Food

[De La Cruise]

FDR. Can we...errr...stretch the shrimp dish a bit? How bout lobster? Just kidding.

[dwelsh]

One of the GREAT things about "O" is that FDR is always there with an answer. Over the years he has always been a "hands-on" executive.

Thanks again FDR.:):)

[seafare]

One of the GREAT things about "O" is that FDR is always there with an answer. Over the years he has always been a "hands-on" executive.

Thanks again FDR.:):)

 

 

Remember the uproar a couple of years ago about running out of fresh berries. FDR got involved and not a compaint about it since. :D

[caribbeansun]

Just to provide an additional data point the porterhouse in Polo was a horrible broiled piece of meat so I sent it back, the filet in Polo was okay and the NY strip in GDR was excellent - now I fully understand that we are dealing with 3 different cuts but I think it's fair to say that the NY should have been at the bottom of the list not the top.

 

Good to hear you're going to look into it and BTW the crab cakes in Polo were very good.

 

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).

[orchestrapal]

I vote for lamp chops like in Polo :D

 

Enjoy the weekend

 

Lyn

 

Ditto, looking forward to them on our up-coming cruise!:D

[PaulMCO]

I vote for lamp chops like in Polo :D

 

Enjoy the weekend

 

Lyn

 

 

Amen on the Lamb Chops...

[TKS]

Another vote for lamb chops and shrimp additions. Cheers, Kay

[Rocket4Oh]

I have not yet sailed on Oceania - in 1 week we'll be on the Nautica so my comment is strictly about my own personal preferences.

Now I'm not gonna say that the MAIN reason we decided to sail Oceania is the allure of lamb chops for breakfast in the GDR but I can tell you this; in my next life time I am coming back as a sheep just so I can be someone's dinner and watch him/her smile {as I do whenever I eat lamb}.:p

HEAVEN!!

[yorkiemomjn]

One of the GREAT things about "O" is that FDR is always there with an answer. Over the years he has always been a "hands-on" executive.

Thanks again FDR.:):)

The fact that he takes the time to see what 'we the customers' are saying is very much appreciated! :D

[TERRIER1]

I really enjoy Mr Del Rio's responses to food "issues" and I respect his hands on approach as senior management in addressing these comments. We have been very happy with the quality of the food on Oceania. To this day we don't inderstand why more people don't have breakfast in the GDR which by the way have lamb chops. Oceania has the best breads and desserts and I have made some of these desserts at home thanks to the chefs recipes given to me. They have been great hits at holiday time once I was able convert all the metric weights and temperatures.

 

We do not consider ourselves "foodies" but we do all our own home cooking. We have been to what are considered top restaurants in NYC as well as "dives" down in the Florida Keys and what it all amounts to is what appears on your plate and the taste and freshness of the food.

 

The only real disappointment we ever had on Oceania is the swordfish. We keep trying but it never works out. I understand that the fish needs to be frozen but why does it have to be marinated which makes it rubbery. Just season the steak and throw it on the grill. On our first cruise our very sweet waiter asked my husband how his dinner (swordfish) was and he said it was "somewhat rubbery". I never heard my husband actually say anything even remotely negative about food (except mine). I swear there must have been three Oceania people who came over to rectify the situation. They immediately brought out a new steak but since they are marinated it was the same texture. I have never been so embarassed in my life and was ready to crawl under the table. Oceania GDR associates fawned over us trying to correct the issue.

 

We are booked on the Marina in May and look foward to the new restaurants.

[pratzert]

Well.... we are taking our first "O" cruise on Insignia on Sept. 17th.

 

I too... am a foodie.... and expect to be carrying back some extra baggage around my waist. :D

 

I'll be sure to give a full report of my opinions of the food, but I may already be a little opinionated just reading the posts about all the great food.

 

You have to realize that the enjoyment of food is very much affected by the anticipation of consumption. Hence the reason you start to salivate when you even think about eating.

 

Ever since I started reading the reviews about the great food on "O" I have been salivating.

 

If you go into the meal expecting a great experience, the chances are greater that you WILL have a great experience.

