How is the Food on RCL vs Celebrity ?

[Spurschick]

On 11/13/2022 at 1:18 PM, Tatka said:

  Celebrity is overall premium massmarket, while Royal is a quality massmarket (better than all other massmarket companies). Food is generally a bit better on Celebrity, but we are completely satisfied with RCI food too.

I just got off ncl prima and it’s main dining room Hudson’s knocked the socks off royals mdr’s 

 

I’m off on symphony soon and X Beyond in January so I’ll be interested to see how they compare but full disclaimer eating specialty dining all trip on Beyond only have a 3 night dining package Symphony.

[Tatka]

7 hours ago, Spurschick said:

I just got off ncl prima and it’s main dining room Hudson’s knocked the socks off royals mdr’s 

 

I’m off on symphony soon and X Beyond in January so I’ll be interested to see how they compare but full disclaimer eating specialty dining all trip on Beyond only have a 3 night dining package Symphony.

Celebrity has a very good to great food in regular dining rooms. (On Beyond there are 4 different with various cuisine). Is there a reason you want to do only specialty dining?

[Cruise a holic]

We dine in suite restaurants on both.   While we love Celebrity, we find the food very repetitive. However we sailed on the Adventure of the seas in May and the food was terrible.

 

 We dine for dinners mostly in special restaurants on both.  Some of the SP restaurants IMO are better on Celebrity- but it depends upon the ship.

[Ret MP]

I think this is kinda like asking if a Whopper is better than a Big Mac.  Some will like one and others will like the other.  It's an individual preference.  I can only imagine that you have to try each for yourself before making up you mind.  And keep in mind, chances are, if you enjoyed a MDR meal on the, for example, Anthem and cruise on her again in a year and didn't enjoy the meal, it's probably because the entire, or at least partially, culinary staff has changed. 

 

What I do wonder is, because X and Royal come from the same mother ship, do they exchange crews?  Can a chef, for example, on one ship operated by Royal be transferred (contracted) to another ship operated by X?  If so, the quality of the cooking capabilities are probably not an issue.  It may just be the quality of the actual food if one is actually better than the other but has the same chef or the menu/recipes are different.  But, who knows for sure.  I would think, but am probably wrong, that the behind the scenes crew are interchangeable between X and Royal.  

Edited November 16, 2022 by Ret MP

[BecciBoo]

I have always appreciated some things about X's menus, food quality and offerings more,  but it's not worth complaining about.  But wish RCCL would offer the same coffee/pastry experience as Cafe' Al Bacio!  MMMMMM  Highly subjective, I know!

[Tatka]

4 hours ago, Ret MP said:

I think this is kinda like asking if a Whopper is better than a Big Mac.  Some will like one and others will like the other.  It's an individual preference.  I can only imagine that you have to try each for yourself before making up you mind.  And keep in mind, chances are, if you enjoyed a MDR meal on the, for example, Anthem and cruise on her again in a year and didn't enjoy the meal, it's probably because the entire, or at least partially, culinary staff has changed.

 

 

 That's not entirely true. They have different spending per passenger on food. RCI focuses more on entertainment and invests more into crazy unusual ships 😀, Celebrity focuses more on quality of rooms, food and service. So food is naturally slightly better than on RCI, but of course exceptions happen.

 

 That said I am usually completely satisfied and more on RCI.

Edited November 16, 2022 by Tatka

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, Tatka said:

 

 That's not entirely true. They have different spending per passenger on food. RCI focuses more on entertainment and invests more into crazy unusual ships 😀, Celebrity focuses more on quality of rooms, food and service. So food is naturally slightly better than on RCI, but of course exceptions happen.

 

 That said I am usually completely satisfied and more on RCI.

I wouldn't disagree or agree.  I've never been on an X cruise so I can't compare taste and quality of food.  But, I'm not quit sure what there is to disagree with.  The premise of my post is, "It's an individual preference".  That is all!

[Tatka]

55 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I wouldn't disagree or agree.  I've never been on an X cruise so I can't compare taste and quality of food.  But, I'm not quit sure what there is to disagree with.  The premise of my post is, "It's an individual preference".  That is all!

