Lobster night never arrived

[CntPAcruiser]

So let me get this right ? They serve lobster on the cruises that leave American waters and the Americans aren't fussed on the lobster as they can get much better lobster off ship , they dont serve lobster on European cruises yet we would be really grateful to have lobster on the menu as it's an expensive treat for us , go figure , seems to me they are picking the wrong cruises to serve lobster :confused:

 

That is backwards, but maybe it's because we Americans are used to lobster as an indication of luxury? As a total non sequitur, there's a German novella I recall reading at university in which a common man ends up going rather off the deep end and going on a rampage. He ends up at one point in a very high-class restaurant ordering lobster and Champagne. When the waiter asks if he would like Champagne "extra dry," he misunderstands and goes berserk, thinking the waiter is trying to cheat him (in German, "extra drei" or "three extra"). Maybe luxury isn't all it's cracked up to be (like the "rubbery" lobster tails on board).

[billie5]

So let me get this right ? They serve lobster on the cruises that leave American waters and the Americans aren't fussed on the lobster as they can get much better lobster off ship , they dont serve lobster on European cruises yet we would be really grateful to have lobster on the menu as it's an expensive treat for us , go figure , seems to me they are picking the wrong cruises to serve lobster :confused:

 

I think you are misunderstanding. Because lobster is so expensive in Europe, few Europeans think of it as the luxury meal they look forward to, so offering it would to some extent be wasted. Fois gras, for example, would be considered a real treat by many Europeans, where it is already very expensive, but it is far more expensive in the U.S. and consequently not often thought of as the food item to look forward to by Americans. So offering it on a U.S. cruise would be far less sensible than on a European cruise.

 

Come to think of it, I do seem to recall having tournedos rossini on a cruise once, but don't recall the line or where -- and it was probably missing the mandatory truffles in any case!

[Lottycruiser]

I posted what I had learnt from other posts about lobster night and mostly it was that lobster was take it or leave it as it's not anywhere near the standard of lobster that you can get on land , these posts came from Americans , so the understanding is that it is in abundance in the states and of much better quality and not regarded as a treat on a cruise , I would take the rubbery equivalent rather than no lobster any day , that's just me and yes I would look forward to it .it was one of my dining highlights on our Caribbean cruise :D

[zap99]

I think you are misunderstanding. Because lobster is so expensive in Europe, few Europeans think of it as the luxury meal they look forward to, so offering it would to some extent be wasted. Fois gras, for example, would be considered a real treat by many Europeans, where it is already very expensive, but it is far more expensive in the U.S. and consequently not often thought of as the food item to look forward to by Americans. So offering it on a U.S. cruise would be far less sensible than on a European cruise.

 

Come to think of it, I do seem to recall having tournedos rossini on a cruise once, but don't recall the line or where -- and it was probably missing the mandatory truffles in any case!

 

Quite right Billie5. Lobster is wasted on us Europeans. Thats a real Luxury that we cant afford having spent £2,000+ per person on the Cruise. Fois Grass ( Ducks that have been force fed corn until their livers explode ) is a bit beyond our price range as well. Best banish us to the windjammer until you sophisticated folks have chosed your entree's. leftovers will be good enough for us.

[Mark_K]

I cannot understand why people are so hung-up on cruiseship lobster.

Small, rubbery, flavorless. Whats the big deal?

Ordering lobster on a cruise is so "amateur" anyway.

Mix it up and get the Indian dish....

Its main value is as an excuse to eat melted butter.

[Lottycruiser]

Quite right Billie5. Lobster is wasted on us Europeans. Thats a real Luxury that we cant afford having spent £2,000+ per person on the Cruise. Fois Grass ( Ducks that have been force fed corn until their livers explode ) is a bit beyond our price range as well. Best banish us to the windjammer until you sophisticated folks have chosed your entree's. leftovers will be good enough for us.

 

I had to chuckle at this , I wouldn't have known what Fois Grass was if you hadn't posted , maybe the next cut back will be no more filet of beef on European cruises , bangers and mash to replace it :rolleyes:

[Travel R]

I think you are misunderstanding. Because lobster is so expensive in Europe, few Europeans think of it as the luxury meal they look forward to, so offering it would to some extent be wasted. Fois gras, for example, would be considered a real treat by many Europeans, where it is already very expensive, but it is far more expensive in the U.S. and consequently not often thought of as the food item to look forward to by Americans. So offering it on a U.S. cruise would be far less sensible than on a European cruise.

