Dawn Menus -New, Revised, Final

[c breeze]

This is part of the email I received before we sailed on the Dawn last week. The menus will be going fleet-wide, but I am not sure when:

 

We've revolutionized cruise dining once again, and you'll be among the first to experience it.

 

Norwegian Dawn's two main dining rooms - Aqua and Venetian - are featuring brand new menus that will offer a wide variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts. Plus, each day you can look forward to a different Daily Menu offering even more choices you are sure to love.

 

You know these are on the Dawn only right now?

 

PE

[snorklinbarb]

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

 

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

 

PE[/color']

 

Hi PE,

Hugo is consistent in saying there is no set plan yet. In fact, there is still some tweaking going on.

 

With the 3 daily specials + 6 fixed, we managed quite nicely. Add a few specialties into the mix and it was fine (and very tasty) for 7 nights. Will be interesting to see if anything is added for your repo.;):D

 

Don't miss the Florida baked shrimp avail. as appetizer only the 1st night. I miss the escargots but these were pretty darn delicious!:p

[luddite]

This is part of the email I received before we sailed on the Dawn last week. The menus will be going fleet-wide, but I am not sure when:

 

We've revolutionized cruise dining once again, and you'll be among the first to experience it.

 

Norwegian Dawn's two main dining rooms - Aqua and Venetian - are featuring brand new menus that will offer a wide variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts. Plus, each day you can look forward to a different Daily Menu offering even more choices you are sure to love.

 

That's a nice bit of creative writing that's delved into advertising hype.

It would be nice if NCL would make and announce a decision as to when this will be instituted fleet-wide. So far, the static-menu has not received a lot of rave reviews.

[Planer's Edge]

That's a nice bit of creative writing that's delved into advertising hype.

It would be nice if NCL would make and announce a decision as to when this will be instituted fleet-wide. So far, the static-menu has not received a lot of rave reviews.

 

The only people I have heard complaining about them are those that have not tried them yet.

 

PE

[njhorseman]

The only people I have heard complaining about them are those that have not tried them yet.

 

PE

 

 

I found four posters on this thread alone (I haven't bothered to check any others) who have sailed on the Dawn and didn't like the menus:

 

Flyinfish

14ersco

dancintomusic

KandCsailing

 

As for those of us who have expressed similar opinions without having actually tried the new menus, I know what I enjoy eating and what I look forward to having on a cruise, and these menus do not measure up to my expectations. I assume every other adult is capable of making a similar decision based on their personal likes, dislikes and expectations without having actually eaten on the ship.

 

Have you never looked a restaurant's menu, and decided not to dine there because it didn't appeal to you?

[kosoffj]

hate to be a nuge but i sailed the dawn this summer and did not love them. BUT i am considering sailing the dawn on a 14 day this december, so i can't say i hated them that much (or that i loved the dawn and need a vacation so it made up for it lol)

[Azure Moon]

The only people I have heard complaining about them are those that have not tried them yet.

 

PE

 

I found four posters on this thread alone (I haven't bothered to check any others) who have sailed on the Dawn and didn't like the menus:

 

Flyinfish

14ersco

dancintomusic

KandCsailing

 

As for those of us who have expressed similar opinions without having actually tried the new menus' date=' I know what I enjoy eating and what I look forward to having on a cruise, and these menus do not measure up to my expectations. I assume every other adult is capable of making a similar decision based on their personal likes, dislikes and expectations without having actually eaten on the ship.

 

Have you never looked a restaurant's menu, and decided not to dine there because it didn't appeal to you?[/quote']

 

Add my screen name, Azure Moon, to your list of people who didn't like the menus.

 

We, my husband, mother, and I, sailed on the Dawn September 27 to October 4, 2009.

 

In the Venetian and the Aqua restaurants, the flavor, preparation, and usually the presentation of the food was excellent (the one blip we had was one night we each received one half of a baked potato rather than a whole baked potato like we'd had on other evenings. Have NO idea why they cut them in half - it sure didn't look right for a nice dinner).

 

The service in each restaurant was wonderful.

 

We all thought the menus were boring. I enjoy going to see what the new menu items will be that day, but I quickly learned -as I'd feared- that the new items would contain weird sauces or included ingredients that eliminated them from consideration. So I ended up going with the always menu items. BORING after a while.

 

This was my mother's first cruise on NCL and my husband's and my third cruise on NCL/A ships. Both thought there wasn't enough variety. We sail on Carnival also. My mother says that Carnival's menus usually have so many things that sound appealing to her that it's hard to choose one item.

 

 

The problem she has with that is the items she isn't able to order are not available on other evenings. Maybe this is one positive of a repetitive menu such as NCL's Dawn is trying, that you'd have the opportunity to try something on another night.

