NCL Food ?

[Cricket1997]

My husband and I were looking at the NCL cruises out of NY, but I have been hearing alot of bad reveiws on the food. Is it really that bad? Thanks, Crystal

[johnql]

No, it's not. Food is highly subjective. You will find bad reviews of food on every cruise line.

[Aliann]

I've found things on every cruiseline I've sailed that I didn't like, but I don't classify it as 'bad food', it was just my own personal preference.

 

To put it bluntly - No, the food is not bad. And all those things I too have read about NCL's bad food I don't pay attention to. As well as all I've read about every other cruise line.

 

Go and have a good time, there is a ship full of food in all kinds of venues and places to please everyone, and I'm sure you'll come back cussing because of it when you realize your pants are a little tighter.

[shoreguy]

My husband and I were looking at the NCL cruises out of NY, but I have been hearing alot of bad reveiws on the food. Is it really that bad? Thanks, Crystal

 

You will not go hungry:D The beauty of NCL out of the ships have up to 10 restaurants to make sure you have choices. With resonably priced and free specialty options there is anlways something you will enjoy even if the menu of the day does not appeal to you.

 

The food is not bad on par with Carnival in the main dinning rooms. The question is more about any passenger's tastes.

[PRNole47]

I have often wondered what would happen if some cruise line decided to license out their dining rooms on one ship to such chains as Olive Garden, Carrabas, Red Lobster, American Grill, Longhorn Steakhouse, Landry's, etc.

 

Wonder if people would shun the ship because of the food or...flock to it because of the food.

[CruisinMatt]

I have often wondered what would happen if some cruise line decided to license out their dining rooms on one ship to such chains as Olive Garden, Carrabas, Red Lobster, American Grill, Longhorn Steakhouse, Landry's, etc.

 

Wonder if people would shun the ship because of the food or...flock to it because of the food.

 

Not a bad idea! That way people will at least know what to expect. :)

[angeljt]

My husband and I were looking at the NCL cruises out of NY, but I have been hearing alot of bad reveiws on the food. Is it really that bad? Thanks, Crystal

There are so many choices that I can't understand people saying that all of the food is bad. Some choices are better than others, but we never had anything 'bad'....

I thought the food in LeBistro was better than Cagney's on the Dawn, but we've only eaten in Cagney's once. Maybe we just enjoyed the atmosphere more in LeBistro. LaTrattoria was okay, not great but not bad. Loved the NY Deli at the Garden Cafe. Blue Lagoon has some good choices for a quick lunch. Teppanyaki was delicious, Bamboo was good. We only ate at the Venetian once and the food and service were excellent, some of the best service we had on the ship. Our waiter and assistant were Mihaela and Prasad and were fantastic. I wrote their names down so I could mention them on our comment cards. We ate there the next to last night or I would have gone back more often and requested them. We've never eaten at Aqua, Impressions, the Organic Restaurant or the Sushi Bar. I guess we'll have to go back on the Dawn to try some of them. The poolside buffet was pretty good too.

I wouldn't worry about finding something you like, I think you will be very happy with most of the food.

Jackie :cool:

[cruzeluver]

Oh Lordy......please no Red Lobster, Olive Garden etc. on cruise ships. That's one of the things I cruise to get away from!

 

And yes, the food on NCL is quite good. IMOP better then Carnival or RCCL.

[CruisinMatt]

Oh Lordy......please no Red Lobster, Olive Garden etc. on cruise ships. That's one of the things I cruise to get away from!

 

I guess everyone's perceptions are different, I've often found most cruiseline's food (NCL, Carnival, Costa) to be pretty equal to these chain restaurants.....

 

What's wrong with them? :confused:

[ute_fan]

Ditto to everyone's perceptions being different. I'd posted on another thread about friends who returned from the Dream on 1/21 and weren't happy at all with NCL's new menus. I had a co-worker who just got back from the Dream on 1/28, and he was thought the food was wonderful. It's been a little while since he cruised, so he doesn't have the recent comparisons that my first friend did, but he said it was all great.

