Cruising the Baltics with a Teen and Tween on the Getaway; A Review

[Travel R]

INFO AND MENUS FOR RESTAURANTS

WE DID NOT DINE (CONTINUED - again)

SHANGHAI’S NOODLE BAR {ASIAN / NOODLES}

 

Description: Enjoy acomplimentary Asian Fusion dining venue featuring freshly prepared noodles,delicious wok fried dishes, authentic soups, and more.

 

Cost: Complimentary

 

Location: Deck 7, Aft

 

Schedule:

Embarkation –D: 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Port Day – D: 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Sea Day – D: 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Debarkation –

 

Menu:

http://www.beyondships2.com/uploads/8/2/4/5/8245255/noodle_bar.pdf

 

Dim Sum

• 
  
• Pork Pot Stickers (steamed or fried)
  
• Steamed Shrimp Dumplings
  
• Vegetable Spring Roll
  

Noodles from theWok

• 
  
• Singapore Noodles
  
• Peking Style Shrimp and Chicken
  
• Beef Chow Fun
  

Noodles in Broth

• 
  
• Char Siu (BBQ Chinese Pork) with Rice Noodles
  
• Spicy Seafood Udon Noodles
  
• Glass Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables
  

Fried Rice

• 
  
• Vegetarian Fried Rice
  
• Shrimp Fried Rice
  
• Combination Fried Rice (Shrimp, Beef, Pork)
  

Desserts

• 
  
• Chilled Mango Pudding
  
• Five Spice Chocolate Cake
  

 

 

TEPPANYAKI ($){JAPANEESE /BENI-HANNA}

 

Description:Flying shrimp. Onion volcanoes. Twirling knives. The sizzles and surprisesnever cease at Teppanyaki, our authentic Japanese hibachi restaurant. Sitaround a lively shared table as a skillful chef slices, chops and grills steak,seafood and chicken on a large steel grill right before your eyes. Our chilled,sake-infused wasabi cocktail will have you flipping too.

 

Cost: $29.95

 

Location: Deck 6,Mid

 

Schedule:

Embarkation – D: 5 PM to 10:00 PM

Port Day – D: 5 PM to 10:00 PM

Sea Day – D: 5 PM to 10 PM

Debarkation –

 

Menu:

http://www.beyondships2.com/uploads/8/2/4/5/8245255/tepp.pdf

 

First Course

• 
  
• Miso Soup
  
• Seaweed Salad w/ Ginger Dressing
  

Main Course(served w/ garlic ried rice & teppanyaki vegetables)

• 
  
• Chicken or Vegetable Yakiudon w/ Udon Noodles
  
• Seafood (lobster, scallops, & calamari)
  
• Filet Mignon
  
• Vegetable
  
• Samurai Combo (chicken & shrimp)
  
• Land and Sea Combo (filet mignon & shrimp)
  
• Shogun Combo (Steak & chicken)
  
• Shinto Combo (scallops & shrimp)
  

Dessert

• 
  
• Green Tea Cake
  
• Fresh Fruit Sashimi
  

 

 

WASABI ($ + SDP) {JAPANESE / SUSHI}

 

Description: Welcome toWasabi, our traditional sushi bar complete with unique contemporary décor and aYakitori grill. A nice selection of popular sushi, sashimi and rolled favoritesare all artfully presented and prepared right in front of you. And don’t forgetto check out our sake menu. This dining option is priced á la carte.

 

Cost: A la carte

 

Location: Deck 8, Mid; SDP Upcharge: $7 pp

 

Schedule:

Embarkation – D: 5:30 PM to 11:00PM

Port Day – D: 5:30 PM to 11:00 PM

Sea Day – L: Noon to 1:30 PM; D:6:00 PM to 11:00 PM

Debarkation –

 

Menu:

From Breakaway 2013 - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2049171

 

Appetizers

• 
  
• Edame - $2.00
  
• Miso Soup - $1.50
  
• Sesame Seaweed Salad - $2.75
  

Niguri Sushi(2 pc/order)

• 
  
• Big Eye Tuna - $2.25
  
• Yellow Tail - $2.25
  
• Octopus - $1.75
  
• Yellow Fin Tuna - $2.75
  
• Prawn - $2.25
  
• Salmon - $2.75
  

Sashimi (4pc/order)

• 
  
• Yellow Fin Tuna - $4.50
  
• Octopus - $3.00
  
• Big Eye Tuna - $3.50
  
• Yellowtail - $4.00
  
• Salmon - $3.50
  
• Abacore Tuna - $4.00
  

Medium Rolls(1 roll/order)

• 
  
• Godzilla Roll – sweet shrimp, mango, avocado, caramelized cashews, & coconut - $4.25
  
• Rock and Roll – BBQ eel, yellowtail, & avocado - $4.00
  
• Red Hokkaido Roll – spicy scallops and marinated maguro - $4.25
  
• Shrimp Tempura Roll – shrimp tempura, avocado, and tobiko - $4.75
  

Sushi and SashimiCombos

• 
  
• Diamond Combo –yellowfin tuna sashimi, prawn sushi, rainbow roll, California roll - $12.00
  
• Ruby Combo – big eye tuna sashimi, octopus sushi, caterpillar roll (?avocado, cucumber, & eel?), rock and roll
  

Yakitori -$12.00

• 
  
• Negima – chicken and spring roll - $2.50
  
• Tsukune – chicken dumplings - $2.25
  
• Gyu – boneless beef short ribs - $3.50
  
• Ika - squid - $2.00
  
• Kuryma Ebi - prawn - $3.00
  

[tonywold]

Thanks.

 

I guess you saw my questions over on the Italy boards. The itinerary on the Star looks amazing for next June. You probably think I am crazy beginning to perform the research now, but this is actually going to be for a 2019 vacation. I was looking at the Star itinerary as a guide (and hopefully there will be comparable itineraries for when we travel) - which does have to itineraries that stop at Athens - and one of them begins in Venice and end in Rome, which may eliminate some of the logistics/driving. I am glad I began asking questions - I did not think driving in Italy would be such a big deal - but from the responses, I guess I am wrong (although I really do want to drive around the country).

