Food Selection and Quality Hits an All Time Low

[jean87510]

27 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Sorry to hear that. I would never pay for the beach club but have been treated to it twice and loved the food. I agree the lobster tail is overrated but the filet mignon and coconut crusted lobster sandwiches were excellent both times. Also agree the desserts aren't very good. We had funnel cakes from the Snack Shack for dessert.

 

All that said, gimme the Snack Shack chicken sandwiches and funnel cakes to go with the Chill Grill taco bar and I'm just as happy. I can appreciate a good steak but I'm cool with simple, included food as long as it tastes good.

I would love this place if 1. they lowered the price and 2.  Gave you the option of having a gourmet all day buffet set up instead of the sit down.  The stale WJ pastries that were the breakfast snacks were sad looking and 3.  No techno music!  

 

[sjb317]

We just got off of the Odyssey TA and I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was.  This was our 6th cruise since the menu change, we’ve been on several ships where the food was mediocre so I was not expecting much!😂.  Only 3 dishes did I not consider to be good: lobster & cheese macaroni (definitely not Mac & cheese)  the lobster tail my husband had (very tough and dried out looking) and what was supposed to be pecan pie but was more of a pecan flavored pie as I never found anything resembling a pecan.  Otherwise, everything was great!

 

Sherri🙂

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, sjb317 said:

We just got off of the Odyssey TA and I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was.  This was our 6th cruise since the menu change, we’ve been on several ships where the food was mediocre so I was not expecting much!😂.  Only 3 dishes did I not consider to be good: lobster & cheese macaroni (definitely not Mac & cheese)  the lobster tail my husband had (very tough and dried out looking) and what was supposed to be pecan pie but was more of a pecan flavored pie as I never found anything resembling a pecan.  Otherwise, everything was great!

 

Sherri🙂

Pretty much my experience with Odyssey. I like this ship much more than I expected to.

[marci22]

On 11/5/2023 at 9:49 PM, CntPAcruiser said:

The only dish I enjoyed out of the final dinner was an asparagus appetizer.

I thought this was the best thing in the MDR all week (Liberty).

[sjb317]

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Pretty much my experience with Odyssey. I like this ship much more than I expected to.

I really liked this ship, I think it may be my new favorite!

 

Sherri🙂

[toxicfairy]

On 11/9/2023 at 5:49 PM, Cruise Girl Forever said:

On the Oasis last month.  I noticed the portion size of the entrée' in the mdr was small. And the dishes contained the cheaper cuts of meat.   However, I did find all the food tasty and served hot.  

My waiter and assistant were outstanding.  

 

I do miss the old menu's and selections.  and the chilled soup.  But will have to get use to the new way.  And will I am sure.

 

Had dinner one night in the Windjammer.  I enjoyed what I choose.  It was hot and tasty. 

 

 

Ohhh the chilled soups were so good. I miss those days. 

 

[redhotfill]

First time on RCC.  I have done most of my cruising on HAL and a one off on Carnival because of friends.  

I am not at all impressed with RCC.  2nd day on Grandeur of the Seas. Nothing Grand, nothing Royal.  Food is slop. I've had Sysco food better.  MDR food so far has been about a 6.5 of 10.  Windjammer buffet OMFG!  Hit and miss with what is gluten labeled free.  I had seen photos of previous cruises with a hot station of what was labeled gluten free. Nothing like that anymore on this cruise.  First day's lunch and dinner things were labeled GF.  This morning different chef, and nothing labeled had to waste time with chef and ask what was safe to eat. His excuse was other passenger could use wrong tongs and contaminate the GF food.  OK why not put it all at it's own station?  Seriously even hard boiled eggs in the shell were not labeled which made me think are they recycling water from boiling pasta to boil eggs?  It doesn't make any sense. 

