Mamas Kitchen Jewel Charge?

I was browsing NCL's web site. In the description of Mama's Kitchen it says "worth the price".

The other times we were aboard the Jewel Mamas required reservations but there was no charge. Anyone who has returned recently know if that has changed?

There is now a charge fleetwide for the Italian restaurants. I don't know if the Jewel is any different but the others are $10pp. Don't miss the great antipasto trolley plus there are hot appetizers, soups, salads and individual pizzas. I tried the new lobster ravioli introduced during freestyle 2.0 and DH had the veal marsala. Both were very tasty. Tiramisu for dessert is delicious.

Enjoy!

NCL is nickeling & diming for most of their restaurants.

There is now a charge fleetwide for the Italian restaurants. I don't know if the Jewel is any different but the others are $10pp. Don't miss the great antipasto trolley plus there are hot appetizers' date=' soups, salads and individual pizzas. I tried the new lobster ravioli introduced during freestyle 2.0 and DH had the veal marsala. Both were very tasty. Tiramisu for dessert is delicious.

 

Enjoy![/quote']

 

Yes, $10 PP for Mama's on the Jewel in October.

Yes, there is now a $10 charge per person. Since we enjoyed the restaurant for free on the Dawn last year, we went and paid the fee. Service and food were good, however, we did not think it was worth it because we had good Italian several other times on the ship in the no charge restaurants - even the Garden Cafe. But, if you really, really love Italian food and you like a LOT of it, then it may be worth it to you. Last year the Tex Mex restaurant was also free without charge - this time we didn't bother with the Tex Mex. However, Cagney's is definitely worth the extra price. If you can splurge, do so.

NCL is nickeling & diming for most of their restaurants.

and can you give an example of another cruiseline that has more free dining choices than NCL? The advantage to NCL, they still offer free choices like most lines but have an abundance of sur charge dining rooms as well. No one has to pay one extra pennies if they choose not to.

Dalgal, we just got off the Spirit, between the antipasto trolly, things like Osso Bucco (spelling) and the great desserts we felt it was well worth the $10.00, but everyone has his/her own ideas.

Nita

Please don't misunderstand, it was good food. It wasn't five star, but it was really good middle of the road Italian family restaurant. I only ate less than 1/2 the portion of Chicken Parmesan (it was huge) and between the trolley, salad, main course, AND the dessert, it was a lot of food. I can definitely understand if you are a big eater and love Italian food that it would be worth the extra - for us $20. Or a large group wanting "Italian night." But if you can take it or leave it, I would leave it.

From what I understand from reading here, the Tex-Mex restaurant includes a free margarita with your meal. I think that would be nice if all the fee based restaurants included that - maybe a glass of wine or a free soda for the non-alcohol drinking folks.

I also agree with the thought that the restaurants for a fee are extra venues that NCL have that other lines do not - you still have two dining rooms, the buffet, room service, etc. included in the cost of your cruise. Most other lines now included one or two extra restaurants that are fee based. Maybe it's just semantics, but to me, seeing the restaurants as "free" or "not free" is not what NCL had in mind when they thought up freestyle. They have restaurants that are "included in the cost of your cruise" and restaurants that are "extra options" if you choose to partake, just like bingo, drinking alcohol, gambling, etc.

 

To me, NCL's ``freestyle'' motto is just that, you have the opportunity to dine in your own ``free'' style which means you can dine in the ``free'' dining venues or in the ``extra cost'' venues. Main part of that ``freestyle'' dining motto is that you are not required to dine at a set seating time with others. You have the freedom to dine when and where you wish.

 

Too many people want to take the word ``freestyle'' way beyond where it was meant to be and see only the word ``free'' in the word.

 

DH & I both enjoy NCL's freestyle venue of cruising. Allows us to eat where we want and when we want without feeling obligated to be dining with set dining partners at a set time.

 

that's what the entire ``freestyle'' dining concept was cracked up to be.

 

Dianne

 

To me, NCL's ``freestyle'' motto is just that, you have the opportunity to dine in your own ``free'' style which means you can dine in the ``free'' dining venues or in the ``extra cost'' venues. Main part of that ``freestyle'' dining motto is that you are not required to dine at a set seating time with others. You have the freedom to dine when and where you wish.

 

Too many people want to take the word ``freestyle'' way beyond where it was meant to be and see only the word ``free'' in the word.

 

DH & I both enjoy NCL's freestyle venue of cruising. Allows us to eat where we want and when we want without feeling obligated to be dining with set dining partners at a set time.

 

that's what the entire ``freestyle'' dining concept was cracked up to be.

