Lobster Tails Apparently Gone on NCL

[jkgourmet]

Is the smoked salmon wild or farmed raised? If it is farmed raised, I don't know about the "better & healthier eating for its nutrients."

 

OMG. Who gives a crap?

 

I ordered that same dish at Cagney's on my first night on the BA back in May. Mine smelled really fishy and wasn't very pleasant. It seemed to me like it might have something to do with it being the first night- maybe the 'new stuff' wasn't being used yet. :confused: At any rate, I'll order steak rather than seafood on embarkation night from now on. ;) (Hubby's filet looked fabulous!)

 

Cagney's is a steakhouse. That's what they do really, really well. Id never expect great seafood from any TRUE steakhouse.

 

That said, the lamb chops were surprisingly tasty!

Edited August 9, 2014 by jkgourmet

[njitalian76]

OMG. Who gives a crap?

 

 

 

Cagney's is a steakhouse. That's what they do really, really well. Id never expect great seafood from any TRUE steakhouse.

 

That said, the lamb chops were surprisingly tasty!

 

 

The lamb chops are good! :)

[MATHA531]

Just off the Sun on my Alaska cruise and guess what. This was the first cruise without lobster tails. Watched in sort of horror in buffet when one of the chefs came by the station with the lobster pasta...a big big vat of macaroni (just great for diabetics of course) and a salad bowl size plate of some lobster meat. The cook tasted it and said it needed more lobster. So the person put about four pieces of lobster meat in the big big vat. Odds of getting some lobster with your pasta...about less than 1%.

 

A total total disgrace. I let the hotel manager know my disgust at what is going on. He blamed it on the introduction of the new menus. Of course not once were there a shrimp cocktail as one of the appetizers be it in the MDR's or the Garden Cafre.

 

Just one other note. Every night teppanyaki sold out according to the boards posted with red rectangles. Understandable as there are two teppanhyaki tables that can seat 9 diners at a time. That means 54 teppanyaki dinners at most a night. Not one other restaurant ever had a red rectangle. Not one. Not any evening. People are no longer falling for the NCL attempts to drive them into the specialty restaurants by serving lousy food elswewhere.

[kkpcruiser]

There was not lobster on the MDR menus for this sailing . The Garden buffet which I made a point to check out did have the pasta with Lobster, Shrimp and maybe scallops. I tried a tiny portion, It wa a actually quite good but doubt it will satisfy those who came looking for lobster tails.

There also were glass dishes of tiny shrimp cocktail..those teeny shrimp. I passed.

I had a few great dishes in the MDR, specifically rack of lamb, a risotto app, and an escargot puff pastry app. Otherwise I found the food to be just ok. It certainly wasn't bad and I definitely don't cruise for the food.i consider myself to be a foodie but it doesn't have to be gourmet for me to enjoy. ( I love a ShakeShack burger for instance ;).. The chocolate volcano dessert I thought was also excellent and offered nightly.

[pathubia]

No more lobster? Time to cancel my cruise!! :eek:

 

We did have the tiny lobster tails on our May cruise on the Dawn, I better get my lobster fill before we cruise again in October....;)

 

Thanks for the warning!!!

 

I dont think this will make or break our trip.....Now if they cancel desserts, I may have to cruise another line!! :D

[njitalian76]

Just off the Sun on my Alaska cruise and guess what. This was the first cruise without lobster tails. Watched in sort of horror in buffet when one of the chefs came by the station with the lobster pasta...a big big vat of macaroni (just great for diabetics of course) and a salad bowl size plate of some lobster meat. The cook tasted it and said it needed more lobster. So the person put about four pieces of lobster meat in the big big vat. Odds of getting some lobster with your pasta...about less than 1%.

 

 

 

A total total disgrace. I let the hotel manager know my disgust at what is going on. He blamed it on the introduction of the new menus. Of course not once were there a shrimp cocktail as one of the appetizers be it in the MDR's or the Garden Cafre.

 

 

 

Just one other note. Every night teppanyaki sold out according to the boards posted with red rectangles. Understandable as there are two teppanhyaki tables that can seat 9 diners at a time. That means 54 teppanyaki dinners at most a night. Not one other restaurant ever had a red rectangle. Not one. Not any evening. People are no longer falling for the NCL attempts to drive them into the specialty restaurants by serving lousy food elswewhere.

