Is it me or do most all the MDR desserts suck?

[TheDougOut]

I'm not a dessert person. Seriously, NO sweet tooth. Does the MDR offer cheese plates for post-dinner treats?

 

Yep - cheese w/ grapes & crackers is a standard dessert option in MDRs.

[CruisinCrow]

The warm chocolate volcano is amazing! I don't know about the other desserts because I ate that all 3 nights of our Sky cruise. :)

[BreeYark]

I did not have dinner often in the MDR in the past, preferring the UDP/SDP. However, I went a few times in my most recent cruise, a month ago, on the Epic. I was completely underwhelmed by the desserts in the MDR at dinner. Like some have said, most were gelatin/pudding based, not to my liking. I'm really grateful for the chocolate lava cake on the everyday menu!

 

My best dessert on NCL is surprisingly served in the MDR, but for lunch, not for dinner : The orange chocolate mousse. Perfect yet simple dessert! I wish it was offered at dinner and in the buffet, I would have that all the time!

 

Someone also mentioned the strawberry pound cake at O'Sheehan's. Add my vote on that one, that's a dessert worthy of the name!

[spanishguy1970]

I know the subject is MDR desserts but I have to add how gross the green tea cake is at Tepanaki.

 

Ugh gross is right. I had it last year and i took one bite and left the rest.

[SeattleSuz]

Oh I am so glad to hear this. I have been going dessert free/low sugar since January and if the desserts are not that exciting, I won't feel like I am missing anything by not having any! My hubby and 9 YO won't be as excited, but oh well, they can always get ice cream! LOL

[4774Papa]

I think this is the real reason most American's find the desserts so tasteless. American's are not used to lower sugar baked goods like you find nearly everywhere else in the world. We associate taste with sugar. We have a little Croatian bakery near our house and their cakes are insanely good but they aren't going to cut it for those with a sweet tooth.

 

DW and I rarely eat desserts. We do at Thanksgiving, Christmas and on cruises or at a nice restaurant.

 

We lived in Germany for four years and loved the German cafes with the cakes and pastries. The sugar content didn't seem as concentrated as you frequently find in the USA. Many of the chefs on cruises are not from the USA. The chief chef on the Sun was from India. One thing that I know is that India can produce great food and apparently great cooks.

 

Perhaps we are just getting old and more concerned about our health, which is natural, but eating high concentrations of sugar just does not appeal to us. We haven't had candy bars in years. I still live ice cream, but don't partake that much.

 

After all, the original exercise guru, Jack LaLane said "sugar is your enemy."

[dna529]

I don't find myself very picky. I think the food in the MDR is very good. To the point I won't even bother upgrading to the specialty restaurants anymore. But I never enjoy the desserts. I'm to the point I don't even order them. That's the only part of the specialty restaurants I like are their desserts. Is it just me?

My husband and I agree. We have been saying this since 2012 and he always just orders ice cream. I try different things, hoping for a good one, but it never happens.

 

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[Oldgoat61]

I have found that most desserts from the buffet are bland, although it does have some surprises.....you have to remember which ones (and their like) are not to your liking. I like the bread pudding with caramel sauce (there are several variations in the buffet), melting volcano cake, and the creme bruele (sp). But as long as we have been cruising with NCL, the desserts have always left a lot to be desired.

[cmdchiefthom]

I've not been in any MDR on any brand ship since speciality venues began to appear, years ago. I'm willing to pay for speciality food because it tastes good, and the menus rarely change, so I can order the same item, or should I choose, something else that I like. Its not about being a snob, its about knowing what's being served that I wish to eat, each and every day, including the desserts.:)

[karoo]

I agree they are not good and the buffet desserts are worse.

They look pretty but don't taste like anything. I do wonder though if it's because as an American I am used to more sugar in the dessert? I'd be interested to hear what non-Americans think.

 

 

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Spot on- I can't eat desserts or cookies in the US because they are so supersweet. All I can taste is sugar. I do like US ice cream though!

 

 

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[stungazed]

I don't find myself very picky. I think the food in the MDR is very good. To the point I won't even bother upgrading to the specialty restaurants anymore. But I never enjoy the desserts. I'm to the point I don't even order them. That's the only part of the specialty restaurants I like are their desserts. Is it just me?

 

No, it's not just you as you can see from the posts in this thread. On my first Breakaway cruise in March there seemed to be an abundance of desserts that were gelatin based or mousse. Then more recently in September there were fewer of those with more cake items that were pretty dry and tasteless.

 

 

 

Agree the MDR desserts are forgettable. Also, we had 2 birthday celebrations on the Getaway in September and the cakes were pretty tasteless.

