Bliss dining

[Cruiseaholic07]

When dining on the Bliss or any similar ship with the three dining rooms what is the difference between Savor, Taste, and Manhattan Room. I am asking if there is a difference in menus or are they all the same? Same question with ambience. Lastly, my wife had a ton of food allergies, on our last trip on the Spirit, they catered to customers with food allergies amazingly, is it similar on the Bliss? Thanks all in advance.

[SpainAlien]

The menus are all the same. The Manhattan Room is more formal with Live music and dancing. Taste and Savor are the same as each other but different colour schemes

[ggTexasGal]

For those food allergies, you probably should check this page (complete this well in advance... NCL states, "45 days for ...requirements"!):

https://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising

[hallux]

6 hours ago, SpainAlien said:

The Manhattan Room is more formal with Live music and dancing.

Not on the Bliss.  There is no live music that I recall, and there is no dance floor.

 

Otherwise - the 3 MDR are pretty much the same...

[SpainAlien]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

Not on the Bliss.  There is no live music that I recall, and there is no dance floor.

 

Otherwise - the 3 MDR are pretty much the same...

Of course, sorry my mistake 🙂

[SSFun]

We've never eaten at Ocean Blue. Is it any good and does anyone know if there is a per person upcharge as well as upcharges for certain items on the menu? I thought at one time I had heard there was a $10 upcharge per person to eat there. We typically use our dining package for Cagneys and Le Bistro. Thought maybe we would try something new this time if Ocean Blue is good. Thanks!

[All-ready2cruise]

@SSFun I haven't been to Ocean Blue yet either but it's my intention to go next cruise on the BA.  

From what I've read here on CC the reviews are very positive. 

here's a link to the sample menu, any upcharges are noted on the menu:

https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/Ocean-Blue-Dinner-Menu-060420-tmp.pdf

[SSFun]

36 minutes ago, All-ready2cruise said:

@SSFun I haven't been to Ocean Blue yet either but it's my intention to go next cruise on the BA.  

From what I've read here on CC the reviews are very positive. 

here's a link to the sample menu, any upcharges are noted on the menu:

https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/Ocean-Blue-Dinner-Menu-060420-tmp.pdf

Thank you! I think we will give it a try!

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, SSFun said:

We've never eaten at Ocean Blue. Is it any good and does anyone know if there is a per person upcharge as well as upcharges for certain items on the menu? I thought at one time I had heard there was a $10 upcharge per person to eat there. We typically use our dining package for Cagneys and Le Bistro. Thought maybe we would try something new this time if Ocean Blue is good. Thanks!

Ocean Blue is a seafood restaurant. It was first introduced on the Breakaway and Getaway, managed by celebrity Iron Chef Geoffrey Zacharian. When his contract ended, they modified most of the menu, significantly. 

 

There is not upcharge. Just upcharges for specific lobster dishes.  

 

We'll eat there once on every cruise (have a reservation on our next Bliss cruise). Ocean Blue is the ship's fine dining restaurant (along with Le Bistro). For us, the service and food in Cagney's has gone downhill over the past 5 years across the fleet (and we sail 4-5 times a year)... and Cagney's has move to the bottom of our restaurant list now. 

 

 

[BirdTravels]

14 hours ago, jcu1210 said:

When dining on the Bliss or any similar ship with the three dining rooms what is the difference between Savor, Taste, and Manhattan Room. I am asking if there is a difference in menus or are they all the same? Same question with ambience. Lastly, my wife had a ton of food allergies, on our last trip on the Spirit, they catered to customers with food allergies amazingly, is it similar on the Bliss? Thanks all in advance.

 

All three main dining rooms serve the same menu nightly. The Manhattan room is bigger and located at the back of the ship with large windows looking out. Taste and Savor are smaller dining rooms on the sides of the ship, mid-ship. 

 

The ship is very good about food allergies. In general, the waiters all have a general idea of specific allergens. For example, the ingredients and common allergies are posted above each pick-up station in the galley. Coordinating with the restaurant in advance will ensure that you get safe food for your wife.

 

 

 

 

 

[kdmbluerzr]

Haven't been on the Bliss yet, but are booked for a 16 day Panama Canal cruise Feb 2022, excited about that! 

We ate at Ocean Blue on the Getaway a few times on the last cruise we went on, late January 2020. We really enjoyed it, the food as well as the service was excellent. Upcharges comment by other person is correct in my experience. Upcharge on lobster dishes as well as the big shrimp.

Those of you that have dined in Ocean Blue on both the Bliss and the Getaway, any standout differences? 

I agree with the comments and experience many others have had regarding Cagneys. Food there has been on a downward spiral in recent years. Sure be nice if NCL could get that turned around. 

[luckyinpa]

on the breakaway in 2016 the MDR cleared out the dance floor and the cast from the dancing show put on a 9pm show right in the middle of the dining room. it was cool. i dont see a reason why bliss couldnt do it but never heard they did

 

regarding cagenys comments above. i did it on bliss and woudlnt do it again. the filet was nowhere as good as haven nor regal princess. 

[hallux]

1 hour ago, luckyinpa said:

i dont see a reason why bliss couldnt do it but never heard they did

On the Bliss they would first need to HAVE a dance floor in the Manhattan Room.  Look up both ships on the NCL page and click "learn more" on the regular dining, you'll see the difference...

[Travel R]

On 5/31/2021 at 8:21 AM, hallux said:

Not on the Bliss.  There is no live music that I recall, and there is no dance floor.

 

Otherwise - the 3 MDR are pretty much the same...

Bummer. I have just begun doing research on the Bliss. The only other NCL ship I have been on was the Getaway. I was hoping that the Manhattan Room was similar to the Havana Room (music and dance floor), just as The Local seems to be comparable to O'Sheehans. Although the menu at Havana was the same as the MDRs, the vibe was a bit different.

 

Next your going to tell me that there is no "Dueling Pianos" on Bliss either [yeah, yeah, I know, I already looked into that].

[Travel R]

Continued:

 

Interesting, I just took a look at how NCL describes the Manhattan Room on their website: "The Manhattan Room is where guests can enjoy specially curated modern and classic dishes made with the freshest ingredients." The words "specially curated" would insinuate that the food was particular to this venue?

I would love (and appreciate) hearing some comments on the Q Smokehouse and Los Lobos. I love BBQ and my family loves Mexican, so both are prime candidates, but would like to hear some thoughts.

 

One more question: On the Getaway there was a very limited buffet (in one of their restaurants (Moderno)) for early morning excursions. Does anyone know if something like this exists on the Bliss"

 

Although my experience is limited to one other NCL ship, below is my food critique contribution to this thread:

 

MDR (Savor and Taste)
Although my DW thought the food was just "okay," I had a few very good dishes in the MDRs, and enjoyed breakfasts there as well. Note that the MDR serves lunches on Sea Days - we enjoyed those. 

 

Bar & Grill:
One of my favorite places for a late night snack was the Bar & Grill (Local on the Bliss).  Love, love, loved the Sweet Korean Chili Wings.

 

Garden Buffet:
We did not have dinner at the Buffet the entire cruise, but the occasional lunch was okay, but did enjoy the breakfasts. Although I love buffets back home (pre-covid), it is nice to sit back and have a slow relaxing meal on a cruise - in the real world I always seem to be rushing, rushing, rushing.

 

Le Bistro:
Just as a note, we dined at Le Bistro on our last cruise, and were dissapointed.  It was a few years ago and on another ship, so things may have changed, but we are not going to return for this next trip.

 

Thank you,

 

Travel R

Edited July 2, 2021 by Travel R

[bkrickles1]

59 minutes ago, Travel R said:

Continued:

 

Interesting, I just took a look at how NCL describes the Manhattan Room on their website: "The Manhattan Room is where guests can enjoy specially curated modern and classic dishes made with the freshest ingredients." The words "specially curated" would insinuate that the food was particular to this venue?

I would love (and appreciate) hearing some comments on the Q Smokehouse and Los Lobos. I love BBQ and my family loves Mexican, so both are prime candidates, but would like to hear some thoughts.

 

One more question: On the Getaway there was a very limited buffet (in one of their restaurants (Moderno)) for early morning excursions. Does anyone know if something like this exists on the Bliss"

 

Although my experience is limited to one other NCL ship, below is my food critique contribution to this thread:

 

MDR (Savor and Taste)
Although my DW thought the food was just "okay," I had a few very good dishes in the MDRs, and enjoyed breakfasts there as well. Note that the MDR serves lunches on Sea Days - we enjoyed those. 

