LeBistro closed for entire Encore sailing due to private event

[RocketMan275]

9 minutes ago, commodoredave said:

I would be very satisfied if the Le Bistro menu was offered in another restaurant. I have no objection to the charter group taking over the Le Bistro location. My issue is that the food they serve is one of my favourites -- not the location. 

What if this is Mark West (as rumored) that's taking over the location.  There is a history of Mark West taking over a location for a complete cruise which allows them to set up their displays one time and to limit access.

[commodoredave]

10 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

What if this is Mark West (as rumored) that's taking over the location.  There is a history of Mark West taking over a location for a complete cruise which allows them to set up their displays one time and to limit access.

Isn't that what is happening? Le Bistro is being taken over for the whole cruise. I just want the French food menu...don't care which location I get it. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

Who is Mark West?  And how can a single guy take over an entire restaurant for an entire cruise?  He must be really hungry. 

Edited September 6 by ChiefMateJRK

[david_sobe]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

What if this is Mark West (as rumored) that's taking over the location.  There is a history of Mark West taking over a location for a complete cruise which allows them to set up their displays one time and to limit access.

Yes if you remember it was the observation lounge on some ship.  The passengers fought back and NCL only restricted for certain hours during the day.  Originally it was going to be closed the entire cruise.

I am concerned how the passengers will survive an entire week without imitation French food.

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, david_sobe said:

Yes if you remember it was the observation lounge on some ship.  The passengers fought back and NCL only restricted for certain hours during the day.  Originally it was going to be closed the entire cruise.

I am concerned how the passengers will survive an entire week without imitation French food.

We were on one of the first couple of cruises on the Pr!ma.  A group of  travel agents took over the OL for much of the cruise.  NCL posted signs indicating "closed for a private function."  I simply barged in, walked past the signs, and sat down in the OL to enjoy the view.  That lasted about ten minutes until I no longer could stand the incessant nattering of all the "VIPs."  I wasn't run out by a ship's officer or member of the exclusive group.  I just couldn't stand their annoying jibber jabber any longer.

[commodoredave]

On 9/6/2024 at 1:47 PM, RocketMan275 said:

 

The group (which might be a commercial group such as Mark West) is already paying NCL for the priviledge of having Le Bistro all the cruise.  This is fairly common.  For example, HAL allowed a group to have exclusive use of their enclosed observation lounge while the cruise has transiting Glacier Bay.  Another cruise line allowed a group to have exclusive access to the MDR for late seating.  There are other examples.  No compensation given. The cruise contracts do not guarantee access to any onboard activity to any passenger.

BTW, I'm not defending these cruise line practices, only pointing out that this is not a rare thing.

I know that cruise lines are entitled to screw most passengers in favour of charter groups, but perhaps this should be more prominently displayed when people are booking.

[commodoredave]

On 9/6/2024 at 5:55 PM, david_sobe said:

Yes if you remember it was the observation lounge on some ship.  The passengers fought back and NCL only restricted for certain hours during the day.  Originally it was going to be closed the entire cruise.

I am concerned how the passengers will survive an entire week without imitation French food.

As someone who grew up in Montreal and spent many summers in France, I have enjoyed the French food served in the Le Bistro. I agree, however, that it may not be up to the standard you have enjoyed at Golden Griddle or Applebees.

[complawyer]

commodore dave.. while people looking forward to having at least 1 meal in le bistro, may be thoroughly disappointed,  i highly doubt the closure of this venue can hardly be construed as "screwing" the passenger!

 

Would you really not book a cruise if you found out one of the restaurants was unavailable during your cruise?  yes, i might miss the lobster thermidor (but not the upcharge) or the escargots, but i think i could survive for the duration. guess i'll have to suffer through cagney's , moderno, or the haven restaurant. poor me!

[commodoredave]

2 minutes ago, complawyer said:

commodore dave.. while people looking forward to having at least 1 meal in le bistro, may be thoroughly disappointed,  i highly doubt the closure of this venue can hardly be construed as "screwing" the passenger!

 

Would you really not book a cruise if you found out one of the restaurants was unavailable during your cruise?  yes, i might miss the lobster thermidor (but not the upcharge) or the escargots, but i think i could survive for the duration. guess i'll have to suffer through cagney's , moderno, or the haven restaurant. poor me!

Screwing the passenger refers to cruise lines that close down any public venue for private use for the entire cruise without any consideration to others. This possibility should be made more prominent in the booking process.

As for closing Le Bistro, if the menu was made available elsewhere (including room service), I would have no complaints. However, NCL doesn’t give a damn.

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 minutes ago, commodoredave said:

Screwing the passenger refers to cruise lines that close down any public venue for private use for the entire cruise without any consideration to others. This possibility should be made more prominent in the booking process.

