Does Oceania have the best food of all cruise lines?

[Mura]

Just a reminder that food is subjective. Plus, expectations from one part of the country or world is totally different than in another part. For instance, I have read complaints about food in Red Ginger. People claim that it isn't authentic Chinese or Thai or Japanese.......or whatever.

 

A quibble ... Red Ginger ISN'T authentic Chinese or Thai or Japanese. It never was advertised as such. When FDR first announced the fact that Red Ginger would be one of the restaurants on the not-yet-built Marina (we were at a reception in NYC for the press and some local area passengers) he stated that it was Asian Fusion cuisine. Which I think is a fair characterization.

 

I admit to being one of the people who isn't wild about RG ... because we prefer Szechuan or Thai to Asian Fusion, as is our right. But I'd never criticize RG for not being something it doesn't claim to be.

 

I also have to say that it has always seemed to me that the fans of RG are well in the majority.

 

Mura

[pacheco18]

A lot of the comparisons depend upon whether you are comparing Oceania food (e.g. Red Ginger) to food you can get on land or whether you are comparing Oceania good to that which you get on other cruise lines.

 

If you comparing to other cruise lines, most of us would agree that the food is among the best at sea -- with some favoring the Specialties over the GDR. We are not unanimous about all the venues, but overall, certainly it is among the best.

 

When you start comparing it to food you can get on land, I think everyone needs to step back a bit. Also depends on where you live, have lived or traveled to. I do not think ANY food prepared for massive numbers of people on a ship can compare to that served in a small fine dining establishment where the chef is truly overseeing every detail. No one should expect that either. I think Oceania strives for that, but I am not sure it is possible to achieve.

[Big Easy]

A lot of the comparisons depend upon whether you are comparing Oceania food (e.g. Red Ginger) to food you can get on land or whether you are comparing Oceania good to that which you get on other cruise lines.

 

If you comparing to other cruise lines, most of us would agree that the food is among the best at sea -- with some favoring the Specialties over the GDR. We are not unanimous about all the venues, but overall, certainly it is among the best.

 

When you start comparing it to food you can get on land, I think everyone needs to step back a bit. Also depends on where you live, have lived or traveled to. I do not think ANY food prepared for massive numbers of people on a ship can compare to that served in a small fine dining establishment where the chef is truly overseeing every detail. No one should expect that either. I think Oceania strives for that, but I am not sure it is possible to achieve.

 

Succinctly put

[traveler916]

A lot of the comparisons depend upon whether you are comparing Oceania food (e.g. Red Ginger) to food you can get on land or whether you are comparing Oceania good to that which you get on other cruise lines.

 

If you comparing to other cruise lines, most of us would agree that the food is among the best at sea -- with some favoring the Specialties over the GDR. We are not unanimous about all the venues, but overall, certainly it is among the best.

 

When you start comparing it to food you can get on land, I think everyone needs to step back a bit. Also depends on where you live, have lived or traveled to. I do not think ANY food prepared for massive numbers of people on a ship can compare to that served in a small fine dining establishment where the chef is truly overseeing every detail. No one should expect that either. I think Oceania strives for that, but I am not sure it is possible to achieve.

 

This is very well put.

 

Yes, the discussion of food is subjective.

 

Having cruise on other cruise lines, I believe (speaking for myself) that Oceania's food is far superior to any other cruise line that I have cruised on. I am sure you will be happy with the food

 

Gary

[sitraveler]

I don't know about the food, but Oceania has the best passengers.

[Travelcat2]

Just a reminder that food is subjective. Plus, expectations from one part of the country or world is totally different than in another part. For instance, I have read complaints about food in Red Ginger. People claim that it isn't authentic Chinese or Thai or Japanese.......or whatever.

 

It's a personal pet peeve whenever people argue that the food they are being served isn't "authentic." Well, so what? I'm reminded of the following passage from a favorite foodie:

 

"...When a reviewer starts explaining how the preparation of a quiche Lorraine at the restaurant he has visited differs from the way one prepared a true quiche Lorraine, I always want to interrupt. "But did you like it?" I want to shout. "Did it make you happy? Did you clean your plate?" ... I was eating some homemade gazpacho and talking about how it differed from the more authentic gazpacho one got in Seville. The more I talked about the difference the faster I wolfed down the gazpacho - until I realized that one way what I was eating differed from authentic gazpacho was that it tasted better." - Calvin Trillin, "American Fried"

 

I have to agree with you about whether you like a dish or not rather than whether it meets "authentic" specifications. We love Red Ginger but have read (not recently -- last year) many comments from people who did not really understand the food. Oceania can use the words "Asian Fusion" but some people are just not open to new tastes and have not been exposed to this type of cuisine. I've even read complaints about tea being served in the middle of the meal. IMO, rather than analyze it, give it a try (love their tea).

 

Our favorite restaurant on Oceania is Jacques (Red Ginger is second). We typically do not like French food -- not in France -- not anywhere. But, we have enjoyed everything we have ordered in Jacques. Again, it is matter of being open to the chef's interpretation of the dishes. Like you said, either you like it and clean the plate or you don't.

[Caroldoll]

For me it is unhealthy and really horrible to eat overly salted foods which are standard on most cruise lines. We never eat in the MDR for this reason. On O we have a choice of several places, including The Terrace. In those places I can pick what I want and for the most part watch it prepared. No other cruise line I have been on affords you this opportunity. I am perfectly happy and healthy with food on O, even the hot dogs and hamburgers out on the deck.

[CintiPam]

even the hot dogs and hamburgers out on the deck.

 

Not to mention the lobster you can get out there (when I order "double surf, no turf").:)

[sailorgirl]

We just returned from two week crossing on Riviera. Our second Riviera cruise. I can say that in my opinion it is the best food at sea. (Off topic, but I'd also say the best service, attitude and bedding as well.) For comparison purposes, we have sailed on Cunard Princess Grill, Holland America, Celebrity, Crystal, and Princess.

[thecleave]

Just off the Riviera crossing too. It was a wonderful trip & the food was excellent.

 

I didn't find the food overly salted anywhere on the ship, & I'm pretty sensitive to saltiness. The only place I might have used salt is on the regular fries in Waves - not the truffle fries, which are way too good!

 

 

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[sailorgirl]

We just returned from two week crossing on Riviera. Our second Riviera cruise. I can say that in my opinion it is the best food at sea. (Off topic, but I'd also say the best service, attitude and bedding as well.) For comparison purposes, we have sailed on Cunard Princess Grill, Holland America, Celebrity, Crystal, and Princess.

 

Opps, forgot to add Regent to the list of comparisons.

[canuck.qc]

For me it is unhealthy and really horrible to eat overly salted foods which are standard on most cruise lines. We never eat in the MDR for this reason. On O we have a choice of several places, including The Terrace. In those places I can pick what I want and for the most part watch it prepared. No other cruise line I have been on affords you this opportunity. I am perfectly happy and healthy with food on O, even the hot dogs and hamburgers out on the deck.

In addition, you can have a special dinning menu (sent every day to your cabin for review) to accommodate your specific dietary requests ex: no dairy, salt, peanut etc....This request can be done prior to sailing by your TA or online thru O's Request Form.

Edited April 23, 2014 by canuck.qc

[Travelcat2]

Opps, forgot to add Regent to the list of comparisons.

 

I've done a comparison of Regent and Oceania's food. We found the specialty restaurants better on Oceania and the GDR and Terrace Café better on Regent. What stood out the most to us was the quality of food in the Terrace Café compared to Regent. Oceania has more of a variety of meats, fish (even lobster) but we did not find them to our taste. La Veranda (Regent's equivalent of Terrace Café ) stands out for their salads, Italian food, meat and fish (no lobster available). In the evening La Veranda becomes an Italian restaurant. There is an appetizer and dessert buffet. Main courses are ordered from a menu. This dining venue in the evening is almost as good as Toscana. In terms of Italian food, in Terrace Café for lunch, it isn't really subjective. On a 10 day cruise, they only offered a marinara sauce every day except once when they had had a wonderful Bolognese with fresh pasta. On Regent, there is always marinara and Bolognese with at least one other choice.

 

One reason we are sailing on Oceania again is to dine again in Jacques and Red Ginger. Since we are in a suite we can order food from these dining venues through out butler and have a leisurely dinner in the suite. We also love Le Reserve and enjoy Polo and Toscana. Except for breakfast and/or lunch, we do not plan to dine in GDR or the Terrace Café.