Have any of you eaten in the Specialty Restaurant for the Entire Cruise?

[cruzin4us]

I've heard so many "rave" reviews about the Specialty Restaurants, I was thinking of booking all/most of our dinners in the restaurant. I figure the extra charge for the extra service & better meals would be worth it. I'm not much for all the "hoopla" that goes with the main dining room....I enjoy a quiet meal and want to be spoiled rotten.........Am I off base here?

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

[shipperx]

I would do it. I hear the more often you go the better they treat you.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Interesting idea. Sort of making it into a QE2/QM2 Grill Room concept.

 

Keep in mind that the menu in the specialty retaurant will be the same for the enitre cruise, limiting your choices (although they are all excellent!). I cannot remember if there were any "off" menu items offered as special items. If you plan on doing this perhaps the M'aitre'd will coordinate something special with the chef to liven things up a bit for you.....

 

Have you sailed Celebrity before? I find there to be less "hoopla" in the main dining room (maybe two times per cruise - 1st and last formal nights). Other nights it was business as usual and the food was generally a significant notch above what others offer in the main dining venue, and better than some specialty restaurants I've encountered on Princess and NCL.

[Iamboatman]

I try to eat there on multiple occassions during each cruise. It definitely is a way to upscale your cruise and have a quieter dining experience. While it may be a bit much for every day (too rich, too formal after the beach), what you will find is that you will be offered some things "off the menu" so that you will not tire of the menu.

[Xcruzr]

While the printed menu stays the same through out the cruise, they do offer "off the menu" items for repeat diners. Some of the best food we had in the specialty resturants are not listed on the official menu. On top of that, everyone in the restuarant remembers you and the attention seems to ramp up the more you go. While in the Med. we dined in the Specialty resturant 2 times a week for a total of 8 times and they always had new items for us to choose from.

[flagger]

We did it twice our last cruise and NEVER again. There were some things that happened rather did not happen on our second visit that are unacceptable for a "5-star dining experience".

[caviargal]

I've heard so many "rave" reviews about the Specialty Restaurants, I was thinking of booking all/most of our dinners in the restaurant. I figure the extra charge for the extra service & better meals would be worth it. I'm not much for all the "hoopla" that goes with the main dining room....I enjoy a quiet meal and want to be spoiled rotten.........Am I off base here?

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

 

 

I did just that on a HAL cruise last month and it was wonderful! They treated us like family, the food and service was great and the setting was quiet and intimate, no kids, no noise.

 

It made the cruise!

[Lois R]

But part of my crusie experience is eating with my tablemates

in the main dining room. And I have no desire to spend an extra

210.00.

My meals in the main dining room have always been great. Of course

it is not as elegant as the Specialty Restaurant. It is a totally

different atmoshpere and I have done it once on Summit and

once on Constellation. I enjoyed both immensley but have no desire

to eat there for 7 nights.

And I bring up the monetary part because (I can only speak

for myself) I see no point in spending that kind of extra $ when

the dining room is just fine for me.

Call me a simple gal.

[naked]

OP: My best advice is to dine there the very first night of your cruise. You will have to book your table after you board the ship.

 

A magical thing happens on the first night: The dining room is almost empty! As a result, the over the top service is even better than when every table is in use.

[idssms]

On a 14 day cruise I normally eat 3 times in the Specialty Restaurant and thats more then enough.

 

The food there is so rich its actually not in my best interest to there too often. I find myself over loaded and too stuffed and its not the quantity, its the richness of every course.

 

The service is impeccable with 2 or more waiters per table and the cheese man and the harpist and the asst Maitre d's. Its a great experience well worth the extra fare of $30 pp.

 

In addition, esp if you want to have another memorable time there, I d recommend a $20 tip to the waiter and $20 to the Maitre d. They bend over backwards to ensure a fabulous time.

 

When I took the Millie in Nov 05 and stepped on the Ship the first person to greet me by first and last name (remembering me from May 05) was Stan, the Maitre D from the Olympic. I was most impressed. The times we ate there in November were even more special and you may get a special invite after hours for a treat which I will leave it at that.

 

Don

 

ps. some advise: after a feast in the Olympic, eat lunch the next day at the Acqua Spa and get a low fat meal to equalize the chlosterol,, then you'll feel less guilty!!!

[catmand]

I guess it was because we were on a 14 day........nope, now that I think of it while on a 12 day as well, the specialty room was never very crowded the times we ate there? Maybe things do get a little more crowded on the shorter cruises, I just think night 1 would be a little chaotic?

While we have enjoyed our specialty visits, if we went there more than a couple of times a cruise it wouldn't be "special."

Ya, we talked about how we could get "used to this" and eat here for the entire cruise but really, we would miss the main room, nothing shabby there. You can always have a nice quiet relaxed dinner on your balcony...............or even go up to the casual alternative.....of course the service and selections are much different.....it's not bad.

[gracecarmo]

Do you leave a cash tip on the table, or can you add the tip to your account?

We dined in both specialty restaurants on the Infinity and Summit, and can't remember how we added a tip, or if we even did this! (DH takes care of it)

I know that we left $5.00 on the table up in the alternative.

If the charge in the specialty restaurant is $60 total, a tip of 12.50 would be the norm...or am I too cheap?

[catmand]

As the COST is SUPPOSED to cover the tip in the specialty I think whatever is given above and beyond is graciously accepted. I handed the Maitre d a 10, he seemed pleased.......of course the other three couples at our table gave him something as well!

[cruiselover20]

The speciality restaurant was a sheer delight. We would have eaten there more than twice, but we had such a nice group of tablemates, that we enjoyed their company.

