Food

[LHT28]

Since there have been many discussions on the food lately.

I thought about where people think the problem lies.

Recent & past cruisers can compare with what the food was like before their most recent cruise

 

What do you think?

[GrammieK]

I would never consider myself a "foodie" but I think that the food was better on my most recent Regatta cruise. Also think that servive was up a notch and would have a hard time complaining about a particular menu item or venue. Just my opinion..

[LHT28]

sorry the smiley is suppose to be an O

sorry could not edit the poll

[Rickey 88]

Since there have been many discussions on the food lately.

I thought about where people think the problem lies.

Recent & past cruisers can compare with what the food was like before their most recent cruise

 

What do you think?

 

I am not at all sure there is a problem. I've been reading over the negative posts again, and cannot come to any one conclusion as to what, if anything, is changed.

 

Yes, there was one poster who went on about Jacques Pepin Signature dishes, but what was his point? There was also comment about one particular cruise about meat being "tough". This too, was a bit unclear and was it a problem in preparation, or in some shipment taken on board that was not up to standard. Remember, all meat purchased is supposed to be of Prime grade - was there a supplier problem.

 

I'll look forward to more comments.

 

 

[orchestrapal]

Food on Insignia this May was every bit as good, if not better than on all previous cruises on O.

The variety and preparation were not to be faulted while we were on board.

Especially the many fish dishes and the were perfectly prepared and interesting.

It is amazing to get fish that has not been over-cooked nor taste frozen on a ship.

Desserts were great and especially the Canyon Ranch. We thought the beef we had

was flavorful and tender.

Can't wait for our next cruise to enjoy the meals again.:)

[Druke I]

We've been on Oceania three times, and we thought the food very good on all three trips.

 

There was of course the occasional piece of meat that was perhaps not as tender as another, and times things were not exactly perfect, but . . . .

 

I did mention that I had a small appetite, and thought the steaks too large. They attempted portion control by cutting the steaks in half, but longitudinally, which I did not like - I asked them to go back to the old style, and they gladly did.

 

I thought the food compared well with Crystal, a much more expensive cruise line (and one I did not particularly care for - but that is another story).

[A Knitter]

I agree with DrukeI, 3 Oceania cruises under my belt and found the food to be just as good as Regent. Nothing is ever perfect each meal, but darn close. I prefer Polo over Toscana and the Lobster Bisque I could eat 365 days a year. I am not a fan of open buffets, but Tapas is excellent the few times I have dined there. I am sure a lot of us have bad entrees at fine restaurants more often than on Oceania. Now, if you will excuse I need to work up an appetite for Marina next year. :D

[digby]

Where is the choice which says the food is GREAT and we are VERY satisfied with it? The current poll seems skewed to the negative.

[orchestrapal]

Where is the choice which says the food is GREAT and we are VERY satisfied with it? The current poll seems skewed to the negative.

 

Ditto!!! And why are the results hidden??

[LHT28]

Where is the choice which says the food is GREAT and we are VERY satisfied with it? The current poll seems skewed to the negative.

The answer No difference noticed should cover it

 

I have always been satisfied with the food on Oceania in the past

[LHT28]

Ditto!!! And why are the results hidden??

 

so the poll will not be skewed by fake votes ;)

[LHT28]

As I have said above We have always been happy with the food on Oceania

We are not buffet people but do not mind The Terrace once in awhile when we are tired from the day's activities.

 

We are not the type of people who send our food back just because we can

 

On our recent cruise on the Insignia July/August we had several meals that were just distasteful not that it did not suit our tastes... they just tasted bad:eek:

This should not happen.

 

We hardly ate in the GDR because there was nothing that appealed to us on the menu.

This has not been the case on previous Oceania cruises, we always managed to find something on the menu and very rarely ate in the buffet

 

Eating in shifts in the buffet is not my idea of a good cruise experience.

 

DH had a stir fry in the Terrace one night the meat was tough & fatty

 

I had the meat from the carvery several times & it was perfect ...melt in your mouth good

 

We found the GDR menus to be very fancy dishes with not too many simple faire for those with not so discerning tastes.

 

For a short cruise you could get by but those on an extended cruise the rich fancy food gets old fast.

 

We can get roast chicken at home & you can only eat poached salmon so many times before it gets old.

 

Some dishes we ordered when they came bore no resemblance to what was described on the menu ..so much so we thought we had someone else's order

 

Credit where credit is due

We did have many good meals ... the schnitzel one night in the Terrace was so good & tender you could cut it with your fork

Now if they could put that on a bun for lunch I would be there!!;)

 

I am glad most people found the food to their liking and we are looking forward to trying the Marina

 

 

Lyn

[hondorner]

My cruises so far this year had to be canceled because of health problems. I do have 5 cruises booked on Oceania next year, and will be better able to discuss my opinion, but I will likely not comment on food

 

I would just like to point out that I have read various complaints about food on Oceania ships since I joined Cruise Critic early in 2006,and they have been mostly no different than they are now. I have no doubt there were complaints in 2002 that the food was not as good as the prior year :rolleyes:.

 

I would also like to point out that more than once, there have been complaints from two guests that sailed on the identical cruise on the same date, and ate in the same dining room on the same night -- one complaining that the food was too bland, and the other that it was too exotic.