 

 

I don't get some of you!!! I have never cruised for the lobster!!! There are so many other things to eat! Le Bistro has some amazing dishes! Moderno is good. I thought the MDR on the Gem was quite good last year and I look forward to the Gem again in two weeks! To many of us cannot adapt to change! It's a business and things come and go! Sometimes for the better sometimes not. But we need to adapt and move on and make it a great vacation. Buck for Buck it still is the best value for your dollar!!!! If you want lobster take a New England / Canada cruise plenty of lobster at port there!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5s

Edited August 13, 2014 by njitalian76

[kamari]

MATHA531 I bet now you hate you made this post. People are such a mess and fail to understand that everyone is different. I get your point. Those who have cruised a long time look forward to a certain experience while cruising. Such as Carnival's warm chocolate cake and Royal Caribbean's chilled Lobster Bisque Soup or Baked Alaska cake. Of course I'm sure that the fact of NCL doing away with lobster is not a deal breaking and I'm certain that you wont stop cruising due to lack there of. But I get your point. I have read many posts which ppl have stated they cant wait to eat something on their upcoming cruise. Jeez !!!!!!!!

[Out to sea!]

I don't get some of you!!! I have never cruised for the lobster!!! There are so many other things to eat! Le Bistro has some amazing dishes! Moderno is good. I thought the MDR on the Gem was quite good last year and I look forward to the Gem again in two weeks! To many of us cannot adapt to change! It's a business and things come and go! Sometimes for the better sometimes not. But we need to adapt and move on and make it a great vacation. Buck for Buck it still is the best value for your dollar!!!! If you want lobster take a New England / Canada cruise plenty of lobster at port there!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5s

 

Really? I don't think anyone cruises for "lobster" but for many of us, it's a special treat to be able to get it on a cruise when it's so unaffordable at home.

[njitalian76]

Really? I don't think anyone cruises for "lobster" but for many of us, it's a special treat to be able to get it on a cruise when it's so unaffordable at home.

 

 

Really? Not affordable! We have had lobster on sale all summer for $5.99 a pound. If you can afford a cruise you can afford lobster! Where is home Russia?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5s

[Waterloomarc]

I think people mean unaffordable in restaurants. I find a lot of people don't realize how easy it is to cook seafood at home and therefore don't realize how cheap it is at the grocery store. Lord only knows how much money I wasted on crab legs at restaurants before I figured out that a vegetable steamer and 6 or 7 minutes and I can do it myself for an eighth of the price!

Edited August 13, 2014 by Waterloomarc

[fishin' musician]

Be advised, lobster night was alive and well on the July 28 southbound sailing of the Sun. Apparently the stocks have held out. It was served the second night. I will generally choke down the typically dry, stringy, overcooked crustaceans mainly for the novelty, but these were actually quite good. Very tender, succulent and sweet. I had a couple, many ordered more.

[JasonV1]

Getaway had lobster last week; even had it in the buffet that night.

[cruisingcouple2010]

We've been cruising now for almost 13 years. Been on CC for about 4 and mostly till recently just read and seldom post. But I've had some free time lately and couldn't resist posting a few thoughts.

 

I'm a bit perplexed as to why "lobster" talk seems to be such a big deal on here??? And it has been for years in some fashion or another. We too love lobster but have rarely had what I would call "good" lobster on a cruise ship. Also I need to find out where some people are getting there cruise tickets at because I think if you can spend 12-1500 min a couple for a cruise you should be able to take the Mrs. out from time to time for a $150 meal.

[Out to sea!]

Really? Not affordable! We have had lobster on sale all summer for $5.99 a pound. If you can afford a cruise you can afford lobster! Where is home Russia?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5s

 

Try reading the English that is written on my posts. Look in the upper right hand side of the post and you will see where I am from. Look at the upper left hand side and you'll notice I was a MSgt in the US Air Force (not many Russians in the USAF). Being that you are from New Jersey I do understand the rudeness though.

 

If you're getting it for $5.99 a pound it must be stolen because in the Commissary on base it's $10 a pound and in the grocery stores it's $18 to $20 a pound here in Florida (another hint as to where I am from). I guess I shouldn't say it is unaffodable to me but with my lousy cooking skills it would be a waste of money for me. I get lobster done well because I CAN afford to cruise (as you can tell by my sig line).

