Can't wrap my head around Specialty Restaurants??

[Sushi]

I know that if I searched long enough on the boards I'd find what I'm looking for but I have a limited time to sit and peruse before my back goes into spasms. Reason we haven't cruised for the last ten years.

Last ship I sailed on was the Splendour of the Seas.....2 main restaurants and that's it, now I have choices and extra charges????

Why extra charges? where is it allocated to? do we tip the waiters? is the food better than the main dining rooms? Whose on first? (joke).

I like the idea of dining options.....I'm hoping that I get to hit them all. Is the gym free? I have a feeling that my booty is going to get a little more......:eek:

[Mooder]

I know that if I searched long enough on the boards I'd find what I'm looking for but I have a limited time to sit and peruse before my back goes into spasms. Reason we haven't cruised for the last ten years.

Last ship I sailed on was the Splendour of the Seas.....2 main restaurants and that's it, now I have choices and extra charges????

Why extra charges? where is it allocated to? do we tip the waiters? is the food better than the main dining rooms? Whose on first? (joke).

I like the idea of dining options.....I'm hoping that I get to hit them all. Is the gym free? I have a feeling that my booty is going to get a little more......:eek:

 

If you like options, you will enjoy freestyle. The specialty restaurants have different menus than the main dining rooms. The atmosphere is quite different and more intimate as they are smaller. The food is of a higher quality although I enjoy the food in the main dining room as well. If you want to eat in the main dining room, no extra charge. If you want to try out some of the specialty options, you do. Totally optional. There is no obligation to tip the waiters, but I would say more people tip the waiters in the specialty restaurants because you get more personalized service - the table to server ratio is much smaller. Gym? Sorry, can't help you there. ;)

 

I hope I helped a little with the confusion, but feel free to ask more questions. Enjoy!

[ShrinkinTexas]

Best steak I ever had in my life was in Cagnee's (and I'm from Texas!!). Worth the surcharge, no doubt in my mind. I'd do it again in a heart beat.

[dtracker]

I know that if I searched long enough on the boards I'd find what I'm looking for but I have a limited time to sit and peruse before my back goes into spasms. Reason we haven't cruised for the last ten years.

Last ship I sailed on was the Splendour of the Seas.....2 main restaurants and that's it, now I have choices and extra charges????

Why extra charges? where is it allocated to? do we tip the waiters? is the food better than the main dining rooms? Whose on first? (joke).

I like the idea of dining options.....I'm hoping that I get to hit them all. Is the gym free? I have a feeling that my booty is going to get a little more......:eek:

 

Hi, Sushi.

I'm a RCL fan, but I'm getting used to the idea of NCL's "Freestyling." My understanding is the supplement charges are for extra special food (larger portions, tastier meals, etc.) and for extra special service.

 

The MDR meals are always free, of course, and the service, I'm told, is usually good. None of the supplement goes to the servers, so usually most people tip something extra on top of the supplement. Of course, as always, that depends on you.

 

Most cruisers believe they also share in the tip money with the others at the end of the cruise. I plan on hitting some of the specialty venues this time, and some others next cruise with NCL.

 

The gym (exercise room) I'm told is complementary, but not some of the exercise classes, or the spa facilities. Hope you have a great time on your cruise and share your experiences.

 

Duane

[Don Haynes]

The gym is free. Its the spa has a charge.

[CruisnGram]

Last ship I sailed on was the Splendour of the Seas.....2 main restaurants and that's it, now I have choices and extra charges????

 

Yes, on NCL and most other cruiselines now, there are restaurants that have an extra charge if you would like to dine in them. Not required, not necessary, but an option. Just like you choose whether or not to play bingo, or pay for a massage.

 

Why extra charges? where is it allocated to?

 

I don't exactly know what you mean. As I said above, it is an option should you choose to do it.

 

do we tip the waiters?

 

Some people do, but it is not required. The waiters in the specialty (surcharge) restaurants are the same waiters that are in the main dining room...they rotate around. So all are included in the daily service charge and no extra tipping is required.

 

is the food better than the main dining rooms?

 

Absolutely it is. Do you remember the good old days of cruising where whole lobster was served in the main dining rooms? Or filet mignon? Well those days are gone on mass market cruiselines. If you look at the price of what a cruise cost today, compared to 15 years ago, you will most likely be amazed at the little increase...if any at all. So cruiselines had to start cutting back somewhere, and the dining options were one of those places. Cruiselines have cut way back on the types of food offered in the main dining rooms. It is still well prepared, good food and there's no NEED to pay extra for the surcharge restaurants, but you won't get the same quality of food. For example, there's a steak on the menu in the main dining room, but it's not a filet. So it's really up to you. If you want the high end food, then you pay extra for the surcharge restaurants. If you don't, then you enjoy the food offered in the main dining rooms. It's all about choice and allowing those who want the high end food to be able to have it, without forcing the price of the cruise up which everyone has to pay.

 

Whose on first? (joke).

I like the idea of dining options.....I'm hoping that I get to hit them all. Is the gym free? I have a feeling that my booty is going to get a little more......:eek:

 

Yes, the gym is free on all NCL ships. The spa's however, are extra and on some ships, the sauna's are included in the spa, not the gym.

 

CG

[CastawayCruiser]

You still have 2 main dining rooms the buffet, pool side grill, room service and the Blue Lagoon on most ships which are included in the cruise fare. There are many additional specialty restaurants on NCL ranging from $10 to $25 per person. Depending on the ship the options might include Italian, Tex Mex, Asian Fusion, French, Steak House and Teppanyaki. Some say the food is better in the specialty restaurants but many agree the quality is the same. I prefer the more intimate atmosphere in the extra charge restaurants. Tipping is optional in the specialty restaurants but we always leave a tip and I think most people do. The gym is free but the spa facilities are an additional cost.

 

Happy Freestyling!!

[uppitycats]

I know that if I searched long enough on the boards I'd find what I'm looking for but I have a limited time to sit and peruse before my back goes into spasms. Reason we haven't cruised for the last ten years.

Last ship I sailed on was the Splendour of the Seas.....2 main restaurants and that's it, now I have choices and extra charges????

Why extra charges? where is it allocated to? do we tip the waiters? is the food better than the main dining rooms? Whose on first? (joke).

I like the idea of dining options.....I'm hoping that I get to hit them all. Is the gym free? I have a feeling that my booty is going to get a little more......:eek:

 

NCL..and most of the mass cruise lines, now have options: the regular dining venues you are accustomed to in your "old" cruise -- 2 main dining rooms, a buffet, maybe some smaller snack venues, all included in your fare for your cruise.

 

IN ADDITION -- and you don't have to go to them, or spend money, there are "specialty restaurants", where there will be an extra charge, ranging from $15 to $25, depending on which ship and which restaurant, where you'll get a fancier, less "mass produced" meal than you get in the main dining rooms. Some of them are very very good; some of them may not be worth extra, but since food choices are so subjective, you'll hear fans and critics of all of them, if you search long enough here.

 

The service charge -- $12 per person per day -- covers all the waiters (actually all the waiters circulate around the ship among all the restaurants, main dining room or "specialty" restaurants), but some folks do tip extra in the specialty restaurants, if ther service also was "special".

 

The gym is still free..but you do pay for spa services (I think that was ther case 10 years ago, too, when I first started cruising.)

[whitey02]

Best steak I ever had in my life was in Cagnee's (and I'm from Texas!!). Worth the surcharge, no doubt in my mind. I'd do it again in a heart beat.

 

i am very sorry to disagree with you eveyone to their own but i was not impressed with cagnees at all and we do not have the wonderfull size of steaks that you have in th USA , we had dinner in this restaurant on our last night and im sorry to say was not great in my opinion ,however that being said we had dinner in la bistro first night and that was fantastic sorry to diagree with you but with drinks think the $75 would be better spent elswhere :confused:

[CruisnGram]

i am very sorry to disagree with you eveyone to their own but i was not impressed with cagnees at all and we do not have the wonderfull size of steaks that you have in th USA , we had dinner in this restaurant on our last night and im sorry to say was not great in my opinion ,however that being said we had dinner in la bistro first night and that was fantastic sorry to diagree with you but with drinks think the $75 would be better spent elswhere :confused:

 

You have to remember that food is very subjective and can also experiences can vary. Just because you had a steak you didn't care for at Cagney's, doesn't mean that someone else had the same experience.

 

You said that you loved LeBisto (it's my favorite too) but I know some people that didn't care for their food there.

 

It's all so subjective.

 

CG

[Bippie]

The cruise lines also state that the extra charge for specialty restaurants is to help control attendance. Not everyone wants to spend the extra money and this discourages some cruisers. They don't have room for everyone. The best of the specialty restaurants book full very early in the cruise so it does pay to do your research.

[Arwenmark]

You have to remember that food is very subjective and can also experiences can vary. Just because you had a steak you didn't care for at Cagney's, doesn't mean that someone else had the same experience.

 

You said that you loved LeBisto (it's my favorite too) but I know some people that didn't care for their food there.

 

It's all so subjective.

 

CG

 

Yup it is all subjective so is the opinion that the guy from Texas had the best steak he ever had. We ate at Cagney's and the atmosphere was reasonably nice but the steak was an inferior cut of meat with grissle running through it, it I had cooked it at home I would have cut it up and put it in a crock pot.

Yes it was larger than the steak I had in the dining room but certainly not any better, and as for the larger portions issue, since you can order multiple entrees in the MDR for no additional cost then I don't see the size of portion issue holds water.

 

I agree with the point that comments on the foods good or bad is always going to be subjective unless the food were simply rotten as in spoiled which I have not had happen yet on a cruise though I did once in a restaraunt.

[chrisbd1]

I had the T-Bone at Cagney's , once. I got a bad cut of meat. I'm not going to say that all their T-Bones are bad cuts, just the one I had.

 

However

 

I LOVE the King Cut Prime Rib. I have had it on 3 ships and have been impressed with it every time. I recommended it to a couple I happen to talk to while in the Jewel. When I saw them, a few days later, they agreed that the Prime Rib was excellent.

[deepnite10]

we ve always made reservation s each night at a specialty restraunt..then

checked the dinner menu after lunch..if there s something to our liking

cancel our reservation s..

 

on the last couple night s of the cruise we ve found it nearly impossible to get reservation s..so book ahead..

[bluesea777]

Sushi,

 

Tip #1: order 2 starters if you can't make up your mind - they are small portions, so go ahead. We do this and they don't mind, and we end up enjoying wide variety of food.

 

Tip #2: Get the Romanace package that includes dinner for 2 in Le Bistro.

 

Tip #3: if you want to dine in Teppanyaki, try to make reservations daily until you get one.

 

Tip #4: Garden Cafe dinner buffet is GOOD! We go there when we are exhausted from the day's excursion and don't feel like dressing up for dinner ... OR ... when we need an Indian curry fix!!

 

Tip #5: try not to take the bad food comments to heart - food is very subjective. We are gourmet food eaters and we enjoy the food on NCL. ANything is better than cooking at home!

 

Tip #6: ENJOY the cruise!!

[packard89]

Just got off the Spirit last week, worst food we've ever had on a cruise. We did go to Cagney's and it was very good. We wanted to go there every night, but for what we paid for the cruise, we shouldn't have to!!! Also, the Blue Lagoon was very good. We got sick of the buffet food very quickly (especially breakfast) and also with the food in the main dining room.

[AdoptAtty]

Just to give you some idea... from my review of the Dawn

Dawn Review Jan. 31st, the Suite Life - Cruise Critic Message Boards

 

Venitian - seats 472 persons, Deck 6, no cover charge

We had one dinner and one breakfast here.

We sat by the back windows for our dinner which was nice. I think it might be nicer at lunch or breakfast, when it is daylight. I ordered a scallop appetizer, and the beef wellington and lobster for my main course. The scallop appetizer was not bad, but honestly I’ve never seen scallops so small in my whole life. I do not believe they were as large as an eraser tip on one of those fat pencils some children use when they are learning to write. The beef wellington was decent, the meat was tender. Unfortunately the lobster tails were highly over cooked. We did not have desert because we were in a hurry to see a show. The service was good. We had let our waiter know about our plans to go to the show and he made sure we were out in time.

Our breakfast was fine, the service was a bit disorganized. The maitre d’hotel from Impressions was working in Venitian this morning and she went out of her way to make sure we were taken care of.

Aqua - seats 344persons, Deck 6, no cover

This is the smaller of the two main dining rooms. We did not eat here

Cagney’s - Deck 13, seats 132 persons, $20 pp cover charge for dinner. Serves breakfast and lunch for suite holders.

We ate breakfast at Cagny’s twice. The service was very good. I particularly enjoyed the French Toast made with Challah (egg) bread and the Crab Cake Benedict and Eggs Benedict. We were in the room adjacent to the Star Bar, which has many widows and is full of natural light.

We ate lunch here after embarkation. The service was little bit disorganized this afternoon, but the food was good.

We ate one dinner here, and other than the deserts and the service, it was a bit disappointing. The lobster bisque was good. I ordered a filet medium and lobster tail for dinner. I was surprised to see the filet as it was only about an inch thick. It was certainly acceptable, but nothing I could cut with a fork. The lobster tail was appropriately cooked, but completely flavorless. I ate about 1/4 of each and gave the rest to my dinner companions. The deserts were another story. I thought our waiter did a fabulous job of preparing the bananas foster and the kaluah coffee creme brulee was one of my all time favorites on this ship. Our waiter did an excellent job and the maitre d’hotel was very attentive.