 

Aside from the labeling of GF stuff at the Windjammer the food was super low quality ( Mexican Butter was pretty good)  The burgers were the lowest of the low grade beef, Sysco would even blush about how bad it was.  To add insult to injury they were all cooked well done or more, could have doubled as a hockey puck. Only the center of the patty on some wer soft enough to eat and thats when I figured out how bad a quality of beef it is.  I am from Montana, I eat local beef. I know what good beef is supposed to be like. The chicked too was all overcooked to the point of being dried out, and hard. Bright spot was the "sticky ribs" those were edible and not too bad.  Fries were soggy, potato wedges bland and not quite cooked right. MDR had the prime rib, mash taters, w veg.  Veg was barely cooked, and it harder than aldente. 

 

Prime rib was ok not great buy ok, but I'd say 3/8th of an inch at best I've had prime rib specials at nealy every casino in Vegas/Reno/Lake Tahoe for the last 40 years and never got anything even close to that thin! I've heard the joke about reading the newspaper through one but this was absurd. 

 

I don't know if the Head Chef is involved in the purchase of the produce, but the fruit has been pretty poor.  Featured fruit was Cuco-melon, looke like a water melon tastes like a cucumber. Some of the greenest pineapples I've ever seen on a cruise, most with little to no flavor. Cantelopes were slightly better in that they didn't taste like cucumber but were hard as baseballs, would not pair well with even kroger prosciutto.  Strawberries and blackberries were satisfactory. Salads were ok, nothing exceptional the salad I got delivered to the hotel the night before the cruise from Dominos was slightly better than ships fare. 

 

Deserts, well they had a GFpineapple  upsidedowncupcake that was decent about a 7/7.5 edible.   The custards and creme brulee were not well set to downright runny. If your not going to include a spoon in the silverware set don't give me runny custard!

 

Iced tea is something from a fountain, it is tasteless I've given up on it and now go outside to get cups of ice and make double strength hot tea to pour over it.

 

Also first time in the MDR where they had things on the menu for an UPCHARGE. Never experienced that anywhere else.

 

A cruise shouldn't be this difficult. Foods should be labeled, and Iced Tea quality should be like flavorless mud colored water. 

 

So far MDR get 6.5/10  Windjammer well you won't starve to death but you won't enjoy eating any of it so 3.75/10.  

 

I don't think I be back on this line ever.  I don't care how good the service is if the food is basically bad Jr. High cafeteria food.  If there is a dramatic uptick in food quality worth noting I'll up date this. 

[Biker19]

17 minutes ago, redhotfill said:

 

I don't think I be back on this line ever. 

Enjoy the food on HAL. 

[Illbcruzn4life]

42 minutes ago, redhotfill said:

First time on RCC.  I have done most of my cruising on HAL and a one off on Carnival because of friends.  

I am not at all impressed with RCC.  2nd day on Grandeur of the Seas. Nothing Grand, nothing Royal.  Food is slop. I've had Sysco food better.  MDR food so far has been about a 6.5 of 10.  Windjammer buffet OMFG!  Hit and miss with what is gluten labeled free.  I had seen photos of previous cruises with a hot station of what was labeled gluten free. Nothing like that anymore on this cruise.  First day's lunch and dinner things were labeled GF.  This morning different chef, and nothing labeled had to waste time with chef and ask what was safe to eat. His excuse was other passenger could use wrong tongs and contaminate the GF food.  OK why not put it all at it's own station?  Seriously even hard boiled eggs in the shell were not labeled which made me think are they recycling water from boiling pasta to boil eggs?  It doesn't make any sense. 

 

Aside from the labeling of GF stuff at the Windjammer the food was super low quality ( Mexican Butter was pretty good)  The burgers were the lowest of the low grade beef, Sysco would even blush about how bad it was.  To add insult to injury they were all cooked well done or more, could have doubled as a hockey puck. Only the center of the patty on some wer soft enough to eat and thats when I figured out how bad a quality of beef it is.  I am from Montana, I eat local beef. I know what good beef is supposed to be like. The chicked too was all overcooked to the point of being dried out, and hard. Bright spot was the "sticky ribs" those were edible and not too bad.  Fries were soggy, potato wedges bland and not quite cooked right. MDR had the prime rib, mash taters, w veg.  Veg was barely cooked, and it harder than aldente. 

 

Prime rib was ok not great buy ok, but I'd say 3/8th of an inch at best I've had prime rib specials at nealy every casino in Vegas/Reno/Lake Tahoe for the last 40 years and never got anything even close to that thin! I've heard the joke about reading the newspaper through one but this was absurd. 

