Royal Princess Food - as bad as the reviews ?

[Griller]

We were on Royal P for 49 days this year and really had no complaints. 

But we were just on Queen Mary 2 for a similar cost per day and it was  better meals in every way.

Great baked potatoes from a self serve oven in the buffet.

[MissP22]

Just now, Griller said:

We were on Royal P for 49 days this year and really had no complaints. 

But we were just on Queen Mary 2 for a similar cost per day and it was  better meals in every way.

Great baked potatoes from a self serve oven in the buffet.

That's interesting.

How does a self service baked potato oven work?

Do you put your potato in along with everyone else's & stand there & wait? 

[Griller]

2 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

That's interesting.

How does a self service baked potato oven work?

Do you put your potato in along with everyone else's & stand there & wait? 

You self serve yourself a ready baked potato from that oven in my photo where the chefs put the potatoes which they have already baked behind the counter somewhere.

There is no waiting involved.

[JimmyVWine]

39 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

That's interesting.

How does a self service baked potato oven work?

Do you put your potato in along with everyone else's & stand there & wait? 

The device in the photo is a food warmer, not an oven.  The potatoes are already cooked when they are placed in there.

[tailspintom]

4 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

The device in the photo is a food warmer, not an oven.  The potatoes are already cooked when they are placed in there.

Like a Horn and Hardart without having to put in the coin(s). 

 

[MissP22]

44 minutes ago, Griller said:

You self serve yourself a ready baked potato from that oven in my photo where the chefs put the potatoes which they have already baked behind the counter somewhere.

There is no waiting involved.

 

8 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

The device in the photo is a food warmer, not an oven.  The potatoes are already cooked when they are placed in there.

Got it. 

We oten reheat baked potatoes at home in the microwave & they're almost as good as fresh baked. 

[JimmyVWine]

25 minutes ago, tailspintom said:

Like a Horn and Hardart without having to put in the coin(s). 

 

 

How many people living and breathing today can says that they ever saw an automat in actual operation?  Of course, now you can buy an iPhone through an automat.

 

[donaldsc]

4 hours ago, dickinson said:

Skai - Mostly I disagree with you. I like the beef in the MDR. Also I like the vegetables and disagree with your description.  I can't comment about the ethnic foods in the buffet as we don't eat there at night.  As for breakfast, I either eat cereal and fruit or maybe have an omelet which is cooked to order.  DH eats the hot food and likes it.   I like many of the desserts in the MDR.  At the buffet I find that many of the cake type desserts are flavorless... to ME.  To you, the reader of this thread, may love them.  Taste is subjective.  As for Alfredo's... love, love, love the vegetarian pizza.  The danishes I have had are NOT stale but taste freshly baked.

 

For anyone reading this who has not sailed Princess yet... please understand that everyone has their own likes and dislikes.  If the food was as bad as that post says then Princess would have a real problem with bookings.

 

I just got off a Golden AK cruise.  They did not have made-to-order omelets.  They had the single omelet-of-the-day kept warm in the steam tray.  Also,  no toaster but pre-toasted english muffins and untoasted bagels.  The breakfast buffet was marginally better than breakfast at McDonalds.  However, since they told  this was a first cruise for about 80% of the passengers and that there were only about 80 or so platinum passengers on board, I guess that the newby cruisers did not know any better.  I do have to admit that the MDR dinners were not bad.  Not great but edible.

 

With regard to the soft ice cream, it was definitely the worst soft ice cream in the entire universe.

 

We also made the mistake of eating in the buffet one night.  Horrible!!!!!!!

 

DON

Edited August 9, 2019 by donaldsc

[Redwing55]

Wow, heck of a range of opinions.  Still, when someone can point  to soft serve ice cream as a bad item... Uh ok.🤪  I mean what can one expect with that?   Oh my.

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

How many people living and breathing today can says that they ever saw an automat in actual operation?

Hello ! In NYC a while back. 

[stoneharborlady]

28 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Hello ! In NYC a while back. 

Had lunch at the automat every year (as a teenager) with a bunch of friends during Christmas season after ice skating at Rockfeller center.  FUN!!!

Edited August 9, 2019 by stoneharborlady

[stoneharborlady]

Skai,  I absolutely agree with your post.  The beef in the dining room is nearly inedible.  Not a bit thrilled with the MD food, our local restaurants put them to shame. 

[dickinson]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

 

I just got off a Golden AK cruise.  They did not have made-to-order omelets.  They had the single omelet-of-the-day kept warm in the steam tray.  Also,  no toaster but pre-toasted english muffins and untoasted bagels.  The breakfast buffet was marginally better than breakfast at McDonalds.  However, since they told  this was a first cruise for about 80% of the passengers and that there were only about 80 or so platinum passengers on board, I guess that the newby cruisers did not know any better.  I do have to admit that the MDR dinners were not bad.  Not great but edible.

 

With regard to the soft ice cream, it was definitely the worst soft ice cream in the entire universe.

 

We also made the mistake of eating in the buffet one night.  Horrible!!!!!!!

 

DON

 

Sorry you had a bad experience on the Golden.  The title of this thread is "Royal Princess Food - as bad as the reviews?" so my response was about the Royal Princess.  The poster I had quoted mentioned Alfredo's so I assume they too were talking about the Royal Princess.

Edited August 9, 2019 by dickinson

[OzKiwiJJ]

10 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Not to say that everyone isn't entitled to their opinion but I would really like to know where some of these poster are eating that the food is so much better.

Maybe I'm just to tolerant of the Princess food and accept what's served to me. 

