No more prime rib?

[Kingofcool1947]

22 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We were on the Summit in June and they still had what Celebrity calls "Prime Rib" and also lobster night.  That being said, folks who are used to eating real Prime Rib and decent lobster would be disappointed with both of those entrees.   Our particular cruise did stop at both Boston and Bar Harbor...where DW and I were happy to enjoy real Maine Lobster (as opposed to the so-so warm water lobster tails served on the ship.   So here is an interesting test question for fellow cruisers.  If you went to a land restaurant and they served "prime rib" similar to what you get on Celebrity (or most other cruise lines) would you be happy and return to that restaurant?  As to "warm water lobster tails" it would be hard to find that product in most restaurants north of the Mason Dixon line.  When it comes to lobster tails, cold water lobster tail is the gold standard in terms of both flavor and texture.  As to Prime Rib, what we get in a decent restaurant is much larger, far more tender, and has much better flavor then what they serve on Celebrity and most other cruise ships.  In fact, having cruised on far more then 100 cruises all over the world I have never had anything close to what I consider decent Prime Rib on any of those cruises.  Even the best alternative restaurants have not served decent Prime Rib.  On Celebrity you can certainly go to Murano and get darn good Chateaubriand, but you will not even find Prime Rib on the menu.  And Murano makes a very tasty lobster tail entrée....but you will not find whole Maine lobster in that venue or anywhere else on Celebrity.

 

Hank

 

Do you know what USDA grade of beef or country of origin, is served on Celebrity for steaks and Prime Rib?

With the 100 cruise you have been on do you know of any cruise lines that offer Japanese Waygu beef?  I have had Waygu beef burgers (American Waygu?) on Oceania but,  never a Japanese Kobe Waygu steak on a cruise.

Edited July 4, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[keesar]

1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 

How?  They are completely different, both both delicious. 

 

Been on numerous cruises in Blu and never saw  prime rib on the menu.  We have usually gotten filet mignon on one or two nights there during a cruise.  

[Orator]

18 minutes ago, keesar said:

 

Been on numerous cruises in Blu and never saw  prime rib on the menu.  We have usually gotten filet mignon on one or two nights there during a cruise.  

Blu has Ribeye rather than prime rib.

[chefchick]

Blu has Ribeye rather than prime rib.

 

If dining in Blu, can I ask for Prime Rib?  I love the idea of the quieter, more intimate atmosphere of Blu, but the menus don’t always sound great...The service is “better” there (in general) correct?  I will be solo on the Solstice, can someone alleviate my fears that the extra $ I spent for Aqua class was a good idea?

[bEwAbG]

You generally cannot order off the MDR menu on S-Class ships like the Solstice because Blu and the MDR do not share the same galley (as is the case on M-Class ships).  You could talk to the Blu manager about dining in the MDR any night you don't like the menu & they can probably make accommodations for you to do so. Blu is your assigned dining room for the cruise, though.  It's generally considered to be the reason to book Aqua class.

 

One thing I would say is that Celebrity often does a poor job with their menu descriptions.  Focus on what the base dish is rather than getting lost in the verbiage.  Also, the waiters will have recommendations for each menu and not one has steered me wrong yet.  The menu will have a selection of "timeless classics" that are available every day, too.

[Mynki]

1 hour ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

Do you know what USDA grade of beef or country of origin, is served on Celebrity for steaks and Prime Rib?

With the 100 cruise you have been on do you know of any cruise lines that offer Japanese Waygu beef?  I have had Waygu beef burgers (American Waygu?) on Oceania but,  never a Japanese Kobe Waygu steak on a cruise.

That depends on where the ship is sailing from. I believe those departing from the US source lower grade beef from Sherwood Food Distributors a wholesaler offering beef from various US producers. 

Sushi on 5 claimed they used to serve kobe beef but having tried the real thing and the Celebrity offering I very much doubt it was. 

[Mynki]

19 minutes ago, chefchick said:

Blu has Ribeye rather than prime rib.

 

If dining in Blu, can I ask for Prime Rib?  I love the idea of the quieter, more intimate atmosphere of Blu, but the menus don’t always sound great...The service is “better” there (in general) correct?  I will be solo on the Solstice, can someone alleviate my fears that the extra $ I spent for Aqua class was a good idea?

