Most cruisers will agree: food indulgence and cruising go hand-in-hand. One of the best aspects of cruising is having unlimited access to food throughout your voyage. Even better, most dining options are included in your cruise fare.
As a foodie, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I look forward to the cruise ship dining experience. Just recently, I embarked on a week-long cruise onboard Norwegian Jade visiting ports throughout Canada with plenty of delicious food to try.
Overall, I was pleased with the dining experience and dining options on Norwegian Jade. Food might be subjective, but most of my meals onboard were well-executed and flavorful.
However, I didn't love every meal during my cruise. Here's everything I ate during my 7 nights onboard the cruise, including which dishes I will skip next time.
Day 1
After boarding, we made our way to the onboard pub called O’Sheean’s for a quick bite to eat for lunch. I ordered the Wrangler Burger—which came loaded with bacon, onion, and BBQ sauce—with a side of fries. The burger was fine, although there could have been more seasoning. The fries were slightly cold, so I didn’t eat most of them.
Later in the evening, we visited the Main Dining Room for dinner. For my appetizer, I ordered the French Onion Soup, which is one of my favorites, and a Caesar Salad. The soup was warm and flavorful without being too salty, but the Caesar Salad was disappointingly bland.
My Chicken Piccata was tender and moist while the sauce was creamy. It was paired perfectly with Rigatoni Pasta, making it one of my favorite dinners. For dessert, I opted for another favorite: the Chocolate Lava Cake.
The Lava Cake was so decadent with a gooey, chocolatey center. This is one that I would order every night if it was available!
Read more: Norwegian Cruise Line Freestyle Dining Explained
Day 2
We started our morning at the Garden Café. I am a creature of habit with breakfast, so I opted for an English muffin with fresh fruit and coffee. I was impressed with the ripeness of the fruit, so I had this every morning.
For lunch, we visited Topsider’s Bar and Grill, which serves up poolside favorites. I ate a cheeseburger with ketchup and mayo, along with a side of hot fires. The burger was juicy and tasted better than I anticipated!
That evening, we made our way back to the Main Dining Room for dinner. Again, I opted for the yummy French Onion Soup and decided to try the Bruschetta as well. The serving was small and the bread was a little stale; it’s not something I ordered again.
For my entrée, I ordered the Barbecue and Bacon Chicken, which was a little dry for my liking. The sweet potatoes were cooked perfectly.
For dessert, we both enjoyed the Mint Chocolate Mousse. While I don’t typically like mint chocolate, this was incredibly rich and silky smooth with brownie pieces - a new favorite!
Day 3
This was our first day in Canada, so I opted to have a bigger breakfast than normal to keep me full. Along with my English muffin, I had corned beef hash, pork, fresh fruit, and coffee. This was my first time trying the corned beef hash; it was salty, savory, and hearty!
After exploring the port of Halifax, we had lunch on the pool deck at Topsider’s Bar and Grille because of the beautiful weather. I had a hot dog, which is my go-to snack on a cruise and always tastes good to me! A hot dog is just enough protein to keep me full before dinner. The fries were unfortunately cold, so I didn’t really eat them.
For dinner that night, we returned to the Main Dining Room. Tonight, I ordered the White Cheddar and Potato Soup as my appetizer, along with a Waldorf Salad. The soup was so good while the salad had a nice balance of flavors.
My main entrée for tonight was Chicken Madeira. The sautéed chicken breast was tender while the wine sauce was bold and perfectly paired with risotto.
This was an excellent meal, completed with the best dessert I had on this entire cruise: this decadent, chocolatey brownie s’more!
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Day 4
With an excursion to the highlands planned, I started my morning with a more protein-filled breakfast. I made my own bacon, egg, and cheese bagel sandwich in the buffet, along with a side of fruit and coffee. My sandwich was delicious and filling!
After exploring the port, we dined onboard at O’Sheean’s Pub for lunch. The pretzel bites are typically delicious, but this appetizer was dry and the cheese sauce tasted sour. I wouldn’t order this again! Everyone raves about the Rueben on Norwegian cruise ships, so I tried this coveted sandwich and loved it.
