Norwegian Cruise Line Bans Food Outside of Dining Areas

[mking8288]

Okay, I don't expect :D ;) to see lots of folks walking around the pool area with those blue beach towel, all neatly wrapped up on the way out ... hint, hint.

Edited May 8, 2015 by mking8288

[chars]

This new rule is really ridiculous. How do they plan on stopping people from taking their plate of food from the buffet to their cabin? As previous posters have stated, that is one of the perks with having a balcony. I really cannot see this being enforced.

[swedish weave]

The tables around the pools are considered to be dining areas according to NCL, they are not planning on stopping you from eating there. They are trying to keep food out of the cabins and non dining areas.

 

How about tossing a little logic into this thread ??

 

If they are trying to keep food out of the cabins, why are they still going to do room service. Food is food, isn't it ???

 

OH -- I KNOW THE ANSWER !!!!! IT IS SEVEN DOLLARS AND NINETY FIVE CENTS PLUS GRATUITY.

 

What if I order room service and take the food to the stairwell to eat it ? Is that different than me taking food from the buffet or restaurant and eating it on the stairwell ??

 

LOGIC, PLEASE !!!

[Evangaline]

What irks me more than this silly, poorly thought out policy is claiming that the reason is "to maintain a beautiful clean environment for all of our guests to enjoy". These corporate types really do take their customers for morons, don't they? We all know this comes on the heels of imposing a hefty charge for room service. Do they seriously think no one would figure this one out.

 

Anyway this move really does signal the end of any "freestyling". NCL now has more rules than a cheap boarding school. And, yes, it is a deal breaker. I get a yummy breakfast delivered for free on my nice big balcony cabin every morning on Celebrity and then if I want to bring some cheese and fruit back to my cabin to enjoy sunset on my balcony at the end of the day, I can do it.

 

I don't care to hear whether someone thinks they will enforce the rule or not, Or that they are only "politely" suggesting that by bringing that apple back to my cabin that I am mucking up their ship. The rule is there and it is hanging over my head and I don't need this baloney. NCL is seriously going to the bottom on my list for future cruises.

[BrPanthers99]

NCL never enforces the dress code in restaurants, I doubt this will be enforced either. Who is going to stop me?

[maywell]

DING, DING, DING...we have a WINNER! You hit the nail right on the head! They are trying to keep food out of the cabins. Why? Because they want us hungry in our cabins so that we will order ROOM SERVICE. This new policy has EVERYTHING to do with trying to garner revenue from the new 'convenience fee' and NOTHING to do with beautifying the ship or bettering the well-being of the guests. Thus, why we may not bring our leftovers out of any restaurant and why we can only eat where RS does not reach.

 

 

On the flip side, you can walk yourself to the 24-hour place and eat there for 30 minutes - nothing stopping you from having that choice. Or do as some other people do on other cruise lines and bring your own food / ziplock bags on board for late munchies - the embark port is not going to stop you if it sealed in its the packaging nor bat an eye at the ziplock bags. (I actually had some with me for my toiletries for the morning of disembark, the shower cap / pouf is going to be wet among other things)

[sparks1093]

On the flip side, you can walk yourself to the 24-hour place and eat there for 30 minutes - nothing stopping you from having that choice. Or do as some other people do on other cruise lines and bring your own food / ziplock bags on board for late munchies - the embark port is not going to stop you if it sealed in its the packaging nor bat an eye at the ziplock bags. (I actually had some with me for my toiletries for the morning of disembark, the shower cap / pouf is going to be wet among other things)

 

Or the flip, flip side you can realize that since the food has been paid for it shouldn't matter to NCL where you eat it and you shouldn't have to bring your own food onboard. Eventually NCL will make a change that affects you.

[maywell]

Or the flip, flip side you can realize that since the food has been paid for it shouldn't matter to NCL where you eat it and you shouldn't have to bring your own food onboard. Eventually NCL will make a change that affects you.

 

Yes, they did make a change that affect me - lowering the fares for a solo passenger like me to afford 3 weeks worth of vacation next year for $2300 with tips included (I just have to pay for the airfare, taxis and 2 hotels). Not all changes have been bad to all people, depends on the person's wants / needs - I don't need to drag food to my studio room that badly. :)

Edited May 9, 2015 by maywell

[Evangaline]

Well I am getting two weeks with Celebrity in the Med for about 2400. and it includes a cabin with a balcony, drink package, prepaid gratuities and 300 onboard credit and, the best part, is that I don't have to bring my breakfast from home or put it in a Ziploc bag from the buffet because....it is delivered FREE to my cabin!

 

There are lots of good cruise deals out there whether for both solo or not and I suppose that is why these cruise lines want to increase their profit margins, but this is a really bad way to do it. And, of course it is. The CEO is a moron.

