Pretty desserts but lacking in taste? True or false? On the GEM

[purrfect007]

:D I have read some posts that while the desserts are very eye appealing, they aren't so yummy.

 

It was EXACTLY that way on Disney. Two cruises, same thing. I thought it was just Disney...it was sort of like they just weren't sweet really.

 

Not that it's a big deal but just wondering. :eek:

[shof515]

It depends on what kind of desert your order. I found the cheesecake, strawberry shortcake, and some kind of chocolate cake very good. In the blue lagoon, there is a brownie a la mode thing that is very very good. The only thing i was somewhat disappointed with was the apple pie. The apple pie seemed like a regular store bought pie with little taste in the apples

[bob brown]

The 'taste doesn't measure up to the appearance', seems to be common across the cruise industry. We were on HAL recently and found the same phenomenom....the cakes looked very tempting, but once you tried them, found them lacking in general. Seems like they are leaving some probably costly ingredient out.

I concur that the NY style cheesecake is delicious on NCL. Would get a 'nightcap' of a slice with some decaf each evening at the Blue Lagoon, after attending the late show. The chocolate chip cookies are pretty good too. You have to grab 'em when you can as they disappear fast when put out at the buffet.:)

[Byron_1978]

I felt the same way about the chocolate buffet.

We were lucky to get in before opening time, and it looked absolutely gorgeous. Too bad the taste was not so good.

 

 

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[spacepotatoes]

That was our experience on both the POA and the Sky. There are some exceptions, though. The cookies are good, the creme brulee and profiteroles at Le Bistro were very good, and I had a panacotta at lunch on embarkation day (in MDR) that was yummy, too.

[Warmer Climes]

I find this to be the case in many bakeries, too. The desserts look delicious in the case but turn out to be dry or pretty tasteless.

[MsTabbyKats]

The best chocolate I had at sea were small chocolate muffins at the breakfast buffet on Carnival (which technically isn't a dessert).

 

Besides that....everything looks pretty....but few are worth the calories.

 

Carnival though, as a rule....did have better tasting desserts than NCL.

[Got Tequila?]

I often skip the desserts in the Main dining room and head to the buffet for the Made to Order Crepes. Try one with butter and brown sugar...mmmm :)

[buckirj1]

Pretty much true on any cruiseline. I've learned to pretty much stick to ice cream if I'm going to have dessert. Best sweet I've had onboard are the chocolate croissants on NCL.

[jame_g]

Very true.

[gra2172]

We thought the Pride had the worst desserts. Everything at the buffet was labeled gluten free. I mean everything! Onions, pickles, lettuce..

So the desserts, most of which were gluten free, were pretty but flat tasting. The only dessert that was worse? Sugar free and gluten free! What the hecks it made of?! :p

 

We feel the Jade had the best overall food. :)

[elbodans]

i was on the gem in october and i'd say that statement was true maybe half the time. i ordered a lot of panna cotta, which was typically very good. as was the lemon custard i got in the MDR for dessert on my first night on board. i still remember that custard...that's how good it was (though it wasn't that pretty, now that i think about it!)

 

the way i figure, if a dessert isn't tasty, that's the universe's way of telling me i don't need any more calories! :p

[JMHAM1]

We have also found this to be the case across the cruise lines except for a few bright spots.

 

The Banana Pancake dessert in Ginza on the Star was extremely good and we also were pleasantly surprised by the Key Lime Pie in the MDR which was served warm. I have never had it warm and it did seem to enhance the flavors.

 

The chocolate buffet in my opinion was pretty to look at but not much on taste even when we were on a sailing in Europe which surprised me. This is probably a good think tho because I LOVE dessert!

[tjc78]

We were usually too full for dessert, but there was a warm bread and butter pudding that my Fiance fell in love with. It was really good, and IIRC wasn't much in the looks dept.

[grape farmer]

I agree, the chocolate buffet on the Jade was very pretty but the desserts lacked flavor. Amaretto didn't taste like amaretto, hazelnut didn't taste like hazel nut. Will say the the apple crisp like stuff they had out one night with the vanilla cream was luscious-had to get two helpings of that one! :p

[spunkyhungry]

I haven't been on the Gem, but I've noticed in general on the various cruises I've been on that the desserts were usually better in the main dining rooms and specialty restaurants as opposed to the buffet (except brownies are usually good at the buffet).

