Food on NCL Reaching New Lows??

First note the question marks in the title. Let's cut right to the chase. I just got through reading my review and several others of recent cruises on the Breakaway and they all mention in very unglowing terms the food situation.

Look, I understand NCL's food policy revolves around trying to get people to use the specialized restaurants and I don't think there is anybody who can say that in recent times, NCL's food for the masses (the mdr's and the buffet) have been both declining and is very far behind other cruise lines (which is not to say there aren't cutbacks there also). Also I know that NCL execs do read these boards and sometimes comment.

Now having said all that, I really believe NCL (and it apparently is not just my opinion) may have gone too far in this. They push the dining package which is their perogative but that also makes it difficult to get reservations for the specialized restaurants at desirable times (try to get a reservation say at Teppanyaki for around 1900 or 1930). Of course we've gone through the whole evolution of lobster tails first having been removed from the mdr's to the buffet and now, at least on several ships and apparently a corporate policy, of being removed from the buffets in favor of an inedible lobster pasta (I carried on enough about this but the point has been made).

Do others feel this way? Is it time to give some sort of message to the suits at NCL or do others feel I'm imagining all of this (just read the reviews).

I sometimes think that maybe I started cruising at the best possible time.

Why do I say this?

My first cruise was on the Breakaway in March. Because I had the dining package, I never once ate dinner in anything but specialty restaurants. It was well worth the price, and I had no difficulties making reservations. (Same for my upcoming Gem cruise... I've already made all my dining reservations.)

I ate lunch in the buffet several times, and I thought the food was good. Great? No. But I liked a lot of it. And I loved what I had at O'Sheehan's. Ate there a few times, especially late at night.

What I'm saying is that maybe I was lucky not to have traveled, say, 10 years ago, when apparently, everything on every ship was better, food wise. Because I walked away from the Breakaway (as you can see in my review in my signature) really pleased with the food.

Then again, I'm also not a terribly picky eater. I've eaten in some of NYC's finest restaurants and loved them... and I've eaten in total dives, and loved them too! I'm not sure if that means I have a crazy refined palette… or no tastebuds whatsoever!

Richard/Tralfie

I don't feel that way at all. For the most part on my NCL cruises I have rated the food as average to good with the occasional excellent. I like the many options you have for complementary and low cost choices such as the noodle bar.

Not a big surprise that the most reservations are made for the premium time slots, that just seems like an obvious observation. Teppanyaki as a restaurant selection is limited in how many people can eat there, of course.

So, in answer to your question I'm fine with the choices and food that NCL offers. I'm pretty easy to please though but I do have standards and I feel they are being met.

p.s. The lobster in the MDR's is no big loss anyway. It never was anything to write home about. ;)

...Look, I understand NCL's food policy revolves around trying to get people to use the specialized restaurants...

Of all the myths and misconceptions about NCL, this one is totally without basis in reality. You can get totally acceptable (sometimes wonderful) food on NCL without going to any specialty restaurants.

The vast majority of reviews I've read in 2014 talk favorably about the food in the including dining establishments, as a result of menu changes this year. Maybe I just haven't been reading the Breakaway reviews? Who knows. I enjoyed the food in the MDR, and also enjoyed it in the buffet and specialty restaurants. There is something for everyone, and I think that is key.

When I went on my first cruise several years ago, the MDR had about 4 or 5 options each evening from which to choose. On my Getaway cruise, the MDR had about 10 starter options and about 15 main course options. Anyone who can't find something they enjoy out of that, and out of all the options elsewhere on the ship, might consider that they themselves are the problem and not the cruise line.

I agree with the previous poster. We have cruised many times on NCL in the past few years and have always enjoyed both the choices and the food at the main restaurants. On the Dawn, we really liked the Aqua, both food and ambiance. While we do go to speciality restaurants, we usually go only because we are platinum cruisers with NCL, and we each get a free meal there. We have found that when they eliminate something we enjoyed, they substitute something else which is also enjoyable. No complaints here.

Mass market line means mass market food. Not complaining, I'm generally satisfied with what I get.

NCL is leading the trend of the ship within the ship experience, something that truly started with the Epic.

This is why you could get an inside for 549 for my upcoming Getaway cruise, which is a prime summer week (that price was last seen about a month ago, current is 629 which is still cheap).

