Cagney's Fisherman's Platter: Sad crab cake

[Sand and Seas]

We have seen many changes in Cagney's, Le Bistro and La Cucina over the years.  However, we can always find something to enjoy.  It is fun to be 'going out to dinner' everyday.    If it wasn't for the SDP promo we would just use our Platinum dinners and then enjoy the MDR or even O'Sheehans.    

It's true it's no longer as special as it once seemed.    Now with almost everyone having the SDP it has really changed the specialties.   We are happy they have added some new places like Food Republic, Los Lobos and Q.  

[Alatraveler1]

I can always "find something to enjoy" in the main dining rooms, buffet, etc. for free.   However, If I'm paying extra or using a "perk" (for which i'm also paying extra since the sailaway cabin without perks is less $$$) I expect an improvement over the free offerings.  On a cruise ship we are all part of a captive audience and FDR knows it.     It is the same as happened with Disney when they began using the Free Dining Plan as a "perk" to drive full price hotel bookings.   Hotel AND restaurant prices increased (just like Specialty Restaurants and cabin prices) and the quality and quantity declined to further improve profits.  

[snorklinbarb]

On 8/9/2019 at 12:41 AM, fstuff1 said:

after going to cagneys  a few dozen times, I figured I'd try the fishermans platter.

SMALL crab cake.

even smaller than the shrimp. 😞

 

not worth the $36 cost. Avoid!

im sticking with the Ribeye! ($32)

 

Would be unacceptable no matter which ship but would you mind sharing where and when?  Obviously quite recently as the price hikes reflect that.  Thanks.

[newmexicoNita]

18 hours ago, Sand and Seas said:

We have seen many changes in Cagney's, Le Bistro and La Cucina over the years.  However, we can always find something to enjoy.  It is fun to be 'going out to dinner' everyday.    If it wasn't for the SDP promo we would just use our Platinum dinners and then enjoy the MDR or even O'Sheehans.    

It's true it's no longer as special as it once seemed.    Now with almost everyone having the SDP it has really changed the specialties.   We are happy they have added some new places like Food Republic, Los Lobos and Q.  

Totally agree; even though I do complain about the quality having gone south somewhat, just being able to eat 5 of our 7 dinners in specialty restaurants is a treat. We too would have to just stay with the basics if we didn't get the 3 dinners plus our 2 platinum ones. I happen to love to cook but I also love the idea of someone cooking for me for 1 week, and then cleaning up the mess afterwards and yes, there is always some to eat that fills our tummies and is tasty if not really great. 

[DirtyDawg]

20 hours ago, TrinaLC said:

Cagney used to be wonderful, and had a much smaller up charge ... ten years or more ago. 

 

And they used used to serve prime grade beef. 

 

No longer. A steakhouse that doesn’t serve prime = pnderosa chain. 

 

Hey, don't insult the pnderosa chain!!! 

 

What did they do to deserve such an insult?😉

 

Edited August 12, 2019 by DirtyDawg

[njhorseman]

21 hours ago, TrinaLC said:

And they used used to serve prime grade beef. 

Never that I can recall, and I've been eating in Cagney's ever since there was a Cagney's. For a long time they used a trademarked brand of Black Angus beef that advertised itself as being as  better than choice or prime. The somewhat deceptive wording wasn't NCL's by the way, it was the trademark brand's wording used to try to make you think the beef was prime.

 

 Almost all beef served in the US is Black Angus . It's the most common breed of beef cattle raised in the US.

 

It's also pretty common to think that "prime rib" is prime beef. "Prime Rib" is actually the name of the cut of beef, and says nothing about the beef's USDA grade.

 

 

[Barb Nahoumi]

On 8/9/2019 at 1:01 PM, TMLAalum said:

Nearly that entire seafood meal looks unappetizing! Overdone, limp asparagus, puny crab cake disguised by the sauce and greasy-looking salmon. Shrimp seemed ok, though. Thanks for the advice of ribeye and lamb chops which work for me as a carnivore, but I feel awful for any pescatarians!