 

Even the level and style of dinner service can affect your opinion of the dining experience.

 

The vast majority of what I have read seems to indicate I am in for an exceptional experience.

 

With all of the choices, how could I NOT find something I like (love).:)

 

I've been on a cruise where people have not liked their choice for dinner and the waiter volunteered to bring them something different.

 

Thanks for all of the reviews and I look forward to the "results" of this poll being revealed.

[LHT28]

Well.... we are taking our first "O" cruise on Insignia on Sept. 17th.

 

I too... am a foodie.... and expect to be carrying back some extra baggage around my waist. :D

 

I'll be sure to give a full report of my opinions of the food, but I may already be a little opinionated just reading the posts about all the great food.

 

 

Hope you do not carry too much extra baggage back :D

DH usually puts on 14 lbs & he does a lot of walking & goes to the gym I would hate to see the scales if he did not do that :eek:

 

Poll result will be shown tomorrow afternoon ;)

 

Lyn

[pratzert]

Hope you do not carry too much extra baggage back :D

DH usually puts on 14 lbs & he does a lot of walking & goes to the gym I would hate to see the scales if he did not do that :eek:

 

Poll result will be shown tomorrow afternoon ;)

 

Lyn

 

The voyage hits over a dozen ports so I hope to get plenty of walking exercise.

 

Unfortunately.... I will be carrying around my "baggage" while walking.

[yorkiemomjn]

Well.... we are taking our first "O" cruise on Insignia on Sept. 17th.

 

I too... am a foodie.... and expect to be carrying back some extra baggage around my waist. :D

 

I'll be sure to give a full report of my opinions of the food, but I may already be a little opinionated just reading the posts about all the great food.

 

You have to realize that the enjoyment of food is very much affected by the anticipation of consumption. Hence the reason you start to salivate when you even think about eating.

 

Ever since I started reading the reviews about the great food on "O" I have been salivating.

 

If you go into the meal expecting a great experience, the chances are greater that you WILL have a great experience.

 

Even the level and style of dinner service can affect your opinion of the dining experience.

 

The vast majority of what I have read seems to indicate I am in for an exceptional experience.

 

With all of the choices, how could I NOT find something I like (love).:)

 

I've been on a cruise where people have not liked their choice for dinner and the waiter volunteered to bring them something different.

 

Thanks for all of the reviews and I look forward to the "results" of this poll being revealed.

 

You are exactly right about the level and & style of dinner service! We ate in the Polo our first night on our first O cruise last April and when the waiter placed a black napkin on my lap because I had on black (everyone else got white napkins), I knew I was in for something good............:D

[Mura]

I have to say that on our recent cruise on Insignia we had absolutely no complaints. (I know about LHT's problem in Polo on her anniversary which is certainly regrettable!)

 

But I do have to say that the creme brulee on Regatta has ALWAYS been better than Insignia's ... but that's my taste preference only.

 

As far as we are concerned, the food remains supreme. But I'm always sorry to hear that someone is unhappy because it is true that the food is one of the most important components to a happy cruise.

[yorkiemomjn]

Just for the record, I did not vote in this poll since I have been on only one Oceania cruise. :)

[Earl Rosebery]

I have to say that on our recent cruise on Insignia we had absolutely no complaints. (I know about LHT's problem in Polo on her anniversary which is certainly regrettable!)

 

But I'm always sorry to hear that someone is unhappy because it is true that the food is one of the most important components to a happy cruise.

 

In any establishment serving 2000 plus meals a day it would be impossible to keep everyone happy. This would be true even if the food could be brought in fresh every day. The miracle of the modern ships is that the food can be as good as it is. Enjoy. I'm happy if I don't have to cook and clean up and we were as happy on the Terrace which had more choice and the same meals as the MDR

[LHT28]

Interesting to see that of the people who cruised in the past few months & voted here over 61% had the same good food as always.

 

That is indeed good news

 

Though 27% did not.

