Giving up on MDR food

[tidefan]

I find that steaks are rarely great at any MDR on cruise ships. I think there's just a little too much mass production to meet the demands of several thousand people eating at once. I don't think Celebrity will be an improvement for you. RCL was some of the worst MDR I've ever had. I do wish Disney's poolside food had more options, but the newer Wish is an improvement. Honestly, you have to wonder why a burger is so difficult that they need to use frozen patties.

At least they had a poolside grill option unlike the RCL Cruises we have been on.

 

[RedHead0186]

Provide feedback on the cards at the end of the cruise. You don't need to put anything negative about the staff, but you can trash the chef if the food was not cooked or seasoned properly. They are held to standards

Any negative ratings about anything dining-related count against the servers. That's why they explain the 'Excellent' speech that we all love to hate (lol). The idea is that if you don't like something, the servers should be able to get you something else that you will like. There's really no good way to 'trash' the chef (and I honestly think 'trash' is a pretty harsh word, considering there's likely several people working to cook food for hundreds of people at a time).

The best thing you can do is if you don't like something, tell your server (and if they don't take appropriate action, tell the head server). They really do appreciate (and deserve) the opportunity to fix something in the moment. It's kind of unfair to say nothing during a meal and then give low ratings on a comment card at the end of the cruise without them having a chance to address it.

 

[Kim&Chris]

Next year we will be taking our first post-covid cruise as Platinum members. For the past 5+ cruises, we simply ordered room service. The food in the dining rooms is mediocre at best, and I am not a "fancy" eater so most of the offerings are things I wouldn't choose. Room service is better.

They still have room service, yes?

 

[happycamper47]

They still have room service, yes?

Yep..

 

[brentm77]

Next year we will be taking our first post-covid cruise as Platinum members. For the past 5+ cruises, we simply ordered room service. The food in the dining rooms is mediocre at best, and I am not a "fancy" eater so most of the offerings are things I wouldn't choose. Room service is better.

They still have room service, yes?

I haven't ordered room service since getting cookies and milk on our first cruise. I plan to do it every cruise but never do. What do you like off of the menu?

 

[cedricandsophie]

The Wish has such good QS venues that missing the MDR isn't an issue. My question is how do you handle that 3 of the people tipped are MDR staff. Truthfully, we've always had the same question regarding Palo/Remy. Although we've never been, our 2025 cruise will be platinum and they we will be able to have a 'free' Palo/Remy so I'm interested in the tipping issue.

The servers do so much more than dinner. Regardless of how often we go to the MDR and we rarely miss, their tip is never impacted negatively
As for Palo we are pearl now and have been getting g ‘free’ dinners for awhile. I find the experience and food equivalent to a fine dining restaurant. We never leave less than $50 and have left as much as $100 for outstanding service.

 

[mk2.0]

Any negative ratings about anything dining-related count against the servers. That's why they explain the 'Excellent' speech that we all love to hate (lol). The idea is that if you don't like something, the servers should be able to get you something else that you will like. There's really no good way to 'trash' the chef (and I honestly think 'trash' is a pretty harsh word, considering there's likely several people working to cook food for hundreds of people at a time).

The best thing you can do is if you don't like something, tell your server (and if they don't take appropriate action, tell the head server). They really do appreciate (and deserve) the opportunity to fix something in the moment. It's kind of unfair to say nothing during a meal and then give low ratings on a comment card at the end of the cruise without them having a chance to address it.

Trash may be a harsh word, but the cards are there for a purpose. Yes you can talk with your servers and they will do their best to help you, but the cruise line does not want to cover up issues. Things which could be addressed like a cold dish or under/overcooked items, are fixable. However, how do you know that every other person in the dining room is not also having the same issue? Reviewers of the comments are in the business of looking for the source of the issue. I would agree that one very important is not to take it out on the server.

 

[mk2.0]

I loved it when they had the Sweet Temptations plate for dessert. It was a small serving of 3 different desserts on the menu that night.
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Ah, but there's the rub - (at least in the past) any detrimental comments regarding the food was reflected on the server, not the chef. The theory is the server should be steering you away from the badly prepared items.

Samplers is a good idea! May the best item win.

I was on the Dream recently and I found that the servers were good barometers of my food choice.
When I ordered the duck main course, I got a "would you like to ALSO order another item ...". I ended up eating all of the ALSO item... and 1 bite of the duck lol.

 

[mk2.0]

The best server we have had was on our last cruise. He read my mind on lobster night and brought me two tails without asking. That was fantastic service. (I'm from Utah, so even mediocre lobster is a treat, even though I know some people from the East Coast wouldn't touch the tails DCL serves).

Some can be food snobs when they make something different or not as good as what we get back home. I give everything a fair shake and realize that the whole experience at the MDR is awesome

 

[scoobdoo]

No one goes on DCL for the food...mediocre at best. And the incredibly tight restaurants on the Wish make the experience worse. Palo has the luxury of providing made to order food.

and it's so unfortunate that we collectively put up with it given the price we pay

 

[tvguy]

and it's so unfortunate that we collectively put up with it given the price we pay

Has the food quality declined? Been cruising 44 years and found Disney food very good. I have heard some complaints that the food isn't as savory as they might like, but that just a reality of a cruise line that caters to kids. Kids often don't like savory.

 

[heggy]

I haven't ordered room service since getting cookies and milk on our first cruise. I plan to do it every cruise but never do. What do you like off of the menu?

