Another NCL change that I hope Royal doesn't follow

[Tatka]

9 minutes ago, aubreyc1988 said:

Also, remember that this change is also going to be great for the staff. It is probably daunting to have so many dishes to memorize and make, I think having same menu will be a relief for the staff. I just keep thinking back to that episode of Schitt's Creek when they first arrive at the Paradise Diner and have that huge menu 😄

 

 We cruise 5-6 mostly with RCI and I remember menus since 2018(?) by day. Several dishes disappeared. I think they remember it too. 🙂

[smokeybandit]

14 minutes ago, aubreyc1988 said:

Also, remember that this change is also going to be great for the staff. It is probably daunting to have so many dishes to memorize and make, I think having same menu will be a relief for the staff. I just keep thinking back to that episode of Schitt's Creek when they first arrive at the Paradise Diner and have that huge menu 😄

 

RC's menu is the same each cruise, just a small part of that menu available on a given night.  

[Tatka]

5-6 appetizers, 5-6 entrees and several desserts do change daily, but not from week to week.

[joeyancho]

6 hours ago, matj2000 said:

I have been on NCL many times

 

Never been "nickel & dimed"

 

Any more than RCCL or any other line.

 

6 hours ago, matj2000 said:

I have been on NCL many times

 

Never been "nickel & dimed"

 

Any more than RCCL or any other line.

A lot of what the OP states is pure conjecture meant to fit their narrative.  

[PQI]

4 hours ago, Biker19 said:

And too few in Silk.

 

I found Silk to be awesome. The one I found most underwhelming was American Icon Grill, the only thing worth returning there for in my opinion was the cookie skillet.

[Jingerwoppy]

I'm good with it as long as lobster is on the menu every night!  🙂 

[AlohaLivin]

12 hours ago, tx121 said:

 

We don’t find the NCL does any more nickel and diming than any other cruise line (in fact maybe less since usually the drink package and some internet minutes comes with most fares). And, we have always thought that their food was quite good (particularly the Haven restaurant, I have never had that matched by any cruise line restaurant). 
 

The menu for the RCCLcoastal kitchens in April we’re virtually unchanged from the previous fall - didn’t bother me, it was delicious all times with plenty of options.

Edited August 11, 2022 by AlohaLivin

[cruisequeen4ever]

I’m sure from a business standpoint, their strategy will maximize profits and help operations be more streamlined, BUT it is not cool to do to the cruise pax! Cruising has always been the land of the “you can eat whatever you want, have 2 entrees if you want, and it’s all included”. It’s great if pax want to pay extra for a special dining experience, but doing away with the classic dining room menus is just not cruising, IMO. 
 

I just read read the poster’s wondering about whether they may expand the menu, so there’s still variety. That would help, however I doubt they’d do that too much because the cruise model works when the kitchen cooks for the masses. If they have to prepare way more different meals on a nightly basis, it would increase their challenge, and just don’t see the company choosing to do that in this hard time.

[big al]

On 8/10/2022 at 8:39 AM, tx121 said:

NCL has revolutionized the cruise industry in the freestyle concept and most of the maintstrean cruise lines have adapted it in some way in their business model. It seems like most of NCL's practices are just a cash grab and in the past has had the reputation of the "nickel and diming" cruise line. Thanks to NCL, some of the cruise lines over the years have downgraded the quality of food in the main dining room so people would rather spend money on the specialty restaurants to get better quality food. Now NCL is rolling out on their newest ships and soon after their entire fleet where the main dining room is going to have the same menu every day and smaller buffet options. I really hope Royal doesn't follow this change. I enjoy going in to the MDR and seeing a different menu every night and having many different options in the Windjammer. Would you second guess cruising on Royal if they made this change?

 This is both incorrect & illogical...I have cruised RCI 19x and NCL 7x and much prefer NCL for dining...first they give you TWO specialty dining restaurants included in your fare- RCI gives you nothing..Second, NCL has 6 restaurants where you can dine outside over looking the sea..we dined twice outside on the NCL Encore in January and it was fantastic..Third, NCL has as many as 16 dining venues on board and newer ships have 4 free venues- Taste, Savor & Manhattan Room..the latter sometimes has a dancing area and have a band playing music- also fantastic..we loved it..IMO, they are the best for specialty dining and have it down to a system that works..also, their buffet area called the Garden Cafe IMO is much better than the Windjammer, which I always have felt is mediocre at best..don't get me started on the beer..RCI has the worst beer & choices of drafts on the Seven Seas..the District Brew House on deck 8 on the NCL Encore, Bliss , Joy & Escape all have 26 beers on draft..amazing..RCI has 4-5 in Playmakers and maybe 3 in the British Pub..don't forget The Local or O'Sheehan's  , the Irish Pub where you can get food 24/7..their Reuben, wings, fries, burgers are sooooo good...and BTW, IMO, the MDR food in 95% of all cruises I've been on are fair to OK at best..kinda like wedding food...Disney was pretty good..Celebrity is pretty good also for MDR..The NCL Encore we cruised in January had the best food in 42 cruises we have taken...dining outside at sunset eating Tiger Shrimp ( best I ever had on any cruise..), lobster, and Key Lime Pie  was superb..I almost called the medics it was so good, lol... I wish RCI was as good as NCL for dining...JMHO

