I hope the food on RC is better than eating at BLANK

[ryano]

I should be fine on RC then. I dont exactly "love" Red Lobster, Olive Garden or Outback but certainly dont think its the worst Ive ever had either.

 

Im not as hard to please when it comes to food. I guess I truly dont know what fine dining really is.

 

 

Again, for what I paid per person per night, I am not expecting gourmet. If it was gourmet I would probably just settle for the Windjammer every night.

[Sue L]

Wow, breifly scrolled through and was surprised someone thinks red lobster has GOOD food. :rolleyes: Really, thats all I can say. Its all frozen. ICK. If you think thats good food, you will seriously enjoy RCI's.

 

You are just spoiled because of all the good, fresh seafood in NJ. :D;)

[mehitabel]

You know, I just really like food. I know the difference between fine dining and greasy spoon, and I've enjoyed both extremes and most everything in between.

 

The only big concern I have when eating is my health--not necessarily that I want to eat raw greens and seeds all the time, but by golly, if I'm going to eat something drenched in calorie-laden sauce, I want the calories to come from REAL food, not chemicals and artifical flavorings and lab-manufactured fats.

 

So most chain restaurants lose pretty big with me for that. I'd rather have an honest piece of chicken fried in lard, with a side of actual mashed potatoes topped with real butter, than a "healthy" entree loaded with margarine, with a side of sugar-pumped lowfat whatever.

 

I WANT REAL FOOD, DAG NAB IT! And I hope I find some onboard.

[JustUs275]

I'm feeling pretty optimistic now - we both happen to like Outback, Olive Garden, Applebee's, Chili's...so we should be just fine with the food on the ship. Fortunately (well, actually unfortunately for our waistlines!), we can enjoy just about any kind of food - as long as we don't have to shop, prepare and clean up! :D

[ryano]

I've sailed on many different RCI ships and the food is generally very good. It's not what you'd get on Silversea or Regent, I'm sure, but it's good food, well prepared and plentiful. If you don't like something, the obliging wait staff will get you something else. I think you will find the food quite edible.

 

My favorite is the prime rib which, I believe, is as good as it gets anywhere else. The salad "bar" at lunch in the MDR is truly awesome.

 

As for the lobster, if you have ever eaten a "real" Maine lobster cooked in sea water at a pound you wouldn't even think those little frozen thingies are in the same species. JMTCW

 

Thanks! I feel a lot better now :)

 

Im not sure the particular cruise Im going on, on the Monarch offers prime rib and I have not seen yet where they offer the salad bar in the MDR during lunch either. :(

 

Im just going to have to book another cruise just for that now apparently! :D

 

I have had "real" lobster and I have also had those saltwater crawfish they try to pass off as lobster as well. You are most certainly right in that there is no comparison at ALL!

 

My cruise doesnt offer "lobster" either as its only a 3 nighter.

[gsb]

Really? You think so? Sorry, but I'm not a snob at all. I just happen to know good food, and none of those really qualify. I'm not saying they are completely not edible. They'll do if I have no other choice. But they should definitely not be called great food. To me, they're on the same level as Chilis or TGI Fridays. Fun, basic bland average food. Not quality in any way. I'm not saying I eat at Mortons every night and I'm a complete food snob. I love the local taco stand down the street just as much as anyone else. But the local taco stand can be much better quality that RL, OG or any of the others. It doesn't have to be fancy, it just has to be good.

 

Not whether or not they are "great food", but that they are "hated". A little strong.

[lovesublime]

Perhaps it depends upon the location. I don't even have a Red Lobster close to me now, but we used to in a previous place we lived. They had two to four fresh fish selections at any given time that truly were fresh and were well prepared. We didn't usually order off the "standard" menu, when we dined there, but rather off the fresh selections board.

 

However, you pretty well give away your ignorance simply by saying that frozen seafood = ICK. Nothing quite compares to seafood that is truly fresh, as in caught mere hours before it hits your plate. That is quite rare, though. The best quality seafood that you can get without living right on the water is often seafood that is quick-frozen just after being caught.

 

 

 

This is so very true. To think that absolutely fresh seafood is going to be available at anytime, anywhere in this country is crazy. Most of it is frozen right there on the boat when it's caught. BTW, our local RL has a fresh fish menu that changes daily. You make your selection and it's cooked to order. RL also has really good biscuits-I have the recipe and make them at home all the time.

[LBcruzman]

White Castle

That is funny. But I bet that if they had an all you can eat White Castle Night in the MDR it would be packed with people who live in places where there are no White Castles.

 

I grew up in a state with White Castles and have lived a long time now in one without. I do not usually eat fast food, junk food whatever, but gosh I miss those little sliders. And I'm not taking the frozen grocery store ones, but the real deal.

