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NCL Escape -- Embarkation Day Lunch in Restaurant

Wyoming2010

By Wyoming2010,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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mking8288 "Live from...." Rare

mking8288

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Hmmm, tens of thousands of seasoned cruisers do this on a regular basis sailing NCL ships, including the Escape, by skipping the buffet & smartly choosing to go to the MDR for a nice sit-down lunch. It's the "Every Day" luncheon menu served onboard, pretty much fleetwide, AFAIK - with a small starter selection of soup, salad or appetizer, entree items & dessert, all complimentary. One of the best way to kickoff the cruise week once onboard. BTW, when are you sailing ?

 

Filter your search for recent Escape sailing reviews and you should see comments/reviews about it - both Taste & Savor, the 2 smaller MDR are open, no reservations needed or taken, on a first-come, first-serve basis in getting seated, starting at noon. Enjoy a leisure lunch and by the time you are finished, closer to 1 PM, staterooms are typically ready - and make our way there with our small cabin/carry-on bags with all the essentials ... enough time for a quick power "nap" in the early afternoon.

 

Or, you can see post #13 - which has the MDR menu, unchanged from 2017 a/o this May on the Gem, plus pictures, to give you some idea of what to expect. It's a civilized way to eat a light lunch minus the crowd and challenge for finding a table upstairs in the buffet.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=55171876&postcount=13

 

BirdTravel also has uploaded pictures of the menu & food selections - if I'm not mistaken, the Bliss sailing Alaska this summer is rolling out newer menu items for 2018, but it is unclear when the rest of the fleet will fully convert over.

 

O'Sheehan is usually open for embarkation lunch as well - check the Freestyle Dailies for Day #1 to see if it is, also full table sit-down service.

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Wyoming2010

Wyoming2010

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Hmmm, tens of thousands of seasoned cruisers do this on a regular basis sailing NCL ships, including the Escape, by skipping the buffet & smartly choosing to go to the MDR for a nice sit-down lunch. It's the "Every Day" luncheon menu served onboard, pretty much fleetwide, AFAIK - with a small starter selection of soup, salad or appetizer, entree items & dessert, all complimentary. One of the best way to kickoff the cruise week once onboard.

 

Filter your search for recent Escape sailing reviews and you should see comments/reviews about it - both Taste & Savor, the 2 smaller MDR are open, no reservations needed or taken, on a first-come, first-serve basis in getting seated, starting at noon. Enjoy a leisure lunch and by the time you are finished, closer to 1 PM, staterooms are typically ready - and make our way there with our small cabin/carry-on bags with all the essentials ... enough time for a quick power "nap" in the early afternoon.

 

Or, you can see post #13 - which has the MDR menu, unchanged from 2017 a/o this May on the Gem, plus pictures, to give you some idea of what to expect. It's a civilized way to eat a light lunch minus the crowd and challenge for finding a table upstairs in the buffet.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=55171876&postcount=13

 

BirdTravel also has uploaded pictures of the menu & food selections - if I'm not mistaken, the Bliss sailing Alaska this summer is rolling out newer menu items for 2018, but it is unclear when the rest of the fleet will fully convert over.

 

Thanks so much! With my husband's mobility issues now, I can't imagine us trying to juggle trays and luggage in the buffet, and would love a nice quiet atmosphere and be "waited on". I'll check out that thread you posted. Thanks again.

 

*Edited to add: wonderful pictures in your link and a nice menu selection. Going to be hard to narrow our choices down, but looking forward to it. Is that the orange cake you have in your dessert picture?

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CazV

CazV

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Just realised the menu photo is a bit blurry, but hopefully you can read enough of it to get an idea of what was on offer. I was so glad I'd read on here about going to the restaurant for lunch... it was a very civilised start to the cruise. :)

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mking8288 "Live from...." Rare

mking8288

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... With my husband's mobility issues now, I can't imagine us trying to juggle trays and luggage in the buffet, and would love a nice quiet atmosphere and be "waited on" ... hard to narrow our choices down, but looking forward to it. Is that the orange cake you have in your dessert picture?

Looks like recently returned Escape(e) confirmed it, it's the same menu as before. We liked the Chicken Pho, Popcorn Shrimp & the Cajan Shrimp Salad ... Cajan Grouper Sandwich is a big meal by itself (for me, anyway) & nicer - IMO - than the Fish & Chips.

 

Don't worry about choosing, if you don't get to try #A on Day 1, you can do that on Day 2 or Day 7, etc. as there is no rotation (I know, not everyone is happy with it) - go do lunch at O'Sheehan's one day and maybe give the buffet a chance on a "slower" day (or, when the MDR isn't open on port days - where they do have "more" variety)

 

Mobility issues should not stop hubby from making full use of the ship's services & options, but on embarkation day, the MDR is highly/strongly recommended - even when you only have 2 small bags in tow. Besides, you are probably like us, not cruising to gain 5 to 10 lbs heavier for the week. BTW, the lamb is said to be good - yet to try it out, will do so when it's our turn to sail the Escape later ... much later this Bermuda season.

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Sand and Seas

Sand and Seas

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Thanks all. I never thought about checking out O'Sheehan's -- that was our favorite place for breakfast and lunch on the Breakaway.

That's a good idea too. You can get a decent salad there and be waited on so we never go to the buffet. We always eat at least a couple of lunches at O'Sheehans. Although I rarely order a hot dog elsewhere, I love the fresh baked buns on those O'Sheehans hot dogs(y)

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Wyoming2010

Wyoming2010

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That's a good idea too. You can get a decent salad there and be waited on so we never go to the buffet. We always eat at least a couple of lunches at O'Sheehans. Although I rarely order a hot dog elsewhere, I love the fresh baked buns on those O'Sheehans hot dogs(y)

 

Oh, now see I didn't try their hot dogs last time, but you made me want one now :D

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