Which large cruiseline has the best food?

[foxfirejg]

Hi all. I'm new to this forum, but I am interested in having a cruise wedding, and thought this was the best place for the question. There are several foodies on my guest list, and I'd really like to find a major cruise line that has fairly good food. I'm not looking for hugely gourmet, but something fairly good would be ideal. To keep costs reasonable, I'm looking at some of the major lines, like Celebrity, NCL, and Carnival, but I don't know if any of them are good for food.

 

Thanks for your advice!

[Carlyzmom]

We have always been happy with the food on Carnival. We did cruise RCCL once and didn't like it as much. It's all what you make of it and it HUGELY an "opinion" thing. I have heard a lot of people gripe and whine about Carnival food, but I have always thought it was good - considering they make 3000 dinners every night per ship!!!

[kelmac]

I would put them in this order with the best on top: (Only lines I have cruised)

 

#1 -- Celebrity

#2 -- Holland America

#3 -- Princess

#4 & tie Royal Caribbean and NCL

 

Check out this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=581852

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[drsmith]

I like the taste of the food better on Carnival. But I like the service and the presentation better on Royal Caribbean.

[foxfirejg]

Your responses and that link will definitely be of help in deciding for me. I was just afraid that none of the large cruise lines would be even slightly foodie friendly, but this makes things much more affordable! Thanks again!

[getaway101]

I agree with kelmac

 

#1 -- Celebrity

#2 -- Holland America

#3 -- Princess

#4 -- Royal Caribbean

 

They each have there good points. Celebrity has the best soups and appetizers. HAL has the best salads & desserts & Princess has Fettuchini on the left side of their menu that you can get it any time and it is to die for! The best I've ever had. They even brought it to me as an appetizer if I was ordering a meal for dinner.

As far as RCI I have to say their buffet food is better than their dining room food. You can make your own ceasar salad at the buffet and it's crisp and fresh......unlike the ones they bring you at dinner.

 

Bon Appetite:p

[becca23]

Celebrity much better than Carnival. Service and food. All though Carnival's Supper Club has excellent food and service.

[barbarah33]

I also agree; when you're talking large cruise lines and food Celebrity is the best!

[onceagain]

1. Princess - not because it was the best necessarily but because they had a lot more gourmet choices, it was fun trying new things.

2. Carnival...but really my first choice as far as taste and options.

3. HAL

4. NCL

5. RCCL - nasty!

[clcurry]

The Head of Reference Services at the library where I work at, used to be a travel agent and got to cruise frequently. She argues that Princess has the best food.

 

Since I haven't cruised yet, I can't say for myself. :D

[boatbuzz]

Over the New Year holiday, we cruised on the Norwegian Pearl. The main dining rooms are now serving food that can be served at any time, since the inception of "freestyle" dining. It was awful! The seafood was skimpy and over-sauced, the steaks were thin, tough, juiceless. Our theory is instead of plating fresh food for hundreds at once, the chef now is restricted to food that can be held to serve hundreds at any time. The main dining rooms were mostly empty the entire 10 nights, killing the ambience. A vast, sad, empty dining room. And the ship was fully booked, it was Christmas to New Year's after all. My husband and I were in an upscale suite, so we were allowed to book reservations for 11 people in our group all week via our butler. Another group of 11 we were traveling with wasn't so fortunate. Policy dictates reservations can only be made 2 nights in advance. They had the worst dining times in the additional fee restaurants, when they could get in at all. This was our 15th cruise on various lines, and various size ships. When the buffet has better food, and more patrons than the sit down dining rooms, you know something has gone terribly wrong! We were informed NCL is moving all their ships to "freestyle" dining by 2010. It infuriates us that we have to pay an additional $25-$35 per person for a decent meal at the additional fee restaurants. We won't be cruising NCL again. We are only in our 40's, our daughters are 21 and 18, and we were open to the concept, but terribly disappointed. We were surprised, no, make that shocked, to find we rather like being told dinner will be at 8:30, knowing full well the meal will be a treat.

[kelmac]

Celebrity has just started it's new menus under the direction of "Blau and Associates". Early word -- the food is better than ever!:rolleyes: :)

Yum, can't wait to reboard the Constellation in December and the Solstice in March.

 

Sample menu:

 

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/whyceleb/SingleInclude.do;jsessionid=000082VTTPfrNeJqdP9yReGK7jL:12h3rnd1c?pagename=main_dining_menu

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[Cotton]

Out of the three lines I've sailed on:

 

Carnival - best

Princess - second best

RCCL - so-so

 

(I'm a retired chef from N.O., and a bit picky.);)

[kelmac]

Out of the three lines I've sailed on:

 

Carnival - best

Princess - second best

RCCL - so-so

 

(I'm a retired chef from N.O., and a bit picky.);)

 

Hi Cotton,

 

If you like good food, you should try a Premium line like: Cunard, Celebrity, Holland America, Azamara, or Oceania. You can pick up an Holland America or Celebrity cruise for about the same price as Royal Caribbean or Princess.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[jessemon]

Celebrity to me is the best out of all the lines I've sailed in the regular ship restaurants.

Now if you are on a ship with a specialty restaurant...they are all good and I can't rate one above the other because they are so different from one line to another....

[Ron27]

We love Royal Caribbean and it's our favorite cruise line, but Celebrity is fantastic also and has the best food.

[pmfan]

I love Royal Caribbean, but I would rate their food as average. :)

[young.cruiser]

1- Azamara Cruise Lines

2- Celebrity

[snc421]

Ironically, I am currently watching a special on the Travel Channel called "Best Cruise Ships." They started off by featuring the Best Dining Cruise, which they say is the Norwegian Star.

 

As for myself, I have only been on one cruise, the Carnival Legend. I really enjoyed the food and options on that ship.

[hylasgirl]

I am very eager to try Celebrity... So far I have cruised on Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Disney, and Carnival... and would rate them in this order...

 

1. Holland America

2. Disney

3. Carnival

4. Royal Caribbean

 

I love Royal Caribbean's ships, but their food has gone down hill... badly! Good thing I don't cruise for the food:) I am really excited to see what everyone is talking about with Celebrity though.

[Magic-Man]

Food is love. Having said that, here is our list of the best...

 

#1 Celebrity (and by a comfortable margin, I might add)

#2 Princess very good food and consistent

#3 Carnival (a close third)

#4 who cares

(and NCL is way down at the bottom.)

Fat and happy,

Mr. Kite

[becca23]

Celebrity has just started it's new menus under the direction of "Blau and Associates". Early word -- the food is better than ever!:rolleyes: :)

Sample menu:

 

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/whyceleb/SingleInclude.do;jsessionid=000082VTTPfrNeJqdP9yReGK7jL:12h3rnd1c?pagename=main_dining_menu

 

Enjoy!

Kel

 

Yes..........

[GeminiA]

Celebrity for me as well :)

[ItaliaBella]

I'd go with Celebrity. They really have the best foods. Holland America is second best. As for Carnival - ugh...I don't want to go there.

[kelmac]

1- Azamara Cruise Lines

2- Celebrity

 

young.cruiser,

 

I would agree with you that Azamara is even better than Celebrity (same company), but I left it off the list because I don't consider Azamar in the large ship catagory.:) Having said that, Celebrity's alternative restaurants are better than the two alternative restaurants on Azamara.

We had super cuisine on the Journey!

 

Enjoy!

Kel