Which lines, other than luxury and Oceania, include specialty restaurants?

[clo]

We haven't even sailed on Oceania yet but I'm already looking forward.  Are there any lines, other than the 'luxury' ones, that have no extra charge for (most of) the specialty restaurants.  Also are there many that have open seating - is that what it's called - their MDR?  TIA.

[ldubs]

I don't know but I would think it kind of unusual for a "non-luxury" line to include speciality restnts in the cruise fare.   Of course, if you consider the burger grill or pizza counter a speciality restnt, then absolutely yes!  Haha.  

 

If by open seating you mean go to the dining room when you want, then yes, it is a common option on mainstream (non-luxury) lines.  

 

Enjoy Oceania!  

[SantaFeFan]

1 hour ago, clo said:

We haven't even sailed on Oceania yet but I'm already looking forward.  Are there any lines, other than the 'luxury' ones, that have no extra charge for (most of) the specialty restaurants.  Also are there many that have open seating - is that what it's called - their MDR?  TIA.

 

Well, the "no extra charge" is a bit misleading. When a passenger pays 2x to 4x the cost of mainstream lines, there better be more included in that very expensive fare, including "free" specialty dining. 

[sanger727]

Norwegian Cruise line offers perks with most bookings. One of these perks is free specialty dining. It’s not unlimited, you get a dining package based on the number of nights for the trip. Think 7 nights is a 3 meal package and 10 nights is 4. There’s a list on their website. You do have to pay the gratuity on the package price.

 

celebrity offers free unlimited specialty dining with their high level suite. Would be considerably cheaper to book a balcony room and just pay for dining as you went.

[leaveitallbehind]

With most mass market cruise lines there is an upcharge to dine in the specialty dining venues - hence the name.  With packages on those lines that include it at no separate charge, it is - as others have indicated - based on a premium fare being paid, such as with suites.  Even when it is offered as a perk (such as NCL) there is a price associated with that in the fare. And with the luxury lines that don't have a separate charge it is, again, being paid for in the premium fare for those lines.

 

In other words, you will always be paying for it in some manner, whether it is buried in fare or charged as a separate fee.  To have a specialty venue not charge for their service would basically be a contradiction in terms - it would otherwise be called the MDR.

[ldubs]

Folks, I don't think the OP was asking if there were "free" specialty restnts.  

 

 

[George C]

High end suites on rccl and celebrity includes specialty, drink package etc , also suite restaurant, but they are not cheap, love celebrity suite restaurant luminae. 

[leaveitallbehind]

27 minutes ago, ldubs said:

Folks, I don't think the OP was asking if there were "free" specialty restnts.  

 

 

I agree, but here is what was asked:  "Are there any lines, other than the 'luxury' ones, that have no extra charge for (most of) the specialty restaurants". 

 

That is perhaps a bit misleading, as while nothing is free and in some manner everything will have a cost in the fare, the question of "no extra charge" could be interpreted as "free".

 

Most of the responses (I will include mine) IMO seem to address no extra charge versus being paid for somewhere in the cruise fare, be it as an add on or included in a premium fare.

Edited October 2, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[ldubs]

2 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

I agree, but here is what was asked:  "Are there any lines, other than the 'luxury' ones, that have no extra charge for (most of) the specialty restaurants". 

 

That is perhaps a bit misleading, as while nothing is free and in some manner everything will have a cost in the fare, the question of "no extra charge" could be interpreted as "free".

 

Most of the responses (I will include mine) IMO seem to address no extra charge versus being paid for somewhere in the cruise fare, be it as an add on or included in a premium fare.

 

Purposeful nitpicking, in my opinion.  I think the objective of the question is pretty obvious.  

 

Aw, I promised I wouldn't get caught up in these things, but not doing well today.  Sigh.   

[navybankerteacher]

29 minutes ago, ldubs said:

Folks, I don't think the OP was asking if there were "free" specialty restnts.  

 

 

I think that asking if  “...there are any lines, other than the ‘luxury’ ones, that have no extra charge for (most of) the specialty restaurants.” is PRECISELY asking if there were “free” specialty restaurants.

 

“No extra charge” in the context of a cruise ship where your fare has paid for food means “free”.   

[ldubs]

1 minute ago, navybankerteacher said:

I think that asking if  “...there are any lines, other than the ‘luxury’ ones, that have no extra charge for (most of) the specialty restaurants.” is PRECISELY asking if there were “free” specialty restaurants.

 

“No extra charge” in the context of a cruise ship where your fare has paid for food means “free”.   

 

Well, I'm pretty sure we both know what the OP meant.  I guess it really doesn't matter.  

