Cruise Lines Offer More Specialty
Dining Options for the Ultimate Epicurean Experience at Sea
If you are taking a cruise in 2012
and beyond, look forward to more choices and greater variety when it comes to
dining, say the experts at Cruise Compete. The cruise lines have responded to
consumer demand for an ever-expanding selection of specialty restaurants.
These restaurants offer more than
the typical cruise line fare. They are headed by some of the world’s top chefs
– many of whom have trained at famed culinary institutions like Cordon Bleu and
Relais & Chateaux – and they provide a true epicurean experience.
The exclusive nature of these venues
means that they usually require a reservation and generally incur an additional
fee to dine, so be sure to confirm details when booking.
Following is information on 10 of
the best lines for specialty restaurants. For more information on the various
cruise lines and their specialty dining options, please click here.
Crystal has two specialty dining
restaurants—Prego (Italian) and Master Chef Nobu Matsushisa's Silk Road and The
Sushi Bar(Asian) —and allows for one pre-cruise dining reservation in each for
a total of two pre-cruise reservations, per stateroom, on each voyage. Once on
board, you may see the maître d’ to make additional reservations based on
availability. There is no extra charge to guests for specialty dining.
Charming and romantic, Prego brings
the flavors of Italy to Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity. A seasonally
changing Valentino at Prego menu features signature dishes such as Scaloppine
Di Vitello Servite Con Capelli D’angelo and Linguine Con Aragosta E Zucchini,
along with wines that are served at Piero Selvaggio’s revered Los Angeles and
Las Vegas restaurants, Valentino. Valentino is considered by many to be among
the finest Italian restaurants in the country.
The eclectic–and delectable–cuisine
of world-renowned master chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa is prepared by
Nobu-trained chefs at Silk Road and The Sushi Bar. Regarded for his innovative
approach to sushi, Nobu blends classically styled Japanese foods with distinct
Peruvian and European influences. While The Sushi Bar offers an assortment of
Nobu’s inventive sushi and sashimi, including Salmon Tartar with Sevruga
Caviar, Tiradito Nobu-style and Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño, Silk Road
presents his celebrated dishes such as Lobster with Truffle-Yuzu Sauce, Grilled
Wagyu Beef Rib-Eye with Wasabi Pepper Sauce, and his signature dessert, a Bento
Box filled with Chocolate Soufflé Cake with Shiso Syrup and Sesame Ice Cream.
The famed chef enjoys a long history with Crystal and unveiled his own line of
fine china during Crystal Serenity’s inaugural season.
Cunard ships have an assortment of
specialty dining options. Queen Mary 2 has La Piazza, The Carvery, Lotus, and
Chef’s Galley; Queen Victoria has Bamboo, Coriander, and Prime; and Queen
Elizabeth has Jasmine, Atzec and Asado. A cover charge of $10 per person will
be payable in the evenings to dine in these unique restaurants.
Queen Mary2 and Queen Victoria also
offer the Todd English restaurant. Reservations are required but cannot be made
until on board; there is a charge of $20 per person for lunch and $30 per
person for dinner.
Details about Cunard’s specialty
restaurants:
• Todd English is a stunning
restaurant featuring innovative Mediterranean cuisine, eponymously named for
the world-famous celebrity chef. La Piazza serves pasta, pizza and a
mouth-watering selection of Italian specialties.
• The Carvery serves the finest
carved beef, lamb, pork and poultry.
• Lotus serves a tempting taste of
the Far East.
• Chef’s Galley is an interactive
dining event where guests observe one of the ship’s chefs prepare each course
of their meal. Reservations are required on a first-come, first-serve basis and
can only be made once on board.
• Bamboo serves superb Asian
cuisine.
• Coriander offers a taste of India.
• Prime features contemporary
American favorites and prime steaks.
• Jasmine serves exquisite Asian
cuisine.
• Aztec serves interpretations of
Mexican classics.
• Asado is a South American grill
offering sublime meat dishes.
Palo is an adult exclusive
restaurant located on all of Disney’s ships. The restaurant serves Northern
Italian cuisine for dinner and brunch and high tea on select cruises.
Reservations at Palo can be made online or after boarding the ship; seating is
limited and dining is limited to guests 18 and older. High tea is $10 per
guest; Palo is $20 per guest for both dinner and brunch.
The Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy
also have Remy, an intimate adult-exclusive restaurant offering the most
upscale dining experience available onboard. The restaurant serves the finest
in French-inspired cuisine for dinner. Reservations are required and can be
made online or after boarding the ship. Seating is limited and advance
reservations are recommended. Dining is limited to guests 18 and older. Remy is
$75 per guest for dinner.
Holland America Line features two
specialty restaurants—The Pinnacle Grill (fresh seafood and Pacific Northwest
specialties) and the Tamarind Restaurant (Pan-Asian fare).
The Tamarind Restaurant is exclusive
to Holland America Line’s Signature-class ships, ms Eurodam and ms Nieuw
Amsterdam. Dinner reservations are $15 per adult, $7.50 for children ages
13-17, complimentary for children ages 12 and under, and may be pre-booked
online or with Ship Services. Lunch reservations may only be made on board, but
incur no extra charge.
The Pinnacle Grill is available by
reservation only for both lunch and dinner and is ideal for a romantic dinner
or a special group celebration. Adults are $25 per person for dinner or $10 for
lunch. Children under 12 dine free of charge and a discount of 50% applies for
children between 13 years and 17 years of age.
HAL exclusively offers “An Evening
at Le Cirque in the Pinnacle Grill” aboard its fleet of 15 ships. On every
voyage of seven days or longer, the Pinnacle Grill is transformed for at least
one night into a Le Cirque-like atmosphere which is available to all guests.
Canaletto comes to life for dinner
when a section of the Lido restaurant is transformed each night into the family
style Italian restaurant. Canaletto’s menu features daily, traditional Italian
favorites with entrees rotating nightly. It’s a casual dining venue that seats
66 at no extra charge. (Reservations are encouraged but walk-ins are accepted.)
Available on ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Eurodam, ms Oosterdam, ms Amsterdam, ms
Veendam, ms Rotterdam, ms Ryndam, ms Statendam and ms Maasdam.
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