POLL: Favorite Food in FREE Restaurants?

[BethP781]

I've never been on a cruise before, but my husband and I will be on NCL Spirit on 3/10. Yea!! I have been lurking around these message boards, have read a lot of reviews, and noticed that everyone has a different opinion on the food quality, selection, and service.

 

Well, now's your chance to let us all know which is your favorite restaurant (that is included in the price of the cruise) on Norwegian, and why. I know that the restaurants listed below are not on all NCL ships, but with my limited knowledge, these were the only ones I could remember. Feel free to add other restaurants into the poll! Most importantly, include your favorite food item on the cruise!!!:p

Here are your choices:

 

No reservations required

Windows Restaurant, Main Dining Room

Garden Room, Main Dining Room

Raffles Court, Buffet

Blue Lagoon, 24-hr diner-type food

Bier Garten, Bavarian snacks

Henry's Pub, Fish & Chips

Poolside BBQs

 

Reservations required

La Trattoria, Italian

 

 

Happy Cruising!!

[brunolvr]

Make sure you try the fruit based chilled soups. They are delicious. :D They also had some chilled "veggie" ones but we didn't care for them.

[newmexicoNita]

What a fun thread and a positive one:

 

For us, of course it does depend on the ship cause they all have different dining rooms but here goes as best as possible;

 

Jewel: Blue Lagoon: fish and chips for sure; also good buffalo wings. DH said the hamburgers were devine; other say the same.

 

Tangos: ribs:

 

Mama's kitchen: grilled salmon and Anti pasto (sorry, I may not have that right, but you know what I mean)

 

Main dining rooms: Escargot on formal optional night.

otherwise eggs benedict for breakfast.

 

Buffet: omelettes for breakfast, nothing else stands out for me. Oh, of course lox.

 

Sun: buffet: waffles actually served in the Pacific Heights dining room but you can walk over and then head back to the main buffet for everything else.

 

Las Ramblas: try all the tapas; great.

 

Sports bar: tuna melts

 

Main dining room: beef strogonoff if they still offer it on the last night. ( I know, most of you think I am nuts)

 

I am sure I could go on all day, but I have to get dressed and go play bridge.

 

Nita

[cruisingbug]

I liked the Impressions main dining on the Dawn, although nothing in particular stands out as my "favorite". I didn't care for the Caribbean night food that we had in the Aqua. Salsa's was also very good.

[NJBear]

Since you are cruising on the SPIRIT I imagine you'd like us to stick with the SPIRIT choices. I liked WINDOWS a lot, actually the choices and service were so good that there really isn't a need to go to a specialty restaurant IMO. We enjoy the specialty restaurants because they seem more intimate, although we experience intimate meals at table for 2 in Windows at a window table (Table #1, we got twice) :-)looking out over the seas .

[PosadaGirl519]

We were on the Spirit last week

 

Def consider the Main Dining rooms for dinner! Our 2 fav nights were Carribean and French Night. Also, The Blue Lagoon is excellent! 15 things on the menu, each time perpared exactly the same way! It's more of a fall-back comfort than exquisite cuisine, but we loved it and got their food at least once a day!

 

We picked our locals (also did Cagney's once and Le Bistro once for dinner) by checking the menu's outside Windows (same for both that and the Garden Room) when we were hungry. If we weren't impressed, or if I didn't like the selections I was limited to (I have a bizarre allergy to fresh fruit, don't ask) we went to Raffles which had the same food all the time.

 

The food prepared at stations in Raffles, to us, was better than the usual fare. They had a strir fry station (where you could build your own lo-mein knock-off) a waffle station, a crepe and omlet station, and a pasta station. At least the stations were guranteed freshly prepared, made-to-order food. I'm sure there was more, but Raffles was never my choice for dinner, but the BF wanted to eat there for lunch and half the breakfasts. The rest of the buffet what just that, a buffet.

 

P.S. If you aren't used to eating like this (rich and heavy food 24/7), be prepared to have your tummy get some revenge! Last week was my first cruise and it was quite the learning experience.

