Food on the Allure?

[jp2746]

I am responsible for making our extended family trip reservations and decisions.  I chose to go on Allure this year because there is so much to do and we were kind of bored on Carnival last year.   However, since there are so many of us, we have to eat in the free restaurants because I have to stay on a budget for the family.  

 

We have hungry teenage boys and I booked this cruise for them to eat and enjoy the food.  They are not food snobs, but we were not impressed with the food on Carnival last year (except for Guys Burgers, they didn't stop talking about that).  

 

I have researched food on board and it seems like the dining room and Windjammer are not great?  We were on the Adventure of the Seas a couple of years ago and thought that the food was much better than Carnival.  Actually, we really enjoyed Adventure.  We went on that ship twice and both times we had great food and amazing staff.  In fact, our server from the year before remembered us and came to visit our table a couple of times.   

 

Can someone share their experience with the Dining room food on Allure, please?  I could change ships, but I got a pretty decent deal on the Allure and there seems to be a lot to do on the ship.  Uuuuggggg, the pressure!

[truffles2]

Just got off Allure about a week ago and while we ate all of our meals in CK (except for specialty restaurants),

we did walk through the Windjammer on several occasions.  My husband and I both agreed that the food looked a lot better than we usually find in the WJ.  They had some interesting selections too.  Don't know a thing about the dining room.  Sorry.  But I don't think you would regret going with Allure.  The shows are great!

[GBM]

We cruised the Allure 3 years ago, and Freedom last year (and a few others over the past 15 or so years.)  You will hear good and bad about pretty much anything, so, take it all with a grain of salt.  We have done a few specialty restaurants, but on most cruises we do Main Dining Room for dinner, Windjammer for lunch, and a mix of options for breakfast, including room service.  

It appears to me that they have slightly scaled back the regular options in the MDR, and added a few pay-extra options.  We did not have difficulty finding food to our liking (although we missed some of the chilled soup appetizers they used to have.)  I usually struggle with deciding, because I like multiple options on each night (and I've reached the point in life where getting 2 is not advisable.)  It basically boils down to how "selective" your food likes are, and what your expectations are.  We really enjoyed the meals at the venues we chose.  Also, for the teenage boys, if they are too picky, I'd think they would be well served (no pun intended) by the quantity of food available.  But I think they could get that on any cruise line.   

[jp2746]

Thank you!  The boys are not picky but they eat a lot.   Seriously, we come out ahead just on our grocery bill for the week! 

 

I think we will be fine.  My personal favorite thing on the ship is the food.  It's not the quality that I care about, it is that I don't have to cook, clean or decide what's for dinner!  So, I don't care what they serve as long as I don't have to cook it.  The rest of the family is more into the food.  However, our boys always order several things for dinner.  They never gave us a problem on RC, but we tried Carnival last year and the waiter was super rude.  Yes, our boys ordered two or three appetizers and two meals, but they ate all of it.  Plus they had room for a couple of desserts!  So, I am looking forward to RC and enjoying the good service.  

 

I feel better.  I agree you can find good and bad on all the boards but it is nice to hear some good!  

 

 

[voyager70]

I thought the Windjammer on our last Allure cruise was one of the best on all of our cruises.  Also, I think your boys will love the Park Cafe for lunch or a quick snack.  Great sandwiches (especially the roast beef - yum!).  Sorrento's pizza is not that great, but not terrible.  I don't think you'll have a hard time finding something you like.  There's also the Solarium Bistro as an alternative to the Windjammer, and the Wipeout Cafe is good for a snack while hanging out by the pool.

 

[jp2746]

We will definitely try the Windjammer.  We always avoid it because the food has never been that great, but I would like to try it on the Allure.  

 

I heard that there are no more cheesecake pops.  Is that correct?  That was my favorite!  I gained a lot on the last RC cruise and I think it had to do with the cheesecake pops. 🙂

[cb at sea]

Your teens will NOT go hungry.  The food is neither better or worse than Carnival....just a bit different....menu-wise.  Plenty of everything for everyone.  It's certainly not 4 star....but is ANY mainstream line?  Nope!

 

Don't avoid the dining room....they have many options...and you can get all you want.  Breakfast is especially nice in the DR,rather than the buffet....so give it a try!

