Has it Dawned on you yet?

[CHOPPERTESTER]

Ok, those of you that have sailed on the Dawn with the new "same menu ever night" in the MDR, did you think it was a benefit for you or for NCL?

 

Is the new fixed menu that good for a 7 night cruise or is it clearly a revenue generating scheme for NCL? We know it makes it easier to plan what night to go to a pay restaurant but then again you've already fallen into their trap.

 

Honest answers please

[cliffd64]

Ok, those of you that have sailed on the Dawn with the new "same menu ever night" in the MDR, did you think it was a benefit for you or for NCL?

 

Is the new fixed menu that good for a 7 night cruise or is it clearly a revenue generating scheme for NCL? We know it makes it easier to plan what night to go to a pay restaurant but then again you've already fallen into their trap.

 

Honest answers please

 

Here's my take, although I haven't yet experienced this in the preceding 4 times on the Dawn.

 

For me personally, they have accumulated my favorite meals and appetizers from throughout any given cruise and made them ALL available every night... allowing me to pick and choose which ones I would like to have and when... In addition, they include chef specials every day that may influence my decision in an entirely different direction. In the past there have been nights where the MDR menus (ugh... Caribbean night comes to mind) are not quite what I would call my cup of tea... which would mean we would usually try to schedule a specialty restaurant for that night. Now, I think we could probably stick with a favorite in the MDR and not have to go specialty if we didn't want to.

 

To me, it makes it very much like going to your favorite family owned restaurant back home... You know what your favorite items are and can always order one of those or a special might grab you on any particular night.

 

Either way, for me, it will probably add up to MORE choices, and I guess that is what freestyle is all about.

 

If they are still doing this in November, I guess I will put it to the test over two weeks :)

[paulekrause]

It is a useless gimmick. The menu gets boring and for many hard to select from because they only like one or two items in each restaurant. on our recend Dawn cruise we ended up going to Impressions for one meal just to have a different choice... so i guess it made money for NCL.

 

On the other hand, the food quality has improved significantly.

[rikatine]

This topic is old already. Can't we move on?

[Mooder]

A benefit for me. I thought the choices were far superior to the old menus so I was happy to dine in the MDR more than I typically have in the past.

[time2cruise1]

We know it makes it easier to plan what night to go to a pay restaurant but then again you've already fallen into their trap.

 

Honest answers please

 

Trap :mad: I was praying they would still have the new menus when I board the Dawn Sunday. I got the email this week and they are still there. The bad news for NCL is instead of my usual 6 nights in the pay restaurants it looks like at least 4 in the MDRs. Those that want the old menus back need to go look at them again. Maybe they can bring back the ox tail stew :D

[peg013]

My favorites from the old menus are now available every night in the MDR's. How can it get any better than that? My family group of 7 all loved the new menus on the Dawn. We hope they keep them. :)

[ictcruiser]

NCL if you are reading this:

 

I've "seen" the new menus posted here on CC, and I must say, the 'always available' items look GREAT--the best main courses available every night.

 

The only suggestion I would have is that the chef's special entree each night looks to be mostly seafood. I would suggest one or two more meat dishes or a unique vegetarian or pasta dish.

[HarpHarp]

NCL if you are reading this:

 

I've "seen" the new menus posted here on CC, and I must say, the 'always available' items look GREAT--the best main courses available every night.

 

The only suggestion I would have is that the chef's special entree each night looks to be mostly seafood. I would suggest one or two more meat dishes or a unique vegetarian or pasta dish.

 

Ditto, I eat very little sea food and loved the vegetarian entrees and chilled soups on the Star last year.

[Planer's Edge]

The main dining room menus look very good to me. I would guess that we will dine there a little more frequently than we usually do.

 

My only question is, are they going to have some other options for our 2 week reposition cruise?

 

PE

[2Cruise4Ever]

At first, I was intrigued. Then, once I got on board, I GOT bored. We ate in the Venetian MDR 3 times and by the 3rd time, the menu no longer appealed to me. And, they changed it between the introduction cruise and our cruise. No more surf n turf (my fave) and no more escargot (another fave). So, for me, the menu was limited even more. I hope they bring back the rotating menus for our next Dawn trip. But, it's unlikely. The static menus are very popular.

[kosoffj]

we did not love them. i got bored of the same list of things and thought the preperations were a little "duller" that the old menus. the food wasn't bad, just a little less interesting than it was before.

 

that said i tried a couple of the specials and thought they were fantastic!

[Zeno]

I like what I have seen of the new menus (I can definitely find something that appeals to me for 7 nights) and would love to try them but like PE - I am curious about what they will do on longer cruises (ours is a 9 Day).

[prg2101]

I sail the Dawn next May....How long are they doing this Menu thing??

I have read that it isnt permanent....:confused:

[AuntieBarb]

We haven't sailed since the new static menus were introduced. However, from what I see, we'll still enjoy our usual dining in the MDRs, in addition to Impressions, Le Bistro, Cagneys, Salsas, etc. etc. We won't be hungry and we'll be cruising for 14 days!!!!!!!! :)

[op1]

Sailing in a few weeks. Where can I find the posted menu? I'd be interested in seeing it ahead of time.

 

Thanks

OP1

[time2cruise1]

Sailing in a few weeks. Where can I find the posted menu? I'd be interested in seeing it ahead of time.

