Norwegian Cruise Line Bans Food Outside of Dining Areas

Oh my. I just read about this. What a shame. As silly as it is, one of my families' favorite things on a cruise is when dad goes up at night and picks them out deserts or other little goodies. I also wonder whether NCL has given enough thought to the impact on disabled guests. Sometimes, after a day of getting in everyone's way, fighting for room on the elevators, weaving around service carts in the hallways, only to find fully able bodied people at the reserved tables and unable to wheel through the food line with a plate anyway, my daughter has had enough. She just doesn't want to muster up the energy to get in her wheelchair and head back out. So she tells me the stuff she has seen at the buffet that week that she liked and I make her a nice plate. I guess room service is an option, but yet another mac and cheese is hardly the same as choosing a little of this, a little of that.

As insubstantial as this change might seem to some, this will actually seriously impact our vacations. What a real bummer. I'm a pretty big NCL convert after switching from Disney. I am always skeptical when people threaten to leave a hotel or airline or cruise line over small changes, but this seems like it might be a real dealbreaker for us. I doubt NCL will be too sad to lose us. We're once a year cruisers at most. They will make that up in one day of room service fees. But I really do hope they might think about the effect this has on all their cruisesrs.

Oh my. I just read about this. What a shame. As silly as it is, one of my families' favorite things on a cruise is when dad goes up at night and picks them out deserts or other little goodies. I also wonder whether NCL has given enough thought to the impact on disabled guests. Sometimes, after a day of getting in everyone's way, fighting for room on the elevators, weaving around service carts in the hallways, only to find fully able bodied people at the reserved tables and unable to wheel through the food line with a plate anyway, my daughter has had enough. She just doesn't want to muster up the energy to get in her wheelchair and head back out. So she tells me the stuff she has seen at the buffet that week that she liked and I make her a nice plate. I guess room service is an option, but yet another mac and cheese is hardly the same as choosing a little of this, a little of that.

 

As insubstantial as this change might seem to some, this will actually seriously impact our vacations. What a real bummer. I'm a pretty big NCL convert after switching from Disney. I am always skeptical when people threaten to leave a hotel or airline or cruise line over small changes, but this seems like it might be a real dealbreaker for us. I doubt NCL will be too sad to lose us. We're once a year cruisers at most. They will make that up in one day of room service fees. But I really do hope they might think about the effect this has on all their cruisesrs.

there would probably be some kind of an exemption for disabled guests.

I would think a disabled person would get some type of exemption. But, even if not, in the other thread...people are saying that they really are not enforcing this policy on the ships.

Oh my. I just read about this. What a shame. As silly as it is, one of my families' favorite things on a cruise is when dad goes up at night and picks them out deserts or other little goodies.

The food police policy is disappointing and a shame. My teen and I like to bring fries or burgers back in the afternoon to eat on the balcony a couple of times per cruise. This may or may not still be allowed depending on how sneaky you are and how willing the crew is to enforce. We also like to bring wings, or spinach dip, or fish and chips back (take out) from O'Sheehan's late at night to enjoy in the cabin. This is definitely not allowed. We don't want to sit in the restaurant to eat. And we don't leave the leftovers in the passageway.

The annoying thing about this is we are being told what to do on vacation. We are no longer free to take food to the room, unless of course we pay. Stop needlessly telling me what I can't do.

That is all.

Dave

I would think a disabled person would get some type of exemption. But, even if not, in the other thread...people are saying that they really are not enforcing this policy on the ships.

Enforcing the rule isn't the main issue, it's the fact that the rule exists and most people will follow it. If I were disabled I wouldn't gamble the price of a cruise on a "maybe there's an exception for the disabled".

The food police policy is disappointing and a shame. My teen and I like to bring fries or burgers back in the afternoon to eat on the balcony a couple of times per cruise. This may or may not still be allowed depending on how sneaky you are and how willing the crew is to enforce. We also like to bring wings, or spinach dip, or fish and chips back (take out) from O'Sheehan's late at night to enjoy in the cabin. This is definitely not allowed. We don't want to sit in the restaurant to eat. And we don't leave the leftovers in the passageway.

 

The annoying thing about this is we are being told what to do on vacation. We are no longer free to take food to the room, unless of course we pay. Stop needlessly telling me what I can't do.

