A Relaxing Embarkation Day Lunch - My Experience At Jamie’s Italian On Symphony Of The Seas
Last year, I went on a cruise for the first time on Oasis of The Seas. It was a surreal experience to step on a cruise ship that I have been fascinated by ever since I was a child. I did not think I would be cruising again for a while because Symphony of the Seas prices were astronomical. But towards the end of August, I found a great deal on the Halloween sailing and booked it immediately.
One cruise tip I frequently saw was to book a specialty restaurant for lunch on embarkation day. I decided to book Jamie's Italian for lunch when we embarked on Symphony Of The Seas in Bayonne, NJ. Our check-in time was 12 p.m., and our reservation was at 1 p.m. Check-in went smoothly, and we were on the ship by 12 p.m., explored a bit, and then made our way to our reservation.
Pro Tip: Because this is embarkation day, you must bring any bag, luggage, etc., that you carried onto the ship into the restaurant because lunch is typically served before the rooms are ready. To my knowledge, there was no place to store your luggage; you had to keep it with you, which could become a safety hazard for the servers and other guests if it blocks walkaways. Keep this in mind when packing. You may want to give your carry-on bag to the porters as well.
The Price
Prices as of October 2024
The pre-cruise price was $21.99 per person before gratuities; I believe this was a sale. They automatically added gratuities at checkout, which was $7.90 for two people, for a grand total of $51.88 for two people for lunch.
With this cover charge, you can order as much as you want off the menu.
The food
The Menu - Starters, Mains & Sides
Dessert Menu
The lunch menu was not as big as the dinner menu but it still had a great variety of food to choose from. We ordered the Ultimate Garlic Buns, Truffle Arancini, Squid Fritti, Tagliatelle Bolognese, Rocket Salad, Rich Dark Chocolate Brownie, Amalfi Lemon Cheesecake and the Carmalized Popcorn Gelato.
Ultimate Garlic Buns
There are supposed to be four but we were hungry
These were so so soft and garlicky.
Truffle Arancini
There were more on the plate. I got too excited and forgot to take a photo. Oops. It was fine, but I don’t think I would order it again. I thought it would be more truffley and cheesy, but the only truffle was on top.
Squid Fritti
This was my second time trying squid. The first was in the main dining room on Oasis Of The Seas, and I thought it was underseasoned and chewy like it was probably overcooked, but this was a lot better. It was still chewy—I guess that’s how squid is supposed to be—but it was well seasoned, and a squeeze of lemon took it to the next level. I didn’t care for the sauce, though.
Tagliatelle Bolognese
The bolognese was very good. I could tell that the noodles were fresh and cooked perfectly. Some may call me a bolognese connoisseur, and out of all the bolognese I have had in Italy and London, this would be number five in my top five. My number one is Colosseo in London near Buckingham Palace.
Rocket Salad
Arugula is my arch nemesis, and the menu did not indicate that the base would be arugula. I wouldn’t have ordered it if it did, but it was okay.
Rich Dark Chocolate Brownie
My brother had this and said it was ok.
Amalfi Lemon Cheesecake
He also said that this was ok too.
Caramelized Popcorn Gelato
This was my dessert, and I enjoyed it. The saltiness of the caramelized popcorn, paired with the sweetness of the gelato, made for a nice dessert.
the service & Atmosphere
Our server was friendly and explained how eating at this specialty restaurant worked since we were under the impression that we could only have one starter, main, and dessert; she assured us that we could order as much as we wanted. We were also served quickly, and the food was at the correct temperature.
Royal Caribbean
The atmosphere felt like an Italian restaurant, from the decor to the furniture. One thing I didn’t like was the use of screens in the restaurant. That space could have been used to display more artwork, and screens can omit unnecessary heat. Also, some of the screens were not even working.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed my embarkation meal at Jamie’s Italian and would book another at this restaurant if I had the chance. It made the embarkation experience a lot more relaxed. After our meal, the rooms were ready, so we dropped our bags off and went to the top deck to watch the ship sail away.
The quality and amount of food justify the cost. You can eat as much as you like; the more you order, the more you will break even. I would even consider paying the high price for dinner because I enjoyed it so much.
Hi! I’m Andrea, the creator of Cinematic Excursions.
I am a video editor, photographer, travel and events vlogger, and blogger who likes to write movie analyses and yap about fandom. I also have a useless film degree.
I have been creating videos since 2018. In 2023, I started Cinematic Excursions to share my unfiltered experiences traveling, cruising, going on excursions, and using city cards that are supposed to save money.
I also use my platform to document my experience attending events like New York Comic-Con, MCM Comic-Con London, and the Food Network New York City Wine and Food Festival, advising others and covering news from these events.