Steakhouse Questions

[JMCruising]

Hi!

I have cruised a few times, but this will be the first time experiencing the steakhouse. I have a few quick questions:

 

We are going the first night so I read we get a free bottle of wine. Do they charge the corkage fee for opening it at the dinner?

 

I am assuming Cheers! will work there?

 

Since we won't really see them again, is it accustom to tip them then? I heard the service is great, and we always tip our wait staff extra.

 

Is it like the regular dining room and you can order more than one appetizer if you want?

 

How long is the dinner? We are booked for 6pm.

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

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[springs741]

Hi!

I have cruised a few times, but this will be the first time experiencing the steakhouse. I have a few quick questions:

 

We are going the first night so I read we get a free bottle of wine. Do they charge the corkage fee for opening it at the dinner? Corkage fees are only charged on bottles brought on board. I will suggest you use the buy one at 1/2 price option as the house wines leave much to be desired.

 

I am assuming Cheers! will work there? Yes Cheers works there just like any venue on the ship.

 

Since we won't really see them again, is it accustom to tip them then? I heard the service is great, and we always tip our wait staff extra. TIP. You will get various information regarding tipping in the Steakhouse. Per Carnivals information the tip is included. However, many cruisers report that staff say it isn't. And you will see the Steakhouse staff in other areas of the ship. Usually on the Lido deck in the dessert section.

 

Is it like the regular dining room and you can order more than one appetizer if you want? An extra entrée is $20 additional. As for other items, It will vary from ship to ship. My husband doesn't care for salad and has never been denied two appetizer. I always order two side dishes.

 

How long is the dinner? We are booked for 6pm. Allow 2 hours for your dining experience.

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

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Remember you eat on the Lido, you dine in the Steakhouse.

[salty dingo]

Is the wine bottle you mention received from Carnival, or did you bring it on? If the latter, you may expect a corkage charge for consuming it outside your cabin. Otherwise, no corkage applies.

 

No additional tip is required. You have the same gratuity applied to your account no matter where you dine. If you feel like there was exceptional service, you may tip additional, but it is not expected.

[bury me at sea]

I agree with everything Springs 741 posted above, with one footnote.

 

If you book the first night on a ship sailing from Galveston, Cheers will not yet be in effect. It begins on day two.

 

The steakhouse provides a nice experience. Hope you enjoy.

[jimbo5544]

Is the wine bottle you mention received from Carnival, or did you bring it on? If the latter, you may expect a corkage charge for consuming it outside your cabin. Otherwise, no corkage applies.

 

 

 

No additional tip is required. You have the same gratuity applied to your account no matter where you dine. If you feel like there was exceptional service, you may tip additional, but it is not expected.

 

 

 

Without turning this into a tipping thread, how do you know what is expected? For the record to the Op, we have dined in the steakhouse(s) on Carnival ships over 60 times and the vast majority we saw tip extra (might well be 100%). Of course, you can do as you wish.

 

 

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[Chervil]

We are sailing the Breeze in a few weeks for our anniversary so we booked the Steakhouse on the first night as well.

 

I have seen a couple of posts saying the house wine leaves something to be desired.

Can you expand on that?

Not wine experts by any means, so not very picky.

Also is it a single type of wine or do they have a choice of red/white/etc.?

[bury me at sea]

Without turning this into a tipping thread, how do you know what is expected? For the record to the Op, we have dined in the steakhouse(s) on Carnival ships over 60 times and the vast majority we saw tip extra (might well be 100%). Of course, you can do as you wish.

 

 

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I imagine some of the confusion as to what is expected may come from people who have sailed Carnival for a long time. The blurb on Carnival's website for quite a long while explicitly stated the 35.00 per person charge included a tip.

 

That language disappeared about a year ago.

 

My guess is that old timers, familiar with the Steakhouse, probably added a tip anyway, but knew it was technically included. Since Carnival deleted that statement, it's a reasonable question for newcomers to ask.

 

My next guess is that once they experience the great service provided there, they will leave a commensurate tip.

[jimbo5544]

I imagine some of the confusion as to what is expected may come from people who have sailed Carnival for a long time. The blurb on Carnival's website for quite a long while explicitly stated the 35.00 per person charge included a tip.

 

 

 

That language disappeared about a year ago.

