kfowinst Posted January 25, 2014 #51 Share Posted January 25, 2014 NCL seems to have more free dining options than many other lines For example for dinner on the Getaway there is the Tropicana room (a beautiful venue with live music), Taste and Savour. You could also eat in the buffet or at the pub Osheehans. That's 5 choices for dinner. Dinner on Celebrity's newest ship reflection, you have the choice of the main dining room or buffet for dinner. 2 free options, that's it. You can enjoy dinner at Bistro on 5 for $5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amyracecar Posted January 25, 2014 #52 Share Posted January 25, 2014 We cruised with them a few years ago and found it to be more expensive than other lines we've done, and found the freestyle dining meant it was more difficult to get a table in the traditional dining room when we wanted. It didn't bother us too much as the little place above the lobby was normally quiet and we're ok with buffets. I think it's perhaps easier on some other ships that have bigger main dining rooms, but the speciality options are rarely different anywhere. The italian restaurant on the Gem was superb and well worth the cover charge. (I think less pricey than some other ships?) Drinks for non-alcohol people were probably what put the price up for us. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellie1145 Posted January 25, 2014 #53 Share Posted January 25, 2014 (edited) I realize my cruise fare covers the included eateries and a nice cabin in which to sleep. If I choose to eat a a specialty restaurant, I will pay extra. Specialty restaurants with an upcharge are also on Princess, Carnival, and other lines as well. Whilst I agree that all of the major cruise lines DO have speciality restaurants which charge extra, we found on Jade that the food and service in the MDR were so bad that its no wonder people pay extra to eat elsewhere. We ate in Cagney's on my birthday, steak was great, but FROZEN chips? Really????? As for the 24 hour restaurant, the food there was of a very poor quality, even Denny's is better. Had we eaten at Cagney's each night we might as well have paid for a more expensive cruise line, and had better food and service. Edited January 25, 2014 by ellie1145 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonyte Posted January 25, 2014 #54 Share Posted January 25, 2014 ... we found on Jade that the food and service in the MDR were so bad that its no wonder people pay extra to eat elsewhere. While you are entitled to have your opinion, based on the non-existent lines in front of most speciality restaurants and almost always available tables, most other passengers clearly do not agree with that opinion. Although we eat occasionally in speciality restaurants, we never do it because we would have found food in any of the MDRs "bad" - service can be hit or miss sometimes though, that is a fact. Had we eaten at Cagney's each night we might as well have paid for a more expensive cruise line, and had better food and service. On which cruise line can you get complimentary food that is on the same level as Cagney's and only pay $210pp (nowadays only $119pp with UDP) more for week long cruise than on NCL? I'm asking because I'm truly interested, I've been under the impression that none of the mass market cruise lines can do that and those cruise lines that do, are a lot more expensive to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare KeithJenner Posted January 25, 2014 #55 Share Posted January 25, 2014 While you are entitled to have your opinion, based on the non-existent lines in front of most speciality restaurants and almost always available tables, most other passengers clearly do not agree with that opinion. Although we eat occasionally in speciality restaurants, we never do it because we would have found food in any of the MDRs "bad". Absolutely. We really enjoy The speciality restaurants but never go more than a couple of times during a cruise. We have at least a couple of meals in the MDR, use the buffet for at least one meal and also eat in o'Sheehans one night on the new ships. We don't do that to save money, but because we actually like it. Before going in the Epic, I look forward to the Pot Pie in o'Sheehans as much as the Filet in Cagneys. I can honestly say that I haven't had one meal on a ship that I haven't liked. Some are better than others, but nothing even remotely bad. I suggest, given the queue lengths in the various venues that more people on the ships feel like we do than those who find they must eat in the speciality restaurants to get a good meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCAT48 Posted January 25, 2014 #56 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Usually those who complain about being "nickel and dined" are the ones who do not participate/purchase the extras but still complain they are being "nickel and dined"! Honestly I hate that term and it makes my blood boil when I hear it especially when my mother in law says it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDMau Posted January 25, 2014 #57 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Agreed, and it is a term that is usually used by someone who is loyal to another line trying NCL for the first time (I guess it makes them feel better about paying more on their preferred line). Why pay for things that you won't be using. With NCL I have a lower cruise rate and when I add items that I want, my cruise rate is still lower than other cruise lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinIllinois Posted January 25, 2014 #58 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Hot Dogs are Free. Just have to find where the cart will be. To get one.NCL isn't the only cruise line that does this. Most do. I think my main complaint is that NCL has an Italian Up charge Restaurant so they don't do Italian food in the MDR. NCl has a French restaurant, don't do French food in MDR. NCL has a sushi Restaurant, there no other sushi on the ship. There MDR menu is very limited because they don't want to be competing with the specially Restaurant They do serve quite a few pasta dishes in the MDR's. I would agree on the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidybabe Posted January 25, 2014 #59 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Gem MDR had eggplant parm, veg lasagna, mushroom ravioli, and pretty decent chicken parm at the buffet. MDR always have pasta as well as buffet Safe sailing Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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