Okay so if you’re sailing on Ovation of the Seas and thinking about whether Jamie’s Italian is worth it – spoiler alert, yes it absolutely is. We ended up dining at Jamie’s Italian on Ovation of the Seas three times on the same cruise. Three times! And honestly? We’d do it again in a heartbeat.
How It All Started – Day 1, No Reservation, No Problem
Day 1 on the ship. We had just boarded, got our Sea Pass scanned at the muster station, and it was time for lunch. We walked past the Windjammer buffet on Deck 14 and honestly, just weren’t feeling it. The place was absolutely packed.
So we just headed straight to Jamie’s Italian instead, no reservation and all. Walked right in, got a table immediately because the restaurant was basically empty. Everyone else was at the buffet.
Jamie’s Italian lunch menu.
We had the Unlimited Dining Package, which means we could dine at all the specialty restaurants on the ship, Jamie’s Italian included. Highly recommend getting this if you plan to eat out properly during your cruise – but more on that later.
We’ve been to Jamie’s Italian before on Quantum of the Seas, so we already knew what to expect. The menu hasn’t changed too much since then, which honestly, we didn’t mind at all – it just meant we knew exactly what to order straightaway.
One thing that stood out immediately was the service. We had a dedicated server named Clarisse looking after us, and she was just wonderful every single time. Always checked back on us, made sure everything was good, always cheerful. The kind of service that makes you want to come back.
What We Ordered – Starters
Cured Meat Plank
Everything came on a serving board – San Daniele prosciutto, Tuscan fennel salami, schiacciata picante, pistachio mortadella, tomato and olive crostini, baby mozzarella, pecorino sardo with chilli jam, olives, pickles, and freshly baked focaccia. The presentation was a little more pared back compared to our Quantum of the Seas experience, but the variety was great. If cured meats and cheese are your thing, you’ll love this. The only thing I wasn’t too sold on was the focaccia – felt a bit too bready and didn’t quite gel with everything else on the board.
Ultimate Garlic Buns
A bit disappointing this time round, honestly. Not as buttery and soft as I remembered. Ended up eating only the top third where all the garlic butter was. The fried garlic slices on top were lovely though – those I’d eat any day.
Squid Fritti
This one never disappoints. Crispy on the outside, squid so tender it’s effortless to chew. Really beautifully done calamari. Squeeze some lemon over it, dip in the garlic mayo – absolute winner. We ordered this on every single visit and never got sick of it.
Truffle Burrata
Okay, this was my absolute favourite of all the starters. Creamy burrata, shaved truffle, honey, hazelnuts, and toast that’s been nicely grilled until crispy. The burrata is incredibly creamy so you can spread it right onto the bread like butter. Then you add the honey and hazelnuts – and honestly, the combination is just amazing. Creamy, sweet, nutty, all at once. I ended up using the leftover garlic buns to mop up the honey and hazelnut base, and somehow that just worked perfectly too. This is a must-order, every time, no question.
Mains – Lunch Menu
Creamy Prawn Linguine
Fresh pasta, done al dente, with garlicky prawns, smoky pancetta, mascarpone and Chianti sauce, aged Parmesan, and rocket. The prawns are already peeled – love that – and they’re good-sized with a satisfying crunch. The sauce is creamy but not overwhelmingly so. You won’t feel jelak halfway through, which says a lot after a few days of heavy eating.
Super Salmon
Crispy-skinned salmon with charred sprouting broccoli, veg couscous, and tomato salsa cruda. The portion is generous – a really thick, meaty slice of salmon. Cooked well, not dry, not underdone. Nothing that’ll blow your mind but it does exactly what it promises.
Desserts – Lunch
Tiramisu
Boozy coffee-soaked savoiardi sponge, silky clementine mascarpone, cocoa. The ladyfingers were nicely moist. Not the best tiramisu I’ve ever had, but honestly still pretty satisfying. No complaints.
Mango Sorbet
Right, if any restaurant puts mango sorbet on the menu, you just order it. Full stop. This one genuinely tastes like fresh mango – not that fake, artificial flavouring you sometimes get. The perfect palate cleanser to end your meal, especially after a few rich courses. We had this all three times and it never got old.
Here’s the dinner menu at Jamie’s Italian, where dishes like the short rib and lamb chops are only available in the evening.
Second Visit – Dinner Menu
The dinner menu at Jamie’s Italian on Ovation of the Seas differs slightly from the lunch menu, so there were new things to try. Good reason to go back, if you ask me.
