Surprisingly disappointed with the food on the Pearl

[LissaSue2]

My sister ordered the brownie cheesecake at O'Sheehans, and while she enjoyed it, we were both scratching our heads over the sauce on top of it. We both thought it tasted like a rum sauce and were perplexed by the mini marshmallows.

 

If that was supposed to be a caramel sauce I agree that it was not what caramel sauce is!

 

 

Hahaha! Yes, what was with those marshmallows? I don't care for marshmallows generally...unless they are floating in my hot chocolate...and since they were covered in that horrid sauce they were not getting eaten by ME! But the cheesecake itself was pretty good...if one doesn't compare it to Cheesecake Factory cheesecake that is. [emoji6]

[LissaSue2]

While I enjoy most of NCL cruise offerings the MDR food IMHO is bottom of the barrel. Surprisingly we feel the buffet is one of the best. We also very much enjoy the specialties. For my family we always factor in the cost of the UDP with the cruise cost because we know the MDR food is not for us. This is not to say there are not good dishes in the MDR, but we prefer to go into the meal knowing we will be happy. Obviously with food opinions differ VASTLY, but I think everyone can agree that cruise ship desserts are terrible.

 

 

 

6&8

 

 

This is sad. [emoji30] I'm beginning to think its a conspiracy by the cruise lines. "Let's make our food so bad that people who actually like good tasting food will be forced to buy a dinner package" Honestly, had I known, I would have chosen the UDP over the UBP. I drank at most maybe 2 drinks a day, my DH probably 2 beers a day. We could've lived without the alcohol to be honest, we're really not drinkers. But I figured who needs the UDP with all that free food!?! Me apparently!! lol

 

I'll know better next time. It's very sad though...I recall cruise food from the past with great fondness. Some things really SHOULD stay the same.

[ColinIllinois]

Not to criticize, but to point out a difference. IMO if you have to put any sauce on a steak, then the steak is low quality, and probably not prepared correctly. A good steak should be eaten rare to med rare with nothing but salt and pepper and melt in your mouth. If it can't be eaten like that it is simply not a quality piece of beef.

 

 

Absolutely not true. Just because a steak is prepared with a sauce, marinade or some spices doesn't indicate an inferior cut of meat.

 

Everyone has their own tastes.

[NLH Arizona]

This is sad. [emoji30] I'm beginning to think its a conspiracy by the cruise lines. "Let's make our food so bad that people who actually like good tasting food will be forced to buy a dinner package" Honestly, had I known, I would have chosen the UDP over the UBP. I drank at most maybe 2 drinks a day, my DH probably 2 beers a day. We could've lived without the alcohol to be honest, we're really not drinkers. But I figured who needs the UDP with all that free food!?! Me apparently!! lol

 

I'll know better next time. It's very sad though...I recall cruise food from the past with great fondness. Some things really SHOULD stay the same.

I don't eat in the MDR, because I didn't like the food (way too salty for my taste) or the service or the atmosphere (little children running around unattended, noisy, etc.); I only eat dinner in the specialty restaurants. I'll eat breakfast and lunch either in Cagney's or the buffet and have found the buffet food fine, but I'm easy to please. As far as salt and spices go, the cruise lines have to find a medium in between those that like a lot of salt (like a friend who puts a half shaker of salt on everything) and spices to someone like me, who uses rarely any salt or spices. Not everyone will be happy, but I don't know how that can be avoided other than putting some spices on the table along with the salt and pepper.

 

You are right about cruise food from the past. I also cruise with Celebrity and when I first cruised with them, the food was fantastic and was served on fine china by white gloved waiters, but I also remember how expensive it was to cruise back in those days. We as consumers wanted lower cruise fares (and cruise lines wanted more passengers) and there are only a few places that the cruise lines can cut costs, so that they could lower the fares, and unfortunately I think it is MDR food on most all lines.

 

The best MDR food I've had on all the cruise lines I've sailed with is Crystal. If you get a chance you might want to try them.

[Jane Don]

Absolutely not true. Just because a steak is prepared with a sauce, marinade or some spices doesn't indicate an inferior cut of meat.

 

Everyone has their own tastes.

 

I agree. My favouite meal in the world is filet mignon a la Oscar. Grass fed filet topped with lump crab meat and hollandaise. It is rich and decadent and expensive. Usually I get to indulge once a year.

[Moby0215]

Absolutely not true. Just because a steak is prepared with a sauce, marinade or some spices doesn't indicate an inferior cut of meat.