 

We did the wine with dinner, and that came to a total of $57.50 per person. It was so far superior to the dining room, that was worth every penny. It has been a year since we have been on X, but have to say the food quality, IMHO, has really gone down hill.

 

The Normandie on the Summit was a treat, and would recommend everyone enjoy really fine dining.

[cruzin4us]

I'm coming to the conclusion........slowly :p I will probably like the Specialty Dining Room........as for the cost, I would prefer to NOT spend any additional money, but I want to be pampered.....cost or pampered........hmmmm.....I will probably cough up the dough.....that's why I'm on a cruise....lol

I've eaten in the main dining room on numerous cruises, but I always feel rushed. We usually eat in the 2nd seating, which helps, but there is still that "rushed" feeling.

I like the idea of eating in the Aqua Spa for lunch or breakfast and then splurging for dinner.

The cost for 2 of us (without tips) comes to $660 for a total of 10 nights. When I look at what I spend on a nice dinner at home, we usually end up spending $125-$150 and the meals aren't "Fabulous", and the service is usually just "good"

My bar bill is usually the worst nightmare.....maybe I'll just have to resort to smuggling wine ;)

[gracecarmo]

OK, re the tip in the specialty: you gave it to the Maiter'd, not the waiters?

Is this the practice most people use?

I think we will try the specialty twice, the alternative restauant twice, then the rest at the main dining room. We will be on the Connie transatlantic in Sept.

Any comments on the specialty restaurant on the Connie?

We just like a change of pace.

[cruisePRN]

Do you leave a cash tip on the table, or can you add the tip to your account?

We dined in both specialty restaurants on the Infinity and Summit, and can't remember how we added a tip, or if we even did this! (DH takes care of it)

I know that we left $5.00 on the table up in the alternative.

If the charge in the specialty restaurant is $60 total, a tip of 12.50 would be the norm...or am I too cheap?

 

The $60 is the tip no more is expected unless of course you want to.

[Lois R]

To the OP, I see I am the only one who even mentioned the

$ part of the scenerio. Oh well, different strokes for different folks.

I sail solo and always feel pampered whenever I sail Celebrity.

 

The funny thing is, I always have late seating too and maybe

it has been my luck with good tablemates but I have never felt

rushed. The only night I know they would like us out sooner would

be when there is a Grand Buffet but even then my waiters in the

past have never made me feel rushed. Many times I am at one of the

very last tables to leave...closing down the dining room!

 

Enjoy your meals...wherever you choose to eat.

[naked]

There is no doubt that the food is far better in the SR than in the MD. It's a greater difference today than it was 4 years ago.

 

If you order a steak---a filet from each kitchen you will notice the difference. The same in true for the ceasar salad.

 

In fact, the lobster bisque is stirred for 7 hours at low heat while the sauce is reduced. That level of detail can't occur in the main dining room.

 

As for enjoying your table mates---3 couples from our MD table joined us for our second meal on the SR on our last cruise.

[naked]

You can add it to your tab when you sign for the the $60 charge. the tips are pooled and shared but if you are going to leave cash, had it to your waiter or M'D as you leave.

[thomasale]

what about wine is that handled by a sommelier or the waiter?

[idssms]

When you give cash to any employee on the ship it doesnt get shared. You do it very discretely and it will not be pooled.

 

Face it,, everyone that works does so for a wage and to feed families so anything extra is much appreciated. No one has ever turned down a tip of mine on any cruise ship or restaurant or hotel.

 

I expect good/excellent service but "Outstanding" service should be rewarded.

 

Most of the $30 pp goes to pay for the food but a portion of that does get pooled so the waiter really doesnt get much of it personally.

 

Last time we went to Mortons and had a lobster and fillet and wine we spent over $200 and tipped $45. The Olympic is always better then Ruth Chris or Mortons so why not tip the same?? Thats my opinion of course.

 

Don

 

the biggest misnomer is the $3.50 pp tip a day given to the waiters. That number has been around for at least 10 years.. Imagine going to a full course meal with table clothes at a fancy restaurant, having a 5 course meal probably costing $120 and leaving a $6.00 tip. If you break down the $3.50 per day plus the bus boy of $2.00 for 3 meals, you are tipping $6.00 total for 2 for dinner,,,,,,, its really demeaning to the workers. The cruiseline needs to update that outdated tipping guideline form.

[flagger]

Have you read the article about what cruiseship employees really make?

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/features/articles.cfm?ID=261

[m steve]

We booked a specialty restaurant on Celebrity for the first night and when we went to main DR the next night our table was reassigned. I was really pi----!

HAL doesn't do that and X shouldn't either. The table assigned, especially if you want dining for 2, should not be given away!

As for dining in spec. DRs tmore than once on a cruise it would be tiresome and you can miss some excellent food in the DR. Also the attention in the smaller DR can become oppressive. How many times do you need to be asked if everything is allright, especiallly before you have a chance to taste your food? It was so cloying one night on the Connie that I had to go to the maitre D' and request he call off the dogs so we could try to enjoy the meal. I really prefer the main DR where we get to know our wait staff and they know our likes and dislikes. What I really would like to find is a DR that serves good rolls each night and varies them. I dine in fine restaurants frequently on land and these ship board places don't stack up. It's not the Queens Grill on Cunard and if they want to be special, surf and turf ain't it.

[excitedofharpenden]

I guess I would be one of those that try the Speciality Restaurant once or twice over and above the normal main dining room food. It's nice to get a sense of a treat, but I'm not sure I would want to do it every day. It would interfere with the table mates I would hope to bond with during the cruise aside from the gluttony that would be involved:)

 

It's interesting that this thread has attracted two very different ends of the spectrum ie flagger and idssms. Neither are wrong, but both are very different and have absolutely no bearing on what I would do.

 

Phil