MSC Yacht Club, N. Europe

[Dolebludger]

We are considering an MSC YC cruise South Hampton to South Hampton, We have cruised MSC twice before in the YC in the Caribbean and were very happy with it. However, our TA warns me that on MSC cruises of Europe the food is "different" and not to the liking of people from the USA like us. The TA was unable to be more specific. Has anybody had experience in the YC in N. Europe? If so, how was the food?

[Zephyr173]

We have found the food in YC very good, both in the Caribbean and Northern Europe. You will fin old items that may not be common on this side of the pond, but there is not a significant difference. 

For example, you might see rollmops on th breakfast menu, and Pata Negra as an appetizer (in fact, our waiter brought me a huge plate of it when I told him that is one of my favorite cured hams).

From what I have read often on the forums, some North Americans feel that the portions are too small. I think that is a fair statement, and I find that portion sizes reflect the real life in the few European cities we have been to.  But, and that’s the great part of cruising, you can order to your heart’s content and thus easily build yourself a tasting menu at every meal.  It’s easy, for example, to go a nice Italian rout of antipasti, appetizer, pasta and mains. Then you’re stuffed and have tasted a bunch of nice plates. 

Eating is one of my favorite sports, and was quite “athletic” in the YC restaurant. 

[hamrag]

19 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

We are considering an MSC YC cruise South Hampton to South Hampton, We have cruised MSC twice before in the YC in the Caribbean and were very happy with it. However, our TA warns me that on MSC cruises of Europe the food is "different" and not to the liking of people from the USA like us. The TA was unable to be more specific. Has anybody had experience in the YC in N. Europe? If so, how was the food?

Chillax, and spread your wings! The Mediterranean diet is well known as one of the most healthy anywhere in the world. If MSC was promising me 'USA' food, then I'd be inclined to stay home. There is a wonderful variety provided in the YC, with lots of pasta dishes, but also much beef/lamb/fish/poultry etc....and lots of olive oil.

 

My favourite breakfast was oatmeal, followed by eggs benedict....not a pancake, waffle or american incinerated bacon in sight, it was wonderful.

Edited November 8, 2018 by hamrag

[Dolebludger]

Thanks to both of you! I hope I get more opinions before I "invest" in the cost of this cruise, but it sounds good so far. For what it is worth, we eat smaller, lighter portions than many in the USA do. In our tourist city of Durango CO, my wife and I usually make one order at restaurants, and split it. 

[SirWolf]

41 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

For what it is worth, we eat smaller, lighter portions than many in the USA do. 

We do the same here in SW Florida. We always enjoy the food and smaller portions in Europe. It is not about QUANTITY , it’s about QUALITY. They prepare the food in ways that you can taste the flavor and experience different ingridients and spices. We even went to cooking classes in Florence while on vacation in Italy and from time to time we cook Italian Style dinner for friends. 

[WonderMan3]

4 hours ago, hamrag said:

Chillax, and spread your wings! The Mediterranean diet is well known as one of the most healthy anywhere in the world. If MSC was promising me 'USA' food, then I'd be inclined to stay home. There is a wonderful variety provided in the YC, with lots of pasta dishes, but also much beef/lamb/fish/poultry etc....and lots of olive oil.

 

My favourite breakfast was oatmeal, followed by eggs benedict....not a pancake, waffle or american incinerated bacon in sight, it was wonderful.

 

Ugh. Hope that doesn’t mean those horrible British-style breakfasts with barely cooked fatty bacon and watery scrambled eggs.

[Dolebludger]

I must say (though it is a bit OT) that I have never encountered well-prepared bacon on ANY cruise ship (including Regent and Silversea). So it will be no shock if the bacon is not to my liking in the MSC YC. Maybe bacon just doesn't cook well at sea!

[sidari]

Americans certainly know how to ruin bacon!

[WonderMan3]

3 hours ago, sidari said:

Americans certainly know how to ruin bacon!