 

As far as cruise entertainment goes - MDQ was one of the best shows I have seen while at sea. I would have loved to see it again, but I do not know when I would have been able to fit it in.

 

I have enjoyed your review, we did this trip in July and had a great time. Your experiences mirror many of ours and it has been enjoyable to relive the trip. Last year we had a great 14-day trip on the Spirit that did both the Eastern and Western Med, going from Barcelona to Venice (with Provence, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Naples, Mykonos, Athens, Corfu, Kotor, Kuper, and Dubrovnik in between). Next summer the Spirit is doing similiar cruises as 2 different cruises. I hope they go back to the model we had in 2016 as it was an amazing trip. I can tell you that our family absolutely loved seeing Athens, Croatia and especially had a great time in Slovenia. Just like Russia on this year's trip, that part of the world was unexpected. The cruise originally was supposed to have Istanbul, and when that got dropped and Slovenia and Corfu added we were initially bummed, but it turned out that Slovenia and our private tour that day was one of our highlights of the 14 days.

 

Keep on posting and know that there are many of us that are absolutely loving to see your take on the Baltics this year.

[Travel R]

I have enjoyed your review, we did this trip in July and had a great time. Your experiences mirror many of ours and it has been enjoyable to relive the trip. Last year we had a great 14-day trip on the Spirit that did both the Eastern and Western Med, going from Barcelona to Venice (with Provence, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Naples, Mykonos, Athens, Corfu, Kotor, Kuper, and Dubrovnik in between). Next summer the Spirit is doing similiar cruises as 2 different cruises. I hope they go back to the model we had in 2016 as it was an amazing trip. I can tell you that our family absolutely loved seeing Athens, Croatia and especially had a great time in Slovenia. Just like Russia on this year's trip, that part of the world was unexpected. The cruise originally was supposed to have Istanbul, and when that got dropped and Slovenia and Corfu added we were initially bummed, but it turned out that Slovenia and our private tour that day was one of our highlights of the 14 days.

 

Keep on posting and know that there are many of us that are absolutely loving to see your take on the Baltics this year.

 

That 14 day itinerary sounds amazing. We did the Western itinerary out of Rome (with a few days pre-cruise). We had been to the other countries before (France and Spain), but we enjoyed our small taste of Italy so much, we immediately wanted to return. If I can tie in an Italy experience with a cruise out of Venice hitting Greece and other countries, it would be a huge bonus. You never know what these ports have to hold - Estonia was the surprise for this cruise.

 

As long as I keep on cruising, I will keep on writing.

 

Thanks again!

[Travel R]

Review: MDRs – Main Dining Rooms: Taste, Savor, and Tropicana

 

The Getaway has three main dining rooms (MDRs) – Savor, Taste, and Tropicana. Savor and Taste are more “traditional” MDR and both have the same menus,the difference is that they are on different sides of the ship (the entrances are directly across from each other) and the décor is different. Although if you paid me money, I could not remember how either was decorated, but the décor was nice enough. They had large windows that opened up to the ocean, which I enjoyed (one of the reasons I cruise is to be in-touch with the ocean, not partitioned off from it).

 

Savor and Taste

 

We have eaten at both of these locations throughout the cruise for breakfast, dinner and the sea-day sit-down lunches.

 

The service was variable. We had some very good waitstaff, although most were fairly good (they did their jobs). The one annoyance was the lack of milk for coffee in the mornings – it took a long time to get it whereby the coffee would get cold. It got to the point that later in the cruise where my wife would tell the waiter not to bring the coffee until the milk was on the table. It is human nature to point out what we do not like, and I am no different. I wrote down all the things that made me unhappy with my meals, but only once or twice did I write down when I received excellent service. There were some (a minority) fantastic waiters, but the service provided by most did not warrant any space in my notebook. Although I never worked on a cruise ship, I did work as a waiter fora little while – it is not easy work, so I do commend their service for the small salaries they are making, but you can tell who are the good ones . . . . and who are not.

[Edited/cropped to protect the innocent:]

 

For dinner, if you arrive at either venue before 6:00 you can walk in without any reservation. Before 6:30, there is only a minimal wait. During their busy period (6:30 – 7:30) there can be a wait (reportedly up to 15 minutes, but longer for a party larger than 6). For you “freestylers” that do not mind waiting, these venues are perfect if scheduling is not in your DNA.

 

As I had mentioned in a different thread earlier today, a part of me does miss the traditional dining. Although the freestyle concept is a lot more convenient on a port-intensive cruise with long shore excursions, I still miss the benefits to the old ways [old is not the equivalent of bad]. It was great coming to your table after the first evening and having your soda, or specific dinner rolls, etc. ready and waiting for you. It was nice having a rapor with your wait staff. It was nice seeing some of the same passengers each evening and talking with them about their day (or whatever). I also believe that the wait staff had more stake in serving you well (you would know their names and rate them at the end of the cruise – now only the exceptional staff are rewarded, while mediocre staff continue to be mediocre without any passenger comment). Even when we would sit at 8- or 10-tops with other people that were formerly strangers, I enjoyed that and what were strangers had become friends by the end of the cruise. I know that thisaspect of dining is not everyone’s cup of tea (as I keep on mentioning, we are all on our own journey, and every journey is different). But for me – I enjoyed the social aspect of it. It was part ofthe “cruise experience.” [speaking of old school cruise experiences - there was no parade of waiters with the baked Alaska, and I do miss formal night (some people might not have liked dressing up, but I always had a lot of fun on those evenings).]

