hardcore foodie/wine geek q's for Dawn

[winediva]

Sailing on the Dawn on 9/4 and have some foodie questions that I hope you folks can help me with.

 

When you arrive on board is there a central location to make all of your specialty restaurant reservations?

 

Is the wine list posted on the ncl website the only wines on board? Are there more selections in the specialty restaurants, wine cellar, champagne bar etc?

 

Are there vintages on the wine lists? None are posted on the ncl website lists. If not, do you need to ask at each restaurant or is there a shipwide list you could find somewhere.

 

When you dine at a specialty restaurant should you leave an additional gratuity for your server? Or do they split the gratuities among all of the ships restaurant employees?

[niki1785]

On the Dawn you can make reservations either at the restaurant itself, or in the main lobby. Although I did not eat at any of the restaurants where you had to pay extra, as I heard that the food wasn't much different than that served in the other dining areas, I did notice that you can make reservations in the main atrium. Sorry I can not answer the other questions, but I hope this will help! Have an excellent cruise, the Dawn is beautiful!:)

[NYHartChapp]

Sailing on the Dawn on 9/4 and have some foodie questions that I hope you folks can help me with.

 

When you arrive on board is there a central location to make all of your specialty restaurant reservations?

 

Is the wine list posted on the ncl website the only wines on board? Are there more selections in the specialty restaurants, wine cellar, champagne bar etc?

 

Are there vintages on the wine lists? None are posted on the ncl website lists. If not, do you need to ask at each restaurant or is there a shipwide list you could find somewhere.

 

When you dine at a specialty restaurant should you leave an additional gratuity for your server? Or do they split the gratuities among all of the ships restaurant employees?

 

You will have no problem finding fine wines at Le Bistro, from first growths on down. IMHO, the food there is not the same served at regular restaurants, it is much superior. Hope you have a great cruise.

[Baitman19]

Winediva,

 

On the NCL website, go to "More info", then "Special" & then "wine list". It's a 5 page PDF file.

 

I didn't see any vintages listed.

 

Maybe you could answer me about a certain dessert wine. Muscat Vin de Glacie're, is it a frozen grape pressed wine? I've always wanted to try one of those types.

Cagneys & Le Bistro are a cut above the other main restaurants. You can even make reservations from your room. There's numbers for each specialty restaurant in the Freestyle Daily to call.

 

See you next week.

 

Monty

[winediva]

Thanks for the tips! I will check those things out.

 

Monty - the wine you are refering to ( I think) is Bonny Doon's Muscat Vin de Glaciere. Its a dessert wine from California, but inspired by the great eisweins of Germany and Austria. (Eiswein translates as "ice wine") The traditional eisweins are made from grapes that hang on the vine well after a frost in Germany. The conditions must be perfect to get this special type of moldy rot on the grapes and not just run of the mill spoilage. There aren't many places on the planet that have this type of climate to make successful wines of this kind. These "frozen" grapes are harvested, pressed, and vinified to make a very sweet and very expensive dessert wine.

 

The winemaker for Bonny Doon - a sort of crazy genious type - decided to make an ice wine in California even if the weather won't cooperate. From what I understand, He grows a bunch of Muscat grapes, picks them, and puts them in a giant commercial freezer before crushing/pressing, etc. Voila, eiswein from the sunshine state. His nifty dessert wine is lots cheaper than the traditional method eisweins from Germany, Austria, Canada etc and very tasty. It may not be as rich and complex, but for $15 vs. $100, I think its a nice treat to enjoy on a more regular basis.

 

Vin de Glaciere is a play on words from the French. I think it translates as ice cube wine. My french isn't terrific, so French scholars correct me if I'm wrong.

[shoreguy]

A couple of tips - the onboard wime list do in fact contain the Vintage. It does not always match what is deleivered to the table.

 

If you go by the Bistro many of the vinage wines are diplayed in a glass front wine rack. You will in some cases notice different vintages of the same wine. Be sure to ask for the one you want and where you saw it.

 

A rolling ship is not the best place to store fine wines so this little reason to even expect great vintages. I think you will always be able to find a wine you will enjoy.

 

I hope the Duckhorn Merlot is still just $70 onboard as listed, The 2002 at my wine store had it at $92 last week :eek:

[winediva]

You can buy the 2002 Merlot direct from the winery for $85. You'd have to pay shipping of course - is NJ a legally reciprocal state for wine shipping? I haven't been keeping track very well since the supreme court decision this summer.

