The International Dinner - Where is the love?

[Stratheden]

OK, I am a freak... I want to eat everything on that menu. :D

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the dinner last time on the Eurodam.

 

I'd have trouble selecting what I didn't want to eat.

 

Is this a formal night?

[cruz chic]

I'd have trouble selecting what I didn't want to eat.

 

Is this a formal night?

 

Nope. Generally it's the last night which is never formal.

[Stratheden]

Cruz Chic, Thank you

[BruceMuzz]

We've had the International Menu on our past 5-6 cruises. I enjoy it more than my wife. I usually have the Guiso Argentinian beef soup, Vietnamese Spring Roll, and the Pablano pepper stuffed chicken or The Asparagus Risotto.

 

I think it's a nice change, but the selection may be more limited for some folks.

 

When your wife finds out that you announced to the (cruising) world that you enjoy a cruise ship dinner more than you enjoy her...........your next cruise may be as a solo.

[donswife]

The Westerdam Alaska cruise had the staff parade and song Thursday night (formal night) and the international dinner the last night (Victoria). Some of the leftovers made it up to the Lido, so we tried some after we got back on the ship. The girls ate in the dining room and said the always menu was available. The menu was set up as usual (unlike CrewsNews' picture).

[serendipity1499]

When your wife finds out that you announced to the (cruising) world that you enjoy a cruise ship dinner more than you enjoy her...........your next cruise may be as a solo.

 

Thanks for the good laugh!!:D:D

[kjw869]

When your wife finds out that you announced to the (cruising) world that you enjoy a cruise ship dinner more than you enjoy her...........your next cruise may be as a solo.

 

Yup, you're right. I forgot to type one word-- "does". Should be, "I enjoy it more than my wife does."

 

However, after nearly 30 years of wedded bliss, there have been days where I have enjoyed a meal more. ;)

By the way, she has no idea what Cruise Critic is, so I'm relatively safe, except for the fact she knows many people who post on this forum who we has cruised with in the past.

Edited July 1, 2014 by kjw869

[TiogaCruiser]

When your wife finds out that you announced to the (cruising) world that you enjoy a cruise ship dinner more than you enjoy her...........your next cruise may be as a solo.

 

LOL. Best post on the thread, maybe the forum.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I'll admit that we have not done the International Dinner yet. For some reason, we have scheduled an alternative venue on the last evening of our past few cruises. (Not to worry. We take care of our waiters before then.) DSIL was never a fan of the Master Chef's Dinner and we just got in the habit of going to Plan B on the last evening.

 

I've noticed that there do not appear to be a whole lot of fans of the International Dinner. My question is: Why?

 

We're doing a back to back later this year, so there are two chances to have the International Dinner. The menu looks fine. Sure, I'm sad that you don't get a chef's toque like you did for the Master Chef's Dinner. I'm also a little broken up about the lack of Dutch Night with its accompanying hats.

 

So, in my own tediously long-winded way, I'm asking for opinions on International Night.

 

Thanks.

 

 

When HAL started the Master Chef's dinner, we went 4 times -- which was 3 times too many. Couldn't stand the "show" and at first the menu was somewhat limited. So we got in the habit of going elsewhere for dinner.

When HAL gave up that venue and started the International Dinner on the last night of the cruise, we just continued going elsewhere as the menu does not appeal to us.

Like you -- we also pass out the extra tips in the dining room the night before.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Deleted

 

Just noticed that kjw869 came back and explained that he left out a word in his post.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Krazy Kruizers

[Alberta Quilter]

On our 14 day Alaska cruise in May, we had some of the International Dinner selections on a different night of the cruise (we weren't on the ship for the last night of the cruise). The menu was printed in the normal format.

 

The Mohr Im Hemd was really good! My plate was covered with chocolate sauce! I think that was the night that DM didn't come to dinner because I remember leaving the MDR to check on her and walking by someone who just received his dessert; he didn't get nearly as much chocolate sauce as I did. Others at my table seemed to be jealous; they didn't realize what it was, and how chocolatey it was.

[runnergirl71]

The Westerdam Alaska cruise had the staff parade and song Thursday night (formal night) and the international dinner the last night (Victoria). Some of the leftovers made it up to the Lido, so we tried some after we got back on the ship. The girls ate in the dining room and said the always menu was available. The menu was set up as usual (unlike CrewsNews' picture).

 

Wait, parade and song??? Ugh. Might have to cut out early that night - or take a bathroom break. The only place I like having my wait staff sing is a place in NYC I take visiting friends to where all the wait staff is aspiring Broadway actors and they CAN all sing.

