Best Cruiseline Food??

[shookdm]

Would like to hear which you think is best. For me, it was, hands down, Costa. I love Italian, and having the side of past every evening was fantastic!!

 

DMS

Carnival Spirit 9/1/04

 

[Splinter]

Crystal, hands down. It is not only always the freshest and best presentation, but the little touches and the consistant fulfillmment of special requests. Tableside cooking for yummy specials like Spaghetti Carbonara, flambed desserts, etc. at request. Wonderful buffets on deck for special occasions too. Free Hagan Das ice cream on the Lido deck does not hurt either!

 

HA Constitution 1986

NCL Skyward 1988

Crystal Harmony 1992

Dawn Princess 1994

HA Independence 1995

Celebrity Zenith 1997

Grand Princess 1999

Regal Princess 2000

Crystal Harmony 2000

HAL Ryndam 2001

HAL Statendam 2003

RCI Vision of the Seas 2003

HAL Ryndam 2004

[marvholly]

Done 10 cruises over nearly 35 years all on mainstream/budget lines. For me it has been Carnval. Wide selection at lunch and dinner in the dine room. Great lunch buffets with the regular stations plus deli, grill, chinese in addition. Also appreciate the 24/7 pizzia, drink stations and soft serve, all at no extra charge. Now, if they only upgraded their room service menu I would be a real happy camper.

 

Holly

 

M/S Boheme 11/69

Rhapsody 2/77?

Azure Sea 3/89

Panama Canal 11/90

Mexican Riviera 3/98

Carnival Triumph 12/99

Carnival Spirit 12/01

NCL Dream 11/17/02

Celebrity Mercury 6/1/03

carnival Victory 3/28/04

 

[Cotton]

Retired Food & Beverage Director for hotels (and former caterer) here. I can only compare NCL, Princess, and Carnival, and Carnival wins, hands down! Not only is their food fresh, delicious, and innovative, there's a fantastic variety every evening, and the presentation is wonderful! Also service of meals is excellent, first rate. (I have b'fast and lunch in the dining room every day, as well.) Can't beat it!

 

"Laissez les bon temps rouler!"

Festivale 1987

Carnivale 1988

Mardi Gras 1989

Pacific Princess 1990

Norway 1994

Holiday 2001

Holiday 2002

Holiday 2003

Sensation 2004

[Bob M.]

Having been on a few cruises I like the food in Celebrity's Specialty Rest. (been to the one on Infinity and Summit). I will be cruising on Constellation in Dec. and I am already looking forward to the Goat Cheese Souffle.

 

Bob :cool:

[camella]

I've been on Princess, RCCL, Carnival and most recently Celebrity. Celebrity wins hands down! I agree with the other poster, that goat cheese souffle was out of this world. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it!!! I'm on the Jewel in a few days and hoping I won't be too disappointed!

[StephenJohnson]

The alternative formal dining on Celebrity Infinity (SS United States dining room) hands down, though HAL's atlernative restaurants were also very good.

 

Main line food - Celebrity again, I'm a sucker for Salmon Claudine and Ginger pear soup, though the Souffles and Beef Wellington on Sun Princess gave them a run for the money.

 

*drool* ;)

[furkidsmom]

Having been on a few cruises I like the food in Celebrity's Specialty Rest. (been to the one on Infinity and Summit). I will be cruising on Constellation in Dec. and I am already looking forward to the Goat Cheese Souffle.

 

Bob :cool:

 

Now I am drooling on the keyboard! I just had the goat cheese souffle 2 weeks ago!!

[DonnaD]

Going on the first Carnival cruise in a few days. Looking forward to trying it all. . . mmmmmmmmmmmm

[Cotton]

Donna, you MUST have the Chateaubriand, Beef Wellington, Delice of the Sea, Lobster Thermidor (and lobster tail, of course). Their appetizers and soups are fantastic. Try the escarcot. Some of the desserts are wonderful - try several at one seating, if you'd like.:rolleyes: Grand Marnier Souffle' and Hazelnut Creme Brulee' are very good.

[rvblaw]

Have to agree with the votes for Carnival - overall it has been the best.

[dmarch@islc.net]

Remember the old Royal Cruise Line. Very good!

[1cruisewonder]

Through my own expeience I have found that the most delectable and readilly available food item on board is Pizza it can be found in many 24-7 eateries. Pizza is not only a filling lunch but also a sweet and fluffy dessert:rolleyes: !!!!!!!!!!!!

[epikure75]

I'd say Carnival. I've been on one cruise so far (conquest) and I was knocked off my socks. I used to be a professional pastry chef and cake decorator (I've worked in one of the best hotels in the SF bay area) and was simply impressed with everything food wise. From the room service, to the fresh smoked salmon to the sit-down dinners, all I have to say is "wow". Makes me wonder how Carnival makes their money.

[yarlenna]

I think we need to divide the Best category into price classes. I surely don't expect Carnival to have the same quality of food as Seabourn.

With the assumption that you mean mass market cruises - I think Celebrity is probably the leader with Carnival a very very close second.

[yarlenna]

Oh, and if your mean of all time, Home Lines Homeric gets my vote with Oceanic (also Home Lines) a very very very very close second.

[furkidsmom]

Oh, and if your mean of all time, Home Lines Homeric gets my vote with Oceanic (also Home Lines) a very very very very close second.

 

 

My first cruise was on the Oceanic and I agree the food was great!

[MavisMarie]

dmarch: AH! Royal Cruise Lines!! Remember Yanni's cinnamon rolls? OMG. Well, those days are gone forever. I completely agree with you.

 

I was delighted and surprised to find the food on the Disney Wonder to be the best I've had at sea in years. Truly excellent meals in the dining room at night -- with beautiful presentation. I enjoyed the dining rotation to the different restaurants with a nice variety of choices.

 

Otherwise, I think the food on HAL is better than Royal Caribbean, by far. When we cruise Royal Caribbean, we usually dine at Chops or Portofino's most of the nights. It's worth the extra cost to have a wonderful meal. I would rather pay extra than eat the cafeteria food on any ship. It doesn't matter to me that I am passing up a "free" meal, included in the cruise cost.

[iluvcruzin]

I've cruised on Premier, RCCL, NCL & Carnival so far. The best dining room food I've had hands down was on NCL's Norway. Their buffet food was the worst.. but definately the dining room food was wonderful.

[mcboo]

Seabourn food absolutely the best. Menu designed by famed chef Charlie Palmer. Three chocolate creme brulee to die for. Also course by course dining in your suite from the restaurant menu a great plus.:o

[furkidsmom]

Chocolate creme brulee sounds devine!!! :D

[katiel53]

I've been on cruises from Home Lines, (Gee I sure miss them), NCL, Carnival, Princess, RCCL, Holland America and Celebrity. I think in the last few years, the best lunches are on Carnival (Pride) and the best regular dinners are on Celebrity. I have gone to the specialty restaurants on Carnival and HAL. They were both excellent and I think a tie. I am going to try Oceanliners on the Constellation in December. I can hardly wait!

[scamper]

Seabourn hands down for ultra luxury lines; Celebrity for mass market...especially the alternate dining rooms on Celeb.

[chefajax]

As an executive chef (culinary insitute of america grad) and premier caterer, my vote goes to Crystal (even bought the cookbook).They were excellant in so many areas. I will try Radisson next year, but I am leary of any line promoting a certain chef as window dressing, since I went to school with alot of them or been associated with them, so it is no big deal since they are not doing the cooking, though I wish they would so we could party later.

Between Carnival, Princess, Royal Carib,and HAL....HAL wins general overall, Princess for pastries, Royal Carib for buffet setup and selection, Carnival for effort (singing waiters) and menu design. Hope to add Celebrity to the group next year also.....Dennis

[Mindy97]

We've cruised on Princess, RCL, HAL, and Costa. I'd have to say our fave was Costa's Mediterranean Cruise cuisine. It was very continental, very Italian. Because we had greeted the headwaiter in Italian the first night of the cruise, he would write a "chit" and give it to our waiter each night, saying to bring us prosciutto and parmesano reggiano cheese appetizer each night! Our waiter liked that the headwaiter knew we spoke (some) Italian; it made the headwaiter much less likely to hang around him, since he couldn't gossip :o