Comments on: The Changing Face of Cruise Ship Dining http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/201111152579/changing-face-cruise-ship-dining/ Blogging the cruising world Sun, 19 May 2013 13:02:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Kenneth Eden http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/201111152579/changing-face-cruise-ship-dining/comment-page-1/#comment-5129 Kenneth Eden Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:47:29 +0000 http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/?p=2579#comment-5129 I get a smile, often a smirk, when I read about the needs, tastes, requirements and so forth from loyal cruisers, loyal to their cruise ship or cruise line, as though it were the one built just for them - well, it was! Over the years little really has changed, it just appears that way. The dining and lack of on some sailing products, is really not at all dissimilar from what I knew back in the 1970's, it is just more "out there" and in your face. Here are some expamples. On the SAGAFJORD, the staunch dowager of staid elegance, they installed a buffet and salad bar in the MDR, for those wishing more casual dining. Horrors! Well, it caught on. Paquet had two dining rooms, a sort of class system, the better cabins at at the Cafe de la Paix, the rest of us, the MDR. Cunard has and hopefully, this is real tradition here, had three dining venues for dinner on the QE2, The Grill, Columbia - these two were renamed Queens and Princess Grill, and the oft renamed Maurentannia The Main DR). Today, the Grills are noted on the three reigning sea queens, with alternates like Todd English and the Verandahand the Golden Lion Pubs, real English pubs at sea. Other radical, in their day, changes affected other cruise lines. One real shock, the casual night, no jacket - no tie - even on Cunard way back in the 1970's. I thiought that was the end of cruising - and boy did I love NOT wearing a tie on many an evening. Oceania and many others have alternate venues as well. I for one appplaud the new dining venues, whatever they may be, on all ships that have them, be they cost additional or free. I think, my own thought, what gets many a passenger up in arms, is the dress code coupled with the dining choices. I think it mainly boils down to dress fit the dining venue. For me, I know what I like and dislike, and I sail accordingly. All should sail in an environment that is compatible to their personal needs. Forget about tux, suit, gown, jeans, - it is the ships and the passengers sole happiness that makes the cruise the best experience at sea, and better than a lot on land, I might ad. Look at the brochure, NO read every line of it, search for clues in the pictures, go the lines web site, for Petes sake, call the line - e-mail-tweet whatever, and get to know exactly what the dress and food options are. I get a smile, often a smirk, when I read about the needs, tastes, requirements and so forth from loyal cruisers, loyal to their cruise ship or cruise line, as though it were the one built just for them – well, it was!

Over the years little really has changed, it just appears that way. The dining and lack of on some sailing products, is really not at all dissimilar from what I knew back in the 1970′s, it is just more “out there” and in your face. Here are some expamples.

On the SAGAFJORD, the staunch dowager of staid elegance, they installed a buffet and salad bar in the MDR, for those wishing more casual dining. Horrors! Well, it caught on. Paquet had two dining rooms, a sort of class system, the better cabins at at the Cafe de la Paix, the rest of us, the MDR.

Cunard has and hopefully, this is real tradition here, had three dining venues for dinner on the QE2, The Grill, Columbia – these two were renamed Queens and Princess Grill, and the oft renamed Maurentannia The Main DR). Today, the Grills are noted on the three reigning sea queens, with alternates like Todd English and the Verandahand the Golden Lion Pubs, real English pubs at sea. Other radical, in their day, changes affected other cruise lines. One real shock, the casual night, no jacket – no tie – even on Cunard way back in the 1970′s. I thiought that was the end of cruising – and boy did I love NOT wearing a tie on many an evening.

Oceania and many others have alternate venues as well. I for one appplaud the new dining venues, whatever they may be, on all ships that have them, be they cost additional or free.

I think, my own thought, what gets many a passenger up in arms, is the dress code coupled with the dining choices. I think it mainly boils down to dress fit the dining venue. For me, I know what I like and dislike, and I sail accordingly. All should sail in an environment that is compatible to their personal needs.

