Lack of Portable/Later-Night Food

[RadioPeri]

We're on board the Getaway right now and this is only our second NCL cruise (but 30th overall), so take this for what it's worth, but I am exceptionally disappointed in the to-go and after-hours food availability on this ship.

 

To have the general buffet be virtually all that's available to pick up a plate and take anywhere -- and have that fully close at 9:30 -- is just crazy to me. We've been cruising steadily since 2000 and don't recall anything like this ... to have just one sit-down venue or PAID room service be the only available option after hours. Ick.

 

I'm not a big eater or snacker, but I can't even put together a cheese plate or get a cookie right now without a $10 charge, and there's just something that's wrong with that. (A lot.) And why we will definitely rethink our options going forward. These guys are killing me with a thousand cuts ... and each one makes me look elsewhere for where to spend my money. Lately, all-inclusives have won. I was hoping this cruise would prove otherwise, but so far .... the jury is definitely still out. 

Edited January 24, 2023 by RadioPeri
misspelling

[wcook]

I took my first NCL cruise back in December. I thought it really weird that the late-nite food option is a sit down restaurant. Not the end of the world, but a grab and go option would be nice. 

Edited January 24, 2023 by wcook

[PistolPete13]

I have an upcoming cruise on the Getaway next month and this is very annoying to me for some reason.  It's not the end of world and I'll figure out some way to get my late night snacks (ziplock bags anyone?) but yeah, maybe they can keep one tiny portion of the buffet area open with snacks?

Perhaps they'll reconsider if they get enough negative feedback moving forward.

Edited January 24, 2023 by PistolPete13

[RadioPeri]

2 minutes ago, wcook said:

I took my first NCL cruise back in December. I thought it really weird that the late-nite food option is a sit down restaurant. Not the end of the world, but a grab and go option would be nice. 

Every other cruise we've been on have had multiple grab-and-go opportunities. Not this one!

 

[shof515]

this is one thing i somewhat hate about NCL. Other cruise lines have pizza available 24/7, why cant NCL do the same?

 

service at osheehans can be somewhat slow after 10pm

[Georgia_Peaches]

Cutbacks are industry wide. I dont like it but I’m comforted to know that it’s happening everywhere. Best I can advise is stock up on snacks at lunch to squirrel away for later. 

[uneamie]

This will be our first cruise for many years....but I do recall, not sure if it ws NCL, there were light snacks in the buffet area up until 11 PM or so. YEars ago there was a midnight buffet and a chocolate buffet which was glorious. Knowing this we may take extra tupperware and zip locks to grab a few things to take to our room early on. I will grab a dish of fruit, cheeses, and something sweet.  I think we pay enough for our cruise that late night food should be available. 

[swmichigan cruiser]

Don't know about the Getaway because we haven't been on it for 3 years but starting in October we were on the Encore for 21 nights and the regular buffet stopped at 9:00 pm but a snack buffet was open until 11:30 I know it had pizza and hamburgers and maybe cookies etc. We just got off Oasis of the Seas last Sunday and  they had pizza available I believe from 11am to 2:00 am just my opinion not very good pizza. And a cafe open 24 hours with cookies etc.

[Srpellot]

Wait... No 24 hour pizza? How would I gain the expected 10 lbs on the Epic on couple of weeks? 😭

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, shof515 said:

this is one thing i somewhat hate about NCL. Other cruise lines have pizza available 24/7, why cant NCL do the same?

 

service at osheehans can be somewhat slow after 10pm

 

32 minutes ago, Srpellot said:

Wait... No 24 hour pizza? How would I gain the expected 10 lbs on the Epic on couple of weeks? 😭

Go to o’sheehan’s for late night food. All night, not closing at 1:00 or 2:00 like the pizza place. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, PistolPete13 said:

I have an upcoming cruise on the Getaway next month and this is very annoying to me for some reason.  It's not the end of world and I'll figure out some way to get my late night snacks (ziplock bags anyone?) but yeah, maybe they can keep one tiny portion of the buffet area open with snacks?

Perhaps they'll reconsider if they get enough negative feedback moving forward.

Like the Prima, all night food is available. Wings and beer. Better than Sorentos pizza on Royal. 
 

Have a great cruise! We have a couple of cruises coming up. 

Edited January 24, 2023 by BirdTravels

[Cruise5life]

I always get cookies when I hit the buffet. 
not sure they have them on that ship.  Toss a bunch in a zip lock bag.  
and I order continental breakfast, but now with the fee 4.95. I get 3 of everything I want.  Now I have cookies and cereal and fruit plates(I use zip loc bags here too ) for a few days in the cooler.      

my snack pics.  

 

 

 

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Cruise5life

[Elvis1209]

2 hours ago, RadioPeri said:

We're on board the Getaway right now and this is only our second NCL cruise (but 30th overall), so take this for what it's worth, but I am exceptionally disappointed in the to-go and after-hours food availability on this ship.

 

To have the general buffet be virtually all that's available to pick up a plate and take anywhere -- and have that fully close at 9:30 -- is just crazy to me. We've been cruising steadily since 2000 and don't recall anything like this ... to have just one sit-down venue or PAID room service be the only available option after hours. Ick.

 

I'm not a big eater or snacker, but I can't even put together a cheese plate or get a cookie right now without a $10 charge, and there's just something that's wrong with that. (A lot.) And why we will definitely rethink our options going forward. These guys are killing me with a thousand cuts ... and each one makes me look elsewhere for where to spend my money. Lately, all-inclusives have won. I was hoping this cruise would prove otherwise, but so far .... the jury is definitely still out. 

