Which has better specialtiy dining: RCI or Celebrity?

[vespertino]

DH is considering going on his first cruise with me and I'm a bit torn between Celebrity and RCI. We don't plan on eating at the MDR at all and plan to have every meal at a specialty dining venue.

 

I've only cruised once on RCI but didn't try the specialty dining. However, on Celebrity I did and I have fond memories of Normandy and Ocean Liners but that was many years ago and I don't know if it's realistic for me to expect the same experience.

 

All cruise lines have been adding a lot of specialty dining options, and I was wondering how RCI's specialty dining compared to Celebrity's. Has anyone here dined at both RCI and X's specialty restaurants and have some opinions on the food quality?

[OCruisers]

We've done the specialty restaurants on both X & RCCL.

While X is always great, RCCL "ain't too shabby" :D

[BecciBoo]

We love the food in the MDR on X don't know how you can skip eating there, but to each his own.

 

My new favorite restaurant is on RCCL, Sabor's (high end Mexican) The Tiger shrimp dish is to die for and top it off with the dessert sampler that is absolutely divine, yes! If you're talking Oasis class ships RCCL is a cut above IMHO. You can't beat Park 150 in Central Park on the Oasis class ships, unless you put it up against Murano's, equally good.;)

 

I do think RCCL's steak house has gone downhill, but it's honestly a toss up. For the Wow factor, I think I'd take someone to RCCL Oasis, Allure or Harmony. JMHO.

 

We can't wait to get on board Solstice in 30 days and tackle Tuscany's filet!

[iancal]

In our experience....Celebrity.

 

But it is really down to personal preferences and the specific cruise that one happens to be on. Food can vary greatly from one sailing to another on the same ship/same cruise line.

[Husky61]

I think food is too subjective to receive an accurate answer.:)

[vespertino]

We love the food in the MDR on X don't know how you can skip eating there, but to each his own.

 

My new favorite restaurant is on RCCL, Sabor's (high end Mexican) The Tiger shrimp dish is to die for and top it off with the dessert sampler that is absolutely divine, yes! If you're talking Oasis class ships RCCL is a cut above IMHO. You can't beat Park 150 in Central Park on the Oasis class ships, unless you put it up against Murano's, equally good.;)

 

I do think RCCL's steak house has gone downhill, but it's honestly a toss up. For the Wow factor, I think I'd take someone to RCCL Oasis, Allure or Harmony. JMHO.

 

We can't wait to get on board Solstice in 30 days and tackle Tuscany's filet!

 

I liked the MDR on X, but I was so impressed with Normandy and Ocean Liners I enjoyed the food more and felt it was well worth the extra splurge. I'm also a fan of afternoon tea, and the champagne afternoon tea on the Ocean Liners was in my top 3 (The mandarin in LV has first place). Also, DH and I really prefer to dine alone on this cruise, we want some peaceful romantic time for the two of us, not to mention we're introverted and don't like being forced to socialize. We''re more than willing to pay the upcharge for specialty dining provided the quality is better.

 

I'd like to hear more about your experiences with the steakhouses in RRCL (and X if they have it). We really love top-quality dry aged steaks and have dined at some great places on land (Craftsteak, Prime, Del Friscos's Double Eagle, Peter Lugers, etc.. ), we were wondering how the steakhouse restaurants on X and RCCL compare, I've noticed some restaurants on the ships are offering dry aged steaks (for additional charge) and am glad to see it but I'm curious about their quality.

 

It's good to know that RCCL is stepping it up with their newer/larger ships. I read some reviews that have me a bit worried about consistency. DH and I don't have much time to vacation together, so we'd like to minimize the risk of having a mixed or so-so food experience.

Edited July 31, 2016 by vespertino

[vespertino]

In our experience....Celebrity.

 

But it is really down to personal preferences and the specific cruise that one happens to be on. Food can vary greatly from one sailing to another on the same ship/same cruise line.

 

I can offer some info on what we tend to like/don't like, if it would help with the feedback on which line might be a better match for us. We love almost everything, lived in NYC for decades and have an adventurous and experienced palate. We prefer quality over quantity, and can be a bit picky. We're not fans of Italian because it's difficult to find authentic Italian restaurants, and we're not big pasta eaters to being with. I have a pet peeve for fusion done poorly, and not a fan of "Americanized" renditions of international dishes. Our top five cuisines would be: Japanese, French, Korean, New American and Thai.

[Jeremiah On a Cruise]

On the Celebrity Millennium class ships, the specialty dinning was actually somewhat lacking for me. The food was very good, but there were only two options - and my favorite option is on the way out (Olympic). Both were good and reasonably priced, but I also wouldn't want to limit my eating to them for a 10 day cruise.

 

The Solstice class has more options, but I haven't been on them yet.

 

With that said, I have had amazing dinning experiences when staying in Aqua Class. This class (think mini-suite) has its own smaller dinning room called Blu. I found the food, service, and atmosphere of Blu to rival the specialty dinning options. After a couple nights, we were actually preferring Blu to the specialty options. Staying in Aqua Class is a bit of a spend, but if you can afford it, it may be worth the cost.

