Murano now $65. per person?

[nyfeds]

We found Murano on our Silhouette cruise in April to be excellent. And, the souffles were not Sara Lee. :)

[BosoxI]

DW and I have eaten out three times this week. Simple one course meals, such as salads with ahi tuna or chicken, a salad with lump crabmeat, a pizza, a salad with two salmon cakes, and one real meal-scallops. No appetizers, only one $5 dessert and a total of one iced tea, one marguerita, and three or four glasses of wine ranging between $5 and $8.

 

Pretty basic stuff, I'd say and yet with tax and tip the cost ranged from$45 to $76.

 

Seems to me that Murano is a good deal, especially with a discount.

 

And all of these meals were either in eastern Virginia or SW Florida, not NYC. To each his own is never more true than when discussing food.

[yorkyred]

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.

 

I think a few sort of missed the point you were making there.

[Gig103]

DW and I have eaten out three times this week. Simple one course meals, such as salads with ahi tuna or chicken, a salad with lump crabmeat, a pizza, a salad with two salmon cakes, and one real meal-scallops. No appetizers, only one $5 dessert and a total of one iced tea, one marguerita, and three or four glasses of wine ranging between $5 and $8.

 

Pretty basic stuff, I'd say and yet with tax and tip the cost ranged from$45 to $76.

 

Seems to me that Murano is a good deal, especially with a discount.

 

And all of these meals were either in eastern Virginia or SW Florida, not NYC. To each his own is never more true than when discussing food.

 

This point of view is always brought up in discussions about specialty restaurants, on all CC boards. Right off the bat, you're including alcohol in your land-based prices, which is always an addition on-board. To be more apples-to-apples, let's go basic and figure that you're not going to find a three-course meal at a land restaurant for less than $20. Murano is a fancy place that is probably comparable to a $65 dinner. But I have to figure that my cruise fare already includes that $20/night dinner, and add it to the specialty dining price to determine what I'm actually paying; in this case $85, which Murano is not worth to me.

 

Of course the underlined portion is the most important part to all of us. It applies to our cabin, shore excursions, drinks, and dinner. I think the Celebrity MDR is fantastic (even better than Blu for me), so I see no reason to pay extra, especially at $65.

[AtleeH]

Exactly. I'm not a foodie nor a food snob. I have 0 desire to spend all that extra money for specialty dining when the MDR is paid for and more than good enough.

 

On the other hand, for me, it was well worth the relatively high excursion price to go to Chichen Itza when we visited Cozumel. I also know that for many that tour was never worth the price or time, and this is fine.

 

You hit the nail on the head. Like food opinions, discretionary spending is subjective. Some people might think it should be a felony to spend $50 in a specialty restaurant, but think nothing of dropping $1,000 in the casino and only getting $200 in return over the course of a week's cruise. Everyone has different tastes and interests in how they spend their vacation dollar.

[Iamcruzin]

Those soufflés look delicious. Makes me think about booking a Princess cruise where they serve them in the MDR.

[Gracie115]

Murano, which was a spin off of the first "M" class specialties...Normandie, Olympic et al.. is pale in comparison to what those were when they first debuted. We had arguably the BEST meal anywhere at Normandie back in 2001.... where the spinach soufflé they offered then was so much better than the one offered now that those who had the first can only be disappointed with the current version, no matter how good it looks in a picture. That is NOT to say the current one is bad...it just doesn't equal the quality of the original and that's pretty much what we find in all of the spec. rest. of this type(Murano and Olympic) now. We were in Ocean Liners on Connie in 2013 and it was such a disappointment....our last visit to this type of dining. Just really not worth the up charge... We still enjoy Tuscan Grill where we can usually get a discount....but $50 for Murano is just too much money for a good but certainly not great meal.... Our opinion, of course, and for those who have never been it may well seem worth it and THAT is all that matters..... when you're on vacation you do what makes you happy....

[cruisemom42]

Those soufflés look delicious. Makes me think about booking a Princess cruise where they serve them in the MDR.

 

Princess' soufflés have always been a favorite of mine -- both the sweet and the savory ones.

[boscobeans]

Murano, which was a spin off of the first "M" class specialties...Normandie, Olympic et al.. is pale in comparison to what those were when they first debuted. We had arguably the BEST meal anywhere at Normandie back in 2001.... where the spinach soufflé they offered then was so much better than the one offered now that those who had the first can only be disappointed with the current version, no matter how good it looks in a picture. That is NOT to say the current one is bad...it just doesn't equal the quality of the original and that's pretty much what we find in all of the spec. rest. of this type(Murano and Olympic) now. We were in Ocean Liners on Connie in 2013 and it was such a disappointment....our last visit to this type of dining. Just really not worth the up charge... We still enjoy Tuscan Grill where we can usually get a discount....but $50 for Murano is just too much money for a good but certainly not great meal.... Our opinion, of course, and for those who have never been it may well seem worth it and THAT is all that matters..... when you're on vacation you do what makes you happy....

