Why do so many people dislike RCCL's food?

[Boo Boo]

I don't know if this is relates to food quality or this topic but in my previous post I stated we do not eat in theWindjammer. We did find the variety of food in the Windjammer offered us more variety but last year on a Transatlantic I noted passengers tasting food and double dipping. I told one of the passengers not to do that and reported the incident to the manager but he did not remove the dish. I also reported the incident on my survey and to the front desk. From then on we ate only in the main dining room.

I do think food service handlers need to be highly alert to this kind of behavior, and I was not happy that the contaminated food was not removed.

{ Scrambled eggs}

 

To be completely honest, I think this is a HUGE risk at ANY buffet or place where "un-packaged" food is sold.

 

I have seen it at other buffets: how many times have I seen parents allowing kids to pick items out of salad bars with their fingers?

 

Do you have bakery counters in the US where they sell loose rolls/loaves? I have seen a number of people, here in the UK, reach in with their bear hands, pick up a roll, feel it and then throw it back (tongs are always provided). Once I made a "eeeeewwww!" noise when a woman did it next to me. She just said "I know, these rolls feel hard and stale to me" (she had no idea what I was talking about).

 

I still eat at buffets & salad bars and still buy loose rolls/bread. The only away to avoid "sticky fingers" or "double dipping" is to avoid buffets and un-packaged food completely...

 

Boo

[Giorgi-one]

I don't think that is what the poster meant... at least I am happy with the food and I am certainly not a "quantity over quality" kind of girl...

 

 

 

Oh, I think this varies quite a lot: land restaurants vary quite a lot and can vary from owner-to-owner and chef-to-chef...

 

Also, more importantly, I bet that prices at GOOD land restaurants have gone up SIGNIFICANTLY over the past 20 years. I know that, in the UK, I would expect to pay (excluding drinks) about £40pp for a good meal, £55+ for a very good meal and easily £80/£100+ for an excellent meal. These prices are SIGNIFICANTLY higher than 20 years ago...

 

Yes, cruise prices have probably gone up in 20 years, but the proportion of that fare allocated to food has probably gone done and certainly the costs of the raw ingredients has gone up... so it is perhaps not surprising that there is a gap between great land restaurants and cruiseline dining rooms. It would be great to see some historical figures of fares, food budget and food costs...

 

Boo

 

Good comments. Prices in UK are totally out of sight just like everything else in Europe. We did a Med cruise in May and have no idea how people in Europe can afford to live - unless you all make about $250,000 per year minimum. We dined at local Italian restaurant in New Jersey last night - nothing fancy. Fantastic food - no drinks or deserts. We took about half of the food home. Bill for four people including tip was $90 total. I have never had Italian food on any cruise line which would compare to what we had at this little restaurant in a local shopping center.

 

I do not expect 5 star food on a cruise line - just good quality food. And there is absolutely no doubt that food quality has gone downhill on all mass market cruise lines over the last 10 years. Someone has indicated that cruise lines spend $5 per day per passenger on food. I would be perfect willing to spend an additional $5 per day if it would increase the food quality. Contraty to what some specific others have said on this board, I do not let this ruin my cruise experience. If we do not see something on the dinner menu we like, we usually dine at one of the alternative restaurants.

[lbibeachman86]

I don't think the food is horrible but our first 2 cruises were on Carnival and their food is way better than RCCL. That being said, we have since sailed on 3 RCCL and are booked on another one Nov 1 and I still prefer RCCL over Carnival even though the food isn't as good. Oh and RCCL's food is still better than NCL...the food on the Dawn was awful :eek: I guess if you have nothing to compare it to it would seem better? That being said, may family has NEVER gone hungry on any ship :D

 

 

I thought that the food on the NCL Jewel was really good, not as good as DCL thought.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I don't know if this is relates to food quality or this topic but in my previous post I stated we do not eat in theWindjammer. We did find the variety of food in the Windjammer offered us more variety but last year on a Transatlantic I noted passengers tasting food and double dipping. I told one of the passengers not to do that and reported the incident to the manager but he did not remove the dish. I also reported the incident on my survey and to the front desk. From then on we ate only in the main dining room.

