So no lobster in MDR--are there nights of "better" offerings?

[KKB]

We have only sailed NCL once so I don't recall the answer...

So they don't have formal nights like other lines, which is when they usually offer filet & lobster.

Does NCL have nights with some "better" offerings?

[debenson0723]

I have sailed NCL many times and there was only one or two times that I had something in the MDR that I didn't enjoy.  Not sure what 'better' offerings are but food is subjective so what is better to you may not be for me.  Personally, I am not a fan of cruise line lobster on any line.  That being said, I have done cruises where I only ate in the specialty restaurants every night..nothing against the MDR, it just worked out that way.

[BirdTravels]

NCL embraces Freestyle Cruising. You're on vacation, not walking the red carpet. Shorts are allowed for all meals in all restaurants except Le Bistro, Ocean Blue, and sometimes the aft main dining room. For those exceptions, the cruise line asks gents to wear long pants (jeans or dockers are fine,,, nothing more fancy). 

 

You can "Dress Up or Not" every night. (And, while other likes like Royal have "formal nights", the number of tuxes has dwindled to low single digit percentages and the number of shorts on formal nights is growing).

 

Lobsters as part of the complimentary MDR menu were last seen in August 2016.

 

The Executive Chef onboard your ship has a collection of 14 (or more) main dining room dinner menus to select from for each cruise. And they normal rotate through them so B2B passengers will see a different menu each night. So, there is no "better night" to go to the MDR. 

Edited July 5, 2022 by BirdTravels

[casofilia]

In all my cruising I have only ever had ONE meal in an MDR that was unacceptable and sent back.    That was a meal with 2 pieces of veal, one great, the other would have done well on the sole of my shoe!!

A few meal were only acceptable, most really enjoyable and a few exceptional.

[dcipjr]

There aren't any nights that are specifically designated as higher-quality. Whether a specific night is "better" is up to you and your individual tastes.

 

NCL usually posts the menus outside the dining room during the day, so often times we'll stop by and see what they're serving that evening.

 

We typically have a couple speciality meals that are included with our cruise. Sometimes, we won't see anything on the MDR menu that draws our eye, and will choose to eat in a specialty restaurant that night. But it's happened just as often (if not more so) that we do see something we want, and stick with the MDR.

[steveknj]

I've had the occasional sub par meal (on all cruise lines I've been on), but generally they range from fine to exceptional, and if you don't like it, you can order something else.   We always check out the menu either in the app, or via the boards outside the dining room.  There's usually about 10 options for the main course, including the "every day" options (like broiled chicken or strip steak, or salmon).  I'm a fairly picky eater, but I can always find at least 2 options I'm deciding between, usually more.   And really, if you are REALLY picky, there's always the buffet which has LOTS of options.

 

Last time I had lobster in the MDR was on RCCL.  

[Biffire]

It has been explained to me that the MDRs have either 14 or 21 different menus. I have found no way to predict which menu will be used on any given night. I always make my specialty dining reservations months in advance. SO, it is a matter of luck if you happen to be doing a specialty dining experience, when they offer something you really like in the MDR.I guess you could look at the MDR daily menu and then try to get a seat in specialty dining at the last minute, but I have never tried that. I have done a dozen cruises with NCL and don't recall a bad meal.I am not a food snob and grew up eating what was served to me.  I did have one evening when there were several appetizers I wanted to try, and nothing that jumped off the page for an entree. So... I just ordered several apps for dinner. I do miss lobster night, have to admit, I used to look forward to them.

[Kenlorz]

Depending on when you’re cruising, every night may actually be the same menu. NCL is introducing a fixed menu (a menu that is the same every night… like in the specialty restaurants) on the Prima next month. If it is received well, they plan to roll it out across the fleet over 2023.

[complawyer]

sorry, "better" is always subjective. what appears better for me might not even appeal to you and vice versa. 

 

while at the most, i might eat in the mdr 1 or 2 times per cruise, i find nothing wrong with the choices offered. except this past april we were on the jade, and i ordered french onion soup in the mdr, and it was actually (imho) on a par with dish water. one of the very few times i have been disappointed with the food in mdr. 

