Wondering about food on NCL

[sunshine40]

I, too, eat at Applebees, Chilis, and Hometown Buffet, as well as our local in town restaurants. I can't imagine that if you like those restaurants you wouldn't be happy with NCL food. At home we eat out way more nights than we eat at home. The food in the restaurants on our NCL cruise on the Star was definitely a big step up from the cuisine we are used to. The service and atmosphere was a huge plus too. We really considered our dining experience every night a treat and didn't want to return home to our routine of the afore mentioned restaurants! The buffet food was pretty comprable to our local Hometown Buffet so we ate there for an easy breakfast, but skipped it for dinner in favor of dining in the restaurants. I hope you give it a try. I would go back tomorrow if I could.

[bob brown]

Despite my previous post regarding my opinion of the food quality in the regular restaurants on the Jewel, I will say that the service is superb. The freestyle system really works for me. Every evening I was seated at about 5:20-5:30 pm. All I had to do was mention to the waitperson that I would like to try to make the early (7:00 pm) show in the theater, and like magic, my finished course was instantly cleared and the next one served. I was out by about 6:20-6:30. This is a refreshing change compared to the sloooow pace on other ships where dinner would drag on for over two hours. Of course, the pace was slower for those who wished to linger.

[nicknack]

In my opinion, NCL food is the worst of all the lines. I'd take another cruise line over NCL any day.

 

Just so everyone knows where this so-called "balcony bum" is coming from, she takes every opportunity to slam NCL , apparently on the basis of the one NCL cruise she took. Here's what another poster responded in response to another of the Bum's previous posts:

 

"I guess you're just not very pursuasive -- You don't really think you are changing anyone's opinion, do you? By posting everywhere in big purple letters, you lose all credibility. You've just recently joined Cruise Critic. Others have seen posters who do this before. After awhile no one will believe anything you have to say.

 

It's easy to see when someone has a vendetta."

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=15785842&postcount=55

 

You usually can find her on the other cruise line boards, slamming NCL and promoting Celebrity.

[tlovesdis]

We had perfectly fine meals on our NCL Jewel cruise a couple of weeks ago, and a couple of spectacular ones, including a roast beef and Yorkshire pudding meal in Azures, one of the "regular" dining venues.

 

I had that same meal on the Star last Friday night and LOVED it!!!

[coffeebean]

I just got off the Jewel and even though I had low expectations, I was still disappointed with the food in general. Last year I was on the Dawn and the Italian and Mexican restaurant were complimentary, not this time.

The sirloin steak served in the regular dining rooms was of the lowest quality--about what you'd expect in a Country Buffet. Speaking of buffet's, I found the ship's Garden buffet to also be very poor.

It seems that NCL lures you aboard with rock-bottom fares, and then tries to recoup by trying to get you to spend extra for a decent meal in Cagney's or one of the other extra fare restaurants.

 

Since NCL has the strongest schedule of sailings out of NYC, I'll probably try them again, but I would prefer most other lines as far as food quality goes.

 

NCL can lure me anytime with their rock bottom prices. I love their surcharge restaurants better than any other mass market cruise line's main dining rooms. We don't dine in NCL's main dining rooms. Why should we??? We pay rock bottom base cruise fare so why not pay extra for excellent food and service in NCL's surcharge restaurants??? The surcharges are worth every penny for the superior food and service. DH and I always have a wonderful dining experience on NCL ships built for Freestyle.

 

coffeebean

[newmexicoNita]

We are considering a cruise to somewhere this winter and I seem to be hearing a lot of b+tching and moaning about NCL food.

 

I'm not really what you would call a high end eater. Is the dining room quality something like Applebees or Chilis and the buffets like Old Country Buffet? I would be happy with that.

 

Thanks for responses in advance.

Steve, if Applebees and TGIF make you happy you will be more than satisfied with NCL> Of course there are those posters, I will not mention by name who feel it is their duty to take every opportunity to blast NCL, but take it from me and I am considered a Blue ribbon cook NCL food is on par with almost all lines. HAL is better and Celebrity has better quality meats, but overall most lines are quite similar, not to mention NCL has more choices than any other line. Yes, some of the dining rooms have a sur charge, but at least the choices are there...