 

We've been to many of the specialties on Celebrity as well as HAL since 2000 and feel your spot on.

 

Our first was the Olympic and the food was excellent however there was more to the experience than just the food. Everything from the white glove butterfly service to the roving violinist made it truly an evening to remember. Our last was a few years ago in the Normandie. Over the years we have seen not only the food but all other aspects of the experience go downhill a bit.

 

If you want to dine in the specialties that is fine and I am sure you are and will be very happy but not my cup of tea any longer, and this has nothing to do with dollars and cents just our personal opinion.

 

OMO

 

bosco

[jerseygirl3]

Just saw $65. PP price listed on the "Specialty Dining" pages of Celebrity website. I wonder if this is U.S $, or CAN $? Does it represent a new price increase?

 

As others have said, it's $50/pp USD. I do think it's getting a little steep, but I'm wondering if they are raising the prices of the specialty restaurants and then when you get onboard and they make an offer of 2 for 1, you think you're getting a real bargain! Just sayin'

[dmk]

We've been to many of the specialties on Celebrity as well as HAL since 2000 and feel your spot on.

 

Our first was the Olympic and the food was excellent however there was more to the experience than just the food. Everything from the white glove butterfly service to the roving violinist made it truly an evening to remember. Our last was a few years ago in the Normandie. Over the years we have seen not only the food but all other aspects of the experience go downhill a bit.

 

If you want to dine in the specialties that is fine and I am sure you are and will be very happy but not my cup of tea any longer, and this has nothing to do with dollars and cents just our personal opinion.

 

OMO

 

bosco

 

Like you we have had wonderful experiences in the earlier speciality restaurants on the M Class ships...Wonderful memories! But we will not be going back to Murano. It is not that kind of experience anymore and I, also, find it too expensive.

[TLCOhio]

As others have said, it's $50/pp USD. I do think it's getting a little steep, but I'm wondering if they are raising the prices of the specialty restaurants and then when you get onboard and they make an offer of 2 for 1, you think you're getting a real bargain! Just sayin'

 

YES!! Very smart and wise observation above by jerseygirl3. It's Retailing 101!! Jack up the sticker price and then offer "discounts" to make people feel good that they got . . . such a great deal!!

 

Below is a little more eye candy from a 2011 cruise on the Solstice and our food in Murano. Realistically, the food is not always perfect in these speciality places, each and every time. Sometimes, as we have experienced, we might not order the best choice. Sometimes, the piece of meat/fish or its prep can be off, etc. Like any dining place there can be slips and misses. If you are not happy, say something and usually they will try to fix and/or offer another option.

 

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 116,098 views for this posting.

 

 

The “Creamy Maine Lobster Bisque” is one of their most popular starter items at Murano. It is far different from what is served on the rest of the Solstice. It involves seven hours prep time for the different items. The broth is poured into your bowl with nice drama . . . and great taste. There are ten different starter options. You can have as many courses of starters as you wish. I had a second starter of Diver Scallop Wellington-Style. The warm goat cheese souffle is also a popular item here. :

 

 

 

Three of us had the Murano Lobster as our main entrees. It is cooked and prepared table-side from lobster tails that are first presented table-side.:

 

 

 

And the Murano Lobster is served!!!:

 

 

 

My wife had this “Potato-Laced French Turbot” at Murano that looked great on its presentation plate. Tasted good, too!:

 

 

 

My dessert choice was “Les VI Etoiles du Murano”. It is six different bite-sized desserts. My wife and I were going to share this one, but she switched for the souffle. I got this whole selection, but, don’t worry, I didn’t and couldn’t eat it all. Very delightful!:

 

[keesar]

Like you we have had wonderful experiences in the earlier speciality restaurants on the M Class ships...Wonderful memories! But we will not be going back to Murano. It is not that kind of experience anymore and I, also, find it too expensive.

 

Murano has become rather pretentious in terms of service. The so-called lobster dish is fun to see prepared but not so much fun to eat. We have found better options.

[NewWestwardbound]

I see mention of discounts when trade is slow. Just to present the other side of the coin, my wife celebrated her birthday on our 11 July Eclipse cruise; Qsine was fully booked for the entire second week and we had to eat very early at Murano to get a table. I saw no discounts at all, and was not offered any (even off lunch at Murano).

[Muushka]

I see mention of discounts when trade is slow. Just to present the other side of the coin, my wife celebrated her birthday on our 11 July Eclipse cruise; Qsine was fully booked for the entire second week and we had to eat very early at Murano to get a table. I saw no discounts at all, and was not offered any (even off lunch at Murano).