 

Now the food – Overall, the foodwas not bad. I will do a comparison with other lines at a later date, but it was a lot better than our last stint on Carnival and comparable to my sailingson RCI (although my DW likes the food on RCI better). There were some dishes that were tasty and delicious, and others that I could not take more than two bites. However, there was always a very good selection on the menu. I knewabout it during my research, but I was disappointed not to see cold soups, cocktail shrimp (only in Cagneys), escargot (only in Moderno), or lobster on the menu (even the "poorer quality" lobster). Most of the dishes were “safe” – in that they are items that I had either cooked myself or ordered in many land based restaurants. Although the menu listed beef stroganoff for one of the evenings in Russia, it was one of the few unique offerings. The quality of the food wasfairly decent – and usually prepared well, although the cooks did seem a little heavy with the sodium for some dishes. The best deserts on the menu were the crème brulees, which I tasted from my DW’s plate. The sugar-free or no sugar added deserts were nicely plated, but bland to the pallette.

 

To be on the safe side, if you do have the appetite to do so, order two appetizers and two entrées. In that manner, I was able to try a few extra dishes, and if I was disappointed with one, I always had a back up. Yes, I could put away all of the food without issue – but I do tend to work it off in the gym.

 

I did not call up food services or talk to the maitre de prior to or during the cruise, but told my waiter each meal that I had a cheese allergy. For the most part, the staff in the MDR were very good in either telling me what dished contained cheese or had the cooks prepare the dishes without cheese. [A big thank you to NCL & Getaway cooks for this!!!!]

 

Also note, the menu does change each night, with a few select items that remain the same for the length of the cruise. If you enjoy steak, there is a 6 oz. on the menu each night – and surprisingly good (I ordered it without the sauce).

 

Tropicana

 

This restaurant is also an MDR,and has exactly the same menu as Tate and Savor. However, the décor is different (quasi-emulating Cuba’s famous Tropicana club). I thought the decorations looked more sophisticated than the other two MDRs – maybe it was the high ceiling.

 

In addition to the swanky look and feel, it also is unique in that it offers live entertainment. The night we dined there was a band playing Latino and retro pop dance music. [My DW and I were the first ones on the dance floor.] It was an enjoyable experience, and we had an exceptional waitress for the evening. [i must have enjoyed it, it was the only food venue I took pictures. Only three, but I did take pictures of the restaurant itself.]

 

Overall, if you do not get a specialty package and do not want to pay for any of the specialty restaurants,you will be more than fine with the MDRs on the Getaway. In fact, as you will soon read, I enjoyed the MDR more than the specialties.

[bluehorizonlover123]

Loved reading your review! We are doing the Baltics next summer. Thank you for the labor of love you put into this? I know it is a huge undertaking.

[Travel R]

Loved reading your review! We are doing the Baltics next summer. Thank you for the labor of love you put into this? I know it is a huge undertaking.

 

Thank you!

 

I am enjoying writing this review - but it is like a second job. It will be bitter sweet when it is complete. Writing the review allows me to re-live the cruise a second time (and this one is a few weeks long).

 

It has taken some time, but I am finally down the home stretch.

 

After I am finished writing the review I will be returning time to time for research on our next adventure, as well as checking for any questions on this thread. So if you (or any of the other readers) are still in the early stages of research, and do not have any questions as of yet, please feel free to ask your questions when you get to it, and I'll be back to answer them (although I cannot promise that I will be back on a daily basis - but at least every 2-3 days).

[Travel R]

Le Bistro – Our Romantic French Dinner Date

 

I had planned this in advance of the cruise to be a dinner for just myself and my DW. When you think of French Restaurants, romance comes to mind – so I figured that this would be a perfect “night out” for us. I even formally asked her out for this date.

 

We did not dress to the nines. However, my DW wore a sexy summer dress and I wore a button-down, tie, and slacks [this vacation was too long and too far to bring a suite/jacket]. On the evening of the dinner we took showers, got dressed and headed down to the restaurant.

 

I made it my DD17’s responsibility to take my DD12 to dinner, then ensure that she goes to the tweeen club. She did it without much of a fuss.

 

The aesthetics of the restaurant, including the outside area, were very nice (and I had passed it by a number of times during the voyage). It is a lot more elegant than most of the other venues on the ship.

 

I know that on most lists of the favorite restaurants by NCL cruisers, this is usually number one or two. For us, it did not rate that high. Why?

• Allergies – The person that served our appetizers gave us the wrong dishes. Both dishes featured shrimp, and due to the dimmed lights of the room, plus we were not sure what the dish was supposed to look like – we were given the wrong dishes. Before ordering I had told the server about my cheese allergy. The first bite of my dish did not taste as I thought it would have. But with the second bite, I knew it was not what I had ordered. We immediately called over the server – she checked with the kitchen, and luckily there was no cheese in the dish my DW ordered either. Whereas other waiters had did everything to ensure I did not receive the wrong food – there was a slip-up here.
  
• Service – The service, besides the mess-us was okay. It was not bad, nor was it spectacular.
  
• Food – The food was okay. Everything was plated very nicely, and it was prepared well. However, I did not find it outstanding – and on-par with many of the dishes I had in the MDR. There have been scientific studies that show that presentation and atmosphere do actually make food taste better (you can look it up), but the atmosphere did not affect my taste buds. I had the veal dish, which was okay, and nicely prepared (although a bit too small), but I have had much better at low-brow restaurants back home. The highlight was the apple turnover for desert, which was actually one of the better deserts I have had on the Getaway this entire cruise.
  
• Anniversary Cake – We were to receive an anniversary cake on this cruise. I decided to use it for this meal. I gave the waitress the card at the start of the meal, and it was not until after we began to eat dessert that I had remembered about it. So I told the waitress. She apologized and said that she would send the cake to our room later that night. No it did not arrive. The next afternoon, while I was walking down the corridor, I stopped at the front booth and asked them about it. They apologized and did send it later that afternoon.
  

No, I did not love Le Bistro. If we ever go on NCL and have another SDP, I would probably not use it on Le Bistro – although, after a few cruises, and have tried all the others, I would give it a secondtry. Maybe it was just an off night. Overall, we still enjoyed our date night together - which was the point of it anyway.

