Food on NCL - Have you noticed a downward change???

[Georgia_Peaches]

Word means: I agree with you.

Thank you. I usually just say “I agree” but I guess I just dated myself:o

[Newleno]

NCL's food is decidedly getting worse. My last cruise where NCL served REALLY good/impressive food, was 2013 on the Spirit Barcelona to Venice.

 

But 2017 NCL Sky to Cuba ... HORRIBLE food. 2018 NCL Gem, HORRIBLE food. SO salty, my hands and feet puffed up immediately and I only ate 2 bites! Mislabeled food in the buffet. Label stated Something Tortilla ...and it was a Frittata! Put regular coffee in the Decaf dispensers. ALL of the meats were TOUGH ... so overcooked and tough. It was just all around horrible.

Just off the gem, Canada a few weeks back, yes outside of the chicken, the meat was so tough we could not eat it

[littlelulu01]

I agree about the included food driving folks to specialty venues. Included fare venues have all the right ingredients but somehow most dishes are just not right.

 

I just got off the Bliss. The Local food was fresh, hot, good service, and tasty. I know everyone has different tastes but Manhattan, Taste and Savor would never make it as stand alone paying customer venues anywhere USA. My husband surmised they’re making no mistake by consistently producing foods that look good but just aren’t right.

 

Some positives - the included coffee tasted much better, at least on the Bliss it did. Some of the included venue desserts are now tasty. They seem to be steering away from all the inclusive venue desserts having a gelatinous base.

 

The Bliss specialty venues had excellent food and service. IMO worth the relatively small extra fees.

[newmexicoNita]

I was recently on the Getaway and the food was not as good as last year's EPIC or ESCAPE. Was it a one-time event or have others perceived the same thing. They are not serving the better cuts of meat unless you go speciality restaurant. Now it is lamb shanks instead of leg of lamb. Anyone else? Thoughts?

No negativity please.

No negatives: what does that mean?

As for the food on NCL we think it has improved is some cases over the past 5 years or so. Is it always gourmet? Nope and I don't expect but it is good and I don't think many people go hungry.

Sometimes we get bored with food or whatever and imagine what it was like X number of weeks, years or whatever ago. Maybe it is a menu change that doesn't appeal to some as much.

[kirsty_r]

I thought food last week was much better quality on escape than either star or epic previously... I actually thought the speciality restaurant was worse, but complementary much better...

 

 

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[Newleno]

No negatives: what does that mean?

As for the food on NCL we think it has improved is some cases over the past 5 years or so. Is it always gourmet? Nope and I don't expect but it is good and I don't think many people go hungry.

Sometimes we get bored with food or whatever and imagine what it was like X number of weeks, years or whatever ago. Maybe it is a menu change that doesn't appeal to some as much.

we think the desserts improved immensely, but not the food itself, at least not in buffet, rarely do we eat in dining room

[4774Papa]

I was recently on the Getaway and the food was not as good as last year's EPIC or ESCAPE. Was it a one-time event or have others perceived the same thing. They are not serving the better cuts of meat unless you go speciality restaurant. Now it is lamb shanks instead of leg of lamb. Anyone else? Thoughts?

No negativity please.

We have done 7 NCL cruises starting in 2010 ending September 2018. Our last two cruises on NCL, Sun 2016 and Dawn 2018, we found a significant improvement in the MDR dining. Also, the specialty restaurants are still great, however even though the next Mexican restaurant was excellent, their enchiladas just didn't cut it. I guess that I am too fixed on how great Mexican food is in Texas.

 

The buffet is not as good as the ones on Celebrity, but Celebrity consistently wins awards for dining for the main stream lines. Still, the omelet station is great on NCL. I don't care for the reconstituted scrambled eggs.

[MS52]

We were on the Jewel in July. I thought the food was mediocre at best. But when someone else is doing the cooking, serving and cleaning up, I am a happy camper.

For what it’s worth, I thought the service is going downhill also. Is that too negative? [emoji849]

 

 

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[Trimone]

It’s funny the food in the haven is perfect, how can the rest of the ship be so different ?

[dam64]

You are not alone in this! We noticed this the last 3 cruises and its been a year since we have cruised with them because of this! We found the only great food is in the speciality restaurants and Im having a hard time convincing myself to cruise them again! We have cruised many cruises with them and found service as well has declined and since they offer these alcohol perks the crowds have changed as well. We will be trying a different cruise line for our next one. Since FDR has been in charge prices have gone up and everything has declined, from Haven to balcony rooms we've tried them all.

