Thread: Do you like the CONCEPT of having Speciality (extra cost) Restaurants on ships?

Tom, Cruise Planner, et al. - Hear, hear!!

I, too, would rather pay a bit more for my cruise fare and have food and service return to the levels of the past.

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Off-topic note: Apologies for disappearing for a bit. I've recently cut my corporate ties and have been quite busy getting my ducks in a row as a free-lancer.

Originally Posted by Diotima

Tom, Cruise Planner, et al. - Hear, hear!!

I, too, would rather pay a bit more for my cruise fare and have food and service return to the levels of the past.

---------------
Off-topic note: Apologies for disappearing for a bit. I've recently cut my corporate ties and have been quite busy getting my ducks in a row as a free-lancer.

Unfortunately folks this isn't going to happen. The days of cruising like the old days is a faded memory of what it used to be. Now it's all about "how to get butts in the seats" of all of these cruise ships. They know that money is made on alcohol and casino action...tours and tips. By the tiime you actually are onboard you have already paid the equivalent of 2 cruises....judge how many drinks people drink on one cruise...I talk with people all the time and their bar bill is staggering..almost twice the amount of the cruise. Food is now cafeteria food...only the better Cruiselines will make dinners that are decent. Most people are not critical of their food and the Cruiselines know it...so they make the food look "pretty" but the fish, beef, pork and meats are dry and you can tell the difference. My wife and I eat at the Specialty Restaurants all the time...for $25 p/p that's a deal...you can't eat at the Sizzler for that cheap.

Originally Posted by Diotima

Tom, Cruise Planner, et al. - Hear, hear!!

I, too, would rather pay a bit more for my cruise fare and have food and service return to the levels of the past.

---------------
Off-topic note: Apologies for disappearing for a bit. I've recently cut my corporate ties and have been quite busy getting my ducks in a row as a free-lancer.

Congrats! Going free lance is a challenge. Good luck at it.

Originally Posted by Cigary

Unfortunately folks this isn't going to happen. The days of cruising like the old days is a faded memory of what it used to be. Now it's all about "how to get butts in the seats" of all of these cruise ships. They know that money is made on alcohol and casino action...tours and tips. By the tiime you actually are onboard you have already paid the equivalent of 2 cruises....judge how many drinks people drink on one cruise...I talk with people all the time and their bar bill is staggering..almost twice the amount of the cruise. Food is now cafeteria food...only the better Cruiselines will make dinners that are decent. Most people are not critical of their food and the Cruiselines know it...so they make the food look "pretty" but the fish, beef, pork and meats are dry and you can tell the difference. My wife and I eat at the Specialty Restaurants all the time...for $25 p/p that's a deal...you can't eat at the Sizzler for that cheap.

I will partially agree with you on this but not totally. You can get great food on the high end lines- but you will pay for it.

I agree about the bar bills. My wife and I are lucky in that neither of us drink alcohol. They will get us, though, on the bottled water and soft drinks.

Celebrity as a mid price line is still not bad when it comes to food. Since it is a signature selling point with them, the food has to be good. Unfortunately, it is not as great as it used to be.

So far, seems more like having Speciality Dining available!

I voted Yes even though the service was bad on our last cruise. Usually it is a special time.

Originally Posted by packercruising

I voted Yes even though the service was bad on our last cruise. Usually it is a special time.

Jeff, which one was it that you had bad service? Your nosey CLF pals want to know!

Cagney's on NCL Star. Usually it is our favorite Specialty Restaurant. Not only was the service bad this time, but the menu was very limited. If you wanted crab legs, you had to go to the Star Bar, then they went over to Cagney's to have it prepared. What kind of sense does that make?

Originally Posted by packercruising

Cagney's on NCL Star. Usually it is our favorite Specialty Restaurant. Not only was the service bad this time, but the menu was very limited. If you wanted crab legs, you had to go to the Star Bar, then they went over to Cagney's to have it prepared. What kind of sense does that make?

That's totally CRAZY! Makes no sense at all to me!

Good News was that when we wanted crab legs we got better service at the Star Bar and didn't have to pay a cover charge. For escargot we had to go to Le Bistro. Escargot also used to be served at Cagney's