Have you been to the Royal Board? Menus...!

[doitallWMB]

This is the RCCL board post of their new menus. After reading all of the complaints here, this is a refreshing turn. Maybe CCL will follow. Who knows.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1676929&highlight=new+menus

[loubetti]

While I like these new menus, "refreshing" is a relative word. Don't hold your breath.

[Georgiagolfer]

This is the RCCL board post of their new menus. After reading all of the complaints here, this is a refreshing turn. Maybe CCL will follow. Who knows.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1676929&highlight=new+menus

 

Yeah, you must have missed the thread a couple days ago about this. A RCI cruiser posted this on the CCL site to try and "stir the pot."

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

Some of the new choices do look good...I probably wouldn't choose a cruise just for the food, but it is nice to change things up every once in a while. I could definitely go for a filet mignon on the everyday menu!

[doitallWMB]

Yeah, you must have missed the thread a couple days ago about this. A RCI cruiser posted this on the CCL site to try and "stir the pot."

 

 

No pot stirring here. We cruise them all. I did search the board for a similar thread but must have missed it.

[misstopgun]

Does RCCL allow you more than one entre as Carnival does? I have only been on one RCCL cruise and that was in 1999. I love filet but would prefer more of a portion than 6 oz.

 

I do have to say, in light of all that has been decreased in the amenities, entertyainment, and good food on Carnival over the past 5 years, if this menu was accurate, it would certainly give me good reason to try RCCL again.

 

Before anyone starts flaming, I have sailed on Carnival 21 of my 23 cruises with the 22nd booked. I am not a carnival basher. I just wish things were like they use to be in the good (not so old) days. If anyone was looking for another reason to stretch their wings, a new improved menu would be a great start.

[Sh1035]

RCL cruise in may filet consisted of two slices of some really dry bland meat. Ate one bite and chased it down with a glass of water.. Tried again same thing. Ugh.

[Georgiagolfer]

No pot stirring here. We cruise them all. I did search the board for a similar thread but must have missed it.

 

 

No, No, No, I didn't mean you, I was just saying it was posted several days ago by a RCI "cheerleader."

[TennesseeTater]

This came from an "unnamed source". In my line of work that means "make believe". If this is true, then I applaud RCCL, and hope that changes the market to a more upscale genre. I, however, tend to be a more I"ll believe it when I see it kind of person.

[cb at sea]

Yes...you may order more than one entree...not a problem at all!

[cruzn buckeye]

Does RCCL allow you more than one entre as Carnival does? I have only been on one RCCL cruise and that was in 1999. I love filet but would prefer more of a portion than 6 oz.

 

I do have to say, in light of all that has been decreased in the amenities, entertyainment, and good food on Carnival over the past 5 years, if this menu was accurate, it would certainly give me good reason to try RCCL again.

 

Before anyone starts flaming, I have sailed on Carnival 21 of my 23 cruises with the 22nd booked. I am not a carnival basher. I just wish things were like they use to be in the good (not so old) days. If anyone was looking for another reason to stretch their wings, a new improved menu would be a great start.

I totally agree with you... and it looks like Royal is reading here too, and has chosen the unhappiness with the food (for instance, comfort food) to draw passengers to thier line... can't blame them... its good marketing.. I too, wish Carnival was like they used to be... nothing wrong with change, if it is good change...

We have seen lots of change in our country... just not the kind we were hoping for...

[MsMot]

The entree menu looks good, but the desserts are on the weak side. No Creme Brulee? I went on RCI once and was very disappointed with the dining experience, which is an important factor in cruising - IMO.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[spacepotatoes]

This came from an "unnamed source". In my line of work that means "make believe". If this is true, then I applaud RCCL, and hope that changes the market to a more upscale genre. I, however, tend to be a more I"ll believe it when I see it kind of person.

 

Several people on that thread commented that some of the changes had already been implemented on certain ships so I don't think it's made up, at least not 100%.

 

This sounds very good. We were already interested in trying RCI so this just gives an added incentive. I also find the new partnership with Food & Wine Magazine interesting. HAL has been partnered with them for a while now and we really enjoyed the culinary features on our recent HAL cruise (cooking demos with samples and recipes, "celebrity" cook-offs, etc.).

