Is 20$ MDR Lobster worth the money?

[MouseBerry]

Hi,

my DW is big lobster fan (me not at all). We read some threads about the sometimes served lobster in MDR, but apparently it is not the real cold water lobster. We could not find some infos about the lobster which is served in the MDR at an extra cost of 20$. Any experience and advise on that?

 

Of course we could give it a try, but infos from this board are in general very helpful.

 

Thanks

MBerry

[leela8]

It's a warm water tail and not worth it!!!

[cruisingxpert]

5 hours ago, MouseBerry said:

Hi,

my DW is big lobster fan (me not at all). We read some threads about the sometimes served lobster in MDR, but apparently it is not the real cold water lobster. We could not find some infos about the lobster which is served in the MDR at an extra cost of 20$. Any experience and advise on that?

 

Of course we could give it a try, but infos from this board are in general very helpful.

 

Thanks

MBerry

The $20 surcharge is for a whole lobster, not just a tail.  They say it is grilled but it is steamed and then the the tail is split and maybe lightly touches the grill.  I had it last week on the Zaandam and it would have been delicious if they hadn't under cooked the claws.  If you get it, crack the big claws first to see that they are cooked.  By the time I finished the tail(which was very tender) and got to the claws, the meal was nearing the end and it was too late to say get me a another one so they refunded the cost(that's another story)

 

[I_r_a]

My Lady Wife tried the lobster 3x on our recent Noordam Voyage.

 

She gave up.

 

Ira

Once is happenstance.

Twice is coincidence.

Three times is a pattern.

[iancal]

Save your money.

[taxmantoo]

Definitely not worth $20.  IMHO the free one isn't worth the price either 😉

[terrydtx]

Unless the whole lobsters are kept alive on board before they are cooked they are not worth the money. If they are not alive onboard they are precooked and then frozen prior to serving on the ships. If you want a good lobster wait until you are home and go to your favorite lobster restaurant.

[*Miss G*]

If you are on the Canada/New England itinerary then the lobsters are cold-water fresh.  But on that itinerary all the ports have cold-water fresh so it’s lobster heaven!  On any other itinerary I would check with the waiter.

[doone]

I come from New England and am lucky enough to be able to head to Maine for a delicious lobster almost any time I wish.  I did order a lobster in the Pinnacle Grill this past March on the K'dam, it was good, but it wasn't as good as my Maine lobsters right off the boat..............

[Krazy Kruizers]

We are also used to cold water lobsters.

 

When the PG first started to introduce the lobster tails (for a price), I tried them.  Small and not worth the money.  We were told here on CC that they were large.  They were just like the ones served in the main dining room.

[terrydtx]

53 minutes ago, doone said:

I come from New England and am lucky enough to be able to head to Maine for a delicious lobster almost any time I wish.  I did order a lobster in the Pinnacle Grill this past March on the K'dam, it was good, but it wasn't as good as my Maine lobsters right off the boat..............

Having enjoyed lobsters and scallops from New England has ruined me from eating them anywhere else, just not the same. I love the threads on CC about people fawning and fretting over the puny frozen MDR lobster tails, have they ever had a real whole lobster boiled the day they were brought to the dock by a lobster fisherman?

[iancal]

Exactly.  Sometimes I almost think that for some people bragging rights trump taste.  Or perhaps they have never enjoyed fresh, cold water lobster from the east coast.

 

Have the lobster bisque instead... if it is not too salty.

Edited June 11, 2019 by iancal

[SargassoPirate]

23 hours ago, I_r_a said:

My Lady Wife tried the lobster 3x on our recent Noordam Voyage.

 

She gave up.

 

Ira

Once is happenstance.

Twice is coincidence.

Three times is a pattern.

  Love it. I've always said

 

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me"

Edited June 11, 2019 by SargassoPirate

[mamaofami]

On our cruise fromMontreal to NY several years ago, I had lobster in every port. No lobster rolls, just large fresh lobster. I'm planning to do the same on my upcoming Zuiderdam cruise.

[billbunger]

12 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

If you are on the Canada/New England itinerary then the lobsters are cold-water fresh.  But on that itinerary all the ports have cold-water fresh so it’s lobster heaven!  On any other itinerary I would check with the waiter.

Our experience on a Canada/New England cruise was, "All seafood is frozen". We went from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale none of the lobster was fresh unless we got off the boat and ate at an on shore restaurant. We enquired while on board and where told all lobster was frozen. Anecdotally to me there have been a few cruises on the smaller HAL ships that did bring aboard fresh lobster in some Atlantic ports but that was a rarity too.

 

We have never had fresh lobster, fish, or other seafood on any HAL cruise we have been on and that includes Alaska the Caribbean and Canada/New England.

[*Miss G*]

27 minutes ago, billbunger said:

Our experience on a Canada/New England cruise was, "All seafood is frozen". We went from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale none of the lobster was fresh unless we got off the boat and ate at an on shore restaurant. We enquired while on board and where told all lobster was frozen. Anecdotally to me there have been a few cruises on the smaller HAL ships that did bring aboard fresh lobster in some Atlantic ports but that was a rarity too.

 

We have never had fresh lobster, fish, or other seafood on any HAL cruise we have been on and that includes Alaska the Caribbean and Canada/New England.

 

I am sorry to hear that.

