Ala Carte items in MDR

[LMaxwell]

I don't think there is anything wrong with you voicing your opinion. Unfortunately NCL has chosen not to go with your idea and have instead opted to offer other things. Personally it's not going to affect my cruise in the least if a certain food item isn't available (and from what LrgPizza says the quaility is getting better, so at least that's a plus), as long as acceptable choices are available.

 

I think it is important as a consumer to advocate for not only myself, but potentially on behalf of others. Maybe this change doesn't have a negative impact on you. But maybe the next one WILL? And wouldn't it be preferred to have a community of like minded enthusiasts say this is a bum deal, as opposed to saying if you don't like it, go away (in a much nastier way that none of these people would dare use if face to face). Perhaps tomorrow it will be a loss of something you DO find important to your cruise experience and you had looked forward to. I don't believe that the only two options are love it or leave it. there is always middle ground and changes happen, but we must advocate for more value for our money, not less.

 

Those that stood up and said the food takeout policy was junk and that the continental breakfast offerings were junk were put down and others tried to run us out of town. Guess what? NCL reneged and improved those two policies/services. So perhaps with enough noise, applied to the right ears, they will reconsider this as well.

 

When I don't like something in life I don't run away.

 

Also, I appreciate the way in which you voice your opinions.

Edited November 2, 2015 by LMaxwell

[sparks1093]

I think it is important as a consumer to advocate for not only myself, but potentially on behalf of others. Maybe this change doesn't have a negative impact on you. But maybe the next one WILL? And wouldn't it be preferred to have a community of like minded enthusiasts say this is a bum deal, as opposed to saying if you don't like it, go away (in a much nastier way that none of these people would dare use if face to face). Perhaps tomorrow it will be a loss of something you DO find important to your cruise experience and you had looked forward to. I don't believe that the only two options are love it or leave it. there is always middle ground and changes happen, but we must advocate for more value for our money, not less.

 

Those that stood up and said the food takeout policy was junk and that the continental breakfast offerings were junk were put down and others tried to run us out of town. Guess what? NCL reneged and improved those two policies/services. So perhaps with enough noise, applied to the right ears, they will reconsider this as well.

 

When I don't like something in life I don't run away.

 

Also, I appreciate the way in which you voice your opinions.

 

I've not shied away from criticizing NCL when I've thought they deserve it (as I recall I was one of the ones that was saying that the takeout policy was junk:)) and I agree with what you say at least in principle. But what NCL (or any cruise line) offers on their menu is subject to so many things that it's hard to please everyone. I don't know what the current price point is for prime rib or lobster (well, I know that my local market is selling 1.5 pounders for about $17-ish) and how much having those items on the menu costs when calculated out fleetwide. As long as they are offering a varied menu with interesting choices and good quality then I will leave the particulars to the chefs.

[jackson bernard]

Do they really expect you to pay 18% service charge on top of the DSC for the up charge items?

[motleyfan]

I think it is important as a consumer to advocate for not only myself, but potentially on behalf of others. Maybe this change doesn't have a negative impact on you. But maybe the next one WILL? And wouldn't it be preferred to have a community of like minded enthusiasts say this is a bum deal, as opposed to saying if you don't like it, go away (in a much nastier way that none of these people would dare use if face to face). Perhaps tomorrow it will be a loss of something you DO find important to your cruise experience and you had looked forward to. I don't believe that the only two options are love it or leave it. there is always middle ground and changes happen, but we must advocate for more value for our money, not less.

 

Those that stood up and said the food takeout policy was junk and that the continental breakfast offerings were junk were put down and others tried to run us out of town. Guess what? NCL reneged and improved those two policies/services. So perhaps with enough noise, applied to the right ears, they will reconsider this as well.

 

When I don't like something in life I don't run away.

 

Also, I appreciate the way in which you voice your opinions.

 

I'll put it this way, if when the smoking on the balcony ban went into place if smokers and nonsmokers a like would have rallied together on that cause I would be by your side on any cause you wanted to whether it affected me or not. My big enjoyment on cruises was being able to smoke on my balcony. When the band went into place there was no coming together, there was no unity. Yet now you want unity? How is that fair? Read every one of my posts before the smoking ban and I said things like I'm sorry or I understand how you feel when A change went into place that affected someone, but when the change that affected me went into place I didn't get one non-smoker willing to say hey I'll stand beside you I'll help you fight this.

