New menu- what's the verdict?

[big al]

Hi guys& gals- we are sailing the 3 night Valentine's Day cruise on the Allure and was wondering what you all thought of the new dining menu? We ate 12 times with the old, including this past 11/10/12 cruise on the Liberty ( interestingly enough the NEW menu started on the Liberty the DAY we got off!!), so we're ready for some new items ESPECIALLY for me, escargots & rack of lamb...any opinions?

 

Big Al

[NorbertsNiece]

I loved it!! 2 weeks on Adventure last year. Love the BBB dessert which they have brought over from the original hops menu.... there was a chicken salad starter that was wonderful and next time I travel I may see if I can have that as a main! I'm Gluten Intolerant and really enjoyed the different breads they offered in the evening.

[niksmom630]

Looking forward to your review, Al--just booked an Allure cruise in November!

 

Also get to try out the new menus on Jewel in a few weeks. Hoping for nightly escargot, but with the shortage it appears to be hit or miss :(

 

In any event, I'm looking forward to the change--I think I've memorized the existing menus!

 

Enjoy your cruise! Chris

[retird]

We loved the new menu on the explorer. The escargot, shrimp cocktail, and the scallops were delicious. lobster night had much larger tails than usual. desserts were fabulous

[luvscruising2007]

We enjoyed the new menu on our Explorer cruise. Escargot and Shrimp cocktail were on the menu every night.

I missed scallop risotto and onion tart, but there other items to chose.

The desserts seem to offer more variety and the new Chocolate Sensation is very good and available every night.

Enjoy!

[sjb317]

We had the new menu on both our recent Freedom cruise and Majesty cruise. We thought it was very good on both ships. My husband loved the chocolate sensation!

 

Sherri:)

[big al]

Looking forward to your review, Al--just booked an Allure cruise in November!

 

Also get to try out the new menus on Jewel in a few weeks. Hoping for nightly escargot, but with the shortage it appears to be hit or miss :(

 

In any event, I'm looking forward to the change--I think I've memorized the existing menus!

 

Enjoy your cruise! Chris

 

Chris!!! Great to hear from you...we, too, have memorized the menus over our 11 cruises on RCI...Tiger Shrimp,prime rib,etc....will look for your review on the Jewel..only class of ships we've never done-Radiance...would like to try them...maybe out of Tampa....have a great cruise!!!

 

Alan

[niksmom630]

Chris!!! Great to hear from you...we, too, have memorized the menus over our 11 cruises on RCI...Tiger Shrimp,prime rib,etc....will look for your review on the Jewel..only class of ships we've never done-Radiance...would like to try them...maybe out of Tampa....have a great cruise!!!

 

Alan

 

Thanks, Al! Loved the Jewel cruise we tooklast year, and I'm sure she won't disappoint this time! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Allure! fingers crossed on the escargot :D

[big al]

Thanks, Al! Loved the Jewel cruise we tooklast year, and I'm sure she won't disappoint this time! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Allure! fingers crossed on the escargot :D

 

Forgot to mention that my wife & I are coming to Chicago THIS weekend for her sister's wedding...we arrive Fri around 2:50 PM and leave Sun at 11 AM ...barely 48 hrs...we are staying at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers ( thanks to points)..TG finally the temps are suppose to be 35-40...my wife thinks anything under 70 is cold ( really)...it was sudden..we didn't know when we cruised the Liberty this would happen so quickly ....

 

Alan

[MomtoCCC]

We just got off Freedom yesterday. We felt that the new menus have less choices than before. The food is fine (good not great) but sometimes we were struggling to pick something we wanted. I agree that the Chocolate sensation dessert was very good (too bad I waited until last night to try it :p)

 

Funny - with the escargot on the menu every night - I never even ordered it.. .I did try the scallop appetizer that was essentially the same except with scallops. Other things I enjoyed was the Mojo pork chops and the mushroom appetizer.

[amyphil]

@Sherri...glad to hear you enjoyed the new menu on the Majesty...we're going on her in July..three night short cruise...do you, by any chance have any copies of the "new menu"????? would love to see them.

 

Thanks,

Amy

[Mapleleafforever]

We just got off Freedom yesterday. We felt that the new menus have less choices than before. The food is fine (good not great) but sometimes we were struggling to pick something we wanted. I agree that the Chocolate sensation dessert was very good (too bad I waited until last night to try it :p)

 

Funny - with the escargot on the menu every night - I never even ordered it.. .I did try the scallop appetizer that was essentially the same except with scallops. Other things I enjoyed was the Mojo pork chops and the mushroom appetizer.

 

We were on the same cruise and the escargot were never available while we ate in the MDR. They did have the scallops prepared the same way. We thought the food wasn't nearly as good as on our past cruises with the exception of Chops and Portofino.

[pittnh]

We were on the same cruise and the escargot were never available while we ate in the MDR. They did have the scallops prepared the same way. We thought the food wasn't nearly as good as on our past cruises with the exception of Chops and Portofino.

 

 

I get the impression you didn't like the food as this is the second thread you have criticized it.

[sjb317]

@Sherri...glad to hear you enjoyed the new menu on the Majesty...we're going on her in July..three night short cruise...do you, by any chance have any copies of the "new menu"????? would love to see them.

 

Thanks,

Amy

 

 

No, sorry, I don't. We were on the 4 night cruise with my parents and we all thought the food was excellent.

 

Sherri:)

[Mapleleafforever]

I get the impression you didn't like the food as this is the second thread you have criticized it.

 

It is called Cruise Critic after all.

[Tagsalong]

On the Jewel OTS Jan 3 - 12 with the new menu and it was great. On the Vision OTS Jan 12 - 23 still with the old menu and it was just tolerable - some OK items, some actually awful.

 

We have been told by a hotel director on another ship that the new menu is costing RCI approximately $2.00 pp/pd more than the old. Well worth the extra $ in my opinion, whether or not the escargot is actually available.

[Tak8]

Overall, I liked the menus. A few misses, but overall very good. Probably true of any menu.

[Bellalago Breeze]

Got off the Jewel 1/24. Escargot was not available and they were substituting tiny scallops instead. :( I think it is hit and miss at this point, as in November on Liberty, escargot was available every night.

[SKAGGS1234]

What is the chocolate sensation? sounds great!

[big al]

What is the chocolate sensation? sounds great!

 

You guys are killing me..I should've NEVER asked about the new menus!! ..LOL.....

 

Yes, please tell us about the chocolate sensation...I try my best to eat NO MORE than 10,000 calories a day...one must have some discipline..I also limit adult beverages to no more than 15 a day....my wife is tiny..one drink and she's tanked..I should be so lucky!!

 

Alan

[jletsgo]

I was not a huge fan of the new menu..Just off Oasis last month. I am not a seafood lover and I feel the new menu definitely has a strong influence of seafood. Of course, there are always some non-seafood items, but in my opinion the new menus are definitely more for the seafood lovers. Obviously, I did not go hungry and enjoyed all my meals in the MDR :)

[MommaBear55]

My husband and I really liked the new menu. The starters were all great especially the cold fruit soups. The main courses varied from light to heavy. The one thing we did not care for was mashed potatoes with many entrees. However you could ask for a baked potato instead. There were lots of excellent meat dishes. The desserts were very good. There were souffles at least three nights on our 14 day cruise. The only dish I really missed from the old menu was the mushroom and blue cheese casserole. I look forward to choosing from the menu

again when we are on the Grandeur OTS April 24th.

[Rusti]

We enjoyed the new menus, the lamb especially was great. There is more seafood but there are plenty of choices. I also agree that the different breads are wonderful. We were on Allure post thanksgiving and will be on Oasis April 27th.

[Sunshine101]

Hi all....does anyone know if these new menus have hit Indy yet?

 

Kind thanks!

[jamscckmc]

No more onion tart the 1st night? That and the honeystug chicken have always made me look forward to the 1st day.