Pictures of the VERY SAD Mast Grill / buffet burgers...

[NutsAboutGolf]

25 minutes ago, Bill Miller said:

Congratulations to Nuts about Golf post #69 for the first mention of lobster in this topic.

Special recognition to post #70 NMTraveler for follow up lobster mention, Maine.

 

Thank you!  It wasn't easy, I really had to claw my way there

[keesar]

3 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

Congratulations to Nuts about Golf post #69 for the first mention of lobster in this topic.

Special recognition to post #70 NMTraveler for follow up lobster mention, Maine.

 

How about the question that has not been asked in a week or so...   "Are there self-service washers and dryers on Celebrity ships?"  

[davekathy]

3 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

Congratulations to Nuts about Golf post #69 for the first mention of lobster in this topic.

Special recognition to post #70 NMTraveler for follow up lobster mention, Maine.

Lobster?

 

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, keesar said:

 

How about the question that has not been asked in a week or so...   "Are there self-service washers and dryers on Celebrity ships?"  

Glad to report, no! 😂

[Chardonnay Char]

On 5/19/2023 at 11:15 AM, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

You need to try a top burger recipe; the following is an easy to make (no grinding meat) and affordable (about $2 per 8oz patty) "99% burger" or a burger that's better than 99% of the burgers you've ever had...For the meat, you generally have the best, Japanese/Australian Wagyu, second best which is what we're using here American Wagyu and third, USDA Prime.  For the patties, sams club and costo sell American Wagyu at under $7/lb, buy that and McCormick's Just 5 classic french onion, liberally sprinkle both sides of the patty with McCormick's powder, that's it...Some have called this burger "life changing", it really is that good

 

 

[Chardonnay Char]

Just now, Chardonnay Char said:

No no no

Before my mother died 20 years ago, she complained the burgers just didn't taste as good anymore.  Then one day I realized why:  She was buying 90 pct lean beef.  One day I bought some very cheap 73 pct beef to make a burger for my grand-dog.  OMG.  So good.  I have fewer burgers these days, but the higher fat content makes a huge flavor difference.

[TeeRick]

16 hours ago, dilbertsdaddy said:

Not to make excuses for a bad burger, but I still don't understand the fascination with burgers and pizza on a cruise.  I'm looking for something I don't normally eat at home, and also to get better value for the price of the cruise.

 

I understand the convenience factor; but I looked at the menu for mast and would not even consider it.  Seems like they can add a few more options?

Yes you have a point - cruise pizza is nothing like what I can order at home.  We tend to get a piece of pizza on Celebrity in the OVC as a snack, not a dinner.  But a nice burger (like in Lawn Club Grill) is not a snack.  It is a very good dinner (or lunch).  A nicely done, flavorful thick burger would still be a treat on a Celebrity cruise for many of us.  This is not the Mast Grill burger.  Even at home, I could make a good one myself but I tend to go out and order one at any number of great places as a meal.  I personally would pay extra for a quality burger choice on a Celebrity ship.  

[TeeRick]

11 hours ago, Chardonnay Char said:

Before my mother died 20 years ago, she complained the burgers just didn't taste as good anymore.  Then one day I realized why:  She was buying 90 pct lean beef.  One day I bought some very cheap 73 pct beef to make a burger for my grand-dog.  OMG.  So good.  I have fewer burgers these days, but the higher fat content makes a huge flavor difference.

Yes it is definitely a combination of the cut of beef and marbled fat content.  My dw is somewhat adamant about getting lean burgers (93% or 96% lean) and they taste like nothing on the grill.  I try to sneak in an 85% burger when she is not looking.  That at least tastes better grilled.  My Italian mom used to make the best meatballs using 70% lean beef.  I cannot even find that now in the markets, and dw would have a fit if I did!  The supermarkets near me now are selling a number of expensive pre-made burgers.  Several companies focus on selling these more premium burgers.  Wahlburgers for example.  True aficionados buy rib-eye or something similar and grind it themselves! 

[NMTraveller]

17 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

Congratulations to Nuts about Golf post #69 for the first mention of lobster in this topic.

Special recognition to post #70 NMTraveler for follow up lobster mention, Maine.

It took great restraint to make it this far in a foodie thread without mentioning lobster 🙂🙂 

 

Anyways I think that it would be wonderful if Celebrity served a lobster benedict for breakfast.  The size of the lobster would not come into play.

 

Sometimes it is the small things that set a cruise line apart from the competition and make the cruise memorable.

 

What do I remember about Princess?  The champagne tower.

Edited May 21, 2023 by NMTraveller

[davekathy]

12 hours ago, Chardonnay Char said:

but the higher fat content makes a huge flavor difference.

IMO the burgers at th mast/pool grill taste a lot better than the burgers served in the MDR at lunch for thar exact reason. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Blackduck59]

5 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Yes it is definitely a combination of the cut of beef and marbled fat content.  My dw is somewhat adamant about getting lean burgers (93% or 96% lean) and they taste like nothing on the grill.  I try to sneak in an 85% burger when she is not looking.  That at least tastes better grilled.  My Italian mom used to make the best meatballs using 70% lean beef.  I cannot even find that now in the markets, and dw would have a fit if I did!  The supermarkets near me now are selling a number of expensive pre-made burgers.  Several companies focus on selling these more premium burgers.  Wahlburgers for example.  True aficionados buy rib-eye or something similar and grind it themselves! 

