Symphony food and tips

[cvasto]

What is everyone's favorite food on Symphony? We were on Oasis in June and have an idea of what things we might like, but always open to suggestions.

 

Also, any other tips for Symphony?

[Spurschick]

1 minute ago, cvasto said:

What is everyone's favorite food on Symphony? We were on Oasis in June and have an idea of what things we might like, but always open to suggestions.

 

Also, any other tips for Symphony?

Definitely make a reservation for solarium bistro one night for dinner.

 

CP150 is a must for us on any ship that has it!

[Tlbecker1]

Also, make sure to enjoy the free Johnny Rockets breakfast.  Symphony has a lot of great food options.  We were on in December and only went to MDR once.  Enjoy your cruise!

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, cvasto said:

What is everyone's favorite food on Symphony? We were on Oasis in June and have an idea of what things we might like, but always open to suggestions. Also, any other tips for Symphony?

So,,, we're Diamond members, cruising multiple times a year, and try to avoid falling into Royal's marketing trap of saying,,,, your cruise includes all complimentary food... but pay [a lot] of money and we'll give you better food. 

 

Complimentary favorites: Park Cafe and El Loco Fresh (they have a decent lunch without the crowds of the Windjammer). 

 

Johnny Rockets Breakfast - We enjoy sitting on the boardwalk and having breakfast. It is same as getting a served breakfast in the MDR, just a nicer setting. We hate that RCCL has started to add upcharges to some of the used-to-be-free items on the breakfast menu (don't know if this had made it to the Symphony yet... was that way on the Wonder last year). 

 

Solarium Bistro Breakfast - mini windjammer without the crowds. Good for a quick, hot breakfast. 

 

Solarium Bistro Dinner - avoid. We have tried the Bistro on multiple ships and have been consistently disappointed. RCCL has no clue on how to maintain a dinner buffet. The food is held way too long until it is dried out and inedible. We recently had some fish over white rice on the Wonder and the rice was literally brake-a-tooth crunchy because it was so dried out. All of the featured entrees were really bad... and we have found that on every ship... we actually gave up and went to the Windjammer. 

 

 

We will, on occasion, splurge for one specialty meal.

 

150 Central Park - the fine dining restaurant on the ship. Personally, since Royal took over the restaurant (across the fleet) and dumbed down the menu, it is less attractive to us. 

 

Wonderland - an adventure into molecular gastronomy. For us, it was good as a one-and-done to see what it was all about. Fun if you want to try something once.

 

Hooked - Good seafood restaurant. 

 

Chops - Traditional steak house. Good steaks... but you can get a cheap steak in the MDR. 

 

Jamie's - Not our favorite - but we don't enjoy Italian restaurants in general. 

 

Johnny Rockets hamburgers - avoid. A gimmick with no benefit. Get a free hamburger in the buffet. 

 

Izumi Hibachi - dinner and a show. Always fun. But it is a set of dinner clothes that can't be used again because of the oils in the air. 

[cvasto]

Now that was an awesome response! Thank you @BirdTravels