Is the $20 steak and lobster MDR upcharge identical to the Steakhouse option

[jimbo5544]

19 hours ago, coevan said:

Really, we had live Maine lobster out of a tank in an upscale seafood restaurant in Colorado. We have fresh sushi in Colorado now too. 

I heard you even have AC for use in the summer time now....

[Alaskan Joe]

Our last cruise we did the Steak house on the first night, our food was excellent (Steak & Lobster). Now this was a 14 day cruise, so one of the nights in the MDR my DW did not fine anything appealing on the menu. So I talked her into ordering from the steak house menu for the $20 up charge. Well let me tell you something, I was in big trouble....LoL. My DW: "Not even close to what we had the first night. How could I let you talk me into wasting $20 geez." I felt like Ralph Krandem: "Me and my BIG Mouth"....LoL So for what its worth, I agree with other post, GO TO THE STEAK HOUSE! 

[young_ens]

On 2/3/2019 at 10:45 PM, schazzy said:

 

Spiny lobster tails are still on the menu in the MDR on elegant night on cruises over 5 days. The lobster for the $20 upcharge they are referring to is a cold water tail. 

OK, cool.   I agree entirely with your comments and I am not a chef.  Lobster (once peasant food the rich folks fed to their servants (it's true folks!)), or really any shellfish, is much better cooked fresh.  Though if done right, you can cook, de-shell, and can/freeze lobster for later on but the texture changes a bit.  I only do that for cooking with it later on (seafood chowder, lobster pasta, lobster roll, etc).

 

Also, $20 for a tail, better be good!  I can buy a live lobster here for $8-10 a pound CDN$.

 

[coevan]

5 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Scratching my head on the 8 floors comment, I did not see any reference as to which ship this was on.

 

 

Why, you have an itch 😃  On most ships the Steakhouse is on a higher deck. Might be 7, might be 9, but I can't see server bringing a steak from the Steakhouse to the MDR. That was my point. To your other response to me, yes we have A/C, but still use wood stoves for heat 

[bigcraig]

On 2/5/2019 at 12:24 PM, coevan said:

Really, we had live Maine lobster out of a tank in an upscale seafood restaurant in Colorado. We have fresh sushi in Colorado now too. 

With sea levels rising you will soon be a coastal state, those restaurants are going to be well positioned and in good shape some day.

[NutsAboutGolf]

5 hours ago, young_ens said:

OK, cool.   I agree entirely with your comments and I am not a chef.  Lobster (once peasant food the rich folks fed to their servants (it's true folks!)), or really any shellfish, is much better cooked fresh.  Though if done right, you can cook, de-shell, and can/freeze lobster for later on but the texture changes a bit.  I only do that for cooking with it later on (seafood chowder, lobster pasta, lobster roll, etc).

 

Also, $20 for a tail, better be good!  I can buy a live lobster here for $8-10 a pound CDN$.

 

 

To be fair, it's not $20 for just a tail, it's $20 for a tail, a PRIME filet and to a much lesser extent, its cooked for you and you don't have to do any dishes.  🙂

[coevan]

no way they are serving Prime in the MDR

[pacruise804]

On 2/4/2019 at 11:01 AM, NutsAboutGolf said:

Thanks for sharing!

 

IMO, the main reason to go to the steakhouse is its a nicer atmosphere with assumed slightly better service.  

 

The food is a different quality and quantity too.  By preparing for a much smaller group it arrives to the table sooner.  It was too much food for me, but the food was significantly better/different than the MDR.  Atmosphere was better (no song & dance), but service honestly was just as poor.

 

6 hours ago, Alaskan Joe said:

Our last cruise we did the Steak house on the first night, our food was excellent (Steak & Lobster). Now this was a 14 day cruise, so one of the nights in the MDR my DW did not fine anything appealing on the menu. So I talked her into ordering from the steak house menu for the $20 up charge. Well let me tell you something, I was in big trouble....LoL. My DW: "Not even close to what we had the first night. How could I let you talk me into wasting $20 geez." I felt like Ralph Krandem: "Me and my BIG Mouth"....LoL So for what its worth, I agree with other post, GO TO THE STEAK HOUSE! 

Awww, you can't win for losing can you?  Sorry you got beat up for trying to suggest something nice.  An option if it happens again that she can't find an appealing main would be to order an app as an entree.

