Where or what are the improvements?

[MrJoeBlack]

Nothing wrong with meatloaf either.

 

 

There is if it is the only meat on a Carving station

[NLH Arizona]

There is if it is the only meat on a Carving station

On my last cruise, they only had pork at the cruising station and I don't think pork should be there, because I don't eat it, but I understand that others do. I'm guessing folks must be eating the meatloaf on the carving station otherwise they wouldn't have it there.

[hypercafe]

I really do not think its a question of if people eat it or not. The question for me is how cheap can you really get NCL. Its not lunch, snack time, room service with a fee, It's dinner time, the best meal of the day. And yes, it was the only carved meat.

[MrJoeBlack]

On my last cruise, they only had pork at the cruising station and I don't think pork should be there, because I don't eat it, but I understand that others do. I'm guessing folks must be eating the meatloaf on the carving station otherwise they wouldn't have it there.

 

 

I think you missed the point, let's agree to disagree in a civil manner shall we

[MisterFidgetpants]

Vertical burger at a carving station is pretty low class IMO.

[Cauzneffct]

You call a plumber to unclog your drains. He charges $200. Four months later, you call him again, because your drain is clogged again, and you felt $200 was a fair price. He now charges $250. Do you ask him what additional service he is providing?

 

Well, I'd first ask for an estimate. If it came in at $50 more than the prior time, I'd ask why. If the reason was "cuz," I'd probably call a different plumber. If I agreed to the estimate and, upon completion, the charge was $50 more and the reason was "cuz," I'd be pretty peeved.

[tgmtgm]

I'm my own boss. I don't get to listen to someone else's malarkey. Why did they raise dsc twice in 4 months. It wasn't COLA for the crew. Has NCL said it is?

 

The DSC, drink, and specialty dining increases were done for one reason and one reason only- additional revenue for the cruiseline and it's shareholders. We will not see better/improved anything. And that I'm afraid, is the sobering truth.

 

Tony

[tymike]

Ok...first world problems to be sure AND before the change in leadership at NCL...but still...

 

no lobster night

no chocolate buffet

seriously downgraded amount of high end toiletries in the suites

 

The above cutbacks started before the insane amount of increased fees etc. and it only makes cruising in general less exciting for me personally. I have two cruises booked on NCL and I find myself wondering 'what next'? And not in a good way.

 

And not for nothing, NCL's Freestyle is no longer...reservations required for nearly everything now. How can the cruises on their mega ships even come close to Freestyle, when even in the Haven it is sometimes difficult to get restaurant reservations and excursions are sold out 2 days in (on a Bermuda cruise)?

 

NCL has changed even in the scant four years (5 cruises) I've been with them. Ugh.

[NLH Arizona]

Ok...first world problems to be sure AND before the change in leadership at NCL...but still...

 

no lobster night

no chocolate buffet

seriously downgraded amount of high end toiletries in the suites

 

The above cutbacks started before the insane amount of increased fees etc. and it only makes cruising in general less exciting for me personally. I have two cruises booked on NCL and I find myself wondering 'what next'? And not in a good way.

 

I think you made a great point, there were a lot of cutbacks under the Sheehan regime as well, so they have been happening for some time and will probably continue to happen.

[tymike]

I think you made a great point, there were a lot of cutbacks under the Sheehan regime as well, so they have been happening for some time and will probably continue to happen.

 

Thank you for your reply to my comment!

 

I remember way before I ever began cruising (like 100 years ago :) ) I used to want to go on the QE 2 for all the glamour and sophistication. Ok...so I was really a teenager at the time, but my point is that I dreamed of going on a cruise for years and years.

 

My first cruise was in a FF penthouse on the Dawn about 4 or 5 years ago and it was like magic. Our concierge made me feel like Queen of the world (checking in with us every night in our restaurants and even getting us out of the duty free line the last night and saving us from the line at the MDR even tho we didn't know he could do that!). Since then, every cruise on NCL has gone downhill ... although I have to say my latest BA cruise (my second on BA) had better food all round.

 

I sailed on the BA in it's inaugural season in the DOS (I called it my cruise of a lifetime and sailed with a party of 8 in 3 Haven rooms) and the concierge never knew my name or stateroom! Very disappointing to say the least.

 

My latest cruise on the BA this July had a party of 48 (we were not part of it) in the Haven who took the space literally over for the first three days...kids throwing nerf balls across the space..taking over every chair/table/lounger/pool/ hot tub on the lower deck. It was so awful to feel shunted to the upper deck in order to simply be in the space that EVERY Haven passenger paid a heavy premium to have access to. I spoke to the concierge about my disappointment (who was the SAME concierge from our awesome Dawn cruise) and he basically said something to the effect of "yes, it's difficult when there are big sailing parties aboard". Hmm. Not so great.

 

My point in all this is that times have changed...and in my opinion for the worse in terms of NCL and cruising in general.

 

Ok...rant over...:o

[hladygirl]

We have a 14 night on the dawn booked this fall. We may have to cancel due to work. The sad part is that I am not even upset. I have not had a good feeling about this cruise with all the changes since I booked. I am afraid the cruise experience on ncl will be a disappointment. I have only sailed ncl and have always loved it but over the last two years the service onboard has really been declining. If we do cancel we will now look at other cruise lines to try. The price increases do not bother me but I have a feeling that cutbacks to the food quality,service and amenities is next.