Low quality of food in MDR--not worth the investment of time and dress?

[DireMongoose]

I've enjoyed the MDR food on our last few RCL cruises. That being said, it's not like I've been on every ship in the fleet recently. Kitchen staff quality probably does vary some.

 

We'll continue to generally eat in the MDR, but if that isn't for you, go with what makes the vacation fun for you. I think the cruise line has done a pretty good job of offering alternatives for people who prefer something else.

[Scotty G]

We have sailed quite a few times on RCCL. I can count on one hand the number of bad meals I have had in the MDR. The last was a Chops steak in the Monarch MDR. The beef at the previous night's meal was superb compared to the Chops steak which was just plain tough! The cost per passenger on most of our cruises made all of our meals a bargain and the quality has been good to excellent the majority of the time.

[dfishner]

I would be interested to know whether those that were happy with their food were on open dining or fixed dining. If open dining about what time did you eat? We always ate quite late. Maybe this was our problem.

 

This is a serious enquiry. I would like to know for future reference so that we can change our dining habits if necessary.

 

Is there a difference in food quality depending on when you eat?

 

With My time dining we usual dined at 7:30 the food was always hot and we have never had any issues.

[mariefisher]

Both my husband and I feel the food has really declined. We just don't go to the MDR anymore. We know this when we book with them and either go to the specialty restaurants, windjammer or JR's. We are D+ and love the cruise line but just dislike the food in the MDR. Yes a hamberger in JR's without the effort of getting dressed for dinner, to us, is better than getting all dressed up, going to a beautiful dinning room and having a disappointing meal. It's funny but when I read this post, I felt like I was the author. I also felt before reading this that we were the only ones who felt this way. I also give the poster credit for posting this subject here because he has, in my mind, some very valid points and your ability to express them here is what CC is all about.

[kooljamming]

Bottom line:

Having the money to go on a cruise makes you are a priveleged individual.

Millions of people would love to trade places with you and eat "sub-par"

MDR food. My suggestion is stay home and let someone who won't complain about this predicament take your place. In the meanwhile, try to endure your terrible situation. As for me, I feel very lucky to even get the opportunity to cruise.

 

No, it makes you someone who have worked hard and made sacrifices for a nice vacation. Cruising, though affordable is not cheap and downright expensive with a family of 4. If not for the ports, you could easily do better at a land resort in the Caribbean or Mexico. I feel blessed for the opportunity to cruise or take any vacation but not lucky. I earned the money, saved it, and made lots of sacrifices to pay for it. I am blessed with a nice home, in a area I truly enjoy, so sometimes staying home is the true privilege. A free cruise...now we are talking luck! Luck is getting something you did not earn.

 

Yes the food had declined but other areas have improved making the overall cruising experience more enjoyable. I would rather be crusing now than when I started 15 years ago on the Viking Serenade. That cruise was probably one of the most wonderful and amazing vacation ever. However I would rather have a few less wonderful and amazing but to be able to cruise more often. So I won't dress for the food but because I look nicer and feel prettier in a nice dress.

[Ladylouwho]

Bottom line:

Having the money to go on a cruise makes you are a priveleged individual.

Millions of people would love to trade places with you and eat "sub-par"

MDR food. My suggestion is stay home and let someone who won't complain about this predicament take your place. In the meanwhile, try to endure your terrible situation. As for me, I feel very lucky to even get the opportunity to cruise.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic Nordic Prince!

 

Your name suggests you are a fan of RCI from way back. Good to see you are finally on Cruise Critic.

 

I must say your post is quite harsh on the OP. Almost seems like some of the posts from the RCI Cheerleaders/Defenders, but of course it can't be as you are new to Cruise Critic.

 

If people pay hard earned money to cruise a mainstream cruise line they should expect a certain quality of product. Unless of course they are sailing a fleabag, low level cruise line. RCI portends to be the former, are you suggesting they are the latter and are able to get away with serving "sub-par" MDR food?

 

Just wondering,

Colleen

[ronandannette]

If people were to avoid those areas, and demand better food in the MDR, perhaps the food quality would improve and the quality that many of us miss would return to the MDR.

 

How exactly would we "demand" it? By not booking specialty dining or using the buffet and eating more of the mediocre food more often? By voicing every single complaint in the MDR and running the servers ragged? Via comment cards read after we've departed? No, the only possible way would be for cruisers to stop sailing RCCL...not sure how many of us are prepared to take that step. The way I see it, it's check and mate to the cruiselines in this declining area of quality.