 

If they were anything like the birthday cakes we got on the Breakaway, dry and tasteless is an understatement!

[JB3]

It does not make sense to me that the bread and breakfast pastry bakers make such delicious cinnamon buns, pretzel rolls, croissants, etc but no one can make a slice of pie or cake that has any flavor. Particularly disappointing were a sweet potato pie and key lime pie. Both tasted like raw dough and plain gelatin. I don't think I finished any buffet dessert except the crepes and cookies.

 

I don't understand that either, because the breads and pastries are so awesome. I agree that the desserts in the MDR on NCL are not good. More days than not we just had ice cream or nothing.

(The desserts in Le Bistro, however, are amazing.)

Edited October 6, 2016 by JB3

[ABC Cruisers]

Thank you for starting this thread! My husband always says I don't care for the desserts on a cruise because I own a bakery, now I know it's not just me lol. I love desserts but nothing on a cruise ever seems worth the calories!

[Barb Nahoumi]

I usually order ice cream or sherbet for dessert. That and coffee, is all that I need.

[Barb Nahoumi]

P.S. In the past wafers were inserted into the ice cream served in the MDR. Lately, they are no longer included.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I have to agree that most cakes on cruise ships are incredibly dry and tasteless. I don't even know how you could make cakes that bad.

[4774Papa]

I don't understand that either, because the breads and pastries are so awesome. I agree that the desserts in the MDR on NCL are not good. More days than not we just had ice cream or nothing.

(The desserts in Le Bistro, however, are amazing.)

 

Prior to our recent Sun cruise, we found the NCL desserts to be mediocre.

 

However, on the Sun, the ship has an Indian chef, the food and desserts were great. I think NCL is trying to improve its food.

[riddle]

My last few cruises I did not even find cookies in the buffet. They used to have really good cookies. They would even bring them out mid afternoon while we were in the pool. Now they are gone apparently.

[Zippeedee]

My last few cruises I did not even find cookies in the buffet. They used to have really good cookies. They would even bring them out mid afternoon while we were in the pool. Now they are gone apparently.

 

I only found cookies on the buffet at the Great Outdoors on the Gem. There was a good variety and they were ok, better than most of the other desserts. They would put them out in the afternoon. I never saw them on the main buffet.

[biker@sea]

My last few cruises I did not even find cookies in the buffet. They used to have really good cookies. They would even bring them out mid afternoon while we were in the pool. Now they are gone apparently.

 

On Dawn< ya had to ask for cookies the kept em out back,cuz of folks taking plates full. :(

 

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[sennen]

Most desserts on the ships are aimed at Americans so are very sweet and that covers any taste that should be their, also you get bread and butter pudding because that's what the American want, Why? We have been on ships like Fred Olson which is no aimed at Americans and the desserts have been really nice and have taste. I think that the cruise lines cater for they customers tastes.

 

Also can anyone tell me why you add sugar to your eggs at breakfast time I hate that eggs should be eggs, and no it was not a one off you get it every time you visit the states.

[rochelle_s]

Alas I no longer found Bamboo's Banana Pancakes with Coconut Ice Cream. :(:(

 

.

 

As TheDougOut said yes this is available.....if you don't see it on the menu just ask and they can get you one. Often they are served with packages of saltine crackers, but you can also ask if they can serve something different.

 

 

Rochelle

[peacefulOR]

I find desserts on most cruise ships kind of subpar, with a few exceptions. They are too much like desserts you buy in the frozen department at a store. Probably with good reason.

 

I agree with this. Just off RCCL Explorer and enjoyed a decent key lime pie. Not too sweet and not gelatin, but a curd filling. Cookies were okay but nothing close to Carnival's Bitter & Blanc or even lava cake. They use all that gelatin because it's WAY cheaper than: cream, butter, cream cheese, good chocolate, etc. I don't agree with the posts that say Americans just want heavy sugar; gross generalizations rarely work. The lack of flavor and mouth feel is what most of us, wherever we come from, find unsatisfying in cruise desserts.

:rolleyes:

[newmexicoNita]

I don't find myself very picky. I think the food in the MDR is very good. To the point I won't even bother upgrading to the specialty restaurants anymore. But I never enjoy the desserts. I'm to the point I don't even order them. That's the only part of the specialty restaurants I like are their desserts. Is it just me?

 

I wouldn't go so far as to use the term: suck, but desserts in the MDR are not all that great. Luckily for us, we are usually full enough that we have no reason to bother with desserts. I am guessing that is the case with many cruisers.

[Toby459]

MDR desserts are not the highlight of my cruise. However, I do like the pound cake with strawberries at O'Shehans. I also ask for the cheese plate in the MDR as it is no longer on the menu (or wasn't on my last cruise).