When did Margaritaville become a specialty on Escape?

[motleyfan]

Some people claim that there's a woman to blame, but I know it's all FDR's fault.

 

No it's the fault of all the people crowding it the first week, during my 3 day like I said before it was a two hour wait. That's insane for a restaurant. Now hopefully there will be no wait, those who want to loosen the purse strings and spend money there can those who don't won't have to. To the people who are all disappointed and heartbroken you can still go you just got to spend the money to get in lol.

[NLH Arizona]

That's actually not a bad idea - a drink only area or one with a VERY limited snack menu...

To give credit where credit is due, it was mollydogsmom suggestion to just have a drink and nothing to eat. And yes, she had a great idea.

[motleyfan]

To give credit where credit is due, it was mollydogsmom suggestion to just have a drink and nothing to eat. And yes, she had a great idea.

 

You had to love when people try to come up with suggestions like they run the ship lol. Like I said there's a reason this is happening it's because of the overcrowding crap.

[NLH Arizona]

You had to love when people try to come up with suggestions like they run the ship lol. Like I said there's a reason this is happening it's because of the overcrowding crap.

I love to see people make suggestions to solve an issue; it is much better than just saying they have an issue with something.

[Sotermarler]

Some people claim that there's a woman to blame, but I know it's all FDR's fault.

 

Ha ha, wasted away again...lol

[Sotermarler]

Just wondering, what's to stop me from grabbing a table and just enjoying cocktails with my UBP? All I miss out on is a burger, but the cocktails look interesting!:roll eyes:

 

You definitely can, there are a bunch of empty tables. Go to the bar and order and sit in the open area.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

 

Based on the above she is ONLY paying $116 more for her trip than originally planned which equates to ONLY $4.14pp/day more :eek::eek:. This is still well below FDR's stated mantra of SQUEEZING an extra $5pp/day out of each and every passenger, so she is actually still shortchanging NCL and needs to find an adidditional extra cost item to pay for - perhaps she needs to order from room service a few times to compensate????? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

 

In all seriousness - changes like these have a real, and meaningful impact on peoples wallets. As you, and many others, have pointed out many people live on a budget and plan very carefully to have an enjoyable vaction. These sudden changes, which directly equate to increased out of pocket expense, can quite literally put a damper on that enjoyment and dissuade the consumer from choosing a particular brand in future.

[LrgPizza]

Just wondering, what's to stop me from grabbing a table and just enjoying cocktails with my UBP? All I miss out on is a burger, but the cocktails look interesting!:roll eyes:

 

There is a bar there. We spent way too much time sitting at that bar on our cruise. :D We actually ate at the bar twice.

[Lily815]

I didn't say it but I was going to, when I was waiting in line I felt like a dog waiting at the trough. I'm glad Ncl is doing this so that now maybe people can go and have a casual lunch at Margaritaville and not have to wait over 2 hours. Someone said over an hour no I was there the line was over two hours

 

I was there as well, and while they told people the wait was two hours, we waited just under an hour for a table.

[AdGuyMG]

Has anyone tried to cancel and get your money back because of all the bait and switch tactics? This coupled with the terrible reviews is making me want to switch to another cruise line.

 

Your cruise isn't until May so you could very easily cancel for a 100% refund.

 

Personally I had as nice a time on the Escape as I did twice on the Getaway and haven't seen any terrible reviews.

 

But if I were you and was feeling the way you do about NCL and it was my vacation and I was reading terrible reviews, I would get my money back and book elsewhere.

[17cruisesnsl]

Just for fun, I copied this off the NCL website this afternoon:

 

 

"Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville at Sea

 

Quit searchin' for your lost shaker of salt, it’s right here in the first-ever Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville at Sea. Take a bite out of paradise with signature items like the Cheeseburger in Paradise. Sip on a Who’s to Blame Margarita. Or sit back and groove along to island-inspired live music at this complimentary dining venue. Inspired by the lyrics and lifestyle of Jimmy Buffett, this isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a state of mind." :)

 

So maybe corporate hasn't got the message yet because I would think that even Del Rio wouldn't want to upset his customers with a bait and switch scheme.:confused:

 

 

The NCL website has been updated; it now states ..." at this specialty dining venue."...

[Lily815]

If you're going to blame somebody blame the overcrowding, when I was on the ship people acted like that was the only game in town. Yes in theory I wanted to go to Margaritaville but I was not about to wait hours to sit and eat when there are other options available. I think this is a smart idea and it will hopefully cut down on the enormous crowd.

 

We never waited "hours". Not once.