Generally the service is better yes. 

If you like lamb and game it's probably a better choice than the MDR. You spent your $1 wisely IMHO. 

[Alakegirl]

Steaks, we were told, come fom Nebraska, but no idea of the grade

[Gonzo70]

53 minutes ago, Mynki said:

That depends on where the ship is sailing from. I believe those departing from the US source lower grade beef from Sherwood Food Distributors a wholesaler offering beef from various US producers. 

Sushi on 5 claimed they used to serve kobe beef but having tried the real thing and the Celebrity offering I very much doubt it was. 

 

I can tell you with 100% certainty it was NOT Kobe beef. Kobe beef goes for $30 per/ounce and is EXTREMELY rare outside of Japan (only around two dozen US restaurants have Kobe beef). It is NEVER used for burgers/sliders (way too fatty). In the unlikely event Celebrity got genuine Kobe beef, there would be about a $200 to $300 supplement. Sushi on 5 uses a domestic US Kobe “style” beef blend (which is just a marketing term and says nothing about the quality, sourcing or composition of the beef). Calling it “Kobe beef” without adding the moniker US or US style Kobe Beef is illegal in the US (under the pretense of false advertising).

 

Most genuine Wagyu served in the US is not from Kobe, but from Miyazaki and other areas of Japan. Still excellent quality (good Wagyu is vastly superior to US Prime) and very expensive, but less rare. A mass market cruise ship still is highly unlikely carry genuine Wagyu even from other areas of Japan due to the prohibitive price and relative scarcity. “American” Wagyu is more a marketing term than indicative of anything objective and can range from better than US Prime (but below A5 Wagyu) to terrible quality. A5 is the highest quality Wagyu beef (there is also another rating scale in Japan that goes to A12, but the 1-to-5 scale is more common).

 

In the MDR most of the beef served as an entree seems to be select quality; specialities have choice (and sometimes prime available for an additional upcharge). I believe that other than for Galapagos sailings, the beef is sourced from the US regardless of where the ship sails from (the Galapagos requires local sourcing - the beef is considerably better on Galapagos sailings). 

Edited July 4, 2019 by Gonzo70

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

In the main restaurant.   What was nice is on first night the dress code was relaxed.  So I was not embarrassed about my mess and being so slovenly with au jus dripping down my tee shirt and cargo shorts.

Enjoy the cruise, and with your Prime Rib.👍

Thanks for sharing you fantasy. Next time wear your bib. 

[Mynki]

5 minutes ago, Gonzo70 said:

 

I can tell you with 100% certainty it was NOT Kobe beef. Kobe beef goes for $30 per/ounce and is EXTREMELY rare outside of Japan (only around two dozen US restaurants have Kobe beef). It is NEVER used for burgers/sliders (way too fatty). In the unlikely event Celebrity got genuine Kobe beef, there would be about a $200 to $300 supplement. Sushi on 5 uses a domestic US Kobe “style” beef blend (which is just a marketing term and says nothing about the quality, sourcing or composition of the beef). Calling it “Kobe beef” without adding the moniker US or US style Kobe Beef is illegal in the US (under the pretense of false advertising). Most genuine Wagyu served I. The US is not from Kobe, but from Miyazaki and other areas of Japan. Still excellent quality (good Wagyu is vastly superior to US Prime) and very expensive, but less rare. A mass market cruise ship still be highly unlikely carry genuine Wagyu even from other areas of Japan due to the prohibitive price and relative scarcity.

 

”American” Wagyu is more a marketing term than indicative of anything objective and can range from better than US Prime (but below A5 Wagyu) to terrible quality. 

 

In the MDR most of the beef served as an entree seems to be select quality; specialities have choice (and sometimes prime available for an additional upcharge). I believe that other than for Galapagos sailings, the beef is sourced from the US regardless of where the ship sails from (the Galapagos requires local sourcing - the beef is considerable better on Galapagos sailings). 

 

Real wagyu cattle are farmed here in the UK on a small scale. You can buy the real wagyu beef from a small number of suppliers here in the UK including beef farmed here and also from Japan (very expensive as you've already stated) and Australia believe it or not.

The topic came up before when 'kobe' beef was advertised in Sushi on 5 where it was mentioned with the faux champagne as part of 'modern luxury'. 

Not sure if they're still claiming it's kobe beef or not. I asked the waiter at the time if it was the real thing because as you point out the pricing is a dead giveaway but he was adamant it was.  This thread has made me very hungry..... :)

[Gonzo70]

My favorite faux modern luxury experience on Celebrity was when I ordered the upcharge room service omelette that stated it came with Ossetra caviar. It came with orange colored fish roe (was Masago) which retails for about 1% the cost of Ossetra caviar. 

 

On Edge I was pleasantly surprised to not see anything false advertised as Kobe. 

 

My favorite US beef is Carlisle Beef; it is a crossbreed between imported Japanese cattle and higher end US cattle. Very impressive marbling and amazing flavor and texture. Certainly not equivalent of A5 Wagyu, but much better than typical US Prime. The son of the farmer owns/operates an outstanding restaurant in Milwaukee called Ardent and always features a tartare course and a steak course with his father’s beef on the tasting menu. 

[helen haywood]

I wish the issue of ordering off the MDR menu in Blu on an S Class ship could be definitely answered.  I have heard the “it can’t be done due to the location of the kitchen” explanation several times.  However, on Equinox I was told by the Blu hostess, unsolicited, that I could order anything off the MDR menu.

 

If this could be cleared up I would know whether to make a MDR reservation for the first night to enjoy prime rib or if I could order it in Blu.

[Kingofcool1947]

1 hour ago, Gonzo70 said:

 

I can tell you with 100% certainty it was NOT Kobe beef. Kobe beef goes for $30 per/ounce and is EXTREMELY rare outside of Japan (only around two dozen US restaurants have Kobe beef). It is NEVER used for burgers/sliders (way too fatty). In the unlikely event Celebrity got genuine Kobe beef, there would be about a $200 to $300 supplement. Sushi on 5 uses a domestic US Kobe “style” beef blend (which is just a marketing term and says nothing about the quality, sourcing or composition of the beef). Calling it “Kobe beef” without adding the moniker US or US style Kobe Beef is illegal in the US (under the pretense of false advertising).

 

Most genuine Wagyu served in the US is not from Kobe, but from Miyazaki and other areas of Japan. Still excellent quality (good Wagyu is vastly superior to US Prime) and very expensive, but less rare. A mass market cruise ship still is highly unlikely carry genuine Wagyu even from other areas of Japan due to the prohibitive price and relative scarcity. “American” Wagyu is more a marketing term than indicative of anything objective and can range from better than US Prime (but below A5 Wagyu) to terrible quality. A5 is the highest quality Wagyu beef (there is also another rating scale in Japan that goes to A12, but the 1-to-5 scale is more common).

 

In the MDR most of the beef served as an entree seems to be select quality; specialities have choice (and sometimes prime available for an additional upcharge). I believe that other than for Galapagos sailings, the beef is sourced from the US regardless of where the ship sails from (the Galapagos requires local sourcing - the beef is considerably better on Galapagos sailings). 

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Documents/Menus/1719/Waves-Menu.pdf

 

What is Oceania passing as Wagyu in their Kobe beef burgers at the Waves Grill?  Is it real Kobe beef?  U.S. or Japanese beef?  And is fat content different?  I found the burger very juicy,  but also very fatty.  Still excellent in taste and texture.  👍

 

 

Edited July 4, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[bEwAbG]

45 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

I wish the issue of ordering off the MDR menu in Blu on an S Class ship could be definitely answered.  I have heard the “it can’t be done due to the location of the kitchen” explanation several times.  However, on Equinox I was told by the Blu hostess, unsolicited, that I could order anything off the MDR menu.

 

Were you able to order anything you wanted from the MDR?  Or you're saying you asked this and that was the answer?  All reports I've seen have said it's not possible, based on actual experience.

[Gonzo70]

23 minutes ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Documents/Menus/1719/Waves-Menu.pdf

 

What is Oceania passing as Wagyu in their Kobe beef burgers at the Waves Grill?  Is it real Kobe beef?  U.S. or Japanese beef?  And is fat content different?  I found the burger very juicy,  but also very fatty.  Still excellent in taste and texture.  👍

 

 

 

No, no cruise line uses Kobe beef and again, Kobe beef is never used in burgers. The menu describes it as “Wagyu” beef which could be anything. Wagyu translates to Japanese cow, but the term is not regulated and anyone can call any meat Wagyu without repercussions. Someone could call a 25 cent per/can of cat food Wagyu beef. Have no idea what they are serving on Oceania other than that it is not Kobe or even any genuine Wagyu (i.e. it is not beef from Japan). 

 

You also would not put “truffle sauce” on good quality meat. Truffle sauce is generally quite potent in smell/taste and as such would overpower the special flavor of high quality beef. It is something that would be used on poor quality beef to mask the quality. This menu reads like they are trying to sound fancy/gourmet but it is likely run-of-the-mill ingredients. 

Edited July 4, 2019 by Gonzo70

[helen haywood]

1 hour ago, bEwAbG said:

 

Were you able to order anything you wanted from the MDR?  Or you're saying you asked this and that was the answer?  All reports I've seen have said it's not possible, based on actual experience.

 

Not enjoying the Blu experience we ate in the MDR the last three nights of our cruise.    On the day after we’d first defected we ran into the Blu hostess in Oceanview.  She said she’d missed us.  I apologized and said we preferred the MDR.  Her response (verbatim) was “Did you know you can order anything off the MDR in Blu?”  I replied no I did not.  And I made a note of it in my journal to check Cruise Critic when I got home because I’d researched this specific issue before our first AQ cabin and I remembered reading that only the shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, onion soup and escargot were available from the MDR menu.  And Cruise Critic has not made it clear that while those items can be ordered, they are not listed on the menu!  You’d just have to know...or observe other diners being served something not on the menu.

 

I have no idea if she meant they would make an exception for us or that is the status quo.  I’d still like to know for certain.  I don’t want an exception made for me.  We will be giving AQ another try next week so I’ll ask specifically.  I would like to know beforehand, due to the first night prime rib in the MDR.  The first night Blu menu wasn’t appealing to us...

[keesar]

8 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

 

Not enjoying the Blu experience we ate in the MDR the last three nights of our cruise.    On the day after we’d first defected we ran into the Blu hostess in Oceanview.  She said she’d missed us.  I apologized and said we preferred the MDR.  Her response (verbatim) was “Did you know you can order anything off the MDR in Blu?”  I replied no I did not.  And I made a note of it in my journal to check Cruise Critic when I got home because I’d researched this specific issue before our first AQ cabin and I remembered reading that only the shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, onion soup and escargot were available from the MDR menu.  And Cruise Critic has not made it clear that while those items can be ordered, they are not listed on the menu!  You’d just have to know...or observe other diners being served something not on the menu.

 

I have no idea if she meant they would make an exception for us or that is the status quo.  I’d still like to know for certain.  I don’t want an exception made for me.  We will be giving AQ another try next week so I’ll ask specifically.  I would like to know beforehand, due to the first night prime rib in the MDR.  The first night Blu menu wasn’t appealing to us...

 

There is a small menu which includes items that can be ordered from the MDR.  They are basically some soups and some appetizers.  Entrees have not been available on our past cruises on S-class ships due to the distance involved.  People who wish certain main course  items are 'invited' to go to the MDR and staff will assist in getting them a table.  

[helen haywood]

This was my understanding as well.  In this case the Hostess was doing no one a favor to tell me otherwise.  I will make a reservation for the first night in the MDR.

[Hlitner]

21 hours ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

Do you know what USDA grade of beef or country of origin, is served on Celebrity for steaks and Prime Rib?

With the 100 cruise you have been on do you know of any cruise lines that offer Japanese Waygu beef?  I have had Waygu beef burgers (American Waygu?) on Oceania but,  never a Japanese Kobe Waygu steak on a cruise.

Wagyu on a ship?  Surely you just.   For a short number of years HAL had Wagyu (we assume it was American Waygu) on the lunch menu in their Pinnacle grills (an alternative restaurant).  The Pinnacle charges $10 per person for lunch, but those of us who are 4-5* Mariners only pay $5.  I had those Wagyu burgers on two cruises and they truly amazing and among the best burgers I have ever eaten.  But alas, HAL eventually changed those burgers from Wagyu to some kind of decent alternative (not nearly as good).

