Princess or NCL, whose food is better?

[BalconyBumz]

I dont want to go back and count how many on this site chose Princess, but the majority of the replies seem to favor Princess. I would venture to guess that if you posted the same question on NCL the replies would favor Princess.

 

I have been on all different kinds of ships and I would say that the food on every line differs, and it differs from ship to ship within the line. They all have their strong points and weak points.

 

I would say that if I were to compare cruise ship food to land based restaurant food I would say that all the cruise ships, regardless of the line, have mediocre food.

 

I agree that most the main stream cruise lines of course don't have the quality of food you can get at upscale places on land, but on every cruise line I have been on, I've always been able to eat and pick and choose stuff, and find things that were pretty good. However, I'm just not kidding, on NCL, the food WAS seriously awful. Big difference. If I saw this posting on the NCL board, I'd be posting there. As I've stated, I'm not some big Princess fan. However, I can eat on their ships and not think my whole cruise was horrible food, unlike my personal experience with NCL.

[BrianTom]

I agree that most the main stream cruise lines of course don't have the quality of food you can get at upscale places on land, but on every cruise line I have been on, I've always been able to eat and pick and choose stuff, and find things that were pretty good. However, I'm just not kidding, on NCL, the food WAS seriously awful. Big difference. If I saw this posting on the NCL board, I'd be posting there. As I've stated, I'm not some big Princess fan. However, I can eat on their ships and not think my whole cruise was horrible food, unlike my personal experience with NCL.

 

That is too bad. Sorry to hear that. My experience was nothing like that. But the good new is you must have returned with out the battle to shed the extra pounds that one could usually gain if the food is palatable. ;)

[BalconyBumz]

That is too bad. Sorry to hear that. My experience was nothing like that. But the good new is you must have returned with out the battle to shed the extra pounds that one could usually gain if the food is palatable. ;)

 

That is definitely a fact and it was an EIGHT night cruise. :eek: I think I lost 3 pounds on that cruise. :D

[quincytoo]

I agree that most the main stream cruise lines of course don't have the quality of food you can get at upscale places on land, but on every cruise line I have been on, I've always been able to eat and pick and choose stuff, and find things that were pretty good. However, I'm just not kidding, on NCL, the food WAS seriously awful. Big difference. If I saw this posting on the NCL board, I'd be posting there. As I've stated, I'm not some big Princess fan. However, I can eat on their ships and not think my whole cruise was horrible food, unlike my personal experience with NCL.

 

I agree with you more then a 150%....:)

 

The food (except for the paying restaurants and then they were closer to the non-paying restaurants of the Diamond and Sapphire) and the entire service in the dining area on NCL Spirit 2005 was way below par, you couldn't get me on a NCL ship if you paid me.

 

Yea losing almost 10 pounds was rather exciting and something I have bragged about but I am a small size to begin with and I LOVE my food so really I would much rather have had a decent meal and kept my weight the same :rolleyes:

[BalconyBumz]

I agree with you more then a 150%....:)

 

The food (except for the paying restaurants and then they were closer to the non-paying restaurants of the Diamond and Sapphire) and the entire service in the dining area on NCL Spirit 2005 was way below par, you couldn't get me on a NCL ship if you paid me.

 

Yea losing almost 10 pounds was rather exciting and something I have bragged about but I am a small size to begin with and I LOVE my food so really I would much rather have had a decent meal and kept my weight the same :rolleyes:

 

I have been on many, many, many cruises, all consisting of all the lines. I'm totally aware of good and bad and nothing is perfect on any line. I actually like several of the lines for different reasons and really would take them all BUT NCL again. Each line had things I really liked about it and some things here and there I didn't (nothing THAT major between them), but when I went on NCL so many, many things stood out as sub par to the other lines as negative to us. It wasn't just me, it was 6 of us and they were all saying the same thing. Never again. I don't want to get into every detail, as there were many, but as for the food subject, it truly was sub par to the other lines all across the board EXCEPT the pay ones, which we only did one, Teppiyaki, and it was very good. That was seriously the only meal I truly enjoyed. No wait, there was a thai chicken pasta in the dining room one day for lunch that was very good now that I think of it. Other than that, noticibly yuk! Again, it wasn't JUST the food. Maybe a different ship on that line would be better, I don't know, but I've been on so many ships of the other lines, that each ship within that line seems to be very, very similar. Room attendants and waiters can really make an impact on your overall feeling of the cruise also. Some much better than others. The best waiters we ever had were on a Princess ship and a Celebrity ship. I will say this: NONE of the lines have better pastries than Celebrity. Nothing compares.

