Lobster: Fresh or Frozen

[SciFiCruiser]

Maybe a dumb question, but is the Lobster served on board fresh or frozen? I would assume frozen, but I could be wrong.

 

The last time I had lobster on a cruise ship (Celebrity Line several years ago) it was fairly bland and very disappointing. I was wondering how RCI pax would rate the lobster they have eaten on board. And if I should try again or go with another option on my upcoming Oasis trip this spring.

[sjb317]

It's frozen. Not the best lobster I've ever had but also not the worse:D.

Sherri:)

[foxesden1]

I would assume Frozen. Which is why I would not cross the street for one. I really don't see what the big deal is. I guess if it were cold, with cocktail sauce, (to cover the non taste.. ) I might.. but really? Not so good IMPO.

[Merion_Mom]

Can you really picture a HUGE tank of live lobsters somewhere on board?!?!??!?!? :eek:

 

They are frozen.

[cb at sea]

All seafood is frozen....even the so-called "fresh" stuff you buy in a grocery store has once been flash-frozen...it kills the parasites that can be in seafood. That's why you should never eat sushi that comes from truly "fresh" fish (in America, you can't!!! It HAS to come from previously frozen seafood.) because of the parasites!

[EVALUATOR]

Can you really picture a HUGE tank of live lobsters somewhere on board?!?!??!?!? :eek:

 

They are frozen.

 

Why not? They used to have the live fish in the aquariums on the voyager class ships.:)

 

If they can get $15 extra in the MDR for a slice of dead cow, how much could they get for live steamed lobster?

[mn311601]

True flash frozen fish that is cut up and frozen on the boat it is caught or a processing ship is usually better than actual "fresh" fish that has to travel. Unless you live on the coasts, flash frozen is more than likely better.

[Capt_BJ]

in my years of CG duty I pulled a tour watching the fishing boats in the Bearing Sea and other tours watching long-liners catch swordfish.

 

"fresh fish never frozen" may have been sitting on ice for weeks before it went to market. I'll take the stuff flash frozen fast every time. When we'd Halibut fish up north we'd slice and dice the catch and freeze it ASAP (regulations proscribed the ship's cook using it for a meal) .. I liked arriving home with 40 or 50 pounds in my freezer (the Captain's Cabin has certain advantages, but I stored for others as well ....) in the Carib ditto when we'd find a good weed line and hook into some serious Mahi .... Unless we could have a plan to eat it the same day - it was frozen. (self cooking on a fantail BBQ was OK)

 

Crab must be kept alive until ready to cook so it is kept alive until "processed" which can be cooked picked and canned or in the case of those various varieties of Alaska / Bearing Sea crab split steamed and frozen (king crab, snow crab . . .). Which means that anytime you eat those big crab legs they are a frozen product. Don't pay big bucks in a rest' .... buy 'em at the grocery and boil/steam 'em yourself. You'll get the same stuff! Florida Stone crab must be iced until it is steamed (can't be kept 'alive' as only one claw is harvested from each animal - but must be processed the same day - then frozen. Buy it for $50 a pound at Joes or less than half that at Publix . . . same stuff.

 

Lobster also must be processed soon after it dies so any tails being sold more than a couple of hours from the water are going to be frozen but that does not equal lesser quality IMHO.

 

Yes I too enjoy picking a New England lobster (the one's with claws) out of the tank too . . .

[EVALUATOR]

in my years of CG duty I pulled a tour watching the fishing boats in the Bearing Sea and other tours watching long-liners catch sword fish.

 

"fresh fish never frozen" may have been sitting on ice for weeks before it went to market. I'll take the stuff flash frozen fast every time. When we'd Halibut fish up north we'd slice and dice the catch and freeze it ASAP (regulations proscribed the ship's cook using it for a meal) .. I liked arriving home with 40 or 50 pounds in my freezer (the Captain's Cabin has certain advantages, but I stored for others as well ....) in the Carib ditto when we'd find a good weed line and hook into some serious Mahi .... Unless we could have a plan to eat it the same day - it was frozen.

 

Crab must be kept alive until ready to cook so it is kept alive until "processed" which can be cooked picked and canned or in the case of those various varieties of Alaska / Bearing Sea crab split steamed and frozen (king crab, snow crab . . .). Which means that anytime you eat those big crab legs they are a frozen product. Don't pay big bucks in a rest' .... buy 'em at the grocery and boil/steam 'em yourself. You'll get the same stuff! Florida Stone crab must be iced until it is steamed (can't be kept 'alive' as only one claw is harvested from each animal - but must be processed the same day - then frozen. Buy it for $50 a pound at Joes or half that at Publix . . . same stuff.

 

The term never frozen can be very deceptive.

 

The ice cubes in my freezer are +5 Fahrenheit. That's frozen. But here are the standards for fresh, never frozen chicken.

 

Chicken - Fresh or Frozen?

 

Fresh or Frozen?

According to USDA regulations, the term fresh on a poultry label refers to any raw poultry product that has never been below 26 °F.

 

Raw poultry held at 0 °F or below must be labeled frozen or previously frozen.

 

No specific labeling is required on raw poultry stored at temperatures between 0-25 °F. - it does not have to be labeled as frozen.

 

Think about that - if vegetables, beef, pies, or any other product is kept at 0-25 °F. it is frozen. But not chicken. It may be hard as a rock, but it does not have to be labeled frozen unless it is held below 0 °F.!

 

By this standard, the ice cubes in the average home refrigerator would not be classified as frozen!

[Capt_BJ]

after becoming overly familiar with the fishing industry I've become much more selective about the fish I eat.

 

I eat less 'fresh fish' unless I catch it myself / see it caught; and appreciate the benefits of fish frozen as close to landing as possible.

 

Exceptions are - pick a Maine lobster out of the tank (you never see that with Florida/Carib' lobster now do you?); & oysters (but I'm damn near afraid to eat 'em raw at all anymore)