[LMaxwell]

I'll put it this way, if when the smoking on the balcony ban went into place if smokers and nonsmokers a like would have rallied together on that cause I would be by your side on any cause you wanted to whether it affected me or not. My big enjoyment on cruises was being able to smoke on my balcony. When the band went into place there was no coming together, there was no unity. Yet now you want unity? How is that fair? Read every one of my posts before the smoking ban and I said things like I'm sorry or I understand how you feel when A change went into place that affected someone, but when the change that affected me went into place I didn't get one non-smoker willing to say hey I'll stand beside you I'll help you fight this.

 

I've always said, on every cruise line message board I've participated on, that I support comfortable smoking areas being provided by the cruise line. This includes Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, NCL, Carnival. That doesn't mean I am uncompromising or unwilling for reasonable accommodations to be made. But yes, I do support the balcony ban.

And there is a number of ways in which your comparison isn't valid, but let's not go down the rabbit hole.

 

Let's stay on topic here, this is about the dining room and charges there. You are invited to start a new thread on smoking if you desire. It really has nothing to do with this topic.

[Fido Chuckwagon]

They offered Prime Rib in O'Sheehans while on the Jewel last week with no extra charge. Also had pot pie. In fact the food was much better than we had on the Pearl in April. There was a prime rib night in the main dining rooms and there still was the reg steak available for no extra charge: I know it may not be the quality we all like, it certainly isn't something I get excited about but it is avaialble. At least right now.

 

They're not rolling out the new menu fleetwide until January. Look for Prime Rib to go away then unless you want to pay an upcharge "for your convenience."

[motleyfan]

I've always said, on every cruise line message board I've participated on, that I support comfortable smoking areas being provided by the cruise line. This includes Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, NCL, Carnival. That doesn't mean I am uncompromising or unwilling for reasonable accommodations to be made. But yes, I do support the balcony ban.

And there is a number of ways in which your comparison isn't valid, but let's not go down the rabbit hole.

 

Let's stay on topic here, this is about the dining room and charges there. You are invited to start a new thread on smoking if you desire. It really has nothing to do with this topic.

 

Link me to those posts and I will apologize because I never saw any non smoker speak out against the smoking policy.

[LMaxwell]

Link me to those posts and I will apologize because I never saw any non smoker speak out against the smoking policy.

 

I can't really dig through years worth of posts to provide links to prove I've said something, but even as recently as last week on this board I commended NCL for providing a segregated area in the casino for smokers to enjoy gaming and smoking. So, like I said, while I support a balcony ban, I do recognize that accommodation can and should be made for all paying guests. On the Royal Caribbean and Carnival board when the banned balcony smoking I was one of the first, and only, to state that I believed the cruise line should increase amenities in the smoking areas (more self serve drink stations, having a case of self-serve snacks, more comfortable seating).

 

believe it or not, I smoked for 15 years and now thankfully no longer do. So I can empathize with smokers but don't want to be around it, especially on a balcony I've paid a premium for. I don't do the loud coughing arm waving drama either; if I know there is a smoking area i don't want to be in I take an alternate route to get where I want to go.

 

I'm not really a "single issue voter". I look at each thing as it comes and decides if it has a net negative or net positive impact to me, and then I try to consider the impact to others. My primary focus is on items that impact my wallet, and trying to ensure I receive what I have paid for when I put down a deposit. This extends past NCL and past cruising also. I don't believe people should silently accept less than lead to believe they were getting for their money.

Edited November 2, 2015 by LMaxwell

[newmexicoNita]

Um, I don't recall them offering whole lobster of any size before or prime rib of 16 oz. When I've had the prime rib it was in the 6oz range and the lobster tail that was served was around 3-4oz. I doubt that I would order the surcharge items but only because I want to try the other things on the menu that don't cost anything. As I said earlier as long as the number of complimentary items on the menu remain the same it works for me.

 

you are right: never 16 oz prime rib or whole Losbsters. The only Lobster and we have been sailing NCL for about 20 years were the little Carabbean Lobster tails; not all that great I will add.

[newmexicoNita]

They're not rolling out the new menu fleetwide until January. Look for Prime Rib to go away then unless you want to pay an upcharge "for your convenience."

 

Thanks< I will be surprised if they do not offer a smaller serving one night, but if not I am not going to lose sleep over it. There are plenty of tasty choices plus lots of places to eat.

[rvsullivan]

They're not rolling out the new menu fleetwide until January. Look for Prime Rib to go away then unless you want to pay an upcharge "for your convenience."

 

And your "inside" information comes from where? You have no clue what NCL is going to do in January. How do you create facts out of thin air? If the facts don't agree with you opinion, just make them up?

[maywell]

And your "inside" information comes from where? You have no clue what NCL is going to do in January. How do you create facts out of thin air? If the facts don't agree with you opinion, just make them up?