Crab & Avocado
Freshly picked crab, whipped avocado, heritage tomatoes, Sardinian crackers. Light and refreshing. Nothing too amazing but a clean, pleasant start to the meal.
Polenta Chips
My husband ordered these because he was curious. Honestly? Tasteless. Regular fries would’ve been so much better. I had actually tried the polenta chips at the Windjammer buffet earlier and wasn’t impressed then either, so I sort of expected this. Skip these and order literally anything else.
Sticky Short Rib
12-hour Chianti-braised beef with creamy Parmesan mash, lemony kale, flash-pickled onion, and grated horseradish.
The meat is so tender you can break it apart with just a fork. The mash is nicely done too. Combine the two in every mouthful and it’s just proper comfort food. Really comforting and satisfying.
Lamb Chops Scottadito
Still as good as I remembered from our last cruise. Charred, juicy chops with agrodolce peppers, sticky onions, salsa verde, and crispy capers. We ordered it medium and it came out beautifully pink in the middle – super tender, super moist, and no gamey taste at all. The char on the surface adds this lovely smokiness that really makes a difference. This is another must-order, especially if you’re there for dinner.
Amalfi Lemon Cheesecake
Velvety mascarpone and lemon cheesecake with torched Italian meringue, lemon curd, and blueberry compote. Reminded me of the key lime pie at Chops Grille, but this has a proper solid cheesecake base. The tanginess from the cheese base pairs really well with the sweetness of the meringue. I liked this.
Third and Final Visit – Day 4 Lunch
Day 4, back at Jamie’s Italian again. At this point I think we’d made it our unofficial canteen on the ship. We tried two more pasta dishes we hadn’t ordered yet.
Truffle Tagliatelle
Al dente pasta with truffle butter, veggie Parmesan, nutmeg, and shaved truffle. The truffle flavour comes through nicely without being too heavy. Not cloyingly rich – which is exactly what you want after a few days of indulging.
Penne Carbonara
Smoky pancetta, slow-cooked leeks, aged Parmesan. It’s a lighter version of carbonara than what I’m normally used to, so it wasn’t the most indulgent bowl. But actually, by Day 4, thank goodness for that – it was easy to finish and didn’t feel too heavy. Which I appreciated at that point in the cruise, honestly.
The Service – Shout-Outs and One Gripe
Big shout-out to Clarisse for taking such wonderful care of us across all three visits. Cheerful every time, attentive without being intrusive, always made sure we were happy. She’s the kind of server that makes the whole dining experience so much more enjoyable.
On the flip side – Erimel, who helped us with restaurant reservations (we nicknamed him Mr Grumpy Pants, sorry not sorry) – you really need to learn how to smile, mate. Not only was he quite black-faced throughout, he also made the wrong reservation for us. Booked us two dinner slots at the exact same time on the same day. How does that even happen? Even if he heard us wrongly, a simple “just to confirm” would have sorted it out. A bit frustrating, honestly.
Is the Unlimited Dining Package on Ovation of the Seas Worth It?
Short Answer: Yes, Get It
The food quality at Jamie’s Italian is in a completely different league from the Windjammer buffet. Better quality ingredients, proper presentation, a lovely atmosphere, and genuinely attentive service. The buffet is fine for a quick grab-and-go, but if you want a proper meal where you actually sit down and enjoy yourself? Specialty dining all the way.
The Unlimited Dining Package on Ovation of the Seas pays for itself if you’re the type to eat out at specialty restaurants regularly during a cruise. For us, it was absolutely worth every cent.
Our Honest Must-Order List at Jamie’s Italian on Ovation of the Seas
If you take nothing else from this review, at least order these:
- Squid Fritti – Non-negotiable. Order it every visit.
- Truffle Burrata – Best starter on the menu, hands down.
- Lamb Chops Scottadito – Dinner menu highlight, do not skip.
- Sticky Short Rib – Pure comfort in a bowl.
- Mango Sorbet – End every meal with this, always.
And yes, skip the polenta chips. Trust me on that one.
All in all, we enjoyed every single meal at Jamie’s Italian on Ovation of the Seas. There were a few misses here and there – maybe a different cook, maybe a tweaked recipe – but the hits far outweighed them. The fact that we went back three times says it all, really. Still highly recommend it, and I’d go back on our next sailing without a second thought.
Now if you’ll excuse me, just writing this has me salivating thinking about that Truffle Burrata and Squid Fritti. Someone please book me another cruise, thanks.