Norwegian Cruise Line Boss Hints at Asia Move; Insists a la Carte Dining is Here to S

[LrgPizza]

I hope you don't like him solely based on the decision for NCL to venture into the Asian market. This was already in the works when Kevin Sheehan was still there. He (Mr. Sheehan) attended our M&G on the NCL Sun in 2014 and mentioned this and Australia as two future NCL destinations.

 

Nope. That has nothing to do with it in the slightest.

[Diver2014]

Royal Caribbean is going into the Asian market, why not NCL? I think it's a good move. As for the a la carte dining, makes a lot more sense than paying a cover charge. Pay for what you order, easy as pie. I shouldn't comment on that though because we always eat in the MDR....the food is much more to our liking than any specialty restaurant. If you don't like the food, go pay more on some other cruise line. Plenty to choose from!

[SteelMagnolia9]

So you're at $23 at cagneys with JUST the cheapest app and main, which I am guessing is not actually a steak, no mention of soup/salad/side/dessert etc.

 

You bring up a good point:

 

True a la carte restaurants: All items are priced separately. No ribeye with 2 sides included or maybe a salad and the bread is complementary. Appetizers, bread, soup, salad, sides (veggies, rice, etc.), desserts, all priced separately. Want a baked potato with your steak? Separate price. Many high end restaurants, including high end steakhouses are a la carte. But I think most people are thinking there will be included "extras" with that entrée. I don't know the answer. But if these restaurants are truly a la carte, you will be paying for each item ordered.

[Casino Comp Chick]

""The new policy is first being introduced to Norwegian Escape, before being rolled out to the rest of the fleet next year.

 

Stuart added: "We can tell that there a few that don't like it, but it hasn't had a terrible reaction.""

 

Two statements that remind me of two things:

 

1. The NEW COKE

 

2. Royal Caribbean's Dynamic Dining.

 

bosco

 

Let me add 1

JCPenney and new low every day prices

lol that went over so well they almost filed bankruptcy but at least they were smart enough to fire the moron who implemented it............

Are you listening NCL???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[conandrob240]

Yes but the Disney dining packages are wildly popular even though a la carte for those who don't eat much or split plate costs a fraction. The difference though is that Disney can accommodate a lot more in their restaurants vs a ship with very little room and so Disney can absorb the diners who pay a fraction of what the package person is paying.

 

Not sure I understand the comparison.

[perditax]

Does the a la carte menu charge for appetizers, salads, soups and desserts?

 

 

Have a feeling the answer is yes and they haven't posted them yet to avoid people doing the real math.

[littlelulu01]

Not sure I understand the comparison.

 

Sorry. Disney dining plan includes an entire meal, which is a good deal if you can eat all that food. You can dine in their restaurants, except the buffets, for a fraction of the cost if you are happy splitting a plate or just ordering apps or main dish and no dessert and still be quite full. The Disney dining plan doesn't save most people much $ if any even if they eat all the food the plan covers yet they're wildly popular because people like knowing what their budget is and don't want a big surprise. I usually get an appetizer or a salad for my dinner in the real world or at Disney world. husband will eat more but we never order dessert.

 

If ncl switches to a la carte and I eat dinner at lets say cagneys, I'm going to be content with a wedge salad and a bite of husbands steak, effectively making our dinners much less expensive than a dining package through ncl.

 

I do this at Disney world and usually in any restaurant in the real world thus saving a ton dining out. Disney World can still accommodate people like me and make $ because their seating capacity is huge and they're making a lot more money on all the dining package people.

 

If a ship switched to this model they could easily start loosing a considerable amount of money, that is if everyone started eating like they do in the real world and enough of them eat like me when dining out. So it's a big risk for a ship to take unless they're pretty sure most of the people would order packages.

 

Not to say I would not stuff myself if presented the opportunity and it's included like in a package though.

 

With Disney, everyone in your family has to order the dining package, effectively making even more $ however with ncl you can pick and choose who gets a package so we could really save $ by having husband get say a three day package on a seven day cruise and me getting appetizers or salads and desserts. Disney knows that not all people in a family are big eaters so they don't even offer a package like ncls.

[Traveling redhead]

I have one meal in the restaurants that are not included in the fee per cruise. I may reconsider that now. I have a cruise booked next summer will consider the impact.

 

 

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[brownie32]

Did 6 cruises with NCL. Loved Freestyle. Ate at Cagney's at least once each cruise. Loved the idea of flat rate from soup to nuts without having to worry about the cost of each item. With the deteriorating quality of food in the MDR, I will be leaving NCL unless this policy is reversed. Celebrity offers a better product for almost the same price. At least the food in the MDR is of a higher quality and they have specialty dining at one price (albeit a little pricy).:(

[boopsahoy]

Did 6 cruises with NCL. Loved Freestyle. Ate at Cagney's at least once each cruise. Loved the idea of flat rate from soup to nuts without having to worry about the cost of each item. With the deteriorating quality of food in the MDR, I will be leaving NCL unless this policy is reversed. Celebrity offers a better product for almost the same price. At least the food in the MDR is of a higher quality and they have specialty dining at one price (albeit a little pricy).:(

 

I also dislike the a la carte idea. I said earlier they should give us a choice. Do you want the a la carte or the all inclusive menu? They do it at restaurants why not on NCL? This solves the problem and makes everyone happy. I will still cruise NCL because they have the best suite life for a reasonable price. I just won't eat at the Specialty restaurants except for our platinum dinners and any Casino comped dinners. So they lose out on my 3 dinners for 2 I would have probably paid for.

