Norwegian Cruise Line to Introduce A La Carte Specialty Dining Fleetwide

[hpecorari]

What I don't understand is just recently there was a notice from NCL that they were lowering all the specialty restaurants...mostly by only $ .05. So why announce that the specialty restaurants are being lowered and then make them a la carte? I can't understand it.

 

Harriet

[Sizzlechest]

What I don't understand is just recently there was a notice from NCL that they were lowering all the specialty restaurants...mostly by only $ .05. So why announce that the specialty restaurants are being lowered and then make them a la carte? I can't understand it.

 

Harriet

 

They weren't lowered. Two of them (Italian and Japanese) were increased $5. The nickle is just psychological pricing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_pricing

[wordsjustfly]

Check out the latest Norwegian Cruise Line news from Cruise Critic:

 

Norwegian Cruise Line to Introduce A La Carte Specialty Dining Fleetwide

 

 

This doesn't surprise me at all. I knew it was only a matter of time.

[FreestyleNovice]

Well, at least the SDP will have a reason to exist. Right?

 

If I want to dine in a spec. I would go the SDP way for sure.

[Casino Comp Chick]

Andy is running the company, not Frank.

 

 

 

" I have looked at the pricing and felt that for the most part the pricing will be similar to the current cover charge. I thought people would like it. My wife and I are different. I generally only have a main course – she likes to have no main course and 2 appetizers (always watching her weight). People are different and this offers more flexibility."

 

 

 

Makes sense to me.

 

 

Stephen

 

.

 

Andy's wife is always on a diet so everyone else has to pay more for dinner?

Seriously?

Ordering 2 apps was always included, if she doesn't want an entree that's her business but why should I have to pay more for it because of it? She should just go to one of the overpriced gym classes they have onboard.

Edited July 15, 2015 by iimmie

[hpecorari]

Andy's wife is always on a diet so everyone else has to pay more for dinner?

Seriously?

Ordering 2 apps was always included, if she doesn't want an entree that's her business but why should I have to pay for it because of it?

 

Lots of people 'splurge' when on a cruise/vacation - even if always watching what they eat.

 

Harriet

[sparks1093]

Andy is running the company, not Frank.

 

 

 

" I have looked at the pricing and felt that for the most part the pricing will be similar to the current cover charge. I thought people would like it. My wife and I are different. I generally only have a main course – she likes to have no main course and 2 appetizers (always watching her weight). People are different and this offers more flexibility."

 

 

 

Makes sense to me.

 

 

Stephen

 

.

 

Yeah, the orchestra leader may be leading the orchestra but it's still Beethoven's music;).

[omc329]

Wondering how this will effect the platinum perk. *sigh* I miss O'sheehan.:(

[hpecorari]

Wondering how this will effect the platinum perk. *sigh* I miss O'sheehan.:(

 

It shouldn't. I would guess we still would get the certificate, show it to the host and order whatever we wanted.

 

However....time will tell! Who knows, with the latitude changes will there still be this perk?

 

Harriet

[Demonyte]

Wondering how this will effect the platinum perk. *sigh* I miss O'sheehan.:(

 

It shouldn't. I would guess we still would get the certificate, show it to the host and order whatever we wanted.

 

However....time will tell! Who knows, with the latitude changes will there still be this perk?

 

Exactly this. This specific change does not have any effect to casino comped dinners, platinum dinners or fixed dining packages (UDP and SDP) - those will cover the entire dinner as they have so far.

 

What happens when the Latitudes perks get eventually revamped is a completely different story.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Demonyte

[sjbdtz]

Yeah, the orchestra leader may be leading the orchestra but it's still Beethoven's music;).

 

Nice analogy! :)

 

 

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

[SissasMomE]

I'm sure Del Rio heard all of us screaming we need bouillabaisse for $15.99 to make our cruise experience complete. You just have to wonder what these guys are smoking these days!:rolleyes:

 

It baffles me what people will pay for. Really makes me wonder where they live, and the quality of the restaurants around them! This isn't 5-star dining ...

I see little to no difference between the quality of food at the specialty restaurants and the quality in the MDRs. Now years ago - it was definitely superior. It hasn't been for years though.

