Breakaway's Blue Ocean now 49$ !!

[david_sobe]

I notice the portions are getting smaller too. My Kung Pao dish on Epic in 2013 was half the size it was in 2010. But the cut backs and price increases are happening all over the place not just NCL. We stopped going to our favorite restaurant here in Miami because they kept changing the menu and removed the best options.

[cruisingabuela]

I have always enjoyed NCL. Lately things have been changing. I want the Colin Veitch days back.:(

[Fishbait17]

This seems odd. We have two reservations booked for Ocean Blue on the Breakaway leaving tomorrow (5/19, the date the new price is supposed to go into effect). I can still book other nights for $35pp (well I could last night anyway, nothing can be booked today).

 

Robin

[david_sobe]

My hunch is that the restaurant is so popular and there are so many people that are upset they cant get a reservation. So what can you do? Raise the price 20% and hope there is no longer the stampede to get a reservation?

[SeaShark]

Not for anything....but here we are 30 posts into the discussion and I'm not seeing any sort of source and/or confirmation on the OP's claim that the cost of this restaurant was increasing. All we know is that one person stated that it "looks like" the price would increase.

 

What is the source for this information? Is this a source-able, share-able fact, or is this another one of those "somebody told somebody Internet facts"? Has anybody else seen this alleged price increase reflected on their MyNCL page?

 

 

Perhaps we should check out the facts of the story first before unleashing endless justifications and declarations from people who have decided that their budget will not allow them to spend $xx on a restaurant?

[Cubechick]

Just want to mention that the restaurant is tiny. We asked and were told max capacity is only 99 people. That alone would make the demand appear to be high as people are turned away for that reason alone. :rolleyes:

[sweetride]

My hunch is that the restaurant is so popular and there are so many people that are upset they cant get a reservation. So what can you do? Raise the price 20% and hope there is no longer the stampede to get a reservation?

 

your math skills are lacking. its a 40% increase if true

[ihopfar]

Not for anything....but here we are 30 posts into the discussion and I'm not seeing any sort of source and/or confirmation on the OP's claim that the cost of this restaurant was increasing. All we know is that one person stated that it "looks like" the price would increase.

 

What is the source for this information? Is this a source-able, share-able fact, or is this another one of those "somebody told somebody Internet facts"? Has anybody else seen this alleged price increase reflected on their MyNCL page?

 

 

Perhaps we should check out the facts of the story first before unleashing endless justifications and declarations from people who have decided that their budget will not allow them to spend $xx on a restaurant?

 

Where's the "Like" button? ;)

[sjnyc323]

Yes on NCL page it lists it as $49 per person for three courses and my travel agent called and confirmed it with NCL for me that as of May 19 price is $49

 

Suzanne

[pyrrhus]

i honestly have no clue how that is sustainable. that is what i would pay at capital grill, ruth's chris, etc. how many people are on the ship that can afford to dine like that? i suppose on a ship of that size there could be enough but i just don't see it. i am frugal and won't pay $150 for a meal that i can get by my house for the same price, when i could get something thats good enough for free.

 

I don't know why there is all of this animosity. You are still basically paying $45.00 for a meal that would probably run $150 or more per person (not including drinks) on land. Is it worth it to al? obviously not. To me it is. Just like going to the French laundry in Napa and Per Se in new York so I can eat a menu by Thomas Keller (which would probably be $150 pp if on a ship). This isn't just a sea food restaurant, it is food transformed in to art that uses seafood as the base. Now are they doing a good job, is the quality worth it? Time will tell.

[time2cruise1]

Before everyone takes off NCL's head one think to keep in mind they have no control over the food or pricing at Ocean Blue. It is all 100% Zakarian decisions. I was taking to the executive chef on the Breakaway and he confirmed they play no role with the restaurant.

[time2cruise1]

I don't know why there is all of this animosity. You are still basically paying $45.00 for a meal that would probably run $150 or more per person (not including drinks) on land. Is it worth it to al? obviously not. To me it is. Just like going to the French laundry in Napa and Per Se in new York so I can eat a menu by Thomas Keller (which would probably be $150 pp if on a ship). This isn't just a sea food restaurant, it is food transformed in to art that uses seafood as the base. Now are they doing a good job, is the quality worth it? Time will tell.