 

Come to think of it, I do seem to recall having tournedos rossini on a cruise once, but don't recall the line or where -- and it was probably missing the mandatory truffles in any case!

 

Fois gras would be awesome on a cruise -- we will be on a Med cruise next month, and I would love to have that instead of the lobster they serve. On the other hand, my DW would avoid it at all costs (although she does not like lobster either). In the US fois gras (duck or goose) is expensive in general - especially by me in the NY restaurants that actually serve it.

 

You had tournedos rossini on a cruise ship? - was it one of the upper tier cruise lines? If not, maybe they used chicken livers instead of true fois gras and porcini mushrooms in stead of truffles with a bit of truffle oil for the taste (I have used this faux method myself for dishes -- it tastes okay, but if you have ever had real truffles, there is no substitute).

 

Personally, I like the lobster nights - and it would be a nice touch to my upcoming Med. cruise. They served lobster on the repositioning of the ship to the Med, so maybe they will still serve it when I sail [although the "new" menu is supposed to be introduced two weeks before I sail.] I am already upste about no escargot (there is a world-wide shortage), so no lobster as well will is a dissapointment.

 

I can live with or withouth a lobster night, but it seems like all of the little "extras" continue to be taken away. I know that there is a "RCI please bring back" thread, and I do not want to re-start another one, but besides no lobster, throw in no escargot (I know not their fault), no midnight buffet, no chocolates on the pillows, towel animals only every-other night, everyone saying they are going to be wearking non-formal attire on formal night, no sommelier, lugggage tags in the mail, baked alaska parade in MDR, less rushed meals in the MDR (am I mis-remembering, but did there used to be four-course meals in the MDR? -- also the next cruise will be our first early seating, so I expect it to be even more rushed to get us out for the next wave of diners), etc. -- it seems more and more like I am going on a floating hotel instead of a cruise. These are little things that in-and-of themselves are not worth a second thought, but taken en masse, it becomes something to shake your head about.

[Doug R.]

I may be sentenced to be burned at the stake for being a heretic, but I can take or leave the lobster on board. In general, I like shrimp and crab just as much as lobster. I will be taking care of my lobster lust :D during a weeks vacation in Rhode Island in June so I will probably be ambivalent about the lobster on my Explorer cruise in October.

[londongal796]

I am already upste about no escargot (there is a world-wide shortage), so no lobster as well will is a dissapointment.

 

Well hopefully that is one thing you won't be disappointed about--they served escargot every single night in the dining room. There was a notice that it might not be available, but it was there on the menu every single night and we were never told it wasn't available!! So Enjoy :)

[zap99]

I had to chuckle at this , I wouldn't have known what Fois Grass was if you hadn't posted , maybe the next cut back will be no more filet of beef on European cruises , bangers and mash to replace it :rolleyes:

 

Please tell them don't lose the Beef. The only time us poor Brits get to eat real beef is when we are on a US company cruise ship. Horse,or Bully beef is what we are used to. If you are a US based cruiser sailing out of the UK this year, don't forget to bring some candy to hand out to the locals.

 

On a serious note, We were on Norwegian Jewel.At Breakfast, big sausages were called " British Bangers". Amusing, but very tasty.

[bouhunter]

I have to agree that the lobster they serve in the MDR is really no great shakes it is what you might expect at a low cost chain establishment like Red Lobster. If they did not serve it I would not miss it at all.

 

I agree. What we've had wasn't as good as Red Lobster........

 

I can go to the grocery and get frozen tails and prepare much better (and bigger) lobster at home than what I've had on RCCL:D

[SoCalTraveler]

Lobster and Lobster Tail are two different crustaceans. Lobster must be kept alive until cooked (that's why you see it in the market that way). Rent "It Happened to Jane" from Netflix for the back story. (Doris Day, Jack Lemmon and Ernie Kovacs.) Lobster tail is like crab or shrimp, and may be frozen. True Maine lobster is ruined by freezing.

 

On a recent RCI TA on the Navigator from New Orleans to Rome, we had lobster tail once, on evening 13, while sailing from Toulon to Livorno. Lobster was available in Chops and in the MDR for an extra charge; one of our table mates had it early in the trip.