 

* I think this is kinda like asking if a Whopper is better than a Big Mac.

 

Individual preference would be ... if a person prefers better entertainment (RCI) over better quality food (Celebrity).

 

As for food Celebrity has better quality/variety of food because it focuses more on this aspect. It is not Wooper or Big Mag. (both are fast food/equal choices)

[Ret MP]

14 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

* I think this is kinda like asking if a Whopper is better than a Big Mac.

 

Individual preference would be ... if a person prefers better entertainment (RCI) over better quality food (Celebrity).

 

As for food Celebrity has better quality/variety of food because it focuses more on this aspect. It is not Wooper or Big Mag. (both are fast food/equal choices)

And a McDonalds has a better playground than BK or BK has a better milkshake but dirtier restrooms than McDonalds.  It's still a matter of personal preference about the food, which is to topic of this thread. If a person chooses his/her cruise because of the taste of the food, it doesn't matter what the entertainment is or vice versa.  I choose BK over McDonalds not because I don't like their playground, but because I like the Whopper a lot better than the Big Mac (cardboard).   This isn't worth arguing over.  Obviously, your milage may vary!  Bye!  

[Longford]

On 11/13/2022 at 12:49 PM, davekathy said:

IMO, it's not generally true. Food = subjective. We find the food good on both RC and Celebrity (no matter the dining venue).  Doesn't mean one lines food is better or worse than the others lines food. Only you can be that judge. 

I'm not qualified to engage in a comparison between cruise lines, individual ships, etc.  Recently, I completed my first-ever cruise, on Serenade of the Seas. 

 

Because I was traveling solo, I did not have to take into consideration the preferences of another person.  Many of us travel for different reasons, or with not the same priorities.  Me?  I wanted to get away for a rest, and I booked a last minute (10 days prior to) departure from a port 40 minutes from my home.  Price was right, no traveling to another port city, and i had a window of time I could get away.  It was a perfect opportunity.

 

Surprisingly (to me), I ended up eating only in the Windjammer.  I've been dieting this year (losing 30 lbs) so my food intake requirements are less than a year ago.  I enjoyed the variety at the different buffet stations - particularly the daily offerings of Indian cuisine at lunch and dinner.  In the a.m. I took advantage of the made-to-order omelet station, and the abundance of fresh fruits.  A couple of times I visited the pizza station, although I don't think they were well made.  There was a burger/hot dog area, carving station, pastries and desserts, soups, etc., etc.  I could vary my choices, eat as little as I wanted and I liked the flavors.

 

If I were traveling with someone else, if the purpose of the trip was to splurge and treat myself, dress up, etc., my choices probably would have been a bit different.  But, as someone (me) who managed a hotel and restaurants, eats out a lot ... I have/had no complaints.  I guess that's what people like about cruising.  There is something for everyone.

 

 

[Spurschick]

17 hours ago, Tatka said:

Celebrity has a very good to great food in regular dining rooms. (On Beyond there are 4 different with various cuisine). Is there a reason you want to do only specialty dining?

Yes - it’s included with my cabin so making the most of it😉

[LadyBerard]

The food in the main dining room was very good on the Voyager this September and on the Summit this Oct.  I found the food better in the buffet on the Summit, although it was good on the Voyager.  I also found our lunch in Chops on the Voyager, specifically the filet mignon, better than when we had dinner in the Tuscan Grille on the Summit.  

[Tatka]

15 hours ago, Ret MP said:

And a McDonalds has a better playground than BK or BK has a better milkshake but dirtier restrooms than McDonalds.  It's still a matter of personal preference about the food, which is to topic of this thread. If a person chooses his/her cruise because of the taste of the food, it doesn't matter what the entertainment is or vice versa.  I choose BK over McDonalds not because I don't like their playground, but because I like the Whopper a lot better than the Big Mac (cardboard).   This isn't worth arguing over.  Obviously, your milage may vary!  Bye!  

This is rich coming from a person who admitted never sailing on Celebrity. If anything I am D+ on RCI (7 on Celebrity) so it’s funny you are advocating something you cannot even compare. Logic is funny too, considering that topic is not about comparison of lines overall, but foods specifically.

