Quit Bothering Me!

[Rich & Claudine]

We've been on a couple cruises over the last 8 months and while there were folks out there trying to drum up some business, we didn't find them obnoxious or rude. On our very first cruise we were in the MDR with a table of 5 other couples and had an absolute blast. Because of this, we never thought of eating anywhere else. Last October on Liberty, we had a couple at our table the first night that were incredibly annoying and an absolutely horrible waiter and assistant...we were actually on the lookout for specialty restaurant deals. Then in February we were on the Grandeur and loved the other two couples at the MDR table and never considered eating anywhere else. I guess we look at those out making offers as possible lifesavers depending on the company at the table.

Just our two cents worth.

[lenquixote66]

Just off Freedom of the Seas. We had a fantastic cruise with one exception. Reservations for the specialty restaurants are obviously down since you are constantly asked as you enter the Windjammer if you'd like to make reservations. We signed up for the BOGO before we left, so I just kept saying that we already had reservations. They also stopped us when walking past Sabor. Then, about the 3rd day, they started interrupting our conversations at lunch. I really felt their attempt to sell the specialty reservations was overly annoying. Maybe if they lowered the price more people would actually try these restaurants and they wouldn't have to do their sales pitch all day long.

 

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Everyone wants to sell reservations ,they want you to have photos taken ,they want you to go to the spa .Then you go ashore and there is a non stop array of people selling tours.It was not like this when I started cruising.

[Nanarrow]

 

Not to dispute anyone's claims, but I'm pretty surprised at the comments saying they're charging as much as an on-land restaurant for the specialty restaurants now. Maybe we got a great deal, but there's no way we could eat the quality of food in our city that we got in Chops/Giovanni's/Sabor last trip for the price that we paid. We can easily find food that's as good, and even better, but we're also gonna pay a good deal more for it. Around here a steakhouse with filet as good as they had in Chops would be $100 per person.

 

I agree with this 100%.

 

Also -My husband I were not approached about specialty dining, drink packages, or the like on our recent cruise. We ate in Chops and Giovanni’s 5 of 7 nights. Photographers came around, but we said no thank you, and they smiled and moved on. I did not see one person hawking packages...there were tables set up when we boarded. We walked by.

Maybe they’ve pulled back on this some- this thread has some history.

[lazydayz]

My very first cruise on Carnival 1986 I feel for the shopping seminar as well. I even bought the coupon book. To make matters worse I was an assistant buyer for Lord and Taylor at the time. Talk about not needing a shopping lesson. I was young and dumb. Never been to any seminar since.

 

Hey, at least we learned after the first seminar!

[soak01]

We will be on the Radiance trans-pacific later this year, so it will be interesting to see how pushy they get during the latter part of the 18 night cruise to get you into the specialty restaurants. Not that I mind these, have had great meals in Chops, Giovannis and Izumi on Voyager and Rhapsody so looking forward to checking out Radiance's foodie credentials. We have also booked the 5 night dining package so if we come across something good and their is a good deal going we may go back for a second go.

[theSHAH]

I thought we were the only ones that didn't feel paying for meals at the Specialty Restaurants. I don't have a problem with the food in the MDR and I'd rather spend my money on a restaurant pre or post cruise than while I have a perfectly good meal waiting on me in the MDR.

 

 

Specialty restaurants made sense when they were like $20-$35. But at $50+ your logic applies perfectly. There is a perfectly fine meal waiting, why spend the same amount of money as it would cost to eat at a restaurant pre/post cruise?

[Iamcruzin]

Not to dispute anyone's claims, but I'm pretty surprised at the comments saying they're charging as much as an on-land restaurant for the specialty restaurants now. Maybe we got a great deal, but there's no way we could eat the quality of food in our city that we got in Chops/Giovanni's/Sabor last trip for the price that we paid. We can easily find food that's as good, and even better, but we're also gonna pay a good deal more for it. Around here a steakhouse with filet as good as they had in Chops would be $100 per person.

 

I really don't think that the specialty restaurants are all that special for the price that they are charging. I have compared those menus with the menus in the MDR that people have posted. It's pretty much the same food maybe prepared different. Really when you think about it how many different ways can they prepare steak. For $25 to $30 pp I would be willing to make reservations. I can't believe that there are even up charges in chops for some entrees on top the the up charge that you already pay. Wonderland just like Celebrity's Qsine is just gimmicky so I would expect to pay more there not of food quality but for the entertainment value. Also it's something that you can't get at home. Jamies Italian...A hamburger is on the menu? Really? I don't know what region of Italy is famous for the American Hamburger but to be fair it could be considered a flattened out meatball. At home I have had ok steaks at expensive restaurants and great steaks at what some would consider a dump. What sells the specialty restaurants on a cruise ship is the decor and service.

[Big_G]

Just got off Jewel, my review is coming! One theme I had from this cruise is ROYAL IS LISTENING...

My point is, I think they are still pushing, but tying not to be pushy?

 

You maybe right. Happy to report there was very little hawking go on this week on Adventure. They we're outside the Jammer for the first couple of days and then disappeared. We waved them off twice, once outside and once inside at lunch. No one was being pushy.

 

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