NCL Spirt out of New Orleans BEWARE

[mschuchu]

Well I'm back said I would'nt post here again but just could'nt resist. You can call me a troll and get you're little popcorn out if you like, but if there's any native New Orleanians out there you most certainly will not like the food on the NCL spirt. The crew is'nt that friendly either unless you're paying for the specialty reaturants, seems to me Norwegians serving very low grade bland food in there main dinning rooms in hopes that the passengers will pay for specialty dinning . I spoke with my travel agent today and 2 of their other clients had alot of the same complaints I had. If I were you I would definitely consider going on a different cruise. Wish I had known in advance!!

[slotaddict]

Well I'm back said I would'nt post here again but just could'nt resist. You can call me a troll and get you're little popcorn out if you like, but if there's any native New Orleanians out there you most certainly will not like the food on the NCL spirt. The crew is'nt that friendly either unless you're paying for the specialty reaturants, seems to me Norwegians serving very low grade bland food in there main dinning rooms in hopes that the passengers will pay for specialty dinning . I spoke with my travel agent today and 2 of their other clients had alot of the same complaints I had. If I were you I would definitely consider going on a different cruise. Wish I had known in advance!!

 

 

Still going, can;t wait.:D

[Joey8100]

Interesting! U posted a similiar message 11/25 the same day u signed up for CC.

What's yr agenda.

[DaytonGirl]

I'm glad you posted again. :)

 

We need balanced opinions on these boards in order to make informed decisions. I happen to agree with you on the food - it wasn't up to par. I'm going on NCL again because of the great people I will be cruising with and the great itinerary. I know the food is going to be pedestrian but I'm going into it with my eyes wide open. I will have a great time anyway.

 

For anyone who considers food important (me, usually) - choose another line. It's not NCL's strong point. I wish everyone had the cruises that they had taken in their signature so when they say NCL's food is great we can see what they are comparing it to.

 

Unfortunately, the NCL board has quite a few people who will jump all over and trash anyone who dares to say anything negative. Anyone who reads the boards here can probably name them all.

 

NCL has its good points - food and dining room service aren't among them.

[DaytonGirl]

Interesting! U posted a similiar message 11/25 the same day u signed up for CC.

What's yr agenda.

 

Perhaps to let people with more upscale tastes know that there may be lines that they would enjoy more.

 

That's the purpose of these boards; to share information so that we may all make informed decisions.

 

We all have different agendas about what's important to us. Reading other's opinions helps. No one should be flamed because their opinions don't agree with yours.

[mschuchu]

Thank You Becky. Its exactly why I came to this site before my cruise and did get abit of great info. , but not enough to save me. I hope my posts helps.

[salty dingo]

I happen to like bland food. I always bring my own ketchup to dinner :D !

[JPAU]

Don't know what this person paid for the cruise, but it seems that many expect to pay less than $100 per night for a cruise, eat eat in five-star restaurants every night and be pampered like royalty. We are still looking forward to the SPIRIT in March.

 

SKY March 03

PRIDE of ALOHA March 05

SUN March 07

SPIRIT March 09

[mschuchu]

I paid thousands for my family and pampered is what any normal person would expect, one with any since anyway.

[jp2001]

I'm going to New Orleans in February a day early to have the chance to walk the French Quarter and to taste some of your restaurants. In Quebec, Canada, we are renowned to eat well too (if compared to other Canadian Provinces and lots of USA states) but I found the food on the Spirit quite good on my last cruise (sept. 06), I would say the meals I had ranged from good to excellent (most being toward good to very good). Maybe I was lucky and chose the right thing on the menu for each specific night, I don't know but I don't think anyone who would have eaten the exact plate of food as I had could have said the food was ''not good''. I don't think I have low expectations either. I do eat in many various types of restaurants and the food I had on the Spirit was better than average. As for the food being bland, if I am correct from what I read on the internet, I think people from New Orleans tend to eat quite spicy stuff and a cruiseline can't make their food too spicy since it wouldn't fit everybody's taste, could that be a reason why you didn't like the food?

