Food Seabourn compared to Oceania and Crystal

Done several Oceania and two Crystal Cruises. Like food on both cruise lines.

Taken a Seabourn cruise 3 years ago and thought food was similar in quality.

Heard from friends who sail Seabourn all the time that food on their last cruise was not as good

as it has been, and service was not that great. They will change cruiseline next time.

Thinking about taking a 14 day Caribbean cruise on Odyssey next year.

Is food quality on Seabourn not as good as before ?

Any thoughts ?

Food is always good but occasionally on any line things will go off slightly.

I find that life is like that so I certainly don't worry too much about a bit of food that is sometimes not perfect

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O and Crystal food in the specialty restaurants is in my experience excellent. However, in the mdr's and buffet restaurants very mediocre. Whilst SB has its off days, on the whole I think a much better quality offering is to be had at meals across the board.

I didn’t like Oceania food. It’s the main reason that I wouldn’t sail on their ships again.

In comparison, I’ve always liked Seabourn food...yes, there’s occasional less than wonderful meals, but on the whole the food is good.

I especially like eating outside the Collonade at night in the covered patio area.

Main Dining Room

#1 Seabourn #2 Crystal #3 Oceania

Specialty Restaurants

#1 Crystal (Umi Uma) #2 Oceania (Jacques & Red Ginger) #3 Seabourn (TK Grill)

Buffet: Breakfast & Lunch

#1 Crystal #2 Oceania #3 Seabourn

Buffet: Dinner

#1 Oceania #2 Seabourn #3 Crystal

Pool Grill

#1 Oceania #2 Seabourn #3 Crystal

Afternoon Tea & Gala Buffets

#1 Oceania #2 Crystal #3 Seabourn

Excellent breakdown. Thank you.

First place of these three: SB, especially MDR, and lunch buffets had a lot of variety, plus it was great fun to eat outside. Service varied, except TK Grill where service was perfect.

Second: Crystal ( but I did not get in to test the Asian or Italian venue), only brief cruise.

Last: Oceania, but I only have one cruise with Oceania, on the small Regatta. Food and service in the dining areas was consistently not good, with the exception of excellent croissants, and there was ok service in the Italian specialty restaurant. I did not gain weight on this cruise which says a lot.

The food at the “French” buffet evening was so awful we fled to our suite and devoured potato chips instead. Maybe Marina and Riviera or a different cruise would be different.

(The chairs were super comfortable in MDR, so I was motivated to like the food, but no go).

We were disappointed in the food on Oceania, perhaps because it had been so hyped. On our one sailing on the Riviera, the specialty restaurants were a real disappointment and a lot of people were complaining about the quality. We preferred the MDR offerings, although they were not all that exciting. But that was just one experience, and our friends who have sailed Oceania have consistently raved about the food.

We like the food on Crystal very much in the MDR and the specialty restaurants. The pool grill is fair.

We have noticed a slight decline in the food choices on Seabourn over the years, but overall, we have been very satisfied. Generally, be love the TK grill, but on one sailing, everything in that venue seemed to have too much butter in it. Colonnade service at breakfast and lunch across ships has consistently needed improvement in the past few years.

And, of course, every ship can have an off day/cruise.

Linda

It's a close call between the three, but I will give the edge to Crystal over Seabourn. The waiters on Crystal have much more experience and knowledge of the menus, therefore able to better guide you in your choices which can, of course, enhance your dining experience.

The standard cabins on Seabourn, however, are much roomier and more comfortable than the other two, but that wasn't the question now was it.

The thing that I find on any ship and on any line and in any dining room is if the waiter is new and not experienced then the meal can be disastrous.

Get a good team serving you and things will generally go well

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I guess it comes down to your requirements and tastes. We love fresh fruit, berries and lots of options for salads for lunch and found the choice very limited on Oceania. Fewer high end items, and extras. However that is to be expected as O is classed as a premium not a luxury brand. I wasn't over excited with Crystal's offerings other than their speciality foods. I guess it is down to how you eat and what you like, as SB for us offers more healthy options and varies them often, whereas we haven't found that on other lines. Another each to his own I'm afraid.

Remember everything posted here is just an opinion.

Main Dining Room

#1 Seabourn #2 Crystal #3 Oceania

 

Specialty Restaurants

#1 Crystal (Umi Uma) #2 Oceania (Jacques & Red Ginger) #3 Seabourn (TK Grill)

 

Buffet: Breakfast & Lunch

#1 Crystal #2 Oceania #3 Seabourn

 

Buffet: Dinner

#1 Oceania #2 Seabourn #3 Crystal

 

Pool Grill

#1 Oceania #2 Seabourn #3 Crystal

 

Afternoon Tea & Gala Buffets

#1 Oceania #2 Crystal #3 Seabourn

I completely agree with you on all the categories except Pool Grill. I would rank Trident Grill on Crystal 1, Oceania 2 and Seabourn 3.