[terrydtx]

We are booked on a Viking Ocean cruise next year from Venice to Athens, it's our first VO cruise. After reading CC threads, Viking apparently serves fresh whole lobsters as regular every day menu item. They keep them alive under refrigeration in the ship's galley according to what has been posted in CC. I figured they would have large tanks with the live lobsters like you see in many high end grocery stores. I am NOT a big lobster fan so if they do or do not have them, it doesn't matter to me.

Edited June 12, 2019 by terrydtx

[3rdGenCunarder]

13 hours ago, billbunger said:

Our experience on a Canada/New England cruise was, "All seafood is frozen". We went from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale none of the lobster was fresh unless we got off the boat and ate at an on shore restaurant. We enquired while on board and where told all lobster was frozen. Anecdotally to me there have been a few cruises on the smaller HAL ships that did bring aboard fresh lobster in some Atlantic ports but that was a rarity too.

 

We have never had fresh lobster, fish, or other seafood on any HAL cruise we have been on and that includes Alaska the Caribbean and Canada/New England.

 

It's about food safety and economics. Carnival can negotiate good prices from reliable suppliers and load the ship at embarkation ports and a few "approved" ports/suppliers along the way. I recall seeing a truck from a seafood supply in Alaska, maybe Ketchikan. Given HAL's presence in Alaska, that's probably one of the port suppliers on a regular basis. 

 

I think Maasdam may be an exception, with the "exc" cruises focusing on everything local.

 

[Bxianesq]

I ordered the lobster on a Konigsdam cruise in the Southern Caribbean earlier this year.  it was impossible to get out of the shell, somewhat rubbery and covered with a gloppy orange sauce.  I asked for it to be removed from our bill, and it was removed promptly.  

[sail7seas]

On 6/10/2019 at 9:10 AM, cruisingxpert said:

The $20 surcharge is for a whole lobster, not just a tail.  They say it is grilled but it is steamed and then the the tail is split and maybe lightly touches the grill.  I had it last week on the Zaandam and it would have been delicious if they hadn't under cooked the claws.  If you get it, crack the big claws first to see that they are cooked.  By the time I finished the tail(which was very tender) and got to the claws, the meal was nearing the end and it was too late to say get me a another one so they refunded the cost(that's another story)

 

HAL always serves lobser tail in MDR on last formal (gala) night  for   No additional charge,

 

  I  personally prefer whole  cold water lobster and never order the tail  in mDR.    JMO.   But, I am from Boston and can have the best llobser whenever I wish. 

 

 

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

19 hours ago, mamaofami said:

On our cruise from  Montreal to NY several years ago, I had lobster in every port. No lobster rolls, just large fresh lobster. I'm planning to do the same on my upcoming Zuiderdam cruise.

 

 

 

 

Mamaof ami,   Carol,

 

 

You   are smart.  I think people on those cruises make a big mistake  They run around looking for he  best lobster roll (full of mayonaise  and often in a plain old  hot dog roll.     if one wants lobsterr,  get whole lobster  and  taste it.  How does one taste it with all the mayo? 

 

 

 

Edited June 12, 2019 by sail7seas

[fla_sunshine]

Watching someone at our table of six be served one, even if the lobster was prepared properly, it was not served properly by the wait staff (apparently undertrained). While the lobster sat in front of the customer, the appropriate utensils had to be tracked down and an expedition made to the kitchens for drawn butter.

[bigez]

No the $20 MDR lobster was not worth the additional. But what's worse is a $10 surcharge in Pinnacle Grill. Are they kidding? You pay to go there and they gouge you for lobster? HAL is losing us as they continue down their cheap/nickel-diming pathway. It's so unnecessary, and it's really unfortunate.

[sail7seas]

On 6/11/2019 at 1:17 PM, terrydtx said:

Having enjoyed lobsters and scallops from New England has ruined me from eating them anywhere else, just not the same. I love the threads on CC about people fawning and fretting over the puny frozen MDR lobster tails, have they ever had a real whole lobster boiled the day they were brought to the dock by a lobster fisherman?            may I insert a comment  ?    "   (unless I am making baked stuffed lobster  or fra diablo,  I STEAM my lobsters.  I Never boil  lobsters.   .  It can make the meat rubbery.  "

I live 10 minutes from one of  the best

lobster  pounds' just north of Boston.  THat  is lobster !      I see the  lobster   fishermern come in from thei boats  and bring the live lobster to thre pound   Into the  tanks they go and ready for sale.   I  I tell them what size I want and whether male or female and  go home with them still moving.  I never eat lobster on the ships.  I I find it unappealing drowned in butter.  I don't want to hide the taste of lobster in butter.  JMO  That is why  I laugh at lobser rolls.  All you taste is mayo and   often ) a hot dog roll.    Don't waste you money   IMO

 

 

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

 

i

Edited June 14, 2019 by sail7seas

[*Miss G*]

The best lobster roll I had was in Peggy’s Cove.  No mayo.  Just lobster.  It was delicious.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We had a restaurant here where we could get fresh cold water lobster tails -- delicious.  They closed down last month.

 

As to lobster rolls -- we loved the ones we got at a small tiny restaurant in Bar Harbor that closed 1 year after we were there.  The children didn't want to take over for their father.  You had several choices of how you wanted the roll.  We chose our rolls to be lobster only -- no butter -- no mayo.