Migglewump Fizzlebottom Posted January 25, 2008 #1 Share Posted January 25, 2008 My wife and I don't drink, so our beverages at meals are usually Iced Tea for her and Lemonade (Ice tea if not available) for me. The Pearl has lemonade on board. I know, I've had it. Its quite good and was available everywhere except one place. My wife and I went to dinner at Indigo. We made our usual drink order and proceeded to wait, and wait, and wait. Then her iced tea comes out. I'm told it will be just a few more minutes. I waited and waited, had our appitizers, and waited. Now I'm not getting mad yet, I'm just curious as to when am I going to get something to drink. Finaly the waitress arrives with a nervous look and a tray that has what looks like a squat glass full of dishwater. It looked nothing like the lemonade I had been drinking. I took a whiff. It smelled like lemons. After taking a drink I realized what had been done. For some reason, instead of the lemonade I had been drinking anyother time, they decided to squeeze a lemon into tap water and put a little ice in it. It tasted awful. I was bewildered at this. If they couldn't get the real lemonade, why wouldn't they just tell me? I would have rather had anything else but that nasty glass of lemon water and the wait that went along with it. My wife said she was proud of me that I didn't fire that glass back at the waitress and demand to speak to someone in charge. I was just too stunned. I ordered a cup of coffee, fully expecting to see whole beans cut with a knife and water poured on them, and finished our meal (which was very good). Part of me thinks they tried to hard. I would have been fine with something else if they would have just told me they didn't have lemonade there. While a appriciate the effort in their homemade lemonade, another part thinks they didn't try hard enough. I'm sure if I had been a suite passenger, or made a bigger fuss, they would have brought the proper drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooder Posted January 25, 2008 #2 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Apparently the rule "never say no to the passenger" superceded common sense. :) Somebody wasn't thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr_mia Posted January 25, 2008 #3 Share Posted January 25, 2008 and i supposed that your vacation was ruined because of that? just say leave it over there.. or say didn't like it... no reason for posting the "coffee story". do you think that being a suite passenger will make a difference? do you think making a huge fuss is the way to resolve everything on life? is just me but to resolve all of your lemonade issue was just saying to the waiter " listen, i had this lemonade at xxxx restaurant and it was great . is there a way that you can bring me some? " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anorak33 Posted January 25, 2008 #4 Share Posted January 25, 2008 How would they know if you were a suite passenger or not? When I order the calamari or some other dish which comes with lemon I always pop the slice in my icewater, very refreshing. The word lemonade has different meanings in different countries as well, if you order one in UK you will get Sprite or similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janiceah Posted January 25, 2008 #5 Share Posted January 25, 2008 My wife and I don't drink, so our beverages at meals are usually Iced Tea for her and Lemonade (Ice tea if not available) for me. The Pearl has lemonade on board. I know, I've had it. Its quite good and was available everywhere except one place. My wife and I went to dinner at Indigo. We made our usual drink order and proceeded to wait, and wait, and wait. Then her iced tea comes out. I'm told it will be just a few more minutes. I waited and waited, had our appitizers, and waited. Now I'm not getting mad yet, I'm just curious as to when am I going to get something to drink. Finaly the waitress arrives with a nervous look and a tray that has what looks like a squat glass full of dishwater. It looked nothing like the lemonade I had been drinking. I took a whiff. It smelled like lemons. After taking a drink I realized what had been done. For some reason, instead of the lemonade I had been drinking anyother time, they decided to squeeze a lemon into tap water and put a little ice in it. It tasted awful. I was bewildered at this. If they couldn't get the real lemonade, why wouldn't they just tell me? I would have rather had anything else but that nasty glass of lemon water and the wait that went along with it. My wife said she was proud of me that I didn't fire that glass back at the waitress and demand to speak to someone in charge. I was just too stunned. I ordered a cup of coffee, fully expecting to see whole beans cut with a knife and water poured on them, and finished our meal (which was very good). Part of me thinks they tried to hard. I would have been fine with something else if they would have just told me they didn't have lemonade there. While a appriciate the effort in their homemade lemonade, another part thinks they didn't try hard enough. I'm sure if I had been a suite passenger, or made a bigger fuss, they would have brought the proper drink. Hi, well I'm not going to comment on whether this is a big deal or not but you did just post about not being excited about your upcoming cruise. Maybe try thinking about and posting about the great things that happened on your last cruise. It sounds like you enjoyed it so thinking about the wonderful things might make you get in the vacation mindset. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janiceah Posted January 25, 2008 #6 Share Posted January 25, 2008 jr_mia...relax, I never said it ruined my vacation. How about a little less drama. Are you on the NCL payroll? Furthermore, I'll post whatever story I feel like as long as it is truthful and I don't violate the boards TOS or policies. Anorak33...they know all they need to know when they scan your key card when you check in for dinner. As far as different definintions of "lemonade" varying country to country..the ship had it right 99% of the time. janiceah...I'm getting there. I was working in -6 F. last night. Thoughts of Cozumel and tea in the evening at "The Great Outdoors" helped keep me warm. bermuder...Thanks for "getting it". I hear you about the cold temps. The other morning it was -12 when I went to work. Boy, nothing will get you dreaming about the caribbean like temps like that. Just picture yourself laying on a lounger in that sun!! It's not much longer and you'll be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greywillow Posted January 25, 2008 #7 Share Posted January 25, 2008 is just me but to resolve all of your lemonade issue was just saying to the waiter " listen, i had this lemonade at xxxx restaurant and it was great . is there a way that you can bring me some? " Couldn't agree more. Some would rather complain on the internet than get results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Migglewump Fizzlebottom Posted January 25, 2008 Author #8 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Couldn't agree more. Some would rather complain on the internet than get results. I could agree more. I posted what happened, how is that a complaint? If I thought calling NCL and letting them know what happened would get me a glass of real lemonade right now, I would. But it happend a while ago, so I don't think they are going to be that concerend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greywillow Posted January 25, 2008 #9 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I could agree more. I posted what happened, how is that a complaint? If I thought calling NCL and letting them know what happened would get me a glass of real lemonade right now, I would. But it happend a while ago, so I don't think they are going to be that concerend. Neither am I. Why would anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stussy Posted January 26, 2008 #10 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Hi Migglewump Fizzlebottom, Is the lemonade complimentary, like iced tea or do they consider it soda? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Migglewump Fizzlebottom Posted January 26, 2008 Author #11 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Its complimentary. They had it most of the places we ate, inlcuding Cagney's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyFred Posted January 26, 2008 #12 Share Posted January 26, 2008 I hope you can get past this traumatic experience without having to spend a fortune on therapy. On second thought, it would be worth whatever it costs. Go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkhair1 Posted January 26, 2008 #13 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Why are we attacking the OP? I am just curious. Is it because everything was not perfect and he mentioned it or something else? I am curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Migglewump Fizzlebottom Posted January 26, 2008 Author #14 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Because this board is full of bullies that go into overdrive if you stand up to them. Then the pile on starts. Its not a new concept on the interwebs, and it is prevelant here. I wasn't looking for arguments, but check the tone of the second response...very confrontational. I gave it back and the bullies got fussy. Nothing new. If you read this board, it is littered with posts about insignifigent inconvienences experienced by other cruisers. Mine is no different. It just riled up the bullies. This board is a wonderful site to get information about cruises, especially first timers. But some people.....well you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshireyank Posted January 26, 2008 #15 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Only comment I have to say is your name just screams Harry Potter to me. Enjoy your next cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Migglewump Fizzlebottom Posted January 26, 2008 Author #16 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Only comment I have to say is your name just screams Harry Potter to me. Enjoy your next cruise. It was inspired by it. Opie and Anthony were ranting on the rediculous names in the Harry Potter series and I remembered that bit when I signed on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KerCar Posted January 26, 2008 #17 