Haven lobsters

[PartyPlannerLady]

It kind of amazes me that so many people get all flustered about the topics of lobster and tipping.  God forbid there is ever a thread about how much to tip for lobster!  The entire Cruise Critic web site might coem crashing down like the Key Bridge... 🙂 🙂 🙂

[zqvol]

43 minutes ago, PartyPlannerLady said:

 

As far as those silly towel animals go, do the math and see how much money and how many man hours were wasted on them.  If it takes just one minute to make each animal, on a ship such as the Encore that has over 2000 cabins, they are spending over 450 HOURS per 7-day  cruise making those dumb things.  On an annual basis that is over 11 FTEs.  A total waste of resources.  That is not defending NCL, it is a srarement of fact.

-Plus the cost of washing and drying all those towels. 

Edited April 9 by zqvol

[david_sobe]

2 hours ago, PartyPlannerLady said:

 

As far as those silly towel animals go, do the math and see how much money and how many man hours were wasted on them.  If it takes just one minute to make each animal, on a ship such as the Encore that has over 2000 cabins, they are spending over 450 HOURS per 7-day  cruise making those dumb things.  On an annual basis that is over 11 FTEs.  A total waste of resources.  That is not defending NCL, it is a srarement of fact.

You missed the point completely.  You are assuming that is why NCL discontinued towel animals. NCL never said any such thing. What you wrote is probably true but NCL gave a fantasy explanation why they were stopping them.  THAT was my point.  Whether you are for towel animals or against them, the point I was making was the gaslighting from NCL with their ridiculous explanations for some of their decisions and the people that believe those explanations and defend them.

Edited April 9 by david_sobe

[MarkieMarkNYC]

Good lord. I don't seem to encounter actual people on actual cruises who are so completely miserable.

Lobster.

Towel animals.

Enjoy your misery. I choose joy.

[PartyPlannerLady]

2 hours ago, david_sobe said:

You missed the point completely.  You are assuming that is why NCL discontinued towel animals. NCL never said any such thing. What you wrote is probably true but NCL gave a fantasy explanation why they were stopping them.  THAT was my point.  Whether you are for towel animals or against them, the point I was making was the gaslighting from NCL with their ridiculous explanations for some of their decisions and the people that believe those explanations and defend them.

 

I never said that was the reason they stopped.  I said it was no wonder that they did.  As I said, I did not defend anyone.  I merely pointed out how absurd it was for NCL to waste that much money and man hours on such a stupid thing.  BTW what difference does it make and who gives a rat's red a-- what reason they gave.  Bottom line is that not getting a stupid towel animal on yoru bed each day makes little. if any, difference in a cruise.  Anyone who uses that as an excuse to complain is just looking for something to complain about and probably should find a different vacation experience.

[PartyPlannerLady]

35 minutes ago, MarkieMarkNYC said:

Good lord. I don't seem to encounter actual people on actual cruises who are so completely miserable.

Lobster.

Towel animals.

Enjoy your misery. I choose joy.

 

Some folks just are not happy unless they can drum up something to complain about, no matter how silly and absurd the complaint is!

[omahabob]

Haven lobsters usually appear on the loungers around the Haven pool on about the second day of a cruise. Obviously this is dependent on season and weather. Don't bother them though. They get very cranky.

Edited April 10 by omahabob

[cruiseny4life]

12 hours ago, MarkieMarkNYC said:

Good lord. I don't seem to encounter actual people on actual cruises who are so completely miserable.

Lobster.

Towel animals.

Enjoy your misery. I choose joy.

I choose not to get worked up by other's posts on social media. It works well for keeping joy in my every day life. You could try it out. 

 

Methinks you need a little more of your namesake (though you misspelled it):

 

Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations a-happenin' with her
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations a-happenin' with her
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations a-happenin'

[MarkieMarkNYC]

I'm worked up? Not even close.

I find this all amusing. If you read the thread (and pretty much all of CC) you will see what people getting worked up looks like.

Oh, and I misspelled nothing. There's Markie Mark and there's Marky Mark.

I'm the hot one.

[mafig]

49 minutes ago, MarkieMarkNYC said:

I

I'm the hot one.

LOL😄

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, MarkieMarkNYC said:

I'm worked up? Not even close.

I find this all amusing. If you read the thread (and pretty much all of CC) you will see what people getting worked up looks like.

Oh, and I misspelled nothing. There's Markie Mark and there's Marky Mark.

I'm the hot one.

Ok....ya got me with that response! Ya know, I did know a Mark with a K once...your last sentence did apply all those years ago. Haha

[Sailing12Away]

If I choose to book another NCL Haven trip and any of you are sailing with me, you are more than happy to have my free lobster each time I dine in the Haven restaurant. 

[detroitlions]

On 2/29/2024 at 6:53 PM, Yesimapirate said:

I'm annoyed enough that on my next cruise I will blatantly abuse absolutely everything.... except the lobster tail.  Clearly they only consider multiple lobsters to be excessive.  Since that's the only charge for additional food in the Haven, I will be eating a full cow's worth of filet.  Surf and turf and turf and turf and turf and turf and turf and turf?  Yes please!

You defiantly will be eating a cows worth of fillet (The only beef that was any good on my last cruise). The other cuts of beef are either not on the menu anymore or are flat out poor fatty cuts of meat.

[omahabob]

5 hours ago, MarkieMarkNYC said:

Oh, and I misspelled nothing. There's Markie Mark and there's Marky Mark.

I'm the hot one.

Worked with a Mark Marks in the Air Force many years ago. We called him Mark Squared, to prevent confusing him with Anthony Marks, who we also worked with.