As for closing Le Bistro, if the menu was made available elsewhere (including room service), I would have no complaints. However, NCL doesn’t give a damn.

I'm guessing (as one of the "victims" 🤣 ) I could call NCL, demand that they "do something," ask to escalate, blah, blah, blah and if I expended enough energy they might throw me $100 OBC to get me to shut up and go away.  I'm probably not going to do this, because I just don't really care.  Us steerage passengers can be happy in most cruise situations.  Of course, they did run out of Guinness in the brewhouse one sailing.  Now THAT is a crisis.  I was probably part of the root cause, so......oh well.😎

 

The one time they did give me $100 OBC was on a sailing where without explanation they just decided to move me from my carefully selected inside cabin (the ones that only sleep two) to some other one that likely had two pullman beds hanging off the walls.  Ultimately, I called back another day and a very helpful agent moved us to yet another inside cabin that wound up being the nicest I've ever enjoyed.  I believe it was on the Sun.  It had a full couch and about twice the closet space (which I really don't use) as most. Like I said, I can be happy in most situations on the ship.

[RocketMan275]

9 minutes ago, commodoredave said:

Screwing the passenger refers to cruise lines that close down any public venue for private use for the entire cruise without any consideration to others. This possibility should be made more prominent in the booking process.

As for closing Le Bistro, if the menu was made available elsewhere (including room service), I would have no complaints. However, NCL doesn’t give a damn.

Do you  think there should be a warning on all cruises for each specialty dining stating that this restaurant may not be available for any specific night?  If that's good, then should there be a similar warning for any feature?  For example, should there be warnings that the go-carts may not be operating?  Or warnings about the non-availability for specific wines or beverages? Or, perhaps a warning that a specific dish may or maynot be available on all days or at all seatings?  

 

Where does this end?

[commodoredave]

22 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I'm guessing (as one of the "victims" 🤣 ) I could call NCL, demand that they "do something," ask to escalate, blah, blah, blah and if I expended enough energy they might throw me $100 OBC to get me to shut up and go away.  I'm probably not going to do this, because I just don't really care.  Us steerage passengers can be happy in most cruise situations.  Of course, they did run out of Guinness in the brewhouse one sailing.  Now THAT is a crisis.  I was probably part of the root cause, so......oh well.😎

 

The one time they did give me $100 OBC was on a sailing where without explanation they just decided to move me from my carefully selected inside cabin (the ones that only sleep two) to some other one that likely had two pullman beds hanging off the walls.  Ultimately, I called back another day and a very helpful agent moved us to yet another inside cabin that wound up being the nicest I've ever enjoyed.  I believe it was on the Sun.  It had a full couch and about twice the closet space (which I really don't use) as most. Like I said, I can be happy in most situations on the ship.

Sounds like you should have demanded a free world cruise as compensation.😀

[commodoredave]

22 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Do you  think there should be a warning on all cruises for each specialty dining stating that this restaurant may not be available for any specific night?  If that's good, then should there be a similar warning for any feature?  For example, should there be warnings that the go-carts may not be operating?  Or warnings about the non-availability for specific wines or beverages? Or, perhaps a warning that a specific dish may or maynot be available on all days or at all seatings?  

 

Where does this end?

If passengers are paying for a cruise expecting they will get what they paid for, then yes they should know that may not be the case before making final payment.

[RocketMan275]

1 minute ago, commodoredave said:

If passengers are paying for a cruise expecting they will get what they paid for, then yes they should know that may not be the case before making final payment.

Where in the Terms and Conditions, the Cruise Contract, does the cruise line promise the guest access to any and all facilities?

[complawyer]

commodore dave. so it still begs the question.. given advance notice (more than 120 days) allowing you to cancel your booking, would you  cancel knowing that you couldnt eat in a specific restaurant. if your answer is yes, ( and i acknowledge that everyone's idea what  they want from a cruise, or any vacation differs) you sail for completely different reasons than my wife and I.

 

personally, it wouldnt change my booking, even  if all the specialty restaurants were somehow unavailable. ive posted many times before, i cruise based on itinerary and the prices offered.

if need be, i can be satisfied eating at the buffet, or mdr's. Not my 1st choice, but they will all suffice in a pinch.

 

If your answer is "no" i dont believe you have a legitimate complaint.

 

regardless, the failure of le bistro to be available (again, imho) isnt a major, or even a minor problem., merely a simple annoyance! so if you really feel, after all else about the cruise is taken into consideration (price, itinerary, cabin, other eating venues, services that are available) that you are being "screwed" you have my sympathy

[complawyer]

im sorry, final thought.... for me not being able to eat in le bistro is actually a blessing in disguise

 

i dont have to wear a collared shirt or long pants. LOL

 

im sure this will also bring great joy and happiness to chiefmate jrk

 

again, LOL!

