Does everybody eat only specialty

[Suzieanna]

I have noticed hardly anybody goes to MDR ... or if they do they don't post about it. What's the story?

[jints07]

I have noticed hardly anybody goes to MDR ... or if they do they don't post about it. What's the story?

 

Up until my last cruise I found the service and food quality much better in the specialty restaurants, so that may be a factor for some. That said, on my last cruise we ate in the main dining room and had very prompt service and good food quality so perhaps they are making improvements all around now.

[Blocks]

I have noticed hardly anybody goes to MDR ... or if they do they don't post about it. What's the story?

 

We have done both, one cruise on Jade we did all speciality only ate in MDR for lunch, last one on the Escape we did all MDR and buffet except for one lunch at Food Republic.

 

I thought the food in the MDR on Escape was very good, I had no complaints. I like steak and just about every night in the MDR they had some kind of steak dish.

[Orleanscruiser]

I have noticed hardly anybody goes to MDR ... or if they do they don't post about it. What's the story?

 

That's probably due to the udp in the past and now sdp promo (perk) currently on

[NCLfamily]

On a 7 night cruise I would say we eat 3 Speciality and 4 complimentary. Maybe reverse that, but never more than 4.

 

 

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[hladygirl]

The specialty restaurants are very nice and food delicious. The main dining rooms are also nice and the food is good. The last cruise we had 6 out of 7 nights in specialty restaurants due to the dining perk and 2 nights free for being platinum. It really was too many nights in specialty. We found ourselves wanting more main dining room and O'sheehans time. Our next 7 night cruise we are sticking with our two free platinum dinners. Our next 14 night cruise we are sticking with 4 night perk and 2 free platinum dinners. That will be plenty. With new alacarte pricing we can drop in and get creme brûlée for desert later in the evening for about $5.

[old sole]

Just ended 10 days on the Jade with UDP a few days ago. 10 nights, 10 specialty restaurant meals.

 

Nothing against MDR, we've had pleasant meals there in the past, but the full blown UDP gave us a chance to have multiple visits to the specialties and have menu choices we would have otherwise passed up for our "favorites".

[BLACKBURNROVERS]

I have noticed hardly anybody goes to MDR ... or if they do they don't post about it. What's the story?

 

On the Pearl, Jade and Epic, we have used the MDR's or the buffet for every meal. Never felt the need to try the speciality restaurants, as the food on these three ships has been excellent

[sanger727]

Was on the jade last week and had the 4 SDP as a promo. Think people talk more about specialty dining because a. More people are using it due to the promo and b. There are options to choose so people debate the menus and which ones to eat at; as opposed to MDR only eaters, MDR is the only choice.

 

On a 10 night cruise we did 4 specialty dining, 5 nights in the MDR and 1 night at jasmine gardens (a non MDR complimentary option). We consistently enjoyed all the soups/starters/apps in the MDR. Out of 5 nights I really enjoyed my entree 2 times, it was just ok 2 times, and I really didn't like it one time. Of the 4 specialties, 3 were exceptional and better than the MDR, and 1 was worse. My advice on the MDR is to order more than you think you need so if you don't like something, no big deal. I'm sure I could have sent back the entrees I didn't like, but we were always headed to a show afterwards and usually stopped by the buffet afterwards for a snack if I was still hungry; no big deal.

 

Food is so subjective it's hard to tell. The entree I really didn't like was the turkey sausage lasagna, it was barely edible to me. My BF ordered it the same night and loved it, my stepmother got it a different night and loved it too. The specialty I hated was cagney's which everyone else in my party seemed to like and generally seems considered one of the best specialties. So what I send back for tasting bad could be your best meal of the trip and vice versa.

 

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Edited January 28, 2017 by sanger727

[Nola26]

I have noticed hardly anybody goes to MDR ... or if they do they don't post about it. What's the story?

 

I have never eaten in a Specialty and have posted about MDRs and read posts about MDRs. My guess is the Specialty entries just jump off the screen for you.

[BirdTravels]

I have noticed hardly anybody goes to MDR ... or if they do they don't post about it. What's the story?

