Another cutback: no more theme nights at buffet & o'Sheehan's

[fstuff1]

Dawn (Sept 2019):

No more seafood,asian,Italian,BBQ,etc theme nights at buffet.

 

No more specialty baskets (ribs & shrimp, seafood,etc) at o'Sheehan's for dinner

😞

Edited September 17, 2019 by fstuff1

[rochelle_s]

Very disappointing to hear this.

 

I’m sure many others will feel the same way as the themed nights were quite popular with a lot of people.

 

Rochelle

[Shih-tzu]

Wow..... we had the theme nights in the buffet on the Gem in May.   (didn't notice speciality baskets but we only ate there once.)

 

[logan25]

In my experience, this practice varies from ship to ship.  I was told it is left up to the chef whether to offer or not.

[BirdTravels]

This is new. There were theme night last month. 

[david_sobe]

I hope its not true.  The theme nights always packed them in for prime rib and ribs.
But its very possible FDR is cutting back yet again.  I noticed that even the Haven menus don't have shrimp as an appetizer for lunch anymore.  

Sad.  You cant get prime rib anymore but you can get a hot dog. 

🤪

Edited September 17, 2019 by david_sobe

[Starry Eyes]

I rather like the theme nights, but I suppose opinions vary.  Imagine the person with a seafood allergy would really hate to see a seafood theme night at the buffet...they might argue for a mixture of offerings rather than having a dominant one.  Maybe that is the logic behind the chef’s choice?

[jaja]

If true...sad indeed....though not as disappointed in the actual  removal of themes  ..but rather the  apparent money induced cut backs.  

 

[shof515]

wow this blows and is kinda making me feel disappointed for my cruise on the dawn in less then 50 days

[SailBreakaway]

8 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

I hope its not true.  The theme nights always packed them in for prime rib and ribs.
But its very possible FDR is cutting back yet again.  I noticed that even the Haven menus don't have shrimp as an appetizer for lunch anymore.  

Sad.  You cant get prime rib anymore but you can get a hot dog. 

🤪

In 2015 we had Lobster, as much as you'd like in the Haven, imagine that! My how far we've come in just 4 years.

 

So sad.Oh well crying and spilled milk and all I guess right?...

[sassyshar]

Just off the Breakaway on Sunday and there were "theme" nights at both O'Sheehans and the Buffet.  Was on the Dawn in February and no theme nights.   All depends on the ship.    

[ppcox]

There were theme nights on the Star 2 weeks ago. Both in the buffet and at O’Sheehans.

[graphicguy]

Yeah...this doesn’t sound quite right.  Had lobster in Cagney’s, Prime Rib and Seafood night in the Garden Cafe, as well as O’OSheehans in June on the Escape.

 

OP....what date was your sailing?

[darlene62]

A few years ago I was on my 3rd trip on the Breakaway and was looking forward to theme night in O'Sheehans. I liked eating there because it's more relaxed for me.  I was very disappointed when I was told they stopped the prime rib and ribs.  I found out that on later sailings the theme nights were brought back.  I will be on the Bliss in November and hoping they will continue with theme night.  

[Sauer-kraut]

1 hour ago, david_sobe said:

 

Sad.  You cant get prime rib anymore but you can get a hot dog. 

🤪

 

Pretty soon they'll be having tube steaks on the menu.....(sounds fancier)   🤣

[hladygirl]

Unfortunately NCL has cutbacks every couple of months. It is getting ridiculous. No towel animals, no ice buckets, no theme nights in free restaurants and no drink specials( I noticed that last cruise where I did not have the drink package). It keeps you wondering what will be cut next. The NCL cruise experience is getting less appealling. Looking at other cruiselines. I am platinum and never sailed anything but NCL. Looking now to see if I have been missing out on better products.

 

[McFins]

Just off the Escape and they had a different theme each night in the buffet, prime rib in the buffet (and O'Sheehans...not sure about MDRs) and daily drink specials.  Lobster in Cagneys.   As another poster mentioned, maybe  it depends on the ship. 

[Zippeedee]

It seems like these changes vary by ship. I wonder if they are testing to see what gets a negative reaction and what goes mostly unnoticed.

[drumming cruisers]

 we just got off the Bliss and they had themed nights.

Edited September 18, 2019 by drumming cruisers
addition

[drumming cruisers]

2 hours ago, darlene62 said:

A few years ago I was on my 3rd trip on the Breakaway and was looking forward to theme night in O'Sheehans. I liked eating there because it's more relaxed for me.  I was very disappointed when I was told they stopped the prime rib and ribs.  I found out that on later sailings the theme nights were brought back.  I will be on the Bliss in November and hoping they will continue with theme night.  

Off the Bliss in August, they had prime rib night. 

 

[waterjock]

Just off the escape and both had theme nights. I think the bigger the ship the more they have to space out  the people in the five free restaurants. If you ever been in waiting in front of the  three main dinning rooms you seen the lady with placard  saying theme night in the other restaurant or buffet.

[david_sobe]

If my memory is correct, I remember the theme nights being reported discontinued a few years ago too.  Some ships had them while others did not.  Then everything went back to normal again.  Maybe a supply issue why some ships skip the theme nights for several cruises and then resume again.
I am hoping that is the case.  Besides being good food, the nightly specials also keep huge crowds away from the MDR since O'Sheehans/The Local serves as another MDR on those nights.

[shirtboy]

On my most recent cruise on the Star this July, the staff suspiciously did a good job advertising the theme nights. In my opinion, these theme nights actually save the cruise line money since they are encouraging you to eat at the buffet or O'Sheehans where the cost of food, labor, washing tablecloths/dishes is lower. Without the theme nights, more people would flood the main dining rooms. When you sit down at one of the main dining rooms, your expectations for the food, service, presentation, and atmosphere are higher. 

 

As others have noted, the theme nights seem to make the most sense when the ship is full and the main dining rooms are too small to handle the crowds. This was the case for my sailing, which was full, and I sometimes had to wait for a table at the MDR.

[newmexicoNita]

13 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

Dawn (Sept 2019):

No more seafood,asian,Italian,BBQ,etc theme nights at buffet.

 

No more specialty baskets (ribs & shrimp, seafood,etc) at o'Sheehan's for dinner

😞

I think the O'Sheehan's specialty nights is not a new thing. They did away with that a while ago or at least others have been reporting about this for quite awhile. I don't know about all theme nights, but I am thinking Prime rib night. We will be on the Breakaway in Oct. It doesn't bother us one way of the other as we are not buffets customers, nor do we eat dinner at either place. I realize others will be disappointed . 

[mugtech]

12 hours ago, shof515 said:

wow this blows and is kinda making me feel disappointed for my cruise on the dawn in less then 50 days

 Dawn was already my least favorite NCL ship, just reinforces my idea to avoid said ship.