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Margaritaville coming to Breakaway & Getaway

my3sonsnj

By my3sonsnj,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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NYcruzzer

NYcruzzer

Posted
Posted
Seems a little blurry this way. Prices range from 2.99 for dessert to 8.99 for sandwiches. Burgers are $6.99. Drinks are 5.95 for Beer to $10.95 for Margaritas.

 

 

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Are drinks here included with the UBP ?

 

 

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ccndfw

ccndfw

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We are just off the Escape and did end up eating at Margaritaville 3 times while on board. The food we had was good and the service was excellent. Two of the three times we were there, they were playing strictly Jimmy Buffet music and another time, they did have someone singing. We actually would have gone here more, but they were not open for breakfast or dinner. While we had to pay, we thought the food was actually better than quite a bit of what we had in the main dining rooms and specialty restaurants.... Not sure what's happening to the quality of the food in the other restaurants, but doesn't seem as good as it used to be.

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NCLStarHawaii2003

NCLStarHawaii2003

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Not sure what's happening to the quality of the food in the other restaurants, but doesn't seem as good as it used to be.

 

 

I know food is subjective.... But in my opinion, the main dinning room food from 2014-2015 was really surprisingly good, to the point that we limited our specialty restaurant dining. I suspect that's what NCL is going for; drop the quality of the food in the complementary dining venues and people will want to book more in the specialty restaurants. But first; give people a choice for "free" UDP (well almost, you now need to pay an 18% surcharge to NCL) so they can try some of the restaurants and tell all their friends how good they are. Then, pull all of the UDP promos and people are left with mediocre dining room meals or the buffet; so they will be more than happy spend more on board for the fee based venues. I think the same goes for the UBP; they are raising prices like crazy, once they pull all the promos, there will be definite sticker shock at the end of the cruise.

 

 

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Evangaline

Evangaline

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No offense, but your screen name suggests you have a little bit of Jimmy Buffet confirmation bias. :) Some of us don't want to pay to eat at chain restaurants we can visit on land.

 

Ah well, had a feeling my June GA trip was my last.

 

I agree with that. I want to look forward to a vacation and instead I am continuously bummed out with one negative announcement after another from service charges on room service to an embargo on bringing bottled water on board and now this. It's just the straw, I guess.

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justhappy "Live from...." Rare

justhappy

Posted
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I admit to being a parrot head since 1975, and have been to many Margaritaville restaurants over the years. I cruised on the Getaway last year and loved Flamingo Grill. I'll be on the Escape in two months. If Margaritaville had been free I might have stopped in for some nachos and music, but I doubt I'll bother to order food now, just get a drink there. Really sad about Flamingo Grill being replaced. It was a free venue with special cusine and now it will be just another pay venue with average food.

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FellowCollector

FellowCollector

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Super excited that Getaway is getting Margaritaville! We loved their lunches on Escape. It gave some variety in setting and the food and service and drinks were awesome! After being on Escape in December, we really missed the option when we were on Getaway again in July. This improvement will have us re-considering Getaway itineraries instead of waiting for Escape to have more dates with port variety than the Thomas, Tortola, & Nassau it repeats most of the year.

 

Yes, hubby will miss Flamingo, but I didn't like it, so this change is great for me! He liked Margaritaville salads and they were only $4 for entree sizes. I think burgers I ordered were $8. So, overall, since we'll only go probably twice in a week, the cost for us of about $24 overall is minimal for the enjoyment we'll get out of it.

 

Now, NCL just has to re-work the dining plan option so that there are a certain number of lunches and a certain number of dinners (similar to what Disney parks offers). The existing plan is great for dinners, but overpriced to be used on a lunch. Plus, lunch doesn't have to be 3 courses. Including it in the Free at Sea options would be great!

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cssc123

cssc123

Posted
Posted
Super excited that Getaway is getting Margaritaville! We loved their lunches on Escape. It gave some variety in setting and the food and service and drinks were awesome! After being on Escape in December, we really missed the option when we were on Getaway again in July. This improvement will have us re-considering Getaway itineraries instead of waiting for Escape to have more dates with port variety than the Thomas, Tortola, & Nassau it repeats most of the year.