 

If they handed me a bill of $150 pp on land for the meal I had at Ocean Blue I would refuse to pay it. Even at a very high end restaurant my guess the 3 courses would total less them $60 pp.

[Educators2]

I went to MYNCL for my June 2, 2013 cruise. The price was still $35. When I looked at the NCL site, one place had $35 and the other had $49. Quite honestly, I think $49 is too high.

[Cruisegirl6]

Do you think that we could combine our two tables together so we can sit together we are 7 three generations?

[CruisinMaterial]

I have always enjoyed NCL. Lately things have been changing. I want the Colin Veitch days back.:(

 

I'm starting to agree with you. Colin made the mistake of putting 3 ships in Hawaii at once with bad crew training but overall he kept and made the cruise line more like Celebrity with the extras. Kevin came along and cut out a lot of the good extras and now we're paying more on the ship for less and yet the base cruise fares are increasing. I know the economy has recovered but what Breakaway costs just to get on her there should be something special for it and instead it's just paying MORE for things when you're on the ship and anything special to this ship costs MORE than on land! Carlos Bake Shop is another money pit with unadvertised pricing. :(

[youngestof9]

Seashark: From the NCL Website:

 

[CruisinMaterial]

From the NCL Website:

 

 

Thanks for posting this... hope it puts some people's source fears to rest! ;):)

[CruisinMaterial]

I'm sailing June 2 on Breakaway. It shows $35/pp. Where does it say $49/pp? Just did a cut and paste from MyNCL....

 

Ocean Blue by Geoffrey Zakarian

 

Step inside the brand new Ocean Blue or experience its outdoor counterpart, Ocean Blu on the Waterfront. Tastefully nautical and tempting...

PER PERSON$35

(Per Child pricing done on the ship)

MORE DETAILS

 

It doesn't look like they've updated the MyNCL portion of the website yet for advanced bookings. This price increase was just announced yesterday (Friday) and hasn't made it all over yet. I bet if you walk up to the restaurant on the ship and just ask how much it is without the advanced payment you'll find it's the higher charge. Make sure if you want to do it that you book it now and don't wait. When it does raise through MyNCL and you didn't pre-pay then you'll have to pay for the new price. My hunch is NCL will honor those who pre-booked at the lower rates. :)

[eel]

Boy am I confused!

 

[sweetride]

I don't know why there is all of this animosity. You are still basically paying $45.00 for a meal that would probably run $150 or more per person (not including drinks) on land. Is it worth it to al? obviously not. To me it is. Just like going to the French laundry in Napa and Per Se in new York so I can eat a menu by Thomas Keller (which would probably be $150 pp if on a ship). This isn't just a sea food restaurant, it is food transformed in to art that uses seafood as the base. Now are they doing a good job, is the quality worth it? Time will tell.

 

now that it's been confirmed, its $100 for the meal. its not that it isn't a $100 meal, it probably is. its that you already paid for a sit down meal that is worth $40-60? so now that meal at ocean blue must be worth $140-160 without alcohol to make it worth it. considering the feedback so far, i don't see it. if they can rip people off for that much, good for them. they should charge as much as people are willing to pay. i just won't be one of them. and there isn't any animosity, i just dont see it being a sustainable business model for that establishment. considering the feedback, i *might* have dragged my wife to try it for $35 but with them raising the price it just saves me suffering through a tiny meal

[youngestof9]

Boy am I confused!

 

 

 

That's from MYNCL, not the main NCL website. My screenshot is from the main site, without signing in. Meaning going forward, it's $49. If you want it, I'd book it for the $35 now - I'm guessing they won't charge you the difference if you're already paid.

[sweetride]

I'm starting to agree with you. Colin made the mistake of putting 3 ships in Hawaii at once with bad crew training but overall he kept and made the cruise line more like Celebrity with the extras. Kevin came along and cut out a lot of the good extras and now we're paying more on the ship for less and yet the base cruise fares are increasing. I know the economy has recovered but what Breakaway costs just to get on her there should be something special for it and instead it's just paying MORE for things when you're on the ship and anything special to this ship costs MORE than on land! Carlos Bake Shop is another money pit with unadvertised pricing. :(

 

i'm going to have to disagree with you a LOT here. the only ships that are more expensive than before are the breakaway and getaway. all other ships are dirt cheap compared to prices of 6 years ago. you can get the lowest class suite on most ships for what you paid for a balcony before. thankfully for us the prices tanked, i have taken full advantage of this over the last few years. some prices have risen slowly from their lowest, but they are still much lower than the peak 5-6 years ago. the newer ships are filling up though, so their prices aren't too high. if you compare the prices to other new ships like oasis, they're the same for what you get.