 

I concur with the poster who observed that this was part of continued cutbacks in cruising. The night we had lobster tail, was also prime rib night. If you go on the All-Access Tour, the chef will explain how he has a budget per passenger per day for food. That's why we have seen lobster/lobster tail drop off the menu; that's why the cruise lines won't buy escargot when the price gets too high. (There is no shortage. You should see my garden.) RCI's approved supplier for escargot is in Indonesia, according to the chef we saw on the All Access Tour.

[billie5]

Lobster is wasted on us Europeans. Thats a real Luxury that we cant afford having spent £2,000+ per person on the Cruise.

 

Sorry you did not understand the economic point being made, whether or not you agreed with it. Nothing whatsoever to do with sophistication.

 

You had tournedos rossini on a cruise ship? - was it one of the upper tier cruise lines?

 

Never been on an upper tier cruise line. Closest we come is Oceania (premium??), but simply do not remember which line it was. I am sure, though, that you are right about it being fake. Still fun to think it was real.

[Paulxyz2004]

Please tell them don't lose the Beef. The only time us poor Brits get to eat real beef is when we are on a US company cruise ship. Horse,or Bully beef is what we are used to. If you are a US based cruiser sailing out of the UK this year, don't forget to bring some candy to hand out to the locals.

 

On a serious note, We were on Norwegian Jewel.At Breakfast, big sausages were called " British Bangers". Amusing, but very tasty.

 

Now horse is actually quite tasty when good prepared.

[twinkle1980]

I do understand the economic points being made. However, as royal doesnt serve Maine lobster, only its smaller Caribbean cousins - why couldn't royal source a supplier in Europe for European lobster?

 

I have eaten Cornish, Scottish, Welsh, English (The Cromer Lobster festival ended yesterday!), Spanish, Greek, French lobster... get the picture? Its not like its only exclusively available to those across the pond!

 

Personally I prefer well prepared crab, or langoustine to lobster.

[SoCalTraveler]

I do understand the economic points being made. However, as royal doesnt serve Maine lobster, only its smaller Caribbean cousins - why couldn't royal source a supplier in Europe for European lobster?

 

I have eaten Cornish, Scottish, Welsh, English (The Cromer Lobster festival ended yesterday!), Spanish, Greek, French lobster... get the picture? Its not like its only exclusively available to those across the pond!

 

Personally I prefer well prepared crab, or langoustine to lobster.

 

Sorry to disagree, but the menu in the MDR specifies that Royal is serving Maine lobster.

 

[Melozone]

Please tell them don't lose the Beef. The only time us poor Brits get to eat real beef is when we are on a US company cruise ship. Horse,or Bully beef is what we are used to. If you are a US based cruiser sailing out of the UK this year, don't forget to bring some candy to hand out to the locals.

 

On a serious note, We were on Norwegian Jewel.At Breakfast, big sausages were called " British Bangers". Amusing, but very tasty.

What kind of candy??? Horse meat??? neigh neigh.....I'm making a horse sound with my lips :D

[Paulxyz2004]

Sorry to disagree, but the menu in the MDR specifies that Royal is serving Maine lobster.

 

 

I would say the topic is the lobster served from the regular menu, not the pay for Option from Chops.

[marielco]

Agree wuth earlier poster. Plenty of lobster available in Europe so not sure why its not made available on European cruises as it seems to be a favourite with so many.

[Melozone]

Hi everyone,

So we had another Mediterranean cruise a few weeks ago, a 7-nighter on the Navigator of the Seas (round-trip starting in Rome), and I was REALLY looking forward to lobster night. I knew from reading here that it was likely to be the second of the two formal nights...

How was the NOS? We sail soon, on the 9th. Not very many post about the cruise in general or the ports.

 

I'm ok about the lobster as long as there are other sea food selections.

[nelblu]

Hi everyone,

 

I am technically a new user on the forum but I've been reading on here for a long time.

 

I have cruised with RCCL 4 times now, twice a while ago and then twice in the last 8 months.

 

When we cruised in September we were cruising through the Mediterranean on a 5-night re-positioning cruise (Grandeur of the Seas, from Palma de Majorca to Venice). I was surprised when we had no lobster night on board, but I checked the forums and read a few things, mostly hinting that it was only on cruises of 6+ nights these days.

 

So we had another Mediterranean cruise a few weeks ago, a 7-nighter on the Navigator of the Seas (round-trip starting in Rome), and I was REALLY looking forward to lobster night. I knew from reading here that it was likely to be the second of the two formal nights...

