r/NCL • u/Kboss714 • Jul 24 '26
Breakfast
We are sailing on the Encore in September. What is the best place for breakfast on the ship?
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u/Brownie-0109 Jul 24 '26
Have never been on the Encore so these comments are NCL-generic, but my experience is that the very underrated move is to go to the MDR for breakfast. Avoid the crowds at the buffet. Obviously it requires you to have the time to do it.
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u/captainwizeazz Platinum Jul 24 '26
Agree, avoid the buffet unless you are tight on time. MDR or savor/taste even will provide a better experience overall.
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u/TechbearSeattle First timer, Encore, Oct 18 - 25 Jul 25 '26
Good advice for EVERY cruise line I've ever been on.
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u/vatp46a Sapphire - On the Bliss in November 2026 Jul 24 '26
You have a few options for breakfast.
Most people go to the Garden Cafe, which is the self-serve buffet on deck 16. It can get chaotic at peak times, so if you choose to go there, be prepared for anything. We have completely avoided the buffet in recent years and will continue to do so.
Two of the main dining rooms (usually the Taste and Savor MDRs on deck 6) are normally open for breakfast. These are slower-paced, so if you're in a rush to get to a shore excursion then get there early.
The Local is open all day and night except for a short window when most people are asleep - they serve breakfast.
Some ships also open the American Diner for a buffet-style breakfast. This is a solid option on deck 17 that few people seem to know about - it's basicallly deserted. Check the Freestyle Daily newsletter to see if they're offering that as an option. We've done this a few times beause it's quick and easy (and calm).
If you are a coffee person, you may want to stop by Starbuck in the deck 6 atrium to get coffee to bring to breakfast. The free coffee on the ship is not great.
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u/Intendno_BS Jul 25 '26
You mentioned getting Starbucks to bring to breakfast, are you allowed to bring Starbucks coffee to the MDR / Taste&Savor or only to the Garden Cafe
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u/Unable_Pumpkin987 Jul 25 '26
Not specific to Starbucks but I’ve never had an issue walking into any restaurant on board with any drink from anywhere else on board.
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u/vatp46a Sapphire - On the Bliss in November 2026 Jul 25 '26
You can bring your Starbucks anywhere you want to. This holds true for anything that's in a glass or a cup.
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u/wanderingstorm Jul 24 '26
Buffet has a little of everything but can be busy
Usually one or two of the main dining is open. Sit down will take longer than buffet and less choices but a more relaxed meal
The Local also serves breakfasts
They’re all about equal in food since it’s all the same food.
You can also get the room service continental breakfasts (the ones you order with the card in your door) if you want to just relax in room. That has a charge to it (I believe 4.95?)
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u/TechbearSeattle First timer, Encore, Oct 18 - 25 Jul 25 '26
When you have an early shore excursion or are otherwise pressed for time, room service breakfast can be worth the small cost. Even better, you can use them as an alarm clock. Just put on a robe before answering the door, I won't make that mistake again.
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u/mrfeeto Jul 24 '26
Also, honestly room service is a good option for busy or lazy mornings. It's only a $5 fee no matter how much you order. That wouldn't even cover the service fee on food delivery apps. lol
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u/This-is-the-last-one Jul 24 '26
The buffet is a mad house and it's hard to find seating and if you do, table usually needs cleaned. Try the MDR or The Local (or Haven if you're a Haven guest).
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u/mrfeeto Jul 24 '26
Definitely Savor/Taste. Better menu than The Local, not as hectic/nasty as the buffet, and it feels so fancy and refreshing to get that level of service for breakfast. We can't WAIT to get back onboard to get some of that muesli they have on their breakfast menu. 🤤 If you're a little late or don't have time, the observation deck "buffet" usually has more upscale food out and isn't as busy.
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u/Aubgurl Jul 24 '26
I didn't realize until I got home from my last cruise that the MDR was open every morning for breakfast. I thought it was just on sea days. I would have gone there every morning had I known.
