Lobster Tails Apparently Gone on NCL

Quick background as there have been several other threads concerning lobster on NCL cruises. The gist of them was lobster tails were served only one night during the cruise and then only in the buffet. Okay I can live with that.

So on my Norwegian Star Baltic cruise on 06 June, at the meet and greet the restaurant director was one of the officers who stopped in and I asked when lobster would be served. He said Tuesday night. And in the daily for Tuesday, it said please join us at the seafood buffet in the Market Cafe this evening. I went early at 0530, intending to return later, and it was jammed. BTW there was a picture in the seafood spiel in the daily showing all sorts of seafood including lobster rails and shrimp. Yummy yummy, or so I thought. I get to the end of the line and no lobster figuring it was at the end at what was normally the carving station. No. What was there was something they called shrimp/lobster pasta. It was more pasta than lobster or shrimp and frankly, I'm not even sure there was really lobster in there. What a bummer.

Later on, I saw the restaurant director again and asked what had happened to the lobster tails. He said lobster tails were no longer being served on NCL. But I had seen several threads here on other ships that lobster tails were served in the buffet one night during the cruise.

Well I am taking a cruise on the Breakaway in July and reading the reviews. Lo and behold somebody was giving a quicky type review of the 22 June sailing on the Breakaway. As part of his review he said that was the first Breakaway cruise with no lobster tails; instead the incredibly bland lobster/shrimp pasta. So we can pretty safely say, NCL is its continued contempt for its passengers, has dropped lobster tails and substituted some absurd pasta dish with what may be lobster or may be something else. What a bummer.

I also read the recent Breakaway review with no lobster :(. I agree total bummer. I understand cost cutting, but to go from lobster tails to a pasta? Seems drastic. I could live with crab legs one night like the competition. Are you listening NCL?

Quick background as there have been several other threads concerning lobster on NCL cruises. The gist of them was lobster tails were served only one night during the cruise and then only in the buffet. Okay I can live with that.

 

So on my Norwegian Star Baltic cruise on 06 June, at the meet and greet the restaurant director was one of the officers who stopped in and I asked when lobster would be served. He said Tuesday night. And in the daily for Tuesday, it said please join us at the seafood buffet in the Market Cafe this evening. I went early at 0530, intending to return later, and it was jammed. BTW there was a picture in the seafood spiel in the daily showing all sorts of seafood including lobster rails and shrimp. Yummy yummy, or so I thought. I get to the end of the line and no lobster figuring it was at the end at what was normally the carving station. No. What was there was something they called shrimp/lobster pasta. It was more pasta than lobster or shrimp and frankly, I'm not even sure there was really lobster in there. What a bummer.

 

Later on, I saw the restaurant director again and asked what had happened to the lobster tails. He said lobster tails were no longer being served on NCL. But I had seen several threads here on other ships that lobster tails were served in the buffet one night during the cruise.

 

Well I am taking a cruise on the Breakaway in July and reading the reviews. Lo and behold somebody was giving a quicky type review of the 22 June sailing on the Breakaway. As part of his review he said that was the first Breakaway cruise with no lobster tails; instead the incredibly bland lobster/shrimp pasta. So we can pretty safely say, NCL is its continued contempt for its passengers, has dropped lobster tails and substituted some absurd pasta dish with what may be lobster or may be something else. What a bummer.

Instead of seeing this as "continued contempt for its passengers" I see this as "continuing to find ways to control overall costs to keep fares low". While I love lobster I don't cruise for it (I can always make better).

Meh so what, eating lobster is not what makes or breaks my cruise. Then again with having free UDP for all of us on our cruise...

Well, if they only offered tuna, I'd still take the cruise. Lobster doesn't make or break a cruise for me. Ever.

Bonnie

Well, if they only offered tuna, I'd still take the cruise. Lobster doesn't make or break a cruise for me. Ever.

