Onboard Oasis Not Live. Non MDR Food Report

[Engineroom Snipe]

Interesting tid-bit on the Crown & Anchor supplied bottled water:

 

Standard average amount of sodium is 1mg per 16.9 oz bottle. Standard micron particulate matter is less than 2 microns. This is achieved with a reverse osmosis process, not distillation. These are very good standards. Just about the most you can get without some very expensive equipment or taking much more energy to distill.

 

The maximum recommended level of sodium in drinking water is about 250mg/ per 16.9 oz or liter.

 

People on low sodium diets should drink water with less than 20mg of sodium per 16.9 oz or liter.

 

This water is tested and is extremely low in sodium. No need to buy more expensive water onboard.

 

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

Thursday (September 7th, 2023, last week) Lunch at WJ:

 

Chicken spread at top of plate: not watery but very little flavor.

 

Egg spread at 11 o'clock upper left: not watery and had flavor.

 

I never saw any type of seafood salad or spread during the week.

 

Fried fish tasted like store bought fish-sticks: very predictable with tarter sauce at 3 o'clock under fried fish. Not bad but it was tasteless without tarter sauce. Again a very light, white, neutral tasting, flaky fish held together by the coating.

 

Chunk tuna inside of fried fish. This is a step-up from last year.

 

The rests are salad makings to include feta cheese and chopped hard boiled eggs. Again, a step-up from last year.

 

We never went hungry for something to eat. I was just happy to have more of my go to salad items available. RCI is still far short of the salad table offerings they had on my last trip in March, 2020, by at least ten items at a minimum.

 

Almost all included non-mdr meals were lacking in pure proteins that were not in sauces or heavily breaded or battered. Occasional,  baked or barbecued chicken, blackened pan seared fish, and barbecued ribs would be presented but they used to be staples of most lunch and dinner menus.

 

Most meals were presented with at least one protein at the carving station. In a majority of cases, it was a pork meat. Most of the cuts were tender and I found non of them to have gristle or high levels of fat.

 

There were some notable exceptions which I will post tomorrow.

 

[redwave]

Can you share the dailies?

[Engineroom Snipe]

3 minutes ago, redwave said:

Can you share the dailies?

I have been trying my best to describe what I thought were day by day but this is a "one week delayed" postings of pictures.

 

Do you have a specific request? I could not even begin to try to describe all of of the "non-MDR" food on a daily request.

 

There are the Solarium Bistro menus, Park Cafe menus, Loco Fresh Menus, Wind Jammer, and more.😁

 

 

[redwave]

By dailies I meant the printed paper with all the entertainment options and schedule for that day. 
:-)

[Engineroom Snipe]

10 minutes ago, redwave said:

By dailies I meant the printed paper with all the entertainment options and schedule for that day. 
🙂

My fault, I am of your generation but how soon I forget what a daily printed paper meant to my generation as I delivered it to many a household in my youth.

 

I did not request a printed daily Cruise Compass which is offered upon request.

 

I used the available RCI App.

 

For my November cruise, I will request a printed daily and post it per your request.

 

Apologies.

 

😉

[OCSC Mike]

14 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

For my November cruise, I will request a printed daily and post it per your request.

You can also use this link once onboard to see the paper compass in PDF form…

 

https://minio.rccl.com/compass/cruisecompass.pdf

[CruiserQ123]

Cruise coming up Oct 1! 

 

I have some food related questions if you don't mind answering--

 

for breakfast, are omlettes made to order both in the Windjammer AND Solarium bistro? 

 

Also for breakfast, do they offer lox (smoked salmon)? 

Some ships/cruise lines make you ask for it, others have it out, some don't have it at all. 

 

Does anyone have the main dining room menus  for each night (7 day cruise) or know where I can find them? 

 

And last, not sure this is the right place to ask this question...

Can anyone share the most recent showtime menu schedule for the week? I know it changes weekly but I'd just like to see the most recent. 

 

Thank you.

[Scottdalfonso]

6 hours ago, CruiserQ123 said:

Cruise coming up Oct 1! 

 

I have some food related questions if you don't mind answering--

 

for breakfast, are omlettes made to order both in the Windjammer AND Solarium bistro? 

 

Also for breakfast, do they offer lox (smoked salmon)? 

Some ships/cruise lines make you ask for it, others have it out, some don't have it at all. 

 

Does anyone have the main dining room menus  for each night (7 day cruise) or know where I can find them? 

 

And last, not sure this is the right place to ask this question...

Can anyone share the most recent showtime menu schedule for the week? I know it changes weekly but I'd just like to see the most recent. 

 

Thank you.

