Constellation: Any Recommended Food Items?

[flowery]

In 2004 someone created a posting on food items not to miss and those to avoid. Do any passengers on recent Constellation sailings have suggestions?

 

There have been some negative postings about the MDR food quality declining- sounds similar to what we experienced on the Millie last year.

Please post both poor items we should avoid and acceptable/good items (MDR, specialty, bistro etc). Thank you!

[flowery]

I'll reply to my own posting since we returned a few wks ago from our Constellation cruise. British exec chef is the same one that was heading the Millennium kitchen during our March 2012 sailing but food quality seemed better. Overall, very happy with our cruise experience.

 

Best desserts:

strawberry cake, lemon merengue pie, coconut cake and most pastries at Cafe al Bacio -all free- no drink purchases necessary. Espresso drinks pretty good as well. Some al Bacio servers are a bit unfriendly, however, will perk up if tipped. Apple pie in MDR good but chocolate cake was awful. I recommend skipping dessert altogether in the MDR and head to Cafe al Bacio later.

 

Aqua Spa-like everything here- carefully prepared, attractive and tasty. Salmon lunch entree (available on request) especially delicious.

 

Bistro on Five- delicious crepes, soups, salads, sandwiches. Ate here for dinner one night and really enjoyed it. Very quiet- doesn't get much business.

 

Tuscan Grille- great atmosphere and nice, leisurely service- did not feel rushed as in the MDR. Lobster linguine was delicious- a few other things not so great: calamari appetizer was mediocre, cold mixed seafood salad appetizer poor. Branzino was good. Delicious breads and desserts. We would eat here again.

 

MDR- only ate here 3 nights out of 5- overall pretty good if you want to economize and skip specialty restaurants but we got tired of the atmosphere- very busy.

 

Can anyone compare food on Princess Ruby with Celebrity? We met a Canadian couple who really enjoyed the Ruby (but not other Princess ships).

[Summer1961]

Do they still have the creme brulee in the MDR ?

 

On our last X cruise, in Sept/Oct 2011 we really enjoyed the beef dishes and that is saying something because I am not a beef lover. We did however find that it was on the menu often and would have preferred a different selection.

 

Thanks for sharing your dining experience and your favourites.

 

Christine

[Kathie44]

I was on Connie two summers ago and the food was great. Sailed Summit last week and the food was still great. One thing different--whole lobster tails again. My sister and her DH were on Freedom of the Seas last month and said they had whole tails. I wondered if X would, too, and they did. I don't eat lobster, but those who did said the tails were very good. They did look plump and fresh.

I always like the hot soups on cruises, X and RCCL. On my last few cruises (3 on Summit, 1 Constellation and 1 Milennium) the beef has been better than ever. The herb broiled chicken on the everyday side of the menu is always good. Friends who had the salmon loved it. Seafood lovers always like the fish, which is healthily broiled, poached or pan seared. I don't eat seafood unless it's deep-fried and disguised, lol.

Another thing I like is that now the Celebrity salad dressing is available every night, even if it's not on the official menu.

Yikes! Not back a week and already going into withdrawal for the food! :eek:

It's tough having to fix your own food AND clean up afterward. ;) Only 50 weeks to go till Silhouette next Jan. 26.

[LPast50]

The Grand Marnier Souffle and the Escargo!

[flowery]

Pistachio creme brulee and tiramisu in parfait glass at Tuscan Grille were delicious!

[flowery]

I checked with my husband about his meat eating experiences on the Constellation. He said the beef and lamb were quite good. A pork chop in the MDR was overcooked and dried out- he sent it back and the next one was good!

 

Other passengers were raving about the onion soup but we didn't think it was particularly good.

 

We're now considering the Constellation for Europe later this year. It's too bad Azamara has become so expensive and now offering free alcohol- are they trying to compete with Crystal? Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas has some nice European itineraries but we're worried the food won't compare to Celebrity.