Food on RCCL

[petesweet]

I think menus are a really hard thing because people like such different types of food! For my taste preferences, yes, I'd like to see some menu changes, not because of the quality of food, I like that just fine, but would really like some different variety. At home, I don't eat a lot of beef items (or at least I "try" to cut back!) and I find that the best RCCL items each night are the beef! Also, I find that one night I could order every appetizer, and entree and be happy, but other nights I look at the menu and can't find a single thing that jumps out and says ORDER ME!!! Once I do pick something, I usually like it, but wish there were more variety on some of the nights.

 

I have to put a plug in here for the vegetarian appetizers and entrees. I personally am not a vegetarian, but I do cut way back on meat. I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the vegetarian dishes on Explorer recently. (Also the lovely veg. sandwiches in the Promenade Cafe.)

[petesweet]

I agree the food has gone downhill in the short time we've been cruising. :( Even in 2005 and 2006 it seemer to taste better than it did this past year. The cuts of meat seem don't deem to be as good. I would pay higher cruise fare for better quality food.

 

I could be wrong, but I think I remember this as the "law of diminishing returns." The more you have of something, the less you enjoy it. On your first cruise, everything is magic and awesome. As we cruise more, we still enjoy it, but the "edge" is off. Let's get back to enjoying the cruise for the sake of the cruise and just enjoy the simple things--no cooking, no dishwashing, no grocery shopping, attentive dining room service, no bed-making, no housecleaning, rooms cleaned twice a day, bed turned down at night, few steps to evening entertainment. I could go on and on. Even if we never leave the ship to visit a port, to me that's luxury.

[Calvin]

What is all this talk about eliminating lobster night?

 

Is this true, or is it just another rumor floating around? I was always under the impression that they didn't serve lobster on short 3 & 4 day cruises, but I've never sailed those.

 

Can anyone confirm/deny this?

[will work to cruise]

We are looking forward to our first RCI cruise on the Mariner. I've read so many posts about the food quality going downhill. We are not very picky, so I hope we will find it to be to our liking. We have only done one cruise and that was on DCL. Their dining room food was pretty good.

[CoronaCpl]

Where have the chocolate deserts gone? There used to be a really good chocolate desert every evening! Bye, bye.

Leslie

 

DW absolutely agrees with this statement about chocolate! They need to have a better selection of chocolate deserts; something other than ice cream.

 

We eat pretty good on cruises, but have to agree with the idea that the menu needs to change. Appetizers and soups seem to be the only things that hold my interest on the current menus. I'm usually indifferent when I look at the rest of the menu.

[98Charlie]

I don't think the menu is the problem.. I think it's the quality of the food that's the problem.

 

Have to agree with that. Menu slections may be there but the quality of the items served seems to have taken a dive.

 

Have noticed this on NCL as well since the larger NCL ships have begun offering more pay to eat restaurants. Menu selections in the non-pay restuarants don't have the pizazz they once had.

 

But then, as long as I don't have to cook, wash the dishes, make the bed or clean up after myself or family, I'm not going to complain. I can always find something on any dinner menu that appeals to me amd I realllly enjoy going back to a cabin where the bed has been turned down at night while I was away having a good time.:D

 

Dianne

[CleoPat]

OK, who started this rumor? How can they not serve lobster any longer? Please say it isn't so:(

[petesweet]

We are looking forward to our first RCI cruise on the Mariner. I've read so many posts about the food quality going downhill. We are not very picky, so I hope we will find it to be to our liking. We have only done one cruise and that was on DCL. Their dining room food was pretty good.

 

Don't let all this negative talk discourage you. Maybe these people are used to 5-star restaurants. We aren't. We love going to the dining room and enjoying the wonderful choices and being treated like royalty by the wait staff. And when we eat in the Windjammer, the choices are mind-boggling. We're definitely not new to cruising. We have cruised Princess, Carnival, NCL, and RCCL. The only bad food we ever had was on NCL Majesty. Even then, we could have found something we enjoyed by going to a different venue.

 

Enjoy your trip.

[kjaa0913]

Can You Find The Menu For A Rccl Anywhere??

[BobBeaSea]

I have to admit I am one who finds the food a bit of a disappointment. For those new to RCI, please don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the food, I just find it's just boring and bland, devoid of imagination and taste. It is banquet food prepared for large groups of people. It works for a lot of people but not for me.