 

Enjoy Burger King and whatever other fast food chain you are enjoying 

[Ret MP]

1 minute ago, Tatka said:

This is rich coming from a person who admitted never sailing on Celebrity. If anything I am D+ on RCI (7 on Celebrity) so it’s funny you are advocating something you cannot even compare. Logic is funny too, considering that topic is not about comparison of lines overall, but foods specifically.

 

Enjoy Burger King and whatever other fast food chain you are enjoying 

You are the rich one.  I never compared Royal to X, I compared situations and people's individual likes and dislikes.  Read man, read!

[Tatka]

33 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

You are the rich one.  I never compared Royal to X, I compared situations and people's individual likes and dislikes.  Read man, read!

This thread is ABOUT FOOD QUALITY on two lines.

What does it have to do with likes/dislikes?
 

Royal as a whole including number of ships in the area suits us better, yet we know that X is stronger in food department . 

[TeeRick]

We have cruised extensively on both RCCL and Celebrity.  My (subjective) comments and comparisons:

 

MDR food in general is very similar.  Except on Celebrity E-class ships with 4 distinct MDR's which is a step above any MDR on RCCL.

 

The Celebrity buffet ( Oceanview ) is overall better than RCCL (Windjammer) in selections and quality.

 

Specialty Dining is about the same except the number, type and variety of restaurants is highly ship-dependent on both lines.  The larger, newer ships have the best choices.  The older smaller ships like Celebrity M-Class have very few options.  But quality is very good on all. 

 

The options and choices on other types of upcharge-food (like Johnny Rockets) is much better on RCCL.  Free food areas (like Mast/Pool Grill) goes to Celebrity (but still limited choices).

 

If in a suite - Luminae is superior to Coastal Kitchen. (No contest IMO).    Also any level suite passenger can use Luminae for 3 daily meals on Celebrity.  Not so on RCCL (if in a JR suite) in CK.

 

If a higher level Celebrity Loyalty member (E, E+, Z) the morning breakfast (cold) buffet is far superior to the limited breakfast pastries in the RCCL Diamond Club (for D, D+ , P).  However the Diamond Club pre-dinner on RCCL (with appetizers and drinks) is far superior to Celebrity (happy hour on some ships which still have a Sky Lounge).

 

All subjective.

 

 

[barbeyg]

On 11/16/2022 at 9:27 AM, Ret MP said:

What I do wonder is, because X and Royal come from the same mother ship, do they exchange crews?  Can a chef, for example, on one ship operated by Royal be transferred (contracted) to another ship operated by X?  

I think that would be tough to do.  We have multiple companies in our corporate structure, and have quite a few international employees working in the states for us.  If a cruise line operates like we do, their immigration attorneys would have to work on the visas for intl employees every time they change companies.  This is just speaking from my experience in working with the immigration attorneys in our company who are always requesting info to make those (time consuming) changes between companies that roll up under the same 'umbrella'. 

[Ret MP]

6 hours ago, Tatka said:

This thread is ABOUT FOOD QUALITY on two lines.

What does it have to do with likes/dislikes?
 

Royal as a whole including number of ships in the area suits us better, yet we know that X is stronger in food department (AND THAT IS YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCE.  I'm sure there is someone out there that may disagree with you or have a different personal preference.  Doesn't make you, me, or them wrong, does it!).

I don't know.  Maybe because the OP's first post was like this, "We are sailing on Navigator   next October &   was hearing that the food was not as good on this ship as it is on a Celebrity ship   .Is that generally true".

 

I just don't know how I could confuse liking the food in one location vs. another as not being likes or dislikes.  Liking one cruise line's food over another.  Maybe because that is what they were asking.  And my response was about "personal preference", maybe, eh.  And the OP never mentioned anything about the entertainment on one line or the other.  I just don't understand why when someone says or has a premise that the taste of food is a personal preference, not a referendum and then you get all bent out of shape for saying so.  

[Ret MP]

5 hours ago, barbeyg said:

I think that would be tough to do.  We have multiple companies in our corporate structure, and have quite a few international employees working in the states for us.  If a cruise line operates like we do, their immigration attorneys would have to work on the visas for intl employees every time they change companies.  This is just speaking from my experience in working with the immigration attorneys in our company who are always requesting info to make those (time consuming) changes between companies that roll up under the same 'umbrella'. 