 

Happy Sails,

 

Annette

[HOHSgunny]

Kind of on topic. Which is better Chops or Portofino's, the DW and I will be celebrating our 19th on this cruise and I keep going back and forth on which to make the reservation. (I am a beef eater so I am leaning towards Chops),

 

last cruise we ate at the MDR except for one night we had room service and personally I thought the food was good but I am career military and have been known to think shoe leather was tastey :D

[Chigirlcruzin]

This thread really has me concerned...I'm doing my first RCI cruise in 27 days (and I think I'm as excited as I was for my very first cruise). I've always had good food on Carnival - some better than others, but never anything bad, which is what many are describing here. Oh well, if I don't like it I guess it's not all bad - I won't gain any weight;)

[marci22]

This thread really has me concerned...I'm doing my first RCI cruise in 27 days (and I think I'm as excited as I was for my very first cruise). I've always had good food on Carnival - some better than others, but never anything bad, which is what many are describing here. Oh well, if I don't like it I guess it's not all bad - I won't gain any weight;)

 

There is usually at least one good thing in the MDR each night and the waiters usually know what people like in general, so ask them. I think the problem is that they have taken away choices, made the side dishes uniformly bland, and are using cheaper cuts of meat. The desserts unfortunately, are mostly fair to average. I didn't gain any weight on my last cruise, but I thought the food was good enough. They don't have much room for error, though. (like none)

[Chigirlcruzin]

There is usually at least one good thing in the MDR each night and the waiters usually know what people like in general, so ask them. I think the problem is that they have taken away choices, made the side dishes uniformly bland, and are using cheaper cuts of meat. The desserts unfortunately, are mostly fair to average. I didn't gain any weight on my last cruise, but I thought the food was good enough. They don't have much room for error, though. (like none)

 

Thanks. My problem is I'm allergic to fish (shellfish, freshwater, etc...if it comes from the water, I'm very allergic...carry an epipen), so my options are immediately cut. I'm sure I won't go hungry.

[Papa T]

Thanks. My problem is I'm allergic to fish (shellfish, freshwater, etc...if it comes from the water, I'm very allergic...carry an epipen), so my options are immediately cut. I'm sure I won't go hungry.

If it comes from the sea I don't eat it and have never had difficulty finding a good meal in the MDR. I often order the vegetarian choice - some are bland but many are very good.

[Papa T]

I have always been able to find acceptable food in the MDR although from time to time I'll send something back. The quality of food is as good or better than most mid-priced chain choices on land and the service is usually excellent. As I'm observing the food and service in the MDR I am often mentally comparing the service with the often clueless and overworked wait staff at many resturants, and what I would have to pay for the often mediocre food I often get in land-based resturants. Cruising is a good value for the money and that includes the food.

[lostdart58]

I just got off my first RCCL cruise. (AOS 9/20 - 9/27) I was with a group of 15 close friends. We had late seating MDR everynight. I would consider ourselves more food snobs then not, living in St Thomas most restaurants are high end.

 

Our consensus of the dining room was very good to excellent. Occasionally the food could have been hotter,(or the cold soups colder) but the flavor was always right there.

 

During the week.we had one meal, a salmon dish, that was unedible. No one ever ordered the top sirloin steak. The vegetarien/Indian dishes were always enjoyed by those that ordered them. I don't think anyone was a big fan of the cold fruit soups. (perhaps better served as a sorbet??)

 

I made a point of sticking my head in the Windjammer every night to check out the choices. Most nights I would sample a few items. (thats right I ate dinner twice ;)). While there would always be some good items at the buffett, there were definitily some items that were absolute crap. (those steaks come to mind....yuck! :eek:)

 

 

For me, putting pants and a collared shirt or a tie and jacket on was definitily worth it.

 

 

We did do Portofino one night.......It was OK, not to me worth the extra $20. (I should have had the filet perhaps.) My calamari was rubber. (I should have sent it back) My seafood platter had a lousy lobster tail, although the salmon, scallops and shrimp were very tasty.

[carhirer]

I agree that packing and dressing up in a Tux is tiresome. I dislike the fact that cruise lines ask passengers to provide the extra glam on formal nights.

 

However, that has nothing to do with the quality of the food which is very good when you consider that they have to produce 1000 meals at the same time per sitting. It is much better than the "banquet food" served in hotels.

