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Bring back Giovannis ......


ChipLondon
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Until it started getting skimpier. Towards the latter part of it's life, the half-lobster tail was the size of the grilled shrimp(s) in the MDR.

 

I remember the first time we dined at Portofino and I could easily rate it a 5 stars. The service was impeccable. My preference is Giovanni's over Jamie's, but I wish they had more traditional Southern Italian dishes that I'm familiar with.

 

We ate at Jamie's while cruising on the Anthem. We ordered the meat plank which was very good. My wife was looking at the Lasagna and wondered how it tasted. We were a bit disappointed with some it's ingredients. So I had the linguine with clams--asked the waiter for marinara "al-diavolo." My wife ordered the lamb chops. Both were good and the lamb chops (although not on the paper menu, but on the electronic menu) were excellent. Topped it off with nice dessert and cappuccino.

 

When we ordered, we told our waiter that some of the ingredients in the Lasagna was unusual. We went back & forth as I was explaining to him what a true dish should be comprised. He brought us the Lasagna entrée for us to try.

My wife enjoyed and I tasted it. There was a lot of meat, but a lack of Ricotta and Mozzarella. However, it wasn't bad. I tasted a certain sweetness to it. I inquired and was told that if was "Pumpkin." Very unusual.

 

During our 12 nite cruise, Jamie's was running as blackboard special of $14.99 for lunch on sea days and $19.99 for a 2 course special. Asked what was excluded form the dinner special and the waiter told us nothing. Could order any appetizer and entrée from the menu.

 

Italian lasagna is made with a bechamel sauce, not ricotta.

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Jamie's was pretty much packed every night on Harmony a couple weeks ago. Until that changes....good luck.

Jamies was about half full on average on our 3 cruises on Harmony in 2016.

The metal chairs outside on Central Park were very uncomfortable.

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Jamies was about half full on average on our 3 cruises on Harmony in 2016.

The metal chairs outside on Central Park were very uncomfortable.

 

Yep, YMMV. I'm sure it varies from week to week.

 

Bottom line....as long as Jamie's is making money, why would they change? If they can make more money with Giovanni's, they'll make it happen. They're in business to make money...if that comes with a better Italian restaurant, then it'll be.

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Italian lasagna is made with a bechamel sauce, not ricotta.

 

What the heck are you talking about. In my household, Ricotta & Mozzarella are the primary ingredients in Lasagna, stuffed shells and baked macaroni. Don't even know what is béchamel sauce and if not red you keep it.

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Italian lasagna is made with a bechamel sauce, not ricotta.

 

Correct, traditional, Italian lasagna is made with a bechamel sauce, but most lasagna you see in the US is made with Ricotta.

 

As far as the Jamie's debate, we have enjoyed Jamie's on Anthem and prefer it to Giovanni's. The risotto that so many like at Giovanni's was a gloppy pile of sticky rice the two times we have had it. We would be much happier to see Portofino come back.

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Correct, traditional, Italian lasagna is made with a bechamel sauce, but most lasagna you see in the US is made with Ricotta.

 

As far as the Jamie's debate, we have enjoyed Jamie's on Anthem and prefer it to Giovanni's. The risotto that so many like at Giovanni's was a gloppy pile of sticky rice the two times we have had it. We would be much happier to see Portofino come back.

 

Jamie's would be perfect if they added a few more classic italian entrees to the menu. The pasta, from my experience, is far above Giovanni's.

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I agree with this for the most part. Giovanni's old menu was great. The new one...Not so much. However, IMO RCI has got to address the food in the MDR as it is now so bad the Windjammer has better dinner offerings. I really think the food has gone down to an unacceptable level. I would rank RCI's food as the worst of any main stream cruise line. It was not always the way. The stock prices RCL is through the roof. I wish they would put more money into the food budget. Perhaps first time cruisers do not notice and thats why nothing is done about it. The new to cruise market seems to be the main focus. It makes me sad. I have been so loyal for so many years now and have watched something that was so great deteriorate into something less that special.

