There was a thread on CC that they're going to start Don Vito aboard Navigator in Sep. Sounds as if Fabrizzio is assembling the old gang from Diamond. It's apparently on the RSSC website.

Yep, just checked the RSSC home page and it appears to be true. Now, with that crew we'd cruise Navigator again! You folks on the Nov Pacific cruise are going to have a great time!

From RSSC:

Don Vitos "singing team" is arriving in September to transform the Navigator's alternative restaurant, the Portofino, into another lively Italian trattoria featuring pre­dinner wine tastings, singing waiters in regional costumes and Italian musicians. Some of the Diamond's crew and executive staff will be coming over, too, such as Hotel Director Fabrizio Caviglione, the man responsible for creating Don Vito's, and Giuseppe, the Diamond's highly popular Cruise Director.

Great news! They will be on board for our Sept 24th cruise, I hope! WooHoo!

Betty

That's awesome. :D

What fun! Don Vito's lives again. It sure was one of the most fun nights at sea. I wonder if Jerry and Doneto (sp.) are the singing team mentioned. They make for a lively dinner.

:woh: :woh:

Whoopie.....another wonderful thing to look forward to in November! Thanks for the heads-up Doug.

Margo, definitely get a group together to do this, it is much more fun that way. Jes, my younger daughter (21 at the time) did not enjoy it on the Diamond when it was just the two of us. They paid way more attention to her than she wanted, putting the mike to her lips, etc. for singing, and she can't sing. When we did it on the Black Sea, the tables were larger, and people got their nerve up a lot more. I'll never forget the pictures Karen posted with Mark and his band of singers with the napkins on their heads! The menu on the Diamond was set. You just took what they gave you and didn't eat if you didn't want it. Funny, last trip on the Navigator the Maitre'd made a special point of telling me this was "not" like the Diamond (they had added music by then). Seems he must have been replaced, and since this was such a popular thing on the Diamond, it is good!

Olivia...we have a group of LCT members on board, perhaps it would be a wonderful thing for all of us to plan. Thanks for the suggestion!

Marsha, Wendy ...what do you think?

I agree with Olivia it is great fun with a group - I was not crazy about the food but you drank, sang and laughed so guess the food was not important - I know some people love DV's....I liked it -

The food was definitely not important on Diamond, but Navigator is a different ship. I even noticed differences on our two Diamond trips. First time the main course was a leathered veal chop. Next time it was better, can't remember what it was, but better. Different ship, different food, unless they are also bringing the cooks aboard.

In the Navigator last month they were calling it Taste of Italy or something like that. I had reservations but missed it because I was having too much fun with other LCT'ers in a pub in Tromso

This sounds like a good excuse to go back on the Navigator!

Maria, I will meet you there!

I am excited that Don Vito's will live on! Doug, thanks for informing us of this fun news.

Okay.. who are Don Vitos and why do you love them?

Olivia,

That would be great!!!

Editing to add: I'm placing my sights on 2007. Bob has "grounded" me for 2006( meaning he wants to do something other than a cruise :( )

Are Danny and Monaliza both joining the Navigator; or someone else doing the singing?

Margo, don't know if I'm the Wendy you were thinking of--I'm hoping it was someone else!

I am in the minority--I really did not enjoy Don Vito's, neither the food, nor the entertainment. Ditto Giuseppe, I seem to be the only woman on the planet who did not find him attractive.

I'm willing to believe that the food will be better on Navigator than Diamond (food outside of the main dining room was so-so), but if they re-create the Don Vito ambience, I'm afraid I would have to be persuaded to do that again.

Granted, if the room was full of LCTers it might be a blast. But we don't plan on booking anything more through 2006.

DV's full of LCT'ers is tons of fun - I think you have to be spontaneous and perhaps an extrovert to enjoy this evening to the fullest - I thought the food was so -so - but the laughs outstanding - and, of course, I could not stop staring at Guiseppe -

Wendy, I agree with you--I didn't think Don Vito's was all that great either (too much food and a little too much noise. But you're right--with a big group it would probably be a lot of fun.
Maria--surely we can talk Bob into a 2006 cruise. If not, keep us posted for 2007--haven't started planning that far ahead yet.

They serve food at Don Vito's?? Actually I do remember the gnochis were very good :)

I agree with all the comments here, DV's is not a place to go for a quiet dinner for two but as Olivia mentioned recently, I will always remember my husband and his "back-up" band singing with napkins that the crew tied onto their heads. I have never before left a dinner with my cheeks hurting from from so much laughter.

Is it a sophisticated dining experience? NO! Is it a great evening to experience with a gang of friends? Heck yah! Would I want to do it twice in one week? Probably not.

I completely agree Karen - and I remember Mark and his band - we did have an outrageously good time -

Oh we all had so much fun in there on DDD! I'll never forget Mark and Tom up there! We celebrated your birthday in rare form Joanna! Lots of great LCT memories!
To me Guiseppe is gorgeous (and a nice, fun dinner companion too).

I think it was Mark's birthday too???

I get confused as I have been to Don Vito's on two different cruises?

It was DDD at DV's when Mark and Tom were entertaining us along with some others - I was at table with Marty, Erika, George and Gretchen - we never stopped laughing -

Margo, we are in, definitely!!

I just asked Tony about his feelings about DV's - he reminded me that we went "alone" the first time on the Diamond and really didn't enjoy ourselves - the second time on DDD was whole different story - again, being with a group is so important in the DV setting - I think

Marsha...Great...we'll plan to form a table.

Wendy...thank you for your response...actually there is another Wendy on our cruise. I understand your reaction, I think if you want a quiet, intimate dinner, DV is not a great choice. Tom is not crazy about it either, but with a group of friends I think it's a wonderful option.

I always enjoyed the entertainment in Don Vito's but never thought the food was much. On the other hand I was pleasantly surprised earlier this year when I sailed on the Navigator. The Portofino Grill was transformed on certain nights to an Italian restaurant with a number of excellent menu choices, antipasto bar, and strolling Italian guitarist. On other nights it was transformed into "A Taste of Italy" which was a traditional Northern Italian meal served family style, course after course. This was a set menu. The antipasto bar was also included on this evening and I found it quite good. During this a strolling guitarist entertained and during the evening the waiters lead a sing along and dance similar to Don Vito's on the Diamond. The food was much better than the Diamond though. Both evenings were exceptional in my opinion. With the addition of the some of the singers from the Diamond and Don Vito's this should make the perfect combination.

I loved Don Vito's, but then Giuseppe was the big attraction. Glad to see they are bringing it back even though Giuseppe has moved on to bigger things.