Travel: Cruise specialty dining — what is and isn’t included?

• March 1, 2023

In a day when decent meals have been taken from the mouths of airplane passengers flying economy, cruises are a breath of fresh ocean air.

Going cheap on a commercial airline might get you a soggy sandwich or lukewarm Hot Pocket if you’re lucky. But some 36,000 feet below, even cruisers who book an inside cabin next to an elevator on a low deck are enjoying upgraded grub without an upcharge.

From celebrity chef gourmet burgers to high-tech, movie-themed restaurants, more and more cruise lines are including specialty dining with fares. Increased value isn’t something consumers have seen much of since the pandemic wreaked havoc on the hospitality industry, but this trend bucking by cruise lines is happening simultaneously with unprecedented incentives to either woo back past guests or make new ones out of those hesitant to sail due to concerns over COVID-19 and other reasons.

Even sweeter, it’s not just the pricey, all-inclusive ships that throw in specialty dining here and there. Take Disney of the premium cruise line category, which is nestled between mainstream (Carnival, MSC, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean) and luxury (Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea, Windstar and the newly revived Crystal). One thing that sets Disney apart from Azamara, Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America, Oceania, Princess and Virgin at the premium level — besides mice running amok on its ships (sorry, Mickey and Minnie) — is that the company’s floating resorts redefine the term “main dining room.”

Queen Elsa welcomes guests at her sister’s engagement dinner aboard the Disney Wish. (Photo by David Dickstein)

On Disney Wish, no fees or engagement gifts are necessary to attend Queen Anna and Kristoff’s betrothal dinner dubbed Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure. Also included is the flagship’s Worlds of Marvel, another family-friendly experience that’s part of Disney’s fleetwide rotational dining system. So, feast till your stomach’s content on Chilean sea bass, rib-eye steak, filet mignon and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious desserts because Scrooge McDuck won’t be tacking an extra charge to your account.

From Disney’s “magical” ships to Carnival’s “Fun Ships,” here’s a bit of good news/bad news for cruisers counting pennies and calories: Perhaps the best burgers and chicken strips at sea are included with fares, and whoever doesn’t consider Guy Fieri’s meaty masterpieces or Shaquille O’Neil’s flavorful chicken tenders as specialty dining has never eaten at Guy’s Burger Joint or Big Chicken. Most of Carnival’s Fun Ships have the moo, but the cluck is only a defeathered friend on Mardi Gras, Radiance, Celebration and, come October, the new Jubilee.

Back to the premium category, inclusive specialty dining on Oceania’s Regatta-class ships consists of Polo Grill for steaks, chops and fresh seafood, and Toscana, which, as its name suggests, serves gourmet Italian cuisine with a Tuscan flair. Viking’s ocean ships counter with their lavish takes on steak and seafood at Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant, while on Virgin vessels, carnivores graze at The Wake, part of the adults-only line’s Michelin-starred chef collective.

Moving on up to the luxury cruise line category, Candles on Windstar ships is the epitome of all-inclusive specialty dining, featuring to-die-for steaks, sea bass and lemon tarts enjoyed al fresco by candlelight with amazing views off the stern. On some Silversea ships is a unique experiential program called S.A.L.T., which stands for Sea and Land Taste. The epicurean and educational treat combines onshore culinary excursions with onboard dining to tantalize the mouth and mind. Among the included specialty dining aboard Regent Seven Seas ships are the Prime 7 steakhouse, French-accented Signatures and Tuscan-inspired Sette Mari at La Veranda. When the beloved Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony return to duty this summer with new owners, A&K Travel Group, they’ll add Osteria D’Ovidio to the maritime mix of specialty Italian restaurants.

Cruise lines across all categories are always finding ways to charge a premium for better accommodations, and one of the most popular is exclusive dining. Technically, a restaurant that serves only suite guests is less “specialty” and more an alternate main dining room. But that doesn’t stop some from adding these to their list of specialty restaurants.

Holland America offers single-cruise membership into Club Orange with perks that include a private dining room. (Photo by David Dickstein)

Azamara is one line that doesn’t charge suite guests who dine at its two specialty restaurants, Prime C (steak) and Aqualina (seafood). On Royal Caribbean, guests booked in mini-suites and higher in addition to Pinnacle Club members can dine at the understatedly elegant Coastal Kitchen, which features a fusion of California and Mediterranean cuisine. Passengers staying in AquaClass on Celebrity get exclusive access to Blu and its spa-style dishes at breakfast and lunch while suite guests are invited to enjoy the elevated breakfast, lunch and dinner menus at Luminae. On Holland America, you can buy your way into Club Orange, which, among other benefits, comes with a private dining venue and expanded menu on Pinnacle-class ships.

