question about MDR's on the Gem

[pastrychef]

Is one MDR better than the other on NCL Gem?

[SeaShark]

Is one MDR better than the other on NCL Gem?

 

It depends on both WHO and HOW you define "better".

 

What one person considers to be "better" may not be what another person considers to be "better".

[Moondawgie]

Do you get assigned one or do you choose? I haven't sailed NCL in about 20 years, so I don't understand freestyle yet.

[BillNY]

I believe they have the same menu, but as per the Freestyle Daily, the Grand Pacific is "smart casual" as far as dress code, while the Magenta is "Cruise Casual". So, part of the decision of which restaurant is better would come from the way you prefer to dress.

 

Dress code: Dinner in Le Bistro and Grand Pacific (aft main dining room) is Smart Casual - collared shirts and pants or nice jeans with closed-toed shoes for men. Slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts, and tops for women. No baseball caps or visors. (Presentable jeans are clean, without holes and tears, not overly faded, worn at the waist or hips and in good condition.)

 

All other restaurants: Cruise Casual - Khakis, jeans, shorts, casual shorts for men (no tank tops). Ladies - Casual dresses, casual skirts, or pants and tops, summer dresses. Capri pants, shorts jeans.

[BillNY]

Do you get assigned one or do you choose? I haven't sailed NCL in about 20 years, so I don't understand freestyle yet.

 

No assignment...you can choose either on any given night.

[SeaShark]

Do you get assigned one or do you choose? I haven't sailed NCL in about 20 years, so I don't understand freestyle yet.

 

You understand freestyle more than you know. Freestyle is not a concept that NCL invented...Freestyle is simply the way we live our lives each and every day only on a cruise ship. When you are hungry...you go eat...not at some pre-scheduled time. When you want to eat...you pick a restaurant...just like you do at home.

[jaja]

Also--The Grand Pacific is more "open" with high ceilings and windowed walls..Magenta is a little more noisy and "closed in" ..with lower ceilings and no windows..

[SeaShark]

Also--The Grand Pacific is more "open" with high ceilings and windowed walls..Magenta is a little more noisy and "closed in" ..with lower ceilings and no windows..

 

:eek: I know I haven't been on the Gem since 2008, but when did they remove the windows from Magenta? :eek:

[jaja]

:eek: I know I haven't been on the Gem since 2008, but when did they remove the windows from Magenta? :eek:

 

Sorry:eek:--I left out the word..BIG re: Magenta windows... :o

[Demonyte]

Is one MDR better than the other on NCL Gem?

 

Technically no. Food comes from the same kitchen (galley) prepared by the same people and servers onboard rotate so the server that was in the other on day 1 might just as well be in another on day 2 so there is no saying that the service in one would be better than in the other.

 

Differences about dress code, ambience, etc have already been explained by others and are mostly personal preferences.

[jjikids]

There are two menus used in each dining room. One is the menu that changes. The other is the one that is the same every day. There is a little difference though in each dining room. For example one does cream of broccoli soup. The other had broccoli bisque. Magenta is a smaller room also.

[vols_159]

One has ny strip one has ribeye on the fixed menu

[Janine]

Does any have the 2 fixed menus? Or even the 9 day menu?

[Rhea58]

I personally prefer the Grand Pacific to the Magenta. The room is much more attractive with the windows...Pacific seems closed in. While the menus are the same, I have had trouble w/the service in the Magenta

so I always favor the Grand Pacific

[CTCruisers]

To add to the comments, since the Grand Pacific is the larger of the two, we have found the wait time to be seated is shorter there.

 

The Magenta has some seating where it is a bench along a wall that is not comfortable.

[cpiers]

Does any have the 2 fixed menus? Or even the 9 day menu?

 

 

I too would like to see the menus. Does any have them for the 9 days?

[luvtheships]

There were some slight differences in the nightly menu. such as, Magenta had Rib Eye as standard each night and Grand Pacific had a NY strip steak.

 

GP is large and what you expect on a cruise ship. Magenta is smaller and more casual dress.

 

If you want to wear shorts, go to Magenta. We saw kids and adults being turned away from GP.

 

We only went to GP as we like the massive cruise ship MDR feel and there are more tables by the windows.

 

btw, the food in the MDR on the Gem was excellent and I wish we had not even bothered to go to the specialty dining but I prepaid, which was fine with me, but the MDR was truly excellent with good portion size.

 

On our last NCL Jewel cruise, the MDR was horrible (2011) and that was why I prepaid for the Gem specialties.

 

I asked and was told that the Gem has a new chef so that might account for the good food and good sized portions. This was definitely not the case on the Jewel in 2011.