Favourite Dessert on Cruises

[Sandra1616]

Hi cruisers, 

A few minutes ago, I read favourite breakfasts on cruises.  Could you answer a more relevant question for me?  What is your favourite dessert and snack on a cruise?  Was it possible to get high quality chocolates on or off the ship? Sandra

[rkacruiser]

11 hours ago, Sandra1616 said:

What is your favourite  and snack

 

On a Holland America ship, one of the Dive-in Burgers or a Club Sandwich from Room Service.  On a HAL Pinnacle Class ship, i.e. Nieuw Statendam, a sandwich or pizza from the New York  Deli and Pizza.

 

On a HAL ship, during Happy Hour, often warm and cold appetizers are served in the Lounges that have HH.  Most are delicious; some are unusual, but still good.  Usually.  

Edited February 23, 2020 by rkacruiser

[pacruise804]

On 2/23/2020 at 6:48 AM, Sandra1616 said:

Hi cruisers, 

A few minutes ago, I read favourite breakfasts on cruises.  Could you answer a more relevant question for me?  What is your favourite dessert and snack on a cruise?  Was it possible to get high quality chocolates on or off the ship? Sandra

My favorites might not be your favorites, but a dessert I try to get is creme brûlée because I don't make it at home.  Many desserts on board are lacking to me, but it could also be that I am so full from other food that I'm not that hungry.

 

I don't do many snacks since we eat so much at meals, but we did have one day on our last cruise where DH was suffering motion sickness so we stayed in the cabin and got room service and the fries were really good (Carnival).  On another Carnival cruise we were offered fried plantains and pigeon peas at Red Frog pub and they were very tasty and a nice snack while drinking and just wanted a little salty but nothing heavy.

 

High quality chocolate will depend on what you consider high quality 😉 and probably the level of ship you are sailing.  Princess had some specialty chocolate desserts (Norman Love?) but I wasn't that impressed.  I suspect you can get better quality at ports, but again it would depend on the ports and the types of chocolate you enjoy.

[Sandra1616]

Hi,  I use to make creme brulee at home, because my cousin loved it, I thought.  Actually she ate it because it went with her diet.  I prefer sweet desserts.  I know people who eat plain fruit for dessert and feel they are missing out. I would love to have European fancy or sweet desserts.  Any nuts, cheeses, or chips are delicious to me.  Have you had them on a cruise? What about chocolate bars or such not found in North America?

[pacruise804]

There is usually a cheese plate.  I'm not used to much chocolate bars, but often chocolate desserts.

[joeyancho]

The Pistachio Dome dessert on Princess is sublime.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Once upon a time when the SS France crossed the North Atlantic.  They served a dessert called the Sicilian Cream.  It was an oval custard...intense pistachio custard on a bed of dense chocolate brownie with a coating of vanilla English cream.  This was definitely the greatest dessert I have ever had in my entire life!  

[sswansen]

We went on our first Viking ocean cruise in December and had some really great food.  All of the creamy pudding-y / trifle-y type desserts were delicious.  During the chocolate extravaganza, the Chocolate Amarone was one of the best chocolate confections I have ever tried.  And the pastries in Mamsen's were delicious - I only tried the one with the blueberries, but it was fantastic, their berries on the ship were so good.  Lastly, not a dessert really, but the almond croissant was perfect with a cup of coffee.

[pacruise804]

Those desserts look amazing.  DH and I have our first VO cruise booked for November as a 25th anniversary trip - hoping we will be able to sail by then.

[Joelocal]

Bannana Pudding

[INeedAMaiTai]

Love me some Princess souffles covered in the warm souffle sauce they have that evening.  And then the cheese plate for dessert number two!

[rkacruiser]

On 4/21/2020 at 6:19 PM, INeedAMaiTai said:

Love me some Princess souffles covered in the warm souffle sauce they have that evening.  And then the cheese plate for dessert number two!

 

The souffles are delicious when they are properly prepared and served.  No question in my mind about that.  Cheese plate for dessert?  I realize that many do enjoy that and have had tablemates who order that and enjoy it for their dessert.  I have tried it upon the recommendation of a tablemate.  It was OK.   I prefer a different type of dessert to end my dinner.

[INeedAMaiTai]

On 4/24/2020 at 5:26 PM, rkacruiser said:

I prefer a different type of dessert to end my dinner.

I have both!  I never leave a dessert behind!  And I have a specialty coffee with some sort of booze in it too!  Soooo much good stuff and SOOOOO many calories.  But I love every single one.

[Flutterguy]

Ice cream. Mint chocolate chip. With warm brownies.

