Speciality Restaurants

[babs135]

Why do you eat in speciality restaurants? DH is of the mind that having paid to eat in the included eateries why should he pay more to eat elsewhere?

 

I would like to try an alternative restaurant and we will be on the Regal Princess at the end of the year; so how would you 'encourage' your husband to try something different and which of the speciality restaurants on the Regal would you suggest? He isn't one for over the top fancy places.

[Guest arowe6]

We eat at the Crown Grill almost every night of every cruise since the last 5 years. We've found the food and service to be lacking in the main dining rooms as of late. As a result, we spend the money to enjoy the CG.

 

Sounds like a tough sell to your husband, but it's definitely an elevated level of service with better food (IMO) and better wine list. I took some photos of all the food we enjoyed a few years ago on the Regal.

 

 

I would definitely recommend at least trying it one night. Makes for a special date night. Especially if you like to dine late. A lot quieter and more romantic. I don't find it over the top fancy, but definitely elegant. It's my pick over Sabatini's, but I'm sure others will differ. Just never found the Sabatinis menu that appealing.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

-Andrew :)

[lx200gps]

We always eat at each of the speciality restaurants at least once on every trip, often more than once. While the food is good in the MDRs (and you can't beat the price), there are benefits to us in eating in one of the SRs. The food may or not be better, though it usually is, but the big draw for us is the quieter ambience and more relaxed service. We tend to find the MDRs pretty frenetic, crowded, loud and the wait staff rather overworked and overstressed, though still very good. Also, we prefer tables for two which MDRs don't do very well. The SRs are, for us, worth the cost to get the peace and quiet and more dedicated service.

 

 

 

Also, we've eaten very well in the various Sabatini's and Share's that we've been in recently, but have the found the Crown Grill slipping. The last time we were in the CG on the Emerald a few months ago, my meal was definitley not worth the price.

 

 

Still, for our next trip to the ABC Islands in November, we already have three SR bookings. Can't wait :D

[paul929207]

As for convincing your husband, how about we give it a try onetime.

[JF - retired RRT]

the big draw for us is the quieter ambience and more relaxed service. We tend to find the MDRs pretty frenetic, crowded, loud and the wait staff rather overworked and overstressed, though still very good. Also, we prefer tables for two which MDRs don't do very well. :D

(y)(y)

 

You hit the nail on the head.

[Potstech]

See no reason to pay around $58.00 to eat in a specialty venue when there is so much available for the cost of the cruise. We have gotten a complimentary meal in one n our next cruise so will gladly give it a try. Other than that we will stay with our normal dining practices.

[XBGuy]

As others have indicated, specialty restaurants just provide a better dining experience. All in all, we have found the food served in the dining rooms to be fine. To us, however, the ambience is not very enjoyable.

 

Interestingly, I used to have the attitude, "Why should I pay for a meal on a port stop when there is so much "free" food available on the ship?"

 

I've overcome that attitude.

[skynight]

If you enjoy steak or beef then try the Crown Grill. If you enjoy Italian try Sabatini's. There is even the Crab Shack, a more casual meal.The quality and service is very good and the meals are enjoyable. Check out the menus on boarding day, and book the one your husband will enjoy more.

I'm not trying to downplay meals in the MDR's, buffet, Alfredo's, even the grill. These are all nice places to dine. When we are on board for extended b2b's we use all of them. But, the specialty dining is just that, a little special.

[Geoffa30]

We usually eat at at least one speciality restaurant each cruise. However, based on the last couple of times, I’m not sure the cost is worth it. Neither the food or service have been that much better than the MDR. We ate at the old style Sabatini’s on the Sapphire Princess last week and our server was rushed off his feet having been allocated too many tables. The food was okay but only marginally better than the MDR.

 

In my opinion, Princess needs to up their game with speciality restaurants and stop relying on Crown Grill and Sabatini’s. Unfortunately when they try anything new, the old guard scupper their plans. We have enjoyed Share, The Salty Dog, La Mer, Harmony, Planks and the new Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria but it seems many would prefer to stick with the same old steak and potato at the Crown Grill

[ksm77]

We eat in the specialty restaurants if they come as a perk or we are traveling with friends who want to go. The last few times we have gone to the Crown Grill, I did not think it was that much better than the MDR. In fact my steak was not that good and service was very slow. It took 2 1/2 hrs to get through dinner for 6 people. We are going on the Crown transatlantic in November unless our friends, we are traveling with want to go we will not eat there. I would rather spend the $60 on wine than CG. For us to spend extra money on upcharge restaurants they need be way above the MDR not just a little better. Having said all that. I think in the future the upcharge restaurants will be pushed more & more by the main stream cruise lines. I have not cruised on RC or NCL in years but from what I have read & talking with family members who cruise on these lines, the upcharge restaurants are about the only places to really get a good meal. I was just reading the new NCL ship will have 13 upcharge restaurants. It will only have 3 other areas where food is no charge. They are also charging $7.95 delivery charge for room service. How long will it be before we start seeing this kind of thing on Princess?

