How is the food on the Explorer of the Sea??

[P.A.C.R.U.I.S.E.R]

This will be the first time we have sailed on the Explorer. I hear the food is pretty good. We have sailed on the Vision and the Granduer and the quality of the food has been excellent. Just wondering.:) :) :)

[sugarking]

We didn't go to the dining room on our Explorer cruise but the Windjammer food was the same most nights. There was very little change and we did not care for the food. We have been on 10 RCCL cruises and 10 Celebrity cruises and this was by far a disappointment!

[aqhacruiser]

This will be the first time we have sailed on the Explorer. I hear the food is pretty good. We have sailed on the Vision and the Granduer and the quality of the food has been excellent. Just wondering.

Between the Dining room, Portifino, the Cafe, Johnny Rockets, Windjammer and room service, you will always find something good to eat onboard:) We really enoy the Windjammer in the evening and Portifino and go to both several times during a cruise:) There are lots of choices so try them all! :D

[H82seaUgo]

It wasn't bad our first time two years ago.

 

When we returned last year, it had gone downhill. Everything had this slight spice taste like the chef added it to every dish.

 

It was the first time in over twenty cruises I left my meal, twice, over the course of five days.

[cb at sea]

It depends on when you sailed her! Several years ago, the food was awesome! Now....the food (IMO) has gone downhill. I'm not saying you'll go hungry, because you won't!, but it's not the "experience" it used to be!

[just4kixx]

I very much enjoyed the food on The Explorer. That was in August, 2007.

 

Portifino's was amazing, too. Of course having good friends for tablemates makes all the difference... that, PLUS I wasn't cooking! ;)

 

I guess since my expectations weren't set outrageously high, I was pleasantly satisfied.

 

JMHO

A~

[NJBill]

Last summer we had a very good selection and we ate in the dining room everynight and most mornings with a few lunches..We found the food to be good,and better than out previous years Disney cruise... Windjammer was of good quality when we ate there..no complaints:D

[Cruisehappymn]

Wasn't bad, wasn't great. Plenty of places to check out so you won't go hungry. Portifino was really, really good. Johnny Rockets was pretty good also. Also, for the late night hungries, the little cafe where the Ben and Jerry's is (I think) had little sandwhiches and pizza along with a few desserts. In the morning, we would grab a couple of pastries and coffee if we had an early excursion.

[vmom]

We were on the Explorer 1 1/2 years ago and found the food to be ok. I could always find something to eat, but it wasn't nearly as good as on our previous cruises with RCCL. The sides had really been cheapened and dumbed down so to speak. Too many sides consisted of white rice or a version of mashed potatoes. The buffet food had really gone down hill big time and I would say was mediocre.

 

After reading the last few posts above..Maybe after complaints it as improved? I remember following that cruise there were several posts on cruise critic complaining that the food had taken a dive, so maybe there have been changes in the last 1 1/2 years since I was on her.

[Dr_DNA]

In September/October, I didn't have a bad meal onboard. I didn't have a great one either. I'm sorry to admit that the best meal I had onboard was at Johnny Rockets. We will be returning to the Explorer next February and can't wait. Everything else on the ship more than makes up for average food.

[H82seaUgo]

I remember following that cruise there were several posts on cruise critic complaining that the food had taken a dive, so maybe there have been changes in the last 1 1/2 years since I was on her.

 

I'm hoping. We are trying RCCL one more time this summer. IF nothing's changed, I'm jumping ship.

[H82seaUgo]

..We found the food to be good,and better than out previous years Disney cruise...

 

That's not saying much. I have found Disney's food offerings to be the worst at sea, Palos excluded.

[cruissett]

Was on the Explorer in March,

The little Danish in the morning are to die for. Great cookies down on the Promanade, you'll find a line for them every night.

Dinners were good to OK. I had lamb shank one night that was excellent, duck was served twice, first time excellent, second time is was poor. One night the appitizer was I think fried mushrooms with tartar sauce and we send back for seconds, they were so good.

 

For sure, you won't go hungry!

[yogimax]

if you have sailed on RCCL before, you will not be surprised.

 

There is very little difference (if any) from ship to ship.

[isujim]

While I agree there is very little difference from ship to ship, there is a difference in food quality over the last 5 or 6 years. It just isn't as good as it used to be IMO......that said, you won't go hungry. Can't speak for the Explorer but hope it is good since we are sailing on her in October. I have also found believe it or not the chef on board can make a difference in quality of meals.

[Jeano222]

I sailed in rapid order Serenade of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas, and the new menus and food were very disappointing. We did eat multiple times in the Specialty restaurants, on Serenade and Voyager, just to get a better meal. There is plenty of food, so you won't go hungry but certainly the quality is not as good as in the past. I found myself ordering the always available menu when not in the Specialty restaurants, but that gets old too. Windjammer got old after the second day. I got an excellent price on Mariner this September because of being Diamond but I'm certainly not looking forward to the dining, and it will be the last time I sail on Royal Caribbean.

[stlrboo]

DW and I just returned from sailing the Explorer 4/11-20! The dining experience in the DR is great, the presentation excellent, but food quality/taste is deficient... We sailed the Jewel of the Seas in 2006, and the food there, was notably far superior from the DR to the Windjammer...:p

 

We also noticed that Portofinos food was really good, but for some reason the service was lacking... The waiter made mention of the tip-line on the 'bill', and I wasn't going to tip at all, but the wife insisted.. :rolleyes:

 

Two times we tried to go to Johnnie Rockets, the wait was 45 minutes to an hour, so we never experinced that...:( DARN!!

 

Promenade Cafe served wonderful little sandwiches... pastries were good! Seattles Best Coffee was FREE.. There always seemed to be broken coffee machines in the WJ, so I opted for the 'Cafe' on numerous occasions..:D

 

Room service was slow, but good... nothing special, but breakfast was good in a pinch.. Dining Room was really good for lunch.. I'm happy with a sandwich, but being served for lunch, with a nice menu, really 'makes my day'.. Have lunch in the DR as often as possible!! IMHO...

[webecruzn2]

We just got off a 9 night cruise on EOS and the food in the dining room where we ate most of our meals was very good. The few times we ate in the WJ, it was also good. Everyone's standards are different.