Dinning Help!

[JamesOceanVillage]

Hi, I just don ge NCLs dinning can someone Please explain everythink to me PLease, Reastraunt, Buffets, Dress Codes :confused::confused::confused:

[noreddye]

There are no formal nights however if you want to dress up, you can.

 

There are no set times for you to eat; you choose what dining venue you want to eat at and when you want to eat.

 

There are several specialty restaurants that you will be charged a nominal fee. You do need to make resrvations for these or as some as stated, you can just try your luck and show up to see if they have any vacant tables.

 

Are there specific questions you need answered?

[Toyz711]

Hi, I just don ge NCLs dinning can someone Please explain everythink to me PLease, Reastraunt, Buffets, Dress Codes :confused::confused::confused:

 

main dining rooms: like going out to a regular restaurant (without reservations). just go up to the host/hostess, they will ask "how many in your party" and seat you at a table. no sitting with otheres, unless you ask. if you have a party of 8 or more, you may want to speak to the matre'd about reservations.

 

speciality restaurants: usually need a reservations. you can make reservations at by calling on the ship's phone or at the reservations desk (usually in the main lobby) or at the restaurant. surcharges will be billed to you onboard account.

 

dress code is simple, no formal attire needed. no shorts or tank tops after 5pm (except the buffet) one of the main dining rooms may have a sign saying "no jeans allowed", but jeans will be allowed everywhere else.

 

except for reservations at the specialities, you pick your time to go during the restaurants hours of operations.

[uppitycats]

Hi, I just don ge NCLs dinning can someone Please explain everythink to me PLease, Reastraunt, Buffets, Dress Codes :confused::confused::confused:

 

Restaurants: There are two main dining rooms, a smaller "cafe" (called "Blue Lagoon" on the Jewel; might have a different name on other ships), and a couple of other venues -- including the buffet -- which are included in the price of your cruise fare (and so are "free").

 

Restaurants: In addition, there are some "specialty restaurants" -- their names and food choices differ on different ships -- where you have to pay an additional fee, anywhere from $15 -$25 per person -- to eat there. You can make reservations for these from your room (telephone), or at a desk set up in the main lobby area (atrium) of the cruise ship. Reservations aren't always needed -- if you decide you want to try one of them one night and you haven't made a reservation, you can just walk up to the desk by that restaurant and ask if a table is available. We never made reservations on our cruise. It's much like going out to eat at home: if you absolutely want to eat only at a particular specialty restaurant at a special time, then make a reservation. Otherwise, just show up -- if they're too busy, or you don't want to wait, try one of the other ones.

 

Buffet -- see the first "restaurant" response above. There is a buffet, not 24 hours, but long enough! (5 a.m. to midnight when we were on the Jewel, as far as I know..maybe longer) where you can get all sorts of food -- for free (it's part of your cruise fare). In addition there are a few other places around the ship where food is available for free. If you don't know, you can simply ask: "Is there a charge for this?" and you'll get a polite response.

 

You didn't ask, but room service: Room service meals are also available. There will be a menu in your cabin. Most food on the menu is free. It will be clear which items are not free (generally platters of food like what you might want to serve a group of people visiting you.)

 

Dress code: This is spelled out on the NCL site -- "resort casual". Meaning you don't need a tux, don't even need a suit or tie, don't need a formal dress or cocktail dress, just "dressy" casual clothes, like khakis, slacks, shirts with sleeves (no tank tops, no flip-flops). You can wear shorts in the buffet and other casual venues, but not in the dining rooms (none of them, specialty or main "free) dining rooms). You can wear jeans in all but one of the main dining rooms (they'll tell you which one in your newsletter that you'll get each day).

 

NCL "freestyle" means you show up for meals at any of the dining venues, "free", or "specialty", when you want to (assuming the dining room is open -- most open around 5:30 or 6 p.m.), and eat when you want to, with whomever you want to, unlike "traditional" cruise lines where there are set dining times ("early", and "late") and you sit at assigned tables, with strangers.

 

 

Got other questions?

[LAWTONCRUISE]

Great explaination. Should clear up most questions.

[JamesOceanVillage]

Thank u Very much So do u have to book when you eat in the buffets?

