Speciality dining

[Slyfox16]

We are on an 11 day cruise in October. The price for 3 night speciality dinning is $71. If you are supposed to get a 20% discount because of your Voyager's level, how do you know if that price includes the discount?

[AtSeaWithChris]

16 minutes ago, Slyfox16 said:

We are on an 11 day cruise in October. The price for 3 night speciality dinning is $71. If you are supposed to get a 20% discount because of your Voyager's level, how do you know if that price includes the discount?

It’s at 20% off of pre cruise. It’s at regular price once onboard and then you get your % off of that price. 

[Slyfox16]

Thanks, guess that is reasonable, but that is not how the agent explained it to me.

[JamieLogical]

Worth noting, if you are unaware, if you use the dining package in Teppenyaki, it's a $10 upcharge. If you use it in the a la carte restaurants like Butchers Cut and Ocean Cay, there is a set tastings menu that you have to choose your dishes off of. You can substitute dishes from the regular a la carte menu at a 50% with your package.

Edited April 14, 2023 by JamieLogical

[ksmcdonald]

5 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

Worth noting, if you are unaware, if you use the dining package in Teppenyaki, it's a $10 upcharge. If you use it in the a la carte restaurants like Butchers Cut and Ocean Cay, there is a set tastings menu that you have to choose your dishes off of. You can substitute dishes from the regular a la carte menu at a 50% with your package.

 

I feel like the set menus to order off is terrible. Nowhere does it say on the website that there are limitations on what you order. They should have an * disclaimer somewhere with before purchasing a package. The seafood restaurant doesn’t even have a shell fish on the limited menu you can order without paying extra!  Very deceiving of MSC.  Then to say you can only visit the Steakhouse once (they do tell you that before purchasing) then the one visit you can’t order a ribeye or a t-bone is not right.  We sail next week but might just ask for a refund of the 3 specialty dining package. 

[Mark_T]

9 minutes ago, ksmcdonald said:

Then to say you can only visit the Steakhouse once (they do tell you that before purchasing) then the one visit you can’t order a ribeye or a t-bone is not right. 

You can order one of the regular items on the menu in place of one of the included items for 50% of the item price...

 

The price of the packages is low enough that this seems like a fair compromise to me...

Edited April 14, 2023 by Mark_T

[JamieLogical]

21 minutes ago, ksmcdonald said:

 

I feel like the set menus to order off is terrible. Nowhere does it say on the website that there are limitations on what you order. They should have an * disclaimer somewhere with before purchasing a package. The seafood restaurant doesn’t even have a shell fish on the limited menu you can order without paying extra!  Very deceiving of MSC.  Then to say you can only visit the Steakhouse once (they do tell you that before purchasing) then the one visit you can’t order a ribeye or a t-bone is not right.  We sail next week but might just ask for a refund of the 3 specialty dining package. 

 

I guess do the math and see if it would save you money to have the package. At least with that you get 50% off a substitution if you want to the ribeye or t-bone. Full price for those is pretty steep.

[ksmcdonald]

18 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

You can order one of the regular items on the menu in place of one of the included items for 50% of the item price...

 

The price of the packages is low enough that this seems like a fair compromise to me...

But my complaint is they should disclose all those details when buying the package.  Never once was anything mentioned about 50% off menu prices or a limited menu. 
 

 

[ksmcdonald]

7 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I guess do the math and see if it would save you money to have the package. At least with that you get 50% off a substitution if you want to the ribeye or t-bone. Full price for those is pretty steep.

I guess $71 divided by three specialty dinners is $23.66 per restaurant. A ribeye that cost $68, with me getting 50% off would be $34 (plus the $23.66 I already paid for the package) so it would cost me $57-$58 for ribeye. I guess I would be saving $10. 
 

 

[JamieLogical]

3 hours ago, ksmcdonald said:

I guess $71 divided by three specialty dinners is $23.66 per restaurant. A ribeye that cost $68, with me getting 50% off would be $34 (plus the $23.66 I already paid for the package) so it would cost me $57-$58 for ribeye. I guess I would be saving $10. 
 

 

 

Plus you would be getting an appetizer and dessert. So definitely cheaper than doing a la carte and having to pay for both of those as well.

[Mark_T]

14 hours ago, ksmcdonald said:

But my complaint is they should disclose all those details when buying the package.  Never once was anything mentioned about 50% off menu prices or a limited menu. 
 

 

It was clearly set out in the offer of the 'Duo' package that we purchased recently...

 

 

... and as already pointed out, your math is off, as you are saving much more than $10 by the time you add in the cost of the appetizer, desert and a side that you get with the package.

 

Compared to prices on some other cruise lines, these deals are very good... I really don't see how anyone could have a reasonable expectation that they were purchasing unlimited menu choices at less than $25 for a 3 course meal...

[ksmcdonald]

4 hours ago, Mark_T said:

It was clearly set out in the offer of the 'Duo' package that we purchased recently...

 

 

... and as already pointed out, your math is off, as you are saving much more than $10 by the time you add in the cost of the appetizer, desert and a side that you get with the package.

