Food on Viking Embla is horrible

I am coming to the conclusion that the OP is actually Viking in disguise, forcing many of us who are not great fans of Viking to come to Viking's defense:evilsmile:

I have had some wonderful meals in the third world for virtually nothing (and also many that I would have been better off without). I have had some pretty poor meals that cost way more than they were worth. Anyone who thinks that just because something costs a lot it is going to meet their expectations, needs to go back and read The Emperors New Clothes.

You sometimes get what you pay for, and in this case someone got better than they deserved for what they paid in research time (ie nothing). I had little sympathy for this from the beginning, and a lot less now. Grow up, realize that you got pretty much what everyone gets on a Viking cruise, look in the mirror at the person who booked this cruise and accept your responsibility for your misery.

Chicken a la King is a British dish.

Mustards made with white seeds make the yellow mustard you are familiar with in the US but that type of mustard is not popular outside of the US.

Much to my dismay every summer when I try to make my American potato salad for my European relatives!

Really don't care what people think about my posts I know they are fact! Just hope I can diss way others to pass on Viking and consider other lines for a better experience!

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I would love to hear from someone else who is on that cruise.

Really don't care what people think about my posts I know they are fact! Just hope I can diss way others to pass on Viking and consider other lines for a better experience!

 

 

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You have made it quite clear what your primary purpose in posting has been. Thus lowering its credibility.

Your joking right? We have never been on a cruise where you can't get a scrimp cocktail and lobster is not served at least one day in three weeks cruise especially a cruise costing a $1000 per day!

This post cleared up a lot for me. I never saw -- nor expected -- shrimp cocktail or lobster on my river cruises. This confirms that OP brought an ocean-cruising mentality to river cruising and has been unwilling to accept river cruising for what it is.

TravelerThom, I too am in total agreement with you and several other posters, nothing could/would make this OP happy, he appears to be one of those types, and as they say, if you want everything to be like it is at home, (yellow mustard, shrimp cocktail, lobster etc), then stay home! To travel, you have to be able to bend, things are different but that's part of the experience for most of us. Having done multiple river cruises with several different lines - the majority (8) with Viking, I don't recall ever being offered shrimp cocktail or lobster.

Even tho goldenrod is off of the Embla, I'm afraid we haven't heard the last from him. I'm sure he'll continue to voice his vile comments to all who will listen, good luck to him. What a joy he must be on an everyday basis. I hope he enjoys his mass produced food on his upcoming Princess cruise and that the wine, which he will have to pay for, is to his liking. Some people just have no taste - and I don't mean food wise.

Bon voyage goldenrod.

You have made it quite clear what your primary purpose in posting has been. Thus lowering its credibility.

I guess the truth lowers credibility? I have nothing to gain by my postings. But you are entitled to your opinion!

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We had lobster and fillet mignon on Uniworld. There was a special dinner for suite guests one night and that was what was served - although, I must admit, had I known that beforehand, I would have preferred the regular dining room menu where I could order regional specialties - but I didn't know what would be served and they were expecting all the suite guests at the special dinner, so, aware that the chef provisioned for this meal especially and was going to extra trouble to prepare it, we went. The food was prepared well but most important we got to meet this really nice and interesting British gentleman - 94 years old and traveling solo - I enjoyed talking with him so much I could have eaten cardboard for all I cared - what an amazing man and how lucky were we that he was willing to join us for dinner! However, the rest of the food experience on Uniworld was drastically different from what goldenrod is experiencing on Viking. It really was all about the regional foods and the chef was just wonderful. The wines changed every night and the food was beautiful and delicious with nary a burger or hotdog.

This post cleared up a lot for me. I never saw -- nor expected -- shrimp cocktail or lobster on my river cruises. This confirms that OP brought an ocean-cruising mentality to river cruising and has been unwilling to accept river cruising for what it is.

Sorry it was on the menu but not produced !

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We had lobster and fillet mignon on Uniworld. There was a special dinner for suite guests one night and that was what was served - although, I must admit, had I known that beforehand, I would have preferred the regular dining room menu where I could order regional specialties - but I didn't know what would be served and they were expecting all the suite guests at the special dinner, so, aware that the chef provisioned for this meal especially and was going to extra trouble to prepare it, we went. The food was prepared well but most important we got to meet this really nice and interesting British gentleman - 94 years old and traveling solo - I enjoyed talking with him so much I could have eaten cardboard for all I cared - what an amazing man and how lucky were we that he was willing to join us for dinner! However, the rest of the food experience on Uniworld was drastically different from what goldenrod is experiencing on Viking. It really was all about the regional foods and the chef was just wonderful. The wines changed every night and the food was beautiful and delicious with nary a burger or hotdog.

We were told the same by many who traveled on Uniworld!

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Viking is the Carnival of river cruises only with worse food!!

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We have been on 3 Viking cruises, only one did we have lobster and it was Xmas day. I have been on 42 Ocean cruises, Princess, NCL, MSC, Celebrity and RCCL. I would say the food on Viking was a cut above the ocean cruises.