 

That is all.

 

Dave

This is similar to a hotel telling you that you can't bring takeout to your room, whether you obtain it in the hotel's restaurant or off-site. I don't believe that I have ever stayed in a hotel with that kind of rule.

Perfect analogy, sparks!

I will be sailing on June 13 and will remember to use it when I see the captain and the hotel director.

This is similar to a hotel telling you that you can't bring takeout to your room, whether you obtain it in the hotel's restaurant or off-site. I don't believe that I have ever stayed in a hotel with that kind of rule.

That is my problem with this. I'm being told what I can and can't do while on vacation. Being told where i can and can't eat, unless I pay, feels more like school or some other institution than vacation. "No you can't take your gruel from the cafeteria back to your dorm room because you might make a mess or make yourself sick. We know what is best for you."

I'm a freaking adult on vacation and this is a small thing that I enjoy doing. Leave me alone and stop trying to suck every last dime out of my wallet.

That is my problem with this. I'm being told what I can and can't do while on vacation. Being told where i can and can't eat, unless I pay, feels more like school or some other institution than vacation. "No you can't take your gruel from the cafeteria back to your dorm room because you might make a mess or make yourself sick. We know what is best for you."

 

 

 

I'm a freaking adult on vacation and this is a small thing that I enjoy doing. Leave me alone and stop trying to suck every last dime out of my wallet.

Not very "Freestyle," huh?

I think that's the greatest irony of this new rule. No reports as of yet of NCL removing the now ironic "Freestyle Cruising" moniker from the sides of its ships...

I thought NCL pushed their "FREESTYLE DINING"? What will it be now? "OUR HOUSE-OUR RULES DINING? Leave your freedom at the door!

I thought NCL pushed their "FREESTYLE DINING"? What will it be now? "OUR HOUSE-OUR RULES DINING? Leave your freedom at the door!

Freestyle dining was never advertised as "eat what you want from any restaurant on the ship, in any location on the ship that you choose". It was simply put in place to give cruisers more choices of restaurants as well as allowing the cruiser to choose what time he/she would like to dine, instead of the traditional same time every night we the same waiter. This has not changed as of yet. There are still numerous choices and one could choose what time to dine for breakfast, lunch or dinner during open hours.

Freestyle dining was never advertised as "eat what you want from any restaurant on the ship, in any location on the ship that you choose". It was simply put in place to give cruisers more choices of restaurants as well as allowing the cruiser to choose what time he/she would like to dine, instead of the traditional same time every night we the same waiter. This has not changed as of yet. There are still numerous choices and one could choose what time to dine for breakfast, lunch or dinner during open hours.

So you don't see the irony that NCL ships are emblazoned with "Freestyle Cruising" but they will control where and when you can carry your food? ...a restriction that is not imposed by any other cruise line, which, by the way, do not tout themselves as "Freestyle?"

So you don't see the irony that NCL ships are emblazoned with "Freestyle Cruising" but they will control where and when you can carry your food? ...a restriction that is not imposed by any other cruise line, which, by the way, do not tout themselves as "Freestyle?"

I never said the freestyle cruising concept and the latest changes weren't ironic. You specifically mentioned freestyle dining, and that is what I was referring to. I was simply stating that freestyle dining was always advertised as guests' choice of dining venue and guests' choice of dining time. Furthermore, when freestyle dining first began, Le Bistro had a cover charge and was not free or included.

I never said the freestyle cruising concept and the latest changes weren't ironic. You specifically mentioned freestyle dining, and that is what I was referring to. I was simply stating that freestyle dining was always advertised as guests' choice of dining venue and guests' choice of dining time. Furthermore, when freestyle dining first began, Le Bistro had a cover charge and was not free or included.

In our world, that translates into the freedom to dress up or down. To catch a sunrise from your own private balcony or sleep in. To take in some never-before-seen-at-sea entertainment. And to eat in a different restaurant every day of your cruise, on your own schedule. Whether it’s exhilaration or relaxation you’re looking for, we’ve got it all. When you have thousands of choices, all of them right, that’s Freestyle Cruising. Only on Norwegian Cruise Line. And you’ll see it makes all the difference in the world.

This is Norwegian's explanation of freestyle cruising:

 

In our world, that translates into the freedom to dress up or down. To catch a sunrise from your own private balcony or sleep in. To take in some never-before-seen-at-sea entertainment. And to eat in a different restaurant every day of your cruise, on your own schedule. Whether it’s exhilaration or relaxation you’re looking for, we’ve got it all. When you have thousands of choices, all of them right, that’s Freestyle Cruising. Only on Norwegian Cruise Line. And you’ll see it makes all the difference in the world.

Thank you for posting this to clarify what they define as freestyle cruising. Nowhere in there does it state that everything is included in your cruise fare. Freestyle just means you are free to make your own choices.

Thank you for posting this to clarify what they define as freestyle cruising. Nowhere in there does it state that everything is included in your cruise fare. Freestyle just means you are free to make your own choices.

I thought NCL pushed their "FREESTYLE DINING"? What will it be now? "OUR HOUSE-OUR RULES DINING? Leave your freedom at the door!

As I said on a different thread, I think I can officially take a responsibility for coming up with this idea. during my last cruise on the epic I saw plates laying all over the place and spilled food, it looked really trashy. It looked like what you would picture of the ship looking like if they did a Blue Collar Comedy Cruise lOL jk. So I grabbed one of the Ncl employees and I was like it's a mess and he said I know I'm sorry I said I wish there was something they could do about this. he said I'm not the only guest who complains about that, so maybe there will be a bunch of people on the cruise will be happy about this new rule. For the record I think there should be an exemption for disabled people, but everyone else I got a question for you. Don't people say the fun of the cruise is not spending much time in your room? Its true think about it, the first time I booked a cruise I talked about a suite, and my Cruise consultant said you are not going to spend much time in your room anyway. when I was considering booking a cruise thru carnival I asked why they don't have suite perks and the guy said most of our suites are never filled, you don't spend that much time in your room anyway. so my question is it's pretty much a cruise line catchphrase you're not going to spend much time in your room anyway, so why is everybody so worried about room service or eating in your room? Did you book a cruise just spend the entire time in your room? You could have done that at home for free

Great post! You brought up a good point. Will passengers that move over to Carnival or RCCL be able to dine at the time they choose or is there set seating?

Great post! You brought up a good point. Will passengers that move over to Carnival or RCCL be able to dine at the time they choose or is there set seating?

Thank you, awesome cat.

Great post! You brought up a good point. Will passengers that move over to Carnival or RCCL be able to dine at the time they choose or is there set seating?

Carnival and RCI have the same program with at slightly different name where you show up to dinner at no set time -- Carnival calls it Your Time Dining and RCI calls it My Time Dining.

RCI also has started Dynamic Dining on a couple of ships that is most similar to the NCL model.

Great post! You brought up a good point. Will passengers that move over to Carnival or RCCL be able to dine at the time they choose or is there set seating?

Was on RCCL Oasis of the seas a few months back and Carnivals Pride before that and I can tell you we were able to have anytime dinning on both ships and did not have to wait to be seated whenever we showed up for dinner. Both, the hallways etc were very clean and free room service.

Was on RCCL Oasis of the seas a few months back and Carnivals Pride before that and I can tell you we were able to have anytime dinning on both ships and did not have to wait to be seated whenever we showed up for dinner. Both, the hallways etc were very clean and free room service.

As I said isn't the point of a cruise to get out of your room? I don't get how you people spend so much money on a cruise and then sit in your room staring at the wall lol.

As I said isn't the point of a cruise to get out of your room? I don't get how you people spend so much money on a cruise and then sit in your room staring at the wall lol.

Really, again? do you think your witty, clever or have such sage advice that you have to laugh out loud at yourself?

You cruise your way and let everyone else cruise their way. That's freestyle not motleyfan style.

As I said isn't the point of a cruise to get out of your room? I don't get how you people spend so much money on a cruise and then sit in your room staring at the wall lol.

Oh my heavens, sometimes you want a quick bite, something while you are getting changed or are just tired, don't want to get dressed and want to have a snack in your room. Isn't the point of a cruise and vacation for that matter being able to do whatever you wish with the benefits sold to you when you purchased it?

Thank you, awesome cat.

except that he's wrong!