Concerned about poor reviews of food in QM2 Britannia

[brm]

just off the QM2 on Friday. I was very pleased with the food. Lots of interesting choices at dinner and pretty tasty.

[Wasasalad]

My experience is that the quality, and choice on the Britannia menu varies with the Ex Chef.

 

Boohoo- have just found out that the chef on my next cruise , is someone who I know from past experience is less than stellar.

 

Anyone done the Britannia Club, we have always chosen it because of the open dining option? The food was wonderful! More cost than regular cabins but open seating and wonderful food and service!

I recommend it!

:)

[keithm]

Anyone done the Britannia Club, we have always chosen it because of the open dining option? The food was wonderful! More cost than regular cabins but open seating and wonderful food and service!

I recommend it!

:)

We did the Grills on QM2 as well as Britannia. Didn'y try the "club" it seems similar to P-grill in it's menu choices. We wish there was Britannia Club on QV. Really curious as to why not. It could easily be "refitted" in the MDR the way it was done on QM2. If a trip becomes available to us on QE, we might try it there.

[turquoise 6]

Yes, that has also been my experience. For example, in 2010, we did a back-to-back Caribbean voyage on QM2, booked well in advance. As it turned out, the first voyage was fairly well sold out, but the second was last-minute-discounted. We still joke about the items on the menu in the MDR on the second voyage. Happily, we'd never seen it before or since!

Hola Salacia, I am curious ,what did you see that was funny on the menu in the Britannia dinning Room on the 2nd voyage?

[radiomike]

The executive chef's budget for food varies as the average fare paid per passenger varies. If you get a great deal on a voyage (and lots of your fellow passengers get the same deal) there will be less money available for stellar dining.

 

Please tell me that simply cannot be the case, if so we will be dining on burgers in the QV QG next week, perhaps an upgrade to a cheeseburger on formal nights?:eek:

[junglejane]

The executive chef's budget for food varies as the average fare paid per passenger varies. If you get a great deal on a voyage (and lots of your fellow passengers get the same deal) there will be less money available for stellar dining.

 

I'm skeptical of this claim. I can certainly believe that the quality of the food can vary with the executive chef and that some weeks the food seems better than others. And I can certainly believe that an overall trend toward discounted fares can adversely affect food quality. That's a common complaint about all the mass market lines. But it's hard for me to believe that the executive chef has a cruise-by-cruise budget based on the average fares paid for that particular cruise. I would assume that contracts with suppliers, for example, are arranged many months in advance and that the various menus are also set well in advance and not just decided on the fly ("get out the mac 'n cheese, this cruise is full of bargain hunters"). Am I wrong to make these assumptions?

[turquoise 6]

The executive chef's budget for food varies as the average fare paid per passenger varies. If you get a great deal on a voyage (and lots of your fellow passengers get the same deal) there will be less money available for stellar dining.

So , how much money should I ask my travel agent to charge me for an inside TA westbound Britannia to get "STELLAR DINING"?

One more question: How would you define "STELLAR DINING??

[keithm]

So , how much money should I ask my travel agent to charge me for an inside TA westbound Britannia to get "STELLAR DINING"?

One more question: How would you define "STELLAR DINING??

Stellar dining really varies. To some it's a good burger.To me(being a "foodie")Things such as Caviar, Lobster(American/Canadian)Sweetbreds,Foi Gras finely cooked & properly presented with polite unobtrusive service would serve as a stellar meal.Being in Britannia, with it's noise & somewhat hurried service, the best you can hope for is a meal similar to a decent shoreside restaurant. Good/very good, but not "stellar". I've found the Grills to offer stellar meals. They should for the price paid.As a price that all depends. I've gotten offers for about $500. If peole all pay that amount I would expect some cost cutting. If the ship is full, you'll get better food than if the ship sails, say half empty.

[Salacia]

Hola Salacia, I am curious ,what did you see that was funny on the menu in the Britannia dinning Room on the 2nd voyage?

 

Hi turquoise. Yikes, that was two years ago; all I remember is the description of the items was rather grandiose, considering what was served. I haven't found the menus (but they might still be in a box somewhere in the house). Nothing on the menu was funny per se, it was just the way we reacted to the food as compared to the description. Point being, that based on my experience, the menu does change for the same itineray on the same ship depending on the revenue obtained by passenger's fare, as others have indicated. Oh, just to add that my husband and I tend to laugh a lot - not at others, of course. But Eyes of Newt seasoned with Rasberry Vinegar Garlic Sauce served on a bed of Bloodly Lettuce with a compote of Marinated Liver Snacks...on no, that wasn't one of the items on the menu....:D

[bazzaw]

But ..on no, that wasn't one of the items on the menu....:D

 

Yes - very humorous. I don't know where they come up with these meal descriptions - but suspect that someone somewhere is having a good laugh.