 

Same for us on our Christmas/NYE cruise (not 1 discount to be had). No specialty dining for us!:D

[Fish Lover]

I paid $25 for lunch at the Lawn. I could have grilled a better meal. Grilled frozen fish does not make it.

 

As for Murano, I order the so-called lobster just to see the preparation table side. The "lobster" is another story...

 

 

I have to say, I'm a little confused. Since I never saw any of the staff fishing for dinner off the boat, any fish you order has to be frozen. So why would you order that?

[keesar]

I have to say, I'm a little confused. Since I never saw any of the staff fishing for dinner off the boat, any fish you order has to be frozen. So why would you order that?

 

The lunch menu at the Lawn Club was an abbreviated menu which did not offer scallops, shrimp, filet mignon, and a couple of more. I asked for a recommendation and the answer was 'red snapper'. I never had tried that fish. It was dry and generally tasteless. Overcooked. We should have waited and eaten a little later in downtown San Juan.

[BosoxI]

I have to say, I'm a little confused. Since I never saw any of the staff fishing for dinner off the boat, any fish you order has to be frozen. So why would you order that?

 

A bit sarcastic, but true Maybe it was Friday or he's a vegetarian.

Edited August 17, 2015 by BosoxI

[BosoxI]

The lunch menu at the Lawn Club was an abbreviated menu which did not offer scallops, shrimp, filet mignon, and a couple of more. I asked for a recommendation and the answer was 'red snapper'. I never had tried that fish. It was dry and generally tasteless. Overcooked. We should have waited and eaten a little later in downtown San Juan.

 

Or sent it back There's nothing wrong in doing that when an item is not properly cooked. Console yourself with the thought that the meal in San Juan just might have been worse. :D

[gsb]

Bravo....couldn't have said it better myself.

 

Paragraph 2 -- replace 'same for suites' with 'same for balconies'. If we cannot get a balcony for a good price, we are happy enough to be in an inside or oceanview. The post can call it penny pinching if they want -- I would call it living within our means.

 

Ditto! We can definitely afford it, but I won't let myself be a fool. I remember the good old days when the SR's were $20. That was reasonable.

[keesar]

Or sent it back There's nothing wrong in doing that when an item is not properly cooked. Console yourself with the thought that the meal in San Juan just might have been worse. :D

 

The grill was closed and they were cleaning it. The best part of the meal was the salad bar and flatbread pizza. The dessert consisted of warmed canned apples in a pastry shell with a scoop of ice cream on top.

[jasm8449]

On our Silhouette TA last year, on the first night out of Civitavecchia, the SR's were hunting for customers at a 2 for 1 discount. How they did this, though, was just classless and so "un Celebrity like". They had a waiter from one of the SR's at the entrance to the MDR, accosting everyone who were excited to be on board and having their first dinner of the cruise with "You don't want to eat here....the food at Murano, Qsine, Lawn Club, et al. is much better!"

 

If they really felt it was necessary to grab customers from the MDR, they might have set up a table 20 feet from the MDR entrance. But this carnival barker thing was just inappropriate.

 

We did have the 5 dinner package, but not this year. Other than Tuscan and Lawn Club, the rest were disappointing in a way that we have not experienced in all our years on Celebrity. And this year, with the Canadian dollar at 35% we are likely skipping the SR's. We found the nights we ate in the MDR - some breakfasts and lunches too, to be very good and our time there enjoyable.

[keithm]

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.

But nobody doesn't like Sara Lee!

[keithm]

I have to say, I'm a little confused. Since I never saw any of the staff fishing for dinner off the boat, any fish you order has to be frozen. So why would you order that?

Being in the food industry...Most fish is delivered frozen,even in most of the finest rest. in the world. Don't buy the line when they say it's "fresh". In any case if it's properly frozen when caught,you really can't tell the difference.

[keithm]

On our Silhouette TA last year, on the first night out of Civitavecchia, the SR's were hunting for customers at a 2 for 1 discount. How they did this, though, was just classless and so "un Celebrity like". They had a waiter from one of the SR's at the entrance to the MDR, accosting everyone who were excited to be on board and having their first dinner of the cruise with "You don't want to eat here....the food at Murano, Qsine, Lawn Club, et al. is much better!"

 

If they really felt it was necessary to grab customers from the MDR, they might have set up a table 20 feet from the MDR entrance. But this carnival barker thing was just inappropriate.

 

We did have the 5 dinner package, but not this year. Other than Tuscan and Lawn Club, the rest were disappointing in a way that we have not experienced in all our years on Celebrity. And this year, with the Canadian dollar at 35% we are likely skipping the SR's. We found the nights we ate in the MDR - some breakfasts and lunches too, to be very good and our time there enjoyable.

We've seen them outside the MDR on Eclipse,but they were never pushy. Frequently they are downstairs when you come back from excursions. That's when we usually got our discounts. I think on TA's, you're really a "captive" audience, & feel less inclined to offer discounts.