Back to RCI after twenty years. How's the food?

[F27TW]

Just booked the Serenade for s ten night Baltic cruise next year. How is the food onboard? We will be in the MDR most often due to a peanut allergy.

 

Also what is the vibe like onboard? We are used to Celebrity but RCI's pricing was too good to pass on this go around. We are a family of five--three kids 7, 7 and 13. We've booked a two bedroom family ocean view. Hopefully we will be pleased. Any input appreciated.

 

 

You will be GRAVELY disappointed compared to 20 yrs ago --- this is now "Hometown Buffet Of The Seas".

 

RC now makes you pay for specialty dining in order to get the experience and food you used to get in MDR ... and even that is hit or miss nowadays (Chops, etc).

 

Just go on your cruise planning to spend a lot more than you did before .. and get a lot less. That's the RC of today.

 

Our Jewel cruise this coming March will be our last. We have seen far too much of a decline in the offerings .. and refuse to pay more and more for less.

Edited June 19, 2016 by F27TW

[Hoopster95]

You will be GRAVELY disappointed compared to 20 yrs ago --- this is now "Hometown Buffet Of The Seas".

 

RC now makes you pay for specialty dining in order to get the experience and food you used to get in MDR ... and even that is hit or miss nowadays (Chops, etc).

 

Just go on your cruise planning to spend a lot more than you did before .. and get a lot less. That's the RC of today.

 

Our Jewel cruise this coming March will be our last. We have seen far too much of a decline in the offerings .. and refuse to pay more and more for less.

 

I disagree

$100 in 1994 is $162 today

A cabin in 1994 was $2000 compared to $1000 today.

How can that be?

 

to have top notch 5star quality meals per night, chocolates on pillow, butler-like service, etc like yesteryear... then cruise on luxury lines that cost $2000 per person to reflect today's actual cost of getting the exact same thing offered 22 years ago.

[F27TW]

I disagree

$100 in 1994 is $162 today

A cabin in 1994 was $2000 compared to $1000 today.

How can that be?

 

to have top notch 5star quality meals per night, chocolates on pillow, butler-like service, etc like yesteryear... then cruise on luxury lines that cost $2000 per person to reflect today's actual cost of getting the exact same thing offered 22 years ago.

 

 

WRONG!

 

Compared to the RC of even a few years ago, each year prices go up and quality goes down.

 

You have BLINDERS on if you refuse to admit that.

[William W]

WRONG!

 

Compared to the RC of even a few years ago, each year prices go up and quality goes down.

 

You have BLINDERS on if you refuse to admit that.

 

Couldn't agree more. Taste is subjective but I don't think there will be any dispute on the cheapening of the food ingredients used in dishes.

 

Though, having stayed away from Royal on my last 4 cruises, it looks like I will be coming back and trying out the Anthem because of their Kids Sail Free promo. I will have low expectation, and if they can't even meet them, I think it will be a few years until I will contemplating going on them again, or until they come out with another class of ships that I have not sailed on. :D

[Paulette3028]

I disagree

$100 in 1994 is $162 today

A cabin in 1994 was $2000 compared to $1000 today.

How can that be?

 

to have top notch 5star quality meals per night, chocolates on pillow, butler-like service, etc like yesteryear... then cruise on luxury lines that cost $2000 per person to reflect today's actual cost of getting the exact same thing offered 22 years ago.

 

Lots of companies have changed their product offering to keep prices at a point that customers who they are marketing to can afford. As you point out, to get all the services along with the same quality/quantity per serving/variety of offering of food prices would have to be significantly higher and probably limit the market they are trying to reach. I am not looking for a luxury cruise line.

 

I have rarely, if ever, had a bad meal. Maybe I am not expecting a 5 star restaurant experience, but I am expecting good food coupled with good service. If something ordered isn't to my liking they have no problem replacing it for me.

 

I can only imagine what the cost saving was when they did away with mints on pillows, just one simple example.

[Homosassa]

Twenty years? You will find there is a big difference in the overall cruise experience due to the repositioning of the RCI brand and targeted market demographic.

 

It has become an entry level line to compete with Carnival and NCL.

 

The offerings in the dining room will be more in line with what you might find in a Denny's and lunch selections in the Windjammer will rely heavily on steam table hamburgers and hot dogs.

 

Among the other things that are gone are the once trademark chocolate desserts . If you are lucky, there will be a chocolate brownie.

 

For the food quality that you remember on RCI, you have to cruise Azamara.

[Clarea]

... and lunch selections in the Windjammer will rely heavily on steam table hamburgers and hot dogs....

Our experience on multiple ships in the last 6 months has been that hamburgers and hot dogs are a small part of the Windjammer lunch selections.

[George C]

Thanks for this. So my question now is, is the Celebrity Silhouette worth spending $200 more per day to get their more premium product?

 

I do not think Celebrity is worth any more than RCCL, I was disappointed in the MDR on Celebrity ( did sister ship of Silhouette) , I do not think food was that great 20 years ago. Food is decent, some of the specialty restaurants are great