Pacific Dawn- is the food really that bad?

[PRIDDO]

We are considering a 28 day cruise on Pacific Dawn next year but I am concerned with some of the postings and the reference to the really bad food.

 

For us the food is a big part of the holiday (closely followed by the gym to work it off again).

 

I would love to hear people's opinion on the food in the main dining room as well as the buffet. How did you find the quality and the variety? (one a previous Princess cruise I was not thrilled with the main dining room but found the buffet to be excellent so we chose to eat there most of the time- it was 24 X7 with a stunning variety and good quality)

 

We have to make our mind up by Friday, so all help will be appreciated.

[mumzie]

HI,

 

I can't comment as I haven't gone yet lol, but just my thoughts on the subject, if someone else is making it, doing the dishes than that can only always be a good thing lol, secondly someone could come along and say ABC was totally gross and wouldn't eat it again than the next poster will say ABC was to die for, food will only go on what you yourself like, so just because one person didn't like it doesn't mean you won't either ;) HTH lucky buggers which I was doing a 28 dayer :D

[oysterfiend]

Tyhe food at the buffet tends to blend altogether in a mush as buffets do,

But the food is okay if in dining room, not 5 star but not 2 star either-

[dogboy53]

We are considering a 28 day cruise on Pacific Dawn next year but I am concerned with some of the postings and the reference to the really bad food.

 

For us the food is a big part of the holiday (closely followed by the gym to work it off again).

 

I would love to hear people's opinion on the food in the main dining room as well as the buffet. How did you find the quality and the variety? (one a previous Princess cruise I was not thrilled with the main dining room but found the buffet to be excellent so we chose to eat there most of the time- it was 24 X7 with a stunning variety and good quality)

 

We have to make our mind up by Friday, so all help will be appreciated.

 

Had no problem with the food, I'm sure many people are hard to please with anything and will always find something to whinge about. You will not be disappointed i'm sure.

[Kruzein]

I have sailed on the Pac Dawn twice and have found that food to be of good quality. The Palm Court Dining Room has table service. The Buffet can be a bit feral at times but you always find somebody to have a chat to whilst in line..

But Negative people will always find something to whinge about and if it isnt the food it will be the weather etc etc. Go with an open mind and enjoy yourself :rolleyes:

[karmac]

Didn't realise there were two threads on this. I replied on the other so I've just copied & pasted my original reply

 

We were on PD in November and we loved the food. I will point out that I am a wife & mother. Could make a difference as any meal prepared by someone elso is good in my opinion;) . But, hubby also loved it (and so did the kids). We ate mainly in the dining room. Always had brekky & dinner in there but mostly had lunch in the buffet.

It also depends on what you're used to. If you're someone who eats out a lot at 5 star+ restaurants then you may think differently. For us however (who rarely eat out & when we do it's usually the local pub), we thought it was wonderful.

__________________

[Kruzein]

Didn't realise there were two threads on this. I replied on the other so I've just copied & pasted my original reply

 

We were on PD in November and we loved the food. I will point out that I am a wife & mother. Could make a difference as any meal prepared by someone elso is good in my opinion;) . But, hubby also loved it (and so did the kids). We ate mainly in the dining room. Always had brekky & dinner in there but mostly had lunch in the buffet.

It also depends on what you're used to. If you're someone who eats out a lot at 5 star+ restaurants then you may think differently. For us however (who rarely eat out & when we do it's usually the local pub), we thought it was wonderful.

__________________

 

There are actually 3 threads on the same topic started by the same person lol. :confused:

[arxcards]

There are actually 3 threads on the same topic started by the same person lol. :confused:

Yes, cruisecritic was going through some slow periods last night, and it can become easy to double or triple post when you are not sure the original has made it.

 

I was looking at some posts at a similar time last night on a roll call thread, and there was 5 in a row of the same.

[subaru94]

We recently returned from a cruise on the Pacific Dawn and we thought the food was lovely. Restaurant food was much nicer than the buffets, but no complaints from us,

We are considering a 28 day cruise on Pacific Dawn next year but I am concerned with some of the postings and the reference to the really bad food.

