Quality food?

[rkacruiser]

16 hours ago, Perish2 said:

 NCL also had the same menu in the main dining room for 2-weeks, only thing changed off/on was a salad or soup.  

 

Are you saying that week 1's menus were the same as week 2's menus?  Or, are you saying that the menu was exactly the same (except for a soup or salad) day after day for the 14 days?

[Perish2]

I am saying, day after day after day (x14) it was EXACTLY the same menu with  EXACTLY the same food items.  It did not change in 14 days except for a salad (Caesar salad to a chopped salad) and I can't remember the soup, something with corn and went to some other type of soup.  

 

The main dishes (entrees) did not vary in 14 days, nor did the desserts.   And the same exact menu was at Aqua (restaurant), same offerings, every day for 14 days.  

 

Entrees were  (same items for 14 days...never differed)

pasta dish (barely any sauce and I'm darn sure it was out of a jar/can as it had that tinny taste),

chicken salad (husband said it was good, but after 3rd time of ordering, he said he was tired of looking at it),

shrimp burger (wouldn't order it),

hamburger, chicken fried chicken (worst) 

Philly cheese steak (husband from Philly said no way, no how, and it didn't look very good, mostly bell peppers)

and I believe poached salmon (never touched it).  

[Perish2]

They certainly could be.  No well I would ever go on another one of their cruises.  Food and drink are pretty darn important when you're on a ship for that length of time.   When you dread going to eat which someone cooks and cleans up after you, thats pretty bad.   

[rkacruiser]

On 3/6/2019 at 3:56 PM, Perish2 said:

I am saying, day after day after day (x14) it was EXACTLY the same menu with  EXACTLY the same food items.  It did not change in 14 days except for a salad (Caesar salad to a chopped salad) and I can't remember the soup, something with corn and went to some other type of soup.  

 

WOW!  That's certainly unacceptable!  Thanks for replying to my post.

[George C]

As I said earlier ncl went totally downhill, last cruise was 15 years ago but will nevercruise them again.

[George C]

On 2/28/2019 at 8:02 AM, CGTNORMANDIE said:

I came across a luncheon menu from the United States Line SS America dated May 27th 1955.  The America had, what I consider, one of the most beautiful First Class  dining rooms ever to sail the ocean.  When you entered the room you would see a cold buffet set up with all varieties of tempting foods and delicacies.  

 

Here is First Class lunch on SS America:

Hors D’Oeuvres:

chilled grapefruit, crabmeat salad, eggs a la Reine, cherrystone clam cocktail, Pate’ de Fois Gras, Mushrooms a la Francaise, chilled melon balls, celery and olives, Smoked Irish Salmon, Smoked Sturgeon, Smoked Whitefish, French Meat Salad and Antipasto Italienne.

 

Buffet Gourmet: 

Home-made Headcheese Vinagrette, Assorted Cold Delicasse Plate Garni, Roast Prime Ribs Of Beef with Horse Raddish Sauce, Westphalian Ham, Sliced Breast of Turkey, Sliced Roast Beef, Baked Virginia Ham, Fruit Salad, Various Fresh and Smoked Sausages, Roast Long Island Duck with Apple Sauce, Smoked Ox Tongue, Salad Florentine, Maine Lobster Mayonnaise.

 

Soups:    

Manhattan Clam Chowder, Oyster Broth, Consomme’ Princesse, Cold Borscht with Sour Cream.

 

Fish:  

Boiled Cod Fish Filet with Egg and Parsley Sauce, Broiled Baby Blue Fish with Paprika Butter, Fried Oysters with Remoulade Sauce and Cole Slaw.

 

Eggs:

Shirred Eggs Swiss Style, Poached Eggs Benedict, Omelette Chausseur, Welsh or Golden Buck Rarebit.

 

Entrees:

Assorted Vegetable Lunch America, Italian Spagetti and Meat Balls Parmigiana, Ragout of Ox Tail Joints with Macedoine, Half Spring Chicken Saute’ Cacciatore,

Beef Steak and Oyster Pie.

 

Roast: 

Haunch of Southdown Mutton with Red Current Jelly.

 

From The Grill:

Lamb Steak Maitre Hotel, Chicken Liver en Brochettes, Vienna Sausage on Toast.

 

Vegetables: 

Fresh Garden Peas, Harvard Beets, Wax Beans in Butter, Fresh Carrots, Saffron Risotto, Cramed Spinach.

