Has anyone found the specialty restaurants to be too much food?

[gardencat]

Flagger
I did wonder when I saw your avatar if you had a personal connection with the breed. I always admired them as intelligent all-around hunting dogs. (Good looking too in my opinion.)

Can anyone tell me how long their dinner in the speciality restaurant took? Is it sort of a whole evening affair?

[cruising with marti]

Gardencat

It all depends on whether You havea before dinner cocktail, wine with dinner, desert and and a after dinner Port and coffee.

if all of the above is correct, figure 2 and a half hours.


Phil

galaxy trans Atlantic
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mercury
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[gardencat]

Oh my gosh [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]
Now you have my tongue hanging out:
Pre dinner cocktail. wine, dessert, coffee and port !!!!
With all that on my mind ,how will I get through till October.
I want to cruise NOW !!

[WeBeCruisin']

Flagger, thank you for pointing out that it's $30 per person, as opposed to $30 total. I hadn't realized that, but then neither had I felt the need to seek out the information. When I'm paying a hefty price for a 10-14 day cruise, I just can't add the frustration of nit-picking every little expense and tip. I'm there to enjoy myself, and relax. Life is too short to be constantly trying to play all the angles to shave a few dollars off the cost of a vacation. It would seem that all that worry and concern would ruin the trip for most people. If an additional $15 each is going to make or break your vacation and influence the decision on whether or not to enjoy a sumptuous meal with outstanding service, then perhaps another type of vacation might be preferable for you. If I recall correctly, this is your first cruise, yet you have posted almost 1000 messages worrying and fretting about this cost and that expense and whether everything will be perfect and up to your exalted standards. Just go with the flow and relax and try to enjoy yourself without stressing out over all the small stuff. How can you ever just let go and enjoy life, if you're constantly stressing and complaining about things? This post is not intended to be unkind. It just upsets me to see such negativity and constant carping. My wife and I are about to take our 10th cruise, and we have posted just over a 100 times in the three or four years we've been part of these boards.... perhaps that's because we've never had a bad cruise experience and allow ourselves to enjoy every minute of our cruise. This is not to denigrate those who post frequently. There is a network of very active people here who enjoy each other's company and camaraderie and add much information and interest to the boards. It is the constant complaining which perturbs me.

[mecb50]

To add my two cents worth to the original answer. The serving sizes are not large. They are enough to feel full but not stuffed ( for me) . As for if it was worth it... We are going on the Summit in April and we will go to the specialty restaurant again just to have the chocolate souflee. In my opinion, it is worth every cent ( for the tip) that you pay in the Normandie. It makes sense that there is a surcharge in this restaurant since these waiters work every day but are not tipped at the end of the cruise. There is also a surcharge if you eat in the "alternative" dining area for the same reason. I would pay 30 dollars just to have the souflee without any waiters ...I thought it was that great...But you have to eat at the specialty rest. to have the chocolate souflee. Mary

[img]http://home.comcast.net/~mebunker/images/whale.gif[/img]


SUMMIT 4/05
HORIZON 3/04
SUMMIT 9/03

[janjay]

I think if you have the opportunity to dine at a 5 star in your hometown, etc. You won't be as impressed. However, in little ol Roseburg, Or that is not the case. We absolutely loved the evening we spent in the Normandie. It was incredible. The food, service, atmosphere not to be matched. Is it too much food? Only if you eat more than you want. I don't believe there is a "clean plate" policy like my mom used to enforce. heee.

[flagger]

This query was not about the cost of the meal, but not wanting to spend an additional fee only to waste a huge amount of food. I do want to address a couple of things you said however.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by WeBeCruisin':
If an additional $15 each is going to make or break your vacation and influence the decision on whether or not to enjoy a sumptuous meal with outstanding service, then perhaps another type of vacation might be preferable for you.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Again it is $30 each person, but frankly this sort of statement is completely uncalled for. Who is anyone to tell another how they should or should not spend their money? Why should anyone presume to know what someone can and cannot afford? Some people are paying for their entire vacation in cash and want to make sure they have accounted for everything on their budget and not a penny more. I am not just aiming this response at you, because quite often you will see someone post "If you cannot afford X, then just stay home..." Such statements are rude and uncalled for.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>If I recall correctly, this is your first cruise, yet you have posted almost 1000 messages worrying and fretting about this cost and that expense and whether everything will be perfect and up to your exalted standards. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually my posts have been on a variety of subjects not just cost, but excursions, spas, etc. I am very talkative in person, so having a large post count means nothing. But yes, for someone is about to pay more for a vacation than their first car, they do want everything to be perfect. I do sweat the small stuff when it comes to an outlay of such funds.