[Parkay]

It might be time for you to switch to the "premium" cruise lines. I'm sure the food on those ships reflects the pricing that is triple or more of RCI. You get what you pay for.

 

You're booking on a budget line, what do you expect?

 

Actually, I never really said I expected the food on RCI to be anything other than what it was. I don't cruise for the food. I enjoy cruising for other reasons, and the food doesn't make or break a cruise for me. I love cruising, no matter which line it is and what the food is like. Actually, I love to travel, period. I get plenty of great food on other vacations, whether it be a local dive or a gourmet restaurant. Don't expect it on a cruise. I was asked my opinion in this thread, and I gave it. No where did I say I expected it to be anything other than what it was.

[HorrorFan]

In general, if you hate places like Red Lobster, Outback and Olive Garden, you'll probably hate Royal Caribbean food, too. I say that, because quality of food is probably comparable and that is a pretty decent quality to begin with. I find that most people who hate those chain restaurants tend to do so more because it makes them feel like they are some kind of connoisseur to be able to "dis" a popular chain. But, though experiences from one location to another may vary, those restaurants are all quite good for what they are, which is reasonably priced, family-style restaurants.

Quite true Paul. And using those restaurants as the 'bar' for the quality is probably pretty accurate. The meals (and service) I have had in Portofino and Chops were consistently better than those restaurants, but the MDR meals would be similar at best. Some maybe better, some definitely not as good.

Oh, and I don't mind those restaurants. In fact the times I have been to Olive Garden I quite enjoyed the meals. They all closed in Canada quite a while ago so maybe the quality has gone down since then, because a lot of people seem to hate that chain.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Perhaps it depends upon the location. I don't even have a Red Lobster close to me now, but we used to in a previous place we lived. They had two to four fresh fish selections at any given time that truly were fresh and were well prepared. We didn't usually order off the "standard" menu, when we dined there, but rather off the fresh selections board.

 

However, you pretty well give away your ignorance simply by saying that frozen seafood = ICK. Nothing quite compares to seafood that is truly fresh, as in caught mere hours before it hits your plate. That is quite rare, though. The best quality seafood that you can get without living right on the water is often seafood that is quick-frozen just after being caught.

Yes, I'm ignorant, roflmfaoatu :eek: Oh yes! prepared froz food is great! Um Um for you.

 

You are just spoiled because of all the good, fresh seafood in NJ.

 

True Sue!! Spoiled and loving it!

[bamelin]

Actually, I never really said I expected the food on RCI to be anything other than what it was. I don't cruise for the food. I enjoy cruising for other reasons, and the food doesn't make or break a cruise for me. I love cruising, no matter which line it is and what the food is like. Actually, I love to travel, period. I get plenty of great food on other vacations, whether it be a local dive or a gourmet restaurant. Don't expect it on a cruise. I was asked my opinion in this thread, and I gave it. No where did I say I expected it to be anything other than what it was.

 

I thought food was what cruises were known for (I haven't been on a cruise ever yet so I'm just speaking from what conventional wisdom has always said) .... is that no longer true anymore?

 

Can I at least assume that the food on a cruise will be better than what you would get at a Caribbean all inclusive resort?

[ummgood]

That is funny. But I bet that if they had an all you can eat White Castle Night in the MDR it would be packed with people who live in places where there are no White Castles.

 

I grew up in a state with White Castles and have lived a long time now in one without. I do not usually eat fast food, junk food whatever, but gosh I miss those little sliders. And I'm not taking the frozen grocery store ones, but the real deal.

 

So funny! I have never had white castle but I used to live in California and if they had In-n-out night I think the MDR would be a mad house. Every time I make it back to California I eat there every day until I am sick of it. I don't usually eat fast food burgers but man there is something about that place that I CRAVE.

 

As far as the food goes I would be happy if the food was as good as Olive Garden. For chain steak houses my favorite is Texas Roadhouse. Man that place is sooo good.

 

I don't like chains usually either. The funny thing is I used to live in a part of California where most of the restaurants easily available were chains and it was good but when I moved to Austin I have now become more of a food snob. Not that I go to more expensive restaurants but we have so many locally owned AWESOME restaurants in Austin that cost the same or less than the chains I don't feel the need to go to the chains anymore. (Except Roadhouse because I love the steaks there). Plus a lot of the local restaurants here take pride in not owning freezers and you really can taste the difference between frozen and non frozen once your pallet gets used to it.

 

With that said I am cruising for the first time and I don't have my hopes up. If they are as good as the chains mentioned here I'll be happy. I just lost 180 pounds so I would rather we didn't have awesome food just edible :)

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I thought food was what cruises were known for (I haven't been on a cruise ever yet so I'm just speaking from what conventional wisdom has always said) .... is that no longer true anymore?

