Which cruise line has the worst food?

[BruceMuzz]

One of the best kept secrets in the Cruise Industry is Food Cost.

Just how much money do the cruise lines budget and spend to feed you every day??

Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line are essentially tied for the lowest food budgets in the Cruise Industry. That explains why you see so much "red food" (pasta and pizza) in their restaurants that do not charge extra.

Most of the better cruise lines spend more money to feed their crew than Carnival and NCL spend to feed you. HAL is just a small step higher than Carnival and NCL.

 

Does spending more money translate to better food?

It is no guarantee, but if you compare pizza and pasta VS. lobster and steak, it gives you a good starting point.

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

One of the best kept secrets in the Cruise Industry is Food Cost.

Just how much money do the cruise lines budget and spend to feed you every day??

Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line are essentially tied for the lowest food budgets in the Cruise Industry. That explains why you see so much "red food" (pasta and pizza) in their restaurants that do not charge extra.

Most of the better cruise lines spend more money to feed their crew than Carnival and NCL spend to feed you. HAL is just a small step higher than Carnival and NCL.

 

Does spending more money translate to better food?

It is no guarantee, but if you compare pizza and pasta VS. lobster and steak, it gives you a good starting point.

The differences in raw products become very apparent when one cruises on a luxury line.  On Seabourn, for example, they serve really terrific Prime filet mignon in the main dining room.  On their beach parties, where they rent an entire shore-based facility, they will have a BBQ with unlimited steak and lobster.  And, or course, the caviar is available whenever one asks.  Many years ago I can recall when Celebrity would always have bowls of medium/large shrimp on their lunch salad bar.  Now, if you are lucky you might find some tiny shrimp once or twice a week.

 

As to HAL (we know there are many HAL fans with whom the line can do no wrong) the lunch buffet will routinely find lots of chicken and other lower cost items.  I recall ordering a starter of mussels in a typical white wine broth only to be served 5 small mussels (with several not even open).  A fan might say, wow, they have mussels.  But another might say, "only 3 small opened mussels!!"  Can you imagine going to any cafe in France and ordering mussels.  You get a huge pot full of the things.

 

My challenge to fellow cruisers has always been, "would you go to land based restaurant and pay for the meal you get on your cruise ship?  It is rare that we have had such a meal although it has happened (in the past) in Celebrity's Murano and once on the Azamara Journey in their old Aqualina Restaurant.  These days, there are a few offerings in Seabourn's Thomas Keller that are truly restaurant quality such as their tableside fileted Dover Sole.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

I will freely admit that not every restaurant I go to ashore is of Thomas Keller quality. Sometimes I think people expect a bit much from the cruise lines, when you look at the overall per diem cost for what is essentially your hotel, transportation, three (or more in some cases!) meals per day and entertainment. It would be easy to drop that "per diem" on a single meal from a Michelin-starred kitchen.

 

On the other hand, cruise lines have trimmed food offerings for years -- it has been an easy target to reduce, little by little. The problem is that, post-COVID, there is little more they can do to reduce food quality so as to still provide even a pretence of "fine dining". 

 

I am a fan of many different global cuisines and feel there are more flavorful and adventurous options where big bucks do not have to be spent on expensive proteins in order to provide tasty food. But then, steak has never been my "be all and end all" of fine dining either...   

  

The more I read on these forums, however, the more it seems that people do not like or value more interesting choices like duck, squab, lamb, veal and various types of fish), they can't seem to get beyond BEEF, BEEF, BEEF.  You'd think the world has ended because Celebrity is no longer offering prime rib -- a dish that (as prepared on board) is usually bland and oddly squishy.

 

 

 

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

…

The more I read on these forums, however, the more it seems that people do not like or value more interesting choices like duck, squab, lamb, veal and various types of fish), they can't seem to get beyond BEEF, BEEF, BEEF.  You'd think the world has ended because Celebrity is no longer offering prime rib -- a dish that (as prepared on board) is usually bland and oddly squishy.

 

 

 

Agree.   The silly thing about equating beef with fine dining is the fact that beef is very easy to cook at home:  oven, gas grill, or charcoal.  I prefer to spend my dining out dollars on dishes  I cannot produce as well as a professional.

 

Then, too, another cruise passenger favorite is lobster - which again is so easy to prepare at home (and not too pricy if you live near the New England coast).

[9tee2Sea]

Ok, I have to defend Ncl here.  In my opinion, they have the best selection of Indian food in the buffet than any cruise line. Specialty restaurants are so so.  I always enjoy Le Bistro on NCL.  Look forward to having Escargot.  As for the main dining rooms, I ask to to substitute items i don't eat, and they have always been accommodating.  If I didn't enjoy the food on any cruise line, I know how to make a really good salad from the buffet.  The only cruise I lost weight on was RCCL ( about 10 years ago).  I did not like anything they were serving.

[mcollins3549]

On 4/9/2020 at 7:27 AM, ren0312 said:

Excluding the luxury cruise lines like Crystal, which mass market cruise line has the worst food for the price? Basically which cruise line has the worst food considering how much you pay for the cruise?