I think he's assuming due to the specialty restaurants a la carte menus are going fleetwide. But it's a MDR menu /complimentary, which can change without any notice at any time...

 

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[perditax]

Um, I don't recall them offering whole lobster of any size before or prime rib of 16 oz. When I've had the prime rib it was in the 6oz range and the lobster tail that was served was around 3-4oz. I doubt that I would order the surcharge items but only because I want to try the other things on the menu that don't cost anything. As I said earlier as long as the number of complimentary items on the menu remain the same it works for me.

 

 

"Um", I don't recall mentioning lobster in my post. I did receive a very nice cut of prime rib at O'Sheehan's in June, it was dang sure at least 10oz, I posted a pic a few pages back, and I have no doubt they would have brought me another one if asked.

 

I'm allowed to be annoyed if I have to pay extra for the same thing next time around, should there be a next time for me.

[sparks1093]

"Um", I don't recall mentioning lobster in my post. I did receive a very nice cut of prime rib at O'Sheehan's in June, it was dang sure at least 10oz, I posted a pic a few pages back, and I have no doubt they would have brought me another one if asked.

 

I'm allowed to be annoyed if I have to pay extra for the same thing next time around, should there be a next time for me.

 

Yes you have the right to be annoyed, I find much to be annoyed about with NCL but just because something is available on one cruise doesn't mean that it's going to be there for ever.

[Sea Hag]

Given that most people I see posting on Cruise Critic are absolutely falling all over themselves in their eagerness to pay extra costs, I'd be surprised if cruiselines didn't add more extra cost items.

[perditax]

Yes you have the right to be annoyed, I find much to be annoyed about with NCL but just because something is available on one cruise doesn't mean that it's going to be there for ever.

 

 

Yes, I have been on this planet long enough to understand that there are no guarantees in life ... Yet I can do business with other large companies for years and years and receive a reasonable amount of consistency. Amazon has been consistently awesome for me for over a decade. TWC is consistently incompetent. And NCL seems to just be reliably shady.

[JuneauMe]

I think it is important as a consumer to advocate for not only myself, but potentially on behalf of others. Maybe this change doesn't have a negative impact on you. But maybe the next one WILL? And wouldn't it be preferred to have a community of like minded enthusiasts say this is a bum deal, as opposed to saying if you don't like it, go away (in a much nastier way that none of these people would dare use if face to face). Perhaps tomorrow it will be a loss of something you DO find important to your cruise experience and you had looked forward to. I don't believe that the only two options are love it or leave it. there is always middle ground and changes happen, but we must advocate for more value for our money, not less.

 

Those that stood up and said the food takeout policy was junk and that the continental breakfast offerings were junk were put down and others tried to run us out of town. Guess what? NCL reneged and improved those two policies/services. So perhaps with enough noise, applied to the right ears, they will reconsider this as well.

 

When I don't like something in life I don't run away.

 

Also, I appreciate the way in which you voice your opinions.

 

Well said, as always LMaxwell. :)

Edited November 3, 2015 by JuneauMe

[newmexicoNita]

Given that most people I see posting on Cruise Critic are absolutely falling all over themselves in their eagerness to pay extra costs, I'd be surprised if cruiselines didn't add more extra cost items.

 

no one is anxious to pay extra for anything, the point you are missing is: times change, things change and cruising is very different today than 20 years ago. I have a gut feeling you were not cruising back then. If you were,you have forgotten what it was like. The price of cruising, when you take in inflation also hasn't really gone up: if anything it is less but if you were not taking cruises in the 80s and 90s you wouldn't know that. I can remember when most ships did not have an exercise area or a very small one; there was a place to enjoy lunch and breakfast away from the 1 main dining room, but not really a large buffet. Certainly they didn't have 10 or more dining choies. There was one pool, no kids programs, 1 show nightly, etc. I could go on and on. My point is simply things change, sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

Edited November 3, 2015 by newmexicoNita

[goldmom]

Well, while I'm not happy with this change, I would be willing to pay more for lobster in the Main dining room. But, that said, it better then be great lobster and not mushy watery lobster. Also, it should be a decent size.

 

We were just on Breakaway. DH ordered the Surf and Turf in Ocean Blue, I think it was like $30. Out came the smallest filet I've ever seen and a half of a lobster tail. Really! I've never seen a half of a lobster tail served. We never went back and don't plan to. The food was tasty, but we really felt ripped off.

