Norwegian escape

[abby1257]

Hi there, thinking about cruising Norwegian (only done Carnival and Royal)...I am confused about the dining options. Have always had a set time every night on past cruises. Does the main dining room each evening cost extra and can you make reservations (can you reserve for 7 nights online before your cruise)....I am NOT one to line up for an hour to wait for a table...HELP

[frank212]

There are Main dining rooms that are complementary (unless you want lobster there's a charge for that). You are able to make reservations for diner at 90 days or less for both specialty and complementary restaurants.

 

 

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[BirdTravels]

Freestyle dining allows you to show up when you want for dinner. No set dining times.

 

There is never a long line for the main dining rooms.

 

You may book dining times in the MDR online 90 days before your cruise. Only a small number of tables are allocated for online prebooking. So don't wait if you have a specific time you want to dine.

 

MDRs offer complimentary dining. There are a limited number of items available for an upcharge (eg lobster). Complimentary dining is available in the three main dining rooms (Manhattan Room, Taste, Savor), O'Shehans grill (24 hours a day), the Garden Cafe Buffet.

Edited June 4, 2016 by BirdTravels

[abby1257]

Specialty restaurants are extra charge?

[BirdTravels]

Specialty restaurants are extra charge?

 

Like the steakhouse on the conquest, specialty restaurants cost extra.

 

 

A la Carte (pay menu price like a restaurant at home): Cagney's Steakhouse, Le Bistro French, Bayamo Cuban, Food Republic fusion, Pinchos Tapas Bar, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville at Sea, La Cucina Italian

 

Fixed Price (like conquest steakhouse): Teppanyaki, $29.95, Moderno Churasscaria Brazilian BBQ $24.95

 

There is an 18% gratuity on all specialty dining.

Edited June 4, 2016 by BirdTravels

[abby1257]

OK...guess one better be careful not to eat at them ....not knowing they are extra! LOL

[Nola26]

OK...guess one better be careful not to eat at them ....not knowing they are extra! LOL

 

If you want to eat at Specialty restaurants you can pre purchase a Specialty dining package for as few as 3 nights. Details available on ncl.com. You can make reservations for those restaurants and it is suggested that you make them.

 

One of the beauties of ncl is the Freestyle: what you want when you want. You can eat in the MDRs anytime they're open w/o a reservation. Guests don't wait an hour to be seated, NCL does this 365 days a year and are very good at getting people in and out. We loved the flexibility. By the way the buffets are excellent and offer the ultimate in dining flexibility. Take advantage of one of the perks of sailing NCL, keep it flexible a night or two. ;)

[abby1257]

Thank you so much Nola26 for your input...We have never cruised NCL and the thought of waiting in line for dinner is not really what we have done on all of our other cruises...6:00 pm dinner....you get seated...same table...same waiter...but this sounds great....I will look at the specialty restaurants also...thx again

[kchiumento]

The longest I have waited for a table was 10-15 minutes at the busiest time of the dinner hour. There are electronic boards all over the ship that tell you what restaurants have what kind of wait time. I actually prefer this than having to pick the same dinner seating time every night of my cruise 9 months before the cruise even leaves. You don't have to worry about holding up your table mates or getting back from an excursion late and having to rush to dress for dinner. I get that it is different than what you are accustomed to and change is hard. But try it and I think you will like the freedom of not having to schedule when you HAVE to eat. There is so much more to a cruise than dinner.