 

I don't know if the Head Chef is involved in the purchase of the produce, but the fruit has been pretty poor.  Featured fruit was Cuco-melon, looke like a water melon tastes like a cucumber. Some of the greenest pineapples I've ever seen on a cruise, most with little to no flavor. Cantelopes were slightly better in that they didn't taste like cucumber but were hard as baseballs, would not pair well with even kroger prosciutto.  Strawberries and blackberries were satisfactory. Salads were ok, nothing exceptional the salad I got delivered to the hotel the night before the cruise from Dominos was slightly better than ships fare. 

 

Deserts, well they had a GFpineapple  upsidedowncupcake that was decent about a 7/7.5 edible.   The custards and creme brulee were not well set to downright runny. If your not going to include a spoon in the silverware set don't give me runny custard!

 

Iced tea is something from a fountain, it is tasteless I've given up on it and now go outside to get cups of ice and make double strength hot tea to pour over it.

 

Also first time in the MDR where they had things on the menu for an UPCHARGE. Never experienced that anywhere else.

 

A cruise shouldn't be this difficult. Foods should be labeled, and Iced Tea quality should be like flavorless mud colored water. 

 

So far MDR get 6.5/10  Windjammer well you won't starve to death but you won't enjoy eating any of it so 3.75/10.  

 

I don't think I be back on this line ever.  I don't care how good the service is if the food is basically bad Jr. High cafeteria food.  If there is a dramatic uptick in food quality worth noting I'll up date this. 

Didn’t you find the deserts awfully sandy tasting?

[smokeybandit]

Another poor thing who starved on a cruise because it wasn't Michelin 3 star.

[ONECRUISER]

5 hours ago, redhotfill said:

First time on RCC.  I have done most of my cruising on HAL and a one off on Carnival because of friends.  

Also first time in the MDR where they had things on the menu for an UPCHARGE. Never experienced that anywhere else.

 

 

Carnival has up charges on Main Dining, looking at Menu as I type this. $23 for Surf & Turf, Filet Mignon, New York Strip Loin or Grilled Lamb Chops. Sushi $26. Want third Entree or more(of free choices) $5 each one. Holland America, same. Breakfast: Lobster Benedict $12.50, Prime Rib and Eggs $15.00 and on and on...

[redhotfill]

Food in MDR has improved today Captains Dinner maybe IDK if that was reason, veg was better done, beef tenerloin was pretty good, dinner was about an 8/8.5 tonight.  Windjammer was better too with lamb dish, and salads 7ish today. 

 

The upcharge in the MDR on HAL must be since last time I was on pre covid. Perhaps after they changed their wine policy.  I'm probably going to avoid HAL because of their Karen attitudes re covid which I knew as a former NBC officer in the army that some stupid face mask was not going to be effective against a virus. Cruise lines lost lots of money but still pused the narrative rather than pushing back.  Might just give up on cruising all together.  Have not been that excited about it in a long time. 

 

Thanks to Blackrock, Statestreet, and Vangard putting their drones on boards of directors lots of stuff no longer matters.  Different names of companies but still same core ownership, no real competition.  They all follow the narrative they are given. Just like that Demolition Man movie ..."All restaurants now are Taco Bell."   

 

 

[ONECRUISER]

6 hours ago, redhotfill said:

Food in MDR has improved today Captains Dinner maybe IDK if that was reason, veg was better done, beef tenerloin was pretty good, dinner was about an 8/8.5 tonight.  Windjammer was better too with lamb dish, and salads 7ish today. 

 

The upcharge in the MDR on HAL must be since last time I was on pre covid. Perhaps after they changed their wine policy.  I'm probably going to avoid HAL because of their Karen attitudes re covid which I knew as a former NBC officer in the army that some stupid face mask was not going to be effective against a virus. Cruise lines lost lots of money but still pused the narrative rather than pushing back.  Might just give up on cruising all together.  Have not been that excited about it in a long time. 