[Warm-Water Diver]

This may be the biggest change by far that makes me stray from NCL. They are obviously going after fan favorites LeBistro and Cagneys. 2 of which I'd frequent about 4 meals per 7 day cruise. I for one enjoy multiple appetizers; salad, mushroom soup, 2 escargot, filet and skip dessert. Now it appears this will cost me much more than the flat rate. Same goes for Cagneys. I was fine when they implemented the "pay" restaurants but after all the tipping and price increases, I think this may be the "straw" as I've cruised exclusively on NCL for their pay restaurants

 

 

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[june123]

Just as everything settled back down after the last load of "improvements for our convenience " We start with another load of -------:mad:

[NLH Arizona]

This may be the biggest change by far that makes me stray from NCL. They are obviously going after fan favorites LeBistro and Cagneys. 2 of which I'd frequent about 4 meals per 7 day cruise. I for one enjoy multiple appetizers; salad, mushroom soup, 2 escargot, filet and skip dessert. Now it appears this will cost me much more than the flat rate. Same goes for Cagneys. I was fine when they implemented the "pay" restaurants but after all the tipping and price increases, I think this may be the "straw" as I've cruised exclusively on NCL for their pay restaurants

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not sure that they went after fan favorites, I think they went after those restaurants that could go al a carte, like Cagney's, LeBistro and La Cucina. I think it would be very hard to do an al a carte menu in Moderno and the Teppanyaki restaurant.

[ellis101]

So it seems they have finally caught up with those few who insist on milking the udp system by ordering 4 appetisers and an entree or even those who eat in two specialty restaurants per night. And the consequence is that now you need to pay for what you are actually eating.

 

Another example of the minority causing affect to the majority in my opinion

[Sizzlechest]

So it seems they have finally caught up with those few who insist on milking the udp system by ordering 4 appetisers and an entree or even those who eat in two specialty restaurants per night. And the consequence is that now you need to pay for what you are actually eating.

 

Another example of the minority causing affect to the majority in my opinion

 

Yes. They should take it a step further and have the washy-washy folks monitor the buffet to ensure only one of each item is taken. Perhaps they can convert the buffet to an automat where passengers have to swipe their card to get food. They could implement a timer to ensure each person doesn't take too much food. Cards with shorter delay times could be sold for $19.95 or an a la carte option that charges $1.95 for each dessert taken.

[mollydogsmom]

It baffles me what people will pay for. Really makes me wonder where they live, and the quality of the restaurants around them! This isn't 5-star dining ...

I see little to no difference between the quality of food at the specialty restaurants and the quality in the MDRs. Now years ago - it was definitely superior. It hasn't been for years though.

 

That is so true. We cruised on the pearl in April and the only poor meals we had were in the specialty restaurants. MDR was better!

[LrgPizza]

This may be the biggest change by far that makes me stray from NCL. They are obviously going after fan favorites LeBistro and Cagneys. 2 of which I'd frequent about 4 meals per 7 day cruise. I for one enjoy multiple appetizers; salad, mushroom soup, 2 escargot, filet and skip dessert. Now it appears this will cost me much more than the flat rate. Same goes for Cagneys. I was fine when they implemented the "pay" restaurants but after all the tipping and price increases, I think this may be the "straw" as I've cruised exclusively on NCL for their pay restaurants

 

So now you buy the 4 day SDP, and those 4 meals you mentioned will cost you $21.83 each after gratuities. I guess I don't see the problem. You can continue to do exactly what you have been doing.

[Warm-Water Diver]

So now you buy the 4 day SDP, and those 4 meals you mentioned will cost you $21.83 each after gratuities. I guess I don't see the problem. You can continue to do exactly what you have been doing.

 

I had not read the details on the programs, only the press release.

 

Can you provide a link to the programs, prices with details etc?

[hpecorari]

This may be the biggest change by far that makes me stray from NCL. They are obviously going after fan favorites LeBistro and Cagneys. 2 of which I'd frequent about 4 meals per 7 day cruise. I for one enjoy multiple appetizers; salad, mushroom soup, 2 escargot, filet and skip dessert. Now it appears this will cost me much more than the flat rate. Same goes for Cagneys. I was fine when they implemented the "pay" restaurants but after all the tipping and price increases, I think this may be the "straw" as I've cruised exclusively on NCL for their pay restaurants

 

You can STILL eat as above by purchasing the SDP for how many days you wish to dine in a specialty restaurant.

 

Harriet

[hpecorari]

I had not read the details on the programs, only the press release.

 

Can you provide a link to the programs, prices with details etc?

 

http://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/dining-packages

 

Harriet

who basically said the same thing LrgPizza said before reading what she said.

[NLH Arizona]

I had not read the details on the programs, only the press release.

 

Can you provide a link to the programs, prices with details etc?

 

https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/dining-packages

[Warm-Water Diver]

So what happens if they limit the number of appetizers, sides or desserts? It doesn't state anything about how much you can order or what restrictions there might be.

 

If they do have restrictions, then it's back to square one: Overall price increase for those of us like me that like to order multiple appetizers while scaling back on desserts etc.

[Diver2014]

So now you buy the 4 day SDP, and those 4 meals you mentioned will cost you $21.83 each after gratuities. I guess I don't see the problem. You can continue to do exactly what you have been doing.

 

...but the moaners and groaners won't have anything to complain about if they keep on doing what they've been doing. I just hope they don't come

back to the MDR as a way of protest. We like to have a nice, quiet meal.