Quality of food on Royal Caribbean

Having only sailed on the Monarch of the Seas 100 years ago I can say that back then Royal's food was not good. Carnival's food was much better then. Having sailed Carnival last year for Carnival Live weekend I can say that their food is crap now too. Celebrity Reflection's food was very good, Holland America's is excellent, and I was quite surprised by the very good quality of NCL Escape's food. Food is subjective and cruising is not inexpensive, so having to substitute specialty dining to get decent food is really rather annoying. I will see how Royal's food compares in May on the Oasis.

We sailed in Carnivall three times in 2005, 2011 and 2013 and were less than impressed by the food, especially in buffets.

I thought the food was good when we were on Allure with the exception of the buffet...that was pure and simply disgusting.

I liked their last menu but when they changed it over I wasn't real happy with it. Don't get me wrong I didn't go hungry!! I love their fruit soups, and there is a scallops au gratin that is so good I've ordered 2 and skipped the main dish! I love those little bread bites I cant get enough of them. The buffet definately went down hill and I am by NO means a picky eater but I feel like they turned it i to a summer picknic with 7 days of the same thing. I don't mind hamburgers and hot dogs but how about every other day mixing it up a bit more. Oh well when I am on vacation I certainly don't complain...I save that for looking back lol. This coming July we are trying MSC Seaside ...it should be interesting!

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All the mass cruise lines have reduced the quality/quantity and variety of food and increased the "institutionalization" of the food - particularly visible in the past 5 years.

Recent posts from Princess note replacement of steak with hamburger in the MDR. On Celebrity, the aqua cafe eliminated the fresh grilled chicken/fish and replaced with cheap bowls.

Reduce choice/quality is happening in the specialities as well.

This is an additional cost to the cruiser because your fare has increased significantly over the past 5 years but the product offering has declined significantly.

My last cruise on Celebrity - the majority of our table of 8 were long time Celebrity guests - we all repeatedly returned multiple dishes back to the kitchen in the MDR nite after nite as they were not up to the description let alone warm nor of decent quality. This is a table of loyalists at the time but many have moved on to Oceania etc like we have.

When I see a service provider like a local restaurant behaving in this manner - they are eliminated from further consideration.

Consumers seem to want a "deal" on price, well the cruise industry has responded in many ways with reduced quality and the food offerings show it.

There is an option - move on to the premium lines and enjoy top quality food and service - Oceania last September was the Celebrity of 15 years ago - simply outstanding in every way.

The mass cruise lines will not improve the food offerings until such time as the "obedient" and loyal consumers stop purchasing their product.

I’m on vision now, was on Anthem in June. So these thoughts should be current.

Anthem

MDR was ok but not special. Was more rushed than before the new menus.

WJ was almost awful, mostly because I want my food freshly prepared not a meat simmering in a sauce. Anthem had enough selections that it was passable.

Speciality restaurants were decent but no wow factor. Had Giovanni’s and Chops. Don’t recall the prices but don’t care about them either.

Vision

Spent one night so far in MDR on MtD. Definitely rushed. I continue to strongly dislike the new, limited menus.

Spent one night so far in a speciality (Giovanni’s). Service was better than MDR but not what it should or could be. Food was good but not great.

Two lunches so far in WJ. Would have been three but I’m so sick of that slop that I went back to my cabin and ordered room service today. Why is it so hard to have fresh food? I do not want burgers and hot dogs! Especially if they’ve been sitting in a steam tray. Where are the made to order stations? Deli meats other than pork products? Berry fruits(rasp, straw, blue, black)?

We are a couple in our thirties with three young kids who travel with us. Almost at diamond plus. Travel in suites. Royal is turning us off big time with their food trends. We sail them because of the kids activities and programs. But you’d think the young family with a free extra bucks to spend would be a target market for Royal....guess not.

Thank you.

For us smoked salmon is a must during a buffet breakfast.

In 2016 we couldn’t find it on Allure and Anthem, but in 2017 it was there on Anthem and Grandeur.

