Syrup change on NCL?

I fully realize this is totally a "first world problem" but am slightly curious.

I just saw in a review of the Jewel that the syrup tasted disgusting. Interesting this was brought up as we had a syrup "problem" a couple weeks ago on the Breakaway. The syrup was absolutely disgusting - we actually thought it was spoiled/rancid and I reported it. Then we tried the syrup again the next day and it was the same. So I asked the Maitre d' about it and he said that they changed their supplier and this was a "different" kind of syrup - not maple flavored. He said they had been getting many complaints. He said they had this different syrup for awhile and was hoping it would change soon.

He did suggest using the "No Sugar Added" syrup and it did the trick - at least it was edible.

Has anyone else experienced this recently on other NCL ships?

I fully realize this is totally a "first world problem" but am slightly curious.

 

I just saw in a review of the Jewel that the syrup tasted disgusting. Interesting this was brought up as we had a syrup "problem" a couple weeks ago on the Breakaway. The syrup was absolutely disgusting - we actually thought it was spoiled/rancid and I reported it. Then we tried the syrup again the next day and it was the same. So I asked the Maitre d' about it and he said that they changed their supplier and this was a "different" kind of syrup - not maple flavored. He said they had been getting many complaints. He said they had this different syrup for awhile and was hoping it would change soon.

 

He did suggest using the "No Sugar Added" syrup and it did the trick - at least it was edible.

 

Has anyone else experienced this recently on other NCL ships?

The new syrup probably saved NCL a nickel or a dime so they went ahead without considering quality or taste. Sounds about right.

I fully realize this is totally a "first world problem" but am slightly curious.

 

I just saw in a review of the Jewel that the syrup tasted disgusting. Interesting this was brought up as we had a syrup "problem" a couple weeks ago on the Breakaway. The syrup was absolutely disgusting - we actually thought it was spoiled/rancid and I reported it. Then we tried the syrup again the next day and it was the same. So I asked the Maitre d' about it and he said that they changed their supplier and this was a "different" kind of syrup - not maple flavored. He said they had been getting many complaints. He said they had this different syrup for awhile and was hoping it would change soon.

 

He did suggest using the "No Sugar Added" syrup and it did the trick - at least it was edible.

 

Has anyone else experienced this recently on other NCL ships?

I have been on the Gem and the Jewel in the last month. The syrup on the Gem was good but on the Jewel it was definitely different. It was almost a caramel tasting. I later asked specifically for maple syrup and it tasted much better.

The new syrup probably saved NCL a nickel or a dime so they went ahead without considering quality or taste. Sounds about right.

I knew i forgot something........ off to hit the ignore button

I fully realize this is totally a "first world problem" but am slightly curious.

hehehe. Those sun chip bags are really loud and annoying! :p

Use pure maple syrup or just have a beer instead.

I'm usually the last one to complain about the food on cruiseships...HOWEVER....I am fresh off the Dawn and the Carnival Pride (almost back to back)....and I must say....

The buffet on the Dawn was super disappointing....one morning (and only one morning) we had breakfast at the buffet and it was beyond bad....my friend actually spit out her first (and only) bite of her 'fresh made' waffle...(you could tell by looking it was severely undercooked)...the scrambled eggs were tasteless and the bacon was the saltiest bacon I'd ever had in my life....I even went back up and tried an 'eggs benedict'....I couldn't eat it due to the fact that I had forgotten my chainsaw to get through the English muffin....

I have been on more than a dozen cruises in the last few years....and this is the first time I've been on a ship that's buffet has completely turned me off.....

I just kept thinking to myself.....omg, the head-chef can't think this is good?? can he??

Use pure maple syrup or just have a beer instead.

Good idea Voodoo maple bacon beer:D

Good idea Voodoo maple bacon beer:D

Had it.

Not on a ship, of course.:rolleyes:

The new syrup probably saved NCL a nickel or a dime so they went ahead without considering quality or taste. Sounds about right.

Deleted comment!

Haven't tried the new and not-so-improved syrup but I have to smile at the thread. When I was young, my mother decided to save a little money and buy Karo Syrup which she then flavored with maple flavoring. Yuk! It was horrible!! It didn't take long for the bottle to be banished to the back of the cupboard where it stayed for years (because my mom never threw anything away) becoming more dusty and gross with the passage of time.

On the other hand, DH grew up in Upstate NY near the Vermont border and will only eat pure maple syrup on his pancakes. And after years of only having maple syrup in the pantry, I have to agree.... It's yummy.

I'd even be willing to cough up a few extra nickels and dimes to pay for the pleasure of having pure maple syrup on my raisin bread French toast in the MDR.

I am not a pancake and waffle for breakfast guy, so I will stick with fresh made omelets and over easy eggs with plenty of bacon and sausage. So the foul tasting syrup will not bother me. All joking aside, I have read in numerous recent NCL reviews many complaints about the new syrup and watery powdered eggs in the buffets. I will go to the omelet station and order scrambled easy eggs with fresh eggs they break in front of me and do the same for my omelets. This way I avoid the powdered eggs and the premixed concoction they call eggs for the omelets. I have done this on all my previous cruises as I think all cruise lines are now using powdered eggs and pre mixed something for omelets.

