Norwegian Cruise Line meals: The final word cruise information to eating places and eating on board
Norwegian Cruise Line has all the time been a little bit of a insurgent with regards to meals.
Again in 2000, the corporate launched the idea of Freestyle Cruising, and with it, the concept of Freestyle Eating. Visitors not have been assigned to conventional early or late dinner seatings in the primary eating rooms on Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships, however somewhat may resolve once they needed to eat and with whom.
The cruise line additionally started to roll out specialty eating places — smaller, cuisine-specific eating venues such because the French-themed Le Bistro and Cagney’s Steakhouse — that passengers may reserve for a further cowl cost.
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As we speak, passengers will discover greater than three dozen eating choices, together with 21 that require a canopy cost or function a la carte pricing, on board NCL’s 17 ships. Whereas the cruise fare covers various eating places, specialty eating places requiring an additional cost are standard, and new specialty eating places are launched with every class of ship.
The onboard restaurant lineup additionally varies by ship, with these within the Prima, Breakaway and Breakaway Plus lessons having a bigger choice than the road’s older, smaller ships.
How do you make sense of all of it? We have compiled a rundown of all of the Norwegian Cruise Line meals choices, from espresso and gelato outlets to a la carte eating places the place the tab can simply high $150 for 2. Here is what’s included, what you may pay further for and the ships that function every eating venue.
American Diner
Included; lunch and dinner
This Nineteen Fifties-inspired diner featured on all six ships in NCL’s Breakaway and Breakaway Plus lessons gives quintessential midcentury consolation meals — from cheeseburgers and meatloaf to rooster pot pie and spaghetti and meatballs. Desserts embody bread pudding and carrot walnut cake. The meals is now all free (Norwegian made this modification in early 2024), however if you wish to wash it down with a milkshake, you may have to pay up.
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Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Encore, Escape, Getaway and Pleasure
Atrium Cafe
A la carte; espresso and snacks
Atrium Cafe is a espresso and cocktail bar that serves cold and warm drinks together with a choice of cookies, pastries and different snacks. Alternately, some NCL ships function Starbucks cafes.
Accessible on: Norwegian Escape, Jewel, Spirit, Star and Solar
Cadillac Diner
Included; breakfast, lunch and dinner
You will have to move to Hawaii to benefit from the barbecue pulled pork sliders, pretzel bites, Reuben sandwiches and extra served up retro-style within the Cadillac Diner. This venue, with its funky black-and-white checkered flooring and vinyl cubicles wedged between two sections of a classic pink sedan, is discovered solely on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Delight of America. It is open 24 hours a day, and all the things is complimentary apart from the milkshakes.
Accessible on: Delight of America
Cagney’s Steakhouse
A la carte; dinner
Accessible: Fleetwide (besides Norwegian Sky)
Associated: The most effective cruise ship steakhouses and steak-serving eating places
Chinese language restaurant
Included; dinner, plus lunch on choose days
When you’re craving shrimp dumplings or a bowl of stir-fried noodles with beef, various older Norwegian Cruise Line ships function a complimentary Chinese language restaurant the place you may get your repair. Names range by ship — you may discover Bamboo on Daybreak, Shanghai’s on Epic, Orchid Backyard on Gem, Jasmine Backyard on Jade, Chin Chin on Jewel, Lotus Backyard on Pearl, Silk on Spirit, Ginza on Star and East Meets West on Delight of America — however the menus are related.
Accessible on: Norwegian Daybreak, Epic, Gem, Jade, Jewel, Pearl, Delight of America, Spirit and Star
Coco’s
A la carte; snacks and treats
A cross between an ice cream parlor and a sweet store, Coco’s options an array of treats — candies from all over the world, milkshakes, crepes and extra — to fulfill your candy tooth.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss and Encore
Dolce Gelato
A la carte; snacks and treats
When it is midafternoon and the solar within the Caribbean or Mediterranean is blazing, you may head to this takeaway counter on Deck 8 for a cup or cone of irresistibly creamy gelato.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Encore, Escape and Getaway
Meals Republic
A la carte; dinner and lunch on sea days
This globally impressed specialty restaurant with an Asian-Latin fusion theme stays standard virtually a decade after its debut on Norwegian Escape. You will need to order a number of dishes to share family-style from Meals Republic’s menu sections: Sushi Bar (eight completely different rolls), Hand Helds (all the things from pork stomach bao buns to kanpachi wonton tacos), Sharing Is Caring (grilled shishito peppers, spicy Korean fried rooster, salt and pepper calamari and extra), Noodles/Rice/Soups (shrimp pad thai to Vietnamese Pho Tai) and Sugar Pump (desserts that includes inexperienced tea, chocolate and ginger caramel).