 

Dianne

Dianne, you are completely right, when Freestyle was introduced in 2000,well 2001 before it really got off the ground it had little to do with specialty dining rooms, free meals versus pay for, it was the entire idea of freestyle. this included dress code reduced, eat when and where you want, stay in your cabin until your color tag is called, leave stuff in your cabin debarkation day while you eat breakfast, etc. The dining choices was a very small part of the overall picture.

 

Nita

That is absolutely right - with 10 restaurants there is nothing wrong with having dining with a little "extra" for an extra cost. The whole point is you have a choice about what to spend and what not to spend. You can go on board and not spend a dime and have a great time... or you can go on board like we did last month and splurge it up - I don't regret one penny spent. I did not see any mention of a free margarita or I would have made sure I dined in the Tex Mex restaurant;) Our first night we used a buy one get one coupon and ate in the Chin Chins - it was a great way to try something new. It was a lot of fun. Just like anything else with cruising with NCL, once you are on board you can decide at any time what you want to do. That is the best part of freestyle.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. I don't think that $10 is out of reason for Mamas. In fact is was very tough to get in to before. We have a large group though and not everyone may enjoy the extra cost.

On our 2 night Med cruise in September in Jade, there were mostly spanish people and they prefer to eat late, since we were a group of 12 and since we wanted to see the show, they could only seat us at Mama's Kitchen at 6PM.

When we asked for the check, we were told that they have some kind of "Early Bird Special" and that there is no charge if you vacate your table before 8 PM. So we didn't have to pay the cover charge.

Yes, there is now a $10 charge per person. Since we enjoyed the restaurant for free on the Dawn last year, we went and paid the fee. Service and food were good, however, we did not think it was worth it because we had good Italian several other times on the ship in the no charge restaurants - even the Garden Cafe. But, if you really, really love Italian food and you like a LOT of it, then it may be worth it to you. Last year the Tex Mex restaurant was also free without charge - this time we didn't bother with the Tex Mex. However, Cagney's is definitely worth the extra price. If you can splurge, do so.

This past Feb on the Jewel, Mama's Kitchen was no charge. We wangled an unreserved spot for two of us and they apologized for putting us outside in part of the the back outside grill area that was blocked off for Mama's. Sun going down; 85 degrees, shoreline of Cozumel. Priceless. Thank you NCL Jewel.

Going on the NCL Jade eastern med 1/4. Probably won't sit outside but we are back for more at a great price and we will sample the pay restaurants and enjoy the main ones and the buffet. We still love all the other cruise lines we have gone on. We hope the selection of cruise lines does not dwindle. Support your local cruise line! (We live in Wisconsin).

Sensation 04

Glory 05

Celebration 05

Glory 06

Oosterdam 06

Liberty 06

Coral 07

Jewel 08

Majesty of the Seas 08

JADE 09!!!!

We were on the Jewel a few years ago and the Italian restaurant and the Mexican were free. We ate there and the food at both was just OK. We won't pay to eat in a restaurant that we didn't have to pay for previously.

We also ate at LeBistro and Cagneys and enjoyed both and will probably eat there again.

There is now a charge fleetwide for the Italian restaurants. I don't know if the Jewel is any different but the others are $10pp. Don't miss the great antipasto trolley plus there are hot appetizers' date=' soups, salads and individual pizzas. I tried the new lobster ravioli introduced during freestyle 2.0 and DH had the veal marsala. Both were very tasty. Tiramisu for dessert is delicious.

 

Enjoy![/quote']

 

 

My final payment is not due for a few weeks......you mean to tell me we have to pay for a slice of pizza. All other lines have free 24 hour pizza and salad.

My final payment is not due for a few weeks......you mean to tell me we have to pay for a slice of pizza. All other lines have free 24 hour pizza and salad.

No, you don't have to pay for a slice of pizza. Pizza is available from room service 24 hrs a day and also available on the buffet when it is open. The discussion here is about the seperate Italian restaurants.

And ALL other lines do not necessarily have 24 hour pizza. :confused:

PE

and can you give an example of another cruiseline that has more free dining choices than NCL? The advantage to NCL, they still offer free choices like most lines but have an abundance of sur charge dining rooms as well. No one has to pay one extra pennies if they choose not to.

Nita, some people are never going to acknowledge this. They want everything for nothing, and are going to gripe about it at every opportunity. You and I can revel in the amazing choice NCL provides at very modest additional charge--on top of excellent cruise pricing--and allow it to enhance our cruising experience, but they will never be able to do so.

NCL is nickeling & diming for most of their restaurants.

I totally agree...and furthermore, I feel that this term, nickel and diming, is far underutilized.

