Dining
The above average food and sheer variety of the menu will entice you to overindulge. The lamb and filet mignon were especially good. As usual, the desserts are absolutely sinful. The nine dining venues onboard offer a wide variety of cuisine from around the world. The sushi bar in the Ginza restaurant was one of the best I've ever experienced and despite the fact that they are well-done, the hamburgers at the Great Outdoor Cafe are pretty good. French dining in the reservations only Le Bistro was outstanding.
The choice is yours. With Freestyle Cruising, you travel a world of dining options all in one week. From elegant French bistros and Italian trattorias to sushi and tapas bars, and more, there’s a different dining option for almost every night of your cruise. With up to 10 different restaurants, each featuring a diverse an ever-changing menu, you’ll always find exactly what you’re in the mood for. And there are no fixed seatings. Imagine restaurants open from 5:30 pm to midnight so that you can choose from an early dinner before the show or a later romantic dinner for the two of you. And of course there’s always the option of 24-hour room service. You’re free to dine where, when and with whom you choose. Just as it should be on your vacation.
- Four Seasons, Seven Seas and Horizons dining rooms serve sit-down breakfast, lunch and dinner
- The Great Outdoor Cafe offers informal breakfast, lunch and snacks with indoor and outdoor seating
- Intimate Le Bistro offering delicious French Mediterranean cuisine, table-side cooking
- Healthy Living Restaurant offers calorie-wise selections and guilt free entrees
- Garden Cafe is indoor snack facility serving breakfast/luncheon buffets and snacks, food action stations during lunch offer paella, sushi, crepes, meat and fish carvings, and Chinese noodle soups
- Pacific Rim Dining Complex offers California/Hawaii/Asian Fusion menu with sushi bar and Teppanyaki Room
"Freestyle Cruising" allows cruise guests to dine in a variety of restaurants and to take advantage of menu options not available on other cruise lines at times that are convenient for the guest. Long shore day? You can dine as late as 9:30 p.m., or, if you want an early night, as early as 5:30 p.m. (There's also a 24-hour snack area and 24-hour room service for lighter fare).
Freestyle may not be for everyone and that's not an issue here. Purists, for example, who prefer set-seating, set-tablemate dining, can be accommodated in one of the ship's main restaurants.
There are two main dining rooms, Seven Seas, aft, which serves "contemporary" cuisine, and Four Seasons, midship, which serves "traditional" cuisine. The difference? In Seven Seas, lobster might be grilled ("contemporary" style), while in Four Seasons, it would be served steamed, with drawn butter ("traditional" style). Meals in these restaurants are tasty and attractively served, and the wait staff is attentive and considerate.
Four other alternative dining venues have no surcharge, although one, Pacific Heights, does require reservations. In partnership with "Cooking Light" magazine, this attractive space on Deck 11, with windows along the port side of the ship, provides tasty fare that is low in fat and sodium, with choices like mussels in white wine or Italian turkey-sausage pizza made with non-fat mozzarella.
Other no fee options include The Garden Cafe, the ship's buffet restaurant. Designed to serve food by creating specific areas for specific dishes(which alleviates lines), it can be accessed from two sides, and. While the areas are smallish, it does provide a wide variety of both hot and cold food items. Although it's fairly standard cafeteria-style fare, some items are exceptional (the grilled tilapia I had at one lunch was superb), and the carving station, with chicken, turkey, roast beef or pork loin was always good. This is also the best dining spot for breakfast, with fresh waffles, omelets made to order, and of course the regular line for scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pastries and croissants.
In the afternoon and evening, there are separate dessert and fresh fruit stations, and an Indian curry station that had started as an occasional special offering but proved so popular that it was made a regular fixture. At its busiest times it's occasionally difficult to find a table, but if the weather is nice, wander to the aft deck with your tray and sit outside. You can replenish your drinks at The Great Outdoor Cafe, located here, which also serves fast-food items and snacks (hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, cookies and cake) during the day.
The last of the no-surcharge dining spots is not really a restaurant; Las Ramblas is a lounge located on Deck 12 aft, near the entrance to three of the fancier restaurants on board and the spot of choice to meet before dining. It's a beautiful room that serves tapas, those little bites of Mediterranean food found in bodegas along Las Ramblas in Barcelona, served here often with the accompaniment of a guitarist/singer. You can, in fact, make a meal out of these delights, or have a couple for appetizers before you dine elsewhere.
