How do you rate MDR menu these days?

[thefog]

I was not to happy with the quality of the food on our cruise in May.

[The Fun Researcher]

We started sailing in 2012.  If if I gave the 2012-2022 MDR a 10, I would say now is a 7/10, so about 30% worse. 

Edited August 17, 2023 by The Fun Researcher

[HicksRA]

Less quality. Less quantity. No more duck or lamb chops. Watered down ingredients.  

[smokeybandit]

It's just as enjoyable as the old menus

[Lorey2007]

Our May LOS 6/10.

[Eddie Wilson]

DW and I have sailed 4 or 5 times post Covid.  Our most recent cruise was the first I have ever rated MDR food less than 5 out of 10.  For our first dozen cruises going way back it was always 10 out of 10.  

 

We particularity found the entrees to have suffered. We do like the ambiance of MDR, the fine dining white linen, classically set table, staff trained in fine dining service.  Apps, sides and deserts were good.  But to top a classically set fine dinner with a really lousy cut of beef, chicken or fish.  

 

But RCL has done a lot of correct things over the past 30 years, and here is hoping for improvement.  I would expect they realize the issue and can match the meal with the ambiance in this post Covid economics. 

[jsf]

Harmony in Jan. 23  6/10

[Russ Lomas]

Food quality 7/10.  Service 10/10.  Menu selection 3/10.

 

Quality has slipped a bit, but he main problem is that many of the great things RCCL used to offer on their menus that people loved have been removed and replaced with cheaper alternatives that people are not enjoying.  If they would just keep the things people enjoyed and replace the ones people do not like, they would not have near as many negative comments to field about their menus.

[green snakes]

We did a b2b last May on Visions & the MDR menu was awful. Sounds like RCCL is going to stick with this bad (cheaper) decision.  Just did 3 NCL & food was much better. We are Diamond Plus & miss our lounge at 5 pm but I think we'll try MSC next. 

[KansasK]

Harmony in April 2023 - 5/10.  The only type of potatoes were mashed, on Caribbean night, all the side dishes were rice or rice and beans, very few green vegetables any night, and so on. The wait staff worked hard, but the food was lacking in many ways. 

 

I am afraid Royal will keep this menu change, also.  We just made Diamond Plus, but have two cruises booked on two other cruise lines to see how they will do with food. 

[cruiseguy1016]

I like the new MDR menu. I'd give it a 9 out of 10. The ink color contrasts well with the paper. It makes it very easy to read.

Edited August 18, 2023 by cruiseguy1016

[ampurp85]

I was on Freedom and would give it an 8/10. Grandeur in Jan 2023, 1/10. 

Wasn't a fan before the new menus and still isn't a fan. 

[DeputyDawg46]

I have been on 10-12 cruise thus far in 2023 and find the quality and quantity in the MDR to be lacking.  There are more items in the area of pot pies, casseroles, very spicy, and items never heard of.  No way to find a non spicy pork chop in the MDR after 4 weeks B2B on the same ship.  But there are some very hard working servers who try very hard amid the issues.

 

Food quality 7/10.  Service 9/10.  Menu selection 3/10.

 

But no doubt am not going hungry and no need to take it out on the staff.

 

DDawg

[ReneeFLL]

Food has definitely gone downhill. 

Menu choices 3/10

Food quality 5/10

[Ret MP]

I haven't eaten in the MDR in a long long time and haven't experienced the new menus in person.  But, I've tried to keep an eye on the menu(s).  I must say that I'm not a fan.  If I eat in the MDR, doesn't matter what night it is, I want French Onion Soup and Shrimp Cocktail.  Now, it's hit-or-miss.  Some nights they have both, some nights they don't have either, and other nights they only have one or another.  Also, I can't remember the theme right now but let's just say it's Mexican, well I'd like to see Mexican on the menu. 

 

AND NOW, an extra lobster 1/2 tail costs extra, that's B.S.  

 

But, I'm loyal to Royal, the ships and crew that is.  The ships are unique, festive, entertaining, and really neat.  The crew, well, compared to Rustbucket Cruise Lines, RCCL crew seem to bust their a$$ to exceed my every expectation, for the most part.  On Rustbucet, they are there to collect their paycheck and gratuity, for the most part.  

 

YMMV

[JamesEM]

I did a b-3-b on the Harmony this past May and was very disappointed with the variety, the selections for week one was OK, not happy the 2nd and 3rd week.

[RyderJ201]

5 out of 10. Beef was tuff as nails. Full of fat. No flavor to anything. 

[Jam0610]

Sailed on Allure in July. We chose not to eat in the MDR.

Royal Burger, Chicken Sandwich and Four - Lentil Chili not my idea of Dinner Dining.

Food is well below what I expect.

 

 

 

[deliver42]

I'd give it a 5 out of 10, both in quality and number of choices.

[teddie]

We last cruised in February after a 5+ year break.  Impressions: service was lovely, portions smaller; food a bit blander.  DH is not too fussy, and always found something to eatt/enjoy.  I had several of the Indian cuisine options and thought they were great.  If you are a true foodie/gourmand, you likely wouldn't be thrilled.

 

Teddie

[sjb317]

28 minutes ago, teddie said:

We last cruised in February after a 5+ year break.  Impressions: service was lovely, portions smaller; food a bit blander.  DH is not too fussy, and always found something to eatt/enjoy.  I had several of the Indian cuisine options and thought they were great.  If you are a true foodie/gourmand, you likely wouldn't be thrilled.

 

Teddie

I do not consider myself a foodie /gourmand and I was not thrilled with the food.  Indian dishes were usually good but I don’t want Indian every night.  Most everything else was kind of bland. I never use the salt or pepper on the table but our last cruise in July made me consider it.

 

On our first cruise in 1999 I would have rated menu and food a 10.  Last cruise on Independence I would have given both a 6.5, maybe a 7.

 

Sherri🙂

[teddie]

4 minutes ago, sjb317 said:

I do not consider myself a foodie /gourmand and I was not thrilled with the food.  Indian dishes were usually good but I don’t want Indian every night.  Most everything else was kind of bland. I never use the salt or pepper on the table but our last cruise in July made me consider it.

 

On our first cruise in 1999 I would have rated menu and food a 10.  Last cruise on Independence I would have given both a 6.5, maybe a 7.

 

Sherri🙂

 In comparison to my past cruises, I agree with your ratings range. My own eating habits have changed over the years, and I am less obsessed than I used to be about my next meal 🙂

 

Teddie

[teddie]

7 hours ago, RyderJ201 said:

5 out of 10. Beef was tuff as nails. Full of fat. No flavor to anything. 

 Past cruises (5+ years ago), I found all of the beef dishes to be especially excellent, so that's sad news.

 

Teddie

[Jerseygirl1416]

I was very satisfied with MDR on Liberty in May. We hadn’t used the traditional MDR option in years and decided to give it a go again. I realized how much I enjoy that. Just walking to the table and having the same waitstaff each time was enjoyable.

 

I never have high gourmet expectations of MDR food but sort of consider it like wedding or banquet food. When you’re feeding thousands you’re not going to get gourmet.

 

I would give the food 8/10, the service 10/10 and the menu selection 8/10. Everything I chose was good temperature and tasty. Never had an issue finding selections to eat and I liked the smaller portions. I’d just order 2 starters and one entree with dessert and it was more than enough food.

[orville99]

Have done 24 cruises since the restart on Allure, Harmony, Jewel, Mariner, Serenade, and Wonder, and prior to the changeover to the new menus in January, I would have rated the MDR in the 9/10 range overall in 2021 (Allure and Harmony), and 8/10 overall in 2022 (Harmony, Mariner, and Jewel). However, after the changeover the best I could honestly rate the MDR would be 3-4/10 overall, with Serenade and Mariner being a 5-6/10, and Wonder a distant 3/10.

 

On our last two Wonder cruises &/9-7/23 B2B, we ate in the MDR on the first night, and were so disappointed that we avoided the MDR entirely for the next two weeks.