District Brewhouse on Escape

[sixesandeights]

The problem seems to be NCL doesnt understand the craft beer movement. If they are worried about running out of specific beers they shouldn't be. Regularly at breweries that sell their own beers in tap rooms they run out of specific beers. This is common in fact. If the beer I want is sold out I try a different beer. Craft beer is about trying new things not having the same beer again and again.

 

6&8

[LrgPizza]

Nothing you said made any sense. If it was already slow with the UBP included why would a change make any difference. If it is underutilized then a change will be made in the future. Why you think removing it for the UBP will change that, and the reasons you gave make no sense.

 

6&8

 

It's not that it was slow. The issue was that the space was taken over by people utilizing it for other things. When I'd visit around 1 or 2 pm to relax and enjoy a beer, there wasn't anywhere to sit because of people filling all the nice, cushy chairs with books in hand, and no drinks anywhere in sight. We'd sit at the bar a bit, but how long does one want to stare at a barback in the middle of the day, when you are in a glassed-in beautiful space with ocean views all around? Not very long.

 

I'm thinking some of this might naturally get better when the regular itineraries start, which have a different demographic than the TA had.

 

It did get busy quite often in the evenings, and it was the spot to go to watch NFL football on Sunday and Monday nights.

[SullytheBFG]

I would think the draft beer would be ok as it is cheaper. I am the same if something is out I get to try something new.

 

This is a new ship and a new bar I would think NCL are probably getting to grips with the data of what is selling or not so they can control their stock better. This is going to take them quite a few weeks to get this.

 

I agree with people sitting and reading in the comfy chairs it is a lovely place to be. Drink beer or goodbye!! ;-)

 

We did witness 6 German chaps getting into the photo booth which was very entertaining.

[SeaShark]

Nothing you said made any sense. If it was already slow with the UBP included why would a change make any difference. If it is underutilized then a change will be made in the future. Why you think removing it for the UBP will change that, and the reasons you gave make no sense.

 

6&8

 

FWIW...I was talking about space utilization/revenue generation, NOT about the UBP. Things make sense when we have a grasp of the topic at hand. I thought the topic rather easy to follow as I provided the quote and highlighted the applicable statement being expounded upon.

 

You said "If it is underutilized then a change will be made in the future". This is EXACTLY the point that I was making. So, I don't know how you can say "nothing you said made any sense" when you repeat my topic point. :rolleyes:

 

Whether they change the UBP or not makes no difference...if the space becomes a "sit around and stare out the window space" (like the Spinnaker Lounge on the Dawn & Star) instead of being a revenue space as NCL intended, then its just a matter of time until the space is repurposed....and you won't see the concept repeated in the rest of the fleet.

[Sfdtiller]

I hope that if they take this off the UBP it is done before my final payment date. As many stated we booked this ship for certain things and this was one of them. Most of the other items have been eliminated or now I am paying for them. I can book on Celebrity for $100 less, aft balcony and get drink package plus free gratuities. Food is so much better on Celebrity, shows are as good, pool area is so much nicer with lots of loungers actually near the pool. Only thing I lose is the craft beer and waterslides.

[TifffanyD]

Did the District have craft cocktails, like they advertised? I haven't seen any mention of that.

[LrgPizza]

Did the District have craft cocktails, like they advertised? I haven't seen any mention of that.

 

 

Yes! I had a couple, and they were terrific. I remember one was called Red Light District, and I can't remember the other. They've appeared on menus posted here somewhere.

[kismet618]

It's not that it was slow. The issue was that the space was taken over by people utilizing it for other things. When I'd visit around 1 or 2 pm to relax and enjoy a beer, there wasn't anywhere to sit because of people filling all the nice, cushy chairs with books in hand, and no drinks anywhere in sight. We'd sit at the bar a bit, but how long does one want to stare at a barback in the middle of the day, when you are in a glassed-in beautiful space with ocean views all around? Not very long.

