On our upcoming 7 day cruise, we have 2 informal and 5 country club casual nights. One of the casual nights is my birthday. Some port days go until 7 pm others end at 2:30 pm.

In in few days I will be able to make specialty restaurant reservations on line (I hope) so I was wondering what are the pros and cons of the various nights in Signatures or Latitudes. Is there something I shouldn't miss in Compass Rose? The 3 days on St. Petersburg will be jam packed so I think I will avoid reservations those nights.

Any suggestions? Oh, the first night we hope to meet up with a few people I met on the other cruise board so I don't want to make reservations for that night. I think we'll try to eat with new friends.

Colleen,

The second night of the cruise is usually the Capt.'s party. That is usually a special night in the Compass Rose.

Alan and I are Compass Rose fans. Although we enjoy a night or two at Signatures or Lattitudes, on a 7-day cruise, we would probably stick with Compass Rose. It's all about what you like so I'm sure you'll see lots of different opinions here.

We join Betty in looking forward to the Compass Rose menu for the Captain's party. We always dine once in Signatures and Latitudes to fully experience the ship's offerings. We, too, were tired after each of our St. Petersburg days last year and saved the specialty restaurants for other evenings.

Donna summed up my feelings to a T! :)

You can't go wrong in Compass Rose for any meal in my opinion, but it is nice to have the others for variety.

Having your birthday in Signatures is wonderful!!! If it works with your schedule I'd suggest that as the night to go to Signatures. I agree that Compass Rose is really extra special on Captain's welcome night. Latitudes I can take or leave...I guess you could make reservations for one night and if the menu doesn't suit you, cancel them once onboard.

We really enjoyed Latitudes last month on the Voyager. The shrimp toast and lobster were delicious. You can have extras of any entree. We celebrated my mom's birthday that night.

We celebrated our 40th anniversary at Lattitudes on the Mariner. We thought the menu was terrific (we really love most Asian food), and they even made us a special anniversary carrot cake, since I'm allergic to chocolate.

I think you should try both Signatures and Lattitudes. If the grill is anything like the wonderful Alaskan Grill on the Mariner, that's also worth a try. Obviously, a Balkan cruise will have a different them in the Veranda than on an Alaska cruise.

Thanks for all the info. I knew there would be something like the Captain's night in Compass Rose. So I will leave the second night free. So, do I want to spend my birthday dinner at Signatures or Latitiude? I haven't been on Voyager in 3 and a half years. Dined in each venue twice (17 days). I'm sure they are different this time around.

I don't need anything special, no allergies or major food preferences. I tend to eat anything that doesn't eat me first and I'm willing to try most things once.

I'm getting real excited and have actually started packing in my spare room.

I'm sure you'll find more mixed opinions on Latitudes than you will Signatures only because some people don't care for Latitudes menu while others LOVE it! We had friends on last cruise and they LOVED Latitudes while we don't care for it but WE went to Signatures twice in 2 weeks - Signatures is fancier, for sure - I think it would be "special" for your birthday -

Ditto on Signatures for the celebration! They will treat you like royalty, the setting is beautiful, and the food divine. That is our family's consistent opinion, from ages 19-79.

Yes, Colleen, Signatures is perfect for a birthday dinner. Also, I forgot to mention, we like eating dinner in La Veranda, especially after a busy day of touring when we're too tired for a long dinner in Compass Rose.

Whoops Donna forgot about LV - we like it, too, for same reason

Double Ditto.

I also like Latitudes. Has anyone heard that Latitudes will soon become a steak house? We were told that on B2B. Although popular, steak houses are not my favorite. :mecry:

Susan

Whoops, I don't know what happened, but I double posted. Sorry! I hope Karen fixes it as I don't know how to delete one of them.

Susan

Heard the same thing on B2B from the HD! No reason not to believe it, he said that Regent invested $$$ to make this change.

Don't blame you Susan - you can get steak in CR, LV and Sigs - if you like Latitudes, as many do, hope they keep it - I am interested in Navigator Portofino and pray the group singing is gone - wish they'd make it a seafood/steak restaurant since only 2 restaurants on Nav -

Thanks for confirming what I was hoping was just a rumor. At least I'll have time to become used to the idea.

Susan

Oh yes, la Veranda for days when we are a bit tuckered out but don't want room service. We ate there about half the time on our last cruise. Although we will probably have to have room service on the day we go to Moscow. I think we get back about the time all the dining venues close and we will be kind of funky from a day of touring so we can't just run into a restaurant to eat. Never done anything except room service breakfast before.

I'm afraid 7 days will not be enough time. They had to drag me off kicking and screaming after 17 days.

You're right, Colleen, 7 days is awfully short. But, hey, 7 days is better than no days. Right?

Fantastic that we'll have so many dining choices - we're used to Navigator and PG so we'll become completely spoiled by Voyager!

We love spicy food, so are anticipating that we'll really like Latitudes.

Are the sample menus on rssc.com fairly representative of what they normally serve? I see that some of the menus are from November 2006, and things tend to change a lot across time.

Kristin,

Latitudes online menu looks similar to what we were offered last month. Signatures menu does not look like the offerings we had with the exception of Tahitian vanilla crème brûlée. That must be a favorite.

I had heard the same (unfortunate) rumor that Latitude was to be a steak house after dry dock in early December. Seems a shame since - as Joanna said - steak is always available in the other 3 restaurants.

Peggy

A steak house does seem unnecessary (and pretty boring too). Too bad they couldn't have come up with something more unique.

Room service dinner is a fun option. I'd only had breakfast in the room prior to PANDA but sitting on my balcony and looking at the lights of Shanghai while dining was magical. We also had dinner one night on our balcony in Moorea and really enjoyed it.

Thanks, Beth! I am hungry now...

I agree, a steakhouse is the wrong way to go. I hope they don't follow through with that idea.

Hopefully the decor will be sufficiently neutral that when the discussion starts, Regent will be able to make another change fairly seamlessly.

Hope springs eternal.

Peggy

Peggy, you are correct, with a neutral decor, they can just keep on reinventing it until they come up with a winner!

At dinner on my last cruise (B2B in May) with Englebert the Hotel Director, from what he said it is a done deal for a Steak House,I forget which city, (NY or Chicago?)before the name. He sounded like Regent is really excited about it, and is putting a large investment in the changeover. Hard to believe they came up with this concept without some input from a focus group of past passengers!

There is certainly enough on various boards of the love/hate relationship passengers have with this venue. But I don't recall any discussions of what others would like to see for a 4th dining choice.

For a birthday celebration, I recommend Compass Rose over Signatures. You can special order your favorites, have a larger selection of desserts, and be flexible about size of your party.

As for a steakhouse instead of Asian, I think it is a great idea if done right. I like to order a filet or sirloin with bearnaise sauce on occassion in Compass Rose; however, I would love to have a larger choice of cuts (e.g., New York Strip or Kansas City Strip) and larger baked potatoes that might come with a dedicated steakhouse. It would also be nice to have prime rib available more often.

I'm surprised that Latitudes is becoming a steak house....as others mentioned, you can always get a steak in the other 3 restaurants. I guess time will tell if this works out or not. I do like Marc's idea offering prime rib every night. Hope they offer baby back ribs too!! Since they seem to have made up their minds about going this route, I hope they don't "over gourmet" it.

Was there every any kind of questionnaire regarding this? We were never asked our opinion.

I do, too, Marcie. :yummy1:

Hi Marcie,

I never got asked nor did anyone I know.

Peggy

Sorry to hear about the change. I guess I was one of the few who liked it like it was.

Wonder if they will continue to change it into special venues as they did on the World Cruise. It sure allowed the chefs and the wait staff to show of their creativity.

Larry, they would be crazy not to, don't you think!? With all those full WC'ers, it must remain a huge challenge to retain the excitement aboard, especially from those who don't get off the ship at every port.

I just wish they had taken a poll before making the change. As Lauri wrote, a steak house does seem boring.
..............
Susan

Oceania has the Polo Grill. It's a really nice venue with a Ruth's Chris type menu, several types of steaks, chops and prime rib, good sauces like Bordelais, Bearnaise, Peppercorn, with ala carte sides like Asparagus and sauteed spinach, broiled mushrooms and some great starters like Maryland Crab Cakes that are delicious. Everything well prepared and good ambiance and service. While I have really liked Latitudes, a Polo Grill concept will be more universally liked. Last few times in Latitudes, it was pretty empty and the food menus had just changed. We missed the Garlic Galangal Chicken.

Last time on Voyager we didn't even bother with L'attitudes. Lots of great asian restaurants right here at home. So for us, the change might work, although I would prefer some seafood options along with the steaks.

Kathy, what you describe on Oceania is something that both Mark and I would love!!