Are Serving Size Getting Smaller: Observation not Judgement Please

[kooljamming]

I was recently on a Princess and noticed the serving size has gotten smaller. I know you have the option of ordering more but I am used to having just 2 entrée' for my entire meal and be satisfied. I am a growing girl but don't necessarily care to order double of everything. Sailed on RCCL and Carnival and was quite please with the portion. Have you notice a decrease in serving size in the MDR?

 

Remember observation not judgment:p

[Emi's Mom]

Not on the Navigator in January. One night I ordered the Pan Seared Salmon and I swear it was enough for 3 people. :eek: But oh how delicious it was!!!!

[NorbertsNiece]

Between September and March no noticeable difference in portion size. Found the portions to be absolutely spot on in both MDR and Specialty restaurants. Did not leave any meal feeling hungry after 2 courses (except in Portofino's where I had 3 courses and this time struggled to finish a 4th - dessert).

[link99]

I was recently on a Princess and noticed the serving size has gotten smaller. I know you have the option of ordering more but I am used to having just 2 entrée' for my entire meal and be satisfied. I am a growing girl but don't necessarily care to order double of everything. Sailed on RCCL and Carnival and was quite please with the portion. Have you notice a decrease in serving size in the MDR?

 

Remember observation not judgment:p

 

 

I will let you know after April 4 but if they are I will just order more, not bashful in the least bit about that. I paid for it and I am gonna eat it.

[Merion_Mom]

Yes.

 

Some of the dishes are now being served in smaller portions. I think that this is generally a good thing, since you can always order more, but food that is served and not eaten goes to waste.

 

:)

[AZ ParrotHead]

We noticed that portion size was smaller on the Mariner last week. In general we thought this to be a good thing.

[kooljamming]

This was a main course that left me laughing and eying my table mate's plate. Keep in mind I am a 2 entrée girl. I don't care much for appetizers or desert, except for Carnival chocolate melting fudge cake:p Did I mention that I was a growing girl.

 

[East Bay Skiers]

Smaller portions is a good thing (my opinion, not my husband's though). I hate to see so much waste. Most of the time is too much for me.

[skyking]

I just got off the Ruby Princess and I thought the serving size was perfect, I struggled to eat both meals if I ordered two...ALL is good

[My2Kitties]

I thought the portion sizes on the Explorer in Nov seemed smaller and on Majesty in Feb I thought they were much bigger and better (if that is possible)...don't get me wrong I loved both but observation only...

[RetireeWannabee]

Yes.

 

Some of the dishes are now being served in smaller portions. I think that this is generally a good thing, since you can always order more, but food that is served and not eaten goes to waste.

 

:)

That's what I was thinking - if portions are shrinking it could be an effort to reduce waste. I support that.

[megr1125]

i think the portions are fine...saves more room for dessert and if i want another, i wil sk...(never needed to)

 

but as an aside...wasn't this topic, along with that seafood turnover, posted a couple weeks ago by the same OP almost with the exact wording or am i suffereing a really BAD case of deja vu?:eek::confused::D **

 

 

ETA: **seems it was on the Princess board..at least i know i am not dreaming!

[wolfcathorse]

I've noticed the portions are smaller, and that's great. When I first started cruising, I'd leave the dining room, stuffed. Now I'm satisfied and ready to "pour" more in :D

[cb at sea]

Smaller portions, fewer courses....fewer options! No judgement, just observations!

[Texas Teen]

Are the food portions enough for someone who can eat A footlong Subway sub with chips in 15 minuites? Are the food portions enough for someone who can eat a burger & 10 Chicken nuggets with fries in 15 minuites? I hope so!

[VASOXFANN]

i think the portions are fine...saves more room for dessert and if i want another, i wil sk...(never needed to)

 

but as an aside...wasn't this topic, along with that seafood turnover, posted a couple weeks ago by the same OP almost with the exact wording or am i suffereing a really BAD case of deja vu?:eek::confused::D **

 

 

ETA: **seems it was on the Princess board..at least i know i am not dreaming!

 

Yes, it was on the Princess board :)

 

I remember people asking if it was a Hot Pocket :p

[kooljamming]

i think the portions are fine...saves more room for dessert and if i want another, i wil sk...(never needed to)

 

but as an aside...wasn't this topic, along with that seafood turnover, posted a couple weeks ago by the same OP almost with the exact wording or am i suffereing a really BAD case of deja vu?:eek::confused::D **

 

 

ETA: **seems it was on the Princess board..at least i know i am not dreaming!

 

Correct but we are planning our RCCL return and I am a lady who takes her meal seriously. I did say I was on Princess recently and was curious if this is a trend on RCCL. I am planning ahead.....MOS Feb. 2010. Also I was making my comparison on meals eaten on RCCL and Carnival, since that was my first cruise on Princess. Some of us have no loyalty:D

Aside from portions, I prefer the meals on RCCL, so just need to know if I should start out ordering more. I will on my next Princess cruise in August.

[Merion_Mom]

Smaller portions, fewer courses....fewer options! No judgement, just observations!

