RCL food has gone downhill fast

[The Fun Researcher]

Just now, Sonic2012 said:

I’m on Grandeur right now and the food has been good. The desserts are a little bland, other than the red velvet cake at Chops Grill. I have no complaints.

 I agree, they are still far more bland than they should be, but it's hard to believe it's been an improvement over the years 🤣 

 

I think back to when we first sailed in 2012.  I remember looking at all these amazing desserts (and I'm not really much of a dessert person) and thinking, This is Amazing!...  until I bit into them.  Massive lack flavor.  I couldn't find one that really impressed me like all the other food on Royal

 

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

47 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

I will say that there are a few things that have been removed or scaled back on recently that bother me in particular.  The sandwiches in Café Promenade used to have more quality/costly fillings like roast beef, salmon, etc... on the last two cruises on Anthem and Quantum if was either veggies,  bologna, or tuna salad.  ...and I do miss the lamb chops in the MDR.

 

 

It is the little things around the edges, as you mention that I miss.

 

Does it ruin my cruise or cause me to want to stop cruising? No.

 

It was these little items that I used to look forward to that have disappeared.

 

There used to be multiple carving stations at the Windjammer and now I have to search to find the one if it is there at all.

[lovesthebeach2]

On 4/28/2024 at 4:35 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

Food is very subjective so I would never tell someone they were wrong when it comes to food. What I don’t understand is when people complain about food on RCI ships yet they continue to cruise on RCI. I can at least respect someone like you who shares an opinion and backs it up with their action (i.e. would never sail them again). I don’t understand people who complain about RCI but continue to cruise with them. 

We’ve noticed that the food can be awful on one ship, and good (but not great) on another. It seems some chefs aren’t good and some are.  

So, on the ships with lousy food, I mention it in my post cruise comments (as well as mention it while on the ship) and when it’s good I also mention it…..I’m not sure if that helps get rid of the lousy chefs, but it can’t hurt to try. 

[PhillyFan33579]

17 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

We’ve noticed that the food can be awful on one ship, and good (but not great) on another. It seems some chefs aren’t good and some are.  

So, on the ships with lousy food, I mention it in my post cruise comments (as well as mention it while on the ship) and when it’s good I also mention it…..I’m not sure if that helps get rid of the lousy chefs, but it can’t hurt to try. 

As much as the crew talks about the importance of the surveys, I hope leadership takes them seriously. Your chefs comment is right on the nail in my book. I find it interesting when someone makes a comment like the food was great when we cruised on Oasis (could be any ship) last year. It’s likely the head chef and kitchen staff has turned over 100%, although a lot of crew seem to stay on the same ship contact after contract. But just because the food was great on a ship a year ago, does not mean it will be great a year later. 

[RRTcruiser]

Just stepped off Mariner of the Seas…. In all honesty the food was at best like a “Golden Corral” quality.  While I have been loyal to Royal, I have to say mediocrity is where the bar is now set. For everyone still  defending Royal Caribbean’s downscaling of the food you either don’t remember the quality of the food 10 years ago or you are okay with substandard meals.The pendulum has shifted too far in one direction and In my opinion they will drive the people who support RCI the most away for good…. Squeeze us for every dollar now but remember we are shareholders too and vote with our wallets.

 

[Twenty2020]

57 minutes ago, RRTcruiser said:

Just stepped off Mariner of the Seas…. In all honesty the food was at best like a “Golden Corral” quality.  While I have been loyal to Royal, I have to say mediocrity is where the bar is now set. For everyone still  defending Royal Caribbean’s downscaling of the food you either don’t remember the quality of the food 10 years ago or you are okay with substandard meals.The pendulum has shifted too far in one direction and In my opinion they will drive the people who support RCI the most away for good…. Squeeze us for every dollar now but remember we are shareholders too and vote with our wallets.

 

 

Well RCI is now about on par with a Golden Corral level experience across the board. Would make sense that the food matches the product and clientele. 