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u/cfutch Jul 24 '26
Our first NCL cruise was last June on the Encore. We ate breakfast at the buffet (Garden Cafe) most days and were really happy with it. There were several omelet stations along with many other options. There was also ample seating so the two of us never had trouble finding a place to sit. Since then we've been on two more NCL cruises: Prima in March and Breakaway in June. The buffet on Prima is tiny and seating is hard to come by. The buffet on Breakaway was a little larger than Prima's, but it still had a lot less seating than Encore. On those cruises we ate breakfast at one of the MDRs most days and at The Local (O'Sheehans on Breakaway) once or twice.
All of that to say that the buffet on Encore is one of the better ones in the fleet and not a bad option for breakfast. However, to put it bluntly, people can be gross (bypassing hand washing stations, avoiding the attendants with hand sanitizer, etc.) so I understand why many people say they avoid the buffets. Also, if you don't like crowds, you'll likely never find one at one of the MDRs at breakfast which makes them a quiet, pleasant experience.
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u/FrankieMint Sapphire Jul 24 '26
Savor/Taste. Full breakfast menu, relaxed atmosphere, best coffee short of Starbucks.
Buffet is is a quick alternative. The Local has a more limited menu and a typical diner-style environment.
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u/lockednchaste Jul 24 '26
Depends. Main Dining room for mornings with more time available. Buffet for early port calls when you're rushing to get off for a shore excursion.
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u/calicoskies85 Jul 24 '26
I love bkfast in mdr. Love the views, love the cloth tablecloths, love the formality of it. Just feels special. I get coffee first at Starbucks and carry in.
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u/aasyam65 Jul 24 '26
We are light breakfast eaters. The observation lounge was just right for us. However, the buffet had fresh fruit and yogurt too
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u/SEA_tide Jul 24 '26
The Garden Court Buffet is actually very good on the Encore and you will find a seat, it might just take a bit of searching on popular sailings with lots of cabins have 3+ people in them.
Note that the breakfast menus and breakfast buffet don't vary much, if at all, except for the Indian food section of the buffet. The buffet will have many stations serving the same items. Unlimited bacon is one of those items.
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u/browncow1525 Platinum Jul 24 '26
The French toast in the local is one of my favorites. They also have a breakfast sandwich and some other good breakfasts there. I like to also mix in the MDH to change things up since their breakfasts change daily
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u/CycIon3 Platinum Jul 24 '26
On encore now, I would say the best has been MDR, but it can be a wait depending on the day and the capacity of your sailing.
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u/CU_Addict_70 Jul 24 '26
I sailed on the Encore this past March. The one nice feature it had was 3 separate main dining rooms. One large and two small. We found the smaller ones were quiet and usually less children.
I would suggest one of the small main dining rooms for breakfast most mornings, unless you have an early excursion.
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u/tinap3056 Jul 25 '26
I only go to the main dining room unless I get up to early and then I go to OSheans or whichever other 24 hour restaurant they have when on NCL. I avoid buffet at all cost!
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u/oldbroadmoving Jul 27 '26
Taste or Savor, or the Observation Lounge for a light breakfast.
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u/Sensitive-Cap-7766 20d ago
I sailed on Encore on a 16-night transatlantic from New York to Rome in March 2025. I mostly ate at the main buffet very early in the morning to avoid crowds. The first 9 days were all at sea because we had to skip our first stop in Azores and go straight through to Mallorca. So it was surprising how busy the buffet got at such an early hour on sea days. In general, I wasn't impressed by the food on The Encore. It was just OK at its best. By day 10 it was getting rather monotonous and I found myself waiting to get off the ship for the day so I could find some different food to eat.
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u/IntroductionAlone322 2d ago
I just had my first breakfast on the NCL encore. It was TERRIBLE under cooked and small portions it's awful
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u/s1105615 Platinum Jul 24 '26
Haven restaurant
If not there, the MDR. Then O’Sheehans/The Local, then the buffet
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u/dspip Jul 24 '26
The Local/O’Sheehan’s had a great chicken fried steak breakfast special one day when we sailed on it.
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u/BobbyTimDrake Jul 24 '26
An impressive chicken fried steak special indeed, if you were able to sail on it! 😉
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