I do think food service handlers need to be highly alert to this kind of behavior, and I was not happy that the contaminated food was not removed.

{ Scrambled eggs}

 

Hahhaa!! No, not laughing at the poster but I posted something similar (this thread or some other) just minutes ago!

 

Thats the problem with buffets......MANNERS!!! RESPECT!!!

Some folks just dont know better! Arrgghhhh!

 

::::ducking::: :D

 

(cc needs a thread JUST on THIS topic so people GET IT!)

 

I should add that DH and I have seen the same behavior on board Explorer. DH immediately reported it AND the dish was REMOVED and replaced.

[broberts]

The food in the dining room is not bad. However, it is unimaginative and quality is sometimes questionable. Specifics regarding dining room food issues: Radiance, Jan 2008:

1. Could not order a steak rarer than medium rare, which never came rarer than a thin band of pink in the center.
   
2. Prime rib was the most disgusting piece of meat I have ever seen. (Well I exaggerate a bit, I've dined all over the world and seen some pretty gruesome dishes. But rarely is the chef indifferent enough to serve such cuts unadorned and undisguised.) I didn't order it, but I observed several plates of it at both seatings and they were consistently awful. While the portions were large, every serving I saw had far more fat than is usual on this admittedly fatty cut. I have never before observed a prime rib that was quite literally falling apart. I was told, by several that tried it, that the flavor was bland.
   
3. Deep fried potato puffs as the starch on several plates. Now, I like deep fried potato puffs occasionally, but not in this context.
   
4. Vegetable portions that were more garnish than serving.
   
5. Many, if not most, desserts seemed to be of the pre-packaged/frozen variety.
   
6. There seemed to be a disproportionate number of stew type offerings - this is merely my perception though, I didn't do any real analysis.
   
7. Far too many dishes included breaded and/or deep-fried items. The potato puffs mentioned above, deep fried protein, etc.

Beyond the food, I and others in my group noted that the dining room staff did not always contribute a great deal to enhancing the dining experience. This of course tends to lower one's perception of food quality and taste. (I don't fault the staff, by and large they were competent and attentive. I do fault management. As you will see below most of the issues can be traced to management.) Specifics:

1. Being repeatedly informed at the first meal that those who were not in their seats at the start of service would not be served. What was particularly insulting to some in our group was the fact that the doors to the dining room often opened 3-5 minutes late.
   
2. Always recommending the chef's special. Always! And, having difficulty suggesting alternatives - i.e. they hadn't tasted the food.
   
3. Diners being turned down when they asked for a second portion!

It's my guess, and it is only a guess, that RCI has cut both ingredient and staff budgets significantly. But, as I noted above, some of these issues can be attributed to poor management, both front and back of house.

[remmy810]

We sailed the Explorer of the Seas 4 years ago and I thought the food was really good. I was excited about dinner every night. We just sailed the Mariner of the Seas and I wasn't so excited about the food. The food was good, but there just wasn't a WOW factor. I also think they must use alot of salt in their food. My feet and fingers were so swollen and I am thinking it was from the salt in the food as well as the salt in the water. I am home now and do not have that problem anymore.

[Boo Boo]

I thought that the food on the NCL Jewel was really good, not as good as DCL thought.

 

Funny how subjective things are, isn't it... :)

 

I thought that DCLs food was the worst of the cruiselines that I have been on... (with the exception of Palo - great restaurant and brunch). I was particularly unimpressed with the desserts (over-sweet, artificial and too gimmicky) and the buffet restaurant (one long counter - difficult to go back and get things that you missed...).

 

Boo

[Boo Boo]

[*]Vegetable portions that were more garnish than serving.

[*]Many, if not most, desserts seemed to be of the pre-packaged/frozen variety.

 

I agree about the vegetables, but it is worth noting that you can request "extra vegetables" if you want... never realised this until me (fussy) mother-in-law started requesting it on our last cruise: they brought them for her, so I assume that it wouldn;t be a problem in fututre :)

 

I think that all desserts are made that day, by the kitchen. I don't believe that any are frozen.

