Dawn Blue Lagoon and Chocolate Buffet

[BuckeyePat]

Almost every review has negatives about these two venues. Long lines at Chocolate buffet or poor service and attitudes at Lagoon [the food seems to receive good marks]. The most recent reviewer on this Board [in review section] said change Chocolate buffet or do away with it! So, if all you experienced folks are right, and NCL reads these boards, could you address these concerns prior to my first cruise next month?;)

[AuntieBarb]

I can't speak for any preconceived notion you have of these venues. I can only speak for how we view them.

 

The Blue Lagoon is like the ship "Diner". It's not fine dining cuisine, but more like fast food, local diner food. Plain and simple. There is also ship "traffic" walking through as well. So the atmosphere is completely different. Service to me follows suit. We've never had a problem with the service we've received, nor have we gone into it expecting an elegant dining experience, so our reviews have never focused on such reports as you have read. We've always been happy with having this venue for late night nibbles or even lunch, so that's about all I can say.

 

The Chocolate Buffet is a one time event, for which many passengers line up early to 1) get photos of the buffet before being disturbed and 2) get the first pick of what is offered. With a single event and a whole ship of passengers, how could it be reviewed without stressing a bit of chaos? Seeing the long line upon arrival has simply turned us off from ever going. We've seen passengers exiting the buffet with plates piled high of delectables. No wonder folks towards the end of the line have slim pickings once they get in. The only constructive suggestion I have is to hold it in a location where multiple lines can be formed and to limit selections per passenger. Then it might flow more smoothly.

[lukes]

I agree with the negative reviews for both of these venues/events, and it would be nice to see some changes, however NCL is unlikely to change.

 

Yes the chocolate buffet receives negative reviews for the long lines and the poor quality. However 1 or 2 negative reviews a cruise vs 2000 people lined up for it. This buffet is a bit of a throw back to a time when there was a midnight buffet each night. Now they offer it once a cruise so everyone goes. Maybe with freestyle 2.0 they sould offer it twice a cruise. since it is your first cruise go take it in. But you don't have to go in the first 10 minutes. Most people go and take pictures, we have gone 30 minutes later and you know what, the sculptures are still there, and NCL replenishes, so miss the line but not the event. The chocolate IMO is not the best quality and a lot of the same cakes and pastries are at each station. IMO the fountain is the best with the fresh fruit. Last cruise they were dipping strawberries, melosn pinapple. I took a banana and had them dip that. It was excellent, later saw others doing the same.

 

Blue lagoon the food is good, service is slow. They put on a mimimum of staff, yet it is a popular venue. It would work better as a food order counter. Where you have a window where you place your order, and they call your number when it is ready. Again go, enjoy the food it is very good, just don't go when you are in a rush. If you want something quick head to the buffet. Unfortunately late at night the buffet is closed and this is one of the few places to get something to eat. It is then that they need to put on more staff.

 

Enjoy your cruise

[rskalko]

I agree the food at Blue Lagoon is excellent. But as you say, the service is terrible.

 

Beyond the fact that it is more of a "fast food" venue, as well as a higher traffic area, that doesn't mean they couldn't have more staff. We definitely noticed a difference in the attitudes of the staff working there when we were on the Dawn. We thought this might have been where the new recruits were posted!!

 

There was nothing that stopped us from going back mind you... the wings were amazing!

[smeyer418]

Funny I never had problems with the service at the Blue Lagoon and they have always happily packaged the stuff to take to the room. The Chocoholics is over rated with too many pigs stuffing their faces.....

[rskalko]

Hey now! I didn't know you could get stuff packaged up to take with you!!! :D I do now ;)

[AuntieBarb]

Hey now! I didn't know you could get stuff packaged up to take with you!!! :D I do now ;)

 

Oh yeah! Chowing down on hot wings on your balcony with a night cap is great! :D

[musicgirl63]

Oh yeah! Chowing down on hot wings on your balcony with a night cap is great! :D

 

 

The wings did seem to be a big hit!!