The positioning of the sauce, looks very unappetizing.

[PortFees45]

You get more shrimp in the cajun shrimp salad on the MDR lunch menu 

[jaja]

3 hours ago, PortFees45 said:

You get more shrimp in the cajun shrimp salad on the MDR lunch menu 

SHHHHH...!  🤐  don't let NCL know that...they will take it off the menu !😲

[mking8288]

48 minutes ago, jaja said:

SHHHHH...!  🤐  don't let NCL know that...they will take it off the menu !😲

 

Hehe, 50% more shrimp, free & no upcharge on that Cajun shrimp salad in the MDR, although I like mine with bits of bacon.   Caesar salad with salmon as a light lunch, toated garlic bread on the side is great for me.  

 

Wait, NCL used to serve a nice Cajun salmon burger for lunch in the MDR ... nevermind.  It's now a white fish fillet, probably Tilapia on an oversized bun, something I can get easily at the local joint or IHOP just about anywhere. 

[4774Papa]

The seafood platter is sad.

We live on coastal Georgia and the local restaurants have wild Georgia shrimp and crab cakes that are 7 oz.  This is why we are easily disappointed when we get pond shrimp.

The better seafood on cruise ships is usually fish of some kind.

[hoopslover]

On 8/9/2019 at 2:26 PM, tomservo said:

 

I was wondering how well the massive price increases were going to go over for people who are actually paying for their meals instead of using an SDP credit. If I used an SDP credit or paid like 12 bucks for that, I might not think it was worth the effort to complain or send it back. However if I'm paying nearly 40 bucks for something like that, I'm going to hold it to a higher standard. No matter the restaurant, be it on land or on a ship. People didn't care as much about gristly or overcooked steaks when it costs 12-15 dollars. 35-40 dollars? People will start caring about the quality of the food, and it doesn't look like the quality has risen to meet the new price points.

We were a group of 7 and 4 of us were platinum.  We ate at Cagneys on the Spirit in June.  The 3 that weren't platinum paid for their meals.  One had the filet and with an appetizer and dessert her bill was $65.  The other couple had surf and turf and their bill for 2 was $180. All of us had the drink package so no alcohol was charged.  I had the crab cake appetizer, the filet and something for dessert.  The food was great, but knowing that our friends paid that much just to join us for dinner was upsetting.  Way too expensive for what you get. 

Edited August 12, 2019 by hoopslover

[snownow]

Learned something years ago... dont order seafood at a steak house... or a steak at a seafood restaurant.  never works out. :) there is a crab cake on that app plate?

[PortFees45]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

 

Hehe, 50% more shrimp, free & no upcharge on that Cajun shrimp salad in the MDR, although I like mine with bits of bacon.   Caesar salad with salmon as a light lunch, toated garlic bread on the side is great for me.  

 

Wait, NCL used to serve a nice Cajun salmon burger for lunch in the MDR ... nevermind.  It's now a white fish fillet, probably Tilapia on an oversized bun, something I can get easily at the local joint or IHOP just about anywhere. 

They have a cajun mahi mahi sandwich that is pretty good for lunch. Used to be grouper.

 

They used to offer salmon with the spinach caeser, but they stopped that. 

[tomservo]

6 hours ago, snownow said:

Learned something years ago... dont order seafood at a steak house... or a steak at a seafood restaurant.

 

Based on many reviews, you’re taking a gamble on the steak as well at Cagney’s, it’s not just the seafood. Many others have also said that the filet is better at Le Bistro. 

[newmexicoNita]

21 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Never that I can recall, and I've been eating in Cagney's ever since there was a Cagney's. For a long time they used a trademarked brand of Black Angus beef that advertised itself as being as  better than choice or prime. The somewhat deceptive wording wasn't NCL's by the way, it was the trademark brand's wording used to try to make you think the beef was prime.