 

Beyond the food, I and others in my group noted that the dining room staff did not always contribute a great deal to enhancing the dining experience. This of course tends to lower one's perception of food quality and taste. (I don't fault the staff, by and large they were competent and attentive. I do fault management. As you will see below most of the issues can be traced to management.) Specifics:

1. Being repeatedly informed at the first meal that those who were not in their seats at the start of service would not be served. What was particularly insulting to some in our group was the fact that the doors to the dining room often opened 3-5 minutes late.
   
2. Always recommending the chef's special. Always! And, having difficulty suggesting alternatives - i.e. they hadn't tasted the food.
   
3. Diners being turned down when they asked for a second portion!

It's my guess, and it is only a guess, that RCI has cut both ingredient and staff budgets significantly. But, as I noted above, some of these issues can be attributed to poor management, both front and back of house.

 

None of that sounds good at all! :(

 

Boo

[SimplyAddicted]

I loved the food on the Serenade in Dec. 06! It is certainly much better than anything I could ever cook! I even bought their cookbook to try...comes no where close to the food on the ship.

 

I'm happy when I don't have to cook...and so is my husband! :D

[Havana Daydreamin]

I loved the food .....I'm happy when I don't have to cook...and so is my husband! :D

 

OUCH....but I know whatcha' mean!;)

[Sugar*Magnolia]

My feet swelled terribly on our Explorer Dec 07 cruise, I had to keep them elevated and drank insane amounts of water to get rid of the water........the food is (was) very salted. Accompanied by drinking A LOT more alcohol than usual......= SWOLLEN FEET!! Double trouble! lol

Last month I had to take water pills with me to make sure my feet didnt swell again, and again the food was salty. Im not one for lots of salty foods. We also found the hot soups over-salted (our wait staff agreed).

Food will always be subjective, but you can always find something good to eat.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

My feet swelled terribly on our Explorer Dec 07 cruise, I had to keep them elevated and drank insane amounts of water to get rid of the water........the food is (was) very salted. Accompanied by drinking A LOT more alcohol than usual......= SWOLLEN FEET!! Double trouble! lol

 

Last month I had to take water pills with me to make sure my feet didnt swell again, and again the food was salty. Im not one for lots of salty foods. We also found the hot soups over-salted (our wait staff agreed).

 

Food will always be subjective, but you can always find something good to eat.

 

 

The same thing happens to me every cruise! I need to get some water pills before we leave!!

 

***

[glgolfer]

I finally believe this. I think the chef on board makes all the difference in the world and I never used to believe this. Our Grandeur cruise was the worst cruise food we ever had.......but the Radiance 15 day Panama cruise was the BEST food for all 15 days we ever had. In 17 cruises we have only had one bad food experience.

 

I'm convinced on board chef makes a big difference.

 

Agree completely. Most of the bad revues have involved the Grandeur for quite a while. A friend of mine almost quit cruising with RCI because of a bad experience on the Grandeur. We have cruised on 15 RCI ships, but never on the Grandeur. The food on the 15 has always been acceptable except for the ranch steak period. There's been variations in preparation and presentation among all the ships, but all have been within acceptable boundaries.

We've been on HAL, NCL, Crystal, QM2, Celebrity and Hurtigruten.

The best food was on Crystal and the QM2 (only because we were in a Princess Grill cabin). HAL and Celebrity were about the same as RCI. NCL doesn't count as we were on the SS Norway. Hurtigruten are small ships in Norway with their own unique menu.

[tanyanubin]

I have only been on 2 cruises so far--both Royal Caribbean. The first in January of 2007 was on the Splendour. The food was pretty good. The second was January of 2008 on the Enchantment. The food wasn't very good. Meat was of a poor quality. The food seemed cheaper. Next year I am trying Carnival, but not entirely because of the food issue. They are going to a port I want at a time I want to go. But I'm hoping the food will be better than it was on the Enchantment.