[xenagurl]

Pretty much true on any cruiseline. I've learned to pretty much stick to ice cream if I'm going to have dessert. Best sweet I've had onboard are the chocolate croissants on NCL.

 

Those are soooo good. Now I'll be thinking about them all day!

 

I'm not big on desserts but the Creme Brulee and Sorbet are really good. Dh is sold on the crepes and could eat them at every meal.

 

Some of the cakes taste "low sugar" to me, but I happen to like that. They remind me of the type of cakes found in Chinese bakeries. I could see how it might not appeal to someone looking for a more American style baked good.

[sbt518]

The desserts we've had on Star and Gem were not great. I felt the cheesecake didn't taste like anything and wasn't the correct consistency for NY cheesecake. (did not have it in Blue Lagoon but at the MDR, maybe that was the problem)

I tried the strawberry shortcake and it had no shortcake, just vanilla cake and no whipped cream just some white frosting and some strawberries but again, basically tasteless.

 

We skipped the chocolate buffet on Star because the one on Gem was so disappointing. The only good part was the chocolate fountain but all the other desserts fell flat.

 

The cookies we had at the meet and greet were good, the bread pudding from the buffet was good and the chocolate croissants were excellent.

 

I did not care for the fondue at Le Bistro, it was way to runny, like they thinned it out. But I think my DH had creme brulee and he liked it. Or he may have had that at Cagney's.

I had the brownie sundae at Cagneys and it was OK, but the brownie was old and dry.

 

I wanted to try the sundae at Blue Lagoon but I didn't see it on the menu.

 

We both enjoyed our tiramisu from La Cucina.

 

I do remember from my one Carnival cruise not liking the desserts on there either. For some reason I can't remember if I liked them on Royal Caribbean or not. But I do know that we didn't have one disappointing dessert on Celebrity.

[Sauer-kraut]

For those that like it, NCL's bread pudding and chocolate pudding have been rated very high across the fleet. It is usually found in the buffet under warming lights and will have a vanilla cream to pour over it there as well. I am not a bread pudding lover but one night I found the chocolate one and it was pretty good! Otherwise I just stuck with ice cream as I didn't really care for any of the other offerings except jell-o.

[Zeno]

I tend to like the desserts on NCL but I don't like really sweet desserts - so it could be personal taste.

 

I don't usually get cake things because I find them boring. I have enjoyed various creme-brulee type desserts, cheese cakes, sorbets and crepes. I also LOVE the muffins and croissants at the buffet and the cookies at the buffet - really yummy.

[foodcruiser]

I often skip the desserts in the Main dining room and head to the buffet for the Made to Order Crepes.

 

Please tell me about the crepes. Are they on the Dawn? When are they available? What are the options? Sounds great.

[Mom2B&Z]

The crepe stations on the Star and Sun were in the buffet at night. We too would eat dinner in the MDR then go up to the buffet for crepes ;) Our favourite is cherry, with chocolate sauce drizzled on top. It's almost like a blackforest cake, but warm and delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Otherwise we too found desserts lacking in flavour and quality.

[Gregor4500]

Favorite is the Banana cream pie at lunch in Cagneys. Usually skipped desert at dinner.

[Medtech2]

:D I have read some posts that while the desserts are very eye appealing, they aren't so yummy.

 

It was EXACTLY that way on Disney. Two cruises, same thing. I thought it was just Disney...it was sort of like they just weren't sweet really.

 

Not that it's a big deal but just wondering. :eek:

I too found the regular desserts and the chocolate buffet lacking.

 

However I went gaga getting a made to order crepe each evening at the buffet...YUM!

 

Try a crepe made with the chocolate fountain sauce...

[Got Tequila?]

Please tell me about the crepes. Are they on the Dawn? When are they available? What are the options? Sounds great.

 

Crepes are in the buffet in the evening. They have various fruit fillings like apple and cherry. My favorite is a butter and brown sugar...they usually have to get this the first night of the cruise for me, then I tell them I'll be back each evening...and they usually have it on hand after that. I've seen others ask for peanut butter, or nutella and they've gone in the back and gotten that for them. Many people just like the chocolate either inside or on top of the crepe. They also have whipped creme which they will put inside or on top. Usually there is a soft serve icecream station near by, that goes well with the crepes.