 

I wouldn’t call thoroughly cooking something ruining but whatever floats your boat...

[Dolebludger]

Well, breakfast is usually our least important meal when on a cruise ship. We usually go for a light one. But if we want to talk about bacon, my wife knows how to get it crisp (not soggy) without burning it. I've never been on a cruise ship where they knew how to do this. So if MSC can't do it I don't blame them for what no other cruise line can seem to do.

[cshim]

On 11/8/2018 at 7:39 PM, WonderMan3 said:

 

Ugh. Hope that doesn’t mean those horrible British-style breakfasts with barely cooked fatty bacon and watery scrambled eggs.

Better than the overcooked cardboard bacon and rubbery scrambled eggs of US-Style breakfasts

[hamrag]

1 hour ago, cshim said:

Better than the overcooked cardboard bacon and rubbery scrambled eggs of US-Style breakfasts

And grits with gravy!!

[DMH15]

Bacon and eggs.  So subjective.   If you

like something one way it doesn't mean the other person's way is wrong… Just different. 

 

 I was an adult and out of the house before I realized scrambled eggs didn't have to be rubbery and brown on the outside, the way my dad always cooked them on Sunday after church.   

 

Now I prefer velvety soft scrambled eggs - Yum... and crispy bacon just this side of burned.  So go figure. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2018 by DMH15

[Dolebludger]

By starting this thread, I didn't mean to imply that we are "foodies". I was merely concerned that the offerings might be types of food that we don't wish to eat (haggis comes to mind). We were on a Scenic river cruise where many lamb dishes were offered (it is an Australian line), and we don't care for lamb. Yet, overall, the cruise was wonderful. We also always order a very light breakfast and lunch. Also, I don't care for seafood, but my wife loves it. So I was not concerned so much about food preparation as I was with food types offered. 

[WonderMan3]

13 hours ago, cshim said:

Better than the overcooked cardboard bacon and rubbery scrambled eggs of US-Style breakfasts

 

If you confine your dining experiences to Denny's and McDonald's then I suppose so...

[Dolebludger]

As I said once before, our inquiry was not about whether food might be perfectly cooked for us. It was about whether food on an MSC YC cruise of N Europe would be so weird to us ( from Colorado USA) that it would be a major problem. We usually have light breakfast and lunch on cruises. I usually order beef for dinner. My wife is more adventurous, but defaults to beef if nothing else that interests her is offered. An MSC rep told our TA that many from the USA had complained about the dinner offerings in the YC in Europe. I was just attempting to get some feedback from MSC YC cruisers in N. Europe to determine whether this info is valid or not. When we go far away from home, we expect that food may be cooked differently than we are used to. So we are more concerned about the offerings, rather than the preparation.

[cshim]

12 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

 

If you confine your dining experiences to Denny's and McDonald's then I suppose so...

I wouldn't know but it seems you are all too familiar... 

[WonderMan3]

1 hour ago, cshim said:

I wouldn't know but it seems you are all too familiar... 

 

Equally as bland and disappointing as British-style breakfasts. If one is used to that unappetizing style then they might enjoy those places. Not my cup of tea though. Hopefully MSC is much better than that!

[cshim]

59 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

 

Equally as bland and disappointing as British-style breakfasts. If one is used to that unappetizing style then they might enjoy those places. Not my cup of tea though. Hopefully MSC is much better than that!

Hopefully not the gnats wee of American tea. 

[Zephyr173]

So, to summarize this post before it turns into a food fight...  OP is not so difficult at the table, and they will enjoy the food in Europe on MSC.

[2013cruiser2013]

We were in YC on  Meraviglia  out of Genoa this past April. We enjoyed all meals in the Yacht Club restaurant. There were many nights where I ordered more than one appetizer including an appetizer portion of the risotto or pasta. We also enjoyed lunches at the Grille on the YC pool deck. We ordered room service pizza before going to bed 2 nights which as also great. We're returning to Seaview this coming April and looking forward to enjoying  everything Yacht Club again.