[SteveH2508]

I am ambivalent about the a la carte pricing at the moment: (we have not seen the prices yet).

 

NCL could/should (IMHO) follow many restaurant's practice and have a fixed price menu alongside the a la carte offering. The fixed price menu could have 3 or 4 options for each course or could be on a daily rotation.

 

This would let those who wish to eat piles of lobsters, fill their boots at a price which reflects this, whereas those who like small meals are also catered for.

[Love my butler]

It's purely a money grab by NCL. You are now paying more for less. Same pattern over the last 6 months.

[boopsahoy]

I am ambivalent about the a la carte pricing at the moment: (we have not seen the prices yet).

 

NCL could/should (IMHO) follow many restaurant's practice and have a fixed price menu alongside the a la carte offering. The fixed price menu could have 3 or 4 options for each course or could be on a daily rotation.

 

This would let those who wish to eat piles of lobsters, fill their boots at a price which reflects this, whereas those who like small meals are also catered for.

 

This is what I have been saying. all along Also, after all the complaining-if the price of a full dinner on the a la carte menu was the same as the fixed price, wouldn't they have come out and said it?

[maywell]

I am ambivalent about the a la carte pricing at the moment: (we have not seen the prices yet).

 

NCL could/should (IMHO) follow many restaurant's practice and have a fixed price menu alongside the a la carte offering. The fixed price menu could have 3 or 4 options for each course or could be on a daily rotation.

 

This would let those who wish to eat piles of lobsters, fill their boots at a price which reflects this, whereas those who like small meals are also catered for.

 

What do think the UDP / SDP is for? That is the fixed price along aside the a la carte pricing.....

[boopsahoy]

What do think the UDP / SDP is for? That is the fixed price along aside the a la carte pricing.....

 

I don't want to HAVE to buy more than one day and I don't want to have to do it beforehand. I want to be FREESTYLE and eat when I feel like it.

[4774Papa]

My Daughter's family will love the new pricing, since they have four children and eating in a specialty restaurant can get very pricey and the younger kids rarely eat a lot.

[legion3]

My Daughter's family will love the new pricing, since they have four children and eating in a specialty restaurant can get very pricey and the younger kids rarely eat a lot.

 

So apart from reserving a table only for dessert and coffee will a la carte allow more families with smaller children to enjoy these venues as the cost will potientially no longer be as steep.

 

Especially with no kids pricing now?

[boopsahoy]

So apart from reserving a table only for dessert and coffee will a la carte allow more families with smaller children to enjoy these venues as the cost will potientially no longer be as steep.

 

Especially with no kids pricing now?

 

This is going to be a mess. There's going to be families going just for dessert or for apps with tons of kids. There goes the quiet upscale feel of the specialty restaurants. Also getting a reservation is going to be terribly hard. I think NCL shot themselves in the foot with this. The people like me that gladly paid the cover charge for an upscale experience will stop going and instead there will be people spending 10 bucks a person for apps instead. I think this is a money losing proposition for NCL.

 

AGAIN-NCL at least give the choice of a la carte or inclusive, or you will lose at least 3 meals from me each cruise.

[maywell]

I don't want to HAVE to buy more than one day and I don't want to have to do it beforehand. I want to be FREESTYLE and eat when I feel like it.

And no one is telling you to dine at any specialty restaurant at all - Literally have 3 choices. 1) don't dine at specialties at all, just the complimentary; 2) pay the a la carte pricing at those restaurants that are or 3) pay the UDP/SDP to get the fixed price at those a la carte restaurants or eat at Moderno /Teppanyaki which still is.

 

No offense - You'll either figure it out sooner or later how to resolve your speciality dining situation. Or never....

 

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Edited August 11, 2015 by maywell

[emmak8]

I suggest everyone eat in the "complimentary" dining rooms.

[boopsahoy]

I suggest everyone eat in the "complimentary" dining rooms.

 

I will definitely be there more than usual if the a la carte prices make a full meal more expensive than the all inclusive price was.

[legion3]

I suggest everyone eat in the "complimentary" dining rooms.

 

No thanks...

 

Simpler just to not cruise NCL after the next cruise and find a cruise line with a decent MDR, even if less specialty venues are avaialble.

[4774Papa]

We do a lot of 14 day cruises and you can usually see about 25 children on a ship full of passengers. I don't see a huge issue with children upsetting the mood in our specialty restaurants.

[nbsjcruiser]

"We can tell that there a few that don't like it, but it hasn't had a terrible reaction."

 

Now there's a vote of confidence for you.

[maywell]

We do a lot of 14 day cruises and you can usually see about 25 children on a ship full of passengers. I don't see a huge issue with children upsetting the mood in our specialty restaurants.

 

That's what I love about 2 week cruises and cruises after Thanksgiving & before Christmas - not too many children running around to cause upset even in the buffet. The adults that don't know how to behave, on the otherhand, well that's a different story.......

 

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Edited August 11, 2015 by maywell