Food: Current vs pre-covid

[mamapirk]

I just returned from a 4-day cruise with Royal Caribbean. Previously, I've only ever sailed with Seabourn, Regent and Holland American. The food on the just completed Royal Caribbean cruise was shockingly bad. Having not sailed with Royal Caribbean before, I'm wondering if they are trying to make up lost expenses or would I have been just as unsatisfied pre-covid. This question is especially for current HAL World Cruisers, do you find the food quality the same as what you experienced in 2020? Granted, I did not expect Royal to live up to the same standards I've experienced on other lines but I honestly did not expect it to be as bad as I encountered. I accompanied a friend on this cruise on a lark, but it got me thinking about what I should be expecting from my favorite lines. Thanks for any input!

[CruiserBruce]

Oh boy....I can see where this thread is going to go...

[mamapirk]

Lol...I really don't mean it to be. I'm just honestly curious. This is the first cruise I've taken since covid, the last being a HAL cruise just before the shut down in 2020. I know food is subjective, but I've never seen powdered eggs before. 😳 Was there a big difference between what I was served on the luxury ships and HAL? Yes, but the HAL food excellent too. I'm looking to do a long HAL cruise and good food quality plays a big part in cruise enjoyment.

[albingirl]

27 minutes ago, mamapirk said:

Lol...I really don't mean it to be. I'm just honestly curious. This is the first cruise I've taken since covid, the last being a HAL cruise just before the shut down in 2020. I know food is subjective, but I've never seen powdered eggs before. 😳 Was there a big difference between what I was served on the luxury ships and HAL? Yes, but the HAL food excellent too. I'm looking to do a long HAL cruise and good food quality plays a big part in cruise enjoyment.

Aaahhhh, 

[FOPMan]

We were on the Nieuw Statendam for a 17 day cruise over the holidaze.

 

We noticed an increase in the amount of pasta in the MDR and the absence of lobster in the MDR. Preparation was slightly less complex than pre-Covid.

 

There were also some paring of selections in the specialty restaurants. Tamarind was a little less spicy on the Thai beef salad.

 

 

[tartanmom]

Just off 16 nights on Zaandam. We mostly ate in Lido for lunch, MDR for breakfast and dinner. Food was delicious although some serving portions in MDR were far smaller then in the past. Once we figured it out we just learned to order an extra appie or whatever. Marshmallows are the new whipping cream...lol. They use them on the sundaes and to fancy up desserts where in the past whipping cream was used. I ordered the Asian salad in the Lido several times and it was to include rice noodles but they never had them. Not a huge deal for me - I'm just thrilled to not be the person cooking and cleaning up afterwards - although hubby was a wee bit disappointed. The plate presentation, especially in MDR, was beautiful as always and all our meals were tasty.

[jenp123]

I was on a 21 day HAL carribean on the koningsdam just before covid and just went on one in the rotterdam Nov 2022. I didn't think there was any difference in the quality of the food.  

 

 

 

The menus have been made a bit smaller (but they are still very happy to accommodatespecial requests), no lobster on formal night (may be different on a world cruise) but having dishes on this past cruise that I have had many times pre covid, they were just as good as they were before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[*Miss G*]

Although not your preferred “HAL World Cruiser”, I found the quality and portion size of the food no better nor worse than pre-covid days.

[jimbob22]

There was no salmon coubiliac on my recent Rotterdam cruise. 

 

Back in the glory days of Pinnacle class cruising, Koningsdam, 2017 (my de riguer reference to the glory days of the largest and most recent ship class), the servers at the lido were trying to foist that upon me repeatedly.

 

I thus had to eat salmon like a commoner, like a crude vulgarian--sans any puff pastry.  But other than that, I didn't notice any issues.  

[BruhnSisters]

Food on the Koningsdam over New Year's was fantastic overall.  

[Jammu2]

I was on 3 cruises on 3 different lines last year, and we have 3 booked this year. In my opinion the standard fare has been economized. We ended up eating in the specialty restaurants more than we ever did pre Covid.

 

We shall see how things go this year. 

[albingirl]

12 hours ago, albingirl said:

Aaahhhh, 

Mistake on that post, sorry.  This subject is continual, but I have been on 3 cruises since the beginning of the pandemic, and found no difference.  We've yet to sail this year, that's coming up, so time will tell.

[Colorado Klutch]

Powdered eggs on a cruise ship? Criminy, even aboard US Navy aircraft carriers we got real eggs. (The preparation was downright criminal, but they were real eggs.)

[Mary229]

With egg prices I wonder if they might start up charging.  😊

[dogo88]

6 minutes ago, Colorado Klutch said:

Powdered eggs on a cruise ship? Criminy, even aboard US Navy aircraft carriers we got real eggs. (The preparation was downright criminal, but they were real eggs.)

Real eggs cooked anyway you want are available. You just need to ask. The big dish of scrambled eggs is usually powdered. 

[PROCRUISE]

The food (Orange Club dining) was excellent of the Statendam the first part of December 2022. The added item to our menu wasn't anything special but,  the big advantage was the meals were served HOT and it was a quiet atmosphere. Most enjoyable experience with good food and service.

[AKJonesy]

Been on 4 cruise post pandemic.  I admit that I am fussy about Italian food.  Saying that, HAL does NOT do Italian well.  I don't get the positive posts on Rustic Lasagna which I think is horrible.  There are things that HAL does very well and other things not so great.  The bread is excellent and desserts are just so so...bread pudding...yuk.  I've always liked; not loved the Asian food and only wish it could be hot when it's served, but it's buffet so...  Sandwiches and salads are good.  Meat and fish are pretty good.  Overall, if eating in MDR and Lido, the food is going to range from excellent to so so.  Upscale dining has been pretty darn good, but we don't always eat at those venues.  Posting this IMHO.  

[ottahand7]

We are currently on the Volendam Grand South America 74 days with about 66 left. Our food and service is at pre pandemic quality. Each ship is different but our MDR, Lido, Pinnacle and Canaletto have been terrific. The breads and pastries are abundant and excellent. Food is hot when it arrives other than breakfast coffee in the MDR so we just get breakfast in the Lido.  A lot of our staff are new but they work so hard to get our meals to us hot and plated beautifully.  I can say the same for the Nieuw Statendam from last February.  Sorry for an opportunity to drop some food porn.  First two MDR last 4 Canaletto. 

[mcrcruiser]

We sailed 12 days on Koningsdam   from Dec 5th to 12th 2022  .We experienced horrendous lines waiting to get seated in the MDR .We had any time dining so we just showed up & were seated but the lines should not have been that way .This was caused by understaffing  for 2500 plus pax 

 

 Food in the MDR Breakfasts were great , dinners not so great  .I asked that the LaSanga be taken off the menu because it was awful .nothing even close to Italian Lasanga . Found out that the Exec Chef was Indian . Not that that should matter   but ,in this case it was really bad. We also waited 2 hours to complete a meal  until I complained ,then it sped ip 

The Lido food was better than expected imo ,the Dice in was great as always & the NY Pizza & Deli  sandwhiches  needed help 

[mcrcruiser]

About the Speciality Restaurants on koningsdam .We had lunch on a sea cay in Pinnacle & was excellent .Tamarind  did not disappoint & as good as it has ever been .Canaletto was fabulous 😃😀😃

[Colorado Klutch]

2 hours ago, dogo88 said:

Real eggs cooked anyway you want are available. You just need to ask. The big dish of scrambled eggs is usually powdered. 

 

I would be surprised if the eggs truly were powdered. In Navy boot camp, we used gallon containers of pasteurized, pre-scrambled eggs. We would simply dump them onto a grill and scrape them off into a steam tray. Likely that's what cruise ships are using of not whole eggs. 

[Roz]

Agree with @Colorado Klutch, they're not powdered eggs.  

 

I found more pasta dishes on the dinner menus, sometimes 2 or 3 on the same night.  Cheap varieties of fish such as tilapia.  Lots of mashed potatoes.  But overall, still good.

[ldog]

We are just off the Zaandam too.  Quality was mostly fine.  I am happy that the portions are smaller.  I hate wasting food.  Sometimes the fish was overcooked in MDR.  Poached eggs - made to order- in the Lido every morning.

 

We laughed about the berries though.  The strawberries are cut into four little pieces and the raspberries and blueberries in half.  so if the dessert said something like "creme caramel with berries" there would be 2 pieces of strawberry and one piece of blueberry - so technically they are as advertised.  I'm not complaining though, just happy to be cruising. 

[*Miss G*]

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Edited January 11, 2023 by *Miss G*

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, mcrcruiser said:

.I asked that the LaSanga be taken off the menu because it was awful .nothing even close to Italian Lasanga .

 

If it’s like the lasagna I had a few years ago I agree that it was awful.  I do not care for the traditional Italian lasagne made with béchamel sauce.

 

1 hour ago, mcrcruiser said:

Found out that the Exec Chef was Indian . Not that that should matter   but ,in this case it was really bad.

 

Nationality has nothing to do with ability and, to be honest, nullifying expertise and qualifications on the basis of race is poor form.