 

I'm not trying promote one cruise line over the other. I have no loyalty to any cruise line. They simply don't give enough incentives to bother. I have cruised on Norwegian before a couple of times and I have a list of ships covering 6 cruise lines that I want to book at some point that included 4 different Norwegian ships. With this, I have deleted two ships and put the other two from near the top of the list to the bottom after Carnival Vista.

 

okay. yes I am ranting. Stopping now.

[sparks1093]

Yes, they did make a change that affect me - lowering the fares for a solo passenger like me to afford 3 weeks worth of vacation next year for $2300 with tips included (I just have to pay for the airfare, taxis and 2 hotels). Not all changes have been bad to all people, depends on the person's wants / needs - I don't need to drag food to my studio room that badly. :)

 

I hope for your sake they continue that pricing.

[cruiseblues2013]

What irks me more than this silly, poorly thought out policy is claiming that the reason is "to maintain a beautiful clean environment for all of our guests to enjoy". These corporate types really do take their customers for morons, don't they? We all know this comes on the heels of imposing a hefty charge for room service. Do they seriously think no one would figure this one out.

 

Anyway this move really does signal the end of any "freestyling". NCL now has more rules than a cheap boarding school. And, yes, it is a deal breaker. I get a yummy breakfast delivered for free on my nice big balcony cabin every morning on Celebrity and then if I want to bring some cheese and fruit back to my cabin to enjoy sunset on my balcony at the end of the day, I can do it.

 

I don't care to hear whether someone thinks they will enforce the rule or not, Or that they are only "politely" suggesting that by bringing that apple back to my cabin that I am mucking up their ship. The rule is there and it is hanging over my head and I don't need this baloney. NCL is seriously going to the bottom on my list for future cruises.

 

We just got off Celebrity, we were not impressed, It was offensive to pay $6.00 for a bottle of water, also the wine, we ordered a wine package, they did a substitution and told us it was the same wine (really, the winery is 30 miles away from us and we have 6 cases in our wine cooler) they insisted we did not know what we were talking about, again offensive ...but yet we do not chastise NCL or any cruise line of making money, and understand business, so will pay RS fees if we use it....But come on, a bottle of water, wine?.....Just proves for every person there is a personal opinion....Cannot wait for our next NCL cruise.

[SAILPRO]

I have worked in the travel industry for almost 20 years. (I work for Marriott). This could never be enforced. Guests can do what ever they want as long as they are not disrupting anyone and it is not illegal. I searched the Internet and only found the posting on cruise critic. It is not list as a policy on the NCL website nor on any other travel site.

 

100% agreed travelbug69.

 

I eat wherever I want!

[SAILPRO]

Well Mike, if they endorse this policy like they endorse the no saving lounge chair policy people will continue to do what they have been doing and no one will stop them. Yes, maybe they will be hiring food police! :cool:

 

They need to enforce the 'chair hogg' policy first.

[SAILPRO]

How frustrating! We are leaving on the SKY in 12 days and not one of the changes, from the increased gratuities to the room service fee to the restrictions on dining have been in our email, NCL account or even on the official NCL website. Sounds very shady to me....bait and switch. I wish I could get a refund, because this gives me a negative feeling about NCL. Probably should have stuck with Carnival...:(:(

 

Yup, nothing but nonsense & bs!

They can make changes all they want, people will just ignore.

[maywell]

I hope for your sake they continue that pricing.

 

You mean for your sake, they raise the pricing that you never want to sail with NCL again - I know a golden opportunity when I see one and that's one that doesn't happen often especially for anyone that's nowhere near retirement age. And the way pricing is going right now - unless the only disaster strikes or illness happens on a Carnival ship this year - there's not going to be alot of last-minute opportunities of fares being under $500 per person. So, putting up with the diet police at the restaurants on the ship is small price to pay next year especially for those port stops.

[SAILPRO]

Feels like when I was a kid and my mom would forbid me to leave the table until all my food was finished.

 

Let's do this : when you're too full to eat what you paid for, just sit at the table until you are able to eat all your food. Bring a book, relax, and just refuse to leave without your dessert.

 

I think the waiters will INSIST you take your food to your room to free the table for the next customers :)

 

Thanks for the idea BreeYark!

Pretty sure someone already thinking many other ideas.

[mking8288]

Thanks for the idea BreeYark!

Pretty sure someone already thinking many other ideas.

LOL, 2 of our SIL's are known to pause for "inter-missions" for big meals, especially with AYCE buffets at the casinos to get their money's worth. I will just sit there & sip those horrible house coffee first & guard the entire big table - that is, if they cruise again on NCL - while they excuse themselves to do #2, wash their hands & freshen up, return to the table to join us - and then resume their fine dining.