Forget about tux, suit, gown, jeans, – it is the ships and the passengers sole happiness that makes the cruise the best experience at sea, and better than a lot on land, I might ad.

Look at the brochure, NO read every line of it, search for clues in the pictures, go the lines web site, for Petes sake, call the line – e-mail-tweet whatever, and get to know exactly what the dress and food options are.

]]> By: Beverly Clark http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/201111152579/changing-face-cruise-ship-dining/comment-page-1/#comment-5056 Beverly Clark Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:43:30 +0000 http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/?p=2579#comment-5056 I can understand the feelings of those people that have commented on more formal dining. I for one like the formal evenings because it's the one time that we can get dressed up since society in general has become so casual. I do believe that the cruise lines make the portions too large and I have commented on this in the past ... I usually ask for a smaller amount and ordinarily that's what I get ... although sometimes not. I believe that a lot of big eaters do enjoy the buffets and I think that's why we have so many overweight people! I also agree with those people that mentioned about having to make small talk with strangers at the table and that can be a problem, especially when you have a couple of couples that know each other and then you're like the fifth wheels. I just hate to see this last vestige of the old way of cruising go by the wayside. I can understand the feelings of those people that have commented on more formal dining. I for one like the formal evenings because it’s the one time that we can get dressed up since society in general has become so casual. I do believe that the cruise lines make the portions too large and I have commented on this in the past … I usually ask for a smaller amount and ordinarily that’s what I get … although sometimes not. I believe that a lot of big eaters do enjoy the buffets and I think that’s why we have so many overweight people! I also agree with those people that mentioned about having to make small talk with strangers at the table and that can be a problem, especially when you have a couple of couples that know each other and then you’re like the fifth wheels. I just hate to see this last vestige of the old way of cruising go by the wayside.

]]> By: Pat http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/201111152579/changing-face-cruise-ship-dining/comment-page-1/#comment-4873 Pat Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:59:09 +0000 http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/?p=2579#comment-4873 I enjoy eating good food while on vacation with table service. I do not, however, want to dress up. I fail to see how my choice of attire (I would prefer jeans or shorts) affects another's enjoyment of the meal. I also do not want to eat at a table full of strangers. There should definitely be more tables for two. I enjoy eating good food while on vacation with table service. I do not, however, want to dress up. I fail to see how my choice of attire (I would prefer jeans or shorts) affects another’s enjoyment of the meal. I also do not want to eat at a table full of strangers. There should definitely be more tables for two.

]]> By: Paul Herbig http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/201111152579/changing-face-cruise-ship-dining/comment-page-1/#comment-4811 Paul Herbig Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:51:05 +0000 http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/?p=2579#comment-4811 I am one of those who predominantly use the buffets instead of the main dining room. Two main reasons. 1) Since all cruisers are prone to overeating and the portions and number of courses are many for us. We enjoy going to the buffet and sampling the food and then if we like it going back for more. We can more easily control food intake 2) I for one do not like sitting with total strangers for 2 hours making small talk while waiting for our meal; people we will never see again. On our last cruise Breakfast and Dinner were multihour affairs and although as you say, time is plentiful on a cruiseship, there are other activities to enjoy besides eating. 3) I do like the specialty restaurants and we partake of them every cruise. Paul herbig I am one of those who predominantly use the buffets instead of the main dining room. Two main reasons.
1) Since all cruisers are prone to overeating and the portions and number of courses are many for us. We enjoy going to the buffet and sampling the food and then if we like it going back for more. We can more easily control food intake
2) I for one do not like sitting with total strangers for 2 hours making small talk while waiting for our meal; people we will never see again. On our last cruise Breakfast and Dinner were multihour affairs and although as you say, time is plentiful on a cruiseship, there are other activities to enjoy besides eating.
3) I do like the specialty restaurants and we partake of them every cruise.
Paul herbig

