Why can"t rccl"s food quality be as good as carnival's?

[tally10]

Just returned from a 12 day cruise on the Carnival Freedom to the Eastern Mediterranean. My previous 2 cruises within the last year were on RCCL. We had been so disappointed with the food quality on RCCL (except in Chops), but felt that all of the cruise lines are cutting costs. Well, was I in for a big surprise. The food in the dining room was AMAZING! Never a bad meal, no matter what you ordered. I had mainly beef except on 2 occasions when I had chicken. Hubby had lamb several times and duck. Sister in law had the lobster. The portions were large and plentiful and the waiter brought several extra entrees most nights for all to try. All were delicious and the beef was of good quality (2 nights with filet mignon, 2-3 with prime rib, strip steaks, ribeyes, etc). I was shocked! Unfortuately, Carnival is pulling out of Europe. If they weren't, they'd have all of my business. Why can't RCCL have decent quality food, too?

[cruiserbryce]

our last few cruises on RC have gotten consistanty better as far as food goes...our recent trip to Alaska had many new items and tasted wonderful

[reallyitsmema]

Food is very subjective. If carnival is offering food that you enjoy, then stay with carnival. We are very happy with RCL and have never had an issue with their food quality.

[NorbertsNiece]

Agree with Emma..... loved the food on Independence. RCI style suits me in every way. Horses for courses eh ;)?

[luvscruising2007]

Tally10, could you be more specific about what it is about RCL food that you don't like. Is it taste, selections, presentation? I asked this question before and never got a response. I am curious because I have always had good food on RCL ships. Some things I liked better than others, and some things I didn't like but that is my taste. Someone else might have liked the item.:confused:

[want2cruiseagain]

Just returned from a 12 day cruise on the Carnival Freedom to the Eastern Mediterranean. My previous 2 cruises within the last year were on RCCL. We had been so disappointed with the food quality on RCCL (except in Chops), but felt that all of the cruise lines are cutting costs. Well, was I in for a big surprise. The food in the dining room was AMAZING! Never a bad meal, no matter what you ordered. I had mainly beef except on 2 occasions when I had chicken. Hubby had lamb several times and duck. Sister in law had the lobster. The portions were large and plentiful and the waiter brought several extra entrees most nights for all to try. All were delicious and the beef was of good quality (2 nights with filet mignon, 2-3 with prime rib, strip steaks, ribeyes, etc). I was shocked! Unfortuately, Carnival is pulling out of Europe. If they weren't, they'd have all of my business. Why can't RCCL have decent quality food, too?

 

 

You haven't cruised on Carnival Ecstasy - BLECCCH!!!

[Traveler723]

I agree with the original poster. The menus on RCCL now show the same pasta dishes first up on the menu: too much pasta frankly. Salmon and chicken and THEN finally, some other options. I am platinum but agree that Carnival has a better selection, better quality and is cheaper besides.

[BuckNakedBooda]

You haven't cruised on Carnival Ecstasy - BLECCCH!!!

 

I have only done one Carnival cruise and thought the food was just OK.

 

To me, RCCL is great but I think Celebrity is even better.....

 

I have to tell you, I just do these cruises to eat and keep the wife quiet....:eek:

[Parkay]

Carnival has better cuts of meat. RCI is really Sirloin happy. That is no better than ground beef, in my opinion. I have never liked the steaks on RCI, except in Chops.

[Hgeffen]

You haven't cruised on Carnival Ecstasy - BLECCCH!!!

 

 

I didnt think the food was horrible, but the Rhapsody was definitely a step above.

 

Even so, that "horrible" food, is 100 times better than what I eat at home :)

[DonnaK]

I agree with the original poster. The menus on RCCL now show the same pasta dishes first up on the menu: too much pasta frankly. Salmon and chicken and THEN finally, some other options. I am platinum but agree that Carnival has a better selection, better quality and is cheaper besides.

 

LOL - RCI's pasta heavy menu is very desirable to us. While not vegetarians, we don't enjoy meat so much, and we found that Carnival and Princess do not have appetizing pasta choices on their menu.

[uksimonusa]

Agree with Emma..... loved the food on Independence. RCI style suits me in every way. Horses for courses eh ;)?

 

Just loved the "Real" bacon and sausages on Navigator in the med in July, hoping they keep some on Indy when she comes stateside, but I doubt it:(

[tally10]

Tally10, could you be more specific about what it is about RCL food that you don't like. Is it taste, selections, presentation? I asked this question before and never got a response. I am curious because I have always had good food on RCL ships. Some things I liked better than others, and some things I didn't like but that is my taste. Someone else might have liked the item.:confused:

 

Well, the chicken on RCCl was very plain (from the alternate menu) and the steaks were top sirloin and beef shoulder and tough unless ordered medium rare or rare. I felt it was just poor quality. The presentation is not important to me. It is mainly taste and the quality of the meat. The chicken on Carnival (in the dining room) tasted like it was just off the grill and whatever sauce was on it (I tried two different ones on different nights) was excellent. We were given a half of chicken. The steaks. filet mignon, and prime rib were as smooth as butter and came just as ordered (well done). I never had that except in Chops on the Jewel of the Seas or the Brilliance of the Seas. Hubby and sister in law were also very impressed. I have not been on Celebrity since 2007 but thought the food was better than RCCL but I hear that has changed as well. I had several vegetarian entrees and they were very tasty, especially the veggie burrito. Maybe because this Carnival ship was based in Europe for the season and provisioned there. The food was just a wonderful surprise.

[luvmyfirefly]

For me, as a vegetarian, RCI is better as far as food goes. They had MANY more vegetarian options than I even had a chance to try whereas on our Carnival cruise I had to repeat some meals.