 

I am looking forward to our Marina cruise & hope the food is just as good as past cruises on Oceania have been (not including the last 2) ;)

 

Lyn

[tanny18]

We've sailed on O 6x and have 2 more coming up. The food has always been wonderful and if there is EVER a problem, it was rectified immediately. I had a problem with the a rib eye in Polo. I eat my meat VERY rare and when it came out it was done to perfection except it had a lot of fat on it. Well I called the waiter over, and he called the Maitre d' over -- he sat down on an empty seat nexy o me said "how can we fix this?" It was fixed by cutting away all the fat first and then grilling it. It was perfect. Food preparation can be extremely difficult -- pleasing everyone is not an easy task. By and large the food in all of O's restaurants are superb. And yes the desserts are sinful!!! We sailed on Azamara a couple of years ago and we couldn't take any of the food in their Main Dining Room -- the food in the speciality restaurants were wonderful; however we had to pay $20 per night for the privilege. We'll stick with Oceania and as long as Mr Del Rio monitors the boards, we have no problems at all...he wants us to be happy cruisers. Arlene;)

[pacheco18]

I have always believed that food on a ship can never be equal to food served in a fine restaurant. It is just not possible to have mass production without sacrificing quality. "Great" ship food is not the same as "great" restaurant food in a top restaurant.

 

[However, my latest experience on the Paul Gauguin changed my view - but there were only 280 passengers, making it more like a restaurant.] The food on the PG was beyond incredible.

 

Additionally, everyone's opinions on food will be based on their experiences and backgrounds. Where have you eaten before? Is the best steak you've ever had at Outback or have you eaten at, for example, the Palm in NY? Are your food standards based on dining at the great restaurants of the world or the best restaurants in your home town? Where you have eaten and the kind of food to which you are accustomed greatly impacts your opinion.

 

All these polls and opinions about food quality are really quite meaningless -- unless we are looking at comments about variety, food temperature, freshness and other less subjective criteria. Frankly, I find it impossible to believe that on any ship, regardless of cruise line, a passenger cannot find some food to his or her liking 24 hours a day.

[gillianrose]

Two of the items in the poll are the same, in my opinion, and may suggest that the polltaker wants more simple items on the menu. :)

 

1. Dishes are too fancy for most people's tastes

2. Not many simple dishes on the menu

 

 

We are looking forward to our first cruise on Oceania, and we won't be looking for simple food, which we can get most anywhere. Fancy and flavorful (but not salty) is a good thing!

[esther e]

We are not "loyal" to any one line; however, without a doubt, O's food is the best we've had on all 3 cruises with them, of any line that sails the seas. We sail HAL, Oceania, Regent and Celebrity and O blows the others away with the quality of food.

 

Like another poster, I like my beef to still be mooing and walking and have never had it overcooked.

[potterhill]

On our last cruise we sailed with friends and she likes her steak well done.

 

We went to dinner in the MDR and she ordered steak. Well done. It came as a perfect medium rare. Sent it back and it returned later the same way. Sent it back again. Same result. By this time we were finished our meals and she was pissed and didn't eat. Not a good start. Manager came over and agreed it was not well done, but in three attempts, she was unable to get what she wanted. No apology was offered or any other solution.

 

She tried again in Polo and same thing. I doubt they will sail Oceania again. This was on Regatta and I did find that the food was not as good as it had been in the past on Insignia. It was fine, but we found we were not anticipating the meals and wondering what would be good that night. Nothing we had left us wishing we could have it again.

 

We have only sailed on O so are unable to compare to other cruiselines.

 

Mo

[aohkay]

Just for the record, I did not vote in this poll since I have been on only one Oceania cruise. :)

 

I too have been on just one O cruise...I very much enjoyed the food in ALL of the outlets. I actually enjoy going to the buffet once in awhile for a change.

 

I was a little taken aback though, when the waiter's assistant just used bottled Caesar Salad dressing when making the salad tableside in the Polo Grill.

[kreastman]

I have to agree. "Prepared tableside" and bottled dressing just don't go together. Oceania's Caesar salad was one of the few disappointments we experienced on our Regatta cruise.