 

that being said, im absoliyelu certain you will find something on the menu to your liking

[NauticalOtter]

7 hours ago, Kenlorz said:

Depending on when you’re cruising, every night may actually be the same menu. NCL is introducing a fixed menu (a menu that is the same every night… like in the specialty restaurants) on the Prima next month. If it is received well, they plan to roll it out across the fleet over 2023.

If this means the quality of the food goes up, then I’d be fine with it (I’m assuming they would switch it out seasonally/per locale to take advantage of what is easily available/fresh).

 

If not, then it’s just a ploy to push for specialty dining, in which case…may have to reconsider NCL in the future.

[cruiseny4life]

7 hours ago, NauticalOtter said:

If this means the quality of the food goes up, then I’d be fine with it (I’m assuming they would switch it out seasonally/per locale to take advantage of what is easily available/fresh).

I think the food quality will go up in this case. It's easier for line cooks to learn a few different meals and prepare them every single night, kind of like most land-based restaurants. The meals in the Haven are phenomenal and those are always from a fixed menu. I'm sure it is to keep the meal quality with the different cooking skills in the kitchen. I'm not saying MDR food will be as great as the Haven (ingredients and experience matter), but I do truly believe the dining experience in the MDR will be better without a rotating menu. 

 

As for the last part - I don't think they'll be taking advantage of local products, based on seasonality/location. Not when they need to order enough food for 2,000+ people. 

[graphicguy]

On 7/5/2022 at 12:33 AM, KKB said:

We have only sailed NCL once so I don't recall the answer...

So they don't have formal nights like other lines, which is when they usually offer filet & lobster.

Does NCL have nights with some "better" offerings?

You're right that NCL does not have "formal" nights, per se.  They do have "Dress up, or not" evenings.  Some will get dressed up if they're doing the "picture thing".

 

Don't remember a special menu for those nights, though.  Lobster was "hit or miss" before the shutdown.  Not sure if it has improved.  

 

As others have pointed out, they do rotate their menus.  Didn't realize the new Prima was going to be a fixed menu.  My guess it will be pretty extensive if they aren't going to change it every evening.  That would be the same with the Specialty Restaurant Menus and the Haven Menu, too.

 

Kind of like going to your land based restaurant.  Menu is the same, with the possible exception of "specials".  

 

That said, I can't imagine them offering Lobster on the menu every night...at least, not in the MDRs.

[complawyer]

graphicguy. i rarely (if ever) see lobster on an mdr menu, occassionaly as an upcharge in either cagneys or le bistro.

 

that being said, would you even want to order the lobster every night  that you eat in the mdr? even if it was offered?

about 5 years ago, we were on the star and "lobster" was on the menu.  Now, i love lobster (but not every night) but this was only the tail, and looked like a rather large shrimp  on steroids, then any obster i have ever seen

[cruiseny4life]

21 minutes ago, complawyer said:

that being said, would you even want to order the lobster every night  that you eat in the mdr? even if it was offered?

Nope! I had the tail a few nights in the Haven where yes it's a "shrimp on steroids." Ha, I love that! 

 

Anyway, I didn't have it every night. Yes, it's possible to not want lobster every meal, though to be fair, it's not my favorite type of food. I rarely have it as I don't believe the cost to value ratio is ever appropriate. 

[NauticalOtter]

17 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

I think the food quality will go up in this case. It's easier for line cooks to learn a few different meals and prepare them every single night, kind of like most land-based restaurants. The meals in the Haven are phenomenal and those are always from a fixed menu. I'm sure it is to keep the meal quality with the different cooking skills in the kitchen. I'm not saying MDR food will be as great as the Haven (ingredients and experience matter), but I do truly believe the dining experience in the MDR will be better without a rotating menu. 

 

As for the last part - I don't think they'll be taking advantage of local products, based on seasonality/location. Not when they need to order enough food for 2,000+ people. 

When I said season/locality, I more meant having different menus for different regions (certain ships are typically in certain parts of the world at certain points in the year and presumably a european cruise would serve different cuisine than a NA based, etc).  I imagine it would also allow them to get certain items (especially seafood) in bigger quantities at lower prices at certain times of year (certain fish are seasonal in that way) which may impact menu decisions.  Just speculating *shrug*