LE BISTRO ($) {FRENCH}

 

Description: Have it aupoivre or just go straight for the bouillabaisse at our signature Frenchrestaurant in the atrium of 678 Ocean Place. Elegant interiors, crisp white linens and attentive servers make this an intimate dining experience reminiscent of a Parisian café. By the end of your meal, you’ll might just beproclaiming c’est magnifique!

 

Cost: A la carte

 

Location: Deck 6, Mid

 

Schedule:

Embarkation – D: 5:30 PM to 10 PM

Port Day – D: 5:30 PM to 10 PM

Sea Day – D: 5:30 PM to 10 PM

Debarkation – Closed

 

Menu:

http://www.beyondships2.com/uploads/8/2/4/5/8245255/bistro.pdf

 

Appetizers, Soups, and Salads

• Les Quatre Cornets – Duck & Chicken Salads
  
• Asperges Grilles – Grilled Asparagus
  
• Gratine A l’Oignon – Onion Soup
  
• Escargot Bourgunonne – Escargot
  
• Salade Gourmande – Salad w/Duck
  
• Soup Aux Quatre Champignons – Cream of Mushroom Soup
  
• Moules Poulette Au Pernod – Steamed Muscles in Cream
  
• Coquilles St. Jacques Provencial – Scallops w/ Vegetables
  

Bistro Specials

• Fruits De Mer – Fish in Pastry Puffs
  
• Homard Rotis Aux Beurre – Lobster w/ Butter & Artichokes
  
• Cote De Boeuf Pour Deux – Ribeye steak w/ Mushrooms
  

Meats, Seafood, & Poultry

• Filet d’ Espadon – Grilled Swordfish in B utter Sauce
  
• Filet de Saumon d’ Atlantic – Atlantic Salmon in Cream Sauce
  
• Bouillabaisse, Soupe de Poissons Mediterranee – Beef Tenerloin w/ Mushrooms
  
• Filet de Porc Au Romarin – Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin
  
• Carre d’ Agneau Rotis – Rack of Lamb
  
• Coq Au Vin – Chicken in Wine Sauce
  
• Duo De Canard – Duck in Madeira Sauce
  
• Napoleon De Legumes – Vegetables and Goat Cheese in Pastry Puffs
  

Dessert

• ????????
  

[bluehorizonlover123]

I am trying to pick the perfect tour for St Petersburg. I was looking at your itinerary for DenRus. If you had to do it again would you use them again or try SPB or TJ instead. Also would you have been too exhausted to go to the Russian ballet that night if your girls would have wanted it. I was hoping to do this but if it is too exhausting, I am afraid my husband will fall asleep and it will be a waste of money. We sail on the Regal Princess in June next year.

[Travel R]

I am trying to pick the perfect tour for St Petersburg. I was looking at your itinerary for DenRus. If you had to do it again would you use them again or try SPB or TJ instead. Also would you have been too exhausted to go to the Russian ballet that night if your girls would have wanted it. I was hoping to do this but if it is too exhausting, I am afraid my husband will fall asleep and it will be a waste of money. We sail on the Regal Princess in June next year.

 

I would use DenRus again - they were able to get us to the front of the line for every place we visited, and were able to get us tickets to the Gold Room, and were able to modify our schedule as needed. I would use them again, but would suggest someone other than Nadia as the tour guide.

 

However, if either of the other two companies could promise the same things, based on other reviews, I would have no issues trying the other two. I believe TJ would have been my second choice based on their standard tour schedule.

 

If I were to do it again, and my DW and daughters really wanted to go to the ballet, I think I would probably go. I wound up staying up for the horrible Russian Folklore show on the ship and then saw the fireworks display afterwards. I would have been exhausted either way. Also remember that I was working up to the afternoon I left for this trip, then spent the prior few days running around Iceland, then Copenhagen - we were going nonstop for a week before we even got to Saint Pete. My suggestion is to not run yourselves ragged beforehand, and you should be okay going to the ballet.

[Travel R]

Illusionarium – The Meal

 

I have already reviewed the show, so I will not do so again and focus this quick review on the venue as a dining venue.

 

So, you are asked to pay for this dinner and a show – the big question is – Is it worth the money? [Even with the SDP (which we had), there is still an up-charge - and we paid full price for our DDs] For us, it was worth the money. The show was great, and the food was pretty good. The steak was not a 24 oz rib eye from Smith and Wollensky, but it was tasty, well cooked,and hit the spot. My big gripe was that there was not enough shrimp. The appetizer and salad were good as well. The desert was so-so, but looked nice.

 

Although the wait staff tried to do their best to take care of our allergy needs [they will place a white napkin in front of everyone that had a dietary need], they messed up with my DW’s allergy to chocolate. Although they did not include the chocolate cake on her plate, they left on the red velvet cake – and as you may (or may not) know, red velvet cake is made with chocolate.

 

Overallit was a very nice experience and a decent meal.

 

 

 

ILLUSIONARIUM ($ + UC) {CIRQUE DREAMS AND STEAM & DINNER}

 

 

Description: Only Norwegian offers meals with amazement. Join us for an intimate dinner and amagnificent show featuring world-class magicians performing in our unique venue on board Norwegian Getaway

 

Cost: $34.95 (Floor)/ $29.95 (Banquet); SDP Upcharge: $10 pp regular/$15 pp premium seats. Note: Kids are full price, even if eating off kids menu.

 

Location: Deck 6

 

Schedule:

Embarkation – N/A

Port Day – Possible 5:30 & 8:30 [unknown which days]

Sea Day – Possible 5:30 & 8:30 [unknown which days]

Debarkation – N/A

 

Menu:

• Prosciutto: Mozzarella, Tomato, Balsamic Vinaigrette; Gourmet Young Mesclun Greens
  
• Surf & Turf: Jumbo Coconut Shrimp & Roasted Beef Tenderloin; Double Baked Potato, Brocolli and Demi-Glace Sauce
  
• Trilogy of Sweets: Red Velvet Cupcake w/ Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting; Vanilla Crème Caramel with Wild Berries; Flourless Chocolate Cake w/ Praline Crème
  
• Note: There is supposedly a vegetarian option – Eggplant Parmesan [for the evening we were there, the vegetarian option was cannelloni]; Kids can still order off of the kids menu - but both of my daughters had the regularly offered menu.
  