 

Potatoes: 

Boiled New, Mashed, Baked Idaho, Hashed Brown, Saratoga Chips.

 

Salads:

Various Lettuces with Assorted Dressings and Various Fruit Compotes.

 

Desserts:

Cherry Pie, Walnut Cake, Raisin Zwieback Pudding. Danish Pastry, Assorted Cookies, Biscuit Tortoni, Boston Cream Puffs, Wine Jelly, Orange Sherbet, Rum Raisin and Vanilla Ice Cream, Assorted Cheeses and Crackers, Fresh Fruit Basket and Various Coffees.

 

Enjoy!  

 

There is a replica of SS United States next to suite lounge on celebrity infinity along with a couple of the menus which looked amazing, food in suite restaurant on that ship was amazing just got off by far best food we have had on a ship in decades. 

[CGTNORMANDIE]

2 hours ago, George C said:

There is a replica of SS United States next to suite lounge on celebrity infinity along with a couple of the menus which looked amazing, food in suite restaurant on that ship was amazing just got off by far best food we have had on a ship in decades. 

 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise on Infinity.  Infinity used to have the United States Restaurant which featured furnishings and decor from that great icon...The SS United States.  Now that has been removed to make way for your Suite restaurant.    When you see the collected menus from a five day crossing on the SS United States or SS America it takes your breath away.  Great to hear that Infinity is living up to the US Line heritage.

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

 Infinity used to have the United States Restaurant which featured furnishings and decor from that great icon...The SS United States.  Now that has been removed to make way for your Suite restaurant

 

Has the same thing happened on Infinity's sister ships?   The Olympic Restaurant was on one and the Normandie Restaurant was on the other ship.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Has the same thing happened on Infinity's sister ships?   The Olympic Restaurant was on one and the Normandie Restaurant was on the other ship.

 

Yes...unfortunately.  I dined in the Normandie Restaurant onboard Summit years ago.  The room was lined with the original hand carved Dupas panels from the SS Normandie...gorgeous.  I also had a table directly under the famous statue, Normandie, in the MDR onboard Summit.  That statue was lost for many years after it was taken off the SS Normandie in 1943.  I always wanted to dine in the Olympic Restaurant onboard Millenium...that room was spectacular and a duplicate of the same room onboard RMS Titanic.  

[rkacruiser]

28 minutes ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

 

Yes...unfortunately.  I dined in the Normandie Restaurant onboard Summit years ago.  The room was lined with the original hand carved Dupas panels from the SS Normandie...gorgeous.  I also had a table directly under the famous statue, Normandie, in the MDR onboard Summit.  That statue was lost for many years after it was taken off the SS Normandie in 1943.  I always wanted to dine in the Olympic Restaurant onboard Millenium...that room was spectacular and a duplicate of the same room onboard RMS Titanic.  

 

Thank you for your response.  I feared that was what I would learn.

 

I wonder what has become of those artifacts from those dining rooms.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

11 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thank you for your response.  I feared that was what I would learn.

 

I wonder what has become of those artifacts from those dining rooms.

 

Good question...probably ended up in the homes of RCI execs...lol.  Seriously...that is a good question.  I will see if I can find an answer.

[George C]

Hopefully celebrity will keep artifacts of SS United States when infinity is refurbished at end of next year. 

[rkacruiser]

9 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Good question...probably ended up in the homes of RCI execs...lol.  Seriously...that is a good question.

 

You may be not far off the mark.  Volendam's Maiden Asia Pacific Cruise in 2002:  During the welcoming ceremony in the Wajang Theater, the Tokyo Port Authorities presented the Captain with a large, beautiful Geisha Doll in a clear case.  "I'll display this on the counter of the Front Desk" is what we heard from the Captain.  No such Doll ever appeared (and I was on the entire cruise).  A few years later on another cruise on a different HAL ship, the Hotel Manager was the same one whom I knew from that Volendam cruise.  I asked him if he knew whatever became of that Doll because it was not on the Volendam when I sailed on her between 2002 and when I again met this Hotel Manager.  He remembered the event and the Doll, but had no idea of whatever happened to that lovely gift from the Port Authorities of Tokyo.

 

 

[CGTNORMANDIE]

I was looking at some of my collectibles and came up with this menu from the Andrea Doria in July 1955.  Here is the lunch menu:

 

Cocktails

Fresh fruit cup, clams with lemon and sauerkraut juice, tomato or orange juice.

 

Hors d’oevres

Modena ham, Parma ossocollo, Julienne of chicken Parisienne, Kiel rollmops, Smoked sea eels, tartar eggs salad, pickled fruit of Cremona

 

Soups

Clear chicken consommé, vegetable soup, chicken broth with eggs-stracciatella,

Rice and tomato soup and Artichoke and cream soup

 

Eggs

Shirred Isaline, Omelet spinach, Poached Neapolitan, scrambled with onions

 

National dish

Tagliatelle Bolognese and Risotto Piedmontaise with truffles or Saltimbocca a la Romana con piselli

 

Fish

Broiled sliced sword fish or Fresh soft shell crab a la Mexican

 

Entrees

Spring chicken cacciatore, Hungarian goulash or Smoked care of pork

 

From the grill

Broiled mutton chop, calf’s liver and bacon or filet mignon 

 

Vegetables

Green peppers, Boston beans or buttered cauliflower 

 

Potatoes

Baked, Chip, mashed or buttered

 

Cold buffet

Pate’ of game en croute, Baked turkey, English roast beef, sliced ox tongue, stuffed knuckle Modena, ham and chicken pie, tureen of goose liver, capon galantine and Tournedos Rossini

 

Salads

Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, mixed and beetroot

 

Cheeses

Bel paese, straccitella, cremini, provolone, emmenthal, Camembert, Holland and Stilton 

 

Dessert

Baba au rhum, apple pie Parisienne, profiterole delights, Cup Dorina

 

Ices

Vanilla or mocha cream  and pineapple or mixed sherbet

 

Fruits in syrup

Peaches, prunes, apricots, Baked apples and stewed pears

 

Fresh fruits

Oranges, apples, bananas, cherries, peaches, strawberries, melon, dried fruits and plums

 

Coffees and teas

 

AND THIS WAS JUST LUNCH!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Heidi13]

Was never on the Andrea Doria, but in addition to the extensive menu and quality of the food, I have no doubt the service was equally as impressive.

 

On P&O ships we had proper silver service, where the waiters served you from platters, with food coming from your left side and used plates, etc being removed from the right side.

 

With traditional Indian crew, our National Dish equivalent on the lunch menu would normally include the choice of up to 3 different curries every day.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

3 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Was never on the Andrea Doria, but in addition to the extensive menu and quality of the food, I have no doubt the service was equally as impressive.

 

On P&O ships we had proper silver service, where the waiters served you from platters, with food coming from your left side and used plates, etc being removed from the right side.

 

With traditional Indian crew, our National Dish equivalent on the lunch menu would normally include the choice of up to 3 different curries every day.

 

Hi Heidi,

 

Those were here the days...when waiters served from trays in the formal manner.  

Wow...three curries every day...sounds great.  I can’t even get RCI to supply condiments with their curry...can you imagine...no condiments???  

 

[Heidi13]

7 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

 

Hi Heidi,

 

Those were here the days...when waiters served from trays in the formal manner.  

Wow...three curries every day...sounds great.  I can’t even get RCI to supply condiments with their curry...can you imagine...no condiments???  

 

Bringing back great memories. Yes, we always had condiments supplied with the curries. The condiment wala usually was standing by waiting for the waiter to finish serving then they served the condiments. Gave up asking for condiments many years ago, since all I received was blank stares.

 

Life was grand in the good old days.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

8 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Bringing back great memories. Yes, we always had condiments supplied with the curries. The condiment wala usually was standing by waiting for the waiter to finish serving then they served the condiments. Gave up asking for condiments many years ago, since all I received was blank stares.

 

Life was grand in the good old days.

 

Hi again,

 

Sometimes you get lucky.  We were on a cruise...RCI...I think...and we had a Maitre D who was from India.  He set up a grand meal in the MDR for six of us and it was a feast...with all the condiments included.  

 

You are are right about the blank stares.  I was in the RCI buffet one time and ran into the head chef and manager.  I asked the chef why there were no condiments to compliment the very decent curries and he just looked at me like I was speaking Russian.  I even offered to show him how to make a quick chutney...no response.😕

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

 

Hi again,

 

Sometimes you get lucky.  We were on a cruise...RCI...I think...and we had a Maitre D who was from India.  He set up a grand meal in the MDR for six of us and it was a feast...with all the condiments included.  

