MDR Menus Questions

[Magicbar]

New to NCL Cruiser.

 

About Me: Solo traveler taking 4 cruises in the next 18 months:

 

October 2017 Jade Southern Caribbean

January 2018 Epic Eastern Caribbean

September 2018 Bliss Alaska

January 2019 Epic Western Caribbean

 

I have seen the myriad of MDR menus on the web and I know that they rotate and change depending on the ships head chef.

Some of them look really great (hope I can choose) and some are not very exciting . On these nights when I see little of interest, I would like to schedule my specialty dining nights.

 

My questions is, can I find the menus for a given sailing either just before (unlikely) or once I board for the duration of the trip?

If I wait till I am on board, will it be difficult to secure specialty dining reservations as a solo diner?

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[Moby0215]

Depending on the ship and how full it is, it might me hard to reserve specialty dining same day.

 

 

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[Huntingdon1701]

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be possible to get the menus ahead of time. They just make them available after lunch on the day they will be used.

 

I would book Cagney's, Le Bistro and Teppanyaki ahead of time. The others you can probably rely on booking on the cruise, and probably on the day, as they are less popular.

[JustDandy]

We booked 90 days out on the Escape when it opened and lots were full. I would look at the ship schedule for port nights verses show nights and book ahead if possible. Especially Cagney's. Same for shows, they fill up. I have photos of many Menus of the speciality dining off the Escape if your interested, just got off of the ship 2 weeks ago.

 

 

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[BirdTravels]

New to NCL Cruiser.

 

 

 

About Me: Solo traveler taking 4 cruises in the next 18 months:

 

 

 

October 2017 Jade Southern Caribbean

 

January 2018 Epic Eastern Caribbean

 

September 2018 Bliss Alaska

 

January 2019 Epic Western Caribbean

 

 

 

I have seen the myriad of MDR menus on the web and I know that they rotate and change depending on the ships head chef.

 

Some of them look really great (hope I can choose) and some are not very exciting . On these nights when I see little of interest, I would like to schedule my specialty dining nights.

 

 

 

My questions is, can I find the menus for a given sailing either just before (unlikely) or once I board for the duration of the trip?

 

If I wait till I am on board, will it be difficult to secure specialty dining reservations as a solo diner?

 

 

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

 

The menus have nothing to do with the chief. Menus are set fleetwide by NCL HQ. There are regional menus with specials of the night.

 

There are 14 MDR menus which are rotated over a 2 week period.

 

Three of your cruises are on mega ships with 4200-4800 passengers. With dining rooms with 200 seats, as a solo cruiser you take as much space as a couple (which are the majority of diners). Last minute seating will be problematic in popular restaurants during prime time. Easier, but not always available at 9:00 pm.

 

On the Jade, Teppanyaki will sell out in a few days. Cagneys will also sell out during prime time. Book exactly 90 days before your cruise (100 days if you are in a suite).

 

Recommend that you book all specialty dining at 90 days.

 

 

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[SquishTheWhale]

When I was on the Epic, on day 1 of our 10 day cruise we could view the MDR menus for every night via the TV. I don't know if this is standard as have only sailed the Epic! But if you manage to do that you should be able to shuffle reservations around. However I would make them in advance with the hope you can move them rather than wait and hope to get one.

[wizdiz]

Normally in the AM you can use the ncl app and see the menu. Also you can ask a restaurant manager if you can preview tomorrows menu

[brookie848]

When I was on the Epic, on day 1 of our 10 day cruise we could view the MDR menus for every night via the TV. I don't know if this is standard as have only sailed the Epic! But if you manage to do that you should be able to shuffle reservations around. However I would make them in advance with the hope you can move them rather than wait and hope to get one.

 

On all of the large (new) ships we have been on, we have been able to see the menus for the week on our cabin TV.

 

If there are certain restaurants that you must have, or if you want certain dining times, I would book my specialties before the cruise. Then, if you need to change, you can update things on the ship.

[RedRover96]

I would just go Freestyle, book the shows, then book your speciality restaurants and go with the flow. The only thing I have read that seems to be pretty consistent is prime rib sail away night in the MDR's, buffet & maybe O'Sheehan's. Notice I said consistent, not guaranteed! To be honest I don't understand the infatuation with menus, I have a friend who likes to say "it is what it is".

[dublell]

New to NCL Cruiser.

 

About Me: Solo traveler taking 4 cruises in the next 18 months:

 

October 2017 Jade Southern Caribbean

January 2018 Epic Eastern Caribbean

September 2018 Bliss Alaska

January 2019 Epic Western Caribbean

 

I have seen the myriad of MDR menus on the web and I know that they rotate and change depending on the ships head chef.

Some of them look really great (hope I can choose) and some are not very exciting . On these nights when I see little of interest, I would like to schedule my specialty dining nights.

 

My questions is, can I find the menus for a given sailing either just before (unlikely) or once I board for the duration of the trip?

If I wait till I am on board, will it be difficult to secure specialty dining reservations as a solo diner?

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

This doesn't answer your question, but I thought I'd mention it in case you don't already know. All the the ships you are going on (except the Jade) have solo traveler lounges where interested solos get together with a member of the cruise director's team early each evening and have a chance to meet each other and make plans for meals and activities. The staff member usually sets up MDR dinners for anyone interested in eating as a group. A good way to meet people and find out what is happening on board.

[khaide612]

This doesn't answer your question, but I thought I'd mention it in case you don't already know. All the the ships you are going on (except the Jade) have solo traveler lounges where interested solos get together with a member of the cruise director's team early each evening and have a chance to meet each other and make plans for meals and activities. The staff member usually sets up MDR dinners for anyone interested in eating as a group. A good way to meet people and find out what is happening on board.

 

Just to add...even though the Jade and similar ships do not have a solo lounge, they do have a solo coordinator who arranges meetings etc. There was a large solo group on the Jade when I went in January.

[Maraprince]

We found that on the Breakaway, if you were a "group" of 2 or less you really did not need reservations for the MDRs.

 

Just play it by ear once you are on board. You may be lucky enough to meet others that you may wish to eat with. If not, go in person to the MDR you are interested in and ask if you can be seated for dinner.

 

MARAPRINCE

[mking8288]

For the MDR, the smaller tables in Taste and Savor are so close together, you will likely find that table for 1 or 2 is really a table for 2, split into 2 - at busy/peak meal time. You can have a "great" conversation with your dining mate, or not - as that couple 12" away from you on their honeymoon might wished to enjoy their own private time, LOL.

 

Menu description can, sometimes, be deceiving and not what you think it is - NCL is very "creative" in writing out the choices ... what they should and can do is to have pictorial menu. But, then, certain items would hardly get ordered. Sail with an open mind, you can always ask the server to bring you something else, i.e. fillet being too "fishy" in smell, etc.