Specialty Dining Venues

[Korlad]

I am Latitudes Platinum level. With that you get 2 free Specialty dinners. One dinner is "Dinner for 2 at Cagneys or LeBistro" and the other dinner is "Moderno or La Cucina". I am also booked on an offer that gives me 2 more free Specialty dinners. So, I have 4 dinners total. For the 1st dinner I will take Cagneys. For the 2nd dinner it is more confusing. The Encore does not have a Moderno or La Cucina so what restaurants do we get to choose from for that 2nd Platinum dinner? Then there are the 3rd and 4th which just say Specialty and I don't find anymore info. What are the options of which restaurant those can be in? I see in total they have Ocean Blue, Onda, Cagneys, Food Republic, Teppanyaki, Los Lobos, Le Bistro, and Texas Smokehouse. I doubt they are all options for the free included dinner. Please don't respond and say "I guess" or "I think" as I can do that.

I asked from my rep at Casinos at Sea when booking and he did not know. He told be to email the Latitudes office and gave me the email. After several days- no response. I want to book my dinners now to get most available times but can't find what the options are, Thanks!

[KeithJenner]

The info is all on the NCL website, but it probably won’t work if I give you a link as I’m in the UK.

 

Second platinum meal:

 

“On Norwegian Encore, Moderno or La Cucina is replaced by Los Lobos or Q.”

The dining package applies in almost all speciality restaurants, although there are some particular rules in some venues (ie it covers a specific number of dishes in places like Food Republic. The wording on the website is a little unclear in places, for example it says you can only order one entree in Cagneys and Le Bistro and some people read that as meaning it can only be used there.

 

Basically, it can be used everywhere with a few exceptions or upcharges that I’m sure others will clarify, but again this is from

the website:

 

”Jazz Brunch, Wine Lovers and Murder Mystery lunches, and beverages are not included as part of the Speciality Dining Packages. 
You may choose to dine in the following venues as part of your Speciality Dining Package for the corresponding upcharges: Cabaret,Cirque Dreams, Pincho Tapas Bar, Supper Club & Velvet.

Speciality Dining Packages include one main course per person at Cagney's and Le Bistro restaurants. Additional main courses will be charged at the a la carte price listed on the menu.“

[Two Wheels Only]

https://www.ncl.com/specialty-dining-package/faq

[Coastalbreezes]

Onda was by far my favorite restaurant on Encore. Easily my favorite of any specialty restaurant on any ship. We ate there five times during our cruise it was that good! I highly recommend at least one dinner there and book soon because it does sell out pretty much every night.

[complawyer]

if you enjoy the beni-hana type of experience, go to teppanyaki. we make sure that we eat there at least once every cruise. if you decide on this, book real early, as they have limited serving times and limited seating, so it's usually a tough ticket.

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, Korlad said:

Then there are the 3rd and 4th which just say Specialty and I don't find anymore info. What are the options of which restaurant those can be in? I see in total they have Ocean Blue, Onda, Cagneys, Food Republic, Teppanyaki, Los Lobos, Le Bistro, and Texas Smokehouse. I doubt they are all options for the free included dinner. Please don't respond and say "I guess" or "I think" as I can do that.

Your 2 Free at Sea meals are available at Ocean Blue, Onda, Cagney's, Food Republic, Teppanyaki, Los Lobos, Le Bistro, and Texas Smokehouse. And American Diner. (Basically any specialty dining except the two Ice Cream shops and the Bakery).

 

Ocean Blue, Onda, Cagney's, Los Lobos, Le Bistro, and Texas Smokehouse: You can have multiple appetizers, one entrée and a dessert. Sometimes a waiter will tell you that you are limited to one appetizer and one dessert which is not consistent with the terms and conditions of the promotion and you can order more. 
 

Teppanyaki: You order off their fixed combination menu (and you can request a special combination if you want). 

 

Food Republic and American Diner: You can select 4 dishes off their menus. 

 

You will have these certificates and instructions in your stateroom. If you want to do the Behind the Scenes tour, book that at the Cruise Next desk on embarkation day (may not be offered during the current pandemic) - they are first-come-first-serve and may sell out. If your stateroom-mate is also a Platinum member, you can get a second laundry coupon at the Cruise Next Desk or just write "Platinum" on your laundry ticket. 

 

On our upcoming Encore cruise, we have Onda booked twice, Bistro booked twice, Ocean Blue, and Los Lobos.

 

For us, over the past few years, the food and service at Cagney's has gone down hill across the fleet and it is now at the bottom of our list (we cruise multiple times a year). 

