Question for NCL regulars

[sheshe01]

I have few questions regarding my upcoming cruise in Sept. My travel partner says in the evenings the buffet has the same dishes as the sit down restaurants, is this correct? I know there is usually a theme party on each sailing. How do we know what ours will be?

[NoMoreRain]

Buffet has a wide variety of dishes and specialty food nights, I wouldn't say it's the same as the MDR.  As far as a theme party, the only one I'm aware of is the white hot party aka glow party.

[IAcruising]

No. I believe they are confusing the fact that all the Main Dining Rooms (either 2 or 3) have the same menu for that evening.

 

[www3traveler]

The Buffet usually has a different dinner special each night.  The Freestyle Daily will tell you each day what the Buffet Dinner Special will be.

 

The main Dining Rooms have the same menu each evening.  On side of the menu stays the same each evening and the other side will have a different menu each evening.  Menus are posted outside of the dining rooms so you know what is being served.

 

Usually there is a theme dance party beginning about 10 P.M. each evening.  There is no need for special clothing.  

 

Relax and enjoy your cruise

[complawyer]

that is incorrect, buffet has a variety of choices, none of which coincide with either MDR

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, www3traveler said:

On side of the menu stays the same each evening and the other side will have a different menu each evening. 

No.  The bottom of one side and the middle of the other side will have the same each evening.  The appetizers and the rotating entrees will be different.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, sheshe01 said:

I have few questions regarding my upcoming cruise in Sept. My travel partner says in the evenings the buffet has the same dishes as the sit down restaurants, is this correct? I know there is usually a theme party on each sailing. How do we know what ours will be?

Nope. The Buffet has a wide variety of international foods from many cuisines. There will be a theme to each night which dictates a what is at the carver station and a few of the main courses. Normally, they are very different than the Main Dining Rooms. 

 

The music theme each night will be in the freestyle dailies. Here's some examples from last season 

 

[dexddd]

Buffet has staples and some variety of options.  If anything, I've seen buffet have items on previous night mdr the next night in buffet.

[jrt.mom]

Mmmmmm, leftovers. Seriously,  a lot of food tastes better the second day when the flavors really come together. 

[Panhandle Couple]

7 minutes ago, jrt.mom said:

Mmmmmm, leftovers. Seriously,  a lot of food tastes better the second day when the flavors really come together. 

They do NOT serve leftovers.

Any food that leaves the kitchen (to MDR or buffet ) cannot return to be used as leftovers. Food prepared in the kitchen but not served to guests may ( or may not) be served in the crew only buffet the same day. That buffet has to support a 24 hr work force.

[sheshe01]

Would you say the quality in the buffet is on par with the sit down restaurants? I normally find buffets a little bland

[Grandmafreddie]

What is bland.. less salt is good and you can add salt and pepper to taste. Plus in main dining room and savor and taste order 2 mains and app incase you dont like one

[European_CruiseGirl]

56 minutes ago, sheshe01 said:

Would you say the quality in the buffet is on par with the sit down restaurants? I normally find buffets a little bland

IMO the NCL buffet is better quality than their MDR. However the speciality restaurants are better quality than the buffet (most of them). Also the MDR appetizer sizes are ridiculously small. At least at the buffet you get enough to eat… 

[graphicguy]

The question of leftovers has been asked at more than one Meet and Greet I've attended.

 

They DO NOT service leftovers.  They do dehydrate it to make it small and unload it at each port.

 

Now, what the port does with it after that can be the focus of wild speculation.

[DCGuy64]

6 minutes ago, European_CruiseGirl said:

IMO the NCL buffet is better quality than their MDR. However the speciality restaurants are better quality than the buffet (most of them). Also the MDR appetizer sizes are ridiculously small. At least at the buffet you get enough to eat… 

Yes, the advantage of the buffet is that since the guests serve themselves, they can have as much as they want. Personally, I like the smaller portions in the MDR. I am only speculating when I say this, but it seems to me that cruise lines used to throw away an enormous of amount of food in the past, so they've resorted to serving smaller portions so there's less waste. Of course, you can always order seconds! 😉

[IAcruising]

13 hours ago, jrt.mom said:

Mmmmmm, leftovers. Seriously,  a lot of food tastes better the second day when the flavors really come together. 

 

Uncooked food from the previous day is not "leftovers", unless I misunderstand your definition.

 

 

10 hours ago, European_CruiseGirl said:

 Also the MDR appetizer sizes are ridiculously small. At least at the buffet you get enough to eat… 

 

Order two (or three or four). It's the MDR. Your post makes no sense.

