I am worried.....

Good morning fellow cruisers! DH and I are new to NCL, doing the majority of our sailings on Celebrity. I have been scouring the CC NCL threads for tips and reviews and I have noticed an unpleasant theme. Many people comment on the service and food, especially in the MDR as being mediocre to poor. While I am aware of differences in opinions, I cannot help but be worried as food and service is high on my list of cruise priorities. Surely NCL would not continue to be able to build multi million dollar products without some redeeming qualities. And please don't tell me to go back to Celebrity. I am not bashing the NCL product...my next 2 cruises our in Jewel and Bliss...I am just a bit perplexed as to how so many have poor experiences with dining. Perhaps they are the only vocal ones?

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Surely NCL would not continue to be able to build multi million dollar products without some redeeming qualities.

And there you have it.

They wouldn't be able to do that, so the fact that they are able to says a lot.

Many, many people are cruising on NCL every week and find the food and service to be very good. Most don't come on here and comment on it, and the ones that do aren't as noticable as the people who have issues.

If I ever go over to the boards for other lines on CC, the main thing that I notice is the amount of complaining I see there.

Always be careful about drawing conclusions from the comments of strangers on the internet.

Keith is correct.

My only comment is that NCL uses too much salt, but that is based on personal taste.

I have absolutely no problems with NCL food. We had a great experience on the Escape last fall and I return to read a review from another passenger who said the food that week was 'inedible'. That just shows how subjective things can be.

Yes...I do try to take negative comments with a grain of salt. I am glad to hear that my worries are mostly unfounded and we will look forward to our sailings. I am still a bit confused by the MDR situation...are there like 3 separate MDR? Do they all have the same menu, just different decor?

Yes...I do try to take negative comments with a grain of salt. I am glad to hear that my worries are mostly unfounded and we will look forward to our sailings. I am still a bit confused by the MDR situation...are there like 3 separate MDR? Do they all have the same menu, just different decor?

All the MDR's have the same menu.

The aft one is usually slightly more formal (as in, you can't wear shorts, although even that isn't the case on some ships). The decor is usually nicer in the aft ones and, on some newer ships, they have things like music playing or dancers at times.

The Jewel, and older ships, has just 2 MDR's. The Bliss has three, but this is really just because the central walkway splits one of them into two. Those two rooms are very similar.

Good morning fellow cruisers! DH and I are new to NCL, doing the majority of our sailings on Celebrity. I have been scouring the CC NCL threads for tips and reviews and I have noticed an unpleasant theme. Many people comment on the service and food, especially in the MDR as being mediocre to poor. While I am aware of differences in opinions, I cannot help but be worried as food and service is high on my list of cruise priorities. Surely NCL would not continue to be able to build multi million dollar products without some redeeming qualities. And please don't tell me to go back to Celebrity. I am not bashing the NCL product...my next 2 cruises our in Jewel and Bliss...I am just a bit perplexed as to how so many have poor experiences with dining. Perhaps they are the only vocal ones?

 

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Let's just say we have friends who usually cruise NCL. They did a Celebrity cruise about 6 months ago and thought NCL food was much better. I am not saying everyone feels this way, just pointing out food is subjective first and secondly there will always be a certain group of people who are cronic complainers or have an agenda to push. Food on NCL offers a much better variety of dining options than any other line and the food, overall has improved in my opinion. Is it as good as Celebrity? I don't think so. We haven't cruised Celebrity in several years, but did do 3 with them. We enjoyed the food. My biggest complaint about NCL food is desserts but luckily I am not a dessert eater much anyway.

I was worried about the same things before my April cruise (mostly about slow service in the MDR). I was pleasantly surprised that none of the complaints were true on my cruise!

Food preferences are extremely subjective. I have a hard time believing that a person can't find any food on a huge cruise ship that they like. If a person is that picky about food, I would suggest that mass-market cruise lines are not for them. Ships are preparing food for thousands of meals a week - expect that everything won't be perfect. You may have a better chance for consistently great meals in the specialty restaurants.

As far as service - it depends on what your expectations are. Some cruisers expect to be waited on like royalty and are indignant when that doesn't happen, Others are fine with a clean cabin and a minimal amount of interaction. Most of the service complaints that I read aren't things that I would get worked up about.

IMO if you're going non-suite class on a mass-market line, you have to set your expectations accordingly. It's not going to be like you're the only guest on a multi-million dollar yacht.

Keith is correct.

 

My only comment is that NCL uses too much salt, but that is based on personal taste.

Was on Infinity last month. My biggest complaint about the food was too much salt on some dishes but this is a problem I encounter most places as I use very little salt in my food!

OP , you are going from 1 of the smaller ships to 1 of the biggest so there will some differences.

Being food is so subjective, I have found the food to be good to very good. The Specialty Restaurants on NCL ( if you have the perk) are very good to excellent.

You will enjoy yourself .

Good morning fellow cruisers! DH and I are new to NCL, doing the majority of our sailings on Celebrity. I have been scouring the CC NCL threads for tips and reviews and I have noticed an unpleasant theme. Many people comment on the service and food, especially in the MDR as being mediocre to poor. While I am aware of differences in opinions, I cannot help but be worried as food and service is high on my list of cruise priorities. Surely NCL would not continue to be able to build multi million dollar products without some redeeming qualities. And please don't tell me to go back to Celebrity. I am not bashing the NCL product...my next 2 cruises our in Jewel and Bliss...I am just a bit perplexed as to how so many have poor experiences with dining. Perhaps they are the only vocal ones?

 

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I cruised celebrity last summer and a received a piece of a broken porcelain plate in my food......so things happen and I was not happy with the resolution of that potentially dangerous issue, that being said the rest of the food was fine and I feel NCL food is of the same quality with just a little less presentation. I will no longer cruise Celebrity though because of that experience.

All great comments! Thank you. DH and I have a 3 meal speciality package and we will Iikley eat in more speciality restaurants for the additional fee.

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Good morning fellow cruisers! DH and I are new to NCL, doing the majority of our sailings on Celebrity. I have been scouring the CC NCL threads for tips and reviews and I have noticed an unpleasant theme. Many people comment on the service and food, especially in the MDR as being mediocre to poor. While I am aware of differences in opinions, I cannot help but be worried as food and service is high on my list of cruise priorities. Surely NCL would not continue to be able to build multi million dollar products without some redeeming qualities. And please don't tell me to go back to Celebrity. I am not bashing the NCL product...my next 2 cruises our in Jewel and Bliss...I am just a bit perplexed as to how so many have poor experiences with dining. Perhaps they are the only vocal ones?

 

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I have never had a problem with the MDR food, but did notice a decline on our Getaway cruise last month. Could just be the ship though. We usually sail twice a year, and this is the first time I noticed a difference. To be fair, we only ate in the MDR twice. The service, no matter where we ate, was excellent, as always.

All great comments! Thank you. DH and I have a 3 meal speciality package and we will Iikley eat in more speciality restaurants for the additional fee.

 

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You will enjoy that much more!

service is excellent.

food is decent, but i would not consider it "gourmet". ive heard celebrity has the best food out of all the cruise lines. if that is what you are used to, NCL may be off for you.

I took my first NCL cruise last week. The food was mediocre compared to RC and Carnival. I ate every single meal in the MDR (when it was open) and several dishes were sent back. So it wasn’t just a one bad meal type of thing. Consistent mediocrity. Steak was gristly and inedible, salmon was “fishy” and tasted old. We are not picky eaters, but there’s no other way to put it - the food was not great. Was it all inedible? Of course not. Most items I ate and was satisfied. However NCL did not serve a single item that had the “wow” effect you get on other cruise lines. Very basic, no frills options. I didn’t even touch the buffets. They did have some good looking desserts, however.

Maybe it’s because I was on an older NCL ship? I don’t know. My TA told me beforehand that you get what you pay for and to not expect the quality of food you’d get on, for example, Royal’s Oasis of the Seas.

I’m working on a review right now and will have some more detail for you. But I will say the only way I’d ever cruise NCL again is if it was less than $300 per person with open bar (which is what I had on the Sun). Any more money than that, there’s other options out there that provide a better value.

Good morning fellow cruisers! DH and I are new to NCL, doing the majority of our sailings on Celebrity. I have been scouring the CC NCL threads for tips and reviews and I have noticed an unpleasant theme. Many people comment on the service and food, especially in the MDR as being mediocre to poor. While I am aware of differences in opinions, I cannot help but be worried as food and service is high on my list of cruise priorities. Surely NCL would not continue to be able to build multi million dollar products without some redeeming qualities. And please don't tell me to go back to Celebrity. I am not bashing the NCL product...my next 2 cruises our in Jewel and Bliss...I am just a bit perplexed as to how so many have poor experiences with dining. Perhaps they are the only vocal ones?

 

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I have only cruised with NCL since 2009, with a few exceptions i have never found the food to be mediocre. I find the food to be very good actually, so much so that in the years i have been cruising with NCL i have eaten at specialty restaurants a few times. I for one, don't listen to people opinion, i read, i take them with a grain of salt. I will say this, my only complain with NCL at times are their desserts, if they need improvement it would be on that front, other than that, i like NCL very much. Soon i will be going on other cruise lines to compare, starting with Celebrity to see why some of the complainers complain about the food. ( little play on words);p:cool:

I took my first NCL cruise last week. The food was mediocre compared to RC and Carnival. I ate every single meal in the MDR (when it was open) and several dishes were sent back

I have only cruised with NCL since 2009, with a few exceptions i have never found the food to be mediocre.

Evidence, if any were needed, that food is a very subjective thing. You just have to try it for yourself to decide.