[cruz chic]

Wait, parade and song??? Ugh. Might have to cut out early that night - or take a bathroom break. The only place I like having my wait staff sing is a place in NYC I take visiting friends to where all the wait staff is aspiring Broadway actors and they CAN all sing.

 

Usually the baked Alaska parade. I've seen enough of them and don't care for it. I thought I wouldn't have to see it again in open but it never ends.

[runnergirl71]

Usually the baked Alaska parade. I've seen enough of them and don't care for it. I thought I wouldn't have to see it again in open but it never ends.

 

Gotcha. So watch for all the servers to disappear, then hit the bathroom. :)

[solocanadian]

Although the International Dinner is an improvement over the non-stop hoopla of the Master Chef's Dinner, it's not enough of an improvement for me. I tried it the first time I sailed with the opportunity; the next week I was back in the Pinnacle.

 

It's the menu as far as I'm concerned. It's just not what I want to eat.

 

Same here. It's like you read my mind, Ruth.

[DaveOKC]

In May our final dinner was improved over the previous sailings (which we avoided as much as possible). Food was better and the "show" was shortened a bit.

 

Not a great experience, but not a bad one either. Not a big deal one way or the other for us.

 

DaveOKC

[cruz chic]

Gotcha. So watch for all the servers to disappear, then hit the bathroom. :)

 

Exactly:).

[sherilyn70]

This was the one dinner we skipped in the MDR on our cruise. When I looked at the menu it seemed to scattered and not very cohesive since they were combining 4 cultures all into one meal. We ate at the lido at dinner for the first time. Sounds like we made the right choice.

 

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[cruz chic]

This was the one dinner we skipped in the MDR on our cruise. When I looked at the menu it seemed to scattered and not very cohesive since they were combining 4 cultures all into one meal. We ate at the lido at dinner for the first time. Sounds like we made the right choice.

 

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Just to be clear you can pick and choose from different sections of the menu.

[sherilyn70]

Just to be clear you can pick and choose from different sections of the menu.

Yes but that's the problem. I like a cohesive meal. Not a hodge podge of stuff. I don't want a Mediterranean appetizer with a Latin meal and an Asian desert.

 

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[POA1]

We looked at the International menu and compared it to the regular night menus. Other than the fact that there are more choices, I don't think it's any less composed than on a regular evening. A typical dinner menu in the Caribbean might have Asian, Italian, Caribbean, and Indian dishes.

 

It's the giant piece of menu paper that's freaking people out, isn't it? :D

[SeaBands]

but it's an ok menu as we like duck. That menu needs an updating for frequent cruisers like us and many Mariners.

[runnergirl71]

We looked at the International menu and compared it to the regular night menus. Other than the fact that there are more choices, I don't think it's any less composed than on a regular evening. A typical dinner menu in the Caribbean might have Asian, Italian, Caribbean, and Indian dishes.

 

It's the giant piece of menu paper that's freaking people out, isn't it? :D

 

No, it's the stuff listed on the "giant piece of menu paper" and the possible/probable lack of the "plainer" offerings that every other night are listed as "always available". I'm not generally overly picky, but with foods that I cannot eat without getting sick being the preponderance of what's on there, I need options that apparently may or may not be available.

[sherilyn70]

We looked at the International menu and compared it to the regular night menus. Other than the fact that there are more choices, I don't think it's any less composed than on a regular evening. A typical dinner menu in the Caribbean might have Asian, Italian, Caribbean, and Indian dishes.

 

It's the giant piece of menu paper that's freaking people out, isn't it? :D

I don't know. I found the flavor profiles were more scattered than a regular night on our cruise. But I admit that I'm a foodie. Most nights I had no problems finding a properly flowing full meal. On this menu I had issues.

 

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[POA1]

No, it's the stuff listed on the "giant piece of menu paper" and the possible/probable lack of the "plainer" offerings that every other night are listed as "always available". I'm not generally overly picky, but with foods that I cannot eat without getting sick being the preponderance of what's on there, I need options that apparently may or may not be available.

 

I don't know. I found the flavor profiles were more scattered than a regular night on our cruise. But I admit that I'm a foodie. Most nights I had no problems finding a properly flowing full meal. On this menu I had issues.

 

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You do know I'm joking about the big sheet of paper, right? For what it's worth, my wife is not a fan of the layout. She's okay with the menu, but prefers not to skip around so much when choosing.

 

We also have strong feelings about fonts.