 

 

 

My guess is that old timers, familiar with the Steakhouse, probably added a tip anyway, but knew it was technically included. Since Carnival deleted that statement, it's a reasonable question for newcomers to ask.

 

 

 

My next guess is that once they experience the great service provided there, they will leave a commensurate tip.

 

 

 

I tend to agree, was just trying to make the point.

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

I imagine some of the confusion as to what is expected may come from people who have sailed Carnival for a long time. The blurb on Carnival's website for quite a long while explicitly stated the 35.00 per person charge included a tip.

 

 

 

That language disappeared about a year ago.

 

 

 

My guess is that old timers, familiar with the Steakhouse, probably added a tip anyway, but knew it was technically included. Since Carnival deleted that statement, it's a reasonable question for newcomers to ask.

 

 

 

My next guess is that once they experience the great service provided there, they will leave a commensurate tip.

 

 

 

Some here have trashed the free options.... We found it fine, especially at the price.

 

 

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[teknoge3k]

Someone mentioned 2hrs for dinner in there? We've not been to the steakhouse and will be going to it for the first time come July. We usually eat in the MDR but are going to the steakhouse. If it really takes 2hrs in there, we may have to rethink going. I don't think we've ever stayed in the MDR or any land based restaurant over an hour. 2hrs seems a bit excessive I think. It doesn't take us that long to eat... Now I'm curious.

[coevan]

"Can you expand on that?"

 

 

 

 

They are just not very good, there is a red and a white. These wines are less than $10 in any U.S. liquor store

[HawkIVette]

Someone mentioned 2hrs for dinner in there? We've not been to the steakhouse and will be going to it for the first time come July. We usually eat in the MDR but are going to the steakhouse. If it really takes 2hrs in there, we may have to rethink going. I don't think we've ever stayed in the MDR or any land based restaurant over an hour. 2hrs seems a bit excessive I think. It doesn't take us that long to eat... Now I'm curious.

2 Hrs. is not excessive. Don't rush it. It is more about the expierence and the relaxed atmosphere in the Steakhouse,. They do slow down the service a bit so you feel relaxed and enjoy it, but if you order right away and are ready for each course, you can be out of there in 1 & 1/2.

Don't be discouraged and hope you enjoy the expierence.

[teknoge3k]

2 Hrs. is not excessive. Don't rush it. It is more about the expierence and the relaxed atmosphere in the Steakhouse,. They do slow down the service a bit so you feel relaxed and enjoy it, but if you order right away and are ready for each course, you can be out of there in 1 & 1/2.

Don't be discouraged and hope you enjoy the expierence.

 

Thanks Hawk. I know some people like to sit around dinner and sip drinks and chat and all of that. We're a younger family and that's just not for us. We like to go in a restaurant, get our food, eat, and get out and go do something else. None of us like to just sit around. When we go to Outback or Longhorn or somewhere like that to eat dinner (which we do a LOT, too much in fact) from the time we are seated until the time we pay our check and leave is usually an hour or less. Maybe an hour and 15 minutes on a super busy night. It's good to know that we can be out in an hour and a half in the steakhouse. I'm really looking forward to it. It will be our first cruise WITHOUT the kids. Going for our anniversary. :hearteyes:

[BookDragon]

They are just not very good, there is a red and a white. These wines are less than $10 in any U.S. liquor store

 

I am hardly a wine expert, but growing up near Napa, I've learned that A) There are some great wines under $10...most of the wine I drink is around $10. B.) Drink what you like irregardless of cost, C) Pairings don't work for me. With that in mind, I plan to ask for a tasting of their house wine & if I don't care for it or if a tasting isn't possible, I'll just purchase a different wine for 50 % off.

[silversneakers]

We booked the first night on the Sunshine and took the free bottle of wine which was a Chilean red wine. My husband is not a wine drinker but he enjoyed it.

We are sailing the Breeze in a few weeks for our anniversary so we booked the Steakhouse on the first night as well.

 

I have seen a couple of posts saying the house wine leaves something to be desired.

Can you expand on that?

Not wine experts by any means, so not very picky.

Also is it a single type of wine or do they have a choice of red/white/etc.?

[jimbo5544]

"Can you expand on that?"

