Zach: One reason I like your channel so much is--- well, you are a solo cruiser: NO distraction from a "spouse" or anyone else. You call your own agenda! Some times I have difficulty keeping up with your word pace, but I manage. I honestly look forward to your next post. 73s.
Frequent NCL cruisers here. Breakaway , Breakaway plus, and most recently the Prima. If you ever get a chance to do the Haven Resturant it will blow you away.
I have taken 58 NCL solo cruises. I will have to say since covid, their food has gone down hill. It is still ok but nothing like precovid. But will be on my 59th and 60th NCL cruise in two weeks.
If you make it back on a Norwegian ship, I highly recommend the Rueben sandwich from the local as well. It's also available on the late nite menu. So good
We enjoyed all the food on the Encore back in December 2022 and we dined everywhere, too! To each his or her own as they say!! NCL is an incredible cruise line and every service person went out of their way to ensure we were having a memorable vacation. Will be traveling on The Jade to the Caribbean in February 2024. Hubby and I can't wait to get back on board. Cheers!
Just got off that cruise. The buffet smoked the Local. Taste of India was maybe the best food I had on there. Ocean Blue was good too. Honestly, don't sleep on the buffet, great options. Where else have you seen Yorkshire Pudding on a cruise ship?
Hey Zach, I pretty much fully agree with your assessment. MDR breakfasts and lunches on NCL are some of the best on any cruise line. In my experience the MDR lunch menus rotate every 3 days or so, it’s not the same every day. MDR dinners, on the other hand, leave a lot to be desired. Tough cuts of meat, no lobster night, no Beef Wellington, etc. And the specialty dining can be hit or miss.
I have 133 nites with NCL, La Bisto is a fantastic restrant The be escargot is the abstract appetizer the onion soup is hard to beat, the lamb chops are outstanding, chicken wings best things on Locals menu.
I was a little disappointed you didn’t comment on the buffet. I have to say the Reuben and pretzel bites are my favorites from the Local on other ships. My first time on Encore is this week!
Thanks Zach! We know that your food reviews align with what we like and think. The crab cake, wings, bbq ribs and first burger, Los Lobos Q Smokehouse, and your other highlighted offerings looked great! Clearly Norwegian is capable of delivering stellar results but seems a bit inconsistent. Keep up the great work! We can't wait for your next reviews.
@@ZachtheTravelingManI’m new to your channel and new to cruises I’m going on the joy in may and having anxiety over the food . This video is so helpful! Thank you
You need to eat some really good seafood somewhere. Red Lobster is hardly something to use as a benchmark. But this video was very informative. I'll be on the Escape in a few months and I've girded myself with: "Well, either the food will be good and I'll eat it or it will be bad and I'll just do intermittent fasting and lose weight." ;)
I know good sea food also being an East Coaster. I was using that more as an example of what I assumed the plate would be. However it was even worse than that.
We have done 12 cruise's on NCl and have found the food is pretty good and all of them. It always depends on what you expect. We are going on the Encore next year so will check out some of the places you suggested.
We just got off rhe 10 day Breakaway Mediterranean cruise. Food was good with NCL. Best part of a cruise is I didn’t have to cook the food. The new food hall they have now on Prima and Viva looks good. Looking forward to going on one of those ships.
Hey great review and good to know as im going on this ship in january 25 btw are you from the midwest you said alot of things that i totally related with
I love wings so it’s nice to see there’s a reliable option for them on at least one ship out there. But your Los Lobos meal had me drooling. I love maduros (fried plantains) and elote (street corn) so I’m glad to hear they tasted great. Oh man, that platter! It looks amazing but probably better to share that with one or two other people.
Potatoes help filter used oil that is not trashed but usually would only serve with fish orders though. I prefer Le Bistro so I was happy everyone else wanted Cagney's.
We just completed our first Norwegian Cruise, and it was on the Encore one month ago. The Encore is a beautiful ship . Having said that, here are the few things that we ran into. Breakfast was great except for the fact that we couldn't find link sausage that wasn't pork. It took some time to get used to freestyle dining 🍽 vs. Assigned seating. My wifes fries were warm at best, but they made up for that. The entertainment was great with a Beatles tribute band and Choir of Man. Texas BBQ was okay. The Encore racetrack was worth the wait. I would give Encore 3.5 to 4 stars.
I've been on the Encore's sister ship, the Bliss, a couple of times and I have to agree that the Q Smokehouse is criminally underrated. I had the brisket there and my only disappointment was the fact that I'd eaten earlier in the day and couldn't eat everything that was on the plate.
I sail on NCL twice a year and I have always enjoyed the food. The Local (O'Sheehan's on some ships) has good wings , pretzel bites, fish & chips and reuben sandwich. You can usually find something good at the buffet, and the main dining rooms are good. I ate at Ocean Blue on the Bliss and was disappointed, I agree that the Q Smokehouse is great. Cagney's is good, but if you can get a rib eye in the main dining room, it is good, so save your specialty dining for Q or Teppanaki. Sailing next month on the Encore. Really looking forward to it.
