Re-imagining Food Glorious Food

It is very exciting to hear of all the enhancements that Azamara are planning for their two lovely ships and I look forward to seeing them for myself in 2016.

But do other Azamara aficionados think that it is high time that management reviewed and changed the MDR menus?

The current offerings are ok but certainly nothing special. IMO the presentation has declined and there is no wow factor as there once was.

The refurbishment offers a perfect opportunity to up their game in the MDR.

Anyone agree?

I´ver heard a lot about only mediocre food in the dining room.

Here and also on german cruiseboards and from people who travelled several times with Azamara. All told the same, the food quality is going down and they were disappointed in the MDR. They rated the food quality on Celebrity, HAL and Princess better than on Azamara.

I read my own review about the Journey last year again and we only had one highlight in the MDR, when we got something which was not on the menuecard and we had asked for it. I wrote also, that compared to the Suez canal cruise before, the quality went down, like the quality of the included drinks. Example: on the Suez canal cruise we´ve got the Beringer White Zinfandel included, really good quality, on the British Island cruise we got a simple portugese rose wine and for a glass of Beringer we had to pay $ 8 extra charge.

Maybe its a new politic like on other cruiselines, to sell more packages: dining packages for the specialty restaurants and drink packages for a higher quality in drinks.

If Azamara follows this way, they will loose a lot of customers. I know that a lot of former Azamara cruisers went to Oceania and they told us that the quality is much better even in the MDR but espacially in the free specialty restaurants.

So Spursgirl, I have to agree what you have written, Azamara also has to upgrade their food offers and quality in the MDR.

Many of my followers are waiting for my review end of march, when I will publish about the refurbishment and other things on our caribbean cruise on the Journey.

Marita

It is very exciting to hear of all the enhancements that Azamara are planning for their two lovely ships and I look forward to seeing them for myself in 2016.

 

But do other Azamara aficionados think that it is high time that management reviewed and changed the MDR menus?

 

The current offerings are ok but certainly nothing special. IMO the presentation has declined and there is no wow factor as there once was.

 

The refurbishment offers a perfect opportunity to up their game in the MDR.

 

Anyone agree?

Well, you know that I agree with you about the predictability of the MDR menu's! :) It is way beyond time that they were revamped. I still enjoyed my MDR dinners on our recent cruise but yes, maybe the wow factor is not so apparent nowadays.

It is very exciting to hear of all the enhancements that Azamara are planning for their two lovely ships and I look forward to seeing them for myself in 2016.

 

But do other Azamara aficionados think that it is high time that management reviewed and changed the MDR menus?

 

The current offerings are ok but certainly nothing special. IMO the presentation has declined and there is no wow factor as there once was.

 

The refurbishment offers a perfect opportunity to up their game in the MDR.

 

Anyone agree?

We found that the problem with the MDR menus is that are they unchanged, except that the choice of main courses has been reduced from five to three. For example - on one day we had the choice of baked turkey roll, pork loin steak, or tamarind vegetable curry. The previously offered salmon & scallop brochette and whole roasted beef strip loin had been deleted.

In general the more interesting choices have gone. There was no venison or duck and very little lamb.

Thanks for your comments. We are always interested in your opinions (and I'm presuming you've submitted these comments on your post-cruise surveys?)

I've passed this thread along to the Hotel Department, and if you did submit these comments on the survey then they are already working on it!

Thanks for your comments. We are always interested in your opinions (and I'm presuming you've submitted these comments on your post-cruise surveys?)

 

I've passed this thread along to the Hotel Department, and if you did submit these comments on the survey then they are already working on it!

Bonnie, the post cruise surveys are really not fit for purpose if you want to make some criticisms, whether constructive or not.

There was little opportunity on the survey I've just completed, to make detailed comments specific to the cruise that we've just taken.

The only disappointment of our "Wake of Columbus" cruise was the choice, quality and quantity of the evening dining in the MDR. All other aspects were great but when I completed the survey, I didn't realise just how low a mark I'd have had to give this to get a "pop-up" to then comment further.

I hadn't used the mid-cruise comment form as we'd only used the MDR on one occasion when that arrived and to be frank, we were too busy enjoying all the other aspects of the cruise to let this bother us, so we just ate elsewhere.

However there do seem to be a number of comments now repeating the same issue and as yet, I've not seen any comments giving an opinion that the MDR is wonderful, so maybe this really does need to be fed back to the appropriate channel for some serious review. (Both the MDR comments and the inadequacy of the Post Cruise Review).

However there do seem to be a number of comments now repeating the same issue and as yet, I've not seen any comments giving an opinion that the MDR is wonderful, so maybe this really does need to be fed back to the appropriate channel for some serious review. (Both the MDR comments and the inadequacy of the Post Cruise Review).

