Dawn Menus -New, Revised, Final

[romrai]

Same with me. I'm wondering if its an issue with firefox?

 

I'm not using firefox.....tried double clicking on the menu itself....it doesn't get bigger. I am wondering if its a VISTA thing?

[circuitrider]

I read all 17 pages of the other thread. Was a bit disheartened, but between the two static menus it looked like I might be able to survive a 14-day cruise (yes, I know there were daily specials and looked at them too). Looks even worse now. And while I don't care for lobster myself...I'm sure many who liked the fixed menu idea will not be too happy that the fixed menus are still here, but lobster every night is not (maybe NCL put that on as a trial so more people would praise the fixed menus?).

 

Personally, I loved the changing menus with a small number of "always available" items. I could try to be a bit adventurous each night. Maybe I'd be willing to try some weird-sounding starter, but nothing caught my eye on the entree list so I'd just have the steak. Next night I stick with a plain caesar salad, but try a new entree with a name I can't even pronounce. Since we haven't been on a 7-day cruise since our first cruise on Carnival...a limited menu selection will get old fast.

 

Too bad I can't just easily rebook (already sent in the final payment and redeemed the last ever compass rewards certificates). Nevertheless I'll go in with an open mind, and maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised. If not, then at least I'm not "tied" to NCL anymore (due to no more compass rewards).

[ute_fan]

I DID ask about cold soups....they (one each day) are available on the buffet. only (and they are located in the fruit section!!). I tried some and IMHO..they are NOT as good as they were...

 

:( The menu change in 2006 that eliminated the cold fruit soups at dinner was the final straw in driving one of our friends to switch from NCL to Princess. Guess I'll see how I like my one-night Princess cruise next weekend -- and I may end up following their lead.

[AliCat22]

:( The menu change in 2006 that eliminated the cold fruit soups at dinner was the final straw in driving one of our friends to switch from NCL to Princess.

 

2006? We sailed in '08 and had the chilled fruit soups. Maybe it was a temporary elimination.

[hat776]

Am I right that the amount of the 'specials' has been increased ?

I am not at all picky and enjoy trying out new dishes so I could easily find something different to eat every day. (even though I wouldn't mind repeating something)

I enjoy opening the menu to see what is on that night - at least there is still the Specials menu that gives that excitement.

[ute_fan]

2006? We sailed in '08 and had the chilled fruit soups. Maybe it was a temporary elimination.

 

It was. They eliminated them in January '08 and had such cries of dismay over the new menus (not just the soups) that they started making changes again by that fall. We sailed the Jewel in November, just before they implemented the "new" menus there. By the time we sailed on the Pearl in May 07, the soups were back :D.

 

I realize it's a silly thing to make a big deal out of, but for us, the chilled fruit soups are part of what we love about cruising. They've not the kind of thing that you can get just anywhere, and we've loved having them on the menus.

[cliffd64]

It was. They eliminated them in January '08 and had such cries of dismay over the new menus (not just the soups) that they started making changes again by that fall. We sailed the Jewel in November, just before they implemented the "new" menus there. By the time we sailed on the Pearl in May 07, the soups were back :D.

 

I realize it's a silly thing to make a big deal out of, but for us, the chilled fruit soups are part of what we love about cruising. They've not the kind of thing that you can get just anywhere, and we've loved having them on the menus.

 

I agree that the chilled soups are wonderful, but certainly not an aspect worthy of me changing cruise lines... but different strokes for different folks :)

[jaja]

I totally agree....soups would never be a "deal breaker" for me..

 

I cruise for the total experience....and judge each of them on the overall experience---and so far NCL gives me a great vacation every time :D

 

We loved our latest cruise... even sans cold soup! :rolleyes:

[ute_fan]

It's all the little thing like this that NCL has done that make us more willing to consider other cruise lines. We've been on 6 NCL cruises, and have our 7th coming up next week -- so I haven't switched yet. Our last couple of cruises, we've felt that the entertainment wasn't as good, there were fewer onboard activities that we were interested in, and we definitely had some service issues on our last cruise on the Dawn. Those things, combined with the elimination of the chilled soups, will just make it easier for us to factor other lines into our planning decisions.

[AliCat22]

I realize it's a silly thing to make a big deal out of, but for us, the chilled fruit soups are part of what we love about cruising. They've not the kind of thing that you can get just anywhere, and we've loved having them on the menus.

 

Don't get me wrong...I love the chilled soups, too! My husband and I would seek them out each day. They were one of the best "food memories" we had on the cruise. =)

[snorklinbarb]

I'm not a computer person and was also having the same problem. This is what I did: I double clicked on the first menu and it enlarged. On the left side it will show the menus in small print. There is an arrow on the left, pointing toward the left and on the right, an arrow pointing to the right.

 

When you are doing finishing reading the first menu that you double clicked on at the beginning, double click the menu that is next to the arrow pointing right and it will show the next day's menu. Continue doing that until you have seen all of the menus.

 

I don't know all these technical words so my simple words. Hope this helped. I've an Apple and also use Firefox.

 

 

Yesterday I was able to view them all and they looked like you described with the left and right arrows moving forward a day or back.

 

Today I can't get them in IE or Firefox in legible form, only small box. When I enlarged on IE the words are all a blur.

 

Has anyone figured out another way to view these? Or jaja, is there a some way we can back into your photobuckets album? Looks like many would like to see them but can't view as presented.

 

Thanks for posting them! Looks like much more variety now.

[weltek]

I think there is a great variety in this option and would be very happy with it. My DH, who is a little pickier (beef, pork, chicken, shrimp are his only acceptable proteins) would also be happy with this. Nice job, NCL, at listening to your cruisers and tweaking.

 

I just hope they change the "specials" every year at least.

[terrymtex01]

It is so interesting to see the different reactions to these menus. Some who love them like we do, some who hate them and some who don't seem to have a strong opinion either way.

 

As far as changing cruiselines because of the cold fruit soups, I want to say this (and it is just MHO, for what it's worth). People cruise and have different expectations. Just to give an example, I would never sail Disney because they do not have a casino onboard (well..that and being surrounded by so many kids would be hell to me). Having a casino onboard is important to me. I don't care if anyone else understands that, agrees with it, puts me down because of it, etc. It is my vacation and what is important to me is what is important to me. Most people could probably never understand me choosing a cruiseline based on it having a casino or not. Thats cool with me. We are all different and have our different needs for our vacation. So while I can not see changing cruiselines for them no longer having cold soups, I would never think badly of someone, think less of someone, etc, because that was their deciding factor. It is what it is. If other cruiselines offer the cold fruit soups and that is important to someone, I hope they have a blast on that other cruiseline. For me in the end it doesn't matter if they cruise NCL or RCCL or whoever, just as long as they cruise and have a great experience.

[jaja]

Sorry it is not working for some....

 

Is this better ?

Part 1 of 2

[jaja]

Part 2 of 2

 

[MrLee]

I have to agree with you Terry. The casino is a deal breaker for me. That's why I won't do a Hawaii cruise. Cold soup, as much as I love it, can be replaced with other foods that I like but, aside from just relaxing with a book, the Casino is my primary source of enjoyment on a cruise. I may or may not attend shows on board (I'll definately go to see Dave Heenan again) but I'll definately be in the casino. :D

[Planer's Edge]

I have to agree with you Terry. The casino is a deal breaker for me. That's why I won't do a Hawaii cruise. Cold soup, as much as I love it, can be replaced with other foods that I like but, aside from just relaxing with a book, the Casino is my primary source of enjoyment on a cruise. I may or may not attend shows on board (I'll definately go to see Dave Heenan again) but I'll definately be in the casino. :D

Lee,

 

I just talked to Dave Heenan last week and he will not be on our cruise this year. :(

 

PE

[MrLee]

Lee' date='[/color']

 

I just talked to Dave Heenan last week and he will not be on our cruise this year. :(

 

PE

 

Bummer. He was so nice to me last year that I looked forward to seeing him again. :(

[ute_fan]

Frankly, the more I look at the menus, the less I like them. Thanks, P/E, for posting them large enough to read. I'm not seeing much of anything on the appetizer menus that appeals, and the main courses are just sort of "ok", and even the desserts didn't look that great.

 

My DD went on her honeymoon cruise this summer, and came home having had a wonderful time -- but asking why they didn't do any of the wonderful desserts that she remembered from her 2 previous cruises, like bananas flambe and baked alaska (without the singing waiters).

 

For those of you who would never switch cruise lines because of the lack of chilled soups, imagine the outcry of disappointment if NCL eliminated lobster from their menus. I'd rather have a bowl of delicious chilled soup than an overcooked lobster.

[snorklinbarb]

jaja,

Worked for me...thanks! Strangely enough, with these new menus I can find something just about every night that appeals to me (and we usually spend much of our time in specialties!) So much for the "they're trying to force me into the specialties."

 

One of my favorite Le Bistro items last year was the braised short rib + filet mignon. It's no longer offered. After the first time I just said, "Hold the filet." Hopefully, with the short ribs as a special in the MDR, they haven't lost the old Bistro menu.;)

 

Looks like enough variety, too. Glad to see the lobster back to just the tail rather than the seafood medley also.

 

So we're willing to give it a try next month on the Dawn.

 

p.s. OK, keeping this OT for a second, PE, do you know when Dave Heenan goes on vaca? Just won't seem like the Dawn without him.

[Planer's Edge]

 

PE' date=' do you know when Dave Heenan goes on vaca? Just won't seem like the Dawn without him.[/quote']

 

Sorry Barb, I did not ask him when he was leaving. I just asked him if he would be on the repo again this year. He did say that he was rejoining the ship November 15th.

 

PE

[Zeno]

I'd rather have a bowl of delicious chilled soup than an overcooked lobster.

 

That's the way I feel too. I have always found the lobster on cruiseships to be disappointing - so now I usually avoid it. Once you have had really good Nova Scotia FRESH lobster, nothing really compares. And I always did like the chilled soups - miss them.

 

BUT I have always find something I enjoy eating - so I will approach the new menus with an open mind.

[cliffd64]

Frankly, the more I look at the menus, the less I like them. Thanks, P/E, for posting them large enough to read. I'm not seeing much of anything on the appetizer menus that appeals, and the main courses are just sort of "ok", and even the desserts didn't look that great.

 

My DD went on her honeymoon cruise this summer, and came home having had a wonderful time -- but asking why they didn't do any of the wonderful desserts that she remembered from her 2 previous cruises, like bananas flambe and baked alaska (without the singing waiters).

 

For those of you who would never switch cruise lines because of the lack of chilled soups, imagine the outcry of disappointment if NCL eliminated lobster from their menus. I'd rather have a bowl of delicious chilled soup than an overcooked lobster.

 

No outcry here.. it's not perceived as a delicacy any more in my household. Far too common a meal when you have relatives in lobstering... it's like peanut butter and jelly now...

[romrai]

There is no escargot!! I don't think its right that not once during the 7 days its not offered. Those of us who LOVE it, shouldn't have to pay extra by going to Le Bistro, just to get some. I could live with these menus IF they had escargot at least one night.

[jaja]

I too missed the escargot...but again..not a deal breaker for me (as with cold soups)

I found something every night that I liked and had a great meal each night in the dining room...:D