Specialty dining order question

[JoeTec]

We will be on the Escape in Aug & we have the 3 specialty dinners.  I booked 4.

My question is which one should we pay for to get our best bang for our buck?  The order that we are dining is Teppanyaki, Bayamo by Oceaan Blue, Cagney's then La Cucina.  Thanks for any help

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

I’d look at menus and have some idea what you may order, probably Teppanyaki 

[All-ready2cruise]

I would also choose Teppanyaki to pay for since it's a set rate.  With the other restaurants being Al a carte, you could see some pretty high bills unless you don't choose many items. 

[JamieLogical]

When we do extra specialty dining meals, we pay for the flat-fee restaurants out of pocket. By the time you get an app, an entree, and a dessert at one of the a la carte restaurants, you will easily go over $30 per person.

[BirdTravels]

We are “hearty” eaters (multiple appetizers, an entree, and dessert) so it is normally cheaper to pay for a fixed price restaurant out of pocket. 

 

You can scan menus on the following link to get an idea on how much things cost. Then decide. 

 

We we normally go over to the Harbor Nights street fair on the first night in port and eat there  

 

 

Edited June 22, 2019 by BirdTravels

[JoeTec]

Thank you everyone! I was going crazy looking at menus & trying to guess at what we will eat & add it up lol.  @BirdTravels it was your menus I was looking at! This makes more sense

[BirdTravels]

6 minutes ago, JoeTec said:

Thank you everyone! I was going crazy looking at menus & trying to guess at what we will eat & add it up lol.  @BirdTravels it was your menus I was looking at! This makes more sense

On the Escape, we often pay cash when going to Pincho Tapas (a few small dishes) and Food Republic (which does not take the dining plan) versus the extra specialty dining night. 

 

On the Escape, there are complimentary dinner shows in the Supper Club most nights also (book as soon as you embark at the Escape Theater boxoffice). 

 

And per per my edit to the post above, we often will go over to the Harbor Nights street fair in Hamilton on the first night and snack there.

 

Bottom line is that once you get onboard, there are more dinner opportunities on the Escape than any other ship and you may not need the 4th night. 

[Vyhanek]

I think you should re-think 4 nights in those particular Specialty Dining.   Its not the best food on the ship.

 

IMHO, the best food is in Food Republic.    It's casual and creative and a la carte, not a part of the Specialty Dining packages.    I loved it so much I went twice.

 

The other dinner I wouldn't miss on the Escape is the Cirque Show with the dinner included.   The show is really good and the food is pretty good too.    It's a whole experience, so, so much better than the standard Specialty Dining options.

 

Teppanyaki on NCL is your basic......very, very basic teppanyaki that you can get in any medium sized city.    There is absolutely nothing special about NCL's teppanyaki.    

 

La Cucina is very basic Italian.  I'd say on par with the Olive Garden.  I love the Olive Garden, I'm not bashing La Cucina but given the other choice of the Cirque dinner show there is no comparison.

 

 

[Skipper305]

Just a heads up, Food Republic is now part of the specialty dining package. 

 

From Specialty Dining FAQ:

 

IN WHICH VENUES WILL MY SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE BE HONORED?

Specialty Dining Packages are honored in the following specialty restaurants: American Diner, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Food Republic, Italian, Le Bistro, Los Lobos, Margaritaville at Sea, Moderno Churrascaria, Pincho Tapas Bar, Q Texas Smokehouse, Sushi and Teppanyaki

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, Skipper305 said:

Just a heads up, Food Republic is now part of the specialty dining package. 

 

From Specialty Dining FAQ:

 

IN WHICH VENUES WILL MY SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE BE HONORED?

Specialty Dining Packages are honored in the following specialty restaurants: American Diner, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Food Republic, Italian, Le Bistro, Los Lobos, Margaritaville at Sea, Moderno Churrascaria, Pincho Tapas Bar, Q Texas Smokehouse, Sushi and Teppanyaki

 

Has the Pincho Tapas Bar upcharge been removed?

[Skipper305]

16 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Has the Pincho Tapas Bar upcharge been removed?

It’s not listed: 

 

Guests may also choose to dine in other select restaurants, with the following per person upcharges when using their SDP meal:

Cirque Dreams (Epic, Getaway) $10 USD

Ocean Blue and Bayamo by Ocean Blue - $10 USD

Raw Bar - $7 USD (Except Seafood Platter)

Supper Club Cabaret (Escape) - $18 USD

Velvet (Breakaway) - $10 USD

Edited June 22, 2019 by Skipper305

[JoeTec]

2 hours ago, Vyhanek said:

I think you should re-think 4 nights in those particular Specialty Dining.   Its not the best food on the ship.

 

IMHO, the best food is in Food Republic.    It's casual and creative and a la carte, not a part of the Specialty Dining packages.    I loved it so much I went twice.

 

The other dinner I wouldn't miss on the Escape is the Cirque Show with the dinner included.   The show is really good and the food is pretty good too.    It's a whole experience, so, so much better than the standard Specialty Dining options.

 

Teppanyaki on NCL is your basic......very, very basic teppanyaki that you can get in any medium sized city.    There is absolutely nothing special about NCL's teppanyaki.    

 

La Cucina is very basic Italian.  I'd say on par with the Olive Garden.  I love the Olive Garden, I'm not bashing La Cucina but given the other choice of the Cirque dinner show there is no comparison.

 

 

Everyone's taste is different. We have eaten at Teppanyaki on all of our previous cruises & we love it. We hardly ever go to any shows, we will probably eat most of our meals in Bermuda when we are in port & evenings we enjoy hanging in the casino.

[TenForward]

I always love to see food comments -- peoples tastes are so different.  DH and I enjoyed Food Republic -- we thought it was good but nothing over the top.   Pinchos was one of our favorite meals as was Teppanyaki... Come to think of it,  I don't think we had a bad meal anywhere.