Just off Navigator - food in MDR is so so disappointing

[time4u2go]

1 hour ago, Morecruisesplz said:

I have enjoyed fine dining many times... can I call myself a foodie? (Its a made up thing!)

Lol me too! I guess I'm a foodie!  I didn't realize it until now.

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by time4u2go

[firefly333]

1 minute ago, time4u2go said:

Lol me too! I guess I'm a foodie!

I was recently told I cruise for the food. Does that make me one too? It was a good food cruise overall. A few pay restaurants and cheers with a officer with fillet mignon and b2b lunch and besides izumi and wonderland we accidentally wound up at a Jewish thing with jelly donuts at my dinner time one night. Ended day 7 lunch at Jamie's together. 

 

The week before I made the mistake of Mdr italian night which was kinda awful but I dont like italian food. Drowned my salad 300% too much dressing. Asked for the ministroni soup as a entree since the menu said beans. I like beans. Not even one bean in mine. Menu also mentioned a tomato in my salad, missing. I walked out and went to the buffet. Some meals are terrific, enjoy. If it's not good, go get something better. 

[Morecruisesplz]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

I was recently told I cruise for the food. Does that make me one too? It was a good food cruise overall. A few pay restaurants and cheers with a officer with fillet mignon and b2b lunch and besides izumi and wonderland we accidentally wound up at a Jewish thing with jelly donuts at my dinner time one night. Ended day 7 lunch at Jamie's together. 

 

The week before I made the mistake of Mdr italian night which was kinda awful but I dont like italian food. Drowned my salad 300% too much dressing. Asked for the ministroni soup as a entree since the menu said beans. I like beans. Not even one bean in mine. Menu also mentioned a tomato in my salad, missing. I walked out and went to the buffet. Some meals are terrific, enjoy. If it's not good, go get something better. 

The ministroni soup and a 1/2 order of pasta in Giovanni’s is a meal for us! Delicious. (And ask for shrimp in your pasta.)

[Morecruisesplz]

3 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

I read the MSC forum on another site as it's nonexistent on Cruise Critic and the complaints about the food sound much like these complaints here.

Try it, like we have. Mdr is much better.

[neverbeenhere]

Like a beer snob or a master of spelling, people can call themselves whatever they want. 
 

I’m a triskaidekaphobian. And I’m not even sure that’s a word, 

[bretts173]

Would be interested to know how many people who think the MDR has fallen so much, are most things in life also not as good as the good old days?

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

41 minutes ago, bretts173 said:

Would be interested to know how many people who think the MDR has fallen so much, are most things in life also not as good as the good old days?

 

I think the quality of the food has changed for the worse in the MDR, but, I prefer the more casual experience than dressing every night for a 2 + hour dinner, so I'm mixed on an answer to the question.   Everyone says food is subjective, but, I think there is a lot of evidence that they're serving us cheaper food.  (Pork shank instead of veal shank is an obvious example, among many others, like the complete absence of veal, lamb or duck in MDR .)   I don't tend to be nostalgic for too many things from the good old days. I feel mostly positive about life today, with one exception that I'll not bother to get into here.  Like Carly Simon sang, I tend towards "These are the good old days". 

Edited January 1 by Steeler Nation At Sea

[Engineroom Snipe]

Like many posters have stated, food expectations vary wildly from one cruiser to the next. I do not recommend cruises anymore now because the great experiences I really enjoy might not be the same experience on a different ship or the same ship with a different crew.

 

I tell them why I like cruising but I do not mention the food except to say they will certainly not starve and in most cases, they will find it more than adequate.

 

The first time cruiser who bought a cruise based on my recommendation might get the wildcard bad meal in the MDR on the first night which sets the tone for the rest of the week.

 

Since reopening after the pandemic, I have cruised and the meals have been adequate for the prices I paid which have easily doubled since I bought them.

 

My 9 night cruise on the Jewel of the Seas in November was a pleasant shock. The MDR experience and Windjammer experience were the first time my wife and I experienced food quality approaching what we considered "the good-ole days." The cuts of beef, salmon, and more were of very good quality and prepared extremely well. When we talked to fellow cruisers with experience, they marveled at "this should be the way it is on all RCI ships."

 

The food experiences are hit or miss. I am now accustomed to this but I cannot recommend a cruise line to others until I experience more consistency.

 

For now, we are taking a hiatus from RCI and maybe cruising in general to refresh our attitudes about other experiences with our vacation dollars.

 

I am well aware that people who are happy with a service are much less likely to post about it but I see posters who love cruising trying to tell about their experiences and expectations.

[HappyTexan44]

17 hours ago, Lakelife4me said:

Back to why my bar for MDR isn't set high. I work for a large corporation that has a couple of company events per year. Trying to feed 5000 to 7000 people at once is ridiculously difficult. We always referred to it as our "rubber chicken dinner" so I avoid it if I can. Even spreading it out over 3 or 4 hours, good luck.

 

The MDR doesn't get a pass and it isn't a catered dinner.   It *is* a really really large restaurant with an extremely limited menu.   In a catered event, it does matter that everyone gets their food at the same time.  There are speeches and group things that will happen, so everyone needs to eat in sync.  In the MDR, do you really care that someone on the other side of the room got their entree a half-hour before or after yours?   The traditional dining times is for their convenience, not yours.   Also, in your standard event space, the kitchen might average 1-2 large meals per week.  Whereas the MDR is doing a large meal each day, plus smaller breakfast and some lunches.  So, while an event space has an excuse for a smaller kitchen, the cruise ship has zero excuse.   Kitchens can be scaled up.  They can hire more people and buy more equipment.   3-4 hours is a standard window of time in a restaurant for dinner.  

 

 

[sanchoucsb]

25 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

 

The MDR doesn't get a pass and it isn't a catered dinner.   It *is* a really really large restaurant with an extremely limited menu.   

 

 

 

Exactly, and it's not like any of us are asking the MDR to deliver the same quality as the best restaurants on land. We are just looking for the same quality as 12 months ago. Nothing about the logistics of preparing meals for large numbers of people has changed in the past 12 months.

[Morecruisesplz]

11 hours ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

 

I think the quality of the food has changed for the worse in the MDR, but, I prefer the more casual experience than dressing every night for a 2 + hour dinner, so I'm mixed on an answer to the question.   Everyone says food is subjective, but, I think there is a lot of evidence that they're serving us cheaper food.  (Pork shank instead of veal shank is an obvious example, among many others, like the complete absence of veal, lamb or duck in MDR .)   I don't tend to be nostalgic for too many things from the good old days. I feel mostly positive about life today, with one exception that I'll not bother to get into here.  Like Carly Simon sang, I tend towards "These are the good old days". 

Again, well said!

[NJoynCruisin]

Since the end of covid, we've sailed 7 times, 5 on Navigator.  The food in the MDR has slowly declined.  Case in point, Turkey dinner.  My DH loves all white meat and was very happy with it until our last cruise in Sept.  The turkey didn't even look like turkey, but was a thinly cut piece of Turkey rolled around some dressing.  Hardly any gravy.  I made the mistake of ordering dark meat.  Funny, they looked identical.  Both were awful.   It was their recipe for 5 cruises, so it's their inconsistency.  We will not eat in MDR anymore. Rather pay extra for specialty.  We enjoy Chops, Izumi and LOVED Hooked.  We will keep doing UDP.   Are we Foodies?  I don't think so, but we do enjoy a nice dinner with tasty food.

[DallasGuy75219]

5 hours ago, HappyTexan44 said:

The MDR doesn't get a pass and it isn't a catered dinner.   It *is* a really really large restaurant with an extremely limited menu.

 

4 hours ago, sanchoucsb said:

Exactly, and it's not like any of us are asking the MDR to deliver the same quality as the best restaurants on land.

 

RC needs to update its messaging (as do many other mass market lines).  "Gourmet courses" and "a world class dining experience" do not reflect the reality of the MDR food and service on today's RC.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-dining/main-dining-room?

[sanchoucsb]

10 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

 

 

RC needs to update its messaging (as do many other mass market lines).  "Gourmet courses" and "a world class dining experience" do not reflect the reality of the MDR food and service on today's RC.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-dining/main-dining-room?

It feels like someone at RC headquarters walked down the hall to the head of dining and told them, “we are cutting your food budget in half but we aren’t changing our marketing so figure out a way to prepare food we can pretend is gourmet at half the price.” 

[PACrew]

On 12/31/2023 at 5:21 PM, Illbcruzn4life said:

I read the MSC forum on another site as it's nonexistent on Cruise Critic and the complaints about the food sound much like these complaints here.

Yeh but everyone seems to forget that MSCs ticket price is cheaper than Royal. For example, a cruise I booked it was 40% less. (Mera v. anthem, same itinerary less coco cay) 

[Tenderpaw]

19 hours ago, bretts173 said:

Would be interested to know how many people who think the MDR has fallen so much, are most things in life also not as good as the good old days?

Seriously?  Are you saying we are imagining the food quality has decreased or exagerating the fact that its crappy?  It's a known fact they have cut the food budget to the bone.

 

And cruise line executives LOVE when the cheerleaders say "food is subjective", "you can't feed large numbers of people and maintain quality", and such.  Well, years ago they fed thousands of people and the food was much better.

 

[DallasGuy75219]

1 hour ago, Tenderpaw said:

Well, years ago they fed thousands of people and the food was much better.

 

And did so for 3 meals a day.  There weren't as many (and at one point any) alternative dining venues where pax could eat without full service dining and ordering off a menu.

[bretts173]

3 hours ago, Tenderpaw said:

Seriously?  Are you saying we are imagining the food quality has decreased or exagerating the fact that its crappy?  It's a known fact they have cut the food budget to the bone.

 

And cruise line executives LOVE when the cheerleaders say "food is subjective", "you can't feed large numbers of people and maintain quality", and such.  Well, years ago they fed thousands of people and the food was much better.