[mpwarder]

The only foods I would say were bad were the lobster in the main dining room (which admittedly is a huge knock against them) and the 24 hour "lagoon" area which was mostly fried stuff. I was able to find decent food on NCL without paying, but not really good food. Except of course for the choice of crispy of soft bacon in the buffet.

 

 

Ahhhh yes, only 11 more days until unlimited bacon on the CB. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[BalconyBumz]

The only foods I would say were bad were the lobster in the main dining room (which admittedly is a huge knock against them) and the 24 hour "lagoon" area which was mostly fried stuff. I was able to find decent food on NCL without paying, but not really good food. Except of course for the choice of crispy of soft bacon in the buffet.

 

 

Ahhhh yes, only 11 more days until unlimited bacon on the CB. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

To be truthful, I don't think any of the cruise lines have exquisite lobster anymore. It's not like it used to be! The best I ever had was on Princess a few years ago, but I've noticed on all the lines they have gotten smaller and smaller and mushier and mushier. I don't even order it anymore. :eek:

[Sandytoes]

To be truthful, I don't think any of the cruise lines have exquisite lobster anymore. It's not like it used to be! The best I ever had was on Princess a few years ago, but I've noticed on all the lines they have gotten smaller and smaller and mushier and mushier. I don't even order it anymore. :eek:

 

I have noticed this myself. :(..:mad:

[CruiseQueen13]

Princess hands down. NCL Dawn was a most disappointing cruise. IMHO, NCL can't hold a candle to Princess.

[Texalana]

Yes, I want to get opinions on both boards. Here is the link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=16651199&posted=1#post16651199

 

Ha ha! Even on the NCL board most people prefer Princess food! :p

[jacketwatch]

By my count its:

Princess 5

NCL 2

Neutral 6

Some various non-responses as far as food goes.

Considering this is an NCL board Texalana is very correct. ;)

[jacketwatch]

Ha ha! Even on the NCL board most people prefer Princess food! :p

Very true. I tallied it up and:

NCL 2

Princess 5

Neutral 6.

Several non-food related responses.

[7continentKaren]

They are both nasty. We were on the old Crown Princess and the bread guy did not even know how to make fake egg bread. He put the coloring in last so the dough had neon yellow stripes. Yuk. They even ruined the lobster which is no mean feat. It was burned on one side and still frozen on the other. I think Carnival is now even beating Celebrity for consistent good food. Oceania was the pits also which shows money does not necessarily buy you better. I will say the prize for worst ever goes to MSC Lirica. Ice cream made out of powder? Good grief. And inedible lamb chops of fat and gristle. Depends, in my mind, on whether you like traditional dining or not. It is not possible on NCL.

[DrivesLikeMario]

OMG!! Hands down, Princess! The only really good food we had on NCL was in the pizza place.

[baf10]

I just got off the Pearl and it was the worst food I have ever had on Norwegian. So much for freestyle 2.0. yes now they did have lobster which I do not eat and a "steak". There was not 1 item I ever ordered off the menu that was not on the everyday menu. Unfortunately they now make you pay to eat at all retaurants outside the main dining rooms. They used to give you 2 free which differentiated the cruise line. Now its a toss up if NCL or RCI have the worst food. Princess's food is much better but not as good as Carnival.

 

Two additional quick thoughts, First, I would not compare the NCL America ships (Pride of xxx) with the international fleet (Norwegian xxx). NCL America had many issues when it first started out and grew too fast. It is my understanding that now that NCLA is down to one ship (Pride of America) things are better and more consistent.

 

Second, I would look for opinions from people who have sailed both lines recently. It is my understanding that the "Carnivalization" of Princess has changed things on that line. Also things have improved on NCL since Freestyle and Freestyle 2.0. Look for thoughts from people who have sailed the newer ships such as the Norwegian Dawn, Star, Gem, Jewel, Pearl, Jade, Sun, and Spirit recently. I don't think opinions based on experiences from the old Norwegian Wind or Dreamward would reflect the offerings on the ships today.

[LovetheSea]

They are both nasty. We were on the old Crown Princess and the bread guy did not even know how to make fake egg bread. He put the coloring in last so the dough had neon yellow stripes. Yuk. They even ruined the lobster which is no mean feat. It was burned on one side and still frozen on the other. I think Carnival is now even beating Celebrity for consistent good food. Oceania was the pits also which shows money does not necessarily buy you better. I will say the prize for worst ever goes to MSC Lirica. Ice cream made out of powder? Good grief. And inedible lamb chops of fat and gristle. Depends, in my mind, on whether you like traditional dining or not. It is not possible on NCL.

