Royal Princess Food - as bad as the reviews ?

[JimmyVWine]

6 minutes ago, Redwing55 said:

AND to those that say things have changed from years ago, I also wonder if one becomes a bit jaded with the food.

You are on the right track.  Cruise ship food is mass-produced.  It is prepared in hotel pans 40 portions at a time, not in saute pans, one portion at a time.  There is a level of quality and detail that can be achieved, but there is a ceiling.  So what has changed over time?  Two important factors.  Ships have doubled their passenger load and cruise lines have cut back on expensive ingredients.  The first change makes it even harder to prepare anything other than mass-produced food.  And the second change is necessary because the cruise lines are intent on keeping pricing stable.  The cost of every component of a cruise has gone up over the past 10 years, and yet you can still book a 7 day cruise for about what you paid  10 years ago, if you do your homework.  How can a cruise line offer the same product at the same price when the components have increased in price? It can't.  Something has to give.  And it tends to manifest in the galley more so than anywhere else. 

 

If food quality remained at prior levels with unlimited lobster tails on formal nights, and three servings of escargot per passenger, and fettuccine bowls made out of Parmesan cheese, the price would have to go up.  So they figure that you would rather pay $100 per day for your cruise with shrimp instead of lobster than pay $130 per day for your cruise with a Parmesan bowl.  This assumption causes some loyal customers to move on, but it must result in most customers staying the course.  Some call it "slippage" in terms of food quality.  I'm not sure it is a "slip".  More like an intended step to the side.

[Redwing55]

15 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

You are on the right track.  Cruise ship food is mass-produced.  It is prepared in hotel pans 40 portions at a time, not in saute pans, one portion at a time.  There is a level of quality and detail that can be achieved, but there is a ceiling.  So what has changed over time?  Two important factors.  Ships have doubled their passenger load and cruise lines have cut back on expensive ingredients.  The first change makes it even harder to prepare anything other than mass-produced food.  And the second change is necessary because the cruise lines are intent on keeping pricing stable.  The cost of every component of a cruise has gone up over the past 10 years, and yet you can still book a 7 day cruise for about what you paid  10 years ago, if you do your homework.  How can a cruise line offer the same product at the same price when the components have increased in price? It can't.  Something has to give.  And it tends to manifest in the galley more so than anywhere else. 

 

If food quality remained at prior levels with unlimited lobster tails on formal nights, and three servings of escargot per passenger, and fettuccine bowls made out of Parmesan cheese, the price would have to go up.  So they figure that you would rather pay $100 per day for your cruise with shrimp instead of lobster than pay $130 per day for your cruise with a Parmesan bowl.  This assumption causes some loyal customers to move on, but it must result in most customers staying the course.  Some call it "slippage" in terms of food quality.  I'm not sure it is a "slip".  More like an intended step to the side.

That's a fair observation.  However, have their been advancements in food prep to actually improve the dishes when served from those of 15 years ago?  But, no doubt that there have been cutbacks in the kitchen.  And your second paragraph is about quantity.... for the most part.  I've been able to get multiple servings of an entree whenever I asked for it.  But, from what I've read, NOT experienced, some entrees are no more.. Lobsters (still served on our last cruise in June) escargot(same.) were still there and one could get more than one.  I've not been a huge medallions fan but I think they are again showing up.  But true, a steak has been replace by a burger on the always available side.

 

But the OP seemed to also bring in the buffet.  I would state without any hesitation, that the buffets are much better than 10 years ago.  I was a bit hesitant about one on the Emerald since the Emerald was just updated, but I thought the buffet was better than when we were on her in the past.  Now the buffets on the Royal classes are IMO, the best I've ever seen on a ship.  Even with my skills with food tasting, I would argue that the variety and yes the quality of food there is one that would rival all but the best buffets in Vegas. (and then only maybe a couple there.)

 

I won't speak to the specialty dinner since I've only been there recently, and frankly, it does sound like there has been some legit criticism with them.  But with cruising being almost less costly than the past, I wonder that if folks got the Balcony dinner or chef's dinner to fill that higher end desire if opinions might be different?

 

So overall, there surely has been changes with the food.  But for me,overall it's actually been a bit of a plus vs what we had when we started cruising.  This is primarily due to the Royal class buffets.  Still, it's reasonable to see that all wouldn't agree.

 

And to the OP.... go with an open mind, you won't be disappointed.

Edited August 6, 2019 by Redwing55

[mcrcruiser]

 We totally dislike food reviews .Our  reasoning is the cruise lines would be out of business if their food quality & presentation was consistently dismal 😂

[MissP22]

35 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

It certainly didn't ruin our cruise on the Emerald back in 2008, but we never did get a good baked potato. Maybe it was because it was the first Alaskan cruise of the season and the crew was new.