 

A number of complainants indicate that they prefer to go to Chops & Portofinos, in this case Johnny Rockets. I think this indicates the real problem. Chops and JR cater for ultra conservative tastes. The MDR menu offers quite a challenging choice of dishes from around the world. Kinda appropriate for a cruise line?

 

I suspect the people who complain about MDR food are not up to the challenge. They prefer the stuff they are familiar with back home.

[dfishner]

I agree that packing and dressing up in a Tux is tiresome. I dislike the fact that cruise lines ask passengers to provide the extra glam on formal nights.

 

However, that has nothing to do with the quality of the food which is very good when you consider that they have to produce 1000 meals at the same time per sitting. It is much better than the "banquet food" served in hotels.

 

A number of complainants indicate that they prefer to go to Chops & Portofinos, in this case Johnny Rockets. I think this indicates the real problem. Chops and JR cater for ultra conservative tastes. The MDR menu offers quite a challenging choice of dishes from around the world. Kinda appropriate for a cruise line?

 

I suspect the people who complain about MDR food are not up to the challenge. They prefer the stuff they are familiar with back home.

 

I would disagree with statement. I consider myself a serious foodie and I don't dislike the MDR but I find the food served in the MDR overall to be fair to average, taste is on the bland side. We to the Speciality restaurants for better quality by no means do I feel Chops or Portofino are 5 star but the food quality is much better. We have a great sense of adventure when it comes to dining. I never had a bad meal in the MDR I also never had one I remembered either. The one meal I do remember in all our cruises on RCL is the Wine and Dine night in Portofino that meal was incredible. If food was the only factor to cruise we would do another type of vacation there is so much more to cruising then food which is the reason we go. We still go to the MDR we do MY Time Dining we go maybe two to three times then do other dining venues.

[balcony4u]

I love eating in the MDR!

 

I eat there for the atmosphere, if the food is great then all the better.

That said, I have never had a bad meal in the MDR.

 

I enjoy getting dressed up for dinner no matter what the quality of the food is. Besides, the MDR is beautiful so I guess I am dressing for the MDR not the food.

 

Everyone is different. I love cruising because they have designed it so that you have many choices. It does not mean one persons opinion is wrong and the others right.

[mszula]

The food in the MDR was not good; but the food in the Windjammer was worse. Our ship did not have any special dining area (Chop's etc), if they had we definitely would have tried to find higher quality food to eat. We ate on shore as often as was possible.

[lostdart58]

The food in the MDR was not good; but the food in the Windjammer was worse. Our ship did not have any special dining area (Chop's etc), if they had we definitely would have tried to find higher quality food to eat. We ate on shore as often as was possible.

 

What ship (and when) were you on? :)

[NordicPrince]

What a strange attitude. Are you saying that because we can afford to cruise and others cannot that we should endure sub-standard food?

 

How far do you take this argument? What should we accept because others would be prepared to accept just to be on the cruise.

 

Sorry, if you don't like RCI you can vote with your feet and go elsewhere

on your cruise vacation or any other vacation. That's how far you can accept it. And whether you call it lucky or blessed and whether you realize it or not, you're still a fortunate person. You're lucky just to be able to be alive, be able to see, walk and talk, be able to taste such

horrible food.

 

Also, maybe 20 years ago the price of a cruise would have been prohibitive by itself for many people. In 1990 I paid $1800 p/p to go 7 nights to Bermuda on RCCL with an oceanview room. In 1991 I paid $1400 p/p to go to the Southern Caribbean on NCL. Now 20 years later you can go for 60% of that and that's after 20 years of inflation! That allows so

many more people the chance to cruise. You might give the cruise lines

some credit for that!

 

Of course back then you went on Royal Viking to get the top of the line and a 7 day trip would run well over $2500 p/p! And you got caviar

and lobster but you paid for it.

 

The same analogy works here. Go up the cruise line food chain and find something you like in MDR food on another cruise line (if you can afford it). Bottom line is you get what you pay for.

 

Once again, I feel fortunate, lucky, blessed to even get the opportunity to take a cruise vacation. And I can afford to do it, I worked hard to save my money and I don't feel guilty about it.

 

Just don't see what's not to like about it.

[sjlocke]

We just got off AOS on Sunday, and I had no issues with anything I was served in the main dining room, even going away from the server's recommendations. In particular, I thought the escargot, the lobster tail and the hot and sour duck consomme were excellent.