Overall, NCL

[ldubs]

On 4/9/2020 at 4:27 AM, ren0312 said:

which mass market cruise line has the worst food for the price?

 

I'm not sure how to factor in the "for the price" part.  

 

We were on three cruises last year (2022):  Princess, RCI, & Carnival.  Here is my objective expert opinion for those three:  

 

MDR: Best was RCI followed by Carnival then Princess (in that order).

 

MDR DESERT:  RCI again.  Princes takes second place then Carnival.  

 

MDR LUNCH/BRUNCH:  Carnival followed by RCI (Didn't try Princess')

 

BUFFET DINNER:  Best was RCI followed closely by Princess.  Carnival was a far distant third. 

 

BUFFET DESSERT: Best was Princess then RCI.  Carnival was actually poor during dinner hours

 

BUFFET LUNCH: Same ranking as dinner.   Carnival gets some redemption for Blue Iguana, but still 3rd place.  

 

PIZZA: Best by a long shot was Carnival.  RCI and Princess in second place tie.    

 

BURGER GRILL: Carnival takes the win (Guy's Burger Joint).  RCI and Princess also good.  I would give the second place edge to RCI because the burgers/dogs are located inside the buffet seating area.   On Island Princess I had to go up a deck then come back down to sit with my party.  

 

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by ldubs

[simplelife]

Food is very subjective - for everyone who says food on a particular cruise was terrible, there's someone else praising it. 

[ldubs]

1 minute ago, simplelife said:

Food is very subjective - for everyone who says food on a particular cruise was terrible, there's someone else praising it. 

 

Well, I ranked my three experiences and did not call any terrible (even though one actually was).   So I'm sure you are not referring to my post.  😀

 

I actually disagree that food is subjective.  People's tastes are subjective.  The preference for medium well or medium rare is subjective.  That it is actually cooked medium well or medium rare is not subjective.    Additionally, use of fresh vs frozen is not subjective.  Use of premium vs low end is not subjective.  I suppose there are people that like overcooked pasta.  That is a subjective taste.   Most of us know what properly cooked pasta is about.   

[baelor]

On 1/29/2023 at 5:03 PM, ldubs said:

 

Well, I ranked my three experiences and did not call any terrible (even though one actually was).   So I'm sure you are not referring to my post.  😀

 

I actually disagree that food is subjective.  People's tastes are subjective.  The preference for medium well or medium rare is subjective.  That it is actually cooked medium well or medium rare is not subjective.    Additionally, use of fresh vs frozen is not subjective.  Use of premium vs low end is not subjective.  I suppose there are people that like overcooked pasta.  That is a subjective taste.   Most of us know what properly cooked pasta is about.   

Thank you.  People are way too dismissive of distinctions in food quality on this board.

 

If you loved your steak that was overcooked per your order, great.  But you presumably at least can acknowledge that it was, in fact, not prepared correctly.

 

The same applies to people who say that cruise food was good because they didn't need to cook or clean.  That makes it convenient, not good.

 

Edited January 31, 2023 by baelor

[navybankerteacher]

On 1/29/2023 at 5:53 PM, simplelife said:

Food is very subjective - for everyone who says food on a particular cruise was terrible, there's someone else praising it.  

While personal preferences tend to make food judgement subjective, there are certainly objective standards which are relevant. There are differences in quality of the raw material (is beef prime, choice or select; is the OJ canned or fresh squeezed; are the eggs whole or boxed, etc.); then there is the preparation:  do the chef's apply talent, or just heat; then there is the service:  is the food gotten to table still hot (or cold) as the case may be, is it competently presented or just slapped on the plate?

 

Finally, there is the knowledge and experience of the person making the comment:  has he ever even experienced really well cooked and presented food?  

[Markanddonna]

After sailing with the big six, I have to say MSC ranks at the bottom. I'm on (probably my last) Msc cruise right now. You won't starve is a good way of summarizing the food. Of course, that is a pretty sad statement. Italian cream cakes and some of the fish is good. Butcher's Cut always great. The apple strudel last night was horrible. We all struggled to cut the show leather crust with a knife! The inside was like apple sauce. The buffet is swamped and runs out of cups and mugs. They oversold and the poor crew is really struggling. Long lines to get into the black Crab restaurant because the buffet is so challenging.

[Aquahound]

On 1/29/2023 at 2:53 PM, simplelife said:

Food is very subjective - for everyone who says food on a particular cruise was terrible, there's someone else praising it. 

 

I don't think it's a 1-for-1 at all.  When this topic comes up, there's always a trend toward one or two particular lines.  One person making a comment might be subjective, but trends are much more credible.  

[MissP22]

On 1/29/2023 at 6:39 AM, BruceMuzz said:

Most of the better cruise lines spend more money to feed their crew than Carnival and NCL spend to feed you. HAL is just a small step higher than Carnival and NCL.

Do you know what Princess is spending for food lately per person?

I suspect it hasn't changed, but their quality has seemed to slip recently due to inflation.