[zdad59]

Instead of Windjammer, try the Solarium Bistro for breakfast or lunch.    Similar fare to Windjammer but in a less hectic setting.  Also, as others have said, you hear all kinds of love and hate reviews.    My view, is if you go on board looking to be fussy, you'll find a way to not like the food.    If you go and plan to enjoy yourself, you'll always find something you like in the MDR or Windjammer or Sorrento's, etc.   Sure there have been foods on cruises I didn't like, but I put it aside and asked for something else.   I've NEVER had a bad meal on an RCL cruise.   I've had some bad items but I've always found something I enjoyed at every meal.

[cindivan]

4 hours ago, jp2746 said:

Thank you!  The boys are not picky but they eat a lot.   Seriously, we come out ahead just on our grocery bill for the week! 

 

I think we will be fine.  My personal favorite thing on the ship is the food.  It's not the quality that I care about, it is that I don't have to cook, clean or decide what's for dinner!  So, I don't care what they serve as long as I don't have to cook it.  The rest of the family is more into the food.  However, our boys always order several things for dinner.  They never gave us a problem on RC, but we tried Carnival last year and the waiter was super rude.  Yes, our boys ordered two or three appetizers and two meals, but they ate all of it.  Plus they had room for a couple of desserts!  So, I am looking forward to RC and enjoying the good service.  

 

I feel better.  I agree you can find good and bad on all the boards but it is nice to hear some good!  

 

 

It’s always hard when you are the planner. I completely agree my favorite thing about cruise food is no shopping, cooking or cleaning. Our family enjoys a nice meal, but we also love no/low maintenance meals. 

 

We have three boys. 22/21 and 17 and we have cruised for years with them, mostly on RC and several times on the Allure. We have never gotten grief about them ordering multiple appetizers and sometimes multiple main dishes. 

 

I have never thought RC cruising is the cruise for foodies.  I wouldn’t classify our family as foodies, but not McDonald’s either - somewhere in between. And we have been usually found something we like in the MDR.    And there is always other free food options later. 

 

I would say stay on the Allure. She is an incredible ship and if you got a great deal even more reason to stay!  Have a great cruise!

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2019 by cindivan

[loman]

We were on last September and we found the dining room food was more than adequate . It was great for lunch too.

Windjammer was good for breakfast , lots of choices . 

Didn't like the hamburgers though , but with all the other choices you wont go hungry .

We are going back again this September . 

Enjoy the cruise ! 

[mtmomof3]

We have a teenage son and know exactly how much a growing boy can eat!  We sailed on Oasis 2 years ago and he ordered 2 to 3 appetizers , 2 entrees, and 2 to 3 desserts nightly (and ate it all) without any issues.  After a few nights our waiter would skip his dessert order and just bring him a sampler plate of each dessert selection!  By 11 pm he was in line at Sorrento's for Pizza and looking for cookies at Cafe Promenade.  There is so much to do he just burns through the calories!

 

You will love Allure.  DH and I sailed last March and the food was very good.  The main dining room has scaled back on the number of choices available at each meal but to me it is still a luxury to be able to have a choice and be served a 3 course meal!  We are sailing Allure again in July with DS, now 16, and he is already looking forward to the food.  Unlimited meals and a full gym to maintain his summer football training schedule make this a win win vacation for everyone!

[jp2746]

That is exactly how our kids are!  We had the same experience on the Adventure of the Seas.  Our kids ordered so much food that the server would just bring out a few extra appetizers and desserts on top of what they ordered.  Of course, we always liked to share several desserts so we could taste everything.  They also went to get pizza and cheesecake pops before bed.  It's crazy and little unfair how much these boys can eat without gaining an ounce.

 

I agree that it is so much fun to just order dinner and be served seven nights in a row. With teenage boys, going out to dinner is very expensive, so we rarely go out. This is such a great experience and being able to go to a restaurant every night is a luxury!  

 

The gym is a big plus for them too.  As soon as we got on board last year, they looked for food and went off to the gym.  I guess boys are pretty predictable.

[zebe912]

IF your boys eat anything like ours, they will be more than okay.  Pizza from Sorrento's, burgers, brats, dogs, fries and meat carving stations (plus pasta) in Windjammer for lunch, hot dog station on the promenade, soft serve ice cream by the pool, main dining room always has chicken, salmon, & steak available plus the nightly specials.  You also get a basket of rolls every night when you sit down.  

[zdad59]

6 minutes ago, zebe912 said:

IF your boys eat anything like ours, they will be more than okay.  Pizza from Sorrento's, burgers, brats, dogs, fries and meat carving stations (plus pasta) in Windjammer for lunch, hot dog station on the promenade, soft serve ice cream by the pool, main dining room always has chicken, salmon, & steak available plus the nightly specials.  You also get a basket of rolls every night when you sit down.  

 

Brats and dogs........BOARDWALK DOG HOUSE.   Forgot to mention that in my reply.    If its anything like the one on Harmony (and I'm sure it is), its fantastic.   Great midday snack instead of a full lunch, or in your kids sake a great place foe a lite nosh between lunch and dinner.   DO make a point of trying it.

[zebe912]

My husband loves being able to order more than one thing (he actually used to love doing this with his brother on Carnival, so weird that you were given a hard time there).  Even on Allure recently, he got multiple apps & desserts more than ones.  He had one entree he didn't like and sent it back with no problems. 

[time4u2go]

On 1/28/2019 at 5:31 PM, jp2746 said:

Thank you!  The boys are not picky but they eat a lot.   Seriously, we come out ahead just on our grocery bill for the week! 

 

I think we will be fine.  My personal favorite thing on the ship is the food.  It's not the quality that I care about, it is that I don't have to cook, clean or decide what's for dinner!  So, I don't care what they serve as long as I don't have to cook it.  The rest of the family is more into the food.  However, our boys always order several things for dinner.  They never gave us a problem on RC, but we tried Carnival last year and the waiter was super rude.  Yes, our boys ordered two or three appetizers and two meals, but they ate all of it.  Plus they had room for a couple of desserts!  So, I am looking forward to RC and enjoying the good service.  

 

I feel better.  I agree you can find good and bad on all the boards but it is nice to hear some good!  

 

 

Then you should be fine with Allure.

[katiel53]

On 1/28/2019 at 5:31 PM, jp2746 said:

Thank you!  The boys are not picky but they eat a lot.   Seriously, we come out ahead just on our grocery bill for the week! 

 

I think we will be fine.  My personal favorite thing on the ship is the food.  It's not the quality that I care about, it is that I don't have to cook, clean or decide what's for dinner!  So, I don't care what they serve as long as I don't have to cook it. 

 

 

I think your reasoning is one of the decisions made by RCCL to downgrade food because too many don't know, don't care.  If more people cared what the food quality and taste were, it might improve.  JMO.

[cparkerkite]

On 1/28/2019 at 5:48 PM, jp2746 said:

We will definitely try the Windjammer.  We always avoid it because the food has never been that great, but I would like to try it on the Allure.  

 

I heard that there are no more cheesecake pops.  Is that correct?  That was my favorite!  I gained a lot on the last RC cruise and I think it had to do with the cheesecake pops. 🙂

 

We've been on the Oasis and are cruising on the Allure in May.  We've also been on Carnival Dream and Magic.  I thought Carnival's buffet was absolutely disgusting.  I loathe it.  Guys and Blue Iguana are great, but the rest... gross.  I thought the dining room food on the Oasis was good and have heard great things about Allure's main dining room.  Some of my favorite places on Oasis class ships are Park Cafe (great sandwiches) and Wipe Out Cafe (excellent, fresh breakfast with real eggs).  I also like the pizza when it is hot and fresh!  Yall try those for sure!  

[debgreg]

I consider myself a good cook and yet I’m amazed at how many people complain about the food. There is so much choice and we always book the three night package just because we like the change of scenery.As you say you don’t have to shop, prepare or cook it, so what’s not to like. I have been on Ovation, Indy , Oasis & Symphony and other than when they reduced the recurring items in the main dining room, I wouldn’t say there was much difference between them all. Obviously it’s mass market cooking but it my mind it’s extremely good  and well done to the chefs, maybe everyone else always dines in the Ivy 🤔

[CZR787]

Don’t overthink it. The Allure is a great ship. It will be better next year after new updates. The food on royal is very consistent. If you enjoyed the adventure then you will love the allure or any oasis class. The menu on main dinning has not change much in last 5 yrs. I do recommend however that you throw a Giovanni’s night. It is my favorite in royal and sadly is going away. Jamie’s Italian is not better than Giovanni’s. And I hope they keep it in some ships.
I going next month on Allure and I will use a Gionight with wife.