 

Bonnie

I went fishing Saturday and caught a 50lb tuna. I'll be eating tuna until my cruise sails in September! :)

Having grown up in New England and eating real Maine lobster and then seeing what's served on board mass market cruise lines I don't understand the hype/upset about lobster.....

Just another in a long, long list of cutbacks by NCL. Between the cutbacks and the continued nickel and diming I don't know how they get people to cruise a second time on NCL. I guess the ignorant masses are easily fooled.

Gem has steak and lobster the 1st night in the MDR last week

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Just another in a long, long list of cutbacks by NCL. Between the cutbacks and the continued nickel and diming I don't know how they get people to cruise a second time on NCL. I guess the ignorant masses are easily fooled.

Too funny!! By the way, how many times have you cruised NCL???:D

Just another in a long, long list of cutbacks by NCL. Between the cutbacks and the continued nickel and diming I don't know how they get people to cruise a second time on NCL. I guess the ignorant masses are easily fooled.

Maybe you can tell me what nickel and diming is. I hear it in NCL criticism but can't figure out what they charge for that other lines in the mainstream lines do not. Every line I've been on has had specialty restaurants where the food is better, bingo, spa, shopping promos, art auctions....all for extra which we learned not to do. I know you can go on a luxury line for more money and have more things included but none of the ones I've been on.

Sorry about the lobster but imagine it was a costly item. At least now I won't be checking the menu every night to see if it's lobster night and bother to go to MDR. Will be interesting to see if other lines follow suit.

OP, was the hotel director on the Star Tony Winkler? He would definitely tell you what was going on. Great guy and best HD we've ever sailed with.

Gem has steak and lobster the 1st night in the MDR last week

 

 

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Interesting. Wonder if they had it left in the freezer, so if where the ship is sailing from makes the difference. I imagine cost would be lower if locally available.

And to previous poster, you're right...nothing like local Maine lobster. We visited a few years ago and I call it my lobster tour of Maine as I had it in every form I could and the trip to the lobster pound was the very best.

No lobster? Won't upset my wife. She is allergic to shellfish. Coming from New England where they have real lobsters, lobster night wasn't the highlight of my cruise nor will it stop me from cruising in the future. Is it really all about the food?

Oh my! Time to change cruise lines.

I don't care about the lobster. I wonder what the threads will be like in 30 years of cost cutting. Please help they stopped adding jelly to the pb and j in main dining room and you must request the mustard on the bologna sandwich in cagneys.

Can you bring your own lobster like you can bring your own syrup :eek:

No lobster? Won't upset my wife. She is allergic to shellfish. Coming from New England where they have real lobsters, lobster night wasn't the highlight of my cruise nor will it stop me from cruising in the future. Is it really all about the food?

Agreed.... there's no way to mass-prepare lobster tails properly. Even if they're cooked correctly, they're going to sit and get rubbery -- they need to be served immediately after they are steamed or broiled.

I have a friend that knows a lobster fisherman, and we pick it up in Kittery off the boat and enjoy it that night. Worth the 5 hour drive back to NY with fresh lobster -- especially in the spring when they still have their thicker shells when the meat is much sweeter.

Cruise ship lobster? Never.

Maybe you can tell me what nickel and diming is. I hear it in NCL criticism but can't figure out what they charge for that other lines in the mainstream lines do not. Every line I've been on has had specialty restaurants where the food is better, bingo, spa, shopping promos, art auctions....all for extra which we learned not to do. I know you can go on a luxury line for more money and have more things included but none of the ones I've been on.

Sorry about the lobster but imagine it was a costly item. At least now I won't be checking the menu every night to see if it's lobster night and bother to go to MDR. Will be interesting to see if other lines follow suit.

OP, was the hotel director on the Star Tony Winkler? He would definitely tell you what was going on. Great guy and best HD we've ever sailed with.

But it's different when NCL does it because NCL is a big mean corporation that is only interested in making money.