[Eliot Ness]

The 4 options on the MDR from the $20 Steakhouse Selections are:

 

1. Broiled Maine Lobster Tail

2.  Surf &Turf (lobster tail and filet mignon)

3.  Broiled Filet Mignon

4.  New York Strip Loin Steak (14 oz)

 

While we've never ordered one of those options I'm following this thread to see opinions on their quality.  I think it's safe to say the Surf & Turf will be smaller versions of the filet and tail.   I'm more curious about the New York Strip since I have been underwhelmed in the past with the flat iron steak....... I just hate to encourage an up-charge in the MDR so I guess we'll just visit the Steakhouse one night instead.   I still daydream about the lobster bisque we had one night at the Steakhouse on the Legend

[NutsAboutGolf]

I stand corrected, it's not PRIME (it's "premium") and neither is the steakhouse offering.  Probably the same steak that's offered with steak and eggs on the seaday brunch.

[Athankfulheart]

On 2/5/2019 at 11:22 AM, K&RCurt said:

On the Sunshine last week my DW got the Lobster tail in Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse as well as the "Steakhouse selections" Lobster Tail in the MDR one night.  The one in the Steakhouse was larger and come out hotter and was more tender than the one in the MDR.

This was my experience as well.

[coevan]

3 hours ago, Eliot Ness said:

The 4 options on the MDR from the $20 Steakhouse Selections are:

 

1. Broiled Maine Lobster Tail

2.  Surf &Turf (lobster tail and filet mignon)

3.  Broiled Filet Mignon

4.  New York Strip Loin Steak (14 oz)

 

While we've never ordered one of those options I'm following this thread to see opinions on their quality.  I think it's safe to say the Surf & Turf will be smaller versions of the filet and tail.   I'm more curious about the New York Strip since I have been underwhelmed in the past with the flat iron steak....... I just hate to encourage an up-charge in the MDR so I guess we'll just visit the Steakhouse one night instead.   I still daydream about the lobster bisque we had one night at the Steakhouse on the Legend

 

 

You will not be disappointed. For someone to say "slightly better service" is not accurate. The service and food in the Steakhouse are outstanding. Yes, they do serve Prime steaks in the Steakhouse and as I mentioned earlier it's the super hot grill that gets the steaks so delicious. The Steaks in the MDR are baked on a sheet pan, not cooked to order like the Steakhouse, no comparison. We go at least twice a week.

[jimbo5544]

18 hours ago, coevan said:

 

 

Why, you have an itch 😃  On most ships the Steakhouse is on a higher deck. Might be 7, might be 9, but I can't see server bringing a steak from the Steakhouse to the MDR. That was my point. To your other response to me, yes we have A/C, but still use wood stoves for heat 

My comment was on recent ships the SH i s on 5 only 2 above, hence the comment on ship name.  The AC was an attempt at humor...

[pacruise804]

13 hours ago, coevan said:

 

 

You will not be disappointed. For someone to say "slightly better service" is not accurate. The service and food in the Steakhouse are outstanding. Yes, they do serve Prime steaks in the Steakhouse and as I mentioned earlier it's the super hot grill that gets the steaks so delicious. The Steaks in the MDR are baked on a sheet pan, not cooked to order like the Steakhouse, no comparison. We go at least twice a week.

 

Genuine question: What is the definition of outstanding service?  Can it be a consistent answer for everyone?  Some people like a friendly, chatty server while others prefer to be mostly left in peace - and each might find the other's ideal server to be less than desirable.

 

I don't think I have high expectations (I've been wrong before though 😉 ).  I like prompt service with a smile, my water glass kept filled, fresh silverware with each course, helpful suggestions, my food served at the proper temperature, and not have a dismissive attitude from staff.  I've actually only experienced all of these at the same meal a few times, and never on a cruise ship specialty restaurant.  When we last sailed RCCL their MDR actually had better service than Cagney's and NCL just had poor restaurant service across all venues.  Princess came the closest for us at Alfredo's, and they had the best service we've ever received at their Winemaker's table (more like a chef's table experience than a specialty restaurant).