 

Everyone has their own tastes.

 

 

Actually it is pretty true. There are very few professional chefs who would ruin a good piece of steak with a sauce. With a few exceptions of course.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Zippeedee]

My sister ordered the brownie cheesecake at O'Sheehans, and while she enjoyed it, we were both scratching our heads over the sauce on top of it. We both thought it tasted like a rum sauce and were perplexed by the mini marshmallows.

If that was supposed to be a caramel sauce I agree that it was not what caramel sauce is!

 

Caramel and marshmallow together is one of my favorite things. I read the menu as "caramel and marshmallow sauce" and couldn't wait to try it. Those mini marshmallows were such a disappointment. They are surely a favorite of some chef on NCL. Watching the servers dole out three at a time like they were some precious treat on the ice cream in the buffet is a hoot too.

[Peachypooh]

There were certain categories of food on the Peal that I found outstanding. The meats, especially the prime rib were great. The pizza was decent as were the sandwiches.I thought the breakfast selections were good too. In my opinion where they could use improvement are the desserts as the only good dessert was the flag cake on glacier Bay day. The breads and pastries were stale and tasteless.

[jf3284]

I returned 8/30 from a Bermuda cruise on the Breakaway. This ship is only 2 years old ! Honestly, my experience was pretty similar. We too did NOT feel the need to pay extra for a specialty restaurant. After all, we paid a hefty price for our (balcony) room, right ?

 

We found the breakfast buffet to be atrocious as far as consistantly cold food being served. The only exception was omlette eggs that were custom made. Lunch, although having a great selection, wasn't much better. Then work you way up to dinner at the 3 primary places to eat. We found that this was better, although spotty. Consistancy WAS an issue for sure. Like the entree was fine but the vegetable or potato was cold ! THe only exception to the cold food issue was at the irish pub. The menu there was limited, but at least the food you got was reasonably and consistantly hoter. Thats my take from my cruise on the Norwegian Breakaway !

[LissaSue2]

We just met a few hours ago with some friends of ours who took a Princess cruise to Alaska this past August. They said their food was absolutely delicious. Every single meal. And then they pulled out their phones and showed us pictures of huge lobster tails, and prime rib, and... all from the MDR. They didn't eat at any specialty restaurants. It looked DELICIOUS!!!!! [emoji7]

 

NCL really needs to do better. [emoji35]

[navybankerteacher]

When I was in college, I would always put A1 sauce on my steak until my cousin told me "If you need to put sauce on your steak, your steak is low quality."

 

Ridiculous! Most cuts of steak need assistance. There is far more chuck, bottom round and even top round than there is decent sirloin, rib or strip.

 

The majority of beef served is tough and of mediocre flavor - and needs disguise or enhancement. Anything below prime or choice - even if it is sirloin - is of lower quality. Do you really think NCL is going to serve even choice if they are trying to economize? Of course everything they serve in MDR will be of low quality.

[casofilia]

In a number of cruises with NCL I have had only one meal that really disappointed; veal cutlets, in which one of the two cutlets was from "an old cow!!" :eek:

 

Otherwise, and we don't pay the extra for speciality restaurants nor eat in the buffet, we have been very satisfied with all the meals we have had. We don't expect 5 star meals just great tasting food. :) Some great, some good and almost all better than passable.

 

Mike

Pom by Birth; Coin Collecting Retired Kiwi by Choice.

[phissy]

I wish they would bring back the Panna Cotta with raspberry sauce. It was the best.

[casofilia]

One thing I miss is the Potato Jackets we had on the PoA a few years ago!! :D :D :D

 

Mike

Pom by Birth; Coin Collecting Retired Kiwi by Choice.

[justhappy]

Hahaha! Yes, what was with those marshmallows? I don't care for marshmallows generally...unless they are floating in my hot chocolate...and since they were covered in that horrid sauce they were not getting eaten by ME! But the cheesecake itself was pretty good...if one doesn't compare it to Cheesecake Factory cheesecake that is. [emoji6]

 

I agree on Cheesecake Factory cheesecake, their new salted caramel cheesecake is awesome.

[GoAndHaveFun]

We don't expect 5 star meals just great tasting food. :) Some great, some good and almost all better than passable.

 

 

That's my mindset as well and I mentioned that in a recent review of mine. The Garden Cafe and MDR are not gonna serve 5 star meals and I am perfectly okay with that.