 

But the problem is the always available menu is boring. It's not gourmet food; not exciting as the new daily items are. It's what we fix at home - chicken breast, steak, etc. These are items I would think would be more fitting on the Blue Lagoon's menu. Though it is a good idea to have a couple of the bland, everyday items on the main dining room menus as go-to items when all else on the menu doesn't suit. When on cruises, we want something out of the ordinary.

 

Maybe have a couple of ordinary items but rev them up in some way so that while they will appeal to the masses, they also have a special feeling to them. For instance, rather than a ho-hum baked potato, how about a twice baked potato, or au gratin, etc.

 

We certainly didn't go without eating :o:D, but dining in the main dining rooms on NCL just don't knock our socks off like it does on Carnival. And no, we're not going to just go back to Carnival if we prefer the food so much more. Though we will be sailing on Carnival again because I do have food items I absolutely crave when not sailing with them. I'd like to increase the number of NCL items as well. :D:cool: After all, one can not live on cream cheese cinnamon rolls, cappuccinos, pretzel rolls, and pineapple alone :p.

[terrymtex01]

 

After all, one can not live on cream cheese cinnamon rolls, cappuccinos, pretzel rolls, and pineapple alone :p.

 

 

True.. but maybe if you threw in their DELICIOUS chocolate croissants?? LOL.. I think I could live on THOSE alone.. LOL.

 

Thanks for the heads up and latest report. We are still excited to be trying the new menus in two weeks. And I must say.. WHAT?? a half of a baked potato?? Don't they know that is the best part of the meal?

[Elcruzer]

The only people I have heard complaining about them are those that have not tried them yet.

 

PE

I was on the Dawn in June when they first started testing and found them very boring and said so to the restaurant mgr. and on the poll here. I am just hoping it doesn't go fleetwide at least not on the Sun in Nov. when I will be on a 19 day cruise:eek:

[snorklinbarb]

I was on the Dawn in June when they first started testing and found them very boring and said so to the restaurant mgr. and on the poll here. I am just hoping it doesn't go fleetwide at least not on the Sun in Nov. when I will be on a 19 day cruise:eek:

 

Since you sailed in June there have been changes both on the fixed menu side as well as the addition of more daily specials (appetizers, soup, entrees & desserts). More variety and some of the dishes you had are gone now.

 

From the everyday side I really liked the lamb shank and Bob had the miso glazed tilapia. Neither dish was "boring." Both were tasty and hot. In fact, I considered having the shank again but went for the short ribs (found them quite fatty). We enjoyed lobster tails (2 small but you can ask for more if you need, we didn't), pork medallion (2 pieces, DH found he could only eat one), nice rack of lamb. For appetizers particularly liked the wild mushroom quesadilla (available daily), sesame chicken skewers (special) and the baked Florida shrimp (special). The french onion soup is nowhere near Le Bistro's but it was tasty as was the broccolli soup.

 

Again, that's just what we selected and liked.

 

They are still working on the menus. One thing for sure they welcome feedback and that's why they're still doing some tweaking.

[Planer's Edge]

I was on the Dawn in June when they first started testing and found them very boring and said so to the restaurant mgr. and on the poll here. I am just hoping it doesn't go fleetwide at least not on the Sun in Nov. when I will be on a 19 day cruise:eek:

 

I will find out personally how the new menus work for extended cruises. We board on November1st for 14 days.

 

PE

[luddite]

I found four posters on this thread alone (I haven't bothered to check any others) who have sailed on the Dawn and didn't like the menus:

 

Flyinfish

14ersco

dancintomusic

KandCsailing

 

As for those of us who have expressed similar opinions without having actually tried the new menus, I know what I enjoy eating and what I look forward to having on a cruise, and these menus do not measure up to my expectations. I assume every other adult is capable of making a similar decision based on their personal likes, dislikes and expectations without having actually eaten on the ship.

 

Have you never looked a restaurant's menu, and decided not to dine there because it didn't appeal to you?

 

Thanks. I don't have the energy to backtrack and find the posts referring to a lack of goodness regarding the fixed menus. A couple of threads on the fixed-menu subject got poofed, so they're hard to go back to. I've read a handful of reviews about Dawn cruisers and have yet to see a rave review of the fixed-menu concept. There've been a few that said it was OK and they found something to eat. That's certainly less than a rave review. One of the official touts for the concept is that they'll be able to prepare the limited number of dishes better. That doesn't seem to have happened.

 

When the idea started, there were posters wondering if NCL was intentionally making the food in the MDR 'icky' so as to force pax into a specialty venue. That is still a valid question, but it really just looks as though they are trying to cut their food costs as much as possible. Cost-cutting certainly isn't a new concept and I don't have a problem with them working at it. Obviously, they are still working on it, or it would have been instituted fleet-wide by now. No doubt, when they find out how banal they can make the menu without losing too many pax, they'll roll it out fleet-wide.

