RCCL - overall food quality poll

[CuseJeff44]

Tatka, this is true. To each their own. I don't really have a frame of reference myself, at least as far as other cruise lines. I agree my perception may be different if I had something to compare it to.

 

But I eat. :) And as a very experienced eater, I still think the food is quite good....

[glgolfer]

We've been on 22 cruises with 17 on RCI since 1987, 1 Hal, 1 NCL, 1 Crystal, and 1 on Cunard (QMII) (we count 5 nights on the Yangtze River as 22).

The food on RCI until after 9/11 was always very good to excellent. The quality dropped after 9/11 for a while, but has improved greatly in the last year or so (after the ranch steak was thrown overboard).

The best food was on Crystal with RCI and HAL comparable. The worst overall was on NCL.

Since we were in the Princess Grill on The Queen Mary, the comparison would be unfair to the other lines as all meals were individually prepared and we had three servers for about 12 people. As an example, my wife got a serving of caviar everynight as an appetizer.

The service on RCI has always been the equal or better than any other line we have been on, even Crystal.

OT, all of our cabin attendants on RCI have been better than any other line including Crystal and the Queen Mary.

All of the above is just my opinion. I've been in fine restaurants from Boston

to New Orleans to San Francisco. Per the discussion above, I also like chicken fried steak for breakfast and we have the best breakfast chipped beef on toast in Florida just 3 miles from our house.

[NYDee]

We really enjoy fine dinning. Something we can't enjoy in Rochester. The upscale restaurants here are not as good as RCI and we are paying a lot more. We had dinner in Toronto Saturday night at an upscale restaurant and very, very expensive dinner. I wouldn't expect the same quality on RCI, but thankfully I don't expect Cracker Barrel there either. I don't mean to insult those that like Cracker Barrel. There is nothing wrong with it, just not my taste. I have also cruised Celebrity twice. The first time I was very disappointed with the food. The second time I thought the food was about the same as RCI. I really didn't think it was any better.

 

Add the expense of driving to Toronto and staying over night and we really had an expensive meal. But it is worth every so often. Would love to live in a city with great restaurants again.

[WeBeCruisin']

Per the discussion above, I also like chicken fried steak for breakfast and we have the best breakfast chipped beef on toast in Florida just 3 miles from our house.

 

I love chicken-fried steak, and a lot of eyebrows were raised when I would go back for seconds and thirds of SOS when I was in the Army. Besides chipped beef, it's also delicious with sausage, hamburger, and chopped hard-boiled eggs.

 

Allen

[mbisson]

I love chicken-fried steak' date=' and a lot of eyebrows were raised when I would go back for seconds and thirds of SOS when I was in the Army.

Allen[/quote']

 

Small World

 

I was in the 1st Inf Div and also fell in love with SOS. Even made my wife start making it after we got married.

 

Try a CFS but instead of the white gravy put a brown gravy with sliced mushroom on it. Makes a poor mans jagersnitzel.

 

-Monte

[Cruising89143]

Just want to conduct an overall poll about RCCL main dining room food. This is NOT meant to start the great food war debates - I want to book the new Freedom of the Seas and, am a bit gun shy because of the bad food reviews.

 

I have always found the food to be good. Not great but good but that is all I expect for a ship catering to 2500-3000 passengers. I just came off of the Sovereign and was very happy with the food overall.

[FinelyCruising]

I am one who will always tell anyone the Vegetables are to die for. I am not a vegetarian by any means, but simply love Vegetables. And on RCCl they are the Best! Any Fish dish has been cooked to enjoy and the Lamb Chops (rib) are hands down better than almost anywhere I have ever had them here in the states.

 

Did not vote in the Poll yet but will say, I truly enjoy the food on this line. If I didn't I wouldn't sail it. By way of background, I love to cook simple and fine food, and my husband is a Chef.

[hstrybuf]

Quality of food is a personal opinion. What I like, others may not. Let's just say I did NOT go hungry! ;)

[Kathie44]

We've sailed RCI three times and Celebrity twice. The food was great on each cruise. DH felt the food on Galaxy in Feb. was a bit better and I agree, but I'll never understand how anyone can truly complain about RCCL food.

We have friends who have sailed RCI and Princess and last month went on their first (and last) Carnival cruise, which they won in a raffle. They said the food wasn't anywhere near as good as on their previous cruises. The price was right (lol) but, service was not up to par and they felt out of place with the 24/7 partying. They said they wouldn't sail Carnival again if they had to pay their own way.

As for us, we're sticking with our two lines which have been super for us.

 

Explorer E. Carib. 1/12/02

Explorer W. Carib 1/18/03

Summit Alaska cruise/tour 8/3/03

Adventure S. Carib. 2/8/04

Galaxy Panama Canal 2/3/05

[WeBeCruisin']

Small World

 

I was in the 1st Inf Div and also fell in love with SOS. Even made my wife start making it after we got married.

 

Try a CFS but instead of the white gravy put a brown gravy with sliced mushroom on it. Makes a poor mans jagersnitzel.

 

-Monte

 

My mom made SOS several times a week when I was a kid. The CFS is also very good!

