Summary of Menu Changes-Freedom of the Seas

Thanks to ckrobyn's posting of menus on her recent 8 night cruise on Freedom. This may not be everything, but here are most of the changes that were made.

Giovanni's:

This was already reported, but the Filet has been removed from the menu.

MDR:

-Escargot is not an every night option. (most but not all nights)

-Shrimp Cocktail is not an every night option either...was not on the menu as a starter more than 3 nights.

-Aged Hand-Cut Manhattan Strip Steak is no longer an every night option as a classic...only appeared on the menu 2 or 3 nights.

-Prime Rib has been removed and replaced with Slow-Roasted Beef Striploin.

-Pan-Fried Fillet of Barramundi is now Pan-Fried Silver Corvina.

-Roast Duck has been removed and replaced with Rosemary Roasted Half Chicken.

-Filet of Beef Tenderloin has been removed and replaced with a Seared Sirloin Steak.

-Surf and Turf(Petit Filet with baked Jumbo Shrimp) has been removed and replaced with Braised Beef Duo.

-White Misobrushed Cod Fillet is now a Cilantro-Crusted Cod Loin.

-Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder was added to the Pimiento menu.

-Veal Scaloppine Oscar with Crab has been removed and replaced with a Breaded Pork Chop.

-Roasted Rack of Lamb is removed.

-Garlic Shrimp no longer being served with the Broiled lobster tail.

-All Desserts appear to be unchanged.

I know we will not go hungry, but overall, I would say I hate the changes that have been made. I can't imagine that many reported that the garlic shrimp ruined the lobster tail, or that having Shrimp Cocktail and the Manhatten Steak as an option every night made their dining choice difficult. I will venture a guess and say that this menu translates into less cost for Royal.

Are you seeing these same changes on other ships? Thoughts?

Thanks for the summary. Reading that, it appears to be a wholesale downgrade of the dining room dinner options.

Where's the Butterfish?

Didn't the vidalia onion tart also appear? I have seen it posted that it is now back on menus on other ships. That would be the only plus I can see!

Where's the Butterfish?

I had stayed away from the Butterfish post until now...you made me look.

These are the new menus that were posted from the Allure mid October. They are very similar to what Robyn had posted. The entre section was the same but there were some minor differences in the appetizers and always available menus. There was also one night that was completely different menu.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2413902

I had stayed away from the Butterfish post until now...you made me look.

Sorry.

Agree with you OP. It does look like the changes were influenced by cost reduction efforts.

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FWIW, I have had a lot of success asking for shrimp every night, even if it's not on the menu.

Thanks OP for the concise summary. Sure looks like "cost cutting" to me. Might have to spring for some upcharge dining.

Thanks OP for the concise summary. Sure looks like "cost cutting" to me. Might have to spring for some upcharge dining.

That's what they want you to do!

That's what they want you to do!

Lately the restaurants seem to be quite full. Now I think it is more about cost cutting in general than trying to drive people to the restaurants. They will make more in the end by not having to supply prime rib for 1000 people than by adding a few more to the specialty restaurant.

The new menu removed many of my favorites. Hope menu hasn't reached Radiance for Sept.

That's what they want you to do!

Then they are succeeding. So far I find the MDR's main ingredients somewhat lesser quality and uninspired. Seriously? A breaded pork chop? That is like Wednesday at home.

Friends of mine just off the LOS, had that seared sirloin steak - asked for rare and both described it as the thinnest piece of leather they had ever seen/tasted.

Not great for an upsell...

I will be on it this weekend, we have 4 specialty dinner bookings already - pretty sure we're not making it to the MDR.

Independence had Prime Rib toward the end of the recent transatlantic. The head waiter told me that it will only be served on longer cruises or on the British menu. Independence changed to the American menu upon arrival to ft lauderdale

I was on the FOS last week and was very disappointed with the less than stellar food in MDR, we also ate dinner in the Windjammer several nights and that was a grim experience. I'm not going into detail about the cut backs in food, but when I weigh myself today, I lost three pounds.

They had a similar uninspiring menu on Serenade for the Canada/NE sailing. It certainly jumped out as cost reduction to me.

Very disappointing.

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Just off the Brilliance, many menu changes and not all for the good . :(

FWIW, I have had a lot of success asking for shrimp every night, even if it's not on the menu.

That was true on recent Grandeur cruise, BUT, bring tweezers to dinner so you can pick them up. Magnifying glass wouldn't hurt either.

George in NY

That was true on recent Grandeur cruise, BUT, bring tweezers to dinner so you can pick them up. Magnifying glass wouldn't hurt either.

 

George in NY

Same in Chops ! The jumbo shrimp are nowhere to be found . :(