Coastal Kitchen vs MDR

[Susan in Maine]

Despite having been on a number of cruises, this is our first time in a JS. (Yay Royal Up!).

 

I'd really like information on the differences between CK and MDR. Why would I be more interested in CK?

 

Thanks everyone

[Txdnadoc]

5 minutes ago, Susan in Maine said:

Despite having been on a number of cruises, this is our first time in a JS. (Yay Royal Up!).

 

I'd really like information on the differences between CK and MDR. Why would I be more interested in CK?

 

Thanks everyone

Honestly, we haven't had the best experiences in CK on our last two cruises (Symphony last Oct and Harmony before that).  Service was mediocre, with slow service, missing items and cold food at times.  The view was very nice, however,  and it was more quiet than the MDR. Also know that JS suites can only go for dinner, and that is if they have availability for JS cruisers that night. Good luck!

[cruisetorelax44]

Better food, better service.  Check with coastal kitchen when you board and see if you can get reservations.  If you're flexible with your times. You usually can get in. 

[Chiliburn]

You are only get coastal kitchen for dinner if there’s availability.

Coastal kitchen I found was a bit more fine dining and a lovely atmosphere.

[bonsai3s]

14 minutes ago, cruisetorelax44 said:

Better food, better service.  Check with coastal kitchen when you board and see if you can get reservations.  If you're flexible with your times. You usually can get in. 

Agree...better food, better service.

[Cigar King]

Since you're in a JS and won't automatically get full access to CK, you might want to try to see the menus from the previous cruise and cherry pick your dates.  I'm not a fan of CK, but I do like the more intimate environment and have to admit that some of their menus are really good.

[Ozark_Kid]

I enjoy ck for breakfast and lunch.   Great food, great service and great view.  

[HicksRA]

CK is more of an upscale experience with better individually prepared meals as compared to the mass produced dishes in the MDR. 

[outtoseacruise]

I usually do CK for lunch and/or dinner and prefer it over the main dining room and specialty restaurants. On Harmony I didn't thing the CK was a good as what it was in the past. On Wonder 2 weeks ago it was great and the service was superior. 

[reallyitsmema]

1 hour ago, Susan in Maine said:

Despite having been on a number of cruises, this is our first time in a JS. (Yay Royal Up!).

 

I'd really like information on the differences between CK and MDR. Why would I be more interested in CK?

 

Thanks everyone

 

With a JS, you have access to CK for dinner only on if there is availability.  Not sure what ship you are sailing, but if it is an Oasis class ship, you might get in once if you are lucky.  We prefer CK on Anthem over the Oasis class ships as it is a more intimate environment and when we sail in a JS instead of a full suite, we have been able to get reservations with no issues.  Food in CK is better that MDR and service is better.

[BirdTravels]

 

Main Dining Room

 

Costal Kitchen

 

 

Main Dining Room vs. Costal Kitchen

 

  

 

Main Dining Room vs. Costal Kitchen

 

 

Main Dining Room vs. Costal Kitchen

 

 

 

 

Coastal Kitchen 

 

 

[Lionesss]

The CK chef took the time to discuss my needs.

 

To make a short story long:

 

 

When I cruise I have to really be careful of my salt intake.

 

A few cruises back my ankles were the 2x the size and I had to wear sandals, because I could not wear my shoes by day 3.

Yup, poor eating habits, fries, pizza, and many more bad choices.

 

When I came home I made an appointment with my doctor and he did two things for me.

He prescribed water pills in case the swelling starts.

But 

He also made an appointment for me to see a dietitian and put me on a strict low salt, no added salt diet.

The ball was in my court.

 

My TA listed this on my RCI profile.

The first day on board, their was a note from the CK chef that he would like to meet with me and go over the menus of CK and any specialty dining we would do.

We met and looking over the menu I saw veal chop......................my favorite.

He told me it was not a good choice with all the seasonings and it was very high in salt. 

Disappointed I said ok.

The night it was on the menu, he personally delivered to me a modified cooked version of the veal chop.

 

I was very pleased to have had the opportunity to meet and make great decisions.

If they would only hide the potato chips on the suite sun deck and the one place that has the roast beef sandwiches, all would be good.

 

We enjoy CK for the personal attention we have always gotten.

 

Enjoy, we do.

 

[cublet]

Hello,

 

CK has better china and cutlery.

The day I went it had the same menu as the MDR the night before. Whether it *looked* better it was difficult to tell as the lighting was so low, but it tasted no better.

Also the waiters were less thorough in clearing/cleaning the tables between guests than in MDR.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[Norwich Cruiser]

Sometimes the view is better than the food.

 

Look at the menu then decide.

[gumshoe958]

Many of the menu options are the same but IMHO the quality is a lot better in CK. Not to mention the ambience (it feels like a restaurant, not a vast banqueting hall).

[Garmy4]

Last time in CK, on Oasis I think, the one immediate difference was no table cloths!  Although it really made no difference, I just found it strange.

[island lady]

10 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

I enjoy ck for breakfast and lunch.   Great food, great service and great view.  