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Encore, Escape, Pleasure, Prima and Viva
Backyard Cafe
Included; breakfast, lunch and dinner
Typically, the buffet is the reply. It is excellent while you get on board the primary day and have to seize a fast chunk earlier than you discover the ship or while you arrive again after a daylong shore tour and need to refuel straight away with out having to vary garments. Backyard Cafe gives loads of choices, together with carved meats or grilled fish with assorted facet dishes, a salad bar, soups, pasta, burgers and fries, and desserts. Most objects are precooked and stored heat underneath warmth lamps, so it isn’t the freshest choice, however it’s normally packed at breakfast and lunch with friends who just like the all-you-can-eat parts.
Accessible: Fleetwide (besides Norwegian Prima and Viva)
Associated: Cruise ship buffet taboos: 10 issues it is best to by no means do at mealtime
Hasuki
Cowl cost; dinner
It is a barely extra elevated model of NCL’s Teppanyaki restaurant. You will be seated with different friends round a grill, and as you dine on edamame, miso soup and seaweed salad, the chef will put together your entree (a selection of rooster, beef, seafood or teriyaki-glazed tofu or considered one of 4 combos) with nice aptitude. These fresh-from-the-grill proteins are served with garlic fried rice and grilled greens, and the dessert that follows is both a inexperienced tea cake or fruit sashimi.
Accessible on: Norwegian Prima and Viva
Hudson’s
Included; breakfast, lunch and dinner
This round, light-filled house debuted on Norwegian Prima in 2022 as a brand new predominant eating room choice. It options the identical day by day rotating menu because the second predominant eating room, the Commodore Room, however what units this venue aside is its bright-and-airy atmosphere, courtesy of 270-degree floor-to-ceiling home windows.
Accessible on: Norwegian Prima and Viva
Indulge Meals Corridor
Included; breakfast, lunch and dinner
This new informal eating idea, additionally launched on Norwegian Prima, rapidly grew to become a well-liked different to the Surfside Cafe buffet (see beneath) for each lunch and dinner; at breakfast, it serves an analogous however extra restricted menu as Surfside. The enchantment of Indulge Meals Corridor is the variability — there are greater than 4 dozen menu objects from seven distributors: Tapas, The Backyard, Nudls, The Latin Quarter, Q Texas Smokehouse, Seaside Rotisserie and Tamara — served in small-plate parts. You possibly can get pleasure from rooster korma, pad thai, pulled pork, crispy fried okra, a mushroom tostada and bacon-wrapped medjool dates, all ordered out of your desk through a pill.
Accessible on: Norwegian Prima and Viva
La Cucina
A la carte; dinner
La Cucina was Norwegian’s sole Italian specialty restaurant till the launch of Onda by Scarpetta on Norwegian Encore in 2018, and the 2 eating places are fairly completely different. La Cucina is the extra conventional, that includes basic Italian favorites — caprese salad, fried calamari, spaghetti carbonara, pizza, rooster cacciatore and osso buco alla Milanese — whereas Onda’s menu focuses on extra finessed trendy Italian dishes.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Daybreak, Epic, Escape, Gem, Getaway, Jade, Pleasure, Pearl, Sky, Star and Solar
Le Bistro
A la carte; dinner
Like Cagney’s, NCL’s French fine-dining restaurant is a longtime favourite that is featured fleetwide (it is known as Jefferson’s Bistro on Delight of America). In style with {couples} for special day dinners, Le Bistro options all the things from steak tartare and escargot to braised lamb shank and roasted duck breast. With its a la carte pricing, that is among the many richest (and costliest) eating experiences on board, particularly if accompanied by a bottle of Champagne or different French wine. Le Bistro eating places on Norwegian Prima and Viva are particularly atmospheric, with dramatic large-scale chandeliers and stylish ivory-and-blue decor.
Accessible: Fleetwide
Los Lobos
A la carte; dinner
Vibrant decor and complicated Mexican delicacies that goes past the standard Tex-Mex fare make Los Lobos an interesting choice should you’re crusing on one of many six ships that function it. The guacamole, made recent tableside, is a should. Different menu choices embody Mexican-style shrimp ceviche, grilled mahi-mahi tacos, nopales (cactus) salad, rooster mole enchiladas and cochinita pibil (slow-braised pork). High all of it off with a tres leches cake with coconut cream.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Daybreak, Encore, Prima, Solar and Viva
Important eating room
Included; breakfast, lunch and dinner
Norwegian Cruise Line ships function at the very least two predominant eating rooms, and generally even three. Names range by ship — though the six Breakaway Class and Breakaway Plus Class ships all function the Manhattan Room, plus Savor and Style, and Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva have the Commodore Room and Hudson’s. Menus change day by day all through the cruise and have a choice of American and worldwide dishes.
