Shrimp Cocktail

[yankees111]

I love shrimp cocktail!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

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[bob brown]

Perhaps the solution would be to offer lobster as an 'extra cost' item on the MDR menu, similar to the way they offer Cagney's cut of steaks that way....would be a lot less than going to the specialty restaurant just for that....:confused:

[leaclingman]

We had the escargot at Le Bistro (yummy)! This was over Christmas week. I’ve got pictures of menus (where I could them clearly) in my review. https://gotravellife.com/2018/01/03/about-us/

 

 

 

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[LrgPizza]

Perhaps the solution would be to offer lobster as an 'extra cost' item on the MDR menu, similar to the way they offer Cagney's cut of steaks that way....would be a lot less than going to the specialty restaurant just for that....:confused:

 

 

They did that for about a year, then discontinued it some months ago.

[Fishkillbill]

I had them one night at dinner recently. I know they don't serve them every night. That is one of the things I like about Carnival, shrimp cocktail every night.

 

Candi

 

Shrimp cocktail every night on Celebrity too.

[bob brown]

Even RCI offers it nightly in the MDR....

[Formula280SS]

Lobster COST is likely "the factor" as well as its' VOLATILITY.

 

Being in New England, we are spoiled with almost 'same day Maine lobsters at home for any occasion. Also have a son with a couple of fine dining venues in Boston where business guests and tourists find Maine lobster a must (1.5-2.5 lobsters steamed, chilled lobsters, lobster rolls and even lobster bisque).

 

Over the past 3-5 years, both have been interrupted several times by price increases that were 'shocking. We learned that two factors were contributing to it; reduced "catches" in the Northeast and increased "demand from China" (exports).

 

Here is a recent article re: such in detail.

 

Also, having cruised several line recently, NCL has the best overall shrimp (in comparison with RCCL and MSC). In fact, we find NCL ahead by a wide margin in general dining food quality and variety.

 

MSC was pretty good at the Yacht Club or specialty as to size also.

 

RCCL, even a specialty steakhouse, shocked us when we ordered our "regular" Jumbo shrimp (usually served upright in iced, stainless steel design) and our shrimp cocktail arrived in a Martini glass (they were the size of the frozen ones in a bag 31-40 count). :o

 

By PATRICK WHITTLE

Associated Press

Friday, March 23, 2018

China’s hunger for American lobsters is helping keep prices high to U.S. consumers, but a tariff on the seafood does not appear imminent.

The Asian country imported more than 17.8 million pounds of lobster from America in 2017, eclipsing the previous record of about 14 million pounds in 2016, federal statistics state. The value of the imports also surged from $108.3 million in 2016 to $142.4 million last year, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

China’s growing interest in the premium U.S. seafood item is happening just as the Trump administration is engaging in a trade battle with the country. China has targeted dozens of U.S. products for new tariffs, including some food items such as nuts and pork, but lobsters aren’t on the list.

The increased imports are also happening just as American fishermen might be starting to slip in volume of catch. Fishermen in Maine, the biggest lobster fishing state, saw catch fall from 132.5 million pounds to 110.8 million pounds last year.

Prices have been high to consumers at home, with lobsters fetching more than $12 per pound in some New England markets. More exports to Asia coupled with smaller catches could keep those prices up, said Bill Bruns, operations manager with Lobster Company of Arundel, Maine, a lobster exporter.

 

“It’s commodity based. You raise the price. It wouldn’t be any different with apples, oranges or pickles,” Bruns said. “But if it’s too expensive, nobody wants it.”

Chinese lobster imports from the U.S. began surging in 2011, when they exceeded a million pounds for the first time. The value of America’s lobster exports to China have also ballooned in that time, increasing by a factor of almost 20 since 2010. Exports to Hong Kong, which are tallied separately, have also increased, though they plateaued at around $50 million around 2013 and have stayed there since.

The growth is happening against the backdrop of a strained relationship between the world’s two largest economics. The Trump administration announced Thursday that it would impose tariffs on $60 billion on Chinese goods. China then announced its own new tariffs on everything from American aluminum scrap to dried fruits.

The value of China’s lobster imports is likely to fluctuate, but the sheer volume of the crustaceans that the country is taking from the U.S. shows interest is at an all-time high, said John Sackton, a market analyst who publishes the SeafoodNews.com website.

“What that shows is the expansion of lobster sales in China is continuing to grow very rapidly,” he said.

Industry members have tied the growth of lobster exports to China to the expanding middle class in the country. Exports have also increased in recent years to other Asian countries, such as Thailand, which imported its largest total in history last year at more than 675,000 pounds. The country imported less than 50,000 pounds in 2010.

