Are specialty restaurants getting too costly? Poll.

[BullDawg91]

So don't. No one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to spend extra on anything. Even if you don't want to spend extra, you will be fully fed and housed in perfectly adequate form without spending a single dime. No one would go hungry by paying only the base fare.

 

 

You clearly aren't reading all the comments. Some lines a better than others with their MDR. Some are barely adequate. Others, however, are quite satisfactory. Disney and Celebrity come to mind as two cruise lines whose MDR experience is very good. On both lines there is no reason to dine at the specialties unless you want a different experience. And yet they have multiple specialty restaurants for you to enjoy AS AN OPTION.

 

 

 

Your disappointment in specialty restaurants is a direct result of the cruise line you cruise on the most. Carnival is not known for high quality meals in their specialties. So I can understand your concern. But cruise on Disney or Celebrity, to name two I am familiar with, and if you try their specialties you will quickly see that some cruise line's restaurants are quite good and worth the extra fare. Both have highly rated specialty restaurants as an option, while also maintaining good food quality in the MDR.

 

 

Disney is the line I have most experience with actually. That's why I said I'm happy to pay more for better quality. I did find our one experience with specialty dining at Palo to be well worth the cost.

 

It's when I start looking at RCI's Oasis class ships, for instance, because the rest of the family wants to try them, that that my eyes start rolling back in my head over all the options and planning necessary.

[slidergirl]

In Ft Lauderdale The Westin Hotel has a 5* restaurant called Shulas ( named for the famous Miami Dolphin Coach Don Shula) An Oceanview room at the hotel costs $200 ( rack rate) and we spent $200 (including wine)for probably one of the best dinners I've ever had. Steaks START at $45 and that's a-la-carte. You get what you pay for. Stay at a hotel with Motel 6 prices and you have the Waffle House next door for eats. It takes a little more to go 1st Class and enjoy the experience.

 

Just so you know, Shulas does NOT have any 5* rating by anyone. Their own survey has it as 4*… But it's not a Forbes or AAA or Michelin 5*. It's just a good steakhouse, nothing more.

No one I know pays "rack rate" for any hotel room unless it's the absolute last room available. Hopefully, you were at the Westin Beach and not the other Westin in town - the other one is a dump and only a Cat 3 in Westin (I've stayed at better 4 Points)…

 

Hey, nothing wrong with Waffle House. If I'm anywhere near a WH, that's where you'll find me. Great pecan waffles and grits!!!!!

[plumber22]

Among the many reasons we like Oceania, the specialty restaurants, which are exceptional, are free. The quality of the service and the port-intensive itineraries are higher on the list, but the no charge for the specialty restaurants is an item on the overall list.

 

We have cruised so often on NCL, all of our specialty restaurant meals are paid for, I am assuming that is what you get from Oceania. We are not going to turn away a free meal!!!!

[ducklite]

Just so you know, Shulas does NOT have any 5* rating by anyone. Their own survey has it as 4*… But it's not a Forbes or AAA or Michelin 5*. It's just a good steakhouse, nothing more.

 

No one I know pays "rack rate" for any hotel room unless it's the absolute last room available. Hopefully, you were at the Westin Beach and not the other Westin in town - the other one is a dump and only a Cat 3 in Westin (I've stayed at better 4 Points)…

 

 

 

Hey, nothing wrong with Waffle House. If I'm anywhere near a WH, that's where you'll find me. Great pecan waffles and grits!!!!!

 

 

Have to agree on Shula's. It's very overpriced. For that type of cash you can get a much better meal at the Capital Grill.

 

FYI, Michelin only awards to 3 stars, and I'm not sure Shula's would even garner one.

[sail7seas]

Have to agree on Shula's. It's very overpriced. For that type of cash you can get a much better meal at the Capital Grill.

 

FYI, Michelin only awards to 3 stars, and I'm not sure Shula's would even garner one.

 

If you talking FLL, I'd give Shula's two stars and Morton's 4 stars. :)

 

Pinnacle Grille on HAL does a good steak but nothing like Morton's or even The Palm.

 

[ducklite]

If you talking FLL, I'd give Shula's two stars and Morton's 4 stars. :)

 

 

 

Pinnacle Grille on HAL does a good steak but nothing like Morton's or even The Palm.

 

 

 

 

 

I was talking Michelin stars. I don't think either of those places would be worth one. I don't think Moreton's is all that.

[sail7seas]

I was talking Michelin stars. I don't think either of those places would be worth one. I don't think Moreton's is all that.

 

I find Morton's inconsistent, city to city. One is often better than another. All the times we dined in the FLL one, I found it very good. Very pricey but really good service, quality and taste.

