I always get a good laugh from this...

[navybankerteacher]

Food comments on CC reflect the posters' attitude ( or pretensions) more than actual quality. Some like to sound superior, and refer to MDR offerings as "just banquet food"; others just like to complain, and don't realize how silly they sound: "the food tasted awful, and the portions were too small"; some are judgemental about the harried waiters.

 

Of course the food on a cruise ship will not match that in five star restaurants - or that cooked at home by people who buy quality ingredients and know how to cook and are willing to put in the effort. And obviously, as cruising becomes a mass market thing and lines continually try to find ways to cut costs, the quality of food and service will degrade. That said: you have to wonder where all these self-proclaimed gourmets eat when not cruising --- obviously a lot of them are happy at Outback, Ponderosa, Applebee's, Olive Garden, etc. and must be among the billions of McDonalds "diners" (I feel guilty about my not eating at McD's - when I think about those people who must have consumed my share of the "billions and billions served"). Even NCL, which seems to be continually testing the bottom of the barrel, serves better meals than the shore-based mass market restaurants which many of the self-proclaimed gourmets on these threads must be happily keeping in business.

[MicCanberra]

IMO.....Drink prices on a cruise line should not be as high as a land based restaurant. Also it seems prices go up every time we cruise. Not sure if that's to entice passengers to buy drink packages or just to cover the costs of all these new ships they are building or both.

 

In my experience the prices on ships tend to be cheaper and compares to club (RSL, Workers, etc) prices rather than restaurant, Pub or bar prices which are higher priced. Although when the ship is in USD then the conversion to AUD makes them much more expensive. Drink packages can be good but only when offered as a perk.:D

[MicCanberra]

Food comments on CC reflect the posters' attitude ( or pretensions) more than actual quality. Some like to sound superior, and refer to MDR offerings as "just banquet food"; others just like to complain, and don't realize how silly they sound: "the food tasted awful, and the portions were too small"; some are judgemental about the harried waiters.

 

Of course the food on a cruise ship will not match that in five star restaurants - or that cooked at home by people who buy quality ingredients and know how to cook and are willing to put in the effort. And obviously, as cruising becomes a mass market thing and lines continually try to find ways to cut costs, the quality of food and service will degrade. That said: you have to wonder where all these self-proclaimed gourmets eat when not cruising --- obviously a lot of them are happy at Outback, Ponderosa, Applebee's, Olive Garden, etc. and must be among the billions of McDonalds "diners" (I feel guilty about my not eating at McD's - when I think about those people who must have consumed my share of the "billions and billions served"). Even NCL, which seems to be continually testing the bottom of the barrel, serves better meals than the shore-based mass market restaurants which many of the self-proclaimed gourmets on these threads must be happily keeping in business.

 

Agreed.:D Good post.

[navybankerteacher]

IMO.....Drink prices on a cruise line should not be as high as a land based restaurant. Also it seems prices go up every time we cruise. Not sure if that's to entice passengers to buy drink packages or just to cover the costs of all these new ships they are building or both.

 

The fact is, meal prices at land based restaurants - as well as drink prices - have generally kept up with inflation in recent years. Basic cruise fares, on the other hand, have certainly not kept up: accordingly lines have to pick up the slack somewhere, so why not on a variable add-on like drinks?

 

People who complain about drink prices going up would be unlikely to happily pay rising cruise fares. I think it's great that basic fares have been kept low.

[MicCanberra]

The fact is, meal prices at land based restaurants - as well as drink prices - have generally kept up with inflation in recent years. Basic cruise fares, on the other hand, have certainly not kept up: accordingly lines have to pick up the slack somewhere, so why not on a variable add-on like drinks?

 

People who complain about drink prices going up would be unlikely to happily pay rising cruise fares. I think it's great that basic fares have been kept low.

 

That is one advantage at least, fares have basically been around the same prices for many years.

[Kris74]

I remember when I was in my 20s almost everything outside my own cooking tasted terribly good :D not so anymore, in fact the opposite. I guess I just dont have the money to eat as well as we do at home. Its hard not to compare restaurant and cruiseship cooking to your own...

 

Having said that, Ive had very good meals onboard. But only about 20-30 prosent of times.

 

Also we eat quite healthy at home, so I do find many of the comfort type foods just disgusting.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Kris74