New Menus Update?

[alwalaska]

It has been a while since we have seen any threads about the new menus that were being tried out on a couple of ships. These menus seemed to have more fixed items and fewer rotating items.

 

If I remember right, they were on the Dawn and the Pearl.

 

Does anyone know if they are still being tested? If so, on what ships?

[Cruiser1978]

Just got off the Jewel today. Both MDR have the same menu each day, so we were able to choose which we wanted to eat at based solely on location and crowds, not menu choices (different than the Dawn last June, where the MDR had different menus each night). Each menu had one side that rotated daily and one side that was "always available", allowing for more choices.

[SnootieTootie]

The Dawn had the new menu's on our May 2010 sailing.

 

Lunch menu was the same every day.

 

Dinner menu: left side stayed the same every day, right side changed nightly.

 

We all thought that the chages were for the better. Noticable improvement in the food.

[alwalaska]

Just got off the Jewel today. Both MDR have the same menu each day, so we were able to choose which we wanted to eat at based solely on location and crowds, not menu choices (different than the Dawn last June, where the MDR had different menus each night). Each menu had one side that rotated daily and one side that was "always available", allowing for more choices.

 

Did you have the chilled soups on the MDR menus on the Jewel?

[VonChap]

Hello,

 

I know that a link to a photo of the new menus has been posted on this board before, but I cant find it. Does anyone still have the link? (or photos of the new menus)

 

Thanks for your help,

 

Kim

[CruisinMaterial]

Did you have the chilled soups on the MDR menus on the Jewel?

 

I have been on the Jewel twice this year and can tell you the cold soups are still there! LOVE 'EM! :D

[sottovoce]

On Epic's trans-Atlantic the lunch menu was the same every day. There was a different dinner menu each day with the same six or seven everyday choices and three choices of the day for appetizers, main course, and dessert. Everyday choices included pork loin, sirloin steak, chicken breast, tilapia, lamb shank, a pasta, salmon, and, I think, something else. Prime rib, skirt steak, turkey, various pastas, were among the choices of the day. Sorry I can't remember more. The noodles bar, sushi bar, and yakitori place were open for lunch at modest fees, in addition to the dining room, buffet, poolside venues, O'Sheehan's.

[ColinIllinois]

On Epic's trans-Atlantic the lunch menu was the same every day. There was a different dinner menu each day with the same six or seven everyday choices and three choices of the day for appetizers, main course, and dessert. Everyday choices included pork loin, sirloin steak, chicken breast, tilapia, lamb shank, a pasta, salmon, and, I think, something else. Prime rib, skirt steak, turkey, various pastas, were among the choices of the day. Sorry I can't remember more. The noodles bar, sushi bar, and yakitori place were open for lunch at modest fees, in addition to the dining room, buffet, poolside venues, O'Sheehan's.

 

 

Did you happen to eat in the Garden Cafe and if so what was your impressions? When you say "poolside venues" does that mean like burgers, etc?

 

Thanks much for the info.

[jingle5616]

We were recently on the Pearl and took note of the new menus. Everyone in our party thought it was a major let down. Unlike when these menus were first introduced, there were no daily lobster and prime rib. We did hear of prime rib one night and lobster another. But gone were favorites such as Co qu vin and Beef Wellington. It didn't bother Jinglette and myself much as we tend to try each of the specialty joints. Some of the others were squawking by the end of our 7 nights, as they were on a tighter budget and stuck with the MDR's. One person was grumbling about eating "low end" NY strip all week. I personally found my NY strip just fine the one of the two nights we did eat in the MDR. The lobster was reported as "awful" by all in my party. I long ago quit even attempting lobster in the MDR...... IMO they have created this menu to drive people to the surcharge rooms. Not a problem for some, a huge problem for others. YMMV......

 

All of our meals were pretty darn good in the specialty restaurants with the exception of the the Italian place. We both received pretty low quality cuts of meat in our dishes. My ribeye had "extra, Extra, EXTRA:eek:" marbling......

 

Jingle

[sottovoce]

Did you happen to eat in the Garden Cafe and if so what was your impressions? When you say "poolside venues" does that mean like burgers, etc?

 

Thanks much for the info.

We had four or five lunches in the Garden Cafe and most breakfasts. I thought it was the best buffet I've seen yet. There are high-backed banquettes separating the seating area from the serving areas, reducing the feeling of hustle-bustle. The food was quite good. A chilled fruit soup every day. A carved meat every day. Pizza/pasta, fish, cooked meats and vegetables, fabulous cheeses, eight or ten hard ice creams, soft ice cream, good choice of desserts, Indian food, pre-made or custom sandwiches, burgers, sausages, kraut, cole slaw, potato and macaroni salad. All of it, in my opinion, good.

 

Breakfasts were also good. Custom eggs, good (to my taste) scrambled eggs, everything else you could think of. Except, initially, NCL's excellent muesli mix. At first this was available only at the small cold buffet line in the main dining room at breakfast (order cooked stuff from the server and help yourself to pastries, croissants, cereals, fruits, cheeses, smoked salmon, etc., much like the suites breakfasts in Cagney's). I asked the executive sous chef about the absence of muesli in the buffet and...voila...the next day it was there.

 

Also, every night they set up a crepes station in the Garden Cafe (port side) preparing dessert crepes. Should also mention that O'Sheehan's, Epic's equivalent of the Blue Lagoon, has a significantly expanded menu. An egg platter is available all the time. Plenty of seating. Can eat there and watch the big screen TV in the Atrium or listen to the piano music from there.

 

The poolside stuff was pretty much dogs, burgers, sausages, cold salads, fries, etc., but there may have been more. There were venues both by the midships pool area and aft by Spice H2O.