If the food quality is really taking a nose dive, as many people suggest, then the ONLY way to influence change is to mark down the food on the survey.

I know.... the servers say it hurts them, BUT there has to be a point in time when quality takes priority.

 

FWIW I believe the marks for food quality are not the responsibility of the servers but after speaking with them on several cruises, it would appear that is the case. Plain wrong in my opinion.

That opinion is written in the 'any other comments' section.

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I haven’t been able to eat at Jamie’s on board yet but I’ve eaten at two of his land restaurants, neither of them were the Italian brand though. I wonder how much of what is served on board now is from his original concept and recipes. It may be that they have had to rework the dishes on Harmony for the American palate.

I would guess that Jamie Oliver is merely licensing his name to be used by RCI. However, if I was putting my 'brand' onboard I would expect a level of quality to be upheld, after all it is his reputation at stake.

 

This is what Lisa Lutoff-Perlo had to say:

The partnership was ‘just one element of revolutionised dining concept to ensure the options we have on board reflect what today’s modern family looks for from their holiday’.

She added: ‘Jamie Oliver is known for pushing the boundaries within the world of food and Royal Caribbean has a history of pioneering many firsts within the holiday industry.

‘With Jamie’s Italian creating unique but accessible dining with food that is at its freshest and ethically sourced, we are able to guarantee guests will only be served the freshest Italian dishes possible while on holiday with Royal Caribbean.’

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The metal chairs outside on Central Park were very uncomfortable.

 

SO uncomfortable, that we actually went into the common area in Central Park and retrieved a couple of the chairs there in which to sit. Those metal chairs are torture devices. ...and then the mediocre, at best, food was just a cherry on top !

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If the food quality is really taking a nose dive, as many people suggest, then the ONLY way to influence change is to mark down the food on the survey.

I know.... the servers say it hurts them, BUT there has to be a point in time when quality takes priority.

 

FWIW I believe the marks for food quality are not the responsibility of the servers but after speaking with them on several cruises, it would appear that is the case. Plain wrong in my opinion.

That opinion is written in the 'any other comments' section.

It is wrong RC include food in waiters marks because very few people want to mark down the waiters in case they don't get their tips or lose their jobs so RC get a favourable response to food quality even when the quality does not deserve it.

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Northern is Bechamel. Southern is Ricotta/Mozzarella (particularly Sicilian).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Notice the comment about ricotta was made from a Texan, one thing I learned in my 30 years in Texas is do not ask a texan about Italian food,was born and raised in nyc

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It is wrong RC include food in waiters marks because very few people want to mark down the waiters in case they don't get their tips or lose their jobs so RC get a favourable response to food quality even when the quality does not deserve it.

I completely agree with you.

If food quality is not up to the regular standard then the favourable response to food quality on surveys has to stop!

Simply inform the Head Waiter that food will be marked down accordingly and put further details in the comments section.

 

I see little point in people complaining on here that food quality has declined, which will do nothing to address the situation, and not filling in a post cruise survey saying food quality is poor, which has more chance of addressing the situation.

 

I'm sure there is a section for service and a section for food (both tied to the wait staff :mad:)

Simply put further detail into the comments section explaining the dissatisfaction that wait staff are penalised for something outside of their control!

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Will be on Symphony in October and was disappointed to learn that there will be no Giovanni's Table, my favorite specialty restaurant. I realize that you can't please everyone all of the time, but the large number of negative reviews regarding Jamie's Italian were swaying me away from trying it at all to begin with.

 

Royal has consistently befuddled me over the years with removing many much-beloved items from their menus in both included and extra fee restaurants. Vidalia Onion Tart on night 1 in the main dining room? Don't get me started! Why not "refresh" the menus by removing the things that aren't particularly well received?

 

Okay, rant over 😣

 

Ellen

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Will be on Symphony in October and was disappointed to learn that there will be no Giovanni's Table, my favorite specialty restaurant. I realize that you can't please everyone all of the time, but the large number of negative reviews regarding Jamie's Italian were swaying me away from trying it at all to begin with.

