Dinner At Sea – Norwegian Sky 2019 – First Impressions

Dinner at sea has always been one of my favorite parts of cruising. 

I may be in the minority but I LOVE getting “dressed up” for dinner. There is such a feeling of anticipation when strolling into a beautiful dining room at sea. The crisp white tablecloths, the beautiful stemware and the gorgeous place settings all set the stage for the meal that is to come.

As we set sail on the Norwegian Sky, I was most interested to see how the dining experience has changed since my previous life onboard. I simply loved the congenial conversations around those beautiful dining tables in the good old days.

And the decor on all of those ships? My scrapbook notes reminded me that the flowers decorating THIS ship in the 1990’s cost $10,000 per week! (Imagine what those same flowers would cost today.)

Dinner Onboard – Day One

I wasn’t sure what to expect on the Norwegian Sky since our Cuba sailing was only a four night cruise. Most shorter cruises were less formal, even back in the old days. And the first night onboard was usually quite casual on any sailing. After all, some luggage may not be delivered to all the guest’s cabins by dinner time so some guests might be dining in whatever they wore to board the plane that morning! With that in mind we headed to dinner in casual attire.

Norwegian Cruise Line has adopted a “Dine When You Want” plan. In the old days there were two set dining times in the formal dining rooms. Guests could request either Early or Late Seating, and also to request what size table to be seated at.  When I was cruising on business I always requested a large table so I could meet and dine with lots of fellow cruise specialists. But when I escorted my own groups I would be seated with my clients at dinner…like this photo from one of my scrapbooks. I also arranged special birthday and anniversary cakes and surprises like this one for all of my clients. (I still love a celebration…for ANY reason!)

What FUN to be seated at those big tables filled with like minded travelers! Everyone has stories to share and destinations to compare.

Early Or Late?

When dining I much preferred the Late Seating, usually about 8pm. That way my clients didn’t have to rush in from the daytime activities to be showered and ready for dinner by 6pm. But now days on most cruises guests can simply show up at the dining room whenever they wish. (But I’m told reservations can still be made in advance if you wish.)

When we approached the restaurant hostess podium in the Palace Dining Room we were escorted to a table for two near the windows.

I noticed most of the tables in that area were set for two or four guests. (I was somewhat disappointed that we hadn’t been offered a chance to join other diners.)

But of course that didn’t stop old “Chatty Patty” from striking up conversations with many of the folks within hearing distance. Meet our new “Onboard BFF’s” Terrance and Linda from Wisconsin. Even though we weren’t seated together we still got to know each other over our respective dinners that night.

Dinner Appetizer Course

I started with a glass of Cabernet…and a perfect view out that window!

For my appetizer course I couldn’t decide on one. So I selected TWO! (It’s been a long time since there were no prices on a menu I’ve been handed.) Remember…we’re VERY frugal folks. We typically go out for “bar food” or Happy Hour fare. So ordering whatever I wanted really was a treat! 

My first bite?

A Shrimp & Crab Cake with Creole Mustard Remoulade with Cucumber Salad

THAT, Dear Readers, was the BEST thing I tasted all night! It was FANTASTIC!

Next?

French Onion Soup with a Gruyere Cheese Crouton

The soup was OK. Just OK. As my dear old mother used to say. “Nothing to write home about.”

This might be a good time to mention the BIGGEST change I see regarding the dining experience onboard. In the old days there were no “specialty” restaurants on cruises. The dining rooms were the main event each evening. You could count on lobster and Beef Wellington to be served at least once on every sailing. But now there are specialty restaurants you must pay extra for to get those types of entrees. 

Theoretically the foods in the upgraded eateries should be of a higher quality and offer more choices. I spoke to many folks who paid to upgrade to one of the A La Carte restaurants on our cruise. A few folks were pleased with their meals, but many people were somewhat disappointed in those meals they paid extra for.

I will say the ambiance in our dining experience was very good, but some of the foods did taste as if they came off an assembly line or out of a freezer. (Like this soup, I’m afraid.)

Dinner Entree Course

My choice?

Sauteed Shrimp Scampi with Lemon Artichoke Pasta

The shrimp was very good. It was well seasoned and grilled nicely. The pasta was a different story, I’m afraid. I knew as soon as our waiter put the plate in front of me. The pasta was cold and the sauce was much too thick and congealed. But still I was happy to pick off the shrimp and call it good. (Who needs all those carbs anyway??)

What was Peepaw’s entree choice?

Grilled New York Strip Steak, Peppercorn Sauce, Fries

Peepaw said it was not nearly as good as the steaks I whip up for him in our own kitchen. But Hey! I was glad he got a reminder of how lucky he is to be eating MY food for the past 48 years! LOL!

Dinner Dessert Course

I was thrilled to see this item on the dessert menu!

Honey Creme Brulee with a Crispy Almond Wafer

There are two desserts that always set my heart aflutter on a cruise. One is Key Lime Pie and the other? Creme Brulee. And this was a delicious dessert.

Yes, there were some highs and some not so highs at our first dinner onboard, but it was still a wonderful experience. We left the beautiful room and headed out onto the deck to enjoy the gorgeous evening.

The night was still young, even for old Snowbirds like us! 

Something For Everyone

Cruising offers many activities, so we each headed out to find something we both could enjoy. Peepaw headed for one of the lounges to find a TV where he could watch the basketball playoffs. (It was the Final Four after all!) And I headed to the Stardust Theater to watch the Welcome Aboard Variety Show.

It was a perfect way to unwind and to watch the talented performers as they sang and danced their way toward Havana.

It was a perfect ending to a wonderful day.

But I DO wish I had ordered a second Shrimp and Crab Cake.