MDR (included venues) NCL vs Carnival vs RC

[PictureChris]

Hi, I searched the forum and didn't find what I was looking for.

 

First time on NCL (sun) and want to know what people think about the food in the MDR on NCL as compared to the MDR on Carnival and RC?

 

I plan on trying a couple of the specialty restaurants but want to know if I will be ok with the food in the included venues.

 

Thanks!

[caribsun]

All three pretty equal, a slight edge to RCI for presentation. :)

[PictureChris]

Thanks for your input. I have heard from people that the MDR on NCL is sub cafeteria food. Hoping to hear from others.

[weloverunning]

We definitely prefer MDR on Carnival (sailed 5 times) versus NCL (sailed 10 times) but prefer buffet/action stations on NCL over Carnival.

We have only been on RCI once so I could not give a fair appraisal as it could have been a one time good or bad thing.

[SASA13]

IMO: CCL has better dining room food

and NCL has a better buffet area.

I sailed RCI once, but honestly don't remember.

[Little Stinker]

Thanks for your input. I have heard from people that the MDR on NCL is sub cafeteria food. Hoping to hear from others.

 

LOL, let me guess. They are carnival fans?

I think that NCL food is just as good as Carnival. Some NCL Desserts do need some help, but having the Blue Lagoon more then makes up for mediocre deserts IMO.

[Squidward Q Tentacles]

Wife and I enjoyed the main dining room meals we had on the Dawn.

[PictureChris]

Sat a table with a bunch of singles a couple weeks ago on RC. One of the guys said that the food was horrible compared to what is offered on RC. I think that RC are close to each other for dinner in the mdr and prefer RC buffet slightly over CCL.

 

I am sure I won't go hungry and will determine for myself on the first night.

 

Thanks for input guys!

[cv322]

Food is very subjective. However, having said that, I think the food in NCL's main dining rooms is not good at all. Thank goodness they have so many specialty restaurants though! I love Le Bistro, having dined there 6 times on my 3 NCL cruises. Cagney's is good, but not as good as the steakhouses on Carnival ships. La Cucina is good and quite a bargain at $10. Tequila is very good, as is Blue Lagoon.

 

The buffet is better on NCL.

 

Can't comment on RCI, having never cruised with them.

 

Just my humble opinion.

[swedish weave]

Why compare them on other people's opinions ?? Just go and enjoy what you get. It will allow you to have a much better vacation !!

 

I might add that all ships have multiple choices on the menus, and just because someone didn't like what they ordered doesn't mean the food is the same on all ships on that line. My question would be "Did you inform the waitstaff that you didn't like a particular item and give them the opportunity to get you another selection?"

 

Many come to the CC boards and procalim that the food is terrible on (insert name) Cruise line.

[STARFISH*4]

have cruised with NCL 9 times and never had to pay extra for GOOD food...i dont get the negative comments about 'horrible' or 'not good at all' food...

i think alot of cruisers go expecting 5* meals and that is not the case, just go and enjoy and find out for yourself and dont listen to all the negative comments....the MDRs are packed everynite so there must be some GOOD food!!!

 

altho its been several years since i did CCL or RCCL i didnt find them very accomondating for substitutions and such, which i have never had a problem with on NCL:)

[fireflies]

Like most have said, it's hard to compare tastes and to account for flavours. The problems for MDR for me are usually a lack of variety in choices (beyond beef and vegetarian they don't seem to try very hard but that's what the specialty restaurants are for i guess) and cuts of meat that have been sitting for too long. All of the big cruises lines are probably guilty of this to a similar extent. For NCL, I sailed on a transatlantic (not a full cruise) and found the MDR to be fine for lunch and dinner (though lunch was noticeably fresher) especially compared to RC. La Cucina and Teppanyaki (lunch) were very good, Moderno was hit and miss on some of the choices and Shanghai was a semi disaster.

[che5904]

Why compare them on other people's opinions ??

 

I can't understand why people do this. Does everyone they know all like exactly the same food?

[Gregor4500]

I can't understand why people do this. Does everyone they know all like exactly the same food?

 

Same reason we all read cc. We like to get psyched for the upcoming cruise. Weather it's food, shows, casino , ports or whatever. We like to hear others opinions.

[CruiserChloe]

Hi, I searched the forum and didn't find what I was looking for.

 

First time on NCL (sun) and want to know what people think about the food in the MDR on NCL as compared to the MDR on Carnival and RC?

 

I plan on trying a couple of the specialty restaurants but want to know if I will be ok with the food in the included venues.

 

Thanks!

 

I have to be honest (brutally honest since this is the NCL board). I think NCL's MDR food is the worst of the three. My cruise on the POM was the only cruise in which I booked specialty mid-cruise just to avoid having to eat in the MDR.

