Disney Food- how is it REALLY?

We are debating on Disney vs Princess for our next Alaskan cruise. We have not done either cruise line, but have done RCCL.

I have been reading reviews- is Disney's food really as bad as people say? I just want to know for the main dining rooms...because I know Palo is excellent. Can anyone tell me the truth on the food and what they think? We would like to make a decision soon...it is pretty much the same price. The Alaskan cruise will be on the Disney Wonder or the Ruby Princess. :) thanks in advance! I REALLY NEED HELP!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We are debating on Disney vs Princess for our next Alaskan cruise. We have not done either cruise line, but have done RCCL.

I have been reading reviews- is Disney's food really as bad as people say? I just want to know for the main dining rooms...because I know Palo is excellent. Can anyone tell me the truth on the food and what they think? We would like to make a decision soon...it is pretty much the same price. The Alaskan cruise will be on the Disney Wonder or the Ruby Princess. :) thanks in advance! I REALLY NEED HELP!

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Realizing that food is very subjective (what I love you might hate, and vice versa), I'm going to say I personally do not class the food as "bad".

You've got to remember that you're not getting the personalized freshly prepared food that you're going to get in the extra cost venues (Palo & Remy). It's more like catered wedding banquet food. Massive amounts of food for serving at the same time to large numbers of people. There's no way that all servings are going to be "fresh".

All that being said, I find the food onboard DCL, as well as all the other cruise lines I've been on to be in the fair to excellent realm. Some things weren't to my liking, while others were absolutely great.

I think the food on DCL is good, but I'm not a fussy eater. However, when it comes to an Alaska cruise, I would choose it based on the itinerary and not the food.

If those two ships are the only ones you are considering - I would choose the Wonder. Both the Wonder and the Ruby Princess go to Tracy Arm Fjord. However, DCL has a very good record of getting to the glaciers at the end of Tracy Arm, whereas other cruise lines sometimes run out of time before they get to the end. The Wonder also departs from Vancouver, which has more scenic sailing than the Ruby Princess out of Seattle.

I think the food on DCL is good, but I'm not a fussy eater. However, when it comes to an Alaska cruise, I would choose it based on the itinerary and not the food.

 

 

 

If those two ships are the only ones you are considering - I would choose the Wonder. Both the Wonder and the Ruby Princess go to Tracy Arm Fjord. However, DCL has a very good record of getting to the glaciers at the end of Tracy Arm, whereas other cruise lines sometimes run out of time before they get to the end. The Wonder also departs from Vancouver, which has more scenic sailing than the Ruby Princess out of Seattle.

Thanks for your advice! We also looked at the Celebrity solstice, however is is somehow more expensive for the sailing we were looking at. Would you go on the Solstice though? We also looked at the Crown Princess...is glacier bay better?

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thanks for your advice! We also looked at the Celebrity solstice, however is is somehow more expensive for the sailing we were looking at. Would you go on the Solstice though? We also looked at the Crown Princess...is glacier bay better?

 

 

 

I would choose Glacier Bay over Tracy Arm, but I also prefer Vancouver to Seattle. All of the ships you mentioned are beautiful, but in my opinion - the Solstice, as well as the Crown and Ruby Princess, are too big for Alaska. I think ships that large overwhelm the port towns with too many passengers.

I would choose Glacier Bay over Tracy Arm, but I also prefer Vancouver to Seattle. All of the ships you mentioned are beautiful, but in my opinion - the Solstice, as well as the Crown and Ruby Princess, are too big for Alaska. I think ships that large overwhelm the port towns with too many passengers.

Thanks! We are definitely leaning towards the wonder to begin with. One last question- can you feel the motion on the wonder? It is a smaller ship, so I don't know. We have been on the Carnival Triumph, which is comparable and we felt a lot of motion. Can you feel a lot in Alaska?

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thanks! We are definitely leaning towards the wonder to begin with. One last question- can you feel the motion on the wonder? It is a smaller ship, so I don't know. We have been on the Carnival Triumph, which is comparable and we felt a lot of motion. Can you feel a lot in Alaska?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

If the seas are rough, you'll feel them on any ship. If you sail out of Seattle, you'll have more open-ocean sailing than if you sail out of Vancouver. However, you can't predict the weather or sea conditions. The Wonder is smaller than the others, but it is by no means a small ship.

