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

[Alter Ego]

My May cruise was the first time in a long time that I ate in the MDR (usually go to specialty restaurants.) As one would expect, some things were better than others, but there were many things that I enjoyed quite a bit. If you don't like something, send it back and get something else.

 

When at the captain's discussion, it was commented that Royal was increasing the food budget. So, whether true or not, I can say that I've seen less complaints this year vs last.

[CanadaRob]

I have had mostly good to very good meals on RC. I had an MSC cruise most recently and our table of 6 generally left disappointed and underwhelmed. I have seen not very good but still have trouble saying horrible.

[Trainman-2]

We Get What We Pay For!

[legaljen1969]

Some people have ordered a dish before and have a different experience with it next time. Looking at you, sweet and sour meatless dish.

 

That is what happened to me with the chicken cordon bleu. I had it on one cruise in 2015 and didn't care for it. I had it on my next cruise in 2016 and it was pretty good.

[oldmom]

I do agree that the food is "not as good as it used to be" on RCCL. I LOVE desserts-but they are almost tasteless on Royal-except for a few (Key lime pie-bread pudding) and the cookies-of course! Do I need dessert every night/day?-of course not-but it would be nice if their desserts had some taste-and tasted as good as they looked. I have found that the MDR and WJ- and even some of the specialty places-REALLY varied on each individual ship-and sailings-not consistent across the fleet! We had some sailings where WJ was barely edible-and some where it was far superior to the MDR-go figure. So-we try both out at the start of each cruise-and adjust our plans as we need. If we really don't care for either-we do more specialty places-or eat more in port-and less on the ship. We have never lost weight on a cruise,yet.

[perditax]

I'm at the end of my first RC cruise, on Oasis. In summary, yes the Windjammer really is that bad. I'm good at finding edible stuff on buffets, and last night I gave up and got room service instead. I have a pic of something they amusingly label "beef stroganoff". Had purple stuff in it.

 

The buffet lobster is a cute joke, though. They whack the lobster tail, carapace and legs and all, into 1.5" segments and let you choose from those. Good luck in extracting your one bite of lobster from one of those without slingshotting the whole thing across the room. Or maybe I was supposed to eat it with my fingers?

 

I speak as a person whose guilty-indulgence food is sometimes Arby's.

 

 

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[ChinaShrek]

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.

 

Dessert is kind of a pet peeve of mine. There is simply a lack of variety for what I like for dessert on cruise ships. Where are all the fruit pies (made with fresh, ripe fruit)? Apple, blueberry, peach, strawberry, etc. What about pecan pie? What about apple Pan-dowdy? What about Indian pudding? How about ginger bread with homemade whipped cream? I really could go on. Until these items are on a cruise ship (and I haven't seen them yet), then the rest is, indeed, inedible to my pallet.

[Kevin7kodak7]

Dessert is kind of a pet peeve of mine. There is simply a lack of variety for what I like for dessert on cruise ships. Where are all the fruit pies (made with fresh, ripe fruit)? Apple, blueberry, peach, strawberry, etc. What about pecan pie? What about apple Pan-dowdy? What about Indian pudding? How about ginger bread with homemade whipped cream? I really could go on. Until these items are on a cruise ship (and I haven't seen them yet), then the rest is, indeed, inedible to my pallet.

Was surprise to find the desserts on my last 2 RCCL ships not as good as CCL. Kind of bland but I did eat one each meal,lol. Going on my 1st NCL cruise soon. Wonder what to expect?

 

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[GUT2407]

I have sailed on 4 different cruise lines, Carnival, Royal, Disney and a River Cruise. Amawaterways. We consider ourselves foodies. And kind of food snobs...I never eat fast food or at a chain restaurant unless desperate. HOWEVER, I read many of the reviews and comments here and see the words “inedible” and “horrible” to describe cruisers feelings about food in the WJ and MDR. Yes, some food does not appeal to me (rarely do I eat a pasta dish at the WJ) but I have never gotten a meal on a cruise that was inedible or horrible. I’ve said the words “just okay” to describe a dish but come on, am I lucky or are people that picky/critical?

 

 

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Personally I think many of them just like to complain.

 

If something isn't to your liking have something else. I can only recall one or two occasions when there was honestly nothing on the menu that I'd have eaten, just went elsewhere.

 

I am a bit of a fussy eater, preferring plain food and not liking garlic, but I can always find something, sometimes I head to the buffet or the burger bar or room service etc if the MDR doesn't take my fancy

[oldmom]

EXACTLY- that's the perfect word-BLAND desserts-not worth the calories-the rolls are a much better dessert than their cakes. Also- bland is a perfect word for most of the WJ food- I know they are cooking for thousands-but some spices-salt-pepper-would help- and I am not picky-I actually enjoy the Johnny Rockets onboard-and their pie is usually good!

[perditax]

Was surprise to find the desserts on my last 2 RCCL ships not as good as CCL. Kind of bland but I did eat one each meal,lol. Going on my 1st NCL cruise soon. Wonder what to expect?

 

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If you're on one of the -away ships (can't speak for the rest) your best bet for dessert on the buffet is whatever the hot dessert is (cobblers and bread puddings and such). There will often be a big vat of hot caramel sauce next to it--and someone ready to scoop ice cream for you from 6-8 or so flavors.

 

Just adding ice cream + caramel sauce will save most desserts. :) My favorite is when they do the banana bread pudding, though.

 

(I tried an Oasis WJ bread pudding this week. Not sure how, but they'd managed to curdle it into the consistency of scrambled eggs. Screwed up the bread/custard recipe somehow. No bueno.)

 

There is also frequently a crepe station on NCL buffets, just have to keep your eyes peeled.

[Diver2014]

They don't call this 'cruise critic' for nothin!!! Some people take that literally and will nit pick anything they can think of, especially the food. I've never had 'bad' food on a cruise ship......after some 33 or 34 cruises. And I love the buffets. We hardly ever eat in specialty restaurants....why pay extra when there is perfectly good food (ie steak, fish, etc) in the MDR? Okay, I'm not picky and I love the variety.

[Kevin7kodak7]

They don't call this 'cruise critic' for nothin!!! Some people take that literally and will nit pick anything they can think of, especially the food. I've never had 'bad' food on a cruise ship......after some 33 or 34 cruises. And I love the buffets. We hardly ever eat in specialty restaurants....why pay extra when there is perfectly good food (ie steak, fish, etc) in the MDR? Okay, I'm not picky and I love the variety.

Agreed. MDR on any ship is usually very good. And in the rare time your entree is not up to snuff, they will be happy to bring another. Never bothered to try/pay for any of the upcharge restaurants. But have 3 out of seven on my next cruise. Doing my 1st NCL cruise so the 3 dinners are included with one of the free at sea promos. Lol, will see what all the fuss is about. Have meet many on a cruise who brag about haven't been in the MDR for years. I bet the cruislines loves them.

 

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[Merion_Mom]

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.

 

No wonder people think that the food is bad. :o

[The77thrunner]

After reading the various responses I am at least somewhat reassured. It isn't just posters on boards - the official CC reviews state that you really should pay for specialty restaurants if you want to sail on Royal Caribbean. Except - I don't want to do that when I've already paid for food and they are serving it in the main dining room.

 

Is it noticeably worse than celebrity? That's my only other cruise experience, and on an eleven night cruise my husband and I only had one meal each that we thought wasn't that great. It wasn't a significant problem i.e. the time - we just had more of something else.

[Kevin7kodak7]

After reading the various responses I am at least somewhat reassured. It isn't just posters on boards - the official CC reviews state that you really should pay for specialty restaurants if you want to sail on Royal Caribbean. Except - I don't want to do that when I've already paid for food and they are serving it in the main dining room.