 

The first night we ate in the buffet. After cutting the skin open, we prefer to use just a fork to fluff and eat the potato. They were so hard we had to use a knife to cut them into pieces. And when we ate them, they were CRUNCHY! Mentioned our disappointment as we left.

 

Thereafter we ate dinner in the restaurants. Whenever we ordered a baked potato, we'd mention we didn't want a hard one. All were the same as the ones we had in the buffet. We'd mention it to the waiter and even filled out comment cards. Never had any feedback.

 

To this day we laughingly compare/rate all baked potatoes to those  "Princess potatoes." Never had any that hard. But we still hope to book Princess for our 2021 Alaskan cruise.

At the time you didn't say anything? 

Mentioning it on a survey doesn't do any good, as you found out.

It has to be brought up at the moment it happens and it would have been corrected.  

[chubbypiggy]

Can someone please explain what is World Fresh Marketplace?  And which Princess ships have that buffet? This year I had the old Horizon Court buffets on the Golden and the Sapphire, and had the Royal Class buffets on the Regal.  Next week, I will be going on the Royal to Alaska.  The last time I did Royal was in 2015; does the Royal have the WFM buffet now?   Thank you.

[JimmyVWine]

8 minutes ago, Redwing55 said:

And your second paragraph is about quantity.... for the most part. 

When people discuss cruise ship dining, they often equate quantity to quality, even if only subconsciously. 

[donswife]

We have been generally happy with the food on all the cruises we have been on. there have been individual items we haven't cared for, but that can be true anywhere we eat (or cook ourselves :D)

I think when people go into it with realistic expectations, and not think they are going to have the type of meal you would pay $100 for on land in the MDR of a mass market ship, they will be content.

[Cruise Suzy]

22 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

At the time you didn't say anything? 

Mentioning it on a survey doesn't do any good, as you found out.

It has to be brought up at the moment it happens and it would have been corrected.  

Yes, we mentioned it to our waiter every night as it was delivered. He said they were all like that and he had asked for "not hard potatoes."

 

As I said, it didn't ruin our cruise and has been a source for amusing comparisons ever since.

[dickinson]

1 hour ago, chubbypiggy said:

Can someone please explain what is World Fresh Marketplace?  And which Princess ships have that buffet? This year I had the old Horizon Court buffets on the Golden and the Sapphire, and had the Royal Class buffets on the Regal.  Next week, I will be going on the Royal to Alaska.  The last time I did Royal was in 2015; does the Royal have the WFM buffet now?   Thank you.

 

The Royal class ships have huge buffets and lots of choices that other ships do not have.  Some of the Grand class ships (not sure which but do know the Caribbean Princess is one) now have the World Fresh Marketplace.  Not exactly sure what it is other than a redesigned and renamed Horizon Court.  I have read that instead of Cafe Caribe it is called Steamers at night and is a pay restaurant.  Do a search on here to find out more.

[hm9912]

Seven weeks on the Royal earlier this year.

No complaints about the food

 

Howard

 

[Potstech]

6 hours ago, MTJSR said:

True! We all like food a certain way.

The one thing Princess can fix  immediately and not cause subjective opinions is shriveled old corm cob-lets, slumping ugly cooked tomato halves, dried out whipped potatoes and overcooked vegetables on the plates with the main course. When I get a main course item and the sides are old and tired, the whole plate looks old and tired.

We would then send it back as unacceptable

[chubbypiggy]

1 hour ago, dickinson said:

 

The Royal class ships have huge buffets and lots of choices that other ships do not have.  Some of the Grand class ships (not sure which but do know the Caribbean Princess is one) now have the World Fresh Marketplace.  Not exactly sure what it is other than a redesigned and renamed Horizon Court.  I have read that instead of Cafe Caribe it is called Steamers at night and is a pay restaurant.  Do a search on here to find out more.

Thanks.

[JimmyVWine]

4 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

It certainly didn't ruin our cruise on the Emerald back in 2008, but we never did get a good baked potato. Maybe it was because it was the first Alaskan cruise of the season and the crew was new.

 

As an aside, the re-positioning of the ship does not equate to the crew being new.  The crew works on set contracts and they go where the ship goes.  And the contracts are staggered so that a particular crew member could end his/her contract in the middle of the cruise and new crew members join the ship in the middle of the cruise.  It is as likely that the person preparing the rock-hard potatoes was in the last month of his/her contract as it is that they were in the first month.

[Diver2014]

We loved the food on Royal (and on the other Princess ships we've been on).  I don't understand how anyone can complain about the food on any cruise ship.  Do people go on cruises just to eat and find things to complain about?

[MissP22]

4 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

Yes, we mentioned it to our waiter every night as it was delivered. He said they were all like that and he had asked for "not hard potatoes."

 

As I said, it didn't ruin our cruise and has been a source for amusing comparisons ever since.

With an answer such as that I would have asked to see the head waiter ASAP.