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

I'm guessing thats what you normally do also?

 

Balconybum takes every opportunity to blast NCL in anyway she can, even with claims that are very suspect. She started this about 3 or 4 months ago. Why anyone would spend time on a cruise thread if they could not contribute something positive I have no idea...If I remember right she expected some compensation for what she thought was a lousy cruise and didn't get her way....

 

 

 

Nita

[yaletown605]

We have been on Carnival and Princess and took our first NCL cruise on the Jewel thsi August. We actually like our food on the Jewel and rate it as one of the best. We dined exclusively on the main dining rooms and never at the specialty restaurant. We enjoyed fine dining at home and have a varied palate and adventurous in taste.

 

I wonder if the complaints that most people have is the fact the specialty restaurant cause extra. Many of the complaints about NCL food is about having to paid. We found the main dining rooms is just fine and had no need to pay for anything more.

[gooser]

We also eat frequently at places like Applebees, Chilis, Outback -- and we've seldom had any problems with the food on NCL. I don't think my DH would routinely gain 10 pounds on a 7 day cruise if the food was as bad as some people indicate.

LOL...I beat your husband by three pounds. Came back from Mexico on the Star after 7 days with an extra 13 pounds.

 

Only meal I really didn't care for was from Ginza.

[sottovoce]

I wonder if the complaints that most people have is the fact the specialty restaurant cause extra. Many of the complaints about NCL food is about having to paid. We found the main dining rooms is just fine and had no need to pay for anything more.

I think you've hit on something here, and agree that NCL main dining room has always been just fine, as good as we've had on other cruise lines.

[tarjan]

Sushi is best unfrozen and fresh. Considering there is no group fishing off the side of the boat... That sushi's freshest moment will be the same day you leave port. You can't just refrigerate sushi and expect it to still work 3-4 days later so eventually they have to use frozen fish.

 

We have a few good sushi places around and you can tell when they are using the catch that they received in the afternoon vs the one yesterday, no problem.

[Fabian52]

We also dine at Chile's, Appleby's and there food is pretty good. We really like NCL cruises for the prices and the food has always been very good. You won't have a problem with their food at all. It is not a high end meal but your not paying the prices of Disney or Cunard cruise line.

If you want really bad food then go on a Costa cruise. We took a 7 day cruise on Costa to Norway a couple of years ago and it was the only time I didn't gain any weight. We loved Norway but Costa (not good). Again food is subjective. NCL all the way. :)

[DMH15]

nicknack - thanks for the insight with balconybum. Any worthwhile restaurant critic will visit a restaurant TWICE before writing a review. They understand anyone can have an off night. If balconybum only took one cruise on NCL that lessens their credibility.

[TrinaLC]

Sushi is best unfrozen and fresh. Considering there is no group fishing off the side of the boat... That sushi's freshest moment will be the same day you leave port. You can't just refrigerate sushi and expect it to still work 3-4 days later so eventually they have to use frozen fish.

 

We have a few good sushi places around and you can tell when they are using the catch that they received in the afternoon vs the one yesterday, no problem.

 

I suspect they use frozen fish from day one - they would need to keep the logistics simple.

[98Charlie]

From today's NY Times newspaper

Food and Drug Administration regulations stipulate that fish to be eaten raw -- whether as sushi, sashimi, seviche, or tartare -- must be frozen first, to kill parasites. ''I would desperately hope that all the sushi we eat is frozen,'' said George Hoskin, a director of the agency's Office of Seafood. Tuna, a deep-sea fish with exceptionally clean flesh, is the only exception to the rule.

 

Any fish (except tuna) that is prepared for sushi in the US has been frozen. Or the restaurant is in violation of the FDA regulation.

 

The preparation and handling at an individual restaurant my do more to account for any noticable flavor difference than the fact that it was frozen.

 

Charlie