Hoping it is there!!!

And some seafood

back in 2014 we had to ASK for the smoked salmon on the Independence. If I asked, they brought it out. If I didn't ask, they didn't. :(

My go to breakfast on a cruise is a croissant with cream cheese and smoked salmon. I love it!

With four cruises on Oasis in the past year or so, we have noted decreasing quality of food. Certainly new menus contributed to the situation for us, as there are simply fewer options on the menu now and some old favs were eliminated. Last week food seemed much worse in MDR (for example salmon was cooked until bone dry/hard, prime rib looked fine but was tasteless). Often food was not hot, though that may have been waiter’s fault. We like crusty rolls but many of ours were like rocks; maybe I had tossed those at waiter or head waiter I might have procured their attention...little else worked.

Since 2008 at least, all the cruise lines have been trying to do more with less to improve their profit margins. While people who have never before sailed or do so very infrequently may not notice the downward slide, all others will.

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If we have dinner in the mdr and one of our group didnt like the food and is still hungry can we go into the buffet afterwards ?

And i read continental breakfast is complimentary served in cabin ,what exactly is served and do we order it for a time the day before ,and again if one of us wants to also have breakfast in the buffet is this ok?

TIA

If we have dinner in the mdr and one of our group didnt like the food and is still hungry can we go into the buffet afterwards ?

Sure. No one cares where or how frequently you eat on the ship.

You order breakfast usually the night before. You can have breakfast in your cabin, and then have another breakfast in the MDR or Windjammer. You don't scan your IDs or anything going into the free dining venues, so no one from the ship will even know you're double-dipping, and they wouldn't care if they did. You can spend the whole day food-crawling between free venues if you want, and no one will think anything of it. :)

Have just watched a 7 minute video on youtube of royal caribean food in mdr , its from feb 2017 is food being served now similar ?

With four cruises on Oasis in the past year or so, we have noted decreasing quality of food. Certainly new menus contributed to the situation for us, as there are simply fewer options on the menu now and some old favs were eliminated. Last week food seemed much worse in MDR (for example salmon was cooked until bone dry/hard, prime rib looked fine but was tasteless). Often food was not hot, though that may have been waiter’s fault. We like crusty rolls but many of ours were like rocks; maybe I had tossed those at waiter or head waiter I might have procured their attention...little else worked.

Agree with you. Over the past several years food quality has become worse, tasteless, never comes out hot, not even warm. I usually just pick at my food in MDR, won’t do windjammer, if it wasn’t for my nightly drinks in the lounge I could certainly lose some pounds. Usually do specialty restaurants twice on 7 night cruise.

Agree with you. Over the past several years food quality has become worse, tasteless, never comes out hot, not even warm. I usually just pick at my food in MDR, won’t do windjammer, if it wasn’t for my nightly drinks in the lounge I could certainly lose some pounds. Usually do specialty restaurants twice on 7 night cruise.

I honestly don't want to sound like I'm picking on you here, I'm really not, but if RCCL just doesn't measure up to people's likings anymore and food is certainly a big part of the cruising experience - why do they continue to keep coming back to the same "product" that they don't like? Just wondering?

Agree with you. Over the past several years food quality has become worse, tasteless, never comes out hot, not even warm. I usually just pick at my food in MDR, won’t do windjammer, if it wasn’t for my nightly drinks in the lounge I could certainly lose some pounds. Usually do specialty restaurants twice on 7 night cruise.

Next cruise we have access to Coastal Kitchen. maybe that will help. I hope so. Thereafter, we are considering trying Ultimate Dining Package, Though I hate to reward cruiseline for poor cooking in MDR by buying specialty dining.

After a few times over the years trying the steak - it's either been not cooked properly, dry, or just cold. i also think it's cheap, low grade.

Other than that, the food seems to be pretty good.

