Food can it get any more boring?

[PescadoAmarillo]

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.

 

This is exactly what keeps us going for 130 days of cruising in a row. At first we choose our favorites but sometime about week 4 or 5 DH will order fish and that's an unmisinterpretable signal that the branching out has begun.

 

I do get a kick out of the 'food is boring' threads. First, because I don't think Princess is the best match for a true foodie and they will have a hard time being satisfied. And second, because I cook about 10-15 things at home and we simply rotate through them based on produce availability and price. If anything, we're struck by the variety available on a Princess cruise, and understanding it's banquet-style dining at banquet prices we think they do a very good job in serving better-than-banquet quality food.

[abisha]

The dining room Princess food is better than Carnival by far. Yes, it's not gourmet, but you're not paying those prices either. :)

 

Food is subjective, but I have to disagree about comparison with Carnival. I've had wonderful meals in the MDR on Carnival (some hits and misses though), especially the quality of meats, and found Carnival MDR food much better as far as quality and selection but in my own experience. On my Regal cruise, the meats in the MDR were like shoe leather and very bland. I was very disappointed. We found the meal we had in Sabatino's fantastic..best meal we had on the Regal.

 

On my Ruby cruise..I found the buffet food fantastsic...so much better than the MDR and better than any other cruise I've ever been on no matter what the line.

 

What it all amounts to...who they bring on as the head chef and his/her culinary team. Food quality and prep can definitely vary between ships on the same line.

[stoneharborlady]

I love the rolls....Princess has great bread...I think, anyway. :)

 

I love them too, but agree that it would be really nice to have them warm rather than cold.

[DebJ14]

I thought the food was good on the Star. Dont do the specialty restaurants because they are not any better than the dining room.

 

Some things I liked were the duck, surf and turf,clam spaghetti, salads, veal scaloppini, filet of sole,cod,and most deserts.

 

The pastas were mostly a disappointment as they mistly came with different ingredients than described and very little meat. Only a few years ago the pastas were a highlight. They seem to use that tired red sauce over and over again

 

I have to disagree. Crown Grille and Sabatini's are definitely superior to the Main Dining Room in both food quality and service.

[huskerc]

I'll admit we've only done one Princess cruise, but the MDR food we had on the Star was easily the best we've had on a cruise ship. This compares against NCL and its specialty restaurants (no contest) as well as Celebrity MDR/Blu (no contest/moderate edge). Celebrity's specialty restaurants are quite good, but they're also ~$50pp.

[stoneharborlady]

Their interpretation of a classic Aus/NZ dessert is also wrong. They serve meringue not pavlova. Just putting some cream on a meringue nest doesn't turn it into pavlova. Pavlova must have a marshmallow-like interior and a crisp meringue crust.

 

They may be wrong (to you), to me they were wonderful! My daughter and I were thrilled to find them one afternoon at the buffet, and the next day at the International Cafe. Yum!

[GUT2407]

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.

 

 

I agree with trying new foods, what's to loose.

[GUT2407]

Their interpretation of a classic Aus/NZ dessert is also wrong. They serve meringue not pavlova. Just putting some cream on a meringue nest doesn't turn it into pavlova. Pavlova must have a marshmallow-like interior and a crisp meringue crust.

 

 

Agree, buy even a poor pav is better than no Pav at all, one cruise, 13 nights had it every night, the only trouble was they didn't realise it had to have ice cream with it, but I got it anyway.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Agree, buy even a poor pav is better than no Pav at all, one cruise, 13 nights had it every night, the only trouble was they didn't realise it had to have ice cream with it, but I got it anyway.

 

I have had ones that weren't better than no pav at all. ;)

 

Ice-cream with pav? :eek: Sacrilege! Cream! Only cream! :D

[OzKiwiJJ]

They may be wrong (to you), to me they were wonderful! My daughter and I were thrilled to find them one afternoon at the buffet, and the next day at the International Cafe. Yum!

 

If you liked those you would be in heaven with proper pavlova. ;)

 

Unfortunately it is almost impossible to make a proper pavlova in single serves, the amount of meringue is too small to allow the centre to stay marshmallowy. :(

[GUT2407]

I have had ones that weren't better than no pav at all. ;)

 

Ice-cream with pav? :eek: Sacrilege! Cream! Only cream! :D

 

 

Of course cream, but the ice cream too.

 

They also seemed to have forgotten the fruit. Or maybe there was just a shortage and that's why they used so little.

[GUT2407]

If you liked those you would be in heaven with proper pavlova. ;)

 

Unfortunately it is almost impossible to make a proper pavlova in single serves, the amount of meringue is too small to allow the centre to stay marshmallowy. :(

 

 

Don't understand the bit about single serve never seen a Pav that wasn't single serve, wifey makes a lovely one about 15" across and 6" deep, that's my idea of a single serve.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Of course cream, but the ice cream too.

 

They also seemed to have forgotten the fruit. Or maybe there was just a shortage and that's why they used so little.

 

Yes, half a strawberry, a raspberry, and half a thin slice of kiwifruit - or something like that.

 

You'd like the pavs I make. Like your wife's they are fairly big and deep, with about 600ml of whipped cream on top, then absolutely covered with fruit - usually kiwifruit, whole strawberries, raspberries, mango and passionfruit.

 

I'll bet your wife does NOT let you eat a whole pav by yourself. :eek: :p

 

The smallest I've tried making was a one egg pav. By piling it high I managed to get a good marshmallow middle. Any smaller and it would have ended up like those boring meringues served onboard - dry in the middle. :(

[xanax]

The dining room Princess food is better than Carnival by far. Yes, it's not gourmet, but you're not paying those prices either. :)

 

Totally disagree.

[GUT2407]

Yes, half a strawberry, a raspberry, and half a thin slice of kiwifruit - or something like that.

 

You'd like the pavs I make. Like your wife's they are fairly big and deep, with about 600ml of whipped cream on top, then absolutely covered with fruit - usually kiwifruit, whole strawberries, raspberries, mango and passionfruit.

 

 

 

DD adds some chocolate (a crumbled up flake)

 

I'll bet your wife does NOT let you eat a whole pav by yourself. :eek: :p

 

If she ain't home she can't stop me, I come by my name the honest way.

 

The smallest I've tried making was a one egg pav. By piling it high I managed to get a good marshmallow middle. Any smaller and it would have ended up like those boring meringues served onboard - dry in the middle. :(

 

You did will to get one egg with a fluffy middle.

[OzKiwiJJ]

DD adds some chocolate (a crumbled up flake)

 

If she ain't home she can't stop me, I come by my name the honest way.

 

You did will to get one egg with a fluffy middle.

 

I've used grated dark chocolate at times. Nice for a change, especially with raspberries, but in summer I like all the fruit on it.

 

The trick is to pile it as high as a full sized pav and reduce the cooking time. My regular three egg recipe takes an hour and I gave the one egg one 40 minutes.

[pablo222]

I love princess cruises but not the food . The chefs on board have years of experience and I know they can put food out that has some love in it. Is this a ploy so they do not compete with the premium restaurants?

 

If you are bored with the food on princess, perhaps it's time

to try some other cruise lines?

 

That would seem to break-up the bordom.

[Linerguy]

The dining room Princess food is better than Carnival by far. Yes, it's not gourmet, but you're not paying those prices either. :)

 

By far? Really? I also have to disagree. Carnival's food is fine; problem is, until the introduction of the new menus, it's been the same food for years.

 

Princess' food was fine as well...although I wasn't thrilled with the quality of the beef in the MDR. And the idea of baked bean sandwiches, or biscuits with jalapeno cheese sauce for breakfast just made me cringe. Still, we had some lovely meals, and, most importantly, we've always had a great time.

[Woobstr112G]

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

 

True words.....:):):)

 

Bob

[nimiq]

This will be our 16th out of 30 cruise with Princess this summer and must admit the food on almost everyone is starting to be a tad boring. It could only be us that have done so many cruises that we are more critic or it could be because it has been downgraded a bit through the years.

 

I would like to see it more like it use to be but like any business now a days they do cuts everywhere possible to make money.

 

sea ya

 

Eric

[Woobstr112G]

This will be our 16th out of 30 cruise with Princess this summer and must admit the food on almost everyone is starting to be a tad boring. It could only be us that have done so many cruises that we are more critic or it could be because it has been downgraded a bit through the years.

 

I would like to see it more like it use to be but like any business now a days they do cuts everywhere possible to make money.

 

sea ya

 

Eric

 

Oh well, at least we are on the ship.....:):):)

 

Bob

Edited June 18, 2015 by Woobstr112G

[nimiq]

Oh well, at least we are on the ship.....:):):)

 

Bob

 

That's exactly what I say :-)

Better on the ship then at work :-)

 

Sea ya

 

Eric

[satxdiver]

Princess is a mass market cruise line and has to adhere to the market. The food they prepare is dictated by Princess corporate right down to method of preparation and even how the food is displayed on the plates. In the kitchen they have pictures of the plates and how they are to appear once food is put on them. If you want gourmet food, you need to go to Sanborn or one of the upscale lines.

[tickford]

I have to say that on a cruise longer than 7 days the food does become repetitive (same as the entertainment if you have done a few princess cruises) and to some extent the quality goes off. I am vegetarian and have to say sometimes I struggle to find something appetising and warm. Even my hubby who eats pretty much everything agrees that by the end of the cruise things aren't quite top notch.....Mind you I hate cooking so any meal that is provided for me where I don't have to get it is a bonus...

Apple pie? What was served up on our last trip in May was yuk, yuk, yuk and that goes for I think it was an apricot or peach pie. It seemed to be full of "fillers/thickeners", very little moisture and fruit, very disappointing. Love the rolls, taste and variety on offer.

However much as I grumble about the food at times it is a big job feeding everyone so not everything can be 5 star.

And yes it is time I tried another cruise line I think.

[caribill]

I have to say that on a cruise longer than 7 days the food does become repetitive (same as the entertainment if you have done a few princess cruises) and to some extent the quality goes off.

 

If you are on a single cruise segment or more than seven days, there will be a different menu for each day of the segment. For example, a 15 day segment will have 15 different menus.

 

Some individual rotating items may repeat, but no entire menu repeats.

 

(Same for the entertainment. No show will repeat during the segment on different days.)