worst cruise line food - Safe Honest and Reliable Cruise Parking Get tips, news & inspiration. So, so good, and such a delightful surprise for a mass market line. I'll make a post for each, to help organize. Norwegian is the worst IMO. One of the biggest concerns often lies around speciality diets they struggle to offer a good gluten-free range, and some waiting staff need the vegan diet to be explained to them. Neither is it the amount paid. The restaurant features a nightly Destination Immersion dinner buffet, as well as Destination Immersion dishes on the menu, that focus on itinerary-based local ingredients and dishes as Azamaras ships sail to almost 300 ports of call in more than 75 countries. Home / Best Cruise Ships for 5-Star Dining / worst cruise line food. Jamile Viana, a former bar waitress and bartender for Island Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Costa Cruises, and Cunard Line, said that, while working for Cunard, she often complained to the chef who cooked for crew members. break!! The Worst Cruise Line MSC Cruises is often voted as one of the worst cruise lines, with some people unhappy with the standard of service, the quality of the food and Food not the one issue, as one can dine in speciality offerings. Whether youre a complete novice, or an experienced cruiser keen to get back to the seas following the coronavirus pandemic, it always pays to do your research into the best and worst cruise lines. Five , the well-known river line that launched its first ocean ship in 2015 now has a six-strong fleet of 930-passenger ships. No lobster, but always a good, varied selection, and our server never batted an eye when someone asked for 2 appetizers. My wife and I really like the steakhouse as well. Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Carnival Cruise Line, and the Cruise Lines International Association a trade association for the cruise industry did not respond to requests for comment. All Norwegian Cruise Line ships (over two dozen and counting) feature a multitude of dining options to please any palate, but Food Republic has become a favorite since being introduced on Norwegian Escape in 2015, with several rollouts since. But that changed shortly after Lisa Lutoff-Perlo took over the company and imposed various cut-backs. Since most mass market cruise lines are all relatively comparable in price and offer similar options with dining venues IMO it is not a valid measure to begin with to compare food quality to fare paid as they would all be more similar than different in that regard. Others have commented that the juice was watery, the service was horrible, and the staff was rude and unenthused. For example, the Christmas eve ("gala") main dishes were: Roased goose (I guess for Xmas, but who eats that anymore?). The Which? Their alternative restaurants seem on a par with alternatives on other lines. I used to love NCL cruised them over a dozen times Norway was a great ship in 1980s had honeymoon on the Norway also, about twenty years ago I thought they went downhill, will never cruise them again. read more about why MSC Cruises are so cheap here. Costa has also collaborated with Michelin-starred chef Bruno Barbieri on a dozen Italian dishes offered on all cruises. "The same people that are cooking for the guests are cooking for the crew. Recommended Reading: Cruises Leaving From Baltimore Harbor. The Best Food on Every Major Cruise Line And there are plenty of speciality dining restaurants if you want a specific meal they do incur an extra charge, but theyre usually worth it. Related:Sweet Tooth: 10 Divine Desserts From Around The World. It scored an overall customer satisfaction rating of 88 percent, with passengers praising the line for its well organised, culturally immersive and intimate cruising experience.. Its 1,250-passenger MS Marina and MS Riviera offer restaurants by Jaques Pepin, a six-course Dom Perignon dinner with a pairing of three vintages, a cooking center where passengers of all cooking skill levels can take classes, and culinary-themed excursions, like a visit to the market in Nice with a chef. We did a cruise on the Carnival Horizon early in 2018, which was one of its first sailings. But travel during peak season and you should expect to feel a little more crowded than you would with some other cruise lines, and you might have a challenge on your hands to get a good spot by the pool for those sea days. When it comes to Deliziosa, there are a lot of reviews with headlines such as Think Again, Never Again, and Beware, three headlines that give off warning right away. - this thread is not about higher fares translating into better food it is about the worst food. Join 40,000 cruiserswho readmy email each week People seem to forget you get what you pay for! The free food at the main dining room is generally good also, as is the buffet. On most ships, expect small, simple cabins, but plenty of memorable excursions, like snorkeling in Borneo or hiking an ice field in Patagonia. Seabourn Cruise Line. They are all about the destination. Right now Oceania is leading that pack. Aprime steak should be better than a select steak but I've had good and bad of both because of preparation. Some of the poorest and some of the best foodI have had has beenon same class ships serving the same menu. food The leading independent voice for aviation news and insight. The decor can be a bit dated, the space to get dressed is very limited, and you may not have anywhere to sit down just a bed, which could even be a raised/bunk bed recessed into a sloping wall. Guy's Burgers are a hit. If you ever manage to get served, that is! Customers who