Edited August 13, 2014 by Out to sea!

[Tophat4321]

Lobster is not the issue, NCL is just nickel and dime now. We are going back to Princess.

[rdhnd]

Really? Not affordable! We have had lobster on sale all summer for $5.99 a pound. If you can afford a cruise you can afford lobster! Where is home Russia?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5s

 

$5.99 /Lb Must be nice

The store wants that much for a 4 oz hard tail

[earlbird]

$5.99 /Lb Must be nice

The store wants that much for a 4 oz hard tail

 

 

Lobster in CT is also $5.99 per pound. And you get the whole lobster, not just the tail.

[roquejo]

Just off the Sun on my Alaska cruise and guess what. This was the first cruise without lobster tails. Watched in sort of horror in buffet when one of the chefs came by the station with the lobster pasta...a big big vat of macaroni (just great for diabetics of course) and a salad bowl size plate of some lobster meat. The cook tasted it and said it needed more lobster. So the person put about four pieces of lobster meat in the big big vat. Odds of getting some lobster with your pasta...about less than 1%.

 

A total total disgrace. I let the hotel manager know my disgust at what is going on. He blamed it on the introduction of the new menus. Of course not once were there a shrimp cocktail as one of the appetizers be it in the MDR's or the Garden Cafre.

 

Just one other note. Every night teppanyaki sold out according to the boards posted with red rectangles. Understandable as there are two teppanhyaki tables that can seat 9 diners at a time. That means 54 teppanyaki dinners at most a night. Not one other restaurant ever had a red rectangle. Not one. Not any evening. People are no longer falling for the NCL attempts to drive them into the specialty restaurants by serving lousy food elswewhere.

 

What? I just got back to back Sun Alaska last month June 23-July 7. On both sailings lobster was served both at MDR and Garden Cafe. Northbound it was served on the 1st day, south bound it was served on the 2nd day. For the MDR, it is surf and turf, for garden cafe it was lobster paella... the latter I agree you have less chance of getting one as it is served a rice topping.

 

But since I was in UDP, I had lobsters everyday that my uric acid went up!!

 

So how come lobsters just disappear in the MDR just a month after my sailing date?

 

You only mentioned garden cafe, but did you actually check the menu of the MDR either on the 1st and 2nd night???

Edited August 14, 2014 by roquejo

[BuffetPantsPls]

http://www.finnaticfishco.com/lobster-tails/

 

10$ for a tail is about 7$/lb for lobster

the spiny tail lobster found in florida apparently is much more expensive then northern lobster. Surprisingly, there's a glut of northern lobsters with alot of it that came from Russia too (though with the sanctions, it may start going up again)

 

Grocery stores charging 18-20$/lb is clearly a ripoff (unless we're talking 2-3+ lbers.

 

as with cooking lobster, take pot, boil water, throw em in, cover for 3-5 minutes, take out and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

If you're getting it for $5.99 a pound it must be stolen because in the Commissary on base it's $10 a pound and in the grocery stores it's $18 to $20 a pound here in Florida (another hint as to where I am from). I guess I shouldn't say it is unaffodable to me but with my lousy cooking skills it would be a waste of money for me. I get lobster done well because I CAN afford to cruise (as you can tell by my sig line).

[MATHA531]

What? I just got back to back Sun Alaska last month June 23-July 7. On both sailings lobster was served both at MDR and Garden Cafe. Northbound it was served on the 1st day, south bound it was served on the 2nd day. For the MDR, it is surf and turf, for garden cafe it was lobster paella... the latter I agree you have less chance of getting one as it is served a rice topping.

 

But since I was in UDP, I had lobsters everyday that my uric acid went up!!

 

So how come lobsters just disappear in the MDR just a month after my sailing date?

 

You only mentioned garden cafe, but did you actually check the menu of the MDR either on the 1st and 2nd night???

 

I'm sorry you're questioning me this way. Yes indeed, the cruise I was on was the first one where they dropped lobster, not only from the MDR but also from the Garden Cafe. It might have been available at several of the specialty restaurants but then again, we all know that part of NCL's game is to skimp a bit on food in the MDDR and the Garden Cafe to encourage people into the specialty restaurantgs. We can argue whethewr this is right or wrong till the chickens come home to roost. I don't want to open another can of worms but I do believe this is part of their policy and why food in the MDR and the buffet on NCL is less fulfilling (the best way I canh put it) than other lines who do not have as many specialty resturants. Of course the name of the game for all cruise lines is getting people to do optional things to increase profits; the cabin prices are kept as low as possible on all lines and then efforts are made to push people for extras. It just so happens NCL big extra are the specialty restaurants and let's leave it at that.

