Just back from Iceland on Balmoral

Having just returned today from a cruise on the Balmoral I have to give a small account of our cruise.

Firstly embarkation at Newcastle went smoothly. In my opinion everything I encountered on the ship was to my satisfaction.

The shows in the Neptune lounge exceeded my expectation of a cruise showtime company. They in my opinion were brilliant. Now my expectations are high. Disembarkation went very smoothly and was well organised.

I look forward to meeting Jen ( Excellent cruise director ) and her staff when we return on our booked cruise next year

Glad you had a good time. Nice to hear a positive review of the Balmoral.

Seems just recently on here that the Balmoral has taken over from Boudica as the "bad boy of the fleet".

We are on the Balmoral in Septembervand looking forward to it.

Glad you had a good time. Nice to hear a positive review of the Balmoral.

Seems just recently on here that the Balmoral has taken over from Boudica as the "bad boy of the fleet".

We are on the Balmoral in Septembervand looking forward to it.

Yes I know I was very apprehensive about going on the ship but I really did have a great cruise. The captain repeatedly emphasised the need for hand washing to minimise the risk of infection and hopefully guests will heed his request. I could not fault the food either. It also helped that the Itinerary and the weather in Iceland was very good. I hope things go well for you and you also have a great cruise

Glad to hear that you enjoyed Balmoral. I am going to Iceladn in August, so could you please share any tips, information, or even pictures from your visit in Iceland? What are the must-do things?

Thank you!

The Iceland cruise was beautiful, ships tours very good to blue lagoon and national park golden circle tour.

However after being on the boudicca last year and several other cruise lines recently I found the food on Balmoral to be rather poor in comparison. We do know that companies have to make cost cutting exercises in various areas but on the Balmoral it was very noticeable.

The Iceland cruise was beautiful' date=' ships tours very good to blue lagoon and national park golden circle tour.

 

However after being on the boudicca last year and several other cruise lines recently I found the food on Balmoral to be rather poor in comparison. We do know that companies have to make cost cutting exercises in various areas but on the Balmoral it was very noticeable.[/quote']

 

OMG where were you eating your meals at. We were in the Avon and the meals were way above standard on other ships we have been on. You will see from My signature that we have been on 14 cruises to date. Many people we spoke to also found the food to be good this trip. I know that food can be very subjective to ones palet but the steak Black and White was cooked perfect to order. My Rack of Lamb was to die for. I for one is not easily pleased when it comes to food but I can honestly say their was only two nights which were a little below par with the other 9 nights.

 

This is only my opinon and it would be good to hear other peoples view of the food. We only dined at the Palms buffet one night and possibly I would say that the buffet was not as good as the dining room but still very acceptable.

 

This is only my opinon and it would be good to hear other peoples view of the food.

We have been on many Fred cruises, including eight in the last two years if you include a couple of back to backs. Until a year or two ago Fred's food was exceptional, always well cooked and tasty. The quality of hot food has definitely gone down over the last year or two and was noticeable on both Braemar and Boudicca recently. Menus do not have the same selection and quality is very variable now, in fact on Boudicca recently I was extremely disappointed with a lot of things as they were often tasteless. I had a piece of salmon that was hard, dry and almost crispy dumped on top of a pasta meal and the soups are nothing like as good as they were, but there were too many problems to mention, compared to what food was like in the past. Even Braemar from late last year to early May had noticeably gone down.

Admittedly it depends on the chef on board, but there have been a lack of the British chefs they used to have on board recently in our experience. Also the cost seems to be going on big portions of meat in some meals rather than quality of meals across the board. The cold food is still pretty good though.

In the past we have noted Fred was much better than other cruise lines and I note your experience has largely been on other cruise lines and I cannot comment on any other lines over this last year.

If you go for, (what is now sometimes only one), plain meat option, like the examples you give, you may not notice it as much, but they used to have more than one option like that and their hot fish was good as well, but is now not so well prepared. I am not a big meat eater, so it has been very noticeable to me.

If you go for, (what is now sometimes only one), plain meat option, like the examples you give, you may not notice it as much, but they used to have more than one option like that and their hot fish was good as well, but is now not so well prepared. I am not a big meat eater, so it has been very noticeable to me.

Sadly I'd have to agree, we used to love the food on Fred and there was always plenty of choice, all of it well prepared.

Sadly all too much of what we had on our last FO cruise was overcooked, and lacking in taste.

The attempts at some Mexican classics were bland and just plain nasty with excessive use of the wrong cheese for example.

I would have much preferred that they had avoided spending so much of the budget on protein which they obviously couldn't really afford. The 'Surf n Turf' was frankly an embarrassment, I had no idea it was even legal to land a lobster that small...

Still, I do not doubt that FO is doing better than some other lines, just not as good as they once did...

We have been on many Fred cruises, including eight in the last two years if you include a couple of back to backs. Until a year or two ago Fred's food was exceptional, always well cooked and tasty. The quality of hot food has definitely gone down over the last year or two and was noticeable on both Braemar and Boudicca recently. Menus do not have the same selection and quality is very variable now, in fact on Boudicca recently I was extremely disappointed with a lot of things as they were often tasteless. I had a piece of salmon that was hard, dry and almost crispy dumped on top of a pasta meal and the soups are nothing like as good as they were, but there were too many problems to mention, compared to what food was like in the past. Even Braemar from late last year to early May had noticeably gone down.

 

Admittedly it depends on the chef on board, but there have been a lack of the British chefs they used to have on board recently in our experience. Also the cost seems to be going on big portions of meat in some meals rather than quality of meals across the board. The cold food is still pretty good though.

 

In the past we have noted Fred was much better than other cruise lines and I note your experience has largely been on other cruise lines and I cannot comment on any other lines over this last year.

 

If you go for, (what is now sometimes only one), plain meat option, like the examples you give, you may not notice it as much, but they used to have more than one option like that and their hot fish was good as well, but is now not so well prepared. I am not a big meat eater, so it has been very noticeable to me.[/

 

Well I put on 6 pounds during the 11nights. I did think that some dishes could have done with a little more seasoning i e salt but then I just put it down to a health diet by not consuming too much salt. This is where the benefit of dining in the GRILL where there is not so many people to cook for, but a lot of people do not think it is worth the supplement. On other ships I know of people who are quite prepared to dine just in Speciality restaurants just to get a better quality of food.

This is where the benefit of dining in the GRILL where there is not so many people to cook for, but a lot of people do not think it is worth the supplement. On other ships I know of people who are quite prepared to dine just in Speciality restaurants just to get a better quality of food.

 

.. the food was never so bad in the past that you'd have to consider paying extra for a decent meal...

 

.. the food was never so bad in the past that you'd have to consider paying extra for a decent meal...

 

I would agree with that. I didn't say the food was so bad but some people are prepared to pay a supplement to have a PREMIUM QUALITY meal. Sorry if I mislead

Well I put on 6 pounds during the 11nights. I did think that some dishes could have done with a little more seasoning i e salt but then I just put it down to a health diet by not consuming too much salt. This is where the benefit of dining in the GRILL where there is not so many people to cook for, but a lot of people do not think it is worth the supplement. On other ships I know of people who are quite prepared to dine just in Speciality restaurants just to get a better quality of food.

Having seen a menu for The Grill, I would not call it an improvement, with or without an extra cost - it is almost entirely grilled meat which is not my choice of fodder. I would expect a realistic choice for a speciality restaurant.

I think you need to accept that you may have your opinion, but others are entitled to their own opinions. It would also seem that you had no experience of Fred ships from more than 13 months ago, so it seems strange that you keep trying to criticise other peoples views on how Fred's food has changed.

The quote system seems to be doing strange things! I had quoted Broch.

The quote system seems to be doing strange things! I had quoted Broch.

I've just reported my post in the hope that Jazz can fix it as that was Broch I was quoting, not you of course :)

Well I put on 6 pounds during the 11nights. I did think that some dishes could have done with a little more seasoning i e salt but then I just put it down to a health diet by not consuming too much salt. This is where the benefit of dining in the GRILL where there is not so many people to cook for, but a lot of people do not think it is worth the supplement. On other ships I know of people who are quite prepared to dine just in Speciality restaurants just to get a better quality of food.

Having seen a menu for The Grill, I would not call it an improvement, with or without an extra cost - it is almost entirely grilled meat which is not my choice of fodder. I would expect a realistic choice for a speciality restaurant.

I think you need to accept that you may have your opinion, but others are entitled to their own opinions. It would also seem that you had no experience of Fred ships from more than 13 months ago, so it seems strange that you keep trying to criticise other peoples views on how Fred's food has changed.

The quote system seems to be doing strange things! I had quoted Broch.

I think you need to go back a few threads and you will read that I invited others opinions on the food on this cruise. Of course I have no experience of Fred over 13 months ago. I was not criticising other people's comments I was merely emphasising that the food on this cruise was to a good standard IN MY OPINION. I will now leave others to debate this issue as I am out

I am glad that you had a decent rack of lamb in the Avon. I was in the Ballindalloch for the entire cruise for breakfast sometimes lunch and dinner.

My rack of lamb was sliced extremely thin and was overcooked and grey. The soups were indeed tasteless and some of the starters were not as described in the menu, very poor.

The palms cafe I consider to be an afternoon tea place or for a quick bite.

I am not the only one to have this view, the rest of my table companions said the same.

I also travelled with Ports Direct (who I can recommend) and my fellow passengers were of the same view about the food.

The other cruise lines I have been with are Celebrity, P and O, 8 Princess, 2 Fred Olsen and a 3rd later this year. I do hope that Fred listens re the food quality otherwise people will go elsewhere.

I am glad that you had a decent rack of lamb in the Avon. I was in the Ballindalloch for the entire cruise for breakfast sometimes lunch and dinner.

My rack of lamb was sliced extremely thin and was overcooked and grey. The soups were indeed tasteless and some of the starters were not as described in the menu' date=' very poor.

 

The palms cafe I consider to be an afternoon tea place or for a quick bite.

 

I am not the only one to have this view, the rest of my table companions said the same.

 

I also travelled with Ports Direct (who I can recommend) and my fellow passengers were of the same view about the food.

 

The other cruise lines I have been with are Celebrity, P and O, 8 Princess, 2 Fred Olsen and a 3rd later this year. I do hope that Fred listens re the food quality otherwise people will go elsewhere.[/quote']

 

I am sorry ro hear of your experience re your meals. I am glad I was not in the ballindalloch then, as I would not have been happy if I had been served overcooked meat. I am glad that I have chosen the Avon restaurant for my next cruise with them, I do feel that the Ballindalloch is very big with a lot of mouths to feed but that is no excuse for serving bad meals. I hope Fred does listen to feedback about the food because I feel they have a good product which suits a certain market of guests. But they do need to address genuine bad comments of the food