 

Indeed fat is flavour. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be grinding rib eye or prime rib into hamburger meat. I would choose chuck, it has good fat content and doesn't cost $20.00 a pound. If I'm making burgers at home I will buy the ground chuck from my butcher shop. If I can't get there then I get the medium ground beef at the supermarket. My wife knows that fat is flavour so we don't buy "lean" ground beef.

Edited May 21, 2023 by Blackduck59

[NutsAboutGolf]

5 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Yes it is definitely a combination of the cut of beef and marbled fat content.  My dw is somewhat adamant about getting lean burgers (93% or 96% lean) and they taste like nothing on the grill.  I try to sneak in an 85% burger when she is not looking.  That at least tastes better grilled.  My Italian mom used to make the best meatballs using 70% lean beef.  I cannot even find that now in the markets, and dw would have a fit if I did!  The supermarkets near me now are selling a number of expensive pre-made burgers.  Several companies focus on selling these more premium burgers.  Wahlburgers for example.  True aficionados buy rib-eye or something similar and grind it themselves! 

 

The larger chain supermarkets around here all sell 73%, you may be google to google the chain and 73% to locate it without going there

 

Very few are grinding "money" steaks like ribeyes or filets, the taste and texture will be a bit different than a "standard" burger.  Most restaurants who sell burgers with blends pick their blend ratios and has a butcher shops or supplier grind and deliver the patties to them.  The most popular blend, which Wahlburger uses, is chuck, brisket and short rib...The next most popular premium blend, like Five Guys, uses roughly half chuck and half top sirloin

 

As I stated, just buy the american wagyu burgers from costco and/or sams club

[Cruise a holic]

On 5/17/2023 at 6:44 PM, mahasamatman said:

 

I'd say it looks overcooked. A proper burger should be cooked between rare and medium rare. Most restaurants won't do it for fear of foodborne illness (because they use substandard meat), but they will do it in Luminae. If it's not dripping, it's overcooked.

 

 

 

Much prefer well done meat- it is safer for all as you can get very ill from eating undercooked meat and poultry.  Many restaurants have warnings printed on the menu.

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, Cruise a holic said:

Much prefer well done meat- it is safer for all as you can get very ill from eating undercooked meat and poultry.  Many restaurants have warnings printed on the menu.

 

It's near impossible to find a restaurant who's willing to intentionally serve undercook poultry; the warning generally applies to all beef including not just burgers but all beef like tar tar (raw) and steak, eggs and seafood (sushi/poke)

[Pinboy]

On 5/20/2023 at 7:59 PM, keesar said:

 

How about the question that has not been asked in a week or so...   "Are there self-service washers and dryers on Celebrity ships?"  

Hey Partner---more " important " stuff to worry about prior to the cruise:

What to do if my luggage tags don't arrive in time ?

How many wall plugs are there in suite 2085 ?

Can we wear shorts, tank tops, and flip flops on formal nights because " I'M " more comfortable like that and don't give a #*&@ about others?

Are tips included in room service at 2 am when we feel like 4 burgers, chocolate chip cookies, fries, diet cokes, etc ?

What trinkets should I bring from home as souvenirs for our stateroom attendant.

On our last cruise the cabin beside us had cute little pineapple sticker decorations hanging upside down on their door -- anyone know where to get 'em ? 

And, don't forget---( Everyone's favorite )--

Who's the etc, etc on our cruise in etc,etc  in ( I just couldn't help that one ) !!!!!

 

 

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

13 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Hey Partner---more " important " stuff to worry about prior to the cruise:

What to do if my luggage tags don't arrive in time ?

How many wall plugs are there in suite 2085 ?

Can we wear shorts, tank tops, and flip flops on formal nights because " I'M " more comfortable like that and don't give a #*&@ about others?

Are tips included in room service at 2 am when we feel like 4 burgers, chocolate chip cookies, fries, diet cokes, etc ?

What trinkets should I bring from home as souvenirs for our stateroom attendant.

On our last cruise the cabin beside us had cute little pineapple sticker decorations hanging upside down on their door -- anyone know where to get 'em ? 

And, don't forget---( Everyone's favorite )--

Who's the etc, etc on our cruise in etc,etc  in ( I just couldn't help that one ) !!!!!

 

 

 

You forgot “ is it worth to upgrade my wifi / drink package ? 😉

[NutsAboutGolf]

33 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Hey Partner---more " important " stuff to worry about prior to the cruise:

What to do if my luggage tags don't arrive in time ?

How many wall plugs are there in suite 2085 ?

Can we wear shorts, tank tops, and flip flops on formal nights because " I'M " more comfortable like that and don't give a #*&@ about others?

Are tips included in room service at 2 am when we feel like 4 burgers, chocolate chip cookies, fries, diet cokes, etc ?

What trinkets should I bring from home as souvenirs for our stateroom attendant.

