Has Select Dining Had its Day?

[david63]

I have noticed a few comments both on this board and in other places recently about the decline in Select Dining and am wondering if it is now becoming a "white elephant".

On our last couple of cruises I have to say that none of the select dining venues were full any night and you could get a reservation at a few hours notice, whereas at one time it was almost impossible to get in them.

Is the reason possibly because the novelty has worn off or have they priced themselves out of the market or is just simply that passengers are more reluctant to pay for non essential extras?

[Gill W]

I enjoy select dining, as I like the opportunity to dine in different venues throughout the cruise. I'm quite happy to pay a bit extra for it, as I don't spend a lot of money on drinks or spa treatments etc.

I wouldn't like to be in the MDR night after night, I enjoy the variety that select dining gives me. In this day and age I think people want freedom and choice, not the slightly 'regimented' feel of turning up in the MDR night after night, particularly if you are on Club dining

I think it may depend on what ship you are on - maybe select dining isn't so popular on the traditional ships. Perhaps 'select' works better on the more contemporary, larger ships.

[Meg 50]

we have never done select dining. We've inspected the menus and compared them with that day's offering in the MDR, concluding that it's not worth the supplement

[towny44]

I like freedom dining in the MDR always on a shared table, different people every night and a chance to see the cruise experience through someone elses eyes.
If we want a table for 2 intimate dining experience, which is less often nowadays as we head into our dotage, then we do the occasional select venue, but even these become a bit "samey" after a time, and the extra cost will cover 3 or 4 nights wine bills in the mdr.

[barney]

We had 16 nights on Aurora last year and the select dining was usually pretty empty David.
When we ate in Sindhu, it was less than half full (still very enjoyable though)

It may well be a combination of all three factors.

On our last cruise with P&O on Azura, it did seem that they had upped their game a bit in the MDR and every meal was enjoyable.
The pay restaurants were very quiet.

Epicurian is very good but a plus £30 per head plus drinks, it is quite expensive considering you've sort of already paid for food.
I can't remember Sindhu price, I think it was about plus £15 per head so even that and extra £50 on the bill.
We've never eaten in the Glass House but it did look nice when we've had drinks in there.

I can remember Marco Pierre White on Oceana was a fiver a head back in the day.

We've friends who cruise a few times a year and would never even consider a supplement restaurant.

[david63]

I think it may depend on what ship you are on - maybe select dining isn't so popular on the traditional ships. Perhaps 'select' works better on the more contemporary, larger ships.

My experience has been on Azura and Adonia.

[Mervyn and Trish]

We love some of the select dining as a change, especially Epicurean and Sindhu. On the other hand could never be bothered with the MPW offerings which didn't seem sufficiently different from the MDR.

[Whynd1]

I enjoy the select dining venues.
Particularly like Marco and although not a fan of Indian food I found myself really enjoying the whole experience of Sindhu.

Will be hoping to run Sindhu when we are on Aurora in a few weeks time.
I don't mind club dining but do like have a change of venue now and again.
Lindsey

[colin parry]

On my recent Adonia cruise, myself and some friends had a meal in the Ocean grill. Service and ambiance were first class but the food could only be described as fair. Bring back Gary Rhodes!

[gilly88]

the price is off putting for us. we have only once done select dining at the glass house. I was very pleased with our meal, but we did not pay any extra for it, as it was the raffle prize from the casino, result!!

[wolfie]

On my recent Adonia cruise, myself and some friends had a meal in the Ocean grill. Service and ambiance were first class but the food could only be described as fair. Bring back Gary Rhodes!

Well said Colin!! MPW doesn't even come close.

We enjoy trying the select dining venues, don't always do so as it depends on the menus on offer.

After Rhodes, the most memorable have been all 3 select venues on Celebrity Eclipse and Sindhu on P&O. Only ate at the Glasshouse once at lunchtime so can't make a comment about that except, it was good. What I dislike is turning part of any buffet restaurant into a select venue in the evening. For us, it's still the buffet , whatever they do to it.

[Stephen]

I don't think select has had its day. Some nights will always be busier than others.

[Whynd1]

We tried to book one night on our 7 night cruise on Adonia and it was fully booked.