[salty dingo]

it seems that many expect to pay less than $100 per night for a cruise, eat eat in five-star restaurants every night and be pampered like royalty.

 

Isn't that the truth! For $100 bucks a day on a ship, I don't expect much more than edible food and a bed. Everything else is gravy.

 

There do seem to be a lot of people expecting a gourmet dining experience. I wonder how often those people eat fast food? If they don't eat it more than once a month, they probably are eating better at home than they will on the ship, and are getting set up for disappointment.

[mschuchu]

No I don't think its so much about being spicey, the salad dressings were like watered down very very runny every time. deserts were all the same made with jello and whip cream, there were no rich yummy derserts only in the specialty dinning areas. I'm not looking for diet food on a cruise! They could add a little sugar to thier desserts.

[slotaddict]

You know I was on the Pearl on the 19th of October. I wasn;t crazy about the food, some good, some not so good, in my opinion. I did not come back on these boards and tell people not cruise the Pearl because "I" didn;t care for the food.

 

In fact I would be back on that ship in a heartbeat, one of my best cruises yet. Since NCL's menu's are alike, I am looking forward to my Spirit cruise in May out of NY.

 

Giving your opinion is one thing. If I believed half of what I have read on these threads, I would have never sailed the Dawn the first time - a great cruise- In fact I have been on her 3 times.

[jkloni]

No I don't think its so much about being spicey, the salad dressings were like watered down very very runny every time. deserts were all the same made with jello and whip cream, there were no rich yummy derserts only in the specialty dinning areas. I'm not looking for diet food on a cruise! They could add a little sugar to thier desserts.

 

I'm from southeastern Louisiana and was on the repo cruise from NY to N.O. Did you try any of the souffles for dessert? They were wonderful!! Hot, puffy, sweet and scrumpcious!! (sp?)

 

Yes, some desserts were better then others, but my DH thought they were very good and would order a couple each night. One night he ordered all 5!

 

Kathy

[mschuchu]

Are you from New Orleans?

[mschuchu]

Here in New Orleans its all about the food, hospitality, and the PARTY and NCL missied the boat on all three. GO Carnival!!! I learned my lesson.

[electricron]

I'm sorry you were disappointed with the bland food.:(

 

Being from Louisiana, did you pack some hot Cajuan sauce in your bags? Not everyone cruising on the Spirit will want hot spicy foods, those that do should pack some sauce. ;)

 

Besides the bland food you didn't like, what did you think of the Spirit's decor, bars, and lounges? Did you go on any shore excursions? Did you go to any of the shows? Was your cabin taken care of every day? :confused:

 

There's more to a cruise than food. Besides, I don't think any of the restaurants aboard could be compared with a Razoos, or a Joe's Crab Shack. :cool:

[jkloni]

Ok, here's my take on the NCL Spirit's food -

 

Here in Louisiana the majority of us are into seafood. And NCL doesn't have that much seafood on its main dining room menus. No shrimp cocktail, no broiled jumbo prawns (shrimp). There was lobster one night though and also a 'seafood cocktail' that had one shrimp, some bay scallops & calamari another night. There is always 1 fish entree each night, but no real shellfish seafood.

 

But we thought the food that was served was good on our 15 night repo cruise. We enjoyed what we ordered; we just had to get over the fact that we didn't have great shellfish entrees and appetizers.

 

When you have cruised Carnival (and alot of us have because of the years they have been in New Orleans) you get used to those great seafood appetizers and entrees - and are expecting them.

 

We are cruising again Feb08 and my DD was upset when she found out there was no real seafood to speak of unless you paid to eat in a specialty restaurant. And NCL is not cheaper than other lines. We are actually paying about $100 more per person then we would have on a Carnival ship out of Galveston (initially booked on the Triumph, but Carnival pulled the ship from N.O. and we booked the Spirit only because it was leaving from N.O. and my parents did not want to travel.)

