Input Please -- Ocean Blue vs Food Republic

[insidecabin]

We do ocean Blue at night Food Republic as a lunch. 

If buying the SDP add some lunch meals to one persons and share the 4 dishes with a top up paid for if not enough. 

 

The $15/$10 for each extra meal is a bargain for 4 items at Food Republic that are around $10 each. 

 

[tomservo]

1 hour ago, insidecabin said:

We do ocean Blue at night Food Republic as a lunch. 

 

I was going to say the same thing - do both, but hit up Food Republic for lunch. I bought extra SDP credits so I can spend one or 2 at FR for lunch.

That being said, it is a little seafood heavy so it probably won't be worth spending an SDP credit on it if you don't like seafood, but you could certainly try one or 2 things ala carte.

Enjoy the Bliss, I'll be on in March for the first time. Super excited!!

[insidecabin]

2 hours ago, tomservo said:

 

I was going to say the same thing - do both, but hit up Food Republic for lunch. I bought extra SDP credits so I can spend one or 2 at FR for lunch.

That being said, it is a little seafood heavy so it probably won't be worth spending an SDP credit on it if you don't like seafood, but you could certainly try one or 2 things ala carte.

Enjoy the Bliss, I'll be on in March for the first time. Super excited!!

Cheapest thing in FR is $5 plenty of meat options, at $10 for the extra SDP ala carte is more even if you don't get all 4 items. 

[queenL]

How did you add lunch to your specialty dining package?  

[insidecabin]

They(SDP) all can be used for lunch or dinner and you can use as many as you like on any day.

You do hit the purchase limit(length of cruise) but with free at sea and platinum, you can get enough

 

I only bought extra for one of us as there is plenty of food for lunch in FR with the 4 items 

FR is designed to share so they should not moan if your dining companion does not use a package.

2 of our FR visits

---------

Spicy Tuna Roll

Tuna Stack

Lamb

Pork belly

---------

Rock shrimp roll

Calamari

Pho(beef)

Peruvian beef

 

 

 

Also consider adding another SDP  $10 goes a long way at the American diner as well.

 

 

 

[melobstah55]

We dined at Ocean Blue on Encore in January and it was amazing! 

[fstuff1]

On 2/12/2020 at 5:30 PM, Greenpea2 said:

I will be on the Bliss in 11 days (yay). I have all my dining sorted out and reservations made (not something I ever thought I'd do--circa the true Freestyle Dining years--but whatever, things change). The only one I am having second thoughts about is Ocean Blue. I am wondering if maybe I should switch that one for Food Republic. I'd be interested in opinions from those who have been to one or the other (or ideally, both). I have heard good things about Ocean Blue ... but I also have heard negative things and some "meh" things. I have not hear one bad thing about Food Republic.  Hence my second thoughts. 

 

Opinions please (and yes, I understand that food is subjective). Besides opinions on the food, I am also very interested in knowing if there is any down side to using the Specialty Restaurant package for Food Republic. How would that work? Doesn't seem like the menu is geared towards appetizer/entree/sides/dessert. Any input would be greatly appreciated. 

 

im the on the Joy.

on this ship, we're allowed to substitute FR with our La Cuchina Platinum voucher.

and instead of 4 item limit, we're allowed $35 worth of food ($70 per couple since each voucher is for 2.)

 

items in FR range from $4 to a couple of items that are $12.

so if you eat just the $12 items, then the dining plan is better.

if you want to sample alot of stuff on the menu, then using the Platinum voucher is better.

 

i will be eating in FR this week for the 1st time and will be using my Platinum voucher.

i've eaten at ocean blue many times. (Love the food.)

 

i'll let you know the comparison next week.

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by fstuff1

[fstuff1]

7 hours ago, insidecabin said:

They(SDP) all can be used for lunch or dinner and you can use as many as you like on any day.

You do hit the purchase limit(length of cruise) but with free at sea and platinum, you can get enough

 

I only bought extra for one of us as there is plenty of food for lunch in FR with the 4 items 

FR is designed to share so they should not moan if your dining companion does not use a package.