Those restaurants that do levy a surcharge include Le Bistro, which offers French-inspired dining. The restaurant is simply gorgeous on this ship, with cozy booths set around the edges of the room, solicitous servers, and a menu that is filled with delicacies from escargot to foie gras. The signature dessert, chocolate fondue, is not to be missed ... a pineapple boat of fresh fruit is presented with a dipping pot of melted chocolate. It's all I could do to keep from licking the remaining chocolate out of the pot. There's a $15 fee to dine here worth every penny.
Il Adagio is another option. Located on Deck 5 (but accessed via a stairway on deck six though guests in wheelchairs can request entry via the main dining rooms), this tucked-away gem features northern Italian cuisine, with specialties of pizza and pasta, among others. Cost to dine here is $12.50.
New to Norwegian Sun will be a steakhouse restaurant (it is replacing the existing East Meets West Asian fusion eatery in December 2004). It will be similar in style to Cagney's, the steakhouse found on Norwegian Dawn and the surcharge will be $20.
Ginza serves a wide array of Japanese foods including sushi; the teppanyaki bar only seats 12, so make reservations early. Sushi is ordered a la carte at $2 to $5 per serving, depending on type, but if you don't need the fancy stuff, there's an "all you can eat" sushi menu for only $10. This is a terrific deal, considering the freshness and presentation of the offer.
Room service for guests in standard staterooms is fairly basic, with the only hot items being ramen noodles with fried green onions, a small pizza (really good!) and the grilled cheese sandwich on the kid's menu. Other items include cold sandwiches, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cookies and chocolate cake. Breakfast is continental, selected from a simple menu on a door-hung card. One nice note is that the restaurant phones before they send your breakfast, to make sure you are awake and ready.
Suite guests get hot breakfast options, including eggs, bacon, sausage and oatmeal, and can order lunch and dinner off of the main dining room menus during dining times.
One of the greatest things about cruising is eating, and if the food in the dining room stinks, it's going to be a long week out to sea. On the Sun, however, you'll never encounter this problem because the food is generally good to begin with (all meals are cooked to order, rather than prepared banquet style), and there is a wide variety of dining facilities to choose from, so you'll never be stuck in a dining room if you don't want to be.
And it gets better! The Sun is the first of NCL's fleet to incorporate "Freestyle Cruising" into its design and the result is as many dining options (if not more!) as you'd find on land at a large resort. With no less than 9 restaurants and 10 distinctive menus to choose from, each offering different types of cuisine in a unique setting, you could actually eat at a different dining facility every single night! With "Freestyle Cruising," passengers get the option of when, where, and with whom they choose to dine. The emphasis is on flexibility and casual dining, although if you enjoy dressing up, there's still several formal dining nights offered at the main dining rooms (depending on the length of your cruise).
Seven Seas Dining Room
Excellent cuisine, impeccable service, and a graceful, stylish ambience.
In all the seven seas, you'll be hard pressed to find a more elegant, attractively decorated, and overall pleasant and accommodating dining room. Located at the stern of the ship on the Atlantic Deck, the Seven Seas is the largest of all the dining rooms, and can seat 604. So go ahead and give it a try - even if it's only for one night!
Four Seasons Dining Room
For more traditional diners.
"Freestyle Cruising" doesn't mean that all the traditional elements of cruising go by the wayside. Although there are plenty of alternative eateries, you can eat in the same dining room, at the same table, with the same waiter every night if you choose! The Four Seasons is one of three main dining rooms that will be assigned to you according to your room number. It's located just off the Atrium on the Atlantic Deck, and there's open seating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which is served between 5:30 and 12:00 p.m.
il Adagio
If you enjoy watching the waves go by as you dine, this is the place to be.
Looking for a romantic getaway - just the two of you? Adagio might be just the dining experience you're looking for. Gourmet Italian cuisine is served up in this long, narrow room, between the Four Seasons and the Seven Seas dining rooms.
Seating includes a series of intimate window tables for two, and slightly elevated, roomy gold banquettes that also overlook the sea. Suite passengers are given first preference at this dining facility, although it's open for anyone to make a reservation. A surcharge applies.
Le Bistro
At extra cost.
You'll want to make your reservations early because here the tables go fast. First, there's the view: Le Bistro is situated high above the water on the Sports Deck aft, adjoining Las Ramblas, the tapas bar and restaurant. Second, there's the food: Italian and Continental fare is the cuisine of choice at this intimate eatery and it's adored by NCL customers.
Every NCL ship features Le Bistro as an alternative restaurant and its devotees will swear you won't find tastier food at sea. A surcharge applies.
Las Ramblas Tapas Bar and Restaurant
What the heck are "tapas," anyway?