 

But I did 3 cruises this summer, the Star to the Baltic, the Breakaway to Bermuda and the Sun to Alaska. In all 3 cases, I was about a week or two late to the time they all dropped lobster. Bad luck? Probably but trust me, I'm not making any of this up.

 

In myopinion, they have simply gone too far. That's it. And no I'm not sorry I started this thread. People should know what they're getting into.

 

I just wish some suit from NCL would have had the decency to explain why this has been done and in my opinion, and everybody is entitled to theirs, the substitution of that inedible (IMHO) pasta and call it lobster is simly reprehensible.

[conandrob240]

Regularly $5.99 lb in NJ also. Almost every week. One week it was $4.99 lb. has been very good too and we've been buying it weekly.

 

Doesn't change the fact that I am disappointed it has been discontinued on NCL ships.

[roquejo]

I'm sorry you're questioning me this way. Yes indeed, the cruise I was on was the first one where they dropped lobster, not only from the MDR but also from the Garden Cafe. It might have been available at several of the specialty restaurants but then again, we all know that part of NCL's game is to skimp a bit on food in the MDDR and the Garden Cafe to encourage people into the specialty restaurantgs. We can argue whethewr this is right or wrong till the chickens come home to roost. I don't want to open another can of worms but I do believe this is part of their policy and why food in the MDR and the buffet on NCL is less fulfilling (the best way I canh put it) than other lines who do not have as many specialty resturants. Of course the name of the game for all cruise lines is getting people to do optional things to increase profits; the cabin prices are kept as low as possible on all lines and then efforts are made to push people for extras. It just so happens NCL big extra are the specialty restaurants and let's leave it at that.

 

But I did 3 cruises this summer, the Star to the Baltic, the Breakaway to Bermuda and the Sun to Alaska. In all 3 cases, I was about a week or two late to the time they all dropped lobster. Bad luck? Probably but trust me, I'm not making any of this up.

 

In myopinion, they have simply gone too far. That's it. And no I'm not sorry I started this thread. People should know what they're getting into.

 

I just wish some suit from NCL would have had the decency to explain why this has been done and in my opinion, and everybody is entitled to theirs, the substitution of that inedible (IMHO) pasta and call it lobster is simly reprehensible.

 

 

If you read the other replies to yours, there was a Sun Alaska cruise after yours that served lobster in the MDR.

 

I cruise both RCCL and NCL. NCL still has better food and they are less stingy with it comparing the 2. e.g. hot choco single serve packs are wildly avail and they constantly refill it, as for RCCL, they rarely refill it and you have to ask for it, and they are reluctant to give a pack to you.

 

As for the lobster, the free one is already long gone in all Asia cruises for RCCL.

 

It is still avail in the MDR for Asia cruises for RCCL, but you have to pay $35 to order one as a premium item.

 

They still served lobster for free on other regions like in my recent Allure cruise late last year, but no longer in Asia for quite some time already, and I've already used to a lobster less cruise whenever I cruised Asia with RCCL.

Edited August 16, 2014 by roquejo

[MATHA531]

If you read the other replies to yours, there was a Sun Alaska cruise after yours that served lobster in the MDR.

 

I cruise both RCCL and NCL. NCL still has better food and they are less stingy with it comparing the 2. e.g. hot choco single serve packs are wildly avail and they constantly refill it, as for RCCL, they rarely refill it and you have to ask for it, and they are reluctant to give a pack to you.

 

As for the lobster, the free one is already long gone in all Asia cruises for RCCL.

 

It is still avail in the MDR for Asia cruises for RCCL, but you have to pay $35 to order one as a premium item.

 

They still served lobster for free on other regions like in my recent Allure cruise late last year, but no longer in Asia for quite some time already, and I've already used to a lobster less cruise whenever I cruised Asia with RCCL.

 

The Sun cruise after mine is still on-going as I was on the cruise that left Vancouver on 04 August and ended in Alaska on 11 August. The one after mine is still going on and I kind of doubt anybody from that cruise has reported yet as it is still going on!