IF & when that happens, NCL better watch out for 90 minutes to 2+ hours dinner service to get stretch for anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, until everyone is done & satisfied. A new phrase on CC - "the dining hogs, exclusively on NCL" ...

[ready1]

At first I thought this was an exaggeration, so I called NCL's 800 number. The women in reservations knew exactly what I was asking about and was very clear that food was not allowed outside of the dining areas including taking it to your cabin.

 

New Passenger Rule: Leave your money in the cabin or with another cruise line.

[SAILPRO]

LOL, 2 of our SIL's are known to pause for "inter-missions" for big meals, especially with AYCE buffets at the casinos to get their money's worth. I will just sit there & sip those horrible house coffee first & guard the entire big table - that is, if they cruise again on NCL - while they excuse themselves to do #2, wash their hands & freshen up, return to the table to join us - and then resume their fine dining.

IF & when that happens, NCL better watch out for 90 minutes to 2+ hours dinner service to get stretch for anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, until everyone is done & satisfied. A new phrase on CC - "the dining hogs, exclusively on NCL" ...

 

Good one mking8288!

[Barb Nahoumi]

Are they going to have the food police frisk our pockets for counterfeit cookies? Let them enforce the chair-hog rules, or no small kids in the hot tub rules first.

[SteveH2508]

Are they going to have the food police frisk our pockets for counterfeit cookies? Let them enforce the chair-hog rules, or no small kids in the hot tub rules first.

 

On leaving the buffet - "Adopt the position!":D

[hpecorari]

So, putting up with the diet police at the restaurants on the ship is small price to pay next year especially for those port stops.

 

You keep calling it the 'diet police' which is a little insulting. You have to admit that there really are times that one needs and should leave a restaurant and be able to take their uneaten food with them.

 

1. Those with kids that act up. I know I don't want to be sitting next to a crying/screaming/moody child when their parents can ask for their food to and return that child to their room.

 

2. Those that order an app, their meal and are too full to eat their dessert. I do believe, as one is paying for that specialty restaurant....that they should be permitted to take their dessert back to their room.

 

3. Others who may get sick or fall ill while eating.

 

Harriet

[mking8288]

On leaving the buffet - "Adopt the position!":D

Yeah, right ;) :p - they better then fully trained & supervise closely those sentry in both genders as I can visualizee shouts & claims of unwarranted touching and harassment of you know what nature coming ... freaking unbelievable.

-

And, a lot of these are directed at FDR, but I am just saying out loud, where is Andy S. in all these, going with the tide. :confused: I tweeted him a question and a "concern" on the Breakaway on a related matter & never heard from his office - which I also submitted in the post-cruise eSurveys both DW & I got after the March sailing.

 

send from my Google Nexus 5/7 MD via Tapatalk

Edited May 9, 2015 by mking8288

[sparks1093]

You mean for your sake, they raise the pricing that you never want to sail with NCL again - I know a golden opportunity when I see one and that's one that doesn't happen often especially for anyone that's nowhere near retirement age. And the way pricing is going right now - unless the only disaster strikes or illness happens on a Carnival ship this year - there's not going to be alot of last-minute opportunities of fares being under $500 per person. So, putting up with the diet police at the restaurants on the ship is small price to pay next year especially for those port stops.

 

From where I sit they have already raised fares to a level where I will book elsewhere, but if I did find a deal like yours I would take it (presuming of course that I'm in the market for a cruise but at this point in time our next cruise will be in 2018 if our vacation plans pan out the way they are supposed to).

[SuiteTraveler]

You keep calling it the 'diet police' which is a little insulting. You have to admit that there really are times that one needs and should leave a restaurant and be able to take their uneaten food with them.

 

1. Those with kids that act up. I know I don't want to be sitting next to a crying/screaming/moody child when their parents can ask for their food to and return that child to their room.

 

I am just off Getaway today and asked waitstaff in the past 2 - 3 days how these scenarios you listed would be handled. I was told that this has happened and if this happened, the food would be sent to your cabin via room service for no additional cost.

 

2. Those that order an app, their meal and are too full to eat their dessert. I do believe, as one is paying for that specialty restaurant....that they should be permitted to take their dessert back to their room.

 

Again, the food can be sent to your cabin via room service free of charge.

 

3. Others who may get sick or fall ill while eating.

 

Once again, the food can be sent to your cabin via room service free of charge.

 

Harriet

 

Finally, there is NO issue with the dining venues in regards to getting the rest of your meal sent to your cabin free of charge for all the above reasons. One advantage of it being sent via room service is that the food comes wrapped with the proper plates and utensils and a napkin. I know for certain as we received a dessert in our cabin this way.