Review: Explorer / February 23 to March 2 2014

[meatloafsfan]

Okay, so I'm terrible at follow through :rolleyes:. But for future cruisers who want to see what dinner looks like, here is the rest of my food pictures.

 

Dinner

 

Appetizers

 

Arrancini - they were crispy, hot, and cheesy. There was only 2 in the serving so if you're planning to share, you may want to order more than 1.

 

 

Double shrimp cocktails - this was a favourite at our table. It does seem that 1 just wasn't enough.

 

 

Garlic Soup

 

My mom really enjoyed the soup part but not the croutons. One sort of went down the wrong way which started a coughing fit and that was the end of the soup.

 

[meatloafsfan]

Maybe we're Italian at heart or something but we all really enjoyed tonights menu.

 

My mom got the eggplant parmagiana - greatly improved over last year. This was was saucy and served piping hot (last year it was dried out).

 

 

I had what was hands down the best lasagna I've ever had. The bechemel sauce was outstanding and I'd put dollars to donuts down that the pasta was made on board (it didn't have the wiggly sides that you expect out of dried, boxed lasagna). The noodles soft and buttery, the meat sauce was well seasoned and very meaty and again, that bechemel sauce was creamy and cheesy and wonderful. The picture may not look like much but it was the best thing I ate during the week.

 

 

My dad ordered 2 entrees. First was the garlic shrimp. He really loved these (I thought they looked a little under done). The sauce was very garlic-y and buttery.

 

 

And his steak (no sides)

 

 

Only once during the trip did he have to send the steak back for being over done - all other nights, it was spot on.

[meatloafsfan]

Dessert was a mixed bag.

 

My mom got the trio sampler which she found "okay" - not the best dessert of the week but tasty enough for a forkful of each.

 

 

My dad got the Tirimisu (in addtion to his strawberries, whipped cream and ice cream). He liked it - again, not the best he's had but a far cry from the worst.

 

 

And I got the bread pudding. It again was okay. Not a lot of zip or zing (or sweetness) but fine.

 

 

I also got the Lemon cake (it was either low fat or no sugar added). It was light, served warm with just a hint of lemon. The whipped cream was outstanding.

 

[meatloafsfan]

Dinner again

 

As much as we enjoyed dinner last night was how disappointing tonights dinner was.

 

My parents both started out with the bay scallops (I posted pictures earlier). My mom's was overdone and she had 1 that tasted fishy so she stopped eating them. It actually turned her off of seafood for the rest of the trip - she just couldn't stand any smell of it.

 

I had the spicy soup (I think it was seafood). It was good - had a little kick to it but would have benefitted from a little more spicy (especially since I recall it being listed as "spicy")

 

 

For dinner, both of my parents ordered the chicken cordon blue. It was dry and not very good. (I have no idea why my dad didn't order the steak and shrimp). The rice was just plain ole rice.

 

 

I had the vegetable moussaka. This was the most disappointing dish of the week. I love moussaka (especially the vegetable kind) but this was potatoes and tomatoes with cheese on top. That was pretty much it. And the potato wasn't even that well cooked.

 

 

The second dish I ordered was the orrichette pasta. Bland, bland, bland. I felt like for both meals, the chef had just opened up a tin of diced tomatoes and dumped it on everything.

 

[meatloafsfan]

Desserts tonight were good.

 

I had the sugar free red berry tart - this was so good. Our tablemate ordered one after I taste mine. A definite winner. Creamy and light.

 

 

The other one was not so great. It was the low fat berry bliss. It was actually kind of watery yougurt.

 

[LSSloves]

So much food