 

Have been on a few cruises in the last 12 months on Royal and MDR has been great every time, maybe it's because I'm in Australia, no idea but there has been no decline for me. The only thing ive noticed is slightly smaller servings. This same topic discussed on Fbook once someone complains and 90% of the replies are positive. 

 

 

[Ocean Boy]

On 12/30/2023 at 1:09 AM, amindu said:

Have to agree with OP we were on Odyssey a couple weeks back and echo the sentiments regarding the quality of food and mentioned in the survey as well.  I actually got really sick a couple times due to the food which has never happened before.  
 

Also ate at CK a couple times and the food quality was definitely better there. 

Sorry to read this. I thought the food on Odyssey last winter was quite good. I'll see if I still feel that way next month.

[Tenderpaw]

7 hours ago, bretts173 said:

Have been on a few cruises in the last 12 months on Royal and MDR has been great every time, maybe it's because I'm in Australia, no idea but there has been no decline for me. The only thing ive noticed is slightly smaller servings. This same topic discussed on Fbook once someone complains and 90% of the replies are positive. 

 

 

 

I'm glad you like it and I didn't say it was all bad.  I actually like the taste of the ultra thin sliced prime rib, which used to be thicker.  And the Southern Fried Chicken is tasty but shouldn't be a dinner item IMO.  But they are massively cheapening things and they are not nearly as good as in the past.  

 

The MDR isn't supposed to be Chilis or Applebees according to cruise line marketing.  But it does save Royal money and make for better executive bonuses.  "Look boss, i cut another $500K from the food budget by slicing the rib thin, serving fried chicken for dinner, and having more Indian dishes at the buffet".  

Edited January 2 by Tenderpaw
s

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 hour ago, Tenderpaw said:

The MDR isn't supposed to be Chilis or Applebees according to cruise line marketing. 

 

This. (my underlining and bold print on your original wording).

 

The cruise lines are marketing their food as "high-end cuisine."

 

At one time it used to be THE focus of the cruise because they did not have theme parks and other activities to attract customers. I find "high-end cuisine" the exception on my cruises of the past three years. I had one great experience, one good experience, and five mediocre experiences (two of them almost on the edge of "great breakfasts" but I was not too enthusiastic for the lunches or dinners).

 

I am of the variety that I do not waste anything on my plate. If I take a serving, I eat it because there were many times in my life I made do with what I had. Push comes to shove, I can become a billy-goat in order to survive. Maybe that is why I look forward to a well prepared, delicious, and hot meal onboard ship: I know how much effort and time goes into a well prepared meal.

 

I am satisfied with all of my three year cruise meals because of the price points I paid,

 

I will not recommend a cruise for the food offerings anymore. I will let everyone judge for themselves.

Edited January 2 by Engineroom Snipe
grammer

[firefly333]

On 12/31/2023 at 6:30 PM, Morecruisesplz said:

The ministroni soup and a 1/2 order of pasta in Giovanni’s is a meal for us! Delicious. (And ask for shrimp in your pasta.)

Somehow all my next booked ships have Jamie's not Giovanni. On harmony it was fun to meet a couple of friends day 7 lunch. Try a bunch of food the last day. Usually most of the treats seem jumbled up at the beginning.

[PhillyFan33579]

I guess I must be cruising on a different cruise line. I cruise 1-2 times monthly on RCI and I find the MDR food to range from average to very good. I have never had a dish I didn’t like, although some dishes are significantly better than others. Additionally, most (not all) of the people we have sat with in the MDR have liked what they ordered.

 

However, I do agree with others who say food isn’t as good as it used to be, but that is common to a lot of cruise lines. Just my personal opinion, food in the speciality restaurants is comparable to the way food used to be in the MDR. I also think the food in specialty restaurants, with the exception of Mason Jar and Wonderland, ranges from very good to excellent. From a business perspective, offering better food for an additional price is very smart. More often than not, it is difficult to get reservation(s) at speciality restaurants if you don’t make them by the second day, at the latest. 

[pcur]

I was on the Vision when they changed the menus in mid-January 2023.  It was a nightmare, for sure.  I was on the Navi from 12/11 to 12/18/23, and found the food much improved, but I agree it's not up to pre-COVID levels.  I don't have a complaint about the portion sizes, because I like to have multiple appetizers.  I noticed while cruising in November/December that RCCL has brought back some of the former classic choices:  escargot is now available, more salmon entrees during the week's menu rotation, and the reduced-portion fruit and cheese plate is back.  These are items I consider my "staples" for dinner with RCCL, so I was happy to have them again.

 

If I find I'm hungry for more than one entree, I ask for the second one "appetizer-sized" and on the same plate as my first entree.  This seems to be acceptable.  Example:  I really like the mushroom risotto entree, so I ask for it as an on-plate side with my other entree.  

[S.A.M.J.R.]

On 1/1/2024 at 10:58 AM, HappyTexan44 said:

3-4 hours is a standard window of time in a restaurant for dinner.  

Where?  Even when DW & I go to "high end" restaurants, we're looking at maybe 90 minutes, 2 hours at the outside.  And that includes drinks, appetizers, meals, and deserts.