Current NCL Menus - Fall 2023

[cruiser2015]

2 hours ago, RedRover96 said:

So basically all who read past menus trying to figure out when to eat in a dining room vs specialty, etc. it's very unpredictable, even from the week before your cruise??

I'm in the pick the specialty venue when I least like the MDR mains club.

While I have to agree about the unpredictability, I have noticed when thing amongst assorted posts of the menus here on CC. All of the first seven nights are pretty much a perfect match.

 

So, for my 15 night cruise this January, I am expecting the first 7 nights to go along, as well, possibly, the 5 additional menus (nights 9, 10, 13, 14, 15) a reviewer posted from last spring (that member omitted 3 nights that they were night in the MDR). Time will tell.

[cruiser2015]

3 minutes ago, RedRover96 said:

hallux, thanks for the feedback!

 

We have a 14 day Jade booked in Dec, 1st since Breakaway in '19.  I don't remember if the main menus (14 days) for the cruise are posted after we board? If so and we are interested in switching some of our specialty dinners around (already reserved) we can do so immediately after boarding??

 

RedRover

Noting that I have not sailed for a few years now, my recollections from the past are that menus were only posted one day at a time. It was either after the MDR's closed for the night or the next morning. However, I have made inquiries at the MDR, asking to see the menus. They usually accommodated. Although 15 is a lot of menus, LOL.

[julig22]

22 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

Noting that I have not sailed for a few years now, my recollections from the past are that menus were only posted one day at a time. It was either after the MDR's closed for the night or the next morning. However, I have made inquiries at the MDR, asking to see the menus. They usually accommodated. Although 15 is a lot of menus, LOL.

Yes, they are posted daily.  However, if you take the behind the scenes tour, you might see them when you tour the galley.

[ColdCruise]

@BirdTravels. Thanks for for posting those recent menus - good idea of the mix of dishes that may show up!
 

I’m so glad NCL took our (ie pax) input and backed away from the set MDR menu they initially proposed/implemented with Prima last year!!!  We’re really looking forward to Paloma’s & Onda again and with 14 days plenty of time to enjoy them more than once 😁

[BirdTravels]

3 minutes ago, ColdCruise said:

@BirdTravels. Thanks for for posting those recent menus - good idea of the mix of dishes that may show up!
 

I’m so glad NCL took our (ie pax) input and backed away from the set MDR menu they initially proposed/implemented with Prima last year!!!  We’re really looking forward to Paloma’s & Onda again and with 14 days plenty of time to enjoy them more than once 😁

We have eaten in Palomar 3 times across our Prima cruises,,, and as much as we want to love it,,, we just don't. And decided to pass on it on our upcoming Viva cruise. 

 

Personally, we thought that the Hudson fixed menu was spectacular and ate there (or the Commadore Room) frequently (when not trying to force ourselves to love Palomar). 

[ColdCruise]

Sorry about Palomar not being a good fit for you @BirdTravels , I guess we’re lucky there are several restaurant options. I was actually very surprised I enjoyed eating there as much as I did since I’m not particularly fond of seafood. 

Hudsons was fine and certainly could have eaten there more often but I had so much non refundable OBC, we bought 3 extra specialty certs and used them. Egads, we had so much OBC, we even forced ourselves to take a couple ship excursions just to burn it up.

 

Fave was definitely Onda tho!

[leithbones]

More than once I've had success asking Hotel Director to send ALL upcoming MDR menus to my cabin, explaining exactly this dilemma>>> rescheduling my Specialty nights in favor of MDR menus which we prefer.

Edited September 19, 2023 by leithbones

[eileeshb]

3 hours ago, leithbones said:

More than once I've had success asking Hotel Director to send ALL upcoming MDR menus to my cabin, explaining exactly this dilemma>>> rescheduling my Specialty nights in favor of MDR menus which we prefer.

I’ve also found them hidden behind the current day’s menu on embarkation day when they’re laid out alongside the specialty restaurant menus 

[OrcaGirl]

Question for fellow researching-the-menu-in-advance enthusiasts: have you ever come across a website that includes both a cruise line's MDR menus and photos of the various items?

 

I'm considering building something like that for NCL menus, but don't want to go to the effort if 1) it already exists, and 2) no one else would find it useful/interesting.