 

Hello there!  Bucky also says "Hi bro"!!  😉  

 

Guessing the OP is not Pinnacle...so breakfast and lunch won't be available to them in a JS...just dinner, and only with reservations made on board.  

 

I agree...having breakfast and lunch in CK is a perk we totally enjoy!  Even more so than dinner. 🙂 

[John&LaLa]

5 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Hello there!  Bucky also says "Hi bro"!!  😉  

 

Guessing the OP is not Pinnacle...so breakfast and lunch won't be available to them in a JS...just dinner, and only with reservations made on board.  

 

I agree...having breakfast and lunch in CK is a perk we totally enjoy!  Even more so than dinner. 🙂 

 

Breakfast is still unavailable on Harmony 😪

[island lady]

Just now, John&LaLa said:

 

Breakfast is still unavailable on Harmony 😪

 

For Pinnies in non suite?   😮  

 

Oh well, liked Chops as well, but not as much as CK.  We are back in OS cabin again for B2B in May.  

 

Here on EX with no CK...we are doing breakfast every day in Chops, which has been very good.   MDR is dinner for us, and have a nice table in the back in a quieter corner next to large window.  Our wait staff team has been wonderful.  First time in many years we are doing early traditional.  Last week we did Chops, Giovanni's, and Izumi (the only specialty restaurants for dinner).   Was OK, but MDR seems to have better menu.  

[orville99]

On our last three cruises we had three completely different experiences in Coastal Kitchen - good, bad, and blah (and good and blah were on consecutive weeks of a B2B). The quality has been so inconsistent post restart that we prefer doing in suite dining from the MDR over what is being served in CK. Food is better prepared, has better taste, is always delivered at the proper temperature, and is always consistent dish  to dish.

 

I honestly believe that the kitchen in CK is in reality just a prep kitchen, and the main course proteins are actually cooked in one of the main galleys and assembled with the appropriate sides in the CK galley. We usually sail in CLS, and always choose the same cabin which happens to be on the same side of the ship as the CK galley, and we have frequently had to dodge the carts coming down the hallway that are delivering a lot of prepped  product to the galley, and have literally have never smelled anything being cooked there - even when the door from the galley to the hallway is opened.

 

 

[poocher]

First experience with CK a couple weeks ago on Harmony.  Completely underwhelmed.  The food was no better than MDR.  Thought the filet was not good. Overcooked, off tasting sauce.  The only really good meal was the last night.  My son & daughter went for sashimi and cauliflower fried rice and loved both.  I found it stuffy & kinda pretentious.  Our waiter was not welcoming at all and most of the staff spent their time fawning over higher level patrons.  I went 2 nights & that was enough.  Would not go out of my way to go again.

[RobInMN]

We were just on Odyssey, and CK is right next to one of the entrances to WJ, so you could look at the CK menu as you walked by. We were in a JS, so we could have tried making dinner reservations, but honestly, looking at the menu (monitor and phone app), we came to the conclusion that while the ambience would have been very nice, the more "upscaled" versions of the food are just not something we are as interested in. And even the pictures of menus and plates @BirdTravels posted, comparing similar MD & CK dishes, I think we'd pick the MD dish every time. Our food tastes are just much more "pedestrian". Wonderland, while fun to look at, would be completely lost on us.

We have a full suite on Allure booked for Fall of '23. Note sure if we'll utilize the CK or not, which would be disappointing, because we loved the views from the old Viking Crown Lounge, and image that now that it's half CK, that it would be really cool to have dinner there.

But that's us.

[SG65CB]

One huge benefit on many ships (but probably not for JS) is the Suite Lounge bar is adjacent to the Coastal Kitchen and your waiter will serve free happy hour drinks all through dinner. Including a shot of Kahlua for your coffee with dessert. 

 

 

[topnole]

My experience is on oasis class only.  The CK is great physical space IMO.  The views are spectacular and the service is often great.  This can obviously vary and I can’t comment since the return after Covid shut downs.  Sounds like the ships have been short staffed in many places impacting services all over.  
 

The food was almost always to our liking.   Absolutely loved breakfast there. Lunch was usually good too, but sometimes I’d prefer a different menu for that.   Dinner was usually very good.  Probably similar to MDR in quality, maybe a bit better.  But I honestly don’t think they serve better cuts of meat, or different vegetables than the MDR.  So quality depends on the chef and cooks.  Overall, we preferred CK over MDR to the point that when in a suite we probably have never stepped foot in the MDR.  If we eat elsewhere, it is somewhere quick for lunch or the WJ for a casual dinner.  We always eat breakfast in the CK unless it needs to be on the go for a tour.  

[topnole]

3 minutes ago, SG65CB said:

One huge benefit on many ships (but probably not for JS) is the Suite Lounge bar is adjacent to the Coastal Kitchen and your waiter will serve free happy hour drinks all through dinner. Including a shot of Kahlua for your coffee with dessert. 

 

 

And with breakfast you can easily order or walk over and grab a specialty coffee. Breakfast is just so much more relaxing and enjoyable in the CK.