On our last cruise the cabin beside us had cute little pineapple sticker decorations hanging upside down on their door -- anyone know where to get 'em ? 

And, don't forget---( Everyone's favorite )--

Who's the etc, etc on our cruise in etc,etc  in ( I just couldn't help that one ) !!!!!

 

 

 

 

My favorites, the thread was on here, something like "my pre-cruise butler is being a pain by refusing to mail me luggage tags, how do I report him?"

 

Another is when one buys their S.O. a top with pineapples (the S.O. has no idea what pineapples mean) and convinces them to wear it on the first day of the sailing

[Pinboy]

15 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Another is when one buys their S.O. a top with pineapples (the S.O. has no idea what pineapples mean) and convinces them to wear it on the first day of the sailing

That's the best laugh I've read on CC !!!!!!

LOL--- Makin " fun " of my S.O is not nice--- Who do I report you to ??

Just for that -- I hope you 4 putt on the 18th hole with a bunch of $$$ on the line !!!!

[NutsAboutGolf]

40 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

That's the best laugh I've read on CC !!!!!!

LOL--- Makin " fun " of my S.O is not nice--- Who do I report you to ??

Just for that -- I hope you 4 putt on the 18th hole with a bunch of $$$ on the line !!!!

 

If anything its improving her sailing experience, it's not making fun of them, as she'll probably comment that this is the best sailing yet because everyone she met so far has been super friendly

[Andrewgary]

On 5/18/2023 at 4:01 PM, WonderMan3 said:

 

 

That being said, a frozen burger does not necessarily have to be a bad burger. I grill Bubba burgers at home every summer and they're great.

 

Different strokes, I guess. I love a good burger and bought Bubba's because their packaging looked cool (yeah, I know) and I gotta say they were not bubbalicious. 

[Andrewgary]

It's funny what means something to someone. I gotta admit I'm negatively affected by the sad state of burgers and hot dogs at the Mast Grille. Does it mean I won't cruise Celebrity? Of course not, but I enjoy hanging by the pool during sea days and a good burger/dog with fries would be a perfect casual lunch to satisfy me till a  more formal dinner. Unfortunately, I've been underwhelmed by the burgers for some time (don't get me started on the dogs-they're practically inedible) and the photo from this thread looks like they've gotten even worse. As for the pizza at the OVC, as a born and bred New Yorker my standards are pretty high and I gotta say the crispy thin crust at OVC is very tasty, especially fresh out of the oven. 

I'm very chill when I cruise and like to think I don't sweat the small stuff but since there's a thread devoted to the Mast I figured I'd put my 2 cents in. That being said, it's only 139 days and 23 hours until my next cruise, but who's counting? Good burger or not, cruising is my happy place and Celebrity overall does a wonderful job making me happy.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

7 minutes ago, Andrewgary said:

It's funny what means something to someone. I gotta admit I'm negatively affected by the sad state of burgers and hot dogs at the Mast Grille. Does it mean I won't cruise Celebrity? Of course not, but I enjoy hanging by the pool during sea days and a good burger/dog with fries would be a perfect casual lunch to satisfy me till a  more formal dinner. Unfortunately, I've been underwhelmed by the burgers for some time (don't get me started on the dogs-they're practically inedible) and the photo from this thread looks like they've gotten even worse. As for the pizza at the OVC, as a born and bred New Yorker my standards are pretty high and I gotta say the crispy thin crust at OVC is very tasty, especially fresh out of the oven. 

I'm very chill when I cruise and like to think I don't sweat the small stuff but since there's a thread devoted to the Mast I figured I'd put my 2 cents in. That being said, it's only 139 days and 23 hours until my next cruise, but who's counting? Good burger or not, cruising is my happy place and Celebrity overall does a wonderful job making me happy.

You would have been disappointed with Pizza crust on the Reflection , it was not crispy , more like a  limp ****

Edited May 22, 2023 by Ex-Airbalancer

[Andrewgary]

31 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

You would have been disappointed with Pizza crust on the Reflection , it was not crispy , more like a  limp ****

Uh oh. Gonna be on the Reflection for 24 days in October and I don't want no limp ****.

[weregoingcruising]

54 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

You would have been disappointed with Pizza crust on the Reflection , it was not crispy , more like a  limp ****

How long have you had this problem? I tried the blue pill from my doctorand the only thing that got stiff was my neck.

Edited May 22, 2023 by weregoingcruising
add info

[dlh015]

On 5/19/2023 at 1:52 PM, Blackduck59 said:

Unless you grind the meat "in house" there is a very good chance of nasty things being in that under cooked ground beef. If you want your burger rare then you're taking your chances. Or maybe buy a chunk of chuck at home and grind it yourself.

If you say so...

 

In 50 years of grilling my hamburgers (that is to say when I moved out on my own) to a medium rare, I have never, ever had any nasty things happen. (wife has been eating them for over 30 years...)

 

Perchance did you have a nasty experience early in life with a bad burger? (It took me almost 30 years to get over a bad experience I had with mussels...) Or are you going by what you've read??

 

I'm guessing you like your steaks well done...which is okay of course. When friends are over for dinner they get 'em the way they want 'em...