Steakhouse with kids?

[MermaidMommy03]

Hello cruise experts!!

 My husband and 3 kids (12,9,5) will be on the Breeze this June. I made reservations  for the steakhouse on our first night. Now I am doubting if it’s worth it..

A. When I made the reservations I thought I would pay kids price for all 2 kids. But my oldest turns 12 the day of embarkation. 

B. My middle son has a feeding tube and can barley eat. (Not that it makes a difference it’s only $12) 

C. I have the email confirmation but the only time they had was 6:30 and I am worried the kids will miss the ice breaker at the kids club. 

D. I am reading more and more that there aren’t many children at the steakhouse.  

Does anyone have experience with children in the steakhouse? I really don’t want to go alone with my husband we are big on family dinners while on vacation. We are so busy with work and after school activities that we rarely have family.dinners. My kids love MDR dinners while on cruises. The want to go every night over the buffet but I have also never offered them to eat at the kids club.

Suggestions? Opinions?  

[cruisecraze96]

Kids will only pay kids price if they eat off the kids menu.  We went one year and my niece was a very tiny 12 year old then and ordered off the kids menu and they only charged us for that meal and not full price, but we were informed that if they ordered off the full menu no matter the age they will pay full price.

 

For us, my now 9 year old prefers to go to the kids club  when we go to the steak house since she likes having dinner with the family but 2 hour dinners are more than she likes to handle.  Most other nights she goes to the MDR with us and loves the Italian restaurant.  But the kids club does do dinners for them and can do allergies, etc for the kids.  

 

The only ice breaker is for the teen program that starts around 7:30 normally, if your 12. year old wants to do that then he/she can always leave dinner early to head over there before dinner is over.  The Welcome aboard show is later in the evening that first night and then there usually is not any type of ice breaker for the younger kids normally since they will do tours way before that when you first board the ship.  

 

Hope you guys have fun, when you get on the ship you can always head over to the Steak House and see if they can move you to around 5:30 or 6pm so you can eat a little earlier.  They have always been pretty helpful and nice on our past cruises.

[darwinsrule]

You have the best sense of what they can handle. If it is going to be stressful then don't do it, you are on vacation and the stress isn't worth it.  Make sure you get the family time in however, nothing is more important. 

 

We did the steak house on Legend in August '17 when the girls were 13 and 9, but have done similar venues on NCL dating back to when the youngest was 4.  We did early (like once it openned) on Legend, so it wasn't crowded on the first night, food however was mixed, some good, some blah.  Frankly the 9 year old seems to enjoy her filet more than anyone else.  Looking ahead to this summer we are thinking Italian, little more relaxed, little more fun.

[coevan]

5 is a little young for a long quiet dinner, IMHO

[Jerseygirl1416]

Our dinner at the Steakhouse barely took an hour on the Breeze. I was a huge fan of the Steakhouse on the Pride but not so much on the Breeze. I thought the food was better at Cucina and the service and atmosphere about the same as the Steakhouse. You may want to consider trying Cucina since the price is much better.

[simplelife]

If you want to enjoy a family dinner, why reserve an adult venue that will cost more and that, by your admission, is not what your kids most enjoy? 

 

[SNJCruisers]

47 minutes ago, simplelife said:

If you want to enjoy a family dinner, why reserve an adult venue that will cost more and that, by your admission, is not what your kids most enjoy? 

 

Could not agree more.  Take the family to Cucina del Capitano.  Make a reservation for later in the cruise at the Steakhouse for just you and your DH.  See how the kids react and if they can handle eating at the kids club with new found friends, then you can have a romantic dinner with your DH, otherwise you can just cancel your reservation I believe 24 hours ahead of time and not get charged.

[MermaidMommy03]

6 hours ago, simplelife said:

If you want to enjoy a family dinner, why reserve an adult venue that will cost more and that, by your admission, is not what your kids most enjoy? 

 

I didn’t mean for it to sound like the kids won’t enjoy it. I mentioned the MDR because there are kids that like to eat in restaurant vs the buffets. The like the family dinners I just have never done the steakhouse. The reason we originally decided was because my oldest loves steak and they like eating in the restaurants. But now am second guessing myself. 

I don’t think they would enjoy Cucina because my husband and oldest don’t like Italian 🙈 food! 

 

[bury me at sea]

You can order steaks from the steakhouse in the MDR for an upcharge of around 20.00.

[Cruisefriends]

They do offer steak at the MDR room also. Just letting you know the option.  

[MermaidMommy03]

3 minutes ago, Cruisefriends said:

They do offer steak at the MDR room also. Just letting you know the option.  

Thank you! We may do this 

[schazzy]

12 minutes ago, bury me at sea said:

You can order steaks from the steakhouse in the MDR for an upcharge of around 20.00.

