WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE "LOBSTA" TAILS???

[CGTNORMANDIE]

I am just curious. I have seen so many references to lobster tails and how bad they are, or rubbery, or not cooked properly etc.

Don't the pax know that these lobster tails come from South America and aren't even real North American Rock Lobster (Homard Americus)???

We are from New England (Boston etc.) and would never think of ordering the lobster tails onboard a ship. They are just not real Rock Lobster. I have noticed some real lobster on the Gala Buffet, on X ships, so I would guess that you could try it at that event.

At any rate...I thought this might be a good time to have an in-depth discussion about "Lobsta" (As they call it in the great state of Maine!!)

ROSS

RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 1965/TS BREMEN 1971/RMS AMERIKANIS 1972/SS FRANCE 1973/SS FRANCE 1973/QE II 1975/QE II 1975/TS LEONARDO DaVINCI 1976/QE II 1978/TS GALLILAO 1984/ MV REGENT SEA 1988/MV ZENITH 1992/SS NORWAY 1993/MV HORIZON 1998/GTS NORWEGIAN SUN 2001/GTS CENTURY 2002/GTS SUMMIT 2003/GTS JEWEL OF THE SEAS 2004

[newtocc]

[img]http://www.seagypsies.org/Humor/Pics/Lobster.jpg[/img]

This ship 10/91
That ship 11/95
Whatever ship 12/98
here a ship 13/99
there a ship 14/00
everywhere
a
ship ship 15/05

<font size="3" color=red>Over 1 year</font> into my LMBO cruise

[tbelian]

Rock Lobster?

I thought that was a song by the b52's ?? [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[url="http://www.davemcnally.com/lyrics/b52s/RockLobster.asp"]http://www.davemcnally.com/lyrics/b52s/RockLobster.asp[/url]

[ecowen]

The lobsters they served on board are of the spiny variety, or as I like to call them, Cockroaches of the Carribean.

Unlike Maine Lobstas, the spiny lobsters have no claws and their backs have little thorns. The flavor is inferior, and the way Celebrity cooks the tails, the meat ranges from mushy to rubbery or a little of both.

Yuck.

[warmwinds]

I'm originally from New England, too, and I have never heard what I call "Maine" lobstahs referred to as Rock...to me Rock lobsters ARE the spiny, Caribbean, warm water (all of the above) tails that they serve on cruise ships. And while I agree they do not even come close to the "real" lobstahs, they are better than nothing, especially to those of us who are transplanted to other parts of the country where ANY lobstah is a treat. And short of a lazy man's preparation, I can't even imagine what a mess it would be in the dining room of a cruise ship to have a thousand people dissecting real ones.

[raudacruise]

We thought Rock Lobsters were the ones from Australia (they call them Crawfish but are much bigger than what you find in Louisiana).

Whatever. Lobster preperation on cruiseships is very hit and miss in our experience. Sometimes you get rubber, sometimes you those great silky tails. If you see the waiter running all over with melted butter its a hint that they are overcooked.

George & MaryBeth

[CGTNORMANDIE]

NEWT...THAT WAS THE BEST ONE YET!!! I am still laughing!!!

HI GANG!!!

The homard Americus is commonly refered to as North American Rock Lobster. Varieties of it can be found from Nothern France all the way across the Atlantic through the Northern regions of New Foundland, Canada and New England. The term rock lobster differentiates itself from the spiny lobster. The other kind of lobster is Homard Mediterranee which is the spiny lobster...no to be confused with real "Lobsta".

If the X line is trying to cut back on expenses...why don't they eliminate it completely. I would rather see the funds go to a more worthwhile cause...like bigger shrimp!! LOL!!!

What do you think???

ROSS

RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 1965/TS BREMEN 1971/RMS AMERIKANIS 1972/SS FRANCE 1973/SS FRANCE 1973/QE II 1975/QE II 1975/TS LEONARDO DaVINCI 1976/QE II 1978/TS GALLILAO 1984/ MV REGENT SEA 1988/MV ZENITH 1992/SS NORWAY 1993/MV HORIZON 1998/GTS NORWEGIAN SUN 2001/GTS CENTURY 2002/GTS SUMMIT 2003/GTS JEWEL OF THE SEAS 2004

[Guest]

Same here.....always associated the term "Rock Lobster" as being Australian or South African large Crayfish. By the way, they are good!

