What is Your Favorite First Morning Breakfast...

[CGTNORMANDIE]

I have looked at many menus...Grill Class on Cunard included.  So far I would think that Oceania takes the lead in breakfast menus.  Cunard does a good job with breakfast...after all they are British.  Oceania’s breakfast buffet is also a first place.  
 

I did have breakfast in the First Class restaurant onboard the original Queen Elizabeth in July 1965!  Now there was a breakfast menu...3 types of bacon, 2 types of sausage and you name it!  I had my first English sausage (banger) and I’ve been hooked ever since.  I just can’t find bangers here in the US...sighhhh.  

[rkacruiser]

On 3/6/2021 at 9:11 PM, CGTNORMANDIE said:

I did have breakfast in the First Class restaurant onboard the original Queen Elizabeth in July 1965!  Now there was a breakfast menu...3 types of bacon, 2 types of sausage and you name it!

 

I remember reading those menus when I had them from those days.  So many different items and so many different types of what I thought at the time were "ordinary", i.e ham, bacon, eggs, quite different from what my Mother prepared for my family's breakfasts of bacon/eggs/white toast.  

[BklynBoy8]

I remember and still have in my Memory Box some of the QE2 Daily Menu Folder Covers with very special graphics and designs. Especially like on Holidays like 4th of July and Easter Sunday.

 

We got them since you use to get a total set of menu copies at the end of the cruise by your waiters.

And you would show your appreciation with the end of cruise tip.

 

Some days we take out the box and look at the Good Old Times we experienced in the past.

 

Oh yes, the waiters use to sign them too! 

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

I remember and still have in my Memory Box some of the QE2 Daily Menu Folder Covers with very special graphics and designs. Especially like on Holidays like 4th of July and Easter Sunday.

 

We got them since you use to get a total set of menu copies at the end of the cruise by your waiters

 

The menus to which I referred were those from the Cunard liners of the late 1950's, mostly Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.  Even the smaller ships such as Media had enticing menus.  My sole sailing on Queen Mary 2:  her breakfast menu offered in the Britannia Dining Room mirrored what I remembered from the menus of the two original Queens.  Dinner menus?  Not so much, however.  

 

Yes, I do remember at the end of dinner on the final night of the cruise, one's Stewards would present a full set of menus to each guest.  That practice ended.  I started asking for such to be done.  On some cruises, it was graciously accomplished.  At the end of one cruise after I had asked for that to be done:  nothing appeared.  Seeing that I was peeved--to say the least--the Steward asked me to remain seated for awhile longer while he "disappeared".  Somehow, he arrived after several minutes with copies of most of the dinner menus.  No lunch, no breakfast, no Lido Restaurant menus, however.  I then gave him his extra gratuity, but should have reduced it by a bit.

 

On future cruises, if I wanted the menus, I would tell my Stewards on the first night that I wanted to take with me that dinner's menu.  Since I was second seating, that ought not to be a problem for them, I didn't think.  Some looks of "why do you want to do so?" and sometimes when the Steward had to "chase down" the menu when he "forgot" my request.  Usually, though, my request was fulfilled.

[BklynBoy8]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

The menus to which I referred were those from the Cunard liners of the late 1950's, mostly Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.  Even the smaller ships such as Media had enticing menus.  My sole sailing on Queen Mary 2:  her breakfast menu offered in the Britannia Dining Room mirrored what I remembered from the menus of the two original Queens.  Dinner menus?  Not so much, however.  

 

Yes, I do remember at the end of dinner on the final night of the cruise, one's Stewards would present a full set of menus to each guest.  That practice ended.  I started asking for such to be done.  On some cruises, it was graciously accomplished.  At the end of one cruise after I had asked for that to be done:  nothing appeared.  Seeing that I was peeved--to say the least--the Steward asked me to remain seated for awhile longer while he "disappeared".  Somehow, he arrived after several minutes with copies of most of the dinner menus.  No lunch, no breakfast, no Lido Restaurant menus, however.  I then gave him his extra gratuity, but should have reduced it by a bit.

 

On future cruises, if I wanted the menus, I would tell my Stewards on the first night that I wanted to take with me that dinner's menu.  Since I was second seating, that ought not to be a problem for them, I didn't think.  Some looks of "why do you want to do so?" and sometimes when the Steward had to "chase down" the menu when he "forgot" my request.  Usually, though, my request was fulfilled.

We never had a problem getting copies of menus on  any sailing without asking for them.

 

The last evening before dessert, they would present the menus to us signed. A Breakfast, Several Lunches and All Dinners. Of course, we were going to give the deserving grat to them as we always expect to.

 

They presented them to us since they would be very busy with other passengers desserts and may not beable to come back to us.

 

We honestly never asked for them. I suspect that many passenger either don't want them since what are they going to do with them or had many from the past.

 

On snowy nights or other times we like to look at them and remember the good times. 