 

The service at the Blue Lagoon can be at times....lacking. Don't try to go during the lunch/dinner times. It is bound to be busy. The other thing I noticed was that they didn't have a working soda fountain station there. There were times when it took forever (or so it seemed!) because they had to go elsewhere to get the pop. There was also a time when we couldn't get pop at all because the place where they normally got the pop, was closed. :confused:

 

As for the Chocolate Buffet, I'm a dessert lover especially chocolate. There didn't seem to be very many chocolate desserts through out the cruise that "floated my boat". So when the buffet was mentioned, I went. I got lucky being there right when they opened the line. I wasn't really trying to be early, I just was at the right place at the right time.

 

Yes, definitely they need to do more areas for this. In the buffet (cafe) area there are 2 sides that serve the same thing on a normal basis. However, it was as if they were constantly closing one side and then the other. Most likely this was because of "change overs". But the 2 sides never seemed to be opened at the same.

 

On the day of embarkment, only one side was open. I know they are busy changing over the ship. But there are way too many people trying to eat at the same time and no one knows what they are doing!! The first breakfast was sooooo crowded and only one side was open. It was always...go to the other side please.

 

So why do I mention this now? Well it seems like they try to keep the areas open to a minimal even at the busy times.

 

To be honest, the chocolate buffet was ok. It looked fabulous, but to be quite honest, it was a lot of chocolate cake done this way and then basically the same with something changed. If I were too go again, I wouldn't make a huge effort to go.

[johnql]

I've never really had a problem with the lines at the Chocolate Buffet - yes, they're long but they tend to move fairly fast. Some don't think the chocolate itself is particularly good, but I have always enjoyed it.

 

As for the Blue Lagoon, I've enjoyed the food there on the Dawn, Spirit and the Gem. I consider the service in the Blue Lagoon on the Spirit and Dawn to be acceptable but it was unacceptably slow on the Gem. I also didn't like the set-up on the Gem, where the Blue Lagoon seems to be part of Tequila and getting seated was even too slow.

[CanadianTwosome]

I have never had a problem with the line at the Chocoholic Buffet... I don't go. :p My husband and daughter do, mind you, but they've never complained about the lines, so I guess they figure it's worth it for all the chocolate. My daughter came back to the cabin with a plate piled high that she put in our fridge and she was eating it for two days! She definitely had no complaints about the chocolate. :)

 

The Blue Lagoon I have only visited late at night, so I can't comment on how busy it gets during the day or what the service is like. I know that at 2am the service is pretty good, but then it's not generally full, either. :)

[BarbCT605]

I've never really had a problem with the lines at the Chocolate Buffet - yes, they're long but they tend to move fairly fast. Some don't think the chocolate itself is particularly good, but I have always enjoyed it.

 

As for the Blue Lagoon, I've enjoyed the food there on the Dawn, Spirit and the Gem. I consider the service in the Blue Lagoon on the Spirit and Dawn to be acceptable but it was unacceptably slow on the Gem. I also didn't like the set-up on the Gem, where the Blue Lagoon seems to be part of Tequila and getting seated was even too slow.

I agree. I didn't even go to Blue Lagoon on the Gem. I like the diner/hectic/take-out feeling of the one on the Dawn, better. :)

[WinnieinWA]

The Chocoholics is over rated with too many pigs stuffing their faces.....

 

AMEN! The total gluttony of some people just turned my stomach. I went to one and have never gone to another!:rolleyes:

[KarmaElectra]

Chocolate buffet...well, we always go, but don't stuff our faces! I was disappointed in the chocolate buffet last month on the Dawn, because it was held in the Garden Cafe...somehow the chocolates and ice sculptures lose their appeal when they are placed behind a counter...didn't look as nice as when it was held in the dining room on my past cruises.

 

Blue Lagoon...love the food, service not so much. Our problem was actually getting the attention of wait staff...it seemed they would give out menus at random, and just ignore some people when they felt like it. Once we placed orders, though, the food came promptly. My traveling companion was disappointed with the ricotta cheesecake at Impressions, and was soooo happy to see that the Blue Lagoon had regular, New York cheesecake! I didn't like the fish as much as on past cruises (they now serve one big greasy piece instead of little nuggets) but the southern chicken and biscuit was fabulous.

[chrisbd1]

I really prefer the Blue Lagoon on the Dawn, an excellent location :) . I've eaten there on the Dawn, Pearl and Jewel and never had a problem with service. Then again, I've never been there during dinner.

 

I don't give a fig about the chocaholics buffet, so I have no idea what the lines are like.