 

One thing he did say, that I don't remember from previous cruises, is that there was a lot of seafood available. I remember being quite surprised that there wasn't more fish on the menu on our cruises, but he said they had a fish entree available everynight. He would have one fish entree, and one entree of something else, and said he usually had trouble deciding what to have. Can't wait for Shoreguy or someone else to get bck with photos of the menus!

[Aliann]

As with the above poster, I wouldn't particularly want those chain restaurants either. Not because there is anything wrong with them, but the point of 'I can get them at home'. When I go on vacation I like the new style of eating, trying new things that are not 'normal' to what I do at home on a daily basis.

 

For instance the style of dining in the main restaurants is like going to a fine restaurant and not the 'typical franchise restaurant' feel.

 

People would know what to expect, but it wouldn't make cruising a different experience, and that's what I love about cruising.

[Don Haynes]

Sorry, duplicate post.

[Don Haynes]

Some cruisers have complained about the lack of choices, when they dine at home in one of the major national chain American grills there are serveral choices of beef, fish, and chicken. In the main dining rooms of NCL ships, there is a choice of one beef, chicken, fish, or lamb dishes, not several spread out over the cruise. The main dining rooms are also continental, Euopean styled dishes, and not necessarily French. They are not American grills with familar choices.

 

Others expect five star service from a galley serving over 2,000 diners, they must be fools. You can get this in the Le Bistro or Cagneys speciality restaurants with a surcharge, the restaurants are small and the food is cooked to served. But in the main dining rooms the food is manufactured to serve 2,000 diners.

 

Others have complained the quality of the food is degrading, expecting the choicest cuts in the main dining rooms of the speciality restaurants from a by-gone era. Sorry, with much larger ships and with smaller surcharged restaurants this isn't likely to occur.

 

Some have complained that they couldn't get eggs benedict in the buffet, just how many buffets do you know of serve eggs benedict? I don't know of any. Buffets have omelets and waffles stations with the all too familiar steamed scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages..... eggs benedict is served in cafes and hotel restaurants, not buffets.

 

I rate the food in the main dining rooms on NCL ships as three stars, meeting expectations. The buffet is just a buffet, always slightly below expectations, two stars. Of course, I am easy to please and will eat just about anything placed in front of me, as my mother taught. My mother also taught me to try new dishes, you'll never know if you'll like it if you won't try it.

 

If you don't like the dish served, you have the option to order something else familiar or not familiar. Grilled chicken, baked potato, and cesar salad is always on the menu.

[FundyGirl]

Any food that someone else prepares for me is good...and when it's served on a cruiseship it's great!!!!

 

Kathy

[discjoker]

I have often wondered what would happen if some cruise line decided to license out their dining rooms on one ship to such chains as Olive Garden, Carrabas, Red Lobster, American Grill, Longhorn Steakhouse, Landry's, etc.

 

 

Not all of their dining rooms, but Royal Caribbean has Johnny Rockets on their ships. I think it is only a matter of time before we see more of this industry wide.

[newmexicoNita]

of course Kathy is right; if someone else is cooking it, how could it be all that bad? Seriously, we just have never been dissatisfied with the food on NCL. As Shoreguy said, with all those restaurants how can anyone say the food was awful? It make no sense. Food is subjective, not everything is gourmet or even close but most of the meals are certainly as good as the "Outbake" type and a little more creative. You are not paying Ruth's Chris prices for heaven's sake.

 

NMnita

[hotspur]

You are not paying Ruth's Chris prices for heaven's sake.

Exactly. Depending on your cabin, you may be paying the equivalent of a complete dinner for one at Ruth's Chris for your daily room, board (three meals plus), transportation, and entertainment on NCL. Anyone expecting five-star (or even four-star) dining in a mass-market cruise ship dining room is simply indulging in fantasy.