 

90% of the meals are served in a complimentary restaurant.

 

We have done cruises with all meals in a complimentary restaurant. Now that we're platinum, at least two free specialty meals per cruise.

[FredZiffle]

We used to eat a meal or two in the specialty restaurants when they first started and were priced at $10 - $15. Now, I figure why pay as much or more than I would for a meal out at home when I've got a free meal waiting for me in the MDR.

[NLH Arizona]

I only eat in the specialty restaurants. I believe they have better food, much better service and the atmosphere is much nicer in the specialty restaurants versus the MDR.

[cruise pup]

I only dine in the specialty restaurants when it's comped by Latitudes. Otherwise, I'm interested the mdr and I've had no issues with food or service. Just didn't like that people with reservations still had to wait in the line to check in with the others.

[cage keeper]

I only dine in the specialty restaurants when it's comped by Latitudes. Otherwise, I'm interested the mdr and I've had no issues with food or service. Just didn't like that people with reservations still had to wait in the line to check in with the others.

 

I agree. Wouldn't it be nice to have two lines? One for reservations and one for walk ups?

[SquishTheWhale]

I would happily eat only in the MDR. We're only eating in the specialities next cruise because of the SDP perk. Eating every night in a speciality seems over the top unless you have the old UDP, but I guess some people have a lot of money to burn.

Edited January 28, 2017 by SquishTheWhale

[luddite]

Does everybody eat only specialty?

 

No.

[Warm Breezes]

Our first NCL cruise on the Jewel we ate at the Mexican (now Moderno) and Italian restaurants...they were both included at that time. Our second NCL cruise on the Epic we at the Cirque show. More for the show than the Specialty Meal. On our third NCL cruise on the Jewel again we ate at Moderno for our 25th anniversary meal and we won a free meal at La Cucina from the past guest party. Our fourth NCL cruise is coming up on the Escape. We picked the 4 SDP as a promo. We have no problems with the MDR but won't turn down the package if it is offered.

[luvtheships]

I have noticed hardly anybody goes to MDR ... or if they do they don't post about it. What's the story?

 

 

Hardly anybody uses the mdr?

 

Now that's funny

 

 

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[Taishartrueblood]

We are going to have 5 specialty (including Illuminations) and 2 MDR

[Valen9]

I have noticed hardly anybody goes to MDR ... or if they do they don't post about it. What's the story?

 

I think they just don't talk about it. I rarely eat specialty unless I have the SDP and I think the food is great. I prefer the smaller MDR, and when I'm feeling particularly indecisive, the buffet at dinnertime is quiet and has interesting offerings.

[lanceholt]

We eat at specialty restaurants with our Platinum benefit and if we have a UDP for free. Otherwise we have never gone hungry on a cruise, MDRs are good esp if you go to dinner a little early. We had the UDP bennie on our recent 14 day repo on the Dawn, used it 6 out of 14 days.

[Suzieanna]

Yeah... Looking at my original post, it is worded badly! What I meant was .... How come people don't seem to write about MDR?

 

 

I would have chosen a dining package as a perk, but my husband wanted the Internet. There are a million photos of specialty food, but I havent seen many of savor or taste etc....

[sanger727]

Yeah... Looking at my original post, it is worded badly! What I meant was .... How come people don't seem to write about MDR?

 

 

 

 

 

I would have chosen a dining package as a perk, but my husband wanted the Internet. There are a million photos of specialty food, but I havent seen many of savor or taste etc....

 

 

Again, think it just comes back to the fact that with the MDR the menu changes daily and there's no decision to make to eat there so it's harder and there's less to discuss. I'm not big in taking pictures of food, but I did take some pics of the MDR menu on the days we ate there to show my BF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[sanger727]

 

 

 

So, gives you an idea. But a different sailing on a different ship may have a different set of menus, so it makes it hard to talk about how great a certain entree or app is when only some people had it as a choice.

 

I will mention though that I'm not a chocolate cake person at all, but the chocolate lava cake was awesome!!

 

 

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Edited January 29, 2017 by sanger727