 

I usually treat this in one of two ways - depending on my mood that evening. The first way - I will say " I will have the Newt tonight , my good man!" - in a confident voice that indicates that I am indeed a man of the World who is unfazed by this elaborate description of what usually turns out to be a somewhat ordinary experience. On other occasions, I will assume a quiet, unsure and faltering voice saying " Please - can I have the ----Eyes - of - Newt -seasoned - with - Rasberry - Vinegar - Garlic - Sauce - served - on - a - bed - of Bloodly - Lettuce - with - a - compote - of - Marinated - Liver - snacks.

 

Barry

[turquoise 6]

Hi turquoise. Yikes, that was two years ago; all I remember is the description of the items was rather grandiose, considering what was served. I haven't found the menus (but they might still be in a box somewhere in the house). Nothing on the menu was funny per se, it was just the way we reacted to the food as compared to the description. Point being, that based on my experience, the menu does change for the same itineray on the same ship depending on the revenue obtained by passenger's fare, as others have indicated. Oh, just to add that my husband and I tend to laugh a lot - not at others, of course. But Eyes of Newt seasoned with Rasberry Vinegar Garlic Sauce served on a bed of Bloodly Lettuce with a compote of Marinated Liver Snacks...on no, that wasn't one of the items on the menu....:D

ah yes, I understand what you are saying...I agree. I just did a TA, and july 4th. I tired a blackberry soup with yogurt base, cold.. ,it left me cold,LOL

[turquoise 6]

Stellar dining really varies. To some it's a good burger.To me(being a "foodie")Things such as Caviar, Lobster(American/Canadian)Sweetbreds,Foi Gras finely cooked & properly presented with polite unobtrusive service would serve as a stellar meal.Being in Britannia, with it's noise & somewhat hurried service, the best you can hope for is a meal similar to a decent shoreside restaurant. Good/very good, but not "stellar". I've found the Grills to offer stellar meals. They should for the price paid.As a price that all depends. I've gotten offers for about $500. If peole all pay that amount I would expect some cost cutting. If the ship is full, you'll get better food than if the ship sails, say half empty.

OH in that case, I would select pasta, penne,with basil,tomato,and ricotta.

garlic bread, and side dish of broccoli rabe. I agree that Britannia is rushed. I refuse to order until the sommelier brings me a glass of wine.

are you a chef? you gotten offers for $500. for a meal?

[Whitemarsh]

OH in that case, I would select pasta, penne,with basil,tomato,and ricotta.

garlic bread, and side dish of broccoli rabe. I agree that Britannia is rushed. I refuse to order until the sommelier brings me a glass of wine.

are you a chef? you gotten offers for $500. for a meal?

 

I've heard it said that the late sitting is less rushed than the early sitting. Would you agree with this?

[balf]

. Oh, just to add that my husband and I tend to laugh a lot - not at others, of course. :D

 

Not even when you get back to your cabin, like everyone else does?

 

David

[turquoise 6]

I've heard it said that the late sitting is less rushed than the early sitting. Would you agree with this?

I never tried early sitting. I always do late,8:30 P.m. While I agree with you,I also try to slow them down. I normally leave around 10 p.m , which is a good time in Britannia.

[Whitemarsh]

I never tried early sitting. I always do late,8:30 P.m. While I agree with you,I also try to slow them down. I normally leave around 10 p.m , which is a good time in Britannia.

 

That must be a consistent throughout the ship, I slow them down in the Princess Grill as well.

[turquoise 6]

That must be a consistent throughout the ship, I slow them down in the Princess Grill as well.