 

Can I at least assume that the food on a cruise will be better than what you would get at a Caribbean all inclusive resort?

Historically folks have discussed the quantity of food available on cruises. From my recollection it was never about quality. (well at least not for my grandparents and great aunts generation)

[cruisindoggie]

Prison:rolleyes:

[Paul65]

This is so very true. To think that absolutely fresh seafood is going to be available at anytime, anywhere in this country is crazy. Most of it is frozen right there on the boat when it's caught.

 

Yep! Most people don't really understand that frozen is usually the preferred way to buy seafood, unless you live right at the source. That's particularly true of shrimp. They deteriorate very quickly after they're caught, so it's almost always better to have shrimp that were frozen on the boat. And, even if you live in a big seafood area, not all types of seafoood are going to be local. Local and really, really fresh is usually the best, but if I'm on a cruise ship, I don't want to be eating, on Thursday or Friday, some "fresh," unfrozen seafood that was loaded onto the ship on Sunday . . .

[SmokinActuary]

Yep! Most people don't really understand that frozen is usually the preferred way to buy seafood, unless you live right at the source. That's particularly true of shrimp. They deteriorate very quickly after they're caught, so it's almost always better to have shrimp that were frozen on the boat. And, even if you live in a big seafood area, not all types of seafoood are going to be local. Local and really, really fresh is usually the best, but if I'm on a cruise ship, I don't want to be eating, on Thursday or Friday, some "fresh," unfrozen seafood that was loaded onto the ship on Sunday . . .

 

That is very true, but if they don't rotate their stock properly you can get some really nasty dried out fish.

[ryano]

Yes, I'm ignorant, roflmfaoatu :eek: Oh yes! prepared froz food is great! Um Um for you.

 

 

 

so I guess if I want "real" opilio or king crab Im just gonna have to fly to Alaska and hang out at Dutch harbor until the Time Bandit or Cornelia Marie comes in, lol.

[Parkay]

I thought food was what cruises were known for (I haven't been on a cruise ever yet so I'm just speaking from what conventional wisdom has always said) .... is that no longer true anymore?

 

Can I at least assume that the food on a cruise will be better than what you would get at a Caribbean all inclusive resort?

 

Maybe in days gone by. The old transatlantic crossings. Cruises may be known for the quantity of food these days, as soon love the fact that you can eat all day every day as much as you like. But I would never go on a cruise just for the food.

[octagonmike]

Well yeah it was good, compared to the food in the U.K. LOL! Totally teasing, don't hate me. :D:D:):o

 

 

Oooooooh we could say you Americans are obsessed by your food but we wont ;)

[Parkay]

Oooooooh we could say you Americans are obsessed by your food but we wont ;)

 

 

Oh trust me, Americans ARE obsessed by food. Why do you think we have the highest obesity rate? The quantity of food served here is sickening.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

so I guess if I want "real" opilio or king crab Im just gonna have to fly to Alaska and hang out at Dutch harbor until the Time Bandit or Cornelia Marie comes in, lol.

 

Prepared referred to breaded, battered, and premade. Items recieved by chains that are heated and or cooked by appropriate method (baked, fried, etc) and served to the consumer.

[octagonmike]

Oh trust me, Americans ARE obsessed by food. Why do you think we have the highest obesity rate? The quantity of food served here is sickening.

 

I know all this ;)

 

Actually on that subject the wastage really is an issue for me. When I was in Vegas last I popped into the Deli in The Luxor and ordered a Club Sandwich.

 

Over here a Club Sandwich looks like this:

 

 

 

At The Luxor in Vegas it looked similar to this with a massive stack of fries

 

 

 

I manged about a quarter and I'm no skinny slim Jim.

 

Ridiculous amount of waste and the waitress looked at me as if I were mad to leave it !

 

God it was good though :D

[Parkay]

I know all this ;)

 

Actually on that subject the wastage really is an issue for me. When I was in Vegas last I popped into the Deli in The Luxor and ordered a Club Sandwich.

 

Over here a Club Sandwich looks like this:

 

 

 

 

At The Luxor in Vegas it looked similar to this with a massive stack of fries

 

 

 

 

I manged about a quarter and I'm no skinny slim Jim.

 

Ridiculous amount of waste and the waitress looked at me as if I were mad to leave it !

 

God it was good though :D

 

Your club looks better anyway. A few days ago, we went to breakfast with a friend and she ordered some pancake and egg breakfast. It was HUGE! So big, she could only eat a few bites of it. I was so upset by the watse of it all, I actually packed it up and gave to to a homeless.

[SmokinActuary]

Seeing people gorge themselves just because they can is sickening. Give me less but better.