 

As a general statement, Celebrity probably has better food than RCL. But, when you limit the question to specialty dinning, the race becomes a bit tighter.

 

Just my take.

[chemmo]

DH is considering going on his first cruise with me and I'm a bit torn between Celebrity and RCI. We don't plan on eating at the MDR at all and plan to have every meal at a specialty dining venue.

 

I've only cruised once on RCI but didn't try the specialty dining. However, on Celebrity I did and I have fond memories of Normandy and Ocean Liners but that was many years ago and I don't know if it's realistic for me to expect the same experience.

 

All cruise lines have been adding a lot of specialty dining options, and I was wondering how RCI's specialty dining compared to Celebrity's. Has anyone here dined at both RCI and X's specialty restaurants and have some opinions on the food quality?

 

Firstly, you do not say which RC and X ships you are considering and it does make a difference. We did enjoy the Allure specialities (although one of our worst general cruise experiences) but have found other RC venues such as Chops just OK. On Celebrity we do love the S class options (not exactly the same on every ship). As the M class slowly phase out the 'liners' restaurants in my mind that is a reduction in choice....

 

Can I suggest you look at the cost of Celebrity Suites? If you go for an entry SS you will get access to Luminae, the suite restaurant and Michael's Club. Upgrade to a RS or PH and you have unlimited speciality dining included also. If you are planning on not using the MDR this may make suite costs more affordable.

 

i suggest you look for some reviews of Luminae, many posted with pictures, to see if it may suit you (available M and S class). If not check exactly which RC and X ships you are comparing....

[BecciBoo]

You will not find the cut of steak you prefer at Chops with RCCL.

 

But the dining experience at Park 150 is right up your alley. This is on Oasis Class.

 

I agree with Chemmo, the food in the MDR is better on X but RCCL can compete on specialty venues on its larger ships.

 

And I think the idea of spending more for a suite and Luminae is a great idea.

 

For us, we'll probably sail RCCL simply because we are almost to the next member tier and for us the 2 lines are a toss up these days. And an RCCL ship is right down the road in Galveston so driving to it is a big factor.

 

My suggestion, pick either and do a second sailing soon, to compare:D Why not sample both!

Edited July 31, 2016 by BecciBoo

[bookitdanno]

The "Ocean Liner" restaurants (Normandie, Olympic, Ile de France and United States) are no more on Celebrity. They have been replaced with the grill.

Edited July 31, 2016 by bookitdanno

[Miaminice]

DH is considering going on his first cruise with me and I'm a bit torn between Celebrity and RCI. We don't plan on eating at the MDR at all and plan to have every meal at a specialty dining venue.

 

Why don´t you book Aqua Class then? It comes with the perk of being able to eat at Aqua Class` own restaurant Blu. Blu is what got us hooked on AQ.

Much quieter, more intimate and way more relaxed. IMHO the food is also better... so it is like eating at a specialty restaurant each night which is included.

[Bobal]

If you are sailing on Oasis or Quantum Class ships I would say Royal Caribbean has better speciality dining than any Celebrity ships. If on S class I would say Celebrity is better than RC ships - other than OA or Q class.

 

It would help if you could mention which ships you are considering.

[Pavovsky]

Are there not other deciding factors than speciality dining? General ship ambience? The number of kids on board etc?

[pinkrosesdeb]

We found we prefer the food on Royal both in the MDR and specialty venue(we did Tuscan grill). That being said we would not hesitate to pick Celebrity again. It was an amazing cruise.

[vespertino]

Firstly, you do not say which RC and X ships you are considering and it does make a difference. We did enjoy the Allure specialities (although one of our worst general cruise experiences) but have found other RC venues such as Chops just OK. On Celebrity we do love the S class options (not exactly the same on every ship). As the M class slowly phase out the 'liners' restaurants in my mind that is a reduction in choice....

 

Can I suggest you look at the cost of Celebrity Suites? If you go for an entry SS you will get access to Luminae, the suite restaurant and Michael's Club. Upgrade to a RS or PH and you have unlimited speciality dining included also. If you are planning on not using the MDR this may make suite costs more affordable.

 

i suggest you look for some reviews of Luminae, many posted with pictures, to see if it may suit you (available M and S class). If not check exactly which RC and X ships you are comparing....

 

We're looking at Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises, so for X that would be the ships out of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale (Silhouette, Reflection, Eclipse, Equinox, Summit). As for RCCL/RCI there's more ports ships to choose from, too many to list here. It's relatively easy for us to fly to any port in Florida, Galveston is closest but not the most direct. We'd consider other cruises in Europe and Alaska if we weren't so limited for time.

 

Thank you for suggesting the suites, and I think someone else mentioned the aqua class also, I hadn't thought of those. I will check it out.

[vespertino]

Are there not other deciding factors than speciality dining? General ship ambience? The number of kids on board etc?

 

We'd prefer to be around fewer kids, not that all are bad, but the few ill behaved ones are like nails on a chalkboard to an overworked couple with sparse vacation time looking for relaxation. I know RCCL has more families and young children, but with all the kids activities on board I also realize both do a reasonably good job separating the kids into play areas where they can be kids and not interrupt the other passengers.

 

We don't like to subathe or swim in pools, though I do like to snorkel. I'm more of a spa person and pale as a sheet (10 minutes in the sun and I burn).

[Bobal]

I would consider an Oasis class ship in a suite. The suite experience on those ships is something very special. You have your own lounge area and own restaurant (which is very nice, if a bit limited on menu). The dedicated sun deck (with plenty of shade) is a lovely spot. Choose a time when schools are not on a break, although the OA ships, more than any others, have a way of keeping the kids well out of the way as there are so many activities and dedicated areas for them.

 

For fine dining try 150 Central Park and Chef's Table. As fans of Japanese food you will probably like Izumi and Sabor (Mexican) is a great casual restaurant.

[vespertino]

I would consider an Oasis class ship in a suite. The suite experience on those ships is something very special. You have your own lounge area and own restaurant (which is very nice, if a bit limited on menu). The dedicated sun deck (with plenty of shade) is a lovely spot. Choose a time when schools are not on a break, although the OA ships, more than any others, have a way of keeping the kids well out of the way as there are so many activities and dedicated areas for them.

 

For fine dining try 150 Central Park and Chef's Table. As fans of Japanese food you will probably like Izumi and Sabor (Mexican) is a great casual restaurant.

 

Thank you for the info on the Oasis suits.

 

I've seen a lot of very poor reviews for Chef's Table and Izumi that have me a bit concerned, and while some of that may have been ship inconsistency that's not something I'd like to risk if I can avoid it. I'm also trying to find more reviews for Sushi on 5 (on X). Accommodations being great on both lines if we go with a suite or similar, it's the quality of the specialty restaurants that would tip scale for us, even in the face of limited choice. The reviews for 150 Central seemed a bit better and more consistently positive.

[chemmo]

Just one last comment re service....whilst we thoroughly enjoyed 150 Central Park food wise we have found service consistently better in Murano's on the S class X ships. Chatting to the M'D on Solstice and mentioning that I loved 'Steak Diane' the Murano's staff offered to cook it for us final night of cruise - superb!

 

We struggled on our last RC cruise to get additional/alternative vegetables in chops and we were staying in the RS and on our second visit....

 

We may have been lucky/unlucky and others may respond with different experiences but as speciality 'regulars' it is the service to us that is as important as the food - another point to consider.

[Lois R]

Chiming in here.....I am going on Royal in October (Serenade of the Seas)

to New England with my sister and we decided to book the 5 night

Package to the Specialty Restaurants. I am sure we will have enjoyable

meals.:) I am guessing we will eat in the main dining room for the 2

other nights.

We have both eaten in many of the Specialty Restaurants on X so I suppose

human nature will be doing a comparison;)

[drarill]

We're looking at Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises, so for X that would be the ships out of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale (Silhouette, Reflection, Eclipse, Equinox, Summit). As for RCCL/RCI there's more ports ships to choose from, too many to list here. It's relatively easy for us to fly to any port in Florida, Galveston is closest but not the most direct. We'd consider other cruises in Europe and Alaska if we weren't so limited for time.

 

Thank you for suggesting the suites, and I think someone else mentioned the aqua class also, I hadn't thought of those. I will check it out.

The Luminae experience for suite guests is amazing!!! so much that we didn't need to go to many specialty restaurants on our last cruise.

From previous cruises, we love Murano and always have a good time with the kids in Q-Sine. Not a big fan of the Tuscan Grille although most CC members think is fantastic. We also really liked the Lawn Grille.

Booking a suite gives you so many options.. Luminae, Blu, MDR (you can ask for anything from the MDR menu in Luminae) and specialty restaurants. We cruised with a big group in June and were offered 40% discounts to go to the specialty restaurants. Our suite package also included the Premium Beverage package that IMHO is much better than Royals, pre-paid gratuities and unlimited internet.

:):)

[funship freddy]

Just off Allure in April. Our favorite would be Celebrity. The Lawn Club Grill is our favorite. I vote Celebrity Reflection (or Silhouette / Equinox. :D:D

[hcat]

I can offer some info on what we tend to like/don't like, if it would help with the feedback on which line might be a better match for us. We love almost everything, lived in NYC for decades and have an adventurous and experienced palate. We prefer quality over quantity, and can be a bit picky. We're not fans of Italian because it's difficult to find authentic Italian restaurants, and we're not big pasta eaters to being with. I have a pet peeve for fusion done poorly, and not a fan of "Americanized" renditions of international dishes. Our top five cuisines would be: Japanese, French, Korean, New American and Thai.

 

Doubt you will find much of your specified favs on either line,.Royal has Izumi and X now has sushi on 5..

 

On Oasis we enjoyed Giovannis (family style...good food) and Chops, until our Chops waiter tried to hawk a cookbook and wind aerator., we were all dressed up for a family birthday party and he did it just before the cake came out....very tacky.

 

Overall food quality, service and ambiance is better on X in our experience. We enjoy BLU and the specialties...not yet tried the new Tuscan menu,

[Bobal]

OP. Just a thought. Not sure if you have asked this question on the RC board but you will almost certainly get answers on this board which tend to be biased towards Celebrity.