[bilgeboyPa]

I wish there was a spot in the survey for "It Stinks...Worst food I ever had"

 

At least it was,IMHO. on the EOS. The formal Dining room was less than appealing to me or the others in my group. If I wanted to see french fries in the Main dinning room, I would have gone Carnival.

 

Jeff

[SanFranBayCruiser]

Jeff- would you mind elaborating just a bit? I was on the Empress many moons ago and it's what turned me off on RCCL but some people I work with swear they've improved since I sailed with RCCL. I've been sailing Princess and Celebrity and, even have a few Carnival sailings booked for this year but, I'm just a little leary about the food issue again - because the new ship Freedom of the Seas looks fantastic but, I don't want to spend a week just eating salad because everything else is plain bad. Sorry folks, but, that's the experience I had on the Empress - mind you this was over 10 years ago...when it was still the Nordic Empress

[lephysteria]

I wanted to select 2 choices.

 

I thought the food was good, and I'm not responsible for cooking, so I really don't care. :)

[mbisson]

If I wanted to see french fries in the Main dinning room, I would have gone Carnival.

 

Jeff

 

You probably wouldn't have seen them if you didn't order them.

 

-Monte

[glgolfer]

Glad to see other chipped beef on toast lovers on here.

 

Won't comment on Jeff's comments.

[Carl]

I just got back from the AOS and I felt that for the nunber of meals that the ship has to cook (3000 guest+ 1200 help ) I thought that the food was great. My wife and I went to Portafinos and had the meal of a life time. If someone wants to go on vacation for the great meals all the time they should go to Italy.


Carl

[kenandlaura06]

[quote name='mbisson']Small World

I was in the 1st Inf Div and also fell in love with SOS. Even made my wife start making it after we got married.

Try a CFS but instead of the white gravy put a brown gravy with sliced mushroom on it. Makes a poor mans jagersnitzel.

-Monte[/QUOTE]

Both my father and grandfather were Army men--and they have passed their love of SOS on to another generation!

[bilgeboyPa]

[quote name='SanFranBayCruiser']Jeff- would you mind elaborating just a bit? I was on the Empress many moons ago and it's what turned me off on RCCL but some people I work with swear they've improved since I sailed with RCCL. I've been sailing Princess and Celebrity and, even have a few Carnival sailings booked for this year but, I'm just a little leary about the food issue again - because the new ship Freedom of the Seas looks fantastic but, I don't want to spend a week just eating salad because everything else is plain bad. Sorry folks, but, that's the experience I had on the Empress - mind you this was over 10 years ago...when it was still the Nordic Empress[/QUOTE]

Hey SanFran,
I tried the Mega Ship... EOS. The food and service were aweful and were no comparison to Celebrity. Sorry RCCL die hards.This is my opinion having done both lines. The only good meal I had on the EOS was the one I had to pay 20 buck for at the specialty resturant.There is NO way you can have a GREAT meal when each seating is making 1500 meals. They are done quick, easy, and is usually not very good. The waiter we had told off color jokes and made racial slurs which didn't add to the dining experience there either.

As for Monte...I hate fries. The only time I saw a french fry on X was at the pool for lunch with the burgers.....NOT FORMAL DINING ROOM!!!!
So there :).

Jeff

[sassystyxfan]

[font=Comic Sans MS][color=purple]Jeff...Jeff...Jeff[/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#800080][/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#800080]I remember looking at menus in the dining room on RCCL and not being able to decide on an entree. I found Celebrity's choices boring and the fish wasn't fresh. Beef was excellent, however. I never saw french fries on RCCL in the dining room either. We also had impeccable service and friendly staff - even partied with the singers and dancers at night. We even ran around and tipped all the bartendars because they became our friends as well.[/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#800080][/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#800080]I think you should give RCCL, Voyager in particular, another chance....:p [/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#800080][/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#800080]Take that![/color][/font]

[bilgeboyPa]

Laura Laura Laura ,
:D :)
The bartenders are the only ones that got me though that cruise :D. You have to remember too, you ate with the early birds..The chef practices on them first :D.

Later Babe
MUAH!!
Jeff

[mbisson]

As for Jeff

Gee, if it bothers you, why not always cruise with X? You didn't order them so I guess you also hate it when someone else has them. I'll assume it was at lunch and they probably had them with a sandwich of some sort.

So there :) .

-Monte

[sassystyxfan]

[quote name='bilgeboyPa']Laura Laura Laura ,
:D :)
The bartenders are the only ones that got me though that cruise :D. You have to remember too, you ate with the early birds..The chef practices on them first :D.

Later Babe
MUAH!!
Jeff[/QUOTE]

This response is exactly why I love you :D

[mbisson]

sassystyxfan

Just noticed your name. I also am a fan of Styx. Reminds me of the day.

-Monte

[FinelyCruising]

Yikes, an entire cruise and/or cruiseline is stinkbomb because of an order of French Fries. People are very sensitive I see. Kind of makes me go....hmmmm.:o

[mbisson]

[quote name='FinelyCruising']Yikes, an entire cruise and/or cruiseline is stinkbomb because of an order of French Fries. People are very sensitive I see. Kind of makes me go....hmmmm.:o[/QUOTE]

Gotta Love it.

-Monte