2 appetizer limit?

[Gregor4500]

In a recent review of the Getaway by t2limar, http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2256104, It is mentioned they were limited to 2 appetizers pp in LeBistro.

 

This included soup. I know I like to get the mushroom soup, escargot and mussels. I don't know if it includes salad, but if so that would end having a 5 course meal. Soup, salad, appetizer, entree and dessert.

 

Is this the new norm?

[OCruisers]

When it includes soup in the two, it seems odd. :confused:

[GUT2407]

DW as often had more than 2

 

A soup

 

A fruit cocktail

 

A salad

 

A pasta or a different salad

[Charlie4]

Just off the Gem, had 3 apps in LeBistro.

[NLH Arizona]

I would think it should be 1 appetizer, a salad, entrée (with sides) and a dessert, because I don't think anyone really needs more than that, but that is just my opinion and if someone isn't going to have the entrée, then they should be able to order 1 or 2 additional appetizers in it's place.

 

Maybe for those that like a lot of appetizers, they should scan the dining room and see if there is someone like me, who wouldn't order an appetizer, and ask if they could order something for them. LOL!

[OCruisers]

Sometimes, I order a soup, salad, appetizer and then another appetizer as my entrée.

[SissasMomE]

We usually order an appetizer, soup, salad, and then entree, and we have never had a problem.

[Gregor4500]

Just off the Gem, had 3 apps in LeBistro.

 

Glad to hear that.

[GUT2407]

As I said above DW has at times ordered 4 or 5, but no main and often no dessert.

[rochelle_s]

For me personally a 2 app limit in Cagney's would influence my ordering in that venue, as I always order a double shrimp cocktail. If this is indeed the way things will be I hope they make some changes to their portion sizes. I have never ordered a shrimp cocktail anywhere else where it only came with 3 shrimp. At present they allow for a second entree to be ordered for $10, will they introduce a price point at which you could order additional appetizers?

 

I wonder if this limiting guests choices is a slippery slope? One that could eventually be seen in the complementary dining venues, just like complementary room service. Amidst all the brouhaha with the implementation of the $7.95 room service charge they announced that continental breakfast would remain free in the morning hours. What they failed to mention was that they were stripping the continental down to the barest minimum consisting of just coffee and pastry. Gone were cereal, fruit and yogurt, over half the menu, basically any item of sustenance.

 

I believe that this 'limiting' change in specialty restaurants will not appeal to the average cruiser. They were certainly never beating down the door of Ocean Blue with this type of format. Time will tell.

 

 

Rochelle

[LrgPizza]

I rarely if ever eat dessert, so I hope they'd let me have an extra appetizer. I'll eat it at the end of the meal if I must. :D

[nyfltraveler]

You can order unlimited appetizers. In Cagneys, for example, we would regularly order double shrimp cocktails (6 pieces instead of 3), a salad, soup and sometimes something else (such as the short ribs app).

 

Part of dining on cruises is the ability to sample and experience different foods.

[rochelle_s]

You can order unlimited appetizers. In Cagneys, for example, we would regularly order double shrimp cocktails (6 pieces instead of 3), a salad, soup and sometimes something else (such as the short ribs app).

 

Part of dining on cruises is the ability to sample and experience different foods.

 

What you have been allowed to do in the past might not be so in the future. It seems the ability to order all you want in the specialty dining venues is changing.

 

 

Rochelle

[PATRLR]

You can order unlimited appetizers. In Cagneys, for example, we would regularly order double shrimp cocktails (6 pieces instead of 3), a salad, soup and sometimes something else (such as the short ribs app).

 

Part of dining on cruises is the ability to sample and experience different foods.

 

And it used to be that dining on cruises meant high quality meals in the MDR, not just in specialty restaurant for an extra fee.

[missintuitive]

You can order unlimited appetizers. In Cagneys, for example, we would regularly order double shrimp cocktails (6 pieces instead of 3), a salad, soup and sometimes something else (such as the short ribs app).

 

 

 

Part of dining on cruises is the ability to sample and experience different foods.

 

 

Is this from recent experience on the getaway or past experience? I ask bc the getaway is typically used for piloting new initiatives. This could be something that is rolled out fleet wide.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Zippeedee]

You can order unlimited appetizers. In Cagneys, for example, we would regularly order double shrimp cocktails (6 pieces instead of 3), a salad, soup and sometimes something else (such as the short ribs app).

 

Part of dining on cruises is the ability to sample and experience different foods.

 

Two weeks ago at Cagney's on the Gem I ordered shrimp cocktail, the wedge salad, and then fries and beets with my strip steak. The waiter hesitated a bit but took my order. A few minutes later we heard the waiter at the table behind us tell the people at that table they were limited to one side each. When I got my beets there could not have been more than two tablespoons full in a tiny dish. I had to look down into the cone to even find my few fries. No clue how they will charge for sides a la carte. Anything more than $1 for those beets would be too much. They were delicious though.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Zippeedee
Clarity

[nyfltraveler]

Is this from recent experience on the getaway or past experience? I ask bc the getaway is typically used for piloting new initiatives. This could be something that is rolled out fleet wide.

 

This was from last week on Breakaway.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

I rarely if ever eat dessert, so I hope they'd let me have an extra appetizer. I'll eat it at the end of the meal if I must. :D

 

 

I'm the same I hardly ever eat desert

[Gregor4500]

I was hoping this wasn't true. For my next cruise a 4 day SDP was included plus we get two dinners for being platinum. But if they are limiting the apps and sides it's taking away a lot of the appeal.

[Gregor4500]

I'm the same I hardly ever eat desert

 

Same here, I would gladly exchange my dessert(s) for app(s).

[NLH Arizona]

It seems, because of the different experiences (someone was limited to two appetizers, another limited to three and another with no limit), that NCL might be experimenting on limiting the amount of food on the dining packages, in anticipation of the a la carte menu. I don’t see an issue with this, as there is so much food on the ship that no one would starve if they could only order 1 or 2 appetizers with their dinner, but I do think that NCL should have waited and made any changes with the inception of the new SDP and leave the UDP as it has been. NCL should also put any new rules on the terms and conditions, as well as on the menus themselves, so that everyone knows what the rules are going in. It would have made more sense to have all changes ready to roll out with the SDP when it was announced, instead of piecemealing them in over time; such as, the premium items, a limit to any food items, etc.

[jenidallas]

No such limitations on Spirit recently. In fact, the dining staff least seemed to be encouraging us to order more food than we did.

 

In Le Bistro, I usually only order off the apps menu, for example, and the staff didn't think three apps would make a filling meal.

 

In Cagney's on the first night, I ordered three sides with my steak as I was used to tiny side portions from Breakaway/Getaway. The portions were huge so I toned down my orders for the remainder of the cruise.

[NLH Arizona]

I agree on both counts. Starving really isn't an issue. And if they put a cap on items in the MDR, it would be the end of cruising for many. But I really don't think that's going to happen in the near future.

I agree, I don't think they will ever do it in the MDR, but the specialty restaurants might be a different story, since we are hearing this from different posters.

[cruzsnooze]

I agree, I don't think they will ever do it in the MDR, but the specialty restaurants might be a different story, since we are hearing this from different posters.

I think that's backwards. Since I'm paying for 2 meals, the MDR and the specialty I should not be limited in the specialty. That would be a deal breaker for me.

[rochelle_s]

I think that's backwards. Since I'm paying for 2 meals, the MDR and the specialty I should not be limited in the specialty. That would be a deal breaker for me.

 

Especially limiting items like soup and salad. Kind of sounds ridiculous when you think about it.

 

 

Rochelle