First Cruise Disappointment... need help

[amad01]

My wife and I just got off the Norweigian Sky 3day bahamas and I need some advice. Growing up everyone always talked about how amazing cruises are especially the food. This was my first cruise and while we had a good time, the food was the most awful garbage I have ever encountered in my life. I do not consider myself picky. I like buffets and all kinds of food, but the food on this boat was nearly inedible. I'm a graduate student on a budget who eats basically rice and beans everyday and I was so excited to be able to pig out on a cruise. I feel like I should at least be satisfied with the $820 the trip cost us. I had to spread food around my plate on almost every meal just to make it look like I ate more.

 

I want to know is this how all cruises are? Inedible food? It was worse than hospital cafeterias I've worked in. Hot dogs and hamburgers every meal at the buffet, soups that aren't even on par with a can of Campbells, rice that is mush... We were planning on this being a "foot in the water" cruise, and thinking about a 5-7 day cruise late spring and now I don't know if it's worth it. Is it just Norwegian Sky that's bad? Or is this how all Norwegian ships will be? Or is this how all cruises are?

 

My wife and I do not drink, we do not dance, we do not party, we just want to eat like pigs and relax. Is there a boat out there that's decent or should I just give up cruising?

 

TL;DR - NCL Sky food was terrible, is this representation of all cruises? PLS HELP

[Bizmark'sMom]

That particular cruise is known as a Booze Cruise. I'll be on it myself in March for the Flogging Molly and all sorts of other punkish bands 3 day concert / festival / party. But that's what people take that particular cruise for, a few days of unlimited drinks, partying, and who cares what port you stop at and what the food tastes like? That is not your usual cruise.

 

Longer cruises are much more laid back. I've been happy with the food on Princess and Celebrity. Try a 5 day, you'll find a very different vibe on the ship. The longer the cruise the fewer people who just want to party, and you have time to get into the rhythm of the ship.

[SeaMystique]

Don't give up. Norwegian is infamous for poor food in their free venues. I agree with previous poster that short cruises are inferior- try a 7 day on a better line, I.e. Princess, Celebrity or even RCL. Better service and more congenial people, as well as better food.

[cb at sea]

Actually, all cruiselines have reduced the quality of their food service in the last several years....

 

Celebrity usually gets the best food reviews....you may want to try them on your next trip...

 

Ever since cruiselines discoverd that folks would pay extra, above and beyond the fare, they have cut back on all the "used to be included" things...including good food!

[TORQ]

Sorry to hear this my wife and I have never done a 3 day our shortest has been a 6. Now we have been on a few cruise lines and NCL SUN, twice and it was great! And as far as CCL I must say we have taken pictures of the food and presentation was assume! However MSC was like your experience! And yes I still have a bad taste in my mouth. Now based on the few other post, I guess food is better on a 5-6 or 7 day cruise, which I did not know! I know you don't drink/party etc. I'm 56 years old so I'm past all the hard parting myself, yet Like a good fun time I'm not dead yet! However I would recommend a CCL in a heart beat to you. I truly believe you two will have a good time, and NO you don't need to drink and Party. But you will have fun and you can order everything off the menu at your setting, and then crawl back to your stateroom and go into a food coma! Oh wait you said relax, so lets go with that! You can crawl back to your state room and relax.

Peace!

[Keith1010]

These short cruises are not indicative of what I longer cruise is like.

 

There are many cruise lines and ships that will give you a much better experience.

 

Keith

[Schoifmom]

My wife and I just got off the Norweigian Sky 3day bahamas and I need some advice. Growing up everyone always talked about how amazing cruises are especially the food. This was my first cruise and while we had a good time, the food was the most awful garbage I have ever encountered in my life. I do not consider myself picky. I like buffets and all kinds of food, but the food on this boat was nearly inedible. I'm a graduate student on a budget who eats basically rice and beans everyday and I was so excited to be able to pig out on a cruise. I feel like I should at least be satisfied with the $820 the trip cost us. I had to spread food around my plate on almost every meal just to make it look like I ate more.

 

I want to know is this how all cruises are? Inedible food? It was worse than hospital cafeterias I've worked in. Hot dogs and hamburgers every meal at the buffet, soups that aren't even on par with a can of Campbells, rice that is mush... We were planning on this being a "foot in the water" cruise, and thinking about a 5-7 day cruise late spring and now I don't know if it's worth it. Is it just Norwegian Sky that's bad? Or is this how all Norwegian ships will be? Or is this how all cruises are?

 

My wife and I do not drink, we do not dance, we do not party, we just want to eat like pigs and relax. Is there a boat out there that's decent or should I just give up cruising?

 

TL;DR - NCL Sky food was terrible, is this representation of all cruises? PLS HELP

 

It sounds as though you ate at the buffet for every meal. Did you try the MDR? I have not sailed on NCL, but I do find that on CCL I enjoy the MDR dining experience MUCH more than in the buffet.

[fishywood]

I am sorry you were disappointed in your first cruise. As a graduate student you fit the demographic of a short weekend cruise on NCL. But as you and your wife are not party people I understand your feeling ill at ease in a ship full of them. Like others I urge you to consider a 5 night or longer cruise, preferably spanning over the workweek, for your next vacation.

 

But this I am having trouble understanding:

 

I had to spread food around my plate on almost every meal just to make it look like I ate more.

 

If you were at the buffet and had taken something you did not care for, put that plate aside and help yourself to something else.

 

If you were seated in one of the dining rooms (which I take it you did rarely, if ever) you were certainly free to change your order. In fact the servers should have noticed you were not enjoying your meal as soon as (or even before) it would occur to you that you should have ordered something else. Even on a lower-end-of-mainstream line such as NCL such service should be the norm.

 

Hopefully armed with such experience you will be able to enjoy dining on your next cruise whether or not it is on one of the lines known for better food.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am sorry that you were disappointed in your first cruise. We haven't sailed Norwegian in years. Nor would we sail a 3 or 4 day cruise. They are known to be booze cruises.

Book a 7 day or longer cruise and you will find a bigger difference in food and atmosphere. Yes, the major cruise lines have cut in many areas including the quality of the food but nothing as bad as you described.

Late spring you will not find as many ships in the Caribbean as most have left to go to Alaska and Europe.

Check out RCI and Celebrity.

[amad01]

Thank you everyone for such quick replies.

 

It sounds as though you ate at the buffet for every meal. Did you try the MDR? I have not sailed on NCL, but I do find that on CCL I enjoy the MDR dining experience MUCH more than in the buffet.

 

We went to the main dining room every opportunity it was available and tried both of them. Many of the options in the MDR seemed to be just brought over from the buffet. We would go to MDR for dinner at 6:30 or so then still hungry go to the buffet around 9 and see many of the same things that we just saw on the MDR menu.

 

I am sorry you were disappointed in your first cruise. As a graduate student you fit the demographic of a short weekend cruise on NCL. But as you and your wife are not party people I understand your feeling ill at ease in a ship full of them. Like others I urge you to consider a 5 night or longer cruise, preferably spanning over the workweek, for your next vacation.

 

But this I am having trouble understanding:

 

If you were at the buffet and had taken something you did not care for, put that plate aside and help yourself to something else.

 

If you were seated in one of the dining rooms (which I take it you did rarely, if ever) you were certainly free to change your order. In fact the servers should have noticed you were not enjoying your meal as soon as (or even before) it would occur to you that you should have ordered something else. Even on a lower-end-of-mainstream line such as NCL such service should be the norm.

 

Hopefully armed with such experience you will be able to enjoy dining on your next cruise whether or not it is on one of the lines known for better food.

 

We tried to avoid the buffet as much as possible. We always went to the MDR because we couldn't stand the buffet, but it wasn't much different. Service was very slow even though there were only a few others in the dining room, so we didn't ask for other dishes to be brought out. Also, I don't like the vibes of sending things back in restaurants. I feel like I shouldn't have to do that, but I guess it is my fault for not trying to get something else. On our last evening at dinner they asked my wife if she didn't like her chicken parmigiana bc she barely ate any of it (it was a frozen rubber breaded chicken patty with spaghetti noodles and basically tomato paste) but she just said she was full bc she didn't want to wait nor did she have faith anything else would be decent.

