what is the point in the speciality restaurants?

[gingerwolf]

After reading on here how good the service and food is whats the point in paying for a speciality restaurant? sounds like a waste of money to me.

[dforeigner]

After reading on here how good the service and food is whats the point in paying for a speciality restaurant? sounds like a waste of money to me.

 

If may sound like a waste of money to you, but for others like me, it is a higher level of service, atmosphere, and experience. My wife enjoys Sabatini and the Steak house. Personally, I like Sabatini's but think the Steak House is just average.

 

Just something else to do besides the ordinary.

[MercedMike]

After reading on here how good the service and food is whats the point in paying for a speciality restaurant? sounds like a waste of money to me.

 

Well, basically you are absolutely right! We rarely use the specialty restaurants on any line.

 

BUT -- the exception is for Sabatini's on Princess! That is really not so much dining as an experience! It is a tasting menu, and the waiter simply brings samples of EVERYTHING to you. It can go on for hours, and is really a lot of fun and quite different from the dining room.

 

You can see the Sabatini's menu here

http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/menus.html

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[coiran]

Just my opinion - We tried Sabatinis on the Island and were not overly impressed - the food was no better than in the regular dining rooms. We wouldn like to try the Sterling Steakhouse sometime though. Whenever we walked by Sabatinis nthere were only 4 orn 5 tables filled.

Ron

[gingerwolf]

Well, basically you are absolutely right! We rarely use the specialty restaurants on any line.

 

BUT -- the exception is for Sabatini's on Princess! That is really not so much dining as an experience! It is a tasting menu, and the waiter simply brings samples of EVERYTHING to you. It can go on for hours, and is really a lot of fun and quite different from the dining room.

 

You can see the Sabatini's menu here

http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/menus.html

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

 

 

how much extra is it?

[Druke I]

I'm not wild about Sabatini's. Too much food served over too long a period of time.

 

Pacific Princess' Steakhouse on the other hand was very very good, and I thought well worth the extra tariff.

[cruze610]

If memory serves, I think $15 per person.

[Sanibel*Gal]

how much extra is it?

 

 

Have to agree, Sabatini's is excellent, was not to impressed with Sterling's though. I think it is $20.00 per person extra but not positive it was added to our on-board account & DH is in charge of that!:D

 

However, really looking forward to the Crown Grill, have heard good things about that one too!:)

[cruisemom42]

It's just an extra dining option for people who want it. I've never seen the need for doing it, but if I were on a longer cruise (14+ days) it might be nice to have the different setting and food option.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

If may sound like a waste of money to you, but for others like me, it is a higher level of service, atmosphere, and experience. My wife enjoys Sabatini and the Steak house. Personally, I like Sabatini's but think the Steak House is just average.

 

Just something else to do besides the ordinary.

 

Higher level of service?

 

Shouldnt passengers be getting that no matter where they eat? :confused:

 

Other than that I would agree that the atmosphere, the quiet, the no kid zone is great. Its smaller and more cozy.

[BruceMuzz]

Why buy an expensive Mercedes or Ferrari when a Chevrolet works just fine?

 

Because different people have different standards, comfort levels, tastes, desires, and bank balances.

 

 

Why buy an expensive town house when you can live comfortably in a mobile home?

 

Same story.

 

 

Why book an expensive suite instead of a very comfortable inside cabin?

 

Why do you think?

[BruceMuzz]

Cruisin Ron,

 

In an ideal world, diners at McDonalds would get the same level of service as diners at Le Cirque in New York. But they don't. Le Cirque charges a great deal of money for that quality.

 

In an ideal world, service in the Economy section of an airplane would be the same as in Business and First Class. It's not even close. Business and First Class charge far more money for that quality.

 

One might look at specialty restaurants on ships as furnishing the enhanced Business Class food and service at a small surcharge - without requiring you to pay the Business Class fare for the entire trip.

[willysgrandma]

Higher level of service?

 

Shouldnt passengers be getting that no matter where they eat? :confused:

 

Other than that I would agree that the atmosphere' date=' the quiet, the no kid zone is great. Its smaller and more cozy.[/quote']

 

You'd think so, but that isn't how it works. I find the waiters in the regular dining rooms too harried to provide the type of personal service you get in the specialty restaurants.

 

And the food is much better in the specialty restaurants. The steaks are so much better than what is available in dining rooms.

 

I was a long holdout for not paying extra for a restaurant until I did it on Princess. But we ended up loving the specialty restaurants and do them on every cruise.