LeBistro - Deck 6, seats 90 persons, French, cover $15pp

We did not dine at this restaurant.

Salsa - deck 8, Tex Mex Tapas, seats 112 persons, cover $10pp

We started off dinner on a great note, good margaritas! We also enjoyed the chips and salsa. For dinner I shared the il popo, which was beef, chicken, pineapple, red pepper and onion cooked on a strange contraption, almost like kabobs, and served with tortillas, cheese, salsa, guacamole and beans. The two of us weren’t able to eat all of it. The men had a burrito and the lobster tacos. I understand they were both good, maybe the tacos being better than the average burrito.

Impressions of Italy - Deck 6, seats 198 persons, Italian, $10pp

I was surprised to find one of my favorites in this restaurants, the pizza. It was so good our butler brought one to us the following evening, along with my favorite desert from Impressions, the ricotta cheesecake. I particularly liked the Sierra Nevada pizza which had artichoke hearts, black olives, mozzarella, mushrooms, pesto, bresaola and arugula.

I had Fettuccine Alfredo for my pasta course. The pasta itself was excellent, but the sauce was a bit disappointing. It also seemed as if the pasta has sat with the sauce on it longer than it should have, and was not immediately served.

My main course was Veal Marsala and I had the polenta substituted for the potatoes. The veal was very good as was the polenta. I tried the lobster ravioli someone else ordered and was disappointed in it. It certainly was not what I was expecting as one of their featured dishes.

Another of my ship board favorites was the Torta di Ricotta, a baked ricotta cheesecake with pine nut Florentine (much like pine nut brittle).

The maitre d’hotel, Jenenia, did an excellent job and was very personable.

 

Bamboo - A Taste of Asian - Deck 7, seats 112 persons, $15pp

Bamboo was a pleasant surprise, so much so this was the only restaurant we had dinner at two different nights. In addition to Bamboo, there is also the sushi bar and teppanyaki room which we did not try. Sushi was available as either an appetizer or entree at Bamboo.

All four of us agreed that the spare ribs appetizer was outstanding! The first dinner I was the only one to order them. I shared them with our group and our waiter was kind enough to bring me a second order, which I also shared. For our second dinner, everyone ordered their own appetizer of ribs! I also particularly enjoyed the hot and sour soup. My friends enjoyed the egg drop soup, which was a bit unusual, almost like a corn chowder. I would rate the crab wantons average and the spring roll good.

Garden Cafe (Buffet) - Deck 12

We ate one lunch here and the first night when everyone was not feeling well I got a few things to bring back to the cabin. Both times I had a little pasta with sauce from the pasta station. They seemed to have a good selection of items and what I ate was good.

Blue Lagoon - Deck 7, just off the Atrium

While I’ve read a lot of complaints about service, the one meal we had there had decent service. The tomato soup and the wings were good as I had read.

Bimini Bar & Grill - pool side, Deck 14

We never ate here

[dtracker]

i am very sorry to disagree with you eveyone to their own but i was not impressed with cagnees at all and we do not have the wonderfull size of steaks that you have in th USA , we had dinner in this restaurant on our last night and im sorry to say was not great in my opinion ,however that being said we had dinner in la bistro first night and that was fantastic sorry to diagree with you but with drinks think the $75 would be better spent elswhere :confused:

 

Maybe with it being the last night of the cruise, all of the big steaks were gone??? :)

I know I would have eaten my share before the final night.

 

Duane

[*Wink*]

I love a good meal.. a really good meal. Our cruises have only been on Majesty where Le Bistro and Pasta Cafe are the only specialty restaurants.

 

As of now we've only eaten at Pasta Cafe one time and really enjoyed it. It's a "no surcharge" on Majesty. The rest of the nights we ate in the MDR's and loved every meal we had except for the waffles at b'fast.

 

I look forward to dining in Le Bistro in a few weeks for the first time.. purchased the romance package. But I just wanted to point out, you can really enjoy your meals in the MDR and not pay an extra dollar. We found the selections varied and delicious.

 

I really recommend you either dine closer to 6 pm than 8 pm to get seated quickly in the MDR's.

 

And I think it'd be worth a shot to talk to the reservations dept. about being able to get priority seating because of your disability. This is just a thought, and may not be possible.

 

There are many wonderful folks on the NCL board who are also physically disabled and they will be able to guide you in your concerns.

[excitedofharpenden]

You have to remember that food is very subjective and can also experiences can vary. Just because you had a steak you didn't care for at Cagney's, doesn't mean that someone else had the same experience.

The poster was offering their opinion and stated this in the post, so I don't understand this testy reply.

 

Phil