Thanks Bro. I'm going on my first cruise July 23 on The Escape. Because of this video i think my one free specialty dining will be Ocean Blue although im definitely gonna skip the Fish and Chips. Maybe ill do some kind of Salmon. Or maybe ill do The Mexican restaurant . Does the free Drink package include beers at those specialty restaurants. I think not, correct? You have to pay there.
Food is such an important component of any cruise...especially for being one with celiac, it can be especially difficult. It does look like there are plenty of options for everyone! Lovely! Bruce and Otis
@@ZachtheTravelingManthis was something I was curious about about , people who have allergies or food issues hence can give anxiety when it comes to food , I’m going on my first ever cruise in may on the joy I hope everything is good and they have options for gluten free etc
Just coming off the Encore in April, you are right on in your review, my exception was the service in Cagney’s are food was top notch but i had the Ny strip and the service was wonderful. Loved the Local, only ate lunch, hated the blue cheese burger also...wings wings, wings and the Reuben ..yum. I cant believe you did not have the Rueben Zack😮 Thanks for the review🚢
Just got back from an Encore cruise. I agree that Los Lobos was amazing. We found the buffet to be a mad-house with inadequate seating. People were caring their plates to other floors to eat since the tables were packed in the buffet. The MDRs had a very nice atmosphere, but as a whole, the food was not very good. There were a few exceptions, but overall, if that food were served at a restaurant on land, I wouldn't bother going back again. Overall, were were very disappointed with the food.
On this ship in December and went free at sea plus so, I have 3 specialty dining. Catch me at Los Lobos/Steakhouse/Smokehouse based off your rec. Thanks for the video!
On our recent cruise on the Encore, I was somewhat disappointed in the food while I was on the ship. But honestly, I was sick with the flu for the last 4 days and wasn’t feeling the best at the beginning. I didn’t eat much at any place we went. The local was our main place for breakfast after the first day when we tried the buffet which was the worst food on the ship. The only thing that tasted good to us was the bacon. The pancakes were so cold you couldn’t melt the butter, which was very hard to find. We ate at Ocean Blue which was good, los lobos was really good and Cagney which as the best we got on the ship. Overall was very disappointed in the food compared to our cruise on the Gem a few years. But being sick I’m sure didn’t help. I lost 7 lbs on this one.
Excellent dining summary. We'll be on the Encore in December so this is very helpful. Thank you. BTW, we've been on 5 other NCL ships and dining has always been pretty good for the most part. Much more consistency that CCL, RC, Princess and MSC.
@@anthonyr7208 Sometimes "Specialty dinners" come with the Free package, all they charge you is the gratuity !! Like I was charged $19.80 gratuity for 2 Specialty Dinners.
Zach, thank you been following you about 9 months. You convinced me to not do a cruise ever again. I did Silver Sea, Voyagers to Europe and Russia in 2008-10. It was so far better then.
Zach, agree with you on the fries, however, if you try Cagney's again order the Truffle Fries as one of your sides - they are like any other on NCL and will blow you away.
Happy to see the food is still high quality! I was worried with all the other cuts NCL is doing. One night in the main dining room they served steak frites, and you would've thought the steak was an upcharge with how good it was. The only real disappointment I think I had the entire cruise was the calamari at Onda. It was way too greasy and had too much batter. Everything else was good to great.
Hey Zach - thank you so much for putting so much into your food reviews. On my list - Food is close to #1 if not #1. LOL! So this is very helpful and enjoyable to view and hear.
Cant believe they charge $99 for specialty dining plus a gratuity. Thats more than the steakhouse on most cruises. Used to really want to go on NCL but all the things I am hearing lately smells like cost cutting. Not on my shortlist at all at the moment, not even considering them. As for your ribeye in Cagney's, IT WAS NOT a Ribeye it was a strip. I am not a butcher but I know how to recognize a steak. Probably why you thought it was tough.
I had a great tilapia at Ocean Blue outside in warmer oceans during with a mild cruising breeze. I would almost sign up for another NCL cruise just for Q Smokehouse. As a southerner my most consistent disappointment was terrible powder mix ice tea (the whole ship - buffet to specialty)
I liked most of my dining experience on the Encore. The one thing that was consistently disappointing was the fries and weirdly the desert. But other than Cagneys I don’t remember if I liked Cagneys. I loved the Brazillian and La Bistro… Food is really subjective and every restaurant has good and bad days. I loved the Monte Cristo and Ribs. I loved the atmosphere of the Manhattan Room
Do they still have nightly specials in the Local? I heard they have stopped having that as they have stopped doing it in O'Sheehan's on other NCL ships.