[Lily815]

Yeah but a $5 cover still would not have cut down on the massively exhaustingly long lines. That's the only reason the fee is being charged. This is one thing I fully support, like I said I wanted to go to Margaritaville when I was on the escape but couldn't do so because people took advantage of it. Even O'Sheehan's had a 2 hour wait at certain times. If y'all want to spend your Cruise vacation standing around in line that is certainly your prerogative but I want to hurry up eat and get back to the fun.

 

You are extremely naive if you believe they are charging these prices to simply cut down wait times. They see a money maker, and they jumped at the opportunity to get more cash.

[hpecorari]

That is my point, we can all give suggestions as to how to solve the issue at the restaurant (like I said less tables and it was explained that that wouldn't work), NCL is the only one that knows the number of berths (this is beds for crews and not in the galley) for crew that is or is not available and if it would be feasible to take staff from another dining venue and place them in this restaurant. I've never been asked for my guest card in the buffet or in O'Sheehan's, so I don't think they count the passengers in those venues.

 

Time will tell if passengers will or will not go to Margaritaville - hopefully passengers on the ship currently will let us know.

 

I should have looked up what 'berths' were but was too lazy. Thanks for the explanation. I, also, have never been asked for my guest card in the buffet but have been asked for it in O'Sheehan's every time I've been there.

 

Harriet

[hpecorari]

No it's the fault of all the people crowding it the first week, during my 3 day like I said before it was a two hour wait. That's insane for a restaurant. Now hopefully there will be no wait, those who want to loosen the purse strings and spend money there can those who don't won't have to. To the people who are all disappointed and heartbroken you can still go you just got to spend the money to get in lol.

 

Not really sure how this is actually going to work. My understanding now is that those who have the UDP can go there, so there won't be a charge for them. I also understand that those that have the SDP can go there as one of their choices. LOTS of people have the UDP and the SDP.

 

Harriet

[MaryZ]

>>>Originally Posted by hpecorari View Post

That's fine. But do you care or have any feelings about NCL claiming something is complementary, taking your money with that being the case and then changing it to a 'pay' venue after the fact?<<<Harriet

 

 

 

 

I've been sitting this one out for a little while to collect my thoughts about the Margaritaville change. My initial thoughts were two-fold: (1) The free Margaritaville restaurant wasn't going to make my upcoming cruise on Escape a total success, just as having to pay (or skip) Margaritaville isn't going to ruin my cruise; BUT...(2) This is bait-and-switch on NCL's part, pure and simple. Something that was included at the time we reserved our cruise, and was still included at the time of our final payment, is now an added-fee attraction. The options seem to be: (a) just shrug our shoulders and accept the extra fees; (b) skip going to Margaritaville entirely (thus eliminating at least one meal there that we surely would have taken); © approach our TA or NCL directly about the situation and request some onboard credit (OBC) to compensate us for the "lost" included meal (I figure a $25 cabin credit would cover the food charge for a reasonable meal for two people there, and if we decide to go there more than once, then we'll cover the additional cost ourselves); or (d) failing that, deduct the cost of one Margaritaville meal from the onboard service charges (OSC) we pay at the end of the cruise, or deduct them from gratuities over and above the OSC that we would have otherwise given to the staff during our cruise.

 

 

 

So...where do you come down???

 

I did © I sent them an email expressing exactly that. I booked a cruise with xyz included and I expect you to honor your contract that I am paid in full for.

I didn't get a choice. The only choice I had was the information given to me at first entering into the contract to cruise on this ship and then again at final payment, locking me into sailing on this ship.

 

I wouldn't eat that food daily. And it's not the principal of paying. It's the principal it was touted as the new place to eat and it was included in your cruise fare.

[SuiteCruiser]

I did © I sent them an email expressing exactly that. I booked a cruise with xyz included and I expect you to honor your contract that I am paid in full for.

I didn't get a choice. The only choice I had was the information given to me at first entering into the contract to cruise on this ship and then again at final payment, locking me into sailing on this ship.

 

I wouldn't eat that food daily. And it's not the principal of paying. It's the principal it was touted as the new place to eat and it was included in your cruise fare.

 

Good for you, I hope they follow up and do the right thing. Keep us posted!

