CHIME IN! RCI/CCL's MDR Food is better BECAUSE:

[mtchg]

I will be posting this on the other board as well. I would really like those who have sailed

on both lines to respond; but everyone is welcome ofcourse.

 

I'm not as interested in service, or ambiance...but the tastiness and variety of the

Main Dining Room food (not the specialty extra charge food).

 

 

Royal Caribbean's MDR food or Carnival MDR food. As of 2010; on balance which one

wins?

 

 

 

Mitch

[webprinter]

I have to vote for CCL so far. We are sailing on the Voyager in March and hopefully my answer will change. For now I will vote CCL because of the taste, choices and variety. On RCCL I end up eating beef every night and then I get sick from too much beef. CCL also has the chocolate melting cake with ice cream which is sooooo good. For buffets, the Windjammer gets my vote over Carnival.

[Loki_77573]

The ones I have taken I would say RCCL but I have not been on the Conquest. Neither come close to "X". After sailing with them awhile I not only check my finances, I check my scale to see if I can afford to go. lol

[ehfl]

Both are fine. I was not wowed on either line. Some people like the chocolate melting cake on Carnival, but I found it horrible compared to what you can get at even a cheap restaurant like Chilis. It was not a real melting cake where they put frozen real chocolate in the center that warms and melts while it's cooking. Instead, they just use chocolate syrup (which is mostly corn syrup).

 

RCL tends to over-salt most of their foods. It's a cheap way to add flavor, but makes it obvious that they are not using flavorful recipes to begin with.

[Colorado Kat]

CCL for the chocolate melting cake!

And I love their sandwich/deli area.

[mamasue]

I found CCL food to be marginally better.... just because of their cream fruit soups and their lobster is bigger than RCCL lobster.

NCL had the worst food.... but it was still fairly good.

 

I wouldn't base cruise choice on food on either line.

[pjinaz]

I vote for RCCL over CCL, but not by much. They are pretty close. I think CCL has gone up and RCCL has gone down over the years.

[billy10]

CCL better MDR RCL better buffet set up

[Nunu]

[rwilk1129]

Just off Grandeur after 3yrs on Carnival. We were very impressed with RC food. The prime rib in Winjammer and MDR were way better than any on Carnival. We kept telling each other this is better than Carnival each time we ate.Doesn't mean we are going to change to RC. We love the Tampa port and being able to stay in the area visiting family. RC doesn't have enough cruises out of Tampa so we often cruise Inspiration and Legend and enjoy them all.

[Able Seaman H]

Was on Explorer over Christmas and actually thought how good the food was. We dine extremely well when going out back home including some Michelin starred eateries and I`m not claiming the dining experience on board matches those establishments but to be fair you wouldn`t expect it to. They don`t serve 3,000 covers a night !

 

There is always a decent choice, the menu is a little spread out with items dotted around the place but I never struggled to find a dish that suited my mood. If you`re ever torn between two dishes get both !!

 

I even chose a few "off the wall" dishes. Things I wouldn`t usually choose such as a quiche dish one evening and was impressed. The basic non surcharge steak was excellent and the steak in Portofinos magnificent.

 

Food is a very personal thing and you do have to keep numbers of diners in mind, but then that`s the same on all ships. But I`d say an improvement on previous cruises.

 

2 Criticisms: For god`s sake learn how to make proper mint sauce rather than the green jelly goo they serve with lamb and keep a bottle of HP sauce on board to go with my bacon and eggs in the morning ! (They do on some ships, not Explorer though).

 

All in all an excellent culinary experience on board Royal Caribbean.

 

H

[MrPete]

Carnival!

 

More of it.

 

More options.

 

More availability.

 

Leaner meats.

 

Tastier poultry.

 

Better presentation.

 

JMO

[cheezwhiz]

Food wise CCL wins....RCCL needs help

[pharaoh]

In before someone says Savory Bites!

[shipty2]

Carnival definitely wins this one.

[MMastell]

I haven't sailed Royal Caribbean in a couple of years so. At this time, I have to give it to Carnival. A better variety, better presentation, better specialty restaurant and all around better taste.

 

This may change. I'm sailing Radiance on Friday so I'll see if things have changed. I hope so. I love Royal Caribbean's Radiance class ships. Carnival's ships are a bit too gaudy for me.

 

Take care,

Mike

[Sugar*Magnolia]

CCL wins this one hands down (I really can't beleive Im saying that!). Having said that we're booked on 2 RCI cruises. We dont book for the food, but we were happily surprised (amazed!) that carnival had very, very good food. Not over salted, better quality, fresher tasting and appearing...overall- especially the buffet (where we enjoyed breakfast and lunch). Actually about 1 yr ago right out of a trade mag- noted was the decline of RCI food and the step-up of CCL.. (a friend works at staffing crew employment for the various cruiselines. I didnt ask, she volunteered the info in conversation)

[mtchg]

..If I were RCI management I think this should be a wake up call. On the ROYAL boards..

it looks like Carnival gets the nod on MDR food; at least so far. Hmmmm

 

 

Mitch

[MrPete]

For buffets, the Windjammer gets my vote over Carnival.

 

If buffets are included, I still remember my first Windjammer experience. In fact, it was my first meal on RCCL.

 

I was QUITE disappointed at the quality, but the layout was great.

 

I was pleased that on day two, and each succeeding day, the food and selections were quite good.

 

When writing my review, I was quite amazed at all those reponding that the the buffet that first day was just not that good.

 

Next cruise, I found the same thing.

 

But my third, I found that the quality and selections were poor the entire week. I was QUITE disappointed. It really took a nosedive.

 

I have also found there's NOTHING I've experienced that comes close to a Carnival Spirit class buffet. The stations are numerous, and the selections and variety, changing daily, are a true foodies heaven (or epicurean delights!)

[beachbum6264]

My personal opinion - for what it's worth!! (not much, but it's mine!)

Breakfasts: about equal

Lunch (MDR) gotta give it to RCI - love the salad bar we had on Mariner

Dinner - CCL wins this easily. Better choices, better preparation and presentation.

Buffets: pretty much equal - only time we eat there is after embarkation.

[uksimonusa]

Was on Explorer over Christmas and actually thought how good the food was. We dine extremely well when going out back home including some Michelin starred eateries and I`m not claiming the dining experience on board matches those establishments but to be fair you wouldn`t expect it to. They don`t serve 3,000 covers a night !

 

There is always a decent choice, the menu is a little spread out with items dotted around the place but I never struggled to find a dish that suited my mood. If you`re ever torn between two dishes get both !!

 

I even chose a few "off the wall" dishes. Things I wouldn`t usually choose such as a quiche dish one evening and was impressed. The basic non surcharge steak was excellent and the steak in Portofinos magnificent.

 

Food is a very personal thing and you do have to keep numbers of diners in mind, but then that`s the same on all ships. But I`d say an improvement on previous cruises.

 

2 Criticisms: For god`s sake learn how to make proper mint sauce rather than the green jelly goo they serve with lamb and keep a bottle of HP sauce on board to go with my bacon and eggs in the morning ! (They do on some ships, not Explorer though).

 

All in all an excellent culinary experience on board Royal Caribbean.

 

H

 

The mint jelly, is an American thing, we did have mint sauce on Naigator out of Rome, and they had real back bacon, not the strips of fat you normally find!! HP has been on every ship I have sailed on recently!!

[Cindy]

We thought the food on our one Carnival cruise so far was outstanding. My husband and I both thought the quality and selection was much better than what we've had on Royal Caribbean. The most noticeable difference was with the quality of the beef and seafood (tender steaks, jumbo shrimp, BIG lobster), but we didn't have anything we disliked all week.

We even liked the buffet (we were on Splendor) with the great selection of stations...a chicken rotisserie, Mongolian grill, deli, burrito bar, etc. It was probably the first time we've been on a ship and not struggled with what to eat at the buffet. Our biggest problem was trying to narrow down our choices!:rolleyes:

However, we missed the savory bites!:D

[cruisnpat]

I vote for Carnival when it comes to the pizza, and the chocolate melting cake, but RC wins with their cold soups and the rest of the foods

[sjcruiser]

Loved MDR on both lines. Loved soups on Carnival and Escargot on RCI. A salad is a salad.

 

Never ate lunch in the MDR on Carnival, but enjoyed lunch in MDR on RCI, which I will do at least half the cruise no matter what ship I'm on.

[MedicKen]

After sailing Freedom of the Seas in February and Carnival Pride in December, DW, DS and I have come to the conclusion that the food on both ships was of comperable quality. HOWEVER, I must give my vote to RCI they, at least, delivered hot meals to our table in a timely and regular manner. Carnival had a problem serving food even close to very warm. Part of the problem was our fellow passengers who tought that a 6:00 seating meant 6:30 or 6:45 every evening. This threw our waiters timing right out the porthole.

 

The short end of the long story...... Royal Caribbean has better MDR food.