[sottovoce]

IMO they have created this menu to drive people to the surcharge rooms.

No cruise line would be so stupid as to serve a deliberately poor selection of food in the main dining room, where the great majority of passengers eat every night. I just have to shake my head when I read such nonsense.

[alwalaska]

I found this link, but these look like the original ones, before the changes Jingle was talking about http://www.cruisebugchatter.com/menus/ncl-dawn-menus/

 

I can't find anything newer.

[happythoughts]

I'm confused but the above posts. Does the Jewel now have the same new menu as the Dawn???

[alwalaska]

I'm confused but the above posts. Does the Jewel now have the same new menu as the Dawn???

 

Sorry. I am not sure which post confused you. It looks like the Jewel does not have the new menus like the Dawn since they still have chilled soups in the main dining room at night. From what I can ascertain, Dawn, Pearl, and Epic have the new menus.

 

Also, there is another thread currently running with amazing pics of the Jewel's menus and food. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1230202

[VonChap]

I found this link, but these look like the original ones, before the changes Jingle was talking about http://www.cruisebugchatter.com/menus/ncl-dawn-menus/

 

I can't find anything newer.

 

Thanks Ann. I can not find them either.

 

Kim

[jkeller527]

This thread is posted right below http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1230202&page=4

[VonChap]

This thread is posted right below http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1230202&page=4

 

Thanks! Great photos on that thread and menu info. These are the standard NCL menus that seem to be on all the ships except the Epic, Dawn and the Pearl. I would love to see some info from the new Dawn MDR menus

[jingle5616]

No cruise line would be so stupid as to serve a deliberately poor selection of food in the main dining room, where the great majority of passengers eat every night. I just have to shake my head when I read such nonsense.

 

Well sottovoce, there are at least 4 others besides me and Jinglette that think that is exactly they are doing. Two of those four were very unhappy and won't grace a NCL ship again. If I was only going to eat the Main Dining room, I'd have to question if my next cruise was going to be on an NCL ship as well. As it is, I like the freestyle concept enough and don't mind spending a little extra cash so it doesn't effect me much.

However, I demure to you, as you are the smartest man on the NCL board and you must be right as always:eek:....

 

Jingle

[guyver]

We were recently on the Pearl and took note of the new menus. Everyone in our party thought it was a major let down. Unlike when these menus were first introduced, there were no daily lobster and prime rib. We did hear of prime rib one night and lobster another. But gone were favorites such as Co qu vin and Beef Wellington. It didn't bother Jinglette and myself much as we tend to try each of the specialty joints. Some of the others were squawking by the end of our 7 nights, as they were on a tighter budget and stuck with the MDR's. One person was grumbling about eating "low end" NY strip all week. I personally found my NY strip just fine the one of the two nights we did eat in the MDR. The lobster was reported as "awful" by all in my party. I long ago quit even attempting lobster in the MDR...... IMO they have created this menu to drive people to the surcharge rooms. Not a problem for some, a huge problem for others. YMMV......

 

All of our meals were pretty darn good in the specialty restaurants with the exception of the the Italian place. We both received pretty low quality cuts of meat in our dishes. My ribeye had "extra, Extra, EXTRA:eek:" marbling......

 

Jingle

 

What does YMMV stand for? I keep seeing it and I'm too slow to figure it out.:confused:

[jingle5616]

What does YMMV stand for? I keep seeing it and I'm too slow to figure it out.:confused:

 

 

Your Mileage May Vary.

[guyver]

Your Mileage May Vary.

 

Thanks. Makes sense.

[sottovoce]

Well sottovoce, there are at least 4 others besides me and Jinglette that think that is exactly they are doing. Two of those four were very unhappy and won't grace a NCL ship again. If I was only going to eat the Main Dining room, I'd have to question if my next cruise was going to be on an NCL ship as well. As it is, I like the freestyle concept enough and don't mind spending a little extra cash so it doesn't effect me much.

However, I demure to you, as you are the smartest man on the NCL board and you must be right as always:eek:....

 

You are quite the smart-tail, aren't you?

 

I hate to say it but what you've written above in your first two sentences precisely supports what I wrote: A cruise line would have to be stupid to deliberately serve poor food in the main dining room, because passengers are going to decide to cruise elsewhere. Are you capable of understanding that point now?

 

By the way, I won't miss them--or you--on future NCL cruises.

 

And you might want to use your dictionary to find out the real meaning of "demure."

[jingle5616]

You are quite the smart-tail, aren't you?

 

I hate to say it but what you've written above in your first two sentences precisely supports what I wrote: A cruise line would have to be stupid to deliberately serve poor food in the main dining room, because passengers are going to decide to cruise elsewhere. Are you capable of understanding that point now?

 

By the way, I won't miss them--or you--on future NCL cruises.

 

And you might want to use your dictionary to find out the real meaning of "demure."

 

Like I said, you are the smartest man on the NCL boards, maybe even the smartest man in the world! BTY, I'm not going any where as I like NCL!

 

Jingle

[bfree32]

Can't we all just be happy?

 

Would we be closer to agreeing if we removed the term 'deliberately'. Perhaps one could argue that the Cruise Line is cutting a corner or two in the MDR to help with bottom line. As a result the quality of the Specialty restaurants becomes more desireable.

[jingle5616]

Can't we all just be happy?

 

Would we be closer to agreeing if we removed the term 'deliberately'. Perhaps one could argue that the Cruise Line is cutting a corner or two in the MDR to help with bottom line. As a result the quality of the Specialty restaurants becomes more desireable.

 

 

Agreed. I rescind "deliberately"! I'm very happy BTW....

 

Jingle