 

Michelin stars are relatively fewer in U.S. than in Europe. We always depended upon Michelin Red for choosing where to eat in Europe. They rarely led us wrong. We almost always agreed with their rating for hotels as well as retaurants.

 

Edited November 30, 2014 by sail7seas

[ducklite]

I find Morton's inconsistent, city to city. One is often better than another.

 

 

 

Michelin stars are relatively fewer in U.S. than in Europe. We always depended upon Michelin Red for choosing where to eat in Europe. They rarely led us wrong. We almost always agreed with their rating for hotels as well as retaurants.

 

 

 

 

 

I've dined in half a dozen across the U.S. and have found them to be consistently mediocre for what is supposed to be a high end steakhouse. Same with Flemings.

[sail7seas]

I've never dined in Flemings...... actually I don't recall ever hearing of them. Maybe they are only in certain parts of the country? The only Morton's in which I have dined are FLL, Boston, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills and San Juan.

 

I like The Palm but Pinnacles on HAL, while often very good, don't compare IMO Of course, the price we pay on the ships for steak house dinners is no where near what we pay in Morton's. :eek: :D

 

Smith & Wolensky

Ruth's Chris

Abe & Louis

So many........

 

Edited November 30, 2014 by sail7seas

[ducklite]

I've never dined in Flemings...... actually I don't recall ever hearing of them. Maybe they are only in certain parts of the country? The only Morton's in which I have dined are FLL, Boston, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills and San Juan.

 

 

 

I like The Palm but Pinnacles on HAL, while often very good, don't compare IMO Of course, the price we pay on the ships for steak house dinners is no where near what we pay in Morton's. :eek: :D

 

 

 

Smith & Wolensky

 

Ruth's Chris

 

Abe & Louis

 

So many........

 

 

 

 

 

It's odd that you haven't heard of them. They have give or take a few either way, the same number of locations as Morton's and over half are in a city that also has a Morton's. I've found that often they are within a mile or less of each other.

 

We typically avoid the big chain steakhouses as we have a locally owned place that is as good if not better than any of them, offers LOCALS a 25% discount (important for good community relations in an area so filled with tourists--it acknowledges that the locals have kept them open during the poor economy and off-season), doesn't charge us corkage, and the owner has donated tens of millions of dollars back to our community.

[navybankerteacher]

It's odd that you haven't heard of them. They have give or take a few either way, the same number of locations as Morton's and over half are in a city that also has a Morton's. I've found that often they are within a mile or less of each other.

 

We typically avoid the big chain steakhouses as we have a locally owned place that is as good if not better than any of them, offers LOCALS a 25% discount (important for good community relations in an area so filled with tourists--it acknowledges that the locals have kept them open during the poor economy and off-season), doesn't charge us corkage, and the owner has donated tens of millions of dollars back to our community.

 

I've always felt that Mortons and other chain steakhouses are over-rated - and charge a premium for their core servings which are actually easy to prepare. An aged prime steak from a local butcher can be grilled at home as well as by any steakhouse. We spend our "eating out" budget on meals which are much more complicated/difficult to prepare.

[RJ2002]

I've always felt that Mortons and other chain steakhouses are over-rated - and charge a premium for their core servings which are actually easy to prepare. An aged prime steak from a local butcher can be grilled at home as well as by any steakhouse. We spend our "eating out" budget on meals which are much more complicated/difficult to prepare.

 

+1

 

This is exactly what we do. :)

[ducklite]

I've always felt that Mortons and other chain steakhouses are over-rated - and charge a premium for their core servings which are actually easy to prepare. An aged prime steak from a local butcher can be grilled at home as well as by any steakhouse. We spend our "eating out" budget on meals which are much more complicated/difficult to prepare.

 

 

We do both. I'm a pretty good cook and can source almost every ingredient imaginable (except John Dory, which I have given up hope locating wholesale or retail anywhere in the US).

 

A reasonable corkage fee is important to us when choosing a restaurant, as is fantastic food. Sometimes it's steal, sometimes it's fish, sometimes it's French, sometimes it's gastropub. It depends in our mood.

Edited November 30, 2014 by ducklite

[slidergirl]

I was talking Michelin stars. I don't think either of those places would be worth one. I don't think Moreton's is all that.

