Experienced cruisers to design next NCL Ship

[Travelling2Some]

12 minutes ago, zqvol said:

NCL is not lazy, for business reasons they choose not to post menus. Sorry that it bothers the entitled few.

OMG, lol.  You just never know what will set something off on Cruise Critic.  I've never been called entitled before.  I think I might like it!

[hernando52]

We would just like a couple of quiet cocktail lounges where two couples could get together at the end of the day and before dinner to have a drink or two, talk, listen and not have to yell.   No music necessary although acoustic is always nice....no games in the same room!  

[Panhandle Couple]

59 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Not that easy.  Essentially, you're asking NCL to post weeks in advance the menu will be served on a specific night in the MDR.  I say weeks in advance because you want to be able to plan when to schedule entertainment, specialty dinning, etc.  The chefs have multiple menus to choose from to tailor their servings to local conditions, what foods are available, etc. What you're asking for isn't as simple as it seems.

BTW, can you imagine the complaints here on CC when the ship deviates from the menu that was posted weeks in advance?  "I planned my whole week around having xxx in the mdr on the third night of the cruise and they had   yyy instead.  I demand consideration."

What about "Free Style Dining?"

 

Do people really plan their 7+ days cruise down to the 10 minute segments?

Besides the 6 everyday options, there is always a fish, beef, chicken, pork, veggie and non-fish seafood offering every night.  

Do these people call ahead to see a local restaurant menu before they go there?

 

Does seeing a show depend on whether Eggplant Parmesan is being served (or not) in the MDR that night?

  

[UKstages]

Mmmmm... eggplant parm.

 

i would choose eggplant parm over "donna" any night of the week. 

[RocketMan275]

45 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

What about "Free Style Dining?"

 

Do people really plan their 7+ days cruise down to the 10 minute segments?

Besides the 6 everyday options, there is always a fish, beef, chicken, pork, veggie and non-fish seafood offering every night.  

Do these people call ahead to see a local restaurant menu before they go there?

 

Does seeing a show depend on whether Eggplant Parmesan is being served (or not) in the MDR that night?

  

It's difficutl for someone who isn't a compulsive planner to understand.  Also, there is the fact that some are just looking for ways to spend the time between now and the cruise.  Perusing the menu's is one way to do that.

[Travelling2Some]

2 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Do these people call ahead to see a local restaurant menu before they go there?

 

Sure, we usually check the menus in local restaurants before we go there.  Why not?  They are easily available on line. 

[Travelling2Some]

2 hours ago, hernando52 said:

We would just like a couple of quiet cocktail lounges where two couples could get together at the end of the day and before dinner to have a drink or two, talk, listen and not have to yell.   No music necessary although acoustic is always nice....no games in the same room!  

Now that sounds just perfect!  Some of the ships have gotten so loud in public areas.

[cruiseny4life]

15 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

What about "Free Style Dining?"

 

Do people really plan their 7+ days cruise down to the 10 minute segments?

Besides the 6 everyday options, there is always a fish, beef, chicken, pork, veggie and non-fish seafood offering every night.  

Do these people call ahead to see a local restaurant menu before they go there?

 

Does seeing a show depend on whether Eggplant Parmesan is being served (or not) in the MDR that night?

  

I know some may want to see the menus for planning purposes. Mine isn't a planning reason. It's more an "I wonder what's for dinner right now" question. I want to know if chicken cordon bleu or those yummy ranchero beef I forgot the word are being served up. This helps me know if I'm going to head to the main dining room or somewhere else.

 

As it's set up now, I need to first remember I want to check the main dining room menu, then walk down to the main dining room to see the menu. I can't really trust the digital screen as it's been wrong a lot, so I must bother the hostess for a menu. Then, I get in the way of other passengers who want to check in as I review the menu. Then, I give the menu back and join the line to get a table or wander away to some other scrumptious food venue. 

 

Half the time I forget I want to check the main dining room menu, go eat, then remember. I'll wander to the main dining room to see what they have and if it's good have second dinner, therefore needlessly stuffing myself, because I want whatever is being served at the trough. I'm a fat little piggy. 

 

 

Heck, Holland America even tells passengers what's being served in the main dining room AND on the buffet. Why NCL can't provide a service like this just befuddles me. 

 

 

[cruiseny4life]

15 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Do these people call ahead to see a local restaurant menu before they go there?