Thank you so much Zach for all the good info. I am cruising on an NCL ship in Feb. I'm not a big alcohol drinker but am considering buying the Starbucks drink package in lieu of the NCL non-alcoholic drink packages. If you go on an NCL again soon would you consider doing something showcasing that package and the advantages and disadvantages of having that Starbucks package? Just a thought. I appreciate you. Thank you for your time and happy cruising! 😊
Ever considered you don’t have to run and eat? Like service in Europe is slower as well, we don’t mind taking our time to eat. You never seem positive about a cruiseline if been on and know to be good
I like buffets because (a) there is a good selection, (b) I can walk around, and check out the food before I decide what I'm going to eat (and, therefore, I am much less likely to be surprised), and (c) it's a much more relaxed and laid-back environment than posh specialty restaurants (although the food might be great at some of these). Your day 5 meal at Los Lobos looked and sounded amazing.
Los Lobos is underrated! One drawback to cruising solo is that I can’t justify ordering the tableside guac - no way I could make a respectable dent in that dish. I like breakfast in the MDR but dinner, meh, I either do a specialty or get Indian food at the buffet.
How does dining work for the free restaurant? Let's say you wanted to get 2 main sirloin plates, would they let you? Does anyone have experience with how they handel food allergies? Are they gracious about it or not? If you go to a specialty restaurant without the dining package, can you still eat there and just ordere what you'd like? I have a gluten, dairy, egg and night shades sensitivity, so i pretty much just eat meat & veggies, but I like big portions of the meat & veggies, so I'm not sure how well this will worked. I've not been on a cruise before, so I don't really know how it all works.
Did you travel solo? Was it okay sitting at those tables alone? I'm about to do a solo cruise and have been feeling a little weird about sitting at a table for one at the specialty restaurants.. I wish there was a bar at all the specialty restaurants to sit at.
I sailed on NCL one time...And the food was hit or miss mostly miss...either bland or cold...I never sailed on NCL since then...I pay too much to go back after a big disappointment...We started cruising with Celebrity in 1990 and never looked back...why try to fix something that is not broken...As far as the fries...I have had better fries at 5 guys...they actually use Idaho potatoes for their fries...
havent had a bad meal on any NCL ship for me. their lasagna was even good, needed black pepper but i wasnt hungry and didnt send any dishes back. NCL wings are GOOD
Zack complimentary means free. It would be complimentary if they gave you a meal without paying in a speciality restaurant, but everything else is included in the cruise fare ,it is not complimentary., you have paid for it. Enjoy your videos.
That's what I keep telling everyone who does these videos, and they seem to ALL use the terms free or complimentary. They should use the terms "included in the fare" or "no additional charge". The food is already included in the fare which you've already paid for.
I am currently on Encore. Honestly, I am very disappointed about their breakfast options. No green veggies at all except tiny bit spinach and green onions for omelet.
At Ocean Blue on another NCL ship i had what you had and enjoyed most of it, but that apple tart was cardboard with slivers of apple plastered on it. Their gumbo is good! I had gotten the seafood platter at Cagney's on the same ship the night before and it was broiled and the squid was rancid so i couldn't eat any if it and got something else. At Ocean Blue i got the seafood linguini and they must have used the same bad squid as it was also rancid! I got them to make it without squid and it was very good! I'm surprised that they used the same french fries in all restaurants on the Encore! Even steak fries would have been better with a steak meal.
Glad to hear food on the Encore is good. We’re on the Epic now. I would not recommend the food at all. You will not likely starve but I would not say it is above mediocre.
We just got off the Disney Fantasy last week. The first 2 days, the food was amazing then it fell off sharply! BUT our servers were the BEST. Was it worth every penny paid? No! The best meal we had was in specialty dining @ Palo. Other than that, bit and pieces of meals were good. It was hit and miss. The last day, food was just terrible! Like, it’s the last day leftovers.
Enjoyed your video and food review. It seems that the food wasn't too good on average. I'm a cruise snob and will only cruise Royal or Disney. Mainly because of the food. I've only heard negative things about the food quality on this cruiseline.
It makes me sad to hear that the only response your seafood specialty restaurant server had to your untouched entree was "I guess you didn't like it". I would have expected his follow-up to be "Can I bring you something else?" You need to send inedible food back, especially if you are paying extra for it. I haven't cruised in a decade, but it sounds like things have really changed, and not for the better.
Many cruises still have that solid customer service. I took a transatlantic with Royal in November, and if I poked a bit at something but mostly left it alone my waiter was quick to change my perspective. I was always offered a different dish, and often when I first ordered they would suggest 2 entrees because “You’re on vacation!” I usually declined but they were persistent and it was fun to try a few things 😊 It was rhapsody of the seas in case you’re curious. I had a fantastic time. Excellent service.
I'm always surprised when I see videos of restaurant reviews and the comment is a negative, but they don't get it replaced! You are there to get good you want to eat! Whether a complimentary food item or a specialty meal, you are there to enjoy it! Get it replaced! Not to your liking in any way means get something else! At a complimentary restaurant, if it's a small portion, don't complain, get another! Even at Cagney's Steakhouse, if I really like the shrimp cocktail, I tell the waiter, and most times, they say, "Let me get you another!" No complaints, make it better!