The word tapas actually comes from the Spanish verb tapar, which means to cover. Traditionally, a tapa was a free snack to be placed on top of a drink to keep away flies and other unappealing foreign objects. While you can certainly order drinks at this bar/restaurant, your tapas are not likely to be placed on top of them! Savour an array of Spanish specialties while enjoying authentic Spanish entertainment, and a fantastic view out over the water through floor-to-ceiling windows.
"East Meets West" Pacific Rim Restaurant
Why limit the menu to just one type of ethnic cuisine?
A live lobster tank is the focal point of this alternative eatery that features a unique combination of Californian, Hawaiian, and Asian cuisine. (Okay, so even we're a little curious about this culinary combo!) Gourmet California pizzas with shitake mushrooms and pineapple? Well, just let your imagination (and taste buds!) run wild. You'll find this restaurant between the Sushi Bar and Las Ramblas on the Sports Deck. A surcharge applies.
Ginza
Raise your chopsticks if you love raw fish!
Well, they've finally done it. A cruise company finally caught on to the fact that there are sushi lovers worldwide, not just in Japan! Actually, you'll find two restaurants here: on one side is the Sushi Bar and Restaurant, while on the other is the Teppanyaki Restaurant.
Here, the translation of teppanyaki, iron table, will become clear as you watch your dinner of beef, seafood, chicken, and fresh vegetables, chopped up and cooked to perfection on a searing Teppan grill (a.k.a. iron table!). Chop it, grill it, eat it! You'll find this restaurant on the Sports Deck, aft of Topsiders Bar. A la Carte.
Pacific Heights
A healthy alternative for the calorie conscious.
NCL has long had an ongoing alliance with Cooking Light Magazine, featuring more than 160 recipes from this magazine incorporated into the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus on all of NCL's ships. Well now they've taken it a step further and created an entire restaurant serving all the best and tastiest Cooking Light recipes. You'll find this restaurant on the Pool Deck between Topsider's Bar and the Video Arcade.
Great Outdoor Café
Great food, great choices, great view.
Eat your breakfast while enjoying one of the best views on the entire ship. At the stern of the ship on the Pool Deck, you'll find this casual outdoor buffet restaurant open 24-hours. It features "food action stations" serving up casual cuisine such as hamburgers, hotdogs, soups, and salads.
The Garden Café
Consider this the indoor counterpart to the Great Outdoor Café. Here you'll find a casual indoor buffet-style eatery serving up breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as snacks throughout the day. It's located next to the Ice Cream Bar on the Pool Deck.
Ice Cream Bar
Bigger and better than ever, you'll find this bar on the Pool Deck between Topsiders Bar and the Garden Café serving up everyone's favorite summertime treat.
Chocoholic Midnight Buffet
Napoleon Bonaparte loved his chocolate.
They say he carried some with him during his military campaigns to provide him an extra energy boost. Take it from the little Frenchman who once conquered most of the world - chocolate is good for you! Well, you'll certainly have lots of chocolate to choose from at this midnight buffet consisting of cakes, pies, pastries, even sculptures, all made entirely from chocolate!
Room Service
Room service has always been a good thing, but now it's just gotten better. You can enjoy the usual goodies 24-hours: soups, sandwiches, platters - and now free pizza delivery! One of the greatest things about cruising is eating, and if the food in the dining room stinks, it's going to be a long week out to sea. On the Sun, however, you'll never encounter this problem because the food is generally good to begin with (all meals are cooked to order, rather than prepared banquet style), and there is a wide variety of dining facilities to choose from, so you'll never be stuck in a dining room if you don't want to be. And it gets better! The Sun is the first of NCL's fleet to incorporate "Freestyle Cruising" into its design and the result is as many dining options (if not more!) as you'd find on land at a large resort.
Restaurants
Norwegian Sun features nine restaurants in total. The two main restaurants, the Four Seasons and the Seven Seas open from 5:30 p.m. to midnight with tables available until 10:00pm. Both of these main dining rooms are located on Atlantic Deck and both have picture-windows for sea views. The 24-hour buffet-style Garden Cafe/Great Outdoor Cafe on Pool Deck is the place for casual dining. Specialty restaurants with no fee include the Ginza for Japanese cuisine featuring a teppanyaki room and sushi bar, East Meets West, for Californian, Hawaiian and Asian cuisine - complete with a live lobster tank, Pacific Heights for light dining and Las Ramblas Spanish restaurant with a tapas bar and Latin entertainment. Reservations and a $10 charge are required at Il Adagio and Le Bistro. The elegant Italian restaurant, Il Adagio is a narrow restaurant reminiscent of the famous Orient Express train, with booths for 2 or 4 along a wall so that each table has an oceanview. Le Bistro features French cuisine and table-side cooking.