Edited May 3 by Twenty2020

[Brandis]

I once shared a cabin with someone who complained that the ships food was bad and that he couldn't get any fried food 🙂

I have to admit, the only bad MDR food experience I ever had on RCL was Spectrum sailing from Shanghai. Apparently, they catered mostly on Chinese tastes. The menu was only a laminated piece of paper with pictures of the available food items. Also, it seems that the Chinese prefered to be done with eating very quickly and everything was brought out very fast. We were in and out of the dining room in less than 1 hour. Thankfully, we had Silver Suites booked and had access to the Silver dining room (aka Solarium Grill on non-China cruises) where the food and service were excellent. There, the menu stayed the same all week but they rotated items on the buffet, so still could try different things every night.

[travelberlin]

Food at the Windjammer is fine. I remember I used to avoid buffets but for this cruise it seems to be the best option. 
 

One question: didn’t Windjammer used to have an Asian corner with Miso soup for breakfast? Wasn’t also a whole grain bread somewhere?

[Tatka]

11 hours ago, RRTcruiser said:

Just stepped off Mariner of the Seas…. In all honesty the food was at best like a “Golden Corral” quality.  While I have been loyal to Royal, I have to say mediocrity is where the bar is now set. For everyone still  defending Royal Caribbean’s downscaling of the food you either don’t remember the quality of the food 10 years ago or you are okay with substandard meals.The pendulum has shifted too far in one direction and In my opinion they will drive the people who support RCI the most away for good…. Squeeze us for every dollar now but remember we are shareholders too and vote with our wallets.

 

We started cruising with Royal in 2004 and never found food to be consistent. In fact first four cruises 2004 Splendor, 2007&2009&2010 Explorer food was I think weaker than now. Overall menus have changed, but it’s still very good food. We never considered RCI to be a line with great food, but always find nice dishes 

[RRTcruiser]

8 minutes ago, Tatka said:

We started cruising with Royal in 2004 and never found food to be consistent. In fact first four cruises 2004 Splendor, 2007&2009&2010 Explorer food was I think weaker than now. Overall menus have changed, but it’s still very good food. We never considered RCI to be a line with great food, but always find nice dishes 

There were a few items that we found fairly decent but overall our experience was it was just okay. The staff on Royal ships are still exceptional and are a shining spot for the cruise experience.  Suffice to say different people have different dining experiences as well as expectations.  Since the start up a few years back we have completed 20 cruises, not as many as others of course but enough to make comparisons on food being served. Truly happy you enjoy your dining experience… Take care

[Mick B]

Hi All,

Just done the 15 night TA on the Jewel,

Did not go to any of the speciality restaurants as I have done them all before and I am happy with what the MDR and WJ offer.

 

I can tell you that the food in the WJ was just as good as before.

The MDR food was good. There were a few nights when the menu for that them night was not appealing, but the New York Stripe Steak was offered on those nights and was just as good as always.

 

The only complaint I could spot was that the baked beans in the WJ were not done in tomato sauce as before and were a bit bland.

 

I can tell you that the chips/fries in the WJ were really great and better than before.

 

We also went to the Solarium Bistro some nights for a little late night pizza and that too was just as nice as before.

 

Maybe we were lucky with this cruise as I could not find much of a fault with anything we tried.

 

Sadly, not back on a ship until May 2025 which will be the Indy - let's hope the food on her is as good as before too.

 

BTW, I can tell you that my wife would have said something if there was any sort of issue with the food and she did not.

 

Mick.

 

 

 

[Cruising89143]

Coming off the NV this morning. First time back on this ship and RCI in a year. We haven’t had dinner in the MDR in fourteen years so no comment but we found specialty dining to be a mixed bag. Chops on the first night was just okay but at over $130.00 for two people not including cocktails or wine, the food should be of higher quality since we’re also not dining in the other included venues such as the MDR or WJ. The server failed to bring bread. When asked he stated that he didn’t want us to fill up on bread. A head scratcher and total BS……Filets were good. Cooked to order and tender. Sides of Tater Tots, Creamed Spinach and Mac & Cheese all were totally tasteless. The Red Velvet cake was once again different than the previous version but it least it wasn’t dry like a sponge which was the case the last few times. Service here was lacking. It think it was a training issue. 
 

I booked Jamie’s for lunch and dinner the following/same day by not paying attention but we left it. We both ordered just the chicken sandwich and the Limencello cheesecake. The chicken sandwich was nothing near what was written in the description including the fries. Not good at all. RCI has changed the cheesecake where it now includes gelatin. I asked our server about it and he stated that it was changed back in August. It was rubbery and gelatinous. Used to be creamy. Disappointed with this meal. Dinner that evening was a little better but the chicken parm looked and tasted like something that one might find in the MDR. Very low quality. Service here for lunch and dinner was very good. 
 

Izumi was spot on. Great food and service all evening. 
 

I don’t blame the crew. They can only do so much with what they’re given to work with but Royal continues to raise the price of specialty dining but lowers the quality. Personally I would like to see Jason Liberty stop taking victory laps after the quarterly earnings reports and put some emphasis on bringing back some of the quality that has been removed. 
 

Does this turn us off cruising with RCI? Probably not but it also doesn’t keep one loyal. We have more cruises booked with Royal in the coming months but we will now go back and visit where we book specialty dining. I might add that we dined one evening in the WJ. The food was good. We targeted the Indian section as we know it’s usually very good. It did not disappoint. Playmakers also had a much better chicken sandwich than Jamie’s for lunch and for much less. 
 

For the one that would like to see the food that we eat at home, I will show you. Some of us prefer quality over quantity. Other than the slide in specialty dining, this was a very good cruise. The crew on board was great as always. The ship looks great. 

 

[edspec]

13 hours ago, RRTcruiser said:

Just stepped off Mariner of the Seas…. In all honesty the food was at best like a “Golden Corral” quality.  While I have been loyal to Royal, I have to say mediocrity is where the bar is now set. For everyone still  defending Royal Caribbean’s downscaling of the food you either don’t remember the quality of the food 10 years ago or you are okay with substandard meals.The pendulum has shifted too far in one direction and In my opinion they will drive the people who support RCI the most away for good…. Squeeze us for every dollar now but remember we are shareholders too and vote with our wallets.

 

Good post.  We're just off Quantum and the food was just ok.  It looked good but no substance.  Margerine instead of butter, bread which tasted cheap, desserts which consisted of mostly gelatine, etc...Well, the oatmeal raisin cookies were good 🙂

They need to spend more money on the food.  I buy quality groceries at home, why would I want to vacation and spread margarine on bread?  Eat cheap ice cream?  Or cheese which is dry around the edges?  Don't get me started on the skimpy cream cheese on the bagels in the Windjammer or the green glop masquarading as guacamole.  How many times can they serve Spaghetti with Meat Sauce as a main in the MDR...many times it seems.

[Tatka]

1 hour ago, RRTcruiser said:

There were a few items that we found fairly decent but overall our experience was it was just okay. The staff on Royal ships are still exceptional and are a shining spot for the cruise experience.  Suffice to say different people have different dining experiences as well as expectations.  Since the start up a few years back we have completed 20 cruises, not as many as others of course but enough to make comparisons on food being served. Truly happy you enjoy your dining experience… Take care

 

We had 4 in 2021, 5 in each 2022, 2023 and 2 in 2024 and one on Celebrity Edge

Anthem, Liberty, Oasis, Enchantment, Vision

 

  I admit we do not cruise for gourmet experience, but we do not eat in Golden Corral types of establishments on land either. As long as there is a selection of seafood,  escargot, stake, salmon, etc we are happy.  I often skip entries and eat 2-3 starters.  🙂

 

 On our recent Vision cruise we had amazing Osso buco. Things like this is a nice bonus.

 

Enjoy cruising!

 

My parents are not big fans of cruises, but occasionally take one to explore various regions. Out of Princess, NCL and Royal they preferred Princess in terms of food. Recently they sailed with Oceania and said that food was fabulous.