 

My experience may have been a unique one, but we did not find the service at David's on the Pride outstanding.  It wasn't the worst service ever, but it also did not impress us.  We had to wait several minutes for the hostess to arrive at her stand, the server could not offer any wine suggestions (I understand that she might not personally drink wine, but I would expect that level of restaurant to be able to provide some help).  My food was very good, but she could not answer questions I had about some of the items (ex: what the green stuff was on the shrimp) - I don't have any food sensitivities or allergies but this would be very concerning if I did.  She implied my dessert choice was wrong when I opted for some sorbet after a very heavy meal rather than one of their richer specialty desserts.  My husband was seated with an ocean view, but with the way the sun was reflecting on the water there was a strong glare yet they did not adjust the blinds to minimize this.  Overall we just weren't that wowed🤷‍♀️

 

The food was much better than the MDR (although I would prefer smaller portions), it was served at the proper temperature, and it was a quieter atmosphere.  I do think specialty dining can be a nice option, just that most times it isn't "all that."

[schazzy]

1 hour ago, pacruise804 said:

I do think specialty dining can be a nice option, just that most times it isn't "all that."

 

I agree, and like with a lot of things, they can be over-hyped and we are left disappointed when they don't live up to that hype. Our first and only experience with the steakhouse didn't go as I had hoped it would either. Service was decent, food was a different story. We have Cuchina and JiJi's booked for our next cruise, I'm going to try and go in with modest expectations. 

[bowlinmoe]

On my various cruises (next one will be my 8th), I've found that the steakhouses tend to be a little overrated.  Also, they happen to usually be the most expensive of the specialty restaurants.

[Monthend]

I wonder if the quality will be any different on ships that do not have specialty restaurants. I know I was I'll miss the steakhouse in our next cruise on Fascination. I especially enjoyed Jiji's.

 

Edited February 9, 2019 by Monthend
Sp

[coevan]

it's not necessarily the quality of the steak, it's the cooking technique they can not replicate in the MDR

[jimbo5544]

On 2/7/2019 at 10:14 AM, bowlinmoe said:

On my various cruises (next one will be my 8th), I've found that the steakhouses tend to be a little overrated.  Also, they happen to usually be the most expensive of the specialty restaurants.

A good example of why options are a good thing.  We have found them to be consistently the best meal we have had at sea, and that includes 5 star cruise ships.  

[PhillyFan33579]

On 2/4/2019 at 11:02 AM, NHNEV2003 said:

I've ordered the filet mignon, medium, a # of times in the MDR. It is brought from the steakhouse, not the regular galley.

 

It has been consistently excellent each time.

 

I have not ordered the lobster from the steakhouse so can't speak about that.

 

According to the behind the scenes tour, steak ordered in the MDR for the $20 up charge is cooked in the MDR galley. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

On 2/6/2019 at 3:41 PM, coevan said:

Yes, they do serve Prime steaks in the Steakhouse.

 

I thought the same but stand corrected; while there are the prime offerings, the OPs question/thread title is the surf and turf which is NOT prime even in the steakhouse.

[evandbob]

On 2/6/2019 at 1:09 PM, coevan said:

 

 

Why, you have an itch 😃  On most ships the Steakhouse is on a higher deck. Might be 7, might be 9, but I can't see server bringing a steak from the Steakhouse to the MDR. That was my point. To your other response to me, yes we have A/C, but still use wood stoves for heat 

Steakhouses on Vista and Dream class ships are on Deck 5.  Conquest class ships deck 11.

[evandbob]

8 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

I thought the same but stand corrected; while there are the prime offerings, the OPs question/thread title is the surf and turf which is NOT prime even in the steakhouse.

 

Hmmm...maybe the OP needs to clarify the original post.  I took it as asking if the steak option OR the lobster upsell in the MDR was as good or the same as those entrees in the Steakhouse.  Not as a combined surf and turf, which I'm not even sure is a MDR add-on upsell, although one can order both in the MDR for $40.

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 minutes ago, evandbob said:

 

Hmmm...maybe the OP needs to clarify the original post.  I took it as asking if the steak option OR the lobster upsell in the MDR was as good or the same as those entrees in the Steakhouse.  Not as a combined surf and turf, which I'm not even sure is a MDR add-on upsell, although one can order both in the MDR for $40.

 

The OP wrote "$20 steak and lobster MDR upcharge", if they did indeed fat finger the word "and" but really meant "OR" then yes they should clarify their post

[Eliot Ness]

Yes, surf and turf is available on the $20 upsell MDR menu, but obviously just like in the Steakhouse, each will be a smaller version than if a separate steak or filet were ordered.

 

I don't think it matters if the OP was talking about the lobster tail, steak, or the surf AND turf.  The quality of any of the options will or will not be the same as offered in the steakhouse.