Accessible: Fleetwide
Moderno Churrascaria
Cowl cost; dinner
Carnivores can devour their fill of a wide range of meats the standard Brazilian method as gauchos carve and serve cuts of beef, lamb, pork, sausage and rooster proper on the desk. Those that choose to restrict their meat consumption can replenish as a substitute on the salad bar, which options 43 objects. White rice, black beans, sauteed mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes, fried yucca and Brazilian cheese bread are additionally served as facet dishes.
Accessible on: Norwegian Breakaway, Daybreak, Epic, Escape, Getaway, Jade, Jewel, Pearl, Star and Solar
Nama Sushi & Sashimi
A la carte; dinner
One other new restaurant to debut on Norwegian Prima, Nama Sushi & Sashimi does not veer too removed from its identify, serving six completely different sushi rolls (from yellowtail to rock shrimp), three sashimi choices and a wide range of appetizers, most of which function uncooked fish. Even the dessert — pineapple carpaccio — is raw.
Accessible on: Norwegian Prima and Viva
Ocean Blue
A la carte; dinner
Ocean Blue is a sublime seafood restaurant featured on NCL’s six Breakaway Class and Breakaway Plus Class ships. (It is often known as Bayamo by Ocean Blue on Norwegian Escape.) Visitors can savor appetizers reminiscent of crabcakes, pan-seared scallops and an ahi tuna and avocado tower, adopted by steamed or grilled lobster, seafood linguini or just grilled fish (salmon, tuna, cod or sea bass) served with a selection of sauces. All Ocean Blue eating places are positioned on Deck 8 and have indoor and outside seating on The Waterfront.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Encore, Escape, Getaway and Pleasure
Onda by Scarpetta
A la carte; dinner
Fashionable Italian delicacies is the centerpiece of Onda by Scarpetta, one other of NCL’s elevated specialty eating choices and the sister restaurant to land-based Scarpetta. Launched in 2019 on Norwegian Encore and extra not too long ago rolled out on the road’s latest ships (plus at the very least one older vessel), Onda by Scarpetta indulges with antipasti starters reminiscent of burrata, brief ribs and braised octopus, a half dozen pasta choices (together with pappardelle Bolognese and Scarpetta’s well-known spaghetti with tomato and basil) and eventually will get round to secondis reminiscent of veal Milanese and grilled branzino. The principle query might be: Do you’ve gotten room for dessert?
Accessible on: Norwegian Encore, Prima, Spirit and Viva
O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill
Included; 24-hour eating
This vigorous and social pub-style eatery overlooks the buzzing three-deck Atrium on Breakaway Class ships and can be featured on seven older NCL ships. It is open 24 hours a day and serves consolation classics reminiscent of burgers, fish and chips, rooster wings, beef chili and loaded nachos.
Accessible on: Norwegian Breakaway, Daybreak, Epic, Escape, Gem, Getaway, Jade, Jewel, Pearl and Star
Palomar
A la carte; dinner
One among NCL’s latest eating venues, Palomar celebrates the Mediterranean with a menu that includes numerous Greek influences. Seafood dishes outnumber meat choices and embody tuna crudo, grilled prawns, Mediterranean sea bass with chickpeas and saffron puree, and sea scallops with prosciutto, le puy lentils, clams and pistachio pesto. Desserts embody Greek yogurt sorbet with orange custard pie.
Accessible on: Norwegian Prima and Viva
Pincho Tapas Bar
A la carte; dinner
This distinctive Spanish-style tapas bar is discovered on just one ship within the Breakaway Class and suits in with the ship’s total Miami/Latin-influenced theme. Head to Pinchos should you’re seeking to get pleasure from small-plate dishes reminiscent of blue crab salad and bacon-wrapped dates, in addition to chorizo, calamari, shrimp, scallops and extra served a la plancha. Wash all of it down with a Spanish pink, a glass of sangria or a signature Matador cocktail.
Accessible on: Norwegian Escape
Pool Grill
Included; informal lunch
Three Norwegian ships function a pool grill (all with completely different names) that is open for lunch and late afternoon snacks. The venue serves informal fare reminiscent of burgers, scorching canine and french fries.