 

I've had the items on that menu. I don't need to deal with it for a week or two to figure out that it's a boring thing.

[kosoffj]

you have to report back PE, as i am considering one for 12/4. although mine is a 9/5 back to back so i'm not sure it matters, but i'd still be interested!

[H82seaUgo]

The only people I have heard complaining about them are those that have not tried them yet.

 

PE

 

Once again, you are wrong on this topic.

 

Is there a reason YOU are pushing it before YOU have tried it?

[Planer's Edge]

Once again, you are wrong on this topic.

 

Is there a reason YOU are pushing it before YOU have tried it?

Not "pushing" anything. Read the context of what you are quoting.

 

PE<---is really tired of this dead horse and all the parsing for agendas...

[H82seaUgo]

 

PE<---is really tired of this dead horse

 

You still have the freedom to get off it.

 

But, so far, you have stated most people wouldn't mind it, and the poll showed otherwise.

 

Now you are saying the only complainers are the ones that haven't tried it. I am reading the complainers INCLUDE those that have tried it.

 

I'm still looking for the majority of returning cruisers saying they like this.

 

I have been reading otherwise. I certainly see nothing to support that.

[HarpHarp]

I have tried the new menus 2 weeks ago and found them less satisfactory overall than last year's menus on the Star.

 

Some of the fixed dishes were real winners (the stuffed mushroom quesadillia, the pork medallions) but the daily menus had too many choices very much like the fixed menu-baked & grilled steak for example. This adds up to not enough variety in my opinion. I think they should work on the daily specials and add a veggie entree to the fixed menu. I also hold out hope for the return of the fruit soups.

 

By the way- the miniature pan chocolat on the breakfast buffett made me forget all about the pretzel rolls.

[ute_fan]

I have tried the new menus 2 weeks ago and found them less satisfactory overall than last year's menus on the Star.

 

Some of the fixed dishes were real winners (the stuffed mushroom quesadillia, the pork medallions) but the daily menus had too many choices very much like the fixed menu-baked & grilled steak for example. This adds up to not enough variety in my opinion. I think they should work on the daily specials and add a veggie entree to the fixed menu. I also hold out hope for the return of the fruit soups.

 

By the way- the miniature pan chocolat on the breakfast buffett made me forget all about the pretzel rolls.

 

We want chilled soups!!! We want chilled soups!!!

 

Maybe if enough of us complain, they'll take pity on us and add them back to the menus.

[njhorseman]

Not "pushing" anything. Read the context of what you are quoting.

 

PE<---is really tired of this dead horse and all the parsing for agendas...

 

 

You have no one to blame but yourself. When you made the dismissive and blatantly false statement "The only people I have heard complaining about them are those that have not tried them yet" you received the response you brought upon yourself.

[Planer's Edge]

You have no one to blame but yourself. When you made the dismissive and blatantly false statement "The only people I have heard complaining about them are those that have not tried them yet" you received the response you brought upon yourself.

 

The people that have tried, and did not like the new menus, have stated their dislike and moved on. You and a few others that have yet to try the new menus continue to complain about them. And in the mean time the menus are being tweaked for what has been announced as a fleet wide roll out. So make your cruising decisions accordingly. I am looking forward to trying the new menus for myself. But, from what I have seen I believe I will enjoy them.

[njhorseman]

The people that have tried' date=' and did not like the new menus, have [b']stated their dislike[/b] and moved on. You and a few others that have yet to try the new menus continue to complain about them. And in the mean time the menus are being tweaked for what has been announced as a fleet wide roll out. So make your cruising decisions accordingly. I am looking forward to trying the new menus for myself. But, from what I have seen I believe I will enjoy them.

 

 

I would not have said anything had you not made the comment "The only people I have heard complaining about them are those that have not tried them yet".

 

You expect to post a false statement and have everyone smile and agree?

[Planer's Edge]

Did you read what you quoted????????????

 

PE

[Zeno]

I will find out personally how the new menus work for extended cruises. We board on November1st for 14 days.

 

PE

 

PE - do you mind doing a detailed report on the menus when you get back? We are going to be on a 9 Day in Jan and I am pretty curious.

Thx

[luddite]

This an old thread that has maintained it's legs. Let's not do something to get it poofed. There are a few posters that we are waiting upon for a report. Terry and Plantar's Edge haven't experienced the menus yet, but have indicated a willingness to report back after doing so.

 

The next rave review of them will be the first.

[njhorseman]

Did you read what you quoted????????????

 

PE

 

 

Sure did, but it's not worth arguing about any further.