[wheezedr]

Generally do 1 time per cruise. Usually it is a better level of service and in general the quality is a step up from the MDR. Just adds a different experience for the cruise but if the OP’s DH just doesn’t want to do it I would not force the issue. We prefer the CG. Would not return to the Crab Shack.

[c-boy]

Try something like this ... " my birthday is next week, how bout you take me out to a nice dinner on board the ship. ..... I'll make it worth your while. ;) ;)

"

Edited September 10, 2018 by c-boy

[moki'smommy]

It is better food quality and better service. Our last 3 cruises included one or more specialty dinings on each cruise, so that's why we did it.

[Montana]

We are in the senior category and remember when the main dining room offerings were specialty restaurant category. This past spring we were so disappointed at main dining food we also decided to eat at specialty restaurant each night. This was the best choice for us.

[TwoCruisers]

Personally I think that the Crown Grill is a BIG step up from the MDR. On a two week cruise there is usually one steak dinner offered in the MDR and it is nowhere near the quality of the steaks I have had in the Crown Grill. The CG also offers better vegetables and other extras like the flavored salts. We usually eat there a couple of times on a cruise and we are lucky enough to get a good amount of OBC so the meals are covered by Princess.

[tere247]

If you get a coupon book from your travel agent, look through it as soon as you get it. There might be a BOGO specialty restaurant coupon good for the first day only.

[Sea Hag]

The way I got my hubby to go for this was to book under a promotion that included on specialty venue dinner for free. That worked like a charm.

[Potstech]

If you eat at a specialty restaurant every night of a 7 dat cruise with your partner you are adding $420.00 to the cost of your cruise. Not worth it to us.

[brt49]

We only do the Specialty Restaurants to eat with friends. But we always do the Chef's Table as it is a truly special experience.

 

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[Host CJSKIDS]

We eat at the Crown Grill almost every night of every cruise since the last 5 years. We've found the food and service to be lacking in the main dining rooms as of late. As a result, we spend the money to enjoy the CG.

 

Sounds like a tough sell to your husband, but it's definitely an elevated level of service with better food (IMO) and better wine list. I took some photos of all the food we enjoyed a few years ago on the Regal.

 

 

I would definitely recommend at least trying it one night. Makes for a special date night. Especially if you like to dine late. A lot quieter and more romantic. I don't find it over the top fancy, but definitely elegant. It's my pick over Sabatini's, but I'm sure others will differ. Just never found the Sabatinis menu that appealing.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

-Andrew :)

 

Couldn't have said it better myself!!

[OCruisers]

We only do the Specialty Restaurants to eat with friends.

 

Per above .... It's enjoyable to go to a Specialty Restaurant to have dinner with friends.

There are times with our long time "cruise pals" we really only get to see when cruising -- one couple has Club Class Dining, another Early TD, another Late TD, etc.

When having dinner in a Specialty Restaurant, we can ALL have dinner together. :)

[justafem]

Add me to the PREVIOUSLY "Why pay more for food, when I can get it anywhere, anytime included in the fare" person.

 

We got an upsell to a WS for a fantastic price ($99 TOTAL on a 10 day cruise). Included was dinner at a SR embankment night. What the heck, it's included in our fare, try it out. Great food, great service, great atmosphere. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

 

So they got us. Now we regularly stay in WS and eat at SR. Princess won (and I'm happy about it).

 

Our next cruise (in 13 days!) includes the suite dinner and our TA threw in another complimentary. So 2 SR's in 7 days. We're going to have to plan around. 2 SD, 2 formal nights and CC all in a 7 day cruise. Feeling spoiled!

[caribill]

 

I would like to try an alternative restaurant and we will be on the Regal Princess at the end of the year; so how would you 'encourage' your husband to try something different and which of the speciality restaurants on the Regal would you suggest? He isn't one for over the top fancy places.

 

Offer to pay for it yourself.

[Loreni]

Well, he has a point. However, it can be justified economically.

 

1) I read in WSJ that on land, restaurants usually charge about 4 times the cost of ingredients. So if the specialty restaurant spends 7 dollars more per head for the ingredients than the MDR, that upgrade would have cost you 28 dollars on land. Wholesale price for a 4 oz lobster tail might be 6 dollars. What size are the lobster tails at Crown Grill? Maine or warm water? price them and multiply by 4.

 

2) if there is a show you really want to see and if the ship has a theater that can’t hold all who want to see it, then you must get there early. This can be difficult with anytime dining because you don’t know when you will be seated. It can also be difficult with fixed dining, sometimes. With the specialty restaurants, you reserve your desired dining time. This means you can plan to get a good seat for the show...that may have some monetary value.

 

3) if you wanted to try a restaurant with similar food and ambiance on land, you would need spend time to drive there and pay for gas and maybe parking and the cost of using the car (wear and tear).

 

Any Combination of 1) and 2) and 3) plus the value of improved service and atmosphere.

[jshyshka]

We do it every cruise because it’s part of our cruise experience - and come on now ... you paid thousands for the cruise and you can’t spring for the extra money it costs to eat at a specialty restaurant and enjoy a new experience [emoji41]

 

 

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