have traveled on the old vessel have commented that the food and service are horrible, two qualities that dont do well with a business, and the entertainment is amateurish. Discoveries Restaurant is the main dining room on destination-focused Azamara, but its anything but mainstream when it comes to culinary discoveries. Close to 450 passengers enjoying a Yangtze River cruise on the Eastern Star were killed when the ship capsized during a storm. The concept features eight restaurants, including the new S.A.L.T. Fincantieri is the cheaper but quality wise, the worst cruise ship yard, with unfortunately extremely good connections with the Carnival group. Just squeaking into the Best category by .1 of a star, Carnival Cruise Lines are definitely known as the fun ships. A former Carnival Cruise Line employee said he would advise crew members to refrain from eating the food he served them. Crystal Cruises. said Vikings more upmarket ships mean passengers can avoid crowded bars and casinos which tend to be synonymous with cheaper rivals. Windstar, Oceania and Azamara are very good small ship boutique lines with exceptional dining options. The Food Republic menu reflects the cultural and culinary diversity of the planet, with small-plate-style dishes from Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe, Latin America and elsewhere, including chicken teriyaki, duck and pumpkin dumplings, bulgogi pani puri, beetroot murabba croquettes, ahi tuna behi, baklava and more. Worst cruise ship Youll soon realize that the size of the companys fleet, as well as the size of the cruise ships themselves have little correlation with which cruise line is most plagued with this scourge. One of the worst steaks I've ever had anywhere was an prime agedrib steakthat was butchered and cooked improperly on an upscale small ship cruise line that heavily advertises andpromotes its food quality. Since most mass market cruise lines are all relatively comparable in price and offer similar options with dining venues IMO it is not a valid measu By admin | 2023-02-28T14:13:42+00:00 February 28th, 2023 | 0 Comments. And then she finally walks us over to another one (without going back!). #2 in Best Cruise Lines for Couples. Data, collected over the last five years from CruiseJunkie.com reveals which cruise lines have had the highest number of Norovirus/gastrointestinal outbreaks. And thats key here everything is down to personal preference. Featuring jaw dropping magic illusions and high-flying. Its a stereotype though, and if you look at the reviews online youll see that food tends to be a recurring theme when people havent enjoyed their cruise. Of the newest ships to enter service, MSC Cruises ships tend to have the least amount of cubic feet per passenger. Also - the worst food experienced is the worst food experienced - not necessarily the worst food experienced in the last couple of weeks. #2. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions, C858B0A9-6769-424D-B129-59363EDAC023.jpeg, B5073042-BF8A-4EEC-BD19-0938D8732763.jpeg. It all comes down to what you prioritise on your holiday. Funnily enough, despite the stereotype of Italian cruising meaning good food being wide of the mark, the pizza served on board gets almost universal praise. Delfin, the first Relais & Chateaux cruise line, makes the journey incredibly comfortable, offering boutique hotellike accommodations aboard its three rustic-luxe ships. But those with lower-paying jobs, like bartenders and waiters, can sometimes be banned from eating with passengers and are at the mercy of the crew cafeteria. The waitress replies with: "I would have to go all the way back and find a new table" and then just stands there staring at us, expecting us to take the table. But one would have to factor in paying $600+ per passenger day on those ships vs $100 per passenger day on some other lines. They are really good burgers and the fries are just as tasty. MSC again scores low here, and while there are a few cruise lines that join it on two stars in the Which? Costa Cruises. He immediately got on the phone to the executive chef and thereafter we never had a problemand we order fish quite often. Cant get a table at a Thomas Keller restaurant on land? The lines ships are designed to offer something for everyone, and they thus appeal to a wide demographic, including couples of all ages and even solo travelers . Trips include no-fee specialty dining in restaurants like Jacques (as in Ppin, the lines long-time Executive Culinary Director), Red Ginger, Polo Grill, Tuscan Steak, Toscana and others (depending on the ship), as well as one-of-a-kind culinary experiences ranging from cooking classes in kitchen classrooms to food-focused shore excursions and for-fee dinners curated by Ppin or featuring over-the-top wine pairings, like the Dom Prignon Experience, which pairs six courses with vintage Champagnes. Jenni. Those sailing on Holland Americas classic older ships dont have to miss out there is a Sel de Mer evening in the specialty dining room, Pinnacle Grill. As with every category, there are still plenty of people giving the cruise line excellent reviews, including their service, but its worth being aware of some of these potential issues before you sail. Ive gotten good service in the specialty restaurants and in blue but main dining service has been a little spotty. Kitchen, where theyll showcase regional fare appropriate to the itinerary, and S.A.L.T. on the Horizon yes, on the ship! Dinner was also always good. These headlines come with complaints such as poor food that is bland and cold and even made some sick, subpar service, and employees with limited knowledge. Since though, those stellar reviews have deteriorated. The United Kingdoms premier cruise lineand the worlds oldest, having commenced passenger operations in 1837P& O sails Europe, North America, and the Caribbean with a crowd made up primarily of British nationals. When it comes to The Lirica, it has been around for a while and over the years, its customer rating has dropped significantly. Read Also: What Is The Best Cruise To Jamaica. What theyre concerned with is conflict resolution. Their team expertly plans tasty and tasteful upscale cruises and in-depth shoreside programs in practically every corner of the world, curated for discerning palates. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Remember though that worst doesnt mean bad You can have five amazing things, but one of them has to be the worst of those amazing, and thats often the case with cruise lines. Then you have the luxury linesSeabourn, Regent, Silversea and Crystal are top notch with Regent winning that race by a nose. 7 Armonia Has Unfriendly Service, Limited Food Options & Below Average Cleanliness. I mean, I don't think they knew how to cook badly," said David Weber, a former musician for Celebrity Cruises. Originally built for Festival Cruises in 2001, Armonia is one of MSCs oldest In my experience, the MDR food (and service) on NCL ships is uniformly less enjoyable than that on other lines. NCL pushes their alternative dining #6. You can read more about why MSC Cruises are so cheap here. As such, prepare for the ships amenities to have a British bent . Never had bad food on any of them. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. These were cheaper types fish preparedsimply, but made quite edible based on more careful preparation. We went with the Aqua class upgrade because we read that Bleu was the place to be. Cruisers were asked to grade their experience out of five across 11 categories including customer service, passenger-to-space ratio, cabins, food and drink, port excursions and value for money. Seven Seas Explorer also offers Gourmet Explorer Tours, and Seven Seas Splendor will add even more of these tours when the liner launches in 2020. All rights reserved. Unfortunately, not every cruise line gets customer service right, with ten taking the title of "worst.". Although the size of the ship is impressive, there were a lot of useless gimmicks such as a robot bartender that left them disappointed. Ill say this about X. The specialty dining restaurants were unremarkable. aerial cirque performances, this brand new spectacle is. Looking online at the reviews, it seems to be a mix of people complaining about the service when trying to book or amend their cruise, or at the port, with some complaints about communication on the ship. Only the buffet was open for lunch and it seemed pretty par to me as far as buffets go. We have had excellent food on Celebrity, HAL, Princess, RCI, NCL, and Carnival. Plus they arent exactly super-modern either. It was a tough call on which to put as the worst, but based on reviews Ive gone with Hurtigruten. The bigger MSC Cruises ships offer vacationers a ton of options for dining or entertainment. With a focus on regional cuisine and wine, family-owned AmaWaterways sails more than 20 river ships in Europe, Southeast Asia and Africa. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. Beyond that, personal tastes are extraordinarily important. Princess Cruises. Hurtigruten is another cruise line that gets bad reviews, but they are clear and upfront about the service they offer, and how their focus is always on the destination, not the journey. Workers would keep tuna, granola bars, and other snack foods in their rooms or favor simple foods that require little preparation, like fruit, cereal, and sandwiches, she said. Originally built for Festival Cruises in 2001, Armonia is one of MSCs oldest cruise liners. Read Also: Cruise Leaving Jacksonville Florida. This doesnt just refer to cabins but its across the entire ship so expect longer queues at buffets, and more of a battle for sun loungers by the pool. And, of course, while many lines host high tea at sea, Cunard may do it best. Email this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com. Carnival has some damn good food options. In particular, the buffets tend to come under fire a little bit, due to not having too much variety or the quality of the food not being the best. Unfortunately, not every cruise line can get it right. When it comes to editor reviews, The Majestic has almost a 5-star rating, but when it comes to actual passenger reviews, the rating is much lower. The food sucks, a former employee for Norwegian Cruise Line and Holland America Line said. Where else can you get so much for such a low price? A Lindblad cruise typically prioritizes adventure over luxury. How do you rate the cuisine/the food and beverages offered on the MSC Lirica? Disney Cruise Line. Dining on Cruise Ships: What does each line do best/worst - reddit With a long history of fine dining at sea, Holland America Line is constantly adding new restaurant concepts to their ships. Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade has become the on-point go-to destination on four of Royal Caribbean International ships and counting, as they add the popular hotspot to other ships. Starting its journey in 1985, The Magellan has been voyaging passengers for over 30 years and its not uncommon for a voyager that old to deteriorate in more than just maintenance. Food is a overrated discussion which has been done to death. All of the lines have things most people will like, and things they may not like. And