[ChiefMateJRK]

24 minutes ago, complawyer said:

regardless, the failure of le bistro to be available (again, imho) isnt a major, or even a minor problem., merely a simple annoyance!

In my situation, like they say in the IT realm, "It's a feature, not a glitch."

[commodoredave]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

Where in the Terms and Conditions, the Cruise Contract, does the cruise line promise the guest access to any and all facilities?

It’s implied given the many references, photos and descriptions. Which is why a disclaimer stating that some may not be available should be placed upfront in the purchase process. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

8 minutes ago, commodoredave said:

It’s implied given the many references, photos and descriptions. Which is why a disclaimer stating that some may not be available should be placed upfront in the purchase process. 

You may be right, but the reason that fine print is fine print is because they don't want that stuff on the front end of their marketing.  Like it or not, most of us who have sailed for a while have learned that things will not always be perfect.  I will refer to the often skipped GSC as exhibit A. There are many others.  I'll be on a B2B on my next GSC itinerary, so I'll have twice the chances for a "hit."😎

[commodoredave]

57 minutes ago, complawyer said:

commodore dave. so it still begs the question.. given advance notice (more than 120 days) allowing you to cancel your booking, would you  cancel knowing that you couldnt eat in a specific restaurant. if your answer is yes, ( and i acknowledge that everyone's idea what  they want from a cruise, or any vacation differs) you sail for completely different reasons than my wife and I.

 

personally, it wouldnt change my booking, even  if all the specialty restaurants were somehow unavailable. ive posted many times before, i cruise based on itinerary and the prices offered.

if need be, i can be satisfied eating at the buffet, or mdr's. Not my 1st choice, but they will all suffice in a pinch.

 

If your answer is "no" i dont believe you have a legitimate complaint.

 

regardless, the failure of le bistro to be available (again, imho) isnt a major, or even a minor problem., merely a simple annoyance! so if you really feel, after all else about the cruise is taken into consideration (price, itinerary, cabin, other eating venues, services that are available) that you are being "screwed" you have my sympathy

I have paid for something that is no longer available. Instead, a charter group will be enjoying it. Maybe next week another charter will take over the observation lounge. And maybe next month another group will take over something else. Where do you draw the line? 

[Distinctive-Destinations]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

Where in the Terms and Conditions, the Cruise Contract, does the cruise line promise the guest access to any and all facilities?

Where does it say that you don’t?

 

I personally enjoy the different ambiance of going to different restaurants. While eating a steak at Cagney’s and then later eating French food at Cagney’s counts as two different meals, it isn’t two different restaurants.

[DebbieCruises]

But but but... where will you get to drink Veuve Clicquot without buying a whole bottle?

[gizfish]

3 hours ago, commodoredave said:

I have paid for something that is no longer available. Instead, a charter group will be enjoying it. Maybe next week another charter will take over the observation lounge. And maybe next month another group will take over something else. Where do you draw the line? 

Let Bistro and other specialty restaurants are technically not something you have paid for.  Their availability is not part of the inclusive cruise price.  A charter group booking the main theater, the main pool, the buffet, etc., for the cruise would be something that you paid for in your cruise price.  Even stretching this to say specialty restaurants are something you are entitled to with FAS doesn't make a good argument since it isn't like all the restaurants are unavailable, just the one you happen to want. Yep it sucks to look forward to something and then find it's not available for your cruise.  And it sucks when weather makes a port stop not possible, or a show is cancelled due to high seas, or the buffet runs out of something.  But stuff happens.  So where do you draw the line with making an inconvenience into a much bigger issue?

[complawyer]

commodore dave, sorry old buddy, you still havent addressed the issue, knowing that any given restaurant

 was unavailable during the time you chose to cruise, and given sufficient time to cancel with no penalty, would you cancel the entire cruise.

 

by the way, technically, you paid for a cabin on a cruise ship. unless you specifically booked a reservation ahead of time, there was no guarantee that you'd be eating at le bistro.

i imagine, some people can go the entire length of their cruise, and not spend extra money on a specialty restaurant. 

and really, sir, how many nights did you  intend to eat at le bistro? come on, it's just a minor inconvenience.

 

look at it from the other perspective, since it's reserved for a charter group, are the people in the group forced to eat there every night? seems like your argument isnt getting much support from other cc posters.

 

tell you what. if we're on a cruise together, and le bistro is unavailable, dinner  at cagneys is on me!

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, complawyer said:

since it's reserved for a charter group, are the people in the group forced to eat there every night?

I'm guessing that no food will be served there and it's just the footprint that will be used.  The chefs/waiters/etc. will likely be added to other restaurants and serving capacity will be the same.