Main Dining that Bad?

[MargaritaPlease]

Cruising Serenade of the Seas, Southern Caribbean, 2/18... First time on RCI.

 

I keep reading here that the food in the main dining room is only "so so" and we should eat in the premium restaurants whenever possible. OK... So I'm paying $$$$ for a cruise and to get a decent meal I've got to pay an up-charge? Really?

 

Also, can we predict which nights will be "formal" nights?

 

And finally, how do the reservations for the premium restaurants work? Can you just call in? Is there a rush on the first day for best times?

[CL-JW]

We've done two RCI Cruises (Voyager of the Seas & Vision of the Seas) and the food in the main dining room was quite good - as was the service.

 

Everything is subjective. Go and have a great time.

[derekandkimberly]

My wife and I are not picky at all. We won't even complain about McDonalds. The food in the main dining room was okay. Our server just stunk so it made it worse. If you have a great server and good people at your table you will be okay. Don't go to Chops or Portofinos on the first night though. You will never go to the main dining room. We were so impressed we kept tipping $20 on top of the $20. I would eat the lobster in the main dining room on the second formal night and go to chops and portofinos the rest.Thats just us though. Stay away from the creme brulee at the main dining room....nasty.lol

[nyer]

I have done four RCI cruises (Voyager, Splendour and 2x Majesty) and always found the food to be very good. Admittedly, I am not hard to please (if I don't have to cook it or clean up I am thrilled). But, last year on the Splendour my son-in-law (who is very hard to please) thought that the food was excellent.

You don't have to spend extra money on the specialty restaurants unless you really want to. Enjoy your cruise.

[OliverTheCat]

I felt the food just did not compare in any way, shape or form to food on Disney Cruise Line (the only other ships I have sailed). Actually the entire dining room experience didnt compare. The only thing that RCI was better than Disney dining wise was Chops and Portifino were WAAAY better than Disney's fine dining at Palo's. That is it.

 

BUT

 

I, like many others, love to experience great dining and foods on cruises because its "part of it"...so when I pay $$$ for a cruise, I want that quality... not quality of an Olive Garden or a chain steakhouse. And, sorry to say, a lot of my food in the dining room just wasnt up to standards. But some was.

 

If Chops and Portifino are so good, how come we cant make ALL the food THAT GOOD. Just a thought.

[crazydude]

The food is good, but i depends if you like all kinds (fish,lamb, duck, etc.). There's steak, turkey, salads, chicken, and stuff like that every night, so you ont have to worry. Have fun!

[ppsailor01]

I liked the food in the main dining room!

[cb at sea]

I always enjoy the food on RCCL--The presentation has always been stunning and the food has always been very good. We've been on several different ships and I haven't had a bad meal. I do think the main dining room is much better than Windjammers, but then, I'm not really into buffets. This trip, I am looking forward to Chops, as we haven't been on a ship with that particular restaurant, but I doubt we'll do it more than once. We eat at alot of "upscale" restaurants, especially on vacations, and I think the main dining room food is very comparible!

[shirleygr]

If Chops and Portifino are so good, how come we cant make ALL the food THAT GOOD. Just a thought.

Having worked in the food service industry, I think I can answer that question. The food in the dining room is "banquet" food: cooking lots of food at once and holding it until the servers take it out. The food in the specialty restaurants is cooked to order. It doesn't have to held until service. It's a completely different situation, like comparing a buffet restaurant to a 5 star.

Although I have to agree with the poster who said if I didn't have to buy it, prep it, cook it, serve it, and clean up after it, it's all great to me. :D

[Sylia]

As someone who is a passionate cook, I found the Main dining room food to be just fine. Actually, considering that they are trying to feed 1000 people in one shot, give or take, I think the food is phenomenal. Every meal I've had in the Main didning room was cooked as specified, always hot (or cold if it was a salad, cold soup or dessert) and served with courtesy and good humour.

 

If you're looking for Servuega Caviar, plied on quails eggs with black truffle shavings - go to Silversea. For the rest of us, RCI does a fine job.

[Janice M]

Shirley, I worked in food service also. School hot lunch program, (lol)so I agree anything I don't have to prep and clean up after is great for me. Seriously tho, we have done 6 RCI cruises and have found the food good. It is presented beautifully. And the deserts are very good. After 6 cruises I find the food is not important any more. Meeting so many nice people, seeing new things and great shows are just a few other things I enjoy about cruising. Enjoy your cruise Margarita please.

[Sheffie]

We have always enjoyed our food on RCI. I always ask the waiter what they would suggest for the best food that evening, and have never been disappointed! They know what is the best of what is offered.

 

You will have a marvelous cruise with wonderful food. Go! Eat! Enjoy!

[suzeyQ]

As someone who is a passionate cook, I found the Main dining room food to be just fine. Actually, considering that they are trying to feed 1000 people in one shot, give or take, I think the food is phenomenal. Every meal I've had in the Main didning room was cooked as specified, always hot (or cold if it was a salad, cold soup or dessert) and served with courtesy and good humour.

