Dawn Menus -New, Revised, Final

[2CutiesCruisin]

I think the new menus are just fine! Lots of options with the revolving specials. Plus we've always planned on mixing it up with the specialty restaurants. During our all inclusive vacation to Mexico, the one and only dining room served that same 3 or 4 items, appetizers, entrees and deserts for the entire seven days - no that was terrible - were sooo sick of the food by day three. Anyhow, the one thing that I don't like about this menu is the possibility of it being the same fixed one for both main dining rooms - they should have two different fixed menus. Will the specials at least be different between the two?

[2CutiesCruisin]

Oh, I am also assuming that this is the dinner menu - what about the breakfast and lunch menu? Any news on them?

[dancintomusic]

A clerk at Reception told us that the way the menus were on our cruise (Dawn N.E. 9/6/09) was the way they would be rolled out fleetwide, including indentical menus in the two main dining rooms for all meal times, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

[Planer's Edge]

A clerk at Reception told us that the way the menus were on our cruise (Dawn N.E. 9/6/09) was the way they would be rolled out fleetwide, including indentical menus in the two main dining rooms for all meal times, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

 

...and I have it on a higher authority, than a clerk at reception, that they are still under evaluation and subject to some tweaking before they are rolled out fleet wide.

 

PE

[gtalum]

Having never sailed NCL yet and thus no idea of the relative quality of the preparation, I have to say that this fuss seems much ado about nothing. The menus look fine to me. There are several static items and several rotating items. I saw multiple items on every single menu that I'd like to order.

 

We'll likely dine in 2 or 3 specialty restaurants on our upcomign cruise, but it looks like I'd be pleased to see these menus in the MDR's. Does anyone know when this is going fleetwide?

[dancintomusic]

I sure hope your sources are better than mine, PE, or more current than 12 days ago. We have a lot of history with NCL, and it is not easy to walk away from them. (It does seem odd, though, that they would have their reception staff give out the wrong information, especially when there is such a push onboard every cruise to sell Cruise Rewards to passengers to be spent on future cruises. In fact, that was what we were considering when we asked that question at reception because we knew we would not book another cruise if the current menu was going to go out fleet wide.)

 

On this last cruise, some of us in our group attended the cooking demonstration, and the head chef was the person demonstrating and 'teaching' two volunteers from the audience. (Don't miss this. He is so funny! He has cool mustaches that reminded me of Hercule Poirot, and a sense of humor that will have you rolling on the floor!) At any rate, he also mentioned their new menus, saying that they were so proud of them and would soon be rolling them out fleet wide.

 

Can you tell us the date you last heard that they are considering adding changes to the current menus? (Wish I knew now what changes they had in mind as we are currently looking at Celebrity and RCCL as we are going to book a Med cruise for the spring of 2010.)

[Planer's Edge]

I sure hope your sources are better than mine, PE, or more current than 12 days ago. We have a lot of history with NCL, and it is not easy to walk away from them. (It does seem odd, though, that they would have their reception staff give out the wrong information, especially when there is such a push onboard every cruise to sell Cruise Rewards to passengers to be spent on future cruises. In fact, that was what we were considering when we asked that question at reception because we knew we would not book another cruise if the current menu was going to go out fleet wide.)

 

On this last cruise, some of us in our group attended the cooking demonstration, and the head chef was the person demonstrating and 'teaching' two volunteers from the audience. (Don't miss this. He is so funny! He has cool mustaches that reminded me of Hercule Poirot, and a sense of humor that will have you rolling on the floor!) At any rate, he also mentioned their new menus, saying that they were so proud of them and would soon be rolling them out fleet wide.

 

Can you tell us the date you last heard that they are considering adding changes to the current menus? (Wish I knew now what changes they had in mind as we are currently looking at Celebrity and RCCL as we are going to book a Med cruise for the spring of 2010.)

My information was received yesterday in an email from Hugo Vanosmael who is the Hotel Director on the Dawn. Here is exactly what he told me when I asked when the new menus would be rolled out fleet wide:

Hello John,

It hasn’t been decided yet, we’re still in the phase of reviewing and analyzing the comments and there still might be changes, we really want to get this right before it’s rolled out fleet wide and we’re getting closer in doing so!

 

 

PE

[jaja]

My information was received yesterday in an email from Hugo Vanosmael who is the Hotel Director on the Dawn. Here is exactly what he told me when I asked when the new menus would be rolled out fleet wide:

 

Hello John' date=' [/font']

It hasn’t been decided yet, we’re still in the phase of reviewing and analyzing the comments and there still might be changes, we really want to get this right before it’s rolled out fleet wide and we’re getting closer in doing so!

 

 

PE

 

Yes--that is the impression I got when talking to Hugo during our cruise...

 

I have no problem with the idea of "half & half"--and found the dining experience just fine...BUT--if they are still reviewing...I do hope they take some of the suggestions offered... as I do believe that a few items could be added to make it just a bit more varied to suit more tastes...and/or use the suggestion of having different items in each MDR.(which I doubt would be convenient for the kitchen )

 

PE--How is Hugo and staff gathering input?--though I over heard a lot of comments while onboard....there did not seem to be a way for people to give opinions...unless they purposely sought out officers or had the opportunity to dine with Hugo and Event Coordinator...as we did..(and even then..I did not give specific suggestions.since I had not yet experienced the complete week's menu)

[dancintomusic]

Well, that’s good that Hugo Vanosmael said, "...and there still 'might be' changes..."

