All you can eat lobster

[carpenta]

Know wonder why.....NCL?.....THE WORST cruise line ever we have sailed. That alone answers your question of why the poor service.

[yarlenna]

If you in the Orlando area - and really want lots of lobster try "boston lobster feast". You can also get coupons on line. The place is not fancy, but the lobster is worth the drive to me.

["Cinder" Ella's Mom]

Originally Posted by carpenta

Know wonder why.....NCL?.....THE WORST cruise line ever we have sailed. That alone answers your question of why the poor service.

I think you have a point. With the freestyle dining on NCL passengers do not have the same servers each night. There was no incentive to be especially kind or speedy, as servers would likely not wait on those passengers again. After one painful three hour dinner one night, we paid the up charge for specialty restaurants every night after that. And you know what? I think that was NCL's plan all along. Brilliant. . We won't cruise again with them either.

[lilpooh108]

Originally Posted by "Cinder" Ella's Mom

I think you have a point. With the freestyle dining on NCL passengers do not have the same servers each night. There was no incentive to be especially kind or speedy, as servers would likely not wait on those passengers again. After one painful three hour dinner one night, we paid the up charge for specialty restaurants every night after that. And you know what? I think that was NCL's plan all along. Brilliant. . We won't cruise again with them either.

I had no idea about NCL!!

And we were considering sailing the Epic over the Maguc this summer for the Med.

What ship was this?

[bceagle76]

It is not Maine Lobster but it is still very good
I always order 2 Once had 3

[jlynch924]

Our servers kept bringing more lobster on our recent DCL Magic cruise... He brought me two and three for my husband, all without asking!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

[carpenta]

Originally Posted by lilpooh108

I had no idea about NCL!!

And we were considering sailing the Epic over the Maguc this summer for the Med.

What ship was this?

All NCL ships feature "free style dining" where there is one main dining room and various "specialty" resturaunts. You eat at any time you walk into the main dining room where you make reservations in the specialty areas that feature Italian, French, Steak, Japanese etc. There is a charge for eating in each venue. The food in the main dining was HORRIBLE and service TERRIBLE IMO. That forces you to eat in the other venues where we found the food lacking. There is a reason why the cost of the cruise is less because they whack you when you get on board. The difference is really eveident when you cruise Disney and then go to NCL. Royal Caribbean is a good substitute IMO if you want a less expensive alternative to Disney. I for one would never sail NCL again even if they offered a free cruise. But some people like it...to each their own.

["Cinder" Ella's Mom]

Originally Posted by carpenta

All NCL ships feature "free style dining" where there is one main dining room and various "specialty" resturaunts. You eat at any time you walk into the main dining room where you make reservations in the specialty areas that feature Italian, French, Steak, Japanese etc. There is a charge for eating in each venue. The food in the main dining was HORRIBLE and service TERRIBLE IMO. That forces you to eat in the other venues where we found the food lacking. There is a reason why the cost of the cruise is less because they whack you when you get on board. The difference is really eveident when you cruise Disney and then go to NCL. Royal Caribbean is a good substitute IMO if you want a less expensive alternative to Disney. I for one would never sail NCL again even if they offered a free cruise. But some people like it...to each their own.

We ate at the upsell steak place (Cagneys, I think) and a French one. This was a four day cruise. Both were good and the service was good too, but no better than you would receive in the MDRs on Disney or RCCL. I liked NCL many years ago before the dining change, but it really isn't our style now.

[lilpooh108]

Originally Posted by carpenta

All NCL ships feature "free style dining" where there is one main dining room and various "specialty" resturaunts. You eat at any time you walk into the main dining room where you make reservations in the specialty areas that feature Italian, French, Steak, Japanese etc. There is a charge for eating in each venue. The food in the main dining was HORRIBLE and service TERRIBLE IMO. That forces you to eat in the other venues where we found the food lacking. There is a reason why the cost of the cruise is less because they whack you when you get on board. The difference is really eveident when you cruise Disney and then go to NCL. Royal Caribbean is a good substitute IMO if you want a less expensive alternative to Disney. I for one would never sail NCL again even if they offered a free cruise. But some people like it...to each their own.

Well that does explain alot about our server's "style" since he was from NCL. He didn't really fit in with the rest of the group.

Had no idea about NCL...I've actually heard some good reviews. I wonder if the newer ships are nicer? But I guess company culture is what it is....

Back to the lobsters--they were big portions (I think 8 oz/per lobster). If you really like them I'd say 2-3 would make a great meal. We did skip dessert that day though

[bceagle76]

When consider NCL the cost of most resturants is like $30
We are family of 5 that $150 a night for 7 nights thats another $1050

[kpaulson]

Originally Posted by lilpooh108

I had a "stick in the mud" server on our last trip. He was really uptight and would get stressed out at small things. (My head server would roll his eyes at him and My assistant server made fun of him under her breath...) The team dynamic was weird.

Well anyway...on lobster night I ordered 2 for myself and 1 extra for DH and I to split. He tried to tell me "no," and said that I might not finish them. It was just the way he said it. I am small but I eat ALOT.

We ordered 2 for me, 1 for DH and a meat dish... and finished everything...but it was just annoying since having been on other DCL trips, I've never been scolded for ordering food.

So yes, you can order as many as you want in theory. But depending on your server, you might get some resistance.

We had a server like that...my mother wanted 2 entrees as she wasn't sure she would like either and our server said she couldn't...shrugged it off and each ordered one of what she wanted and just shared. The rest of the people at the table kept giving us strange looks the whole cruise as we would end up sharing or swapping dinners completely..both on the picky side and are used to *simple* foods

[PrincessShmoo]

Originally Posted by lilpooh108

Well that does explain alot about our server's "style" since he was from NCL. He didn't really fit in with the rest of the group.

Had no idea about NCL...I've actually heard some good reviews. I wonder if the newer ships are nicer? But I guess company culture is what it is....

Back to the lobsters--they were big portions (I think 8 oz/per lobster). If you really like them I'd say 2-3 would make a great meal. We did skip dessert that day though

Here's a picture from our Hawaii cruise. Someone else at the table ordered it.

[SunshineCruiser]

Our servers were amazing, and when they saw us eat the lobster and enjoy it they quickly brought out another without us asking. It was like that with lots of things. Especially with appetizers and desserts, if you are trying to decide between 2 things and you ended up picking 1, you just might end up with both anyway. I tasted my husbands desert and quietly said "oh I should have got that instead", but the waiter was within earshot and out came one for me! In my experience they bend over backwards for their tips and it certainly doesn't matter to them how many servings they bring you. I don't think most people want to over eat anyway because the next meal is right around the corner and you have to save room for your next snack, and I don't think most of us have expandable pants! I know that on the nights that I didn't order a dessert the waiter looked disappointed, almost hurt that he couldn't bring me something.

[Canadave]

curious...I assume the lobster comes with melted butter...is the butter served with butter warmers (candle underneath) or is it just on the side?

[PrincessShmoo]

Originally Posted by Canadave

curious...I assume the lobster comes with melted butter...is the butter served with butter warmers (candle underneath) or is it just on the side?

I don't recall butter on the side. But I would hazard a guess, no. No open flames onboard.