Remy Reservations

[sarahandgreg]

No - not reservations as in reserving a table but more reservations about the whole experience. I will admit it I am quite intimidated by the menu/food and dress code.
I LOVE Palo - but done it too many times so want to experience Remy but the menu puts me off - its ridiculous I know but thats how I feel.
So can someone explain the experience to me and also the dress code for men.
DH is a casual guy when on vacation - he wears Tommy Bahama - he has a linen/silk TB Jacket - can he wear this? I know he won't go if he has to wear dinner jacket. Also can he wear a polo shirt or is it a proper shirt with tie?
I know its going to be great but I am a worrier and need to be organized prior to the event - LOL

 

[ladyofthetramp]

We had a fantastic time at Remy and they made us feel very comfortable there. I wore a simple black dress with the Lady and the Tramp pin the kids bought us at the gift shop . My husband-a shirt, Disney tie and suit coat. Nice work pants. I do not believe that just a polo shirt would not work. But a suit coat or jacket with a nice shirt will (Tommy Bahama). Ties are optional according to the website. Really, not as fussy as it sounds. Such a lovely setting, dressing up a bit really adds to the experience. Keep in mind footware- those plastic Old Navy flip flops are not allowed, but women's sandals that you would wear to work or a nice dinner at home will. We had our 30th anniversary dinner there and still talk about that evening. I hope you enjoy your experience as much as we did. And try not too worry! Enjoy!

 

[lbus42]

If you have reservations about going; if you are put off by the menu; and your husband does not want to wear a jacket; then why even consider going to Remy. I do not think that you would have a good experience.

 

[sarahandgreg]

If you have reservations about going; if you are put off by the menu; and your husband does not want to wear a jacket; then why even consider going to Remy. I do not think that you would have a good experience.

Well - if you read the post more closely I said I had reservations about going, the menu puts me off - I meant in a way that its a bit intimidating compared to Palo. I also said my husband would not want to wear a dinner jacket, but he would wear a TB Jacket.
I was actually after some feedback on other peoples experiences with Remy and also some clarification on what other people had worn.
If you have been to Remy, perhaps you would share your experience of the evening.

 

[thndrmatt]

I didn't have a jacket, so they gave me one. I gave it back afterward. Painless.

 

[kiford]

Don't let the menu intimidate you. They'll explain every course to you or recommend something that fits your taste. I can't eat seafood of any kind so they recommend substitutions for me that still fit the progression of the courses nicely. Last time I made some comment about the champagne cocktail that's included in the upcharge and our server suggested that maybe I'd like to try the champagne pairing instead of wine pairing. I would never have thought of that. It was totally amazing. The servers are very attentive to your likes and dislikes and never try to make you feel less than comfortable. On our last cruise we also did the brunch and they automatically adjusted the menu for me to remove all seafood.

 

[Trera]

It's wonderful. We love it every time we go there.

 

[gometros]

If you have reservations about going; if you are put off by the menu; and your husband does not want to wear a jacket; then why even consider going to Remy. I do not think that you would have a good experience.

Maybe her reservations were due to lack of experience with Remy and came here along for further insight instead of a reprimand.

Remy is not intimidating at all. The staff goes out of their way to explain everything to you and make you feel comfortable. It is a fantastic experience that should not be missed. Your husband can get away with a jacket over a casual shirt, no problem. I wear a polo shirt with a jacket over it and nobody says boo.

 

[Plaid Sheep]

Remy's is one of those restaurants that is on its own list. Yes you need to be dressy, but it is in no way fussy.
The team there treats you like honored guests of the family. They welcomed us in, gave us a drink, spent the rest of the night making us feel at home and then rolled us out of there in a food coma with a kiss on the cheek and to go box of tasty treats.
They take their time with you going over the menu to make sure it's to your liking and will adjust to your needs so there is no need to be embarrassed or nervous.. just be upfront with your likes and dislikes.
Basically, if you have a chance to do this... do it. Compared to some restaurants I've been to around the world, the price is a drop in the bucket for the magnificent time you will have.
I can't WAIT to do it again!

 

[CurtisB]

We absolutely love Remy and book brunch and dinner every time we are on the Dream or Fantasy. We prefer it to Palo. We can get a Palo type meal and a bunch of different restaurants at home. To have a Remy quality meal at home we would be looking to spend at least $250 per person.

 

[havoc315]

No - not reservations as in reserving a table but more reservations about the whole experience. I will admit it I am quite intimidated by the menu/food and dress code.
I LOVE Palo - but done it too many times so want to experience Remy but the menu puts me off - its ridiculous I know but thats how I feel.
So can someone explain the experience to me and also the dress code for men.
DH is a casual guy when on vacation - he wears Tommy Bahama - he has a linen/silk TB Jacket - can he wear this? I know he won't go if he has to wear dinner jacket. Also can he wear a polo shirt or is it a proper shirt with tie?
I know its going to be great but I am a worrier and need to be organized prior to the event - LOL

Not like it's black-tie, but I believe a sports coat is expected for men for dinner. Dress codes are becoming less common than they used to be, but such attire has long been pretty standard for fine dining establishments.

Palo is very nice -- it's a "good" Northern Italian restaurant. A nice step above chain restaurants. Definitely above average food and experience. But you will find restaurants like it, all over the place.

Remy, on the other hand, is a fine dining experience. At sea, they are trying to give you an experience that you get at the top 100 restaurants in the whole world, and I think they largely succeed. It's their sea-version of Victoria & Alberts.
If this was a land based restaurant, it would likely get at least 1 Michelin star, if not 2 or even 3. (Only the very best restaurants in the world get 3 Michelin stars. The co-chef of Remy is Arnauld Lallement, a recipient of 3 Michelin stars for his restaurant. The other co-chef is Disney's Scott Hunnel, who has been nominated for a James Beard award (the Oscars for chefs).
So this place is "special" and worth dressing up a little bit.
But country-club casual should be fine --- Sports coat, dockers or slacks, shoes, and any collared shirt. (not a t-shirt). I don't think a Tommy Bahama jacket would be appropriate, but I guess it depends on the jacket.

 

[Mommb]

I agree with the previous posters who have said that the Remy servers (and chefs) will do whatever is necessary to make sure you enjoy the experience. Just don't be shy about explaining up front any requirements for what you can't or just don't want to have. I also recommend being flexible, though, and being willing to try items you're not sure if you'd like. (I don't care for most cold cheeses, for example, but I tried every one on the Remy cheese plate and liked all but 1.) If you do have something you don't like, you can be assured there will be several other courses so you won't go hungry.

If choosing from the menu is worrying you, you can choose from one of the two set menus (meaning you make just one choice), or ask your server for a recommendation.

If you're enjoyed Palo, then you will probably adore Remy. It is a unique experience that you are unlikely to find elsewhere unless you go to cities with Michelin-starred restaurants (which will typically cost much more than Remy for a comparable meal).

 

[KatePossible]

My husband and I went to Remy this past September for our Honeymoon. He wore dress pants, collared shirt and a suit jacket (something we got at Target specifically to eat at Remy) and I wore a dress and heels (I wanted to dress up, but I could have worn a much more casual dress and some flats)

Here is a picture of us at Remy: https://www.instagram.com/p/BKa9OpoD9ot/

We had a great experience! If I am remembering correctly, there were two menu options to choose from which both had different options for the soup, salad, appetizer, main course, etc. It was kind of encouraged that we each choose one of the options so that we could each try everything on the menu. There was a more "French" option and a more "American" option, but they were both equally as fancy and delicious!

We were seated looking out of the window with a view of the water which was beautiful. The restaurant probably only had a couple of other groups/couples dining in it besides us. The whole experience lasted at least 2 hours and we left Remy EXTREMELY full (in the best possible way). We have no regrets about having gone to Remy.

The only thing that threw me off about the experience at all was that we were brought a water menu at the beginning of dinner and there was no option of just "tap" water on the menu. I just could not bring myself to pay for water and I felt a little awkward declining to pick a water selection off of the menu. I should have just asked for tap water, but I felt kind of uncomfortable asking. About halfway through dinner we were brought some regular water, but we were kind of thirsty during the first half of dinner. I have been to nice restaurants in my life (not all of the time, but for special occasions) and this is the only restaurant that I have ever been to in which I was given a pretty extensive water menu and felt like I would be weird for requesting tap water. This might just be me being self conscious! My husband thought it was strange too though. We just kind of laughed about it and it did not make us regret our decision of dining at Remy.

 

[skfulkers]

I'll add our experience from April. First time on DCL, and we did both Palo and Remy. We loved Palo. It's very similar to something like California Grill, or as others have said, a big step up from a chain restaurant. But it still feels comfortable and casual, which is a great environment for us. We definitely liked Remy, but not sure if we will do it again. As mentioned above, it is a one-of-a-kind dining experience, worthy of a Michelin star rating. The food can be a bit adventurous. I was fine with it, my wife was not so much. The staff was more than willing to accommodate requested changes, but at some point, you feel bad for asking for so many changes. There were only 6 couples that dined in the restaurant the entire evening total, so the attention and service was second-to-none.

But unless you are used to dining at Michelin-star rated restaurants, it may feel a bit different for you. I know it was for us. And we are definitely accustomed to fine dining establishments. We frequent fabulous steakhouses in our home town and the best in NYC/Chicago, loving them all. I am in a Sales role and I dine at very fine restaurants with customers every week. Remy is just a different level of dining and service, some like it, some can do without it.

Worth mentioning as well is that dress shirts for men must be full button-up, not polos. We arrived at the restaurant and I was wearing dress pants, nice polo, and jacket. They asked me if I had a full button-down shirt, if not they would "lend" me one for the evening. Luckily, I had one in our stateroom.

Overall, we did have a good time, and don't regret eating there. Had phenomenal wine and ordered some additional Japanese beef selections that were amazing. We just may not do it on every cruise.

On a side note, Porthole Magazine apparently named Remy the best specialty restaurant of any cruise line this year. So it's definitely one of a kind!

Hope that helps.

 

[Shanti]

No - not reservations as in reserving a table but more reservations about the whole experience. I will admit it I am quite intimidated by the menu/food and dress code.

Go and have fun. I went to Remy on the Fantasy and while I didn't happen to care much for the food, that had nothing to do with the experience being intimidating- it's nothing to be nervous about. They'll want to take care of you, so just dress up a little, then relax and enjoy.

 

[havoc315]

We have done Remy for dinner and brunch... Doing it again next week for brunch.
If you're afraid the dinner may be too overwhelming, I suggest you try the brunch. The dress code isn't as formal (Jacket not required), the meal is quicker (about 75-90 minutes, instead of 120-150 minutes). Fewer courses.

I actually find brunch to be the better overall experience. Don't get me wrong -- I loved the dinner. But for the dinner, you really need to be in the mood for an "event."

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Jacket is required. I don't know if it absolutely has to be a full on dress jacket but I've heard they have loaners. If your husband won't even wear the loaner, I'd wait for some kind of response that is actually in the know about whether a Tommy Bahama jacket is acceptable. Tie is not required. I don't know if a polo and jacket are acceptable. My friends did not wear polos to Remy dinner and I don't recall ever seeing a man in a polo shirt at dinner there.

I am going to agree with the previous poster and suggest you try brunch. Nobody will blink twice at Tommy Bahama anything at brunch. Just no flip flops.

 

[lbus42]

Maybe her reservations were due to lack of experience with Remy and came here along for further insight instead of a reprimand.

I wan't trying to reprimand her, but rather trying to point out that if she already has reservations about going and the menu puts her off (her words, not mine), she might not have a good experience. Considering how much it's costs to go, the experience might not meet her expectations.

Also, and this is directed to the folks that suggest that she should go anyways and she might have fun. How many of you booked Remy and were NOT looking forward to it? I think it's a lot easier to have a pleasant experience if you are already looking forward to something as opposed to being apprehensive about it.

I'd like to make another point. I looked up Tommy Bahama jackets and I do not think this would be allowed in Remy.

 

[kiford]

I have been to nice restaurants in my life (not all of the time, but for special occasions) and this is the only restaurant that I have ever been to in which I was given a pretty extensive water menu and felt like I would be weird for requesting tap water.

I've been to a number of restaurants that do this. I hate mineral water especially sparkling ones and I think paying for water is crazy. I have absolutely no discomfort in saying no thanks, just regular tap water. They have no problem if you do.

Also, and this is directed to the folks that suggest that she should go anyways and she might have fun. How many of you booked Remy and were NOT looking forward to it? I think it's a lot easier to have a pleasant experience if you are already looking forward to something as opposed to being apprehensive about it.

I definitely look forward to it now but my first time at Victoria & Albert's years ago, I was very apprehensive and DH wasn't too thrilled with having to bring a suit. I kept looking at past menus and second guessing whether I'd be able to find something I liked. I hadn't realized that you could tell them that you didn't like things or that you were allergic so ended up having to make a choice between a mushroom pasta (I loathe mushrooms) and a seafood dish. So I had to have the mushroom pasta. It was a truly amazing dish but I will still only eat mushrooms made by a chef of Scott Hunel's calibre. We've now eaten there eight times as well as a number of other places of equal quality, but that would never have happened if we hadn't stepped out of our comfort zone and done the first time.

 

[phinz]

If you have reservations about going; if you are put off by the menu; and your husband does not want to wear a jacket; then why even consider going to Remy. I do not think that you would have a good experience.

Because sometimes stepping outside your comfort zone is exactly what you need to realize that your comfort zone isn't exactly all it's cracked up to be and going outside of it can be quite exciting, refreshing and invigorating.

To the OP: Do it. Even if you're not completely comfortable with it. If you wind up not enjoying it, well... at least you tried. Staying comfortable is an excellent formula for staying stagnant.

Sometimes people pre-game too much.

If you're worried about his jacket, I bet Goodwill has a fantastic jacket he can take with him and leave on the ship if he doesn't want to haul it back, and it won't cost more than $5-10.