 

Yes, hubby will miss Flamingo, but I didn't like it, so this change is great for me! He liked Margaritaville salads and they were only $4 for entree sizes. I think burgers I ordered were $8. So, overall, since we'll only go probably twice in a week, the cost for us of about $24 overall is minimal for the enjoyment we'll get out of it.

 

Now, NCL just has to re-work the dining plan option so that there are a certain number of lunches and a certain number of dinners (similar to what Disney parks offers). The existing plan is great for dinners, but overpriced to be used on a lunch. Plus, lunch doesn't have to be 3 courses. Including it in the Free at Sea options would be great!

 

 

 

 

 

Although I applaud your thought of how to take a 'meh' product offering (the specialty dining payment options as currently offered) and improve it to be beneficial to both company and consumer (vs the usually "I hate it, change it back" I've read on here lately) your thought process as I bold-ed above is sort of Del Rio's point.

 

You saw some value in the $24 lunch (for I'm assuming 2 people) and would probably do it twice. He just (almost) got his extra $50 out of you. Why would he then want to add into the SDP lunches, when he has you spending not just $24 but an extra $48 in the week that would have been free under your idea. Benefit to you and not NCL.

 

Del Rio wanted an extra $50 out of you, and he got all of it but $2 by just saying "pay for what used to be free". You saw value in that - and paid. NCL got their extra $48 out of you, allieviated some of the buffet crowd, and you got a dining experience that you were happy with and saw value. (I assume since you didn't say "oh that was a waste of money!")

 

In the end, I question if adding lunches would work to the model and have a positive result for all involved (consumer/corporate). Though we haven't cruised recently, I don't remember too many for fee lunch options. If it is just 1 or 2 venues on the larger ships only, then what is the point of adding it in. It then takes away that extra money NCL was making off the venue with no added benefit to anyone but the consumer.

 

In the end the company is in business to make money. There obviously is a fine line and dance that needs to go on between consumer and company, I have my feelings that NCL is trying to go in a certain direction but are going about it all wrong - but again that is just my perception.

 

I feel making a 'meh' place such as margaritaville a pay venue for lunch was a poor choice. The JB Margaritaville's I have been to, I wouldn't choose to eat at vs a free venue. I can only assume a similar experience on a ship. I don't personally see that value. You did, and that is more than fine.

 

I think the idea of a fee venue for lunch in general isn't the greatest idea (and can lead to a slippery slope to further reductions of free venues) but if you WERE going to do a fee based venue for lunch why not open one of the specialties and do a lunch menu for a fixed price - for instance Tepanyaki. I feel this would have given the same result without the headaches of the "oh they are nickle and diming us" plus how many people would like to eat a speacilty that don't because of kids, or because of the shows, or because of the casino, whatever they want to grab a bite and go, vs during the day when they may be more relaxed....

 

Not many people say they want a new fee based restaurant that serves similar foods of what they can already get elsewhere on the ship for free.

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stickey_mouse

stickey_mouse

Posted
Posted

Referring back to a previous poster's speculation that the climbing wall will be removed to facilitate the change, how come more people aren't upset about this? I'm not necessarily a fan of rock climbing walls, but I would be tempted to try it if it were on my ship.

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tinkr2

tinkr2

Posted
Posted
Although I applaud your thought of how to take a 'meh' product offering (the specialty dining payment options as currently offered) and improve it to be beneficial to both company and consumer (vs the usually "I hate it, change it back" I've read on here lately) your thought process as I bold-ed above is sort of Del Rio's point.

 

You saw some value in the $24 lunch (for I'm assuming 2 people) and would probably do it twice. He just (almost) got his extra $50 out of you. Why would he then want to add into the SDP lunches, when he has you spending not just $24 but an extra $48 in the week that would have been free under your idea. Benefit to you and not NCL.