[SailorSam42]

This is sad. [emoji30] I'm beginning to think its a conspiracy by the cruise lines. "Let's make our food so bad that people who actually like good tasting food will be forced to buy a dinner package" Honestly, had I known, I would have chosen the UDP over the UBP. I drank at most maybe 2 drinks a day, my DH probably 2 beers a day. We could've lived without the alcohol to be honest, we're really not drinkers. But I figured who needs the UDP with all that free food!?! Me apparently!! lol

 

I'll know better next time. It's very sad though...I recall cruise food from the past with great fondness. Some things really SHOULD stay the same.

 

When you consider the business model being operated, these things become completely understandable. The Berlitz "Complete Guide to Cruising" states: "How can cruise lines offer such low rates? Only because they hope you'll spend plenty on board". Obviously there would be no incentive to pay extra to eat in the speciality restaurants if the food was excellent in the "free to dine" venues. The bigger the difference in quality between the free and "extra charge" venues, the more profit the cruise line will make so clearly they want the differential to be as big as is reasonably possible. Hope I am not stating the obvious!

[PATRLR]

Don't forget they have to cook for the masses, and a lot more people prefer "bland" food to food with even a little "kick". Sorta stinks, but that is how it is.

That's a cop out. There is no difference between cooking for 400 or 4000, so long as your facility is sized properly. In the 80s on HAL and RCCL, ships carrying well over 1000 passengers, we experienced fine dining in the MDRs. It could be done today too, if the lines wanted to. Unfortunately, they chose not to.

 

This is sad. [emoji30] I'm beginning to think its a conspiracy by the cruise lines. "Let's make our food so bad that people who actually like good tasting food will be forced to buy a dinner package"

I don't think it's so much a conspiracy as it is a business/marketing decision. There is so much volume available in the industry that they have to lower fares to fill and pay for the ships. Obviously they then need to cut expenses and food quality is just one of many places they do it. But that poses a problem for attracting the big ticket spenders who don't want to pay big bucks for their suites and then eat Golden Corral and Dennys quality food. Solution: specialty restaurants with high quality food for a nominal fee.

 

I just wish people would be more honest about it so that people like the OP can plan accordingly.

 

Ridiculous! Most cuts of steak need assistance. There is far more chuck, bottom round and even top round than there is decent sirloin, rib or strip.

 

The majority of beef served is tough and of mediocre flavor - and needs disguise or enhancement. Anything below prime or choice - even if it is sirloin - is of lower quality.

Why did you write "Ridiculous"? You've pretty much restated his point. Most beef sold or served in the US is low quality, and therefore you need to add to it. The point is 100% correct - a good piece of beef shouldn't need anything added to it.

Do you really think NCL is going to serve even choice if they are trying to economize? Of course everything they serve in MDR will be of low quality.

I must have missed the memo. I didn't realize it was known that NCL was trying to economize by lowering the quality of their food, even in the MDR. My experience on the Dawn a couple weeks ago supports that assertion, I just wish people would acknowledge it more openly. The fact of the matter is, if you want decent food, you need to pay the extra $ for specialty restaurants, and you need to factor that cost into your budget. If not, be prepared to be eating "Golden Corral" quality meals during your cruise.

[roboclam]

We were out on the Pearl recently, we thought the ship was beautiful, loved our cruise but the food in the MDR was terrible, or was it the service that was terrible...???Actually it was both, we've been out 4-5 times with NCL and this was the worst food and worst service in the MDRs we've ever seen..The buffets were better than anything served in the MDRs...We ate in the specialty restaurants and they were fine even if they were crowded...

We were very surprised by the lack of decent food in the MDRs, thought the menus were stale and needed to be upgraded...Not for nothing, why does NCL serve farm raised salmon, why not wild caught "Norwegian salmon"...???Was very disappointed with the food on our last cruise sorry to have to say...

Loved the Pearl, we're out next on the Jade...

Rob

[LissaSue2]

Well, I'm glad I am not the only one who found the food terrible. I'm truly NOT a picky eater!!! Three of us at O'Sheehans had to return our food because it wasn't even remotely hot. Having been in the food service business myself I know that food has to reach a certain temp to be safe. Cold chicken pot pie is not "safe". [emoji16] Anyhow, I will definitely know next time what to expect and will plan accordingly...or try a different cruise line...though we did purchase their onboard future cruise deal for $250 and $100 back. So, unless I cancel that deal I'm going NCL again. But, man, I'm tempted to cancel. I was seriously impressed by what I saw of Princess's MDR food. A lobster tail as large as their plates!?? NCL offered nothing even close to that. Im told Princess cruises are more expensive though so I will have to check into it and do a price analysis.