Too funny!! By the way, how many times have you cruised NCL???:D

Guess we won't see Love My Butler on any more NCL cruises, but you can count me in as one of the ignorant masses, because I'll be cruising in November (my 4th NCL cruise) and have another one booked.

I don't cruise for the lobster.

As far as nickle and diming, I don't see NCL forcing anyone to buy anything. Someone could go on a cruise and not spend a dime (other than their fare, taxes and port charges), as it is their option to spend their money.

That's ok. I thought that the lobster tails were rubbery, and not what I'm used to here in New England.

I like the idea of subsituting crab legs.

Quick background as there have been several other threads concerning lobster on NCL cruises. The gist of them was lobster tails were served only one night during the cruise and then only in the buffet. Okay I can live with that.

 

So on my Norwegian Star Baltic cruise on 06 June, at the meet and greet the restaurant director was one of the officers who stopped in and I asked when lobster would be served. He said Tuesday night. And in the daily for Tuesday, it said please join us at the seafood buffet in the Market Cafe this evening. I went early at 0530, intending to return later, and it was jammed. BTW there was a picture in the seafood spiel in the daily showing all sorts of seafood including lobster rails and shrimp. Yummy yummy, or so I thought. I get to the end of the line and no lobster figuring it was at the end at what was normally the carving station. No. What was there was something they called shrimp/lobster pasta. It was more pasta than lobster or shrimp and frankly, I'm not even sure there was really lobster in there. What a bummer.

 

Later on, I saw the restaurant director again and asked what had happened to the lobster tails. He said lobster tails were no longer being served on NCL. But I had seen several threads here on other ships that lobster tails were served in the buffet one night during the cruise.

 

Well I am taking a cruise on the Breakaway in July and reading the reviews. Lo and behold somebody was giving a quicky type review of the 22 June sailing on the Breakaway. As part of his review he said that was the first Breakaway cruise with no lobster tails; instead the incredibly bland lobster/shrimp pasta. So we can pretty safely say, NCL is its continued contempt for its passengers, has dropped lobster tails and substituted some absurd pasta dish with what may be lobster or may be something else. What a bummer.

every time I read something like this I want to say: big deal for heavens sake!! Have you priced meat and fish lately? Are you ready to see prices of cruises go up 25 to 50% so you can have your lobster? Do you cruise just to eat Lobster? I am a huge lover of all fish, especially shell fish but I also do enough shopping to know what it costs. I am expecting them to discontinue the "always avail" steak and I wouldn't blame them. I will also add, I have never really had a great Lobster tail on a cruise ship and I have had many. ouldnrxpecially time I

Too funny!! By the way, how many times have you cruised NCL???:D

You know I keep asking her the same thing: my guess; either she had never been on an NCL cruise or something happened that has made her very anti NCL. It seems her goad right now is to bash NCL!!!!!!

Just another in a long, long list of cutbacks by NCL. Between the cutbacks and the continued nickel and diming I don't know how they get people to cruise a second time on NCL. I guess the ignorant masses are easily fooled.

I'd MUCh rather pay for what I actually use/do on a cruise than have to pay a huge fee to cover what everyone else wants to do.

That's ok. I thought that the lobster tails were rubbery, and not what I'm used to here in New England.

 

I like the idea of subsituting crab legs.

ditto. I stopped ordering the lobster on our cruises because on every line they were rubbery....yuck. I'd much prefer crab legs any day.

You know I keep asking her the same thing: my guess; either she had never been on an NCL cruise or something happened that has made her very anti NCL. It seems her goad right now is to bash NCL!!!!!!

Maybe her Butler didn't love her back :eek:

I'd MUCh rather pay for what I actually use/do on a cruise than have to pay a huge fee to cover what everyone else wants to do.

Ditto :D

I've only been on 3 cruises, however, although I was brought up on Swordfish and Lobster, I've never had either on a cruise ship. :p