 

 

 

I'm thinking some of this might naturally get better when the regular itineraries start, which have a different demographic than the TA had.

 

 

 

It did get busy quite often in the evenings, and it was the spot to go to watch NFL football on Sunday and Monday nights.

 

 

Just curious if you think that it was utilized this way due to the crappy weather you guys experienced for the first 8 days of the TA. Since the outdoors weren't really an option, were these squatters who will probably be on a chaise in better weather?

[Jeremiah1212]

I hope that if they take this off the UBP it is done before my final payment date. As many stated we booked this ship for certain things and this was one of them. Most of the other items have been eliminated or now I am paying for them. I can book on Celebrity for $100 less, aft balcony and get drink package plus free gratuities. Food is so much better on Celebrity, shows are as good, pool area is so much nicer with lots of loungers actually near the pool. Only thing I lose is the craft beer and waterslides.

 

We only have a few days before we're at the 75 day mark for a refund. If some of these next batch of rumored changes do indeed happen, I really hope they take place on Saturday's cruise. The offers X has out there right now are much better in my opinion. We can do the X deal with all 4 promo times for less out the door than NCL. I know it's all hearsay at this point...but given NCL's track record to date and their radio silence so far I am not overly optimistic. I'm afraid we'll be half the average age of the X crowd, but I may be willing to chance it.

[fshagan]

We only have a few days before we're at the 75 day mark for a refund. If some of these next batch of rumored changes do indeed happen, I really hope they take place on Saturday's cruise. The offers X has out there right now are much better in my opinion. We can do the X deal with all 4 promo times for less out the door than NCL. I know it's all hearsay at this point...but given NCL's track record to date and their radio silence so far I am not overly optimistic. I'm afraid we'll be half the average age of the X crowd, but I may be willing to chance it.

 

If you are concerned about the changes, you absolutely, positively should cancel. That's the only thing that matters to NCL, and until those of you who dislike what's going on start voting with your $$$ nothing will ever change.

 

I can't imagine NOT cancelling if you have a chance. You must cancel.

[TifffanyD]

Yes! I had a couple, and they were terrific. I remember one was called Red Light District, and I can't remember the other. They've appeared on menus posted here somewhere.

 

Thanks ... I'll have to look around for those menus.

[Gram1943]

We were looking forward to the craft beer bar and margarita vile, the roast beef and lobster, but now we are charged for items in the complimentary dining rooms, possibly 4.95 charge for a burger in margaritaville and now maybe charging for the craft beer. Two increases in DST. 15% gratuity now 18%. If these increases were introduced next year perhaps we could understand the trial and error you go through with a new ship but we all paid for certain things that were advertised and now up up up the charges because head office has decided they need more money. I think anyone that has paid in full before dec 31 2015 should be grandfathered and given the perks they paid for. You can't run a business on the whims of those in charge. Not carefully thought of. These increases won't break the bank for people but it will piss them off and they will look elsewhere for value and commitment. We paid for services and we should expect to receive them at no extra cost. Just my opinion. I will still enjoy my time nov 21.

[bzzltyr]

And that, in all of this, is the red flag statement. :eek:

 

 

The District's space on Escape was cabins on the -away ships. NCL made the change thinking that this would be a better generator of revenue for the space. However, if this ends up being a lounge, reading room, hang-out, etc where people sit around all day, a UBP change is going to be the BEST outcome.

 

If this space tilts more toward a lounge and the revenue numbers fall short, it will be much more likely that a) future ships will not have this space, b) existing ships will not be getting this space added, and c) the space will be repurposed on the Escape (think Dawn/Star Spinnaker) to a different space designed to generate the desired revenue levels.

 

 

NCL is going to follow the dollar...our actions (spending habits/patterns) will dictate their reactions.

 

That doesn't seem quite accurate, doesn't this ship have two more decks than the away ships that are primarily cabins? In that case they have to make more public spaces to distribute some of that space. They can't add two decks of cabin's and the same amount of public spaces on the other ships without causing some serious crowd issues.