[scooter6139]

Kind of surprised they would charge extra for an additional small lobster tail.  I can stomach an upcharge in the MDR for something like that, but not the Haven restaurant.  

 

FWIW - Had a nice conversation with our PCC about the cost of the Haven and what you get out of it compared to similar lines and service.  Free at Sea should just be included in the Haven fare, not extra and the minibar should be stocked and possibly restocked in every Haven room.  Small things like that.

[RocketMan275]

3 minutes ago, scooter6139 said:

Kind of surprised they would charge extra for an additional small lobster tail.  I can stomach an upcharge in the MDR for something like that, but not the Haven restaurant.  

 

FWIW - Had a nice conversation with our PCC about the cost of the Haven and what you get out of it compared to similar lines and service.  Free at Sea should just be included in the Haven fare, not extra and the minibar should be stocked and possibly restocked in every Haven room.  Small things like that.

So, you think the Haven fares should be increased by the amount necessary to cover the Free at Sea, and re-stocking the minibar?  How much additional do you think this would raise the Haven fares?

[scooter6139]

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

So, you think the Haven fares should be increased by the amount necessary to cover the Free at Sea, and re-stocking the minibar?  How much additional do you think this would raise the Haven fares?

No need to raise the fares at all, as they are already double/triple what one would pay for the next category down.  The Free at Sea is already baked into the standard cruise fare and stocking the fridge once does not cost the line much at all.  

[RocketMan275]

4 minutes ago, scooter6139 said:

No need to raise the fares at all, as they are already double/triple what one would pay for the next category down.  The Free at Sea is already baked into the standard cruise fare and stocking the fridge once does not cost the line much at all.  

If the cost of Free at Sea is 'already baked into the fare', why do you think it is 'extra'?

Why do  you think stocking and re-stocking the mini-fridge would be a 'small thing'?

 

[scooter6139]

4 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

If the cost of Free at Sea is 'already baked into the fare', why do you think it is 'extra'?

Why do  you think stocking and re-stocking the mini-fridge would be a 'small thing'?

 

NCL wants more $$$.  Simple.  Surprised that this is a hard concept to grasp.  🤷‍♂️

[rscales2]

I do get upset if I missed something that I had enjoyed. I love the Spaghetti for lunch on the Epic at the buffet. I was on the Epic in December they didn’t have my Spaghetti I was very disappointed. I look forward to going on cruises and I’m entitled to get upset if I don’t like something. I have never gotten upset over lobsters or steak it’s not my favorite food. Pasta and Fish are my favorites.

[RocketMan275]

12 hours ago, scooter6139 said:

NCL wants more $$$.  Simple.  Surprised that this is a hard concept to grasp.  🤷‍♂️

Suprised that you don't grasp the concept that if NCL doesn't make a profit, there won't be a NCL.

[justhappy]

14 hours ago, scooter6139 said:

Kind of surprised they would charge extra for an additional small lobster tail.  I can stomach an upcharge in the MDR for something like that, but not the Haven restaurant.  

 

FWIW - Had a nice conversation with our PCC about the cost of the Haven and what you get out of it compared to similar lines and service.  Free at Sea should just be included in the Haven fare, not extra and the minibar should be stocked and possibly restocked in every Haven room.  Small things like that.

Back in 2015 FAS was included with no gratuities charged on it and no limits, you could eat at specialty restaurants every night if you wished and no price limits on any alcoholic beverages.

[Sailing12Away]

15 hours ago, scooter6139 said:

Kind of surprised they would charge extra for an additional small lobster tail.  I can stomach an upcharge in the MDR for something like that, but not the Haven restaurant.  

 

FWIW - Had a nice conversation with our PCC about the cost of the Haven and what you get out of it compared to similar lines and service.  Free at Sea should just be included in the Haven fare, not extra and the minibar should be stocked and possibly restocked in every Haven room.  Small things like that.

Celebrity doesn't give you the mini bar for free for their Retreat guests and doesn't even give their entry Retreat rooms a proper butler any longer. So NCL isn't doing anything 'worse' than some of their big competitors.

 

What NCL really needs to do is give "free" gratuities to all guests, and just roll that extra ~$200 charge into the cost of the trip. No one would notice, and no one could complain and have it removed so they 'tip as they go to those who serve them', and staff would be paid appropriately without relying on guests to pay their wages. With Celebrity removing that perk, it's the right time for NCL to bring it on.

[skeeter195]

16 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

So, you think the Haven fares should be increased by the amount necessary to cover the Free at Sea, and re-stocking the minibar?  How much additional do you think this would raise the Haven fares?

It would not raise the fares at all.  Actually from a business stand point it could actually lower the fares(this would never happen).  Think about it, you order a beer from a bar.  The bartender takes say 2 minutes from the time your interaction starts with him until the time he hands you your card back.  Add that up over the course of the cruise and you are talking many man hours saved.  Now if Haven rooms got spirits and mixers that savings would be even more.  MSC does this in the Yatch club and their fares are way less.  People are going to drink about the same no matter whether their drinks come from a bar or mini-bar.  

[RocketMan275]

40 minutes ago, skeeter195 said:

It would not raise the fares at all.  Actually from a business stand point it could actually lower the fares(this would never happen).  Think about it, you order a beer from a bar.  The bartender takes say 2 minutes from the time your interaction starts with him until the time he hands you your card back.  Add that up over the course of the cruise and you are talking many man hours saved.  Now if Haven rooms got spirits and mixers that savings would be even more.  MSC does this in the Yatch club and their fares are way less.  People are going to drink about the same no matter whether their drinks come from a bar or mini-bar.  

I'm fairly certain that if this would save money for NCL, they would have already implemented it. Therefore, it won't save money but would cost money instead.