Am I the only one? Is food a deal breaker?

[triptolemus]

1. It will help clear the clutter. Staff won't have to worry about picking up plates at the pool deck. NCL is investing heavily in building more breakaway + class ships which have al la fresco eating options on them for those who want to sit outside.

Glassware, plastic cups, beer bottles/cans, and dishes from the "a la fresco" eating options don't cause clutter? I see.

 

2. It will keep "accidents" from happening. There will always be the over zealous buffet people who get more than what they can carry and drop food or entire plates on the way back to the pool/room that the staff has to clean up. It will also keep those people from taking up deck chairs and deck space with multiple plates.

 

Is this that big of a problem? Accidents? Are people really setting up a spread of plates on a deck chair? Really? C'mon now...

 

3. The staff will be able to track where the dishes are. Since the only rooms that should have dishes will be the ones who order room service, they only will need to keep track of those when it comes to cleaning up said dishes. I wouldn't be surprised if rooms start getting hit with charges if room service picks up plates from rooms that aren't accounted from.

 

This is just ridiculous. You know how the room stewards keep track of dishes? They open their eyes and go, "oh, look, a plate" and they pick it up and handle it. No plate accountability system required.

 

4. I've been on 3 cruises so far and I personally find it hard to eat on balconies because I don't have a table. The one time I did have a table on my balcony (Getaway M6)I never did bring anything back or order room service. However I can say that at sea it can be very windy and food can easily be blown about sometimes. That or maybe guests where dumping food overboard.

 

Newflash: Not everyone is you. Not everyone who brings a plate to their cabin intends to eat it in gale force winds on the balcony. Not everyone has a balcony.

 

Answers in red.

 

Personally I have never and will never shlep food back to my cabin. But some of your "reasons" for not doing so are laughable.

[FuninWB]

Yes for me it would definitely be a deal breaker - but only if it applied to the buffet. I like to slip down there to pick up a few items plus coffee so that DW and I can enjoy a light breakfast on the balcony. I do not want room service and I do not want to sit with 850 other people over breakfast. I have no issue with them stopping people from wandering all over the ship with doggie bags but if I am prevented from enjoying my balcony in the morning then no more NCL. Simple as that.

 

These are exactly our feelings. All we want to do is to enjoy a cup of coffee on our balcony early in the morning. We are leaving for Bermuda next week, but if this policy interferes with this simple pleasure, we will be reconsidering the next two we have booked. We'll see. We always return the coffee cups to the bin of dirty dishes in the buffet later in the morning.

[SissasMomE]

Answers in red.

 

Personally I have never and will never shlep food back to my cabin. But some of your "reasons" for not doing so are laughable.

 

It's amazing what people make excuses for.

[jackson bernard]

OH MY GOD!! I am a type i diabetic since childhood ( 43 years, thank you. YOU are responsible to carry your own fast-acting carbs. I would NEVER EVER leave my LIFE in the hands of a cruise line, restaurant, hotel! YOu know that you must carry glucotabs, gluco gel- even smarties! How about your glucagon kit?? While you may despise the changes that NCL has made, it is complete BS to contend that they, not you, are responsible for your health. EVERY type I diabetic knows to carry fast acting carbs with them-portable, non-perishible, life -saving snacks. The hystrionics are simply silly. YOu can have all the carbs you need in a bag smaller than your fist. You dont need to be toting around roast beef sandwiches. SMH

 

AND- Type 2 diabetics dont usually use insulin. By definition, an insulin dependent diabetic is...wait for it--DEPENDENT on INSULIN!!

 

 

You go girl! Your right. It's about time people realize the whole world don't revolve around them. The same thing to the people who claim to be allergic to smoke. If it bothers them so much then maybe they should walk around with those paper masks like the do in Asia, instead if the childish fake cough and face waving.

 

Some people complain to complain. So what. What buffet on land allows wou to do takeout?

[wichitastatecruiser]

Answers in red.

 

Personally I have never and will never shlep food back to my cabin. But some of your "reasons" for not doing so are laughable.

 

1. Glassware, plastic cups, beer bottles/cans, and dishes from the "a la fresco" eating options don't cause clutter? I see.

 

The a la fresco dining areas like the open air garden café, flamenco grill and waterfront have tables and chairs and bussers so they don't cause clutter like they do in other areas where there are no bussers.

 

2. Is this that big of a problem? Accidents? Are people really setting up a spread of plates on a deck chair? Really? C'mon now...