 

 

[trish1c]

If there's a theme in the MDR say Italian Night, the theme may be carried over into the buffet but the dished won't be identical.  

[BirdTravels]

48 minutes ago, trish1c said:

If there's a theme in the MDR say Italian Night, the theme may be carried over into the buffet but the dished won't be identical.  

 

The buffet will have a theme. The MDR do not. 

 

Probably about 85% of the buffet is not affected by the night's theme. The themes drive the featured items on the buffet and carving station.
 

So, you can always get a bowl of Asian noodle soup on BBQ Night. And you can always get Indian food on Seafood Night. And you can always get hot dogs, hamburgers, pizzas

[9tee2Sea]

I have found the buffett usually offers the same things most nights...BUT they do have nightly specials featured. Like one night they might feature Prime Rib, but still have all the other buffett items. One night might be Mexican..but still have all the other buffett items.  They usually have 1 station ( area) that is the featured food of the night, plus all the other stations that dont change.  If I recall, there is always a posting , by the buffet on what the special food of the night its going to be.  I believe the MDR's also post, by their doorways what, if any special foods they are serving as well .  from looking thru all the other posts, I think this topic has been discussed, and no new information can be had.

[dexddd]

I've seen 'American' night theme at buffet a couple times.

[seemoreroyals]

On 5/21/2024 at 9:00 AM, BirdTravels said:

 

The buffet will have a theme. The MDR do not. 

 

Probably about 85% of the buffet is not affected by the night's theme. The themes drive the featured items on the buffet and carving station.
 

So, you can always get a bowl of Asian noodle soup on BBQ Night. And you can always get Indian food on Seafood Night. And you can always get hot dogs, hamburgers, pizzas

 

Somewhat related, while MDR's do not have theme nights they do sometimes have specials.  I recall the MDR had prime rib special on the Bliss a couple of years ago.  In our case it took forever to get our food as seemingly everyone was ordering prime rib.  That is the closest thing I have seen to a theme whereas the buffet will have mexican food night one night and seafood night the next.  

[schmoopie17]

I honestly cannot remember the last time we had dinner in the buffet. We've always had great food and service in the MDR and Specialty Restaurants.

 

For us, the buffet is an occasional quick stop for chocolate croissants and coffee at breakfast...or a couple slices of pizza at lunch to take to the pool...or a take-away cone of tasteless ice milk.

 

Other than that, the buffet is an afterthought.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, dexddd said:

I've seen 'American' night theme at buffet a couple times.

Dinner buffet themes last week on the Joy 

Day 1: All American

Day 2: Ribs

Day 3: Bahamian/Caribbean

Day 4: Braised Brisket

Day 5: Roast Turkey

Day 6: Asian

Day 7: Grill Extravaganza 

 

Buffet themes last week on the Encore

Day 1: Lunch: American / Dinner: Braised BBQ Brisket

Day 2: Lunch: Latin w/ Whole Suckling Pig / Dinner: Turkey

Day 3: Lunch: Pub Lunch / Dinner: Country Western 

Day 4: Dinner: All American

Day 5: Lunch: German / Dinner: Alaskan 

Day 6: Lunch: Italian / Dinner: Oriental 

Day 7: Lunch: Mexican / Dinner: Ribs

[BirdTravels]

9 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

I honestly cannot remember the last time we had dinner in the buffet. We've always had great food and service in the MDR and Specialty Restaurants.

 

We actually go to the buffet for holiday dinners, like Thanksgiving. It is more like having dinner at home,,, taking what we want, as much/little as we want of holiday favorites. We don't need to be in the MDR being served what NCL considers a Thanksgiving dinner. The staff dresses all of the tables in white tablecloths making it very festive. 

[graphicguy]

2 hours ago, schmoopie17 said:

I honestly cannot remember the last time we had dinner in the buffet. We've always had great food and service in the MDR and Specialty Restaurants.

 

For us, the buffet is an occasional quick stop for chocolate croissants and coffee at breakfast...or a couple slices of pizza at lunch to take to the pool...or a take-away cone of tasteless ice milk.

 

Other than that, the buffet is an afterthought.

Same here.

 

I might go to the buffet for a quick breakfast or lunch (but I even try to avoid that given the number of people who are clogging up the serving areas and aisle-ways).  Trying to remember, but I don't recall ever going to the buffet for dinner.  The MDRs offer good, well prepared food with a nice selection.  

 

I would imagine dinner in the buffet wouldn't be as hectic as it is during breakfast or lunch.  Might be wrong on that count, though.

 

That said, on the Prima, I actually had dinner at Indulge.  I ordered a few very disparate dishes that were all quite good and served quickly.