Chat with Weber, VP - a bust?

OK - I have read over the chat yesterday several times and I have to say it was very disappointing. There was some information from him about the new menu roll-out, but nothing about admitting that the quality was down and they were addressing that, etc.

The photos are very pretty, but all of their desserts are pretty when they are delivered to your table - yes, they know how to "plate." But it is all about the taste and many of the desserts just are not that good. Flavorless and kind of like cardboard. I usually skip dessert in the MDR and get the crepes from the garden café.

And nothing about the limited menu in O'Sheehans and that the quality there has suffered too. The old 24 hour diners on the Jewell class ships had larger menus and better food. Remember how good the warm artichoke dip was, or the mac and cheese? And the service is indifferent at best. We stopped by late one evening on the Breakaway, the tables were dirty, service was late, and the food was delivered greasy or cold. And not all the items on the limited menu were even available at 10pm. This was definitely not the case a few years ago. But I did feel I was in a bar somewhere in the states - if that is goal, keep up the indifferent work.

And how many times can you address Gluten Free and Vegetarian??? Too many of those same questions allowed through. And by the way, no matter if it is gluten free, if it taste bad, it tastes bad.

I did try to ask a question about the lower food standards I have noticed over the past several years, but my question never made it. But that may be because I don't facebook, tweet, IM, beep, poop, or plop.

Anyone else see this as another example of hoping for some real substance and the PC line of an NCL executive? The menus look fine, but please at least address the quality issue, even if it is to tell us that you don't think there is one.

And P.S. I am not a foodie and I basically like the food on the ship, but even I have noticed that it never seems to improve. I am grateful that the menu is changing since we cruise a lot with NCL - but if you are competing with other mass market lines, then really compete. You are leading with freestyle, start leading in the kitchen.

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I did try to ask a question about the lower food standards I have noticed over the past several years, but my question never made it. But that may be because I don't facebook, tweet, IM, beep, poop, or plop.

 

 

 

And P.S. I am not a foodie and I basically like the food on the ship, but even I have noticed that it never seems to improve. I am grateful that the menu is changing since we cruise a lot with NCL - but if you are competing with other mass market lines, then really compete. You are leading with freestyle, start leading in the kitchen.

It's probably a good thing that you're not a foodie, if you don't poop. :p

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I did not do the chat, but is there a place I could read it? Thanks in advance

It's probably a good thing that you're not a foodie, if you don't poop. :p

 

 

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I just laughed. Out loud!

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Those type of P.R. events are usually as bland as the desserts. Normally not worth the time to tune in.

I just laughed. Out loud!

 

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Me too:D OK, so I might have been a little hyperbolic ..... just once:p

Foghorn - check out the first CC note at the top of the page - they have a link.

In my opinion, it's the format that's the problem. Far more questions asked than can be answered, so they get the opportunity to select the ones that they can easily answer. All web events like that have been the same in my experience.

Having said that, he was never going to say that their food wasn't good before.

I did not do the chat, but is there a place I could read it? Thanks in advance

http://live.cruisecritic.com/Event/Cruise_Critic_Live_Norwegian_Next_Dining?Page=0

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I must be a freak of nature, but I went on my first NCL cruise aboard the Sky a few months ago. It was my 11th cruise overall. My wife and I both found the food (apps, main course, desserts) to be very good. We found no reason to try the pay restaurants after eating in the MDR.

The quality of the food, taste of the food, and overall experience by way of the crew around the ship and in the restaurants appearing happy to be onboard made a good impression on us and now we have another cruise booked on the Sun for next April.

I must be a freak of nature, but I went on my first NCL cruise aboard the Sky a few months ago. It was my 11th cruise overall. My wife and I both found the food (apps, main course, desserts) to be very good. We found no reason to try the pay restaurants after eating in the MDR.

 

The quality of the food, taste of the food, and overall experience by way of the crew around the ship and in the restaurants appearing happy to be onboard made a good impression on us and now we have another cruise booked on the Sun for next April.

Lots of us are perfectly happy with the MDR food. Just look at how many people eat in there, and lots of people come back for more cruises (and eat more MDR food).

I had what I thought was a legitimate question that wasn't addressed. It had to do with why the specialty restaurants aren't open for lunch on sea days (with perhaps a limited or different menu) so I was disappointed in the lack of response.

Tracy

I must be a freak of nature, but I went on my first NCL cruise aboard the Sky a few months ago. It was my 11th cruise overall. My wife and I both found the food (apps, main course, desserts) to be very good. We found no reason to try the pay restaurants after eating in the MDR.

 

The quality of the food, taste of the food, and overall experience by way of the crew around the ship and in the restaurants appearing happy to be onboard made a good impression on us and now we have another cruise booked on the Sun for next April.

My family of 4 are among those freaks of nature then too! :)

I'm a freak, too! The only specialty restaurant I'm interested in is Moderno, and the only other specialty I've tried is the Italian one (back in the days when there was no charge, but reservations were required). MDR, the Lido, and the Blue Lagoon do it for me.

*raises her hand*

Freaks Unite! Love the MDR's :)

~Robin

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

My name is Steve - and I am a freak.

I love food - I love being able to choose what I eat; when I eat it; where I eat it; with whom I eat it and what I wear to eat it (within reason).

We also love mdr and all other "free venues" especially hot dog cart on BA....only go to fee venues when comped. ..and we love food...

Safe sailing

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I had what I thought was a legitimate question that wasn't addressed. It had to do with why the specialty restaurants aren't open for lunch on sea days (with perhaps a limited or different menu) so I was disappointed in the lack of response.