 

When people do spill things the staff is probably so quick to clean it up to prevent someone slipping in it you probably wouldn't even know unless you saw it happen. They may not be setting out spreads but 2-4 plates on a deck chair I have seen

 

3. This is just ridiculous. You know how the room stewards keep track of dishes? They open their eyes and go, "oh, look, a plate" and they pick it up and handle it. No plate accountability system required.

 

Room stewards currently have to actively look for plates in and out of rooms as anyone use to be able to take plates back to the room. Depending on the amount of plates they encounter it could slow them down. If the only rooms that the expect to have plates are the ones with rooms service their work would go faster.

 

4. Only 670 cabins On Getaway don't have balconies, and a majority of NCL ships have a high percentage of balconies. The only time there is no wind is when the ship is in port. Otherwise the ship is in motion and creating its own gust by moving when there is no wind. When the weather is windy on top of the ship movement NCL actually will not allow people to sit outside to eat at the Waterfront because of the potential for food to blow off plates. The person in a balcony may not be as smart and I would hate to be a person in a lower cabin that gets sprinkled with salad, rice or whatever small items get blown onto my balcony.

 

I will never bring back food to my balcony either. However since I have a business degree I'm looking at it the way they are, and those are probably their reasons, as they have stated its to keep the ship cleaner. I'm assuming NCL is getting on the lean six sigma management train of thought.

[ohiogymrat]

 

Some people complain to complain. So what. What buffet on land allows wou to do takeout?

 

Lots of buffets on land have Styrofoam containers for just that purpose. You pay..fill it up then leave.

[LMaxwell]

What buffet on land allows wou to do takeout?

 

What cruise ship buffet has ever not allowed you to take anything out of the immediate buffet seating area?

[DMH15]

Don't see how food in the room can be equated with smoking on the balcony. Second hand smoke is unhealthy, and NASTY. Food in the room does not affect passengers in other cabins.

 

I personally prefer to eat in a dining room, but maybe I want to save my desert for later? One party member doesn't feel like going to eat, bring them something? Really petty things to ban if they are really going to enforce this.

OP here... sorry if I confused others... more than one have replied as such...

 

I was not equating smoking per se with eating but rather the way the "smoking changes" THREADS seemed to eclipse the entire NCL boards the way these "food and dining changes" THREADS are doing now. Sorry if I was not clear in that. :)

[maywell]

Lots of buffets on land have Styrofoam containers for just that purpose. You pay..fill it up then leave.

 

Unfortunately, I live in an area where the all-you-can-eat buffets do not paperbag it. And the other type of buffets is the pay by the pound or 1/2 pound which can be expensive if you don't know how to weight things.

[Cancruizer]

I am starting to get really mad about this. Yes, for us this food issue is a deal breaker. I didn't agree with a room service fee that is exorbitant at 7.95 per order and unlike any other cruise line out there (including RC that charges a delivery fee after midnight) However now that I see that NCL is limiting and even prohibiting ordering food and bringing it back to a cabin I am furious.

 

Granted, there are some who don't want to eat on their balcony or any other area of their cabin, yet some really do. Cruise lines have been promoting this free, inclusive "dining" option for years now and it is often enjoyed by many passengers. Unfortunately, I am already booked and in final payment on my upcoming cruise, as if I could I would cancel and go with Celebrity the same week and destination which is at this point a better value and would have provided our family with the ease of cruising that we have always enjoyed. My March break cruise with Norwegian will likely become a Princess, Royal or even Carnival cruise. I hope passengers on board are expressing their displeasure to this new policy and that NCL will consider withdrawing the imposed "convenience charges", realizing they will lose passenger satisfaction and that it will affect future bookings.

[coldflame]

I honestly cannot tell whether people are portraying fake outrage or if it's real. It seems so odd to me that people are making such a _huge_ deal about this. There's just so much food -- more than anyone can muster, and several venues to eat food at and, in fact, you can still eat in your stateroom, for a small fee. We not wealthy, in fact we're usually number crunching to make ends meet and save for the kids' education and our retirement and so forth. $8 makes such a minuscule difference in the overall cost of a cruise to make it almost trivial. Let's say you order room service once per day, that's $49 for the length of a 7-night cruise. 50 freaking bucks. Much ado about absolutely nothing.