[tomluvsaida]

You didn't say which ship.:confused: I'll be on POH end of October and would like to find out about the free restaurants on that ship. Blue Lagoon is the only restaurant in your survey that is on POH. Here are the other FREE Restaurants on POH:

Aloha Nui Lani (buffet)

Grand Pacific (main dining)

Alizar (main dining)

Papa's Italian

Paniolo Tapas (Mexican)

 

All these are FREE on POH. I did not include the pay restaurants.

[Zeno]

never been on the Spirit so I can't be specific to that ship.

However:

Main dining rooms - loved virtually all lamb dishes EXCEPT Lamb Kebab (only main course I have ever truly disliked)

- most fish

- chilled fruit soups

- souffles

- creme caramel

Buffet: breakfast - made to order waffles, smoked salmon

lunch - Caesar Salad

- ribs

- rice with veggies - oddly I much prefered the buffet rice to rice in the dining rooms

Las Ramblas - Tapas

on the Sun - Pacific Heights - good meatloaf

[newmexicoNita]

never been on the Spirit so I can't be specific to that ship.

However:

Main dining rooms - loved virtually all lamb dishes EXCEPT Lamb Kebab (only main course I have ever truly disliked)

- most fish

- chilled fruit soups

- souffles

- creme caramel

Buffet: breakfast - made to order waffles, smoked salmon

lunch - Caesar Salad

- ribs

- rice with veggies - oddly I much prefered the buffet rice to rice in the dining rooms

Las Ramblas - Tapas

on the Sun - Pacific Heights - good meatloaf

Gee Zeno, what's wrong with you? You don't like mushed up lamb meat balls when they are referred to as lamb kabobs? I can't understand!!! LOL

[Zeno]

Gee Zeno, what's wrong with you? You don't like mushed up lamb meat balls when they are referred to as lamb kabobs? I can't understand!!! LOL

 

Yes it's amazing isn't it! LOL - They bear NO resemblance to any other lamb kebab I have ever had. The "less than wonderful" lamb kebab was my very first NCL meal - imagine if I had judged all NCL food on that basis!

[BethP781]

You didn't say which ship.:confused: I'll be on POH end of October and would like to find out about the free restaurants on that ship. Blue Lagoon is the only restaurant in your survey that is on POH. Here are the other FREE Restaurants on POH:

Aloha Nui Lani (buffet)

Grand Pacific (main dining)

Alizar (main dining)

Papa's Italian

Paniolo Tapas (Mexican)

 

All these are FREE on POH. I did not include the pay restaurants.

Hi tomluvsaida,

 

Sorry for not being more specific. I was actually hoping to hear about the Spirit ship's food, but all other ship restaurant information is welcome on this thread! I don't know about any of the restaurants on ANY cruise ships, because I've never been on one before. Hopefully a few of the other CCers will help you out!

[tomluvsaida]

Hi tomluvsaida,

 

Sorry for not being more specific. I was actually hoping to hear about the Spirit ship's food, but all other ship restaurant information is welcome on this thread! I don't know about any of the restaurants on ANY cruise ships, because I've never been on one before. Hopefully a few of the other CCers will help you out!

Sorry. :o Actually, my mistake. You did say The Spirit when I went and re-checked what you wrote. I like your idea though. Hope it works well for you.:)

[Goldi-locks]

Hi, I just got back from a cruise on the Spirit and it was my first time cruising too. Overall the food on the ship was really good, even the buffet. I had one or two dishes that were gross (italian cannollini and a fish sandwich at Windows for lunch) but most of the food was really good. I ate at Cagneys the first night and while the food was good, the service sucked. Waited about 40 minutes between courses. Considering it was our first night and we wanted to explore the ship and attend events, this was bothersome. I thought the service at the Garden Room main dining area was the best. Windows was ok but because it was so large, we waited a bit there too.

 

Definately get the escargot on formal night, they were excellent and the tilapia at the buffet was really good too. Although we said we would every night, we only ate at the Blue Lagoon once and didn't taste the wings. The potato skins are nothing more than seasoned steak fries and the fried rice was good, but not really what I am used to.

