Ziplocks, NCL is turning cruisers into squirrels

[scooter6139]

5 minutes ago, lfdemt said:

I admit I asked a question about this in a different outlet.  Our last couple of cruises, Royal and Princess had a complimentary cold case of items with the coffee shop.  It was the perfect way to end the night.  We would get done with the show/game/ karaoke and stop at the "cafe".  My younger kids would get cookies and milk my teenage son would get 2-3-4 ham and cheese sandwiches.  We really enjoyed it.  So I asked if the Escape had something similar and was told NO, just osheeans and we don't want to wait for that. The main suggestion was to grab a plate of cold cuts, cheese and rolls from the buffet to keep in the room.  If NCL doesn't have a grab and go option, I will bring the ziplocks because NO ONE wants to see my HANGRY teenager!

 Was this the International Cafe?  Love this spot.  Princess's 24/7 eatery.  Options rotate throughout the day.  It's like a better version (IMO) or the snacks put in the Observation Lounge on the Breakaway+ class ships.

[julig22]

52 minutes ago, Cruise5life said:

Apparently you can’t read.  In now way did I say that NCL frowned upon it.   Enjoy

Sorry you misunderstood my response. I read quite well, I was agreeing with you.

[lfdemt]

37 minutes ago, scooter6139 said:

 Was this the International Cafe?  Love this spot.  Princess's 24/7 eatery.  Options rotate throughout the day.  It's like a better version (IMO) or the snacks put in the Observation Lounge on the Breakaway+ class ships.

Yes! International Cafe on Princess and I think it was the Promenade cafe on Royal.  I was  hoping the Atrium Cafe would have something similar but no such luck.

[uneamie]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

I just want to be fair toward NCL. I know, I know...I was on the 2023 New Year's Eve/Day cruise on Getaway. We did go through the Atrium and noticed NCL had a buffet in O'Sheehan's for folks to peruse. The buffet had hot dogs, burgers, and chicken tenders and was offered until at least midnight, if not a wee bit longer.

 

Additionally, the Garden Cafe did have snacks available until 1 AM. I'm not sure what they were as we were in our room slightly before midnight. On New Year's Day, Garden Cafe went back to a 9:30 or 10 closing time. 

 

Someone posted that there was NO place to get a meal or snack other than O'Sheenans that had a 2 hour wait on NEW YEARS EVE, that was THEIR post about it, not mine, ... it was what instigated all my own responses as well as a few others. So since you were on that cruise is there a reason why you didn't mention this to clear things up before you got a bit snarky  ugh! 

[laudergayle]

10 minutes ago, uneamie said:

Someone posted that there was NO place to get a meal or snack other than O'Sheenans that had a 2 hour wait on NEW YEARS EVE, that was THEIR post about it, not mine, ... it was what instigated all my own responses as well as a few others. So since you were on that cruise is there a reason why you didn't mention this to clear things up before you got a bit snarky  ugh! 

Hi @uneamiethe NYE post you so admirably defended was about the Bliss.    @cruiseny4life(whom is often funny snarky) was on the Getaway.  You may have thought it was @Cruise5life.  Protecting the innocent…lol.

[uneamie]

1 minute ago, laudergayle said:

Hi @uneamiethe NYE post you so admirably defended was about the Bliss.    @cruiseny4life(whom is often funny snarky) was on the Getaway.  You may have thought it was @Cruise5life.  Protecting the innocent…lol.

Thanks for clearing that up....I appreciate it. It would still have been useful to know that one of the ships considered good food options for that night. I guess not ALL the ships do the same things. That said, it's not always easy to see the "well meaning funny" in a snark if you don't know the person. I am not here on these boards all that often. We don't cruise as much as many here do....I only wish we could. 

[laudergayle]

27 minutes ago, uneamie said:

Thanks for clearing that up....I appreciate it. It would still have been useful to know that one of the ships considered good food options for that night. I guess not ALL the ships do the same things. That said, it's not always easy to see the "well meaning funny" in a snark if you don't know the person. I am not here on these boards all that often. We don't cruise as much as many here do....I only wish we could. 

Hugs…you’ve been supportive of several of my posts and I appreciate it.

[Crazy planning mom]

Our last cruise was the Jade.  The Great Outdoors had snacks in the evening- I want to say from 9:30-11:30pm.   Do the newer ships not have the Great Outdoors?

[Paula_MacFan]

I haven't read the whole thread but we are on POA now and appreciate the sandwich bar at the buffet. We've taken lunch off with us for picnic lunches at national parks where no food is available and we have a rental car. I'm fully aware you can't do this at most foreign ports but since we're in the US there's no restrictions.