Agree 100%

On another thread I said I sent food back and that was last winter. The starters were fine but the mains were not.

I leave for the Quest in a few days and looking forward. To eating inPrime C.

However there do seem to be a number of comments now repeating the same issue and as yet, I've not seen any comments giving an opinion that the MDR is wonderful...

I'm not going to say the MDR is "wonderful" but I do think the criticisms here are more than a bit over-the-top, with a few people repeating their same rant over and over.

Firstly, I think there are at least six if not seven daily choices, not just three. In addition to the three (if that's the right number) entrees listed there are a pasta of the day, a salad of the day, a healthy choice, and--maybe--a vegetarian dish. The last may in fact be one of the "of the day" choices. I just can't remember.

I can't get upset when I'm given the choice of "pork or veal" as one person did. I roll my eyes when someone complains about not getting cranberry sauce--and I live in southeastern Massachusetts, surrounded by cranberry bogs. We were on Quest three weeks in October and November and MDR food was fine. Likewise Journey in July. I vividly remember an outstanding prime rib, among other satisfying dishes.

Now, do I wish the fried dumplings were as good as Joyce Chen made in her now long-gone Cambridge restaurant? Yes. Do I wish pizza in Windows was made in a fiery-hot coal-fired oven like Frank Pepe does in New Haven? Yes. Would I like pasta sauces like I've gotten at Dominick's on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx? Yes. Do I wish I could get Twining's Prince of Wales tea instead of English Breakfast? Yes. Or a straight Assam or Yunnan in Mosaic? Yes. Would it be nice if every cup of tea were made with loose tea leaves in a basket and served in a dainty Royal Worcester tea cup? Yes. But to expect Yorkshire tea, whatever that is? Huh?

I'm realistic. I'm not going to go on the internet and whine to the world about these as shortcomings. None of these do one bit to detract from the enjoyment of my cruise. Do people really expect Azamara to carry every one of 600+ passengers' favorite tea? Or cup? Or have a "wow" for every passenger's taste every night on the MDR menu? Get real.

Lastly, I'd better finish this before I say what I think of Beringer White Zinfandel.:eek:

I'm not going to say the MDR is "wonderful" but I do think the criticisms here are more than a bit over-the-top, with a few people repeating their same rant over and over.

 

Firstly, I think there are at least six if not seven daily choices, not just three. In addition to the three (if that's the right number) entrees listed there are a pasta of the day, a salad of the day, a healthy choice, and--maybe--a vegetarian dish. The last may in fact be one of the "of the day" choices. I just can't remember.

 

I can't get upset when I'm given the choice of "pork or veal" as one person did. I roll my eyes when someone complains about not getting cranberry sauce--and I live in southeastern Massachusetts, surrounded by cranberry bogs. We were on Quest three weeks in October and November and MDR food was fine. Likewise Journey in July. I vividly remember an outstanding prime rib, among other satisfying dishes.

 

Now, do I wish the fried dumplings were as good as Joyce Chen made in her now long-gone Cambridge restaurant? Yes. Do I wish pizza in Windows was made in a fiery-hot coal-fired oven like Frank Pepe does in New Haven? Yes. Would I like pasta sauces like I've gotten at Dominick's on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx? Yes. Do I wish I could get Twining's Prince of Wales tea instead of English Breakfast? Yes. Or a straight Assam or Yunnan in Mosaic? Yes. Would it be nice if every cup of tea were made with loose tea leaves in a basket and served in a dainty Royal Worcester tea cup? Yes. But to expect Yorkshire tea, whatever that is? Huh?

 

I'm realistic. I'm not going to go on the internet and whine to the world about these as shortcomings. None of these do one bit to detract from the enjoyment of my cruise. Do people really expect Azamara to carry every one of 600+ passengers' favorite tea? Or cup? Or have a "wow" for every passenger's taste every night on the MDR menu? Get real.

 

Lastly, I'd better finish this before I say what I think of Beringer White Zinfandel.:eek:

Al,

As you know the subject of food in the MDR is a hot potato and very subjective.

I think the food is fine but as I said now lacks the wow factor in my opinion.

However as the OP of this thread, I was posting not about the quality of the food but rather hoping that the refurbishment might also herald new menus for the MDR.

They have been virtually unchanged for as long as I can remember and are well overdue for a review and refresh.

Spurs girl, I agree. The food is still very good, but doesn't have the 'wow' factor that it had last year.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Al,

 

As you know the subject of food in the MDR is a hot potato and very subjective.

 

I think the food is fine but as I said now lacks the wow factor in my opinion.

 

However as the OP of this thread, I was posting not about the quality of the food but rather hoping that the refurbishment might also herald new menus for the MDR.