[electro]

We only have a few days before we're at the 75 day mark for a refund. If some of these next batch of rumored changes do indeed happen, I really hope they take place on Saturday's cruise. The offers X has out there right now are much better in my opinion. We can do the X deal with all 4 promo times for less out the door than NCL. I know it's all hearsay at this point...but given NCL's track record to date and their radio silence so far I am not overly optimistic. I'm afraid we'll be half the average age of the X crowd, but I may be willing to chance it.

 

If you do cancel, let NCL know why you are canceling.

[bzzltyr]

If you are concerned about the changes, you absolutely, positively should cancel. That's the only thing that matters to NCL, and until those of you who dislike what's going on start voting with your $$$ nothing will ever change.

 

I can't imagine NOT cancelling if you have a chance. You must cancel.

 

 

It's not that easy though. There are flight costs, hotel costs before the cruise, etc. that are already booked. I would like to vote on this with my pocketbook but its likely going to happen in the form of not going on a cruise with them after this. I have too many non-NCL costs in to this vacation.

[TifffanyD]

You could look for another cruise for the same week

[KeithJenner]

Personally, I don't think that charging in the District on top of the UBP will work for NCL.

 

Of course there will be some people who want the drinks they serve there enough to pay extra on top of the UBP, and some people don't have the package, but enough people will be put off by charges that it will impact on the number of people using the venue.

 

Perhaps a couple of "premium" brews with an extra charge will work, but if too many are not included then I really think it will make the place too quiet. The main attraction of the place is those additional drinks being available and one of the reasons it was relatively underused on the TA was because of a lot of them not being available (I'd have spent a lot longer there if they had more to offer).

[Sfdtiller]

We only have a few days before we're at the 75 day mark for a refund. If some of these next batch of rumored changes do indeed happen, I really hope they take place on Saturday's cruise. The offers X has out there right now are much better in my opinion. We can do the X deal with all 4 promo times for less out the door than NCL. I know it's all hearsay at this point...but given NCL's track record to date and their radio silence so far I am not overly optimistic. I'm afraid we'll be half the average age of the X crowd, but I may be willing to chance it.

 

Not sure your age but, on our last 2 X cruises we were on the upper end of the age scale, 42 yo.

Lots of early to mid 30's. The classier cruise line with much better food along with the perks are drawing a younger crowd.

[sixesandeights]

FWIW...I was talking about space utilization/revenue generation, NOT about the UBP. Things make sense when we have a grasp of the topic at hand. I thought the topic rather easy to follow as I provided the quote and highlighted the applicable statement being expounded upon.

 

You said "If it is underutilized then a change will be made in the future". This is EXACTLY the point that I was making. So, I don't know how you can say "nothing you said made any sense" when you repeat my topic point. :rolleyes:

 

Whether they change the UBP or not makes no difference...if the space becomes a "sit around and stare out the window space" (like the Spinnaker Lounge on the Dawn & Star) instead of being a revenue space as NCL intended, then its just a matter of time until the space is repurposed....and you won't see the concept repeated in the rest of the fleet.

 

There is a large bar at the district Brewhouse. People using the other chairs doesnt matter at all. You also said word for word that a change to the UBP is the BEST outcome, while talking about utilization. That is what makes no sense.

 

6&8

[SeaShark]

There is a large bar at the district Brewhouse. People using the other chairs doesnt matter at all. You also said word for word that a change to the UBP is the BEST outcome, while talking about utilization. That is what makes no sense.

 

6&8

 

Wow...a large bar in the District Brewhouse. Looks like you beat Captain Obvious to that piece of information. :rolleyes:

 

I'll have to disagree, because I believe that people using the other chairs DO, in fact, matter. They obviously mattered to the person to whom my initial post was directed, else we wouldn't be talking about it.