 

We will still have a good time. And yes, we have cruised for less then $100 per day and ate 5 star restaurant food on our cruises. But unfortunately I think those days are past. It is a sad realization.

 

The ship and crew were wonderful. We are looking forward to meeting lots of the crew members again.

 

Kathy

[jkloni]

Are you from New Orleans?

 

About 25 miles west.

 

Kathy

[mschuchu]

The excursions were great! The shows good. The room servise not good had to clean my own coffee pot out, that should have been done had to go down get my own towels almost every day. Pull out bed they were putting my son in was full of black mold it was really bad. Garbage cans not emptied. It just was'nt good for me maybe it was just a isolated case.

[mschuchu]

Kathy you're right I just have to let it go. I did have great family time and I guess that should be the most important.

[jkloni]

Here in New Orleans its all about the food, hospitality, and the PARTY and NCL missied the boat on all three. GO Carnival!!! I learned my lesson.

 

Our cruise on the Spirit was overflowing with hospitality. On our 15 nighter there were many older people, but the crew had plenty of activities and party activities on the agenda. We made all of them! The staff would be looking for us. My DH was in the Miss Norwegian Spirit contest - and WON, he was in the dance contest by the pool, the sexy legs contest, the Village people (he was the Indian), we went to the Pirate party, karaoke every night, disco every evening.... and on and on. The band by the pool knew our names because we were dancing and singing along with them when by the pool. They'd even come by and talk to us and our friends after their set was over.

 

A cruise is what you make it. Sometimes you have to make your own fun. And we did!

 

Kathy

[electricron]

Ok, here's my take on the NCL Spirit's food -

 

Here in Louisiana the majority of us are into seafood. And NCL doesn't have that much seafood on its main dining room menus. No shrimp cocktail, no broiled jumbo prawns (shrimp). There was lobster one night though and also a 'seafood cocktail' that had one shrimp, some bay scallops & calamari another night. There is always 1 fish entree each night, but no real shellfish seafood.

 

But we thought the food that was served was good on our 15 night repo cruise. We enjoyed what we ordered; we just had to get over the fact that we didn't have great shellfish entrees and appetizers.

 

When you have cruised Carnival (and alot of us have because of the years they have been in New Orleans) you get used to those great seafood appetizers and entrees - and are expecting them.

 

We are cruising again Feb08 and my DD was upset when she found out there was no real seafood to speak of unless you paid to eat in a specialty restaurant. And NCL is not cheaper than other lines. We are actually paying about $100 more per person then we would have on a Carnival ship out of Galveston (initially booked on the Triumph, but Carnival pulled the ship from N.O. and we booked the Spirit only because it was leaving from N.O. and my parents did not want to travel.)

 

We will still have a good time. And yes, we have cruised for less then $100 per day and ate 5 star restaurant food on our cruises. But unfortunately I think those days are past. It is a sad realization.

 

The ship and crew were wonderful. We are looking forward to meeting lots of the crew members again.

 

Kathy

 

NCL sailed the Sun and Dream from New Orleans the past few years, and they also served NCL's standard menus, without all that Louisiana shellfish. Likewise, the Sea, Dream, and Sun sailed from Houston and served NCL's standard menus, but only the Sun had any Tex-Mex aboard. When the Pearl, Star, and Sun sail to Alaska, they serve NCL's standard menus without any King Crabs and Salmon.

 

Let's face it, NCL doesn't change the restaurant menus on their ships to match their itineraries. If you want local dishes, you'll have to get them ashore.

[deepnite10]

cruise food has alway s been good to me..why people would complain i don t know..there are enough dining venue s to satisfy just about everyone s taste bud s:D

 

true..i ve only sail d RCCL , carnival and NCL in the past and have found the food all good..mostly equal, sometime s better than the other s..

 

if i really felt that NCL was that bad i would nt be sailing her again..there are just too many iteniaries and ship s to choose from :p

[bamaboi1999]

Im overweight so I can stand to lose a few pounds.