[Toto2Kansas]

We often enjoy the alternate restaurants for a couple of reasons. Much quieter as they are rarely crowded, and even if they are, the noise level is so much less than the roar we have found in the regular formal diningrooms. PLUS the biggest reason. The service we have enjoyed at the speciality restaurants is more like the service in the diningroom USED to be (going back 10-15 years here). It is definitely worth it for us to have a relaxing dinner, especially on longer voyages. Normally, on a 7 day cruise, we don't even bother with either speciality dining venues, but it is a great break for the 10 day and longer cruises.

[stoneharborlady]

Higher level of service?

 

Shouldnt passengers be getting that no matter where they eat? :confused:

 

Other than that I would agree that the atmosphere' date=' the quiet, the no kid zone is great. Its smaller and more cozy.[/quote']

 

 

 

We have not yet tried the specialty restaurants. I take it "no kid zone" means children are not welcome??

Karen

[Toto2Kansas]

We have not yet tried the specialty restaurants. I take it "no kid zone" means children are not welcome??

Karen

Children are not banned from the speciality restaurants, if that is what you are asking. We have just found that few are ready to pay the service charge for a child, as I don't think there is a lower rate for children. Therefore, you see very few, even teens, in the specialty restaurants.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

Cruisin Ron,

 

In an ideal world, diners at McDonalds would get the same level of service as diners at Le Cirque in New York. But they don't. Le Cirque charges a great deal of money for that quality.

 

In an ideal world, service in the Economy section of an airplane would be the same as in Business and First Class. It's not even close. Business and First Class charge far more money for that quality.

 

One might look at specialty restaurants on ships as furnishing the enhanced Business Class food and service at a small surcharge - without requiring you to pay the Business Class fare for the entire trip.

 

I dont think we should be comparing Princess with McDonalds.

 

Each passenger should get equal service not matter what stateroom they are in or where they choose to eat.

 

If it comes down to that then why not go back to the old days of 1st class, 2nd class etc on ships?

 

My point is on a ship each passenger shouldnt have to pay extra just to get decent service. It should be a given.

 

Land based eateries I would expect different levels of service depending on where I chose to eat. Just not a ship where everyone is equal.

 

Service on Princess or any other line should be equal across the board.

 

With that said, and as I said in the previous post, I do agree the extra money would be worth it for the atmosphere, quiet and smaller more cozy dining experience.

[texreno]

It's all about options isn't it? Hark back to the days when you had no other dinning options and these boards would contain comments such as "I don't like having to dine by the clock" or "What if I don't like the Caribbean Menu in the main dinning room.".

 

The specialty restaurants, anytime dinning, balcony dinning & sushi bars exist for two main reasons. 1. To drive more revenue for the cruise lines. and 2. The cruise lines listen to their customers and gave many of us what we asked for.

 

You still have the same tried and true traditional format on most of the lines. We also like the traditional format but like the option of breaking it up from time to time.

[BruceMuzz]

Anyone who thinks that there is not a very rigid class system on cruise ships is living in a fantasy world.

Since the American public doesn't want to actually see a class system (except on the airlines), it is carefully disguised to keep them happy.

 

Someone in a top suite (First Class) on nearly any cruise ship has a completely different cruise than those in the "Economy Cabins"

 

Some of the perks for our "First Class" Passengers:

Limousine service between ship and airport, complimentary hotel stays pre and post cruise, check-in in the cabin instead of in the terminal, personal escort onto the ship at embark, private cocktails in the Captain's Cabin, joining the Captain on the Bridge for sailaway, dinner with the Hotel Manager in the Hotel Manager's Cabin, private exclusive shore tours, private exclusive tenders to shore, reserved seats at the shows, private massages in the cabin, private dinners in the cabin, elegant gifts from the president of the cruise line, private casino, exclusive personalized menus, complimentary bars in their cabins, cover charges waived at specialty restaurants, duty free shopping in the cabin, exclusive butler, exclusive concierge, ship's mobile telephones to call for services. There are many more.

 

Does this sound like a class system to you?

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

Anyone who thinks that there is not a very rigid class system on cruise ships is living in a fantasy world.

Since the American public doesn't want to actually see a class system (except on the airlines), it is carefully disguised to keep them happy.