 

Thanks to Blackrock, Statestreet, and Vangard putting their drones on boards of directors lots of stuff no longer matters.  Different names of companies but still same core ownership, no real competition.  They all follow the narrative they are given. Just like that Demolition Man movie ..."All restaurants now are Taco Bell."   

 

 

Add ons, extra Charges in Travel started before Covid now its everywhere. I dont pay for anything, Drinks, Meals, ect, Excursions only if my Daughter or Grand Daughter are with me and what I save can w/o extras can Cruise/Fly more often. Exception is 95% time if I'm not in Bus/First Class always pay the $30-40 Dollars to have Exit Row Window seats, like extra space and more likely nobody next to me in middle seat

Edited September 16 by ONECRUISER

[LobsterStalker]

23 hours ago, redhotfill said:

First time on RCC.  I have done most of my cruising on HAL and a one off on Carnival because of friends.  

I am not at all impressed with RCC.  2nd day on Grandeur of the Seas. Nothing Grand, nothing Royal.  Food is slop. I've had Sysco food better.  MDR food so far has been about a 6.5 of 10.  Windjammer buffet OMFG!  Hit and miss with what is gluten labeled free.  I had seen photos of previous cruises with a hot station of what was labeled gluten free. Nothing like that anymore on this cruise.  First day's lunch and dinner things were labeled GF.  This morning different chef, and nothing labeled had to waste time with chef and ask what was safe to eat. His excuse was other passenger could use wrong tongs and contaminate the GF food.  OK why not put it all at it's own station?  Seriously even hard boiled eggs in the shell were not labeled which made me think are they recycling water from boiling pasta to boil eggs?  It doesn't make any sense. 

 

Aside from the labeling of GF stuff at the Windjammer the food was super low quality ( Mexican Butter was pretty good)  The burgers were the lowest of the low grade beef, Sysco would even blush about how bad it was.  To add insult to injury they were all cooked well done or more, could have doubled as a hockey puck. Only the center of the patty on some wer soft enough to eat and thats when I figured out how bad a quality of beef it is.  I am from Montana, I eat local beef. I know what good beef is supposed to be like. The chicked too was all overcooked to the point of being dried out, and hard. Bright spot was the "sticky ribs" those were edible and not too bad.  Fries were soggy, potato wedges bland and not quite cooked right. MDR had the prime rib, mash taters, w veg.  Veg was barely cooked, and it harder than aldente. 

 

Prime rib was ok not great buy ok, but I'd say 3/8th of an inch at best I've had prime rib specials at nealy every casino in Vegas/Reno/Lake Tahoe for the last 40 years and never got anything even close to that thin! I've heard the joke about reading the newspaper through one but this was absurd. 

 

I don't know if the Head Chef is involved in the purchase of the produce, but the fruit has been pretty poor.  Featured fruit was Cuco-melon, looke like a water melon tastes like a cucumber. Some of the greenest pineapples I've ever seen on a cruise, most with little to no flavor. Cantelopes were slightly better in that they didn't taste like cucumber but were hard as baseballs, would not pair well with even kroger prosciutto.  Strawberries and blackberries were satisfactory. Salads were ok, nothing exceptional the salad I got delivered to the hotel the night before the cruise from Dominos was slightly better than ships fare. 

 

Deserts, well they had a GFpineapple  upsidedowncupcake that was decent about a 7/7.5 edible.   The custards and creme brulee were not well set to downright runny. If your not going to include a spoon in the silverware set don't give me runny custard!

 

Iced tea is something from a fountain, it is tasteless I've given up on it and now go outside to get cups of ice and make double strength hot tea to pour over it.

 

Also first time in the MDR where they had things on the menu for an UPCHARGE. Never experienced that anywhere else.

 

A cruise shouldn't be this difficult. Foods should be labeled, and Iced Tea quality should be like flavorless mud colored water. 

 

So far MDR get 6.5/10  Windjammer well you won't starve to death but you won't enjoy eating any of it so 3.75/10.  

 

I don't think I be back on this line ever.  I don't care how good the service is if the food is basically bad Jr. High cafeteria food.  If there is a dramatic uptick in food quality worth noting I'll up date this. 

....Why don't you tell us how you really feel !

LMAO

 

Cheers