Has anyone noticed a decline in quality of Princess food?

[roadster08]

On Princess there are a lot of average dishes with fine dining names. 

[Megamixer]

This may or may not having anything to do with the original post but all restaurant, pre-packaged, prepared food to me is too salty.  For no reason except my other half isn't a fan of salt, I stopped salting things about 25 years ago and have gotten used to it.  Cruise food was always extremely salty in my opinion.  On my last 2 cruises I found myself picking up the salt shaker and using it several times which I never do.  Maybe they just finally quit over salting?

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, brisalta said:

 

There is a big difference between retail prices and wholesale prices. Princess purchases wholesale.

There is a wide variety of fresh produce available year round in California at reasonable prices.

Beef is an interesting story and prices have gone up nation wide due to consolidation of the ownership of meat packing houses. The large meat packing houses have decided they can earn more money by exporting the bulk of the higher grade cuts overseas which has led to an increase in meat prices domestically.

 

I think we are all pretty aware that Princess isn't buying produce from the local supermarket.  😀

 

I'm not surprised what you say about beef exports.  An incredible amount of California ag products are exported.  It would be interesting to know what percent of the State's total ag production is exported.    

 

 

Edited July 17, 2023 by ldubs

[darknightsdespiser]

Yes, disappointed with both MDR and buffet on Sky recently; started my own conspiracy theory that budgets are lower on UK departures!

[Bill B]

Recently on the Island Princess and the food is not what it was (dining room or buffet). P.S. Amuleto Cafe makes the world's worst fruit pies!

[GoHuskies!]

On 7/15/2023 at 5:48 PM, capriccio said:

In my 15 years sailing on Princess the crews and officers have always been overwhelmingly non-American.

Sure.  Of course we all know that the crew and officers generally are not American.  But they do not determine the seasoning of foods--that is the executive chef who determines the menu and its constituents, tastes the food during preparation, and makes adjustments.  Whoever that was on our cruise was far distant from what he or she should have experienced prior to becoming executive chef.  Food was generally bland without character.  Where it needed salt, there was little.  Where it needed garlic, there was none.  Where it needed a whole array of spices, it lacked them.  Just generally NOT dishes as Princess always had preparedin the past.

[kywildcatfanone]

20 minutes ago, GoHuskies! said:

Food was generally bland without character.  Where it needed salt, there was little.  Where it needed garlic, there was none.  Where it needed a whole array of spices, it lacked them

That is basically every cruise I've been on.  I find maybe 4-5 thing's in a week that have enough seasoning.  It's bland on purpose.

[TM]

Just now seeing this thread.  We cruised on the Crown in late August/early September to Alaska.  I can honestly say that over the course of 11 nights in the MDR, I did not have one good meal.  A couple of the soups and a few of the pastas were good, but none of the main courses were good and in several cases the menu was not even appealing.  Granted we had not cruised for 4 years, but after 25+ cruises on Princess our dining experience was a huge disappointment.  Food is always a very subjective experience, but we certainly experienced a significant decline in food quality in the MDR for dinners.

[lovevacadays]

I’m sorry the food wasn’t good on your cruise. It seems these types of threads have existed for several years. I think it can be the experience on each cruise. I’ve been on Princess cruises where the food was outstanding and then on one or two that I wonder what might be happening in the galley.  Although, I would imagine, Princess has cut some quality just as it seems so many places have. I hope your next cruise brings you amazing food. 

[TM]

9 minutes ago, lovevacadays said:

I’m sorry the food wasn’t good on your cruise. It seems these types of threads have existed for several years. I think it can be the experience on each cruise. I’ve been on Princess cruises where the food was outstanding and then on one or two that I wonder what might be happening in the galley.  Although, I would imagine, Princess has cut some quality just as it seems so many places have. I hope your next cruise brings you amazing food. 

Not likely that the next cruise will be on Princess.  The food quality was a complete miss.  And the entertainment was well below par.  The entertainment was so bad in fact that we did something we have never done in 31 cruises - we went back to our stateroom to watch movies on TV 4 nights.

[lovevacadays]

11 minutes ago, TM said:

Not likely that the next cruise will be on Princess.  The food quality was a complete miss.  And the entertainment was well below par.  The entertainment was so bad in fact that we did something we have never done in 31 cruises - we went back to our stateroom to watch movies on TV 4 nights.

I’m sorry for your experience. I’m sure you’ll find or already have other cruise lines you do/will like. It’s great that there is so many choices. 

