Cover charge at restaurants on the Star?

[ikajus]

I've been reading some posts and reviews and have noticed that people keep talking about a cover charge. What does this mean? Do you pay to get in and then pay for your meal on top of that?

 

Also, any recommendations on restaurants onboard the star that I just have to try?

[zimmerjulie]

There are some specialty restaurants that are available for an extra charge. For most of them with a cover charge, that is the price you pay for your whole meal. I think there are maybe 2 meals that have an additional upcharge of $5 (Surf & Turf is one that I have heard mentioned) on top of the cover charge . I have only gone to one extra-charge restaurant in 3 NCL cruises and have been very satisfied in the Main (free) dining rooms. The specialty restaurant we tried was Ginza on the Star and we had an excellent, unique meal that was well worth the $12.50 per person that we paid. The specialty restaurants provide the full, multi-course meal experience in smaller, more intimate rooms. They have set menus, so you can check them out in advance so that you can make a decision of whether to try them or not. I believe they also have the full week's menus for the main dining rooms (which change nightly).

 

Here is the detail for the restaurants on the Star:

Extra charge Restaurants

THE SOHO: $15 pp cover. "Pacific Rim Cuisine". Reservations required.

LE BISTRO: $15 pp cover. "French Mediterranean". Reservations required.

CAGNEY'S: $20 pp cover. "Steak House". Reservations required.

GINZA: $12.50 pp cover. "Asian Fusion". Reservations required.

Teppanyaki. A La Carte Pricing. Reservations required.

Sushi. A La Carte pricing. No reservations required.

 

No charge restaurants

VERSAILLES: "Traditional Cuisine". No reservations required.

AQUA: "Contemporary cuisine". No reservations required.

ENDLESS SUMMER: "Tex Mex". Reservations required.

MARKET CAFE: Buffet

LA TRATTORIA: "Italian Cuisine". Reservations required.

BLUE LAGOON: 24 hour eatery. No reservations required .

 

 

 

This was as of last June.

[Two Boys Cruising]

All of those are the same as of January 05

[Calif. RN]

We ate in Le Bistro twice, Cagney's and Soho on the Star; all were excellent and well worth the surcharge, which covers your whole meal with few exceptions. We were able to get dinner reservations the same day we called the reservation "hotline" from our cabin.

[Happy ks]

I would budget for a couple of dinners in the alternate restaurants. The food was far superior, well worth the extra $$. We actually did not like Versailles, the main dining room. We found it to be a little noisy, the food not great, the service not that great for dinner. It was fine for breakfast and lunch, though. I think the dining rooms have changed a bit since we were on in Hawaii, I did not know of Cagneys, is that in place of Endless Summer? Even though it did not require extra $$, you did have to have a reservation there. We preferred it over Versailles, then second choice for included dining room was Aqua, is that the same still?

[Two Boys Cruising]

Cagney's is in place of Las Ramblas at the top of the ship (Deck 13 Mid next to Star Bar). Endless Summer is now a Tex-Mex menu like the Dawn and does require reservations even though it is no charge.

[ron46936]

I agree that Versailles can be a little noisy although it is certainly an attractive room. Aqua is a little less noisy. I thought the food and service in each was quite good. The only surcharge place we ate was Le Bistro and it was very nice but I wouldn't spend the extra again. We did like Trattoria and Endless Summer.

[Dancinboots]

What are the best cover charge restaurants on the Star:confused: Do you really think they are worth the extra money, when there are so many other fine restaurants available for no charge? Also what about the 2 that require reservations...Italian & Mexican. Are they worth reserving.:rolleyes:

We will be on the Star again in 2 weeks. We were on the Star a few years ago in Hawaii, but never went to the Italian or Mexican restaurant, nor did we do any of the cover charge restaurants. How far ahead do they allow you to reserve for the specialty restaurants. I know the best time slots fill up fast.

Thanks...Sharon:cool:

[sodell]

Wasn't there a website that had the menus for the specialty places? anybody recall?

Thanks....

[Bob P]

Sharon,

 

We didn't eat at La Trattoria, but we heard it was very pedestrian Italian, kind of like Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill. As a person of Italian ancestry living in the NYC area, that just doesn't cut it for me!

 

As for Endless Summer, we did eat there but found the food mediocre or worse. It was kind of an Americanized version of Mexican: not quite Mexican, not quite Tex-Mex. Very forgettable.

