Murano now $65. per person?

[cruisemom42]

We are also on vacation to enjoy ourselves, but spending extra money does not necessarily equate with enjoyment. We have visited specialty restaurants on cruises if we are celebrating a special occasion. We enjoyed the Winemaker's Dinner on Royal Princess for our anniversary last year. At $100 per couple it represented good value since it included wine pairing with each course and a well informed sommelier discussed the selections. The service was really attentive although we could have done without the waiter bringing his guitar and serenading us (even though he was surprisingly talented).

 

We choose to spend our money on things that have value for us, and frequent specialty dining does not fall into that category. The best experience possible for us is to visit interesting destinations as often as we can, and we will be frugal cruisers if that is what it takes to maximize our travel experiences. We will not be offended if you chuckle at us. We are happy with our choices.

 

 

I could not agree more. It's not about cheapness but about the value to ME.

 

I have in the past paid the equivalent of $500 for a private excursion for one person (me) for a full day. There were specific things I wanted to see and I couldn't find any takers to share. It was well worth the money spent.

 

I love good food, but I'd much rather eat at a good local restaurant in a port of call (say Barcelona or Rome or Istanbul) than spend it onboard ship. We did go the Murano on Silhouette on the New Years cruise a couple of years ago and it was very good. But once was enough for us.

[TLCOhio]

Thanks, Terry. We've previously visited all but a couple of our port stops, but we're definitely looking forward to many of the repeats :). Kotor is new for us, so I will check out your link :). Dubrovnik is also one of our favourites ;).

 

Appreciate your follow-up!! Great that you have a wide range of wonderful experiences. Yes, lots in Kotor to see and enjoy. In some ways, it is a miniature Dubrovnik. That is part of the reason as to why we some things in Kotor beyond and nearby to this historic city.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 115,940 views for this posting.

[TLCOhio]

I could not agree more. It's not about cheapness but about the value to ME. I have in the past paid the equivalent of $500 for a private excursion for one person (me) for a full day. There were specific things I wanted to see and I couldn't find any takers to share. It was well worth the money spent. I love good food, but I'd much rather eat at a good local restaurant in a port of call (say Barcelona or Rome or Istanbul) than spend it onboard ship. We did go the Murano on Silhouette on the New Years cruise a couple of years ago and it was very good. But once was enough for us.

 

Appreciate these excellent points and examples by this super experienced and wise poster on these boards. YES, it's all about what fits your needs, interests, budget, desires, etc. Great sharing!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 183,605 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[bwaz]

We just got off Solstice. Had dinner at Tuscan Grill. It was the best meal and the best service we have had in any specialty restaurant including Chops, 150 Park and Captains Tables. It was a special family anniversary and we wanted something above and beyond the MDR. What gives me pause going forward are the very uneven reviews of the specialties, from high highs to low lows. They don't seem to have a handle on quality throughout the fleet.

 

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[Soca Queen]

On our 1st cruise, hubby spoilt me 2 silk harvest,1 Murano,2 Tuscan, on our second Quisine and Murano, on our 3rd will be Murano for my sisters 30th Anniversary I know she will we happy with the choice. Myself and my hubby spend about £100.00 for a night out, with the drinks package I can have plenty of fizz, so paying 50 dollars doesn't upset us.....

[Cruise Junky]

On our 1st cruise, hubby spoilt me 2 silk harvest,1 Murano,2 Tuscan, on our second Quisine and Murano, on our 3rd will be Murano for my sisters 30th Anniversary I know she will we happy with the choice. Myself and my hubby spend about £100.00 for a night out, with the drinks package I can have plenty of fizz, so paying 50 dollars doesn't upset us.....

 

Big difference between paying £ vs Cdn. $ though. If I was paying in pounds I wouldn't have an issue either ;)

Edited August 16, 2015 by Cruise Junky

[boscobeans]

I see your point. But consider What this means is that you paid less than $7 for your MDR meal.

 

 

I for one would happily pay another $7.00 or more per day to better the MDR experience.

 

Presently if I were to add $20-$30 to the cost of a one time specialty dining experience it would add up to $70-$80.

 

If instead I paid $80 more on a ten day cruise it would more than double the above quoted $7.00 allotted for the MDR meal.

 

That increase should, hopefully, go a long way towards returning the MDR experience to what it was 15 years ago when we first cruised on Celebrity and there was no specialty restaurant.

 

An additional $80 for a ten night cruise would not be a deal breaker considering cruising is still a best bang for your buck vacation.

 

OMO

 

bosco

Edited August 16, 2015 by boscobeans

[I-Cruiser]

Not us. We are on vacation to enjoy ourselves, not pinch pennies. We try all the specialty restaurants. It's part of the adventure. If we wanted to be frugal, we'd do it at home where we aren't trying to get the most out of our vacation.

 

I have to chuckle when I hear that stale excuse that "I have already paid for a meal in the MDR, I am not going to pay for another meal in a specialty restaurant". It's like going through life worried more about not spending a penny more than necessary than allowing oneself to have the best experiences possible. If one really felt that they didn't want to spend money on something they have already paid for, then they should not be spending money on a stateroom because they have already paid for living quarters back home which are going unused.

 

Very well said - I totally agree.

[cadburysmom]

Definitely not worth $50 but for a change of pace on a longer cruise I'd be willing to try it again for $25.