They have been virtually unchanged for as long as I can remember and are well overdue for a review and refresh.

Hi Spursgirl, Prefdavid, et.al.,

I've just come out of an all day meeting here in the Miami offices and you'll be happy to know that our Discoveries Restaurant menus and our post-cruise surveys are both areas under review by senior management.

Your feedback is invaluable and timely.

Thanks for telling us this Bonnie,

It is very pleasing that our forum's comments form part of the feedback senior management consider when planning (hopefully) further improvements to a cruise brand we all love.

I'm not going to say the MDR is "wonderful" but I do think the criticisms here are more than a bit over-the-top, with a few people repeating their same rant over and over.

 

Firstly, I think there are at least six if not seven daily choices, not just three. In addition to the three (if that's the right number) entrees listed there are a pasta of the day, a salad of the day, a healthy choice, and--maybe--a vegetarian dish. The last may in fact be one of the "of the day" choices. I just can't remember.

 

I can't get upset when I'm given the choice of "pork or veal" as one person did. I roll my eyes when someone complains about not getting cranberry sauce--and I live in southeastern Massachusetts, surrounded by cranberry bogs. We were on Quest three weeks in October and November and MDR food was fine. Likewise Journey in July. I vividly remember an outstanding prime rib, among other satisfying dishes.

 

Now, do I wish the fried dumplings were as good as Joyce Chen made in her now long-gone Cambridge restaurant? Yes. Do I wish pizza in Windows was made in a fiery-hot coal-fired oven like Frank Pepe does in New Haven? Yes. Would I like pasta sauces like I've gotten at Dominick's on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx? Yes. Do I wish I could get Twining's Prince of Wales tea instead of English Breakfast? Yes. Or a straight Assam or Yunnan in Mosaic? Yes. Would it be nice if every cup of tea were made with loose tea leaves in a basket and served in a dainty Royal Worcester tea cup? Yes. But to expect Yorkshire tea, whatever that is? Huh?

 

I'm realistic. I'm not going to go on the internet and whine to the world about these as shortcomings. None of these do one bit to detract from the enjoyment of my cruise. Do people really expect Azamara to carry every one of 600+ passengers' favorite tea? Or cup? Or have a "wow" for every passenger's taste every night on the MDR menu? Get real.

 

Lastly, I'd better finish this before I say what I think of Beringer White Zinfandel.:eek:

Just wanted to say that in no way was I complaining that Azamara doesn't have my favourite Yorkshire tea (it's a brand of tea that gives you a really good strong cup of tea). I wouldn't expect Azamara to have it and many guests( especially American guests) would hate it. My comment was in relation to another contributor asking about what brands of tea are now available.

I know that I am unlikely to get my favourite tea anywhere except in the UK, that's why I take it with me on every holiday!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hi Spursgirl, Prefdavid, et.al.,

I've just come out of an all day meeting here in the Miami offices and you'll be happy to know that our Discoveries Restaurant menus and our post-cruise surveys are both areas under review by senior management.

Your feedback is invaluable and timely.

That's good to hear Bonnie and it's appreciated that our feedback is useful.

I appreciate any comments we make are always our personal opinion and not everyone will agree with them but if we didn't feel strongly about this topic, we wouldn't bother to comment at all.

As I said, this was the only aspect of the cruise that caused any disappointment at all. In all other areas we had a truly outstanding time and whilst we couldn't decide on another cruise to book when on board (despite the great promotions for 2016) we did purchase a Future Cruise Passage, so we'll be back. :)

Hi Spursgirl, Prefdavid, et.al.,

I've just come out of an all day meeting here in the Miami offices and you'll be happy to know that our Discoveries Restaurant menus and our post-cruise surveys are both areas under review by senior management.

Your feedback is invaluable and timely.

Thanks for the information Bonnie! One of the smartest things AZ does is your presence on CC!

Happy Holidays and to each there own......

Thank you very much for your information, Bonnie.

All Azamara lovers will appreciate this information and I can tell interested german cruiselovers, that Azamara will also "refurbish" the menues in the MDR as well as the ship.

Have a wonderful christmas time

Marita

Thank you very much for your information, Bonnie.

 

All Azamara lovers will appreciate this information and I can tell interested german cruiselovers, that Azamara will also "refurbish" the menues in the MDR as well as the ship.

 

Have a wonderful christmas time

 

Marita

Guten tag wuppis,

as of this writing all I'm saying is that the MDR menus are under review, I'm not yet announcing any changes to the menus (refurbishment, as you say.) We acknowledge there have recently been lower scores for this venue and the team is researching the reason.

