Have we just been lucky or are people really that picky?

[rukkian]

This dessert issue comes up a lot. Do people who demean RC desserts not eat a lot of dessert in general?

 

 

I eat dessert and sweets all the time, and RC's are adequate and shrug-worthy. I often settle for the ice cream. I wonder if people are building up something in their head and then getting something ordinary.

 

I am not a huge desert eater, but do love Creme Brulee, and JOTS had the BBB creme brulee, which was bad compared to even the creme brulee I can get at Costco, let alone any restaurants. It was not inedible, just not up to par with what you would get even in a standard chain restaurant. From the menus I am seeing, Allure has a standard Creme Brulee (instead of the BBB), so looking foward to trying that, but for me, I would much rather eat an extra appetizer (as most of those were very good) than most of the deserts in the mdr on our one cruise earlier this year.

 

My wife has a huge sweet tooth, and rarely even finished the deserts she had. If all you had was ice cream, then sure, it is probably fine. My wife did say that the deserts were much better for her diet since she rarely would even eat them, even though they looked so decadent. In the end, the WJ had better deserts the last night then the 6 previous nights in the MDR put together, so I guess to each their own.

[rukkian]

We normally eat in WJ for lunch ( sometimes specialty when there open) and I think food is pretty bad, I have been on most of the other major lines and they all do the buffet better than RCCL, I keep returning to RCCL because of the entertainment

 

We were not huge fans of the WJ for lunch, but the dinner we had there was wonderful, and thought the breakfast was better than the mdr.

[yuvraj]

I enjoy the food on Royal Caribbean. I don't take too much notice of what others say as we all have different tastes and will make judgements accordingly.

 

Occasionally I get served a meal which is well below expectations. It is the exception rather than the norm. If it was the norm, I would not choose RCL as food is a big part of my cruise experience.

 

Reflecting on 30 yrs of cruise experience with Royal Caribbean, I would say standards have declined. There are certain things which are not a question of taste or judgement. An over-cooked or under-cooked lobster, lamb shank which doesn't come off the bone, a stodgy eggplant parmesan etc. These are exceptions of course and usually the food served is at least as good as the average land-based restaurant.

[yuvraj]

Allure has a standard Creme Brulee (instead of the BBB), so looking foward to trying that, but for me, I would much rather eat an extra appetizer (as most of those were very good) than most of the deserts in the mdr on our one cruise earlier this year.

 

 

We were on the Allure just a few weeks ago. Really enjoyed the crème brulee. Was one of our favourite deserts.

[bigque]

We eat at chain restaurants (Chili's, Applebees, Texas Roadhouse, Longhorn Steakhouse etc.), fast food joints (Chains & Local), hole in the wall joints, Mall food courts, Buffets (National & Local), upscale restaurants, go to cook outs, cook out myself, Pizza delivery (national & local), so in other words we eat at all kinds of places so it is never any problem for us to eat and enjoy the offerings on a cruise in the MDR, Specialty, Windjammer, Sorrento's or Johnny Rockets. I am so glad that we don't have only 5 star taste buds. One thing I have never seen is someone leaving the cruise ship at the end of the week suffering from starvation! :o

[rukkian]

We were on the Allure just a few weeks ago. Really enjoyed the crème brulee. Was one of our favourite deserts.

 

Great, looking forward to trying it.

[Beachdude]

I don't even think people are that picky or upset, they are just over expressive to point of ridiculous. Probably a way to get attention on a forum of a thousand posters.

 

One poster in another discussion said the passenger who left a business card in the drawer of the cabin nightstand should be thrown off the ship. I would guess that poster has also eaten a few horrible inedible meals.

 

My advice for people like this is step away from the computer and take Fluffy for a walk.

 

Burt

[dwayneb236]

Yep, you nailed it.

[cruzer_3]

From my experiences, ever since they rolled out the specialty restaurants, the food in the MDR/WJ just hasn't been the same. Quality/variety has gone down IMO.

[rukkian]

From my experiences, ever since they rolled out the specialty restaurants, the food in the MDR/WJ just hasn't been the same. Quality/variety has gone down IMO.

 

That may be, but that also allows a lower cost of entry for the cruise, while allowing those that want to pay more the option to have better food. I have no issues with that myself.

[Armac]

I agree that the food quality in the main dinning room has declined over the last few years but we always find something good. My wife and I are not real fans of dessert. Usually we do a table for 2 at late seating because we leave before dessert. A couple of years ago we did a transatlantic on Jewell, about the sixth night our Head Waiter came to our table and apologized for the desserts, we tried to explain that there was not a problem just not dessert people. Later that night we received a call, they would buy us lunch in Chops the next day ( free lunch is free lunch). At lunch we realized that everyone in chops had complained about the food in some way. I have never heard so much complaining about food in my life. People were complaining about the free lunch food, its true you just cannot make some people happy no matter what you do. I actually felt sorry for some of them, cannot image going though life being that miserable.

[FOXTROT]

True the food quality in the MDR has declined over the years. The food in the WJ has remained pretty level. But, the food quality in Chops has dropped the most. Last month on the Liberty will be the last time I waste my money in Chops. Wifes' shrimp appetizer tasted like old hard shrimp. Returned for a new one, little better not good. My lamb chops were uneatable. They were tough & mostly grizzly. Sent them back & he brought out another dish of something. The desserts used to be special, all the desserts were served in the MDR. Of course we were still charged for the meal.

[meatloafsfan]

I know good food. We found a farm near us where we buy our meat and it's of excellent quality. When I get food where there's big veins left in it, or tough, I can realize the difference.

 

I categorize the WJ as a bunch of mystery meats in sauce. If you don't mind that, it's fine for you.

 

I don't like it.

 

Maybe that means I'm picky or "critical"; I don't consider myself unreasonable though.

 

I do like Carnival's food, and Celebrity's food. Disney is okay (but it used to be a lot better). Royal for me is bottom of the food cruise chain.

 

My dad on the other hand pretty much orders shrimp cocktail, steak, and cake for dessert. That's it - very little variation. For him Royals MDR is good. I don't find that Royal does "unusual" well (i.e. vegetarian dishes, or when they try to be more creative).

[SRF]

This dessert issue comes up a lot. Do people who demean RC desserts not eat a lot of dessert in general?

 

 

I eat dessert and sweets all the time, and RC's are adequate and shrug-worthy. I often settle for the ice cream. I wonder if people are building up something in their head and then getting something ordinary.

 

Some are good. Some look good, but are not that tasty.

 

The bread pudding is pretty good, but not as good as mine. :)

 

The pies are pretty good. And the tarts.

 

But the various small iced cakes are marginal, IMO.

 

But, if you like them, you like them.

 

Funny thing is, I have been to restaurants that "serious foodies" rave about, and have been seriously underwhelmed. I think many "foodies" have no idea about taste, but rate on appearance and price. The more expensive, the better it must be. :)

[SRF]

One thing I have never seen is someone leaving the cruise ship at the end of the week suffering from starvation! :o

 

I wonder how much weigh those who complain about the food gain on a cruise. :D

[briehon]

As the OP, I should have said, not including desserts. Because to be honest, in the 16 cruises I have been on, I may have had 3 desserts! Just not a dessert person! But I have heard a lot of negative dessert comments on many lines.

 

 

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[spunks]

I have to laugh. People come on a cruise and are treated to a wonderful ship, great entertainment and so many things to do....cheaper than if they checked in to the local Motel 6 and then expect 5 star dining!The food is good. If they want very,very good, go to the specialty restaurants. They complain about the windjammer? I guarantee it is better than the fast food joint back home.