[dam64]

It’s funny the food in the haven is perfect, how can the rest of the ship be so different ��?

 

 

Last Haven cruise on the Escape the food in the Haven restaurant was not worth the money we paid compared to the other Haven ships we've tried. Definitely a decline in food.

[Homosassa]

How could it possibly be worst than it already was? The inedible food in the MDR and buffet is one of the reasons we no longer cruise NCL.

 

While there may be better food in the specialty restaurants (and that barely matches the quality served in the MDRs on some other lines), I can't see having to make reservations for dining every night. Planning several months in advance, or even the day of, and needing to stress over reservations is not by idea of relaxing on a cruise.

[JAMESCC]

I must not be picky, I mean I'm not but I also no when I don't like something and I thought on breakaway everything I ate was extremely good. From Osheehans to the buffet. From teppanyaki to moderno and La Cusina all excellent. teppanyaki we did twice because it was fun and excellent food. I think people who cruise in general are too picky.

Our preferred cruise line is Royal Caribbean and again love the food but man you go over to the RCI threads and you would think they are serving straight up dog food. Anthem of the seas buffet was the best we had every had on RCI but the complaints are endless on the boards.

No offense but threads like this are just insane and annoying.

 

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[Tatka]

In some reason the weakest food was when we started cruising with NCL on our two first cruises (Sun 2006 & Spirit 2008), so we never expected much from NCL food. It did improved when we cruised again in 2011, 2012... and even better in 2014.

But some items like smoked salmon have disappeared from morning buffet. We do enjoy eggs Benedict which is still breakfast item.

 

This year on Star in Europe we liked buffet. Nothing really special, but quality of cut and preparations was there. However food in MDR was very repetitive. Most of appetizers haven’t change from day to day. Our favorite salmon tartare appeared on menu only once.

 

And of course there is no lobster night in MDR, although this is not a huge loss for us as mass prepared warm water lobster isn’t something to get really excited about on any line/ship.

[ColeThornton]

It’s funny the food in the haven is perfect, how can the rest of the ship be so different ��?

 

 

Probably because the Haven kitchen isn't cooking for over 3000 people.

[PATRLR]

Hmmmm, who would put salsa on eggs?

A lot of people, myself included.

 

I also don't recall it not being available somewhere on the Bliss and Getaway in the last year.

[April42749]

Probably because the Haven kitchen isn't cooking for over 3000 people.

And, the Haven passengers are paying a premium price for the cruise.

[JAMESCC]

A lot of people, myself included.

 

I also don't recall it not being available somewhere on the Bliss and Getaway in the last year.

Picante sauce too but that is kinda the same thing. Honestly I don't know the difference but it's delicious on eggs!

 

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[PTC DAWG]

Hmmmm, who would put salsa on eggs?

 

 

Me...

[PATRLR]

Probably because the Haven kitchen isn't cooking for over 3000 people.

"cooking for over 3000" is a cop out as an excuse for the poor quality. It is possible to serve very high quality meals to 1000s. High end banquet halls and caterers do it all the time. Edited October 7, 2018 by PATRLR

[Maniacal Cruiser]

I was recently on the Getaway and the food was not as good as last year's EPIC or ESCAPE. Was it a one-time event or have others perceived the same thing. They are not serving the better cuts of meat unless you go speciality restaurant. Now it is lamb shanks instead of leg of lamb. Anyone else? Thoughts?

No negativity please.

 

 

We never eat lamb as it tastes like rancid beef, in fact the very smell of it almost makes me heave. To answer the main question, no we have noticed no change in the food on NCL at any point.

[PATRLR]

25 years ago when we cruised, food was fantastic and they didn't have "specialty" restaurants. But when you are trying to convince people they need to pay extra for these "specialty" restaurants or for the "better" food in the Haven, why make the free food good? There is little incentive for NCL to make regular food good, in fact, there is more and more incentive for them to NOT make it great. I think they have achieved their goal.

I agree - this nails it on the head.

 

To the OP, yes, the food quality is awful on cruise ships and getting worse.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

Hmmmm, who would put salsa on eggs?

 

 

Better than putting nasty old ketchup on eggs, GROSS.

[tallnthensome]

I agree, lamb is just nasty .......

[graphicguy]

Was on the Gem in the Spring and just returned from the Getaway a few weeks ago. Prior years I was on the Epic and Breakaway (going back 5 years ago, or so).

 

I think the food has improved. Even the Garden Cafe was better on the Getaway than it was on the Breakaway or Epic several years ago.

 

The only food that was better before was at Shanghai Noodle. That restaurant has really deteriorated significantly over the last year or so.