[noreddye]

Thank u Very much So do u have to book when you eat in the buffets?

 

No, not at all.

[Toyz711]

Thank u Very much So do u have to book when you eat in the buffets?

 

the only reservations needed (for any dining venue) are the specialites/surcharge restaurants.

no reservations needed for:

buffets, main dining rooms, blue lagoon (if your ship has one) or any of the little grill type dining around the top deck.

[LindaKE]

No one mentioned the optional formal nights. I think they are called Dress Up or Not. One of the main dining rooms is designated for that night, but you can go anywhere if you prefer. On those nights you do see some people in formal wear; most of those are simpy dressier than normal.

[Arwenmark]

Thank u Very much So do u have to book when you eat in the buffets?

 

deffinately no reservation in the buffet, but why would you want to with the other dining choices? Just curious, I guess some people do prefer the buffet.

[JamesOceanVillage]

Thank u very much I will be deffently cruise on the Dawn now Thank u very much

[Terrafreaky]

You will love the Dawn. It's definitely a favorite around here. :)

[BeadBabe]

Just back from the Pearl...

 

The eats were:

 

Here is a list of the restaurants showing which has surcharges and which don't. I must say, any of the ones I've been in with surcharges were WELL worth it! The last cruise we were on, we never did hit the dining room! I found this list on another thread and then added some things to it.

 

 

NORWEGIAN PEARL RESTAURANTS

 

 

 

Summer Palace Main Dining Room – Deck 7, aft (Seats 558) No extra fee

Larger of the two main restaurants offering a traditional dining experience. Its ornate decor was inspired by the grandeur of the palaces of St. Petersburg, Russia. It has high ceilings and large windows across the rear.

 

Indigo Main Dining Room - Deck 6, mid (Seats 304) No extra fee

Smaller of the two main restaurants. Indigo is a modern dining room featuring a lighter, more contemporary menu and is decorated in bright blue, purple, and orange and looks much like a boutique hotel restaurant. As this restaurant is connected directly to the main galley, prompt and smooth serving of the food is ensured.

 

Garden Café – Deck 12, mid (Seats 390) No extra fee

The traditional buffet restaurant has been replaced with an "action-station" concept, where guests can watch the food being prepared. It has a special "kid's only" section, with lower counters and smaller tables and chairs seating 52.

 

Great Outdoors – Deck 12, aft (Seats 259) No extra fee

Open weather permitting

Connects with the Garden Cafe. Breakfast & lunch buffet.

 

Blue Lagoon Restaurant – Deck 8, mid (Seats 94) No extra fee

Located over the atrium, a 24-hour food court-style eatery featuring burgers, fish and chips, chili and other fast foods.

 

The Grill - Deck 12, mid (weather permitting)

Casual poolside dining

 

Cagney's Steakhouse Restaurant – Deck 13, mid (Seats 176)

Reservations required, $20 pp

Upscale traditional steakhouse of the 1930’s serving steak, lobster, lamb, veal, and other grilled foods.

 

Le Bistro French Restaurant - Deck 6, mid (Seats 129)

Reservations required, $15 pp

French restaurant offering a menu of modern and classic gourmet fare

 

La Cucina Italian Restaurant – Deck 12, aft portside (Seats 96)

Reservations required, $10 pp

Casual Italian restaurant with a farmhouse-style atmosphere serving pasta, pizza and other traditional fare.

 

Mambo's Latin/Tapas Restaurant – Deck 8, mid (Seats 96)

Reservations required, $10 pp

Serves modern Mexican, Tex-Mex and tapas.

 

Lotus Garden Asian Restaurant – Deck 7, mid (Seats 162)

Reservations required, $15 pp ($25 pp for Teppanyaki)

Lotus Garden ($15 pp)

Serves Japanese, Chinese, and Thai cuisine (Apparently the steamed BBQ ribs are to die for).

Sushi Bar ($15 pp) serves sushi, sashimi.

Shabu-Shabu ($15 pp) serves Mongolian hot pot.

Teppanyaki ($25 pp) is a traditional Japanese grill where the chefs are entertaining and the food is grilled on an iron plate.