 

The seafood pasta at the buffet was tasty and the made to order stir fry was also good. We ordered room service for breakfast every morning and the muffins and baked goods were excellent. The room service was also always timely if not early. Enjoy your cruise and I hope you have better weather than us. :)

[Giantfan13]

If anyone is interested, here is a website that has many of the menus of many many ships

 

http://cruiseclues.com/menus.htm#cruisemenus

 

The POH is not on there. They have simplified their main dining room menu and there are a lot less choices. They have done away with all the 'cold' soups, and many of the appitizer choices. You have 5 main course choices:

1 meat (beef)

1 Chicken (usually the Hawiian meal of the night)

1 Fish

1 Pasta

1 Vegetarian

 

I commented in another thread, that we so not eat any meat, so I have no idea how that food really was, but the fish that we ate almost every night was good. Just that they went to a lower class if fish on some nights. No more Sea Bass, No Salmon, instead we got Grouper and Catfish. The Lobster was still there and they had a great seared Tuna, but the rest were only so-so. For Desserts they cut back also, where you always had maybe 3 choices now there are two, with only 3 flavors of ice cream (Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla, which they ran out of on the 6th night). They also have a sorbet and a frozen yogart every night. Breakfast menu in the Grand Pacific was EXACTLY the same every day. On other NCL cruises they have some different dishes every morning along with the regulars. Not on the POH.

Again, the food was good, well presented and the portions were cruise ship size. You will not go hungry.

 

Maybe a silly thought, my wife comented that they do not put any spoons on the tables. You get a spoon if what you ordered needs one. I only drink Ice Tea, and need some sugar,(which is also not on any table). they bring you the sugar to put in the ice tea, but I never got a spoon to mix it with. I usually used one of the several knives that are on the table. Is this a new formal dining room proceedure, no spoons??. Small oddity, but we were just curious.

[bubiesmom]

What's the deal with milk? I don't see it on any menus. Is it free with meals. My kids are 16 and 11 and can't live without their milk. Brittany will bring her own chocolate milk mix. (NCL won't be able to keep up with her chocolate consumption LOL).

[Cosmopolitan]

Hi tomluvsaida,

 

Sorry for not being more specific. I was actually hoping to hear about the Spirit ship's food, but all other ship restaurant information is welcome on this thread! I don't know about any of the restaurants on ANY cruise ships, because I've never been on one before. Hopefully a few of the other CCers will help you out!

 

Beth ~

 

Congratulations on your first cruise!

How exciting.

 

I haven't been on the Spirit so can't help with their restaurants but....

ENJOY your first cruise...they are all great but the first is just such a wonderful experience:)

 

Be prepared to be addicted;)

[smeyer418]

eating is so subjective. You left off the two restuarants that I like the most---- Impressions(on the Dawn) and Salsa... Impressions is one of the two smaller restuarants on the Dawn the other being Aqua(which has an all female serving crew)....I like the intimate feel of Impressions and the old menu. Salsa had decent Mexican food in a great atmosphere(IMO)

[newmexicoNita]

Yes it's amazing isn't it! LOL - They bear NO resemblance to any other lamb kebab I have ever had. The "less than wonderful" lamb kebab was my very first NCL meal - imagine if I had judged all NCL food on that basis!

At least you kept an open mind. It certainly wasn't my first meal, but it was served the first night and I ordered it on the Sea; 1st, last and never again. I think it has disappeared from sight; thank goodness!!! NMNita

[newmexicoNita]

What's the deal with milk? I don't see it on any menus. Is it free with meals. My kids are 16 and 11 and can't live without their milk. Brittany will bring her own chocolate milk mix. (NCL won't be able to keep up with her chocolate consumption LOL).

yes you can get milk. In fact you might get chocolate milk in the buffet at breakfast. That I am not certain about; to be safe have Brittany bring her chocolate milk mix. NMNita

[Lthouselady]

The best thing I had on the Majesty was in the 7 seas dining room and it was a chilled cherry/cinnamon fruit soup. It was spectacular!!! If you like maraschino cherries you will love it. It isn't too sweet, very light and refreshing. I would have eaten a gallon of it if I could have!!!!! YUM!!!!