Exactly how "bad" is the food?

[CanadianTwosome]

Re food on cruises - I used the following line after a Princess cruise in 2005 and I think it still applies to the food on the NCL Sun last week (1/16/08). I'm talking about the main dining room(s).

 

If it were a restaurant in your home town, you would probably only go back for repeat visits if it were located very close to your home and was easy to get to...e.g convenience.... The reason I say this is because in my experience the fair/mediocre meals outnumber the good/great meals about 60/40. I have never had a really bad meal, just not enough really good ones....

 

However, if you are going on a cruise for the food, you are going for the wrong reason.

 

You will have a good time regardless.

 

One man's opinion.

 

I would definitely eat at the NCL restaurants if they were in my city. I would LOVE to have a Ginza here - especially at the price!! Considering what we 'paid' for all of our meals, I would be delighted to have an Aqua here as well. (and that doesn't mean I think they were only worth that much, just that what we paid per person per day for our entire cruise would have gotten us a LOT less food of that caliber in 'regular' restaurants) Thankfully we have our own Teppanyaki restaurant already - but I think I'm going to tell them about Ginza's banana spring rolls!! :p

[celem]

This practice isn't limited to 3rd world countries like Haiti. Eating dirt is practiced by some poor, rural Georgians. I've even seen the white dirt (Kaolin) for sale at some grocery stores here in North Carolina. As a native Georgian, I've heard about it all of my life although I've never know anyone who actually ate the stuff. Personally, I like a nice fillet mignon and a glass of Cabernet.

 

See: http://*****.com/3y73bz

 

Just wanted to say that I read an article the other day about the people in Haiti actually eating dirt. They make 'dirt cookies'. Makes me look at food in a whole new light.

[GROOVERS]

This practice isn't limited to 3rd world countries like Haiti. Eating dirt is practiced by some poor, rural Georgians. I've even seen the white dirt (Kaolin) for sale at some grocery stores here in North Carolina. As a native Georgian, I've heard about it all of my life although I've never know anyone who actually ate the stuff. Personally, I like a nice fillet mignon and a glass of Cabernet.

 

See: http://*****.com/3y73bz

 

You got to remember all kind of things are seen in georgia, it is kind of backwards...

By the way on the quality of the food on NCL, it really is bad, I gained 14 pounds on Pride of Aloha during our trip to Hawaii :mad: , just makes me so mad, I'm thinking about writing a letter:)

[newmexicoNita]

I disagree with this statement. It depends on which cruise line you choose. Certainly, if you sail on Crystal, Silversea, Seabourn or Regent you will expect gourment food. In my opinion, Celebrity is heads and shoulders above all the other mass market cruise lines when it comes to food.

 

Note that Holland America advertises 5 star gourment cuisine.

 

Eating is the major activity for many cruisers. Problem is that most of them are gourmands not gourmets and the cruise line provides food accordingly - quanitity not quality.

We found the food on HAL to be much better (again, our opinion) than on Celebrity, but I go along with; if you are cruising for the food, you may not be thrilled regardless of the line. I am referring to mass marketed lines, not luxury ones. HAL can advertise 5 star but what criteria are they using. 5 Star food is a rarity. Many of us have only really had it a few times.

 

Nita

[Giorgi-one]

We found the food on HAL to be much better (again, our opinion) than on Celebrity, but I go along with; if you are cruising for the food, you may not be thrilled regardless of the line. I am referring to mass marketed lines, not luxury ones. HAL can advertise 5 star but what criteria are they using. 5 Star food is a rarity. Many of us have only really had it a few times.

 

Nita

 

First, understand that I am not saying that cruise lines serve bad food. I was just disagreeing with the statement that if you are cruising for food you will be disppointed. I believe that food is an important part of any vacation for most people. If I did not get good food on a cruise, I would not cruise on that ship or line again. I experienced really bad food on RCCL Freedom of the seas last year and have no intention of cruising on RCCL again. You are certainly correct that most of us do not have 5* food very often but I expect the food on a cruise to be better than what I eat every night, and it usually is. We had some great meals on our recent NCL cruise, both in the specialty restaurants and main dining room. The buffet was the worst I have ever experienced, but we rarely eat at buffets.

 

Most cruise lines advertise gourment meals or 5* meals or something along those lines. Are we supposed to understand that they are lying and these ads are just to suck in the new cruisers who do not know any better? Or, should we hold them to their word!

[Giorgi-one]

One additional point I forgot to make. When you really come down to it, food and entertainment are the only two variables which really separate most cruise lines. All the new ships are beautiful, service is usually good on all ships, they all go to the same places, they all offer the same overpriced excursions, they all have a captain who speaks with a deep accent, they all have Casinos which take most of your money, etc. Sure some have slightly larger cabins but they are all smaller than my walk-in closet at home unless you book a suite. So basically, it comes down to food and entertainment.

[Toyz711]

i know that when DH was a manager/matre'd of a upscaled restaurant in phoenx (30 years ago), he had to wait for the professional reviews to rate the restaurant. in his case, during his watch, this restaurant become a 5 star. (actually it was as 5 diamond, since the reviewer used diamonds, not stars)

my point is, i have never heard of a formal way of rating dining on cruiseship. i gather they just advertise whatevery food rating they want?

i realize that they use the main chefs last rating...but does it really apply to that ship at that time. does it really matter?

i doubt any ship is going to advertise a 3 star dining...?

i just like trying new foods...if it on the open seas going to great adventures at new ports, so be it. on the cruise in 2006, i tried lobster bisque for the first time, love it!! now i know i like riscotto, order it whenever i can. found out i like creme brulee on a cruise...it's all an adventure to me.

[pla]

I think the food on cruise lines is good. Sometimes you have to pick through what you want, and several times I have been given something that I don't care for. Because of the nature of the cruise, thank goodness you can ask for something else!

 

I love the Carnival food because they offer so much seafood. My recent trip on Spirit didn't give as much selection. Did I starve? NO WAY. I found things, and tried new things, one thing I absolutely loved! And had my "favorites" been up against it on the menu, I would never had tried it.

 

I have been on 11 cruises, and 10 of them Carnival. Carnival has recently upgraded their food program, and now NCL is going to as well. I do find that each ship is different, and each ship changes frequently. The staff changes, and so the people making the food change....

 

If you are concerned that the food might not be that great, go upscale and book on one of the premier cruise lines. you do get what you pay for, and they will have "better" food. Although is it worth the added expense? The food on the mainstream lines is fine, the quality is good, and the taste is great.

 

Don't be scared to book a cruise with any cruise line. Next time someone complains about the food, ask them how many pounds they gained on that cruise! :D

[tiggerfan616]

Let me just say we My Dh and I have just returned from the Jewel and the food in the main restaurants was the best, better then the specialty restaurants. Now don't get me wrong the specality restaurants were good but the meal we had in Tzars the last night was the best meal and the best service we had the entire trip.