Butchers cut and other specialty resturants

[OP-cruisers]

Good afternoon fellow cruisers: We are relatively new to MSC Cruises and we are on MSC Seaside in October for our second adventure. One of things we ran into was trying to get reservations in a speciality restaurant such as the Butchers Cut.  After running through the calendar multiple times, we were finally able to get in at the worse possible time (to me) and that on sail away on the first night.  All conversations to this point were with the MSC representatives prior to the cruise.

 

When we got on the cruise, since we were Yacht Club members, we went to the concierge’s desk and every reservation day or time we asked for was met with it was all booked up, and no reservations available.  However, anytime we walked by the restaurant, they were plenty of seats available.  In fact, on the first night we on board while in the restaurant, there was only one other couple in the restaurant.  Most nights, the restaurant was empty.   If the restaurant was empty, why could we not get a reservation even through the concierge‘s desk at the yacht club?

while on board, can you just walk in and ask for a table or are these restaurant's “reservation only”?

 

OP Cruisers

[ajoneen]

Hmm on most other lines we’ve been able to go to the restaurant directly and find something. 
Im very interested and am following 

[kelleherdl]

Yes you can. Just walk up to the podium and ask for a reservation. Let them know if you are a Diamond Voyager Club member. They will know you are Yacht Club when you give them your stateroom number. While most often its more convenient to use the YC Concierge, you don’t need to. 

[ddantzler]

Watching your thread, and also posted my own with other specialty dining questions…

[morpheusofthesea]

4 hours ago, OP-cruisers said:

One of things we ran into was trying to get reservations in a speciality restaurant such as the Butchers Cut.

On our most recent cruise on Seascape (remember inconsistency is MSC's trademark) there was a 10% off special for Butcher's Cut first night.

  Next, a few nights later, sitting enjoying our meal in the Yacht Club, another couple were seated at a table next to us. She was very vocal and insulted. They had just walked out of Butcher's Cut. They were seated next to a rowdy group. They asked to be seated at another table and were turned down. They left. A phone call was made to the maitre 'd of the YC advising him to expect the arrival of a disgruntled couple. 

   Guess all the stars have to align. 

  Here is another tip to 'try'. Before one books any specialty restaurant, find out the name of the specialty restaurants' manager. On our cruise it was Mustafa. YC guests pull much more weight with the managers on board than with the restaurant staff. When this couple were refused another table at Butcher's Cut, just the mere mention to ask to speak with Mustafa would have had a much different outcome. But then we would have missed out on a 'juicy' story in the YC. Likewise, when on board, go to the reservation desk and when a time can not be found do NOT ask to see the 'restaurant manager' ask to see Mustafa. It sounds more like you are looking for a former best friend. All the other repeating YC guests brag about their "personal friends", butlers, concierges, YC director, bar tenders, room stewards, etc. Why shouldn't we ?

[JT1962]

18 hours ago, OP-cruisers said:

Good afternoon fellow cruisers: We are relatively new to MSC Cruises and we are on MSC Seaside in October for our second adventure. One of things we ran into was trying to get reservations in a speciality restaurant such as the Butchers Cut.  After running through the calendar multiple times, we were finally able to get in at the worse possible time (to me) and that on sail away on the first night.  All conversations to this point were with the MSC representatives prior to the cruise.

 

When we got on the cruise, since we were Yacht Club members, we went to the concierge’s desk and every reservation day or time we asked for was met with it was all booked up, and no reservations available.  However, anytime we walked by the restaurant, they were plenty of seats available.  In fact, on the first night we on board while in the restaurant, there was only one other couple in the restaurant.  Most nights, the restaurant was empty.   If the restaurant was empty, why could we not get a reservation even through the concierge‘s desk at the yacht club?

while on board, can you just walk in and ask for a table or are these restaurant's “reservation only”?

 

OP Cruisers

Your experience is similar to mine. I have been on 6 MSC cruises since January of 2022 and have noticed Butcher’s Cut is rarely close to half full, yet they usually say they are fully booked when you try to get a reservation. I was matched to Diamond and assumed they only allowed a small number of the free Diamond meals per night and just said they were booked. Maybe it is due to limited staffing? 
 

Also, I have never found anywhere online to book reservations for Specialty restaurants. Do you have to call? On my October trans-Atlantic sailing on the Seashore, there are no options to even purchase Specialty Dining available online. 

Edited July 30, 2023 by JT1962

[morpheusofthesea]

Same problem on NCL. There are 4 Specialty Restaurants with 'waterfront' dining. Due to windy conditions the 4 'waterfronts' were closed. Haven Concierge could not or would not promise a date or time to dine in any Specialty Restaurant inside or outside.. When weather conditions allowed dining outside, which was the last sea day home to South Florida, only two of the waterfront dining options where open. I asked a waitress at the closed waterfront if it would be opening like the other two. She said "no, we are short staffed."

   On our Haven booking NCL had included a 3x Specialty Restaurant perk. But not being able to promise a date or time we did not avail ourselves of this perk.

Edited July 30, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[Inflatable_Catfish]

Seaside in May. Concierge did not have times we liked. I booked a late dinner anyways but then asked our butler if he could assist. He hit a homerun with the exact time we wanted and by the window as I requested. 

[CruiseCruiseAndMoreCruise]

I noticed the same thing.  When I went to book there were no "good" times available, yet when I walked past at those times the place was often empty or just had a couple ot tables occupied.  Maybe they allot too much time per diner in the reservation system.  

[MonsterJoe]

Many restaurants will keep a number of tables available for walk-ins.  So being 'booked up' doesn't mean there are no tables necessarily - just that the ones they set aside for reservations are.

Also - there is probably a 'towel on the pool lounger' element to it where people book things so they don't miss out, and may or may not use it.

[xcell]

In the past, I've just walked up to the restaurant to pick my time for my diamond perk.  Another time, the butler arranged a time for my party.

 

Side question,  which night would be best to skip dinner in the YC?

[MonsterJoe]

None?

[jules815]

49 minutes ago, xcell said:

In the past, I've just walked up to the restaurant to pick my time for my diamond perk.  Another time, the butler arranged a time for my party.

 

Side question,  which night would be best to skip dinner in the YC?

Trying to figure out the same thing. Haven't been on board a cruise ship since 2021, but they were able to get us a copy of the dinner menus on boarding day. We've never gone to any specialty restaurants on MSC, but our next trip I think we're going to.

[JAGR]

13 hours ago, jules815 said:

Trying to figure out the same thing. Haven't been on board a cruise ship since 2021, but they were able to get us a copy of the dinner menus on boarding day. We've never gone to any specialty restaurants on MSC, but our next trip I think we're going to.

For you and @xcell:  If you are in YC, the maî·tre d' or assistant will have copies of the menus for the week.  It's much simpler now that they have the same menus week after week.  If you are not in YC, you can check with the host or hostess at the restaurant.