Hey.. I'm also on the 10\1 sailing (are you in the fb group?)  The menus aren't exactly set yet, but if you look on the app you can see the current sailing and get an idea of the menus. Same thing with the activities- change the sailing to this week and you can look at the schedules, it should be pretty much the same. Although we do get a new cruise director the week before we sail, not sure that changes some of the times and activities planned. 

[Engineroom Snipe]

6 hours ago, CruiserQ123 said:

Cruise coming up Oct 1! 

 

I have some food related questions if you don't mind answering--

 

for breakfast, are omlettes made to order both in the Windjammer AND Solarium bistro? 

 

Also for breakfast, do they offer lox (smoked salmon)? 

Some ships/cruise lines make you ask for it, others have it out, some don't have it at all. 

 

Does anyone have the main dining room menus  for each night (7 day cruise) or know where I can find them? 

 

And last, not sure this is the right place to ask this question...

Can anyone share the most recent showtime menu schedule for the week? I know it changes weekly but I'd just like to see the most recent. 

 

Thank you.

 

Omelettes to order are definitely available in Windjammer. I did not notice them in the Solarium Bistro.

 

Lox (smoked salmon) was offered everyday at Windjammer without asking.

 

I do not have the main dining menus.

 

I will check later today to see if we kept the recent showtime menu schedule which printed and in our cabin on arrival.

[nelblu]

10 hours ago, redwave said:

By dailies I meant the printed paper with all the entertainment options and schedule for that day. 
🙂

They change from week to week.  For instance, Cats was offered on the 1st 2 days on our August 20 sail, but on Oasis October 9 it's on the last 2 days.  We also had only 1 headliner Jason Bishop an illusionist and he was fantastic.  In addition, a very funny guy.

 

There's a new production "One Sky" and to me it seems like a combination of "We Will Rock You", dancing and a bit of acrobatics.  A replica of an airplane was interesting.

 

Here’s the entertainment schedule for the week of August 20

Edited September 13, 2023 by nelblu

[CruiserQ123]

7 hours ago, Scottdalfonso said:

Hey.. I'm also on the 10\1 sailing (are you in the fb group?)  The menus aren't exactly set yet, but if you look on the app you can see the current sailing and get an idea of the menus. Same thing with the activities- change the sailing to this week and you can look at the schedules, it should be pretty much the same. Although we do get a new cruise director the week before we sail, not sure that changes some of the times and activities planned. 

This is probably going to sound stupid but I didn't know there was a Facebook page for a particular sailing. What's the name of the fb page?

Also, I went to the royal app and could not go to see any information for this week's activities/menus. It is only showing me the information that is available for my Oct 1 cruise (which isn't much at this point)

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

9 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

Omelettes to order are definitely available in Windjammer. I did not notice them in the Solarium Bistro.

 

Lox (smoked salmon) was offered everyday at Windjammer without asking.

 

I do not have the main dining menus.

 

I will check later today to see if we kept the recent showtime menu schedule which printed and in our cabin on arrival.

@CruiserQ123

 

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

A surprise on the last cruise day for brunch that ended at 1:00pm in the Solarium Bistro (September 9, 2023).

 

They served steak and eggs. I asked some cruisers next to me what they thought of the steak. They said it was hit or miss as one person thought it was very good and one person got a piece of gristle. The person who said it was gristle gave great accolades about the NY strip steak he had in the MDR earlier in the week.

 

I carefully picked a piece which was about 4 to 5 ounces after cooking. It was cooked medium to medium rare, very moist, tasteful, and tender, 9/10. It was the best piece of meat I had onboard all week only challenged by the ribs I had the day before.

 

What a treat!

 

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

2 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

A surprise on the last cruise day for brunch that ended at 1:00pm in the Solarium Bistro (September 9, 2023).

 

They served steak and eggs. I asked some cruisers next to me what they thought of the steak. They said it was hit or miss as one person thought it was very good and one person got a piece of gristle. The person who said it was gristle gave great accolades about the NY strip steak he had in the MDR earlier in the week.

 

I carefully picked a piece which was about 4 to 5 ounces after cooking. It was cooked medium to medium rare, very moist, tasteful, and tender, 9/10. It was the best piece of meat I had onboard all week only challenged by the ribs I had the day before.

 

What a treat!

 

 

 

Forgot to mention other items on plate, fried chicken (very good), lamb stew (very good), and vegetables (salad and califlower).

[nimbex1970]

On 9/11/2023 at 3:45 PM, nelblu said:

On the 5th day of the Oasis August 20 sail, suddenly bananas disappeared from the WJ breakfast.  Got a hold of a supervisor and asked if he could get me a banana.   He said sure and a few minutes later he brought the fruit to my table.  Bananas were there on the 6th and 7th day.  I don't get it.😆

They have to rotate for freshness.  Less spoilage. 