[Greyhoundfriend]

My wife and I recently sailed on the Dawn and found the food to be rather good. I realize that food is a highly subjective issue, but with so many options available on board, I think you will be satisfied. We ate most of our breakfasts and lunches in the Venetian and found the choices to be varied and the service excellent. Well, one waiter couldn't figure out at first what non-alcoholic beer was but it was quickly straightened out and we all had a little laugh. Dinners at the Venetian and at Impressions were also very good if just a notch below the offerings on HAL. Le Bistro was our favorite alternative restaurant. We each ordered different entrees and both were outstanding. Cagney's was also quite good. Tapas was better than expected if you like Mexican (we love Mexican), but watch out for the refried beans. They are hot! And that is coming from someone who loves spicy food. The only disappointment was La Trattoria but maybe that's because we live in New York where you don't have to go very far to find tasty Italian cuisine. In short, we don't think that you will be disappointed at all if you give NCL a try.

[EileenN]

You also have the option of knowing what is being served before you go. I believe it is on the television in the rooms during the day and listed outside the restaurant doors at each venue. That give you the option of going to another place if you do no like the food served, unless this has changed recently.

[Nessi]

We sailed on the Spirit in Feb 2006. We thought the buffet was fine (compared to the previous four cruises we had been on at that time). We had no complaints and ate there frequently.

 

We just got back from the Star two weeks ago. While we thoroughly enjoyed the food in the specialty restaurants, we found the food in the buffet to be the worst of the now seven cruises we have been on. The quality and lack of choices reminded me of the cafeteria at the hospital where I work.

 

We are now looking at a cruise on the Dawn, and I'm curious about the buffet on that ship. Any opinions out there about the Dawn's buffet?

[SailAways]

I have often wondered what would happen if some cruise line decided to license out their dining rooms on one ship to such chains as Olive Garden, Carrabas, Red Lobster, American Grill, Longhorn Steakhouse, Landry's, etc.

 

Wonder if people would shun the ship because of the food or...flock to it because of the food.

 

They would still complain about the "Cruise Line Food" regardless.

People who are chronic "food" whiners will go on forever.

They cannot be satisfied; especially on a cruise.

 

Personally, I don't want to see any of the above mentioned chains or any other taking over the cruise lines dining rooms.

We have plenty of that type of service right here on land - I certainly do not want to go on a cruise to experience more of the same.

 

Give me Cruise Line Food - with all of the options that NCL offers.

If I am so picky that I can't find something to eat - perhaps I will loose these extra pounds which insist on clinging to my body!!

[jaylb31]

I thought the food was great, I was on the Dawn in August and am greedily drooling over the upcoming week of eating in March on the Sun. The buffet, in my opinion, is to be avoided unless it is the only thing open, and since Blue Lagoon was an option, the only time I ate the buffet food was if I missed the Dining Room breakfast.

[CruisinMatt]

People who are chronic "food" whiners will go on forever.

They cannot be satisfied; especially on a cruise.

 

 

I agree, I hate to say it but I think people who are so picky should live in a country like Somalia for a week, then maybe they would appreciate the food choices we have.

 

Why is the bar so high on cruise food expectations anyway??? I never understood that! :confused:

[EmJakeBubbie]

I appreciate the Kid's Menu when the 'grown up' menu is of no interest to me. I order a "wedge of lettuce" when (too often) the salad is not appealing. I tend to appreciate plain food rather than sauces, spices, and OMG, I rarely find a soup or salad I can describe as "delicious" - dressings (IMHO) aren't that great either. Occassionally I'll order just the bleu cheese and use those in my salad. I know, picky.picky.picky. NCL has so many food choices and I love their bread pudding (find it in the vegetarian area of the buffet) - if you don't find something tasty on an NCL ship you aren't looking hard enough!:)

[bostonianlady]

Please Please..How bad can the food be..YOU !!! are being served..NO cooking, no clean-up no problem..I agree with most that its all in the individuals taste but come on now..If they give me a bologna sandwich that i didnt have to make i would go for it..You're on vacation. Enjoy and find something you like or eat candy..sheeeeeeeeeesh..