 

You are are right about the blank stares.  I was in the RCI buffet one time and ran into the head chef and manager.  I asked the chef why there were no condiments to compliment the very decent curries and he just looked at me like I was speaking Russian.  I even offered to show him how to make a quick chutney...no response.😕

On our last World Cruise we requested a curry night for our table and it was terrible - so mild it had no flavour. Naan bread was basically pita and definitely no condiments.

 

Best ship was SS Uganda of British India Line, part of P&O Group, as the entire ratings crew were from India/Goa. In addition to pax curry, we also had a curry pot 24/7 in the crew galley.

 

For chutney, we always had the usual Mango, but also had a Lime Chutney. 🙂

[CGTNORMANDIE]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

On our last World Cruise we requested a curry night for our table and it was terrible - so mild it had no flavour. Naan bread was basically pita and definitely no condiments.

 

Best ship was SS Uganda of British India Line, part of P&O Group, as the entire ratings crew were from India/Goa. In addition to pax curry, we also had a curry pot 24/7 in the crew galley.

 

For chutney, we always had the usual Mango, but also had a Lime Chutney. 🙂

 

I remember the Uganda...a lovely ship.  You are making me hungry.  Mango and lime chutney are required staples.  I also like to make my own fig, peach, lemon and lime...always with lime pickle mixed in.  

[CGTNORMANDIE]

For those of you who are enjoying my collection of “Menus From The The Past” here is a sample Gala Dinner from the Queen Fredericka on July 2, 1962.  The Queen Fredericka was replaced by the Olympia for transatlantic voyages.  The menu is fairly simple...but what a great assemblage of dishes...truly First Class.

 

Fresh Beluga Malossal Caviar on ice throne

blinis, American dressing and Melba toast

Smoked breast of goose

St. Daniele raw ham

Nova Scotia red salmon lox

Sliced sturgeon

 

Consumme’ Celestine

Hollywood Cream with croutons

Mulligatawney soup with profiteroles 

 

Maine Rock lobster medaillions en Bellevue 

Timbales Of Russian Salad sauce Mayonnaise 

 

Roast pheasant in Madeira wine a la Rossini

With sauteed fresh mushroom caps

Steamed game quenelles a L’ Estragon

 

Hearts of tenderloin of beef Wellington sauce piquant 

artichoke bottoms in butter and new carrots Vichy

Laffite potatoes

 

California boiled fresh green asparagus with Mousseline sauce

 

Strawberry short cake Fredericka

Bomb Suprise du Chef Danglis

ladies frivolities

fresh Fruit in season

 

Guatemala Demi tasse 

 

ENJOY!

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Correction:

 

The Queen Frederica was originally a Matson Liner And was sold to a subsidiary of the Home Lines at the time of this menu in 1962.  The Olympia was owned by the Greek Line.   Frderica was later sold to Chandris Line and sailed until 1973.  

Edited April 17, 2019 by CGTNORMANDIE

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Correction:

 

The Queen Frederica was originally a Matson Liner And was sold to a subsidiary of the Home Lines at the time of this menu in 1962.  The Olympia was owned by the Greek Line.   Frderica was later sold to Chandris Line and sailed until 1973.  

 

National Hellenic American Line was the subsidiary of the Home Lines as I recall.  I remember receiving literature about cruises on this ship.  She was one on which I wish I could have sailed.  I feel the same about the Homeric.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

National Hellenic American Line was the subsidiary of the Home Lines as I recall.  I remember receiving literature about cruises on this ship.  She was one on which I wish I could have sailed.  I feel the same about the Homeric.

 

I remember being in St. Thomas in 1972.  The Homeric was right behind us...we were on Amerikanis.  People from Homeric were invited to come onboard  Amerikanis so we went over to Homeric and I had one foot on board when one of the stewards challenged me.  It was always one of my regrets that we did not get a chance to view Homeric...so close yet so far away.

[rkacruiser]

30 minutes ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

 

I remember being in St. Thomas in 1972.  The Homeric was right behind us...we were on Amerikanis.  People from Homeric were invited to come onboard  Amerikanis so we went over to Homeric and I had one foot on board when one of the stewards challenged me.  It was always one of my regrets that we did not get a chance to view Homeric...so close yet so far away.

 

I had better luck than you with a visit to Homeric.  In New York following another cruise, the Homeric sailed the next day and I was able to visit her.  It proved to be the cruise when a fire broke out in the Galley which led to the end of her service.  Truly "old world" in her decor, but even as a visitor, the Home Lines staffs' service attitude is something that I recall.