How much are the specialty restaurants?

[Ascott318]

I am a Carnival cruiser as I have cruised 12x in the last 3 years.My mother-in-law won a cruise for 2 and wants to give NCL a try.She asked me to go with her. We are looking into either the Dawn or the Pearl.Any suggestions? We have until April 09 to use it ,and are looking into February.I have heard some people that the food is not very good, and had to spend extra on specialty restaurants and was wondering what the cost was.Do you do this for all 3 meals or just dinner? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry I get stuck on 1 thing,Carnival all he time,been to the Bahamas about 13x.I am a creature of habit of getting comfortable with one place and always afraid to try new things.Thanks for your help in advance.

[newmexicoNita]

I am a Carnival cruiser as I have cruised 12x in the last 3 years.My mother-in-law won a cruise for 2 and wants to give NCL a try.She asked me to go with her. We are looking into either the Dawn or the Pearl.Any suggestions? We have until April 09 to use it ,and are looking into February.I have heard some people that the food is not very good, and had to spend extra on specialty restaurants and was wondering what the cost was.Do you do this for all 3 meals or just dinner? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry I get stuck on 1 thing,Carnival all he time,been to the Bahamas about 13x.I am a creature of habit of getting comfortable with one place and always afraid to try new things.Thanks for your help in advance.

Ascot, let me be the first, but certainly not the last to answer your questions. As you know, food is so subjective, I have heard people complain NCLs food is too bland and others say it is too spicy, as well as it wasn't even warm when served to they brought everything out at once, all hot...Go figure??? Cost, well first off, there are 2 main dining rooms, the buffet, the grill and Blue Lagoon (great for comfort food) all are no charge. Add to that 4 to 5 sur charge dining rooms. I know many who are quite satisfied with the inclusive eateries and never pay an extra penny, other eat all their meals in the sur charge dining rooms.

 

Prices for sur charge range from $10 per person to $25.00, depending on what you are in the mood for. No, you do not pay for breakfast or lunch, only dinner if you choose.

 

I think you will happy, trying a new line. Being a creature of habit is fine, many are and some find thier nitch and never make a change, that is ok also. This is a free cruise, go and enjoy. I would say, do not start comparing, but that is easier said than done.

 

Just make sure your comparisons are in an objective way and not a negative way.

 

Nita

[terrymtex01]

I agree with what Nita said.

 

The surcharge restaurants where you pay extra is just for dinner though.

 

For us, we do not eat in the surcharge restaurants because the food in the main dining rooms was bad.. we eat in them because we like the more smaller intimate atmostphere they provide.

 

I do realize food is very subjective, but I can tell you this... if you read some where that someone hated all the food on an NCL cruise or any other cruise, I would just skip right past that. There is too much food on the ships for someone not to find something they liked. I will also say that I am NOT a buffet person, but the buffet on the Pearl is AMAZINGLY good and very well laid out. We actually choose to eat in the buffet several times on our last cruise on the Pearl, not because the food in the main dining room was bad, but because the food in their buffet was so good.

[Ascott318]

Thank You for responding. What is the Blue Lagoon? I am gearing more towards the Pearl as it is more convenient because it leaves on a Sunday and it will be easier for me to get just Saturday off from work to leave on Saturday. If possible I like to get there the day before.

[peanutJMV]

Blue lagoon is a small eatery, they have small tables for a quick bite, fast food--

soup, burgers, wings, fries--coffee, tea to name a few-- Burgers are good, wings are good.

If you order wings order a couple orders (they only give you about 3 to an order).

 

----I sailed NCL 5 X, (Dawn 3), loved it. Never sailed the Pearl.

 

Food: Definitely a matter of opinion... I will share mine,

 

Food in buffet for breakfast is good, actually better then dining room--

Eggs, waffles cooked to order and a large variety of breakfast foods-meats-danish, cereal, pancakes. you name it...

 

Lunch----Depends on my plans for the day, buffet or dining area. They also have barbecues on the lido deck.

 

Dinner: Dining rooms, no cover----I wasnt impressed actually very disappointed with shrimp and lobster. (shrimp cocktail was mush (I will leave those comments to myself), the lobster was smaller then the shrimp in cagneys--although you could order as much as you prefer. I didnt care for it. Taste like it was dipped in a drawn butter, I prefer it dry and warm drawn butter on side...