 

I'm sure part of my disappointment was because of the delicious MDR food in previous cruises with Royal Caribbean...but I have heard that their food has declined in quality too. So it's apparently widespread.

 

And to be honest, Golden Corral's food tastes better than what I had on the Pearl!! And Denny's makes a better breakfast, though not with such variety. [emoji6] I'd prefer less variety and better food though, Just saying. Haha!

 

Oh well, it is what it is! I did have a wonderful time, and the shows were great. It wasn't all bad. [emoji4]

[zqvol]

Absolutely not true. Just because a steak is prepared with a sauce, marinade or some spices doesn't indicate an inferior cut of meat.

 

Everyone has their own tastes.

 

 

No real chef will ever serve a prime piece of steak with a sauce. They all know that the sauce simply takes away from the flavor and hides the lack of quality of the beef. It has noting to do with tastes, it has to do with quality. That is one reason you never see steak sauces in a quality restaurant.

[ronandannette]

Not to criticize, but to point out a difference. IMO if you have to put any sauce on a steak, then the steak is low quality, and probably not prepared correctly. A good steak should be eaten rare to med rare with nothing but salt and pepper and melt in your mouth. If it can't be eaten like that it is simply not a quality piece of beef.

 

When I was in college, I would always put A1 sauce on my steak until my cousin told me "If you need to put sauce on your steak, your steak is low quality."

 

Ridiculous. :rolleyes: I prefer all meats to be accompanied by a sauce of some kind and I greatly enjoy trying different flavor profiles. I don't "need to", I want to and have done so in some very fine establishments as well as at home after having purchased and prepared AAA Certified Angus.

[navybankerteacher]

 

Why did you write "Ridiculous"? You've pretty much restated his point. Most beef sold or served in the US is low quality, and therefore you need to add to it. The point is 100% correct - a good piece of beef shouldn't need anything added to it.

 

Typical mediocre steakhouse mentality: ever hear of sauce bernaise or red wine sauce which top-of-the-line restaurants serve on their top-of-the-line beef?

[ColinIllinois]

No real chef will ever serve a prime piece of steak with a sauce. They all know that the sauce simply takes away from the flavor and hides the lack of quality of the beef. It has noting to do with tastes, it has to do with quality. That is one reason you never see steak sauces in a quality restaurant.

 

 

Again, you are completely wrong. Check out for example Ramsey's Savoy Grill, Emeril's Delmonico and Flays Steak House. Try and tell me they use inferior grade beef. They have many different sauces for their steaks.

[mush71]

We were on the Pearl on August 23rd. We thought O'Sheehan's was not the same as on our Pearl cruise 7 years ago. The service was horrific. We ordered soda before we placed our food order. We received our food and finished our food before our sodas arrived. :eek::eek:

 

The food in the Summer Palace was yummy, but again the service was awful. We ordered diet soda and when it arrived it was regular. We are diabetic so we can't even just deal with it and drink it. When we brought it to the waitress' attention she insisted it was diet, before getting us new ones.

 

In Lotus Garden we had the worst experience ever!!!! We had a nice dinner on the 2nd night and we decided to go back the 4th night. BIG MISTAKE!!!! We had listed my husband as having allergies to Olives when we booked. We had been through most of the cruise without this becoming an issue. Except for this night. We ordered our food and they brought out my appetizer and my daughters appetizer. We were waiting for my husbands appetizer and daughters sushi to come out and they brought out my daughter and my main dinners. We asked them to take it back we were still waiting for appetizers and sushi.

 

Then the manager came over and started questioning my husband about his allergies. We explained that we had eaten the same things 2 nights ago and it wasn't an issue. Why is becoming a problem now? We were told they should have checked with us and any of the restaurants. So they finally brought out the sushi and my husbands appetizer and now main dinner. Now we were missing my daughter and my main dinners. The waitress never put in the computer that the originals back to the kitchen. This was a total nightmare. And we weren't the only ones with issues. The people at the table next to us were also complaining about something.

 

We loved Moderno. This was the only restaurant that properly came over to us before serving anything and went over the menu and my husbands allergies. This specialty restaurant is worth every dime. The service was outstanding and the food amazing. :D:D

 

We did enjoy our cruise and did have plenty to eat that was good but it wasn't the same as our first 2 NCL cruises. :(:(