 

My experience has been that there aren't fewer courses - the listing style has merely changed. All of the salads/soups/appetizers are in one list, but I just order as many of those as I wish.

 

There are ten entrees on this menu - nothing to complain about there, I think!

 

 

[Ephraim]

I hope that the portions are getting smaller. I prefer smaller portions. If I really wanted more, I can ask for it.

 

We love when they use French on the menu, it has sometimes given us the best laughs on a whole cruise. Or last cruise on Celebrity they were serving "Saumon en croute" (Salmon in a crust) and we look down at the Salmon fish fillets and kept on asking them where the croute was. :)

 

But what about the fish? We aren't thinking of the poor fish. Less food for them! :(

[Davey Interweb]

This was a main course that left me laughing and eying my table mate's plate. Keep in mind I am a 2 entrée girl. I don't care much for appetizers or desert, except for Carnival chocolate melting fudge cake:p Did I mention that I was a growing girl.

 

 

Heh, I like how the veggies are just an afterthought. That thing - tasty as it may be - is probably 80% puff pastry and thus looks huge to me.

 

That said, I've never felt awkward over asking for a second helping of anything.

[beachchick]

No, I haven't noticed a significant decrease in serving size. Some dishes have seemed a tad smaller, but not all that much. Perhaps the cruise lines are starting to decrease portion sizes so as to minimize food waste? Unlike land-based restaurants, we can't easily ask for "a doggie bag" to store leftovers in our cabin for tomorrow. I'm guessing they'd rather have people ask for seconds than throw away the leftovers from large portions. Personally, I don't see anything weird or embarrassing about ordering double portions if that's what you want.

 

It wouldn't hurt for the cruise lines to adopt what so many restaurants in the US have finally come to see as a good thing: Multiple portion size options. We're big on the tapas ("small plates") style of eating because we can have some of many things, rather than a giant plate of one item. It's so great to find menus where there are items with portion choices such as "regular," small" or "light" (dumb word for it, but whatever), and "generous" or "hearty." That gives everyone the chance to order the amount of food they prefer without any fuss. Obviously, we don't care for the super-sizing of portions (and the increased cost that goes with it) because we're usually stuck with far more food than we can comfortably eat and yet, we hate to be wasteful. But we also don't look down on anyone who has a hearty appetite and who does enjoy a larger amount. As long as you eat the food you order, why should anyone criticize? (It's the people who load their buffet plates to overflowing, take one bite of each thing, and then leave the rest to be thrown away who tick me off!)

 

No worries; you won't get any judgment from me. There's no reason you should feel "bad" or need to justify what you enjoy or how much you enjoy it. But, I have to admit that I'd rather have portion sizes be such that you do need to order double portions of what you like. IMO, that's better than having the regular serving size be twice as much with more of it being not finished (and thus, wasted). I've never questioned anyone with a hearty appetite. We're all different. We enjoy different foods and preparations. No reason we all shouldn't have different overall food needs and preferences. And especially on vacation, some of us (that would include me, although not so much my DH) tend to let ourselves splurge on extra food and drink.

 

I say, order what you like and never be concerned about saying, "I'd like a double portion, please." (Besides, that way you can order more of what you really, really enjoy without having to order more of everything.)

 

beachchick

[tip]

We were on the Independence of the Seas last month and utilized My Time Dining. By the way, we requested the same waiter each night and our request was always granted. We avoid the bread and butter and any potato. After the first night he and his assistant knew that they did not have to bring the bread basket and they always said, "no potato." On the other hand the waiter always brought me a second steak and extra steamed veggies. For dessert I always stuck with the sherbert and he made sure that I had two scoops. All you have to do is ask. Believe me I am a big guy and nothing went to waste.

[clochette]

I thought that the portions were perfect, we ordered appetizer, salad, entre and dessert every night and felt great not completely overstuffed as you would in a restaurant if your ordered that much food.

[RetireeWannabee]

That said, I've never felt awkward over asking for a second helping of anything.

Not me! I'm not a large woman but dainty I ain'ty.

[AnotherCruisingKid]

I havent noticed it, but then I've only been on 3 cruises all within the past year.

 

However I will try to add this to the conversation. I do hope the portion sizes are smaller. Although I will question how much of it would be due to waste. I think the cruise lines have a very strong grasp on the food needs for a cruise of a given length and that they order and use just the right amount (within reason)

 

But I believe here in the US anyway that most people grew up being told to eat everything on their plate. And continue to do so. Its not so much a matter of full but habit cleaning the plate. So if they portion less, people will eat less. I know this wont apply to everyone but if I were the company, I'd surely bet on this if I had to pay for food on 20+ ships each day.

 

Plus once people go on a cruise and don't gain as much weight they'll be more likely to want to book another. I know weight gain was a worry of my GF when we were talking about our first cruise.

 

And on a totally personal note, often there are 3 items i'd like to try from the menu and wouldnt want to eat all of any of them. So smaller portions would cut down on what I don't eat if I choose to try multiple items.