[leaveitallbehind]

6 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Well, I'm pretty sure we both know what the OP meant.  I guess it really doesn't matter.  

 

I think we all did - in reading back through this thread it seems to me that the responses indicate an understanding that there are no free specialty restaurants, just different ways of handling the cost.

Edited October 2, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[calliopecruiser]

On 10/2/2019 at 12:22 AM, SantaFeFan said:

Well, the "no extra charge" is a bit misleading. When a passenger pays 2x to 4x the cost of mainstream lines, there better be more included in that very expensive fare, including "free" specialty dining. 

Actually "no extra charge" is the right way to say it -- calling it "free" would be what's misleading. 

 

As for your idea that it's 2x - 4x the cost of mainstream lines, that's often incorrect -- especially if you are a solo passenger.

[navybankerteacher]

6 minutes ago, calliopecruiser said:

Actually "no extra charge" is the right way to say it -- calling it "free" would be what's misleading. 

 

...

So when NCL keeps talking about “free specialty restaurants”, “free WiFi”, etc. they are trying to mislead customers - and when those customers keep talking about that “free” stuff, they have been misled?

[sanger727]

Well, if u want to nitpick. Nothing on a cruise is free unless you managed to win a free cruise or got a free cruise through a casino offer. The use of your cabin, use of amenities, use of MDR and buffet, etc are all simply included in your cruise fare. So I think the OP was looking for what lines included more restaurants than the MDR in your cruise fare. And some do under some conditions. It’s just a question of how much of a premium you are paying over a inside guarantee on carnival to get those things included.

[RocketMan275]

The issue becomes the difference between 'free' and 'included'.

 

As a wise man once said: "TANSTAAFL" - There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.

Of course, if more understood the wisdom of that phrase, most politicians would have to get a real job.

[Cruzaholic41]

The hairs you people split on this board are quite amusing at times. 

[calliopecruiser]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

they have been misled?

yes.

[ducklite]

On 10/2/2019 at 12:22 AM, SantaFeFan said:

 

Well, the "no extra charge" is a bit misleading. When a passenger pays 2x to 4x the cost of mainstream lines, there better be more included in that very expensive fare, including "free" specialty dining. 

However much of those things are the intangibles such as higher crew to passenger ratios, more space per passenger,  no lines for pretty much anything, no chair hogs, guest lecturers, higher quality linens and amenities in the bathrooms, etc.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, ducklite said:

However much of those things are the intangibles such as higher crew to passenger ratios, more space per passenger,  no lines for pretty much anything, no chair hogs, guest lecturers, higher quality linens and amenities in the bathrooms, etc.

 

and often more interesting itineraries.

[SantaFeFan]

5 hours ago, ducklite said:

However much of those things are the intangibles such as higher crew to passenger ratios, more space per passenger,  no lines for pretty much anything, no chair hogs, guest lecturers, higher quality linens and amenities in the bathrooms, etc.

 

3 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

and often more interesting itineraries.

 

And since you have to pay much more, I would expect these and other things to be included. The "you get what you pay for" mantra works both ways. You pay little, you get little. You pay a lot, you get a lot. Nothing magical or special about this simple concept. 

Edited October 4, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[Extra Kim]

On 10/3/2019 at 3:27 PM, navybankerteacher said:

So when NCL keeps talking about “free specialty restaurants”, “free WiFi”, etc. they are trying to mislead customers - and when those customers keep talking about that “free” stuff, they have been misled?

Yes. If yo pick a NCL cruise and say no to the "Free at sea", the cruise will be A LOT cheaper. I have only sailed on NCL one time back in 2011, but we found a cruise that would sail from Singapore to Dubai and thought that it would be something different. Started to look at prices and soon found out that the difference between the price with or without the "Free at sea" was between $1500 - 2000. 

[calliopecruiser]

12 hours ago, SantaFeFan said:

Nothing magical or special about this simple concept. 

Except that it's actually employed......that simple concept is simple, but not always true (i.e. not always used).....it's certainly possible to pay more without getting more (retailers or services who take advantage of those who don't know what they're getting), and occasionally it's possible to pay less and get more.

[Floridiana]

On 10/1/2019 at 10:38 PM, clo said:

Are there any lines, other than the 'luxury' ones, that have no extra charge for (most of) the specialty restaurants. 

 

Check Viking Ocean. I think they include their specialty restaurant(s), but I am not 100% sure.

[marco]

Not so sure you'd call it a "specialty" restaurant, but if you sail  "Yacht Club" on MSC, there is a more upscale restaurant only for Yacht club passengers.