 

Like I said, it was just bad luck for me this summer as I missed out by a week or two on every one of the 3 cruises I took. Now of course the next question should be why would I use NCL if I hate it so much and the answer is since I live in NYC, it really is the only one at least for the time being now fully serving NYC being the home port of the Breakaway and having several cruises on smaller ships going to the Caribean at least for now. Carnival pulled out for now as last year I did a Caribean cruise and a Canadian maritime cruise on Carnival out of NYC so for whatever the reason, I do have some lattitude points on NCL so when I did the Alaska cruise or the Baltic cruise, I let that dictate mu choice lof lines where I indeed had a choice. These plans were made before I knew about the lobster tails and I do feel that what they advertise as their new and improved menu is really a cut back.

 

I will say this, also. I thought the food on the Sun in the MDR was adequate at best in the MDR, the specialty restaurants were mpty except for Teppanyaki you could walk in to every one without reservations (read into that whatever you want) and the food in the buffet was below standard.

 

What I will do in the future is up in the air. Of course at my age, I always have to questgion just what the future is. C'est la vie.

[roquejo]

Then I'll ask again what everyone else is asking in most of the replies: why cruise for lobster? Or make it make or break your cruise?

 

There are more aspects to cruising than just lobster..

 

Perhaps they are just running out of stocks at that time so they are prioritizing those specialty restaurants first..

 

Before hitting NCL, compare it first with other cruise lines like RCCL.. I cruise more than one lines so I can compare the food... nothing is preventing you from trying other lines..

 

Just simply move to another line instead of whinning...

 

If food is such a big deal for you, then get the UDP if you take NCL than ruin your entire cruise. At least NCL is providing an option for unlimited specialty dining that other cruise lines don't...

 

Or get a cruise line that is known and emphasizes on good food like Celebrity or HAL for example. (but somehow even if HAL has more budget for food, I still find the lobster on the Sun better, and even better than the one's I've had on Allure.. both RCCL and HAL's lobster were tasteless but Sun's lobster in the MDR last month are flavorful)

 

These the things that you can control, so take action as complaining on this board won't change things..

Edited August 16, 2014 by roquejo

[Out to sea!]

Then I'll ask again what everyone else is asking in most of the replies: why cruise for lobster? Or make it make or break your cruise?

 

There are more aspects to cruising than just lobster..

 

Perhaps they are just running out of stocks at that time so they are prioritizing those specialty restaurants first..

 

Before hitting NCL, compare it first with other cruise lines like RCCL.. I cruise more than one lines so I can compare the food... nothing is preventing you from trying other lines..

 

Just simply move to another line instead of whinning...

 

If food is such a big deal for you, then get the UDP if you take NCL than ruin your entire cruise. At least NCL is providing an option for unlimited specialty dining that other cruise lines don't...

 

Or get a cruise line that is known and emphasizes on good food like Celebrity or HAL for example. (but somehow even if HAL has more budget for food, I still find the lobster on the Sun better, and even better than the one's I've had on Allure.. both RCCL and HAL's lobster were tasteless but Sun's lobster in the MDR last month are flavorful)

 

These the things that you can control, so take action as complaining on this board won't change things..

 

Since you asked again, I'll answer again. No one is cruising just for lobster. The lobster is (was) a nice elegant touch that was one of the attractions that brought people to cruising instead of other types of vacations. Every time a cruise line cuts one of those types of things that makes a cruise more special than other types of vacations, they become more and more like those other types of vacations and therefore have less of an edge over the others.

 

Look at it from a different point of view. You probably don't care for lobster or it's a common ingredient to you so the loss of this particular item is a moot point to you. But lets say you like to drink on vacation and NCL decided not to sell or allow alcohol on board anymore (yeah, I know it's a money maker and lobster is not but that isn't the point). To me, I couldn't care less and would still have a wonderful cruise because I don't care about drinking and would probably enjoy my cruise more because there would be no drunks around me now. Others would be slightly irritated. Some would say "No more alcohol? Goodbye NCL!!!". And yet the ability to drink is only ONE aspect of a cruise............just like lobster.

 

If complaining on this board won't change things, why are you complaining about other's complaints? Do you expect to change things on this board with your complaints?? ;)

Edited August 16, 2014 by Out to sea!