Edited November 2, 2023 by lovevacadays

[Luv2escape]

We have been cruising with PCL since 2001. Yes, I know food is a subjective issue but there is an overall decline in MDR meals. The cruise lines are cutting costs any way they can. Carnival Corp. is trying to recoup its losses from the pandemic & shutdown. They are taking perks away from loyalty programs. The meals in the specialty dining venues are what meals used to be back in the day. We may be looking for another alternative for our vacation budget after our upcoming cruise.

 

[Ken the cruiser]

We’ve been on the Caribbean Princess for 15 days now, and the food in the Reserve dining room, which has the same menu as the MDR, has been very tasty every night so far, except for our 2 free dinners in the Crown Grill, which have also been quite tasty! 

[JimmyVWine]

Too many ships, with too much personnel movement and too few days on the ships for me to draw conclusions.  That said, on my most recent cruise (May, 2023) on Regal, we had some of the best meals we have ever had on Princess.  I ran into the Head Chef in the elevator at the end of the cruise and we were the only two people on the elevator, so I took the opportunity to tell him that we thought the food was some of the best we have had and that we were enjoying it immensely.  I also told him that I thought that the "new and improved" Love Boat Dream may be "new", but it was in no way "improved."  He laughed and said that my opinion was shared by many and that he had elevated those comments to HQ.  

[Cruisintimer]

No complaints, we are pretty easy to please and wow what choices and abundance.

[eagletwo]

Our first cruise with Princess was in 2005 on the Diamond Princess. Buffet was very good. MDR was great. Now after 8 cruises, quality in the buffet is like going to S & S cafeteria. MDR is a hit or miss. 

[cheetosrevil]

Crown Grill in January and my medium rare steak was inedible. The remedy was to send something to my cabin I don't want. No discount or refund. MDR most hot food was cold and unseasoned.

[capriccio]

On the Coral Princess for 28 days in April the MDR dining was very good. The cruise was Round Australia and the menus included dishes (quite a few Indian dishes and a variety of fish dishes) I've never seen on US, Caribbean, Alaskan, South American and European cruises).  The dinner in the Crown Grill (similar menu to those on ships sailing in other locations) was the best we've ever had and rivaled premium US steakhouses.  On the Caribbean Princess for a week in July the MDR food was good and occasionally very good.  The Crown Grill food was nowhere near the level of the Coral Princess Crown Grill but there were no complaints from our group of 8.  DH and I had been spoiled in April.  We don't go to the buffet so I can't comment on that experience.

[Scirocco Breeze]

Heard in the dining room on Diamond last night..."is the chicken frozen?" 

 

"Not once they've cooked it sir" 😂😂😂

[Bill B]

The buffet on the Island Princess has become the Curry Cafeteria.

[Lucky TGO]

On 11/2/2023 at 9:04 PM, eagletwo said:

Our first cruise with Princess was in 2005 on the Diamond Princess. Buffet was very good. MDR was great. Now after 8 cruises, quality in the buffet is like going to S & S cafeteria. MDR is a hit or miss. 

I totally agree with you from the first time I cruised with Princess the food is just NOT as good as it once was that includes the crown grill.

Tony

[MissP22]

3 hours ago, Bill B said:

The buffet on the Island Princess has become the Curry Cafeteria.

No more buffet for me if that's true. 🤮

[Musky Ike]

And yet I manage to gain a couple pounds on each cruise 🤔. Must be that sea air🙄

[Yehootu]

Just did 25 days on the Regal. First time in tears of cruising did I once see "corned beef hash" on the breakfast buffet. Instead they had "turkey hash,beef hash and pork hash( which looked like vomit) kinda reminds me of The Lunch Lady Song.

 Adam Sandler version......"Yesterday's left over meatloaf is todays sloppy joes"

Princess version..."Yesterday left over taco meat is todays beef hash"

Food quality has indeed gone down. Pool hamburgers were good this time compared to last cruise.

[Cruise Raider]

I was just on the Discovery Princess and thought the food ranged from very good to outstanding!  
There is a new lunch menu they are trying out in the MDR with small plates and I have to say, Bravo!  it was one of my favorite meals.  The buffet items were really good!  I have Indian food once that was delish!  
The Salty dog, GiGis and Ocean Terrace were all great.  We also thought he Crown Grill was as good as it’s ever been.  The Bistro Sur La Mer, soon to be changed to The Catch by Rudi, was very good.  I look forward to going there when it is The Catch, which should be in a couple of weeks.  I do miss Sabatini’s old menu, though but the food was still decent.  I miss the sole piccata and fondue soup.