 

Other than the warm Goat Cheese Souffle' which was in fact AMAZING, I didn't think the food was much better than the MDR. My lobster was AWFUL and dinner partner's meat dish was overcooked and having to wait for replacements made for a very long night...:cool:

[Muushka]

For those of you who are not 'penny pinchers' or not just plain 'cheap',

can I assume that you all book suites? Or balconies at a minimum?

[smtcan]

For those of you who are not 'penny pinchers' or not just plain 'cheap',

can I assume that you all book suites? Or balconies at a minimum?

 

Why does this matter to you? Everyone has different wants and needs and everyone has different resources available. You may be sitting in a specially restaurant next to someone who is in an inside cabin. Would this affect you in any way? Is there something special about someone who spends seven days in a suite as opposed to someone who cruises for a month in an inside cabin?

[BEAV]

For those of you who are not 'penny pinchers' or not just plain 'cheap',

can I assume that you all book suites? Or balconies at a minimum?

 

Oh, please don't go there! :rolleyes:

[Cruizen Susan]

For those of you who are not 'penny pinchers' or not just plain 'cheap',

can I assume that you all book suites? Or balconies at a minimum?

 

Wow, that's quite an assumption. Depending on availability, location, price, and perks, we have stayed in every category from inside to suite. As someone else here has said, not that it's anyone's business.

[Muushka]

For those wondering why asked if those who thought of people such as myself as penny pinchers or cheap, whether they booked suites. Well, quite honestly it matters not one whit to me what anyone books. Inside, outside, balcony or suite. And if anyone did book any of the cabins listed, I would not presume that they were cheap for not getting a better cabin. We all have priorities for how we spend our money. Some choose to save money by not spending $100 + for a specialty dining. Some choose inside or window cabins. Neither should be called a penny pincher or cheap. That was my point.

[richsea]

For those wondering why asked if those who thought of people such as myself as penny pinchers or cheap, whether they booked suites. Well, quite honestly it matters not one whit to me what anyone books. Inside, outside, balcony or suite. And if anyone did book any of the cabins listed, I would not presume that they were cheap for not getting a better cabin. We all have priorities for how we spend our money. Some choose to save money by not spending $100 + for a specialty dining. Some choose inside or window cabins. Neither should be called a penny pincher or cheap. That was my point.

 

👍 like.

[smtcan]

For those wondering why asked if those who thought of people such as myself as penny pinchers or cheap, whether they booked suites. Well, quite honestly it matters not one whit to me what anyone books. Inside, outside, balcony or suite. And if anyone did book any of the cabins listed, I would not presume that they were cheap for not getting a better cabin. We all have priorities for how we spend our money. Some choose to save money by not spending $100 + for a specialty dining. Some choose inside or window cabins. Neither should be called a penny pincher or cheap. That was my point.

 

Now your point makes sense. I misunderstood your earlier one. Sorry!

[shoreham01]

I am sure if you go past the restaurant of choice and say what is your best price and smile you will get a good discount. If it is only 20% walk on. Go back another day and try again.

[Muushka]

Now your point makes sense. I misunderstood your earlier one. Sorry!

 

No problem. ;)

 

I saw your post and figured I'd better explain. :)

[Muushka]

I am sure if you go past the restaurant of choice and say what is your best price and smile you will get a good discount. If it is only 20% walk on. Go back another day and try again.

 

Yes! That's exactly what we do. It becomes sort of a game.:)

[emairs]

We were in a suite on the Solstice earlier this year.

We were offered complimentary dining in the specialty restaurants for the entire 15 day cruise, as Luminae was under construction, but not finished.

We found none of the meals we had in any of the specialty restaurants to be anything special. Some of the meals were very disappointing, to say the least. My first meal in Murano was inedible. Even the service in each of the restaurants was nothing special.

We would not have wanted to pay extra for any of these restaurants.

[GUT2407]

I'm not quite sure where you are getting that figure from?

 

Most restaurants aim for about a 300% markup over the cost of the food -- whether it's a three star restaurant or a dive -- so that would be $45 to $50. :confused:

 

When I last worked in hospitality one of my jobs was costing meals and the NORMAL markup was 10X.

[Cruise Raider]

like.

 

Double like. I think the post by those calling others penny pinchers or cheapskates was condescending....or at least came across as somewhat snooty. $100 is to some what $500 is to others.

[cruisemom42]

When I last worked in hospitality one of my jobs was costing meals and the NORMAL markup was 10X.

 

Not sure where you are, but that's not the case in my "neck of the woods". I have a friend who helps restaurant owners increase their business acumen (software systems, inventory, costing, etc.). She always recommends menu items be priced at 3 to 3.5 times the cost of the ingredients used (with a few exceptions).

[floridatravelersforlife]

I paid $25 for Murano last year....for lunch ;)

 

While I enjoyed Murano, my soufflé was still frozen in the middle. That speaks volumes for their quality. I wouldn't pay $65 for something I can do better at home that wasn't frozen and reheated :eek:

 

When we first tried Murano, at it's inception, it was presented as table side or made to order meals. The Soufflés' had to be ordered early in the meal to be ready at dessert time (standard fare). Now Celebrity passes off the dessert as premium yet it's just Sara Lee. No thanks.

[RickT]

I am sure if you go past the restaurant of choice and say what is your best price and smile you will get a good discount. If it is only 20% walk on. Go back another day and try again.

 

Yes! That's exactly what we do. It becomes sort of a game.:)

 

I play that game too but in the end it's kind of sad that we are still paying more than we used to but now gladly pay it because we got a discount... :(