 

Is it noticeably worse than celebrity? That's my only other cruise experience, and on an eleven night cruise my husband and I only had one meal each that we thought wasn't that great. It wasn't a significant problem i.e. the time - we just had more of something else.

MDRs on Anthem were very good. 7 nights and not a bad meal. Your right, as we paid for the MDR meals. So anytime your somewhere else it's a win for RCCL. Figure the other 51 weeks can go out and pay more if we want. It's not that often we go and get the service the MDR gives you.

 

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[Cel_cruise]

We have been on a few royal cruises - most recently in april 2017...

 

We have enjoyed MDR, WJ, and specialty restaurants on board.

 

I think that my issue at MDR is that there are 2 nights were I really don't enjoy the menu..for me - it's important to arrange To eat elsewhere on those nights. Now - one of the other issues is that the WJ serves a lot of the same main course options as the MDR!! So there is one night we will always end up at specialty just to avoid it!

 

Our issues have never been with the quality of the food but the actual options themselves...

 

 

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[ThirstyCruiser]

I don't have to cook it?

I don't have to clean up?

I eat it and I'm thankful. If it wasn't very good, I just won't order it again. Lots of choices.

 

Anyone that calls the food inedible should be dropped off at the next uninhabited island and left to chew on the bark of a palm tree to have their definition of inedible reset.

[dd likes to cruise]

Been on 3 different Royal Caribbean ships and had no trouble with the MDR and buffet. Never visited a specialty restaurant. Haven't felt the need to either.

[katiel53]

I can't say that the food on the ships is inedible and I am kind of a foodie. I do prefer to eat in the specialty restaurants as I like the ambience far better than the MDR. I do think the food also is higher quality in the specialty restaurants.

 

My main reason for not wanting to eat in the MDR is the service. On Allure in July, one of the two nights we had dinner there, our waiter seemed to be so rushed and was serving so many people, that he got some orders wrong, was less than helpful in that we asked for more butter and never got it. I don't know if he was just a poor waiter or if, in fact, he had too many tables. Someone asked for 2 lobster tails at our table and he gave her such a strange look, and I know that many order two.

 

The last night we also had dinner in the MDR and a different waiter and she was wonderful. The food was OK, nothing to write home about. On my next cruise, we will again have a 5 night dining package and it's worth every penny to me to be able to have a quiet dinner without all the noise from the MDR as well as better food.

[BecciBoo]

There was one person who complained, and sent back everything she ordered, from soup to desert, in every single place we went, for the entire week.

Maybe that was her strategy for staying thin....my MIL is exactly the same, but in her case its all about power. She's a control freak. We have never had a meal out with her when she did not send something back or spend 10 minutes in conversation with the waiter about something and how she wanted it cooked or made. Margaritas were he!! Never the right combination for her.

[Morecruisesplz]

Been on 3 different Royal Caribbean ships and had no trouble with the MDR and buffet. Never visited a specialty restaurant. Haven't felt the need to either.

You are missing out on a great experience.

[coppermouse]

They don't call this 'cruise critic' for nothin!!! Some people take that literally and will nit pick anything they can think of, especially the food. I've never had 'bad' food on a cruise ship......after some 33 or 34 cruises. And I love the buffets. We hardly ever eat in specialty restaurants....why pay extra when there is perfectly good food (ie steak, fish, etc) in the MDR? Okay, I'm not picky and I love the variety.

 

 

I agree.

[Merion_Mom]

I have had bad food on a Royal Caribbean cruise. I just don't run around screaming (or posting), "Royal Caribbean's food is inedible!"

[Sascol]

Sometimes the complaints here are that the food isn't good because it isn't hot enough. Piping hot is not a quality gauge.

 

Actually for us it is. On a cruise or in a restaurant at home, if the food we are paying for is not is not served at the right temperature it gets sent back immediately.