Edited January 25, 2023 by Paula_MacFan

[Cruise5life]

Mmmmmmmm. Late night snack. No ziplocks needed. 

[Dorhead1230]

This thread is pretty hilarious. There seem to be some here who think that people saying they’ll bring Ziplocs intend to start going into restaurants and ordering a cream of mushroom, steak and fries, and lava cake and pour it all into bags for later 😂. Pretty sure all people are saying, myself among them, is sometimes maybe you want a cookie, some cheese, a pretzel roll, or some fruit later on or really early without having to sit down at O’Sheehan’s or wait however long room service takes (with an added fee for your, convenience, of course). Plus, traveling with kids, yeah fine you can bring a few snacks from home, but I’m not lugging a ton of snacks for the times when my 4-year-old suddenly starts whining late that he’s hungry because he did a lousy job eating dinner, or when he asks for food the second he wakes up in the morning, etc. I think that people taking food and ditching half-eaten stuff, dirty plates, etc. in random places on the ship are a bigger problem than the Ziploc squirrels who want a snack handy in their cabin 🤷🏻‍♀️

[SpacemanSpiff]

 

This is a bag suitable for squirreling away cookies.

Edited January 25, 2023 by SpacemanSpiff

[JennKach]

I always have some healthy snacks stashed in the room, usually for early breakfast.  I’m diabetic and usually eat a hard boiled egg or small bowl of cheerios first thing when I wake up.  My husband takes forever to get moving and I can’t wait 2 hours to eat.  My main meals are small so I need to snack a couple times in between.  Hubby always has his cookies too.  I don’t use a zip lock bag though lol, usually a plastic cup so the eggs don’t roll around in the fridge.

[dd likes to cruise]

12 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

Exactly...people need to resist that "drive thru lane" mentality and just order and eat their meal at the restaurant. 

Some people need to eat small meals, often during the day. That is how our bodies function. If I am starving at bedtime, no one in my cabin will be getting much sleep.  A cookie hits the spot!  

[SeaShark]

8 hours ago, dd likes to cruise said:

Some people need to eat small meals, often during the day. That is how our bodies function. If I am starving at bedtime, no one in my cabin will be getting much sleep.  A cookie hits the spot!  

 

Although I never addressed that aspect, I don't have any issue with people either needing, or even just wanting, to eat small meals. I don't think NCL does either. Just go into the desired restaurant, order your small meal, eat it in the restaurant, and go about your business. My "drive thru mentality" comment still applies whether you eat small meals, large meals, or something in between.

[DCGuy64]

15 hours ago, hallux said:

How, exactly, would they solve that problem?  There are only so many tables/seats and if people decide to just sit to enjoy their meal and observe what's going on in the Atrium there's simply nothing they can do to resolve the back-log at that venue.

I was wondering the same thing. What does @uneamie expect NCL to have done? Enlarge O'Sheehan's? Add more tables? (where, exactly?) Magically make tons of food appear out of nowhere? This is a classic example of someone finding fault after the fact. (aka "they should have known, should have anticipated, etc...") Given the skewed age bracket of so many cruisers (many over 60), if anything NCL was probably expecting the old codgers to have been asleep by 1 am, not lining up for grub! 😁

[lfdemt]

40 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

Although I never addressed that aspect, I don't have any issue with people either needing, or even just wanting, to eat small meals. I don't think NCL does either. Just go into the desired restaurant, order your small meal, eat it in the restaurant, and go about your business. My "drive thru mentality" comment still applies whether you eat small meals, large meals, or something in between.

So I should make my younger children suffer through a sit down order wait eat meal so my teenage boy can have a sandwich? Rather than grab him some meat cheese and bread to eat on the balcony for his 3rd dinner while I’m getting the younger child to sleep? Do you want crying over tired children making that much noise while you enjoy your meal?

 

 

[DCGuy64]

16 hours ago, uneamie said:

I am far from worked up over THIS....I am frustrated by the insane responses to it. People work me up...not a cruise. And since I will be on this ship in a few months I do have a stake in how they operate going forward. Just so ya know! 

Well, since you now know NCL is cutting things back and might not have lots of food options 24/7, you will plan accordingly and make sure you won't go hungry like those poor folks on the NYE cruise you mentioned. Problem solved! And as for being frustrated by people's responses, I feel your pain. It happens to me quite often. But I've learned here on Cruise Critic that all I can do is express my opinion, not control what others say in reply. It can be frustrating, I agree, but that's how it is.

