Just wanted to say I am SICK OF COLD FOOD.

[rbt001]

Maybe requesting warm syrup and drawn butter are the solution for waffles, pancakes and french toast.

[roger001]

Many cruises. Never had the problem. Guess it must be the type of foods I choose off the buffet.

[Steam]

We did have some buffet fare at lunch that was tepid. We survived it. Thankfully, it was only Curly Fries.

 

The struggle is real.

[rbt001]

We did have some buffet fare at lunch that was tepid. We survived it. Thankfully, it was only Curly Fries.

 

The struggle is real.

 

Steam, thanks for quoting MizDemeanor's post.

 

I missed it the first time and it's too funny! I'm still chuckling.

 

MizDemeanor, hats off for the post and your screen name. Thank you.

[zqvol]

It seems every ship going serves good that is as close to cold if not actually cold that you can get. Last week I was happy to see a fresh pan of French toast going on the buffet line. "At last," I thought, "It has to be warm now!" But there was NO warmth to it. It seems you can only get a warm meal if you go into a pay for meal. Clearly the food is made hours before use and just sits around. Let's talk food-borne illness.

 

Take it for what it is worth but I have never experienced cold food (it is probably better to say food at an improper temperature) on any cruise line. I will say that on occasion pancakes and French toast are not piping hot at the buffet, but if you know anything about food and how they have to cook them that is neither surprising or unhealthy.

 

 

OP's title is a little misleading because OP seems to be complaining about the breakfast buffet, which is never good - either on a ship or on shore.

[GrandmaHofmann]

You people are something else. I have been on 40 cruises. I eat dinner in the main dining room. I get cold or at least not hot food nearly every meal as does my husband. I don't know why there are so many nasty people on cruisecritic.

[Oceansaway17]

You people are something else. I have been on 40 cruises. I eat dinner in the main dining room. I get cold or at least not hot food nearly every meal as does my husband. I don't know why there are so many nasty people on cruisecritic.

 

 

I agree and getting a bit worse. Go look at RCI threads. Lots of flames.

And I guess the term CRITIC means you can't really complain without getting flamed. However I always send food back that is cold.

 

I will say food is warmer and better at buffet and at the specialty restaurants as it is served faster. I have learned that food on ships is the least I am concerned with. I just like being on the water.

 

Just got an email that the new BLISS is already changing 3 days and ports so us with shore excursions are not having to deal with those changes too.

[CruiseGal999]

For people like my husband who like food so hot it might burn their mouth cruise food for the most part does not deliver that. There are too many people to serve and if in the buffet walking around to get a chair pretty much guarantees lukewarm food. Your best bet is to wait for the bbq's on the pool deck and have them place the food directly on your plate from the grill or go for the soups in the buffet. I have also had good luck with the pasta bar where they warm up the pasta, put it in a sauté pan, add the sauce and then serve it directly to your plate. With some searching you can get it pretty close to piping hot.

 

I have to agree with you ... my DH is same way. And on top of it being temperature hot to lava levels, he adds hot sauce where he sweats almost instantly. Never understood it.

[VtMac]

You people are something else. I have been on 40 cruises. I eat dinner in the main dining room. I get cold or at least not hot food nearly every meal as does my husband. I don't know why there are so many nasty people on cruisecritic.

 

While I agree that there are quite a few nasty folks around here, you stated a couple things in your original post that are sure to stir them up and generate a conversation. As someone that cooks professional for a living when I hear "sitting around for hours" and "food borne illness" it makes me take notice. That being said lets address both of those. Sitting around for hours, nope. That isn't happening. While I have not had 40 cruises, Ive done enough to see with my 30 years professionally cooking that they are batch cooking. Id bet they are using 15 minute counts and velocity charts to tell them when and what is to be fired for service. Ive run dining facilities that serve 2500 meals within two hours, on land with gas and all the bells and whisltes and the challenege is always hot holding. Too cold, its in a danger zone and too hot amd the product goes to heck. So yup, you will never see food as hot as say an ala minute restaurant in South Beach, its a balancing act. Now, food borne illness. Its not just temperature, its time and temp together. The company I currently work for has what I consider very strict food safety guidelines, far greater than what Federal food code or state guidleines dictate. Thats a good thing. That being said, I have seen the cruise industry guidelines, they are far stricter than anything Ive had to work with, then they add another CDC level. They are doing well, imo. You can view audit results online. Also, you mentioned french toast, stay away unless you can get them made to order. After 30 years I still can't figure out how to hold it hot, but not dry or moist but not soggy! So now in my area, we do ot to order. As always, ask for a reheat from a Chef, its in their nature and to want to help you out

[rbt001]

It seems every ship going serves good that is as close to cold if not actually cold that you can get. Last week I was happy to see a fresh pan of French toast going on the buffet line. "At last," I thought, "It has to be warm now!" But there was NO warmth to it. It seems you can only get a warm meal if you go into a pay for meal. Clearly the food is made hours before use and just sits around. Let's talk food-borne illness.

 

You people are something else. I have been on 40 cruises. I eat dinner in the main dining room. I get cold or at least not hot food nearly every meal as does my husband. I don't know why there are so many nasty people on cruisecritic.

 

I don't know why there are so many nasty people on cruisecritic.

 

To help you get an insight into why, perhaps it would be a good idea to step back and re-read how you presented yourself in your original post.

 

 

While you may be the most delightful person to hold a conversation with at a community table, I don't think this particular communication demonstrates that.