 

 

 

 

They are just not very good, there is a red and a white. These wines are less than $10 in any U.S. liquor store

 

 

 

Not sure what you want to expand on. They are free and I would agree it would cost 10 bucks land side which you are not. Just like I can buy a beer for 7 bucks that would cost 2 "in land". If you do not like the free ones, take 50% off of a "good" wine and tell them to bill me.

 

 

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[JMCruising]

Thanks for all the replies! I am excited to try the steakhouse.

[jimbo5544]

Thanks for all the replies! I am excited to try the steakhouse.

 

 

 

Enjoy your time there and let us know your thoughts when you return. We think it the best steakhouse at sea.

 

 

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[AmBear]

Hi!

I have cruised a few times, but this will be the first time experiencing the steakhouse. I have a few quick questions:

 

We are going the first night so I read we get a free bottle of wine. Do they charge the corkage fee for opening it at the dinner?

 

I am assuming Cheers! will work there?

 

Since we won't really see them again, is it accustom to tip them then? I heard the service is great, and we always tip our wait staff extra.

 

Is it like the regular dining room and you can order more than one appetizer if you want?

 

How long is the dinner? We are booked for 6pm.

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

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W love the Steakhouse! The NY Sirloin for me, the wife loves the Rib Eye! And the Cheese Cake is not only good, but huge!:p

[Pops, Esq.]

We are sailing the Breeze in a few weeks for our anniversary so we booked the Steakhouse on the first night as well.

 

I have seen a couple of posts saying the house wine leaves something to be desired.

Can you expand on that?

Not wine experts by any means, so not very picky.

Also is it a single type of wine or do they have a choice of red/white/etc.?

The wine is Santa Carolina, a Chilean wine. The red is a merlot and the white is, I believe, a chardonnay. They are comparable to many $8-10 bottles you will find in stores. Some have found the quality lacking, while some are just fine with it. Pretty much the reviews you would expect from a wine in that price range.

[JMCruising]

Enjoy your time there and let us know your thoughts when you return. We think it the best steakhouse at sea.

 

 

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Sure will! 90 days

 

 

 

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[Alaskan Joe]

I would listen to what Springs741 had to say, those answers are pretty good. As for the tipping like they said it is subjective. As for my DW and I, we tip if they deserve it. In fact, one of our cruises (I believe it was RCCL's Chops steak house) our waiter was "freak'n Awesome" so good we tipped him $20 for his service. When we told his superiors about our experience they were not surprised in fact they told me they get nothing but raved reviews on him. However, in the end its up to the person(s) dining experience because all waiters are not like the one we had on RCCL.

[ProgRockCruiser]

The wine is Santa Carolina, a Chilean wine. The red is a merlot and the white is, I believe, a chardonnay. They are comparable to many $8-10 bottles you will find in stores. Some have found the quality lacking, while some are just fine with it. Pretty much the reviews you would expect from a wine in that price range.

To expand from my personal experience about these wines:

 

They are good casual wines. If you don't drink a lot of wine there is a good chance you will find them quite acceptable.

 

I find with drinking wines like these (Santa Carolina) that if I drink similar wines consistently, I am OK with the apparent "quality". But if I happen to have a much nicer wine recently (say, as the first wine of the night) then these cheaper ones might be found lacking.

 

Since I can get them easily at home, I would be trying a more expensive one anyway, with the 50% discount. And with Cheers!, the other good/better wines by the glass look to be quite satisfactory.

[pratzert]

The wine is Santa Carolina, a Chilean wine. The red is a merlot and the white is, I believe, a chardonnay. They are comparable to many $8-10 bottles you will find in stores. Some have found the quality lacking, while some are just fine with it. Pretty much the reviews you would expect from a wine in that price range.

 

We ate at the Steakhouse the first night of the cruise to take advantage of the "free" bottle of wine.

 

We asked our waitress which one she recommended, white or red, and she said very coldly and with a stone face "Neither!". Alrightythen......

 

We got the red and we thought it was fine......

[famof4togo]

Someone mentioned 2hrs for dinner in there? We've not been to the steakhouse and will be going to it for the first time come July. We usually eat in the MDR but are going to the steakhouse. If it really takes 2hrs in there, we may have to rethink going. I don't think we've ever stayed in the MDR or any land based restaurant over an hour. 2hrs seems a bit excessive I think. It doesn't take us that long to eat... Now I'm curious.

 

Don't consider the chef's table then...I hear that takes like 4 hrs lol