@@ZachtheTravelingMan I know you know, but I would have liked to see you send back the poor dishes with your criticisms to the kitchen and then order something else, rather than seeing you suffer through bad dishes for no reason. You couldn't even be honest with the waiter when he noticed you didn't like the dish. Come on.
We just got off of the cruise from hell, Norwegian Escape. That food on that ship was mediocre, 2 levels below Applebees…. 🤢…. Multiple people who have cruised over 29 times or more. Indicated that was the worse cruise they had been on too!
That did not look like a ribeye at Cagney's. That looked like a strip steak. Q on the Bliss was the worst meal I've ever had on NCL, so it can be hit or miss. The Local is great if you know what to order, and you figured it out. Breakfast there is better than the buffet usually, but not always. It's faster than main dining, which is its appeal along with the 24 hour thing, which is nice. Good review overall. Every cruise has hits and misses. NCL has way better food than Carnival. I did 14 days on the Dream last month. Just be thankful you were on NCL. That's all I'm gonna say about that! ;)
enjoyed this video. we are going on the encore in september to alaska. hope we can make the dining room reservations it is 39 days out. i did book cagneys and ocean blue.
Not sure why people keep going on Norwegian and expecting good food. You should *never* go on a Norwegian cruise just for the food. Is it because of all of their specialty dining venues? They wouldn't even have those if the included food was any good. If you want better food, go take Carnival, believe it or not (or any other cruise line).
I agree. Of all the cruise lines I've ever been on, and I've been on most of them, Norwegian's food is the worst. In my experience in order in ranking the food: Oceania, Holland America, Celebrity, Disney, Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, then Norwegian.
Fantastic review as usual well done and very detailed. I really enjoyed your Summit and Equinox reviews since Irene and myself will be sailing on her this October and the Equinox April 2024 on a Transatlantic. If anyone hasn’t seen his reviews on those ships do yourself a favour and watch them. 😊
I am enjoying this video, I will say, understanding I don't know you or where you are from, but your accent tells me you shouldn't expect to be happy ordering fried fish or barbecue on a ship.
Very detailed food review. NCL has great food. But I haven’t been impressed with the steakhouse (Cagney’s) both times on 2 different ships. I had better steaks at Texas Roadhouse. I guess I was expecting Ruth’s Chris quality for a specialty restaurant. I think the local replaced O’Sheehan’s. Definitely a great place ’
Most of this food is all pre-made, cooked, flash frozen and delivered by vendors like Sysco or US Foods. They food is then just heated up at the restaurant. This allows them to hire low skilled people at minimum wage. It also reduces waste because they don't overcook food or spill ingredients.
Zach: One reason I like your channel so much is--- well, you are a solo cruiser: NO distraction from a "spouse" or anyone else. You call your own agenda! Some times I have difficulty keeping up with your word pace, but I manage. I honestly look forward to your next post. 73s.
73 is already plural and why use ham jargon on a cruise page….
Frequent NCL cruisers here.
Breakaway , Breakaway plus, and most recently the Prima.
If you ever get a chance to do the Haven Resturant it will blow you away.
I have taken 58 NCL solo cruises. I will have to say since covid, their food has gone down hill. It is still ok but nothing like precovid. But will be on my 59th and 60th NCL cruise in two weeks.
Thanks for sharing your experience, and glad you enjoyed the food!
Thanks for dinner! 😋
If you make it back on a Norwegian ship, I highly recommend the Rueben sandwich from the local as well. It's also available on the late nite menu. So good
We enjoyed all the food on the Encore back in December 2022 and we dined everywhere, too! To each his or her own as they say!! NCL is an incredible cruise line and every service person went out of their way to ensure we were having a memorable vacation. Will be traveling on The Jade to the Caribbean in February 2024. Hubby and I can't wait to get back on board. Cheers!
Just got off that cruise. The buffet smoked the Local. Taste of India was maybe the best food I had on there. Ocean Blue was good too. Honestly, don't sleep on the buffet, great options. Where else have you seen Yorkshire Pudding on a cruise ship?
Hey Zach, I pretty much fully agree with your assessment. MDR breakfasts and lunches on NCL are some of the best on any cruise line. In my experience the MDR lunch menus rotate every 3 days or so, it’s not the same every day. MDR dinners, on the other hand, leave a lot to be desired. Tough cuts of meat, no lobster night, no Beef Wellington, etc. And the specialty dining can be hit or miss.
Very informative and no unnecessary fluff. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
This is great! Nothing like a nice batch of fish fries. Los Lobos might be one of my all time favorites!
I just went on the Encore in November and I loved it! I ate at Onda and Los Lobos, and a bunch of binges at the Garden Cafe, and it was amazing!
Not the fries in the fish oil😅😅😅
I have 133 nites with NCL, La Bisto is a fantastic restrant The be escargot is the abstract appetizer the onion soup is hard to beat, the lamb chops are outstanding, chicken wings best things on Locals menu.