My family did the Alaskan cruise last year on the Wonder. We loved it. Leaving out of Vancouver was just beautiful. We flew in the night before, and stayed at the hotel across the street from the cruise terminal. In the morning, a Disney member walked us across the street to the terminal. It was flawless, Disney style. We had beautiful weather our entire cruise (never wore a jacket). Our room was on deck 7 aft, and we never felt any waves. The scenery was just gorgeous. . I will be honest, I was a bit disappointed with the Disney food, but we are taking another Disney cruise 2015, because we just love the cruiseline, and their great service. I did do a Caribbean Princess cruise with my sis a few months ago. For me, I found the food on Princess better than Disney, but I am only comparing the buffet. As we had anytime dining on princess, and we never ate in the dining room.

We sailed on the Wonder out of Vancouver this June. The ship and the service were great. I found the food to be excellent, including the kid menus. Far superior to RCCL and NCL. The start would make whatever you wanted regardless of what was on the menu. My wife asked for tuna one night and I'm pretty sure the hear waiter got it for her from Palo even though we were in the main dining room.

I think the food on both Disney & Princess is good. I think that each has things that they are better at than the other. Princess has amazing pasta & pizza. I also found the ondeck food to be better on Princess. However, we found the cuts of beef to be better on Disney along with many of the other side items & salads.

Alaska is amazing & I wouldn't hesitate to cruise either line. I personally would not choose base on food, but on itinerary and/or kids activitities (if that is important to you).

I think the food on both Disney & Princess is good. I think that each has things that they are better at than the other. Princess has amazing pasta & pizza. I also found the ondeck food to be better on Princess. However, we found the cuts of beef to be better on Disney along with many of the other side items & salads.

 

 

 

Alaska is amazing & I wouldn't hesitate to cruise either line. I personally would not choose base on food, but on itinerary and/or kids activitities (if that is important to you).

Alaska on the Wonder was fantastic. I see people here post about Alaska knocking Disney fine as they cruised other lines, but on DCL it was Wonderful.

While some meals were better than others, I never had a bad meal in a Disney MDR. Some were downright delicious. The pasta dish I had for lunch in the Royal Palace (?) on the Dream is something my husband and I are still talking about several years later. The truffled pasta purses on the Dream were also to die for.

I've sailed on all the major lines (HAL, NCL, Princess, Carnival, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, MSC, Costa, Cunard) and the food (and service) I've enjoyed on DCL has been as good if not better than all the lines I mentioned. None of these lines offers a gourmet experience in the MDR as they are preparing food for almost a thousand people each go around. It's more like high end banquet food served with a bit of flair and style.

If you want something better and more personalized in nature, you have to pay for one of the speciality restaurants or elevate your cruise line to something like Oceania, Regent, Crystal, or Silversea. I can tell you Remy on the DISNEY DREAM & DISNEY FANTASY is one of the very best dining experience at sea, regardless of cruise line.

Bottom line, IMO Disney holds its own quite well in the cruising segment it's a part of. I think you will be happy.

We have only been on one Princess cruise and the food was the worst we have ever had on a cruise, even the specialty restaurants. Disney food is good, not spectacular, but way better and we are not too picky. I think the Wonder has the best in the fleet. Back in the day when there were only 2 ships, Disney by far had the best food and I am guessing they are just cheeping out because they can fill the ships no matter what. That being said, the Celebrity Solstice has the best food we have ever had on any ship. I wouldn't base an Alaskan cruise on food though. Look at itinerary and on board activities. I would choose something other than Princess for Alaska, we just did it and it was boring at times, just not enough to do when it is too cold to be at the pool. We were in port one day with the Wonder and wanted to get on that ship instead. :p I think you will be glad you chose the Wonder.

In most cases, the ship and the line, other than defining and sourcing the menus has absolutely nothing to do with food quality.

That's all down to the executive chef.

An example I have given many times. On Princess, the Island and Coral are sister ships. Same galley, same menu, etc. On the Island, some of the best meals we have had at sea. On the Coral, some of the worst. Difference? Exec staff and kitchen crew.

Someone could be on the Wonder one week and rave, then the next week and complain because the EC switched out.

Also, food is subjective. I've seen two people at the same table have radically different opinions of the same dish at the same time.

Where the lines differ is style. Princess is very continental in menu themes. RCCL has a lot of indian and asian influence, etc. If food is important, judge how their overall menu fits your preferences in terms of style.

As far as Alaska, IF you are doing a cruisetour, I have to recommend Princess over Disney. While I think Disney offers a generally better shipboard experience (with the exception that Princess goes into Glacier Bay and Disney does not), Princess has a much better land operation with their own lodges and arrangement with the Alaska railroad.

 

As far as Alaska, IF you are doing a cruisetour, I have to recommend Princess over Disney. While I think Disney offers a generally better shipboard experience (with the exception that Princess goes into Glacier Bay and Disney does not), Princess has a much better land operation with their own lodges and arrangement with the Alaska railroad.

