Are you the kind of cruiser who likes to bring a snack from the buffet back to your room?
Don't book Norwegian Cruise Line.
In one of the more unusual policies to be implemented by a cruise company in recent years, Norwegian has banned passengers from taking plates of food out of its ships' buffets and other eateries to consume in other areas of the vessels.
"For our guests' well-being and to maintain a beautiful clean environment, we ask that guests enjoy their meals while dining at one of our many restaurants," Norwegian spokeswoman Vanessa Picariello said in a statement sent to USA TODAY.
Picariello later added that the policy only applied to full plates of food. Passengers still can take small items like a box of cereal or a piece of fruit out of buffets to eat elsewhere, she said.
In explaining the new policy, Norwegian suggested its food could be unsafe to eat outside of a restaurant setting.
"We cannot ensure that dishes consumed as 'take away' from the various dining outlets meet the strict health and safety food service standards," Picariello said.
The new policy comes the same month that Norwegian has implemented an extra charge for room service for all items except for morning coffee and Continental breakfast. Room service long had been free at the line, except late at night.
The net effect of the new ban on taking food away from eateries coupled with the new charge for room service is that there no longer is a way to have a significant snack or meal in one's room without paying for it.
The new room service fee is part of a broader effort by new management at Norwegian in recent months to boost on-board revenue. The line also recently hiked drinks prices.
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