Think about it though, flagship boat for what is a fairly cheap price; you get a lot for that 549pp. One of the reasons why that is possible is because the "no charge" dining (and other items) cost them less. If you wanted ("free") filet mignon and lobster tails every night the price would have to go up as a result.

While the wholesale cost of that food may not add up to a huge amount of money, it is another item they must stock and prepare.

I personally like the upscale options as it gets me on the boat for cheaper and allows me to tailor my experience to my budget at that time, which enables me to (afford to) cruise as much as I do.

Those lobster tails were no big deal anyway. I'd rather have a good, fresh, coldwater lobster than whatever it is the ship was providing (for free).

Of all the myths and misconceptions about NCL, this one is totally without basis in reality. You can get totally acceptable (sometimes wonderful) food on NCL without going to any specialty restaurants.

As I said the other day, if this has been NCLs aim for the past few years, as many people claim, they have done a terrible job of it. I've never been on a cruise where the speciality restaurants have generally been very busy at all.

Personally, I think that the food in the free places is fine. We eat at the buffet a few times per cruise. I'm not a great fan of buffets and only go there because it makes for an easy evening dining with our son. I find the food there to be very reasonable for a buffet.

We really liked the new menus they are introducing now. We ate in the MDR three times last cruise which was more than we were planning on, but we were all happy to go there and the selection seemed fine.

Now, I don't go on a cruise looking for fine dining. I want decent quality food and a reasonable selection. We usually go to a speciality or two, more for the quieter atmosphere than anything else.

I think this site includes a lot higher proportion of people who have been cruising for a long time, and therefore have expectations of a different dining experience than the mainstream lines are offering these days. I suspect that my view on dining is reasonably well in line with the average cruiser on NCL these days, whereas a lot of the people who comment on here are wishing for something more.

For that reason, I think that NCL has got the level about right. You only have to look at the number of people eating in the various free venues to see that most people are eating there. That may not be what some people are looking for, but at least they have the option to go to the speciality restaurants if they want.

I like the food, all of it. Love some of it.

We just got off an NCL cruise about 2 months ago and we found nothing wrong with the food overall. Yes, some things have changed over the past several years; how many of you do your own grocery shopping? If so, think of what you are paying just for meat? Of course we can't expect prime cuts in the MDRs. OP, I don't know about the Breakaway but other than Teppanakis I don't know any specialty restaurants where getting a reservation is really a huge deal. Do you always get the time you want when booking land restaurants? I wonder how many times you have cruised NCL? I ask, because Teppanakis has always been one of the hardest places to get reservations and you are talking prime time.

I have read many of the reviews in the review section; most rate the food good to very good. There are some who give it thumbs down, but there will always be those who expect top of the line for middle prices.

For those who really want better quality food, splurge for the dining package, otherwise remember, the chefs are cooking for a few thousand or more daily, the food will always be banquet quality. I don't mean bad, but not made to order 100%. For those who think the food is inferior, may I ask how long it has been since you have cruised another mass marketed line and how much you paid for your cruise?

I don't feel that way at all. For the most part on my NCL cruises I have rated the food as average to good with the occasional excellent. I like the many options you have for complementary and low cost choices such as the noodle bar.

 

 

Not a big surprise that the most reservations are made for the premium time slots, that just seems like an obvious observation. Teppanyaki as a restaurant selection is limited in how many people can eat there, of course.

 

So, in answer to your question I'm fine with the choices and food that NCL offers. I'm pretty easy to please though but I do have standards and I feel they are being met.

 

p.s. The lobster in the MDR's is no big loss anyway. It never was anything to write home about. ;)

This is almost exactly what I would have written, so thanks for saving time for me! :)

While we have seen some cut backs over the years we do not feel that there is a decline in quality. We enjoy the food on NCL.

We liked all our meals on Breakaway. Buffet for breakfast, Uptown Grill for lunch, Savor and Manhattan Room for dinner were all good. My son liked the chicken parm in La Cucina. We did miss our reservations for Cagney's because of a long day at Horseshoe Beach and some sunburn so I can't comment on that venue. Really liked O'Sheehan's burgers and chicken pot pie. Oh, not to leave out the vanilla ice cream with hot caramel sauce in the buffet for dessert. Did not make it to La Bistro or Moderno for some reason.

I would say we were very happy with mostly everything and that's my opinion on that.

P.S. Did not like the room service pizza. Waaaay too much cheese!! Brian still ate it though. I ate the crust.

~Robin

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

I find it very interesting that the food is so bad and yet the ships continue to sail at near capacity.

I agree that NCL's ploy to force cruisers into the for-pay venues is apparently not working. In January on Epic these restaurants never seemed to be overly busy and we ate in three of them.

We have sailed on my lines since 2001, and found NCL food quality satisfactory.

Each line offer something different, and even within the line, the ship's are little different too.

I actually love having lunch at the buffet almost daily. Look forward to a big salad, a few pieces of Indian Poppadom and Curry Beef. Breakfast usually at the buffet too. Dinner mostly at the MDR, sometimes to the speciality restaurants just for a change of pace.

I would stat the best food I had on a ship was on the NCL Norway. Missing are the melt in your mouth Croissants for breakfast and chocolate chip cookies at 2 P.M.

I've been on 4 cruises and eaten at Le Bistro twice. The rest of my food was 'free' and it was just fine. I don't expect gourmet food from the buffet or mdr, just good. It's always been good for me.

Look, I understand NCL's food policy revolves around trying to get people to use the specialized restaurants

Seriously?

Nonsense.

If the food is so bad on NCL then why do so many of us keep going back:confused:

So I was wrong. Oh well. It's always a matter of opinion. Maybe the problem is I was simply comparing with my experiences on Carnival last year. On Lobster night, we had nice sized lobster tails in the mdr and shrimp cocktails were on the every day menu (had 2 each night). Thanks for all the input.

First, food is so very subjective! What you may love or hate, I may have the opposite opinion.

Second, it depends on what your daily standard is. We don't eat out a lot because I cook, and I cook very well. Am I a chef? No. But I enjoy being served every once in a while. I'm not a fan of buffets, but a big salad for lunch sounds so good in the warm Caribbean.

Third, I agree with those who've brought up the mass market line/mass market food. Considering what all the cruise lines pump out, it's pretty dang amazing. Have I sent anything back? No. Have I had a few things I didn't care for? Yes. But that doesn't mean it was bad - someone else very well would have liked it.

We've been on 4 NCL cruises and a bunch of others. We've only eaten in specialty restaurants twice in all those nights at sea. On our upcoming Thanksgiving cruise, I think we will try LeBistro for my birthday. Other than that, the regular MDRs are just fine.

So I was wrong. Oh well. It's always a matter of opinion. Maybe the problem is I was simply comparing with my experiences on Carnival last year. On Lobster night, we had nice sized lobster tails in the mdr and shrimp cocktails were on the every day menu (had 2 each night). Thanks for all the input.

I'm certainly not saying there aren't menu items I miss being served in the MDRs - because there are. I miss escargot and crème Brule (plain, thank you very much) while DH seriously misses the shrimp cocktail. The HD on our cruise before last found this out and sent him a HUGE plate of them one night without us knowing it was coming. DH was in HEAVEN!!!

So I was wrong. Oh well. It's always a matter of opinion. Maybe the problem is I was simply comparing with my experiences on Carnival last year. On Lobster night, we had nice sized lobster tails in the mdr and shrimp cocktails were on the every day menu (had 2 each night). Thanks for all the input.

It is a matter of opinion and personal taste. I've only experienced two Carnival cruises and, on the first, the lobster was so salty I couldn't eat it. On the second it was just OK but a bit overcooked. The buffet food was not nearly as good or as varied as it was on the Jewel and the Gem. Carnival had better deserts though and the MDR food was good, but to my sense of taste and based on what I ordered, it would be hard to say one was much better than the other.

There has never been one moment that we haven't been able to find something very good to eat on any of the NCL ships! This is mass market food and can't expect some of food to be as high quality as the specialty restaurants at home. All I can say is, boy, if you go hungry it's no ones fault but your own. We very rarely go to the specialty restaurants, just maybe once or twice for an occasion. We even love the buffet.

So I was wrong. Oh well. It's always a matter of opinion. Maybe the problem is I was simply comparing with my experiences on Carnival last year. On Lobster night, we had nice sized lobster tails in the mdr and shrimp cocktails were on the every day menu (had 2 each night). Thanks for all the input.

NCL isn't a step down from the carnival experience.

NCL isn't a step down from the carnival experience.

Agree.

NCL isn't a step down from the carnival experience.

Lord, no!,