and the food is all as good ... and we don't get that one comped but it is still worth it for us.

 

We have only done Crown Grill - first X cruise coming in March and I thought Murano would be something very special. But at $50 compared to Crown Grill at $29 - makes me wonder.

[akowilm]

We've enjoyed all of the Specialties in the past, even purchasing the UDP on 2 occasions. Looking back, we realize that we spent too much time thinking about food! Lunches at the Porch or Lawn Club, snacks at B05....we were full all of the time and really didn't enjoy ourselves, not to mention that we missed out on several of our favorites like escargot in the MDR and the Mast Grill burgers! This year, we plan a visit to Murano and a visit to the Lawn Club, a few nights in the MDR and a few evening visits to the salad bar at the buffet. We are flexible and will book the 2 Specialties when a discount is offered.

[oneputt18]

We've enjoyed all of the Specialties in the past, even purchasing the UDP on 2 occasions. discount is offered.

 

We just got off Equinox and had the UDP and I agree, too much specialty food. Always full, and like you, didn't get to enjoy Mast Grill. We even canceled one night and ate in the Oceanview.

 

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[Cruise Raider]

We have only done Crown Grill - first X cruise coming in March and I thought Murano would be something very special. But at $50 compared to Crown Grill at $29 - makes me wonder.

 

Murano is very good but I would draw the line at $30 for a specialty meal. Food is just not that important to me and I just cannot consume that much food in one sitting. I have bought the packages in the past and it does, for me, defeat the purpose of having select / anytime dining. I actually loved Blu because it was smaller and more intimate, like a specialty restaurant, but you could go at any time.

We are usually comped a meal to two from the casino but otherwise, my limit is $30.

 

PS -- I loved the Crown Grill as much as I like Murano. These are all more fun if you go in a group. At least that's the way I feel about it.

[Bob7]

And for the most part disappointed in both food and service. However Quzine was our favorite fun speciality restaurant on any ship.

Glad to find a Qsine expert, got a question for you, we'll be on a Celeb ship soon. Qsine is where you order on iPads? ... other Asian restaurants on the ships work this way too. A couple of times we went, we found the problem was you could never get a complete plate of the choices you wanted, they would bring a few things to eat, then later a few more, and it felt like we were eating tapas style all night. Is this how you like to do it, or did you find some way to get your choices delivered together?

[sloopsailor]

We try every specialty restaurant on every cruise at least once. We consider it part of the experience of enjoying variety when traveling. Just like we enjoy exploring each port of call, we enjoy exploring each specialty restaurant. Can't understand why people refuse to expand their cruising experience and only dine in the MDR every night when there are wonderful alternatives to discover on every cruise. To us traveling is about broadening our horizons, not limiting ourselves.

[coffeebean]

Hubby and I dined in Qsine last night for the first time. We loved the experience and the food was delicious. The presentation of the food was like no other and this restaurant is all about the presentation. It is sort of like eating at a Tapas restaurant but that is the fun part. The server makes sure the food is spaced apart in a timely fashion and it worked beautifully for us.

 

The filet mignon was cooked to perfection and the side "dishes" were perfect. There is so much food to choose from we could go back several times and have a completely different choices. We were a party of two and the portions for each food choice was catered for us. We could have had more if we wanted. The Cappuccino was presented in the most interesting manner. I don't want to spoil the surprise if you are a Cappuccino drinker.

 

For those of you who have never dined in a specialty restaurant, it is well worth the additional fee. Qsine was an awesome experience; the main dining room can not compare.

Edited December 14, 2016 by coffeebean

[ChucktownSteve]

it appears as if the lines are driving more people that way with the lowering of standards/choice in the MDR and buffets

 

Our recent cruises have seen a drop off even compared to just two years ago.

 

 

Here is a picture of my grilled NY Sirloin from the everyday menu in the MDR on Equinox last night. I ordered it rare because I know any other way would have been overcooked based on how thin they now are.

 

 

Do I need to say how the meal was? Those are bland mashed potatoes.

[fielddreamer]

Just got off Reflection last Saturday and I can't agree with more, the Spec. Dinning is the best of any cruise I have had! Bob

[padgman1]

 

Here is a picture of my grilled NY Sirloin from the everyday menu in the MDR on Equinox last night. I ordered it rare because I know any other way would have been overcooked based on how thin they now are.

 

 

Do I need to say how the meal was? Those are bland mashed potatoes.

 

 

Moo......

[Tedferg]

It was Rare - right ?

[Xray12280]

I don't understand. Are you complaining that the potatoes were bland or that your steak was cooked how you ordered it?

 

 

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[gilvs]

Qsine seems to be one of the places that people love or hate. We enjoyed it but ordered far too much food so didn't have room for dessert - didn't bother me but my husband it more partial to a dessert