]]> By: Kenneth Eden http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/201111152579/changing-face-cruise-ship-dining/comment-page-1/#comment-4787 Kenneth Eden Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:41:49 +0000 http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/?p=2579#comment-4787 My quick, casual dining experiences are on the fly, usually at 5 Guys or Jasons Deli before an exhaustive weekly, YES ENJOYABLE, visit to Costco. That is about it. I think the standard of taste and dress are regional, as many prospective and actual passengers may not have grwon up in geographic areas that wre not conducive nor expective of a more than casual lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with that, not at all. I do not eat (I will not use the coveted word "dine" to embellish any meal at any of the chains. As for the fast food joints, no, I have never had a burger from McD's, not one - hard to believe. What I will say is this. For the price of the so called meal in most of the chains and fast food joints, and that includes the the food court at the mall, one can actually get a real meal, in a real restaurant, and pay the same. Doubters? Get a life. The world does not revolve around stretch pants and hoodies, grease in a paper wrapper and high fructose corn syrup, presenting the hopes of diabetes and gout, and if one is real lucky, heart disease. I have worked earning a salary since I was 14, albeit, at that age, after school. I did not grow up with sugars, sodas, candy and junk food. As a family unit we ate a real restaurants, and enjoyed them, something I have followed through with with my son, and he with his son. My daughter in law has a similar family history of dining. Over the years a lot has happened on cruise ships with dining and entertainment, ship design - you name it. Today the contemporary cruiser only knows what there is as that is what is offered. I do not knock that, I actually embrace it,and why you ask? IT GETS PEOPLE ON THE SHIPS. Period! If fast type food is what is the current and future trend, so be it. Let the passengers have what they want. This is not a problem for me. Celebrity chefs - why not. Or, not "why", I suppose. My son and his wife adore Princess Cruises. They are of the age when Carnival or NCL or RCI might entice them, but, my son grew up with Princess, and for him, that is just what he wants, and they deliver the product to him as he expects each time. There are many products to pick from. I remember back in the early 1990's predictions that there would be 4 cruise lines, all cheap, and all not worth sailing. Well, look at what is avilable today. Kinda nice, huh? My quick, casual dining experiences are on the fly, usually at 5 Guys or Jasons Deli before an exhaustive weekly, YES ENJOYABLE, visit to Costco. That is about it.

I think the standard of taste and dress are regional, as many prospective and actual passengers may not have grwon up in geographic areas that wre not conducive nor expective of a more than casual lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with that, not at all.

I do not eat (I will not use the coveted word “dine” to embellish any meal at any of the chains. As for the fast food joints, no, I have never had a burger from McD’s, not one – hard to believe.

What I will say is this. For the price of the so called meal in most of the chains and fast food joints, and that includes the the food court at the mall, one can actually get a real meal, in a real restaurant, and pay the same. Doubters? Get a life. The world does not revolve around stretch pants and hoodies, grease in a paper wrapper and high fructose corn syrup, presenting the hopes of diabetes and gout, and if one is real lucky, heart disease.

I have worked earning a salary since I was 14, albeit, at that age, after school. I did not grow up with sugars, sodas, candy and junk food. As a family unit we ate a real restaurants, and enjoyed them, something I have followed through with with my son, and he with his son. My daughter in law has a similar family history of dining.

Over the years a lot has happened on cruise ships with dining and entertainment, ship design – you name it. Today the contemporary cruiser only knows what there is as that is what is offered. I do not knock that, I actually embrace it,and why you ask?

IT GETS PEOPLE ON THE SHIPS. Period! If fast type food is what is the current and future trend, so be it. Let the passengers have what they want. This is not a problem for me.

Celebrity chefs – why not. Or, not “why”, I suppose.

My son and his wife adore Princess Cruises. They are of the age when Carnival or NCL or RCI might entice them, but, my son grew up with Princess, and for him, that is just what he wants, and they deliver the product to him as he expects each time.

There are many products to pick from. I remember back in the early 1990′s predictions that there would be 4 cruise lines, all cheap, and all not worth sailing. Well, look at what is avilable today. Kinda nice, huh?

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