 

Bar & Grill:
One of my favorite places for a late night snack was the Bar & Grill (Local on the Bliss).  Love, love, loved the Sweet Korean Chili Wings.

 

Garden Buffet:
We did not have dinner at the Buffet the entire cruise, but the occasional lunch was okay, but did enjoy the breakfasts. Although I love buffets back home (pre-covid), it is nice to sit back and have a slow relaxing meal on a cruise - in the real world I always seem to be rushing, rushing, rushing.

 

Le Bistro:
Just as a note, we dined at Le Bistro on our last cruise, and were dissapointed.  It was a few years ago and on another ship, so things may have changed, but we are not going to return for this next trip.

 

Thank you,

 

Travel R

We sailed Encore in January, 2020 and ate in Q, Teppenyaki and Los Lobos.

Q was very good and we especially loved the live music while we ate. We stopped by there a couple of times just for the music throughout the cruise as my wife and daughter love country.

Teppenyaki  was pretty much the same as at home and was also good.

Los Lobos was our favorite meal of that sailing.

Everything we had was so good. There was 5 of us so we got to try many different dishes and liked them all.

[trivimp]

Q has a small dance floor.  They had a four-piece combo in there the night we dined, playing country-rock crossover stuff.  They were pretty fun, lots of people danced.  (Conversely, If you're looking for a quiet conversation, Q is not the spot after about 8 o'clock or so.)

 

I am a big ol' BBQ freak (& a certified BBQ judge) so I wasn't at all sure what to expect from Q.  I liked it a lot!  It wasn't the very best BBQ I've ever had, but it was a pretty solid offering.  It's mostly Texas 'cue with a few outliers (KC-style burnt ends.)  BBQ is very subjective, so you'll hear some people say they hate it.  But I'm planning on eating there again next time I'm on the Bliss.

[oteixeira]

3 minutes ago, trivimp said:

Q has a small dance floor.  They had a four-piece combo in there the night we dined, playing country-rock crossover stuff.  They were pretty fun, lots of people danced.  (Conversely, If you're looking for a quiet conversation, Q is not the spot after about 8 o'clock or so.)

 

I am a big ol' BBQ freak (& a certified BBQ judge) so I wasn't at all sure what to expect from Q.  I liked it a lot!  It wasn't the very best BBQ I've ever had, but it was a pretty solid offering.  It's mostly Texas 'cue with a few outliers (KC-style burnt ends.)  BBQ is very subjective, so you'll hear some people say they hate it.  But I'm planning on eating there again next time I'm on the Bliss.

The biggest complaint I have heard is it's not "true" BBQ because it is not fire smoked (I am guessing on a ship it has to be electric).  Well, my home smoker is electric and to me it does a great job of making pulled pork, brisket, and on and on.  I look forward to trying this on my next Bliss sailing, maybe not as a full blown specialty dinner from a meal package, but just as a sit and taste a la carte experience.  We will see when I get a good look at a new menu (if it changed coming out of covid).

[oteixeira]

On 5/31/2021 at 10:32 AM, SSFun said:

We've never eaten at Ocean Blue. Is it any good and does anyone know if there is a per person upcharge as well as upcharges for certain items on the menu? I thought at one time I had heard there was a $10 upcharge per person to eat there. We typically use our dining package for Cagneys and Le Bistro. Thought maybe we would try something new this time if Ocean Blue is good. Thanks!

Ocean Blue, I went on the Getaway, the Dover Sole is outstanding.  It is more of an upscale experience, like Le Bistro, and the food is on point (IMHO).  I would not hesitate to go again.

[hallux]

1 hour ago, Travel R said:

The words "specially curated" would insinuate that the food was particular to this venue?

Nope - Manhattan Room, Taste and Savor are identical menus every night.

 

1 hour ago, Travel R said:

Q Smokehouse

I thought the food was good.  A tip though - it's not as pricey as the other specialty restaurants so if you're going to pay for one out of pocket make it Q.

[Travel R]

59 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

We sailed Encore in January, 2020 and ate in Q, Teppenyaki and Los Lobos.

Q was very good and we especially loved the live music while we ate. We stopped by there a couple of times just for the music throughout the cruise as my wife and daughter love country.

Teppenyaki  was pretty much the same as at home and was also good.

Los Lobos was our favorite meal of that sailing.

Everything we had was so good. There was 5 of us so we got to try many different dishes and liked them all.

