Food can it get any more boring?

[waltd]

Perhaps something that we can distill from this discussion is that people's ideas about what makes good food on a holiday are, naturally, based on their experiences at home and on other holidays.

 

As I said above, to me a highlight of travel is great food and often that great food is street food. To use an old adage "I live to eat, I don't eat to live" (recognising that that is a major privilege compared to many in our world).

 

I usually don't like wedding/conference food either and we very rarely go for a buffet. If we do it would be because of a particular specialisation of the buffet (for example the famous Peranakan buffet at the Stamford in Singapore which is about $60 ppax). Perhaps also though, for us, a buffet is wandering the streets of Penang, spending $2 here and $2 there 'grazing' from the different carts. Where I often live $100 could very easily feed me for a week. At home we cook, and we love to cook. Last night we had cajun-inspired chicken and a Sicilian veg dish (weird combo but it worked). Tonight we are having Burmese Chicken curry with a bean and onion stir-fry. I love food.

 

Would love to know your nationality. My guess would be you were raised in Asia??????

 

:)

[lahore]

Would love to know your nationality. My guess would be you were raised in Asia??????

 

:)

 

I'm Australian born and bred. Not raised in Asia but have lived and worked in several Asian countries and travelled quite a bit to USA, Europe, Middle East. Loved the Middle East, India and Asia most in terms of food. My palette appreciates strong flavours, although i love the subtle flavours of Japan too. I'm hoping even Princess (e.g., Kai Sushi) will serve some of those on the Japan-focused Diamond Princess.

Edited June 17, 2015 by lahore

[waltd]

I'm Australian born and bred. Not raised in Asia but have lived and worked in several Asian countries and travelled quite a bit to USA, Europe, Middle East. Loved the Middle East, India and Asia most in terms of food. My palette appreciates strong flavours, although i love the subtle flavours of Japan too. I'm hoping even Princess (e.g., Kai Sushi) will serve some of those on the Japan-focused Diamond Princess.

 

Thanks for answering.

[sfaaa]

More than 20 different items and desserts at the buffet every meal and you call this boring? We must be living in two different planets.

[Colo Cruiser]

More than 20 different items and desserts at the buffet every meal and you call this boring? We must be living in two different planets.

 

No its horrifying........

[waltd]

Sorry but the desserts in the buffet on Princess are for the most part tasteless. Most are whipped fluff with no taste or texture. Don't even think they use sugar in them. Very disappointing.

[lahore]

No its horrifying........

 

Sure is.:eek:

[sfaaa]

No its horrifying........

 

Worse than navy chow I bet. :)

[lahore]

Sorry but the desserts in the buffet on Princess are for the most part tasteless. Most are whipped fluff with no taste or texture. Don't even think they use sugar in them. Very disappointing.

 

Be careful, if you agree with me on (or the OP for that matter) on anything you will become fanboy/girl bait. Obviously though I agree with you - nasty. Before anyone suggests I am jumping on a bandwagon, specific examples:

 

"Pavlova" - canned cream on a meringue made with god knows what - tasted like plaster dust glued together with Clag.

 

Pick a cake, any cake - taste like out of a packet. No texture.

 

Anything in a glass - whipped (fake?) cream with random imitation flavouring.

 

Jelly - you know you are in serious trouble when Jelly is the best choice.

[waltd]

Be careful, if you agree with me on (or the OP for that matter) on anything you will become fanboy/girl bait. Obviously though I agree with you - nasty. Before anyone suggests I am jumping on a bandwagon, specific examples:

 

"Pavlova" - canned cream on a meringue made with god knows what - tasted like plaster dust glued together with Clag.

 

Pick a cake, any cake - taste like out of a packet. No texture.

 

Anything in a glass - whipped (fake?) cream with random imitation flavouring.

 

Jelly - you know you are in serious trouble when Jelly is the best choice.

 

LOL There is always room for jello.

 

Shame you don't live closer as I would love to follow you around when you go out to eat.

[lahore]

LOL There is always room for jello.

 

Shame you don't live closer as I would love to follow you around when you go out to eat.

 

You'd be welcome. Let me know if you're ever in Penang or Melbourne. And yeah...Jelly/O is hard to muck up.....although not impossible. Let's not tempt fate.

Edited June 17, 2015 by lahore

[SoCal Cruiser78]

I'm Australian born and bred. Not raised in Asia but have lived and worked in several Asian countries and travelled quite a bit to USA, Europe, Middle East. Loved the Middle East, India and Asia most in terms of food. My palette appreciates strong flavours, although i love the subtle flavours of Japan too. I'm hoping even Princess (e.g., Kai Sushi) will serve some of those on the Japan-focused Diamond Princess.

 

I'm thinking you might enjoy the Indonesian dishes aboard HAL. I'm told by the largely Indonesian staff that they are quite authentic. Not sure if the rest of a HAL cruise would appeal, however, if you are used to the luxury lines.

[lahore]

I'm thinking you might enjoy the Indonesian dishes aboard HAL. I'm told by the largely Indonesian staff that they are quite authentic. Not sure if the rest of a HAL cruise would appeal, however, if you are used to the luxury lines.

 

Sounds interesting....thank you. There's always a reason to try anything related to travel.

[caribill]

Well choice of words is always a bit subjective too, but yes I was horrified that so MUCH of it was, shall we say, not to my taste.

 

You can't extend your experience on this ship to all Princess ships or even a cruise on that ship again.

 

Reason is the current head chef can make a big difference in what the food served is like. There have been numerous posts about how a ship's food became better (or in some cases worse) when the head chef changed.

