If you love Celebrity food but had to pick another...

For me, the cruise is 70% itinerary and 30% food. I could not care less about the rest. Okay, maybe the enrichment talks. So, I have been on Celebrity, RCCL, NCL, and Carnival and by far Celebrity blew the rest away-from the Asian breakfast bar to the lychee sorbet to the chocolate croissants to the sushi and everything I ate in the dining room. I absolutely hated 90% of what I ate on Carnival, found the MDR of RCCL okay but most of the food ended up at the buffet so I just ate there on my own time, and NCL was kind of forgettable. Since food is so subjective my question is geared towards anyone who would agree that Celebrity rocks and who has been on Princess and/or HAL. Reviews I have seen seems to compare HAL more with with Celebrity and Princess with RCCL in terms of food-would you agree? Maybe the question should be "which is least like Carnival?"

I just got back from a cruise on the Celebrity Millennium, after two Princess cruises on the Island Princess. In 2 days I'm leaving on the Star Princess and am looking to confirm my position on exactly this subject. Gut feeling right now----the food in the Main Dining Room on the Princess ships was better, but the buffet on Celebrity had a slight edge in terms of variety and quality. I did all my meals at dinner and most of my breakfasts and lunches on the Millennium in the MDR. Food just didn't seem as exciting as it was on the Princess ships, both in terms of variety and creativity. I'll report back after I get back and see if Princess is still better.

I look forward to your assessment! I much prefer new and creative dishes over standard fare I make at home. Enjoy your cruise:)

Hi-

We've been on Celebrity, Princess, HAL and RCI, and I'm afraid I don't find huge differences from one cruise line to the other (although I think of the four, RCI is the weakest in this area).

Each seems to have some things that are better; for example, Celebrity has the AquaSpa Café with free made-to-order items, HAL and Princess have some great desserts, HAL has some nice stir-fries, Princess has great pizza and the International Cafe...

Don't know if you're interested, but I just shared my food standouts. Love to know what you think are the best! - Diana, http://musingaboutcruising.blogspot.com

The food on Celebrity is by far better than the food on NCL, Princess, RCI, Cunard, and Holland America.

To move up, you can try Blu (Aqua Class) on Celebrity; or Azamara; or Oceania.

Higher up and you are into the very Premium Lines like Crystal, Silversea…,

I prefer small amounts of high quality food, so volume is not a concern for me.

Enjoy!

Kel:)

Without going on Luxury ships I like Oceania best. Was on TA on Ruby Princess.. Only really excellent food was pizza.But did like the Cafe Caribe nitely International buffets. Much better than their MDR. CC also on Caribbean, Crown and Emerald.

We have cruised on both and have eaten in Blu. It really wasn't to my taste but the wife loved it. For me the food on both is very comparable. Celebrity might get a small nod only because they have one more main course offering on their dinner menu then Princess does but that is hardly a deal breaker for me. My wife pretty much feels the same with the exception of desert. She thinks Celebrity has the best deserts afloat. Before Celebrity she thought the best were on Cunard. I can't comment here as desert for me if I even have it is another appetizer. We have had very good meals on both and we have had some not so memorable ones on both as well. We cruise Princess almost exclusivly now as they offer far more longer itineraries to our liking then does Celebrity.

I hope that the food in Holland America is still good because I just got back from a Celebrity cruise in the Infinity and the the food is nothing like it was even just two years ago. Most of the food in Celebrity is barely passable now and some is down right awful (anything beef, cold soups and buffet ice-cream ). Room service menu very limited now and again very poorly done. The buffet restaurant is a zoo at lunch ( very understaffed ). Wake up Celbrity!, my next cruise will be in Holland America and if that cuisine has gone to the dogs too, I will keep looking.