[nimbex1970]

22 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

 

 

3 hours ago, CruiserQ123 said:

This is probably going to sound stupid but I didn't know there was a Facebook page for a particular sailing. What's the name of the fb page?

Also, I went to the royal app and could not go to see any information for this week's activities/menus. It is only showing me the information that is available for my Oct 1 cruise (which isn't much at this point)

 

I goto facebook groups and search for the ship and the sail date.  More pop up than you would expect.  I choose the one with the most folks/most active posts per day.

[nimbex1970]

Last sail on WOS, I found the beef on kimoweck to be chewy on some days and tossed it up to being random.  I hope they didn't move to lower-quality proteins for cost-cutting.  THis is so disappointing to hear. I know I recommended the park cafe to you.  ugh.

[schlimazel_traveler]

Thanks for this review. I haven't had the patience for the MDR for a long time, and I am very interested in the other complimentary options!

Trying Oasis class for the first time next cruise after half a dozen cruises on Vision-class ships so I'm excited to try the additional venues.

[Engineroom Snipe]

18 minutes ago, nimbex1970 said:

Last sail on WOS, I found the beef on kimoweck to be chewy on some days and tossed it up to being random.  I hope they didn't move to lower-quality proteins for cost-cutting.  THis is so disappointing to hear. I know I recommended the park cafe to you.  ugh.

 

No, I wanted to explore and try it for myself. I had it on the Enchantment of the Seas in April of this year and found it very disappointing. The roll was not fresh, the meat was not even prepared well as it was served on a dish that came out of the back room of the aft Solarium. The Solarium hours of operation were only when the Windjammer was closed so there was limited opportunity. Maybe two hours between 12pm and 6pm when you could get in line but you could not see the meat being carved.

 

On the Oasis, this roast looked FABULOUS on the cutting board. I watched the server cut it. I was so psyched to get my taste buds on it and then, FAILURE, 😭. I really wanted it to be good.

 

It is what it is, I will try it one more time on my next voyage this November.

 

Sooner or later, even a blind pig finds an acorn.

 

🤣

[nelblu]

28 minutes ago, nimbex1970 said:

Last sail on WOS, I found the beef on kimoweck to be chewy on some days and tossed it up to being random.  I hope they didn't move to lower-quality proteins for cost-cutting.  THis is so disappointing to hear. I know I recommended the park cafe to you.  ugh.

It's been like that for a number of years and including pre-pandemic.  When PC was first introduced it was the cat's meow.  Heck, they even got rid of the chips.

[Engineroom Snipe]

9 minutes ago, schlimazel_traveler said:

Thanks for this review. I haven't had the patience for the MDR for a long time, and I am very interested in the other complimentary options!

Trying Oasis class for the first time next cruise after half a dozen cruises on Vision-class ships so I'm excited to try the additional venues.

 

In general, the Solarium Bistro had consistent food offerings that were a 'cut above" other non UDP or MDR options.

 

The Windjammer was very good for early morning risers.

 

We would advise you to go to the Windjammer early (we were there when it opened at 7am) and then go to the Solarium Bistro at about 12:30pm before it closed at 1pm for brunch. Then go for a snackeral at Loco Fresh late afternoon. There were some days we just skipped dinner or had a one plate shared meal out of the Windjammer on deck 16 outside as we watched the sunset.

[OCSC Mike]

36 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

The Windjammer was very good for early morning risers.

 

Just about everything is better in the early morning hours, IMO.

 

I still like getting to Park Cafe when it opens at 6:30am for an egg sandwich or bagel... and the peacefulness of a quiet, empty Central Park.

 

38 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Then go for a snackeral at Loco Fresh late afternoon.

 

That's when I found myself there. Nice option for an afternoon snack.

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 minute ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Just about everything is better in the early morning hours, IMO.

 

I still like getting to Park Cafe when it opens at 6:30am for an egg sandwich or bagel... and the peacefulness of a quiet, empty Central Park.

 

 

That's when I found myself there. Nice option for an afternoon snack.

 

@OCSC Mike

On this cruise, September 2023, both the Park Cafe and Windjammer normally opened at 7am.

 

Last year, in September 2022, on the Oasis, they both opened earlier at 6:30am.

 

Do not know why the times changed. Just giving you a heads-up.

[OCSC Mike]

4 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

On this cruise, September 2023, both the Park Cafe and Windjammer normally opened at 7am.

 

Interesting. It was still 6:30am on Wonder in June. I don't sail again til March so I'm not exactly worried about exact timing right now. Who knows what will change by then?

 

Thanks though.