 

Big Al

[ramja96]

On 8/10/2022 at 8:55 AM, KSSS2013 said:

Their current menu is half the same and half new items so I don't feel this is a major hardship.

 

Royal is already doing this and has been for quite some time.

[John&LaLa]

6 hours ago, big al said:

This is both incorrect & illogical...I have cruised RCI 19x and NCL 7x and much prefer NCL for dining...first they give you TWO specialty dining restaurants included in your fare- RCI gives you nothing..Second, NCL has 6 restaurants where you can dine outside over looking the sea..w

 

We sail Escape next spring and only get 1 special dining experience 

[big al]

15 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

We sail Escape next spring and only get 1 special dining experience 

We are on the Escape next Dec '23 & have 2 free specialty dining meals plus we bought 2 more...check w/ NCL about that...

[Trixie21]

I'm curious as to whether dining on Icon will be similar to existing RC ships or move towards the Edge class model. Personally I'd like to see something new , while still retaining the classic elements so everyone can feel catered for. I like the sound of NCL's new Prima class dining,  but am not sure that reducing the size of the buffet is a good idea if you still want to appeal to the family market.

I have an NCL cruise credit to use and am looking for something on Prima or Viva to give it a try , but they are quite expensive . The free drinks are meanjngless to me as our diamond drinks are enough for us on RC.

I will probably book something just to experience something different.

. 

[John&LaLa]

43 minutes ago, big al said:

We are on the Escape next Dec '23 & have 2 free specialty dining meals plus we bought 2 more...check w/ NCL about that...

 

We have a pair of studio cabins. I think 2 restaurants require a balcony

[rolloman]

Lots of NCL loyalist hanging out on the Royal forum. Probably because no one hangs out on the NCL forum. This whole idea of NCL freestyle is a joke. Nothing free about it. Drinks included... lol yeah right. You pay upfront gratuity for drinks you probably will never drink. As for dining, you have a small window to "try" and get a reservation each night. The "no further charge" restaurants have the same menu every night, literally forcing you to book specialty dining. Not sure if anyone remembers the no more taking food from the buffet back to your room attempt, they unsuccessfully tried. Always trying some major cost saving measure to see if they can make it stick... that is NCL.

[BirdTravels]

On 8/10/2022 at 8:39 AM, tx121 said:

NCL has revolutionized the cruise industry in the freestyle concept and most of the maintstrean cruise lines have adapted it in some way in their business model. It seems like most of NCL's practices are just a cash grab and in the past has had the reputation of the "nickel and diming" cruise line. Thanks to NCL, some of the cruise lines over the years have downgraded the quality of food in the main dining room so people would rather spend money on the specialty restaurants to get better quality food. Now NCL is rolling out on their newest ships and soon after their entire fleet where the main dining room is going to have the same menu every day and smaller buffet options. I really hope Royal doesn't follow this change. I enjoy going in to the MDR and seeing a different menu every night and having many different options in the Windjammer. Would you second guess cruising on Royal if they made this change?

Sorry. NCL has never downgraded MDR food. NCL continually upgrades its MDR menu to meet the tastes of the contemporary dinner. The next generation cruises that will sustain the business into the future. 
 

Now that may not agree with the palate of the old timers. There was outrage when the fish fingers left the lunch menu and was replaced with poached salmon. More outrage when chicken soup was replaced by Pho. 
 

wrt nickel and dining, just off the Quantum where experiences like North Star and IFly used to be free, but now come with a few nickels and dimes. And have you seen the push for specialty dining on Royal. Even adding upcharges for things on the Johnny Rockets breakfast menus. 

[big al]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

We have a pair of studio cabins. I think 2 restaurants require a balcony

You are correct!!

