NCL lately

[surfklutz]

Things onboard certainly have changed. Does anyone feel that they are making the food in the main dining room less appealing so that more people select the very lucrative alternative dining? It used to be that you could go on a cruise ship and expect part of your experience to be very good food. Sounds like that isn't the case anymore until you shell out the bucks for the other dining rooms. You think this move is intentional on their part?

[EmJakeBubbie]

how to you spell Penny Stock?

[Velvet Teddy Bear]

Hey Cruiser-dude...I'm with you......we sailed on the Dream her first trip out of Houston...with engine trouble......but not a problem......we enjoyed her food, service, etc...and guess what....we also have her booked again...leaving the Sat after Thanksgiving.....and also have the same cabin....:) really looking forward to it..

 

till we all sail again....jus' me .. Jim...the velvet teddy bear:cool:

[Zeno]

I'm getting ready to book a NCL Sun to Alaska. First time cruiser. We picked NCL mainly for the Seattle to Seattle intinerary. It's just more convenient from where we are flying. Way more convenient. It seems that food is the main decline being discussed. Followed by service. I'm expecting decent, not gourmet food. I'm expecting decent, but not personal butler service. I don't want "gross" cheap food. I don't expect gourmet food. I need someone logical with common sense to give some NCL reviews!!

 

I just got off the Sun and I can assure you that the food is NOT gross nor is it gourmet. It was perfectly fine for food prepared by a large scale operation. The only significant (for me) 'decline" I noticed was the shortage of cold soups (which I love) and the removal of the "President's Night Dinner" (my personal favorite menu).

[mbisson]

I just got off the Sun and I can assure you that the food is NOT gross nor is it gourmet. It was perfectly fine for food prepared by a large scale operation. The only significant (for me) 'decline" I noticed was the shortage of cold soups (which I love) and the removal of the "President's Night Dinner" (my personal favorite menu).

 

I'm glad we cruised in Dec. Looks like I got the last of the cold soups. I will really, really, really miss them :( . Plus, from what I've heard, I think I got the last towel animal on NCL also. My upcoming cruise on the Star will have me watching to see if I'll be continuing on NCL. But, I probably will as long as they don't reduce the benefits of the NCL MBNA credit card.

 

-Monte

[intrepid_guy]

Home from the SPIRIT today, and I have to say, I thought the food was very good to, at times, great! We were in a group of 6 (the four others, we met on the ship and became fast friends) we ate dinner together every night, at times there was up to 3 or 4 others eating with us... so, we had different people from different places eating dinner together. I made a point several times to ask what they thought of the food and guess what... no one said that it was bad, very good to great.

 

In addition, I was advised by a crew member (unsolicited, I did not ask about it) that they got rid of the chef from Raffles at the end of the cruise before mine. There is a new chef, and in the words of this crew member, "the food is 100 times better". I didnt think it was bad either.

 

Cagneys was amazing though. We ate there twice and the food was perfectly done and tasted spectacular! Everyone agreed. I am one that likes steak sauce on my steak, and I ate both times without it!!!! I have never ordered a rare filet minon anywhere that was actually cooked correctly, other than Cagneys!! No where I have been!

 

I never went hungry (I never had to cook) and I thought that the food was good, and probably better than I could make at home (and I aint cookin for 2000 people either!!) :D :D

 

~Intrepid

[mbisson]

how to you spell Penny Stock?

 

Er, ah I think you just did

 

-monte

[newmexicoNita]

We booked our first cruise ever on the Jewel - set to sail 4/23/06.

 

We have been land-vacationers for years and have an established budget for doing so. My sister has cruised for years and raved about it so we decided to try it. We found that cruising is definitely more expensive, even after factoring in that your food, entertainment and most beverages (we aren't alcohol drinkers). However, as my sister pointed out, under what other circumstances can you visit 4 countries in one vacation? It's like getting a "4-fer" as she puts it and she's right. So, I guess we have to look at aspect as well. BUT - between airfare and cruise cost, we are spending a little over $2,000 - that's not including excursions, trinkets, alcohol (if we want that rare daquiri) and transportation to and from the airport/port.

 

But I can tell you that, if we cruise and it isn't what we expect, I doubt that we will cruise again unless we hear some very positive reviews of it. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with cruising - it's just a more expensive option that we can't necessarily afford right now. It's like any other type of vacation - you either stay at the 4* hotel or the 2* hotel based on what you can afford.

 

Just my .02!

I am not terribly sure what this has to do with whether NCL is as good as it was a few years ago; also sounds to me like you aren't expecting to have a very good time. I hope you are pleasantly surprised. As for cost; it is hard to compare land and cruises as to which is a better deal, but we have done the figures and disagree with you 100%. Where can you go, have 5 course meals, eat all you want, have nightly entertainment, be waited on hand and foot, have the opportunity to visit several places, have daytime activities if you choose plus much more for $2000 for two, especially when you consider the airfare as well? If you are talking about driving trips, a few miles from home, maybe land vacations are a better deal, but if you are talking about flying to someplace in the Caribbean for a week, the cost of the hotel alone would take over 1/2 the $2000. I know this as I work with people all the time finding the best vacation available for them. NMnita

[newmexicoNita]

A couple of things come to mind reading this post: 1-yes, all lines have cut back on food which is too bad, but when you consider what it cost to cruise compared to years ago and how the cost of fuel has increased affecting everything including the cost of food it is easy to understand. Like Shoreguy we are willing to pay the few $$ extra to eat in the specialty restaurants, but still are happy with the main dining room food. 2-many of these complaints have to do with repeat customers, noting is like the first time and after we experience somethings serveral times it looses some of it's glamour. 3-I read about service: I just can't imagine what some are looking for in service, I think one of the best parts about NCL is the wonderful crew who works so hard to see that we are all happy. Have I had a few less than perfect experiences? Sure, but overall I have no complaints. We did X last Dec. It was a fine, 5 day cruise, the service was ok, but certainly not friendly or any better, if as good as we have experienced on NCL> If anything I think NCL is far improved over the product they offered 10 years ago. We can all read negative reviews on any board about any ship and there are many who seem to have complaints, but overall most people still enjoy the experience whether they cruise NCL, Celebrity, Princess or what line.