At home, in my case, but there I have to cook it myself. 🤣

[Skai]

12 hours ago, dickinson said:

Skai - Mostly I disagree with you. I like the beef in the MDR. Also I like the vegetables and disagree with your description.  I can't comment about the ethnic foods in the buffet as we don't eat there at night.  As for breakfast, I either eat cereal and fruit or maybe have an omelet which is cooked to order.  DH eats the hot food and likes it.   I like many of the desserts in the MDR.  At the buffet I find that many of the cake type desserts are flavorless... to ME.  To you, the reader of this thread, may love them.  Taste is subjective.  As for Alfredo's... love, love, love the vegetarian pizza.  The danishes I have had are NOT stale but taste freshly baked.

 

For anyone reading this who has not sailed Princess yet... please understand that everyone has their own likes and dislikes.  If the food was as bad as that post says then Princess would have a real problem with bookings.

 

To each their own, I'm merely stating my personal opinion.  We will have to adamantly disagree about the quality of beef in the MDR.  I've consistenly been disappointed enough times(along with other guests at shared tables), that I no longer bother to order beef dishes anymore in the MDR.

 

I too have often opted for made-to-order omelets at breakfast.  Although, the amount of oil used in the pans usually makes them pretty greasy as well. I also find that I've usually needed to request them to cook them all the way through, so that the cheese actually melts.  It seems as if they're trying to get them out as early as they can, underdone.

 

Cereal, fruit, (pre-packaged) yogurts, cream cheese/bagels I do as well.  They suffice, but I'm also one to crave a little protein with my breakfast.  It's my opinion that Princess leaves a lot to be desired in this area.  Is it too much to ask for some thick-cut bacon or sausage links that are actually browned, instead of mushy grey?  How about some crispy well-seasoned home fries, instead of pre-frozen hash-brown discs that taste like dirt?

 

Yes, I was primarily referencing the desserts offered in the buffet as poor.  For those that might be craving a late night dessert, disappointment is going to be likely, 'as they often look like they taste much better than they actually do.

 

My personal sentiment is that I prefer quality over quantity/variety.  We don't cruise primarily for food, however, there was a time(when we first started cruising), that the food on Princess was much more appealing than it is now -- Much less hit-or-miss dishes and better overall quality.  I look at Princess' fare with much less enthusiasm and see it more as sustenance in recent times.  Sure it's edible, but it's nothing too exciting.  

 

 

Edited August 10, 2019 by Skai

[MissP22]

11 hours ago, Skai said:

Yes, I was primarily referencing the desserts offered in the buffet as poor.  For those that might be craving a late night dessert, disappointment is going to be likely, 'as they often look like they taste much better than they actually do.

I do agree that the buffet desserts leave a lot of room for improvement.

They all look much better that they taste and by the end of most cruises I can skip them without much regret. 

[Globehoppers]

The buffets on Royal/Regal class ships are the best in the cruising fleet.  We eat there instead of the MDR, which we find to be too noisy, slow service, and less than adequate offerings.   Its been many cruises since we have dined in an MDR on any ship.  The Royal-class buffet offer an overwhelming number of choices, to include ethnic selections that vary by night.  Wonderful.  And we can talk with each other...!

[MissP22]

9 minutes ago, Globehoppers said:

The buffets on Royal/Regal class ships are the best in the cruising fleet.  We eat there instead of the MDR, which we find to be too noisy, slow service, and less than adequate offerings.   Its been many cruises since we have dined in an MDR on any ship.  The Royal-class buffet offer an overwhelming number of choices, to include ethnic selections that vary by night.  Wonderful.  And we can talk with each other...!

I totally agree and may I add the dessert section does have some better choices over the older ships. 

Also a much better view of the ocean when dining whereas the DR has much smaller windows. 

[keithm]

On ‎8‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 12:58 PM, POF1234 said:

hi everyone, 

 

Food is subjective, but I am surprised about  some of the reviews where people bash the food on Princess. I'm not expecting find dining by any means (it is mass produced), but edible and tasty see like a good expectation.  How did you find the food ? 

As they say food is subjective. We're both in the food industry & my husband's a chef, so we're pretty gourmet when it comes to dining. That certainly does NOT mean we don't do casual dining, either. We've done 2 trips on Oceania the past 2 years & the food is FAR above what one gets on a mass line, but then again the cost of admission is much higher, too.

  I will have to say that the Regal, 3 years ago had by far the most varied buffet selection we've ever seen on a ship. Now on the Riviera, one can have Dover Sole or cold water Lobster almost any night in the Terrace Grill(their buffet)but for selection which was very good, Royal class ships(at least in 2016)had outstanding selection and good food. The MDR (set dining)also was very good. Celebrity Eclipse was excellent in 2014-2015, but in 2017 quality was much less than expected. Not garbage by any means, but certainly not the quality one expects from a cruise line that calls itself "premium". That was the reason we switched to Oceania. Now my husband wants to try the Star Princess next Jan. to Hawaii. I've told him if we cancel next year's Oceania cruise for the Star Princess & he dislikes the food, that he can yell at the mirror all he wants! One thing I did love about Princess, was the Sanctuary, which is where I'll spend most sea days, should we choose the Star Princess trip.Better than losing my shirt in the Casino!

[keithm]

On ‎8‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 10:59 AM, MissP22 said:

That's interesting.

How does a self service baked potato oven work?

Do you put your potato in along with everyone else's & stand there & wait? 

That is a food warmer! It just keeps cooked food hot. We use them in our business. Best to get the food when first placed inside. Everything tends to get soggy over time.