[SissasMomE]

I honestly cannot tell whether people are portraying fake outrage or if it's real. It seems so odd to me that people are making such a _huge_ deal about this. There's just so much food -- more than anyone can muster, and several venues to eat food at and, in fact, you can still eat in your stateroom, for a small fee. We not wealthy, in fact we're usually number crunching to make ends meet and save for the kids' education and our retirement and so forth. $8 makes such a minuscule difference in the overall cost of a cruise to make it almost trivial. Let's say you order room service once per day, that's $49 for the length of a 7-night cruise. 50 freaking bucks. Much ado about absolutely nothing.

 

I believe the issue is the buffet, and the possibility of no longer being allowed to eat breakfast or lunch on the pool deck.

Edited May 7, 2015 by SissasMomE

[LMaxwell]

I honestly cannot tell whether people are portraying fake outrage or if it's real. It seems so odd to me that people are making such a _huge_ deal about this. There's just so much food -- more than anyone can muster, and several venues to eat food at and, in fact, you can still eat in your stateroom, for a small fee. We not wealthy, in fact we're usually number crunching to make ends meet and save for the kids' education and our retirement and so forth. $8 makes such a minuscule difference in the overall cost of a cruise to make it almost trivial. Let's say you order room service once per day, that's $49 for the length of a 7-night cruise. 50 freaking bucks. Much ado about absolutely nothing.

 

Since $50 is nothing to you, and you do not care about getting what NCL promised when you booked, please let me know where I can send the bill. You seem willing to cover it. Thank you.

[Kierste]

Okay, so we did an 11 day on the Pearl... We took scones to our room a couple times to snack on, hubby got breakfast and ate on a lounger on deck 13 and then took his plate back. But others have ruined it for those that can responsibly take food out of dining and eat it is what I think...

 

I saw dirty dishes everywhere... Under loungers, in hallways, stuck in corners on various decks, piled on any surface that would hold them. And crew trying to follow around and collect it all. I felt they did a good job, but why do they have to guess where the slobs might have put their plate when they were done?

 

Lots of people are complaining that if they don't feel well their travel partner will bring them food, and now won't be able to. Well, our ship had a GI outbreak... If you felt off you were supposed to report to medical (free of charge) and they would put you on a bland diet... Delivered to your room free because it was part of your medical treatment. So this argument holds no water. If you are sick go see the doctor, if you won't go see the doctor, I figure you are well enough to go sit in a restaraunt.

 

Lastly, bringing back cooked food to your room might actually give you GI issues... That food will get cold, people don't store it properly (fridges are not cold enough) or have a proper way of heating it back up... So the ship is trying to prevent people from in ignorance getting themselves sick.

 

We cruise again in two more years. And we'll go with NCL because we enjoyed our cruise and the freestyle concept very much. I think everyone needs to take a chill pill and see the other side of the issue.

[LadySpoilt]

I honestly cannot tell whether people are portraying fake outrage or if it's real. It seems so odd to me that people are making such a _huge_ deal about this. There's just so much food -- more than anyone can muster, and several venues to eat food at and, in fact, you can still eat in your stateroom, for a small fee. We not wealthy, in fact we're usually number crunching to make ends meet and save for the kids' education and our retirement and so forth. $8 makes such a minuscule difference in the overall cost of a cruise to make it almost trivial. Let's say you order room service once per day, that's $49 for the length of a 7-night cruise. 50 freaking bucks. Much ado about absolutely nothing.

 

Didn't you post earlier today about ""We're not soda drinkers and neither are our kids. So we could get a 24-pack from Publix and just add a luggage tag to it? ". So what is the difference? If you feel so strongly about "the 50 freaking bucks" why would you bring water/coke on instead of paying onboard for it.....after all....its only 50 freaking bucks

[janpo]

Okay, so we did an 11 day on the Pearl... We took scones to our room a couple times to snack on, hubby got breakfast and ate on a lounger on deck 13 and then took his plate back. But others have ruined it for those that can responsibly take food out of dining and eat it is what I think...

 

I saw dirty dishes everywhere... Under loungers, in hallways, stuck in corners on various decks, piled on any surface that would hold them. And crew trying to follow around and collect it all. I felt they did a good job, but why do they have to guess where the slobs might have put their plate when they were done?