[lbibeachman86]

Funny how subjective things are, isn't it... :)

 

I thought that DCLs food was the worst of the cruiselines that I have been on... (with the exception of Palo - great restaurant and brunch). I was particularly unimpressed with the desserts (over-sweet, artificial and too gimmicky) and the buffet restaurant (one long counter - difficult to go back and get things that you missed...).

 

Boo

 

Yes, those are good points, and i do remember getting foood the first few days of the cruise and loving it and then as the week progressed the quality of the food got lower and lower and lower.

[alonzo14]

The same thing happens to me every cruise! I need to get some water pills before we leave!!

 

***

 

Yes! My feet always swell too. The farther south we go the more they swell. I am going to nring wider shoes next time as well as water pills!

[msdaniel22]

I ate at the Windjammer everynight, and it was great!!!!

[cruiserbryce]

with the amount of food that is served everyday I am always amazed at the food quality in WJ

[cruiserguy99]

I've never had a problem with the food on RCCL, Princess, etc. The food is pretty much the same. :D

[katiel53]

Geez, I can't believe it but once again I have to agree with CB at sea. Years ago the presentation of the food, the table settings with silver, china and crystal made for an elegant dinner.

 

These days cruising is cheaper per person than it was in the early 80's when I first started cruising. An inside room then cost what a D1 balcony would cost today.

 

I personally haven't had complaints about the food on RCI. Is it as good as it used to be? Perhaps not, but the favorites I have had for years are still there. I love the Vidalia onion tart, the rare prime rib, the mushroom pastry appetizer, the chilled soups.

 

My opinion will probably set some people off, but I think a lot of "dumbing down" of dinners is because of the passengers. Why would a cruiseline provide china, silver, crystal etc. to passengers who feel a pair of holey jeans with a tee-shirt advertising the latest beers or strip club is THE perfect dining outfit?

 

Until the prices are raised high enough to provide the amenities of years past, I believe we will continue to have the same type food. Many of the passengers today would never have been able to have afforded cruising before, and the cruiselines are catering to those cruisers by doing away with all the choices of food etc.

 

Before everyone gets on my case, I am NOT saying the cruiselines are wrong. I do believe in you get what you pay for. I know I sound like I am complaining, but I am not. I love cruising on RCI and I personally don't have a problem with the food. I guess in the number of cruises I have done on RCI has taught me which foods to order and which to avoid.

 

I'm sure I will be flamed for my description about the holey jeans etc. but look at all the threads about wearing jeans etc. and how no one at RCI says anything. That is my point. I believe until the passengers act as though they are in a fine dining room, the food will remain as is. I also know not everyone dresses as I described and I know that until prices are raised the food will remain as it is. I do believe that RCI isn't yet willing to take that chance, especially with the newbuilds.

 

 

This is ALL MO.

 

 

 

I

[green eyed lady]

Someone posted that there was no kids menu on AOS. We just got off a couple of weeks ago, and the waiter brought kids menus to my 19 y/o DS and our table mate's 18 y/o DD every night. The chicken fingers looked yummy...lol :D I do believe you have to ask for the kids menu if it's not really obvious that you would want it (like having a 5 y/o or something)

[Dragster13]

I have to laugh at some of the posts. I have yet to see anybody leave a cruise in starving conditions.

 

Is the food 5 star no!But it is good. The cruise we did last December on the SoS the food was good and you could eat till you drop if you wanted. I read earlier in one of the posts where a passenger was complaining about the size of the Lobster he got served. He ate seven of them so they could not have been that bad.

 

The one thing that I noticed on our cruise was the rudness of some people both in the Windjammer and at the main dinning room. In the Windjammer people would butt in line reach over you to get something and generally behave badly to fellow passengers and the staff.

 

In the main dining area I got to see passengers belittle and talk badly to staff.

 

As the saying goes treat other people the way you would like to be treated and you will be amazed how easy things go.

 

If the food is so bad why do you even bother to cruise at all.

[Havana Daydreamin]

.....

My opinion will probably set some people off, but I think a lot of "dumbing down" of dinners is because of the passengers. Why would a cruiseline provide china, silver, crystal etc. to passengers who feel a pair of holey jeans with a tee-shirt advertising the latest beers or strip club is THE perfect dining outfit?