A few years back, they had the molten lava cake available every night at the main dining room.
I was a little disappointed you didn’t comment on the buffet. I have to say the Reuben and pretzel bites are my favorites from the Local on other ships. My first time on Encore is this week!
Wow! The food really looks delicious! Thank you always for your honest evaluation of the foods. I appreciate you. Amen
You are so welcome
so helpful and detailed. thank you!!
Thanks Zach! We know that your food reviews align with what we like and think. The crab cake, wings, bbq ribs and first burger, Los Lobos Q Smokehouse, and your other highlighted offerings looked great! Clearly Norwegian is capable of delivering stellar results but seems a bit inconsistent. Keep up the great work! We can't wait for your next reviews.
I appreciate that!
@@ZachtheTravelingManI’m new to your channel and new to cruises I’m going on the joy in may and having anxiety over the food . This video is so helpful! Thank you
I was on the Norwegian Bliss which is the sister ship of Encore and had great food too!!
You need to eat some really good seafood somewhere. Red Lobster is hardly something to use as a benchmark. But this video was very informative. I'll be on the Escape in a few months and I've girded myself with: "Well, either the food will be good and I'll eat it or it will be bad and I'll just do intermittent fasting and lose weight." ;)
I thought the same lol but I’m a new Englander so red lobster is like McDonald’s quality to me
I know good sea food also being an East Coaster. I was using that more as an example of what I assumed the plate would be. However it was even worse than that.
@@ZachtheTravelingMan Ah. That makes sense. Also not sure why I thought you were from Texas.
Le Bistro on the Escape was my favorite!
I’ll be on the escape in a few months as well! I’ve pretty much commit to the same idea 😅
Maybe they make the 1st 2 days at the local really good to get the crowd to drift there. Crowd control as you mentioned.
We have done 12 cruise's on NCl and have found the food is pretty good and all of them. It always depends on what you expect. We are going on the Encore next year so will check out some of the places you suggested.
Very nice detailed descriptions, with video, of your food selections. Thanks for sharing, Zach.
We just got off rhe 10 day Breakaway Mediterranean cruise. Food was good with NCL. Best part of a cruise is I didn’t have to cook the food. The new food hall they have now on Prima and Viva looks good. Looking forward to going on one of those ships.
We are doing this same cruise in October this year..... any more tips will be great!!! Thanks
Hey great review and good to know as im going on this ship in january 25 btw are you from the midwest you said alot of things that i totally related with
I love wings so it’s nice to see there’s a reliable option for them on at least one ship out there. But your Los Lobos meal had me drooling. I love maduros (fried plantains) and elote (street corn) so I’m glad to hear they tasted great.
Oh man, that platter! It looks amazing but probably better to share that with one or two other people.
We were on the Norwegian Gem in July the wings were greasy.
Potatoes help filter used oil that is not trashed but usually would only serve with fish orders though. I prefer Le Bistro so I was happy everyone else wanted Cagney's.
We just completed our first Norwegian Cruise, and it was on the Encore one month ago.
The Encore is a beautiful ship .
Having said that, here are the few things that we ran into. Breakfast was great except for the fact that we couldn't find link sausage that wasn't pork. It took some time to get used to freestyle dining 🍽 vs. Assigned seating. My wifes fries were warm at best, but they made up for that. The entertainment was great with a Beatles tribute band and Choir of Man. Texas BBQ was okay. The Encore racetrack was worth the wait. I would give Encore 3.5 to 4 stars.
I've been on the Encore's sister ship, the Bliss, a couple of times and I have to agree that the Q Smokehouse is criminally underrated. I had the brisket there and my only disappointment was the fact that I'd eaten earlier in the day and couldn't eat everything that was on the plate.
I sail on NCL twice a year and I have always enjoyed the food. The Local (O'Sheehan's on some ships) has good wings , pretzel bites, fish & chips and reuben sandwich. You can usually find something good at the buffet, and the main dining rooms are good. I ate at Ocean Blue on the Bliss and was disappointed, I agree that the Q Smokehouse is great. Cagney's is good, but if you can get a rib eye in the main dining room, it is good, so save your specialty dining for Q or Teppanaki. Sailing next month on the Encore. Really looking forward to it.
wow, I LOVE Floating Island, I haven't heard of that dessert since I went to the Forum Hotel in London in the 1990's!
Thanks Bro. I'm going on my first cruise July 23 on The Escape. Because of this video i think my one free specialty dining will be Ocean Blue although im definitely gonna skip the Fish and Chips. Maybe ill do some kind of Salmon. Or maybe ill do The Mexican restaurant . Does the free Drink package include beers at those specialty restaurants. I think not, correct? You have to pay there.
The drink package includes drinks at specialty dining as well so you should be covered.
Food is such an important component of any cruise...especially for being one with celiac, it can be especially difficult. It does look like there are plenty of options for everyone! Lovely! Bruce and Otis
There really are!