Edited March 11, 2021 by BklynBoy8

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

We never had a problem getting copies of menus on  any sailing without asking for them

 

Different experiences for different cruisers.  Thank you for your response!

Edited March 12, 2021 by rkacruiser

[CntPAcruiser]

On 10/31/2020 at 5:25 PM, rkacruiser said:

A question about Kippers for breakfast.  I dined with a Canadian lady last year who ordered Kippers for breakfast; that was a first for me.  Never observed anyone doing so.  She knew what she was doing by the way she ate the fish.  She did seem to enjoy it.

 

How do Kippers taste?  Hers came with the body intact (less the head), so she had to deal with the bones.  Is the fish ever served without the bones?  

 

I keep thinking I ought to try Kippers.  Just never have been "brave(?)" enough to do so.  

 

I tried kippers once myself on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and while they were fairly tasty, though quite salty, I found the bones annoying to deal with. As I recall, they came with a few boiled potatoes, among other things. It's not something I would have again in that form. I have bought kippered herring filets that come in a tin, boneless, and those I enjoy (though not for breakfast).

 

One of my favorite breakfasts on board is smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers, but instead of a bagel, I like to have it open-faced on the very dark, coarsely grained rye bread that Royal offers. On the last few cruises we'd been able to take, some ships didn't even have smoked salmon out on the buffet for the first few days, but I was able to get it in the Diamond lounge. 

[BklynBoy8]

12 hours ago, CntPAcruiser said:

 

I tried kippers once myself on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and while they were fairly tasty, though quite salty, I found the bones annoying to deal with. As I recall, they came with a few boiled potatoes, among other things. It's not something I would have again in that form. I have bought kippered herring filets that come in a tin, boneless, and those I enjoy (though not for breakfast).

One of my favorite breakfasts on board is smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers, but instead of a bagel, I like to have it open-faced on the very dark, coarsely grained rye bread that Royal offers. On the last few cruises we'd been able to take, some ships didn't even have smoked salmon out on the buffet for the first few days, but I was able to get it in the Diamond lounge. 

Sailing on Cunard (QE2, Caronia and QM2) ships we always had Kippers available. Dad always had them as a special treat while sailing.

 

And Smoked Salmon also always available on those above ships, all you want everyday. From NYC we prefer Bagel as traditional starch. Dark Bread is proper for Gravlax. And unfortunately not a fan of Capers. And plain Cream Cheese a must. Not any of those flavored ones. Vegetable, Scallon, Smoke Salmon are not fair to a bagel and salmon....  

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, CntPAcruiser said:

I tried kippers once myself on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and while they were fairly tasty, though quite salty, I found the bones annoying to deal with.

 

I dined at breakfast with a Canadian woman who ordered Kippers.  She enjoyed the fish, but, dealing with separating the flesh from the bones was not my idea of an early morning exercise in which I want to participate.  

[BklynBoy8]

2 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

I dined at breakfast with a Canadian woman who ordered Kippers.  She enjoyed the fish, but, dealing with separating the flesh from the bones was not my idea of an early morning exercise in which I want to participate.  

It's a shame that at breakfast the kitchen does not debone the kippers for the diner.

 

When we have a special order in upper dining rooms, the Asst Captain will debone your Dover Sole dish. The bone come out all in one piece and the filet is all in contact.

 

We have a seafood restaurant that offers branzino in whole to the table and won't debone it. So we don't get it there.

[EMOSEA]

I've only cruised on Carnival so far. My first favorite breakfast is coffee delivered right to my room as soon as I usually wake up. I love not having to wander to the Lido to find coffee half asleep. Then after I'm fully awake, my second favorite -- I love the masala dosas on port days. I wish they'd add them to the sea day brunch menu because I don't always have enough time on port days to go to sit down breakfast (and also I'm not usually a breakfast person, I'd rather get them for brunch/lunch). 

[rkacruiser]

On 7/12/2021 at 9:18 PM, BklynBoy8 said:

It's a shame that at breakfast the kitchen does not debone the kippers for the diner.

 

When we have a special order in upper dining rooms, the Asst Captain will debone your Dover Sole dish. The bone come out all in one piece and the filet is all in contact.

 

On HAL, the Stewards at Breakfast may not have the skill needed to perform a deboning of the Kippers.  When Dover Sole is ordered in Sel de Mer--pop-up or stand alone restaurant--the Stewards have the skill and do it very well.  I must say that my breakfast dining companion did a superior job of separating the flesh from the bones.  Obviously, she had done this before.  

[rkacruiser]

On 7/13/2021 at 10:54 AM, EMOSEA said:

cruised on Carnival

 

When I cruise on Carnival, a Room Service breakfast order of OJ, Coffee, and Croissants/pastry is what I usually request.  It's a treat.  I don't get such service at home!  🤣  It's a part of the joy of cruising! 