Accessible on: Norwegian Daybreak, Gem and Delight of America
Q Texas Smokehouse
A la carte; dinner
This barbecue eatery debuted on Norwegian Bliss in 2018, and its menu options smoked meats (pit classics like brisket, pulled pork and beef brief ribs), in addition to calorific sides (loaded fries, crispy fried okra, onion rings and macaroni and cheese). You can even get pleasure from dwell nation music and even sweat off the surplus energy by dancing (earlier than ordering pecan pie or peach cobbler for dessert). A extra restricted menu is offered without spending a dime as a part of Indulge Meals Corridor on Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva — however you may want to bop elsewhere.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Encore and Pleasure
Savor (and Style)
Included; breakfast, lunch and dinner
These two eating places on all six Breakaway Class and Breakaway Plus Class ships are basically smaller-scale predominant eating rooms. They’re positioned throughout from one another on Deck 6 and have lunch and dinner menus that change day by day.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Encore, Escape, Getaway and Pleasure
Shanghai’s Noodle Bar
Included; lunch and dinner
This informal eating venue serves a choice of freshly ready and wok-fried Asian noodle and rice dishes, from pork pot stickers and steamed vegetable dumplings to Singapore-style rice noodles and udon noodles in broth.
Accessible on: Norwegian Breakaway, Epic and Getaway
Sports activities Bar
Included; informal pub fare
Whereas most NCL ships, except for Delight of America, have a pub-style complimentary eatery — both O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill or The Native Bar & Grill — one older outlier has Sports activities Bar. Like the opposite eateries, this venue is free and options consolation classics reminiscent of Reuben sandwiches, rooster wings and fish and chips.
Accessible on: Norwegian Solar
Starbucks
A la carte; espresso, breakfast and snacks
NCL wasn’t the primary cruise line to function the well-known espresso chain (that might be Royal Caribbean), however it now has probably the most Starbucks cafes on board its ships. Visitors can buy frappuccinos, lattes, chilly brews and lots of the different espresso, tea and breakfast and pastry objects which might be accessible on land.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Encore, Epic, Gem, Getaway, Pleasure, Prima, Sky and Viva
Surfside Cafe & Grill
Included; breakfast, lunch and dinner
With the debut of Norwegian Prima, NCL advanced its buffet-style restaurant (often known as Backyard Cafe on most ships) to Surfside Cafe & Grill. The Deck 17 house is notably smaller, although, resulting from the truth that Prima Class ships additionally function Indulge Meals Corridor and The Native Bar & Grill as complimentary informal eating choices. The diminished measurement does end in some overcrowding, particularly at breakfast, with overflow friends directed to seek out seats within the adjoining Meals Republic house.
Accessible on: Norwegian Prima and Viva
Teppanyaki
Cowl cost; dinner
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Daybreak, Encore, Epic, Escape, Gem, Getaway, Jade, Jewel, Pleasure, Pearl, Spirit, Star and Solar
The Bake Store
A la carte; snacks and treats
A sugar rush is virtually assured at The Bake Store, a Deck 8 confectionery promoting assorted bonbons (with fillings from ardour fruit to praline), cupcakes (greater than a dozen choices, together with pink velvet, chocolate-pistachio and lemon merengue) and French macarons in a dozen flavors.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Encore and Getaway
The Nice Outside
Included; lunch
This outside informal buffet on seven Norwegian Cruise Line ships has a come-as-you-are costume code and serves burgers, scorching canine, fries and different objects for friends who need to get pleasure from some ocean surroundings with their lunch.
Accessible on: Norwegian Epic, Gem, Jade, Jewel, Pearl, Sky and Solar
The Haven Restaurant
Included for friends booked in The Haven; breakfast, lunch and dinner
When you ebook a set in The Haven, the unique ship-within-a-ship enclave discovered on each new NCL ship because it was launched on Norwegian Epic in 2010, you may get pleasure from entry to The Haven Restaurant. Open solely to Haven friends, it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Menus right here don’t change, however there are typically sufficient choices (a dozen appetizers and 10 entrees at dinner, for instance) that you would be able to dine right here a number of occasions with out repeating a dish or operating out of fascinating dishes to strive.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Encore, Epic, Escape, Getaway, Pleasure, Prima and Viva
The Native Bar & Grill
Included; 24-hour eating
The Native Bar & Grill is a popular hangout for sports activities telecasts and trivia contests, in addition to a go-to for friends when anytime-hunger strikes. Like its consolation meals sibling O’Sheehans’s Bar & Grill, its 24-hour menu options breakfast, all-day and late-night objects that embody omelets, cheeseburgers, rooster wings, fish and chips and loaded nachos.
