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Le Bistro: NCL's swanky French cruise restaurant (with menu)

Oct. 31, 2023
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4 min read
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Whether you're celebrating a special occasion, craving a romantic dinner with your partner or merely a fan of French fare, Le Bistro, Norwegian Cruise Line's French restaurant, doesn't disappoint.

The venue's refined ambience welcomes cruisers seeking a frilly, elegant dining experience that's likely to please even the pickiest of eaters.

Here's all you need to know about this upscale eatery on Norwegian cruise ships.

What is Le Bistro on Norwegian Cruise Line ships?

Fish at Le Bistro on Norwegian Viva. ASHLEY KOSCIOLEK/THE POINTS GUY

Le Bistro is Norwegian Cruise Line's French alternative restaurant, and you'll pay extra to dine there. Dishes focus on fish, seafood and high-end meats like duck and lamb.

When you arrive, a host will seat you, and a sommelier will appear to take your wine order. (As you might expect, there's an emphasis on Champagne.)

After placing your food order, be sure to take in your surroundings, which vary from ship to ship, ranging from wrought-iron chairs and tables with white tablecloths and pale blue accents to more opulent touches like bright red chairs and floor-to-ceiling chandeliers that serve as focal points.

Le Bistro is open for dinner only. Reservations are recommended. You might want to dress up a bit, lest you feel out of place among the posh decor.

Le Bistro NCL menu

Norwegian Cruise Line's Le Bistro menu. Note that pricing and menu items are subject to change without notice. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

NCL's Le Bistro menu is split into four sections: appetizers, soups and salads, mains and desserts.

Among the appetizers, you'll find items like beef tartare, seared scallops and escargots. Baked onion soup and mushroom soup are staples, along with goat cheese and beet salad and endive salad.

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Mains — divided into meats, poultry and seafood — might feature beef tenderloin, roasted lamb and pork chops, red wine-braised chicken, roasted duck breast, Dover sole, Mediterranean sea bass and lobster thermidor. A vegetarian section includes one measly offering: Napoleon of portobello mushrooms with a vegetable puff pastry.

Dessert selections vary from ship to ship and might include pistachio-almond sponge cake with strawberries, a wine-poached pear with vanilla ice cream, meringue with raspberry coulis or a cheese plate.

The wine list on Norwegian ships tends to be extensive, but the Le Bistro menu fittingly calls out Champagne options.

What does it cost to eat at Le Bistro?

Pricing at Le Bistro is a la carte, so what you order will determine your bill. Sample prices range from $9 for soup to $49 for lobster thermidor. Most desserts will set you back $12. A 20% gratuity will also be added to the check.

If you have a dining package, you can select one starter, one soup or salad, one main and one dessert for free. Even with the dining package, some mains will have a supplemental fee of $25 per person. Most drinks cost extra unless you have a beverage package. Children can eat free at Le Bistro if they order from the shipwide children's menu.

Which Norwegian ships have Le Bistro?

The bar at Le Bistro on Norwegian Encore. ASHLEY KOSCIOLEK/THE POINTS GUY

Expect to find Le Bistro on these ships in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet:

  • Norwegian Breakaway
  • Norwegian Bliss
  • Norwegian Dawn
  • Norwegian Epic
  • Norwegian Encore
  • Norwegian Escape
  • Norwegian Gem
  • Norwegian Getaway
  • Norwegian Jade
  • Norwegian Jewel
  • Norwegian Joy
  • Norwegian Pearl
  • Norwegian Prima
  • Norwegian Sky
  • Norwegian Spirit
  • Norwegian Star
  • Norwegian Sun
  • Norwegian Viva

Have cruise questions? TPG has answers:

Featured image by ASHLEY KOSCIOLEK/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.