 

Compared to prices on some other cruise lines, these deals are very good... I really don't see how anyone could have a reasonable expectation that they were purchasing unlimited menu choices at less than $25 for a 3 course meal...

this is what the 3 dinner package said:

 

Choose three deliciously different flavour profiles between our Speciality Restaurants: 

• Butcher’s Cut Steakhouse
• Hola! Tacos Bar & Cantina
• Kaito Sushi Bar
• Ocean Cay Seafood Restaurant
• Kaito Teppanyaki

This flexible package is valid in every one of our Speciality Restaurants (lunch and/or dinner). A €10 surcharge per meal is applied to the Teppanyaki experience only (paid on board). The package includes food only and is valid for a maximum of 1 time in the Butcher's Cut.

Complete the experience by purchasing a Carousel Productions at Sea show and cocktail for only €5 once on board!

 

 

 

You are right, I was very surprised by the $71 for three specialty dining meals.  I thought “what a deal”!   I should have known that price was too good to be true.  I just feel the sirloin is going to be close to what I can get in the MDR. No shellfish choices for the seafood restaurant, salmon, squid or pasta?  Oh well, we will make the best of it.  I just think they could have been a little more upfront with their advertising.  

[ksmcdonald]

14 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Plus you would be getting an appetizer and dessert. So definitely cheaper than doing a la carte and having to pay for both of those as well.

true, I didn’t think about the apps and desert, although those are limited to their choices instead of the “real” menu. 
 

Hope you enjoyed your cruise. I loved following along with your review. We leave a week from today from Brooklyn.

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

Just a tip on Specialty Restaurant packages. One might want to wait to purchase specialty restaurant packages until one reads the 'limited' menu one is confined to. Also in the Daily Planner on our cruise Day 3, "special lunch discount of 20% for a la carte menu at Butcher's Cut, Ocean Cay, Kaito Sushi and Kaito Teppanyaki. Day 4 Food Tasting Tour tasting all specialty restaurants, complimentary, accompanied with a glass of sparkling wine. (All in attendance entered in a drawing for 20% off on their a la carte reservation including a bottle of wine.) Also Day 4 Sushi "all you can eat" $33 +15% service charge lunch and dinner. Day 5 Ocean Cay "Surf and Surf" , choice of appetizer, main course of broiled lobster tail with shrimps and dessert, $60 +15% service charge. Or 20% off dinner from a la carte Ocean Cay menu + 15% service charge. Day 6, "Amigo Night Special Deal", a special dinner discount of 30% for a la carte menu in ALL Specialty Restaurants +15 % service charge. Day 7, repeat of "All you can eat" sushi (same as above). Also, "Brunch in Butcher's Cut" $12 (no mention of service charge).

[JamieLogical]

1 hour ago, ksmcdonald said:

true, I didn’t think about the apps and desert, although those are limited to their choices instead of the “real” menu. 
 

Hope you enjoyed your cruise. I loved following along with your review. We leave a week from today from Brooklyn.

 

 

 

See you then! I am on that sailing as well.

[Best Cat Mom]

2 hours ago, ksmcdonald said:

true, I didn’t think about the apps and desert

We always have appetizers, salads and entrees -- no desert. Still 3 courses, just 3 different courses. 🙂

[buckeyefrank]

Does anyone have the current cost for the butcher's cut restaurant onboard?  I can't pre-purchase only the steakhouse.  I can purchase a 2 meal plan that includes butcher's cut and sea pavilion... I don't see a Sea Pavilion on Seaside...  I only see Ocean Cay and Pan Fusion...I would like to see the menus to know whether I want to purchase it ahead of time.  Can anyone assist me?  TIA.

[JamieLogical]

14 hours ago, buckeyefrank said:

Does anyone have the current cost for the butcher's cut restaurant onboard?  I can't pre-purchase only the steakhouse.  I can purchase a 2 meal plan that includes butcher's cut and sea pavilion... I don't see a Sea Pavilion on Seaside...  I only see Ocean Cay and Pan Fusion...I would like to see the menus to know whether I want to purchase it ahead of time.  Can anyone assist me?  TIA.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2023 by JamieLogical

[Morgsmom]

On 4/15/2023 at 11:17 AM, ksmcdonald said:

You are right, I was very surprised by the $71 for three specialty dining meals.  I thought “what a deal”!   I should have known that price was too good to be true.  I just feel the sirloin is going to be close to what I can get in the MDR. No shellfish choices for the seafood restaurant, salmon, squid or pasta?  Oh well, we will make the best of it.  I just think they could have been a little more upfront with their advertising.  

In Butcher's Cut you can get a Filet (which is quite delicious) and far superior to the steak in the MDR, IMO.  For the prices they are charging for the package it might not have been reasonable to think that you could order a T-Bone or Tomahawk.  The cruiseline wouldn't even recoup their food cost 🤷‍♀️

[Hunter2]

We just bought three specialty restaurants for 2 and it was $210

[papafred]

Does anyone know when the Specialty restaurants begin dinner service?  Trying to coordinate shows and dining times. 

[Mark_T]

On Divina last week it was 6pm, other ships and cruises may vary of course...

 

They do sometimes open for brunch on sea days as well.

[Mark_T]

On 4/14/2023 at 9:27 PM, JamieLogical said:

At least with that you get 50% off a substitution if you want to the ribeye or t-bone.

This may be another one with variations between ships, but last week on Divina we were told that the Tomahawk & T-Bone were excluded from the 50% substitution rule. No surprise on the Tomahawk obviously...