[lady_cruiser]

We have to step back and remember that the chefs are cooking for several thousand passengers, crew members and officers and not everyone can be satisfied.

 

I for one prefer the food on the Voyager where a cousin of mine prefers the food on the Conquest. We each have our own tastes and that is what keeps life interesting.

[jman_in_minnesota]

For me, as a vegetarian, RCI is better as far as food goes. They had MANY more vegetarian options than I even had a chance to try whereas on our Carnival cruise I had to repeat some meals.

 

agreed. my gf is vegetarian and found RCI to have better selection and quality than Carnival. for me, I found both to be of average quality, nothing special

[ckrobyn]

Am I in the minority here? :confused:

Food is just not that important to me on a cruise. Granted I have only ever sailed RCI, but there are very few menu items either in the Windjammer or the Main Dining Room that I haven't enjoyed. In the rare instance something is not to my liking, I either choose something else from the buffet - or order another item from the menu.

There is plenty of variety so I'm quite sure there is "something" for everyone. :)

[lagbunch8]

I didn't find the food on Carnival to be that good. I found a lot of it to be plain bad IMO. The pizza was good I will give them that. The buffet was really bad.

 

I like the food on DCL the best so far. I sail on the Indie next week so I will see how that is.

 

I could eat beef every night (I do when I sail on DCL) so a lack of beef is not going to go over very well with me. :(

[crusinmama06]

I'm with you Tally! And NO ONE can ever accuse me of being a "Carnival Cheerleader" ;):p

 

I have always said that the food on both of our Carnival cruises were better than any other cruise. Yes that includes 3 RCCL, 2 Disney and 1 NCL. ;)

 

No I have never starved on a cruise. And the food they make is 1,000 times better than I can cook myself...lol. But many people agree that Carnival food just tastes better. I can't put my finger on it. There were dishes on Carnival that I that I just LOVED. If I could eat them every day, I would be a happy camper.

 

On RCCL and Disney, I can't remember one entree that I said "WOW this is fantastic!"

 

So if I was rating food, Carnival was better than Disney which was better than RCCL. And since I paid about a 1/5 of the cost to sail on Carnival, I have to ask why? ;)

[AllieInMD]

They can afford better food due to all the money they save on 'decorating'? ;)

 

I'm with you Tally! And NO ONE can ever accuse me of being a "Carnival Cheerleader" ;):p

 

I have always said that the food on both of our Carnival cruises were better than any other cruise. Yes that includes 3 RCCL, 2 Disney and 1 NCL. ;)

 

No I have never starved on a cruise. And the food they make is 1,000 times better than I can cook myself...lol. But many people agree that Carnival food just tastes better. I can't put my finger on it. There were dishes on Carnival that I that I just LOVED. If I could eat them every day, I would be a happy camper.

 

On RCCL and Disney, I can't remember one entree that I said "WOW this is fantastic!"

 

So if I was rating food, Carnival was better than Disney which was better than RCCL. And since I paid about a 1/5 of the cost to sail on Carnival, I have to ask why? ;)

[crusinmama06]

They can afford better food due to all the money they save on 'decorating'? ;)

 

Oh I don't know. The purple Barney ship (AKA Sensation) spent alot of money on neon. I bet it cost them a pretty penny to match the purple striped carpet with the purple striped walls. :p

[Evilgrin72]

I hate to be a food snob, but if you're ordering filet well done, you need to be taken out back and shot. :D Just joking, of course, but many people are going to take your observations with a grain of salt. Ordering a filet well done is akin to getting a lobster and dumping ketchup all over it.

 

I agree that the food is markedly superior on Carnival. The pizza is better, the buffets are comparable, if not better, the dining room food is a little better, the alternate dining venues are more plentiful and superior, the supper club is MUCH better. However, aside from that and larger cabins, RCCL gets the nod just about everywhere else. Except price.

[tally10]

I hate to be a food snob, but if you're ordering filet well done, you need to be taken out back and shot. :D Just joking, of course, but many people are going to take your observations with a grain of salt. Ordering a filet well done is akin to getting a lobster and dumping ketchup all over it.

 

I agree that the food is markedly superior on Carnival. The pizza is better, the buffets are comparable, if not better, the dining room food is a little better, the alternate dining venues are more plentiful and superior, the supper club is MUCH better. However, aside from that and larger cabins, RCCL gets the nod just about everywhere else. Except price.

 

No, I didn't use ketchup. I like to savor the taste, but I understand where you are coming from. I just don't like to see red in my meat. My sister in law really enjoyed the lobster and it was plentiful (w/o ketchup as well!)

They also had hand sanitizers everywhere especially in the buffet and at the entrance of the dining rooms. The last two RCCL cruises did not have them and I know good handwashing is more important, but for once my DH did not get sick as he did on the last 2 cruises. Carnival was just such a pleasant surprise.

[Toddcan]

Oh I don't know. The purple Barney ship (AKA Sensation) spent alot of money on neon. I bet it cost them a pretty penny to match the purple striped carpet with the purple striped walls. :p

 

hahaha... I got a chuckle out of that one...I actually enjoyed the "tacky" decor on the Sensation. I looked at it like going to a bowling alley. :)

 

Now, I have seen pictures of the Freedom of the Seas (my next cruise), and I am prepared to be "wowed" by the more subdued, but almost luxurious decor of this ship. I'm afraid once I see the inside, I won't be able to enjoy the Carnival decor philosophy that was prevelant for a period.

[ken_nyc]

I have to say that both of our Carnival cruises we found that the food was very good, it was even in my honest opinion (I stress the word OPINION), the food was slightly better on Carnival than on the Mariner. But the specialty restaurants were just as good if not better on the Mariner.