Lovely as specialty restaurants with no surcharge are, with few exceptions you’re still paying for the upgraded experience in the fare. Going with a more affordable cruise line, especially one in the mainstream or premium categories, will likely result in your specialty dining adventure being à la carte. Fees generally range from $29-$59 per person, and most non-all-inclusive cruise ships with multiple restaurants offer package deals. MSC even has an “Unlimited Dining Experiences” bundle on some ships with a price tag of about $200 per person.

Tip #1: Often the best price for packages is offered online in the booking manager tool. Tip #2: Better chef’s table experiences can run a few hundred dollars but, unlike with most fee-based meals, typically includes wine; booking early is wise as these ultimate splurges tend to sell out.

Augmented reality meets gourmet cuisine at Le Petit Chef on Celebrity ships. (Photo by David Dickstein)

Some of the best upcharging specialty restaurants are found on premium-category ships. Going one further, Celebrity has perhaps the finest collection on a single vessel. On its Solstice class ships, for example, guests can’t go wrong with any of the four aboard. Augmented reality meets gourmet cuisine at Le Petit Chef; Tuscan Grille is arguably the only reliable Italian restaurant south of the luxury-ship category; surf and turf are well represented at the elegant Murano; and Sushi on Five is simply raw-some.

It’s chateaubriand for two prepared tableside at Murano, Celebrity’s finest fine dining option. (Photo by David Dickstein)

More premium-class dining worth the premium is on Holland America. Tamarind does justice to cuisines of Southeast Asia, China and Japan, while Pinnacle Grill, the ship’s steakhouse, has a candied bacon side that goes perfectly with its cuts and salmon. Another winner on Holland America is Rudi’s Sel de Mer, an intimate French-hinting brasserie from master chef Rudi Sodamin. Meanwhile, Disney has two instant classics on its Wish flagship: the “Beauty and the Beast”-inspired, adults-exclusive Enchanté, and Palo Steakhouse that makes every dish a work of art. On Cunard ships is The Verandah, perhaps the best steakhouse at sea. Princess holds its own with Crown Grill for steak and seafood, and the more beef-leaning Sterling Steakhouse.

Palo is known for its steaks, but the tiramisu is to die for on Disney Wish. (Photo by David Dickstein)

Sailing on a mainstream cruise line might save enough money to splurge on a full-service, sit-down specialty restaurant as opposed to Guy’s Burger Joint, Big Chicken and other distinctive quick-serve eateries.

Steakhouses on value megaships that make the grade, U.S. prime or otherwise, include Cagney’s on Norwegian, Chops Grille on Royal Caribbean and those on Carnival; they go by different names, but have virtually the same menu.

The wagyu short rib as pretty as it is popular at Ji Ji Asian Kitchen on Carnival ships. (Photo by David Dickstein)

Take a tasty trip to Bayou Country at the Southern-comforted Mason Jar, home of lip-smackin’ beef brisket, pork ribs and fried chicken, with and without waffles. The bourbon-chocolate pecan pie, alone, is worth the surcharge. Same with the sweet and sour shrimp at Carnival’s two Asian dining spots, Ji Ji Asian Kitchen and Chibang!

For a magical dinner experience on select Royal Caribbean ships, Wonderland immerses patrons in the world of Lewis Carroll on their first step through the looking glass. If that’s Royal Caribbean’s counter to Disney’s fantasy-rich dining experiences, then Carnival’s version is the once-a-cruise Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with The Cat in the Hat and friends. Journey into the deliciously whimsical world of Dr. Seuss and you, too, might say you like green eggs and ham. Tip #3: Despite what the book says, Carnival discourages you from eating them in a box or eating them with a fox.

If you go …

Azamara — azamara.com
Carnival Cruise Line — carnival.com
Celebrity Cruises — celebritycruises.com
Crystal — crystalcruises.com
Cunard — cunard.com
Disney Cruise Line — disneycruiseline.com
Holland America Line — hollandamerica.com
MSC Cruises — msccruisesusa.com
Norwegian Cruise Line — ncl.com
Oceania Cruises — oceaniacruises.com
Princess Cruises — princess.com
Regent Seven Seas Cruises — rssc.com
Royal Caribbean International — royalcaribbean.com
Seabourn Cruise Line — seabourn.com
Silversea Cruises — silversea.com
Viking Cruises — vikingcruises.com
Virgin Voyages — virginvoyages.com
Windstar Cruises — windstarcruises.com

​ Orange County Register 

Home Depot to fill 550 job openings in Southern California

• March 1, 2023

Home Depot is looking to fill 500 full- and part-time positions in Southern California as the home improvement retailer gears up for its busy spring season.