 

And, right...change to the UBP is going to be the BEST outcome if the bar continues to be a lounge without hitting revenue targets. The WORST outcome is the repurposing of the entire space.

 

 

What really makes no sense is that after all of the haranguing on these boards over getting NCL to serve the craft beer market, when they finally make that commitment and people don't drink the beers...they just sit around and stare out the windows. I'm certain FDR loves the idea of spending money to build specialty venues that don't generate revenue because they are full of people sitting and looking out windows. :rolleyes:

[TheDougOut]

What really makes no sense is that after all of the haranguing on these boards over getting NCL to serve the craft beer market, when they finally make that commitment and people don't drink the beers...they just sit around and stare out the windows.

 

I hereby pledge to occupy a chair and drink the beer. Every day. Something tells me I'll have plenty of company behaving similarly. If not, I'll drink their beer too. :D

[NoahtheRed]

Wow...a large bar in the District Brewhouse. Looks like you beat Captain Obvious to that piece of information. :rolleyes:

 

I'll have to disagree, because I believe that people using the other chairs DO, in fact, matter. They obviously mattered to the person to whom my initial post was directed, else we wouldn't be talking about it.

 

And, right...change to the UBP is going to be the BEST outcome if the bar continues to be a lounge without hitting revenue targets. The WORST outcome is the repurposing of the entire space.

 

 

What really makes no sense is that after all of the haranguing on these boards over getting NCL to serve the craft beer market, when they finally make that commitment and people don't drink the beers...they just sit around and stare out the windows. I'm certain FDR loves the idea of spending money to build specialty venues that don't generate revenue because they are full of people sitting and looking out windows. :rolleyes:

 

I'm just hoping that the better weather in the Caribbean leads more people to sit and read outside. Otherwise I've going to have to get loud and obnoxious in the bar or something :P

[sixesandeights]

Wow...a large bar in the District Brewhouse. Looks like you beat Captain Obvious to that piece of information. :rolleyes:

 

I'll have to disagree, because I believe that people using the other chairs DO, in fact, matter. They obviously mattered to the person to whom my initial post was directed, else we wouldn't be talking about it.

 

And, right...change to the UBP is going to be the BEST outcome if the bar continues to be a lounge without hitting revenue targets. The WORST outcome is the repurposing of the entire space.

 

 

What really makes no sense is that after all of the haranguing on these boards over getting NCL to serve the craft beer market, when they finally make that commitment and people don't drink the beers...they just sit around and stare out the windows. I'm certain FDR loves the idea of spending money to build specialty venues that don't generate revenue because they are full of people sitting and looking out windows. :rolleyes:

 

Again you are just saying words. They are considering a change to the UBP because they sold out of many beers. That means people WERE using it as intended. You invented the change being about people sitting not drinking.

 

Removing TDB from the UBP will lead to it being repurposed because people will not spend money buying a ton of beer when they can drink other stuff included with their freestyle promotion UBP.

 

You seem like the type to just continue to type walls of words with no true meaning so you can have your nonsensical rebuttal and I wont waste any more time responding to you.

 

6&8

[SeaShark]

Again you are just saying words. They are considering a change to the UBP because they sold out of many beers. That means people WERE using it as intended. You invented the change being about people sitting not drinking.

 

Removing TDB from the UBP will lead to it being repurposed because people will not spend money buying a ton of beer when they can drink other stuff included with their freestyle promotion UBP.

 

You seem like the type to just continue to type walls of words with no true meaning so you can have your nonsensical rebuttal and I wont waste any more time responding to you.

 

6&8

 

I invented the change (sp)? Really? Go back and read post #11 of this very thread and then come back and explain how I invented it.

 

Go ahead....we'll wait.

 

 

BTW. . .your premise only hold if you believe all the people who clamor for craft beers would rather drink UBP-covered mass-market Coos Lite than pay for a craft beer. If that's how they feel, they might get what they want.

[LrgPizza]

Our beverages at The District.