If the cooks didn't know how to properly bake a potato the sous chef should have been involved at that point.

Perhaps it took a special request in order to have them prepared properly? 

[donaldsc]

Don't know about the Royal but we did an AK cruise on the Golden.  The food in the MDR was OK but the food in the buffet made Denny's taste like gourmet dining.

Edited August 6, 2019 by donaldsc

[Rusty10]

8 hours ago, chubbypiggy said:

Can someone please explain what is World Fresh Marketplace? 

I feel that there is a bigger buffet selection. What I like most about WFM is that the container probably have 25-30 servings and around mid point the staff will prepare another batch so it’s not s huge volume sitting on steamers all today.  There is a lot more fresh vegetable selection too.

[happy cruzer]

Answering the OP for all the reviews and compliants.  For the complainers, we should ask where they go that they eat 3 meals a day with no compliants like on a cruise??  As an earlier poster noted, they need to have realistic expectations.  Based on the amount you paid, what do you expect?  For example in the buffet, if 20 things are offered and 2 are not prepared or served how you like, was that acceptable?  In the MDR, it there are 10 entress and 2 are not prepared or served how you like, was that acceptable?  What did you expect and what are you comparing too?

 

Many are remembering the economy and the culture of 10+ years ago,  things have changed so expectations have to change.  Whether good or bad...

[Sea Hag]

We were on the Royal in April, and almost everything we had was very good.

[tailspintom]

20 hours ago, Diver2014 said:

Do people go on cruises just to eat and find things to complain about?

Yes, unfortunately, there are those.  And to add to those, the folks predisposed to complaining who will find a myriad of other things to be dissatisfied. It is they who feel that they are entitled to perfection because they are so perfect. There, I feel so cleansed.

[Diver2014]

29 minutes ago, tailspintom said:

Yes, unfortunately, there are those.  And to add to those, the folks predisposed to complaining who will find a myriad of other things to be dissatisfied. It is they who feel that they are entitled to perfection because they are so perfect. There, I feel so cleansed.

 

Gee, so do I now that you mention it  (LOL!). We liked eating in the Horizon Court for breakfast, lunch  & most dinners.

I like the variety & trying dishes that I would never order from a menu.  The desserts in the buffet were superior to most we had in the MDR (except the crème brulee).  They hide the hot bread puddings in the corner steam table just past the fruit and cheese table. 

[karabear15]

I can honestly say that I usually love the food on Princess and have never had a complaint.  However, we sailed this past New Years on the Royal and yes, the buffet was expansive, but we had basically the same food every single day during lunch up there.  That is something that I have not experienced, typically there is variety.  We also did Anytime Dining which we usually do Traditional, and I think that making that change we had an expectation for something that just wasn't.  We only ate in the dining room 3 of the 7 nights because our food was always served to us cold and if we said something to our waiter it seemed to be a hassle to fix it, so we just stopped going.

 

Food is very subjective, but coming from someone who has only had good things to say in terms of the food, we were very disappointed on our trip with Royal Princess in terms of the food.

[MissP22]

10 minutes ago, Diver2014 said:

 

Gee, so do I now that you mention it  (LOL!). We liked eating in the Horizon Court for breakfast, lunch  & most dinners.

I like the variety & trying dishes that I would never order from a menu.  The desserts in the buffet were superior to most we had in the MDR (except the crème brulee).  They hide the hot bread puddings in the corner steam table just past the fruit and cheese table. 

Unfortunately they never serve that one special dessert that they have in the DR almost every night. Especially on formal nights. 

[stoneharborlady]

9 minutes ago, karabear15 said:

I can honestly say that I usually love the food on Princess and have never had a complaint.  However, we sailed this past New Years on the Royal and yes, the buffet was expansive, but we had basically the same food every single day during lunch up there.  That is something that I have not experienced, typically there is variety.  We also did Anytime Dining which we usually do Traditional, and I think that making that change we had an expectation for something that just wasn't.  We only ate in the dining room 3 of the 7 nights because our food was always served to us cold and if we said something to our waiter it seemed to be a hassle to fix it, so we just stopped going.

 

Food is very subjective, but coming from someone who has only had good things to say in terms of the food, we were very disappointed on our trip with Royal Princess in terms of the food.

There is no excuse for food served cold 3 nights out of 7, nor is there an excuse for rock hard potatoes every night.  Sounds like a bigger problem than people who like to complain.  The wait staff, for starters, has too many tables to service.

Edited August 7, 2019 by stoneharborlady

[MissP22]

1 minute ago, stoneharborlady said:

There is no excuse for food served cold 3 nights out of 7, nor is there an excuse for rock hard potatoes every night.  Sounds like a bigger problem than people who like to complain.  The wait staff, for starters, has too many tables to service.

If I were receiving cold food for 3 nights in a row I would be quickly changing DR's. There must have been a problem with the cook staff.