Interesting yes. If I stay after 10 PM the dining staff begin setting up for breakfast. I guess the same for Princess grille

[keithm]

Hi turquoise. Yikes, that was two years ago; all I remember is the description of the items was rather grandiose, considering what was served. I haven't found the menus (but they might still be in a box somewhere in the house). Nothing on the menu was funny per se, it was just the way we reacted to the food as compared to the description. Point being, that based on my experience, the menu does change for the same itineray on the same ship depending on the revenue obtained by passenger's fare, as others have indicated. Oh, just to add that my husband and I tend to laugh a lot - not at others, of course. But Eyes of Newt seasoned with Rasberry Vinegar Garlic Sauce served on a bed of Bloodly Lettuce with a compote of Marinated Liver Snacks...on no, that wasn't one of the items on the menu....:D

We could have gotten it in the Queens Grill...If we asked.

[keithm]

OH in that case, I would select pasta, penne,with basil,tomato,and ricotta.

garlic bread, and side dish of broccoli rabe. I agree that Britannia is rushed. I refuse to order until the sommelier brings me a glass of wine.

are you a chef? you gotten offers for $500. for a meal?

Sounds good! Actually my partner is. I'm part owner of a catering company, but my partner is the true chef in the family..from CIA(Culinary Institute of America)He majored in pastry atrs,but handles any dish with ease. I had to keep him from laughing during the galley tours. The dessert chef was doing demos & it was quite mundane for someone like Richard. For the average joe(like me,well I was impressed)

[turquoise 6]

Sounds good! Actually my partner is. I'm part owner of a catering company, but my partner is the true chef in the family..from CIA(Culinary Institute of America)He majored in pastry atrs,but handles any dish with ease. I had to keep him from laughing during the galley tours. The dessert chef was doing demos & it was quite mundane for someone like Richard. For the average joe(like me,well I was impressed)

Ah. Pleasure to meet you. I would love to take the tour with you and your partner. I hope we meet up on the Qm2

Are you in New Hampshire ? I have a place in Vermont

R

[keithm]

Ah. Pleasure to meet you. I would love to take the tour with you and your partner. I hope we meet up on the Qm2

Are you in New Hampshire ? I have a place in Vermont

R

Yes, we live in the Nashua area. We do love Vermont. So nice & countryish. Nashua's fairly close to Boston, so we no longer have that nice rural feel that I knew as a kid.

[chestnuthouse]

I had the same concerns, reading the postings here prior to the trip. My TA crossing on QM2 at Britannia dining level in November, 2011, was superb. I'm a consummate "foodie", quite critical, and all I could say was "great."

[suzyed]

partial quote

 

[laughing] Here's the quote from Annie Hall

 

“There's an old joke - um... two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of 'em says, "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know; and such small portions." Well, that's essentially how I feel about life - full of loneliness, and misery, and suffering, and unhappiness, and it's all over much too quickly.” -Author Woody Allen

:D

 

That's great!! So true!! LOL!

[The Real PM]

Yes, we live in the Nashua area. We do love Vermont. So nice & countryish. Nashua's fairly close to Boston, so we no longer have that nice rural feel that I knew as a kid.

 

I grew up in Manchester and I never remember Nashua as rural. How far do you go back anyway?:D

[The Real PM]

We are planning on booking the June 1, 2013 eastbound TA for our family of 4. We want to use frequent flier miles for our flights, so we will probably need to commit ourselves and book those in the very near future. We are concerned because we keep reading negative reviews about the food in the MDR on the QM2. We've read lots of complaints in the member reviews section about small portions and mediocre food. I don't think we have unrealistic expectations. We know that the food in the MDR is generally more banquet-quality rather than fine dining. Still, the drumbeat of negativity is starting to concern us. Add to that all the negative comments I read on this board moaning about "slipping standards" "culture eroding" and "dumbing down" of the experience and we are questioning our plans.

 

I'd love to hear some more reports about the dining experience in Britannia on the QM2. Please either reassure me or help me lower my expectations!

Food in the Britannia Restaurant is most certainly not "banquet-quality".

Food is generally exceilent and occasionally very good.

 

Recently there has been a drumbeat of negativity and much talk of "slipping standards". I am afraid much of this talk is coming from discontents mainly who would complain no matter what. Some of these people I would bet have never been near the QM2.

 

QM2 is an elegant ship in everyway, including the standards set in the Britannia Restaurant.

 

Please don't give another thought to those negative reviews. The ship is quietly elegant and you will wonder why you ever considered not going.

 

One suggestion if you can, think about flying over and taking the westbound TA back. I have yet to do a transatlantic, but plan to go next year as well . One of the main reasons I am doing it that way is the eastbound TA loses an hour most days and on the way back, westbound it is just the opposite with an hour gained each day.:)