Why do so many people dislike RCCL's food?

[Boo Boo]

This thread is prompted by another thread regarding "bad experiences on RCCL". I noticed the "terrible food" mentioned on that thread again, but it really isn't an uncommon comment - lots of people on here seem to think that RCCL's main dining room is terrible/dreadful/bad.

 

We have sailed RCCL a few times and I have, honestly, always enjoyed my meals in the main dining room. I am a fussy eater (regarding quality) and love my food. Ok I would rather my steaks came from Shulas/Mortons and would prefer my lobster to weigh 2lbs instead of 2ozs, BUT I really couldn't complain about the RCCL main dining room food.

 

So I am interested to know what apsects people seem to hate about RCCL's main dining room food. Maybe if any RCCL lurkers are here, they might be interested too.

 

Happy posting.

Boo

[green eyed lady]

I don't think the food is horrible but our first 2 cruises were on Carnival and their food is way better than RCCL. That being said, we have since sailed on 3 RCCL and are booked on another one Nov 1 and I still prefer RCCL over Carnival even though the food isn't as good. Oh and RCCL's food is still better than NCL...the food on the Dawn was awful :eek: I guess if you have nothing to compare it to it would seem better? That being said, may family has NEVER gone hungry on any ship :D

[Boo Boo]

I don't think the food is horrible but our first 2 cruises were on Carnival and their food is way better than RCCL. That being said, we have since sailed on 3 RCCL and are booked on another one Nov 1 and I still prefer RCCL over Carnival even though the food isn't as good. Oh and RCCL's food is still better than NCL...the food on the Dawn was awful :eek: I guess if you have nothing to compare it to it would seem better? That being said, may family has NEVER gone hungry on any ship :D

 

So want, specifically, don't you like? What could they do better?

 

That is what I am after, specifics :)

 

Boo

[green eyed lady]

Are you on the food staff at RCCL? ;) Carnival had the BEST muffins and pastries at breakfast. And their desserts were better, tastier. Some people say their pizza is the best although I liked the pizza in Promenade cafe just find :D I don't have any more specifics for you...I am not a person who lets food rule their vacation so it's not like I remember what I ate for dinner each night or anything like that. I can tell you that we just got off AOS and the prime rib was not good...DH's was VERY fatty and DS asked for medium and got raw :rolleyes: Had to send it back for a new one. Not sure what other info you're looking for.

[Boo Boo]

No, don't work for RCCL... ;)

 

Yes, that sort of thing.

 

If I go to a restaurant and don't like it, I can normally say why:

- their meat was very poor quality.

- food was over/under cooked.

- food was bland.

- food was greasy.

- not enough choice.

- desserts tasted like they were from some frozen food wholesaler.

- portion sizes too small.

 

That is probably the sort of thing that I am looking for. I think it helps people - especially those new to RCCL - to understand why people don't like the food. Because I read that RCCL had "bad" food before I started cruising on them, I was expecting bad food - I was very pleasantly surprised.

 

Boo

[beachnative]

Until our most recent cruise last week on the Grandeur of the Seas I would have said exactly what the OP posted. HOWEVER, our dining room experience on the Grandeur included three very undesirable meals. Both my wife's and my "Fisherman's Platter" were disgusting: the lobster was almost raw (even to the point that if held between two fingers it dripped water) and the shrimp were watery and the size of a quarter, my steak was extremely thin and very over cooked, and a fish dish was dreadful. On the positive side the prime rib was excellent.

 

Neither my wife nor I are picky eaters and will eat almost anything. Until this cruise we always left the table feeling like we had experienced a decent meal and often an excellent meal (as on the Splendour of the Seas out of Venice on June 28th of this year). We even skipped the dining room one night...a first for us on a RCCL ship.

 

To add insult to injury: when my wife told the waiter that the lobster was almost raw he TOLD her that it wasn't undercooked because the chef cooks all the lobster the same way.

 

Will this experience cause us to avoid Royal Caribbean? No, we actually have 4 future cruises booked. However, if the decline in food quality continues it will cause us to return to Princess and Celebrity.

[glgolfer]

This is a good question, but there's a fundamental problem with it.

Each ship on each line has a chef that has his ideas and ways of preparing food. You can go on 3 RCI ships and even though the menu is the same, the perception can be that one ship has better food than the others because of preparation and presentation.

 

The same thing is true from line to line. To say one lines food is better than anothers based on the experience on one ship on each line might not be a fair comparison.

Considering how subjective the issue is, two people can eat the same thing on the same ship and one wll say it was inedible and the other will say it was excellent.

Be interesting seeing what responses you get.

[138east]

I also have no problems with the RC food and didn't understand what people were complaining about. However, I do think people need to be realistic about what they order. For example, I am from New England and I would never expect the New England clam chowder to be what I can get at home, so I don't order it. I also know that certain beef cuts are better than others, so I only order the filet and the prime rib. If something comes and it is tough or under or over cooked, I sent it back instead of brooding about it. If I am unsure, I may order more items.

 

We also eat as many breakfasts and lunches in the dining room as possible because the food seems fresher - it may come out of a steam tray, but it doesn't seem to have been there as long.

[choochoocruiser]

Let me start out by saying that RCCL is my favorite cruise line. Just completed my fifth RCCL cruise and booked my next cruise while on board. Our first cruise was on the SOS in 1993. In that period of time I have noticed a definite decline in the quality of the food in the main dining room, particularly in the last couple of years. I can't put my finger on it but it is not the same as it used to be. The choices are not as good, the portions are not as big and the quality and preparation are not as good as they used to be. Even so, the food is still quite good and the service is stll fantastic. Unless I am eating in one of the specialty restaurants, I will still continue to use the main dining room for all meals for which it is open.

[whyrlygig]

I have never had a terrible meal on board (knock on wood). Can't say I have ever had one I raved about either. I don't think one can expect superb/fine dining on a cruise ship when they are are mass producing for 4000 pax at a time. We just except that. The food has always been just OK for us and we have never gone hungry on RCI.

[Havana Daydreamin]

I wonder if it has something to do with familiarity as in the cliche' "familiarity breeds contempt."

 

Just positing on that. Not many enjoy eating the same menu week after week in our homes. OH NO.....spaghetti AGAIN! It might be great food, but we are just tired of it.

 

I don't think I have ever had a bad meal in the dining room. Some things less enjoyable than others in the Windjammer, but that is just the nature of buffets of which I am not much of a fan. I used to be, but as time passes I enjoy a buffet far less than I used to.

 

Have a great day!

[billylen]

I agree with the previous poster. I remember my first cruise and how I was blown away with the entire experience including the food. After many cruises I have come to know what to expect. Food is still iportant, but it is not a surprise. Admittedly the menu on the ships remains the same, the buffet may have different offerings, but there are only so many ways you can prepare eggs :)

 

While it is true the food may differ slightly from ship to ship, I happen to think overall the quality is fine

 

If possible, and I know this would be a strecth for some, me included, but try to treat each cruise as if its the first... you may just fall in love all over again

[cb at sea]

The food isn't "bad", but it's not what long-time cruisers have come to expect. Our 1st couple of cruises include truly elegant meals. Many course, with many selections. Now, the veggie is generally "steamed, mixed veggies"--similar to Applebees or TGIF. Not exactly exciting! We used to get REAL silverware with the entire range of utensils--now it's stainless with a salad fork and dinner fork. The glassware used to be either crystal or very high-quality glass--now, it's glasses with those nasty rims on the top.

So, it's not so much the taste of the food--it's the entire dining experience which clouds my view of the food!

[boulders]

My last cruise was on AOS in March. Here are some things I remember about the dining experience which were disappointing: Our table had 2 adults and 4 kids aged 3-12. We waited 45 minutes to an hour most nights for our appetizers to arrive. Our water glasses were rarely filled. The maitre d' (yep, him!) spilled chocolate milk on the other lady on formal night! No offer to have her dressed cleaned. There was no kids menu for the kids.

 

I don't remember much about the food - it was mostly forgettable. The shrimp cocktail consisted of several small, one inch shrimp, laid on a plate. The Fisherman's platter's "lobster" was about 2 inches long. I was hungry after eating it. The Baked Alaska came presliced - it might as well have been called ice cream cake - there was no evidence of meringue.

[lv2cruisgrl]

We have no complaints about the food, 4 of us always cruise together and we have never had any complaints. :o

[dfishner]

RCL like any other mass market line that mass produces food suffers in the quality department. Food has risen 6% this year, with that in mind their budgets that are allocated for food does not buy what it once did. RCL needs to allocate some additional funds to their food budget just to keep up with the rise in what food cost. Only a small percentage of what we pay for the cruise goes towards food. I believe the menus we see in the dining room now reflect some of that.

 

As some of the posters have wrote there is no reason for food being sent out raw, that is a kitchen preparation problem. Overall RCL food is ok we have had some good meals and some that were questionable. I actually felt were I saw a downturn was in chops on our last sailing on NOS the meat was far from tender, we had a much better experience in Chops on Jewel of the Seas, So maybe it was the ship and we will give it a try again.

 

We have been on many cruise lines and have found food is the dining room to be overall just average, so when we first started with RCL we figured it was going to be the same so we have always kept our expectations in check when it comes to cruise cuisine and we have not been disappointed nor ever left a cruise hungry. The menus have changed, the quality is hit or miss but we long ago decided that cruising for us is for the overall experience and food on RCL has never been the main factor of why we cruise.

[silentbob007]

Familiarity is definitely one reason. Food is always the best at first because the food itself is new and the experience of being able to order anything off of the menu is fresh and exciting. In general, I find the food to be fine, but no longer special. What sticks out in my mind (and what has been written on my comment cards lately) is a real lack of decent desserts. On my last 9 night cruise, there were maybe 3 nights where I actually finished a dessert ... the less said about the tiramisu with the gelatin base the better (tiramisu should never wobble if tapped!). For me, this puts a damper on the entire meal, as it is concluding part and thus can become the best remembered.

 

Oh ... since another poster mentioned it ... I'm not a pizza snob, but I find the pepperoni on cardboard served by RCCL to be pretty gross ... but as always and as mentioned above ... food is so subjective. :)

[Traveler723]

I am going on my 9th cruise this Thanksgiving on RCCL so not picking on them. However the food is definitely not one of the reasons for choosing this line.

As I've said previously on these boards, there was a time I was a Carnival snob. However after cruising with them, their food was a whole lot better than RCCL. They had souffles for desserts, the quality and quantity of the food was much better and the speed of service was better. I believe Carnival has invested a tremendous amount of effort to improve their reputation and it has been successful.

RCCL has limited their choices at the buffets as well as in the dinning room, making effort to add the optional nightly choices along with that night's menu so it looks like there is more available. However offering spaghetti every night is not a big deal to me.

I make salmon and steak at home all the time, so unless you are serving me a really tasty dish, I'm not impressed.

I admit I live in New York and from my first cruise in 1976 on Costa, I realize that I'm not going to get that kind of quality or service. But I do expect to be pleased after dinner on a cruise.

In sum, RCCL should either charge a bit more (6%?) and serve meals that make people feel they are on a special trip, or add more of the take to the food issues. JMHO

[Boo Boo]

Until our most recent cruise last week on the Grandeur of the Seas I would have said exactly what the OP posted. HOWEVER, our dining room experience on the Grandeur included three very undesirable meals. Both my wife's and my "Fisherman's Platter" were disgusting: the lobster was almost raw (even to the point that if held between two fingers it dripped water) and the shrimp were watery and the size of a quarter, my steak was extremely thin and very over cooked, and a fish dish was dreadful. On the positive side the prime rib was excellent.

 

If I had your experiences - especially on a first cruise with RCCL - then I wouldn't rate the food very highly either... :(

 

To add insult to injury: when my wife told the waiter that the lobster was almost raw he TOLD her that it wasn't undercooked because the chef cooks all the lobster the same way.

 

That is inexcusable and ignorant... I hope that they replaced the plate and/or you spoke to the Head Waiter.... :(

 

Interesting replies :)

 

Personally I still love the dining room experience: it may not be silver, crystal and tux any more, but it still has an old fashioned charm. I guess that the cutbacks are mainly market driven: people what cheaper cruises and less formality (many wouldn't know what to do with the 5th fork out in an extensive array of cutlery anyway...). It is like air travel: there are many cutbacks, but generally people rate price over perks. I bet that if the cutlery was real silver, much of it would mysteriously disappear...

 

Food, although I am happy with the food on RCCL (and have no complaints, IS at attractive feature of one of the luxury lines (Crystal, Silversea etc)... where a bigger thing is made of food and you get better lobster and caviar etc. One day we will have to try one of those luxury lines, but at the moment we love RCCL (the activities, the ship design and the suites) and the food is "good" (for us).

 

It is interesting about food varying from ship to ship (like from cruiseline to cruiseline): we are on Freedom next, I sure hope that the food is good there! :)

 

Food is very subjective, but it is great to read people's views :)

 

Boo

[xpcdoojk]

No, don't work for RCCL... ;)

 

Yes, that sort of thing.

 

If I go to a restaurant and don't like it, I can normally say why:

- their meat was very poor quality.

- food was over/under cooked.

- food was bland.

- food was greasy.

- not enough choice.

- desserts tasted like they were from some frozen food wholesaler.

- portion sizes too small.

 

That is probably the sort of thing that I am looking for. I think it helps people - especially those new to RCCL - to understand why people don't like the food. Because I read that RCCL had "bad" food before I started cruising on them, I was expecting bad food - I was very pleasantly surprised.

 

Boo

 

Unlike going to a regular restaurant if you order something you don't like they will bring you anything else on the menu in a moment. It is really impossible to please everyone, but on a cruise ship they try.:D

 

jc

[Cruising89143]

I have no issues with the food on RCI. To me it tastes like mass produced banquet style food which is the same that I have experienced on Carnival and NCL. In March, I cruised on HAL. The food was only marginally better. Not what I expected from a so called "premium" line. All of the cruise lines have cut back on their food budgets. It's one of the easiest places to do it. Meals are not what they were twenty years ago but the prices aren't either. Much lower considering the changes in ships and what they offer verses twenty years ago.

 

Also keep in mind that two people could sit down at the same table, at the same time and order the exact same items and in the end, come away with two totally different conclusions to what they just ate. I take all comments on this board as one persons opinion and nothing more. I have yet to go hungry in 22 years of cruising.:)

[johnlcruise]

Food is very subjective, but it is great to read people's views :)

Boo

 

 

Well said. I wounder with ALL the people complaning about the food. SO HOW much weight did you all gain on the cruise by the time you got home.:)

[Boo Boo]

I have no issues with the food on RCI. To me it tastes like mass produced banquet style food which is the same that I have experienced on Carnival and NCL. In March, I cruised on HAL. The food was only marginally better. Not what I expected from a so called "premium" line. All of the cruise lines have cut back on their food budgets. It's one of the easiest places to do it. Meals are not what they were twenty years ago but the prices aren't either. Much lower considering the changes in ships and what they offer verses twenty years ago.

 

I have cruised HAL before (only Zuiderdam in 2003 though) and have to agree that I didn't think that their food was any/much better than RCCL's - they seemed very similar.

 

Is HAL considered Premium over RCL? I would be surprised if it was - didn't seem any more premium to me...

 

Think that you would have to "step up" significantly (like Crystal/Silversea, Seabourne/Regent) to get food that is hugely better than RCCL's.

 

Boo

[Cruiser Forever]

If people hate the food so much on RCI {which is a big & important part of cruising} then tell me why continue to cruise with RCI? :confused: Go sail with another cruise line. You have dozens to pick from. Why do you RCI haters continue to punish yourselves? No one is holding a gun to your head and telling you to sail with them. I don't get it. There is constant bashing of RCI food and yet they still book RCI. I think so many people are never happy unless they complain and find fault with every little thing. I say if you don't like the food travel with someone else. Or at least tell them when you fill out the customer survey card.

[xpcdoojk]

I have cruised HAL before (only Zuiderdam in 2003 though) and have to agree that I didn't think that their food was any/much better than RCCL's - they seemed very similar.

 

Is HAL considered Premium over RCL? I would be surprised if it was - didn't seem any more premium to me...

 

Think that you would have to "step up" significantly (like Crystal/Silversea, Seabourne/Regent) to get food that is hugely better than RCCL's.

 

Boo

 

Agree, but lots of people seem to think they are going to get 5 star dining at $100 a day along with a room at the Ritz. :rolleyes: It is not realistic. I went out to a fairly new high end Italian restaurant here. We had a nice meal, a single glass of wine each, a shared salad, and a shared dessert. The bill came to right at $100. Then people who are staying in the Royal Suite complain that for the money they spent the food is not that good, well true, but you get the exact same food as the person paying a $100 a day in an inside cabin. Expectations and reality are so skewed on the part of so many sailing the ships today.

 

jc