I've been very happy with my 4 Princess cruises (2 in Alaska and 2 in Europe), and have another booked for 2016. However, I find most of their Alaska land itineraries don't spend enough time at Denali National Park - where they offer only the 5-hour Natural History Tour on most of their cruisetours: http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/bus-tours.htm (The web site says "National" History Tour - but it should say "Natural.")

My family did the Alaskan cruise last year on the Wonder. We loved it. Leaving out of Vancouver was just beautiful. We flew in the night before, and stayed at the hotel across the street from the cruise terminal. In the morning, a Disney member walked us across the street to the terminal. It was flawless, Disney style. We had beautiful weather our entire cruise (never wore a jacket). Our room was on deck 7 aft, and we never felt any waves. The scenery was just gorgeous. . I will be honest, I was a bit disappointed with the Disney food, but we are taking another Disney cruise 2015, because we just love the cruiseline, and their great service. I did do a Caribbean Princess cruise with my sis a few months ago. For me, I found the food on Princess better than Disney, but I am only comparing the buffet. As we had anytime dining on princess, and we never ate in the dining room.

Hi, what hotel is located across from cruise terminal?

There are 2 day Denali options and you can upgrade your NHT to the Tundra Wilderness Tour usually (ends of seasons might not be available)

I've been very happy with my 4 Princess cruises (2 in Alaska and 2 in Europe), and have another booked for 2016. However, I find most of their Alaska land itineraries don't spend enough time at Denali National Park - where they offer only the 5-hour Natural History Tour on most of their cruisetours: http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/bus-tours.htm (The web site says "National" History Tour - but it should say "Natural.")

WE have sailed the inside passage on the Diamond Princess and the Disney Wonder. I like the rotational dining on DCL better, but the food was good on both lines. I thought Disney had more alternative choices for folks like me that don't always like a lot of sauces or gravies.

Sometimes I just ordered a baked chicken breast or a steak with a baked potato for dinner.

We went to Tracy Arm on the Wonder and we got very close to the glacier. The day was fun.

With Princess we took the helicopter flight up to the glacier and the dog sled camp. It was the highlight of our Alaskan cruise.

Hi, what hotel is located across from cruise terminal?

The hotel was the Fairmont Waterfront. It was a Disney designated hotel, so we could book the transportation and hotel through Disney. Disney had another designated hotel, but it was farther from the pier. The Fairmont Waterfront was a very nice hotel. Breakfast was very pricey, but there are other restaurants nearby, including a Starbucks across the street. We plan to do the Disney Alaska cruise again in a few years, and would stay at this hotel again.

Thanks for the feedback Karin5

The food in Palo and Remy was really great but I would not pay again to eat at Remys.

The Windjammer food was really good. (The meat, seafood, more elaborate dishes) They failed with the simple things like pizza, hamburgers, sandwiches.

I really did not like the food in the MDR. I left hungry most nights. i thought that the food on Carnival was way better.

The food in Palo and Remy was really great but I would not pay again to eat at Remys.

 

 

The Windjammer food was really good. (The meat, seafood, more elaborate dishes) They failed with the simple things like pizza, hamburgers, sandwiches.

 

I really did not like the food in the MDR. I left hungry most nights. i thought that the food on Carnival was way better.

I would pay double to dine in Remy.

I look at it this way... Cost to dine at Per Se, $295 pp. Cost to dine at the Meadowood, $225 pp. Cost to dine at Daniel $220 pp. Cost to dine at Victoria and Albert's, $135 pp.

Remy is a bargain by comparison.

I would pay double to dine in Remy.

 

I look at it this way... Cost to dine at Per Se, $295 pp. Cost to dine at the Meadowood, $225 pp. Cost to dine at Daniel $220 pp. Cost to dine at Victoria and Albert's, $135 pp.

 

Remy is a bargain by comparison.

I wouldn't pay to dine at any of those restaurants...or Remy. Palo is "fine" enough for me.

I have been on the Disney Magic and Wonder, as well as 2 each on Holland America, RCCL and Celebrity. I was on Princess once. We have been to Alaska twice (Celebrity and HAL). I would pick the itinerary over food. I think Glacier Bay is amazing and I would definitely choose an itinerary that included a day there. The best cruise food has been on HAL and Celebrity, hands down. I never felt the need to go to a specialty restaurant because the main dining room food was so good. I don't eat at the buffets a lot, but when I did I thought there were some excellent dishes there as well. Disney was great for the kids, the service was amazing, and the production shows were the best out of all my cruises. However, the food was a big disappointment. Every time I consider Disney, that is the one thing that makes me hesitate. I know I will sail Disney again, but will most likely eat at Palo more for dinner. The food there is excellent. The cost is not bad and we will budget for that in advance.