Edited January 25, 2023 by DCGuy64

[cruiseny4life]

14 hours ago, uneamie said:

Someone posted that there was NO place to get a meal or snack other than O'Sheenans that had a 2 hour wait on NEW YEARS EVE, that was THEIR post about it, not mine, ... it was what instigated all my own responses as well as a few others. So since you were on that cruise is there a reason why you didn't mention this to clear things up before you got a bit snarky  ugh! 

Haha (I laugh a lot, not at you though - the situation)...alas, sorry I didn't post sooner. I didn't know the late night New Year's Eve buffet was going to be so controversial on this thread. I really thought it was going to stick with Ziploc bags. That's why I waited. I try not to make everything about me, though I do enjoy that "You're so vain" song. See, even I can appreciate some songs from the 70's (different topic)!!

 

Anyway, sorry about tricking you! And, by the way, I always appreciate seeing your name pop up when you've commented. Unlike you, I have a boring job that allows me to access Cruise Critic far too often during the day. 

 

@laudergayle, thank you for being my attorney! Where shall I send the retainer? 🙂

 

9 hours ago, Dorhead1230 said:

There seem to be some here who think that people saying they’ll bring Ziplocs intend to start going into restaurants and ordering a cream of mushroom, steak and fries, and lava cake and pour it all into bags for later 😂

 

Is this not what we're discussing? I thought people were taking everything for later! Hmmm, what was I thinking? 

 

(Ignore if you'd like as it so does not relate to the topic) As a side note...in high school, "You're so Vain" came on at a party or dance or something. I had truly never, ever heard that song before, yet I was scream singing it so loud as if I was Carly Simon! It helped a girl friend (ewwww, not that kind, though I was her prom date at one point) was next to me scream singing too. 

 

[BirdTravels]

9 minutes ago, lfdemt said:

So I should make my younger children suffer through a sit down order wait eat meal so my teenage boy can have a sandwich? Rather than grab him some meat cheese and bread to eat on the balcony for his 3rd dinner while I’m getting the younger child to sleep? Do you want crying over tired children making that much noise while you enjoy your meal?

So, the buffet is open until 9:00. I am not sure why your child is looking for a meal after the buffet closes???? And if your needs are that unique, they are not going to open a restaurant specifically for you. Room service is available 24/7 if the need is that urgent. 

Edited January 25, 2023 by BirdTravels

[HotRoot]

13 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I was wondering the same thing. What does @uneamie expect NCL to have done? Enlarge O'Sheehan's? Add more tables? (where, exactly?) Magically make tons of food appear out of nowhere? This is a classic example of someone finding fault after the fact. (aka "they should have known, should have anticipated, etc...") Given the skewed age bracket of so many cruisers (many over 60), if anything NCL was probably expecting the old codgers to have been asleep by 1 am, not lining up for grub! 😁

Really, over 60 is an old codger?  I hope I never cruise with you.  But if I do, I bet I can stay up later than you.  

[ColeThornton]

13 minutes ago, lfdemt said:

So I should make my younger children suffer through a sit down order wait eat meal so my teenage boy can have a sandwich? Rather than grab him some meat cheese and bread to eat on the balcony for his 3rd dinner while I’m getting the younger child to sleep? Do you want crying over tired children making that much noise while you enjoy your meal?

 

 

 

 

Third dinner?   Is he a Hobbit?   lol        😉

[njkate]

Oh good grief why do you even care if someone takes some snacks back to their cabin in a zip lock? Read through the thread plenty of reasons people want/need a late night or early morning snack.

 

Guess I’m odd as what other people do, how other people dress etc etc on a cruise doesn’t bother my time

[njkate]

2 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

Third dinner?   Is he a Hobbit?   lol        😉

Lol nothing worse then a hangry teenage boy

[SeaShark]

16 minutes ago, lfdemt said:

So I should make my younger children suffer through a sit down order wait eat meal so my teenage boy can have a sandwich? Rather than grab him some meat cheese and bread to eat on the balcony for his 3rd dinner while I’m getting the younger child to sleep? Do you want crying over tired children making that much noise while you enjoy your meal?

 

 

 

That is a lot of drama to unpack. Sorry that your family mealtime has devolved to "suffering". You obviously can afford to take the family on a vacation in a balcony cabin....and good for you...if you're really all that concerned about children suffering, wouldn't it be worth it to just order a sandwich thru room service?