Isn't a Cruise Ship Dining Room just a fancy Buffet?

[EmpressofPurple]

I think I disagree with everyone here!

 

I love cruise food, and I am a lifelong New Yorker, patronizing a wide range of restaurants from cheap ethnic to upscale steakhouses to trendy bistros (most of which cost more for a single meal than an entire per-day cruise cost including 3 meals, lodging, transportation to ports of call, entertainment, etc.).

 

Various lines do some foods better than others; in general I feel that Princess is superior in seafood, RCI in steak (though on my last RCI cruise I had one of the best fish dishes I've ever had on land or sea). I am always pleasantly surprised at the quality and variety of the buffet food (especially on the larger ships), and feel that the service, presentation and food quality in the dining room rivals many fine restaurants.

 

I was honored on my recent cruise with my 18-year-old son that when asked by fellow passengers how he liked the food said he was "spoiled by his mom's cooking". Wow! The only thing I think I do better is seasoning; I use wonderful Penzey's spices and herbs, and I can season dishes to our liking -- that's awfully hard to do for such a large crowd, for a large selection every night.

 

I can't wait until I'm diamond to take a galley tour!! I'd love to see how they pull all this together. I do enjoy the cooking demonstrations in the atrium, and was VERY impressed with the chef's presentation (and patter) on the last cruise.

 

Yes, it's hard to sit at the table with all those yummy rolls and not partake... but it helps to be sitting with such a great group of people the way I was on my last cruise! The conversation was such a pleasure that I didn't miss eating the bread... left me more room for multiple appetizer/soup/salad courses, not to mention entree & dessert.

 

I am pleased that my children know the art of enjoying a 2-3 hour dinner; we've done some of the fanciest restaurants in NYC (and Disneyworld!) and the servers tell us that few young people know the pleasure of enjoying conversation and appreciating fine food and service, not feeling they have to run off to play games or watch videos... not that they don't do that at home, just that they can appreciate something special when it is on offer.

 

Which is also how I feel about dressing up for dinner! I don't have the opportunity to do that often, and when it is available (such as on a cruise) I jump at the chance! I'm not dressing up to reflect the quality of the food, but to enjoy a moment of elegance with my fellow passengers, something that is too rare in our lives today (unless we are constantly attending galas and receptions and so on... in which case we are unlikely to be "unwinding" on a cruise in the first place!!)

 

Anyway, as is often said here, it's just my opinion -- and since it was so different from everyone else who has posted here, I thought I'd share it. One of the things I love about cruising is learning from other people who's ideas and experiences are so different from my own; here's hoping those reading feel the same way!!

[pcur]

[*]I can eat dinner anytime I want from 6pm on

[*]I can pick and choose exactly what I want

[*]I don't have some well-meaning waiter goading me into eating my green veggies

[*]I don't spend the first 1/2 hour eating all the bread in the bread basket

 

See, we don't have the problems above:

 

We WANT to eat at the same time every night.

 

We pick exactly what we want from the menu, and frequently order two of some courses, and skip others.

 

I have NEVER in 35 years had a waiter to tell me to eat my veggies....well, to be honest, I love veggies, but they've never told DH to eat his, and he NEVER eats them!!

 

We spend the first 1/2 hour talking to each other, and on several cruises have told them to not to put a bread basket on our table (a la Bridalmaven's not eating white stuff).

 

Yes, the food quality was better 30 years ago, but I agree it's well worth the money even now, and the attention to detail and gracious service is still the best!

 

ISUJIM, the Nordic Prince was our first cruise, also!

[mark290]

I could handle the baseball cap. I've never let what other people wear to dinner bother me. But I could not, and would not, handle the swearing. I would definitely ask to change tables rather than put up with that!

 

I agree. F*** that s***.