Dinner Question

[Shawnie_Boy]

Hi,

So, I get 1 specialty included as part of my reservation on NCL Sky this summer (4 nights). 

So, for the other 3 nights, do I want to stick to the MDR or upgrade to speciality package? Are the MDRs really mediocre aboard the NCL Sky?

 

Thanks

Shawn 

 

[PATRLR]

27 minutes ago, Shawnie_Boy said:

Hi,

So, I get 1 specialty included as part of my reservation on NCL Sky this summer (4 nights). 

So, for the other 3 nights, do I want to stick to the MDR or upgrade to speciality package? Are the MDRs really mediocre aboard the NCL Sky?

 

Thanks

Shawn 

 

Only you can answer this question.  I personally find the MDR food to be generally not good.  I prefer more Specialty dining nights.  

Think of the MDRs as low end national chain quality (i.e. Applebees).  If you are OK with that quality, then you'll be good, if you are not, buy more Specialty Dining.

 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Shawnie_Boy said:

Hi,

So, I get 1 specialty included as part of my reservation on NCL Sky this summer (4 nights). So, for the other 3 nights, do I want to stick to the MDR or upgrade to speciality package? Are the MDRs really mediocre aboard the NCL Sky?

 

Shawn,

 

Don't buy into NCL's attempt to charge you for something that you already paid for. Food is included in your cruise fare. You're on short break getaway. No need to spend more money. 

 

The MDR is fine. And so is the complimentary Garden Cafe Buffet or The Local Bar and Grill. We actually enjoy eating outside (weather dependent) with our main buffet food in the Great Outdoor dining area (they have a smaller buffet right there too). 

[complawyer]

o'sheehans is ok also.  i wouldnt suggest you pay for the upgrade on such a short cruise, but for almost the same amount of money, you can go into any of the specialty restaurants and pay the charges. i especially recommend cagney's, moderno and teppanyaki

[cruiseny4life]

Based on my experience with specialty dining, I would never pay extra for it. Cagney's, in my opinion, is not even as good as Texas Roadhouse (and those are low standards). Teppanyaki is good, but you can find just as good hibachi/atmosphere on land. I haven't tried other specialty dining, but am not really hopping too quickly to try it based on my above-referenced experiences. 

[FlGoodShips]

No need to pay extra. 

MDR is great, so is buffet, and o'sheehans/local too.

[sassycruiser]

On our Joy cruise we ate 2 nights in specialty and all the rest in MDR.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out the food had improved significantly over my last NCL cruise.  

[Biffire]

Food and Dining opinions are very subjective. Asking for advice on what you should do is going to get you many opinions and confused. I usually get two free and 2 for latitude status, so I am fine eating in the MDR 3 nights.

Is the MDR good ? Well that depends what you are used to. What is your budget? What are they serving that night? the skill of the chefs?  No one can say the meals in the MDR are all good or all bad. Try the MDR, if you don't like it, buy more Specialty Dining on the next cruise.

[cruiserbear55]

10 hours ago, Shawnie_Boy said:

Hi,

So, I get 1 specialty included as part of my reservation on NCL Sky this summer (4 nights). 

So, for the other 3 nights, do I want to stick to the MDR or upgrade to speciality package? Are the MDRs really mediocre aboard the NCL Sky?

 

Thanks

Shawn 

 

 

   On our Pearl cruise in April, we ate at Cagneys twice, LeBistro and LaCucina once each, and Indigo (MDR) twice. ( One night at the buffet.)

  Indigo turned out to be the favorite. The strip steak I had one night was far and above tastier than either the porterhouse or strip steak I had at Cagneys. They(Indigo) also offered prime rib one night. Three pieces later, I decided it was some of the best I had ever eaten.

   The waitstaff in Indigo couldn't do enough to keep you happy.  So I guess my advice is to give the MDRs a shot. You might be pleasantly surprised!

[insidecabin]

We check the MDR menu some nights it is much more to our taste than others.

 

Another issue with the specials is the big meals we can't do that every night anymore so go light some days.

 

 

 

[cruiseny4life]

2 hours ago, insidecabin said:

Another issue with the specials is the big meals we can't do that every night anymore so go light some days.

What a great idea! I'm turning 40....next year. God help me! Even though I'm a glutton (read, a fatty fatty), I found that 2 - 3 meals a day on the cruise ships was too much for me. I couldn't enjoy all the food! I should try the "light" next time. My husband is a few years younger than me and can still devour everything in sight and be hungry. Oh to be young again...though maybe I'd consume a few less calories. I'm still active, just eat way too much. 

[insidecabin]

6 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

What a great idea! I'm turning 40....next year. God help me! Even though I'm a glutton (read, a fatty fatty), I found that 2 - 3 meals a day on the cruise ships was too much for me. I couldn't enjoy all the food! I should try the "light" next time. My husband is a few years younger than me and can still devour everything in sight and be hungry. Oh to be young again...though maybe I'd consume a few less calories. I'm still active, just eat way too much. 

I stopped enjoying feeling full.

Last cruise we tried have the big dinner as soon as they opened 5:30, still had breakfast and early lunch it worked and freed up the evening.

trying that again today with Cagnies if they have a slot.

[The Shrike]

18 hours ago, Biffire said:

Food and Dining opinions are very subjective. Asking for advice on what you should do is going to get you many opinions and confused. I usually get two free and 2 for latitude status, so I am fine eating in the MDR 3 nights.

Is the MDR good ? Well that depends what you are used to. What is your budget? What are they serving that night? the skill of the chefs?  No one can say the meals in the MDR are all good or all bad. Try the MDR, if you don't like it, buy more Specialty Dining on the next cruise.

Very true, and all you have to do is read reviews on this site to see that.

So many of the reviews for the same sailing on the same ship sum up like this:
Reviewer #1:  the food was barely better than dog food and the staff was inattentive at best, hostile at worst.
Reviewer #2:  the food was amazing and the staff were so friendly and helpful!
 

Edited May 20, 2022 by The Shrike

[ChiefMateJRK]

I've found the specialty restaurants to have a nicer environment and more attractive food.  Did it taste better?  Sometimes yes.  Sometimes no.  I've had better food at the buffet than some of my meals in specialty restaurants.  I've also had worse.  The worst meal I've had on a cruise ship was at Moderno.  Absolutely 100% of the meats that they brought by were medium well or higher.  Nothing like those pink juicy meats in the pictures.  We paid for that one and NCL graciously gave us OBC for our next cruise.  That was fair.  I'll never again pay extra for extra specialty meals.  The FAS plus Lattitudes tier meals are sufficient.  At the end of the day, I'm just a steerage/buffet type of sailor.  Give me a nice ship, decent food, good music and open bar and the rest is just details.

[cruiseny4life]

4 hours ago, The Shrike said:

Very true, and all you have to do is read reviews on this site to see that.

So many of the reviews for the same sailing on the same ship sum up like this:
Reviewer #1:  the food was barely better than dog food and the staff was inattentive at best, hostile at worst.
Reviewer #2:  the food was amazing and the staff were so friendly and helpful!
 

Excuse me but I likened the buffet food to worse than pig's slop... gotta be accurate! 

 

Also, while I stand by my opinion I do post this in jest. 😉 

Edited May 21, 2022 by cruiseny4life

[cruiserbear55]

18 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Excuse me but I likened the buffet food to worse than pig's slop... gotta be accurate! 

 

Also, while I stand by my opinion I do post this in jest. 😉 

  Tell us how you really feel!! (JK)

[complawyer]

while its not my favorite place to eat, with all  the assortments of food, at the buffet, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, to make a comment like you did (even in jest), the problem lies with you, not the food. try making 3 meals a day with all t he choices you get, for 3000 of your closest friends, and have everything come out perfect. the cruise line, the cooks, servers etc, should be commended for their efforts, not criticized by people like you

 

"pig slop" indeed! you should be ashamed of even posting a comment like this