 

Del Rio wanted an extra $50 out of you, and he got all of it but $2 by just saying "pay for what used to be free". You saw value in that - and paid. NCL got their extra $48 out of you, allieviated some of the buffet crowd, and you got a dining experience that you were happy with and saw value. (I assume since you didn't say "oh that was a waste of money!")

 

In the end, I question if adding lunches would work to the model and have a positive result for all involved (consumer/corporate). Though we haven't cruised recently, I don't remember too many for fee lunch options. If it is just 1 or 2 venues on the larger ships only, then what is the point of adding it in. It then takes away that extra money NCL was making off the venue with no added benefit to anyone but the consumer.

 

In the end the company is in business to make money. There obviously is a fine line and dance that needs to go on between consumer and company, I have my feelings that NCL is trying to go in a certain direction but are going about it all wrong - but again that is just my perception.

 

I feel making a 'meh' place such as margaritaville a pay venue for lunch was a poor choice. The JB Margaritaville's I have been to, I wouldn't choose to eat at vs a free venue. I can only assume a similar experience on a ship. I don't personally see that value. You did, and that is more than fine.

 

I think the idea of a fee venue for lunch in general isn't the greatest idea (and can lead to a slippery slope to further reductions of free venues) but if you WERE going to do a fee based venue for lunch why not open one of the specialties and do a lunch menu for a fixed price - for instance Tepanyaki. I feel this would have given the same result without the headaches of the "oh they are nickle and diming us" plus how many people would like to eat a speacilty that don't because of kids, or because of the shows, or because of the casino, whatever they want to grab a bite and go, vs during the day when they may be more relaxed....

 

Not many people say they want a new fee based restaurant that serves similar foods of what they can already get elsewhere on the ship for free.

 

She specifically said that her bill is 12 bucks for 2 people and she goes twice so 24 bucks. So you're rounding up to 50 is a big jump. Many other lines have a specialty open on a lunch day for less. We have enjoyed Giovannis on RCCL many times at lunch and also felt it was a value for us, just as she likes Margaritaville.

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janpo

janpo

Posted
Posted
She specifically said that her bill is 12 bucks for 2 people and she goes twice so 24 bucks. So you're rounding up to 50 is a big jump. Many other lines have a specialty open on a lunch day for less. We have enjoyed Giovannis on RCCL many times at lunch and also felt it was a value for us, just as she likes Margaritaville.

 

Theres two of them $8 per burger, $4 for salads.= $24 x 2 =$48.

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Blondie008

Blondie008

Posted
Posted

Love that we will have a Margritaville on Getaway 2017 - we don't have them here and only get to have fun there in Miami Airport concourse E - or Grand Cayman ...

I think its a great fun dining option in the sun - cheap and easy - and love the drinks menu :D

Winner for us :)

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mom2tcdx2

mom2tcdx2

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Posted
Theres two of them $8 per burger, $4 for salads.= $24 x 2 =$48.

 

Her statement was hubby got a $4 salad and she got an $8 burger so that is 12. Even said going twice for a total of $24 they thought was a good deal.

 

Personally I didn't see anything on the menu I would pay for. Drinks now are something different. Glad I got my drink package.

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mking8288 "Live from...." Rare

mking8288

Posted
Posted
Theres two of them $8 per burger, $4 for salads.= $24 x 2 =$48.

Plus 18% surcharge (called gratuities, service charge or what not ... and "tipping" being optional :eek:)

 

And, if you eat that on embarkation day from Miami or New York, it's a taxable sales @ 8.875% (in NY) until ship is out at sea ?

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CruisinHarvey

CruisinHarvey

Posted
Posted
Referring back to a previous poster's speculation that the climbing wall will be removed to facilitate the change, how come more people aren't upset about this? I'm not necessarily a fan of rock climbing walls, but I would be tempted to try it if it were on my ship.

 

I'd doubt whether they take the rock climbing out on the Getaway and Breakaway. They did it on the Escape, because they thought the restaurant would be so popular that they added more tables there. That was true while it was free. Now that it's a la carte, they could put the rock wall back and it would have no impact on the restaurant. It's mostly empty now.

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