Case in point, when I'm done typing this I will post a question to the Azamara CC community on Azamara Asks. I hope you, and others, will provide specifics in response.

Just wanted to say that in no way was I complaining that Azamara doesn't have my favourite Yorkshire tea (it's a brand of tea that gives you a really good strong cup of tea). I wouldn't expect Azamara to have it and many guests( especially American guests) would hate it. My comment was in relation to another contributor asking about what brands of tea are now available.

I know that I am unlikely to get my favourite tea anywhere except in the UK, that's why I take it with me on every holiday!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I love Yorkshire tea. Had never heard of it but several years ago was advised to try it by a couple (from Yorkshire of course) I met on a cruise (not Azamara).

As you say I would never expect it to be available on Quest and Journey but now having Twinings is a bit of an improvement

Here's a link to the Azamara Asks question re your suggestions for improving the menus in our main dining rooms, the Discoveries Restaurants:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2289686

I'm not going to say the MDR is "wonderful" but I do think the criticisms here are more than a bit over-the-top, with a few people repeating their same rant over and over.

 

Firstly, I think there are at least six if not seven daily choices, not just three. In addition to the three (if that's the right number) entrees listed there are a pasta of the day, a salad of the day, a healthy choice, and--maybe--a vegetarian dish. The last may in fact be one of the "of the day" choices. I just can't remember.

 

I can't get upset when I'm given the choice of "pork or veal" as one person did. I roll my eyes when someone complains about not getting cranberry sauce--and I live in southeastern Massachusetts, surrounded by cranberry bogs. We were on Quest three weeks in October and November and MDR food was fine. Likewise Journey in July. I vividly remember an outstanding prime rib, among other satisfying dishes.

 

Now, do I wish the fried dumplings were as good as Joyce Chen made in her now long-gone Cambridge restaurant? Yes. Do I wish pizza in Windows was made in a fiery-hot coal-fired oven like Frank Pepe does in New Haven? Yes. Would I like pasta sauces like I've gotten at Dominick's on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx? Yes. Do I wish I could get Twining's Prince of Wales tea instead of English Breakfast? Yes. Or a straight Assam or Yunnan in Mosaic? Yes. Would it be nice if every cup of tea were made with loose tea leaves in a basket and served in a dainty Royal Worcester tea cup? Yes. But to expect Yorkshire tea, whatever that is? Huh?

 

I'm realistic. I'm not going to go on the internet and whine to the world about these as shortcomings. None of these do one bit to detract from the enjoyment of my cruise. Do people really expect Azamara to carry every one of 600+ passengers' favorite tea? Or cup? Or have a "wow" for every passenger's taste every night on the MDR menu? Get real.

 

Lastly, I'd better finish this before I say what I think of Beringer White Zinfandel.:eek:

I'm not sure what reviews you were reading...but WOW...nothing I have read on CC in the last few days even reflect this type of feed back...OUCH...what are YOU reading??? LuAnn

Bonnie: Thanks so much for your responses and the info that AZ is looking at the Discoveries menus and the post-cruise survey. I too found that Discoveries lacked the "wow" factor, although the food was always adequate. I am in awe that AZ does seem to notice the CC comments...so very different than the other lines where I monitor postings and make comments myself...Cunard, Seabourn & Crystal, where there is no one representing the line who responds. Not that I expect that, but the fact that Bonnie and AZ are responsive...very impressive to me. Makes me feel the CC/Azamara experience is worth the while of all of us.

Bonnie: Thanks so much for your responses and the info that AZ is looking at the Discoveries menus and the post-cruise survey. I too found that Discoveries lacked the "wow" factor, although the food was always adequate. I am in awe that AZ does seem to notice the CC comments...so very different than the other lines where I monitor postings and make comments myself...Cunard, Seabourn & Crystal, where there is no one representing the line who responds. Not that I expect that, but the fact that Bonnie and AZ are responsive...very impressive to me. Makes me feel the CC/Azamara experience is worth the while of all of us.

Agree completely - Azamara are very customer focussed and it shows in everything they do.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'm Also impressed that Azamara wants feedback from their customers regarding the food quality.

Our first Azamara cruise isn't scheduled until next November, but I was beginning to worry about the recent comments about the decline in quality in Discoveries.

Since this Azamara cruise is costing a lot more than our recent cruises with Celebrity, I was beginning to wonder whether I should switch to a similar cruise on Celebrity.

Azamara's willingness to listen has me feeling more secure in keeping my reservation with Azamara.

I'm not sure what reviews you were reading...but WOW...nothing I have read on CC in the last few days even reflect this type of feed back...OUCH...what are YOU reading??? LuAnn

Start with posts 1 and 17 on your "flamethrowers" thread. Much ado about something trivial: cranberries.