 

We went to the Windjammer one night before dinner to see what they had up there, and it turns out, for the most part, it was buffet service of the things on the MDR menu. So saying the buffet is better than the MDR seems a bit silly.

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

I respect your opinion and thanks for sharing it, but I'm the opposite. I feel incredibly uncomfortable in anything resembling formal attire as does my wife. This is not to say I'd want to wear shorts, a ball cap, and a T-shirt in the MDR--I wouldn't and don't.

 

We also do active pre and post-cruise trips (with train and bus connections as well as a lot of walking with our luggage) and don't like to be weighed down with clothes we wouldn't ordinarily wear; e.g. for our 5 night post-cruise trip to Paris. To us, packing light is essential.

 

I do understand and respect peoples' desire to dress-up while on holiday. It's just not us. I'm committed to steering clear of the MDR during formal nights, and have now gone further and decided the MDR is simply not worth the effort for us.

 

Everyone values different aspects of cruising, so it's not a real problem. Only an adjustment we've chosen to make.

 

We should go cruising together as I couldn't care less if you showed up at my table in jeans on formal night. I'm more interested in you, as the person, than what you're wearing. I can't exactly talk to your clothing and learn about new cultures, now can I?

 

On the Liberty cruise I recently sailed, I saw several people entering the dining room in jeans. No one was stopped and a group were actually lead to a table. I also saw this same group lead to a table on the last night in shorts. I remember one guy had punked out hair and I don't think he dressed formal or smart casual the entire time. Did I care? Certainly not. I had to, however, speak with him about his hair. It was different...as is the fro I'm sporting.

 

For me, dressing up is just fun. We being on the opposite end of the spectrum just gives us another topic to discuss at the table. :)

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

No, it makes you someone who have worked hard and made sacrifices for a nice vacation. Cruising, though affordable is not cheap and downright expensive with a family of 4. If not for the ports, you could easily do better at a land resort in the Caribbean or Mexico. I feel blessed for the opportunity to cruise or take any vacation but not lucky. I earned the money, saved it, and made lots of sacrifices to pay for it. I am blessed with a nice home, in a area I truly enjoy, so sometimes staying home is the true privilege. A free cruise...now we are talking luck! Luck is getting something you did not earn.

 

I completely understand where you're coming from, but in the overall scheme of things, we are pretty privileged. I disagree with the sentiment I perceived from the comment to which you responded, but the overall suggestion that we're in a desirable position is correct.

 

How are you btw? Long time no speaky!

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

I agree that packing and dressing up in a Tux is tiresome. I dislike the fact that cruise lines ask passengers to provide the extra glam on formal nights.

 

However, that has nothing to do with the quality of the food which is very good when you consider that they have to produce 1000 meals at the same time per sitting. It is much better than the "banquet food" served in hotels.

 

A number of complainants indicate that they prefer to go to Chops & Portofinos, in this case Johnny Rockets. I think this indicates the real problem. Chops and JR cater for ultra conservative tastes. The MDR menu offers quite a challenging choice of dishes from around the world. Kinda appropriate for a cruise line?

 

I suspect the people who complain about MDR food are not up to the challenge. They prefer the stuff they are familiar with back home.

 

I'm not quite sure that's an accurate assessment. Take my taste, for instance. I'd love even more variety than is currently offered on the MDR menu. Go full out exotic and get me fish that I haven't tasted and prepared in a way that I've never dreamed. If we do red meat, do something other than steak or lamb.

 

For me, I can detect the quality of food. Portofinos is higher quality - higher quality ingredients overwhelmingly translates into better taste. For me, I don't think there's much of a challenge to trying new foods because that's something I love to do.

 

All that being said, I don't think I've had a "bad" meal in the MDR to date. There have been a couple items I had something I didn't care for but I was able to order something else and enjoy the meal. There was only one time where I didn't eat my fill, went to the late show and then headed over for pizza. Oh well...

[atb]

I date myself - BUT - back in the early 70s - our small liberal arts college requested formal dress for homecoming weekend. The menu? Mystery meat patties (a fried patty of unknown origin), or mystery seafood cake (a fried cake of something fishy:p).

We grumbled about the dress code - but to eat - we had to dress to the requested code.

I guess if I was pressed today - I would not formally dress for mystery meat patties, BUT - that early training is hard to walk away from. :o