Black card taster dinner

[Kalum]

So what meal can you get on the MSC Fantasia?

[Beamafar]

13 hours ago, Oxo said:

 ... Why does MSC restrict menu choice to the Dining Experience? 

 

 

We're paying $77 pp for the tryptic package on our upcoming Meraviglia cruise.  That's just a little over $25 per 3 course meal.  Of course it's going to be a set menu, with limited choices, for that price.

[Beamafar]

19 hours ago, jazzmanfive said:

Hi

I was wondering what the speciality  meal 'taster' dinner that comes with the black card benifits entailed?

 

Many Thanks

 

Jazz

 

You can choose a starter, main course and a dessert from a 'Dining Experience' section of the menu in most Speciality Restaurants (Teppanyaki being the only one not included as the Black Card benefit).  Here are some examples (from either US or Med sailings - so prices and/or selections may vary slightly, depending on itinerary):

 

Butcher's Cut

 

 

Hola! Tapas:

 

 

Ocean Cay:

 

 

Roy's (on Seaside):

 

[Beamafar]

11 hours ago, verodoodle said:

Which specialty restaurants are included on the Meraviglia with the black card?

 

Thanks 

Dave

 

Butcher's Cut, Hola! Tapas, Kaito Sushi Bar and Ocean Cay.

[sidari]

9 hours ago, frank808 said:

To make it to black card status does not take very many cruises.  You book 1 week in YC you get 1500 points.  Book 3 more YC 7 day cruises onboard and you will have 9000 more points.  Agent told me double points for on board bookings.  So four 7 day YC bookings will get you to black card.  That is assuming you spend nothing else onboard.  With the massages, tours booked through cruise line and other onboard spend we got almost half way to black in 2 cruises.  

I didn't realise everyone sailed in the YC!

[Beamafar]

2 hours ago, Kalum said:

So what meal can you get on the MSC Fantasia?

 

According to recent deck plans, El Sombrero Tex Mex is still the Speciality Restaurant onboard Fantasia (I'm open to correction on this).  I don't have a sample menu from that venue as we haven't sailed on her in quite some time - sorry.

 

MSC has replaced the Tex Mex restaurant on Splendida with Butcher's Cut and, I imagine, they'll do the same on Fantasia (if they haven't already done so).

[Kalum]

20 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

 

According to recent deck plans, El Sombrero Tex Mex is still the Speciality Restaurant onboard Fantasia (I'm open to correction on this).  I don't have a sample menu from that venue as we haven't sailed on her in quite some time - sorry.

 

MSC has replaced the Tex Mex restaurant on Splendida with Butcher's Cut and, I imagine, they'll do the same on Fantasia (if they haven't already done so).

Now that makes sense that they change it.

For our upcoming cruise in may it says online I can buy a dining package  for Butcher's Cut. 

So I guess they change it until may.

Well that would be fine with me.

[Kalum]

Btw 

Anyone know how the dining experience works with the Tomahawk steak...50% off and I loose my main course and my wife too? Or van my wife order her Filet mignon as usual?

Thx

[carlmm]

30 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

 

MSC has replaced the Tex Mex restaurant on Splendida with Butcher's Cut and, I imagine, they'll do the same on Fantasia (if they haven't already done so).

 

Actually in August it was the Butcher's Cut on the MSC Fantasia.

 

The choice on this European Cruise was slightly different from the one on the menu given in post 28 but still nice.

Appetizer for the "Dining Experience" included e. warm goat cheeese and ceasar salad, main dishes were similiar to the ones posted.

 

We enjoyed most items, only the cheesecake was very simple and not even as descriped.

 

Contrary to the posters who expect all items to be included in a dinner package for €25, I do not expect eg caviar as starter (€ 45) or a 680 gr steak (€ 54) to be included but are rather happy that additional, higher value choices are given.

Edited September 13, 2019 by carlmm

[Beamafar]

 

2 minutes ago, Kalum said:

Btw 

Anyone know how the dining experience works with the Tomahawk steak...50% off and I loose my main course and my wife too? Or van my wife order her Filet mignon as usual?

Thx

 

You can substitute an item from the a la carte menu for 50% of the price, so, yes, you would 'lose' your main course, but your wife won't be impacted.

[Beamafar]

8 minutes ago, carlmm said:

 

Actually in August it was the Butcher's Cut on the MSC Fantasia.

 

The choice on this European Cruise was slightly different from the one on the menu given in post 28 but still nice.

Appetizer for the "Dining Experience" included e. warm goat cheeese and ceasar salad, main dishes were similiar to the ones posted.

 

We enjoyed most items, only the cheesecake was very simple and not even as descriped.

 

Contrary to the posters who expect all items to be included in a dinner package for €25, I do not expect eg caviar as starter (€ 45) or a 680 gr steak (€ 54) to be included but are rather happy that additional, higher value choices are given.

 

Thank you for clarifying ... I hadn't heard that BC had been introduced on Fantasia.

 

You're correct - the European BC menu differs slightly from the US sailings' one.  I usually post the latter as the forum is dominated by those sailing from Miami.  Here's the Med-based one:

 

 

 

On the subject of the cheesecake;  we had delicious cheesecake on both Meraviglia and Splendida;  last week on Seaview, it was so bad that the 3 of us who ordered it (in our party of 4) returned it (the 4th person ordered the cookie and it, too, was returned).  As an FYI, we were given nothing as compensation!

