Menu Analysis

[cotto22]

Are they referring to bacon perhaps? A lot of recipes have pancetta, bacon, spec, etc in them for added flavor and texture. I am trying to think of how pork could be "hidden" in dishes and that is all I can come up with.

[ShopperfiendTO]

I think you miss the entire point!

 

Oh, I think I got your point...

 

We recently did a cruise on the Insignia from Istanbul to Venice. Our impression was that there was a lot of pork and shellfish on the dinner menu in the GDR, and very little lamb and veal. As we do not eat pork and shellfish, this somewhat limited the choices for us, unless we opted for a plain old steak or salmon, which are always available.

 

So I went back through the menus, and reviewed the Main Courses, plus the Taste of Red Ginger and Jacques.

 

20 dishes included shellfish

15 fish

15 vegetarian

13 beef

11 pork

11 poultry

4 veal

3 lamb.

 

I think this is quite surprising, as many Mediterranean cuisines feature a lot of lamb, and this was a Med cruise.

 

Ok. So we boarded the Insignia in Istanbul. We were docked in the magnificent setting of the Bosphorus, with a backdrop of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi. Stunning! We naturally chose to eat on the Terrace. So this is the beginning of an amazing cruise in the Med and Adriatic.

 

So to set the scene for the cruise, what is the focus of the menu? Was it Turkish food? Greek food? Italian food? No, believe it or not it was Mexican! Now, I happen to like Mexican food, but not as I am about to set out on an adventure in Turkey, Greece, the Balkans and Italy! Talk about being tone deaf. What a missed opportunity :(

 

Oceania is a small company with only five small ships. Surely they can customize menus depending on itinerary? I can understand Carnival with 20 something mega-ships being oblivious to local cuisines. But the entire fleet of R ships can fit comfortably in a mega-cruiseship, with space for an O ship as well!!

 

Come on Oceania, a premium line can and should do better!!

 

There are enough delicious choices on board for people who do not eat pork or shellfish, themed cuisine or otherwise.

Edited September 11, 2014 by ShopperfiendTO

[orchestrapal]

Are they referring to bacon perhaps? A lot of recipes have pancetta, bacon, spec, etc in them for added flavor and texture. I am trying to think of how pork could be "hidden" in dishes and that is all I can come up with.

 

Yes you got that right!..

Since it comes from the same animal all that you mentioned it is still PORK.

Edited September 11, 2014 by orchestrapal

[orchestrapal]

Oh, I think I got your point...

 

 

 

 

 

There are enough delicious choices on board for people who do not eat pork or shellfish, themed cuisine or otherwise.

:(

You totally miss the point.

[cotto22]

Yes you got that right!..

Since it comes from the same animal all that you mentioned it is still PORK.

 

Thanks. That is what I suspected, but glad for the clarification.

[ShopperfiendTO]

:(

You totally miss the point.

 

Please advise me what the point is then.

 

OP first said that there weren't enough non-pork, non-shellfish dishes.

 

Then OP said that the theme nights didn't match the area of cruising, despite it being pretty well known that cruise ships have set GDR menus that rotate.

 

Is there something in between the lines I'm missing?:confused:

[LHT28]

The best way to avoid food items in dishes is to request the special diet

 

The ship will provide the menus a day or more ahead where you choose the dish you want they will work with your dietary needs

 

It does require no spontaneity but at least it will omit the foods you do not eat

 

You can also ask well ahead of the cruise for Kosher meals or Gluten free whatever your dietary needs are they will try to do their best

 

Lyn

[Seapoint]

Please advise me what the point is then.

 

OP first said that there weren't enough non-pork, non-shellfish dishes.

 

Then OP said that the theme nights didn't match the area of cruising, despite it being pretty well known that cruise ships have set GDR menus that rotate.

 

Is there something in between the lines I'm missing?:confused:

 

I took your original comment to be both flip and sarcastic.:mad:

 

Obviously if I don't eat pork or shellfish than a Greek, Italian, Mongolian, Chinese or whatever themed pork or shellfish item is not something I would eat.

 

I made two unrelated points, hoping that Oceania will take note and improve their product.

 

1) The menus imo lack balance. One night I walked through the Terrace three times trying to find something I would like to eat. If I ate pork or shellfish, the choices were abundant. As I do not, the choices were imo very limited. At Oceania prices, that is not acceptable.

 

2) For a small premium line, there were missed opportunities by not reflecting regional cuisine on specific sailings. After all, how difficult is it to customize menus for only 5 small ships :confused:

Edited September 15, 2014 by Seapoint

[LHT28]

I

1) The menus imo lack balance. One night I walked through the Terrace three times trying to find something I would like to eat. If I ate pork or shellfish, the choices were abundant. As I do not, the choices were imo very limited. At Oceania prices, that is not acceptable.

 

I am confused by your statement also

Do you not eat steak, lamb, chicken or fish?

They usually have those items nightly along with a pasta dish

 

Maybe you meant none of those appealed to you that night

i often wander through the Terrace not know what I am in the mood for

[May B]

 

I made two unrelated points, hoping that Oceania will take note and improve their product.

 

 

If you want Oceania to take note, perhaps you should use the comments arena after your cruise or an email to customer service.

 

It seems to me that your opinion of how they can improve their product is a very small minority opinion. The vast majority of posters to CC.com about O seem to love the food!

 

Perhaps I'll feel differently after I've actually experienced it myself!!! But in preparation for my cruise next month, I've been devouring the O threads and they are overwhelmingly positive about the dining experience onboard.