Seems like everyone is charging for every little extra...NCL wants more money now if you want a balcony; if you have a suite, your butler/concierge expect a tip=more money, if you smuggle in a bottle of wine and get caught you have to pay $15 corkage fee=more money, if you want an upsell to a cabin that you previously could not afford, but now being offered at 50% the cost=more money. I totally can't understand why these un-non-for-profit organizations worry about money ALL the time. The stockholders and large stake-holders should realize that if all of these things were free, then they would have a lot more business and far fewer complaints. And the last couple of months that they were in business, NCL would probably be rated as the NUMBER ONE cruise line in the industry and we could all talk about how great they used to be.

Sounds like a solid business plan to me; others should do it too as this would boost the economy by leaving more money in the hands of the consumers rather than the company's.

I totally agree...and furthermore, I feel that this term, nickel and diming, is far underutilized.

 

Seems like everyone is charging for every little extra...NCL wants more money now if you want a balcony; if you have a suite, your butler/concierge expect a tip=more money, if you smuggle in a bottle of wine and get caught you have to pay $15 corkage fee=more money, if you want an upsell to a cabin that you previously could not afford, but now being offered at 50% the cost=more money. I totally can't understand why these un-non-for-profit organizations worry about money ALL the time. The stockholders and large stake-holders should realize that if all of these things were free, then they would have a lot more business and far fewer complaints. And the last couple of months that they were in business, NCL would probably be rated as the NUMBER ONE cruise line in the industry and we could all talk about how great they used to be.

 

Sounds like a solid business plan to me; others should do it too as this would boost the economy by leaving more money in the hands of the consumers rather than the company's.

:eek: :D:D:D:D:D

PE

My final payment is not due for a few weeks......you mean to tell me we have to pay for a slice of pizza. All other lines have free 24 hour pizza and salad.

of course you can get pizza free, either the buffet or room service and no, not all lines offer 24 hour free pizza, other than Carnival, give us the rest that do. HAL doesn't, and nor does Celebrity other than room service.

Planers Edge, isn't it true how horrible NCL is about nickel and diming, of course I still wonder where they nickel and dime more than other lines??? We pay a flat rate to cruise, regardless of the line, the prices are about what they were 10 years ago and yet so many don't think we should pay for anything. Photos are expensive as is Bingo, who says we have to indulge in either? After so many cruises I have to admit we don't even look at our pix. I would rather give my $40 to the casino than play Bingo, but if others want to play, that is their choice. I can eat all the food I want without paying an extra penny, it I choose to eat in the specailty dining rooms, that is my choice. To me, it is possible to have a really good time on any cruise and end up with a bill for only what the gratuities are. Do we do this? No, we spend a little extra but no one has too.

Nita

There is now a charge fleetwide for the Italian restaurants. I don't know if the Jewel is any different but the others are $10pp. Don't miss the great antipasto trolley plus there are hot appetizers' date=' soups, salads and individual pizzas. I tried the new lobster ravioli introduced during freestyle 2.0 and DH had the veal marsala. Both were very tasty. Tiramisu for dessert is delicious.

 

Enjoy![/quote']

 

I have yet to experience the 2.0 treatment, but I do know this... we loved our Cruise Critic get-together meal in Mama's. The antipasto trolley on the Jewel was indeed excellent. It was only surpassed by meeting and mingling with Barb and Bob and a lot of other great people that we met and became friends with on that particular cruise. Can I go back- please?

There is now a charge fleetwide for the Italian restaurants. I don't know if the Jewel is any different but the others are $10pp. Don't miss the great antipasto trolley plus there are hot appetizers' date=' soups, salads and individual pizzas. I tried the new lobster ravioli introduced during freestyle 2.0 and DH had the veal marsala. Both were very tasty. Tiramisu for dessert is delicious.

 

Enjoy![/quote']

Just wondering when fleetwide the Italian restaurants had a charge. As of last month the Majesty was reservation but no charge still according to those that were sailing her. Did Majesty just change?

We went to Mama's on the Jewel...and frankly were disappointed. The only food we really didn't much like was the pizza from Mama's, and just didn't find anything there we enjoyed enough to consider going back. We'd have to check their menu to see if there were any changes, before we'd consider going there again. Le Bistro, on the other hand...is on our list of "must do!"

We were on the Jewel a few years ago and the Italian restaurant and the Mexican were free. We ate there and the food at both was just OK. We won't pay to eat in a restaurant that we didn't have to pay for previously.

 

We also ate at LeBistro and Cagneys and enjoyed both and will probably eat there again.

They both charge now.:(

Steve