A Cut Below

     When you think about it, booking passage on a cruise ship is an economical way to travel.  For one price you receive lodging, meals and entertainment, usually all for under $100 a day.  There are, however, certain additional costs that are not included in the base cost.


     Such is the case when you choose to dine in one of the upscale restaurants onboard.  While you can get 3 meals a day plus snacks and room service 24/7, there are options for fine dining, for a price.  One evening my traveling companion and I made reservations at The Pinnacle Restaurant, a steakhouse on the top level of the ship.  For that privilege we each paid an additional $35.  Prime rib, petit filet and strip steaks were all on the menu as were lamb chops and even chicken for the timid.


     And while it all sounds very enticing, I found the experience to be underwhelming and frankly disappointing.  I'm sure it it a promotion for the young wait staff to work there but for me it was nearly impossible to understand what my waiter was saying.  His heavy Eastern European accent made most of his explanations indistinguishable.  I could only hope that I was ordering correctly according to his descriptions of the meals and accompaniments.   Then when my selections arrived I had to get out my magnifying glass to find them.  Take for example this Caesar salad:

     But the crushing blow was the New York strip steak.  It had all the tenderness of an old saddle, and the flavor to match.  I couldn't decide whether I had a very dull knife or a very tough steak. 

 Fortunately my dining partner shared with me some of his lamb chops that were easier to enjoy (and digest!).

     I have found that for the most part the old adage You get what you pay for rings true.  But, unfortunately, not in this case.

Editor's Note:  Vinny will be off on Friday in search of soft shells.  Look for his next post on Monday.