Every cruise line will be more or less the same!  Cutbacks are everywhere.  I've got a Celebrity cruise coming up next month, so I'll let you know how they are.  I usually stay late in the cigar lounge and like a little snack before I turn in.  Except for O'Sheehan's there's no place to get a bite.

 

I see you're from Long Island.  May I ask where?  I grew up in Oyster Bay.

 

Elvis

[SunshineGal2022]

I love eating crunchy or salty snacks before bed.  I would love to be able to grab cereal or pretzels to much on at midnight.  I guess ziploc bags it is.

 

I appreciate the idea of ordering several meals at once for the $5 fare. I would love having extra snacks available mid afternoon whenever I want them and not needing to run up to the cafe.

[dbrown84]

check out the snack area in the casino.  They will have cookies and finger food there.  They had great chicken tika kabobs one night on my last cruise on the getaway.  It's not a big choice of things, just whatever they put out but it's a pretty tasty snack.  

[lfdemt]

I just asked about this in our cruise group. My teenage boy loved to swing by the coffee cafe cold case after evenings entertainment for a ham and cheese sandwich (or 3) on our last couple of cruises. It was such a nice way for him to grab some food. Quick. Easy and free. I was told that ncl doesn’t really have anything and that I should grab it all from the buffet earlier in the day and have him make some sandwiches for this. So I guess I’m bringing ziplocks to make sure I can avoid the hangry boy. 

[eileeshb]

That seems odd for the getaway buffet, they usually have late snacks from 9.30pm to 11/11.30pm I've gone for a slice or two of pizza from there  after shows when I had dinner early. 

 

The back page of the daily newsletter gives all the opening hours. If getaway is closing the buffet completely that early in the evening they must be dealing with staff or supply shortages like everyone in hospitality right now.

[Laszlo]

Just off the GA after a 12 day. I remember walking thru the buffet at 11:00pm and seeing one half of one side open. Maybe closing at 9:30pm is new, that's way too early. 

[dexddd]

Way before the shutdown our local gas stations had better food imo than the late night buffet.  Lackluster pizza, hot dogs, some cheese, cookies.

 

Our last trip we did order late night room service and it was very good.  Pizza and quesadilla.

[PATRLR]

9 hours ago, RadioPeri said:

These guys are killing me with a thousand cuts ... and each one makes me look elsewhere for where to spend my money.

Yep, that's NCL.  Annoying isn't it?

9 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Cutbacks are industry wide. I dont like it but I’m comforted to know that it’s happening everywhere. 

I haven't been "everywhere" lately, but, I seem to be hearing most other lines still have some sort of grab and go much later than NCL seems to be offering.

8 hours ago, swmichigan cruiser said:

Don't know about the Getaway because we haven't been on it for 3 years but starting in October we were on the Encore for 21 nights and the regular buffet stopped at 9:00 pm but a snack buffet was open until 11:30 

We were on Encore in November and there was one night we went looking at around 10-ish and the buffet had a station with cookies and I'm pretty sure that was all.   Better than nothing.  (If there was something else it was something we had no interest in)

7 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Like the Prima, all night food is available. Wings and beer. Better than Sorentos pizza on Royal.

Wings are fine if you want to sit down, wait for the order, and eat at a table.  I think most late night snackers are more interested in some sort of grab and go.  I'll take the pizza I can grab right now over wings I need to wait for.

As others have said, we grab food in ziploc or tupperware and keep in the room.   

[wolft927]

I guess I am one that disagree, was on the Breakaway several times, and for late night snacks I always simply went to Osheans and ordered and usually arrived in about 5 to 10 minutes, either eat there or bring to my room. 

[kochleffel]

1 hour ago, wolft927 said:

I guess I am one that disagree, was on the Breakaway several times, and for late night snacks I always simply went to Osheans and ordered and usually arrived in about 5 to 10 minutes, either eat there or bring to my room. 

 

There have been recent reports that taking food back to your room from O'Sheehan's/The Local was no longer allowed, but I saw no reason to try. It's news to me that any cruise line has take-away food available 24/7, but it does sound like the buffet may be closing earlier than it used to.

[cruiseny4life]

11 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

 

There have been recent reports that taking food back to your room from O'Sheehan's/The Local was no longer allowed, but I saw no reason to try. It's news to me that any cruise line has take-away food available 24/7, but it does sound like the buffet may be closing earlier than it used to.

I'm not sure why one doesn't just order food. Wait. When it arrives, get up, grab the plate/basket. Walk out. Go to room. Eat. Leave used plate in hallway.

 

I doubt a server is going to call security on someone that walks out with their food. 

[Cruise5life]

14 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I'm not sure why one doesn't just order food. Wait. When it arrives, get up, grab the plate/basket. Walk out. Go to room. Eat. Leave used plate in hallway.

 

I doubt a server is going to call security on someone that walks out with their food. 

Just on the joy. And was specifically told we could not take it back to our room.  
now if you wanna be one of those people that like to break the rules   That’s on you.   
but wings take no time at all to get at your table.     Eat them and go to your room.     
it’s rule breakers that get things taken away.  

[cruiseny4life]

15 minutes ago, Cruise5life said:

Just on the joy. And was specifically told we could not take it back to our room.  
now if you wanna be one of those people that like to break the rules   That’s on you.   
but wings take no time at all to get at your table.     Eat them and go to your room.     
it’s rule breakers that get things taken away.  

I don't eat late night food. I'm in bed by 10, most nights, so it doesn't really apply to me. I was just listing an option for those that want to eat in bed (gross, btw). Alas, if I wanted to take it back to the room/observation lounge/whatever, I'd just do it. 

 

But yes, taking wings out of O'Sheehan's is really the most terrible, dreadful, awful thing you could ever do. 9th circle treachery right there.