[Cruisegirl6]

Honestly in the past few years we only want to go RCI...problem being is that in the past 6 years we taken LOS twice and the last cruises FOS four times and this year we only want to use Pt. Canaveral (we taking another type of trip in Nov and not want the extra expense of airfare/hotel using another port) which leaves us again the lovely FOS which we need a change of scenery being on that ship the past few cruises...then there is Disney not for us at all....and behold there is the Dream so we really had no choice as to which ship to take this year. We never have had a bad Carnival cruise our last one three years ago we saw even more drastic cut back in Carnival and we said we not going back but we are only because there is no other different ship out of Pt. Canaveral that RCI offers. We seen the shows they remain to be the same and just need a change this year. But you be sure we be back on RCI next year!

 

The menu change on RCI is wonderful! We prefer the food on RCI soooo much better especially in the lunch buffet as well as foods that are offered after 10pm. We find Carnival offers too much fast food type foods with very little variety/selection of meat entree dishes and veggies along with salads in its lunch buffets As for the MDR we always found better quality meat with RCI than Carnival. Flat Iron I not even buy at home, we prefer better quality type meat cuts.

 

I remember a time when cruise lines offered Veal Chop, Lamb Chop, Filet Mignon to name a few....it will be a pleasure to experience RCI new menu. But to be honest here Carnival has ALWAYS beaten RCI when it came to desserts.

 

We know what we giving up as far as entertainment, service and food wise this year but Carnival offers us the STeakhouse which we have reservations confirmed for four evenings during this cruise, we are sure we be very happy with this Steakhouse and looking forward to it. There is much variety on its menu to have something totally different in every course for each of the four days.

 

I am also looking forward to Punchliners comedy too!

[TexanTodd]

An RCCL troll allready started a thread here on this that has been going (I'm not saying that you are doing the same). Some of my general thoughts on the topic -

 

1. The most important contributor to food being good is using good, quality ingredients. CCL to me has generally had better quality than RCCL.

 

2. Good ideas do not equal good execution and in my experience and opinion, the MDR food is much better on CCL, and the specialty restaurant is vastly supperior.

 

3. To any RCCL trolls who do want to drop in here, sliders and fruit cobbler aren't exactly fine dining so go away with your slanders ...

 

4. The above being said, I would love to see a few new items of similar style added to the CCL menus sometime.

[Cruisegirl6]

I have to disagree TexanTodd let me take example the flat iron steak that Carnival offers in its dining room menu to "me" that type of cut of beef will never be purchased by myself because to me its not quality type beef...you will find better cuts on RCI such as NY Strip....thats better quality and that is more what I buy at home. Also, Carnival says "Choice Flat Iron Steak" .....there is choice which is lower quality then there is Prime which is quality then there is Kobe which is even more superior so Carnival is making it known your getting an inexpensive type of beef what is with that?

 

I believe the sliders was not main entree but appetizer and I happen to agree with you that is not fine dining neither is cobbler so agree with you there. I am surprised that RCI placed sliders on the menu for dinner to me that belongs in the lunch buffet. :)

 

If Carnival not want to improve its selecion/quality/variety in the MDR menu why not have an extra surcharge so that we are able to get for instance a better quality steak, Im all for that, heck I also love the idea they have the Steakhouse we can't wait for that, four nights there be heaven Im positive that there they will give me what I get at home. :)

[TexanTodd]

I'm not a fan of the flat iron steak, but I know many who are. You mention grades though, and the thing is that has much more to do with the quality of a piece of meat than where it comes from on the cow. Any cut of meat properly cooked can be 5 star dining.

 

CCL uses superior grades of beef to RCCL generally, and in particular in the specialty restaurants. Unless something has changed since when I last looked, RCCL does not use Prime anywhere on their ship whereas CCL does.

[Cruisegirl6]

Ok we all entitled to our own opinions and we all different, but I prefer Prime...yes the better finer cuts are from better parts of the cow, thats certainly the better cut meats I do eat and really want Carnival to serve...filet mignon/tenerdloin....porterhouse to name a few...flat iron to me is just a less expensive cut of beef with less marbling (flavor).

 

Honestly I never ever seen flat iron steak on any RCI cruises I have been on 7 in the past 6 years not once seen this steak only seen NY Strip thank goodness lol

 

You correct all cruise ship lines not use prime in MDR but Choice... at least the cuts of beef in RCI MDR are superior to Carnivals...but then again both cruise lines offer Steakhouses which honestly I have four nights confirmed on the Dream and I am sure after eating in the MDR just one night we probably book up the remaining evenings. I am sure it be wonderful we can't wait and so glad Carnival added the Steakhouse to its ships. :)

[bigcraig]

I have to disagree TexanTodd let me take example the flat iron steak that Carnival offers in its dining room menu to "me" that type of cut of beef will never be purchased by myself because to me its not quality type beef...you will find better cuts on RCI such as NY Strip....thats better quality and that is more what I buy at home. Also, Carnival says "Choice Flat Iron Steak" .....there is choice which is lower quality then there is Prime which is quality then there is Kobe which is even more superior so Carnival is making it known your getting an inexpensive type of beef what is with that?

 

I believe the sliders was not main entree but appetizer and I happen to agree with you that is not fine dining neither is cobbler so agree with you there. I am surprised that RCI placed sliders on the menu for dinner to me that belongs in the lunch buffet. :)

 

If Carnival not want to improve its selecion/quality/variety in the MDR menu why not have an extra surcharge so that we are able to get for instance a better quality steak, Im all for that, heck I also love the idea they have the Steakhouse we can't wait for that, four nights there be heaven Im positive that there they will give me what I get at home. :)

Yum, Flat Iron Steak(lol) they sell this in my local store and it sells out fast at $8 per lb, Beef Rib steak is so much better and cheaper

[Cruisegirl6]

I guess since you went further for sending that photo I go a bit further myself....Yes flat iron steak is cheaper I see it on the photo for $7.49 pound. How come I never seen it at top steakhouses that we go to?

Just happens to be beef is our favorite meal I been to many places and dined at fine Steakhouses and how come we NEVER seen flat iron steak on any of these restaurants:

Peter Luger, Old Hempsteak Steakhouse (NY), Prime (Vegas), Cut (Beverly Hills CA), Berns (Tampa), Mortons and Capital Grill (nationwide) and so on?

 

Mortons is a nationwide steakhouse probably my favorite steakhouse of all

http://www.mortons.com/menu/dinner/

How come none of these offer that flat iron steak? These are top rated restaurants and I been to many others never seen flat iron only on Canival actually not even in my butcher?? How come even in the Steakhouses on the cruise lines they not offer flat iron steak?

 

Usually I will fedex my meat from organic farms in midwest and I also would use Allen Bros and Stockyard (Mortons gets their steaks there) and you can't even find flat iron there either?

 

Im sorry but that photo looks to me as if its a steak sold in Walmart but I done research and your correct flat iron is better quality over chuck eye, flank, skirt, hanger and brisket. I guess we all different to each their own I stay with the better cuts....sorry off the subject a bit but what I am saying I not expecting Carnival to offer top quality beef I just asking for simple sirloin which is a "happy medium" to all the cuts of beef out there better than flat iron and less costly than filet or NY Strip.:rolleyes:

[meatloafsfan]

I just booked a 9 night cruise on the Explorer of the Seas and I have to admit, the food is my one real hesitation (not enough for me to not try RCCL but still a bit of trepidation on my part).

 

I enjoyed Carnival's food for the most part and had some very good dishes (I find the more "different" the dish, the better it is). DCL's food I've found to be inconsistant - sometimes very good, sometimes awful and many times very inbetween to be "okay".

 

I'm sorry but I don't think it's necessarily the ingredients (as long as you're not starting with spoiled food) but in the preparation.

 

Flat Iron steak is appearing more and more often at restaurants because it is a consistent cut of beef - generally well marbled but without large fat or gristle deposits.