 

Tracy

Too much (potential) foodwaste, too much workload, not enough food storage, not enough china, not enough workspace are just a few that come to mind. Not cost efficient in total. :)

Would be nice though!

I do like the food in the MDR and we can eat free in the specialty dining as part of lattitudes so we are fortunate to have several choices. But I have gotten to know how to eat, what is going to be good, what no matter which ship you are on is going to be bland, etc. If you have consistently sailed with NCL at least twice a year for several years, you will notice changes in quality and variety. I do see the new menu offerings as a good sign, but I am very anxious to see if the quality is also back. They know what ingredients they had to cut back on during the economy collapse, all the mass market lines made cuts. I hope that NCL is really making an effort to turn it around. I am anxious to try a lot of old and new dishes on the Getaway in a few weeks to see the improvement. Remember sometimes more is just more. Restaurants put out "under new management" signs for a reason. Maybe this is their version of the sign.

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Well like in D.C. they sure say many things and do nothing but blame someone else.

I read the whole chat C rapola. And IMHO it sure looked like Washington's )- Administration. Not even answering basic Cruisers from CC here questions.

Even the Shell Fish which by the way is at its Lowest Price point since the US Revolution. NCL has Home Ports in Boston and NYC, NY. These US Cities have the largest Seafood preparations and storage in the world for us Cruisers/ Consumers. Only a mere few miles away from the ships.Lobsters are one if not the easiest Shell Fish to cook too. Like Shrimp place in ice, let them go in the water , heat to a boil and take them out.. perfectly done.

Providing that great Atlantic and nearby resource at a LOW COST the NCL line would be a hero line not a laggard line.

My name is Steve - and I am a freak.

 

I love food - I love being able to choose what I eat; when I eat it; where I eat it; with whom I eat it and what I wear to eat it (within reason).

THAT, Steve, is exactly why we cruise NCL. The food is cooked, served, and tidied up afterward by someone else and I can have as much or as little as I want while wearing casual attire, now or later, with or without people I know. Oh! And all of that after a greeting from Happy Happy & Washy Washy! LOVE my NCL cruising!

And how many times can you address Gluten Free and Vegetarian??? Too many of those same questions allowed through. And by the way, no matter if it is gluten free, if it taste bad, it tastes bad.

I think the whole GF scenario is being blown out of portion. Its all over the tv on products that don't even have gluten in the first place, same with products in the stores.

Bought dates from India and package said gluten free, same for package of sunflower seeds.

I work for high end banquet service and the list is endless for allergies and its nothing to see people with 3/4 different allergies, I just want to give them a carrot and go tell them to sit in the corner.

And how many times can you address Gluten Free and Vegetarian??? Too many of those same questions allowed through. And by the way, no matter if it is gluten free, if it taste bad, it tastes bad.

 

I think the whole GF scenario is being blown out of portion. Its all over the tv on products that don't even have gluten in the first place, same with products in the stores.

Bought dates from India and package said gluten free, same for package of sunflower seeds.

I work for high end banquet service and the list is endless for allergies and its nothing to see people with 3/4 different allergies, I just want to give them a carrot and go tell them to sit in the corner.

Somewhere on CC there is someone who is diagnosed GF in the US. They are cruising in Europe and tried Italian bread and pizza - no problems. Apparently there are additives/pesticides or somesuch that are allowed in the States for wheat but not in Europe.

I wonder how many of these 'allergies' are actually reactions to something totally different?

Come on now.

Does anyone really think any company like this would come on and say "Yea, I food has gotten bad, etc......"

Not going to happen.

Stayed with the chat for an hour. Couldn't make heads or tails of most of it. Could barely make out the menus posted, saw gratuitous pics of staged plates, saw questions repeated and not answered.

I know I'm harking back to the "good old days" here because I cut my cruising teeth on traditional dining with at least 5 courses. And it was 3 years between my last traditional NCL cruise and my first Freestyle cruise. But my jaw dropped at the drastic reduction in food quality and the cafeteria-like vibe of the MDRs at dinner with Freestyle.

A baked potato was considered an appetizer, mac & cheese an entrée, and the only edible piece of beef I got on the ship was one lucky night I scored a seat at the captain's table.

My upcoming Getaway cruise in October is the first time I've been back to NCL in 8 years. From the menus I've seen, it looks like they've been learning and have upped their game considerably.

I'm not a foodie or picky, and I'm pretty happy with anything I don't have to cook myself. But now NCL ships have even MORE restaurants and MORE menus with promises to keep. Can they deliver?

Since they seem to have bailed on a cruise mainstay like lobster, my expectations for dining in any venue are super-low. I only draw the line at PB&J. :D

That extended CC commercial the other day with the AdSpeak-spouting suit and his sidekick added nothing to what we already know.

The lack of response is probably tied to the wording of the question as well. Asking someone to "explain (why?) something" is a loaded question when the something hasn't been recognized as an agreed upon conditon. They are always going to avoid answering a question that has no answer...especially those based on an opinion like "I think the food quality has declined so explain why you did this".

The idea that "familiarity breeds contempt" or "the honeymoon is over" or "the sheen is off of the apple" has been around a long time. Things often don't "seem" to be as good as they were "in the beginning". When you took your first cruise, everything was new. Now you know what to expect, you know the routine, and it isn't new and exciting as it once was.

We hear a lot of anectdotal evidence that things are different, but no examples, no facts, no evidence. Interesting that despite the fact that this is just a fact of the human condition, we have a hard time admitting that things just might not be as bad as they "seem".

I guess nothing beats the "good old days". :rolleyes: