Red Ginger on Sirena

[Paulchili]

We just finished a Baltic cruise on the Marina.

Spoke with the GM about Sirena and we were told that after the refurbishment she would have a Red Ginger restaurant in the Polo space and the Toscana would feature menu items from Polo and Toscana.

It sounds good but my favorite restaurant (Jacques) seems to have gotten the short end of the deal :(

[Mura]

I happen to agree with you ... Red Ginger is our least favorite restaurant on Marina/Riviera, Jacques the most favorite.

 

So we lose ...

 

Actually, if they have the space to combine Polo and Toscana on the "R" ships, I don't see why they couldn't do the same with RG and Jacques. (Admittedly they have very different menus!)

 

Mura

[DaisyUK]

Well, that's great news for me! I love Red Ginger. How was the Baltic cruise?

[LHT28]

Interesting

 

Maybe they could rotate then

Jacques for a month then RG for a month :D

 

I would prefer RG if those are the choices

[ORV]

I hope that works out. I'd like to see that spread to the rest of the R ships.

[Paulchili]

Well, that's great news for me! I love Red Ginger. How was the Baltic cruise?

 

We like RG as well but not as much as Jacques.

The cruise was great because we cruised with our family and spent most of the time with them. The weather was flawless.

That said, it was anything but your typical O cruise.

There were aboput 70 children onboard and many of them were running in the halls and elevators.

Of the 1200 people on board there were only 400 repeat O cruisers. That means that 800 - or 2/3 of the passengers were new to Oceania and it really showed.

I, like others, will avoid cruises during school holidays whenever possible but this time it was unavoidable.

On the positive side, I am happy to say that the food and the staff were as great as ever. :)

[TrulyBlonde]

Thanks Paul,

We will be on Sirena from Venice May 2016 and that will be a nice addition.

[Pet Nit Noy]

There were aboput 70 children onboard and many of them were running in the halls and elevators. Of the 1200 people on board there were only 400 repeat O cruisers. That means that 800 - or 2/3 of the passengers were new to Oceania and it really showed. I, like others, will avoid cruises during school holidays whenever possible but this time it was unavoidable. On the positive side, I am happy to say that the food and the staff were as great as ever. :)

 

I also think it is an O ship VS R ship thing. Our July Baltic cruise on Nautica had 12-20 children 12 years or younger -- and plenty of teen, too -- but all were remarkably well behaved. Only someone who doesn't want to see any children on board would have had negative feelings about our sailing.

 

I think the glitz and newness of Marina and Riviera attract a slightly different demographic. And that apparently brings with it children who need better parenting.

[DaisyUK]

We like RG as well but not as much as Jacques.

The cruise was great because we cruised with our family and spent most of the time with them. The weather was flawless.

That said, it was anything but your typical O cruise.

There were aboput 70 children onboard and many of them were running in the halls and elevators.

Of the 1200 people on board there were only 400 repeat O cruisers. That means that 800 - or 2/3 of the passengers were new to Oceania and it really showed.

I, like others, will avoid cruises during school holidays whenever possible but this time it was unavoidable.

On the positive side, I am happy to say that the food and the staff were as great as ever. :)

 

Glad to hear you had a great time with your family and that the food and staff were up to par. You have me running scared about the children though. We have booked a 19-day Baltic cruise on Marina, starting mid-August next year. I had assumed that this region would be of less interest to families/children. Oh dear.

[TrulyBlonde]

Glad to hear you had a great time with your family and that the food and staff were up to par. You have me running scared about the children though. We have booked a 19-day Baltic cruise on Marina, starting mid-August next year. I had assumed that this region would be of less interest to families/children. Oh dear.

 

I think Disney may now be doing this cruise, also. Summer is off limits for us due to heat, too many tourists, and all of those youngsters on Summer break. I do not notice when a few are on board, but have no desire to be overrun by them.

[Pet Nit Noy]

I happen to agree with you ... Red Ginger is our least favorite restaurant on Marina/Riviera, Jacques the most favorite.

 

I know there are some unique dishes available at Jacques, but in general, the GDR menu leans in the direction of the classics of French cuisine. There are far more Jacques-like dishes on the GDR menu, than the ones officially designed the daily Jacques option. Travel to Paris, and you'll have a harder time finding the classics prepared as well as they're being prepared at Jacques. (It's still possible to find the classics being prepared well outside of Paris.)

 

Actually, if they have the space to combine Polo and Toscana on the "R" ships, I don't see why they couldn't do the same with RG and Jacques. (Admittedly they have very different menus!)

 

Wok cooking and Western cooking in the same kitchen? Not gonna happen.

[babysteps]

Very helpful Paulchili - explains "The Americas 2016" brochure text of

"Exclusively onboard Sirena: Special selection of gourmet specialty restaurants".

 

Now I know what that means - or at least part of what that means!

 

Brochure arrived yesterday - one of those large bound-magazine style ones.

Edited August 14, 2015 by babysteps

[Jancruz]

Red Ginger will be on all of the R ships and the reason is..it is the most popular of all of the restaurants on Oceania...

Jancruz1

[Mura]

I won't deny that Jan ... it just isn't popular with US. But I know we are in the minority.

 

Mura

[alaala]

I'm with you, Mura, it has been our least favorite. Mostly because if the very different service vibe and pacing. Can't quite describe it without risk of being misunderstood here. Jacques was our fav too.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Floridiana]

. We have booked a 19-day Baltic cruise on Marina, starting mid-August next year.

 

It might depend on the nationalities on the ship. Many US states start the school year in August. My great nieces in Indiana are back already.

[wripro]

I'm curious how they'll combine Toscana and Polo. Will we get steak with a side order of pasta or pasta with steak on the side?

[StanandJim]

It might depend on the nationalities on the ship. Many US states start the school year in August. My great nieces in Indiana are back already.

 

I don't think that anybody could take kids out of school for 19+ days without severe truant problems...

[Flatbush Flyer]

The issue with Red Ginger is (IMO), while the food tastes good, most of the dishes are quite westernized and not authentic.

Edited August 14, 2015 by Flatbush Flyer

[Paulchili]

I'm curious how they'll combine Toscana and Polo. Will we get steak with a side order of pasta or pasta with steak on the side?

 

I am only speculating that they might pick the most popular items from the 2 restaurants rather than combining dishes from them - somewhat along the lines one can order now in Privee, but more limited options rather than 2 full menus.

[Pet Nit Noy]

The issue with Red Ginger is (IMO), while the food tastes good, most of the dishes are quite westernized and not authentic.

 

Every time I've read about the seabass with miso glaze on this board, I've seen people use the word sweet glaze. I don't care for sweet with my protein so I repeatedly passed on Red Ginger's seabass when it appeared on the menu for the GDR. Finally, I was so bored with the rest of the menu that I ordered it. I was, in fact, delighted with this dish. The sauce was the perfect balance of competing flavors and ultimately was much more savory than sweet. But authentic? Not even close.

 

My other quarrel is with the degree of spiciness in dishes that are designated as hot. What I'm about to say is based on a cruise taken a couple of years ago. On my latest cruise, there certainly were indications that enough folks had complained about the same problem and there was a solution.

 

Also, my comments have nothing to do with a broad swath of the menu. Asian dishes that are not authentically spicy hot should not be served spicy hot. However, if a restaurant is going to offer a dish which is authentically hot -- and the restaurant labels the dish as hot -- then it should, in fact, be spiced hot.

 

On the earlier cruise, when I asked for the condiment tray, a staple in any Asian restaurant that serves Thai food, there was none to be had. On my most recent cruise, when I wanted to up the spice level, I could do so in the GDR and at Waves, the two places I tried.

 

There was a jar of Sambal Oelek chili paste on the condiment tray at Waves along with other things like Malt Vinegar. And our waiter in the GDR brought me a ramekin filled so full of Sambal Oelek that it would have lasted every meal of our cruise. (Sambal Oelek chili paste is seriously hot. It gets a rating of 1,865 on the Scoville rating system. Frank's hot sauce, the stuff that sauces Buffalo wings is only 450. Sriracha is 2,200.)

[sammiedawg]

I don't think that anybody could take kids out of school for 19+ days without severe truant problems...

 

We never took our kids out of school for vacations, school is their job. I've bitten my tongue a few times on three week vacations and there were school age kids on board. There are cruise critic members who brag about taking their kids out of school with the rationale they learn things while cruising. And they were not in a year round school program where they have non standard vacation periods.

 

I like the idea of combined Polo and Toscano menus as I have favorites in both.

Edited August 14, 2015 by sammiedawg

[Paulchili]

 

I like the idea of combined Polo and Toscano menus as I have favorites in both.

 

For your sake, let's hope they do pick your favorites :)

[buggins0402]

Red Ginger will be on all of the R ships and the reason is..it is the most popular of all of the restaurants on Oceania...

Jancruz1

 

That's good to know. All the other R's were recently upgraded, so I imagine that it will be some time before Red Ginger is added to the other R's, correct?

 

While Red Ginger may not be authentic, as an Asian fusion it does a good job.

[LHT28]

What is authentic anymore :D