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=111111&cdt=2005;1;22;22;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
Serenade of the Seas

[nealberk]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CGTNORMANDIE:
If the X line is trying to cut back on expenses...why don't they eliminate it completely. I would rather see the funds go to a more worthwhile cause...like bigger shrimp!! LOL!!!
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I thought by definition "shrimp" implied small. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif[/img]

[CGTNORMANDIE]

VERY FUNNY NEAL!!

Think U12s!!!

ROSS

RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 1965/TS BREMEN 1971/RMS AMERIKANIS 1972/SS FRANCE 1973/SS FRANCE 1973/QE II 1975/QE II 1975/TS LEONARDO DaVINCI 1976/QE II 1978/TS GALLILAO 1984/ MV REGENT SEA 1988/MV ZENITH 1992/SS NORWAY 1993/MV HORIZON 1998/GTS NORWEGIAN SUN 2001/GTS CENTURY 2002/GTS SUMMIT 2003/GTS JEWEL OF THE SEAS 2004

[dedlaw]

I don't think that "Maine lobsters" are ever used for lobster tails (maybe in New England, where other meat can go into rolls, etc., but not elsewhere) -- it is usually Pacific lobsters, i.e., the ones with no large claws. While they're not as flavorful as "Maine lobsters" they can be pretty good -- but the ones we had recently on Summit were awful. Don't blame the poor crustacean -- it was simply improperly handled.

[usha]

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]Call me a gourmand, but I like those sea bugs.

[cechase]

The lobster on Mercury during our March 13, 2004 eight day cruise was awful [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif[/img] Mushy and no flavor.

Will pass on them in May on Century, and have a nice steak. It is too bad, because the farewell dinner was fun with the traditional parade of waiters with the baked alaska.

Charlie

Mercury 3/13/2004
Century 5/22/2004

[catmand]

[url='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008'][img]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_5_12.gif[/img][/url] Charlie...I kinda, sorta, agree with you but not to the same extent.

While eating the s-car-go one night my 8 year old Grandson just could not believe I was eating "yuck snails." I think anything with that much butter and garlic on it has to be good. I feel the same way about the "whatever" tails. Actually 5 at our table ordered them and while a couple said theirs were "rubbery" ours were pretty good.

What i would love to know is what are the creatures the Silver Legacy Hotel in Reno cooks on the night they claim is "whole lobster" night in the buffet.

Star Princess 9/03 Alaska
Celebrity Mercury 3/04 Mexico
Next: Sapphire Princess 10/2/04
Mercury Cruise Pic's 3/13/04
[url="http://community.webshots.com/user/catmand100"]http://community.webshots.com/user/catmand100[/url]

[Guest alexMD]

Any food that requires an adult to wear a bib is my kind of food.

Alex

(e-mail me via my website)
Memorable Cruises:
American Hawaii Independence 2001 (travelogue at [url="http://www.krob.com/hawaii"]www.krob.com/hawaii[/url] )
Celebrity Galaxy (Caribbean) 2002
Celebrity Infinity (Alaska) 2003
Celebrity Century (Caribbean) 2004
Celebrity Galaxy (Mediterranean) 5/2004
NCL Pride of Aloha (Hawaii) 8/2004

[raudacruise]

Keep in mind that there are a lot of regional, cultural and ethnic names for different types of food stuffs.

George did a lot of shopping for his late grandmother and she often listed "mangos". In rural Ohio that was what green bell peppers were called. Wasn't until his 20's that he actually tasted what would normally now would be called a mango (fruit).

So Rock Lobster, Maine Lobster, North Eastern Lobster - surely those names all exist in various parts of North America.