[rkacruiser]

A fruit that I rarely can obtain at home, but one that I enjoy at breakfast is a slice of Papaya.  Not always available during a cruise, but, I am thankful when it is.  

[BklynBoy8]

As I mentioned in the past I like the first breakfast on board to be a good Egg Benedict.

 

We in June we went to a location we like to stay in the Hudson Valley each year and was disappointed recently their introduction of Benedict.

 

I could believe the amount of heat they placed in the Hollandaise Sauce which was disappointing to me. I never had  Benedict that way. I know some chef's put of paprika in it with caution.

 

I felt disappointed and had the Asst Captain of the area  to make a personalized for me another morning. 

[Calvin]

My favorite breakfast is more like a brunch.  I treat every day like I'm at a Sunday Brunch and enjoy small servings of many dishes. Though my usuals are an omelette with everything, several kinds of breakfast meats, etc., I always enjoy a glass of champagne or 2 with breakfast. I don't have to drive anywhere and I buy the beverage package because, despite not drinking enough to make it a financially smart decision, I enjoy tasting many different drinks.  This makes it feel like an all-inclusive event to me.

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, Calvin said:

My favorite breakfast is more like a brunch.  I treat every day like I'm at a Sunday Brunch and enjoy small servings of many dishes. Though my usuals are an omelette with everything, several kinds of breakfast meats, etc., I always enjoy a glass of champagne or 2 with breakfast. I don't have to drive anywhere and I buy the beverage package because, despite not drinking enough to make it a financially smart decision, I enjoy tasting many different drinks.  This makes it feel like an all-inclusive event to me.

 

Thanks for posting.  An interesting view on a MDR breakfast.  Personally, eating such a large breakfast would be very unwise if I then had a shore excursion to attend.  

 

Your rational for booking a beverage package is a different one from any that I have read on CC.  I enjoy a Mimosa or a well prepared Bloody Mary for a pre-Brunch type of beverage.  

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

I could believe the amount of heat they placed in the Hollandaise Sauce which was disappointing to me. I never had  Benedict that way.

 

Why would any Chef spoil Hollandaise Sauce that way?  What ingredient was the reason for the "heat"?  I have looked at a few recipes this afternoon for the Sauce.  Some include nothing that would supply "heat".  One added some ground white pepper.  One added some cayenne Pepper.  

 

That Chef needs to repeat the cooking section of Home Economics 101.  

[JenniT]

After sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas for their first post-COVID cruise, I have a new breakfast top choice. It’s one that I really never thought to try. But, the avocado toast at Windjammers (served by staff—yay!) became my go-to breakfast. My friend and I had it daily (except one day when I wanted to try the MDR—big mistake—not good). Now, I want to make avocado toast at home, too.

[rkacruiser]

On 8/28/2021 at 11:07 AM, JenniT said:

My friend and I had it daily (except one day when I wanted to try the MDR—big mistake—not good)

 

Thanks for participating and posting in this thread.  Your above comment arouses my curiosity.  Why was breakfast in the MDR "not good"?  

[BklynBoy8]

On 8/28/2021 at 11:07 AM, JenniT said:

 the avocado toast became my go-to breakfast. My friend and I had it daily. Now, I want to make avocado toast at home, too.

I have heard that it's the in thing the movie stars like very much. Many have it to start their day.ha

 

It's got all the good things needed.   We make it  when we get the right avocados that is at the right ripeness. Enjoy!

 

We learn a lot of good things offered on board ships that we like to remember and copy at home.

[BklynBoy8]

One thing we enjoy when we go around and stay in INNS or B&B's, they make great casseroles.

 

Instead of the basic breakfast menu items they make something easy to share with all.

 

They are very creative and the tastes are great.

 

Sorry ships don't think of this as a item to share and introduce to passengers as a different experience. 

[BklynBoy8]

Well it's morning on a typical day at home.

 

When home I enjoy once awhile traditional Sunnyside Eggs, Pan Roasted Home Fries w fresh garden herbs and Pork Sausage Patty. Accompaning White Toasted w butter / English Strawberry Jam.

 

What a way to start the day......

[JenniT]

On 9/2/2021 at 3:33 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

Thanks for participating and posting in this thread.  Your above comment arouses my curiosity.  Why was breakfast in the MDR "not good"?  

The food was disappointing and service not good at breakfast in the MDR. That was unusual. 

[rkacruiser]

On 11/3/2021 at 11:28 PM, JenniT said:

service not good at breakfast in the MDR.

 

In my experience on HAL ships, your Steward is likely to be the Assistant Steward during dinner.  I am sure it is to help them gain more experience in their job so that they can be promoted to the main Steward of a  team.  As it is often required when one, travels, patience is needed with some of the situations in which we find ourselves.  And, if your situation warrants it, speak to the Assistant Maitre d' about your experience as you leave the MDR.