 

Someone in a top suite (First Class) on nearly any cruise ship has a completely different cruise than those in the "Economy Cabins"

 

Some of the perks for our "First Class" Passengers:

Limousine service between ship and airport, complimentary hotel stays pre and post cruise, check-in in the cabin instead of in the terminal, personal escort onto the ship at embark, private cocktails in the Captain's Cabin, joining the Captain on the Bridge for sailaway, dinner with the Hotel Manager in the Hotel Manager's Cabin, private exclusive shore tours, private exclusive tenders to shore, reserved seats at the shows, private massages in the cabin, private dinners in the cabin, elegant gifts from the president of the cruise line, private casino, exclusive personalized menus, complimentary bars in their cabins, cover charges waived at specialty restaurants, duty free shopping in the cabin, exclusive butler, exclusive concierge, ship's mobile telephones to call for services. There are many more.

 

Does this sound like a class system to you?

 

Ok Bruce calm down man.

 

I am not ignorant or living in a fantasy world. I am thinking more of the mass market lines.

 

I was not aware that Princess and Carnival and RCI offer free limo rides to and from the ship. Comp hotels stays and private consinos and private tenders to and from the ship/shore.

 

Could you share with us where the private casinos are located? I have never seen one on any ship I have been on.

I have been a suite passenger in the past and the most I got was a priority tender ticket but not my own private boat to go ashore.

 

Let keep things on the level in which we are actually speaking.

 

I have experienced little perks as a suite passenger in the past. Just nothing as extravigant as you mentioned.

 

At any rate the topic is about service in the dining rooms.

[cleavesteam]

The specialty restaurant is just another choice. I'm happy with the food they have on Princess and I'm not really into the experience of having a long drawn out sit down dinner.

 

Most of the time, the buffet suited me just fine. They served most of what was being served down in the main dining room. That way I could eat at my leisure and enjoy more time relaxing in my suite.

[coiran]

Anyone who thinks that there is not a very rigid class system on cruise ships is living in a fantasy world.

Since the American public doesn't want to actually see a class system (except on the airlines), it is carefully disguised to keep them happy.

 

Someone in a top suite (First Class) on nearly any cruise ship has a completely different cruise than those in the "Economy Cabins"

 

Some of the perks for our "First Class" Passengers:

Limousine service between ship and airport, complimentary hotel stays pre and post cruise, check-in in the cabin instead of in the terminal, personal escort onto the ship at embark, private cocktails in the Captain's Cabin, joining the Captain on the Bridge for sailaway, dinner with the Hotel Manager in the Hotel Manager's Cabin, private exclusive shore tours, private exclusive tenders to shore, reserved seats at the shows, private massages in the cabin, private dinners in the cabin, elegant gifts from the president of the cruise line, private casino, exclusive personalized menus, complimentary bars in their cabins, cover charges waived at specialty restaurants, duty free shopping in the cabin, exclusive butler, exclusive concierge, ship's mobile telephones to call for services. There are many more.

 

Does this sound like a class system to you?

 

And just where can this information be found?

Ron

[bhopal21]

Anyone who thinks that there is not a very rigid class system on cruise ships is living in a fantasy world.

Since the American public doesn't want to actually see a class system (except on the airlines), it is carefully disguised to keep them happy.

 

Someone in a top suite (First Class) on nearly any cruise ship has a completely different cruise than those in the "Economy Cabins"

 

Some of the perks for our "First Class" Passengers:

Limousine service between ship and airport, complimentary hotel stays pre and post cruise, check-in in the cabin instead of in the terminal, personal escort onto the ship at embark, private cocktails in the Captain's Cabin, joining the Captain on the Bridge for sailaway, dinner with the Hotel Manager in the Hotel Manager's Cabin, private exclusive shore tours, private exclusive tenders to shore, reserved seats at the shows, private massages in the cabin, private dinners in the cabin, elegant gifts from the president of the cruise line, private casino, exclusive personalized menus, complimentary bars in their cabins, cover charges waived at specialty restaurants, duty free shopping in the cabin, exclusive butler, exclusive concierge, ship's mobile telephones to call for services. There are many more.

 

Does this sound like a class system to you?

 

If you think Princess provides that for their top suite passengers, then I would love to show you some fine land in Florida. . . .

 

Mike;)

[Baxter]

Other than that I would agree that the atmosphere' date=' the quiet, the no kid zone is great. Its smaller and more cozy.[/quote']

 

Sorry...not at a no kid zone. Our 14-month old was welcomed with open arms. And no charge for her.

[terrierjohn]

After reading on here how good the service and food is whats the point in paying for a speciality restaurant? sounds like a waste of money to me.

Just an extra profit centre for Princess (Carnival), if you're happy to pay extra they are happy to take it from you.