[luvtheships]

I'll put it this way, if when the smoking on the balcony ban went into place if smokers and nonsmokers a like would have rallied together on that cause I would be by your side on any cause you wanted to whether it affected me or not. My big enjoyment on cruises was being able to smoke on my balcony. When the band went into place there was no coming together, there was no unity. Yet now you want unity? How is that fair? Read every one of my posts before the smoking ban and I said things like I'm sorry or I understand how you feel when A change went into place that affected someone, but when the change that affected me went into place I didn't get one non-smoker willing to say hey I'll stand beside you I'll help you fight this.

 

 

You are kidding right? You want people to ban together and back you to get something back in place that most people are thrilled was taken away?

 

 

People are for the most part NOT thrilled with the extra mdr charges

 

People WERE thrilled for the most part with the balcony smoking ban

[NLH Arizona]

Given that most people I see posting on Cruise Critic are absolutely falling all over themselves in their eagerness to pay extra costs, I'd be surprised if cruiselines didn't add more extra cost items.

I don't think I have ever seen a post on Cruise Critic where posters are jumping up and down about cost increases or changes where one has to pay extra, but it is just like when I go to the grocery store. If I want apples or steak or lettuce and the price goes up, I can either purchase what I want and live with the fact that there is a price increase, but I'm happy to get the product I want or I can not buy them and substitute something else for them. I don't think the store is going to automatically reduced their prices because I have an issue with them.

 

A cruise line, or any business for that matter, is going to make changes, raise prices, cut out things that are in, what they feel, their best interest. They don't intentionally raise prices or cut things out to tick of their customers, but they have a business to run and without changes, there will be no business. But the good thing is that we have all the power however, we can choose to pay for their product or not.

[Sea Hag]

But the good thing is that we have all the power however, we can choose to pay for their product or not.

 

Well, that was actually my point - my point that I made very badly. Nearly all the extra cost items aren't of interest to me, so I simply don't buy them. But every time on cruiseline or another trots out a new specialty restaurant or any other change that's extra cost, I see many, many people who are very willing to pay for it. Fine. But I think it's only reasonable to assume that there will be more and more extra cost items down the road, since this is a strategy that's working.

[Sea Hag]

no one is anxious to pay extra for anything, the point you are missing is: times change, things change and cruising is very different today than 20 years ago. I have a gut feeling you were not cruising back then. If you were,you have forgotten what it was like. The price of cruising, when you take in inflation also hasn't really gone up: if anything it is less but if you were not taking cruises in the 80s and 90s you wouldn't know that. I can remember when most ships did not have an exercise area or a very small one; there was a place to enjoy lunch and breakfast away from the 1 main dining room, but not really a large buffet. Certainly they didn't have 10 or more dining choies. There was one pool, no kids programs, 1 show nightly, etc. I could go on and on. My point is simply things change, sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

 

I'm not missing a thing. Of course I remember what cruising was like 20 years ago. The first ship I cruised on didn't have a buffet at all; it had a snack bar. Wasn't even a very big snack bar.

 

I'm not missing the fact that the cost of cruising hasn't kept up with the general rise in the cost of living.

 

My comment went to the fact that as cruiselines add more additional cost items, they'll continue to add more additional cost items. Why wouldn't they? Bumps their revenue, and plenty of people want to buy these things. It's a good strategy on their part, all the complaints about "nickel and diming" aside. You'll notice that I didn't actually complain of these additional cost services.

 

My comment had nothing to do with wishing things would stay the same.

[maywell]

Well, that was actually my point - my point that I made very badly. Nearly all the extra cost items aren't of interest to me, so I simply don't buy them. But every time on cruiseline or another trots out a new specialty restaurant or any other change that's extra cost, I see many, many people who are very willing to pay for it. Fine. But I think it's only reasonable to assume that there will be more and more extra cost items down the road, since this is a strategy that's working.

Unless NCL is getting rid of chicken, pork, ground beef, turkey, sandwiches, cheeses, bread, pasta, rice, vegetables, lentils, potatoes, fish, imitation crab meat, other seafood like scallops and lamb from the complimentary places - not really missing prime ribs, lobster and surf & turf in the MDR that much either.

 

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Edited November 3, 2015 by maywell

[hawkeyetlse]

You'll notice that I didn't actually complain of these additional cost services.

 

My comment had nothing to do with wishing things would stay the same.

But you will admit that your comments are filled with disdain for the cruise lines that "trot out" these extra charges, and for the customers who are "absolutely falling all over themselves" to pay them. Whereas we should be thanking them, and all the drinkers and gamblers, too, for keeping the price of cruising down for all of us. Edited November 3, 2015 by hawkeyetlse