I would do another Viking Cruise in a heart beat, we thought the service was excellent and the ships beautiful. Yes it is much more expensive than Ocean cruising but I feel you get good value.

Goldenrod, You should have either gotten off the ship OR not accepted the "perks" you were given. You lost credibility with me.

Folks maybe we should stop stroking goldenrods ego, he's not going to stop spewing his venom. It's not going to change anything, he's a blowhard and as long as we continue to play along, he'll continue. I for one will post no more on this subject.

Yes we had chicken ala king twice one day we had baby back ribs but they were beef short ribs the burgers were all like hockey pucks and the buns were stale and no yellow mustard the fish was strong tasting and the sauces this chef made were so bad as were his soupes salty and no body except one and the wine was the same for 10 days. Look I'm 72 and if you look at my 2700 post on Cruise Critic you'll find none complaining about bad food except for a couple so when I say this was bad it was really bad and it was a shame as this was our 50th anniversary cruise.

 

 

I did check after reading Page 1 a while back. You do post on a variety of topics. I was concerned as we, too, will be on the Embla for a 50th Anniversary cruise in June. Will come back and share if I agree...but perhaps my expectations are tempered after reading this thread. We are also not paying as much as we're in a lower category cabin...also did an ocean cruise for our anniversary year.

Everyone can form their own opinions of course, but it will be a very sad day if I ever find myself taking seriously the food critiques of someone who is bemoaning the absence of yellow mustard and shrimp cocktail :)

I'd pay extra for the promise of no shrimp cocktails, unless of course it was a '70's revival cruise :)

which I sent back twice only to be told they could not give me one medium rare so the brought me my seventh rib eye.

I hope you enjoyed the extras that the waiters added to your food.

I hope you enjoyed the extras that the waiters added to your food.

Oh Susan...:D:D:D (ROTFLMAO)

I kinda don't blame goldenrod. The Viking promotional materials and television commercials all feature the English accented and quite charming daughter of the chairman and CEO, and the impression conveyed is one of elegance, high class and sophistication. It just doesn't sound like the meals support that image.

And suspaul, of course we all know while traveling that we have to be more tolerant of foreign cuisines unlike our diet at home, and enjoy as well as celebrate the differences. But a crappy meal is still a crappy meal, especially when we've all seen the Viking commercials of good looking, sophisticated travelers, wine glass in hand, enjoying what appears to be the best meal of their lives. And a whole series of bad meals can indeed ruin the traveling experience, no?

That said, whenever I'm cruising, having invested so much in time, anticipation, money, learning about the ports, etc, my wife and I are going to have a good time no matter what. And we are in fact booked on a Viking River Christmas market cruise this December! Am sure we'll love it, and we'll probably happily eat whatever they put in front of us. That said, I do have a base level expectation of dining quality, and some part of our trip will be undermined if the food is just awful, which I really don't expect it to be.

Our 10 day trip to Mexico on the Star Princess was memorable and fun. But, truly, for us the food was as bad as what goldenrod experienced on Viking. Would I have been more satisfied if it had been even a tad better?? Yes! And is some part of me unhappy that the reality was not in alignment with what the cruise line sold us? Yes!

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I hope you enjoyed the extras that the waiters added to your food.

That would be an improvement over what they served!

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Boo hoo! I've lived in Denmark for 7 years and the only time I've had yellow mustard is when I brought it back from abroad or found it as part of an Oktoberfest deal. It's ridiculous to travel to a different continent and expect to have what you're used to at home. If that's what you're after, book an ocean cruise on an American line... I do that once a year for a taste of home without actually having to go home.

 

 

Amen!

What kind of mustard is offered on Viking european river cruises? Or how many varieties of mustards are available onboard? Do they serve any wurst ? Which ones and are they sorted from quality meats? I don't want to be served mystery meat American hot dogs.

Thank you.

What kind of mustard is offered on Viking european river cruises? Or how many varieties of mustards are available onboard? Do they serve any wurst ? Which ones and are they sorted from quality meats? I don't want to be served mystery meat American hot dogs.

Thank you.

As Bismarck said [in a free translation]: "All laws and sausages are made of mystery meat."

As Bismarck said [in a free translation]: "All laws and sausages are made of mystery meat."

Given the OP's buyer's remorse at the beginning of the cruise, and subsequent negotiator's remorse when Viking reached out with an offer that the OP initially freely accepted, perhaps Bismarck's legendary strategic sense might have been of use to the cruiser.

But, alas, as in the metaphorical Punch cartoon of the 1890's (Dropping the Pilot), such pragmatic sense seems to have disembarked from this particular ship.

In one post all the pastries and breads were great, in another post the hamburger was served on a stale bun. And I totally agree with the previous poster, I don't pay attention to a food critique that values shrimp cocktail and yellow mustard.

I've sailed this line, and am booked to sail this line again, and will book future sailings beyond that, the food at every meal on every sailing has always been between good and great. I'd rank it quite high among my cruises in regards to food.

What an amazing bore of a person to have been stuck on a ship with for 3 weeks.

Viking is the Carnival of river cruises only with worse food!!

 

 

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Many on this forum will attest to the fact that your comment is a grossly inaccurate statement.