[GrannyJ]

I didn't shop for the food, I didn't have to cook the food, I didn't have to serve the food, and I sure as heck didn't have to clean up afterwards.  That said, how bad could it be?  I'd be happy with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if someone else made it for me.....

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, GrannyJ said:

I didn't shop for the food, I didn't have to cook the food, I didn't have to serve the food, and I sure as heck didn't have to clean up afterwards.  That said, how bad could it be?  I'd be happy with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if someone else made it for me.....

 

I'm glad you are so non-discriminating, but I sure as heck would not be happy to eat  peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a cruise ship or anywhere else other than in my own house when all other food is gone.

 

I would just love to see the reaction if Princess' or Celebrity's next commercial spot showed cruisers eat PB&Js out of paper bags.....  (Although given the way things are going on cruises these days.... 🙄)

 

When I spend $$ on a vacation, my criteria is certainly not "How bad can it be"???

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, GrannyJ said:

I didn't shop for the food, I didn't have to cook the food, I didn't have to serve the food, and I sure as heck didn't have to clean up afterwards.  That said, how bad could it be?  I'd be happy with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if someone else made it for me.....

PB&J's are great -- when made at home, with the right ratios of primary ingredients and a razor thin skim of butter to serve as a kind of lube.  But it needs to be the right brand of PB and a decent amount of the right partner (ideally Welches Grape Jam - too bad they stopped making Grapelade) and jelly is usually too slippery.   I am inclined to think mass market cruise lines would economize on the raw materials  --- and, in any case I'll be damned if I am going to pay cruise fares for things I can make much better myself at home.

 

Finally --- what is wrong with preparing your own meals? 

[baelor]

On 2/13/2023 at 6:29 PM, GrannyJ said:

I didn't shop for the food, I didn't have to cook the food, I didn't have to serve the food, and I sure as heck didn't have to clean up afterwards.  That said, how bad could it be?  I'd be happy with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if someone else made it for me.....

All of that goes to convenience, not quality.  The food can be horrible but still otherwise be convenient.

And at least personally, there is no way I would be happy paying for a restaurant to make me a PB&J sandwich.  Unless it is something like this lol:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/eating-out/this-chicago-restaurant-is-offering-worlds-most-expensive-peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich/articleshow/77963375.cms

[Hlitner]

On 2/13/2023 at 6:29 PM, GrannyJ said:

I didn't shop for the food, I didn't have to cook the food, I didn't have to serve the food, and I sure as heck didn't have to clean up afterwards.  That said, how bad could it be?  I'd be happy with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if someone else made it for me.....

I guess having gruel, 7 days a week would be fine if using your standard :).  But some of us do think that if we are paying for caviar we should get caviar.  And if paying for steak, but only getting dried out chicken might not be acceptable to some folks.

 

Hank

[ldubs]

On 2/13/2023 at 5:40 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

I'm glad you are so non-discriminating, but I sure as heck would not be happy to eat  peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a cruise ship or anywhere else other than in my own house when all other food is gone.

 

I would just love to see the reaction if Princess' or Celebrity's next commercial spot showed cruisers eat PB&Js out of paper bags.....  (Although given the way things are going on cruises these days.... 🙄)

 

When I spend $$ on a vacation, my criteria is certainly not "How bad can it be"???

 

Similar to the "you won't starve" standard.  I don't expect 4-Star, but I do want reasonably good food.  

[VL1]

I have only traveled on a 20 day cruise with Oceania.  Adored the food.  I was on Riviera for a 20 day British Isles cruise.  Every day was a culinary adventure.  I gained 8.2 lbs!

[crystalspin]

13 hours ago, VL1 said:

I have only traveled on a 20 day cruise with Oceania.  Adored the food.  I was on Riviera for a 20 day British Isles cruise.  Every day was a culinary adventure.  I gained 8.2 lbs!

Welcome to Cruise critic! We don't always bicker like this, but when we do, it's fun to watch!

[Hlitner]

On 2/15/2023 at 7:26 PM, ldubs said:

 

Similar to the "you won't starve" standard.  I don't expect 4-Star, but I do want reasonably good food.  

We just came off a cruise where the cuisine would certainly qualify as 4 Star (using your standard) out of 5.  In fact, we even had one meal that was cooked by a Michelin 2* Chef who provided a tasting menu (7 courses) that was based on what she serves at her NYC Michelin 2* restaurant.  And then you have Seabourn where anyone can have caviar on demand (just call room service) for no extra charge.  As much as we enjoy PB&J, I am happier when eating caviar :).

 

The truth about the cruise industry is that there are many different cruise lines (I believe over 50) and you can get all kinds of food from barely tolerable to gourmet.  It is simply a matter of your budget and personal preferences.

 

Hank

[Ride-The-Waves]

Just off a TA on RCI's Odyssey of the seas.  And LOST ten pounds over 16 days.  Terrible food and overpriced specialty restaurants.  Never again in RCI.

[sullaRaffaello]

The worst food I've ever experienced on a ship was Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas.