Difference between TA westbound (UK->NYC) and eastbound (NYC->UK)

[Kordy]

Hi there - a question to those who have done the two TA crossings back to back (eg: 2 weeks: started in UK, got to NYC and then went back to UK).

 

My question is - is there any difference in the food on-board on the eastbound vs westbound TA?  I ask because we have completely different food regulations here in the US vs in the UK.  The ship is loaded with food in Southampton to last the entire cruise.  The food is sourced from the UK and Europe.  Then on the way back, the ship is loaded with food to last 7 days and this is now food from the US.   Different quality of meats, different sourcing of vegetables, different food regulations, different providers, etc etc.

 

So the question is - does that translate to any difference in the menus or food quality on the eastbound TA vs westbound TA?

 

Curious!  If anyone even noticed any differences.

[D&N]

We didn't notice any difference in food quality.

We had fourteen different menus. There might have been the same meat e.g. lamb or pork, but offered as a different dish.

The main thing we noticed was a lack of Grand Marnier and shortage of rosé and white wines by the glass in some lounges or the MDR. Hopefully those post pandemic supply problems have been resolved.

 

I confess that I've not really looked into the matter but had assumed most produce was loaded at Southampton unless a Cunard ship was spending an extended period away from the UK.

[Kordy]

9 minutes ago, D&N said:

We didn't notice any difference in food quality.

We had fourteen different menus. There might have been the same meat e.g. lamb or pork, but offered as a different dish.

The main thing we noticed was a lack of Grand Marnier and shortage of rosé and white wines by the glass in some lounges or the MDR. Hopefully those post pandemic supply problems have been resolved.

 

I confess that I've not really looked into the matter but had assumed most produce was loaded at Southampton unless a Cunard ship was spending an extended period away from the UK.

 

Are you saying they load food in Southampton to last the full 14 days and are not loading food in the NYC?  Unless maybe perishables, such as veggies.

[BklynBoy8]

8 minutes ago, Kordy said:

Are you saying they load food in Southampton to last the full 14 days and are not loading food in the NYC?  Unless maybe perishables, such as veggies.

 

The source of food taken on board in Brooklyn is abundant. Once we counted about 25 trucks.

 

Btw the Bronx Fish Market, Main Produce Market of about 32 Purveyors also from the Bronx and Lower Brooklyn and miscel other sources, there is no shortage of food products taken to the BCT.

 

One good point the also the abundant of highways that make their way to Red Hook for also all the restaurants, markets and local store in Brooklyn.

 

Also many sources of meat from Queens, Upstate and also New Jersey.

 

I believe the food on board is fresh IMHO,,,, 

Edited Saturday at 05:59 PM by BklynBoy8

[Pushpit]

The one thing I notice is that dairy products (yogurt, milk, cream) clearly switch to USA brands. Your may not get clotted cream going east, for example, and you sometimes end up with whipped cream instead. Some of the fruit maybe too - for complicated trade reasons, Europe gets nearly all bananas from their current and former colonies, whereas for the USA the source is Brazil. Eucador and central America, and they taste slightly different. Otherwise, if you have grated carrots on the salad bar, how does one know where they came from? Particularly in Britannia, there's about 200 (?) entrées that seem to rotate and by and large they can be made in either direction.

[exlondoner]

Replenishing in NY means there is fresh milk both ways and no UHT, which a lot of people don’t like, though I can’t tell the different.

[D&N]

1 hour ago, Kordy said:

 

Are you saying they load food in Southampton to last the full 14 days and are not loading food in the NYC?  Unless maybe perishables, such as veggies.

I'm not saying anything of the sort. Did you read this?: "I confess that I've not really looked into the matter but had assumed".

Does that not suggest to you that I have no idea?

[Germancruiser]

I found there was absolutely no difference on both legs of the voyage! 
What I always find- the fresh fruits on board Cunard ships are much much better than on board Celebrity or Hal ships!  

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, Germancruiser said:

I found there was absolutely no difference on both legs of the voyage! 
What I always find- the fresh fruits on board Cunard ships are much much better than on board Celebrity or Hal ships!  

And the seasonal berries never quite last until the final morning.

[BklynBoy8]

1 hour ago, Pushpit said:

Your may not get clotted cream going east, for example, and you sometimes end up with whipped cream instead. 

 

We use to sail with a CC'er called Jim's Girl from Florida. She sailed ? ? ? ?  times on the QE2 and QM2 and use to come to the Qx Rm Tea with us. When she saw something difference than traditional Clotted Cream, she use to tell the Waiters to go back into the kitchen and bring the real stuff out. There Clotted Cream appeared. So there are ways around differences. 

 

[BklynBoy8]

49 minutes ago, Germancruiser said:

I found there was absolutely no difference on both legs of the voyage! 
What I always find- the fresh fruits on board Cunard ships are much much better than on board Celebrity or Hal ships!  

 

The best sailings we do are on the Mary 2 to the Caribbean like we will do next March.

 

We even look at the Crates coming on the Pier and/or our ask the M'd in the restaurants what will they be being on if any from whatever Ports we will be coming to next. In a day or two we will enjoy those fruits at our table. A real fresh treat from the islands. Sometimes it interesting to ask.

[Winifred 22]

Noticed no difference in the food or menus whatsoever .The usual Britannia  items that I have  had across QV QE and QM2 appeared. Can’t remember noticing the difference in milk but I always order it hot for cereal and coffee so tastes different anyway. 

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Our first voyage on Cunard was a double TA. I don’t recall any differences at all, except for the additional five hours on board, which is why when we visit the “kids” in Marseille we fly over and take the QM2 back. Makes early dining more feasible as well.

[Lanky Lad]

The only difference I've noticed is the amount of salt in the butter. 

[buchanan101]

We had USDA approved beef (whatever that is) on a QA cruise - a ship that’s been nowhere near the US…

[exlondoner]

13 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

We had USDA approved beef (whatever that is) on a QA cruise - a ship that’s been nowhere near the US…

Does that mean it has come from the US, or simply that it meets US standards, hormones and things?

[BklynBoy8]

We were on the September 2022 Canada NE Sailing and weren't happy with the Chicken and Beef dishes served in the Princess Grill.

 

With the Beef I know the M'd noticed the amount of the dish that I consumed and agreed that it wasn't that good. This was at the beginning of the meal so I don't know if others by that time commented. Or did they know what was going to be used for Beef dishes ahead of time and the results passengers were going to comment about. Knowing the to be used at that meal brought on board.

 

With the Chicken dish, DW wasn't happy with the quality. She is not a complaintor but it was noticeable to the point that again the staff brought it up about the quality.

 

So then we saw a difference and again this last July in 2023 we saw one dish that was questioned. So meat products are questionable obtained.