 

 

Doug

[mek]

I have to laugh. People come on a cruise and are treated to a wonderful ship, great entertainment and so many things to do....cheaper than if they checked in to the local Motel 6 and then expect 5 star dining!The food is good. If they want very,very good, go to the specialty restaurants. They complain about the windjammer? I guarantee it is better than the fast food joint back home.

 

 

Doug

 

Well, I'm defiantly not a foodie because I'm not picky and will eat most things, but I do frequently eat at very upscale restaurants and I know the difference between really good and just adverage. I would hope the food in the Windjammer is better than fast food - thats a pretty low bar.

[JamesEM]

I did a B-2-B cruise, the first week was family vacation time, 2nd week was just DW and I. The first week we ate in the MDR and the food was OK, 2nd week DW and I ate in the WJ each night and I was a happy camper. Great salad bar, I could graze all I wanted and each night there was a station making something different, craps, pasta, steak, stir fry, etc.

[travelplus]

I am not a picky eater. Only once did I have to send back an overcooked steak which I returned it with grace. I appologized to the server and with a smile asked for a replacement. The server brougbt me a Chops upcharge steak gratis for the mistake and a sprcial dessert from the chef. On another cruise our kind waiter Umesh from India brought us chai tea that he made for us every night along with curries. Its how you treat your server.

 

For the most part my plate is empty and I try not to over order.

[PrincessBelle39]

I've never considered myself picky. We've cruised 3 times - twice on Disney and once on RCI (Oasis). There was nothing on Disney that we didn't like. Every meal we considered fantastic. RCI not so much. We thought WJ was fine. No problems with that at all. Exactly as expected and quite enjoyable. We were a little disappointed in the Main Dining Room, especially after cruising with Disney. But nothing was bad. Just ordinary. Certainly nothing warranted being sent back. It just wasn't fantastic. But we appreciate how difficult it must be to feed so many people. Our best meal without a doubt was Chops Grille. And this is coming from a pescatarian.

[Freehike]

I've certainly never starved while on a RCI cruise. We tend to eat at the specialty restaurants more than anything else though. I haven't eaten in the MDR in a few years.

 

I have to be honest though and say that for me, the Windjammer is pretty rough. I can always find something but more often than not I leave far more on the plate uneaten than I actually eat. I expect cheap buffet food and that's what I get though.

 

To each their own.

 

 

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[vickiw0318]

Anything that I don't have to cook and don't have to clean up after always starts out with a few points in its favor. If I don't like something, I can always try something else I didn't have to cook to take its place. I don't have lofty expectations of MDR and WJ food, but I do expect that it will be pleasantly presented and tasty.

 

P.S. I am not a big fan of the desserts in general either. The good thing about having cruised a lot is that I do know the few I really like and no longer add extra calories by "having to" try the others.

[Mobear100]

I'm apparently way pickier than I think I am. I can't believe no one has commented on the food temps in WJ and MDR. I think for me that's my biggest problem.

 

Because of my background I completely appreciate the challenges of feeding that many people at once and it's the reason we steer clear of the MDR. But on the Anthem a little over a year ago, with the exception of Jamie Olivers, every meal we ate was luke warm food on a hot plate. Because we had the same experience 6 months earlier on LOS we purchased a 5 night dining package thinking this would make a difference. On that same cruise six months earlier I overcame my problem by eating at WJ and eating a lot of salads or using a lot of gravy, otherwise, you got it, borderline room temp food.

 

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, we were back on Liberty this past spring for 7 nights. We did do a 5 night package again and didn't eat in the MDR. But, the food temps in the WJ were better...

[juju2454]

We have only cruised 4 times all on different ships and companies. I have only had one "bad" experience of food, it was a play on Brazilian churrasco style and honestly it was tough meat and flavorless, and we have been to similar type places so it was a bit disappointing. But over all we enjoy most of the food offerings and never have an issue getting something good to eat, even that night we just went elsewhere later. People get ideas in their heads of being in a gourmet restaurant not a good food one , and nothing will please them.