 

Java Cafe – Deck 7, mid (Seats 70)

Assorted coffees and pastries. $Varies by item

(Just an FYI there is an Espresso/Cappuccino machine (no cost) between the Garden Café and the Great Outdoors. It’s tucked in just forward of the kids buffet.

[sillysailor 1955]

Hi, I just don ge NCLs dinning can someone Please explain everythink to me PLease, Reastraunt, Buffets, Dress Codes :confused::confused::confused:

 

My DH and I have been on 3 NCL cruises (Dawn, Spirit and Jade)

Here is what I think you need to know. There are 2 Main Dining Rooms one of which is slightly bigger, they both way have the same menus - they are both open for dinner and I believe only the larger of the 2 is open for Breakfast & Lunch. No reservations are needed for these restaurants they are "freestyle". Just go to the hostess - she will ask how many in your party and your room # also will swipe a room card (not sure what that about). Oh, by the way really good Cappuchino is served gratis in the MDRs at dinnertime. NCL also has a little restaurant called Blue Lagoon (on the Dawn & Spirit this was a walk through affair on the Jade and newer NCL ships it is a sit down "diner type restaurant". The food in the Blue Lagoon is pretty good (fish & chips, soup - comfort-type food). This is also "freestyle". The Buffet is pretty good on NCL - quite a variety and tasty.

 

Ok here is where I am gonna get some heat. Save your $$ and forget about the pay restaurants - We did Cagney's (2 different times) and the French Restaurant - so not worth the extra dough.

 

The food on NCL is okay... nothing great - however if you find that you are not jazzed about what's offered you can always ask for a grilled chicken breast (they also seem to have steak on the menu every night). There are options - but be warned the serving sizes had shrunk over the years - not a problem just ask for 2 of whatever you ordered. You see what I mean after your first meal.

 

As far as the dress code - it really is "freestyle" - shorts are NOT permitted in the MDRs at dinner (however did see alot of Jeans). On "formal nights" where you can usually get a picture with the Captain, most men wear a suit and the gals wear dresses/nice pants and tops..etc. just try to step it up a little and you'll be fine.

To summarize "freestyle" to me means you are not stuck at the same table everymeal. Have a great cruise;)

[BeadBabe]

Ok here is where I am gonna get some heat. Save your $$ and forget about the pay restaurants - We did Cagney's (2 different times) and the French Restaurant - so not worth the extra dough.

 

Nah no heat...we all just have different opinons. :D I'm sure glad that you have a good time though. Cuz that's all that matters, right?

 

I simply feel the exact opposite. The "for fee" restaurants were the bomb. The service was superb, but then the service is great in the "no fee" restaurants too, but the specialty restaurants just seemed to have the specialty service. The food was excellent.

 

You are right in that there is no need to dine "for fee" everynight. I love to take in the Murder Mystery Dinner night and that is free and in the large main formal dining room. Also "prime rib & lobster night" that is "no fee" in the main dining room is a favorite too. The wonton soup in Blue Lagoon is a savory treat as well.

 

But I can't say enough about the large main lobster in Cagney’s or the Oysters Rockefeller. Then there is the escargot and chateau Briand in Le Bistro. Not to be missed also are the lamb medallions and the bbq pork ribs in the Lotus Garden. Those are really "must eats".

One thing to keep in mind also, usually on your cruise will be "two for one" night in Mambos, La Cuchina and Lotus Garden. So you can dine "for fee" for two with just one fee. So the two of you eat for the $10 or $15 cover.

Well worth the splurge.

See you on board!

[GORDONCHICK]

Ok here is where I am gonna get some heat. Save your $$ and forget about the pay restaurants - We did Cagney's (2 different times) and the French Restaurant - so not worth the extra dough.

 

We spent an entire week aboard the Spirit in January and never ate at a surcharge restaurant. But that was our choice. Food is completely subjective, and opinions vary wildly. Many say that the food is better in the surcharge restaurants. I only got one meal in the main dining room that I didn't like (too dry).