 

Lots of people are complaining that if they don't feel well their travel partner will bring them food, and now won't be able to. Well, our ship had a GI outbreak... If you felt off you were supposed to report to medical (free of charge) and they would put you on a bland diet... Delivered to your room free because it was part of your medical treatment. So this argument holds no water. If you are sick go see the doctor, if you won't go see the doctor, I figure you are well enough to go sit in a restaraunt.

 

Lastly, bringing back cooked food to your room might actually give you GI issues... That food will get cold, people don't store it properly (fridges are not cold enough) or have a proper way of heating it back up... So the ship is trying to prevent people from in ignorance getting themselves sick.

 

We cruise again in two more years. And we'll go with NCL because we enjoyed our cruise and the freestyle concept very much. I think everyone needs to take a chill pill and see the other side of the issue.

 

 

So Ncl is concerned about our health and welfare only AFTER implementing the $7.95 RS fee? Wait....wont RS food go cold and make you sick also ? So that argument holds no water. It's all about money.

[Winston Wolf]

I can sort of 'understand' them saying no doggie bag from a specialty restaurant, but the buffet as well?

 

Honestly, the Specialty thing is what puzzles/bothers me the most. If I've paid extra for a meal, then I want all of it. It's pretty crappy to pay for a meal, then only actually eat 2/3 of it or whatever.

[maywell]

Didn't you post earlier today about ""We're not soda drinkers and neither are our kids. So we could get a 24-pack from Publix and just add a luggage tag to it? ". So what is the difference? If you feel so strongly about "the 50 freaking bucks" why would you bring water/coke on instead of paying onboard for it.....after all....its only 50 freaking bucks

 

Because $300 for a family of 4 paying to drink soda (that what paying $2-something price for 4 times 3 meals for a week looks like) compare to paying once a day for a week room service - I can see where the soda drinker would want to save money. That's not including the soda packages which just cost more or perhaps they don't want to buy it because that would mean they would have to drink more to get their money's worth, which can be disastrous to one's health if they're not use to drinking like that.

Edited May 7, 2015 by maywell

[djaycruiser]

This policy doesn't currently effect me now, but it would have for the last five years. My dearly departed Jinglette suffered from chronic health problems and cruising was the only vacation option that worked for us. Breakfast was delivered by room service, lunch was delivered by me from the buffet. Both enjoyed on the balcony. Every other evening we enjoyed a good meal in one of the restaurants.

 

The room and the balcony watching the ocean were her vacation. I know it doesn't sound like much of a holiday to most of you, but it was for her. That my friends was what she was able to handle.

 

Many of the changes that NCL has made in the last few months would have effected her vacation to the point where we would have left NCL. I know we weren't the only people who used NCL in a similar manner. I've met many. So you can say it doesn't effect "me", but it might someday.

 

I'm sure I'll be flamed from bring such a frail lady onto a cruise ship. Jinglette knew she was dying and doing it on a cruise ship would have been ideal for her. My guess is NCL doesn't mind getting rid of people like her.

 

As I see it, "Freestyle" is dying before my eyes. Not a big deal in the overall picture, but annoying none the less. Nothing stays the same!

 

Jingle

 

I too suffer from health problems that cause me to spend about 50% of my time in my cabin or on my balcony. Last year room service was my savior during my cruise. I love to just lie back and watch the world go by and smell the sea air. I will no longer be able to do this without incurring large charges for room service and limited options. I feel that with this change. NCL has discriminated against people with disabilities, families with special needs children etc and has not thought through the repercussions of their actions. I will not be cruising with NCL this year for sure.

[Winnigirl]

I honestly cannot tell whether people are portraying fake outrage or if it's real. It seems so odd to me that people are making such a _huge_ deal about this. There's just so much food -- more than anyone can muster, and several venues to eat food at and, in fact, you can still eat in your stateroom, for a small fee. We not wealthy, in fact we're usually number crunching to make ends meet and save for the kids' education and our retirement and so forth. $8 makes such a minuscule difference in the overall cost of a cruise to make it almost trivial. Let's say you order room service once per day, that's $49 for the length of a 7-night cruise. 50 freaking bucks. Much ado about absolutely nothing.

 

"50 freaking bucks" is not a great deal. That is not the point. The point is that there are many scenarios where people enjoy eating in their stateroom (morning breakfast, late night dessert) and there are many scenarios where people might ask a spouse to "bring them something from the buffet" - (a bad headache, sunburn, twisted ankle - noro isn't the only reason to stay in your room). I am not about to pay more money to Norwegian for a simple pleasure that I can have for free on other cruise lines. That's just stupid. Fortunately, after a totally "unepic" Epic cruise at Christmas we have taken Norwegian off our cruise list. Between this new rule and their corkage fee for wine brought aboard, I'd have no desire to sail with them again (and it's not because I want to stuff my mouth 24/7). I'm curious to see how long this new policy lasts.