 

 Almost all beef served in the US is Black Angus . It's the most common breed of beef cattle raised in the US.

 

It's also pretty common to think that "prime rib" is prime beef. "Prime Rib" is actually the name of the cut of beef, and says nothing about the beef's USDA grade.

 

 

I don't remember it either. 

[tomservo]

On 8/12/2019 at 9:28 AM, njhorseman said:

For a long time they used a trademarked brand of Black Angus beef that advertised itself as being as  better than choice or prime. The somewhat deceptive wording wasn't NCL's by the way, it was the trademark brand's wording used to try to make you think the beef was prime.

 

I think it was trying to make it look like Certified Angus Beef without actually being CAB. You're right, saying "we serve Angus beef" is pointless since the vast majority of beef served in the US is Black Angus (or at least cattle with some percentage of Black Angus genes). Black Angus and CAB are different from the grades, you can have Prime/Choice Black Angus, and Prime/Choice CAB.

[njhorseman]

29 minutes ago, tomservo said:

 

I think it was trying to make it look like Certified Angus Beef without actually being CAB. You're right, saying "we serve Angus beef" is pointless since the vast majority of beef served in the US is Black Angus (or at least cattle with some percentage of Black Angus genes). Black Angus and CAB are different from the grades, you can have Prime/Choice Black Angus, and Prime/Choice CAB.

The CAB trademarked logo and advertising jargon were on Cagney's menu, so presumably they were actually serving that brand. The deceptive part was that the wording of the jargon could deceive someone not familiar with the grading process into thinking Cagney's was serving CAB prime beef.

[fstuff1]

On 8/9/2019 at 12:55 AM, Skipper305 said:

What did they do for you when you told them you were dissatisfied?

 

the matra dee just shrugged.

she acknoiledged the crab cake  was small buty did nothing 😞

[CruisingSince1982]

On 8/11/2019 at 7:05 AM, newmexicoNita said:

Pretty much how we feel. Some specialty dining rooms are better than others, but the days of gourmet dining on cruise ships ended when formal dress codes went out. of that is how it seems. I hear people get home from cruises now and talk more about the service they received, the tours they did, the entertainment they enjoyed and not about the wonderful food. 

 

Meh - I disagree with that. We had fantastic meals on the Allure of the Seas in May, and they were all in the MDR. Way above what NCL serves! 

[newmexicoNita]

46 minutes ago, CruisingSince1982 said:

 

Meh - I disagree with that. We had fantastic meals on the Allure of the Seas in May, and they were all in the MDR. Way above what NCL serves! 

I really didn't meant to indicate NCL has good or better food in the MDR as other lines. I do not think they do, but I also do not think the food or service is the same as the days when cruising was different than now. As for who has the best of worse good, let's face it, we all have different ideas on what is good, really good, awful and or outstanding. I have heard Allure has very good food. I also think they have sailing prices to match the quality of food, but even then good prices can be found. I am glad you enjoyed your Allure cruise. I have to be honest, I have not sailed them so I can not judge. I was pretty much generalizing with my statement. I guess I kinda figured most people would understand that. 

[SeaBands]

don't order crab cakes unless you are near the Chesapeake bay.  You have no idea what kind of crab is being used. Wwe had some in New Orleans and it was Dungeness from the west coast. Big lumps but not much flavor.

[newmexicoNita]

20 hours ago, SeaBands said:

don't order crab cakes unless you are near the Chesapeake bay.  You have no idea what kind of crab is being used. Wwe had some in New Orleans and it was Dungeness from the west coast. Big lumps but not much flavor.

Funny, I like Dungenses crab almost better than any we had while living on the East coast. That bein said, I agree with you and I have only had a couple really good crab cakes in my life. Usually they are more filler than anything else. I will say, best we ever have had were on the East coast. I would never pay extra for them on any ship I don't think.