For dinner, we dined at Cagney’s Steakhouse, a specialty dining restaurant onboard. The appetizer included warm bread, which was better than the Main Dining Room bread. I also ordered the Thick-Sliced Bacon, which was very tender and delicious.
I ordered the filet mignon, along with truffle mashed potatoes and parmesan French fries. I was slightly disappointed in the filet, which could have been seasoned better. The mashed potatoes were sinfully good while the truffle fries were a letdown, tasting like cold buffet fries with a sprinkle of parmesan.
For dessert, we both ordered the “O-M-G” caramel butterscotch cheesecake. It was outrageously sweet, just the way I like it!
Read more: 60 Best Norwegian Cruise Line Tips, Tricks & Hacks
Day 5
Old habits die hard, so I started my morning with another English muffin, fresh fruit, and coffee. I also made a small yogurt parfait with some granola and fruit sauce, which was refreshing!
We made our way around the town before heading back to Norwegian Jade for lunch. I was craving a burger, so I went to Topsider’s Bar and Grill for a cheeseburger with a side of fruit and a handful of hot French fries. This simple meal hit the spot!
Switching it up for dinner, we made a reservation at the complimentary Asian restaurant, Jasmine Garden. We started our meal with tasty pot stickers served with a tangy dipping sauce. I also ordered the Egg drop and Corn Soup, which continues to be one of my top choices on a Norwegian cruise!
I ordered the Kung Pao Chicken with Beef Noodles as my main entrée; unfortunately, both fell short of expectations. The chicken was overcooked and dry, although the spicy sauce packed a punch. The Beef Noodles were very bland.
For dessert, I ordered the spiced chocolate cake, which was delightfully presented with a nice flavor.
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Day 6
For our final day in port, I wanted to try one of the cinnamon rolls served in the Garden buffet for breakfast; the roll was fluffy and sweet. I also enjoyed my standard breakfast with a spectacular view.
Because we had a big dinner planned at the Brazilian steakhouse, we had a light lunch later in the day at the Garden Café. I opted to try the pizza and pasta selection for the first time - both were impressively tasty! To try and be healthy, I also had some Brussels sprouts, which I only tolerate with bacon.
Our dinner was fantastic at Moderno Churrascaria, starting with the salad bar. I kept this simple with a salad topped with ranch, along with some meat and cheese. The cheesy bread balls, known as Pão de Queijo, were fantastic!
We indulged in way too much meat that night, including pork belly, sirloin, filet mignon, bacon-wrapped chicken breast, and sausage. The melt-in-your-mouth sirloin was my absolute favorite, followed by the tender pork belly. The sausage was unmemorable while the chicken was slightly dry.
For dessert, we tried the Tres Leches Chocolate Cake and the Banana Caramel Tartlet. Both desserts were yummy, although nothing to write home about.
Read more: 8 best cruises for foodies on a budget
Day 7
For our final breakfast, we decided to dine in the Main Dining Room for a sit-down breakfast. I ordered fresh fruit with a yogurt parfait and the corned beef hash with scrambled eggs and cheese.
The yogurt tasted surprisingly bland while the fresh fruit wasn’t nearly as ripe as on other mornings. However, the hash was flavorful and filling!
After packing, we opted for a late lunch in the Garden Café. I selected an assortment of arrabbiata penne pasta, a slice of pepperoni pizza, chicken parmesan, and seasoned veggies. The penne was too spicy for my liking, but the rest of the meal tasted excellent!
The final meal onboard was enjoyed in the Main Dining Room, but it was the most disappointing. After a classic starter of French Onion Soup, I tried the Caesar Salad again. This time, the dressing was much more flavorful.
For my entrée, I ordered the Strip Steak with a medium well temperature. It was served hard as a rock, tasting very bland and dry. I ordered another Caesar Salad to fill me up and didn’t finish the hockey-puck steak.
Our last dessert onboard was the NutellaCcreme Brûlée, which is another top pick for my sweet tooth. It didn’t disappoint, although I would have liked a thicker sugar layer on the top.
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on over 45 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