 

The afternoon of the second formal night, I happened to be in the dining room 'behind the scenes' while waiting in a queue to re-collect my passport. This took us past the walls the waiters have which is plastered with every menu and every menu item--including photos and ingredients lists. Very useful information!!!

 

I saw that the Jasmine menu featured the 'Fisherman's Platter'--the lobster tail that I was sooo looking forward to. I knew we hadn't had that particular menu yet as I didn't recognise any of the other dishes, so I was soooo excited--now I had concrete proof that lobster night would soon be arriving!

 

Imagine my dismay when the Jasmine menu arrived at my table that night... without the Fisherman's Platter on the list.

 

What gives??

 

Someone else on here recently said that while sailing with the same ship 2 months ago they had the Fisherman's Platter on the Jasmine menu... I know they had lobster since they offered it on the Chops Grille menu every night (For a supplement of $30+).

 

I really really really was looking forward to this, and it sounds like a really silly thing to get upset over, but seriously? That's the whole thing, lobster night is one of those things we have all come to expect and not having it is a bit of an outrage. If we were sailing in the absolute middle of nowhere, okay fine, but the Mediterranean? Lobsters are not that hard to come by, plus I understand from the Head Chef of the ship (who hosted a session) that all the meat they get on Mediterranean cruises is frozen and shipped over from the US anyway, so there is absolutely no excuse for them not offering it.

 

Anyway... anyone have any thoughts on this or similar experiences?

 

 

But, did they serve escargots?

[SoCalTraveler]

I would say the topic is the lobster served from the regular menu, not the pay for Option from Chops.

 

The menu I attached shows Maine lobster is served as an extra-cost item in the MDR. On the Navigator 15 day Transatlantic, lobster tails (which are not lobsters and probably not from Maine) were served once, on Day 13, between Toulon and Livorno. To the best of my recollection (and I have to check my pictures) Maine lobster was not offered in Chops at all on this cruise.

 

Escargot was on the menu every night, but not ever available, due to a claimed world-wide shortage. There was talk we would get a shipment in Toulon, but we did not. The chef instead prepared scallops in escargot pans and with escargot sauce, which the folks who eat that sort of stuff said was very good.

[twinkle1980]

What kind of candy??? Horse meat??? neigh neigh.....I'm making a horse sound with my lips :D

 

Nah, you can buy that in a burger over here!

[Lottycruiser]

I do understand the economic points being made. However, as royal doesnt serve Maine lobster, only its smaller Caribbean cousins - why couldn't royal source a supplier in Europe for European lobster?

 

I have eaten Cornish, Scottish, Welsh, English (The Cromer Lobster festival ended yesterday!), Spanish, Greek, French lobster... get the picture? Its not like its only exclusively available to those across the pond!

 

Personally I prefer well prepared crab, or langoustine to lobster.

 

I hear you , I love crab , prawns but prefer the smaller prawns to king prawns and scallops , yummy , I may be imagining this but I am sure I had scallops in the MDR as a starter , in fact I did as I remember thinking to myself why didn't I order two of those as you only get two on the plate :rolleyes:I will know in future :D back to the subject of lobster , surely the only meaty part of the lobster is the tail so tail would suit me fine , are you listening Royal ? :D

[MADflyer]

How was the NOS? We sail soon, on the 9th. Not very many post about the cruise in general or the ports.

 

I'm ok about the lobster as long as there are other sea food selections.

 

Just off NOS Eastern Med and while they did not have lobster as a main course option, there were many great seafood options, including lobster in several of the appetizers through the week.

 

Was on the Liberty TA in April and they did have a lobster tail section entrée one evening. I think it was the third formal evening on that 12 night cruise.

 

I had late seating and did go to Jade for Sushi most nights at 6:30. The sushi was a little better on Liberty than NOS, although liked that from day 3 on my cruise they had set an area with silver, napkins and soy sauce and bowels in the front right section of Windjammer, reserving it for the large group of us that came only for sushi each night.

 

Seafood options were poor for Windjammer lunches on NOS. They had a fresh stir-fry section night and steak to order section night and fresh pasta night in the aft section of Windjammer at dinner, but not at lunch. Did not try them as I was going to the dining room, but just walked through each night and was impressed by these sections.

 

Anything like that at lunch would have been appreciated. They did have an afternoon deck barbeque from 1:30 pm for the 3:00 pm Chania departure.