 

I was under the impression that NCL was one of the better cruise lines. I now regret spending what I did on this cruise, and wish I would've invested in a 7-10 day cruise rather than a 3 and a separate 5. Although I definitely could not last 7 days on the NCL SKY. It is difficult to go online and try to research a cruise as everyone will say both good and bad about every boat. It feels like such a gamble choosing something. As a student who just moved to south florida from a place that was -6 degrees yesterday, I was looking forward to taking advantage of 3-day cruises, but it sounds like they all suck. I was reading about majesty of the seas from Royal Caribbean that has basically same itinerary as the NCL SKY and people give similar reviews of old ship, poor service, bad food, bad entertainment.

 

 

Are there any cruises out there that offer crab legs of any kind in the buffets like in the vegas/casino buffets? Or if not in the buffet perhaps 1 night in the MDR?

[sail7seas]

Very sorry for your disappointment and can feel for you. To have been so excited and anticipating a wonderful time and then be let down.

 

I agree with the others about 3 day cruises. They seem to (often but not totally) attract party hearty type who are happy with lots of liquor and burgers/hot dogs//pizza. It's unfortunate no one was able to assist you in making a better choice for your get away.

 

[Langley Cruisers]

Many of the options in the MDR seemed to be just brought over from the buffet. We would go to MDR for dinner at 6:30 or so then still hungry go to the buffet around 9 and see many of the same things that we just saw on the MDR menu.

 

Yes but many passengers actually enjoy that aspect of it. It's actually the other way around: most of the foods you see on the dining room menu are available in the buffet in a more casual atmosphere. It's nice to know you can get some of the same items if you enjoy those foods.

 

I agree with so many of the others; this cruise was not indicative of what a cruise can be. Perhaps you might try another line for a longer cruise. Your travel agent can help you with the research, maybe find you a good deal knowing your budget. :)

[zoncom]

Did you know of Cruise Critic prior to cruise? I always read a new ships member reviews, roll calls and individual cruise line under A-L etc. Only wrong choice for me was CCL, long before CC existed.Used to live on Biscayne Bay. Could hear the NCL Sky and Majesty cruises leaving from my balcony. Do some research for a 7 night, maybe Celebrity or Princess. Still like Celebrity for food and service.

Edited January 18, 2016 by zoncom

[cbr663]

If you want to "eat like pigs" and simply relax, I don't think that a cruise is your best choice. You may want to spend some time in Vegas instead.

 

Most cruise lines offer lots of dining choices, but the vast majority of the food choices, at least on the mass market cruise lines, is not high quality. Cruise line dining now primarily consists of opening a can or preparing a mix. Simply way too much emphasis on low-cost and low-quality pre-prepared and processed food.

[euro cruiser]

Since you are not partiers, maybe Holland America would be a better fit for you. I'm not a gourmet but I've found their food acceptable. The one time I sailed on NCL will be the only time, but I don't remember the food being particularly bad.

[amad01]

If you want to "eat like pigs" and simply relax, I don't think that a cruise is your best choice. You may want to spend some time in Vegas instead.

 

Most cruise lines offer lots of dining choices, but the vast majority of the food choices, at least on the mass market cruise lines, is not high quality. Cruise line dining now primarily consists of opening a can or preparing a mix. Simply way too much emphasis on low-cost and low-quality pre-prepared and processed food.

 

This is what I am afraid of. I live in south florida so we can go to some decent beaches and nice restaurants here for much cheaper, but we loved being on the ship in the ocean and seeing the different ports. I guess I just had way too high of expectations for how the food would be on the boat. I felt standards should be at least at the same level as golden corral or any standard buffet or a $10 meal at chillis or applebees. But it wasn't even comparable. Thanks for your reply.

[luddite]

You went on a booze cruise.

You also did not encounter inedible food, you just found food that you didn't like.

A 7 day trip will be different than what you experienced.

[amad01]

You went on a booze cruise.

You also did not encounter inedible food, you just found food that you didn't like.

A 7 day trip will be different than what you experienced.