[Williamsburgcruiser]

Anytime I am not cooking, the food will be just fine for me.  I am more disappointed with the clientele who want 5 star, but don't want to pay for it.  I'm cruising for $135 per person,  per night, I will not complain when I wake up in a different place every day.  

[Germancruiser]

I agree, Williamsburg Cruiser -  you get what you pay for. It is still in some minds that on cruise you get the best of the best food. That does certainly not apply for massmarket ships. Anyway- certain standards should be maintained and food that bad- as the OP describes it- should not happen.

Even though I left RCCI many years ago- I thing even before they introduced those plastic plates in the Windjammer  ( argh) - their ships I always found stunning- up to the Voyager Class- including Radiance Class ( along with Vision Class my favorte ships with RCCI) !

Edited May 4 by Germancruiser

[RRTcruiser]

4 hours ago, Williamsburgcruiser said:

Anytime I am not cooking, the food will be just fine for me.  I am more disappointed with the clientele who want 5 star, but don't want to pay for it.  I'm cruising for $135 per person,  per night, I will not complain when I wake up in a different place every day.  

Very happy the current program meets your expectations, I mean that sincerely.  I don’t expect 5 star so no disappointment there, as with everything service oriented “your mileage may vary” so to speak.

To that end I am only respectfully voicing my opinion, which is one reason these boards exist.

[captainannoyed!]

I’ve been cruising Royal for a long time, and I’ve never had a bad meal.  Yes, some ships do have a better food program than others.  But the OP, as of just a moment ago, has only two posts on the forum.  They are entitled to their opinion, clearly.  But their opinion isn’t accurate in my experience.  I’d advise, as others have, to cruise the line you prefer.

[MtnSeaGirl]

Sailed on the Explorer of the Seas in April.  Second Royal cruise as we cruise another line often. MDR was hit and miss with the strip steak being ...well...not really good.  BUT, overall the food was just fine and sometimes exceptional.  I still can't believe they make fried chicken so good. Did not expect that to be honest and wish I had ordered it instead of DH ordering it.  The short ribs are to die for.  The Jerk Chicken was incredible.  If you want a good steak, go to Giovannis.  It is excellent.  The staff on Royal is outstanding.  Windjammer is dang good and allowed me to try a lot of Indian food I was not so sure about ( and ended up loving ).  We were so impressed with Royal that we booked another cruise while onboard.  I sit here thinking that even my fav land restaurants are not as good as they once were, but this is part of being in recovery mode. Everyone is trying their best to provide good food without doubling the cost.  I don't feel I can have the same expections I had prior to 2020.  That is unrealistic.  Yet, Royal did a good job in meeting most of them.  

[captainannoyed!]

26 minutes ago, MtnSeaGirl said:

Sailed on the Explorer of the Seas in April.  Second Royal cruise as we cruise another line often. MDR was hit and miss with the strip steak being ...well...not really good.  BUT, overall the food was just fine and sometimes exceptional.  I still can't believe they make fried chicken so good. Did not expect that to be honest and wish I had ordered it instead of DH ordering it.  The short ribs are to die for.  The Jerk Chicken was incredible.  If you want a good steak, go to Giovannis.  It is excellent.  The staff on Royal is outstanding.  Windjammer is dang good and allowed me to try a lot of Indian food I was not so sure about ( and ended up loving ).  We were so impressed with Royal that we booked another cruise while onboard.  I sit here thinking that even my fav land restaurants are not as good as they once were, but this is part of being in recovery mode. Everyone is trying their best to provide good food without doubling the cost.  I don't feel I can have the same expections I had prior to 2020.  That is unrealistic.  Yet, Royal did a good job in meeting most of them.  

I have to admit I’ve always found strip steaks to be hit or miss, anywhere.  I’m pretty much a filet mignon guy exclusively at this point.