I would guess that that could be very much a possibility.  I just though that they both, Royal and X, are under the same umbrella, that it would be "mix and match".  But, I'm not into international business law.  I have a Granddaughter that is and one of these days, I'll ask her, if I think about it. 

 

But, thanks for the none aggressive or argumentative response.  seems to be a rarity around here.

[barbeyg]

2 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I would guess that that could be very much a possibility.  I just though that they both, Royal and X, are under the same umbrella, that it would be "mix and match".  But, I'm not into international business law.  I have a Granddaughter that is and one of these days, I'll ask her, if I think about it. 

 

But, thanks for the none aggressive or argumentative response.  seems to be a rarity around here.

I'm a seeker of knowledge, and love to share what I have learned.   🙂  I was surprised when I started working here years ago that our physicians couldn't hop from one of our companies to another.  I mean, really our companies are all under the same 'umbrella' so to speak.   But apparently not to the immigration process.  At least, not for medical labor.   And thanks for your very kind words.

[PhillyFan33579]

On 11/16/2022 at 9:27 AM, Ret MP said:

I think this is kinda like asking if a Whopper is better than a Big Mac.  Some will like one and others will like the other.  It's an individual preference.  I can only imagine that you have to try each for yourself before making up you mind.  And keep in mind, chances are, if you enjoyed a MDR meal on the, for example, Anthem and cruise on her again in a year and didn't enjoy the meal, it's probably because the entire, or at least partially, culinary staff has changed. 

 

What I do wonder is, because X and Royal come from the same mother ship, do they exchange crews?  Can a chef, for example, on one ship operated by Royal be transferred (contracted) to another ship operated by X?  If so, the quality of the cooking capabilities are probably not an issue.  It may just be the quality of the actual food if one is actually better than the other but has the same chef or the menu/recipes are different.  But, who knows for sure.  I would think, but am probably wrong, that the behind the scenes crew are interchangeable between X and Royal.  

I don’t think your Whopper vs Big Mac analogy is very accurate. I think a better analogy would be comparing a steak at Applebee’s to a steak at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. 
 

I like the food on RCI ships, but in general it doesn’t compare to the food on Celebrity. Actually, the food quality on Celebrity is one of the main reasons I try to do 2-3 cruises a year on Celebrity, although I still cruise on RCI far more regularly. 

[happy cruzer]

Since you mentioned steak,  will share that on Celebrity's kids MDR menu there is filet mignon.  A very good option to pair with one of their seafood items for surf and turf.

 

Also the buffet has a grill area at night and on sea days lunch, where you can pick a steak, fish, or chicken option and have it grilled while you wait.  Celebrity's buffet is definitely much nicer.

 

On Celebrity you can order from the dining room menu at night for room service at no charge.

 

RCL's dining is good and Celebrity's is very good in my opinion.

[DaKahuna]

7 hours ago, TeeRick said:

However the Diamond Club pre-dinner on RCCL (with appetizers and drinks) is far superior to Celebrity (happy hour on some ships which still have a Sky Lounge).

 

 Before the shutdown, I thought the appetizers served during the Happy Hour in the Sky Lounge were very good.    Also the finger foods in the Retreat Lounge on Celebrity are as good as, if not better than those in the Diamond/Concierge/Suite Lounge on RCCL. 

 

 

[DaKahuna]

5 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

Since you mentioned steak,  will share that on Celebrity's kids MDR menu there is filet mignon.  A very good option to pair with one of their seafood items for surf and turf.

 

 

 Was looking at the Menu for our upcoming Millennium cruise and it appears that the filet on the Kids MDR menu has been replaced with a 5-oz Sirloin Steak.   But I agree, pairing that steak with the Fish Goujons makes a nice surf and turf.  

 

[Longford]

8 hours ago, Tatka said:

This thread is ABOUT FOOD QUALITY on two lines.

What does it have to do with likes/dislikes?

What?  Quality is subjective ... and determined in the mind of the traveler as the result of likes/dislikes.