[Travel R]

Moderno – A Taste of Brasil

 

My first experience at a Churrascaria was many years ago – my parents brought me to a really big one in Queens (from what I remembered someone saying– it fit 1000 people – but memory is always fading). It was very good, and probably 20 different types of meats (that I do remember) and a huge salad bar (I remember that they had some awesome fish dishes (and a great fish salad). We would go there at least once a year for a number of years. There were (and probably still are) a number of these restaurants in Brooklyn as well that I had gone to. I had even recently been to one recently in South America

 

Although I have been to a number of Brazilian steak restaurants, and my DW has been to a few – we decided to chose this as one of our three choices for the specialty dining package because my daughters were very young the last time we had taken them to one of these –and thought they would enjoy it. Although they did enjoy the experience, the meat was too salty (at least to my taste)and the rest of my family thought it was “just okay.” The salad bar wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great either (really good bacon strips - thick and crispy). Compared to the other similar places I have been in the past, this one did not rate as well.

 

Note that they were really good with my allergies -- there are two meats that they add cheese to after they cook it, and they brought it over to me before adding the cheeses (a big thank you to the NCL staff!!!).

 

I may try it again, if I have another specialty dining package, but I would not pay full price for it. Once again –food/taste is subjective and there are many that do enjoy this venue. Do not take my words on it – try it for yourself, especially if you have never been to a churrascaria before, it is a pretty cool experience.

 

MODERNO ($) {BRAZILIAN CHURRASCARIA}

 

Description: If you’relooking for a unique experience, our authentic Brazilian steakhouse Moderno Churrascaria is a must. Start with an impressive salad bar of imported cheeses, olives, cured meats, ceviche and specialty salads. Be sure to save room for the delicious skewers of slow-roasted meats including beef, pork, lamb and chicken– all carved tableside by our Pasadores.

 

Cost: $24.95

 

Location: Deck 6, Mid

 

Schedule:

Embarkation – D: 5:30 PM to 10 PM

Port Day – D: 5:30 PM to 10 PM

Sea Day – D: 5:30 PM to 10 PM

Debarkation – Closed

 

Menu:

From Gem: http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-gem-moderno-menu.html

 

Churrascaria

• Costella de Carniero (lamb), Filet Mignon, Garlic Beef, Picanha (sirloin), Chicken Breast, Chorizo (sausage), Costela (beef ribs), Costela de Suino (pork ribs), Frango (chicken leg), Linguica (Portuguese sausage)
  

Sides

• Buttered Rice, Savory Black Beans, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Fried Sweet Banana
  

Salad Bar

• Salads, including Tuna and French Beans, Potato, Shrimp and Roasted Garlic, Hearts of Palm, Fresh Asparagus, Ceviche, European Cured Meats, and Artisan Cheeses
  

Desserts

• Papaya Cream, Cocunut Flan, Mango Rice Pudding
  

Signature Bread

 

 

• Pao de Queijo, Brazilian Cheese Bread
  

[Travel R]

Our “Go To” Place - O'Sheehans

 

This was a great surprise. It is a 24 hour restaurant with good food – the usual bar and grill stuff, plus classic Irish dishes. They have a fairly full menu during the day, and even their limited menu in the middle of the night is still pretty good (and they even have a limited breakfast, which we did not try; they also had a specialty dish for dinner each night). The wings, especially the Thai Chili wings, were my favorite – I had them throughout the vacation.

 

The wait staff was decent – some really good waiters/waitresses, and some mediocre. There was only one day where we had a bad experience. We usually ate when it was not busy, but the one time we arrived when it was busy we had a waitress that was less than stellar and her supervisor had to help her out with her tables. Besides that one experience, most of us had enjoyed it (it was not a favorite of my DD12).

 

 

As noted, it was the perfect place to eat lunch during the day we boarded – we had good food, we were served, and we avoided the chaos of the buffet. Best of all –it was complimentary!!!!

O’SHEEHANS BAR & GRILL {BAR FOOD / AMERICANA}

 

Description: Dine on American classics in a relaxed Irish pub atmosphere. With popular dishes like Chicken Pot Pie and Fish n’ Chips to daily dinner specials ranging from Prime Rib to Chicken & Waffles, O'Sheehan’s has all your favorite comfort food and beer on tap 24 hours a day. So catch a game on the two-story TV screen or play some billiards or darts, this casual restaurant is a guest favorite – and it’s complimentary.

 

Cost: Complimentary

 

Location: Deck 7, Mid

 

Schedule: Open 24/7 for Snacks. Below is for expanded lunch/dinner:

Embarkation – L: 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM; D: 5:30 PMto 9 PM

Port Day – B: 5:30 AM to 11 AM; L: 11:30 AM to 5:30PM; D: 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Sea Day – B: 5:30 AM to 11 AM; L: 11:30 AM to 5:30PM; D: 5:30 PM to 9 PM

Debarkation – B: 5:30 AM to 9 AM

 

Menu:

From Breakaway - http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-breakaway-menus.html

 

Breakfast Menu

Bakery Basket

• Assorted pastries
  

Morning Specials

• Express: Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Hash Browns, Assorted Patries
  
• Country Platter: 2 Fried or Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage Links, Baked Beans, Grilled Tomatoes, Sautéed Mushrooms, Hash Browns, White or Whole-Wheat Toast
  
• House-Made Corned Beef Hash: Served with 2 Fried or Scrambled Eggs, White or Whole-Wheat Toast
  
• Create Your Own Omelet: Select from Ham, Smoked Salmon, Mushrooms, Bell Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes, Cheddar or Swiss Cheese. Served with Hash Browns, White or Whole-Wheat Toast
  
• French Toast: Whipped Butter, Maple Syrup
  
• Hot Oatmeal: Raisins, Cinnamon, Sugar
  
• Beverages: Assorted Teas, Hot Chocolate, Fresh Brewed Coffee, Juice (Orange, Cranberry, Apple)
  
• Specialty Coffees ($): Espresso Single - $1.95; Espresso Double - $2.50; Cappuccino - $2.95; Caffe Latte - $2.95; Hot Teas - $1.95
  
• Morning Happy Hour: Bloody Mary - $5.25; Screwdriver - $5.25; Mimosa - $5.25
  

Non-Breakfast Menu

Appetizers

• Half Dozen Chicken Wings
  
• Nachos
  
• Warm Spinach & Artichoke Dip
  

Soup & Salads

• Soup of the Day
  
• Chopped Salad
  
• Classic Caesar Salad
  

Irish Favorites

• Irish Stew
  
• Shepherd’s Pie
  
• Bangers & Mash
  
• Fish & Chips
  

Burgers

• Classic Cheese
  
• Black & Blue
  
• Barbecue
  

Nathan’s Famous HotDogs

• The Pub
  
• Coney Island
  
• Chicago Style
  

Fajitas

• Chicken or Steak
  

Sandwiches

• Chipotle Chicken
  
• Open-Faced Turkey or Roast Beef
  
• Grilled Rueben on Rye
  

Desserts

• Apple Pie a la Mode
  
• Brownie Cheesecake
  
• Vanilla Pound Cake
  
• Fresh Fruit Plate
  

Non-Complimentary

• Soft Drinks $2.95
  
• Specialty Coffees & Teas (see prices in breakfast menu)
  
• Alcoholic beverages also sold
  

Dinner Menu

 

Prime Rib; Rib & Shrimp; etc. [and ?????]

[Travel R]

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Atomic Bomb, The Garden Buffet

 

Chaos –total and complete chaos. It is just such an unpleasant experience, we ate there when it was absolutely necessary for a meal, although it was an okay late night spot for a quick beverage and a snack.

 

I am no stranger to all-you-can eat buffets. However, I really did not care for most of the food at the Garden Buffet (or at least the food I tried – maybe the stuff with cheese tasted better) – I found most of the dishes bland or loaded with salt, and the “authentic” international dishes really did not taste very authentic to me – or to my palette. During the busy (or not even during its busiest) time there are people everywhere –pushing, shoving, trying get in front of you in the lines – the seating was limited. It was just not an enjoyable experience for us.

 

The only time it was not very busy was one late morning between breakfast and lunch when they were changing over between the two meals. It is even busy at 11/11:30 pm even after they finished serving dinner at 10 pm. To comments from my family on that – my DW, who is allergic to chocolate, said that there was a very limited supply of desserts in the late evenings she could eat, and there were no cookies without chocolate. My DD12 was upset that on many evenings the chocolate was not always working or was empty on a number of late-evening occasions.

 

The best thing at the buffet was the crepe station – which is available during dinner. Another highlight, for me, was that there are sugarless drinks in their beverage dispenser.

 

 

As with all restaurants, there are many that enjoy the Garden Buffet – especially the fact that it is much quicker than the sit-down versions. My family was not extremely happy with it as well.

GARDEN CAFÉ BUFFET {BUFFET}

 

Description: Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Garden Café goes beyond a traditional buffet. With floor-to-ceiling windows featuring breathtaking ocean views, this complimentary indoor restaurant offers everything you could possibly imagine. In addition to a variety of delicious entrées and side dishes, you’ll find our popular action stations featuring made-to-order omelets and waffles, an Italian pasta station, a carving station with freshly prepared meats sliced to your liking, grilled specialties, ethnic favorites, and a dessert area lined with lots of sweet surprises.

 

Cost: Complimentary

 

Location: Deck 15, Aft

 

Embarkation – L: 11:30 AM to 3 PM; D: 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Port Day – B: 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM; L: 11:30 to 4 PM; D: 5:30PM to 9:30 PM

Sea Day – B: 6:30 AM to 11 AM; L: Noon to 3 PM; D: 5:30 PMto 9:30 PM

 

Debarkation – B: 6 AM to 9 AM

[Travel R]

Was the Specialty Dining Package Worth It?

 

We did not love two of the three choices we made for the SPD package - Le Bistro and Moderno. I just did not feel Le Bistro was that much better than the MDR (although much nicer aesthetics/decorations). Moderno is a fun experience, but the food was not worth it (IMHO). We did enjoy the Cirque Dreams and Steam dinner show -- as a combination of the meal and entertainment - and would probably have spent full price on it if we did not have the three-meal plan.

 

If we get the plan I would try places I we did not go on this trip, such as Ocean Blue and Teppanyaki (etc.).

 

Summary

 

As I began this food review section, I do not cruise for the food. Overall, the food was pretty good, and there was plenty of it. The restaurants are not 5-Star, and the chefs try real hard to give us good stuff. Each of our taste buds are different, and we will enjoy (and hate) different dishes - we just have to find what is right for us. For the most part, I was happy with the food, and would happily only eat in the complimentary restaurants - between the MDRs (including Tropicana) and O'Sheehans - I was satisfied. [i cannot believe we did not get a chance to eat at Shanghai's.]

 

Although I am going to discuss cruise line comparisons at a later date, I will add that although I found RCI and NCL comprable for food (RCI slightly better for the buffet, NCL slightly better for the MDR - NCL a big plus for late night food -- both better than Carnival (except for the Indian food station on their buffet, which rocks both of them).

 

In Sum: Ignore the last few posts I wrote about food - try all the venues yourself and see what it is that you like. If it differs, that is fine, we are all on our own journey, and that includes the foods we eat. We all like different foods, so why trust what I have to say?

[Travel R]

Whoa, that's over with.