 

You have got to be kidding? Having recently been on the Carnival Liberty and Celebrity, they do not even come close. Celebrity is so far above Carnival food you can't even see it!

IMO, after being on all these cruise lines, the best to the worst food quality order would be...Celebrity, RCCL, Holland America, Princess, Carnival, and Norwegian. I would put RCCL, HAl, and Princess pretty close to being on the same level.

[oceanv]

Princess.... way better.... if there was only one choice i could tolerate ncl (i can tolerate anything as long as i'm cruising) but princess if i had a choice for sure!

[newmexicoNita]

Oh, run, don't walk, book Princess. NCL's food was absolutely horrible. I don't set my expectations too high on a ship producing all that mass food, but NCL really was the bottom of the barrel.

 

Interesting, I don't see where you have cruised NCL. I checked your profile, you even list land trips but where is the NCL cruise, did I miss something???

 

Nita

[Suni99]

Interesting, I don't see where you have cruised NCL. I checked your profile, you even list land trips but where is the NCL cruise, did I miss something???

 

Nita

 

lmao Nina good point

[johnritt]

Just priced the two of them. Same week, similer itinerary. A balcony on NCL was more than $400 pp cheaper. For that kind of money, I can eat at one of many specialty restaurants every night, get superior food and service, and still be way ahead of the game as far as the total cost of the cruise.

 

A different week might have different results, and I would react accordingly.

[Bohemian]

I would have to say that Princess is better overall even though I've had some questionable food on Princess ships and some exceptionally good meals on NCL's ships. Some of the main dining room menu experiments on the Crown were just nasty (an iced soup and a jelly-like substance appetizer - yuck!) and most of all, the Asian night at the Horizon Court buffet on the CB was a disaster. Even NCL doesn't serve anything that bad.

[jacketwatch]

lmao Nina good point

You don't have to be burned to know fire is hot.

[Bebedan]

Two additional quick thoughts, First, I would not compare the NCL America ships (Pride of xxx) with the international fleet (Norwegian xxx). NCL America had many issues when it first started out and grew too fast. It is my understanding that now that NCLA is down to one ship (Pride of America) things are better and more consistent.

 

Second, I would look for opinions from people who have sailed both lines recently. It is my understanding that the "Carnivalization" of Princess has changed things on that line. Also things have improved on NCL since Freestyle and Freestyle 2.0. Look for thoughts from people who have sailed the newer ships such as the Norwegian Dawn, Star, Gem, Jewel, Pearl, Jade, Sun, and Spirit recently. I don't think opinions based on experiences from the old Norwegian Wind or Dreamward would reflect the offerings on the ships today.

 

Just returned from a cruise on the NCL Gem. We were very disappointed in the dining room food. The first night we ate at Cagney's (at their first night half-price special). The food was all right, but not great -- glad we didn't pay a full $20/person surcharge. On nights 2-5 we ate in the main dining rooms. Twice the food was all right; twice it was terrible. On nights 6 and 7, the menus in the main dining room were so unappealing we ate in the Garden Cafe. (PS - we are not that picky.)

 

We are Platinum on Princess. It's true that the food quality has slipped since Princess was bought by Carnival, but it's still far superior to what is served on the NCL Gem. Our most recent Princess cruises were on the Crown a year ago and on the Grand about 8 months ago. We're looking forward to sailing on the Sapphire Princess in January '09.

[BruceMuzz]

Although this is not a scientific measure, Princess spends nearly twice as much money every day to feed you than NCL does.

Does this result in better food?

Not necessarily.

 

But it certainly gives the Chefs at Princess a far better start to give you better food than you would get at NCL.

 

NCL currently spends less money every day for food every day than any other cruise line.

Even Carnival spends 50% more every day that NCL.

[Cruise Junky]

Interesting, I don't see where you have cruised NCL. I checked your profile, you even list land trips but where is the NCL cruise, did I miss something???

 

Nita

 

NCLA doesn't count? We sailed Pride of America when they had apparently improved. We also have a lot of friends that have cruised NCL, basically everyone I know and that's a lot of cruisers think that NCL's food sucked whether it was plain old NCL or or NCLA. If that's not good enough for you because it's really not NCL, then I suggest they take the name back because based on that cruise, we'd never put a toe nail on another NCL ship.