 

We enjoyed Cagney's, SoHo, and Le Bistro, and we had fun at Teppanyaki (just like a Benihana or any of the other Japanese teppan franchises---you go more for the show than the food). We did think Cagney's, SoHo, and Le Bistro were worth the money.

 

If my memory has not failed me, you can reserve the specialty restaurants beginning the day before you want to eat there. You can all from your cabin or go to the central reservation desk in the atrium lobby (I think it was deck seven on the Star).

 

Hope this helps!

 

Bob P

[angelsx4]

I just found this site the other day. Menus for the extra fare restaurants:

http://www219.pair.com/swansonr/star_trip/documents.html

[ron46936]

In La Trattoria you do have the option os basically ordering any pasta with any sauce. That may not be upscale Italian but it's typical of what we ate in Rome. I had spagetti carbonara which was perfect.

[sodell]

I just found this site the other day. Menus for the extra fare restaurants:

http://www219.pair.com/swansonr/star_trip/documents.html

 

 

Thank you ... it was sooo nice of you to post this. I'll pass it on to our roll call.

 

Thanks again!!

[Dancinboots]

Hi Bob and everyone else

 

Thanks so much for the quick reply. Maybe we will try one of the specialty restaurants for a change. I do like Italian food so we will probably try LaTrattoria. Being you are Italian you would know the real deal when you try it. I am sure that your families homemade Italian beats anything, anywhere!:D I think I will skip Endless summer.

 

Thanks Again..what would we ever do without these wonderful boards and helpful people?:)

 

Sharon

[Bob P]

Hi Sharon,

 

I'm very happy to help, and I'm sure everyone else here is too!

 

I want to re-emphasize that we didn't actually eat in La Trattoria, I was just going by what we heard. For all I know they may have the best food in the world! The analogy to Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill was made by several people we met on board who had tried the restaurant.

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[brunolvr]

There are some specialty restaurants that are available for an extra charge. For most of them with a cover charge, that is the price you pay for your whole meal. I think there are maybe 2 meals that have an additional upcharge of $5 (Surf & Turf is one that I have heard mentioned) on top of the cover charge . I have only gone to one extra-charge restaurant in 3 NCL cruises and have been very satisfied in the Main (free) dining rooms. The specialty restaurant we tried was Ginza on the Star and we had an excellent, unique meal that was well worth the $12.50 per person that we paid. The specialty restaurants provide the full, multi-course meal experience in smaller, more intimate rooms. They have set menus, so you can check them out in advance so that you can make a decision of whether to try them or not. I believe they also have the full week's menus for the main dining rooms (which change nightly).

 

Here is the detail for the restaurants on the Star:

Extra charge Restaurants

THE SOHO: $15 pp cover. "Pacific Rim Cuisine". Reservations required.

LE BISTRO: $15 pp cover. "French Mediterranean". Reservations required.

CAGNEY'S: $20 pp cover. "Steak House". Reservations required.

GINZA: $12.50 pp cover. "Asian Fusion". Reservations required.

Teppanyaki. A La Carte Pricing. Reservations required.

Sushi. A La Carte pricing. No reservations required.

 

No charge restaurants

VERSAILLES: "Traditional Cuisine". No reservations required.

AQUA: "Contemporary cuisine". No reservations required.

ENDLESS SUMMER: "Tex Mex". Reservations required.

MARKET CAFE: Buffet

LA TRATTORIA: "Italian Cuisine". Reservations required.

BLUE LAGOON: 24 hour eatery. No reservations required .

 

 

 

This was as of last June.

So, do you leave a tip (along with the pp cover charge) for the "extra charge" dining? What about the restaurants that require a reservation (La Trattoria, Endless Summer) but no extra charge? Is it proper to leave a tip?

[zimmerjulie]

It is not expected, as the waitstaff in the specialty restaurants is included in the auto tip (service charge) pool. However, I do tip extra if the staff goes above and beyond to make it a great dinner experience.

[johnql]

So, do you leave a tip (along with the pp cover charge) for the "extra charge" dining? What about the restaurants that require a reservation (La Trattoria, Endless Summer) but no extra charge? Is it proper to leave a tip?

It's entirely up to you. I usually do leave a tip when the service warrants it, and it usually does.

[johnql]

Also, any recommendations on restaurants onboard the star that I just have to try?

If you're looking for a great steak, I would highly recommend Cagney's. From soup to nuts, Le Bistro is probably the best bet. The food preparation show at Teppanyaki is always fun and I love their entrees.