Asian Restaurants Going to Specialty With Cover Charge & Gratuities

[Turtles06]

Obviously there’s no way to know yet whether whatever NCL is doing here will include the Asian restaurants on the Jewel-class ships, but in my experience they are mediocre at best.  Okay for an appetizer, but the entrees are subpar.  Not restaurants I would pay for. 

[fstuff1]

Will be on one of the smaller ncl ships early next year.
How much will the cover charge of the Asian restaurant be?

[UKstages]

preliminarily, according to NCL, that meal would cost you $50 per person. 

 

i personally can't imagine that charge sticking for those modest little asian restaurants such as noodles or shanghai, but according to NCL, that's what it is:

 

• steak, teppanyaki, french, and seafood have a $60 cover charge

• brazil, asian, food republic, and sushi have a $50 cover charge

• italian, BBQ, pincho, and mexican have a $40 cover charge

 

 

[Alegeeter]

It's interesting to see NCL reverting back to charging for the Asian restaurants. When these eateries previously had cover charges they mostly sat empty, and I thought that was one of the driving forces to then make them complimentary. I suspect, the pattern will repeat and when people have 2-3 specialty meals to book they will choose others that provide more value and the Asian restaurants will be overlooked and sit empty once again.  

Edited Friday at 10:02 PM by Alegeeter

[dbrown84]

On 9/28/2024 at 11:45 AM, Sand and Seas said:

I've read a post on another forum from a NCL employee.  He posts a lot of information & pictures from different ships.  He says that they will be revamping/upgrading the Asian menus with this change.   

 

As Shanghai's has limited seating, I would hope they would somehow find a way to improve and add additional seating.

Without taking away the blackjack tables 😄

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

according to NCL, that meal would cost you $50 per person.     You have to be joking.   They will revert to being "empty".   At $20 they would be overpriced.   They are all right for dinner if you only want a lunch!!

[UKstages]

as it stands now, all those little dishes are like tapas... not really full portions...  or they are appetizer-sized. 

 

if it's truly $50 (i don't think it ultimately will be), and presuming you can order whatever you like (i don't see how they could place limits on that stuff and there is no equivalent to "three apps and three desserts and an entree"), they may not be empty. there could be a core contingent who go to eat as much as they can, the same as many do at a buffet.

 

but it does seem like they are creating a sequel to american diner.

 

i mean, my gawd, how can they charge less for Q, los lobos, la cucina and onda than they do for shanghai?

 

i like the idea of them expanding the restaurant and the menu and making it a proper chinese/asian fusion venue. but it would seem to be logistically impossible. the kitchen is too small and lacks the proper equipment for a menu expansion. the restaurant's footprint is too small and there is no way to expand, at least not on any of the ships i've been on. 

[fstuff1]

4 hours ago, UKstages said:

preliminarily, according to NCL, that meal would cost you $50 per person. 

 

i personally can't imagine that charge sticking for those modest little asian restaurants such as noodles or shanghai, but according to NCL, that's what it is:

 

• steak, teppanyaki, french, and seafood have a $60 cover charge

• brazil, asian, food republic, and sushi have a $50 cover charge

• italian, BBQ, pincho, and mexican have a $40 cover charge

 

Asian will cost more than Onda?! :o
What's next? charging for the Food court for dinner on Prima class?

[fstuff1]

3 hours ago, Alegeeter said:

It's interesting to see NCL reverting back to charging for the Asian restaurants. When these eateries previously had cover charges they mostly sat empty, and I thought that was one of the driving forces to then make them complimentary. I suspect, the pattern will repeat and when people have 2-3 specialty meals to book they will choose others that provide more value and the Asian restaurants will be overlooked and sit empty once again.  

I've been sailing ncl for 10yrs. I never knew the Asian restaurants had a cover charge.

Well, if it's like american diner, it'll be years before it reverts back to free. 😞
(The staff of American diner I spoke to when it had a charge really didn't like working there with no customers day in and day out)

Edited yesterday at 01:51 AM by fstuff1

[yakcruiser]

3 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

What's next? charging for the Food court for dinner on Prima class?

I guarantee you there are bean counters in the revenue department pushing this very idea.