[big al]

48 minutes ago, rolloman said:

Lots of NCL loyalist hanging out on the Royal forum. Probably because no one hangs out on the NCL forum. This whole idea of NCL freestyle is a joke. Nothing free about it. Drinks included... lol yeah right. You pay upfront gratuity for drinks you probably will never drink. As for dining, you have a small window to "try" and get a reservation each night. The "no further charge" restaurants have the same menu every night, literally forcing you to book specialty dining. Not sure if anyone remembers the no more taking food from the buffet back to your room attempt, they unsuccessfully tried. Always trying some major cost saving measure to see if they can make it stick... that is NCL.

And RCI charges $80-100 PP for a drink package and that's better?? I am going on the Mariner next week and they want $92 pp PER DAY and you think NCL is bad because they charge gratuities up front? In case you are bad at math, that's between $1120 and  about $1300 for a 7 night cruise for 2 people, vs $237.50 pp for NCL and you get much better beer choices..You don't have to take the "Free at Sea " package if you don't want it..I paid $ 9.65 for a Stella on the Anthem of the Seas 3 years ago..ridiculous... ..no matter how you look at it, the deal at NCL is better UNLESS you don't drink much at all, in that case you are at fault..NCL in my 7 cruises has never given me anything other great food, great service, OUTDOOR dining ( something RCI needs badly..), great entertainment ( Beatle's show super..)..I cruise royal because I like their Oasis class ships & shows...beverage plans suck , no free specialty dining, no WIFI, no nothing included..they need to get with it- even Celebrity, their other cruise line, I have free beverage package with them & free WIFI for my NYE cruise in December......

Edited August 13, 2022 by big al
added

[George C]

NCL is a line I will not cruise again , I cruised them 13 times from mid 1980’s to 2004 , hated freestyle, food and service went downhill, also had a ring stolen from our cabin. 

[coaster]

10 minutes ago, George C said:

NCL is a line I will not cruise again , I cruised them 13 times from mid 1980’s to 2004 , hated freestyle, food and service went downhill, also had a ring stolen from our cabin. 

NCL was great in the 90's when I first starting cruising. I agree. Getting rid of traditional dining for poor freestyle service  after 2000 or so made us leave.

Edited August 13, 2022 by coaster

[big al]

6 minutes ago, coaster said:

NCL was great in the 90's when I first starting cruising. I agree. Getting rid of traditional dining for poor freestyle service  after 2000 or so made us leave.

The new ships are much better..those older, smaller ships stunk, I agree...new ones are fabulous..and the Freestyle service is not poor, it is superb IMO...have you dined outside on deck 8 with a table over looking the sunset at sea eating steak & lobster on the new ships?? It is something only a recent NCL cruiser will know and an RCI cruiser cannot understand..I keep telling RCI to put some venues outside but they want you inside where you can spend more $$..the new trend is outside dining with MSC also now following NCL and so is Disney..the Local where you can 24 hour free food in an Irish Pub setting also is fantastic..Reuben sandwich killer along with wings..all free...

[coaster]

7 minutes ago, big al said:

The new ships are much better..those older, smaller ships stunk, I agree...new ones are fabulous..and the Freestyle service is not poor, it is superb IMO...have you dined outside on deck 8 with a table over looking the sunset at sea eating steak & lobster on the new ships?? It is something only a recent NCL cruiser will know and an RCI cruiser cannot understand..I keep telling RCI to put some venues outside but they want you inside where you can spend more $$..the new trend is outside dining with MSC also now following NCL and so is Disney..the Local where you can 24 hour free food in an Irish Pub setting also is fantastic..Reuben sandwich killer along with wings..all free...

You misunderstood. Older ships were great for us. SS Norway was the best cruise service wise before freestyle. Better service than any Royal cruise we have been on. Newer ships with extra venues that charge extra do not empress me. Give Royal credit not charging extra for lobster in the MDR also on longer cruises.

[George C]

3 minutes ago, coaster said:

You misunderstood. Older ships were great for us. SS Norway was the best cruise service wise before freestyle. Better service than any Royal cruise we have been on. Newer ships with extra venues that charge extra do not empress me. Give Royal credit not charging extra for lobster in the MDR also on longer cruises.

Sailed Norway more than any other ship 7 times including our honeymoon, great ship in its day .

[coaster]

Royal is the replacement for us for what NCL used to be. They accommodate those who like traditional dining plus others that like more flexible dining. HAL and others still keep traditional dining alive also is why I have cruised them after NCL freestyle also.

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by coaster

[coaster]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Sorry. NCL has never downgraded MDR food. NCL continually upgrades its MDR menu to meet the tastes of the contemporary dinner. The next generation cruises that will sustain the business into the future. 
 

 

NCL taking free lobster night out of the MDR is a not a downgrade? Seems like it to me...