No bacon police on NCL I hope. :eek:

I've also read in several posts specifically about bad tasting syrup, and some general comments about NCL food being not very good at times. I hope NCL listens up and works on improving in these areas.

Sounds like DH will be bringing his bottle of pure maple syrup on our next cruises~! Better for you anyways, doesn't have all the chemicals!

Sounds like DH will be bringing his bottle of pure maple syrup on our next cruises~! Better for you anyways, doesn't have all the chemicals!

Oh my goodness, what a great idea! I'll have to add a small bottle of maple syrup to the list to put in my carry-on for next January. Maybe I'll throw in a small bag of pecans as well.

I'm usually the last one to complain about the food on cruiseships...HOWEVER....I am fresh off the Dawn and the Carnival Pride (almost back to back)....and I must say....

The buffet on the Dawn was super disappointing....one morning (and only one morning) we had breakfast at the buffet and it was beyond bad....my friend actually spit out her first (and only) bite of her 'fresh made' waffle...(you could tell by looking it was severely undercooked)...the scrambled eggs were tasteless and the bacon was the saltiest bacon I'd ever had in my life....I even went back up and tried an 'eggs benedict'....I couldn't eat it due to the fact that I had forgotten my chainsaw to get through the English muffin....

 

I have been on more than a dozen cruises in the last few years....and this is the first time I've been on a ship that's buffet has completely turned me off.....

 

I just kept thinking to myself.....omg, the head-chef can't think this is good?? can he??

The English muffins on NCL in my experience have always been awful. Tough, tasteless and definitely a cheap brand.

Usually I scrape the eggs Benedict off the English muffin.

Haven't tried the new and not-so-improved syrup but I have to smile at the thread. When I was young, my mother decided to save a little money and buy Karo Syrup which she then flavored with maple flavoring. Yuk! It was horrible!! It didn't take long for the bottle to be banished to the back of the cupboard where it stayed for years (because my mom never threw anything away) becoming more dusty and gross with the passage of time.

 

On the other hand, DH grew up in Upstate NY near the Vermont border and will only eat pure maple syrup on his pancakes. And after years of only having maple syrup in the pantry, I have to agree.... It's yummy.

 

I'd even be willing to cough up a few extra nickels and dimes to pay for the pleasure of having pure maple syrup on my raisin bread French toast in the MDR.

The pure maple syrup is great in coffee too in lieu of sugar, yummm

I never use the syrup on the ships, or in any restaurant. You can pretty much guarantee that its not real maple syrup. Real maple syrup is not cheap and no business outside of an exclusive restaurant will buy it.

Usually its poorly flavored corn syrup. Sometimes they use low grade maple as flavoring. Low grade maple is really dark and kind of bitter and is good for coloring cheap syrups.

I guess Im a maple syrup snob :p

This is why we always bring pure Vermont maple syrup with us when we travel. We usually bring a pint and have plenty to use and share. We have met some very interesting people when they start asking about maple syrup and the process of making it. We usually leave it for our cabin attendant when we're done our cruise. People, that is not syrup you're dumping on your breakfast. It's just plain nasty!

I wonder if it depends what ship you're on? We were on the Breakaway in Sept and neither of us noticed a problem with the syrup although didn't eat much that required it. What we couldn't stand was the coffee and a lot of people commented on it. It had a strange flavor & aroma. I think I heard someone say that it was a special coffee from Italy (?). The coffee maker in our cabin was what saved us.

I am not a pancake and waffle for breakfast guy, so I will stick with fresh made omelets and over easy eggs with plenty of bacon and sausage. So the foul tasting syrup will not bother me. All joking aside, I have read in numerous recent NCL reviews many complaints about the new syrup and watery powdered eggs in the buffets. I will go to the omelet station and order scrambled easy eggs with fresh eggs they break in front of me and do the same for my omelets. This way I avoid the powdered eggs and the premixed concoction they call eggs for the omelets. I have done this on all my previous cruises as I think all cruise lines are now using powdered eggs and pre mixed something for omelets.

 

No bacon police on NCL I hope. :eek:

They aren't using powdered eggs.

They aren't using powdered eggs.

If not then why so many complaints about them being watery and tasteless? Just asking as being new to NCL, no need to flame we. I accused HAL of using powdered eggs for their scrambled eggs too.

If not then why so many complaints about them being watery and tasteless? Just asking as being new to NCL, no need to flame we. I accused HAL of using powdered eggs for their scrambled eggs too.

I've noticed a little bit of variability in the scrambled eggs on the buffet. Occasionally they'll appear to be a little "soupy". For the most part, though, they've been fine. If you are willing to stand in the omelet line, you can also ask the omelet chef to scramble a couple of eggs for you. They'll also fry up a couple to order as well as making all the usual varieties of omelets.

If not then why so many complaints about them being watery and tasteless? Just asking as being new to NCL, no need to flame we. I accused HAL of using powdered eggs for their scrambled eggs too.

Who flamed you??? :eek:

Contradicting you is not flaming. :cool: