Besides dining rooms, are there really only 2 free places to eat on Escape?

[Hammergirl]

Just like the title reads, is this true? We want to switch over from Royal Oasis class ships but this would be a deal breaker. We don’t like eating in the dining rooms on cruises (I assume they all serve the same food each day) but I need more than a buffet and pup food. When paying over $6000 for a cruise I would hope there would be more free places to dine.

 

 

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[shof515]

these are the free places to eat on the ship:

Taste (Main Dinning Room)

The Manhattan Room (Main Dinning Room)

Savor (Main Dinning Room)

O'Sheehans 24-Hour Eatery and Pub

Garden Cafe Buffet

[Hammergirl]

these are the free places to eat on the ship:

Taste (Main Dinning Room)

The Manhattan Room (Main Dinning Room)

Savor (Main Dinning Room)

O'Sheehans 24-Hour Eatery and Pub

Garden Cafe Buffet

 

 

 

Do the dining rooms serve the same menu as each other, or is there a separate menu for each dining room?

 

 

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[KeithJenner]

The main dining rooms don’t serve the same food each day. There are some always available items, but also different dishes each day in the evening.

 

I believe that the lunch menu may be the same every day though.

 

What more are you expecting? If you are saying that you don’t want to eat in the main dining rooms and don’t want just the buffet then you are limiting your options quite a lot on any ship I’d have thought.

 

 

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[Hammergirl]

The main dining rooms don’t serve the same food each day. There are some always available items, but also different dishes each day in the evening.

 

I believe that the lunch menu may be the same every day though.

 

What more are you expecting? If you are saying that you don’t want to eat in the main dining rooms and don’t want just the buffet then you are limiting your options quite a lot on any ship I’d have thought.

 

 

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We just went in Oasis last year and they had several free places to eat besides the dining rooms and buffet. They all serve different types of food. We went on a 7 day cruise and never spent a dime on any dining.

Park Cafe

Boardwalk Dog House

Solarium Bistro (breakfast and lunch only)

Wipeout Cafe

Windjammer

Sorrento's

Cafe Promenade

Room Service

Main Dining Room

Johnny Rockets (breakfast only)

 

 

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[mjkacmom]

We just went in Oasis last year and they had several free places to eat besides the dining rooms and buffet. They all serve different types of food. We went on a 7 day cruise and never spent a dime on any dining.

Park Cafe

Boardwalk Dog House

Solarium Bistro (breakfast and lunch only)

Wipeout Cafe

Windjammer

Sorrento's

Cafe Promenade

Room Service

Main Dining Room

Johnny Rockets (breakfast only)

 

 

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Well, there is the hot dog cart, room service (same service charge as RCCL), and I think the noodle place is now free.

[KeithJenner]

Well, there is the hot dog cart, room service (same service charge as RCCL), and I think the noodle place is now free.

 

 

 

I don’t think the Escape has got a noodle bar has it?

 

That does actually make a difference with regard to the Escape, as most NCL ships have the buffet, o’Sheehans (or equivalent) plus the noodle bar/Asian restaurant.

 

 

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[shof515]

Well, there is the hot dog cart, room service (same service charge as RCCL), and I think the noodle place is now free.

does the Escape have the hot dot cart? i know it is on the Breakaway

[billfish]

Most NCL cruises offer free perks that include several nights of free dining in in their specialty dining restaurants. We were on the Escape last year and found the service and food to outstanding in these venues.

[sanger727]

 

When I read the post I was surprised; have sailed the epic and jade and there were more free dining options than we could use, but yes, it appears you are correct for the escape.

 

I’ve only been on ships with two MDR’s, not 3. But yes, the two had the same menu each night, though, like all MDRs it changes each day.

 

Keep in mind that with freestyle dining going to the MDR is just like going to any restaurant at home. No need to show up at a certain time, be seated with others, and have a long drawn out meal. Simply show up when you are hungry, get a table for your party, and the meal length will just depend on how many courses you order and how long it takes you to eat.

 

 

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[sleepless]

We just went in Oasis last year and they had several free places to eat besides the dining rooms and buffet. They all serve different types of food. We went on a 7 day cruise and never spent a dime on any dining.

Park Cafe

Boardwalk Dog House

Solarium Bistro (breakfast and lunch only)

Wipeout Cafe

Windjammer

Sorrento's

Cafe Promenade

Room Service

Main Dining Room

Johnny Rockets (breakfast only)

 

 

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I have been on the Oasis and the Allure. Unless things have changed, Park Cafe, Boardwalk Dog House, and Wipe Out Cafe are not open for dinner or late night snacks.

 

Cafe Promenade is snacks only - small sandwiches, cookies, monasteries and maybe some fruit. Sorrento is pizza only.

 

Johnny Rockets comes with a fee for anything but breakfast.

 

The only things open for dinner, for no additional cost, is main dining room and the buffet. There are are several soeciality restaurants that have additional fees.

 

Norweigen has buffet, main dining rooms and O'Shea' s.

[davy jones]

I don't know if NCL buffets are 24 hours, but they are open pretty much all of the hours that I am out and about while onboard.

 

RCI buffets close early. After 9PM its pretty much the Cafe Promenade and the lousy pizza on RCI.

 

You can get your pizza, cookies and finger sandwiches,sandwiches in the buffet on NCL, along with other stuff like ice cream. To me, it's not about the number of venues, it's about the number of foods that are available.

[sanger727]

I don't know if NCL buffets are 24 hours, but they are open pretty much all of the hours that I am out and about while onboard.

 

 

 

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They are not. Think it’s open until 11 maybe. On our last cruise we typically had dinner around 6 or 7, went to the late show at 9, and then to the buffet for a midnight snack if we were hungry. We just caught them before they closed or ended up being past close if we didn’t go right after the show. O sheehans is the only 24 hour venue. Though, they have a bit of everything. Think there are hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches, and salads. Along with a few other entrees.

 

Agree with you that just about every type of food you can get on royal at the various eateries is available at the buffet. Pizza, sandwiches (premade and make your own), hot dogs and burgers with fries, along with the typical salad bar, pasta bar, and misc dishes from different ethnicies (always some Indian, some American, some Chinese, etc)

 

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[cruise4kicks]

When paying over $6000 for a cruise I would hope there would be more free places to dine.

If you're paying over $6,000 :o I certainly hope you're staying in The Haven, in which case the restaurant there would be an option.

[DMH15]

If you're paying over $6,000 :o I certainly hope you're staying in The Haven, in which case the restaurant there would be an option.

 

 

 

Or they are a family and not a couple?

 

 

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[Hammergirl]

If you're paying over $6,000 :o I certainly hope you're staying in The Haven, in which case the restaurant there would be an option.

 

No - we have 2 rooms. Us in 1 room and our 2 kids in the other. I wish I was staying in the Haven!

[mking8288]

If you're paying over $6,000 :o I certainly hope you're staying in The Haven, in which case ...

Well ... ;p isn't that something to let the butler and/or concierge know, maybe the Room Steward will get something delivered, things like finger sandwiches, cookies, cake, etc. at reasonable hours. << OK, scratch that ... no can't do >>

 

Room service is free, there are a few items that you can't typically get elsewhere unless ... as for the service charge/delivery/administrative fees of $7.95, loose change when blowing 6 grands.

 

As for not liking to eat in the dining rooms, and, NCL certainly has more variety over RCL (just had a long discussion with one of the nieces as her group of dancing ladies typically booked Royal & they even get 2 hours of singing daily a private Karaoke lounge) - the buffet is open with late night snacks, typically 9:30 to 11:30 PM, then it's O'Sheehan's till the morning.

 

Oh, wait, around 11 PM nightly - there's free food (limited to a few items, of course) for casino players, usually in a corner set aside near the table games.

[1025cruise]

One thing I remember from my cruise on the Dawn a few years ago, something different from other lines is that a lot of the different areas (grill, maybe pizza) are all included in the buffet. So while there might not be a separate grill, that type of food will probably be found in the buffet.

[KarimaJ]

I really do like the buffet on NCL. They have a quite a variety including Indian and Asian food and I think the quality is good. I didn’t see as much versatility on RC but I was on a smaller ship though. Oasis may be different.

 

 

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[kirsty_r]

the variety of cuisine across the buffet and dining rooms is really good, I never get bored of it!! It is worth trying and if you didn't like NCL you can always go back to Oasis... when I've looked into the various ships I don't feel NCL offer significantly less complementary offers, and if you fancy a specific meal you can choose to try speciality for 1 night without breaking the bank.

[Hammergirl]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. We are going to give it a try and see what happens. We were not thrilled with the quality of the food on Oasis, but my teenage son loved all the variety. Now maybe he just needs to belly up at the buffet to get that variety. LOL

[allyp65]

There are also snacks in the Casino late at night. Kind of hidden back in the corner. Enjoy your cruise!

[mkmaj]

My kids were obsessed with the buffet on the Breakaway. There really is a lot of variety there. Between that and O'Sheehans I think the teenager will be covered honestly. Main dining rooms serve the same menu but it changes each night. We never felt like there weren't enough options and never paid extra for a meal.

 

*I know that this is about the Escape. BA had the noodle place and hot dog cart but we never utilized either and won't notice they're gone when we sail Escape in May.

Edited November 25, 2017 by mkmaj

[TonyFred]

We just went in Oasis last year and they had several free places to eat besides the dining rooms and buffet. They all serve different types of food. We went on a 7 day cruise and never spent a dime on any dining.

Park Cafe

Boardwalk Dog House

Solarium Bistro (breakfast and lunch only)

Wipeout Cafe

Windjammer

Sorrento's

Cafe Promenade

Room Service

Main Dining Room

Johnny Rockets (breakfast only)

 

 

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For me, I will take the free offerings on the Escape over RCCL any day. OSheehans is wonderful. On RCCL you are SOL after about 9 pm unless you want Sorrrentos Pizza or those puny sandwiches at the Promenade Cafe. ( or room service). I love RCCL ships but the food on the Escape puts them to shame. Food Republic is awesome and very reasonable. Heck they even put out wings, sandwiches, etc in the casino round 11 pm. And the late night snacks at the Garden Cafe can really hit the spot after a night of imbibing.

[Jldevlin]

and the $7.95 room service fee is not per item ...so you can order for everyone for the one fee ....