 

As for someone at the reception desk making a comment about "expecting too much" how rude, I would have asked to speak to the manager right then even if to her your complaints seemed minor, this was not her place to speak her mind!!!! NMnita

[johnjrval424]

I am not terribly sure what this has to do with whether NCL is as good as it was a few years ago; also sounds to me like you aren't expecting to have a very good time. I hope you are pleasantly surprised. As for cost; it is hard to compare land and cruises as to which is a better deal, but we have done the figures and disagree with you 100%. Where can you go, have 5 course meals, eat all you want, have nightly entertainment, be waited on hand and foot, have the opportunity to visit several places, have daytime activities if you choose plus much more for $2000 for two, especially when you consider the airfare as well? If you are talking about driving trips, a few miles from home, maybe land vacations are a better deal, but if you are talking about flying to someplace in the Caribbean for a week, the cost of the hotel alone would take over 1/2 the $2000. I know this as I work with people all the time finding the best vacation available for them. NMnita

 

NMnita - with all due respect, my post was not negative at all. We are very much expecting to have a good time, contrary to your post.

 

If you read my post again, you will see that I mentioned both pros and cons - at least from my point of view. We have vacationed in many places including the Caribbean, Mexico, stateside and elsewhere. The cost of this vacation is par with most of our trips. Again, I said that it is a matter of budget - you can splurge and take a more expensive vacation if you can afford it or you simply choose an alternative.

 

My point in offering this information was to simply state that we thought the prices were a little higher than what we ordinarily pay for a vacation but we are also open to the idea of cruising and look forward to the opportunity. This thread began with someone commenting about how certain components of a cruise seemed to have changed and noting the reduced fees for cruising. I felt that my post was relevant to that message in that we are paying a little more and will be open-minded as to what to expect.

 

I hope this clarifies my original post.

[Last Mango]

I'm glad we cruised in Dec. Looks like I got the last of the cold soups. I will really, really, really miss them :( . Plus, from what I've heard, I think I got the last towel animal on NCL also. My upcoming cruise on the Star will have me watching to see if I'll be continuing on NCL. But, I probably will as long as they don't reduce the benefits of the NCL MBNA credit card.

 

-Monte

 

Just to let you know, the Spirit actually offered a 45 minute instruction session on how to make the towel animals on the cruise I just left this morning. They even provided a handout.

[newmexicoNita]

NMnita - with all due respect, my post was not negative at all. We are very much expecting to have a good time, contrary to your post.

 

If you read my post again, you will see that I mentioned both pros and cons - at least from my point of view. We have vacationed in many places including the Caribbean, Mexico, stateside and elsewhere. The cost of this vacation is par with most of our trips. Again, I said that it is a matter of budget - you can splurge and take a more expensive vacation if you can afford it or you simply choose an alternative.

 

My point in offering this information was to simply state that we thought the prices were a little higher than what we ordinarily pay for a vacation but we are also open to the idea of cruising and look forward to the opportunity. This thread began with someone commenting about how certain components of a cruise seemed to have changed and noting the reduced fees for cruising. I felt that my post was relevant to that message in that we are paying a little more and will be open-minded as to what to expect.

 

I hope this clarifies my original post.

ok, I will accept what you are trying to say, but that is not how I originally took it and I will still defend the cost of cruising compared to other vacations: example: couple I am working with right now: 4 days, all inclusive; Jamaica (not the most expensive destination) $744 not including air: cruise: same dates but for 7 days; 859.00 per person, not including Air, outside cabin by the way. Of course the all inclusive include liquor and tips, but still comparing the two choices cruising is as cheap or cheaper. Thus I feel if cruising is a little more, you have, in the past, chosen vacations that are a little than the quality of a good cruise. You mentioned $2000 including air< the example I have given above would be $1500 per person including air for a 4 day vacation. Again, though it is hard to compare. Much of what you get from a vacation depends on what you expect to get and your attitude. BTW cruising is not for everyone. About 85% of those who cruise will return as soon as possible; 10% maybe: 5% never again. NMnita

[e.durban]

We sailed the Crown to Bermuda last Sept. It cost us under $1000 per person for a week's vacation...there's no way we could have flown to Bermuda, stayed in a hotel and had all our food for that amount of money.

We had very good food: sauces not equal to the best restaurants, perhaps, but you have to order carefully (my wife and I worked in NYC restaurants for many years, and we try to take the practicalities into account)...no kitchen that prepares 3,000 meals a day can do certain things well. Broiled fish, for example. Nothing that will suffer from exposure to a heat lamp. Dishes that have long, complicated lists of ingredients and complicated preparation are unlikely to shine. Remember, this is hotel banquet food. If you want your food prepared by a chef who has only has only 15 tables to worry about, go to Le Bistro.

[intrepid_guy]

We had towel animals on the SPIRIT 9 or 10 nights of the cruise.

 

~Intrepid