 

Next up: Stockholm

[bluehorizonlover123]

Le Bistro was one of our favorites. Did you eat rack of lamb there and the chocolate fondue??? OMG it was so good there. Le Bistro is famous for it's lamb dishes.

[Travel R]

Le Bistro was one of our favorites. Did you eat rack of lamb there and the chocolate fondue??? OMG it was so good there. Le Bistro is famous for it's lamb dishes.

 

My main entree was the veal - as mentioned, it was okay, well prepared, and very nicely presented. If I ever try Le Bistro again, I might go with the lamb. As I keep on mentioning, everyone's tastes are different - which also includes our experiences. If we do return one day, maybe we will lover it.

 

When I cook for large crowds, I might receive a lot of compliments, but out of the 150 people there will always be a few that hated it, and a large number that thought it is okay. I keep on being asked back to take charge of the kitchen - so at least enough people like what I serve for me to continue cooking for them. It is especially of importance when you are asking people to spend money on the food. I'll be modest here for a moment - I am good cook. However, it does not mean that everything I make will be loved by all.

[Travel R]

Before I go onto Stockholm, I forget to mention that when we returned from Helsinki, there was a large warehouse in the terminal area with multiple vendors - and the prices were pretty good, so we finished up with most of our souvenir shopping there - and I purchased my Finland hockey jersey.

[Travel R]

THE LAST PORT: STOCKHOLM

 

A Glorious Morning

 

A glorious morning it was – the sun was shining bright over the dark waters, but the chill did not breach as deep as the past days. A white speck had come to my attention across the bay. It was not an ugly duckling, but a swan already grown into its ivory plumage. I took it as a favorable omen for the day to come.

 

An illness was noticeably upon my body – the need for sleep was not just the symptom of the long journeys that were now in the rearview window, but of the sickness slowly taking residence upon my being. However, a new day was beginning, and a new port was soon to be explored. The promising experiences ofthe forthcoming day infused me with the energy to begin the day and push on to explore the unknown shore.

 

Our excursion's voucher had a start time of a quarter to eight, so it was another early morning undertaking for my family. Although my attention was initially drawn towards the white of the cygnet, there was a much broader beauty to behold in the surrounding area. Outside of our jaunt in Iceland, we found Sweden to be the most scenic of all the ports we had visited, which began straight-away from the surroundings of the port itself.

 

 

Ourship had docked in Nynashamn, a town located about 35 miles south of the cityof Stockholm. When I began gathering information about this cruise, I was unaware of a port being available much closer to Stockholm itself. Upon learning of that port on some alternate itineraries, and the picturesque entry through the hundreds of islets coming into harbor, I was a bit upset by having missed out on that experience. On the other hand, while reading reports of the Getaway being diverted to Nynashamn anyway, and at least one itinerary completely missing that port, I was glad that my cruise had been scheduled from the start for the safer option. On a cruise such as this, if I was given the option, in this case I probably would have chosen the safer option as well. [i would only hazard to guess that my itinerary was not scheduled for Stocholm because all of those berths were already reserved for occupation on that date.] That being said, the surrounding area of our port was still quite beautiful framed by the surrounding sea and decorated by Mother Nature – and there were a few islands to be seen (on the way out of port, since we were adrift in our dreams upon arrival).

 

Modern technology was in the forefront of the environment as one could not escape it for such a port. The “dock” itself was amoving gangway that electrically extended from the shore to the ship’s entrance portal, which I found fascinating to watch (while on the balcony awaiting my cabin-mates to get themselves ready). To continue with our vacation-long mission of avoiding crowds, we made our way to the Moderno venue once again fo rtheir Express Breakfast. The narrow selection of items had not miraculously expanded, but there were still an ample number of seats and tables to choose from without the abundance of passengers and chaos of the buffet. The meal, as usual, satisfied our hunger and tied us over until lunch, and was quick enough to allow us time to arrive early at the Getaway Theater for instructions on how to assimilate into our tour group.

 

We arrived at the designated area and sent down to the bottom of the theater so as to receive our tour stickers, which are a red with an associated number displayed largely in black. This number is associated with the group and bus you were to be associated for the day. With the number of people they had taking tours, the process looked to be working fairly efficiently, although there was a bottlejam at the egress when each tour number was bellowed from the cruise staff member below. [Tip: after you arrive, one member should go down to get the number, and the other(s) should go to the top right of the room as close to the door as possible (and save you a seat) – in this fashion, once they call your number, you will be as close the exit as possible, which in turn will allow you to get to the bus quicker, thus allowing you the choice of your seats.]

 

Missing the Ship

 

Departing the ship and finding our bus was quick and easy and we claimed our seats upon the large coach bus. This was not as mall private tour like the one we hired in Saint Petersburg, but it met our needs. There were smaller private tours available, and at a smaller price, butI had made the decision to chose the ship’s services for one reason, and one reason only – to avoid any stress on this, the last port of our amazing cruise vacation. The idea of missing the ship if you do not use one of their tours is a very unlikely scenario; however, with the ship being between forty five minutes to an hour away, I did not want to even take a minute chance, regardless of how remote it might be.

That being said – it may have happened to at least one passenger on our ship. I am getting ahead of myself, but it may be the the appropriate to include the story. While observing a stunning sunset our balcony from our starboard stateroom, there was a small boat wading off one of the islands ahead of us. It then began to move, angling towards our ship, which I thought was strange. It continued to approach the ship, and eventually stayed pace with us, while moving yet closer. Then it seemed to have docked with the ship for a few moments while the lifboats of the lower decks blocking my view, and eventually left, heading back towards from whence we came. Our hypothesis is that it was passengers that had missed the ship and paid for this transport to take them aboard. There might be a dozen other reasonable explanations, but since we still have not experienced the passengers running down the length ofthe dock while the ship sailed away, this is the tale we will be spinning for years to come.

[Travel R]

On the Way to Vasa

 

 

The ride to Stockholm was nice and smooth, with a lot of scenic views, and the tour guide provided a bit of information about Sweden and Stockholm as the miles passed beneath the treads of our tires.