@@ZachtheTravelingManthis was something I was curious about about , people who have allergies or food issues hence can give anxiety when it comes to food , I’m going on my first ever cruise in may on the joy I hope everything is good and they have options for gluten free etc
Just coming off the Encore in April, you are right on in your review, my exception was the service in Cagney’s are food was top notch but i had the Ny strip and the service was wonderful. Loved the Local, only ate lunch, hated the blue cheese burger also...wings wings, wings and the Reuben ..yum. I cant believe you did not have the Rueben Zack😮 Thanks for the review🚢
Just got back from an Encore cruise. I agree that Los Lobos was amazing. We found the buffet to be a mad-house with inadequate seating. People were caring their plates to other floors to eat since the tables were packed in the buffet. The MDRs had a very nice atmosphere, but as a whole, the food was not very good. There were a few exceptions, but overall, if that food were served at a restaurant on land, I wouldn't bother going back again. Overall, were were very disappointed with the food.
Love your video. I had a porterhouse at Cagney Steakhouse and loved it. So very tender and tasty 😋 try that if you do Cagney's again!
Thanks for the tip!
On this ship in December and went free at sea plus so, I have 3 specialty dining. Catch me at Los Lobos/Steakhouse/Smokehouse based off your rec. Thanks for the video!
On our recent cruise on the Encore, I was somewhat disappointed in the food while I was on the ship. But honestly, I was sick with the flu for the last 4 days and wasn’t feeling the best at the beginning. I didn’t eat much at any place we went. The local was our main place for breakfast after the first day when we tried the buffet which was the worst food on the ship. The only thing that tasted good to us was the bacon. The pancakes were so cold you couldn’t melt the butter, which was very hard to find. We ate at Ocean Blue which was good, los lobos was really good and Cagney which as the best we got on the ship. Overall was very disappointed in the food compared to our cruise on the Gem a few years. But being sick I’m sure didn’t help. I lost 7 lbs on this one.
Absolutely superb reviews.Even though I don't eat fish,I was tempted.
Thank you 😊
Excellent dining summary. We'll be on the Encore in December so this is very helpful. Thank you. BTW, we've been on 5 other NCL ships and dining has always been pretty good for the most part. Much more consistency that CCL, RC, Princess and MSC.
I never spend a dime on specialty dining. Was on the Bliss last year and everything included was very good to me.
Same here…. I think the food on NCL is good so no need to pay for specialty
@@anthonyr7208
Sometimes "Specialty dinners" come with the Free package, all they charge you is the gratuity !! Like I was charged $19.80 gratuity for 2 Specialty Dinners.
Zach, thank you been following you about 9 months. You convinced me to not do a cruise ever again. I did Silver Sea, Voyagers to Europe and Russia in 2008-10. It was so far better then.
My favourite dessert on the Norwegian ships is the cherry Jubilee.
Zach, agree with you on the fries, however, if you try Cagney's again order the Truffle Fries as one of your sides - they are like any other on NCL and will blow you away.
Happy to see the food is still high quality! I was worried with all the other cuts NCL is doing. One night in the main dining room they served steak frites, and you would've thought the steak was an upcharge with how good it was. The only real disappointment I think I had the entire cruise was the calamari at Onda. It was way too greasy and had too much batter. Everything else was good to great.
Note that The Encore has removed the Los Lobos Restaurant to expand Cagney's, so Mexican is no longer an option.
Hey Zach - thank you so much for putting so much into your food reviews. On my list - Food is close to #1 if not #1. LOL! So this is very helpful and enjoyable to view and hear.
My pleasure!!
Cant believe they charge $99 for specialty dining plus a gratuity. Thats more than the steakhouse on most cruises. Used to really want to go on NCL but all the things I am hearing lately smells like cost cutting. Not on my shortlist at all at the moment, not even considering them. As for your ribeye in Cagney's, IT WAS NOT a Ribeye it was a strip. I am not a butcher but I know how to recognize a steak. Probably why you thought it was tough.
The $99 was for 2 specialty meals. They charge $89 before the cruise for the same 2 meals.
I had a great tilapia at Ocean Blue outside in warmer oceans during with a mild cruising breeze. I would almost sign up for another NCL cruise just for Q Smokehouse. As a southerner my most consistent disappointment was terrible powder mix ice tea (the whole ship - buffet to specialty)
I liked most of my dining experience on the Encore. The one thing that was consistently disappointing was the fries and weirdly the desert. But other than Cagneys I don’t remember if I liked Cagneys. I loved the Brazillian and La Bistro…
Food is really subjective and every restaurant has good and bad days. I loved the Monte Cristo and Ribs. I loved the atmosphere of the Manhattan Room
Do they still have nightly specials in the Local? I heard they have stopped having that as they have stopped doing it in O'Sheehan's on other NCL ships.