 

As for the menus, it's time for a change. I thought RCI was rolling out new menus earlier this year however they seemed to be the same for all 3 of our recent cruises in '05, '06 and May of this year. As for food and menus on RCI in '90 & '93......EXCELLENT compared to today, however I understand the economics of today's mass market cruising. If I want food similar to years ago, we have to "move up" to a luxury brand.

[Bakincakes]

I have to admit I am one who finds the food a bit of a disappointment. For those new to RCI, please don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the food, I just find it's just boring and bland, devoid of imagination and taste. It is banquet food prepared for large groups of people. It works for a lot of people but not for me.

 

As for the menus, it's time for a change. I thought RCI was rolling out new menus earlier this year however they seemed to be the same for all 3 of our recent cruises in '05, '06 and May of this year. As for food and menus on RCI in '90 & '93......EXCELLENT compared to today, however I understand the economics of today's mass market cruising. If I want food similar to years ago, we have to "move up" to a luxury brand.

 

 

Or pay the extra and eat in a specialty.

[BobBeaSea]

Or pay the extra and eat in a specialty.

 

Yup! We do eat in Portofinos and Chops. They are pretty good, close to what the food was a long time ago. :)

[cassieroll]

But then, as long as I don't have to cook, wash the dishes, make the bed or clean up after myself or family, I'm not going to complain. I can always find something on any dinner menu that appeals to me amd I realllly enjoy going back to a cabin where the bed has been turned down at night while I was away having a good time.:D

 

Dianne

AMEN! That is exactly it! :)

[abschnick]

Don't let all this negative talk discourage you. Maybe these people are used to 5-star restaurants. We aren't. We love going to the dining room and enjoying the wonderful choices and being treated like royalty by the wait staff. And when we eat in the Windjammer, the choices are mind-boggling. We're definitely not new to cruising. We have cruised Princess, Carnival, NCL, and RCCL. The only bad food we ever had was on NCL Majesty. Even then, we could have found something we enjoyed by going to a different venue.

 

Enjoy your trip.

 

I am not used to 5 star restaurants. All I was saying was to just change up the menu a little. I still enjoyed the food. I would just like to be able to choose from different items over 5 years of RCCL cruising.

[amybear912]

DW absolutely agrees with this statement about chocolate! They need to have a better selection of chocolate deserts; something other than ice cream.

 

We eat pretty good on cruises, but have to agree with the idea that the menu needs to change. Appetizers and soups seem to be the only things that hold my interest on the current menus. I'm usually indifferent when I look at the rest of the menu.

 

I have never had a problem getting a chocolate dessert... I usually tell my waiter the first night how much I love chocolate and they make sure I have one whether it's on the menu or not... one night, they even packed one to go because I ordered the creme brulee at the table:) ... don't be afraid to ask, they can usually rustle something up for you...

[Cruising89143]

After cruising on Carnival, NCL and RCI within the last few years the food all tastes the same to me. It all tastes like mass produced banquet food that I would eat at a Hilton or Marriott catered event. Maybe the mass market lines could up their food budget but when you're cooking for over 3000 guests in a such a short time, I don't expect more than banquet type food.

[CleoPat]

After cruising on Carnival, NCL and RCI within the last few years the food all tastes the same to me. It all tastes like mass produced banquet food that I would eat at a Hilton or Marriott catered event. Maybe the mass market lines could up their food budget but when you're cooking for over 3000 guests in a such a short time, I don't expect more than banquet type food.

 

I agree 100%. I can't imagine the galley and the chefs making the same stuff week in and week out. I was also wondering how long the chefs stay on a particular ship. You may have the same menus on all the ships, but the quality may be different. I can tell you that on three cruises I've taken on RCI, all three lobster dinners were different. Once the lobster was OK. Next time it was rubbery. Last time it was GREAT! :)

[amybear912]

After cruising on Carnival, NCL and RCI within the last few years the food all tastes the same to me. It all tastes like mass produced banquet food that I would eat at a Hilton or Marriott catered event. Maybe the mass market lines could up their food budget but when you're cooking for over 3000 guests in a such a short time, I don't expect more than banquet type food.

 

 

Exactly...

 

Food budgeting is more than knowing how many guests you are feeding but also estimating how much of that food will be wasted...

 

You've also got to consider that the menus have to appeal to a very wide client base - all of whom have different tastes... so what happens??? You get food that has to appeal to the lowest common denominator... that's why some people love it and some people hate it...

