How American is the food on NCL Epic?

[Cloudyrain]

I have noticed the recent Pretzel Bread thread and (after goggling what that actually is) I just wondered how American the food in the buffet is? For example, will all the salads have dressings, will the milk be "half and half fat" (or whatever it's called), and will the tea be iced? I know that might sound strange, and I know the ship is very American (and I love America) but I love proper hot tea with milk and proper English style bacon, and salad that consists just of lettuce leaf, and bread that's just bread! Don't get me wrong, I do like other nationalities food and am not against trying different foods, I just wondered if my basic "staple food groups" will be as I normally have them, or if they will be like exotic oddities to me???

[Single Cruiser]

Originally Posted by Cloudyrain

I have noticed the recent Pretzel Bread thread and (after goggling what that actually is) I just wondered how American the food in the buffet is? For example, will all the salads have dressings, will the milk be "half and half fat" (or whatever it's called), and will the tea be iced? I know that might sound strange, and I know the ship is very American (and I love America) but I love proper hot tea with milk and proper English style bacon, and salad that consists just of lettuce leaf, and bread that's just bread! Don't get me wrong, I do like other nationalities food and am not against trying different foods, I just wondered if my basic "staple food groups" will be as I normally have them, or if they will be like exotic oddities to me???

So you can get English Breakfast Tea bags.

The Bacon is not real Bacon like at home but little crispy streeky bits. The sausages for breakfast in the buffet are more chipolata types.

Toast was white or rye?? And eggs they don't understand fried/poached it's all manner of over/under/easy.. I eventually educated one of the waitresses in O'Sheehans

The salads were ok so that's not a problem..

Yes Milk is full/half not semi/skimmed

But you get used to it quickly.. Just remember chips are fries and crisps are chips! If you order a burger etc..

[JohnIreland]

The food is american, but with so much choice you will always find something.

[Sauer-kraut]

No clotted cream

You might find some days will offer Canadian Bacon, and its a bit more like British bacon.

Norwegian USED to offer Scottish Bangers but sadly those days are gone.

Usually on the buffet you can make your own salad and just put whatever else you want on the greens (lettuce, rocket, endive).

When waiting for a fried egg just ask for it sunny side up or over easy and it will still have a runny yolk to dip your toast into!

There should be 3 types of bread, white, wheat, or rye and then of course the croissants, pretzel rolls, and other of danish or rolls or whatever.

The foodstuffs bascially come from Miami, shipped via UPS and dropped off at provisioning ports (even in Europe). The perishables such as fruit & veg will all be more locally grown.

Have fun!! There is such a bounty of culinary delights enjoy tasting your way across the world!

[Cloudyrain]

Thank you! As long as I can still have a cup of tea I should be fine! I remember the day I went to a proper old school diner in Canada and asked for hot tea with milk and sugar, and then asked for no dressing on my salad, the response was "not even thousand island, you Brits are weird!". Don't get me wrong, I will try everything - and will give pea bacon (if that's what I recall the Canadian bacon being called) and syrup a go

I will definitely remember the eggs thing, especially when I think of the "as eggs is eggs" saying - they clearly aren't!

I'm used to having to explain myself to people though, especially when going to a chippy asking for a pea mix, most Brits don't even know what that is!

[Sauer-kraut]

Originally Posted by Cloudyrain

I'm used to having to explain myself to people though, especially when going to a chippy asking for a pea mix, most Brits don't even know what that is!

I prefer my mushy peas on the side, but I'm all in for a seaside hut offering fish & chips!!

[RNPJN]

Originally Posted by Sauer-kraut

No clotted cream

You might find some days will offer Canadian Bacon, and its a bit more like British bacon.

Norwegian USED to offer Scottish Bangers but sadly those days are gone.

Usually on the buffet you can make your own salad and just put whatever else you want on the greens (lettuce, rocket, endive).

When waiting for a fried egg just ask for it sunny side up or over easy and it will still have a runny yolk to dip your toast into!

There should be 3 types of bread, white, wheat, or rye and then of course the croissants, pretzel rolls, and other of danish or rolls or whatever.

The foodstuffs bascially come from Miami, shipped via UPS and dropped off at provisioning ports (even in Europe). The perishables such as fruit & veg will all be more locally grown.

Have fun!! There is such a bounty of culinary delights enjoy tasting your way across the world!

I had Scottish Bangers on the Pearl in Oct and on the Sun in Jan.

[ColinIllinois]

I'm normally not much of a bread eater but at the Epic buffet they had a wonderful choice of fresh made breads and rolls. A very nice variety indeed.

I had a routine in the morning where I would eat my normal breakfast and then I would grab a couple of those evil chocolate croissants and a cup of coffee and wander out on to the decks.

Good times. I love the Epic.

[Sauer-kraut]

Originally Posted by RNPJN

I had Scottish Bangers on the Pearl in Oct and on the Sun in Jan.

Ohhh!! Maybe they're bringing them back!

[Lena B]

The Scotch Bangers haven't been in the MDR on the Spirit for a couple of years, but we did find them at the breakfast buffet upstairs.

[roger001]

My wife waits each afternoon for the scones, preserves, and clotted cream to be put out. Don't know how traditional British they actually are, but she sure likes them and discovered scones while visiting England some time back. Haven't been on the Epic, but the other NCL ships we've been on has offered this. A few weeks ago on the Jewel, I thought their Indian food was really good. A new experience for me. I'm generally not a spicy food guy either. Lots of good food to be had.

[sdmike]

You will find a lot of curry on the Epic at the buffet. It's very good.

[conny111]

Originally Posted by Single Cruiser

Just remember chips are fries and crisps are chips! If you order a burger etc..

I am German and in Germany you say "Chips", many years back in school I learned that in English it means "crisps" and not "chips", which are "fries".
So is this different on NCL ships?
When I want to order "crisps" I have to order "chips"?
How can I be sure that I won't get any "fries"??
I have been on RCCL Splendour and there I ordered "crisps". I extra didn't say "chips", because I was afraid to get "fries".
So then it is different at NCL?

[JohnIreland]

Originally Posted by conny111

I am German and in Germany you say "Chips", many years back in school I learned that in English it means "crisps" and not "chips", which are "fries".
So is this different on NCL ships?
When I want to order "crisps" I have to order "chips"?
How can I be sure that I won't get any "fries"??
I have been on RCCL Splendour and there I ordered "crisps". I extra didn't say "chips", because I was afraid to get "fries".
So then it is different at NCL?

In America Pommes frites are called fries , in European English they are called chips.

I.e. These things:



In America Kartoffelchips are called chips , in European English they are called crisps.

I.e. These things:

[Sauer-kraut]

Ask for French Fries and you'll be fine. No mistaking those at all.

[romrai]

my suggestion as a tea drinker is to bring your own. they serve do serve twinnings packages or lipton t bags. personally i am a tetley drinker....so i bring my own and i am happy!

you should be ok with what ever you order. make it easier on yourself and say french fries or potato chips. we do use chips both ways , ie fish and chips. but as stated before the usual standing is for fries and chips. if you say crisps, they will understand. there is indian fare everday. you can have eggs cooked which ever way you want. fried tomatoes too. (this is at the buffet) you can also go to one of the main dining rooms for breakfast or lunch. there will be differences if you are on the epic in europe or in the caribbean.

[SuiteCruiser]

I'm always amazed at the term "Canadian bacon". Our bacon is in strips like you get in the US. We, in Canada, call Canadian bacon "peameal bacon" and I've seen it here once in my lifetime. It should be called "British bacon" because it's what we got in London on a BLT.

Sorry for the aside, it's just one of those weird things, not sure why it ever got the reputation as being Canadian.

[cruise pup]

Originally Posted by SuiteCruiser

I'm always amazed at the term "Canadian bacon". Our bacon is in strips like you get in the US. We, in Canada, call Canadian bacon "peameal bacon" and I've seen it here once in my lifetime. It should be called "British bacon" because it's what we got in London on a BLT.

Sorry for the aside, it's just one of those weird things, not sure why it ever got the reputation as being Canadian.

I guess we call pea meal bacon Canadian because that's where it comes from. Some places now call it Canadian-style bacon which makes more sense because that really describes it and the bacon isn't actually imported from Canada.

I was introduced to pea meal bacon in Toronto at the St. Lawrence Market by some friends. We ate these incredible pea meal bacon sandwiches. So good that when my parents visited Toronto I made sure to send them there.

[sheila59]

When we were on our TA last October they ran out of American bacon and had English bacon (bacon rashers), my hubby loved it but we only got them for about 2 days, we were told by a waiter that the food supplies were running really low, they were waiting for the ship to get to port to stock up again.

[conny111]

Thanx for your explanation.
So where can I order chips/crisps on the Epic?
Only in O'Sheeans or also anywhere else?
Is it served in bags or open?
Because on RCCL Splendour they had those little bags in the café.
Never have seen this on any other RCCL ship and also not on any other cruise line. So I guess those bags are also not available on Epic, aren't they?