Speciality Restaurants on POA

[kellymonster23]

OK, I have a few questions and I know that someone will have the right answers for me. I have found so much information from all of you on this website. It's amazing. Y'all are great!!!!

 

My questions:

1. I know there are the speciality restaurants on board...There is a cover charge...is the cover charge the meal price or truly a "cover charge" for just walking in the door, similar to clubs on friday or saturday night and then you still have to pay for the meal??

 

2. How are the meals at the speciality restaurants paid for?? Cash or stateroom account/seapass??

 

Thanks to all!!!! You are the greatest!!!! Look forward to hearing back and getting answers.

[Dusty2]

The extra charge is not based on the particular item you order. It is a cover charge for dining at that specialty restauraunt. The cover charge ranges from $10 pp at Little Italy, to $25 pp at the steakhouse.

 

The charge was added to our cruise account once we made the reservation.

 

We ate at Little Italy and were not pleased with the food nor the service. Overheard others who had great experiences at the steakhouse and the brunch at Jefferson's Bistro.

[flashdog_1]

Everything, except cash tips for room service delivery or extra tips to various servers, is charged on your sea pass room card using whatever credit card you checked in with (or if you made a cash deposit, against that).

 

As Dusty said, you do not need to pay anything more than the "cover" charge when you go to a specialty restaurant UNLESS you order from a supplemental menu within the specialty restaurant. It's up to you whether you want to splurge further.

 

The specialty restaurant charge is for better service and some higher quality (perhaps) food. Some people add a gratuity anyway, though. After all, you have already paid for a meal in the main restaurant.

 

If you make a reservation for 2 for a specialty restaurant and do not show, you will be charged at least for 1, so be sure to show up.

 

Some people like the specialty restaurants because they are smaller, quieter and less frantic than eating in the buffet or main restaurants. I've eaten in 3 over 3 cruises and could take it or leave it. I'd book a specialty restaurant if for some reason one of the main dining rooms was going to be closed. I would not want to end up at the buffet for dinner unless I was desperate (nothing wrong with the food. It's just so crowded).

[dr__dawggy]

We are "fresh off the boat"...and spent time in three specialty restaurants. Here are my impressions from the POA:

 

We purchased a wine package that included four nights in specialty restaurants....the cover for two and the wine were included. I enjoy wine with meals, so this seemed like a deal to us...

 

We ate in the LJ Steakhouse, the Jefferson Bistro and Little Italy.

 

Little Italy was my least favorite of the three...although they offered an eggplant dish that was quite good...

 

The Jefferson Bistro is French Themed and features a great rack of lamb and creme brulee..we liked it enough to cancel a reservation at the East meets West to spend a second night eating at the Jefferson Bistro....

 

LJ Steakhouse...another good option. The steaks were excellent...

 

 

Other options....The food in the Aloha cafe was surprisingly good for cafeteria food....the prime rib and roasted pig feature nights were excellent....yes, it gets frantic at times with so many people....we grabbed our food and walked around the corner to a table in the Gold Rush bar....much quieter....

 

Cadillac Diner....great place to grab a burger and fries and listen to oldies.

 

Of the two main dining rooms, we preferred the Skyline Diner. Service was faster and better organized in our experience.

 

 

Hope this helps...

 

 

 

dusty..love your avatar.....go Dawgs....

[Cash123]

Quote"We are "fresh off the boat"...and spent time in three specialty restaurants. Here are my impressions from the POA:

 

We purchased a wine package that included four nights in specialty restaurants....the cover for two and the wine were included. I enjoy wine with meals, so this seemed like a deal to us...

 

 

Hi ya,

 

I have never heard of this package, could you explain a little more ie costs etc and how much wine is included, also did you order this when you embarked,.

 

cheers

 

rob

[dr__dawggy]

Quote"We are "fresh off the boat"...and spent time in three specialty restaurants. Here are my impressions from the POA:

 

We purchased a wine package that included four nights in specialty restaurants....the cover for two and the wine were included. I enjoy wine with meals, so this seemed like a deal to us...

 

 

Hi ya,

 

I have never heard of this package, could you explain a little more ie costs etc and how much wine is included, also did you order this when you embarked,.

 

cheers

 

rob

 

The wine package can be booked on board. The package we bought included the cover charge for four nights in specialty restaurants for two people and four bottles of wine for $200. If purchased seperately, the wine list price per bottle for the wines included ranged between $35-$45 and the cover for two people at the various restaurants ranged from $30 to $50...We rarely finished a bottle of wine with our meal. The waiter corked our unfinished bottles and we took the wine to our stateroom and finished it on our balcony.....The program is flexible...you can change reservations from one specialty restaurant to another or change nights or change times....if you enjoy drinking wine with meals and prefer smaller specialty restaurants...this might be a good option for you....

[myrj]

That sounds like a good deal and especially if they let you take it back to the room. Did you book this where you meade the reservations for the Specialty Restaurants? If so, can you eat at any of them and say the Steakhouse 2ce??:o:)

[dr__dawggy]

myrj

 

We went to the East West Bistro and purchased the Wine Package shortly after boarding. The package included reservations at four different restaurants but you are allowed to change reservations if you wish (Free Style means you can do it your way, at least in this instance). We ate twice in the Jefferson Bistro and one time each in the steakhouse and Italian restaurant. The only "average" food experience we had was in the Italian restaurant), but the wine was good which offset the average fare. Jefferson Bistro and the Steakhouse were very good choices.

 

And, yes, you can take the wine with you back to your stateroom.

[annecolorgreen]

How was East Meets West? Is that the teppanyaki restaurant? Thanks for your information!