South Korea imported less than 700,000 pounds of American lobster in 2010 and more than 2.4 million pounds last year. Vietnam imported almost nothing in 2010 and took more than 4 million pounds last year.

[loveaftcabins]

I get the "old school" vs "new" school" changes. But, this makes me wonder why vegan options are so few and far between.

[BirdTravels]

We had the escargot at Le Bistro (yummy)! This was over Christmas week. I’ve got pictures of menus (where I could them clearly) in my review. s

They did. It was not a big seller and wasn’t worth the effort to provision it,,, so it was dropped.

 

RCL still offers their $30 lobster. We at at the Solarium one night and the waiter must have asked 6-7 times about upgrading to a lobster dinner,,,, clearly incentivized to upsell.

[BirdTravels]

Being in New England, we are spoiled with almost 'same day Maine lobsters at home for any occasion. Also have a son with a couple of fine dining venues in Boston where business guests and tourists find Maine lobster a must (1.5-2.5 lobsters steamed, chilled lobsters, lobster rolls and even lobster bisque).

But can you provision it 52 weeks a year to ports across the country and around the world? You need to be reliably provision 10’s of thousands (50k+) of lobsters per week at a consistent bulk-purchase price. Every week.

 

WRT seafood, we were fascinated to see all of the fresh seafood, sushi, and king crab legs at the seafood buffet on the Joy. Too bad they can’t do that on other ships.

[mesci14]

We had shrimp cocktail in the main dining on the Breakaway within the year. Not every night, but it was offered. I am from Maine and the price has been fairly steady for lobster. What I really notice is the lobster you might get on the ship is NOT Maine lobster...you can tell the difference and typically they are not a boiled lobster;p I can be rather particular about my seafood...

[Maraprince]

But can you provision it 52 weeks a year to ports across the country and around the world? You need to be reliably provision 10’s of thousands (50k+) of lobsters per week at a consistent bulk-purchase price. Every week.

 

WRT seafood, we were fascinated to see all of the fresh seafood, sushi, and king crab legs at the seafood buffet on the Joy. Too bad they can’t do that on other ships.

 

 

It can be done through NCL's procurement/purchasing department if management wishes to do so. They certainly have the buying power with the number of ships to negotiate a multi-year contract. Seems more like they no longer wish to provide shrimp or lobster.

 

MARAPRINCE

[Fishkillbill]

So, are there any other cruise lines that don't have shrimp cocktails besides NLC?

[NLH Arizona]

It can be done through NCL's procurement/purchasing department if management wishes to do so. They certainly have the buying power with the number of ships to negotiate a multi-year contract. Seems more like they no longer wish to provide shrimp or lobster.

 

MARAPRINCE

I would bet they had a contract with a vendor.

 

I'm wondering if it had more to do with keeping up with the demand. When I use to read that folks had two, three or four shrimp cocktails or 3 or 4 or 5 lobster tails, possibly NCL got tired of trying to keep their inventory under control, because some took advantage and ordered a whole lot. Maybe if folks just had one serving per meal, they would still be on the menu, just a thought.

[Maraprince]

I would bet they had a contract with a vendor.

 

I'm wondering if it had more to do with keeping up with the demand. When I use to read that folks had two, three or four shrimp cocktails or 3 or 4 or 5 lobster tails, possibly NCL got tired of trying to keep their inventory under control, because some took advantage and ordered a whole lot. Maybe if folks just had one serving per meal, they would still be on the menu, just a thought.

 

 

All cruise lines, including NCL, know how much food/drinks they serve on each and every cruise. If you are only being served lobster tails, most of the wait staff will encourage you to order 2 since they are small. Saves them the trouble of going back for a second order.

 

IMO I truly believe it is the choice of NCL's management to not serve lobster (in any form) nor shrimp cocktail in the MDRs as a cost savings measure.

 

MARAPRINCE

[Fincherson]

I would bet they had a contract with a vendor.

 

I'm wondering if it had more to do with keeping up with the demand. When I use to read that folks had two, three or four shrimp cocktails or 3 or 4 or 5 lobster tails, possibly NCL got tired of trying to keep their inventory under control, because some took advantage and ordered a whole lot. Maybe if folks just had one serving per meal, they would still be on the menu, just a thought.

 

I doubt it. For every seafood lover you have someone like me who wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.

[tempus137]

On the Bliss TA, they had lobster in the buffet one night (I don't know if it available in the MDRs at the same time). They were split & grilled, with the claws served separately.