Grandeur main dining room food

[bananawindnj]

Just got off the Grandeur yesterday (10-31)

Our 5th Grandeur sailing and I must remark that the Food selections and food quality in the MDR has fallen off considerably IMO. I am not picky and eat just about anything, but I do look forward to a nice dinner with special entrees that have been on the menu in the past. Many are all gone. The meat quality is now a hit or miss proposition, especially a beef entree. No lamb chops or duck anymore.

Beef Bourguignonne and stroganoff had chewy strips of beef like a stir fry or fajitas??? I couldn't believe it.

What happened to chunks of tender meat?

They ran out of Shrimp cocktail on second formal night and had crab salad listed as an appetizer, which came out with ONLY baby shrimp in it. Waiter laughed when I said this is not crab.

Thank God the buffet had Indian food at lunch every day.

BTW, No evening trapeze artists in atrium anymore either.

Everything else about the Grandeur was excellent, but the cutbacks are really apparent. We will go back, but with lower expectations. It is still a great ship.

[Biker19]

BTW, No evening trapeze artists in atrium anymore either.

 

I assume this was not weather related, but the performers were just not on the ship?

[metroidfreak]

i assume this was not weather related, but the performers were just not on the ship?

 

The weather was nice most of the time. i think something broke in the cable lifts because the brought the sun ring out tonset up and immediatly brought it back. they didnt announce anything though.

Edited November 1, 2016 by metroidfreak

[papaflamingo]

Too bad about the food. I think this might be an "industry trend." Similar complaints on other cruisline boards. I get the need to make a profit, but IMHO it seems that "profit" is the only orientation that the company has. We love RCCL, and I'm not a picky eater by any means. But I won't do Chops anymore, not even sure about 150. Chefs Table on small ships has been great, but heard it's not so good on large ships.

I love cruising. But dining has always been a highlight for the industry. Seems they are cutting just a bit too much. Oh well.... seems a trend in every industry.

[bucknwanda]

I also was on the Grandeur's recent cruise. I second what has been said about the quality of the food. We went to the MDR the first night and sat at a table for eight. There was one other couple sitting at the table that night. We only visited the MDR one other time during the cruise and found the same couple there with three other people that had moved from another empty table so they had someone to talk to. I have never seen such an empty MDR on any cruise I've been on.

The rest of the cruise we ate at the specialty spots or the Windjammer which was crowded. Our expectations for the quality of food has diminished over the years. I guess the cruise line needs to pay for the super ships with the loyal cruisers receiving less and less.

Bucknwanda

[Biker19]

they didnt announce anything though.

 

Useful and timely communication is not an RCI strong point - sounds like a temporary technical issue and not an indication that the Centrum aerial show is going away.

[Clarea]

Useful and timely communication is not an RCI strong point - sounds like a temporary technical issue and not an indication that the Centrum aerial show is going away.

No aerial show at all on Brilliance on the recent 14-day TA.

[cruisedirectorakaMOM]

I do feel it's an industry wide issue. I know it has been for RC. Each cruise we go on I feel the food is a little more disappointing. It used to be we did specialty dining to get better quality, but now even they are not the same quality. What a shame.

[readytogo2]

It's sad to hear that, being my cruise is 10 days away. We haven't cruised in a few years but when I was on the Gradeur in 2010, the food seemed better than Princess, although the menu on Princess was getting old to us.

 

When Specialty dining first started, I resisted as I thought it was ridiculous that we should pay for food when there was good food included in the cruise fare. Once they got us all hooked on Specialty dining, the food quality in the MDR took a nose dive and the Specialty dining fees went up. We kinda did it to ourselves.

 

I told my wife on our next cruise, we will only be eating in the MDR and if the food sucks, I will complain til they bring me something that I am satisfied with. I am really so tired of all the nickel and diming and for that reson we cruise less. I went as far as buying a Vacation home that we frequent quite often and we eat out...alot :D

[bananawindnj]

Useful and timely communication is not an RCI strong point - sounds like a temporary technical issue and not an indication that the Centrum aerial show is going away.

 

Trapeze act was never announced or advertised on this cruise as they usually do. I don't think one person's opinion of what he saw would conclude that a technical problem was the reason for the no show. They would have been apologizing for the no show. They could have temporarily stopped the aerial act seasonaly. I do hope that it is coming back to Grandeur .

Edited November 1, 2016 by bananawindnj

[luvscruising2007]

It is disappointing to read about cutbacks especially where the food is concerned. Personally, I would pay a little more for cruise fare if they would up the quality of the food in the MDR.

Edited November 1, 2016 by luvscruising2007

[John Reid]

I cruised Grandeur on Sept. 29. We cruise on her often, so I have familiarity. On Grandeur, we usually eat dinner in Windjammer but have used the MDR at times.

 

MDR food on Oasis was much better. Better cuts of beef. Real, recognizable shrimp cocktails (had to ask but they always had them).

 

Food, quality of food and choices at both lunch and dinner in the Windjammer had deteriorated markedly from the previous three cruises. I eat almost anything and am quite satisfied with Windjammer offerings. Well, was. On three days they didn't even have hamburgers at lunch. The absurdity is that they had all the hamburger fixings in the area - sliced cheese, sliced tomatoes, sliced pickles and onions - but they didn't have hamburgers. Hamburgers were served as a dinner choice one night.

 

The beef - daily steak and carving - was cooked dry. No meat juice on the carving board when they carved.

 

I know exactly what you mean by fajita beef. All the recipes (stroganoff, stew, etc.) used this meat. Three nights they served cottage/shepherd's pie made with seasoned taco meat.

 

I really like Grandeur and I'm looking forward to two more cruises in the next three months on her. But the change in food was noticeable.

[Sunseeker331]

For those of you who have sailed on the Grandeur recently, do you have any MDR menu photos or Cruise Compasses you can share?

 

We'll be sailing on the Grandeur for the first time in a few weeks.

[auntiedodo]

We are eating in the Windjammer every meal because the food is at right temperature, there's a wide variety of choices, and to our dismay the food in he MDR was inedible. Some of the chicken was almost bloody inside, the lobster was small and tough, and it's the same vegetables over and over. We usually eat at Giovanni's but now the filet has been removed from that menu we have to go to Chops. Too many cutbacks and it's very noticeable. Not to the usual Grandeur standards!

[Lady Hudson]

I have found the MDR food to be inconsistent. Possibly depending on the executive chef onboard?? The food on our last two trips (August and September) was not very good. DH continually opted for the Chops steak for an extra fee. I am sorry to see the Grandeur food in decline.

[Georgeny]

We also just returned on Oct 31 cruise and can only agree with Bananawindnj on the deterioration of the MDR Menu. On the second formal night asked for Prime rib on menu and was advised their was none, the menu was a misprint. Had the lobster and I could not believe the size. I thought the smaller rock lobster's were tiny now have no idea what these were but to call them a lobster was hilarious. The meat removed from shell was about the size of a silver dollar. Arturo our waiter, and Brenda our Head Division waiter could only apologize. We were told that the menu was such a problem that the Officers met for three hours discussing it with corporate while we were in Miami. True, who knows? Also told will change again in January, better or worse, who knows.

 

All lines the writing is on the wall. Continued additions of paid restaurants, adding extra pay, lobster 29.96 PLUS 18% additional tip on MDR menu, etc. The intent is paid food and alacarte charges. They are not so slowly removing everything that made cruising our preferred travel. We have gone from 4 cruises a year to 2 and looking for alternatives. A sad state of affairs for cruisaholics.

 

We are sailing the Oosterdam holiday cruise in December. Airlines have so many fees and annoying changes that we are actually driving to Florida and making a combo land trip cruise trip out of it. In preparation for more land trips since no reason to cruise of just like land travel now, almost anyway. One good thing no more seasick worries.

 

So what will they cut back next??? Toilet paper???

[Georgeny]

For those of you who have sailed on the Grandeur recently, do you have any MDR menu photos or Cruise Compasses you can share?

 

We'll be sailing on the Grandeur for the first time in a few weeks.

 

I only took one picture of menu. Don't know if uploaded okay ( it didn't sorry ) but I tried. Note that what was once the normal surf and turf, real piece of meat and real 6 oz lobster tail will now cost you $34.95 PLUS 18% gratuity in MDR

 

They obviously wish to do away with MDR's and have specialty and buffet. Those that can and will pay make a reservation. Those that can't or won't get on line at buffet.

 

George in NY

Edited November 7, 2016 by Georgeny

[bananawindnj]

That is when we will probably stop cruising and go on more land tours!

 

 

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