 

You are correct about Michelin. I was just comment on all the stars, diamonds, and then those who bestow them. I never trust any ratings that a restaurant or hotel give themselves. I got my Michelin 3-star fix at Le Bernadin. Nothing else has ever come close to that lunch :D

 

Back when I was still married, I'd take my hubby to a steak house for his birthday (his pick). Did 2 different Flemings - both terribly noisy. Did Morton's in Scottsdale, AZ - ho hum. Done 2 Ruth Chris' - again ho hum. Same for about any steak place. Best 2 places were two locally owned non-chain places. Decent ratings in Zagat, but not haute cuisine. And, like your local places, give good discounts to locals in the off-season (nothing like having a 2-fer that still ends up being $150 with wine!!!) Maybe it's because I don't do red meat unless it's the only thing available.

Edited December 1, 2014 by slidergirl

[editor@cruisecritic]

We're fine with paying if we're getting something special, but find we're often disappointed. Chops, on our last Royal Caribbean trip, didn't meet expectations.

 

We're we are starting to get more comfortable (and this surprises me, a bit), is paying a'la carte charges (without a fee). We just loved Shanghai Noodle Bar on Norwegian Breakaway, and the Michael's pub on Quantum. To my mind, very reasonable prices on food items (obviously subsidized to some extent by our cruise fare).

 

Carolyn

 

 

We just don't find the specialty restaurants on most ships to be very good, for the price. We found Chops to be barely OK with pretty bad service. Pinnacle Grill was hugely disappointing, not only with their menu choices, but also with the food prep, taste and variety. Service in there was also not up to par. Todd English was quite good, as was Murano on Celebrity. I think before long we're going to see the specialties going to ala carte and drop the flat fee. Once that happens, I think you'll see a decline in the numbers who use those restaurants.

[dadroy]

For us the cost doesn't matter.:)

 

Please do not let the cruise line hear this. That next restaurant might be $500 pp. I sure hope you would say thanks but no thanks to a grand for dinner for two!!!

[ducklite]

Please do not let the cruise line hear this. That next restaurant might be $500 pp. I sure hope you would say thanks but no thanks to a grand for dinner for two!!!

 

 

If it were equal in quality to a land based restaurant that charges that tariff, why not?

[SantaFeFan]

If it were equal in quality to a land based restaurant that charges that tariff, why not?

 

Because how much better can a $500 meal be? That's at least 10 times more expensive that a typical specialty meal now costs. No way can any meal be 10 times better than one for $50. No way. Most of that $500 would be for the image, not the quality. But, if people want to waste that kind of money on a meal, more power to them. I have much better things I can spend my money on.

 

Some people spend big bucks on things only because they are expensive. Kind of a "look how much money I spend" ego thing.

[ducklite]

Because how much better can a $500 meal be? That's at least 10 times more expensive that a typical specialty meal now costs. No way can any meal be 10 times better than one for $50. No way. Most of that $500 would be for the image, not the quality. But, if people want to waste that kind of money on a meal, more power to them. I have much better things I can spend my money on.

 

 

 

Some people spend big bucks on things only because they are expensive. Kind of a "look how much money I spend" ego thing.

 

 

Nope. Try it sometime. You'll understand.

[Husky61]

Because how much better can a $500 meal be? That's at least 10 times more expensive that a typical specialty meal now costs. No way can any meal be 10 times better than one for $50. No way. Most of that $500 would be for the image, not the quality. But, if people want to waste that kind of money on a meal, more power to them. I have much better things I can spend my money on.

 

Some people spend big bucks on things only because they are expensive. Kind of a "look how much money I spend" ego thing.

 

Some of us don't consider it a waste. We can eat the expensive meal (although not that often) and still spend money on other things.

 

You are the one who considers it an ego thing.:rolleyes:

[swedish weave]

Anyone who would spend $500 on a meal for themselves has a totally different set of values than I do. That amount of money would feed 500 hungry people.

 

That said, I have no problem with what others do, but if the price of anything is more than I consider fair, I don't purchase the item.

Edited December 3, 2014 by swedish weave

[LMaxwell]

If someone spends $500pp on a meal it is definitely an ego thing. If it weren't, you could not possibly justify the cost. That's not a judgement of anyone, but an observation.

[slidergirl]

I did spend about $125 just for myself for LUNCH at Le Bernadin…

The Four Seasons Manele Bay (on Lanai) had 2 restaurants when I was there - one was the $150/person "casual" restaurant and the $250/person "fine dining" restaurant. And, you're pretty captive there, no place really to escape to.

 

I wouldn't pay $500 for Olive Garden-quality and presentation, so I wouldn't pay for the same onboard. But, do a $50/person charge, add some additional for a cocktail, more for a quality bottle of wine, maybe a dessert wine or another after-dinner drink with dessert, and I could get up there close to the $125 at a special restaurant onboard…

 

No ego involved - I will pay for a quality experience.