Dining Reservations on Escape

[taylortime05]

Hi, we are sailing our 1st NCL on Escape Nov 25. My 2 perks were the beverage package and pre paid gratuities.

 

I was trying to decide if we should splurge on one of the dining packages. I've read on the boards that the specialty restaurants are so good on Escape. I thought about changing my perk to dining package but I'm better this way because the gratuity is 98 pp and for that amount I can get dining package for 4 restaurants instead of 3 included in the perk package.

 

I made reservations for 5 restaurants because I may cancel Bayamo because I'm not sure I want to spend extra for an upcharge: Cagney's, Bayamo, La Cucina, Teppanyaki and La Bistro.

 

We were on Celebrity last year and didn't go to any specialty restaurants and thought the food was excellent. So I go back and forth if it's worth spending extra money to go to these specialty restaurants when there's already food included in price of the cruise. But so many on these boards have said they are worth the extra money.

 

I'd appreciate any suggestions. Also, if we bid and won a Haven could I still cancel the dining package?

 

Thanks

[ray98]

I always try to find a happy medium which for us is usually the 3 night package. We still enjoy the food in the main dining room so I see no need in paying for an upgrade for the majority of the nights. The 3 night lets us enjoy our favorite specialty restaurants without needlessly running up the budget.

[VideoTech]

Hi, we are sailing our 1st NCL on Escape Nov 25. My 2 perks were the beverage package and pre paid gratuities.

 

I was trying to decide if we should splurge on one of the dining packages. I've read on the boards that the specialty restaurants are so good on Escape. I thought about changing my perk to dining package but I'm better this way because the gratuity is 98 pp and for that amount I can get dining package for 4 restaurants instead of 3 included in the perk package.

 

I made reservations for 5 restaurants because I may cancel Bayamo because I'm not sure I want to spend extra for an upcharge: Cagney's, Bayamo, La Cucina, Teppanyaki and La Bistro.

 

We were on Celebrity last year and didn't go to any specialty restaurants and thought the food was excellent. So I go back and forth if it's worth spending extra money to go to these specialty restaurants when there's already food included in price of the cruise. But so many on these boards have said they are worth the extra money.

 

I'd appreciate any suggestions. Also, if we bid and won a Haven could I still cancel the dining package?

 

Thanks

 

Food, of course, is very subjective. Our take on the specialty restaurants, from many NCL cruises:

 

Cagney's steakhouse: The best, and well worth it. We usually eat twice in Cagneys on a 7 day cruise, even if we're in the Haven with the Haven restaurant available.

 

Le Bistro: Always excellent, but we prefer Cagney's. Many people rate Le Bistro as the #1 offering.

 

La Cucina: Hugely improved since they revamped their menu. Prior to that, not much different from an Olive Garden or other chain Italian.

 

Bayamo: Have actually never tried this one.

 

Moderno: Equivalent to any good Churrascaria on land. Same large salad bar, endless meat service until you say stop.

 

Food Republic: An interesting concept. Quite a mixture of dishes, some very good, some not so. Also, not included in the Dining Package.

 

Teppanyaki: A disappointment on every ship we've tried it on. For some reason, NCL can't get this one to be even as good as you could get in a good land-based Teppanyaki style restaurant.

 

With regard to Celebrity free food vs NCL free food: One of the things that impressed us on our Celebrity cruise was how much better we thought the "free" food offerings were on Celebrity. We've felt that NCL's "free" dining food quality has definitely gone downhill since the introduction of all the specialty restaurants.

[BirdTravels]

I made reservations for 5 restaurants because I may cancel Bayamo because I'm not sure I want to spend extra for an upcharge: Cagney's, Bayamo, La Cucina, Teppanyaki and La Bistro.

 

I would go with the 3 meal package. Dump La Cucina and Bayamo (unless you really want to do the Iron Chef Jose Garces experience).

 

On board, have lunch at Food Republic which is not covered by the SDP.

 

Enjoy the Escape. She's our favorite ship!