 

 

Edited September 13, 2019 by Beamafar

[citizenfrank]

48 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

 

According to recent deck plans, El Sombrero Tex Mex is still the Speciality Restaurant onboard Fantasia (I'm open to correction on this).  I don't have a sample menu from that venue as we haven't sailed on her in quite some time - sorry.

 

MSC has replaced the Tex Mex restaurant on Splendida with Butcher's Cut and, I imagine, they'll do the same on Fantasia (if they haven't already done so).

Having sailed Fantasia ten months ago it was still El Sombrero and despite not trying it (on your advise Bea!) I can advise that it was always empty...you could eat on your own so the service would have been amazing!

I think they will change it, though someone reading who has sailed this summer may know better.

The really funny thing I found was that the entrance is 'within' the wine/tapas bar where the free plates are quite tasty, certainly very well distributed and with a healthy uptake! It was strange seeing masses of folk night after night drinking and eating tapas with this place empty!

Sad in a way. 

[Kalum]

24 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

 

 

You can substitute an item from the a la carte menu for 50% of the price, so, yes, you would 'lose' your main course, but your wife won't be impacted.

Thank you...

That would be perfect...

I do think 2 nights at BC are enough though during our 7 das cruise...

But I am not sure...since this will be our first on MSC and YC...and my wife likes her filet almost every night (only cruising NCL normally), but from what I read you can a filet every night in the YC restaurant even if it is not in the menu that night.

 

[jazzmanfive]

3 hours ago, Beamafar said:

 

You can choose a starter, main course and a dessert from a 'Dining Experience' section of the menu in most Speciality Restaurants (Teppanyaki being the only one not included as the Black Card benefit).  Here are some examples (from either US or Med sailings - so prices and/or selections may vary slightly, depending on itinerary):

 

Butcher's Cut

 

 

Hola! Tapas:

 

 

Ocean Cay:

 

 

Roy's (on Seaside):

 

 

[jazzmanfive]

Thanks Beamafar, and everyone who contributed to my post, very informative.

 

Jazz

[Beamafar]

3 hours ago, citizenfrank said:

Having sailed Fantasia ten months ago it was still El Sombrero and despite not trying it (on your advise Bea!) I can advise that it was always empty...you could eat on your own so the service would have been amazing!

 

 

You would have thunk that, Frank, but the service was abysmal each time we dined there, despite the place being practically empty.  I think the crew treated it as a doss-house when they were assigned there.

[Oxo]

6 hours ago, Beamafar said:

 

We're paying $77 pp for the tryptic package on our upcoming Meraviglia cruise.  That's just a little over $25 per 3 course meal.  Of course it's going to be a set menu, with limited choices, for that price.

We are paying $175 for Unlimited Dining 7 nights on RCI Symphony OTS Specialty Restaurants. I use this as a comparison between the lines. There are no restrictions on menu items. In fact, you also get lunch in the SR on Sea days. In addition, you can go to more than one SR that evening and there is no up-charge for another entree. That is why I asked about MSC's Dining Experience limited menu. Been on both cruise lines and still cruise both cruise lines. Be on MSC Seaside and Symphony later this year.

 

RCI UNLIMITED DINING PACKAGE 

Savor the savings with the Unlimited Dining Package! For one low price, you can enjoy multiple entrees and visit multiple specialty restaurants every night of your sailing. And as an added perk, this unlimited package also applies to lunch at specialty restaurants on sea days. Plus, enjoy a discount of 40% off bottles of wine under $100 and 20% off bottles above $100 while dining in specialty restaurants..

[Beamafar]

... But you're not paying RCI fares on MSC.

[Oxo]

20 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

... But you're not paying RCI fares on MSC.

FYI: RCI Central Park Balcony is $200 more for two people than MSC (Black Card) Balcony. Both OBCs are the same $200. Get more perks on RCI (Diamond+) and it is a different type of ship and experience. 

Both are very good ships. Both are very good cruise lines. There are differences and I am not going to talk about food as it is very subjective. Service is different, too. Been on Seaside last year and booked for this year. We just don't do one cruise line. We cruise 6 - 7 times per year.

I am just trying to inform people that there are differences. Not defending or degrading any cruise line. 

Thank you!

[Até]

1 hour ago, Oxo said:

... Symphony OTS Specialty Restaurants. I use this as a comparison between the lines. There are no restrictions on menu items....

Are you sure? I thought the "Something special" items like the dry aged steaks and Maine lobster at Chops were about $20 extra to any paid dinner or package.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Até

[frank808]

7 hours ago, sidari said:

I didn't realise everyone sailed in the YC!

On the new MSC ships that are to be YC only everyone onboard will be.  I didn't set the number of days to cruise on MSC to get Black status.  Just put into perspective the number of cruises we would need to achieve Black status without match.  Which is 50% less cruise nights in a suite to achieve Diamond on Royal (which is the 3rd highest tier). 

[Até]

Now that practically every sailing is some type of a Voyagers Selection, thus giving double points, it will be very easy to hit 10,000 points.  MSC has no choice now but to create new tier(s).

[Oxo]

47 minutes ago, Até said:

Are you sure? I thought the "Something special" items like the dry aged steaks and Maine lobster at Chops were about $20 extra to any paid dinner or package.

Sorry, you are correct. 

[Até]

I look at the premium a' la carte menu sections on MSC as pretty much the same thing.  One difference is that if you only want one or two specific items you can order them from the a' la carte menu, which in addition to the premium items also contains most of the experience items, without using any dining plan.