 

I second this and some may disagree, but IMO they are good, but then again I also like the flat iron steak, so YMMV.

[coevan]

10 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

you can just cancel your reservation I believe 24 hours ahead of time and not get charged.

 

 

If you don't show up there is no charge. The Steakhouse is billed like a land restaurant. You don't get a bill until your done. 

[CH5220]

1 hour ago, coevan said:

 

 

If you don't show up there is no charge. The Steakhouse is billed like a land restaurant. You don't get a bill until your done. 

 

This is correct, but just FYI in case they're thinking about doing that for other reservations, I do believe that the hibachi place does charge $25 if you cancel within 24 hours. But I'm pretty sure that is the only one.

 

[mapman_2004]

6 hours ago, MermaidMommy03 said:

 

I don’t think they would enjoy Cucina because my husband and oldest don’t like Italian 🙈 food! 

 

 

Who doesn't LOVE Italian food?

[MermaidMommy03]

5 minutes ago, mapman_2004 said:

 

Who doesn't LOVE Italian food?

Oh I know!! Only those two! My son and I will be trying the Cucina though. He can’t eat much (G-tube) But Italian is something he can have Ann’s loves 

[Jerseygirl1416]

38 minutes ago, MermaidMommy03 said:

Oh I know!! Only those two! My son and I will be trying the Cucina though. He can’t eat much (G-tube) But Italian is something he can have Ann’s loves 

You should really search for a menu from Cucina de Capitano because they have other foods besides spaghetti or traditional Italian American foods. If I remember right I think they have a steak entre as well as fish options.

[SNJCruisers]

14 minutes ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

You should really search for a menu from Cucina de Capitano because they have other foods besides spaghetti or traditional Italian American foods. If I remember right I think they have a steak entre as well as fish options.

There is a Tomahawk Pork Chop at Cucina del Capitano that isn't Italian and it's delicious.  We had an app, entree and dessert each and we split a side and a pasta.  Lots of food and we didn't finish.  Great value at 15.00.

[moondog73]

Don't let people sway your opinion.  The last two times at the Steakhouse on the Sunshine, my brother's now 5,  7, and 10 yr old were much better behaved than tables of loud obnoxious adults that were there.  The steakhouse is good, don't get me wrong but it is not anything close to the best steak houses here locally (Jeff Ruby's, Mortons, or Eddie Merlot's).  To us the steak house is just a bit fancier Texas Roadhouse or Outback.  My wife and I would skip it but my brother and parents seem to like it.

Edited February 26, 2019 by moondog73

[coevan]

Carnival's Steakhouse is far superior to either of those mediocre chain restaurants, much closer to Morton's or Ruths Chris. Not only the food but the entire dining experience including their outstanding service, soups and appetizers.

[moondog73]

Well I have yet to have a decent steak at the steak house yet I NEVER leave those "medicore" chains dissatisfied.  Steak house tries to be upscale but I have found them to be several steps below...food wise anyway.

[ALSPAUGHDOLL]

We are taking our boys 11 and 13 to the steakhouse.  When I 1st made the reservation I did it for just my husband and I.  I then realized it was the night of Easter so I ended up changing our reservations to include the boys.  We are all foodies and my boys love a good steak dinner.  I figured it was worth it to have them with us.  We also don’t want to be without them for the same reasons you mentioned.  We spend so much time working, running them around for sports. We want to spend our time with them while they still think we are cool! If your kids will enjoy the time with you and you can afford it I say do it’s. You and your husband deserve a great meal too! 

[bigdog1958]

On ‎2‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 12:54 AM, simplelife said:

If you want to enjoy a family dinner, why reserve an adult venue that will cost more and that, by your admission, is not what your kids most enjoy? 

 

Why does carnival have a kids menu, if its an adult venue?  Does not make sense for them to have a kids menu if

the venue is adult only. 

[schazzy]

13 hours ago, moondog73 said:

Well I have yet to have a decent steak at the steak house yet I NEVER leave those "medicore" chains dissatisfied.

 

Same here, we've had several meals at Texas Roadhouse that left us much more satisfied than our Carnival steak house experience. I always have gotten a perfectly cooked med rare steak at TR, Carnival's steakhouse couldn't after two tries and it's still the biggest disappointment I have ever had dining-wise on a Carnival ship. It's one thing if the MDR gives me a flat iron steak that's not great, but when you are charging me $35 for an "upgraded" experience, I expect better.  

[SNJCruisers]

19 minutes ago, bigdog1958 said:

Why does carnival have a kids menu, if its an adult venue?  Does not make sense for them to have a kids menu if

the venue is adult only. 

That's the problem.  It's not adults only.  Kids will be there.  They used to have a policy of kids arriving at 700 at the latest.  Don't know if this is still in effect or not.  Well behaved children is one thing, misbehaving rug rats and crying babies is another.