[jdvmd]

I would honestly put RCCL at the bottom of the pile. The food we have had has been less than wonderful. Does everyone remember the infamous Ranch Steak?

[family cruisers]

We prefer the food on CCL over NCL .

Carnival MDR food is excellent and they have quite an extensive choice on their menus from soup to nuts. No need to use specialty restaurants unless you chose to.

We noticed on our recent NCL cruise (Oct. 30th) that the choices were very limited. We were not impressed with the specialty restaurants on this recent NCL Cruise. It was nothing to brag about.

 

We enjoy good food and are very happy with CCL .

 

Sailed NCL 4 times

sailed CCL 2 times.

 

Again ~ food is very subjective . We enjoy good food !

[jdvmd]

We prefer the food on CCL over NCL .

Carnival MDR food is excellent and they have quite an extensive choice on their menus from soup to nuts. No need to use specialty restaurants unless you chose to.

We noticed on our recent NCL cruise (Oct. 30th) that the choices were very limited. We were not impressed with the specialty restaurants on this recent NCL Cruise. It was nothing to brag about.

 

We enjoy good food and are very happy with CCL .

 

Sailed NCL 4 times

sailed CCL 2 times.

 

Again ~ food is very subjective . We enjoy good food !

 

What ship were you on for your most recent NCL cruise?

[vols_159]

Op

 

We are on the same cruise.. last march on thr sun

The food remind me of applebees .. but they have overhauld

There menu since then.. so who knows guess we will find out Saturday

Not to miss is the wings in the sports bar and moderno!

[pandi77]

I think RCI's overall variety and quality available to everyone is a notch above NCL, we didn't care for Carnival's food but it has been many years since we sailed with them so they could have improved.

 

NCL does takes the cake we think when it comes to specialty restaurants though. The variety of venues and the quality of the food in them is outstanding for the most part. Again, taste are subjective but we were surprised at how good the sushi was on NCL Jewel and we are picky about sushi and sushi is either good and fresh or it's not!

 

RCI has great buffet food and room service options imo compared to the rest and I like their breads and desserts more too. Enjoy whatever you get. I always say since I didn't have to cook it or clean up it taste so much better...lol.

[Leeroy-Jenkins]

Why compare them on other people's opinions ?? Just go and enjoy what you get. It will allow you to have a much better vacation !!

 

I might add that all ships have multiple choices on the menus, and just because someone didn't like what they ordered doesn't mean the food is the same on all ships on that line. My question would be "Did you inform the waitstaff that you didn't like a particular item and give them the opportunity to get you another selection?"

 

Many come to the CC boards and procalim that the food is terrible on (insert name) Cruise line.

 

Agreed! :)

[aamiee]

Carnival got really good food in MDR better than NCL which is we still like it but RCCL got the worst food IMO.

[Cruzaholic41]

Hi, I searched the forum and didn't find what I was looking for.

 

First time on NCL (sun) and want to know what people think about the food in the MDR on NCL as compared to the MDR on Carnival and RC?

 

I plan on trying a couple of the specialty restaurants but want to know if I will be ok with the food in the included venues.

 

Thanks!

 

I have cruised all three lines this year and experienced the newest menus. Of the three, I think RCI has the best entree dishes and Carnival has the best desserts. The one and only place I think NCL does great is Le Bistro. The Lamb Chops are the best I have ever had! As for the MDR, sorry, my honest opinion is that the NCL MDR isn't as good as RCI or CCL.

 

One advantage to NCL is the MDR is open for lunch on embarkation day. But unfortunately, that food isn't very good either. JMO.

[Aquahound]

First time on NCL (sun) and want to know what people think about the food in the MDR on NCL as compared to the MDR on Carnival and RC?

 

I'm not sure if NCL has different menus across their fleet. I can only speak for the 3 night Sky. The MDR was awful compared to RCI. Of the 6 nights across 2 cruises, 5 were in specialty restaurants. It only took one night of very unimpressive food and info provided by the waiter saying it was the same menu every night for me to not return. Sorry if this disappoints you, but I'm just giving my honest opinion. :o

[che5904]

I'm not sure if NCL has different menus across their fleet. I can only speak for the 3 night Sky. The MDR was awful compared to RCI. Of the 6 nights across 2 cruises, 5 were in specialty restaurants. It only took one night of very unimpressive food and info provided by the waiter saying it was the same menu every night for me to not return. Sorry if this disappoints you, but I'm just giving my honest opinion. :o

 

If you got this information from the waiter, you got the wrong information. NCL has a different menu for dinner everynight complete with an everyday menu side that remains the same. I guess you missed out on the opportunity to try something you may have liked :rolleyes: