New menus.....sorry to say, we were dissapointed.

[gingerpeaches]

well, my mom and sister, both born in England, have given me reason to visit there DREQUENTLY, so I do know something about English food! You can lecture and demonstrate all you please, THAT won't make English food taste good, nothing will.

 

 

I disagree. If all your experiences of dining are in London and, as a previous poster said, London isn't England, then I believe you know very little about English food.

[MrsPete]

First, my husband would absolutely eat escargo if it were available to him every night!

 

Second, it is rude to accuse an entire country of having no taste in food! Don't you know Americans who live and breathe for food . . . and other Americans who'd be satisified eating McDonald's three times a day? We're individuals with different interests and abilities. Having said that, my daughter's British boyfriend LOVES American food. No, not because the food back home is nasty; rather, he loves that Americans enjoy so many ethnic foods and so many variations of ethnic foods, and that appeals to him. At the same time, he definitely knows how to dig into a basic pot roast and mashed potatoes, which he says is standard fare for him at home. Am I suggesting that his opinions and experiences are typical for the whole country? Not in any way!

[marielco]

By the way, I didnt intend my post to be about bashing RCIi. Just representing four peoples' views who want RCI to listen so we can enjoy a future cruise on Royal Caribbean.

 

Unfortunately on these boards there are those who will attack anyone who dares to criticise anything on a RCI cruise. It is obvious from constant negative comments posted here and elsewhere that there is a problem with the quality of food being served in the MDR on many ships of the fleet. Whether this is caused by poor preparation or poor quality of food or menu the result is the same - dissapointed diners. No amount of insulting the posters will change what appears to be a reality - many people are unhappy with what they are being served.

[BekkaW]

Unfortunately on these boards there are those who will attack anyone who dares to criticise anything on a RCI cruise. It is obvious from constant negative comments posted here and elsewhere that there is a problem with the quality of food being served in the MDR on many ships of the fleet. Whether this is caused by poor preparation or poor quality of food or menu the result is the same - dissapointed diners. No amount of insulting the posters will change what appears to be a reality - many people are unhappy with what they are being served.

 

Yours is a very interesting comment because it gets right to the heart of the quandary facing RCI - many people are unhappy with what they are being served BUT many people are very happy (I count myself and DH in this latter camp).

 

What are they do to try and please everyone? Or at least please more people more of the time? Food is so subjective and I really feel sorry for their menu planners

[ticktoneer]

I disagree. If all your experiences of dining are in London and, as a previous poster said, London isn't England, then I believe you know very little about English food.

I agree totally.

 

Ilionite65 seems to have no real valid opinion from reading his/her contributions

[anandaindonesia]

Reading the menu, I find it odd as the theme is not really reflected on the dishes. Maybe it's just to put some excotic names? What shiitake has to do with soy meatballs, for example?

 

However, browsing the dishes from appetizers through main courses to desserts, I must say that Royal offers great varieties from day to day, plus there is always the available any day option. I think the (new) menu is good, nothing wrong with it. I've never cruise Royal before so I have nothing to compare it with :p

 

As a MENU, it is a good menu.

However, how the menu is executed is a different matter.

How well it is cooked, how well it is presented, how it suits your taste, ... etc, might vary from ship to ship, from chef to chef, from cruise to cruise and from cruiser to cruiser!

 

I am looking forward to it, in 343 days to come! :)

[foxesden1]

It´s hard to say if you´d be happier on another ship as Food is such a subjective Topic.

 

The Food does vary from Chef to Chef even though it´s the same menu.

 

I had a lot of items on the old menus I liked and though I miss a few of those I think the new menus are an improvement.

 

As for escargot, I think you are quite wrong about how many People like those. I´m not one of them but I know quite a number of People who will eat them every night if available.

 

I ate them every night..

[markeb]

as it's so subjective.

 

BUT, have they in fact dropped the Indian and other ethnic dishes??? These were my wife's staple onboard and she is going to be very disappointed, I'm afraid! (And no, she's not a vegetarian; she just loves the variety they offer.)

[UCF_Knight]

I've eaten in the MDR for a total of 12 dinners on 2 separate cruises with the new menus. Out of 20+ appetizers, 12 entrees, and 12+ desserts, there has been a total of 2 dishes I wasn't happy with. One was a bland duck consomme which tasted like hot salt water. The other was a pork chop entree which had good taste, but the pork was very dry. Other than that, every other item I've had has ranged from good to great. I have yet to experience an overall meal I wouldn't be happy with for $30 to $40 at a restaurant back home.

[bighairtexan]

I have to agree with the posters who commented that it is the individual line chefs, head chefs, sous chefs who make the most difference.

 

In September (OLD MENUS) on Explorer there were many things that were truly awful (the creme brûlée that had this thick "skin" that folded back instead of a caramelized crust. But many other pretty awful things.

 

7 months later (NEW MENUS) on the Mariner I was very pleasantly surprised. But I wouldn't order the creme brûlée until I saw one and it was perfection as far as the crust. So though I would say I'm a fan of the new menus, I'm probably more a fan of the chefs who prepared the food on the Mariner.

 

NOTE: on the Mariner last month, my friend and I were put in a table of 8. 7 of which were Diamond or above. Everyone thought the food was much better than last year.

The one lady who wasn't Diamond had only cruised Queens Grill class on the Queen Elizabeth (or maybe Mary 2). She also used to own a restaurant. She actually preferred the food on the Mariner to Cunard!

I certainly was very pleasantly surprised. Even most of the desserts were tolerable.

[Aussieflyer]

Since you are English, I can understand your opinion of the food. I have the opinion that the English know little about GOOD food. My time in London was marred only by the lack of decent food, and surly you know that the English are not known for good food.

 

Ouch - I think that was uncalled for. Food I have had in England has been pretty good in recent times.

As a real foodie, the quality of ship's food is important to me and I will eat in specially restaurants if I feel that the MDR is not good enough. I know and accept that this is mass market cooking so it is not 5 star but it needs to use good quality ingredients and be cooked correctly. The OP was pointing out that in their opinion this was not the case.

And don't bother commenting that Australians as we are a British "colony" don't know anything about food. :D

[pittnh]

Ouch. Strange that London has the largest concentration of Michelin starred restaurants outside of Paris then. If English people were used to a lack of 'decent food' then surely we would not be complaining about the food on our recent RCI trip? Ive seen 'The Middle' and know how American people eat ;-)

 

Fine dining and England are mutually exclusive. Really not surprised that a brit would complain about the MDR, nothing matches up to the bangers & mash back home.

[gingerpeaches]

Fine dining and England are mutually exclusive. Really not surprised that a brit would complain about the MDR, nothing matches up to the bangers & mash back home.

 

With English mustard! :)

 

I'm getting on Indy in 14 days (Yay!), and I'm really looking forward to trying the new menus. I'm prepared to keep an open mind with regard to the food. I'm sure if there's something I don't like, it won't be that hard to find something I do like.

[kevinyork]

Subjective for the most part. Taste in food, that is.

 

I loved the new menu. You didn't. o.k.

 

Again, comments about seasoning ar subjective. In general, I loved the soups.

 

Finally, I'm bewildered about the comment that mashed potatoes came with almost every entree. Huh? I had to request mashed potatoes because I prefer them to a baked potato.

 

Thats interesting. There wasnt one entree served with a baked potato on our cruise.

[debshomespun]

I did not like the creme brulee on the new everyday menu. Wasn't up to my standards....but am sure many others loved it. Overall... food on the Indy was very good!

[littlesteelo]

Since you are English, I can understand your opinion of the food. I have the opinion that the English know little about GOOD food. My time in London was marred only by the lack of decent food, and surly you know that the English are not known for good food.

 

How bloody rude of you! How about you stop trying to make stereotypes about other cultures. I think you will find there is plenty of good food over here, and some of the finest chefs in the world come from the UK. Maybe you were just too narrow minded to look for it.

[setsail]

Groundbeef & horsemeat:rolleyes:

[gingerpeaches]

Groundbeef & horsemeat:rolleyes:

 

Seriously, do you want to go there? Have you seen Food, Inc.? :rolleyes:

[ilionite65]

I agree totally.

 

Ilionite65 seems to have no real valid opinion from reading his/her contributions

 

All opinions are valid. You may disagree with them, your right to do so, but an opinion is just that, an opinion! I didn't claim that what I said was fact, it is my opinion, I have a right to it, and FROM EXPERIENCE, I stick to my opinion!

[ilionite65]

Ouch - I think that was uncalled for. Food I have had in England has been pretty good in recent times.

As a real foodie, the quality of ship's food is important to me and I will eat in specially restaurants if I feel that the MDR is not good enough. I know and accept that this is mass market cooking so it is not 5 star but it needs to use good quality ingredients and be cooked correctly. The OP was pointing out that in their opinion this was not the case.

And don't bother commenting that Australians as we are a British "colony" don't know anything about food. :D

 

Won't comment about Australian food, never ate there. But I have eaten in England, and base my comments on actual experiences.

[ilionite65]

How bloody rude of you! How about you stop trying to make stereotypes about other cultures. I think you will find there is plenty of good food over here, and some of the finest chefs in the world come from the UK. Maybe you were just too narrow minded to look for it.

 

As I stated, this is my OPINION! How bloody rude of YOU to imply that I shouldn't express my opinion, and to use that term, bloody, especially!

[Kelv_2013]

As I stated, this is my OPINION! How bloody rude of YOU to imply that I shouldn't express my opinion, and to use that term, bloody, especially!

 

If nothing else it shows how patriotic people are. Illonite65, I agree, you are entitled to express your opinion, but with respect, yours does come across as rude. I too have eaten in many countries around the world, I love experiencing the different cuisines and some I prefer over others. Making the point that you don't like English food is fine, but to suggest that because we are English we don't know what good food is most certainly is rude.

 

Just my opinion.

[littlesteelo]

As I stated, this is my OPINION! How bloody rude of YOU to imply that I shouldn't express my opinion, and to use that term, bloody, especially!

 

The point is that you used it in a derogatory manner. It has no place on this board. You effectively said that the reason Kevin didn't like the food was because he is British, and then went on to state British people have no concept of good food.

 

I, and clearly many others in this thread find that an offensive stereotype, and hate people who try to reinforce this, especially in a thread like this, where your statement had no reason to be here other than to offend others, which it has.

 

Just because you have an opinion about someones culture (which you are entitled to, I certainly have my opinions about yours!) doesn't mean you should go blurting it out unnecessarily. The statement was irrelevant, and therefore should not have been said.

[stewpapa]

I agree with the OP. New menu was a letdown for all the reasons stated by the OP. We had it on Mariner of the Seas the first week out. Not impressed.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[ludde]

Not to be rude or anything, but I've heard many times that people consider Britain to have the worst food in the world.

 

Here are some pages I found that state the same thing:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2184373/Foreign-tourists-vote-British-cuisine-worst-local-food.html

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/london-has-the-worst-food-in-europe-2024658.html

 

http://www.titanicawards.com/2009/06/17/who-has-the-worlds-worst-national-cuisine/

 

http://www.dineandcook.com/news/food-news-wire/473-survey-top-3-worst-food-cities-in-europe-are-in-uk