[satchiesmom]

Flagger,
I completely understand how you could post so many times. I was so curious about everything before we went on our first cruise (which BTW, has been our only cruise so far). Although I don't always agree with your position on things, you have a perfect right to state your opinion and ask questions. I think you will have a wonderful time on your cruise and will be well prepared for any financial snags that may come up. Plus you will be traveling with a young child, which brings up a lot more issues. If we were on your cruise, we would watch the little one while you enjoyed your meal in the specialty restaurant. We are doting grandparents and are pretty good at spoiling kids! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

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until Century 1/22/05<BR

[flagger]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by satchiesmom:
Plus you will be traveling with a young child, which brings up a lot more issues. If we were on your cruise, we would watch the little one while you enjoyed your meal in the specialty restaurant. We are doting grandparents and are pretty good at spoiling kids! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for the offer. We have pretty much a game plan for those sea days we will get and we will each give us time off to do what the other wants. There are lots of hints about traveling with a toddler and keeping her occupied during the day.

We must be pretty excited since we booked our second cruise not long after booking our first and have yet to take one.

[BB5953]

Flagger - You have every right to ask whatever questions you want or give any opinions you want! Varying opinions is what makes this board as good as it is. It is unfortunate that people feel the need to post rude comments like that but please don't let that discourage you from posting your questions.

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[WeBeCruisin']

I've dealt with this more fully in Rauda's "X" vs "Y" thread, but I need to point out that I was NOT being critical of frugality or of people asking questions. My wife and I always choose an inside cabin as our first option and do most of our shopping at places like Walmart, Target, and Kohl's. I am retired and on social security and my wife works very hard to pay for our occasional cruises.

My point was that constant whining and complaining about the nickel and dime aspects of an expensive cruise was very depressing and seemed to indicate a negative personality that would find a way to hate the cruise, regardless of what might transpire. I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds constant negativity and complaining and whining to be itself "rude" and offensive. I wasn't intending to be hurtful, and I so stated in my post. I was asking Flagger to lighten up and try to let himself enjoy the cruise without obsessing over all the"small stuff" and to give us a break as far as his depressing negativity was concerned.

Allen

[WeBeCruisin']

And, in fairness, I have a right to have an opinion, also.

[BB5953]

You most certainly do have a right to your opinions and I wouldn't want anyone to say something to you that might discourage you from expressing those opinions. That is all I meant -Happy cruising to all!

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[bremmerh]

If you have eaten in the specialty restaurant could you tell me what you have ordered and if you would order it again. Trying to decide on whether or not to go or not. I printed out the menu for one of the restaurants but did not see the Chateaubriand list was that a special of the night?

[hdawson]

The goat cheese souffle and the chocolate souffle are fantastic. But of course so was everything else.

[CruiseForever]

On our last cruise, we ate in Ocean Liners twice on the Constellation. It was indeed worth the $25 surcharge. The whole experience was better than eating in th main dinning room. The smaller room, the greater attention to detail, the Polish string trio that was playing, but the best was the food. It was greatly superior to the main dining room. My wife had a whole sea bream(fish, usually available in France)wrapped in creapes and then baked in a complete puff pastry. The second night, she had Mediterrean sea bass. Both were wonderful, and beyond anything ever available in the main dining room. I had steak diane and rack of lamb, not very original, but wonderful.

The grand manier(sp) and chocolate souffles were fabulous. It's not a room for everyone, if you arn't used to fine dining, but anyone saying it is not worth it, is way off base. IMHO

 

Ron