Some travelling music please while you purview the following pictures from your seat on the bus:

 

 

 

 



 

 



 

 



 

 

[Travel R]

Only Four Letters - VASA

 

After reading so many words with multiple letters, it was a building entitled with only four letters that spoke volumes.

 

In 1628, in its maiden voyage, the war ship Vasa sunk before it had ever seen any action. It sunk in such a way that it was almost completely preserved. The ship, which was lost for years was uncovered, salvaged, then moved to its current location, where a museum was built around it. Even if you do not like museums or history, it is really a sight to behold, with many interesting short exhibits surrounding the ship located on each floor of the surrounding museum. Our guide provided us with information first, then we were allowed to explore on our own.

 

My DDs enjoyed the museum and the ship itself, but it did not take much time for them to get bored of the exhibits. We were some of the first people from our group to get to the museum shop and the nearby meeting point.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 



 

 



 

 



 

[i was not too happy with the photos I took of this ship (it does look much more impressive in person) - the ones I took of its full expanse were either too blurry, or included my family, which as you have seen, I try to avoid displaying in my photos.]

Edited September 3, 2017 by Travel R

[Travel R]

After the Vasa - ABBA Museum and the Nobel Museum

 

After we left the Vasa Museum (with a visit to the overpriced museum shop), we went back on the bus and drove to the Royal Palace.

 

On the way we did pass the ABBA museum, which is literally down the street from the Vasa, and about a mile and a quarter from where we were going to be dropped off.

 

 

 



 

 



 

 

 

Although we never did make it to the ABBA musuem, we did make our way to the Nobel Museum shortly after arriving at our drop off point (which is only about a two block away).

 

The Nobel Museum looked impressive when you first walk in (a lot of shiny things), but there was not much to see after we received a very short informational tour (in Engligh - obviously) from one of the museum's guides. My DDs were bored very quickly.

 

 

 

[Travel R]

Changing of the Guard, Lunch, and Bench Sitting

 

We were“toured out,” and probably would have enjoyed the Nobel museum more if we were coming there afresh on our vacation. At this point, I was also very tired.

 

After we left the Nobel Museum we headed back to the Palace to see the changing of the guard. There was a large crowd, so it is probably best to get there early if you want to see everything. We first stood in line in the area where the buses were parked and saw the parade of soldiers and band marching by. Once the contingent passed, they went into the courtyard of the palace itself, followed by the crowds, which became extremely crowded. Our viewpoint was not great, but did manage to see a little of the action.

 

 

 

 

Once the ceremony had ended, we were tired and hungry, so decided to head over for something to eat for lunch. According to the tour guide, there was supposedly only one place that had sit-down dining. However, that did not sound right, and we decided to head over to the main pedestrian strip (Vaesterlaanggatan) to see what they had to offer. We stopped off at a few souvenir shops, then found a pizzeria (Michaelangelos), with seating (actually there were a few restaurants with seating on that strip). My family thought that the pizza was pretty good (although they were not sure if it was because they were hungry or because it was actually good); I had a pasta dish (without cheese) which was okay.

 

 

We had the choice to go to explore the town a little more, maybe go to the ABBA museum, or possible check out the palace. As stated earlier, we were toured out, and tired, and after we found a shady bench on Oesterling in a fairly-quiet and peaceful area with a nearby fountain, we decided to just sit there and bide our time until we had to head back to the ship. You might be thinking . . . you are in a foreign country, with a ton of things to see, and all you are doing is sitting on a bench? Well, yes. We had been going pretty non-stop for almost two weeks, had seen and one a lot. It was just time to sit down and smell the roses.

The bench was a across from a restaurant, and provided a look through an alley-way to provide a view of the harbor. The temperature was very pleasant – the best we may have had during ourentire adventure. So we just spent the hour and a half just sitting watching the tide of tourists and occasional locals passing making their way down the roadway.

 

 

[Travel R]

Back to The Ship

 

We walked back to the bus to convene with the remainder of the tour group and headed back to the ship.

 

 

We took a short hop over to a viewpoint of the city where we could take a few pictures, then went right back into the bus.

 

 

 



 

 



 

 

The tour guide began to tell us a few more facts about Sweden - I think it was about their universal healthcare system, when I fell asleep. My DD17 said that within minutes almost the entire bus was asleep. There were a lot of exhausted passengers on that bus.

 

[Travel R]

Back to Ship & Le Bistro

 

At some point we woke up, and went back to the ship, whereupon we went back to the stateroom and took showers, rested, and got ready for a romantic dinner at Le Bistro.

 

There was a magnificent sundown as we departed from the port. And as mentioned, we did see a few of the islets.

 

 



 

 



 

 



 

 

 

As you had previously read during my review of the restaurant [no need to repeat it again], we did not completely enjoy ourselves, but it was nice being out - with just the two of us.

 

After dinner we went down to the atrium to watch the ABBA tribute show. We arrived early enough that we were able to find one seat (and my DW sat on my lap until another seat came available later on). I really did not enjoy the singer any time we had heard her in the past - here accent is too thick to understand the lyrics. I figured ABBA might be a good fit - but I was wrong. We sat there and listened to the music, my DW was more into it than I am, but I spent the time going through my camera and deleting the fuzzy pictures or the miscellaneous pictures that were taken of peoples feet and the inside of the camera case.

 

After the tribute, we were hungry, so we went up the Garden Cafe to get a light snack. So we had some coffee, but I also had a hot dog, turkey and avocado sandwich, fruit, and a chocolate chip cookie.

 

We got back after 11:30, and the DDs were still not back (we knew that they would be out late with their friends), and watched an Avengers movie until we fell asleep.

 

Oh yeah - as usual, we had a towel animal on our bed when we returned to our room in the evening. It was nice that we had an animal each evening - it is a little thing, but we all enjoyed it. Even if my DW and I got back early, we still put it aside on their bed so that they could see it as well.