The Traveling Man

We sailed on Prima's second cruise, Copenhagen to Southampton, 13 - 23 September. Although the passenger count was only about half capacity and as Diamond Latitudes members we were among the first to board and headed straight to the box office upon boarding, we had difficulty making reservations for the showtimes that we wanted for the main stage as well as the comedy club. These venues are considerably smaller than they are on the Breakaway class ships, and they sell out quickly.

The problem with the food at Q is that the techniques available to cook on board a ship are limited and do not lend themselves well to the proper preparation of barbeque. Barbeque should be slow-cooked, smoked actually, at under 200 degrees for at least 10 hours. At Q they cook it at about 400 degrees for a couple of hours. The flavor and texture just aren't the same. The food comes out tasty enough, but it just isn't true barbeque. Unless you've never eaten barbeque before and want to get some idea of how it tastes, I recommend skipping dinner at Q. Full disclosure: I grew up in Texas and have eaten barbeque several thousand times at more than 100 different restaurants. My personal preference, dare I say it, is for the ribs at Central Barbeque in Memphis, followed closely by the brisket at several different spots in the Central Texas Hill Country. FWIW, NCL seems to recognize their shortcomings. On Prima, NCL's latest ship, Q has been downgraded from an extra-cost specialty restaurant to just one of several booths in the Food Hall. They no longer are emphasizing it or charging extra. You may want to wait until you cruise on the Prima, or even wait until the Viva is launched, and then try Q without the surcharge.

Also, Celebrity generally charges less for their drinks, so their $9.00 limit on their basic package can get you almost the same quality and selection that the $15.00 limit does on NCL.

We will be on the Getaway for its TA from NYC a couple of weeks from now. After Southampton, it continues to Copenhagen via Amsterdam. We'd like to book the cruise, but pack our bags and depart the ship at Amsterdam. Other than emergencies like medical issues, has anyone ever been able to do this? Who do you contact at NCL and what hoops do you have to jump through?