Palomar

The Logbook — Real Guest Soundings

Depth Sounding: This is a composite account from multiple guest experiences, edited to our venue standards for clarity. Individual sailings vary by ship, itinerary, and crew.

Palomar Review: Mediterranean Elegance That Delivers

Introduction. Palomar is NCL's Mediterranean specialty restaurant, found on Prima and Viva class ships. It serves an upscale menu of Mediterranean-inspired seafood, lamb, and pasta with a specialty dining surcharge ($39-49 or a dining credit). It's positioned as one of the premium dining experiences on the newest ships, and it largely lives up to that billing. Reservations are essential.

Food & Drinks

The Grilled Octopus appetizer is stunning — tender, charred, served over a white bean puree with a lemon-herb vinaigrette. It's the best starter on the ship. The Lamb Shank entree is fall-off-the-bone tender with a rich red wine reduction and roasted root vegetables — genuinely special-occasion quality. The Branzino (whole or filleted) is delicate, properly cooked, with a caper-butter sauce. The Risotto with truffle oil is creamy and well-paced. Where it falls short: the Chicken dish is the weakest entree — competent but not worth the surcharge when chicken is available for free elsewhere. The bread course, while good, isn't exceptional for a restaurant at this price point. The dessert menu is solid but the Baklava leans overly sweet.

Service

Service at Palomar is among the best in the fleet. The waitstaff are knowledgeable, polished, and pace the meal beautifully — European-style timing with appropriate pauses between courses. Wine recommendations are thoughtful and drawn from a Mediterranean-focused list that includes options not found at other venues. The sommelier service is genuine, not just upselling. A full dinner runs 100-120 minutes and feels unhurried. This is where NCL shows it can compete with upscale land-based restaurants.

Atmosphere

The dining room is beautiful — soft Mediterranean tones, natural materials, elegant but not stiff. On Prima, the restaurant has an expansive layout with ocean-view windows that catch the sunset beautifully. The lighting is warm and romantic — this is the date-night restaurant on the ship. Music is ambient Mediterranean guitar or soft jazz. The space seats 80-100 and maintains an intimate feel through thoughtful table spacing.

Conclusion

Rating: 4.1/5. Palomar is one of NCL's best restaurants — the Grilled Octopus, Lamb Shank, and Branzino are genuinely excellent, and the service matches the ambition. It loses points for the uninspiring chicken, the sweet Baklava, and the premium surcharge. Tip: This is the restaurant to use your Free at Sea dining credit on — order the Octopus and the Lamb Shank, ask the sommelier for a wine pairing, and request a window table at sunset.

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