 

For us the food is a big part of the holiday (closely followed by the gym to work it off again).

 

I would love to hear people's opinion on the food in the main dining room as well as the buffet. How did you find the quality and the variety? (one a previous Princess cruise I was not thrilled with the main dining room but found the buffet to be excellent so we chose to eat there most of the time- it was 24 X7 with a stunning variety and good quality)

 

We have to make our mind up by Friday, so all help will be appreciated.

[karmac]

There are actually 3 threads on the same topic started by the same person lol. :confused:

 

Yes, I realised that after I post that comment. Didn't bother replying to the third one;) . I know there were problems on here last night as I couldn't get on at all:mad:

[xxmatthewxx]

I find the food is fine but after eating the same thing from the Buffet a few times a day every day does get a bit much and I find I begin to eat less and less or get turned off by some things.

 

But there is always something there that you will want.

[LuckiePuris]

I have been on two Pacific Sun cruises and on two Pacific Dawn cruises and I must admit that the food to me is just as important as the islands!

 

I have found the food to be fantastic, excellent presentation and great flavour.

 

The staff are fantastic, for example if you have two mains. one if fish with cous cous and the other is beef with roasted vegies, what you can do is order the fish but the other side dish (the roasted vegies). Staff are very happy to mix around meals. and if you can't decide, order them both!

 

I must admit, most dinners i had two or more of the appetisers and two or more of the desserts...it was just too hard to pick!

 

They are also excellent with dietry requirements. One of the girls i cruised with in Dec/Jan is a Ceoliac which means she is gluten intollerent. They made fantastic meals to accomodate her needs. They are very flexible.

 

The buffet is generally pretty good for a relaxed meal, but nothing can beat the Dining Room meals...it just tastes so much better when its better presented!

 

Pizzas onboard are also pretty good, as well as the Grill which serves some very reasonable priced meals. (etc HUGE bowl of wedges with sour cream and chilli sauce for under $3.00, kebabs for around $5.00, GIGANTIC "The Lot" Burgers for around $5.00, Prawns & Chips for about $5.00 too).

 

At the pizza place, (I think it's called La Tratoria...something similar), we ordered a large pizza (half and half), two sides of garlic/herb bread, and a softdrink each...and it came to a total of around $12.00. very reasonable for something different.

 

We tried the Steakhouse one night where I think cost was about $30 per person. Food was pretty good. You got a choice of a entree, a soup, a main, and a desert. Steak any way you want it. Had a nice Surf'n'turf. Good for something different.

 

While we're on the topic of food, there is also a fantastic Sundae Bar where you can make your own sundaes. From memory it was $1.95 from two scoops and $0.95c for unlimited toppings. They had various sauces and chocolates, nuts, marshmallows and other bits and pieces.

 

The cafe on Plaza Deck makes excellent coffees and also have pastries (at a cost). I think the pastries were only $2 or so each but were a good size and looked delicious. I had a HUGE latte and a HUGE White Choc & Macadamia cookie and i think in total cost $3.00. Reasonable price and big serves.

 

I have attached some various photos:

 

Pic 1: Chicken breast at Palm Court Dining Room

Pic 2: Chicken parcel at Palm Court Dining Room

Pic 3: Kebab at The Grill (approx $5.00)

Pic 4: Burger with “The Lot” at The Grill (approx $5.00). They give you all the toppings to “build” your own burger.

Pic 5: Various cakes at Café D Sol (buffet)

[LuckiePuris]

More Pics:

 

Pic 6: Various cakes at Café D Sol (buffet)

Pic 7: Meals at the Palm Court Dining Room (couldn’t decide between the two mains so ordered both!)