Edited July 23, 2021 by BirdTravels

[NCLherewecome]

First time sailing NCL, we received 2 free at sea specialty dining.  We are sailing in the Haven,  should we purchase 2 more specialty dining before we sail for our party of 4? thank you 

[BirdTravels]

40 minutes ago, NCLherewecome said:

First time sailing NCL, we received 2 free at sea specialty dining.  We are sailing in the Haven,  should we purchase 2 more specialty dining before we sail for our party of 4? thank you 

If you have 4 in your room, two people can eat at 2 specialty dining restaurants. 

 

Options

 

1) 2 people use free dinners, 2 people charge the room at a la carte prices, everyone splits the bill

 

2) 2 people use free dinners, 2 people buy a package (check your cruise, the minimum purchase use to be 3 meals), then you are off again

 

3) 2 people use free dinners two nights and the other 2 eat at the Haven Restaurant those nights. 

 

 

[NCLherewecome]

Thank you for that info!   Would you happen to know if it’s a better value to purchase the specialty dining. Or ala carte pricing     We aren’t super big eaters and can always get dessert in the Haven. (I assume lol). 

[BirdTravels]

27 minutes ago, NCLherewecome said:

Thank you for that info!   Would you happen to know if it’s a better value to purchase the specialty dining. Or ala carte pricing     We aren’t super big eaters and can always get dessert in the Haven. (I assume lol). 

Really depends on how you roll. The dining packages are usually a good deal.  

 

It's kinda bad to have everyone at dinner and tell two people "don't order anything expensive" or "we're going to have our included dessert, you have to wait until we go to a complimentary restaurant. Or  have the 2 people on the package to "waste" it by trying to eat lightly as not to make the two non-package people uncomfortable ("we won't order an appetizer or dessert")

 

A 2-night package is about $47 per night. If you order a starter, salad/soup, entrée, and dessert (adding the mandatory 20% tip), you'll exceed $47. 

 

 

 

 

 

[NCLherewecome]

you are fabulous thank you so much!!  I’ll add the other 2 guests to the dining plan !   I called NCL this morning and got a duh   Just wait til your on board and see what you prefer!   You told me exactly what I needed to know!   Happy Trails!

[cruiserbear55]

Bird Travels- Are these brand new or fairly old menus? Haven't been able to enjoy a Tomahawk at Cagneys  on either the Dawn or Gem for a number of years. Also, what restaurant is the seafood menu from? It doesn't say. Thanks!

[ClevelandCruisin]

I know we chose Los lobos as one of our platinum dinners on the Encore. Then Le Bistro.

 

But it's either Cagney's or Le Bistro and le bistro comes with a bottle of wine.

 

Then the Q or Los Lobos.

[KeithJenner]

7 hours ago, ClevelandCruisin said:

I know we chose Los lobos as one of our platinum dinners on the Encore. Then Le Bistro.

 

But it's either Cagney's or Le Bistro and le bistro comes with a bottle of wine.

 

Then the Q or Los Lobos.

I don’t think it is what you meant, but just to clarify for anyone else reading. Your post suggests that you only get the bottle of wine at Le Bistro. You actually get it at either Cagneys or Le Bistro.

[BirdTravels]

15 hours ago, cruiserbear55 said:

Bird Travels- Are these brand new or fairly old menus? Haven't been able to enjoy a Tomahawk at Cagneys  on either the Dawn or Gem for a number of years. Also, what restaurant is the seafood menu from? It doesn't say. Thanks!

This are the menus currently posted on the NCL website for our cruise. Yes, the Tomahawk use to be complimentary and has been gone for several years. Normally what you see on the NCL website are "representative" and not exactly the same as what is on the ship. I totally expect the menus to be different when we sail in a few weeks from now. 

 

But those Tomahawks used to be yummy!

Edited July 25, 2021 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

15 hours ago, ClevelandCruisin said:

I know we chose Los lobos as one of our platinum dinners on the Encore. Then Le Bistro.

 

But it's either Cagney's or Le Bistro and le bistro comes with a bottle of wine.

 

Then the Q or Los Lobos.

If you look at post #6, the top certificate comes with wine (at either Le Bistro or Cagney's). The middle certificate does not come with wine. 

[kevmoley]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

This are the menus currently posted on the NCL website for our cruise. Yes, the Tomahawk use to be complimentary and has been gone for several years. Normally what you see on the NCL website are "representative" and not exactly the same as what is on the ship. I totally expect the menus to be different when we sail in a few weeks from now. 

 

But those Tomahawks used to be yummy!

I am glad they brought back the tomahawk and really happy they charge extra it. I remember a sailing on the Epic years ago and a family of 2 adults and 4 children (under 10 years old) ALL got the tomahawk. They sat there taking pictures of everyone with a tomahawk and in the end most of their meals ended up in the garbage.