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[murphfam4]

On 1/28/2019 at 5:31 PM, jp2746 said:

Thank you!  The boys are not picky but they eat a lot.   Seriously, we come out ahead just on our grocery bill for the week! 

 

I think we will be fine.  My personal favorite thing on the ship is the food.  It's not the quality that I care about, it is that I don't have to cook, clean or decide what's for dinner!  So, I don't care what they serve as long as I don't have to cook it.  The rest of the family is more into the food.  However, our boys always order several things for dinner.  They never gave us a problem on RC, but we tried Carnival last year and the waiter was super rude.  Yes, our boys ordered two or three appetizers and two meals, but they ate all of it.  Plus they had room for a couple of desserts!  So, I am looking forward to RC and enjoying the good service.  

 

I feel better.  I agree you can find good and bad on all the boards but it is nice to hear some good!  

 

 

So true!!!!  Can't wait to not have to shop, cook, listen to complaints about what I decided to cook and then clean up!!!! 

[katiel53]

On 2/11/2019 at 2:17 PM, debgreg said:

I consider myself a good cook and yet I’m amazed at how many people complain about the food. There is so much choice and we always book the three night package just because we like the change of scenery.As you say you don’t have to shop, prepare or cook it, so what’s not to like. 

I am a pretty good cook and I like food that is well seasoned and well prepared.  Giving me choices and have them be sub-par is one of the reasons we prefer to not have dinner in the MDR.  

 

I am definitely NOT of the school that if I don't have to shop etc. as I would rather pay extra for something that I enjoy instead of eating just because it's there and I didn't have to cook it.  JMO and I realize many will disagree with me.  I think stating the above by others is the main reason the food on most cruise lines isn't that great. I think that is giving the cruise line leeway to not be concerned about what/how they serve the food because it's going to be eaten no matter what.

 

[debgreg]

3 hours ago, katiel53 said:

I am a pretty good cook and I like food that is well seasoned and well prepared.  Giving me choices and have them be sub-par is one of the reasons we prefer to not have dinner in the MDR.  

 

I am definitely NOT of the school that if I don't have to shop etc. as I would rather pay extra for something that I enjoy instead of eating just because it's there and I didn't have to cook it.  JMO and I realize many will disagree with me.  I think stating the above by others is the main reason the food on most cruise lines isn't that great. I think that is giving the cruise line leeway to not be concerned about what/how they serve the food because it's going to be eaten no matter what.

 

Well maybe we have just been lucky because we have never had sub par food on any of the 7 cruises we have been on. We have had good food and if we didn’t like a particular dish we have never had a problem ordering something different...I would say cooking for 4000+ guests , plus crew they do a bloody good job. 

[time4u2go]

3 hours ago, katiel53 said:

I am a pretty good cook and I like food that is well seasoned and well prepared.  Giving me choices and have them be sub-par is one of the reasons we prefer to not have dinner in the MDR.  

 

I am definitely NOT of the school that if I don't have to shop etc. as I would rather pay extra for something that I enjoy instead of eating just because it's there and I didn't have to cook it.  JMO and I realize many will disagree with me.  I think stating the above by others is the main reason the food on most cruise lines isn't that great. I think that is giving the cruise line leeway to not be concerned about what/how they serve the food because it's going to be eaten no matter what.

 

I agree.  For me, not having to shop, cook, clean, etc. is NOT enough.  I also want the food to be good.

[katiel53]

22 minutes ago, debgreg said:

Well maybe we have just been lucky because we have never had sub par food on any of the 7 cruises we have been on. We have had good food and if we didn’t like a particular dish we have never had a problem ordering something different...I would say cooking for 4000+ guests , plus crew they do a bloody good job. 

We all have different ideas of what is good.  My husband thinks liver and onion is a great dinner and I would never, ever eat that.  That's why there are different options, but saying "if I don't have to cook etc." is not my thing,  

 

I hope you continue to enjoy your cruises as I will mine, but I would like the food to be better than what it is in the MDR.