NCL Newby Dining Question

[MJC]

DH and I are sailing on the Gem in January, our first ever cruise on NCL. How does MDR dining work? Do we just show up at any which one? Are there differences between Grand Pacific and Magenta as to convenience, ambience, dress, crowding?  Any favorite dishes to try?

[trivimp]

It works pretty much like any land restaurant.  You show up and request a table for two, or however many in your party.  If it's very busy, you may have to wait a bit, but it's usually not a long wait even at the busiest times.  Grand Pacific is a little more formal, decor-wise, but the two MDRs will have the same menu every night.  Go to whichever one you like.  Dress code is the same for both.  

[KeithJenner]

The dress code is actually different on most ships (on a few newer ships it is the same, but I think that the Gem will have the slightly stricter dress code in the aft dining room (Grand Pacific).

 

The details are on the NCL website as well as regularly quoted on here. You can’t wear shorts there, for example.

Edited October 18, 2022 by KeithJenner

[njhorseman]

I've found that the dress code in Grand Pacific can vary from itinerary to itinerary and vary depending on who the F&B director is .

We've done several  B2B, B2B2B and B2B2B2B cruises on Gem and once or twice the dress code changed during our stay on the ship at the start of a new segment. 

Edited October 18, 2022 by njhorseman

[trivimp]

We just got off the Gem's sister ship Pearl, which has Summer Palace & Indigo (in place of Grand Pacific & Magenta, respectively.)  Dress code was the same for both.  The only venue that was called out for "no shorts" in the dailies was Le Bistro.  As others have pointed out, that can vary by itinerary.

 

You won't be turned away if you show up in a clean shirt & non-ripped long pants.  

[MotownVoice]

Officially NCL asks for Business Casual in all of their main formal dining rooms.

A jacket will not be out of place.

Flip Flops most certainly will.   No one will care.  But it will be heard from one end of the dining room to the other.  And you don't want him to be .... "That Guy".

[Two Wheels Only]

10 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

Officially NCL asks for Business Casual in all of their main formal dining rooms.

 

It varies by ship. On some NCL ships, shorts are allowed in all MDRs. On other NCL ships, long pants are required in one of the main dining rooms. 

 

It's best to check the dailies on each cruise as things can change from week to week. 

[BirdTravels]

19 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

Officially NCL asks for Business Casual in all of their main formal dining rooms.

A jacket will not be out of place.

Flip Flops most certainly will.   No one will care.  But it will be heard from one end of the dining room to the other.  And you don't want him to be .... "That Guy".

No jackets required 

 

Long pants for gents (jeans or dockers are fine with a polo shirt). 

Edited October 18, 2022 by BirdTravels

[MJC]

Thank you for all the helpful replies. We always hope to fall somewhere in the middle, so I think our usual "dinner out" clothes will be fine. Super excited to be on a new-to-us ship.