Matthew 14:13-21

[Jetdriver787]

Having spent much of the latter part of the summer bemoaning the complete lack of cream on board Anthem of the seas, it is something of a relief to find RCI has seemingly taken heed and redressed the situation. On Enchantment this past week I have had no problem exceeding my daily recommended calorie intake by at least 3000 surplus units, by having desserts, Frappuccino’s and sundry other unhealthy but guilty pleasures topped with the the familiar hiss of tinned UHT “squirtey” cream! I’m reliably informed that “Half and half” has been much in abundance, and “full artery clogger and more” most certainly has!

 

Sadly (and I suppose not surprisingly) this has come at a price! That price is fruit and vegetables! Initially I noticed that the lime in my cocktail wasn’t a slice so much as a splinter! Given that I consider this to be at least one of my  “5-a-day,” I initially put this down to an overzealous attempt at reducing waste. However, it soon became apparent that one strawberry was being cut into more pieces than I would ever have thought possible without the use of some sort of medical grade laser? One strawberry should comfortably have satisfied the entire MDR red berry requirement per sitting! At dinner last night the Asparagus, which of itself was never going to win a prize at the county fair, was actually cut longitudinally in half! I can only imagine how laborious that process must be, and I assume it is a punishment for any kitchen staff member who negligently puts more than 2 “Quarter” sized pieces of Carrot on anybodies dinner plate?

 

So why the title of the thread? Well…I can’t help feeling that with 5 loaves and 2 fishes, RCI would have managed to feed more than 5000? Indeed, throw in a punnet of Strawberries and they could satiate most of the fleet for an entire cruising season!

 

still, credit where it’s due. The cream is back! 👍

[little britain]

And I was just thinking this morning that I hadn’t seen a single little carton of “half and half” in the WJ on Enchantment… and I am thrilled to see that with a mainly European clientele there is a large jug of skimmed milk readily available.! 

[HicksRA]

But the loyalists will say “you could always ask for more”….

As a side note, I noticed on my most recent cruise that they were very generous and putting four pats of butter in the tin pot - up from two in months previous. 
 

[Jetdriver787]

2 minutes ago, little britain said:

And I was just thinking this morning that I hadn’t seen a single little carton of “half and half” in the WJ on Enchantment… and I am thrilled to see that with a mainly European clientele there is a large jug of skimmed milk readily available.! 

Indeed LB! I know it’s the low fat half that would prove to be an injustice to me, so I just relied on my reliable source, (obviously not my other half & half! 🤦🏻‍♂️) The chap behind the counter at Cafe Latitudes has resorted to calling me either “Ben” or “Jerry” on alternate days. a nomenclature that  took longer than it really should have to spark self awareness! 

[Jetdriver787]

4 minutes ago, HicksRA said:

But the loyalists will say “you could always ask for more”….

As a side note, I noticed on my most recent cruise that they were very generous and putting four pats of butter in the tin pot - up from two in months previous. 
 

Hmmm! You are right of course! But, rather like “tipping” it’s a bit of a cultural thing! Ever since Dickens’s  “Oliver Twist” we have always had a slight nationalistic aversion to asking for more? Not dissimilar to our complaining incessantly to each other all through dinner, and then saying “lovely” when the waiter, waiters and head waiter ask us “How is everything?”

[little britain]

1 hour ago, Jetdriver787 said:

Hmmm! You are right of course! But, rather like “tipping” it’s a bit of a cultural thing! Ever since Dickens’s  “Oliver Twist” we have always had a slight nationalistic aversion to asking for more? Not dissimilar to our complaining incessantly to each other all through dinner, and then saying “lovely” when the waiter, waiters and head waiter ask us “How is everything?”

lol 😂 that’s so English!! 

[jk04]

Thanks for the laugh on a week where absolutely nothing went right at work and stuff is still broke...

[Jetdriver787]

Sorry, I know this is becoming an obsession but……..

 

At dinner tonight (and I present to you exhibit “A” your honour,) the menu promised a “Panna Cotta” of silky deliciousness. More importantly was the portent of a plurality of Strawberries! Clearly everything had been saved up for this Fragarian gala. 
 

The anticipation was quickly puréed into crushing disappointment as laid before me was an epicurean dessert atop which was not many, not one, but NONE Strawberries! Instead was a sad and lonely Raspberry! (I present exhibit “B” your honour!)
 

Now, in fairness it was actually a whole  un-chopped or otherwise divided berry. In Winter at home we will

sometimes leave nuts or berries on a table for Southerly migrating birds, however I feel if I ever left just one bloody raspberry out, said birds would flock together and exhibit their displeasure all over the hood  and windscreen of my car!

[LobsterStalker]

6 hours ago, Jetdriver787 said:

Having spent much of the latter part of the summer bemoaning the complete lack of cream on board Anthem of the seas, it is something of a relief to find RCI has seemingly taken heed and redressed the situation. On Enchantment this past week I have had no problem exceeding my daily recommended calorie intake by at least 3000 surplus units, by having desserts, Frappuccino’s and sundry other unhealthy but guilty pleasures topped with the the familiar hiss of tinned UHT “squirtey” cream! I’m reliably informed that “Half and half” has been much in abundance, and “full artery clogger and more” most certainly has!

 

Sadly (and I suppose not surprisingly) this has come at a price! That price is fruit and vegetables! Initially I noticed that the lime in my cocktail wasn’t a slice so much as a splinter! Given that I consider this to be at least one of my  “5-a-day,” I initially put this down to an overzealous attempt at reducing waste. However, it soon became apparent that one strawberry was being cut into more pieces than I would ever have thought possible without the use of some sort of medical grade laser? One strawberry should comfortably have satisfied the entire MDR red berry requirement per sitting! At dinner last night the Asparagus, which of itself was never going to win a prize at the county fair, was actually cut longitudinally in half! I can only imagine how laborious that process must be, and I assume it is a punishment for any kitchen staff member who negligently puts more than 2 “Quarter” sized pieces of Carrot on anybodies dinner plate?

 

So why the title of the thread? Well…I can’t help feeling that with 5 loaves and 2 fishes, RCI would have managed to feed more than 5000? Indeed, throw in a punnet of Strawberries and they could satiate most of the fleet for an entire cruising season!

 

still, credit where it’s due. The cream is back! 👍

...You are joking with this right ?

The asparagus comment that is ..

Edited November 10, 2023 by LobsterStalker

[HicksRA]

46 minutes ago, Jetdriver787 said:

Sorry, I know this is becoming an obsession but……..

 

At dinner tonight (and I present to you exhibit “A” your honour,) the menu promised a “Panna Cotta” of silky deliciousness. More importantly was the portent of a plurality of Strawberries! Clearly everything had been saved up for this Fragarian gala. 
 

The anticipation was quickly puréed into crushing disappointment as laid before me was an epicurean dessert atop which was not many, not one, but NONE Strawberries! Instead was a sad and lonely Raspberry! (I present exhibit “B” your honour!)
 

Now, in fairness it was actually a whole  un-chopped or otherwise divided berry. In Winter at home we will

sometimes leave nuts or berries on a table for Southerly migrating birds, however I feel if I ever left just one bloody raspberry out, said birds would flock together and exhibit their displeasure all over the hood  and windscreen of my car!

In order to enhance your dining experience, we have graciously substituted the fresh strawberries with one robust raspberry….

[LobsterStalker]

5 hours ago, Jetdriver787 said:

Hmmm! You are right of course! But, rather like “tipping” it’s a bit of a cultural thing! Ever since Dickens’s  “Oliver Twist” we have always had a slight nationalistic aversion to asking for more? Not dissimilar to our complaining incessantly to each other all through dinner, and then saying “lovely” when the waiter, waiters and head waiter ask us “How is everything?”

That one made me laugh

I'm loving your self awareness and honesty !

 

Cheers

[Jetdriver787]

12 minutes ago, LobsterStalker said:

...You are joking with this right ?

The asparagus comment that is ..

I wish I was! 

[little britain]

@Jetdriver787 let us know how you get on with the layerS of fresh strawberrieS in tonight’s dessert!!

[Jetdriver787]

I’ve already been tormented by “Strawberry fields” playing as background music somewhere? I think somebody on security with CVTV is stalking me? 🤷‍♂️ 🍓. Anyway it’s “Lobster night” so what can possibly go wrong? 

Edited November 11, 2023 by Jetdriver787

[little britain]

20 minutes ago, Jetdriver787 said:

I’ve already been tormented by “Strawberry fields” playing as background music somewhere? I think somebody on security with CVTV is stalking me? 🤷‍♂️ 🍓. Anyway it’s “Lobster night” so what can possibly go wrong? 

Errr…the lobster 🦞 are pretending to be shrimp 🦐?!

Edited November 11, 2023 by little britain

[Jetdriver787]

4 hours ago, little britain said:

@Jetdriver787 let us know how you get on with the layerS of fresh strawberrieS in tonight’s dessert!!

Well…..without a full forensic analysis, I would say the crown was about 1/4 (25% in metric?) of a junior specimen. Possibly a similar quantity had been micro-chopped into the copious filling? I think it’s safe to say that no adult strawberries had been been harmed in the making of this dessert?

[Jetdriver787]

3 hours ago, little britain said:

Errr…the lobster 🦞 are pretending to be shrimp 🦐?!