Thank you so much Zach for all the good info. I am cruising on an NCL ship in Feb. I'm not a big alcohol drinker but am considering buying the Starbucks drink package in lieu of the NCL non-alcoholic drink packages. If you go on an NCL again soon would you consider doing something showcasing that package and the advantages and disadvantages of having that Starbucks package? Just a thought. I appreciate you. Thank you for your time and happy cruising! 😊
Ever considered you don’t have to run and eat? Like service in Europe is slower as well, we don’t mind taking our time to eat. You never seem positive about a cruiseline if been on and know to be good
I like buffets because (a) there is a good selection, (b) I can walk around, and check out the food before I decide what I'm going to eat (and, therefore, I am much less likely to be surprised), and (c) it's a much more relaxed and laid-back environment than posh specialty restaurants (although the food might be great at some of these). Your day 5 meal at Los Lobos looked and sounded amazing.
Los Lobos is underrated! One drawback to cruising solo is that I can’t justify ordering the tableside guac - no way I could make a respectable dent in that dish. I like breakfast in the MDR but dinner, meh, I either do a specialty or get Indian food at the buffet.
How does dining work for the free restaurant? Let's say you wanted to get 2 main sirloin plates, would they let you? Does anyone have experience with how they handel food allergies? Are they gracious about it or not?
If you go to a specialty restaurant without the dining package, can you still eat there and just ordere what you'd like?
I have a gluten, dairy, egg and night shades sensitivity, so i pretty much just eat meat & veggies, but I like big portions of the meat & veggies, so I'm not sure how well this will worked. I've not been on a cruise before, so I don't really know how it all works.
Did you travel solo? Was it okay sitting at those tables alone? I'm about to do a solo cruise and have been feeling a little weird about sitting at a table for one at the specialty restaurants.. I wish there was a bar at all the specialty restaurants to sit at.
We were on NCL Joy this past April and we loved Cagney's and LeBistro! Our worst meals by far was LaCucina and Q Smokehouse... bland BBQ!
Could you order something else if the entree was bad or not enough food,?
That looked like a NY strip in Cagney's Steakhouse not a ribeye!
I sailed on NCL one time...And the food was hit or miss mostly miss...either bland or cold...I never sailed on NCL since then...I pay too much to go back after a big disappointment...We started cruising with Celebrity in 1990 and never looked back...why try to fix something that is not broken...As far as the fries...I have had better fries at 5 guys...they actually use Idaho potatoes for their fries...
havent had a bad meal on any NCL ship for me. their lasagna was even good, needed black pepper but i wasnt hungry and didnt send any dishes back. NCL wings are GOOD
Can't you order more appetizers if you thought they were small?
Yes!
NCL has good food
Love the buffet on the Getaway
Me too. I could eat chicken wings everyday. (if I let myself) 😋
The apple tart at ocean blue would have been better if it was on puff pastry.
Zack complimentary means free. It would be complimentary if they gave you a meal without paying in a speciality restaurant, but everything else is included in the cruise fare ,it is not complimentary., you have paid for it. Enjoy your videos.
That's what I keep telling everyone who does these videos, and they seem to ALL use the terms free or complimentary. They should use the terms "included in the fare" or "no additional charge". The food is already included in the fare which you've already paid for.
I am currently on Encore. Honestly, I am very disappointed about their breakfast options. No green veggies at all except tiny bit spinach and green onions for omelet.
I was on the Bliss and did all specialty too. Our fav is Food Republic. Le Bistro was just ok w/ us too. Some dishes great, some meh.
Zach, no buffet review? How about the gym? I wanted to see how I was going to work off all that food! 😅
At Ocean Blue on another NCL ship i had what you had and enjoyed most of it, but that apple tart was cardboard with slivers of apple plastered on it. Their gumbo is good! I had gotten the seafood platter at Cagney's on the same ship the night before and it was broiled and the squid was rancid so i couldn't eat any if it and got something else. At Ocean Blue i got the seafood linguini and they must have used the same bad squid as it was also rancid! I got them to make it without squid and it was very good! I'm surprised that they used the same french fries in all restaurants on the Encore! Even steak fries would have been better with a steak meal.
What about the buffet? Or food republic?
Glad to hear food on the Encore is good. We’re on the Epic now. I would not recommend the food at all. You will not likely starve but I would not say it is above mediocre.
Isnt there a sushi restaurant on the ship too?
Yes, Food Republic.
Did you try American Diner?
Good review, very heavy on the specialty restaurants, and not once was did you present a review of the buffet 😞
We just got off the Disney Fantasy last week. The first 2 days, the food was amazing then it fell off sharply! BUT our servers were the BEST. Was it worth every penny paid? No! The best meal we had was in specialty dining @ Palo. Other than that, bit and pieces of meals were good. It was hit and miss. The last day, food was just terrible! Like, it’s the last day leftovers.
Enjoyed your video and food review. It seems that the food wasn't too good on average. I'm a cruise snob and will only cruise Royal or Disney. Mainly because of the food. I've only heard negative things about the food quality on this cruiseline.
