Photo by Fernando Jorge on Unsplash
In early 2024, my family and I enjoyed a fantastic cruise on the Norwegian Escape. It was our family’s very first cruise, and I must say that it was a magical week. We traveled with another family who are seasoned cruisers, and they helped steer us to the best restaurants on the Norwegian Escape, and to fun excursions. We had such a great time that I will gladly travel on the Norwegian Escape again, and the trip was a lot easier than one of our road trips!
Our itinerary was: Port Canaveral, Florida –> Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas –> St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Island –> Tortola, British Virgin Islands –> Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic –> Port Canaveral, Florida.
The Norwegian Escape has several fantastic restaurants, ranging from super casual, to high-end. Our cruise package allowed us to eat at many – but not all – of the restaurants, so there were a few that I did not have a chance to experience. But even with the restaurants included in our package there were more than enough to choose from. Here are some of our favorites.
O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill – Deck 7 – Open 24 hours
O’Sheehan’s became a go-to place for us. When we initially boarded the ship we met our group at O’Sheehan’s, and despite the pandemonium of the boarding process we found seats for everyone and enjoyed our first lunch on board the Escape. O’Sheehan’s has typical bar & grill food such as burgers, sandwiches, nachos, and lots of kid-friendly items. They also serve a fantastic breakfast, and we enjoyed breakfast there most days during our cruise. And a bonus: they are open 24 hours! After a late-night show, we made a stop at O’Sheehan’s for nachos, they were yummy!
Garden Café – Deck 16 – Great for Families with Children and Large Groups
With two families traveling we had a large group, consisting of eight adults, two teenagers, and one toddler. Finding the best restaurants where we could all sit down together was a challenge. The Garden Café is an enormous buffet, offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between.
We enjoyed our first night’s dinner in the Garden Café. It was easy to find seats for our entire group, and there is truly something for everyone in the buffet. The cuisine choices range from American to Asian and Mexican, and to multiple other options. A variety of dessert options are served daily, and there are soft serve ice cream machines available each day. A bar is available as well.
Depending on the time of day, the Garden Café can be crowded and loud, but regardless we enjoyed the food at the Garden Café multiple times during our cruise.
Teppanyaki – Deck 6 – A Super Fun and Delicious Experience
Our meal package included two meals in one of the “premium” restaurants, so we selected Teppanyaki for one of those dinners. I am so glad we went there. Teppanyaki is a Japanese steakhouse with the full hibachi experience. The chefs cook the food on a grill on front of you, with full entertainment including songs and jokes and impressive knife skills. The food was fantastic, and everyone in our group had a blast.
Savor and Taste – Deck 6 – Fine Dining for Large Groups
Though Savor and Taste are two separate restaurants, they are located near each other, and I believe that they share a kitchen. The menus change daily, but you can always find steaks, seafood, and other delicacies on their menus. Both are fine dining experiences with a quiet, elegant ambience.
Taste became one of our go-to restaurants. First, the food is fantastic. Second, the service is phenomenal. Because we made reservations, we had no problem seating our large group. I did bring my toddler for lunch at Taste, but the ambience is not ideal for an energetic toddler. For the dinners at Taste, we opted to have our toddler enjoy the ship’s Splash Academy while we dined at the restaurant.
Moderno Churrascaria – Deck 8 – Bring your Appetite!
Moderno Churrascaria is a Brazilian steakhouse with amazing food. It is considered one of the “premium” restaurants, and our package allowed us to dine there one time during the cruise. Because we made our reservation days in advance, there was no problem seating our large group. The meal started with a buffet of sides and salads, honestly, I could have filled up entirely on the delectable array of sides and salads. But the star of the restaurant is the meat. The restaurant staff serves an endless parade of delicious meats, including beef, chicken and pork. You must go there very hungry to enjoy all of the offerings.
These are just a few of the many restaurants on the Norwegian Escape. We hope to book another cruise soon and enjoy even more of their dining experiences.