Thanks - so far I have been hearing a lot of good things about Los Lobos. My family enjoys it, so it will probably be a choice for one of the evenings - and sharing is a definite!  We are also from the NY/NJ area, and there are a ton of hibachi places we go to on occasion (and my youngest does not enjoy it), so probably not an option for us.

 

Q sounds like a good choice - and did not know about the music and dancing, which would be a plus.

 

Thanks again!

[Travel R]

54 minutes ago, oteixeira said:

The biggest complaint I have heard is it's not "true" BBQ because it is not fire smoked (I am guessing on a ship it has to be electric).  Well, my home smoker is electric and to me it does a great job of making pulled pork, brisket, and on and on.  I look forward to trying this on my next Bliss sailing, maybe not as a full blown specialty dinner from a meal package, but just as a sit and taste a la carte experience.  We will see when I get a good look at a new menu (if it changed coming out of covid).

Although I was a chef at one point in my life, I have only rarely smoked meats.  However, I do try to have BBQ when out of town - I am in Virginia very frequently, and have been in the Carolinas a few times in recent years, with a trip to Tennessee coming up.  Each time I head south or west BBQ is somewhere on one of the menus. [I have found decent BBQ in the Northeast, but nothing I would label as exceptional.] Good food is good food, and from what I have been reading, most reviewers have enjoyed Q. I now have the recommendation of a certified judge.

 

Also, thanks for your thoughts on Ocean Blue. Although I personally love seafood, my family is not usually enthusiastic about it when dining out.

 

Thanks.

[Travel R]

19 minutes ago, hallux said:

Nope - Manhattan Room, Taste and Savor are identical menus every night.

 

I thought the food was good.  A tip though - it's not as pricey as the other specialty restaurants so if you're going to pay for one out of pocket make it Q.

 

You know Manhattan is the same menu as the MDRs, I had figured it will be the same menu [now confirmed], but NCL marketing has to spruce it up a little - and the 90% of pax not on cruisecritic will believe it is a unique menu.

 

That's a good idea - we have 2 "free" meals, so could make this a third out-of-pocket meal. Or, possibly, a mid-afternoon snack one afternoon when the family is doing their own thing.

 

Thanks!

[WarfRatWA]

On 5/31/2021 at 6:38 AM, jcu1210 said:

When dining on the Bliss or any similar ship with the three dining rooms what is the difference between Savor, Taste, and Manhattan Room. I am asking if there is a difference in menus or are they all the same? Same question with ambience. Lastly, my wife had a ton of food allergies, on our last trip on the Spirit, they catered to customers with food allergies amazingly, is it similar on the Bliss? Thanks all in advance.

We have a teenager with severe food allergies (dairy & beef).  He has sailed on 4 cruises with NCL (Getaway, Breakaway, Escape & Bliss).  He has never had an incidence of exposure and the staff always goes way above and beyond to accommodate him.  This applies to the MDR's and Specialty restaurants.  Make sure you notify NCL ahead of your cruise of the allergy.  But also have a chat with the someone onboard the day you arrive.  We always stay in the Haven, and we talk to the Haven Restaurant Manager.  On every ship the Haven Restaurant Manager has been instrumental in making sure our son is well taken care of in all the restaurants.  Almost without exception, every time we sit down in a restaurant, the first thing the wait staff will ask is 'who has the allergy'?  They work with our son to order something allergy free and will even go speak with the chefs to ensure it is allergy free.  If we ever have a question or concern, they will immediately and without issue address it.

 

Speaking of the Haven restaurant manager......this has been our ace in the hole.  I really think our great experiences regarding our son's food allergies has been due to the intervention of the Haven Restaurant mangers on all the ships we sailed.  We have been told many times that the Haven manager calls to the whatever restaurant we were dining at to make sure they knew the specifics of our son's allergies.  We never ask for that, but they do it most of the time.  They also do things like have the Haven Restaurant create a one-off allergen free dessert and have it sent to the restaurant we are eating at, just so our son has something yummy for dessert (its different almost every time).  I can't say enough good things about allergen dining on NCL.  Notify NCL ahead of time and talk to a restaurant manger the day you arrive.  Also let the wait staff immediately know of your food allergies on first contact.  It sounds like your wife's experience is identical to all ours...that's a good thing.

 

Apologies for the long post, but I've got nothing but good things to say on the topic.

Happy sailings.