[travelberlin]

6 hours ago, MtnSeaGirl said:

Sailed on the Explorer of the Seas in April.  Second Royal cruise as we cruise another line often. MDR was hit and miss with the strip steak being ...well...not really good.  BUT, overall the food was just fine and sometimes exceptional.  I still can't believe they make fried chicken so good. Did not expect that to be honest and wish I had ordered it instead of DH ordering it.  The short ribs are to die for.  The Jerk Chicken was incredible.  If you want a good steak, go to Giovannis.  It is excellent.  The staff on Royal is outstanding.  Windjammer is dang good and allowed me to try a lot of Indian food I was not so sure about ( and ended up loving ).  We were so impressed with Royal that we booked another cruise while onboard.  I sit here thinking that even my fav land restaurants are not as good as they once were, but this is part of being in recovery mode. Everyone is trying their best to provide good food without doubling the cost.  I don't feel I can have the same expections I had prior to 2020.  That is unrealistic.  Yet, Royal did a good job in meeting most of them.  

On my cruise with the Explorer, no fried chicken, no short ribs… menus repeating. Food at MDR nothing to crave for.

[pretzlaff]

We are on the Explorer now on its transatlantic. To me, Royal’s food took a turn for the worse about 2 years ago. We did 4 Royal transatlantics last year. The food on this trip is the same as last year, so no improvement. 
 

I was hoping that things would improve, but they have not. 

[mandersen12345]

Two sailings here on Royal since COVID (with about 20 on Royal or Celebrity prior to COVID), on Allure and Radiance.  Noticed lower cost/quality ingredients (more chicken, pork, and pasta, less beef and seafood).  I blame Miami for it.  We used to love the unusual dishes that we got to try on cruises that we don't eat at home.  That seems to be largely gone.

 

We much preferred the old, longer MDR experience.  Multi courses lasting 2 hours is what we want.  A gastronomic experience,  Royal seems to want to cater more to folks who expect to be in and out faster with just starter, main, dessert.  Fine.  We prefer bread service, soup, starter, palate cleanser, main, dessert/cheese, coffee.  Each served separately.  That's just us, however.  If I want to eat like Applebees I can go to Applebees.

 

We have a cruise on Wonder coming up in a few months in a Star class suite.  Will eat speciality only or CK.  Three upcoming on NCL, all in Haven suites.  We have found recently that the Haven experience is worlds above Royal with the Star class genie being less magical than before COVID but the NCL butler very much still killing it.

 

When the kids are grown and out we will skip the mass market lines altogether and go where we know there is still an exceptional experience on other, premium lines.

 

What has surprised me about Royal is we are big spenders and I would think they'd want more like us.  I've sent numerous feedback in but never get anything other than a canned reply, and things do not improve.

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

1 hour ago, travelberlin said:

On my cruise with the Explorer, no fried chicken, no short ribs… menus repeating. Food at MDR nothing to crave for.

Wait ... so you're saying that they repeated the MDR menus rather than going through the standard rotation? Like, instead of the Welcome Aboard menu (where the fried chicken appears) you had another Italian/Mexican/Caribbean night? If I'm understanding you correctly, I can definitely understand why you were unhappy. 

[Sizzlechest]

A good metric for food quality is to compare the MDR/Windjammer to the specialty options. I would expect a gap, but not very wide. The gap has widened. You might say, "Then get a dining package and pay for it." Yeah, you could say that, and that might not be a bad idea for the large ships like Oasis class that has lots of specialty options. What about Freedom class ships? I'm going on a 7-9 day cruise on the Liberty with only three options: Chops, Giovanni's, and Sabor. That's not going to work for anyone. I paid for Chops and Giovanni's individually for the MDR menu nights that I can't stand.

 

Other cruise lines have more Chinese food* options. RCL has no wok station. They do have a lot of  Indian food options. I assume it's because RCL can kill two birds with one stone: offer different food options that are also vegan-friendly. OTOH, I noticed the dining staff is over-represented by Indian employees, so maybe it's just that simple.

 

*Yes, it's technically Americanized Chinese food, but the point still stands.