Pearl - Restaurant Suggestions

[CocoKai]

Sailing next weekend to Alaska. There are 7 of us (50-9 yrs), What would be your top picks for "extra charge" restaurants?

 

What are your top picks for restaurants I've already paid for?

 

Do you think we'll have problems getting reservations and tables since their are 7 of us? Should be book the extra charge ones as soon as we walk on the ship. Please tell me the eating situation won't be a hassle everyday. This is our first "freestyle" cruise and I really hope it is freestyle. Thanks!

[catm61]

We were just on the Pearl last week. There was also 7 of us. My husband and I and our 5 children ages 11 - 22. We never had a problem making reservations even the morning of. They usually don't do reservations for Summer Palace or Indigo, but for a group of 7 or more they will. Summer Palace and Indigo were both very good. They have the same menus so really you need to decide which one you like better on decor and service. The service in both was very good. Le Bistro was excellant on all counts; food, service and decor. We all liked Mambo's but it was a little slow. Cagneys was good and the service was good until it was time for the main course. Between appetizers, soup and salad the service was fast and friendly. Then all of a sudden there was about a 35 minute wait for our main course. We weren't sure what was up with that. My son who is a waiter for a steak house, said someone probably got one of our orders wrong and it had to be redone. Oh well it still was very good and the waitresses were friendly. My husband and two of our children went to Lotus Garden and said the food was great. I really don't think you can get a bad meal on this ship. I've read bad revues of their buffett, but I thought it was the best I've had on any cruise. It's huge and has everything you can imagine on it. Especially at breakfast. And everything was very fresh. Enjoy your cruise, wish I was going with you.

[Ms belp]

Le Bistro and Cagney's for specialty. Summer Palace for free. They were all very good. The prime rib is great in Cagney's. I don't care to go back to the Italian restaurant. And, I don't care for Asian food so I didn't try them.

[Ms belp]

Oh, and the smaller free restaurant too; I don't remember it's name. It was wonderful, and the staff were so friendly. We really made an evening of that!

[Lisa1]

I was on the Pearl the week of June 8 and there were 16 in our group. Our whole group ate together one evening in Mambo's - they put us at two tables of 8 right next to each other, which was fine - food and service were wonderful. The rest of the week we mixed-and-matched into smaller groups of 4 or 6, and among the 16 of us, I think we tried every restaurant! I personally ate at Teppanyaki and the Sushi Bar (in addition to Summer Palace, Indigo & the buffet) and really enjoyed them both. I thought $15 for all the sushi you can eat was really a great deal and we ate quite a bit, but the waitress kept encouraging us to order more! I heard mostly good reviews from our group of all the other restaurants - just a few complaints of slow service, especially in Summer Palace.

 

A couple pointers to keep in mind: 1) Service will be "relaxed" unless you let your waiter know that you want to be served more quickly, i.e. if you want to be finished in time for a certain show or other event. If you tell them up front that you want to be served more quickly, they will accomodate your request. 2) If you are "freestyling" and have not made a dinner reservation, check the restaurant status screens to see which restaurants have the shortest bar on the chart and you will be able to be seated quickly.

 

Have a great time on the Pearl! I'm still suffering from PCD (post cruise depression) and am looking for my next opportunity to cruise!

[retiredAF]

A couple pointers to keep in mind: 1) Service will be "relaxed" unless you let your waiter know that you want to be served more quickly, i.e. if you want to be finished in time for a certain show or other event. If you tell them up front that you want to be served more quickly, they will accomodate your request. 2) If you are "freestyling" and have not made a dinner reservation, check the restaurant status screens to see which restaurants have the shortest bar on the chart and you will be able to be seated quickly.

 

Have a great time on the Pearl! I'm still suffering from PCD (post cruise depression) and am looking for my next opportunity to cruise!

 

Excellent point Lisa. During our meet and greet, the senior officers pointed this out as well. If you do not want a relaxed dinner but plan to catch a show for example, they said to please be sure to let them know when you sit down.

 

We enjoyed our meals but really enjoyed the Italian place. At Mambo's they bring out chips and salsa but salsa is not my friens so, I asked it they had guacamole and they bought some out. I really appreciated that.