Accessible on: Norwegian Bliss, Encore, Pleasure, Prima, Sky, Spirit and Viva
The Uncooked Bar
A la carte; dinner
Positioned adjoining to Ocean Blue, this informal choice with counter seating serves oysters, clams, shellfish and crudos (salmon tartare, black sea bass ceviche and extra), in addition to wines by the glass and a choice of desserts.
Accessible on: Norwegian Breakaway and Getaway
Topsiders Bar & Grill
Included; informal pool grill with various hours
5 older NCL ships function Topsiders Bar & Grill, a poolside venue serving burgers, scorching canine, french fries and different takeaway objects.
Accessible on: Norwegian Gem, Jewel, Pearl, Sky and Star
Wasabi (or Sushi)
A la carte; dinner
This modern sushi bar — known as both Wasabi or Sushi, relying on the ship — is the spot for cocktails, sake and Japanese specialties that embody sesame seaweed salad, sushi and specialty rolls, nigiri, sashimi and yakitori. On Prima Class ships, you may discover Nama Sushi & Sashimi with a distinct menu.
Accessible on: Norwegian Breakaway, Daybreak, Epic, Gem, Getaway, Jade, Jewel, Pearl, Spirit, Star and Solar
FAQs about NCL eating
Is Norwegian Cruise Line’s meals free?
You possibly can dine without spending a dime throughout your cruise at any of the complimentary eating venues on board NCL ships. There are usually 4 to 6 included eating venues per ship, a number of of which serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Is there a predominant eating room?
Sure, all NCL ships function a predominant eating room — some have as many as three — and Freestyle Eating means you may select when to dine (inside the specified breakfast, lunch and dinner hours).
Do I have to make reservations?
You do not want to make reservations for the primary eating rooms or informal venues like O’Sheehan’s or the buffet. Nonetheless, you may make reservations for the primary eating rooms should you’d choose to eat at a selected time and want to keep away from lengthy wait occasions throughout the most well-liked dinner hours.
Sit-down specialty eating places all the time require a reservation. The earlier you may make one, the higher. You possibly can ebook specialty eating on-line through the cruise line’s web site or app or by calling Norwegian reservations. You can even reserve while you get on board, however you threat that the extra standard eateries will already be absolutely booked, particularly through the peak summer time and vacation intervals. Stroll-ins are permitted if house is offered, however you may doubtless want to indicate up early or late to snag a desk.
Does Norwegian provide room service?
Sure, NCL gives 24-hour room service, however you’ll be charged a comfort payment of as much as $9.95 per supply, except for morning espresso, continental breakfast and orders positioned by friends staying in The Haven. A 20% gratuity and beverage service cost may also be added for noncomplimentary drinks and special day objects delivered to your room.
How a lot does specialty eating value?
It varies by restaurant. At venues with a la carte pricing, reminiscent of Cagney’s, Ocean Blue, Onda by Scarpetta and Le Bistro, it is simple to rack up a invoice of $80 per particular person, not together with drinks. NCL’s sushi eating places are additionally a la carte, as is Meals Republic. Two folks with a mean urge for food can dine at each for round $50 to $60 per particular person, not together with drinks. Different venues, reminiscent of Teppanyaki and Moderno Churrascaria, function a set cowl cost of $59 per particular person.
Does NCL provide specialty eating packages?
Sure and should you like a wide range of cuisines and plan to dine at two or extra extra-charge eating places, buying a specialty eating bundle is sensible.
These vary in value from $99 per particular person for a two-meal bundle to $469 per particular person for a 14-meal bundle. The worth per meal will get decrease the extra meals you buy — from $49.50 per dinner on a two-meal bundle to $33.50 per dinner for 14 meals. Even the four-meal bundle at $169 per particular person is an efficient deal at $42.25 per dinner, given the a la carte pricing tremendously exceeds that (for 3 programs) at most specialty eating places and eateries with cowl fees are priced at $59 per particular person.
Additionally, a choose variety of specialty eating meals are usually included with NCL’s Free at Sea reserving promotion.
What about service fees?
A 20% gratuity and specialty service cost will mechanically be added to the price of your specialty eating bundle while you buy it or to your onboard eating cost should you pay a la carte or a flat cowl cost.
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