LOBSTER

In order to keep the basic cruise prices down cruise lines have been cutting what they give you for the basic cabin price. You now have to pay extra for what used to be free. Nickle and Dime you through the trip. Cruising is not what it used to be 20 years ago. IMHO if you want a good meal on NCL you have to pay extra, Now others on here love NCL and the free food on it, but then McDonald's has sold Billions of burgers.

It’s all about the bottom line.

It is true that you do not get now on a cruise everything that you used to get, however you are still paying the same number of dollars for the cruise. The prices have not gone up to match inflation.

In order to remain profitable, the lines must either cut amenities or raise prices. They have chosen the former.

Yep - publicly traded companies first obligation is to investors - not necessary its customers.

Agree that NCL no longer offers lobster in the MDR but they do offer it at a premium in the a la carte restaurants. Not all cruise lines have taken this approach though. The last RCCL cruise we were on (Nov 2018) offered lobster tails on day 6 in the MDR as part of the complimentary menu and I believe they do this on all 7 day or longer cruises. Interestingly, as well as the lobster, for that last cruise and for the ones I have been looking at lately where the itinerary is the same the price for RCCL has been 20 - 50% lower than NCL. Makes one wonder .....

And for the record we are gold status on NCL and the last cruise was our first on RCCL and from how things look right now will not be the last

Not to take a left turn, because it hardly matters really, but that's the official legal line....their first obligation is to the folks up in mahogany row. (translation: themselves..)they signed on with employment contracts, and bonuses based on profitability. Yes those bonuses, which can be gigantic, are usually "paid" in stock. and if they can't make the line more profitable one way, they'll do it in another. don't forget, that battalion of bean counters works for them. In the end, you're probably right anyway...get less, pay more, or both.

Although I am not currently receiving all the nice things now that I did in '96, I pay now less for a balcony than I did then for an OC cabin. Not a bad tradeoff.

Good observation.....went back and looked (to the extent that I could)...and yer right...

Carnival cut lobster out on 5 day cruises, but still serve it on 7 day or more cruises. We don't cruise for lobster as Carnival serves them on cruise elegant days, in our books it is not worth it getting dressed up to eat a craw dad.(we dislike cruise elegant nights with a passion) If we want lobster, we go to red lobster, and eat it land casual

Lobster? Meh