Pic 8: Pavlova at the Palm Court Dining Room

Pic 9: Hot food at The Grill

Pic 10: Food at the Palm Court Dining Room

[LuckiePuris]

More Pics:

 

Pic 11: Crab Cakes at Steakhouse

Pic 12: Surf & Turf at Steakhouse (yes the steak is very VERY well cooked as per my instructions…I prefer it to be burnt than red LOL)

Pic 13: Apple Crumble at Steakhouse

Pic 14: Amazing displays out of fruit…not edible though

[MargnGrah]

LuckiePuris,

 

Those pictures look great, just wish I was back on board trying to decide what to eat :confused: :o

[mummsie]

I have never had a bad meal on a Princess or P&O ship. I feel the same as others though - as long as I am not preparing it or cleaning it up I don't care if its cheese on toast. :D As others have also said - you never lose weight on a cruise doesn't matter how careful you are. The worse food we ever had was early this year on the Superstar Aquarius. All buffets and coles caffeteria type of foods (they don't have any proper restaurants) as they want to serve you as quick as possible. We still found decent edible food. Food is subjective and what you make of it. :D mummsie

[kaseyoz]

I don't know if I should thank you or not posting such lovely photos of food at 4pm, now I will be raiding the fridge looking for food!!!!!:D :D

[LuckiePuris]

I know...all this cruise reminiscing is making me want a cruise!!

 

Already done two this year, so really should wait a bit, but i miss it already. Will definately have to cruise in 2009 :)

[LOVE cruising!]

Thanks LuckiePuris for the pics, I am sooo drooling!:p I cant wait to get back on the ships & whack on another 5kg.:o

 

Last time we went, all 4 of us put 5kg each on which is a miracle as neither my DH or I put weight on very easily. So Ive got no idea what some people are complaining about, we found the food fantastic & obviously couldn't stop eating. There is so much to choose from that we were never bored. Mind you I would have been happy with someone dishing up sausages & mashed spud if it meant not having to cook or do the dishes.:D

[Charlie Girl]

LuckiePuris,

 

Those pictures look great, just wish I was back on board trying to decide what to eat :confused: :o

 

Ditto

I think it was some of the best meals I have eaten. As someone said the food experience is a great part of our holiday.

But as someone also said YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE.

So go try it yourself and judge yourself.

Cheers from me who LOVESSSSSSSS P/D all over including great food

Gail

[strawberrypatch81]

I haven't tried the food on Pacific Dawn but I have had the food on Pacific Sky and Pacific Sun, which is similar.

 

I LOVE the food. It is definitely one of the best parts about cruising. I enjoyed the food more in the dining room and I also loved the pizza. YUM. :):D

[fishtaco]

Perhaps it was just my cruise but although the food was still good, I found the food to be better on the Pacific Sun than on the Dawn!

 

This may have changed? But the PS had more choices in the buffet and a better range especially with the pasta chef who also did curries.

 

The pasta on the PD was more like over cooked mush aimed at kids.

 

I only snacked at the buffet on both ships in between meals (as you do) But found the quality on the PS to be better.

 

Almost every meal was eaten in the dinning room on both cruises,breakfast/lunch/dinner and every meal i had on the Dawn was not quite as good as the ones I had on the Sun.

 

This all may have been due to the change over to anytime dinning but it just wasn't as good as the Sun meals.

 

This is not a whinge but my honest opinion of meals on both ships.

 

If the food hadn't have been so good on the Sun then i would have been very very happy with the food on the Dawn.

 

Things may have changed in 9 months? But the difference between the food on both ships was not a big enough issue for me to choose another ship instead of the Dawn,because the food was still good.

 

We had most problems on the Dawn at breakfast where we specifically ask for somthing ie soft eggs, and got the opposite, the wait staff although writing down your request just grabbed the plated up food that was brought in and would argue if you wanted it changed to what you ordered.

 

Part of the money you spend on a cruise price is for food and P&O advertise "Fine Dinning" What I got on the Sun was fine dinning, what I got on the Dawn wasn't quite as fine.

 

 

Den

[sailawaysally]

We have found that the food has improved since our Nov 07 cruise. We have been twice since then and it gets better and better.