 

Yes, I know that ships don't exactly have the best wine storage and such, but occasionally you can find deals like the Duckhorn Merlot you mentioned. I probably wouldn't order anything from an older vintage on board. My biggest concern is ordering an inexpensive New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or something like that, expecting a current vintage, and getting something 3 years old. I know its no problem to order something else, but I hate to waste the sommeliers time when they have so many other guests to take care of at the same time. And by the time I get something else, the course I wanted to enjoy it with has come and gone - that kind of thing.

 

I'll check out the wine shop and do a stealth mission - seeking vintages any way I can :)

[shoreguy]

Don't worry about wasting the sommelier's time. Morew often then not your waiter will handle the wine on the Dawn. I bet I have ordered more then 30 bottles of wine on the Dawn and never met the sommelier :rolleyes:

[winediva]

Wow - thats suprising shoreguy. On my last cruise (on Celebrity), I saw the sommelier at every meal. Freestyle dining is very different I guess. We were surrounded by a lot of non-drinker types, so she was actually sort of happy that I kept her busy.

 

Curious how much do folks leave as a gratuity at a place like Le Bistro? Can you leave it on your charge account or do you have to have cash?

[shoreguy]

The wait staff in the Bistro is included in the tip pool. 15 % will be added to your wine and the $15 charge. That said most leave a little extra based on level of service.

 

Last time I was there we ordered two bottles of Dom. I felt the 15% ($40+) on that was enough extra. Tipping is a personal thing. Some leave a tip equal to what you would tip for comparable service on land others a couple of dollars each. Some none at all

 

I normally leave around $20 for a party of four + the 15% on the beverages. I like to leave cash but no problem adding it to the check. I think on most NCL ships the wait staff pool their tips at the Bistro. This way they tend to work better as a Team.

[winediva]

as always, you're very helpful Shoreguy. thanks!

 

Having been a waitress and a bartender for many years, I just want to make sure I take care of the people serving me. Its just difficult when you're not sure who is included in this giant tip pool and who isn't. Plus, I just don't want to cart along a bunch of cash in small bills. I'm sure I'll figure it out.

[babywewe]

i had great service at cagneys and left an extra 5dollar tip. There was a long wait time for food because of a large party (in a back room i think) ...and they kept coming over to us with more food ! tried a few i never would have had.

the best meal i had all week (except for salsas) .

 

the first day they have a line up in the main atrium for reservations. The rest of the week you can make your reservations on the side of the reception desk.

I never had luck calling.

[winediva]

all of this feedback is very helpful, thanks!

 

It seems that there are specials and incentives to go to the specialty restaurants on the first 2 nights so I may book Cagney's or Le Bistro the first day. I'm bringing a few older Cabernet Sauvignons from my cellar and they will be terrific with a steak! Yippee! Hopefully they have some decent stemware and a decanter. I actually have a padded carrying case for my Riedel glassware, I just feel like such a dork bringing it.

[shoreguy]

all of this feedback is very helpful, thanks!

 

It seems that there are specials and incentives to go to the specialty restaurants on the first 2 nights so I may book Cagney's or Le Bistro the first day. I'm bringing a few older Cabernet Sauvignons from my cellar and they will be terrific with a steak! Yippee! Hopefully they have some decent stemware and a decanter. I actually have a padded carrying case for my Riedel glassware, I just feel like such a dork bringing it.

 

They in fact have very good stemware and a decanter in the Bistro.

[winediva]

Cool. I'll probably bring my fancy wines to the specialty restaurants then. After saving a bottle of wine for 10+ years, I hate to not decant it and such.

I'm off to the cellar locker tomorrow to pick out my vacation goodies! Yea!

[laughoutloud]

I hope the Duckhorn Merlot is still just $70 onboard as listed, The 2002 at my wine store had it at $92 last week :eek:

 

We had the Duckhorn last month & I think it was $80. But wow, what a fantastic wine. (A budget-buster, though. Instead of toasting "ching-ching", it was more like "cha-ching $") :D

[UKDeb]

all of this feedback is very helpful, thanks!

 

It seems that there are specials and incentives to go to the specialty restaurants on the first 2 nights so I may book Cagney's or Le Bistro the first day. I'm bringing a few older Cabernet Sauvignons from my cellar and they will be terrific with a steak! Yippee! Hopefully they have some decent stemware and a decanter. I actually have a padded carrying case for my Riedel glassware, I just feel like such a dork bringing it.

Now I'm confused (not difficult :D ). I thought I had read several times on these boards that you can't take your own alcohol onto NCL ships.

[wanderingjew]

do they have menus for the specialty restaurants online with the surcharges?

[shoreguy]

do they have menus for the specialty restaurants online with the surcharges?

 

They don't. But they have been posted in a lot of places.

 

Here is a link that is old - the menues are about the same but the prices have changed. The menus are at the bottom of the page.

 

http://www.magwa.co.uk/dawn/ndawnphoto.htm