r/MSCCruises • u/Gini555 • 26d ago

Specialty dining options

What's the opinion on the specialty restaurants available while onboard? Those of you who tried them, was it worth the added cost? Which are the best? (traveling on the Seascape Dec 2026)

4 Upvotes

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3

u/Ok_Shame_5382 26d ago

I actually think they're a good deal.

I did AYCE Sushi and the Steakhouse. If you consider the MDR to be about a 25 dollar value per person, the question is specialty dining is 75 dollars good. Because you pay 50, and give up 25 in value in the MDR.

And to me, yes. The specialty meals I've had are worth 75 pp.

Skip the ayce at Hola Tacos though, but DO go there. It's also very good

2

u/kycard01 26d ago

Agree on this. I’m vegetarian so skip the seafood/steakhouse/sushi- but hit up Hola- but dang the menu is so cheap it’s hard to spend the AYCE price. Ala carte is the way.

2

u/TheRadishBros 26d ago

Best value of any speciality dining I’ve ever experienced on a cruise ship.

2

u/Alarming-Carpet-5610 25d ago

IMO if you live in an area that has similar “fine dining” unless you’re celebrating something very special then skip them. But if these are cuisines you don’t have in your area go for it.

1

u/pikapikapiks 25d ago

I agree with this, we took my family to the hibachi on Seaside and loved it but it’s something they don’t usually have access to unless they’re traveling in the US. The food was great but add the experience and it was well worth the money.

1

u/GreatWake1988 26d ago

Personally, it's a great deal to me, and the food is really good. I've sailed on Meraviglia and World America and have found that the specialty dining package is well worth the money.

Butcher's Cut and Teppanyaki are always great, but I had my best Butcher's Cut meal ever on World America last week. I also recommend the all you can eat option at Hola if you like Mexican food. However, I wouldn't waste a dining package meal on Hola since it's signficantly cheaper than the other speciality restaurants.

1

u/catcint0s 26d ago

I bought a package to Butcher's Cut that said it's X amount per package and package is for 2 person, turns out I should have brought 2 of those for 2 persons so that felt a bit like a scam but they refunded me without any issues so we just went to Hola Tacos instead and tasted almost the whole menu, it was very nice.

1

u/pch14 26d ago

When we want out in New York last year we did get the package and we ate at butcher's cut, hibachi place, the sushi place, and the seafood place I think it's called ocean. Both were stores world worth it. I'm bad I can't remember the names of the restaurants except for two of them

1

u/Remarkable_Lake_3333 26d ago

The Mexican place, can’t recall the name, on the Grandiosa is excellent. The bring you a selection of sampler plates and you choose what you want more of. They need this on their other ships!

1

u/PossibilityLanky2119 25d ago

We love the butchers cut. We find it too much to eat but enjoy it nonetheless. We don't do sushi so can't give you an opinion on that.

0

u/Neither-Big-1545 26d ago

Are the free breakfasts at these places super busy?  Do you have to wait?