It makes me sad to hear that the only response your seafood specialty restaurant server had to your untouched entree was "I guess you didn't like it". I would have expected his follow-up to be "Can I bring you something else?" You need to send inedible food back, especially if you are paying extra for it. I haven't cruised in a decade, but it sounds like things have really changed, and not for the better.
Many cruises still have that solid customer service. I took a transatlantic with Royal in November, and if I poked a bit at something but mostly left it alone my waiter was quick to change my perspective. I was always offered a different dish, and often when I first ordered they would suggest 2 entrees because “You’re on vacation!” I usually declined but they were persistent and it was fun to try a few things 😊
It was rhapsody of the seas in case you’re curious. I had a fantastic time. Excellent service.
I'm always surprised when I see videos of restaurant reviews and the comment is a negative, but they don't get it replaced! You are there to get good you want to eat! Whether a complimentary food item or a specialty meal, you are there to enjoy it! Get it replaced! Not to your liking in any way means get something else! At a complimentary restaurant, if it's a small portion, don't complain, get another! Even at Cagney's Steakhouse, if I really like the shrimp cocktail, I tell the waiter, and most times, they say, "Let me get you another!"
No complaints, make it better!
Thank you for providing honest reviews of the food.
Always!
You know that if you don't like a dish on a cruise, you can ask for another one instead? You do know that, right?
I do know that. I do know that. 👍🏻
@@ZachtheTravelingMan I know you know, but I would have liked to see you send back the poor dishes with your criticisms to the kitchen and then order something else, rather than seeing you suffer through bad dishes for no reason. You couldn't even be honest with the waiter when he noticed you didn't like the dish. Come on.
Elote! 😍😍😍 🌽
We just got off of the cruise from hell, Norwegian Escape. That food on that ship was mediocre, 2 levels below Applebees…. 🤢…. Multiple people who have cruised over 29 times or more. Indicated that was the worse cruise they had been on too!
I agree. Of all the cruise lines, in my opinion, Norwegian's is the worst.
This was the best Cruise Food review I have watched. Honest and Fair
Hi Zach… I really look forward to your cruise review videos… Thanks for another great one!!
Glad you like them!
That did not look like a ribeye at Cagney's. That looked like a strip steak.
Q on the Bliss was the worst meal I've ever had on NCL, so it can be hit or miss.
The Local is great if you know what to order, and you figured it out. Breakfast there is better than the buffet usually, but not always. It's faster than main dining, which is its appeal along with the 24 hour thing, which is nice.
Good review overall. Every cruise has hits and misses. NCL has way better food than Carnival. I did 14 days on the Dream last month. Just be thankful you were on NCL. That's all I'm gonna say about that! ;)
enjoyed this video. we are going on the encore in september to alaska. hope we can make the dining room reservations it is 39 days out. i did book cagneys and ocean blue.
Not sure why people keep going on Norwegian and expecting good food. You should *never* go on a Norwegian cruise just for the food. Is it because of all of their specialty dining venues? They wouldn't even have those if the included food was any good. If you want better food, go take Carnival, believe it or not (or any other cruise line).
I actually just got off a Carnival ship this morning and the food was better on NCL Encore.
I agree. Of all the cruise lines I've ever been on, and I've been on most of them, Norwegian's food is the worst. In my experience in order in ranking the food: Oceania, Holland America, Celebrity, Disney, Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, then Norwegian.
On Carnival, because it’s cheaper, you get a low class of fellow passengers. Lots of drinking and resulting fights, riots. No thanks.
@@allanfarr OK, that has nothing to do with my original comment, but thanks for playing.
A lot of those portions look small!
Needs stills of menus please😢
You missed the best restraunt, ONDA!!
NCL Bliss the food wasn’t that great to be honest, was very disappointing, our service was slow as well not very good either
The Local had fair food quality. It has horrendous service. They never brought us food on 2 occasions.
Fantastic review as usual well done and very detailed. I really enjoyed your Summit and Equinox reviews since Irene and myself will be sailing on her this October and the Equinox April 2024 on a Transatlantic. If anyone hasn’t seen his reviews on those ships do yourself a favour and watch them. 😊
Thank you kindly!
I am enjoying this video, I will say, understanding I don't know you or where you are from, but your accent tells me you shouldn't expect to be happy ordering fried fish or barbecue on a ship.
Very detailed food review. NCL has great food. But I haven’t been impressed with the steakhouse (Cagney’s) both times on 2 different ships. I had better steaks at Texas Roadhouse. I guess I was expecting Ruth’s Chris quality for a specialty restaurant.
I think the local replaced O’Sheehan’s. Definitely a great place ’
Thanks for watching!
No problem with the food for me on the Encore...
That’s excellent
Most of this food is all pre-made, cooked, flash frozen and delivered by vendors like Sysco or US Foods. They food is then just heated up at the restaurant. This allows them to hire low skilled people at minimum wage. It also reduces waste because they don't overcook food or spill ingredients.
Are you a chef ?