[BklynBoy8]

Opera Cake

 

Baked Alaska

[Crew News]

On 4/24/2020 at 6:26 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

The souffles are delicious when they are properly prepared and served.  No question in my mind about that.  Cheese plate for dessert?  I realize that many do enjoy that and have had tablemates who order that and enjoy it for their dessert.  I have tried it upon the recommendation of a tablemate.  It was OK.   I prefer a different type of dessert to end my dinner.

 

Definitely the Holland America Line cloud-like strawberry souffles.

 

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, Crew News said:

 

Definitely the Holland America Line cloud-like strawberry souffles.

 

 

A Strawberry Souffle:  I have never been offered that dessert.  I assume that a warm Strawberry Sauce was served with it.  Sounds good!  I love strawberries.  

[Crew News]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

A Strawberry Souffle:  I have never been offered that dessert.  I assume that a warm Strawberry Sauce was served with it.  Sounds good!  I love strawberries.  

 

The strawberries were at the bottom of the souffle and a nice surprise.

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, Crew News said:

 

The strawberries were at the bottom of the souffle and a nice surprise.

 

Really sounds good!  Were you served this on a HAL ship?  If so, in the PG?  What was the sauce served with the souffle?  Maybe a vanilla type sauce?  

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Really sounds good!  Were you served this on a HAL ship?  If so, in the PG?  What was the sauce served with the souffle?  Maybe a vanilla type sauce?  

 

No sauce but fresh strawberries at the bottom with a hint of strawberry juices.  It was like eating a cloud with lots of flavor.  This was served at Rudi's Sel de Mer aboard the Nieuw Statendam last December.

 

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Rudis-Sel-de-Mer-pop-up.pdf

[rkacruiser]

51 minutes ago, Crew News said:

 

No sauce but fresh strawberries at the bottom with a hint of strawberry juices.  It was like eating a cloud with lots of flavor.  This was served at Rudi's Sel de Mer aboard the Nieuw Statendam last December.

 

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Rudis-Sel-de-Mer-pop-up.pdf

 

Ah, Rudi's Sel de Mer!  Patronized the NS restaurant when I sailed on her and have done so whenever the pop-ups occur on the other vessels.  A wonderful dining experience each time!

[sverigecruiser]

 

We loved the Banana Fosters NCL served at Cagney's many years ago. 

[rkacruiser]

Crepes Suzette when freshly prepared are delicious.

 

First and most memorable time was when I spoke with my Table Captain on Rotterdam V in 1971 asking that this be prepared.  Maybe it was the last formal evening, not sure when after all of these years, but he prepared this dish for my table at my table.  Delicious!  (I still remember hearing a woman walking by on her way out of the LaFontaine Dining Room saying, "I didn't see that on the menu.")

 

As the restrictions for flambe type dishes kept increasing, table side preparation went to "front of the dining room" preparation to now "in the galley" preparation.  Most of these are satisfactory, but lack the flair and, I think, the taste of such a dish prepared tableside.  

 

Rudi's Sel de Mer's galley does produce the best Crepes Suzette that I have recently tasted, however.  

Edited August 12, 2020 by rkacruiser

[BklynBoy8]

7 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

Crepes Suzette when freshly prepared are delicious.

 

First and most memorable time was when I spoke with my Table Captain on Rotterdam V in 1971 asking that this be prepared.  Maybe it was the last formal evening, not sure when after all of these years, but he prepared this dish for my table at my table.  Delicious!  (I still remember hearing a woman walking by on her way out of the LaFontaine Dining Room saying, "I didn't see that on the menu.")

As the restrictions for flambe type dishes kept increasing, table side preparation went to "front of the dining room" preparation to now "in the galley" preparation.  Most of these are satisfactory, but lack the flair and, I think, the taste of such a dish prepared tableside.  

Rudi's Sel de Mer's galley does produce the best Crepes Suzette that I have recently tasted, however.  

We are so lucky when we are in the Club Britannia Dining Room our Captain prepared Crepes, Bananas & Peaches Flambe and Cherries for our Baked Alaska with no problem on the QM2.

 

They do taste better when done at the tableside and not in a group form for many dishes. Personal Prep makes the difference.

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

our Captain prepared Crepes, Bananas & Peaches Flambe and Cherries for our Baked Alaska with no problem on the QM2.

 

As I stated in my post, the one time I requested Crepes Suzette to be prepared was to my Table Captain.

 

Seems to me that the deterioration of dining service began on those cruise lines where the Table Captain's role morphed into other responsibilities that, at least on my most recent HAL cruises, is the position of Assistant Maitre d' that does little more than welcome a guest to the dining room and, maybe if there are no Stewards available, actually will escort me to my table.  

 

When was the last time I actually interacted with the MDR's Maitre d'?  Coral Princess in August, 2019.  And that was because I kept being assigned to tables during second seating when no one else showed up.  (Service at such tables was truly great, however!)