 

 

I tried just about everything in the buffet, along with about a third of the MDR options and the majority of it I wouldn't serve in a jr high cafeteria. I don't think the excuse is that I'm picky. I like golden corral which is a pretty low quality buffet.

 

What would would be different on a 7 day trip than a 3? I'm confused why NCL would have poor food for a 3 day then good quality food on a 7 day. Or do you mean a 7 day trip on another line and forget NCL altogether? Why does # of days increase quality of food?

[euro cruiser]

It may be that the audience is different. A short booze cruise is not about the food so it's a good place for them to reduce costs. Longer cruises attract a different audience with different priorities and expectations. From a management perspective, if the customer base does not expect or care about higher quality food, then why incur the expense of providing it?

[amad01]

It may be that the audience is different. A short booze cruise is not about the food so it's a good place for them to reduce costs. Longer cruises attract a different audience with different priorities and expectations. From a management perspective, if the customer base does not expect or care about higher quality food, then why incur the expense of providing it?

 

Makes sense! Dang I wish I would've look more into this beforehand. Would you say all 3-4 day cruises are booze cruises for the most part?

[luddite]

Makes sense! Dang I wish I would've look more into this beforehand. Would you say all 3-4 day cruises are booze cruises for the most part?

 

Yes.

People on longer cruises have different expectations.

[fishywood]

What would would be different on a 7 day trip than a 3? I'm confused why NCL would have poor food for a 3 day then good quality food on a 7 day. Or do you mean a 7 day trip on another line and forget NCL altogether? Why does # of days increase quality of food?

 

The food budget as calculated per person/per day certainly varies based on size of ship, destination, length of cruise, and what other promotions are offered with booking. The Norwegian Sky is a smaller ship doing short weekend cruises and offering all inclusive beverages to every single passenger. Compare it with one of NCL mega-ships (Epic, Getaway, Breakaway) on seven night or longer cruises with passengers paying the higher fares that the newer ships can command and you will find a much wider variety of food reflected in the higher dollars allocated towards dining.

[crystalspin]

@amad:

 

Now that you have Cruise Critic, you will be able to better prepare for your next cruise, and have a better fit.

 

Like euro cruiser above, my one time on NCL will probably be my last. Maybe their new mega-ships are better maintained (in a decor sense, not condemning their engineering!) than the N.Star was, but I am not attracted to mega-ships at all.

 

Many of the reviews on CC (or other sites) will have nit-picky complaints -- happy people forget to write reviews! and I am guilty of this myself. But you can get a feel for WHAT people are noticing and experiencing on board and decide if it is important to YOU. You might want to write your own review to share your experience as a warning to others!

 

From Florida, you have many nice sailings. Save the money from the 3-day cruises and take longer cruises less frequently. As a grad student, unfortunately many party-ers will have all your same vacations! But where there's a will there's a way and we are here to help you find it!

 

HAL is my line of choice. I don't eat shellfish so I haven't noticed if they still do lobster -- ask on the CC HAL section! People tend to put HAL down for being TOO staid and catering to the older cruiser, but we have found them to be a good fit for us, starting from when I was in my forties. They keep their ships looking nice, have real flowers, live classical music, and varied venues throughout the ships.

 

Their food is not always "gourmet" but it is definitely above Golden Corral, and I actually prefer the Lido (buffet) although my DH likes to be served in the MDR, so we trade off by eating in the buffet on Gala (formerly Formal) nights so that we don't have to pack dressy clothes, just "smart casual".

[Treven]

Personally I think NCL ranks toward the bottom of the ladder, then when you add a booze cruise on top of that, well, you're pretty much scraping the bottom of the barrel. My preference is Princess. I've tried several different lines, even NCL, and I think Princess suits me pretty well.

 

As been previously posted, save up some more moola and book a 7-day, or longer, cruise. While the food generally won't be haute cuisine, it will be better than Golden Corral. Also, don't worry about sending something back. Simply tell your waiter that you really don't care for a particular dish; s/he will certainly offer to bring something else. You might ask to see the menu again to choose something different.

[Karysa]

I would suggest an island like St. Maarten. It's known to be a great vacation destination for foodies. There are so many wonderful restaurants for every budget.