 

 

It's just not really possible to serve better than 'banquet style' food for the masses on ships carrying 3000+ pax.

 

Imagine what it will be like when the four ships that Carnival Corp has just ordered that can have up to 6600 passengers on them start sailing.

[lahore]

You can't extend your experience on this ship to all Princess ships or even a cruise on that ship again.

 

Reason is the current head chef can make a big difference in what the food served is like. There have been numerous posts about how a ship's food became better (or in some cases worse) when the head chef changed.

 

 

 

Imagine what it will be like when the four ships that Carnival Corp has just ordered that can have up to 6600 passengers on them start sailing.

 

In that case the head chef currently on Dawn Princess has his job cut out for him, or perhaps isn't up to the job.

 

And I don't want to imagine that, or experience that. About 6000 less than that will suit me in future. Really, it sounds horrible. Could be a perfect case study for an organisation expanding past its point of viability. It will be interesting to watch.

[Iamcruzin]

Sorry but the desserts in the buffet on Princess are for the most part tasteless. Most are whipped fluff with no taste or texture. Don't even think they use sugar in them. Very disappointing.

 

I have to agree. They look pretty that's about it.

[flamomo]

I certainly don't find the food boring, speaking as someone who is widowed and living alone. I get tired of my own cooking. It's very nice, on my Princess cruises, to have multiple options every night, of dishes that are well prepared and presented, prepared by someone other than me!!!

[Iamcruzin]

Well, they had something new on our Crown Princess cruise. Something I've never seen before. It was clever though how they reinvented the meatloaf. In the buffet, they had loaves of meatloaf with a hot dog stuck in the middle of it. I figured that what they didn't get rid of out in the grill by the pool, landed in the meat loaf. The next day, there appeared in the cold lunch meat section none other than MEAT LOAF cold with a hot dog stuck in the middle of it. Yes, the chefs are clever in extending and reinventing leftovers. As a cook, I have an eye for this kind of stuff.:cool:

 

It reminds me of when my kids were young. They didn't like leftovers. Today's meat loaf often became tomorrows Salisbury steak.

[kruisey]

If you had been comparing food amongst Cruises at the same level as Princess i would understand .To compare the food with a Luxury expensive cruise line I again say very unfair.

I myself am a picky eater but my personal opinion is that Princess gives very good value and even handles the picky eaters very well.That is why I like Traditional dining the waiter gets to know your likes and dislikes I always tip him very well for his devotion to an eccentric passenger like I.:eek::;)They have loads of patience. When you think the kitchen handling food for 3000 passengers and employees:eek:The luxury cruises usually have much smaller vessels so have time for more individuality .Oh gosh I wish I had the Capital to indulge myself in such luxury;)

[Matcodixon]

I find it interesting to read any string here regarding food as there is never any real agreement. Just like cabin selections and MUTS there are real differences of opinion. Fortunately from my experience, there are enough choices to make everyone happy (well, almost everyone)

 

I would like to add another point to ponder though. As an ex smoker there is a real difference in food taste. Heavy smoking masks the flavors and as a result more heavy seasoning is necessary. I wonder if those that complain of

"bland" food might just happen to be smokers? Since there are less smokers every year, perhaps the level of seasoning has reduced to accommodate the more average taste.

Another possible factor is the increasing awareness of the down side of consuming too much salt in ones diet. This has resulted in food prepared with a lower salt content than say, 10 years ago.

One can always add more salt and pepper or Tabasco or whatever to spice up anything. Those are readily available. Easy to add, hard to remove after the fact.

 

JMHO

 

Dixon

[shredie]

 

I wonder if those that complain of

"bland" food might just happen to be smokers?

 

I doubt that. Some people just like spicier food than Princess offers.

[AZ Ocean Lover]

I had a bit of an epiphany on my cruise in April - food is just food. I started thinking about it totally differently. Instead of ordering what I would typically order I chose something completely different. Instead of prime rib, which I love but I can cook, I ordered the mofungo (sp?), a Caribbean dish I had never had. After the first night it was fun looking at the menu completely differently. I didn't order anything I knew I wouldn't like (like sea bass) but chose items that I just wouldn't typically order.

 

It made going to dinner each night an adventure.

[geoherb]

I had a bit of an epiphany on my cruise in April - food is just food. I started thinking about it totally differently. Instead of ordering what I would typically order I chose something completely different. Instead of prime rib, which I love but I can cook, I ordered the mofungo (sp?), a Caribbean dish I had never had. After the first night it was fun looking at the menu completely differently. I didn't order anything I knew I wouldn't like (like sea bass) but chose items that I just wouldn't typically order.

 

It made going to dinner each night an adventure.

And if you don't like something, order something else. You won't go hungry.

[Colo Cruiser]

I had a bit of an epiphany on my cruise in April - food is just food. I started thinking about it totally differently. Instead of ordering what I would typically order I chose something completely different. Instead of prime rib, which I love but I can cook, I ordered the mofungo (sp?), a Caribbean dish I had never had. After the first night it was fun looking at the menu completely differently. I didn't order anything I knew I wouldn't like (like sea bass) but chose items that I just wouldn't typically order.

 

It made going to dinner each night an adventure.

 

 

Roti wraps!!! Excellent! ;)

[LH2015]

I thought the food was pretty good actually. I'm not sure how anyone can say it's boring. There was a huge choice every single night, what are you eating at home if that's boring? Some meals were better than others, but I can't say we had a bad or even average meal all cruise. Only ate at Horizon Court a couple of times for lunch so never sampled the desserts.

Edited June 17, 2015 by LH2015