My Approach to Cruise Food

[Scubadoc]

I see a lot of complaints about the food on cruise ships.  We have done about 20 cruises over the years and I always approach cruise food differently than other dining. Every cruise I have been on has unusual dishes that I would not normally order or maybe even see. That can be kind of fun. We get to try new things.

 

Also in a normal restaurant  if I don’t like the entrée I normally don’t just get something else. And I certainly don’t order two entrées like I regularly do on a cruise! 😊

 

 Also I try to do a lot of sampling in the first day or two to find things that are regularly offered that I love. If I eat a meal that is not very good I always know there is something I love waiting for me somewhere else!  

 

So for instance if I get a bad dessert, I know that I love princess ice cream so I’ll just get that.  if I don’t like anything on the menu, which is rare, I can always get salmon and fettuccine Alfredo which has never let me down.  If I get a bad entrée I’ll just go get some princess pizza because it’s the best at sea. I have found things on Princess  that I like better than almost anything I’ve ever eaten so I can always go back to my main stays. I could hate 2/3 of the food and still eat like a King!  

 

And crown Grill? Or the specialty Ernesto burger at Gastro pub? Amazing treats. That’s the way I approach cruise eating. 

 

And if that doesn’t get me in the right frame of mind I just picture some of the things I see people eat in the impoverished I sometimes go to as a part of a nonprofit I lead and I feel like the most blessed person in the world to be on that cruise and eating that food! I can’t wait to start eating on our January cruise. 

 

Bon appetit! 😀

[mellon1]

The best part of the food for me is "not having to prepare and serve it!"  It is such a treat for me and I appreciate it.  There is no way every little thing can be perfect serving that many people, but we feel Princess does a great job.

[Sea Hag]

2 minutes ago, mellon1 said:

The best part of the food for me is "not having to prepare and serve it!"  It is such a treat for me and I appreciate it.  There is no way every little thing can be perfect serving that many people, but we feel Princess does a great job.

Yes! The best part is having somebody else do the cooking and cleaning up. I can always find something that I like, even if I can't find something that I love.

[mellon1]

To me everything taste better when someone else makes it!  Different than the normal meals we have at home and get to try new things.  Plus, the presentation.  I like that I am able to spend time with DH instead of worrying about everyone else.  

[voljeep]

cruise dining is not an "event" for us … 

 

now a  dinner is CG is nice, as is the balcony breakfast 

 

haven't done the UBD yet, or any of the special chef's tables, etc … maybe one day, esp the next time we get a balcony ...

[Tapi]

When I read reviews where people say that “all the food was horrible, there was nothing edible”, I wonder what they eat at home on a regular basis. 
 

For me, people that say things like that fall into two categories:

 

- The ones who have such discerning palates, who have traveled so extensively, and who are used to the best of the best on a regular basis, that all mass market cruise line food truly is horrendous in comparison.
 

- The ones who have such simplistic palate, that anything beyond their very short and limited list of likes is considered inedible. When I read that the only things someone enjoyed were the hamburgers and pizza, I tend to think that this is the case. 
 

I’ll give you exhibit A. I have a family member (without mentioning names or relationship), who falls in the second category. Back home, she eats a very limited and repetitive list of items. It’s maddening because when we go out to eat, it’s always to the same exact places and she orders the same exact things. When she cruises, she chronically complains about how horrible all the food is, how everything looks disgusting, and how she can never find anything good to eat. Then she complains that she had to live off pizza for most of the cruise to survive. But deep down inside, I know that the issue lies with her and not with the food served. 

[pris993]

Am sure everyone approaches meals differently... we look for what is healthy, like we do at home.  With that frame of ref we can find something to eat that we like to have at home or traveling.

[kywildcatfanone]

Food on Princess (haven't been on other lines to compare) is good, not great.  Presentation in the DR and specialty restaurants is nice, but we haven't eaten in a DR for several years.  The almost 2 hour service to me isn't worth the few selections that you can't get in the buffet.  We do the crown grill if we have a BOGO coupon.  The buffet food is fine, not great, but plenty of choices for everyone.  I never leave hungry.

[geoherb]

There's a third category of cruiser--those of us jaded by excellent food on previous cruises who know how well Princess can prepare things and who are disappointed when they're not as good. A lot has to do with the head chef. There were several dishes on my Caribbean Princess cruise last week that weren't as good as they had been on the Crown Princess three months ago. The twice-baked goat cheese soufflé comes to mind. Other dishes on the CB were way too salty. The only soup I finished was the mushroom bisque they served this past Monday in the buffet. The other soups were way too salty.

[capriccio]

3 hours ago, mellon1 said:

The best part of the food for me is "not having to prepare and serve it!"  It is such a treat for me and I appreciate it.  There is no way every little thing can be perfect serving that many people, but we feel Princess does a great job.

 

I agree completely!  My DH would add "not having to clean up afterwards!"

[getting older slowly]

Food...... just got off after 26 nights......

 

Overall it was good...... I thinks the big thing is do not get talked into more food.......

 

One main course and maybe share befores or afters........

 

and eat like you do at home    small lunch and breakfast and one or one and half courses for dinner.....

 

I enjoyed not cooking or cleaning.....   and remember if you want vegetables or fries with your main ask...

 

Cheers Don.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

6 hours ago, Scubadoc said:

I see a lot of complaints about the food on cruise ships.  We have done about 20 cruises over the years and I always approach cruise food differently than other dining. Every cruise I have been on has unusual dishes that I would not normally order or maybe even see. That can be kind of fun. We get to try new things.

 

Also in a normal restaurant  if I don’t like the entrée I normally don’t just get something else. And I certainly don’t order two entrées like I regularly do on a cruise! 😊

 

 Also I try to do a lot of sampling in the first day or two to find things that are regularly offered that I love. If I eat a meal that is not very good I always know there is something I love waiting for me somewhere else!  

 

So for instance if I get a bad dessert, I know that I love princess ice cream so I’ll just get that.  if I don’t like anything on the menu, which is rare, I can always get salmon and fettuccine Alfredo which has never let me down.  If I get a bad entrée I’ll just go get some princess pizza because it’s the best at sea. I have found things on Princess  that I like better than almost anything I’ve ever eaten so I can always go back to my main stays. I could hate 2/3 of the food and still eat like a King!  

 

And crown Grill? Or the specialty Ernesto burger at Gastro pub? Amazing treats. That’s the way I approach cruise eating. 

 

And if that doesn’t get me in the right frame of mind I just picture some of the things I see people eat in the impoverished I sometimes go to as a part of a nonprofit I lead and I feel like the most blessed person in the world to be on that cruise and eating that food! I can’t wait to start eating on our January cruise. 

 

Bon appetit! 😀

Agree. Over the many years of cursing. We have managed to eat new food dishes and totally happy with the results. If we went to a restaurant we would NEVER order something we had no idea what it is or if we would like it. That is one reason we like the buffet. So many foods we never even hear of. We always try a little bit. The experience out weighs some food that is not as good.

[jondfk]

I'm the cook in our home and I appreciate a stretch of meals unprepared by my own hand.  Like many I have a few Princess favorites that are reliably good, things I look for and go to every cruise.

 

When folks who haven't cruised ask me about the meals I always say:  "It may not be the best meal you've ever had, but it likely is the best consecutive 7 or 14 or whatever meals you've ever had".  That about sums it up for me.

 

 

[satxdiver]

9 hours ago, Tapi said:

When I read reviews where people say that “all the food was horrible, there was nothing edible”, I wonder what they eat at home on a regular basis. 
 

For me, people that say things like that fall into two categories:

 

- The ones who have such discerning palates, who have traveled so extensively, and who are used to the best of the best on a regular basis, that all mass market cruise line food truly is horrendous in comparison.
 

- The ones who have such simplistic palate, that anything beyond their very short and limited list of likes is considered inedible. When I read that the only things someone enjoyed were the hamburgers and pizza, I tend to think that this is the case. 
 

I’ll give you exhibit A. I have a family member (without mentioning names or relationship), who falls in the second category. Back home, she eats a very limited and repetitive list of items. It’s maddening because when we go out to eat, it’s always to the same exact places and she orders the same exact things. When she cruises, she chronically complains about how horrible all the food is, how everything looks disgusting, and how she can never find anything good to eat. Then she complains that she had to live off pizza for most of the cruise to survive. But deep down inside, I know that the issue lies with her and not with the food served. 

 

I know someone just like your family member.  How well stated. 

 

Keep in mind that the food in the MDR is prepared for thousands every night.  This is not gourmet food by any means.  Those who like the buffet make me wonder about their tastes since the food is prepared in advance and then sets on a hot table until you get it.  So much for gourmet food.  In the army we were always alarmed when the troops did not complain about the food.  

[mcrcruiser]

After completing 87 cruises across 5 different cruise lines ,we have NEVER seen any one that looked like they missed a meal  😂

[satxdiver]

17 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

After completing 87 cruises across 5 different cruise lines ,we have NEVER seen any one that looked like they missed a meal  😂

 

So very true.  We are back at 46 cruises on 4 different cruise lines so far.

[OCruisers]

 

1 hour ago, satxdiver said:

 

I know someone just like your family member.  How well stated. 

 

Keep in mind that the food in the MDR is prepared for thousands every night.  This is not gourmet food by any means.  Those who like the buffet make me wonder about their tastes since the food is prepared in advance and then sets on a hot table until you get it.  So much for gourmet food.  In the army we were always alarmed when the troops did not complain about the food.  

 

[Lucky TGO]

14 hours ago, Sea Hag said:

Yes! The best part is having somebody else do the cooking and cleaning up. I can always find something that I like, even if I can't find something that I love.

My wife totally agree with you Sea Hag. 
Tony

[frugaltravel]

6 hours ago, satxdiver said:

Those who like the buffet make me wonder about their tastes since the food is prepared in advance and then sets on a hot table until you get it.  So much for gourmet food.  In the army we were always alarmed when the troops did not complain about the food.  

 

As you said, even the food in the MDR is not gourmet food. As was said above, many of us don't want to spend up to 2 hours at a meal in the MDR. Some of us eat to live vs. live to eat. Cruise line buffet food is more than adequate.

 

[GUT2407]

I compare it banquette food, good not great limited choices each day, but way better than I would eat on a daily basis at home. Sometimes, particularly on longer cruises I long for something simple.