 

One of these days we plan to cruise for the food... that is, we plan to choose a cruise specifically to experience exceptional cuisine (we're saving for it already)... RC isn't it... but it does just fine for what we pay to cruise...

 

There is so much more to cruising than food... but if that is your top priority, RC will probably disappoint you...

[KillaFee]

I have to put a plug in here for the vegetarian appetizers and entrees. I personally am not a vegetarian, but I do cut way back on meat. I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the vegetarian dishes on Explorer recently. (Also the lovely veg. sandwiches in the Promenade Cafe.)

 

I agree (I'm a strict vegetarian). The asian tofu is killer and so is the vegetarian chili - yum. But they have had the same vegetarian dishes for over 3 years and now it seems that the only meatless options ARE the vegetarian ones, whereas they used to occasionally have a meatless pasta in addition to the 1 vegetarian option. Oh well. It's my choice to be a vegetarian (the right choice, IMHO :D:p ) and I find plenty of options in the WJ. It's just the DR that's the same thing, cruise after cruise.

 

On the Explorer a few weeks ago I was informed by our head waiter that I could have a different indian dish, which is vegetarian, if I didn't like the 1 veggie dish that was offered and I had it on two occaisions and it was fantastic!! I will do this from now on but I'm just hoping that SOME DAY they'll change up the vegetarian options.

Laura

[FloridaFan]

I generally like anything that's put in front of me, but I have one request of RCI: Please drop the vegetarian chili from your menu. As a vegetarian, I try to eat what is offered, since I know the kitchen has made the extra effort to make something for me. But every vegetarian probably has eaten chili until it's coming out of their ears!! Being offered a choice of veggie chili or pasta isn't my idea of an exciting meal. Maybe another choice from the delicious Middle Eastern, Indian, or Thai cuisines? Otherwise, thanks to RCI for their nice range of menus.

[1stXcruisers]

Not having been on a cruise yet, I didn't vote, but I am finding this thread quite interesting.

I do remember reading, sometime in late August or early September, that the menu on the Mariner changed part way through the cruise. It was posted on the site and the choices seemed pretty good to me. There were also choices for those who were watching their diets. I did notice a lack of chocolate on the menu though:( . Would this mean all the menu's on RCL ships changed?

I personally feel sorry for the chef's who have to cook the same menu items over and over and over for 52 weeks a year. As the main cook in our home I personally get very tired of having to cook the same thing over and over because that's what everyone likes. Then having to deal with weird looks and "Is this an actual recipe?" when I try something different.

I'm looking forward to our first cruise and just being able to try some new dishes.

 

B&R

[amybear912]

I personally feel sorry for the chef's who have to cook the same menu items over and over and over for 52 weeks a year. As the main cook in our home I personally get very tired of having to cook the same thing over and over because that's what everyone likes. Then having to deal with weird looks and "Is this an actual recipe?" when I try something different.

I'm looking forward to our first cruise and just being able to try some new dishes.

 

B&R

 

Why do you feel sorry for them???? That's what a Chef's job is... it's no different than a chef in a restaurant....

[CleoPat]

Why do you feel sorry for them???? That's what a Chef's job is... it's no different than a chef in a restaurant....

 

Good point! Now that you mention it, at least a cruise has a different menu each night and starts over again the following week. A restaurant has the same menu every single night almost forever:eek:

[1stXcruisers]

I guess because a lot of the restaurants would have specials that the chef chooses and most of the "chain" restaurants around here change their menu's twice a year if not more. I know it's their job, but I guess I see chef's like food artists (the best ones anyway) who would want to be allowed some freedom in the food they prepare and enjoy their profession like the rest of us. I'm sure the cruise line are not going to attract the best chef's to a position where you take away their creativity and dictate what they have to prepare and how often. I just think that the food might be prepared differently if the chef had more ownership in what was being served.

 

B&R

[dak_friendly]

I guess because a lot of the restaurants would have specials that the chef chooses and most of the "chain" restaurants around here change their menu's twice a year if not more. I know it's their job, but I guess I see chef's like food artists (the best ones anyway) who would want to be allowed some freedom in the food they prepare and enjoy their profession like the rest of us. I'm sure the cruise line are not going to attract the best chef's to a position where you take away their creativity and dictate what they have to prepare and how often. I just think that the food might be prepared differently if the chef had more ownership in what was being served.

 

B&R

 

Hopefully the midnight gala buffet allows them a chance at some creativity.