When you have to choose…. (Specialty restaurants)

[mooline]

Understanding that the quality and experience of a specific specialty restaurant depends more on the specific ship than it does the restaurant name, I ask you to help us choose our specialty experiences on Pride of America, now that all of its restaurants are again open.

 

We currently have prepaid 2 specialty dining experiences for each of us, and have booked Cagney's and La Cucina. We have carnivores I. The group, and have enjoyed Cagney's on other NCL ships.

 

However, Moderna Churrascaria in particular is appealing and for some of us, LeBistro is too. We do want to try some of the freebie restaurants, especially the Liberty MDR, and also one night of in- cabin dining since we're in a suite. We only have 7 days to play with, wish we had more. (no, we unfortunately can’t do a back to back!)

 

Should we spring for 2 more specialty packages to enjoy Moderna and LeBistro as well as the other two? Or, should we swap out one of our existing reservations for a different restaurant? Interested in your thoughts even if you, haven’t been on POA.

 

Thanks!

 

[curlstravel]

Our favorite is Le Bistro

[zzdoug]

Personally I would not eat in premium restaurants 4 out of 7 nights. I don't know about POA specifically but I found Norwegian's food to be pretty good, even in main dining rooms and buffet. On the days that you are off the ship on an excursion or just walking, you will likely be tired in the evening and may not be in the mood for a fancy four course dinner.  Or if you had a big lunch. 

 

As for which restaurants, we choose restaurants that serve food we can't easily find at home.  We ate at the Bistro and we wanted to go to the seafood restaurant but it was full so we had a second dinner at the Bistro. Which serves steak btw.  Both meals were excellent  

Edited May 10, 2023 by zzdoug

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, mooline said:

Understanding that the quality and experience of a specific specialty restaurant depends more on the specific ship than it does the restaurant name, I ask you to help us choose our specialty experiences on Pride of America, now that all of its restaurants are again open.

 

We currently have prepaid 2 specialty dining experiences for each of us, and have booked Cagney's and La Cucina. We have carnivores I. The group, and have enjoyed Cagney's on other NCL ships.

 

However, Moderna Churrascaria in particular is appealing and for some of us, LeBistro is too. We do want to try some of the freebie restaurants, especially the Liberty MDR, and also one night of in- cabin dining since we're in a suite. We only have 7 days to play with, wish we had more. (no, we unfortunately can’t do a back to back!)

 

Should we spring for 2 more specialty packages to enjoy Moderna and LeBistro as well as the other two? Or, should we swap out one of our existing reservations for a different restaurant? Interested in your thoughts even if you, haven’t been on POA.

 

Thanks!

 

I would not waste my time at La Cucina. You can get spaghetti on land any time. 
 

You should try eating on shore on your two overnight calls. Luau. 
 

There isn’t a Le Bistro on POA. 

[mooline]

Thanks to all, appreciate the thoughts!

 

zzdoug, your thoughts are similar to mine, and in my experience (as dated as it is), NCL has had great offerings in the MDR and buffet.

 

Bird, I stand corrected, it's Jefferson's Bistro on POA, yet similar French concept. The different name is just a nod to our forefather TJ, who loved the French and was our country’s first ambassador to France.) 

 

I believe LaCucina has more than spaghetti, lasagna or chicken parm. The menu looks quite authentic Italian, so if it’s done well it should be quite enjoyable. But then, Cagney’s is always a fabulous bet, Moderna looks great (especially as an experience for our kiddos), Bistro is appealing to my adult daughter and me. And there's Teppanyaki…So many good options for the 2 specialty dinners we have to use.

 

We're doing the Experience Nutridge luau in Oahu pre cruise, so plan to skip the ship sponsored one. In fact we're thinking that should be a good night to choose a usually popular onboard restaurant since many will be off the ship. 

[The Traveling Man]

49 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

There isn’t a Le Bistro on POA. 

Actually, yes there is.  They just call it Jefferson's Bistro, but the menu is the same.

[The Traveling Man]

50 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

I would not waste my time at La Cucina. You can get spaghetti on land any time.

They serve a lot more than spaghetti.  The best steak I've ever been served on a cruise ship was in La Cucina on the Epic.

[robbinsca]

It has been 11 years since we were on POA but I remember Jefferson’s Bistro as one of the better NCL meals we have ever had. Teppanyaki always delivers for a carnivore, and while I like Moderno my DW doesn’t think it is worth spending one of her Specialty Dining evening there. I think the quality of the meats is actually best in the Teppanyaki restaurants.

[dexddd]

Note suites on POA can't order Cagneys for room service.  Regular room service, sure.

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, mooline said:

Thanks to all, appreciate the thoughts!

 

zzdoug, your thoughts are similar to mine, and in my experience (as dated as it is), NCL has had great offerings in the MDR and buffet.

 

Bird, I stand corrected, it's Jefferson's Bistro on POA, yet similar French concept. The different name is just a nod to our forefather TJ, who loved the French and was our country’s first ambassador to France.) 

 

I believe LaCucina has more than spaghetti, lasagna or chicken parm. The menu looks quite authentic Italian, so if it’s done well it should be quite enjoyable. But then, Cagney’s is always a fabulous bet, Moderna looks great (especially as an experience for our kiddos), Bistro is appealing to my adult daughter and me. And there's Teppanyaki…So many good options for the 2 specialty dinners we have to use.

 

We're doing the Experience Nutridge luau in Oahu pre cruise, so plan to skip the ship sponsored one. In fact we're thinking that should be a good night to choose a usually popular onboard restaurant since many will be off the ship. 

Teppanyaki and Moderno are good shows for kids. 
 

While Cagney’s is the most popular restaurant, it is low on our list. We sail NCL 4 or 5 times a year. For us, the quality of food and service at Cagney’s across the fleet has been in a decline for several years (before and after the pandemic). We have eaten there almost ever cruise because it was one of the “free dinners” for platinum and above. Those rules have changed over the past year, so Cagney’s will be seeing less of the Birds. 

 

Yes. Over the years, we have eaten at La Cucina maybe 15 times. NCL has replaced it with other restaurants on new build ship since 2019. 
 

If I had only two meals, I would take Teppanyaki and Moderno because of the kids. Our favorite restaurant is the Bistro. 

[fmrlkr]

I was recently on the Bliss.  We were a group of 5. 3 had never cruised NCL before, 1 had 1 cruise prior, I am platinum.  The group chose Cagney's and La Cucina for our specialty dining.  3 chose the filet and blue cheese ravioli at La Cucina, all five of us agreed we liked it better than the ribeye at Cagneys.  (We sample!) 

[cruiseny4life]

13 minutes ago, fmrlkr said:

I was recently on the Bliss.  We were a group of 5. 3 had never cruised NCL before, 1 had 1 cruise prior, I am platinum.  The group chose Cagney's and La Cucina for our specialty dining.  3 chose the filet and blue cheese ravioli at La Cucina, all five of us agreed we liked it better than the ribeye at Cagneys.  (We sample!) 

The filet at La Cucina is good. The flavors are interesting and I'm glad I ordered it. But, I'll never order it again. If that bleu cheese ravioli was replaced with a ricotta or mozzarella ravioli, then I would. The bleu cheese is just a bit too pungent and overwhelming for me. The steak was much better than my one (and only) time at Cagney's. I don't really want to make that comparison: different times, different ships, different product. 

[curlstravel]

I think the steak at La Cucina is better than Cagneys too.