Wife and I enjoy the all hands on deck cheese, crackers and fruit tray.
Daughter and I enjoy the buffalo chicken wings.
The New York steak panini sandwich is good.
And do not forget to order the Mickey ice cream bars. They are not on the menu but they are available.
Enjoy!!

 

[Jsoenning]

Has the food quality declined? Been cruising 44 years and found Disney food very good. I have heard some complaints that the food isn't as savory as they might like, but that just a reality of a cruise line that caters to kids. Kids often don't like savory.

I have found the answer to this question on all lines is yes, compared to first cruise and in general over the years. Desserts are pretty much all made with chemicals or jello, I don’t know. Used to a pie was a pie. Bread service as mentioned on Disney has declined from pre COVID. I could order filet mignon no upcharge before (well in the past granted).

Specially restaurants began popping up and food quality declined. They need to incentivize cruisers to pay to go. Plus helps bottom line.

Palo brunch is no where close to what it was. We don’t book it anymore, but there are plenty of cruisers that are new that book it. So no loss to the cruise industry.

Are there still some good choices? Yes but to deny the decline doesn’t seem reasonable. We still cruise but the cuts are noticeable.

 

[tvguy]

Specially restaurants began popping up and food quality declined. They need to incentivize cruisers to pay to go. Plus helps bottom line.

Boy, the HARD sell for specialty restaurants was more than annoying on our most recent Celebrity and HAL cruises. Servers in the MDR on both cruises said the cruise lines way over estimated the demand for the specialty restaurants, and under estimated the need for staff and space for the MDR. On our Celebrity cruise, they had staff from the specialty restaurants going table to table at the buffet lunch pitching the specialty restaurants, and by day 3 of the 7 day cruise, they were offering half off the normal fee to eat in all the specialty restaurants.

 

[tidefan]

Boy, the HARD sell for specialty restaurants was more than annoying on our most recent Celebrity and HAL cruises. Servers in the MDR on both cruises said the cruise lines way over estimated the demand for the specialty restaurants, and under estimated the need for staff and space for the MDR. On our Celebrity cruise, they had staff from the specialty restaurants going table to table at the buffet lunch pitching the specialty restaurants, and by day 3 of the 7 day cruise, they were offering half off the normal fee to eat in all the specialty restaurants.

That’s what I like about Virgin Voyages. There are no “specialty” restaurants. All of the restaurants are included in your base fare. And those restaurants are amazing.

Also, all gratuities, including the ones at the bar, are included in your cruise fare.

 

[71 Truck]

Is this considered a "crew meal" - if so, I'm down to eat that!

Sorry it took so ling to get back to you.

Talking to crew we know we were told the ships mess does make Indian food for the crew, however the Indian food in the main dinning room I think is just for the guests.

With that said I would hope if there is any food left over at the end of the evening they do get to eat it.

One night our head server that we have known for years had a special Filipino soup called Sinigang that he offered us. I know their are a lot of crew from the Philippines so it may have been made for them and we were given the chance to try it, by the way it was excellent and my wife likes when I make it at home.

 

[Kim&Chris]

I haven't ordered room service since getting cookies and milk on our first cruise. I plan to do it every cruise but never do. What do you like off of the menu?

The tomato soup!!! YUM. And I always order the panini. For us, that's the way to go.

 

[tvguy]

That’s what I like about Virgin Voyages. There are no “specialty” restaurants. All of the restaurants are included in your base fare. And those restaurants are amazing.

Also, all gratuities, including the ones at the bar, are included in your cruise fare.

Sounds good. That was the way cruising used to be. But cruisers have changed. They want options. My first cruise on the MS Mermoz, all the food was gourmet. But there were no dining options other than the going to the MDR for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. And dinner was a 3 1/2 hour 12 course production with one seating at 6 pm. Now a lot of cruises want gourmet food on a fast food time table. Oh, then there was the Midnight buffet. And the night club on the ship didnt even open until 2 am!

 

[tidefan]

Sounds good. That was the way cruising used to be. But cruisers have changed. They want options. My first cruise on the MS Mermoz, all the food was gourmet. But there were no dining options other than the going to the MDR for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. And dinner was a 3 1/2 hour 12 course production with one seating at 6 pm. Now a lot of cruises want gourmet food on a fast food time table. Oh, then there was the Midnight buffet. And the night club on the ship didnt even open until 2 am!

But that's the thing with VV. They still have a "buffet-like" area that is more of a food court, plus 6 sit-down restaurants (steak/seafood, italian, mexican, korean bbq, "vegetarian forward" - much better than you would think, and experimental) as well as a small plate area in the back, a casual food option and a full service pizza area.

And it's all included...

 

[floridafreak]

We are Platinum and back on the Fantasy this summer after not being on since 2019. On our last Disney cruise I was starting to wonder if they would ever change the menus!

Last year we went on two Princess cruises, we had quite different experiences onboard as one was on a brand new ship and the other was on the oldest ship but on both their excellent buffet is open at dinner. In the summer as it was warm in the med people took food out on deck but in October in Norway people would have the buffet for dinner and the area had a nice relaxed vibe, not as rushed as lunch. We would often sit and have a game (Uno flip!) whilst having coffee etc as did lots of people. The food available is geared for dinner and they often have themed areas and action stations going, it's very easy to gain weight on there we did it 5 times in 12 nights.

With DCL they obviously feel dinner is vital to the experience, you are always back on board for the first sitting (sail away 4:30) but Princess will often not leave until much later with some guests eating on land.

This summer we are on a 10 day Fantasy cruise and I was worried about 10 days in the MDR! Room service is a good idea, thank you.

Jonathan