 

It really depends on what people expect &/or experience in their daily non-vacation lives. We eat out rarely because I love to cook. I'm no gourmet, but I'm not a country cook either. I enjoy trying new things, while DH likes simpler foods for the most part. But he does enjoy the service in the dining rooms, otherwise he'd be happy at the hamburger grill or buffet (but he would do it for me anyway). If people frequent 5-star restaurants in their daily lives, I could see where the main dining rooms wouldn't be up to their standards. That's one thing nice about cruising these days - the choices!

[BeadBabe]

That's one thing nice about cruising these days - the choices!

 

Amen Carmen!!

[melligene]

Hi, I just don ge NCLs dinning can someone Please explain everythink to me PLease, Reastraunt, Buffets, Dress Codes :confused::confused::confused:

 

WOW !!! Lotta info thrown out there when I wasn't even sure of the question or the signature. Could you all please send me your Credit card info? To much to ask?

[t13nif]

On lobster night in the MDR, do they ever run out? Do we need to eat early to ensure we get some?

[sillysailor 1955]

We spent an entire week aboard the

 

Spirit in January and never ate at a surcharge restaurant. But that was our choice. Food is completely subjective, and opinions vary wildly. Many say that the food is better in the surcharge restaurants. I only got one meal in the main dining room that I didn't like (too dry).

 

It really depends on what people expect &/or experience in their daily non-vacation lives. We eat out rarely because I love to cook. I'm no gourmet, but I'm not a country cook either. I enjoy trying new things, while DH likes simpler foods for the most part. But he does enjoy the service in the dining rooms, otherwise he'd be happy at the hamburger grill or buffet (but he would do it for me anyway). If people frequent 5-star restaurants in their daily lives, I could see where the main dining rooms wouldn't be up to their standards. That's one thing nice about cruising these days - the choices!

 

 

Absolutely I agree food is totally subjective - I am just of the mindset that you are already paying enough - don't really see the point in spending extra when IMHO the food in the "fee" restaurants is similar to that in the MDR, but to each his own. Also you certainly are not going to starve on any cruise....:)

[BeadBabe]

On lobster night in the MDR, do they ever run out? Do we need to eat early to ensure we get some?

 

I've never known them to run out. However, the lobster tails in the Main Dining Room are SMALL. So when you order, order two of them. The lobster in Cagneys (for fee speciality restaurant) is huge.

 

Warmly

BeadBabe :D

[lamolesky]

I have all the specialty and main dining room menus posted and it tells all the cover charges and extra cover charges. It is fun going to different restaurants and the main dining rooms have great food too so don't miss them.

[negc]

Obviously opinions about food are very subjective. That said, we did find that the service and food in the specialty restaurants in general was superior to the food in the main dining rooms. I had rack of lamb in the main dining room one evening and on the following night I had it in Le Bistro and there was no comparison. Food and service in LeBistro were well worth the extra $15 charge. Friends of ours who tried to eat in Windows as part of a party of 10 were faced with a twenty minute wait and experienced extremely slow service and cold food. When my wife and I dined there the same evening we had good food and excellent service, so it can be a crap shoot. We did find the charts which are outside all of the dining venues to be practically useless and they never did accurately reflect the actual situation at each of the restaurants, showing some as practically empty when there were 45 minute waits, and others as more than half full, when they were practically empty and you could easily get a window table. Our best meals were those we had in Cagney's, Le Bistro, and La Trattoria.

On our first full morning in Bermuda we were a bit bummed to find that they were breaking down the breakfast buffet (including removing the waffle irons) around 9:00 am but I believe that was related to an impending crew safety drill and we did not experience this situation the rest of the cruise. I should note that on ships that offer traditional dining, it is possible to request and get tables for your individual party and you aren't "forced" to eat with "strangers". Frankly, on a cruise, it has been my experience that "strangers" are only friends you have yet to meet. ;) Eating when and where you choose to eat works well for many but it can be seriously impacted when the time and place you want to eat only accepts reservations for specific times, not necessarily the ones that work best for you. :rolleyes:

[irwins0001]

Sorry to tag on but.......can you make dinning reservations prior to embarkation? Can you make reservations for the next day or following day once onboard???

Thanks!!!!

[novinha]

don't know if you can make reservations before you board but i think i saw it posted elsewhere that you can't. you CAN make reservations for a different day, which we did on majesty last year.