 

I have never seen Japanese Waygu on the menu of any cruise line, although there are several ultra luxury lines upon which we have never cruised.  We will be in Japan next year and plan on spend at least 4 days in Kyoto where there are quite a few excellent restaurants that serve A4-A5 Kobe Beef Steaks.  Our intent is to enjoy that beef on at least two occasions.   But one should consider that the cost of a single decent A5 Kobe Steak would rival the cost of a an entire cruise day on most mass market ships.

 

Hank

[Kingofcool1947]

33 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Wagyu on a ship?  Surely you just.   For a short number of years HAL had Wagyu (we assume it was American Waygu) on the lunch menu in their Pinnacle grills (an alternative restaurant).  The Pinnacle charges $10 per person for lunch, but those of us who are 4-5* Mariners only pay $5.  I had those Wagyu burgers on two cruises and they truly amazing and among the best burgers I have ever eaten.  But alas, HAL eventually changed those burgers from Wagyu to some kind of decent alternative (not nearly as good).

 

I have never seen Japanese Waygu on the menu of any cruise line, although there are several ultra luxury lines upon which we have never cruised.  We will be in Japan next year and plan on spend at least 4 days in Kyoto where there are quite a few excellent restaurants that serve A4-A5 Kobe Beef Steaks.  Our intent is to enjoy that beef on at least two occasions.   But one should consider that the cost of a single decent A5 Kobe Steak would rival the cost of a an entire cruise day on most mass market ships.

 

Hank

 

On a recent cruise:

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Documents/Menus/1719/Waves-Menu.pdf

Edited July 5, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[ghstudio]

Yes, day 1 in mdr “aged prime rib beef”.....it’s ok, but aged..yes, in the shipping container from the us to the ship.....and there is no way it’s prime, as in the meat grading.  Blue does not get that option....they get ny steak which isn’t from ny.

we ordered a chopped salad which was fine other than it wasn’t chopped.  The jumbo shrimp in the cocktail are hard to find in the serving dish.   Folks who write menus seem to seldom actually see the food.  Prime rib is assumed to be a cut of meat...,have you ever seen aged choice beef on a menu?

 

one hard to believe but honest celebrity menu item is the grated fresh wasabi offered in the sushi restaurant.  It really is the very expensive fresh wasabi.

[Hlitner]

3 minutes ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Documents/Menus/1719/Waves-Menu.pdf

LOL, that does help make the case to cruise on "O."   On the other hand, one could cruise on HAL for about $100 per passenger day and settle for a decent burger or spend $300-$400 a passenger day for "O" to get a Wagyu burger.  Life is about trade-offs.

 

Hank

[Gonzo70]

17 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

LOL, that does help make the case to cruise on "O."   On the other hand, one could cruise on HAL for about $100 per passenger day and settle for a decent burger or spend $300-$400 a passenger day for "O" to get a Wagyu burger.  Life is about trade-offs.

 

Hank

 

Hank,

 

The term "Wagyu" is not regulated; Taco Bell could use their standard ground beef in a Japanese themed burrito and call it a Wagyu Burrito. Something a menu listed as "Wagyu" could literally be anything from A5 Kobe Beef down to USDA cutter or canner grade beef. That Oceania menu provides absolutely zero objective data about what type (or quality) of beef they are using. The only thing for certain is that it is not genuine Wagyu (i.e. beef from Japanese cattle) as it would be too expensive to serve willy-nilly and too fatty to be used in a burger. When cruise ships and non-expensive land restaurants use to the term Wagyu they are using it for marketing purposes, not as an actual description about the quality or sourcing of the beef.

Edited July 5, 2019 by Gonzo70

[cruising sister]

I sailed for a month on the Eclipse last spring. I did not enjoy any of the beef except the kids filet offered on the kids menu. I read about it on cruise critic before I left  on the cruise.  I found the other cuts of beef inferior so I tried it and this became my go to meal when I did not like the other offerings on the menu. It is 6 ounces and you can add any side. It comes with fries which were pretty good but I usually changed it out for something else.