 

Cagneys--$20.00pp-----so worth the price, food was excellent....

Havent tried the other restaurants.

 

Have fun.

[newmexicoNita]

Thank You for responding. What is the Blue Lagoon? I am gearing more towards the Pearl as it is more convenient because it leaves on a Sunday and it will be easier for me to get just Saturday off from work to leave on Saturday. If possible I like to get there the day before.

The Pearl gets great reviews and is almost new...Blue Lagoon, well some might call it an old fashion diner, I would say the 50/60s soda fountain type restaurant. It is great for snacks, is open 24 hours and can even be used for dinner if you want to eat light. They have great buffalo wings, hamburgers, fish and chips, stuff like that. without Blue Lagoon I would be lost...

 

Nita

[endoellen]

We sailed on the NCL Pearl & Jewel. The food & specialty restaurants were almost identical on both. The main dining room food was average, nothing to brag about. There are several specialty ones with no surcharge. We liked the mexican cuisine (Mambo's if I remember correctly) and the italian restaurant that had no surcharge. We did dine at Cagney's one night on each of these cruises and it was worth the surcharge. We also dined at the Asian restaurant on the Pearl which had a $10 per pers. chg., but to us it was not worth it. It all depends on your tastes in food.

Just be sure to check out how far in advance you can reserve for the specialty rest., because if you don't have a reservation, you won't be dining there until 10pm or later. We loved both of these ships & will be sailing on the Jewel again in April 09.

It's all good, just enjoy!!!

[terrymtex01]

We sailed on the NCL Pearl & Jewel. The food & specialty restaurants were almost identical on both. The main dining room food was average, nothing to brag about. There are several specialty ones with no surcharge. We liked the mexican cuisine (Mambo's if I remember correctly) and the italian restaurant that had no surcharge. We did dine at Cagney's one night on each of these cruises and it was worth the surcharge. We also dined at the Asian restaurant on the Pearl which had a $10 per pers. chg., but to us it was not worth it. It all depends on your tastes in food.

Just be sure to check out how far in advance you can reserve for the specialty rest., because if you don't have a reservation, you won't be dining there until 10pm or later. We loved both of these ships & will be sailing on the Jewel again in April 09.

It's all good, just enjoy!!!

 

This really does just go to show you that food is very subjective. To me, the food in Lotus Garden on the Pearl is some of the best Asian food I have ever had.

[prg2101]

This really does just go to show you that food is very subjective. To me, the food in Lotus Garden on the Pearl is some of the best Asian food I have ever had.

 

 

I will throw my too sense in to say that I thought the food in all the

restaurants on the Gem was out of this world!!! For the extra few dollars

that they charge(You spend 40-50 if you dine out at home)It is well worth

booking the specialty restaurants on the ships.......at least one;)

[DDMau]

I must agree, the food in the Lotus Garden is very good and the amount they give is very large. The banana pancake dessert is good.

[newmexicoNita]

This really does just go to show you that food is very subjective. To me, the food in Lotus Garden on the Pearl is some of the best Asian food I have ever had.

 

The one type of restaurant we have never tried on a cruise in Asian except for Tappenyakis (spelling) with all the positives we have heard, the first night on the Spirit we are heading to Shoguns..

 

Nita

[mypleasure]

I agree that food is a very personal thing and what suits one person will not suit another but I will say that on our Norwegian Star cruise we never went hungry and always found food to our liking.

 

The people who say that they would have starved on Norwegian had they not eaten on shore are not worth listening to. There truly is something for everyone available.

 

Being a creature of habit is fine but remember that habits always have to start somewhere! I think you will both have a great time and you will wonder why you were nervous once you have been on board for 24 hours. I was quite terrified before I first cruised because of too may pre-conceptions that were not based on fact. The truth was that I took to cruising with Norwegian like the proverbial duck in water. I like the style it suits my style very well.

 

Jean

[terrymtex01]

The one type of restaurant we have never tried on a cruise in Asian except for Tappenyakis (spelling) with all the positives we have heard, the first night on the Spirit we are heading to Shoguns..

 

Nita

 

Nita.. if they have the spare ribs as an appetizer, you have GOT to try them. I am not a rib person but they are out of this world.

