Specialty Restaurants on POA

[thecruiser85]

If you don't drink wine and want to try specialty restaurants ask for the "Passport package" for specialty restaurants. We purchased this for $120 and you can eat at 4. We ate at Tepanyaki, Lazy J (twice) and Little Italy. I would pass on Little Italy if I did it again, but we felt it was a great deal. NOTE: the desserts were great! The fillet at Lazy J, Fillet/Chicken at Tepanyaki were really good. The only reason we did not eat at Jefferson's Bistro was because we messed around making our reservations and didn't get an acceptable time (our fault). So, we ate a Lazy J twice and enjoyed both times.

[CruisingGoddess]

Do you recall if they offered seafood entrees at Lazy J? DH loves steak but I don't and usually eat seafood (scallops, lobster, etc.) when we go to steakhouses.

[annecolorgreen]

Poor Rebecca--no one must pay attention to the seafood offerings at the LazyJ! lol :p Surely someone can help you. Has anyone posted a picture of a menu anywhere????

 

I agree--the passport was a great deal if you like to sit down and be served.

[thecruiser85]

I don't remember if they had seafood for the main course. I do know they had shrimp cocktail and crab cakes for appetizers. I THINK I remember seeing salmon on their menu. My husband had the crab cakes and he said they were very good. The shrimp on the shrimp cocktail were huge. I don't eat seafood though.

[annecolorgreen]

agreed...shrimp cocktail and crab cakes were very good and I may remember salmon too...

 

Rebecca--you could always do shrimp cocktail, salad, crab cakes (for entree), and dessert...

[ohioNCLcruiser]

Yes they do have the Salmon. You can also get a lobster but its an extra charge. I'm not sure what it is off the top of my head but its around $10-$15 I think.

[sadiecat]

Is this $120 pp or for two?

[marym933]

Is this $120 pp or for two?

 

It's for two. The price is $60 pp. It will save you a little over paying the upcharge at the 4 restaurants individually.

[CruisingGoddess]

Thanks for the responses, regarding the seafood! I love lobster so it would be worth it for the extra charge for me!! Can't wait to go on the cruise!!!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

$60 pp for the package? I love that! I would do it, but not sure if our traveling companions would. Thanks for the info, though. I was thinking it was $120 pp and a bit pricey.

[CruisingGoddess]

I still haven't decided if we'll buy this package yet. It sounds like a great deal but I'm not sure if I'll want to eat at 4 speciality restaurants. I think we'll decide when we're onboard and have a chance to look at all the menus at the dining table. We're already planning to have 2 dinners off the ship (Maui and Kauai overnights) so not sure if we'll really need to eat at 4 speciality restaurants those 5 other nights.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I still haven't decided if we'll buy this package yet. It sounds like a great deal but I'm not sure if I'll want to eat at 4 speciality restaurants. I think we'll decide when we're onboard and have a chance to look at all the menus at the dining table. We're already planning to have 2 dinners off the ship (Maui and Kauai overnights) so not sure if we'll really need to eat at 4 speciality restaurants those 5 other nights.

Same with us. I just counted and we will only have 5 dinners on the ship. Perhaps one or two specialty restaurants would be best for us.

[marym933]

The package includes the Lazy J Steakhouse, Little Italy, Jefferson's Bistro and East Meets West. You can go to the Teppanyaki instead of East Meet West by paying the difference. I think it was an extra $10 pp. The extra was charged when we used the "passport" at the restaurant. My favorite was the Bistro, least favorite Little Italy.

[scrappydoo]

Does anyone know with the Passport, if you can go to one restaurant twice (or more), or does it have to be specifically the 4 restaurants one time each??

[marym933]

Does anyone know with the Passport, if you can go to one restaurant twice (or more), or does it have to be specifically the 4 restaurants one time each??

The OP stated that they visited the Lazy J twice. The passports we got in April were laminated cards. Each one had the name of a specific restaurant on it. We were told that we could only use them at the restaurant listed on the card, with the exception of East Meets West. It could be upgraded for Teppanyaki for $10 pp more.

[thecruiser85]

We did eat at Lazy J twice, but that is because we waited too long in making our reservations at Jefferson's Bistro. The way it works is East Meets West (includes Teppanyaki), Lazy J, Little Italy and Jefferson's Bistro are included. If you choose to forfeit one restaurant to eat at another you can do it, but if the normal cover charge is more at the one you choose you will pay the difference. One of the posters above mentioned East Meets West and if you choose Teppanyaki over East Meets West you have to pay extra--that wasn't the case with us. Teppanyaki was and is considered part of East Meets West (or at least it was when we were there).

[scrappydoo]

We did eat at Lazy J twice, but that is because we waited too long in making our reservations at Jefferson's Bistro. The way it works is East Meets West (includes Teppanyaki), Lazy J, Little Italy and Jefferson's Bistro are included. If you choose to forfeit one restaurant to eat at another you can do it, but if the normal cover charge is more at the one you choose you will pay the difference. One of the posters above mentioned East Meets West and if you choose Teppanyaki over East Meets West you have to pay extra--that wasn't the case with us. Teppanyaki was and is considered part of East Meets West (or at least it was when we were there).

 

Hopefully, it will be the same way when I sail in Nov - thanks for clarifying it for me! I'd like to also skip the Little Italy, but the other 3 sound fantastic. Also, I noticed you mentioned that the desserts were great in your original post-- any specific ones stand out? I'm a sucker for desserts. :D

[marym933]

Desserts - Creme Brulee at Jefferson's Bistro!

[inahaze]

I still haven't decided if we'll buy this package yet. It sounds like a great deal but I'm not sure if I'll want to eat at 4 speciality restaurants. I think we'll decide when we're onboard and have a chance to look at all the menus at the dining table. We're already planning to have 2 dinners off the ship (Maui and Kauai overnights) so not sure if we'll really need to eat at 4 speciality restaurants those 5 other nights.

 

We just got off the POA this morning! What a beautiful cruise! We had a fabulous time on each of the islands. RE: the specialty dining, we ate in most of them. The best filet mignon is served in the Bistro! Lazy J was okay. We ate breakfast and lunch there when we were not eating off the ship. The Tepenyaki was a really great meal and entertainment! In my opinion, i'd skip Little Italy altogether. We ordered the prim rib both nights at Lazy J and it was over cooked to the point of being tough (ordered it medium). I walked through the buffet and didn't see much of anything that looked good to me. Except for the panini station, that was good.