[laudergayle]

22 minutes ago, OrcaGirl said:

Question for fellow researching-the-menu-in-advance enthusiasts: have you ever come across a website that includes both a cruise line's MDR menus and photos of the various items?

 

I'm considering building something like that for NCL menus, but don't want to go to the effort if 1) it already exists, and 2) no one else would find it useful/interesting.

That sounds like a fabulous tool.  IMO, I probably would wait until Jan 2024 to begin the compilation just based on menu modifications that we could see for the new year.

[OrcaGirl]

48 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

That sounds like a fabulous tool.  IMO, I probably would wait until Jan 2024 to begin the compilation just based on menu modifications that we could see for the new year.

 

I might start with 1-2 days of the 2023 menus just to validate the design. And give me a reason to drag the husband to dinner in the MDR on our October cruise on the Escape. (He's a weirdo who would eat the same thing in the buffet every night if he could.)

[laudergayle]

19 minutes ago, OrcaGirl said:

 

I might start with 1-2 days of the 2023 menus just to validate the design. And give me a reason to drag the husband to dinner in the MDR on our October cruise on the Escape. (He's a weirdo who would eat the same thing in the buffet every night if he could.)

I love your idea and applaud your ulterior motive…😋
 

Also I’m certain the menu items won’t change that drastically.

Edited September 19, 2023 by laudergayle

[ColdCruise]

4 hours ago, OrcaGirl said:

Question for fellow researching-the-menu-in-advance enthusiasts: have you ever come across a website that includes both a cruise line's MDR menus and photos of the various items?

 

I'm considering building something like that for NCL menus, but don't want to go to the effort if 1) it already exists, and 2) no one else would find it useful/interesting.

FANTASTIC idea @OrcaGirl. I definitely would use it! Some of NCL’s platings are so pretty. This sounds like a great hobby project for someone into web design,  UX and hooked on good food! 
 

doing a trial and posting a link from CC would be a good idea to judge interest and get feedback. Not sure if you’d be able to pull in interest from those FB groups. Don’t have an account there - issues with their privacy & security or lack thereof. Plus I like to think I have a bit of control over who gets to market my info (totally false sense of control!).

[ColdCruise]

8 hours ago, leithbones said:

More than once I've had success asking Hotel Director to send ALL upcoming MDR menus to my cabin, explaining exactly this dilemma>>> rescheduling my Specialty nights in favor of MDR menus which we prefer.

 

4 hours ago, eileeshb said:

I’ve also found them hidden behind the current day’s menu on embarkation day when they’re laid out alongside the specialty restaurant menus 

Thank you both for those ideas, @leithbones & @eileeshb, I’ll try to remember those. However it’s also nice to put it into our planning 😁

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, OrcaGirl said:

Question for fellow researching-the-menu-in-advance enthusiasts: have you ever come across a website that includes both a cruise line's MDR menus and photos of the various items?

 

I'm considering building something like that for NCL menus, but don't want to go to the effort if 1) it already exists, and 2) no one else would find it useful/interesting.

Food for Thought

 

 

 

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, OrcaGirl said:

Question for fellow researching-the-menu-in-advance enthusiasts: have you ever come across a website that includes both a cruise line's MDR menus and photos of the various items?

 

I'm considering building something like that for NCL menus, but don't want to go to the effort if 1) it already exists, and 2) no one else would find it useful/interesting.

What you need is to see if there is a way of getting it from NCL. They have them for the galley and wait staff in the galleys. 
 

[OrcaGirl]

54 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Food for Thought

 

 

 

 

Yes! Something similar like this but for the MDR menus. I'm also thinking of making it database style so readers can filter based on the special notations, e.g. vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.

 

[ColdCruise]

On 9/19/2023 at 9:50 PM, BirdTravels said:

Food for Thought

 

 

 

Great thread for all the foodies ….. click the link and prepare to drool !

tx @BirdTravels

[honeybear'scruisevacation]

 I have never seen the steaks from cagneys on the Menu before.

 

[BirdTravels]

26 minutes ago, honeybear'scruisevacation said:

 I have never seen the steaks from cagneys on the Menu before.

It is relatively new.