Anthem Specialty Dining - is it worth it?

[Aldeya]

We also got that deal, it was a BOGO speciality dining offer for $30. You have to use it on night 1 and night 2, but at that price we didn't care! We are going on Anthem on 1/14/17. It should show up in your cruise planner if they are still offering it for your ship!

 

Thank you sammydh82!

 

Well we booked Wonderland at full price when the dining reservations opened for our cruise. I must've missed BOGO offer. Oh well, I hope we like Wonderland ! (just don't mention to my husband that we could get TWO restaurants at $30! :)

Edited December 21, 2016 by Aldeya

[robbykapnj]

Is the BOGO ever offered onboard? I didn't see it come up in the cruise planner. Thanks!

[toras]

Is the BOGO ever offered onboard? I didn't see it come up in the cruise planner. Thanks!

 

When is your cruise? Mine is in mid March and the offer came up late November (along with reservations for iFly etc.)

[Merion_Mom]

I am on two cruises in January. I see the 3, 4 and 5 night specialty dining packages for each; BOGO only on one.

 

The reports from the November 27 and first December cruise, since Dynamic Dining was eliminated and "regular" dining was installed have NOT been positive. Many have commented that the food quality was not satisfactory.

 

Now is a good time to try the specialty restaurants, IMO. After all, this was RC's plot all along.

 

Check your Cruise Planner. I see the packages there.

 

:eek: :rolleyes:

[josprince]

Highly recommend Wonderland. Enjoyed it last Jan. on the Anthem and returning Jan. 2017. Do rely on your server to explain things and just let it happen. Unique presentation. Is it called molecular gastronomy?

[RCJM]

You have to check your Planner every day the BOGO may come out again

[kek17]

I sailed this past October on Anthem of the Seas and purchased the BOGO option for two of my five night cruise. The dinner at Jamie's was very good and the service was excellent. I was able to try all of the Italian cheeses and meats that I wanted. Very disappointed in Chops. I have eaten at Chops on many other cruises and was excited when my BOGO plan scheduled me for this meal. The dining room on the second night of the cruise was mostly empty and the service was poor. I sent my dinner back because the entire entrée (steak, potatoes, and vegetables) were stone cold. They refired my dinner and had the chef present it to me with apologizes. I then promptly got a lecture from the waiter and maître d' that I should not rate the restaurant poorly for a mistake from a chef. I found this very odd since this was the same complaint that the table next to me had with their meal. I did not leave any additional tip and was very disappointed. I am sailing on Anthem again in 2017 and would not book Chops again. Wonderland sounds like a great experience and will consider that option.

 

kek17

Diamond Plus

[blestmom3]

Hi, this will be my first time on Anthem. So excited! I am cruising in a month, Sept. 23 on a 5 night. I don't see the BOGO option. Did I miss it already? Do you have to be a frequent cruiser? I'm only Platinum. Thanks so much!

[Clarea]

Hi, this will be my first time on Anthem. So excited! I am cruising in a month, Sept. 23 on a 5 night. I don't see the BOGO option. Did I miss it already? Do you have to be a frequent cruiser? I'm only Platinum. Thanks so much!

You don't have to be a frequent cruiser for the BOGO deal. It may or may not be offered on your cruise. Just keep checking your Cruise Planner.

[steveknj]

I will be going on the Anthem in November, so can't speak specifically for RCCL, but, I've done cruises on other lines and really, it's subjective. My experiences in the main dining room have been mostly positive and I've always found something good to eat. We are not very picky and I find most MDR cruise food to be at least on par with what you would get at a decent to good chain restaurant on land. So, is it worth it to spend a premium on for the specialties? if you are the type that eats fine dining a few times a year on land, then I think you will like the specialties. If you have had great experiences in the MDR, then maybe it's just not worth it. For us, unless there's some specialty I really wanted to try, I skip them. There's SO much food on board all day long that I find that sometimes I just am not hungry enough to really enjoy them and I feel like I'm wasting my money. We haven't done them the last couple of cruises, but this being our first RCCL we decided to splurge and do Jamie's. But really, when you think about it, you paid for food, and now you are paying again. It's a nice racket these cruise lined got going :)

[andrew2346]

LOVED Jamie's and Izumi. Also, my son went back everyday we could to get the fudge brownie dessert for free at lunch time :) --that was at Jamie's

[RCJM]

On thr Anthem this past February got the BOGO can't beat that deal $ 30.00 ea total for both restaurants Did Jamies and Chops we had a group of six from Boston Meals were great you are always going to have complainers on every cruise, out group has been on several cruises and this was the best by far. If you are on the Anthem you board on deck 5 and that is where the specialty restaurants are turn left proceed to the back of the ship where the specialty restaurants are and you can make or change your reservations there make sure you have the meat plank at Jamie s

[Merion_Mom]

On thr Anthem this past February got the BOGO can't beat that deal $ 30.00 ea total for both restaurants Did Jamies and Chops we had a group of six from Boston Meals were great you are always going to have complainers on every cruise, out group has been on several cruises and this was the best by far. If you are on the Anthem you board on deck 5 and that is where the specialty restaurants are turn left proceed to the back of the ship where the specialty restaurants are and you can make or change your reservations there make sure you have the meat plank at Jamie s

 

To be specific, not all of the specialty restaurants are at the "back of the ship". Jamie's is aft of where you board, but Wonderland, Izumi and Chops are forward, and the Chef's Table is held inside Chops.

[Merion_Mom]

Hi, this will be my first time on Anthem. So excited! I am cruising in a month, Sept. 23 on a 5 night. I don't see the BOGO option. Did I miss it already? Do you have to be a frequent cruiser? I'm only Platinum. Thanks so much!

 

Did you look in My Cruises at your Cruise Planner under "dining"?

[wombat10]

We purchased the BOGO package before we cruised on August 17th. After we boarded, we purchased an additional three night dining package.

 

We ate at Wonderland the first night and it was just o.k. The best part was the chocolate dessert. The second night we ate at Chops and weren't really impressed with it at all.

 

The third night we tried Jamie's and it was awful! So bad in fact that the manager did not count the meal against the first night of our three night dining package. I went directly from Jamie's to Guest Services to cancel the three night dining package since I had no desire to try out any of the restaurants again.

 

While I was at Guest Services, my husband ran into a manager from Silk (My Time Dining). He told my husband to show up at 6 PM the next night for dinner and he would make sure it was great. He was a man of his word. Our dinners for the rest of the cruise were fantastic thanks to Artika and Karette who went above and beyond in providing a great experience.

[KerryT]

BOGO 2 NIGHT DINING.- This is available now if you go into your Cruise planner under Dining.

Just booked this great offer it is for night 1 & 2 and it was £23.10pp not sure what it would be in dollars

Works out £11.55 per restaurant for each meal for night 1 & 2.

[davy jones]

Hi,

 

For anyone who has recently been on the Anthem of the Seas, did you enjoy the specialty restaurants. We've never done any specialty dining as we've always enjoyed our dining room experience and feel we've already paid for dining onboard. We may try Jamie's and/or Wonderland, but at $35 and $49 respectively, we're wondering if you think it's worth it.

 

Thanks!

I think that $35 for Jamie's is not worth it.

 

 

Wonderland is worth it. It was a truly unique experience.

[LOVINCRUIZIN]

I will be going on the Anthem in November, so can't speak specifically for RCCL, but, I've done cruises on other lines and really, it's subjective. My experiences in the main dining room have been mostly positive and I've always found something good to eat. We are not very picky and I find most MDR cruise food to be at least on par with what you would get at a decent to good chain restaurant on land. So, is it worth it to spend a premium on for the specialties? if you are the type that eats fine dining a few times a year on land, then I think you will like the specialties. If you have had great experiences in the MDR, then maybe it's just not worth it. For us, unless there's some specialty I really wanted to try, I skip them. There's SO much food on board all day long that I find that sometimes I just am not hungry enough to really enjoy them and I feel like I'm wasting my money. We haven't done them the last couple of cruises, but this being our first RCCL we decided to splurge and do Jamie's. But really, when you think about it, you paid for food, and now you are paying again. It's a nice racket these cruise lined got going :)

 

I generally agree with you. On Norwegian, they often have a dining package as a promo, so we get to try a couple of specialty restaurants. On Carnival and RC, we generally find the MDR food just fine. We do the steakhouse one night each cruise, just as a little treat. In December we're doing it to celebrate my daughter's Sweet 16. But, as you stated, in general, the food is plentiful and decent with no extra fee.

[Calico Mary]

We purchased the BOGO package before we cruised on August 17th. After we boarded, we purchased an additional three night dining package.

 

We ate at Wonderland the first night and it was just o.k. The best part was the chocolate dessert. The second night we ate at Chops and weren't really impressed with it at all.

 

The third night we tried Jamie's and it was awful! So bad in fact that the manager did not count the meal against the first night of our three night dining package. I went directly from Jamie's to Guest Services to cancel the three night dining package since I had no desire to try out any of the restaurants again.

 

While I was at Guest Services, my husband ran into a manager from Silk (My Time Dining). He told my husband to show up at 6 PM the next night for dinner and he would make sure it was great. He was a man of his word. Our dinners for the rest of the cruise were fantastic thanks to Artika and Karette who went above and beyond in providing a great experience.

Thanks so much for your post. I will keep my expectations low.

[Merion_Mom]

Thanks so much for your post. I will keep my expectations low.

 

 

 

I have dined in all three and had excellent meals.

 

 

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[Calico Mary]

I have dined in all three and had excellent meals.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Thanks for your post.

[arlmac]

Hi,

 

For anyone who has recently been on the Anthem of the Seas, did you enjoy the specialty restaurants. We've never done any specialty dining as we've always enjoyed our dining room experience and feel we've already paid for dining onboard. We may try Jamie's and/or Wonderland, but at $35 and $49 respectively, we're wondering if you think it's worth it.

 

Thanks!

 

Usually the first night on the ship is 1/2 price. Also check the website they list dining specials if you package a couple together

[blestmom3]

Did you look in My Cruises at your Cruise Planner under "dining"?

 

Yes, and I see the 3-night, 4 night & 5 night dining packages, but no BOGO. I just sent them a message asking about it, but I'm assuming I missed the opportunity. Would you all suggest I try a 3-night package if I can't get the BOGO? Thanks!

[BekkaW]

Yes, and I see the 3-night, 4 night & 5 night dining packages, but no BOGO. I just sent them a message asking about it, but I'm assuming I missed the opportunity. Would you all suggest I try a 3-night package if I can't get the BOGO? Thanks!

 

It's not really that you "missed" it. The various specials and packages are not offered on every cruise. It may not be offered for your cruise.

[KerryT]

BOGO deal is still showing under my cruise planner Anthem of the seas for Feb.2018 so may be it is only selected cruises it is offered on.