[newmexicoNita]

Nita.. if they have the spare ribs as an appetizer, you have GOT to try them. I am not a rib person but they are out of this world.

 

will do that, I am not a ribs person either, but will take your word on this.

 

Nita

[trixie17]

New cruiser on Star March 20th 09, Please do you know if there is a charge at La Trattoria. Some information I have says it is some says it isn't. If so do you happen to know how much? Thanks Trixie

[Coochuck]

Is there now a surcharge at the Tex-Mex resturant and the Italian resturant. When we cruised the Pearl in the Spring there was no surcharge there.

[terrymtex01]

Is there now a surcharge at the Tex-Mex resturant and the Italian resturant. When we cruised the Pearl in the Spring there was no surcharge there.

 

Yes.. $10.00 PP for each of them.

[terrymtex01]

New cruiser on Star March 20th 09, Please do you know if there is a charge at La Trattoria. Some information I have says it is some says it isn't. If so do you happen to know how much? Thanks Trixie

 

When we sailed the Star Nov 07, there was no charge for the TexMex but there was for La Trattoria.. When we were back aboard her May of this year, there was a $10.00 PP charge for each restaurant. My memory may be off for their being a charge for La Trattoria back last year, but I can assure you there was a charge for it last May and there was a charge for it on the Pearl a few weeks ago.

[trixie17]

Was it worth it?

[terrymtex01]

Was it worth it?

 

On the Star, the Italian was WELL worth the $10.00 PP to me. Being from Texas.. well..I know they say it is TexMex in the TexMex restaurant, but I don't know what it is. TexMex it isn't. Not saying it is bad (although I didn't like it, my DDP thought it was ok), but it isn't TexMex for sure. I didn't think it was worth it when it was free. LOL

[dkushner]

We are departing the the Pearl December 14 (and in June on the Star, and January 2010 on the Dawn), and are new to freestyle cruising and fee restaurants.

 

Can I confirm what I think I have read:

1. All open restaurants are free for lunch.

2. As of now, none of the specialty restaurants are free (only main dining rooms, the buffet and the fast food type resturant) at dinner time.

3. The same is true for all three ships.

 

Also, where I can get the coupons that others have referred to?

 

Thank you,

David

[coffeebean]

This really does just go to show you that food is very subjective. To me, the food in Lotus Garden on the Pearl is some of the best Asian food I have ever had.

 

I'm with you about the Asian restaurant. I'm so glad DH and I tried it for the first time in eight NCL cruises on our latest cruise on the Jewel. It is worth the nominal surcharge to dine there, $15 pp. Next time we go, we plan to make the appetizer ribs our entree. We will just order a few orders and DH and I will split them. They are the best Chinese ribs we have ever had.

 

We ordered five of the seven appetizers on the menu and shared them. Every one of them was delicious. We both are so impressed with the Asian restaurant. We love Teppenyaki too and will do both of these restaurants every time we cruise on NCL.

 

coffeebean

[coffeebean]

I will throw my too sense in to say that I thought the food in all the

restaurants on the Gem was out of this world!!! For the extra few dollars

that they charge(You spend 40-50 if you dine out at home)It is well worth

booking the specialty restaurants on the ships.......at least one;)

 

DH and I are folks who dine most of the time in the specialty restaurants. Not only is the food so much better than the main dining rooms, but the service is much more attentive which we appreciate.

 

The surcharge restaurants should not be missed especially if By One Get One meals are offered. You will feel like a King and Queen dining in these wonderful venues.

 

coffeebean

[coffeebean]

The one type of restaurant we have never tried on a cruise in Asian except for Tappenyakis (spelling) with all the positives we have heard, the first night on the Spirit we are heading to Shoguns..

 

Nita

 

Nita...

 

I highly recommend the Chinese spare ribs appetizer. Try all the appetizers in fact. You can make a meal out of them and it's so much fun sharing with family and friends. All the dipping sauces that come with the appetizers are great too, not to mention the presentation of the food. You will love it.

 

coffeebean

[coffeebean]

New cruiser on Star March 20th 09, Please do you know if there is a charge at La Trattoria. Some information I have says it is some says it isn't. If so do you happen to know how much? Thanks Trixie

 

Yes, there is a surcharge for the Italian surcharge restaurant. The $10 pp is very well worth it.This is a restaurant DH and I always dine in when on NCL ships.