 

Until the prices are raised high enough to provide the amenities of years past, I believe we will continue to have the same type food. Many of the passengers today would never have been able to have afforded cruising before, and the cruiselines are catering to those cruisers by doing away with all the choices of food etc.

 

Before everyone gets on my case, I am NOT saying the cruiselines are wrong. I do believe in you get what you pay for. I know I sound like I am complaining, but I am not. I love cruising on RCI and I personally don't have a problem with the food. I guess in the number of cruises I have done on RCI has taught me which foods to order and which to avoid.

 

I'm sure I will be flamed for my description about the holey jeans etc. but look at all the threads about wearing jeans etc. and how no one at RCI says anything. That is my point. I believe until the passengers act as though they are in a fine dining room, the food will remain as is. I also know not everyone dresses as I described and I know that until prices are raised the food will remain as it is. I do believe that RCI isn't yet willing to take that chance, especially with the newbuilds.

 

 

This is ALL MO.

I

 

I still remember WAY BACK WHEN my parents took me to my FIRST dining experience in a small town restaurant. I ate as if walking on eggshells because of the schooling I had previously AND the speech I got before I dined.

 

I still remember eating a chicken fried steak....my first....and thought how wonderful it was. WAS IT???? Probably not....but the EXPERIENCE I will always cherish!

 

It has taken me a long way. To this day, I don't complain...although I might explain what was not right....but I HAVE NEVER gotten a different meal as that is too wasteful and I have never had a meal that was indedible.

 

I guess I heard way too many "starving children" in ....well....you name it today....but in my day it was Africa and China.

 

I guess I can be happy in times of want and in times of plenty AND a cruise is definitely a time of PLENTY!

 

Best regards to all!

[silentbob007]

If people hate the food so much on RCI {which is a big & important part of cruising} then tell me why continue to cruise with RCI? :confused: Go sail with another cruise line. You have dozens to pick from. Why do you RCI haters continue to punish yourselves? No one is holding a gun to your head and telling you to sail with them. I don't get it. There is constant bashing of RCI food and yet they still book RCI. I think so many people are never happy unless they complain and find fault with every little thing. I say if you don't like the food travel with someone else. Or at least tell them when you fill out the customer survey card.

 

I haven't seen too many threads here with people who "hated" the food ... being critical doesn't make someone a hater. I may have some negative things to say about RCCL's food, but the more I cruise, the less food matters. What I don't understand are people who take criticism of "their" cruiseline personally.

[TMarie]

This whole conversation reminds me of my mom...

 

She often complains that it's difficult to plan a meal for four people with very different tastes. Can you imagine feeding 3000+ people and finding a hand full of dishes that satisfy EVERYONE?

 

My father is a meat and potato type guy- he has little interest in anything other than red meat- he loved the food in the main dining room. They catered to him and were very attentive. He ordered as much as he wanted and never left the table hungry.

 

My brother is a very picky eater. No veggies, no fruit, no salad, no rice, no sauces. He also enjoyed eating in the dining room. The wait staff knew he didn't really like any of the appetizers, so they always made sure to bring him out french fries and chicken fingers from the childrens menu as an appetizer. They always found mashed potatos, a baked potato or mac & cheese for him if the sides were veggies. If he couldn't find anything he liked on the menu, he ordered a steak.

 

My mom and I are similar eaters- we eat little red meat, lots of veggies, soups and salads. Our biggest problem with the dining room was an abundance of options. Usually I am full before my main course comes. Of course I always seem to find room for the dessert :rolleyes: even though there isn't much chocolate offered in the main dining room.

 

All in all, I would say the food is good, but its about what you would expect from a company serving 3000+ people three squares a day plus snacks and extras. If you want to make it extra special, arrange to have dinner at portifino or chops. I LOVED the dinner my BF and I had in Portifino on our last cruise. It was absolutely delicious. Now, when we go out to dinner for a special occasion I ask him if its "Portifino good". I absolutely adore their flourless chocolate cake!