[coldflame]

Didn't you post earlier today about ""We're not soda drinkers and neither are our kids. So we could get a 24-pack from Publix and just add a luggage tag to it? ". So what is the difference? If you feel so strongly about "the 50 freaking bucks" why would you bring water/coke on instead of paying onboard for it.....after all....its only 50 freaking bucks

 

Facts:

1. It wasn't today. It was earlier in the week.

2. I try If they hold/keep it, i wouldn't bat an eyelash and most certainly not be outraged.

3. I would not buy the soda package not because the cost, but because it would be underutilized. If they offer bottled-water-only packages, which I have not seen in their website, I would consider that instead of trying to bring a 24-pack.

 

Better now? Breath in, breath out. It helps.

[LadySpoilt]

Because $300 for a family of 4 paying to drink soda (that what paying $2-something price for 4 times 3 meals for a week looks like) compare to paying once a day for a week room service - I can see where the soda drinker would want to save money. That's not including the soda packages which just cost more or perhaps they don't want to buy it because that would mean they would have to drink more to get their money's worth, which can be disastrous to one's health if they're not use to drinking like that.

 

Maywell,

Just like room service...it you don't want to have to pay for it....don't use it (isn't that what has been said?" Soda to me falls in the same category...you don't have to have it....so don't....unless you don't care to pay for it.

[Travelcat2]

I'm still trying to figure out what the big deal is about. The first thing that surprised me is that people put dirty dishes outside of their doors - on the floors in the hallway. That is gross! I'm trying to imagine walking down a corridor with dirty plates lining the route.

 

Perhaps now that NCL is charging for room service, the plates can be left inside of the cabin and picked up a bit later (as in done on some other ships). Much more civilized!

 

In terms of "take-out" food, I agree with NCL on this one. IMO, do not order more food than you can eat (order small portions, etc.) If you are hungry an hour later, you can go out for more food. Actually, eating small portions several times a day is healthy.

 

It would be interesting for the people complaining about the new rule(s) were all on the ship at the same time -- allowed to take food back to their cabin and put their plates (with leftover food on them -- no one really finishes all of their leftover food) on the floor outside the door. Then, people with room service can put their plates and leftover food on the floor outside of the door. IMO, the ship would soon look like a garbage dump. Perhaps some of the children that are left unattended can check out what is left on the plates on the floor and have some snacks:eek:

 

Is my suggestion outrageous? Absolutely! However, IMO, taking food out of the restaurants and leaving the remains all over the ship isn't much better. JMHO.

[NLH Arizona]

I too suffer from health problems that cause me to spend about 50% of my time in my cabin or on my balcony. Last year room service was my savior during my cruise. I love to just lie back and watch the world go by and smell the sea air. I will no longer be able to do this without incurring large charges for room service and limited options. I feel that with this change. NCL has discriminated against people with disabilities, families with special needs children etc and has not thought through the repercussions of their actions. I will not be cruising with NCL this year for sure.

Have you called NCL's special needs department with regard to this, to see if there are exceptions for folks like yourself, with medical issues?

[coldflame]

"50 freaking bucks" is not a great deal. That is not the point. The point is that there are many scenarios where people enjoy eating in their stateroom (morning breakfast, late night dessert) and there are many scenarios where people might ask a spouse to "bring them something from the buffet" - (a bad headache, sunburn, twisted ankle - noro isn't the only reason to stay in your room). I am not about to pay more money to Norwegian for a simple pleasure that I can have for free on other cruise lines. That's just stupid. Fortunately, after a totally "unepic" Epic cruise at Christmas we have taken Norwegian off our cruise list. Between this new rule and their corkage fee for wine brought aboard, I'd have no desire to sail with them again (and it's not because I want to stuff my mouth 24/7). I'm curious to see how long this new policy lasts.

 

That still no reason to get upset or outraged. You can still get it for $8. It's free on other cruise lines, yes. You can choose not to cruise NCL for a whole host of reasons: value, enjoyment, family fit, etc. Making such fuss about $8 room service fee is simply without merit.