 

If you're looking for Servuega Caviar, plied on quails eggs with black truffle shavings - go to Silversea. For the rest of us, RCI does a fine job.

 

Hmmm.... caviar, quail eggs and truffles... think I'll stick with RCI!!

[Captain Crunch]

Hmmm.... caviar, quail eggs and truffles... think I'll stick with RCI!!

 

I'll eat what I can afford, but that's neccessarily what I want.

[scaevolatn]

If you're reading threads to gage the quality of the food, be aware that most people pleased with the food aren't going to take the time to post that message.

 

However, people displeased with the food, in my humble opinion, are much more likely to 'vent' by taking the time to post their displeasure in a public forum.:p

 

I eat simply, but simply loved the food in the main dining room, as did the picky-eater adult in our group, as well as the 4 picky-eater children in our group. I never had a bad meal in the Windjammer, either, but the main dining room was noticeably better.

[1corona4u]

Just stay away from the steaks. (in the main dining room, they mess them up, from what I have seen, so I stayed away from them)

 

The tenderloin was excellent though. I'm not sure why people complain about the food, as I am a chef, and saw nothing wrong with it at all. Was it 4/5 star, no.

 

People, and their expectations sometimes puzzle me. The Windjammer is like any other buffet, but in my mind, slightly better.

 

Chops and Portofino are great, but you do not need to go there to get a good meal.

[Captain Crunch]

 

People, and their expectations sometimes puzzle me. The Windjammer is like any other buffet, but in my mind, slightly better.

 

 

I beleive peoples expectations are set high by the perception that cruiseships are luxury liners. An impression that the Mass Market Cruiselines will never try to dissuade.

[suzeyQ]

I'll eat what I can afford, but that's neccessarily what I want.

 

I love a good, expensive meal but I'd prefer a good quality steak over cavier and quail eggs... ;)

[1corona4u]

I beleive peoples expectations are set high by the perception that cruiseships are luxury liners. An impression that the Mass Market Cruiselines will never try to dissuade.

 

Huh. That's odd....from everything I have read lately, they don't think they think they are luxurious at all....in fact, quite the opposite has been said....as in, they are casual....or that was the perception they left me with anyway.

 

Anyway, it's best not to let food be the focus of a cruise. Just enjoy the ship, ports, and entertainment. The food is really just sustenance, although it's a nice surprise to people when they find out it's really quite good.

[Merion_Mom]

Just stay away from the steaks. (in the main dining room, they mess them up, from what I have seen, so I stayed away from them)

 

The tenderloin was excellent though. I'm not sure why people complain about the food, as I am a chef, and saw nothing wrong with it at all. Was it 4/5 star, no.

 

People, and their expectations sometimes puzzle me. The Windjammer is like any other buffet, but in my mind, slightly better.

 

Chops and Portofino are great, but you do not need to go there to get a good meal.

And on my recent cruises on RC, the steaks in the main dining room were delicious, tender and perfectly cooked.

[Merion_Mom]

If you're reading threads to gage the quality of the food, be aware that most people pleased with the food aren't going to take the time to post that message.

 

However, people displeased with the food, in my humble opinion, are much more likely to 'vent' by taking the time to post their displeasure in a public forum.:p

 

I eat simply, but simply loved the food in the main dining room, as did the picky-eater adult in our group, as well as the 4 picky-eater children in our group. I never had a bad meal in the Windjammer, either, but the main dining room was noticeably better.

I just had to tell you that I LOVE your screen name!

[wrp96]

And on my recent cruises on RC, the steaks in the main dining room were delicious, tender and perfectly cooked.

 

Same experience for me (well, my tablemates) on my December Rhapsody cruise.

[justwaiting]

Just wondering if anyone orders more than one thing on the menu? I know sometimes you want to try something you haven't had before.

Justwaiting

[kyriecat]

Just wondering if anyone orders more than one thing on the menu? I know sometimes you want to try something you haven't had before.

Justwaiting

 

I have a few times. Sometimes hubby and I can't decide what we want so we'll ask for an extra dinner that we'll split. Also there have been a couple times that I did not care for what I had ordered and asked for something else.

 

Overall I like the food in the dining room, although I also have to say that Portofino's served the best meal that I ate onboard. Windjammer is hit-and-miss on the food so we usually eat in the main dining room or Sea View Cafe for lunch when not in port. I'll eat breakfast in Windjammer but I normally eat fruit and Windjammer has a good selection.

[judy&steve]

Remember that the dining rooms on cruise ships serve hundreds of meals at a time. This is like going to a catered wedding. IMHO the food on the Serenade 1/21/06 cruise was perhaps the best food on any of our 11 crises which include a Celebrity cruses where the food was pretty bad. Even from last year on the Adventure to this year on the Serenade I found improvements. Having said this, we too had a dreadful waiter this time. In fact our assistant waiter was so nice that we gave our usual extra tip we give the waiter and doubled the extra tip to the assistant. Our waiter was impersonal and seemed board and uninterested in making our dining experience a enjoyable one. He had a few very large tables and we were at a table for two but this is no excuse for the indifferent service we had. We too went to Chops twice during the week and had a great time.

Steve