 

Unfortunately for me, that information is too vague and not substantial enough for us to gamble on booking our spring cruise with NCL, especially since that cruise would be for longer than a week. The food on NCL is generally tasty, but we absolutely do not want to go on a two-week cruise and have to use the same 7-day menu for two weeks in a row. We felt the same way about the menus and the Specials as Flyingfish and agree that ""...the menu gets "tired" real fast."

[Planer's Edge]

I sort of agree with you about the menus for a 2 week cruise. I will find out how well it works in a few weeks.

 

I guess I don't think that food is the most important part of my cruise experience that it would make me choose a cruise line based on their menus. But, that's just me.

 

PE

[dockrocker]

Very happy to see a rotating vegetarian choice in both appetizers and entrees.

[jaja]

My information was received yesterday in an email from Hugo Vanosmael who is the Hotel Director on the Dawn. Here is exactly what he told me when I asked when the new menus would be rolled out fleet wide:

 

Hello John' date=' [/font']

It hasn’t been decided yet, we’re still in the phase of reviewing and analyzing the comments and there still might be changes, we really want to get this right before it’s rolled out fleet wide and we’re getting closer in doing so!

 

 

PE

 

 

I am anxious to hear from those returning on Sunday if any "tweaking" was done since I posted the menues..

[ute_fan]

Just off the Star --- which thankfully still had the old menus in place, complete with chilled soups. They were delicious, and I will be extremely disappointed if they choose to eliminate them from the dining room menus.

 

My sister was with us, and has branched out more to other cruise lines than we have. She said she prefers the food on Carnival -- especially their signature chocolate cake, and really missed the always available baked potato. She did say there are certain things about freestyle that she definitely prefers, but she didn't think the food was nearly as good as their last cruise. We enjoyed everything we had, but between my DS, BIL, and the two friends that also traveled with us, there were definitely a few disappointments.

[Yo Eleven]

Is there any place to get shrimp cocktail?

[ute_fan]

Is there any place to get shrimp cocktail?

 

Shrimp cocktail is available on the always available menu -- but it's not your traditional shrimp cocktail. I ordered it on our Princess cruise, and it was 4 large shrimp, topped with traditional cocktail sauce. The one on NCL is baby shrimp, in some sort of more creamy sauce. I enjoyed it and ordered it almost every dinner, but it's not what I expected the first night.

[VonChap]

Shrimp cocktail is available on the always available menu -- but it's not your traditional shrimp cocktail. I ordered it on our Princess cruise, and it was 4 large shrimp, topped with traditional cocktail sauce. The one on NCL is baby shrimp, in some sort of more creamy sauce. I enjoyed it and ordered it almost every dinner, but it's not what I expected the first night.

 

On some of the NCL ships, they have the usual shrimp cocktail on the buffet at night. Large shrimp with traditional cocktail sauce. Sometimes, we go to the buffet to pick up a shrimp cocktail and some cheese if we are eating a late dinner someplace else.

[Ms belp]

I like the ship cocktails that I have had on all our cruises. But, it wasn't in a creamy sauce. Hi, Von Chap!:)

[ute_fan]

The sauce definitely wasn't the normal red cocktail sauce. It may have been based on that, but there was something else in the sauce. Mayo, maybe??

 

Now, being from Utah, one of our "specialties" is french fry sauce -- -which is a combination of ketchup and mayo -- sometimes almost more like a thousand island dressing -- and that's what the sauce on the shrimp cocktails was like. I didn't dislike it :D since I ate one almost every night, but it isn't traditional.

[dockrocker]

The sauce definitely wasn't the normal red cocktail sauce. It may have been based on that, but there was something else in the sauce. Mayo, maybe??

 

It's a remoulade sauce.

[c breeze]

Just off the Dawn Oct 4 sailing to Bermuda. The menus were the same as posted here, but the rotation was different. Check outside the Aqua each morning for that days specialties. ;)

[martinchem]

Thanks.

[LizzieTish]

I am one of those that is very disappointed to see the new static menus. While there are several items I would be satisfied with, I see nothing that I am very excited about. I don't care for fish (other than shellfish, which seems to be very limited), and cannot bring myself to eat lamb so that limits the choices greatly.

I would not have booked with NCL had I known that the menus were going to be this boring. I'm sure we will have a great time on our cruise but I doubt I will return to NCL again.

[Planer's Edge]

I am one of those that is very disappointed to see the new static menus. While there are several items I would be satisfied with, I see nothing that I am very excited about. I don't care for fish (other than shellfish, which seems to be very limited), and cannot bring myself to eat lamb so that limits the choices greatly.

I would not have booked with NCL had I known that the menus were going to be this boring. I'm sure we will have a great time on our cruise but I doubt I will return to NCL again.

You know these are on the Dawn only right now?

 

PE

[ute_fan]

You know these are on the Dawn only right now?

 

PE

 

Just a rumor -- but someone from our roll-call group was informed by the assistant maitre'd in Versailles that they were being implemented on the Star this month. I have friends cruising on the Star over Halloween, and I'm waiting to see if they've changed yet.

[Planer's Edge]

Just a rumor -- but someone from our roll-call group was informed by the assistant maitre'd in Versailles that they were being implemented on the Star this month. I have friends cruising on the Star over Halloween, and I'm waiting to see if they've changed yet.

 

If it came from an Asst. Maitre d' I would assume just a rumor.

 

According to an email I received from Hugo, no roll out plans have been set yet. This was a few days ago.

 

PE