Openings are available in customer service, sales, store support, freight operations and merchandising.

The company didn’t reveal what the various positions pay, but data from Indeed.com show Home Depot merchandisers in California earn $16.24 an hour, while sales associates make $15.96 and warehouse workers are paid $18.37 an hour.

Job seekers are encouraged to apply online at careers.homedepot.com. The company will also hold a Virtual Spring Career Day event on Thursday, March 16. Attendees will hear from current employees to get a better idea of the various jobs that are available, as well as Home Depot’s company culture and benefits.

Openings are available in customer service, sales, store support, freight operations and merchandising. (Photo courtesy of Home Depot)

Home Depot offers a range of health and personal benefits, including tuition reimbursement, a performance-based cash bonus program, paid family leave, back-up dependent care, a 401(k) savings plan and a discounted company stock purchase program.

Over the last three years, Home Depot workers have received more than $1.5 billion in Success Sharing awards, the company said.

Home Depot said 90% of its store leadership started as hourly employees.

Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement retailer with approximately 500,000 employees and more than 2,300 stores throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The company generated $157.4 billion in revenue in 2022.

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Orange County scores and player stats for Tuesday, Feb. 28

• March 1, 2023

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Scores and stats from Orange County games on Tuesday, Feb. 28

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

TUESDAY’S SCORES

BOYS SOCCER

CIF SOCAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Round I

DIVISION I

JSerra 7, Ridgeview 0

GIRLS SOCCER

CIF SOCAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Round I

DIVISION III

Marina 2, Centennial/Bakersfield 0

​ Orange County Register 

Thousand Oaks healthcare workers to protest short-staffing, low wages

• March 1, 2023

Angelina Valdivia knows what it’s like to be short on staffing.

As a food and nutrition worker at Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Valdivia and her co-workers say they’re continually playing catch-up.

“We have nurses calling us because patients are hungry and waiting for food,” she said. “All we can do is our best … but it’s never enough.”

Several Los Robles employees who claim they’re constantly short-staffed plan to picket the hospital on Wednesday, March 1 to get their message out. They are among nearly 600 workers at the center represented by SEIU-UHW.

They include emergency room technicians, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, food service workers, dieticians and drivers. Their contract expires March 31.

HCA Healthcare, which owns and operates the hospital, keeps wages and staffing levels low, workers say, and it’s putting patient care at risk.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Los Robles Health System said its staffing is “safe, appropriate and in line with other community hospitals.” It added that the hospital values all of its employees and provides a safe environment for patients, caregivers and visitors.

Wednesday’s protest comes on the heels of a January rally at West Hills Hospital & Medical Center, another HCA-run facility where healthcare workers also claim they’re understaffed.

A recent SEIU report analyzed federal data, which showed chronic short-staffing at HCA hospitals and how it impacts patient care.

“HCA staffs its hospitals at very low levels, typically about 30% below the national average, according to the analysis of Medicare cost-report data,” the report said. “This trend of low staffing at HCA hospitals reflects an intentional corporate strategy that long predates the COVID pandemic.”

In a January 2022 survey of more than 1,500 frontline nurses and healthcare workers at HCA hospitals, nearly 80% reported witnessing patient care being jeopardized due to low staffing, the report said.

The SEIU-UHW employees are demanding increased staffing as well as a statewide healthcare minimum wage of $25 an hour.

Xochitl Gonzalez, a patent care technician who has worked at Los Robles for seven years, said she’s still earning $25 an hour.

Many of the patients Gonzalez assists have broken bones or are otherwise disabled. She helps them bathe and get to and from the restroom safely, among other duties.

“Sometimes I’m on a floor by myself with 30 patients I have to handle,” the 55-year-old Thousand Oaks resident said. “When it’s like that I can’t get to everybody, so people have to wait longer before I can attend to them.”

Ideally, Gonzalez said she should be handling no more than 10 patients at a time.

“If you have more you’re not providing quality care to anyone,” she said. “I pride myself on giving the best possible care to patients.”

In its statement, Los Robles Health System said it has a strong culture of respect and collaboration for its workers.

“Labor union negotiations are a part of our operations cycle, conducted every three years,” the statement said. “During each renewal period, our goal is the same: to secure a fair agreement that continues to support a culture of colleague safety, care excellence and compassion.”

​ Orange County Register 

San Clemente Mayor Chris Duncan is running for State Assembly in AD-74

• March 1, 2023

San Clemente Mayor Chris Duncan is running for a state assembly seat for the third time.

Duncan, a Democrat, launched a 2024 bid for California’s 74th Assembly District with an announcement on Tuesday, Feb. 28. The seat is currently held by Republican Laurie Davies, who pulled ahead of Duncan in the 2020 primary and defeated him in a rematch in the 2022 midterm election.

Duncan pledged to focus on making the cost of living more affordable for California’s middle-class families and pointed to his experience as mayor and federal prosecutor.

“I’m running to put the middle class first, lower costs for working families, and ensure all our children grow up safe with real opportunity,” he said in a statement. “From keeping costs and crime down as mayor of San Clemente to rooting out political corruption as a prosecutor, my life’s work has been fighting to keep the promise of the California Dream alive, and that’s exactly what I’ll fight for in the state Assembly.”

Duncan said Sacramento is currently failing at representing all Californians.

“Reducing the cost of tuition for college, housing costs, cutting taxes for the middle class, not the wealthy corporations, capping prescription drug costs, these are things that California can do for everyday folks,” he said.

“I want to give people hope in this difficult time that you can excel and live out your dreams as a middle class family,” Duncan added. “We need to get back to that by lowering costs and making California more affordable. That’s not getting done right now.”

The district spans south Orange County and north San Diego County and includes Dana Point, San Clemente and Oceanside.

Duncan is serving his third year on the San Clemente City Council and was appointed mayor in December by his colleagues. He previously worked as a senior attorney and prosecutor for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, according to his campaign website.

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​ Orange County Register 

Angels’ Shohei Ohtani ‘satisfied’ with spring debut on mound

• March 1, 2023

MESA, Ariz. — Shohei Ohtani was scheduled to take the mound for two innings in his 2023 spring training pitching debut Tuesday afternoon but as with everything else in his major league career, he gave even more.

The Angels’ two-way star made his last appearance with the Angels before leaving for Japan in advance of World Baseball Classic play. He faced six batters through two innings and then faced two more bonus hitters in the third inning against the Oakland Athletics.

His final act on the mound was to hop in disbelief after his pitch to Ryan Noda was called out of the strike zone for a walk. He departed after a visit from Manager Phil Nevin, content after throwing 33 pitches with two walks, two strikeouts and no hits.

“This was the first real game this year so I wanted to ease in and try to hit around 95 (mph) and I was able to do that,” Ohtani said through an interpreter about his 1-2-3 first inning. “In the second inning, I would have really liked to hit 100, but (it was) 98. I was pretty satisfied with that.”

Using PitchCom himself and sending his pitch selections to catcher Logan O’Hoppe, instead of the other way around, Ohtani was looking for a way to get a jump on the new pitch clock. While doing so, he became even more difficult to take your eye off of while in constant motion.

His PitchCom device appeared to be on his upper left arm as he fidgeted with that side of his upper body between pitches, but when asked where it was located, he protected the information like a trade secret.

“It’s a good sign that you guys don’t know,” Ohtani said, first getting a laugh from Japanese reporters gathered around him, then another when his answer was translated into English.

If Tuesday’s Ohtani experience was anything, it was a sign that the star is at ease while at a critical juncture of his baseball career.

As arguably the world’s most popular baseball player, he now pivots toward baseball’s world tournament with a chance to bring more eyes to the WBC than ever before.

Ohtani also heads into a free-agent season as a once-in-a-generation two-way player who can hit and pitch at the highest of levels. He owns a combination of physical and mental tools the game has never seen.

Asked about the pitch clock, Ohtani said he felt rushed, but he wasn’t worried. Of course not.

“I think as long as I get games under my belt, I should be fine,” he said.

There won’t be a pitch clock at the WBC, but Ohtani might keep the quick pitch tempo anyway. Or maybe he won’t once game intensity starts.

“There is not really a point, but I will try to work a little bit faster,” he said. “I was glad I was able to get this under my belt to prepare for the season.”

He is expected to board a flight for Japan on Wednesday, then join his countrymen for what is projected to be a long WBC run. And while there, the player who is likely to land the richest contract in baseball history in free agency, will apparently not even be the best player in the clubhouse.

That was Ohtani’s claim anyway, according to none other than Mike Trout in a recent conversation between the two that probably was more WBC gamesmanship than anything.

So who is this star of all stars that will be on Team Japan?

“You’ll find out if you watch the games,” said Ohtani, the most watchable player of all.

BEHIND THE PLATE

Nevin said O’Hoppe being the catcher for Ohtani on Tuesday isn’t necessarily a sign of anything moving forward.