Lindsey

[oldbluefox]

We're not big fans of the Select dining venues mainly because they are such big meals. We often used to go for tapas on Ventura (until they changed it!!) and to the Glass House for a lunchtime snack. These for us were sufficient but other times we have been and there is just so much food we cannot eat it all. It's a pity really because the food is generally very good (although the worst we had was an MPW greasy veal escalope). The best for us was Sindhu where the portions were slightly smaller but extremely tasty.
By and large we are happy with the food in the MDR. Some days are better than others but there is no way you are going to starve on a cruise ship.
Nevertheless it would be a pity to see them go because I know a lot of people enjoy them and use them for special celebrations. Perhaps if they did pensioner portions!!!!

[Stephen]

Same here Foxy.

[GillD46]

For us it depends on the ship and where we our default restaurant is. On Cunard ships, we have no need for a different restaurant as our allocated restaurant serves superb meals and suits us very well.

On an Oceania ship, we would occasionally choose another restaurant, although these are included in the cruise cost anyway.

On any other ship, we would often choose an alternative venue.

[barney]

but there is no way you are going to starve on a cruise ship.

Absolutely correct OBF

Like most, I've had the odd duffer of a meal in the MDR but overall it's been very good so far.

I read a review about Azura on Cruise Critic where the poster described the food as slops.

I wondered what they usually eat and where.

Every time we've tried Select Dining, it's been very good.

In the old MPW one on Oceana, can't remember the name of it, we had some of the best Mussels we've ever had anywhere.
Was it Café Jardin or something?
Weird setting but good food.

[Kendhni]

I enjoy a trip to select dining every once in a while.

Friends of ours are currently on a cruise and they emailed me a couple of days ago about dining. If I understand their email correctly then the traditional dining menu on their ship has the usual items you would expect but also has some 'pay extra' items on it - I am guessing the waiter charges it to their card. I can't say I have seen this on any cruise we have been on (or at least not that I can remember).

[Mervyn and Trish]

Which cruise line Ken?

[towny44]

Which cruise line Ken?

Possibly Royal Caribbean, I believe they charge extra in the MDR for items like lobster and fillet mignon, I will be able to confirm this after our next cruise.

[Kendhni]

Which cruise line Ken?

Not 100% sure but I think it might be Thomson ... they did tell me which ship but I can't remember ... old age setting in.

[CaroleF]

I think Select Dining still has its place. I agree Bring Back Gary Rhodes. We dined twice in his restaurants, once on Oriana and once on Arcadia I think and both meals were wonderful, much better than any MPW meal we've had. It seems looking at the site and adverts for P&O that James Martin is getting a much larger focus than MPW. We have had some really good meals in Epicurean, what was XVII on Azura and when we've had a suite it's been wonderful having breakfast there. We have only tried Sindhu once and didn't really enjoy it as neither of us are fans of Indian food. However, this was a few years ago and I understand that the menu now is more of a Fusion menu (whatever that means) and as we have a very long cruise coming up next year I think we will be looking for different venues than the MDR on some evenings - might even try the buffet, never even thought of doing that before. I'll also be interested to see what the new offerings on the Room Service Menu are like, even though we will have to pay for most of them. Maybe an evening with Room Service and watching a DVD might be an attraction for a change.

I do wish there was an Epicurean on Aurora though. John isn't a fan of The Glasshouse but we've not eaten there in an evening apart from going to one of their tasting evenings where they pair the food with appropriate wine and he really enjoyed that. When we were on Ventura in January they seemed to have more trouble selling Sindhu than the Epicurean but it probably varies from cruise to cruise.

Carole

[Gill W]

I used to like the Gary Rhodes restaurants. He was on board for one of our cruises and the evening we were in Arcadian Rhodes he was going round all the tables to have a chat with diners. He grew up near where I live, so we had quite a lot to talk about.

I've enjoyed XVII, but I've never tried Epicurican. I need to keep my salt intake lowish, and this started just about the time Epicurians were appearing on the ships. The menus all seem to be smoked, cured or bacon based, so they are already high in salt, and that's before the chef has thrown a load of salt on it. Therefore, I've never really fancied Epicurian.

I really like Sindhu, we've had some lovely meals in there, but we do like Indian and Asian food in general.

[allatc]

we have never done select dining. We've inspected the menus and compared them with that day's offering in the MDR, concluding that it's not worth the supplement

Me too