Royal Carribean Dining (Food)

[Harbourview]

Is the dining experience (Food) the same across the fleet as far as the MDR and Windjammer go?

HV

[DarthGrady]

The ships I have been on have all served the same foods in the Windjammer and MDR. Of course it changes each day, but you see the same dishes each cruise and usually in the same order.

[Langley Cruisers]

No.

 

IMO, the food is only as good as the Executive Chef. For example, on our recent Brilliance Med cruise I feel we had the best food ever in Windjammer. The desserts expecially were phenominal! The Pastry Chef is a genius. The cheesecake tasted like real cream cheese, not the usual stuff we've been served all these years.:p So good. There were more options, better dishes and selection, it was an amazing spread. Anyone going on Brilliance in the next few months is in for a treat as far as food goes, IMO.

[cb at sea]

The menus are the same fleetwide. The preparation may be different. I had a lesser Brilliance experience...don't know who the chef was, but the food wasn't as good as it had been in the past.

If you are looking for menus, any ship's menu will do. The actual taste of the food may vary from ship to ship, but the items will be the same.

[romnan]

In theory,the menu is usually the same throughout the fleet,the end result is in the preparation.;)

 

My DW and I have been on 12 cruises and I cannot really issue a blanket statement. There have been issues,but nothing is perfect. As a traveler you must take the good with the bad:)

[Scotty G]

The menus are the same on 22 ships. There are 22 head chefs and when they are on vacation, 22 replacements. This goes down the line with all of their subordinates so on and so on. If this was a land based restaurant chain in one country it would be a difficult task but the 22 ships are located in many places on Earth and get there food supplies from several Continents. You should now see that having a uniform product is a near impossible task. That being said, we have had good to excellent meals in the MDR on all of our cruises. We can count on one hand the food that has caused us to return it to the galley. Hope this helps!

[cdnishk]

No.

 

IMO, the food is only as good as the Executive Chef. For example, on our recent Brilliance Med cruise I feel we had the best food ever in Windjammer. The desserts expecially were phenominal! The Pastry Chef is a genius. The cheesecake tasted like real cream cheese, not the usual stuff we've been served all these years.:p So good. There were more options, better dishes and selection, it was an amazing spread. Anyone going on Brilliance in the next few months is in for a treat as far as food goes, IMO.

 

We just came back from our SB Alaska cruise on Brilliance. Breakfast is good in both main dinning room and Windjammer. MTD is only average for dinner. Dishes were too salty and desserts were extra sweet. Our waitress told us that North Americans are used to heavy tastes unlike us in Asia. Chop Grills was most disappointing in terms of food. They were definitely not top grade beef, don't expect anything like the Chicago or Ruth Chris. Giovanni's Table is the best, we ate there three nights. Service is excellent everywhere including Chop Grills and Windjammer.

[sippican]

No.

 

IMO, the food is only as good as the Executive Chef. For example, on our recent Brilliance Med cruise I feel we had the best food ever in Windjammer. The desserts expecially were phenominal! The Pastry Chef is a genius. The cheesecake tasted like real cream cheese, not the usual stuff we've been served all these years.:p So good. There were more options, better dishes and selection, it was an amazing spread. Anyone going on Brilliance in the next few months is in for a treat as far as food goes, IMO.

 

Thanks for that great information! I have been running into many of your posts since your return. You have been so positive about your cruise, you have really added to my anticipation. :D

[Bakincakes]

My sister in on the Allure, finishing a cruise, and has been disappointed with the food. The biggest issue was things being served cold..and some dishes have been extremely salty.

 

I agree with whoever said it depends upon who the Head Chef is.

 

On my cruise on the Freedom in January the food was disappointing as well and the Head Chef was a Brit.

[Saberj]

We just came back from our SB Alaska cruise on Brilliance. Breakfast is good in both main dinning room and Windjammer. MTD is only average for dinner. Dishes were too salty and desserts were extra sweet.

 

Sounds delicious. :D

[CruisinNole]

We were just on Freedom and found the food in both the Windjammer and main dining room to be just average. There's not a great selection either. It's just a shame that the food wasn't as good as the service which was outstanding.

[sippican]

We just came back from our SB Alaska cruise on Brilliance. Breakfast is good in both main dinning room and Windjammer. MTD is only average for dinner. Dishes were too salty and desserts were extra sweet. Our waitress told us that North Americans are used to heavy tastes unlike us in Asia. Chop Grills was most disappointing in terms of food. They were definitely not top grade beef, don't expect anything like the Chicago or Ruth Chris. Giovanni's Table is the best, we ate there three nights. Service is excellent everywhere including Chop Grills and Windjammer.

 

Brilliance :confused:, hope she makes it back to Europe in time for our cruise, lol!

[STANCPA44]

Is the dining experience (Food) the same across the fleet as far as the MDR and Windjammer go?

 

HV

 

NOPE, this past January I was on a 14 day cruise on the Explorer. The food in the buffet and in the MDR was good.

 

However, this past May, I was on transatlantic on the Navigator, the food was quite poor in both the buffet and in the MDR.

Same menu but different results.

 

Stan:cool:

[Scotty G]

On my cruise on the Freedom in January the food was disappointing as well and the Head Chef was a Brit.

On our Freedom cruise after yours there was a new to RCL Executive Chef who had come from Cunard. I believe he is Italian. The meals in the MDR were excellent and he came around several times to see how we were enjoying our meals!!! Don't recall this happening many times in our cruise experience.

[DonnaK]

My sister in on the Allure, finishing a cruise, and has been disappointed with the food. The biggest issue was things being served cold..and some dishes have been extremely salty.

 

I agree with whoever said it depends upon who the Head Chef is.

 

On my cruise on the Freedom in January the food was disappointing as well and the Head Chef was a Brit.

 

 

Hmmm...we were on Allure last week and thought the food was suberb!

 

MDR service was not up to par, but that's a whole other story.

[Langley Cruisers]

We just came back from our SB Alaska cruise on Brilliance...

 

Are you sure? :D

 

Brilliance :confused:, hope she makes it back to Europe in time for our cruise, lol!

 

LOL! Indeed. She is still in Europe and that's where we had the great food. It was "different" than the North American itineraries we are used to. Can't explain it, except maybe to say the outstanding leadership and expertise of the Executive Chef and his team, as well as the ingredients used, which are different to the North American ingredients that are loaded on in port on embarkation day.

 

Thanks for that great information! I have been running into many of your posts since your return. You have been so positive about your cruise, you have really added to my anticipation. :D

 

Aww, you're welcome and thank you! It was the trip of a lifetime and Brilliance was a major part of that. Oh my goodness, we are still on such a high from it. *swoon swoon* Be sure to eat in the Windjammer, or at least have your dessert and coffee out there and watch the sun set. This class of ship has outdoor Windjammer seating and it is superb. :) Gosh, I need to get some pictures up but it just hasn't happened yet.