[CruisinMaterial]

i'm going to have to disagree with you a LOT here. the only ships that are more expensive than before are the breakaway and getaway. all other ships are dirt cheap compared to prices of 6 years ago. you can get the lowest class suite on most ships for what you paid for a balcony before. thankfully for us the prices tanked, i have taken full advantage of this over the last few years. some prices have risen slowly from their lowest, but they are still much lower than the peak 5-6 years ago. the newer ships are filling up though, so their prices aren't too high. if you compare the prices to other new ships like oasis, they're the same for what you get.

 

I don't want to thread hijack but I do want to respond to you. From 2008 to just last year I could manage to get balconies at very affordable pricing no matter where I wanted to go on the NCL brand. In the last year the cost for balconies have gone up substantially and if you wait for their last minute fire sales and discounts you risk not being able to go - especially when you're in a position where you have to fly. Even the older ships prices are higher and I know it's supply and demand but now the demand is greater so the prices have no choice but to go up.

 

I'm not a suites person... I'm a balcony person and studio where available and solo traveling. Suites are out of my price league with single supplements. Balconies are quickly becoming the same way but yet everything else ON the ship is costing more.. more.. more which means I'll be able to cruise less and less or with a broom closet for a room. I'm hoping with all the new capacity added to NCL's fleet the prices drop a bit as the lure of the new ships leaves the other older ones harder to fill. :) From what I've seen so far for the departures in 2014 I'm looking at it doesn't appear to be the case. :(

[sweetride]

I don't want to thread hijack but I do want to respond to you. From 2008 to just last year I could manage to get balconies at very affordable pricing no matter where I wanted to go on the NCL brand. In the last year the cost for balconies have gone up substantially and if you wait for their last minute fire sales and discounts you risk not being able to go - especially when you're in a position where you have to fly. Even the older ships prices are higher and I know it's supply and demand but now the demand is greater so the prices have no choice but to go up.

 

I'm not a suites person... I'm a balcony person and studio where available and solo traveling. Suites are out of my price league with single supplements. Balconies are quickly becoming the same way but yet everything else ON the ship is costing more.. more.. more which means I'll be able to cruise less and less or with a broom closet for a room. I'm hoping with all the new capacity added to NCL's fleet the prices drop a bit as the lure of the new ships leaves the other older ones harder to fill. :) From what I've seen so far for the departures in 2014 I'm looking at it doesn't appear to be the case. :(

 

i wish i was optimistic about prices coming back down as new ships enter the market, but i am not. if you want the best bang for the buck, look at longer repos. the tampa-boston repo on the dawn for 2014 is on average 10% cheaper than it was for 2013. in comparison, a 7 day bermuda out of NY in a balcony on the breakaway is the same price as the 2013 suite for 12 days.

[CruisinMaterial]

i wish i was optimistic about prices coming back down as new ships enter the market, but i am not. if you want the best bang for the buck, look at longer repos. the tampa-boston repo on the dawn for 2014 is on average 10% cheaper than it was for 2013. in comparison, a 7 day bermuda out of NY in a balcony on the breakaway is the same price as the 2013 suite for 12 days.

 

I hear you on the repo cruises. You can get some mighty good deals so long as the ship is not brand spanking new! ;) Ending in Boston is not a bad thing since I could just take the commuter rail home. However open jaw or multi-city flights are insane so whatever you save in one setting you lose in another. :( I have lost my optimism for optimal pricing as well but reality has set in. It's a sign of the recovering times... USA is finally starting to recover. Now if Europe keeps down in the dumps the fire sales going on over there will lead to ships being re-deployed here and hopefully drop the prices further. Princess and Carnival are reducing their numbers but sending their fleet to Australia. Kevin Sheehan said he's not willing to send ships anywhere else in the globe right now so if the Europe market continues to weaken we might see the return of the Spirit to the USA market! I'd LOVE that! :D

 

Anyway... back to the seafood cost... how about the quality of the food being served on day 6 in Ocean Blue. Is it worth that much? It's not even fresh by that point! :eek: