Thoughts on Food

[CrossBluePerchance]

no water slides, rock walls, photogs or prom nights on Oceania. But, after all, it's an "ocean cruise"- not an amusement park.

Four thumbs up from us!

 

As to the photogs, when we fly we don't line up to get pics taken with the pilot.......likewise bus drivers and train engineers!

[travelplus]

My Father and I have enjoyed the food in the MDR, Chops and Giovanni's. What you have to remember is that the cruise line caters to so many people and tastes.

 

I look at the menu on the Directional Wayfinders on at the front of the MDR to see what we may like. I have never had to send back an item and we enjoy the variety.

 

If I want more of something I'll order more if it does not appeal to me then I just leave it and order something else.

 

We love the Tutti Fruitti Salad Bar. The Park Cafe is a nice touch and has good breakfast,lunch and dinner options. The Windjammer has a lot of options too so if we want to go to lunch and don't want to sit down we'll go to Park Cafe or Windjammer.

 

To me there is too many options. We never left hungry.

[John&LaLa]

I agree that the food is not as good as it was years ago. That said, I always find something that I enjoy in the MDR. The fun of cruising is not ALL about the food. If the food is so bad-why do most people gain weight on the cruise? Now days with so much social media out there- I think people like to whine and complain if everything is not 100% perfect on their cruise! Relax and enjoy your time in the MDR, they have real napkins, glasses and silverware-it's not a fast food place. We do like to treat ourselves if we are on during an anniversary trip-and do a specialty every now and then though-and will do the BOGO deals.

I'm not as good as I was a few years ago. 😉

 

Seriously, our memories aren't that good either.

 

Some things better, some worse, some the same is how I feel.

 

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[John&LaLa]

Food is not a deal breaker for us, and we did find almost everything else about our time on Indy to be fantastic. If the deal is right, we'll sail RC again, but we'd go more prepared to fend for ourselves.

 

The lack of food options between 4-6 p.m. was abysmal. Our next cruise, I'd bring baggies and foil so I can stock up on bread, cheese, lunch meats, etc., from the Windjammer to keep in my fridge for a late afternoon snack. It's truly confusing there is nothing to eat between 4-6 except for the disgusting pizza and the very limited options at the cafe.

 

My husband was starving at 5 one evening, and he didn't like any of the three choices at the cafe and we already knew the pizza was gross.

The pizza is getting better

 

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[wilmingtech]

The pizza is getting better

 

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I hope they figure this out. Half decent pizza is really easy to do. We were on Freedom in March and while the kids like the pizza, I have a hard time eating it unless I am really hungry. It's just flour, water, tomato and cheese. But for some reason they just can't get it right on Royal.

 

- Sean

[John&LaLa]

Oasis this fall has been better than Majesty. Not enough sauce on MJ.

 

One thing you can request is to toss it back in the oven for a minute. Crisps the crust very nice

 

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[wilmingtech]

Oasis this fall has been better than Majesty. Not enough sauce on MJ.

 

One thing you can request is to toss it back in the oven for a minute. Crisps the crust very nice

 

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Yup. If it's not busy and we ask nicely they will cook us a fresh one. I'll ask for extra well done but it's still not delectable.

[Rusti]

Has anybody else read that room service is now 7.95 for anything other than breakfast? I think that's a mistake. Don't use it often but won't use it at all now.

[Clarea]

Has anybody else read that room service is now 7.95 for anything other than breakfast? I think that's a mistake. Don't use it often but won't use it at all now.

Yes, that's true.

 

 

Menus:

 

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/data/dining/room-service/menu/In-Stateroom-Room-Service-Full-Menu-web.pdf

[rukkian]

Has anybody else read that room service is now 7.95 for anything other than breakfast? I think that's a mistake. Don't use it often but won't use it at all now.

That is true, but it is a much improved menu and the fee is per order.

 

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[zdad59]

We just had the most spectacular cruise on the Allure and part of the excellence was the incredible fantastic service we got in the MDR. We were a large group and it was a pleasure to have our servers have our drinks ready each night, know what bread we liked, and give us other dishes to taste. We felt very pampered with the service. Maybe a specialty restaurant for a special occasion, but the MDR was a great experience for all of us.

 

This has been my groups experience as well. On both of our last two trips the MDR service was spectacular and we all found the food very good. We had one of folks get a bad dish at one meal last year. She simply mentioned it and a new different dish was there in minutes. But as you say its the little things about the same service team that has won us over. Last year, the floor manager made sure my wife got a new curry dish (which she loves) every meal as an appetizer, even though curry was not on the menu all cruise. Similarly, our head waiter made sure I got orange sherbet for dessert every night. He even brought me a serving the last night, when we ate at Giovanni's table. He personally delivered it too. Finally, as you noted, our bar server had our drinks ready for us as soon as we arrived, every night after the first night. She even worked the Solarium during the day, and took care of us like she was our private butler.

 

Sorry for the ramble, but we're HUGE MDR fans and there seem to be fewer and fewer of us left. But to each his own. As our group says..."No rules on the cruise". Do whatever makes you happy, There is no requirement to do anything you don't want to. If you want the specialty meal every night....go for it. Ain't nothing wrong with that either.

 

Hope to see some of you on Harmony this March 10th

 

[John&LaLa]

That is true, but it is a much improved menu and the fee is per order.

 

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It can be hit or miss Sometimes. If it's miss, have them redo it or take it off the bill.

 

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[John&LaLa]

This has been my groups experience as well. On both of our last two trips the MDR service was spectacular and we all found the food very good. We had one of folks get a bad dish at one meal last year. She simply mentioned it and a new different dish was there in minutes. But as you say its the little things about the same service team that has won us over. Last year, the floor manager made sure my wife got a new curry dish (which she loves) every meal as an appetizer, even though curry was not on the menu all cruise. Similarly, our head waiter made sure I got orange sherbet for dessert every night. He even brought me a serving the last night, when we ate at Giovanni's table. He personally delivered it too. Finally, as you noted, our bar server had our drinks ready for us as soon as we arrived, every night after the first night. She even worked the Solarium during the day, and took care of us like she was our private butler.

 

Sorry for the ramble, but we're HUGE MDR fans and there seem to be fewer and fewer of us left. But to each his own. As our group says..."No rules on the cruise". Do whatever makes you happy, There is no requirement to do anything you don't want to. If you want the specialty meal every night....go for it. Ain't nothing wrong with that either.

 

Hope to see some of you on Harmony this March 10th.

 

Interesting on the Orange sherbet. Laura asks every night and always gets turned down. What ship was this?

 

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[Smyles]

I hope they figure this out. Half decent pizza is really easy to do. We were on Freedom in March and while the kids like the pizza, I have a hard time eating it unless I am really hungry. It's just flour, water, tomato and cheese. But for some reason they just can't get it right on Royal.

 

- Sean

 

 

Perhaps they keep their costs down by NOT getting it right?

[SPacificbound]

There aren't enough specialty dining options available if everyone decided they didn't want MDR or buffet.

 

I eat vegetarian, no meat/chicken/fish etc. The buffet works best for me and DH can usually finds his meals in there OK.

 

Neither of us are foodies or gourmet diners. I eat to live not live to eat. The price for the pay restaurants would be lost on me.

[John&LaLa]

Perhaps they keep their costs down by NOT getting it right?

Hardly, most people don't seem to care. They move a lot of pies

 

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[zdad59]

Interesting on the Orange sherbet. Laura asks every night and always gets turned down. What ship was this?

 

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It was on Adventure of the Seas....Feb 2017 sailing.

 

Our team was awesome. The gent in the pic with us was the floor manager Anthony. He was by our table every night making sure all was in order. He was the one that brought my wife a curry appetizer each night.

[John&LaLa]

There aren't enough specialty dining options available if everyone decided they didn't want MDR or buffet.

 

I eat vegetarian, no meat/chicken/fish etc. The buffet works best for me and DH can usually finds his meals in there OK.

 

Neither of us are foodies or gourmet diners. I eat to live not live to eat. The price for the pay restaurants would be lost on me.

Food is necessary, it might as well be enjoyed.

 

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[SRF]

My Father and I have enjoyed the food in the MDR, Chops and Giovanni's. What you have to remember is that the cruise line caters to so many people and tastes.

 

This, my bland is your over spiced. You cannot hit everyone's palate.

[SRF]

Has anybody else read that room service is now 7.95 for anything other than breakfast? I think that's a mistake. Don't use it often but won't use it at all now.

 

Where have you been? :D

 

This has been for a while, and discussed on may threads.

 

And those threads have many posts by people making room service orders of a plate of cookies, or other small thing.

 

Also, look at any hotel, they have higher prices on room service food, then charge a service fee on top of that.

[SPacificbound]

Hardly, most people don't seem to care. They move a lot of pies

 

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My post was in response to the OP's question, nothing more than that. :)

[John&LaLa]

My post was in response to the OP's question, nothing more than that. :)

Okie dokie, but I didn't quote you on the pizza quote. 😉

 

 

 

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[xpcdoojk]

I always find the discussion around food interesting. Some will find the MDR food to be all the way from excellent to Yuk "We wound never go to the MDR". Personally, I found MDR food to be at the very least edible (Meaning: fine and better that lots of other places I've eaten) and on par with what I was expecting, and even sometimes, very good and surprisingly well presented considering the quantity they have to produce.

 

Now as for ambiance... it is true that it does feel sort of "Banquetish" and cramped. If cruising with a large family or group, the MDR seems the perfect fit. When cruising as a couple, perhaps celebrating an anniversary or something, I find the calmness and more intimate setting of most specialty restaurants more appealing. We also like the specialties for the experience, such as Wonderland.

 

On our last 7 day Anthem cruise, we had 2 specialty Dinners (Wonderland, Jaimie's) and one lunch at Izumi's. We greatly enjoyed every one. But we also had very good MDR dinners, but maybe it had something to do with the fact that we were cruising with a large group of friends and were having a great time:D

 

I miss Portofino's :loudcry:

dp

 

I miss portofino's too. It was consistently the best.

 

JC

[Clarea]

I miss portofino's too. It was consistently the best.

 

JC

Spiedino di Mare!:)

[Cruisegirl6]

Portofino was the best next to Jaimie's and Giovanni's!