Decline in cruise food quality....(?)

[shipgeeks]

I keep reading posts complaining about the decline in food quality, and to a point I agree that things are not as they were 30 years ago.

However, today I was struck with a new thought.  I'd be interested to know whether the rest of you, especially those who have worked in food service, agree. Dinner on a cruise ship used to be a special event every night.  No buffet, just a good meal at a set table in the dining room.  Now there is anytime dining, buffets, specialty restaurants.

I continue to read complaints along the lines of "It took a whole 40 minutes for me to get and eat three courses!  That is way too slow; I have things to do!  I go to the buffet now, where I can be in and out in no more than 15 minutes."

If passengers expect instant service (as in the drive-through line at home), I imagine meals have to be pre-prepared and plated, rather than plated and perhaps even "finished" when the waiter puts in the order.  So all of us, including those of us who appreciate a leisurely meal, are getting food that was put out in anticipation of diners wanting that beef or chicken right away.  Will it be as good as a meal assembled upon request?

Any thoughts?

[robbinsca]

We enjoy the camaraderie built by dining wth the same people each night at a mixed table. Service seems to be better when the waiter knows you. Have been on RCCL and NCL in the past 8 months. NCL has you at a different table every night and waiters did not engage with you, just took the order and someone else delivered it. RCCL maintained the classic two waiter system and provided much better service.

 

and yes, the quality is well below what it was “back in the day”.

 

 

[lenquixote66]

We have made lifelong friends from sitting with people on cruises every night for dinner.

[BruceMuzz]

If you choose to book a cruise on a high quality cruise line (just like they were in the good old days), and pay a higher fare (although not as high as you might have paid in the good old days), you will find that the food quality and service quality will be quite similar to what you would have experienced in the good old days.

The volume and variety of food may not be as extensive as in those good old days, but in many ways the quality will be as good or better.

On any cruise line today, the service staff earn about half as much (in adjusted dollars) as they were paid and tipped in the good old days. Considering that, the service on the better lines today will rival the service in the good old days. But you will not have as many staff taking care of you.

 

If you choose to book one of the Walmart of the Seas Lines, you get what you pay for.

[lenquixote66]

We have never been on a cruise that had great food,not even on Cunard.The food has always been great even on Walmart of the Seas.

[norn iron]

Celebrity, when Michel Roux (snr) was consultant chef had great food at sea.

I had the misfortune to be on the first cruise after the change to Jacque Van Staden - what a downfall from grace.

[Greener123]

Cruise dinners when I first started were 6 courses and a proper dining experience every night. You had your head waiter, assistant waiter and drinks waiter and got to know them much better than now. 
 

midnight gala buffets and chocolate buffets with all the sculptures were a sight to behold. 

[Hlitner]

Interesting thread,  Dining has really changed, and not just on ships.  Consider that many of our fellow Americans prefer to dine by 5:30 and be finished within an hour (some think that is too long).  True dining, in America, is almost dead except in some higher end restaurants generally located in major cities.   Go on most American-based cruise ships and folks are queuing up for dinner by 5 and whining if they cannot eat by 5:30.  In much of Florida, many folks head out for "early bird" dinners before 5!

 

One of our current favorite cruise lines is Seabourn.  That line does not even open its MDR until 7pm (open dining from 7-9).  We have friends, who usually cruise on HAL and Celebrity, who will not cruise on Seabourn (or some other luxury lines) because they refuse to be on a ship where they cannot dine before 6!  

 

DW and I still enjoy "dining" and will generally head to the MDR around 7:30-8.  We love to share large tables, and have no problem if it takes 2 hours to eat dinner (it is often the best social event of the day).  Our major complaint on some ships is that dinner is served too fast (we have sometimes asked our waiter to "slow down.").   But we do think that "dining" is being lost in our North American culture.

 

Hank

[bstreep]

I'm just not into consuming calories that don't taste great.   Just not, anymore. Also, 5pm is too close to lunch. 

 

Food on NCL has deteriorated to the point that we just upgrade.  It's just THAT BAD in the MDR.  RC, which used to be much better, has declined as well. Not as far as NCL, but...

 

Guess we will see.  We leave in 2 weeks for a NB Alaska cruise on NCL, and return 9 days later on RC.  So far, RC is winning...