 

And maybe it wasn't your intention, but do you see how your words could be viewed as negative, bitter, and perhaps even inflammatory when you accuse NCL of letting food "just sit around?" Your finish appeared to imply that NCL is making people sick.

 

Maybe the people that replied with comments you didn't like, chose a tone they thought mirrored what they saw in your tone.

 

This is intended as constructive criticism and is a reply to where you led this discussion with your statement in red.

[MizDemeanor]

I was actually agreeing that the buffet food was tepid. But it was just Curly Fries. We survived it, did not get sick, and certainly would not have eaten fish or fowl for example had it been tepid.

 

While not a good idea for salad lovers, let’s face it, the hottest thing in the Garden Buffet are the food plates.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Moby0215]

You people are something else. I have been on 40 cruises. I eat dinner in the main dining room. I get cold or at least not hot food nearly every meal as does my husband. I don't know why there are so many nasty people on cruisecritic.

 

 

 

I can’t speak for others but I was just disagreeing with you saying that I have never experienced anything cold on any of my cruises. Nothing nasty here just providing my opinion. Not sure how or why your experience could vary so differently from mine?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Motegi]

I am one who does not appreciate scalding hot food being served. I find that almost all of the meals I’ve had in the MDRs on NCL have been served at appropriate temperatures.

 

Some restaurants serve food that is so hot that you need to allow time for it to cool before consuming. Case in point a local cajun restaurant that Pam and I went to this evening. It was a sandwich but it was too hot to hold in my hands to eat.

 

If the food is too hot I find that I will burn my tongue or the roof of my mouth and will ruin the enjoyment of the remainder of the meal.

 

Of course, undercooked food is something else entirely.

[newmexicoNita]

I agree and getting a bit worse. Go look at RCI threads. Lots of flames.

And I guess the term CRITIC means you can't really complain without getting flamed. However I always send food back that is cold.

 

I will say food is warmer and better at buffet and at the specialty restaurants as it is served faster. I have learned that food on ships is the least I am concerned with. I just like being on the water.

 

Just got an email that the new BLISS is already changing 3 days and ports so us with shore excursions are not having to deal with those changes too.

No one is flaming anyone, some are giving their side and view. I think his is what CC and other similar boards are all about. as for changes, what that has to do with cold food I have no idea. the discussion and possible remarks that you may consider flaming comes from Grandma making comments like, she has cruised 40 times and never gotten cold food: this is almost impossible. It sounds like she has just forgotten and her comment about food sitting around for hours didn't help much. In her rant, which is understandable but probably useless, she may have over exaggerated the problem.

Edited April 24, 2018 by newmexicoNita

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

Some restaurants serve food that is so hot that you need to allow time for it to cool before consuming.

 

 

Haha!

Those are our favorites!

Just goes to show.....when it comes to food...there’s no pleasing everyone!

[mking8288]

Food opinions are personal and subjective, actually some food are meant to be serve chilled, not necessary icy cold ... like those shrimp cocktails (at a nominal charge these days, subject to availabilities)

 

We've been on several Behind The Scene ship tours on NCL, seen their gallery operations and as someone who (in earlier life/career training) hold a Food Protection Certificate issued by NYC Dept of Health, I don't have a problem at all with food being served warm ... it is very difficult, if not impossible, to expect the main kitchen to bring "hot" food to every table, even with a warm plate cover - even if it is almost cook to order, when there are 1,000+ guests are seated at a given time in the MDRs alone.

 

Just think of it as a banquet or catering operations, or airline food in the "main" cabin on an international flight (since domestically, one is lucky to get a "free" box snack box these days).

 

For specific dining venue, like Shanghai Noodles - it is possible to order and get rather "hot" items like soup noodles with the broth or stirred fried items cook in the "wok" as you watch from nearby, in an semi "open" kitchen on a ship like the Breakaway. BBQ items done on the outdoor deck are usually reasonably hot and/or can be quickly heated again, upon request. On the other hand, it is unrealistic to expect and demand prime ribs, roasted cornish hens or pasta dishes, and "sides" to be in "hot"

 

As far as I am concerned, eating from improperly prepared food and/or kept at an unsafe temperature for an extended time duration is the least of worries for us when sailing on a ship ... I worry more about some of the fellow cruisers who don't observe best practices about hand washing, personal hygiene coming out of the washrooms and/or touching the utensils at the buffet line.

 

Knock on woods, NCL's recent health inspection scores have been kept pretty good, AFAIK, and in reading/following other's comments - majority, if not almost all, aren't nasty at all ... simply being practical, realistic and using a tiny bit of common sense. As always, I respect all to agree to disagree on opinions & observations in a civilized manner. Happy cruising !

 

 

P.S. for frequent flyers transiting US airports & buying food inside the airline terminals, some of us are rather surprised - maybe should NOT be - at those public health & food safety inspection findings, rather "disgusting" as a matter of fact; and, the items could have been served hot to order on a plate ... but, OMG.

[PTC DAWG]

What about ice cream?

[tef43]

Never experienced this, on NCL or any other line.

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

What about ice cream?

 

 

 

We’ve found it’s best served cold....and VERY often!

HAHA! [emoji2]

[ColinIllinois]

What about ice cream?

 

 

They let the strawberry ice cream melt and call it chilled fruit soup.

[Barb Nahoumi]

We’ve found it’s best served cold....and VERY often!

HAHA! [emoji2]

 

Cold with hot fudge sauce. LOL