Good morning fellow cruisers! DH and I are new to NCL, doing the majority of our sailings on Celebrity. I have been scouring the CC NCL threads for tips and reviews and I have noticed an unpleasant theme. Many people comment on the service and food, especially in the MDR as being mediocre to poor. While I am aware of differences in opinions, I cannot help but be worried as food and service is high on my list of cruise priorities. Surely NCL would not continue to be able to build multi million dollar products without some redeeming qualities. And please don't tell me to go back to Celebrity. I am not bashing the NCL product...my next 2 cruises our in Jewel and Bliss...I am just a bit perplexed as to how so many have poor experiences with dining. Perhaps they are the only vocal ones?

 

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We are mostly Celebrity cruisers. Also have sailed multiple times on the other major lines, including NCL. You cannot compare Celebrity to NCL. The comparision to NCL would be Carnival. However, we sailed in the Haven which is excellent. The food so much better on Celebrity. Not nearly as crowded in all public areas. The entertainment better on NCL. Smoking and annoucements much more on NCL. No smoking in Casino on Celebrity- but allowed on NCL. Normal cabins much smaller on NCL.

 

It is a different experience. If you enjoy cruising- you will enjoy NCL-but it isn't Celebrity.

Evidence, if any were needed, that food is a very subjective thing. You just have to try it for yourself to decide.

I, along with many other people I spoke with on my cruise, would disagree. The food sucked, no beating around the bush.

Part of the problem with this website is that there are people that cruise one line, and that’s it. Odd, blind loyalty. Variety is the spice of life. Anyways, these are the people who have no complaints about NCL food. Because thy have nothing else to compare it to.

People need to explore outside of their safety zones before forming a valid opinion.

Yes...I do try to take negative comments with a grain of salt. I am glad to hear that my worries are mostly unfounded and we will look forward to our sailings. I am still a bit confused by the MDR situation...are there like 3 separate MDR? Do they all have the same menu, just different decor?

We sail a lot (mostly NCL and RCL lately,,, but are at platinum level in other lines).

We ate in both complimentary and specialty dining on NCL’s brand new Bliss last week. We actually thought the food in the MDR was better than some Specialty restaurants.

WRT to timing of dining, we were consistently asked whether we had any dietary restrictions or timing (get out in 90 mins for a show), so we never felt service was too slow. Too many people want to treat a nice sit down dinner like a fast food restaurant now days. And the servers will serve a course, even if the prior course is not done,,,,, if thet is what you want.

The aft dining rooms are always a bit more formal. On small ships, the aft dining room requires gents to wear long pants (vs shorts) (gasp). All MDR serve the same menu. You refercened 3 dining rooms, which are on the large ships. On the large ships, shorts can be worn in all restaurants except Le Bistro and Ocean Blue/Byamo.

I, along with many other people I spoke with on my cruise, would disagree. The food sucked, no beating around the bush.

 

Part of the problem with this website is that there are people that cruise one line, and that’s it. Odd, blind loyalty. Variety is the spice of life. Anyways, these are the people who have no complaints about NCL food. Because thy have nothing else to compare it to.

 

People need to explore outside of their safety zones before forming a valid opinion.

You disagree that food opinion is subjective???? OK then, if you insist.

Just so you are aware, by the way, food is available outside of cruise ships. The idea that people don't have sufficient information about food to form an opinion on it because they only cruise on one cruise line is probably the most bizarre statement that I have read for a long time.

I am literally laughing out loud right now. :)

I cruise both NCL and Celebrity and think the food in the MDR is better on Celebrity. I've only done the MDR on NCL a couple of times and now only eat at the specialty restaurants. The main reasons I only eat in the specialty restaurans on NCL are (1) I don't feel the food is as good, now keep in mind that I've only tried two dishes, so I can't speak to everything they serve and (2) the personalized service and atmosphere is better in the specialty restaurants (think no kids running around, etc.).

I will say that I read a lot of reviews for both lines and some are critical of Celebrity's MDR food, just as some are critical of NCL's MDR food and some report the same food as being very, very good. One should judge for themselves, since food is subjective.

 

Just so you are aware, by the way, food is available outside of cruise ships. The idea that people don't have sufficient information about food to form an opinion on it because they only cruise on one cruise line is probably the most bizarre statement that I have read for a long time.

I don’t think it’s bizarrre at all. When I stay at a hotel, I compare my experience to other hotels. I don’t compare the bed to the bed I have at my home. Or the shower, etc. that would make no sense.

When I eat at a restaurant, I compare the food to other restaurants. Not the food I cook at home.

So when I take a cruise, I compare the food to what I’ve had on other cruise ships.

Or in other words, I “rate” businesses in comparison to their competitors. That’s a pretty well established method of evaluation. You know, Yelp, Google, etc. It’s kind of the standard.

I had a feeling anything other than praise for NCL would result in a backlash from the pom pom waving cheerleaders, and I was correct.

You disagree that food opinion is subjective???? OK then, if you insist.

 

Just so you are aware, by the way, food is available outside of cruise ships. The idea that people don't have sufficient information about food to form an opinion on it because they only cruise on one cruise line is probably the most bizarre statement that I have read for a long time.

 

I am literally laughing out loud right now. :)

LOL i completely agree, what? they don't have luxury restaurants in real life? so you can find fine dining only on cruise ships? I have heard that statement before and like you i find it very odd...