“Don’t read anything into this as Opening Day or anything like that,” Nevin said. “Trust me.”

Nevin said Ohtani’s history with Max Stassi would make it easy for the pair to resume a comfort level before the season starts. And Ohtani has a working relationship with Matt Thaiss as well.

“I want all three of them to be able to have some comfort level with him and really, in Shohei being comfortable with them,” Nevin said.

​ Orange County Register 

Freshman Mia Valbuena pitching ‘beyond’ expectations for Marina softball

• March 1, 2023

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Marina softball co-coach Dan Hay believed freshman pitcher Mia Valbuena would perform well but he wasn’t expecting domination right away.

Valbuena had others ideas.

The Vikings’ right-hander is off to a 6-0 start in the circle with five shutouts and an ERA of 0.21.

In consecutive starts last week, Valbuena struck out seven in a 2-0 victory against Millikan — the Division 2 runner-up last season — and fired an eight-inning no-hitter with 13 strikeouts in a 1-0 triumph against Mission Viejo, the reigning Division 2 champion.

Valbuena has 41 strikeouts in 34 innings and has walked only five.

“Mia is performing beyond our expectations as a freshman starter,” said Hay, who serves as co-coach with Shelly Luth. “Her no-hitter against Mission Viejo was very impressive. She definitely has a very bright future ahead of her.”

Marina (6-0) started the season No. 10 in the Orange County preseason poll and could be looking at a promotion after defeating No. 5 Mission Viejo.

Memorable doubleheader for Orange Lutheran

Orange Lutheran (2-1) defeated reigning Division 1 champion Roosevelt 4-3 and Great Oak 1-0 in a doubleheader at the Norco showcase last week.

“An exciting day for sure,” Lancers coach Steve Miklos said.

Two freshmen played key roles in the victory against Roosevelt. Peyton May earned the victory in the circle while Cate Medvitz tripled and drove in two runs

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In the Great Oak game, junior Brianne Weiss, a Notre Dame commit, struck out 15 and senior Makayla Motis drove in the only run.

NOTES

Catcher Kennedy Proctor is off to a fast start for Tesoro (5-2-1). The junior has three home runs in eight games for the Titans, the Division 3 runner-up last season. … The Dave Kops Tournament of Champions is March 9-11 in Bullhead City, Ariz.

​ Orange County Register 

Angels hammer Oakland bullpen in Cactus League win

• March 1, 2023

THE GAME: The Angels jumped on the Oakland Athletics’ bullpen for nine runs over a four-inning stretch and rolled to an 11-5 victory on Tuesday in Mesa, Ariz.

PITCHING REPORT: Shohei Ohtani not only delivered his two innings, as expected, but he picked up an extra two batters in the third inning to round out his day at his request, instead of reaching his targeted pitch count in the bullpen. Ohtani had a dominating seven-pitch first inning before he walked two of his last five batters. “The main goal today was to feel out all my pitches and I was able to accomplish that,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “I felt pretty good with all of them.” … Right-hander Luke Murphy picked up the rest of the third inning for Ohtani and recorded a ground out and a strikeout to the two batters he faced. … Left-hander Kenny Rosenberg and right-hander Jacob Webb each had a scoreless inning. … Right-hander Jonathan Holder gave up three runs on two hits (one home run) and two walks in two-thirds of an inning, while right-hander Chris Devenski gave up two runs on two hits in an inning.

HITTING REPORT: Logan O’Hoppe hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning and Jake Lamb hit a three-run shot into the bullpen in right field during the fifth. Lamb started at first base. “He’s really worked hard on the defensive side, and the swings have been good,” Manager Phil Nevin said of Lamb. “He’s gonna get a lot of opportunity too. Kind of joking with him, he’s kind of the road warrior right now. He’s going to be on the road for the next few days.” … Infield prospect Kyren Paris had a productive day with a two-run triple, a bases-loaded walk and a two-run double in the ninth inning for a five-RBI game. Kevin Padlo also had a double … The offense worked 13 walks, but also struck out 13 times.

DEFENSE REPORT: Shortstop Livan Soto helped Ohtani in the second inning, starting a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning after Oakland’s Jesus Aguilar walked. … Paris was not only impressive at the plate, but he backhanded a ball up the middle from second base and recorded the out at first base to end the sixth inning. … After Angels lefty Jake Kalish walked two batters in the ninth inning, third baseman Michael Stefanic started a 5-4-3 double play to end the game.

UP NEXT: Brewers at Angels, Wednesday, noon PT, Tempe Diablo Stadium, Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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​ Orange County Register