I am a gluten free cruiser, and have used RCI for the past several cruises because they did GF better than princess cruises. However, we just returned from a 7 day Alaskan cruise and was so disappointed in the food! I am trying to figure out if it is the cruise line or the ship. My past 2 cruise with RCI was with Jewel and Adventure, this one was with Explorer. Anyone have any idea? They didn't even inform me of my gluten free options or have me meet with anyone. I the food was the same over and over again. Not much variety for gluten free. Any thoughts on that?

I honestly don't want to sound like I'm picking on you here, I'm really not, but if RCCL just doesn't measure up to people's likings anymore and food is certainly a big part of the cruising experience - why do they continue to keep coming back to the same "product" that they don't like? Just wondering?

Food probably did use to be a big part of the cruising experience. Even just 10 years ago it was pretty awesome. Not so much anymore with all the cutbacks. People may very well like every other thing about Royal Caribbean but the included food options. I think I am becoming one of those people. Thank goodness for specialty dining :) In a perfect world, I would have Carnival's included food options on an Oasis class ship. That ist at least ONE area where I think Carnival is much better.

RCI is a mass market line. The food they serve is no better than banquet food or food that you would find in low end chain restaurants such as Applebees, Outback, Red Lobster, Chili's, etc... If you think those restaurants are delicious you will be fine with RCI's food.

No alcohol for me medical reasons, but I did partake in hor d’ouves in the lounge. We enjoyed a couple dinners in Solarium Bistro. Our lunches with officer and lunch at Giovanni’s Table we’re both tasty. Those meals kept me from actually weight on this cruise; I used to gain substantially on cruises when food was better.

 

Next cruise we have access to Coastal Kitchen. maybe that will help. I hope so. Thereafter, we are considering trying Ultimate Dining Package, Though I hate to reward cruiseline for poor cooking in MDR by buying specialty dining.

Ate every night in Coastal Kitchen on our March 2018 Anthem cruise, food was excellent, served HOT & service was the best. One night we commented that we love Chops mushroom soup, next night all four of us got it, then DH teasingly said love the fried calamari from Jamie’s next night it appeared. They couldn’t do enough for you. You will surely enjoy.

RCI is a mass market line. The food they serve is no better than banquet food or food that you would find in low end chain restaurants such as Applebees, Outback, Red Lobster, Chili's, etc... If you think those restaurants are delicious you will be fine with RCI's food.

Previously we might have agreed with your comparison. This past week of our most dinners in the main dining room on Oasis were, unfortunately, well below that served at Applebees, Outback, Red Lobster, Chili's, etc. Big step down from our previous cruises.

RCI is a mass market line. The food they serve is no better than banquet food or food that you would find in low end chain restaurants such as Applebees, Outback, Red Lobster, Chili's, etc... If you think those restaurants are delicious you will be fine with RCI's food.

Outback may be considered "low end" but they absolutely smoke the MDR of both mass market lines I cruise. In fact, my last experience with an Outback steak was much better than my last experience at Chops. Cruise ship food can no longer even compare to most land based chain places in my opinion. Pretty sad

Previously we might have agreed with your comparison. This past week of our most dinners in the main dining room on Oasis were, unfortunately, well below that served at Applebees, Outback, Red Lobster, Chili's, etc. Big step down from our previous cruises.

Thats pretty sad :(

Thats pretty sad :(

I was sad to experience it and I am sad now to report it. Really it was so bad that I hope last week was at least partially a fluke. Certainly our wait staff was below par and were responsible for many of the issues. Other issues were ingrediate related (unripened tomatoes in August for example) or prep (drastically overcooked fish for example).

Our next Oasis cruise is already past final payment; I hope service and food are better. Coastal Kitchen access may help, but as we are in a JS, we do not know how many nights we will dine there. Likely we will be venturing into the MDR again to see if the quality rebounded at all.

I honestly don't want to sound like I'm picking on you here, I'm really not, but if RCCL just doesn't measure up to people's likings anymore and food is certainly a big part of the cruising experience - why do they continue to keep coming back to the same "product" that they don't like? Just wondering?

Because I have three young kids. If it were not for them and the royal kids program we’d be long gone.

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