Restaurant prices on Jewel

[bianks]

I'm booked to cruise with NCL Jewel soon.

I realise some restaurants have no charge, others do.

Does anyone have more of a guide to this - which are free, what's not (how much), do you tip in both.. how much...

[johnql]

Here's how the dining venues break down on the Jewel, based on my TA cruise in September.

 

Included, no reservations recommended

Azura (Main Dining Room)

Tsar’s Palace (Main Dining Room)

Blue Lagoon (almost 24/7 comfort food)

Garden Café (buffet)

Great Outdoors (buffet)

Room Service

 

Surcharge, reservations recommended

Le Bistro (French/Continental) - $15

Cagney’s (Steakhouse) - $25

Sushi and Sake Bar - $15

Chin-Chin (Asian) - $15

Mongolian Hot Pot - $15

Tango’s (Tex/Mex) - $10

Mama’s Kitchen (Italian) - $10

Teppanyaki (Japanese hibachi) - $25

 

Miscellaneous

Tapas Bar (free tapas with the purchase of a drink)

Java Café (free dessert with the purchase of a specialty coffee)

 

Tipping in any venue is entirely at your discretion. It's not expected anywhere but if you encounter exceptional service, feel free. Many pax do tip room service delivery $1-2, more if the meal is a complicated order.

[bianks]

So would we tip in those restaurants or is it really included elsewhere?

(I'm Australian and as you may know we don't really tip here - I have cruised through the Pacific before and we tip our waiters and stewards at the very end of the cruise so I realise this will work differently)

With those restaurants that have a surcharge - is that an entry fee and you go in and order what you like at that price? Or are they set menus?

[johnql]

Here's a link to the menus that were used on my recent Jewel cruise (MDR and specialty).

 

http://s636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/johnql/Jewel%20Trans-Atlantic%202009/Jewel%20TA%202009%20Food%20and%20Menus/

 

A tip is not expected in the specialty restaurants either. Again, if you feel the service was exceptional, it would probably be appropriate but certainly not obligatory.

 

The specialty menus are fixed (i.e., same every night of the cruise) whereas the menus in the MDR change each night (except for the Dawn, which is experimenting with a fixed menu). In the specialty restaurants, the surcharge covers your entire meal, except in a few instances where there is an additional surcharge for certain items (e.g., surf and turf, 32-oz (!) porterhouse). See the individual menus for additional surcharges.

[Luckyroot]

 

Miscellaneous

Tapas Bar (free tapas with the purchase of a drink)

Java Café (free dessert with the purchase of a specialty coffee)

 

Tapas is free without purchase of a drink. Just go to the bar and have a seat. And tell my friend Alvis from India that Ruth & John said hello!

[bianks]

Sounds fantastic - I'm hungry already! :)