 

Thanks

OP1

 

They have changed a little bit since may as mentioned above but this should give you an idea.

 

[op1]

Thanks for the link.

 

OP1

[Pianoman6582]

Ok, those of you that have sailed on the Dawn with the new "same menu ever night" in the MDR, did you think it was a benefit for you or for NCL?

 

Is the new fixed menu that good for a 7 night cruise or is it clearly a revenue generating scheme for NCL?

 

For me personally, they have accumulated my favorite meals and appetizers from throughout any given cruise and made them ALL available every night... allowing me to pick and choose which ones I would like to have and when... In addition, they include chef specials every day that may influence my decision in an entirely different direction. In the past there have been nights where the MDR menus (ugh... Caribbean night comes to mind) are not quite what I would call my cup of tea...

 

To me, it makes it very much like going to your favorite family owned restaurant back home... You know what your favorite items are and can always order one of those or a special might grab you on any particular night. Either way, for me, it will probably add up to MORE choices, and I guess that is what freestyle is all about.

 

I was a little scared when I heard they went to the same menu every night. But now I'm hearing they have specials (just like an ordinary restaurant) and stuff that's available every night (just like an ordinary restaurant). We've been on 10 cruises in 3 years (GADS:eek:)... In that time My Lee and I have discovered there are nights when we love the apps and hate the main courses--and vicey-versy. But with the old system, we had to find out what we were doing the night before. That's right. At around 11:00pm to 1:00am, they post the MDR menus for the next day outside the "second" MDR--think Magenta or Aqua or Azura or whatever color they've designated for it.... But like any other chore, sometimes we would crawl back to our cabins, realize we didn't check and then "guess who" would have to crawl back down to Deck 6 to look at the menus. With only one menu and changing specials this will mean less crawling:rolleyes: back and forth from the MDR at 2AM... However, I'd rather stagger about the Gem at night

 

There were nights when we sat down in one of the MDRs at an early time before the hoards descended on the MDR to dine whenever together, for the appetizers, headed back to the casino (or whatever) and ate dinner in one of the specialty places.

 

It has been my position from the word "go"--or rather "whatever"--that the specialty restaurants are worth every penny of their nominal price of admission! Do not be afraid to try these out. How can you say this if you say you like the MDR so much? You ask. Easy--and not because I'm bi-polar or have multiple personalities. It's a different LEVEL of food. The MDRs serve good, tasty, hot food. The Specialty places offer a variety of food that they simply couldn't offer for the basic cost of food built into your cruise ticket. In the Bistro you a variety of rich and delicious French food. In the Italian place, there is an anti pasto trolley with fresh mozzarella to DIE for! Tex-Mex, Chinese, Hibachi, Steaks: they are all there and, once again, are worth every penny the price of admission!

 

So, the bottom line is I think what NCL has done to the MDR menus is a good thing

[jkloni]

They have changed a little bit since may as mentioned above but this should give you an idea.

 

 

Can anyone tell me what has been removed from the static menus? 2cruise4ever has mentioned no more surf and turf or escargot. :(. Are these never offered in MDR? Anything else removed? If removed, replaced with something else?

 

Kathy

[Planer's Edge]

Can anyone tell me what has been removed from the static menus? 2cruise4ever has mentioned no more surf and turf or escargot. :(. Are these never offered in MDR? Anything else removed? If removed, replaced with something else?

 

Kathy

 

Kathy,

 

I am going to contact Hugo, when he gets back from vacation, to ask this and a number of other questions. I am a little concerned about having a static menu for a 14 day cruise.

 

PE

[jkloni]

Kathy' date='

 

I am going to contact Hugo, when he gets back from vacation, to ask this and a number of other questions. I am a little concerned about having a static menu for a 14 day cruise.

 

PE[/quote']

 

Thanks, PE! That's a great idea. I've looked at the menus and really like them and wondered if I was liking something that has since been removed. Maybe on our 14 day repo they will add a couple more specials each night? Thanks for contacting Hugo when he gets back.

 

Kathy

[Dolphins]

We think the new menus are great and hope they are still in effect when we board the Dawn on October 4th. No more searching for my favorite entrees, lobster & rack of lamb, which were previously only available on one night and usually both of them on the same night? I can't understand how some people dismiss this menu as a cost saving attempt? I would think it would cost NCL more to provide these expensive entrees every night? It will never be boring to me.

[riddle]

We were on the Dawn last week and the menus got boring. In addition, this was the first time I had trouble getting into a MDR. We arrived at the Venetian at 5:30 and were told a 1 hour wait. We went to the Aqua and walked right in. NCL has really done something to mess up their restaurant situation. The hostess would send you down to the DR when you came back to check on your time. She would send lots of people down at once and I do not think it had anything to do with the names on the list. It was extremely disorganized.

 

We had a fabulous meal in Teppanyaki but ate in the MDR, Blue Lagoon or Buffet the other nights. I was disappointed in the dining experience on this cruise as a whole...and that is the first time I have said that after 6 NCL cruises.

[kosoffj]

dolphins - they removed rack of lamb from the static menus (as well as surf and turf and escargot, and a couple other things i am forgetting) - it is now offered one night as a special. they did have a leg of lamb as a replacement