You were right! I put on a suit for nothing! When I asked the waiter, he put on a brave face and confidently tried to explain that RCI never offer lobster in Europe! The menu suggested they did if you shelled out for the $16.99 specimen?

 

I told him that they had it on Anthem this Summer on both of the cruises we did from Southampton, but possibly that is the only good thing to come out of “Brexit,” I’m not sure?

 

Anyway, I don’t think I was alone in my disappointment? There were clearly some devastated Europeans. A smattering of bereft North Americans and a few crushed Asians! (Crustaceans?….Oh never mind!)

[Jetdriver787]

On 11/10/2023 at 6:44 PM, HicksRA said:

But the loyalists will say “you could always ask for more”….

As a side note, I noticed on my most recent cruise that they were very generous and putting four pats of butter in the tin pot - up from two in months previous. 
 

You will be pleased to learn that tonight’s tin actually contained 5 pats as evidenced below. They used to use “El-Presidente” but now have switched to something called “Echte Boter,” which I think may be German for “I can’t believe it’s not margarine?” In any event the back of the pat says “Kaptein” which I am sure is a serious step down from “President!”

[HicksRA]

2 minutes ago, Jetdriver787 said:

You will be pleased to learn that tonight’s tin actually contained 5 pats as evidenced below. They used to use “El-Presidente” but now have switched to something called “Echte Boter,” which I think may be German for “I can’t believe it’s not margarine?” In any event the back of the pat says “Kaptein” which I am sure is a serious step down from “President!”

Jackpot!

 

I’m assuming the diners before you didn’t eat their allotment… 😁

Edited November 11, 2023 by HicksRA

[Jetdriver787]

On 11/11/2023 at 12:33 AM, LobsterStalker said:

...You are joking with this right ?

The asparagus comment that is ..

LS, whilst not wishing to alarm you, I should also mention that the advertised asparagus on tonight’s proffered entree, was bizarrely substituted with a 5” (12.7 cm) string bean that had been cut into 4 pieces? I would have taken a photograph, but despite my assumed surreptitiousness, both of our waiters have noticed me snapping away at everything they convey, and some sort of consternation seems to be breaking out at the local waiter station!
 

[BND]

Our asparagus on Jewel 20 Oct-9 Nov (b2b) was the skinniest little limp asparagus I've ever seen. Butter was plentiful at all meals.  Breakfast pastries are obviously premade and frozen, but they still taste good.  I will say we made several substitutions with no issue.  I asked for and received a garden salad on several nights.  Tomatoes were horrible for the most part though.  

[Jetdriver787]

The Bananas in windjammer weren’t much to write home about either! They had reached that point of blackness where in Britain we have a minor marital argument about throwing them out, only for one partner to claim they will use them to make something called “Banana bread?” This is something they never have and never will concoct, at which juncture the other party surreptitiously throws them in the bin (trash!) At that point it is then customary to visit the local supermarket to purchase 6 more and start the whole ritual again! 

[Mum2Mercury]

My own experiences on Royal last week:

- I didn't drink any coffee, and my husband doesn't take cream -- didn't notice whether it was provided or not. 

- We had a two-top table in the MDR, and we had ample butter.  I think maybe 4 pats?  

- Vegetables -- talking quantity -- were hit or miss in the MDR.  I had a fish dish with plenty of veg on the side; on the other hand, my beef tenderloin was served with two pieces of asparagus (at least they weren't cut in half horizontally).  

- Vegetables in the Windjammer went plentiful and cooked well; however, most people didn't seem to be taking many.  I enjoyed the grilled vegetables, stir fried vegetables, and salads.  The tomatoes weren't homegrown /fresh off the vine, but I wasn't disappointed in them.  I think that's the key to the "shortage".  People aren't eating the vegetables, so Royal's holding back. 

- Whole fruit was plentiful in the Windjammer, but I didn't see anyone really digging into it.  My husband ate a banana one day, and it looked good.

- As for strawberries, one issue is that they have about a 15 minute lifespan.  To combat this, Royal is using frozen berries or pre-prepared strawberry glaze.  Not the best, but I understand that days out of their home port, they aren't getting fresh deliveries.  

[Bailey & Sophie]

7 hours ago, Jetdriver787 said:

They had reached that point of blackness where in Britain we have a minor marital argument about throwing them out, only for one partner to claim they will use them to make something called “Banana bread?” 

 

We recently were on Raduance. There was Banana bread in the Windjammer breakfast buffet each morning. It was very good. It was quite dark so there must have been molasses in it.

Yum.

[travelberlin]

Thank you so much for this thread 👍. I am enjoying very much your English humor 😂