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Because this board is full of bullies This coming from the guy who likes to trip little kids :rolleyes: Enjoy your cruise next week. Be sure to post a full review when you return. Lemonade and all:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coka Posted January 26, 2008 #18 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Maybe because many passengers ask for icewater and lemon, they just thought you were asking for that? coka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyFred Posted January 26, 2008 #19 Share Posted January 26, 2008 We arent really bullies. Come on now...spending time on a wonderful cruise and you bring back the memory of one glass of lemonade that wasnt up to par? And it was enough to make you want to call NCL and complain? Good grief. Some people may be bullies but others are just plain spoiled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyFred Posted January 26, 2008 #20 Share Posted January 26, 2008 And the bottom line is all you had to do was say "I think I will have something else to drink". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefintuna Posted January 26, 2008 #21 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Not that complicated on the Dawn. They do NOT have lemonade, so I brought my own cans in my carryon, thus no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpk218 Posted January 26, 2008 #22 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Why are we attacking the OP? I am just curious. Is it because everything was not perfect and he mentioned it or something else? I am curious. Wow. I too wonder. Isnt there a better way to burn your online steam. out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskier Posted January 26, 2008 #23 Share Posted January 26, 2008 I agree with the OP, so many people these days are drinking lemon water. At one table I was at on the Fantasy, four of the eight people drank their water this way. So it could have been a misunderstanding. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashdog_1 Posted January 26, 2008 #24 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Cruise Critic is such a great place to learn, but sometimes it does feel like there is a 4th grader who's already had an experience lording it over the 2nd grader who is just beginning to learn a skill. It reeks of impatience when the boards are such a good place for being patient, really reading the question, and giving it a fair answer, not a sarcastic one. It doesn't help anyone to be snide. When I've encountered this on some other boards I've just stayed away for months so I wouldn't get upset at the tone! It's contageous, you know. Likewise, polite responses are also contageous. A poster may not have read every single post on every single subject! What did I learn from the OP's experience? That I have to ask "Do you have...." before I order something I do not see on the menu. Of course, I too would have assumed that all dining rooms had lemonade since I'd had it in others. But from reading these boards I had previously learned that the 24 hour beverages available on NCL are limited to tea, coffee and water, right? Juice only at breakfast. I like to have a glass of lemonade or punch. They have dispensers of both on Celebrity and I have become accustomed to them. But when I read that NCL does not have them, I just know I have to drink water or use my diet Sprite I brought on board when I am thirsty (can't drink caffeine). The point was that the OP was put in an awkward situation because of what to him appeared to be poor service when he had to wait thru at least one course of dinner, caused by either a cultural gap (as another poster mentioned, lemonade may mean sprite to some) or unavailability of supply, or lack of knowledge of where lemonade could be obtained on the ship. A sharp waiter would have said immediately after the order, "we do not have lemonade in this dining room" which could have resulted in a conversation about the OP's having had it in LeBistro and 1) could he possibly get some for him, or 2) oh, they just have it in specialty restaurants, so I'll take iced tea, thank you very much. But it does raise the question about the service. The waiter didn't comment that they did not have it. Time had passed, so it would have been embarrassing for him to come back 10 minutes later to say "we do not have lemonade" because the passenger was already getting ticked off even if he wasn't showing it. I have one question, did they not automatically give you a glass of water in addition to what you ordered? Again, I'm used to Celebrity and fixed seating, and do not know about NCL and Freestyle. Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskier Posted January 26, 2008 #25 Share Posted January 26, 2008 I have one question, did they not automatically give you a glass of water in addition to what you ordered? Again, I'm used to Celebrity and fixed seating, and do not know about NCL and Freestyle. Help! They do come around and fill your water glass. I usually drink ice tea so it gets filled up with that instead. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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