Is Cagneys really good?

[missdorado26]

Oh man I thought we could just test out the UDP and get the 3 day package :(

If we do eat at a specialty restaurant do you also leave a tip as you would in the regular dining room? I read on another thread that the cover charge is pretty much like a tip but I don't know how accurate that is.

 

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[Cubechick]

Food is subjective, but to us, Cagney's is a really crappy steak house. Our dinner there on the Jewel a few years ago was one of the worst meals we've ever had, anywhere. Mediocre quality food, badly prepared.

 

Le Bistro, OTOH, is excellent.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

I agree with your assessment from a few years ago. However, NCL changed the Cagney's menu last year and the food is much improved. Everything I have had from steak to shrimp have been excellent. I love the BBQ chicken drumstick appetizer and I don't usually eat drumsticks!

[jkgourmet]

We just ate at Cagney's on the Spirit, and I would agree that it is just ok. I wouldn't personally spend 30 dollars a person to eat there again. The steaks were good, like at Outback or Tahoe Joe's, and I liked that I could get the wedge salad with vinaigrette dressing instead of ranch. But I didn't like either of my side dishes - the garlic mashed potatoes had way too much garlic in them, and the rice pilaf had big chunks of onion in it. Also my filet mignon was coated in black pepper flakes, even though I didn't order it "au poivre". If you like your steakhouse food spicy, you might enjoy it.

 

Umm, the classic wedge salad would have blue cheese dressing, not vinegrette OR ranch,

[dinzitari]

Just so you know, it says on the UDP faq that Cagneys and LeBistro incur addtl charges for menu items. I'd get some more info on that if I were you. EDIT: There is another active thread discussing this, and the answer is there for you to read.

 

To answer your previous question, I have ate there on the Spirit 7 years ago, so don't really recall much, so was probably just OK.

 

I do see that they serve "Angus Beef Brand" steaks, which are not very good steaks at all. Definitely not a quality beef for what I would consider an "Upscale" steakhouse.

 

You can buy that brand for under 10$ at shop rite. They aren't aged either.

Edited July 12, 2014 by dinzitari

[graphicguy]

Angus is a type of cow, not in any way related to the quality of the beef. It's normally considered good beef because of its great marbling.

 

UDP includes Cagneys!

[Toola99709]

My DH and I really enjoyed dinner at Cagneys on 2 different Star Cruises. We're joining the Suite Life in February on the Jade. Breakfast and lunch in Cagneys was on of the key reasons for the upgrade.

[Demonyte]

Since we will be in a suite on Dawn we will have a number of opportunities to judge the food in Cagney's at breakfast and lunch as well as dinner.

 

 

My DH and I really enjoyed dinner at Cagneys on 2 different Star Cruises. We're joining the Suite Life in February on the Jade. Breakfast and lunch in Cagneys was on of the key reasons for the upgrade.

 

As I said earlier, VIP breakfast and lunch have nothing to do with Cagney's stakehouse except that on some ships they are served in the same venue that operates as speciality restaurant at dinner. The breakfast and lunch menus are the same as in Haven restaurant on newer ships, but because for example Dawn and Jade do not have a dedicated restaurant for suite guests, they use the steakhouse venue instead. After Moderno moved besides Cagney's on Jewel (this will happen eventually on all Dawn class and Jewel class ships), they now use Moderno for VIP breakfast and lunch.

[Demonyte]

If we do eat at a specialty restaurant do you also leave a tip as you would in the regular dining room? I read on another thread that the cover charge is pretty much like a tip but I don't know how accurate that is.

 

All restaurant staff (staff rotates between different restaurants so they can be in both complimentary and speciality restaurants on different evenings) is covered by the Daily Service Charge so you don't need to tip in complimentary dining rooms either, but if you want, you can leave tip in any restaurant as you see fit. Cover charge does not include any kind of tip to the staff.

[dinzitari]

Angus is a type of cow, not in any way related to the quality of the beef. It's normally considered good beef because of its great marbling.

 

UDP includes Cagneys!

 

I'm referring to the type of steaks, "Angus Beef Brand" not the angus cow. See above.

[LrgPizza]

The UDP should allow these surcharge menu items to be included at no extra cost. I intend to have the lobster at Le Bistro because of this.

 

It does. If you read the terms, the surcharge items are included with the UDP. If you order an extra entree in Cagney's or Le Bistro, you have to pay a surcharge of $10, but there is no charge for ANY menu items.

[LrgPizza]

I like Cagneys. The steaks are good, but it's the service and atmosphere that I enjoy the most. I much prefer a quiet dining experience, very much unlike the MDR and buffet which can both mimic the noise level of a daycare center at times.

 

I had to laugh at this because the table beside us at Cagney's had 5 children under the age of 10, all playing with balloon creations they'd gotten that day at Senior Frogs. Their responsible adults were seated elsewhere. They were very well behaved, but it was anything but quiet. So you just never know what you might get.

[graphicguy]

I can't find an "Angus Beef Brand". But if your grocer is selling some sort of inferior Angus Beef Brand, I think I'd find a new grocer/butcher.

 

I found the quality of the beef in Cagneys to be excellent.

[graphicguy]

I can't find an "Angus Beef Brand", haven't heard of it. But if your grocer is selling some sort of inferior Angus Beef Brand, I think I'd find a new grocer/butcher.

 

I found the quality of the beef in Cagneys to be excellent.

[CanadaTraveller]

I tried Cagneys on my first cruise on the Spirit, and decided it really wasn't worth the extra cost. I was content in the MDR. I didn't go back until a two week cruise on the Dawn last fall. Wow, what a difference. I was blown over by both the service and the food. So, needless to say, there were a few more visits during that cruise. If the menu changed, it was all for the better.

 

 

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[JuneauWhatIMean]

Cagney's on the Breakaway is AMAZING. The filets are like butter, (very similar to Ruth's Chris IMO), the service is very professional and accommodating, and the manager is a drop-dead gorgeous hunk. And I know for a fact that the staff is not rotated in from the MDR or buffet. You have to work very hard, prove your worth at customer service, and work your way up the ladder to get a gig in the specialty restaurants. :cool:

[dinzitari]

I can't find an "Angus Beef Brand", haven't heard of it. But if your grocer is selling some sort of inferior Angus Beef Brand, I think I'd find a new grocer/butcher.

 

I found the quality of the beef in Cagneys to be excellent.

 

Here ya go...its in most grocery store I've ever been to: http://www.certifiedangusbeef.com It's better than the cheap steaks, but it's not a high-end steak by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Also, the reference to Ruth Chris's above. They serve only USDA Prime wet-aged... you can do just as good at home assuming you know how to cook. Select cuts/dry-aged, etc are the stuff you'll find in the swanky places.

 

Yes, I am a steak snob it seems. Didn't realize this until just now.

Edited July 12, 2014 by dinzitari

[Ericktina]

Food is subjective, but to us, Cagney's is a really crappy steak house. Our dinner there on the Jewel a few years ago was one of the worst meals we've ever had, anywhere. Mediocre quality food, badly prepared.

 

Le Bistro, OTOH, is excellent.

 

Have a great cruise.

I think the reason the responses are so varied is because Cagney's is very spotty. Sometimes food great, sometimes awful. Sometimes service great, sometimes awful. For consistency--especially if you want steak, I think LeBistro is FAR better. I had the striped bass on my last cruise--in Cagney's, and it was GREAT--BUT--the dinner took 3 hours.

[Love my butler]

I think the reason the responses are so varied is because Cagney's is very spotty. Sometimes food great, sometimes awful. Sometimes service great, sometimes awful. For consistency--especially if you want steak, I think LeBistro is FAR better. I had the striped bass on my last cruise--in Cagney's, and it was GREAT--BUT--the dinner took 3 hours.

 

You are correct, but Le Bistro food and service is also very spotty. The service on cruise ships is usually subpar because they don't train the staff properly. Poor servers are not moved or fired because cruise lines have trouble filling the jobs.

[Sizzlechest]

It does. If you read the terms, the surcharge items are included with the UDP. If you order an extra entree in Cagney's or Le Bistro, you have to pay a surcharge of $10, but there is no charge for ANY menu items.

 

You basically repeated what I said.

[LrgPizza]

You basically repeated what I said.

You said they "should" allow it. I said they do. I guess I misunderstood the word "should" to mean you think they should do it. My bad.

[missdorado26]

Maybe we'll try the bistro place instead. It does seem like mixed reviews so I guess the only way to know is to try it myself. So maybe we'll do both if we're in the mood for steak. Thanks for all your help guys!

 

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[Hikini]

We like Cagney's but we like Moderno and LeBistro a bit better.

[JuneauWhatIMean]

LMB is right.....it's all a crapshoot. ;)

[graphicguy]

 

Yes, I am a steak snob it seems. Didn't realize this until just now.

 

Not agreeing with that. But, whatever floats your boat, I s'pose!

 

I've had good dry aged Angus steaks. And, I've had good wet aged Angus steaks.

[UPNYGuy]

All these posts just validate what everybody has been saying. Food is so subjective, and quite a touchy subject. DW and I felt that the specialties on Breakaway were above any other ship we have been on, by a substantial margin when it comes to taste. Holland America has become the master at making bland food have a fabulous presentation. On Breakaway, we felt the beautiful presentation didn't lead to a disappointing let down when we took a bite.

 

 

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