[SuiteCruiser]

 

Based on the above she is ONLY paying $116 more for her trip than originally planned which equates to ONLY $4.14pp/day more :eek::eek:. This is still well below FDR's stated mantra of SQUEEZING an extra $5pp/day out of each and every passenger, so she is actually still shortchanging NCL and needs to find an adidditional extra cost item to pay for - perhaps she needs to order from room service a few times to compensate????? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

 

In all seriousness - changes like these have a real, and meaningful impact on peoples wallets. As you, and many others, have pointed out many people live on a budget and plan very carefully to have an enjoyable vaction. These sudden changes, which directly equate to increased out of pocket expense, can quite literally put a damper on that enjoyment and dissuade the consumer from choosing a particular brand in future.

 

LOL, agreed. These aren't all numbers on spreadsheets, these are actually people's vacations. Some are trips of a lifetime, saved up over years and budgeted for every penny and now their entire experience is different. Planning for a special dinner is now an exercise in budget management, which is not the experience most people are expecting.

Edited November 29, 2015 by SuiteCruiser

[old sole]

Is Margaritaville the only burger place on the Escape? I took a look at the deck plans and I might be overlooking it but I don't see a poolside grill anywhere. I don't think I've ever been on any ship, on any cruise line, that didn't have a complimentary outdoor grill either poolside or on a sports deck.

 

Charging for a specialty venue is one thing, but eliminating the complimentary venue altogether just seems wrong.

[LanceB]

I guess I'm puzzled as to what there is about this brand that would draw anyone in if the food is mediocre at best? Why would people go on vacation in the Caribbean (or anywhere else) and go to some American chain restaurant/bar? Does anyone else think that going out of the country and then spending your time in an American chain restaurant/bar doesn't make any sense? But then there are McDonalds everywhere...

 

You're obviously not a Parrothead and have never been to a Buffet concert so why even chime in? If you don't understand branding then you don't understand why there were 2 hour waits for the place.

 

While the presence of a Margaritaville wasn't a deciding factor when booking the Escape, it was kinda of cool that it was the first one and that it was included in the price.

 

As far as the email everyone is talking about, we didn't ours either.... thanks NCL.

[motleyfan]

Not really sure how this is actually going to work. My understanding now is that those who have the UDP can go there, so there won't be a charge for them. I also understand that those that have the SDP can go there as one of their choices. LOTS of people have the UDP and the SDP.

 

Harriet

 

Yeah but some will be too hard headed and prideful to go there

[Cruiseathoning]

completely unbundles? It is already well-known to be the line with mostly unfriendly/aloof crews, and such detachment leaves them far behind Carnival in the smiles department.

[bmwman]

Nor should it. People, myself included, booked with the knowledge that Margaritaville was included. Now they are changing the rules ... again. It is beyond frustrating.

 

Cancel?

[LadySpoilt]

I just had a long discussion with my son about how much pressure I would feel I was under if I had been the planner of my upcoming extended family cruise. Thankfully I introduced them (and dozens of others) over the years, so their first choice was NCL and I went along.

 

If I had to call everyone and explain the 2 raises in DSC, the going a la carte, the no Spongebob, etc everytime it happened, I would be a massive ball of stress.

 

As it is, my cousin who is a very young widow with 3 kids has promised her kids that they can go to Margaritaville on our cruise. They're very excited about it, and now it's going to cost her $60 for a lunch that she has already paid for OR she can not take them and they'll be really disappointed. She's now paying $56 a week more for DSC.

 

People can say, just don't go, just don't drink, just don't do any of the things you've been planning since you booked your cruise. I think that's lame.

 

 

I feel the same as you, however I was/am the planner. We sail within the next month, and prepaid the DSC within just the last week. We were still able to pay the original 12.00 a day.

 

About Margaritaville, it is a big irritant for me since as a family we enjoy just popping down at a venue, some eating some not. Although it won't take the sting out of the whole Margaritaville mess, please pass this on to your cousin. I sent an email last night to DelRio expressing my disgust with the issue along with all the other "changes" within the last 6 months. Thinking nothing would come of it, not even an answer, I said I felt an OBC or a voucher to a specialty restaurant was at least in order. I was quite surprised when within an hour I had a response from one of DelRio's minions saying that he had arranged for the 7 of us to have a meal at Margaritaville.

 

Although it doesn't change the fact that I still feel like we are being cheated out of what we paid for months ago, at least it resulted in something. Could you please pass the information above to your cousin, perhaps her result could be the same as mine.

[Lily815]

Cancel?

 

Big family cruise. We have 15 cabins booked, and sail in 3 months. Free booze - we will have fun ... but I doubt I will book NCL again for a long, long time ... and that's a shame. In the past 7 years, I have been on 22 NCL cruises :cool:

I don't like the changes, or where the line seems to be headed. Time will tell!