 

Royal has consistently befuddled me over the years with removing many much-beloved items from their menus in both included and extra fee restaurants. Vidalia Onion Tart on night 1 in the main dining room? Don't get me started! Why not "refresh" the menus by removing the things that aren't particularly well received?

 

Okay, rant over 😣

 

Ellen

I agree Giovanni's was a big miss on Harmony and Allure while Jamies have a prime site on Central Park it was usually only half full on the 3 occasions we were on Harmony and once on Allure.

In the UK Jamies are closing 12 of their 35 restaurants.

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We had a free lunch at Giovanni’s on the Allure last January as part of our Central Park balcony package. I traveled with my favorite large Italian family. We had a ‘special’ menu with 2 entree items: a sauced veal ball with no noodles and a seafood pasta. We were mostly ignored by the wait staff in favor of paying guests. I took us about 3 hours, mostly sitting and watching other people being served, to eat. The bread, salad, and dessert were good. My veal ball, well, it was a big meatball in sauce. The 3 who ordered seafood all got very sick afterwards. We had really looked forward to that meal and were not only poisoned but also treated like second class citizens. I’m fine with it going away.

 

 

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Notice the comment about ricotta was made from a Texan, one thing I learned in my 30 years in Texas is do not ask a texan about Italian food,was born and raised in nyc

 

The comment about ricotta was made by a European who learned to make Italian food in Italy, who happens to currently reside in Texas.

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We had a free lunch at Giovanni’s on the Allure last January as part of our Central Park balcony package. I traveled with my favorite large Italian family. We had a ‘special’ menu with 2 entree items: a sauced veal ball with no noodles and a seafood pasta. We were mostly ignored by the wait staff in favor of paying guests. I took us about 3 hours, mostly sitting and watching other people being served, to eat. The bread, salad, and dessert were good. My veal ball, well, it was a big meatball in sauce. The 3 who ordered seafood all got very sick afterwards. We had really looked forward to that meal and were not only poisoned but also treated like second class citizens. I’m fine with it going away.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

So were you diagnosed with food poisoning or is this just self diagnosing? Food poisoning is usually very obvious. Getting sick, usually doesn’t take too long.... whereas Norovirus might not be as immediate.

 

JC

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SO uncomfortable, that we actually went into the common area in Central Park and retrieved a couple of the chairs there in which to sit. Those metal chairs are torture devices. ...and then the mediocre, at best, food was just a cherry on top !

 

Nothing is more uncomfortable than the "stylish" new chairs they have at Izumi on Harmony. Not only are they solely made for tiny people but they are beyond uncomfortable.

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I find the whole trend toward (and away from) licensing shore side restaurants on cruise ships fascinating....

I think it is really a gimmick, as the shipboard and shore side version's of "name" restaurants vary greatly. It might be different, if the shore side restaurants actually rented the space and operated the restaurant, but that is never the case....it is run by the cruise line and its employees, that rotate among all the other venues on board.

 

Other examples are the Todd English restaurants that were on Cunard, but now replaced by their own 'Veranda' restaurants.

On NCL, their Ocean Blue restaurants were associated with Geoff Zakarian, but no longer, and their former "Carlo's" bakeries are no longer associated with "Cake Boss" Buddy Valestro. They also ended their association with Nickelodeon for children's character's on board. However, they added Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville's....

 

RCI still has Johnny Rockets, Ben & Jerry's, and Starbuck's on board, besides Jamie's....

 

There are some other examples on other lines, as well...just can't recall them at this moment....

I just learned that the "Michael's Genuine Pubs", on the three Quantum class ship's are also a shore side affiliation, and that at the end of this month, they will each be renamed into an in-house pub....

I wonder if the fee to dine there will disappear (not likely, although NCL's "pub's" are complimentary)....

 

More info on the RCI blog....

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Never been to JO on land but we did one visit on Harmony. The apps were amazing. The main course was, how should I say............sucked. DW and I both ordered the ribeye steak. We should have listened to our waiter who said "don't order the ribeye, it's not good". So that was our fault. It was just like he said, not good.

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