It's all good. We never starve on a ship

We love fresh fruit, berries and lots of options for salads for lunch and found the choice very limited on Oceania.

The fresh fruit plates on our recent SB Alaska cruise were uniformly outstanding. Terrific variety and always perfect ripeness no matter how many days since the ship had been in a major port.

Try Regent. Best menu selection of any top cruise line, and we've been on them all. A whole page of 'always availables' with maybe half a dozen dishes of the day.

As for the actual food itself, on Regent just like any ship it can vary day to day.

One of my fondest food memories was on Azamara several years ago when the captain carved the suckling pig at lunchtime. It was delicious - and he was generous.

Agree that Azamara does food very well, as does Regent.

Our last 3 years cruising on Seabourn has seen (in our opinion) declining menus and variety and also on one cruise absolutely tasteless food which was remarked on by most guests. Another thread had someone mentioning the "pork" cruise - we have had several "lamb" cruises. We love the stuff, but when it starts to overtake other choices on a 35 day cruise it becomes monotonous. Lunch is a particular disappointment. It doesn't take much imagination to inject a bit of salad variety - particularly noticeable on longer cruises.

We recently did Paul Gauguin (310 guests) and they nailed the food in every way - particularly lunch which was 12-15 x freshly cooked hot dishes (not sloppy bain marie type), 12+ salads plus the ability to make your own, both hot and cold soups, fresh sushi, a live food cooking station, a hot roast/baked fish or specialty like suckling pig specially carved/served, more a dozen sweets and a proper cheese board together with 6 or more varieties of crackers - not a token 3 varieties of small cheese slices, fresh fruit, freshly made specialty filled sandwiches/rolls and an enormous range of beautiful fresh breads and rolls from around the world, specialty coffees, ice creams. Of course the usual a la carte menu is also available. Every day was a new delight.

If they can do it for 310, Seabourn should be able to better it for their passenger numbers.

I’m on the Oddesey right now, and have decided that if you eat what you like, all three lines offer fabulous choices. If you don.t eat suckling pig normally for lunch, you might not like it much after one or two lunches of it. The food so far has been great, but I’ve been eating salads and shrimps for lunch and fish or filets for dinner, so how bad can it be?

Eat in moderation and enjoy it all, as that is what makes the three lines so great.

I’m going on the Rivera Christmas time, and I’m sure I’ll love the food as much as I’m enjoy Seabourns treats right now. It sure beats the microwave at home.

Hers.s a toast to good food and great cruising, whatever line you choose

:):)

I have just disembarked the Odyssey and we had the best food on board for some years. The earth and ocean was fantastic, lunches in the colannade had excellent choice and much more flavour. Even the MDR was improved. To be honest our poorest night, ( which was not bad by any stretch), was TK.

I have just disembarked the Odyssey and we had the best food on board for some years. The earth and ocean was fantastic, lunches in the colannade had excellent choice and much more flavour. Even the MDR was improved. To be honest our poorest night, ( which was not bad by any stretch), was TK.

Hi tillylovesseabourn

Do you recall who your chef was please? This sounds encouraging.

Hi Galeforce, I remember it being a lady called Lindsey, but I don't recall her surname. However, we felt there had been much improvement since last year for certain.

Hi Galeforce, I remember it being a lady called Lindsey, but I don't recall her surname. However, we felt there had been much improvement since last year for certain.

Great news. That’s the same chef Seabourn club told us would be on in a few weeks’ time for our cruise x

I have just disembarked the Odyssey and we had the best food on board for some years. The earth and ocean was fantastic, lunches in the colannade had excellent choice and much more flavour. Even the MDR was improved. To be honest our poorest night, ( which was not bad by any stretch), was TK.

Excellent news, very encouraging as we are on again in a few weeks. Will look out for the chef. It does make a difference.

Chef on Odyssey is Lindsay. A South African guy!

A good chef who will always chat if you are interested.

Apart from a truly awful Thai night in the Colonade("if you cant do it well don't do it") the food on our recent Athens-Athens was splendid.TK roast chicken top notch.

I have just disembarked the Odyssey and we had the best food on board for some years. The earth and ocean was fantastic, lunches in the colannade had excellent choice and much more flavour. Even the MDR was improved. To be honest our poorest night, ( which was not bad by any stretch), was TK.

Earth and Ocean is on Odyssey?

Earth and Ocean is on Odyssey?

Yes, just had its second week! Excellent it is too.