George & MaryBeth

[albertiger]

just back from 3/19 Galaxy-it was caribbean lobster and it was terrible.
just for contrast, on NCL Sun last dec in Le Bistro, ($12.50 charge) there was a surf and turf special. TWO MAINE lobsta tails And a melt in your mouth filet mignon. plus escargot, cream of mushroom soup in hollowed out bread, chocolate fondue, etc. truly a memorable meal, so much so that im going back for seconds THIS december!

"live long and prosper...so you may cruise!"

[brigittetom]

We have found the lobster to be pretty much hit or miss. My biggest complaint has been that they were overcooked. On a recent Zenith cruise, excellent. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Zenith from Jacksonville
Feb. 13 05

[CGTNORMANDIE]

The best Lobsta that you will ever taste is the deep sea variety of Homard Americus. A friend of mine is a lobsta man up in Maine. He fishes at depths of 150-250 feet. The Lobsta he sells to me is unbelievable...hard shelled and full of the sweetest Lobsta meat you will ever taste. When we eat Lobsta it is usually stuffed with fresh crab meat or just shelled and dipped in butter...maybe placed into a fresh baked roll with some mayonaise. A cold Lobsta salad with some home made french fries and some cold Champagne or beer is awfully nice too.

I think I would be happier if Celebrity concentrated on smething else that would please the pax more than the Lobsta. LOL!!

ROSS

RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 1965/TS BREMEN 1971/RMS AMERIKANIS 1972/SS FRANCE 1973/SS FRANCE 1973/QE II 1975/QE II 1975/TS LEONARDO DaVINCI 1976/QE II 1978/TS GALLILAO 1984/ MV REGENT SEA 1988/MV ZENITH 1992/SS NORWAY 1993/MV HORIZON 1998/GTS NORWEGIAN SUN 2001/GTS CENTURY 2002/GTS SUMMIT 2003/GTS JEWEL OF THE SEAS 2004

[brigittetom]

I can't resist. I went to Harris Teeter today and got a steamed whole Maine lobster for $4.55. It was sitting in the case waiting to be bought. I knew it had to be mismarked but I had spent enough money shopping that I wasn't about to question. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Zenith from Jacksonville
Feb. 13 05

[JohnSax]

"A cold Lobster salad with some home made french fried and some cold Champagne". CTGNormandie---STOP IT--I'M ALREADY DROOLING [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif[/img] That's cruel and unusual punishment!

[HollyB]

I must be the luckiest gal alive!
We have a smoked salmon company (would never touch that vile stuff they have on boards yuk!), anyway, we give our salmon heads and tails to the "lobster man" for bait, in return, we get loads of lovely fresh scottish lobster! On Easter Sunday, at 11am guy arrived, I took the lobster into our restuarant, let guests "pick their own" and served it up with a warmed smoked garlic thermidor sauce...
(I even did a takeaway for a couple who couldnt stay complete with rice salad etc!)
NOW in saying all that..I still love lobster on the ship so it cant be that bad!!!
DONT eat the smoked salmon folks..that stuff on board really IS vile!

[jdlewis]

On the cruise from NewYork that goes up the NE coast they must serve the Lobster from Maine (or Nova Scotia, PEI). It would be just plain cruel if they didn't!!!! It would be like going to Hawaii and being offerred an apple instead of Pineapple.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ffff&cdt=2005;03;13;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
'till Infinity and the Panama Canal


09/03 Celebrity Mercury Alaska

[geoherb]

The best lobster we've had on a cruise was on a schooner cruise off the coast of Maine. That was the real thing.

When we took a New England/Canada cruise on Princess, I thought they should be serving us the real thing--but they didn't. I made up for it by having lobster for lunch in Halifax and Boston.

I usually order something else on lobster night. But on our last cruise (also on Princess), I ordered the lobster tails in addition to the other entree. They were pretty good.

[RickT]

All this talk of Lobster and only one mention of PEI (Prince Edward Island).. for shame! While I prefer PEI Lobster to Maine Lobster which I prefer to anything on a cruise ship, I'll still take the Cruise Ship Lobster as I currently live inland about 500 miles and it's still better than what I can get here unless I want to pay a car payment towards it....

All this talk of Lobster has made me hungry, Damn you!