 

As a matter of fact if a restaurant doesn't have an online menu (on Facebook, Google, Yelp, or wherever else I check), I don't go there. So yes, I do. Why would I go to a restaurant I don't know anything about? Serendipity is fine and all, but I at least want to know what kind of food is being served. 

 

 

[cruiseny4life]

15 hours ago, hernando52 said:

We would just like a couple of quiet cocktail lounges where two couples could get together at the end of the day and before dinner to have a drink or two, talk, listen and not have to yell.   No music necessary although acoustic is always nice....no games in the same room!  

Yessssss!!! What do you mean by no games? Trivia? Or are you talking about board games? I guess my library idea doesn't work if it's board games.

 

But, I totally agree with you about a quiet, tucked out of the way cocktail lounge. Preferably with window views. I'd absolutely spend some quiet chatting time there with my husband or cruise friends. 

[Panhandle Couple]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

I know some may want to see the menus for planning purposes. Mine isn't a planning reason. It's more an "I wonder what's for dinner right now" question. I want to know if chicken cordon bleu or those yummy ranchero beef I forgot the word are being served up. This helps me know if I'm going to head to the main dining room or somewhere else.

 

As it's set up now, I need to first remember I want to check the main dining room menu, then walk down to the main dining room to see the menu. I can't really trust the digital screen as it's been wrong a lot, so I must bother the hostess for a menu. Then, I get in the way of other passengers who want to check in as I review the menu. Then, I give the menu back and join the line to get a table or wander away to some other scrumptious food venue. 

 

Half the time I forget I want to check the main dining room menu, go eat, then remember. I'll wander to the main dining room to see what they have and if it's good have second dinner, therefore needlessly stuffing myself, because I want whatever is being served at the trough. I'm a fat little piggy. 

 

 

Heck, Holland America even tells passengers what's being served in the main dining room AND on the buffet. Why NCL can't provide a service like this just befuddles me. 

 

 

Chimichuri beef?

 

As a hint, they post the menus in a picture box on the wall near the entrance to all MDR's.  That happens for lunch and dinner. Probably breakfast too, but we never really check for that, as there is little variety for breakfast.

[Sailing12Away]

16 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Look to other cruise lines. It can, and is, done. I believe RCL or Celebrity even does it weeks in advance. NCL is lazy. 

Yes, they do. Even if it's simply the daily 'good morning, here's your MDR choices for today' that would help tons. If they can print out thousands of daily newsletters, they can have someone on the IT team upload the day's menu to a clickable link in their app. Or heck - put it on the tv if internet is sucky.

 

Even for their shows - how hard would it be to have that streamed into the cabin rooms on a dedicated 'ship entertainment' channel? I know they sometimes show clips from the game shows, so why not some of the other things like the comedians, magicians, etc? 

[cruiseny4life]

35 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Chimichuri beef?

 

As a hint, they post the menus in a picture box on the wall near the entrance to all MDR's.  That happens for lunch and dinner. Probably breakfast too, but we never really check for that, as there is little variety for breakfast.

Ok, I had to look it up! Mini beef tostadas. They're an appetizer and so yummy!!! 

 

On Pr1ma I did look at the digital menu three times (they don't post the paper menu). Unfortunately, all but once the menu had not been updated. I did learn to ask for the actual menu from the hostess, but I wrote up my saga. Maybe the ships that post paper menus rotate them properly. Thank you for the hint though!! 

[UKstages]

yes, there is nothing to stop them from posting the menus on the tv, except knowing that it has to be updated daily and they might let one linger there too long causing all sorts of problems.

 

similarly, they could have a prerecorded phone announcement. you call a number to listen to the menu being read to you... several land-based casinos do this for the menus in their elite players' lounges.

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, UKstages said:

yes, there is nothing to stop them from posting the menus on the tv, except knowing that it has to be updated daily and they might let one linger there too long causing all sorts of problems.

 

similarly, they could have a prerecorded phone announcement. you call a number to listen to the menu being read to you... several land-based casinos do this for the menus in their elite players' lounges.

And here I am, on another thread, complaining that the hostess didn't change the menu board on our favorite almost newest ship! But, I'd go for the phone too. It would allow Cruise Next an opportunity to call staterooms every single day to leave a message and invite us to purchase additional Cruise Next on the way to dinner.