 

Therefore, I never comment on matters of difference in taste.

[shedridt]

The beef was universally tough - sorry, but it was.

 

The food in the Italian restaurant was universally great, & the GDR was generally good but needs improvement. I would not say that overall, the food on Oceania is above par. Jacques Pepin would not, I think, say that he himself could eat it with 'undiluted pleasure' - like HM the Queen, but in a different context.

[MightyQuinn]

I thought about where people think the problem lies.

I had a very simple problem on our Regatta cruise in Nov/09. I discovered (first nite) that I LOVED the Jacques Pepin Signature Roasted Chicken. Crispy, salty skin .... moist, succulent flesh .... rich, silky gravy. Yum. Who knew such simple fare could be so good? Thereafter I had to battle with myself to not keep ordering it! I'm really looking forward to what's in store at Jacques Bistro on Marina. ;);)

[caribbeansun]

We found the food on our Feb/10 cruise to be better than on our Aug/08 cruise.

 

Steaks at Polo were consistently poor, sent one back that was the most unappetizing piece of meat I've seen in a long time, replaced it with an okay filet. I had a steak in GDR that was far better than what I was served at Polo - go figure. Previous cruise we'd had repeatedly poor food in GDR, in Feb/10 we had consistently good food in the GDR. Toscana was very good, Tapas was consistently good with a few minor missteps early in the cruise.

[A Knitter]

My cruises so far this year had to be canceled because of health problems. I do have 5 cruises booked on Oceania next year, and will be better able to discuss my opinion, but I will likely not comment on food.

 

Don, you made a good point as everyone's taste and expectations are quite different. I have dined at tables where another passenger and I had the same entree and the OP had the waiter bring something else because it wasn't to their standards. I, on the other hand thought it was fine.

[LHT28]

Just to clarify

There is a big difference to a personal taste in a specific food & food that is just bad tasting.

In our case someone in the kitchen was not tasting the sauce for pasta before it was plated & sent out to the dining room.

 

I acknowledge that everyone has different tastes in food.

 

Lyn

[LHT28]

I had a very simple problem on our Regatta cruise in Nov/09. I discovered (first nite) that I LOVED the Jacques Pepin Signature Roasted Chicken. Crispy, salty skin .... moist, succulent flesh .... rich, silky gravy. Yum.

 

Now if they had lamp chops as a Signature dish I would be in heaven ;)

[A Knitter]

Just to clarify

There is a big difference to a personal taste in a specific food & food that is just bad tasting.

In our case someone in the kitchen was not tasting the sauce for pasta before it was plated & sent out to the dining room.

 

I acknowledge that everyone has different tastes in food.

 

Lyn

 

Ageed, I guess I haven't experienced bad tasting food yet on Oceania, not that it hasn't happened. On Carnival when we traveled with our young son, yes, yes, yes.

[LHT28]

Ageed, I guess I haven't experienced bad tasting food yet on Oceania, not that it hasn't happened.

 

We have never had it before on Oceania until this past cruise & that is why were were shocked :eek:

..more disturbing is that it did happen more than once

 

I am looking forward to the Marina though

[A Knitter]

We have never had it before on Oceania until this past cruise & that is why were were shocked :eek:

..more disturbing is that it did happen more than once

 

I am looking forward to the Marina though

 

Wow, Was it in Toscana's or GDR? I have to learn to stop inhaling my food so I can taste it, LOL

[fjdelrio]

Hello everyone.

Anytime there is a thread where the topic is FOOD, I'm all over it!

As you know, fine cusine is Oceania's primary brand differentiator and one of our hallmarks.

 

When I hear the beef was tough, or chewy or fatty, I go nuts.

In Polo and Toscana, we serve ONLY 28 day dry aged USDA PRIME beef. NEVER substituitions. To me its theoretically impossible for a filet to be better in the GDR (which serves Choice Black Angus Beef ((very good, but not as good as Polo/Toscana)) than in Polo).

 

I have read a couple of complaints about the beef in Polo recently on this thread and on another related thread, so I'm looking into it.

 

I've also been thinking about "freshning up" the Jacques Specials in the GDR, or perhaps adding to the Steak/Chicken/Salmon trio of "always available". Maybe we will add Lamb Chops and/or some Shrimp dish. The idea behind these dishes is that in the event you are dining at the GDR and for some reason none of the 8 entrees that day appeal to you, you can always fall back on the true and tried specialties.

 

Fleetwide, I want you to know, dining scores for 2010 sailings year to date are at an all-time high averaging 9.54 out of possible 10 in the food quality, variety and presentation categories.

 

Enjoy the Labor Day Weekend

 

FDR

[LHT28]

I've also been thinking about "freshning up" the Jacques Specials in the GDR, or perhaps adding to the Steak/Chicken/Salmon trio of "always available". Maybe we will add Lamb Chops and/or some Shrimp dish.

FDR

 

I vote for lamp chops like in Polo :D

 

Enjoy the weekend

 

Lyn

[De La Cruise]

I vote for lamp chops like in Polo :D

 

Enjoy the weekend

 

Lyn

 

Shrimp Dish as a Jacques' Special option? Heavenly!