2 of our FR visits

---------

Spicy Tuna Roll

Tuna Stack

Lamb

Pork belly

---------

Rock shrimp roll

Calamari

Pho(beef)

Peruvian beef

 

Also consider adding another SDP  $10 goes a long way at the American diner as well.

 

 

ncl now allows you to just top off your current sdp package and just add more days??

instead of making you buy another package? (ie: 3meal for $99)

[geegee1]

Just got off Bliss this morning. Loved Food Republic so much that we went twice, both times after we already used up our dining packages.  Out favorite restaurant on the ship.  We've been to Ocean Blue a couple of times in the past, and had no desire to go again

[insidecabin]

2 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

ncl now allows you to just top off your current sdp package and just add more days??

instead of making you buy another package? (ie: 3meal for $99)

Even better at $10($12 with tips) a meal it's a no brainer to max it out.

Did not see that option on our Oct or Nov cruise last year. 

[insidecabin]

3 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

im the on the Joy.

on this ship, we're allowed to substitute FR with our La Cuchina Platinum voucher.

and instead of 4 item limit, we're allowed $35 worth of food ($70 per couple since each voucher is for 2.)

 

items in FR range from $4 to a couple of items that are $12.

so if you eat just the $12 items, then the dining plan is better.

if you want to sample alot of stuff on the menu, then using the Platinum voucher is better.

 

i will be eating in FR this week for the 1st time and will be using my Platinum voucher.

i've eaten at ocean blue many times. (Love the food.)

 

i'll let you know the comparison next week.

 

That seems a lot cheaper than it was on Encore TA. Cheapest was $5 yogurt most $10-$16.

Edited February 23, 2020 by insidecabin

[fstuff1]

3 hours ago, insidecabin said:

Even better at $10($12 with tips) a meal it's a no brainer to max it out.

Did not see that option on our Oct or Nov cruise last year. 

What option?

To top off your dining package?

 

Ie: if you got 5 meal sdp because of perk, you can just add more to it instead of buying a new package? (Ie: 3sdp for $99)

Edited February 23, 2020 by fstuff1

[Sand and Seas]

Can you add another meal to your SDP once you are onboard?  (Then I could use my OBC)

How do you do this?

[cincicruisers]

Great info!  Heading out on the Escape next week.  We are going to try them both.

[insidecabin]

13 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

What option?

To top off your dining package?

 

Ie: if you got 5 meal sdp because of perk, you can just add more to it instead of buying a new package? (Ie: 3sdp for $99)

yep never saw that option in Oct/Nov

any link for it?

[fstuff1]

On 2/23/2020 at 12:25 PM, insidecabin said:

That seems a lot cheaper than it was on Encore TA. Cheapest was $5 yogurt most $10-$16.

you're right.

google gave me the old menu before the Del Rio ridiculous price increases in all specialty restaurants late last year.

 

im looking at the Joy menu now (im on the Joy) and the most expensive is now $16 (bbq pork belly and shrimp pad thai).

heck, a California roll is $11?!?! 😞

 

so it looks like burning a dining meal for 4 items is better than using a Platinum voucher @$35/person. :mad:

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by fstuff1

[ESCARGO]

On 2/23/2020 at 9:29 AM, fstuff1 said:

 

im the on the Joy.

on this ship, we're allowed to substitute FR with our La Cuchina Platinum voucher.

and instead of 4 item limit, we're allowed $35 worth of food ($70 per couple since each voucher is for 2.)

 

items in FR range from $4 to a couple of items that are $12.

so if you eat just the $12 items, then the dining plan is better.

if you want to sample alot of stuff on the menu, then using the Platinum voucher is better.

 

i will be eating in FR this week for the 1st time and will be using my Platinum voucher.

i've eaten at ocean blue many times. (Love the food.)

 

i'll let you know the comparison next week.

 

Thanks David! Enjoy the rest of your cruise!  Ted.

[insidecabin]

I should add that maxing out on pay meals does mean a lot of food over a cruise, we overdid it on the Encore 9 night(all sea days) even sticking with very light breakfasts.

 

 

Future NCL trips we will be looking to have days off away from meals like we do on other lines, NCL options are too tempting.