MHS

We have been on RCCL 3 times and are familiar with their menu & dining room service (esp. the "theme" nights!) Please, would you experience multi-cruise travelers compare the food & dining experience you have had on Princess and/or Holland America with the one you had on RCCL? Is the menu more sophisticated on one or the other? Service better? Do all lines do the "singing waiters" bit while you pine for your afterdinner expresso? etc. etc. <BR>Thanks

Pamela

RCCL is the most fun in the dining room but the worst food although we experienced waiters who really wanted to please us with special items (their suggestion) and great service. The food on two different HAL cruises was far superior but the service stunk. Willingness to do anything special was unheard of--we even went to the captain to get donuts for our kids for Xmas morning that were being served that day. We couldn't even get coffee served with dessert or a refill--the waiters took off. Sitmar which is now Princess ws a lot like RCCL. The food was a little bettr. Haven't been on princess so don't know if it is the same. Oh, HAL does a Dutch night which is the only meal we didn't enjoy, but the barbeque on deck that night was spectacular. By the way, I am a gourmet eater and live with three hungry meat and potatoes guys who agree with what I've said. Windstar food was OK. We we on board with a large group which radically affected the buffet offerings at lunch. We still joke about shrimp bisque being Vavoline broth--its smelled like an oil slick, had no visible shrimp, and was a broth, not a bisque...

Pudgey

After sailing on several lines including RCI, Celebrity, Princess, Carnival and the now defunkt Premier, we would rate the food and service as follows: Celebrity Food ***** <BR> Service **** <BR>

Sandra

I agree with Pudgey. if food is important to you, go with Celebrity. Yum!

HT

We've also been on Princess, HAL, RCCL, and Celebrity and have to give the nod to Celebrity for both food quality and service. HAL food is better than RCCL but we think that the no tipping required policy leads to shabby service unless one explicitly tells one's waiter at the beginning of the cruise that good service will in fact be rewarded with a tip. Then, suddenly, the service can improve quite dramatically on HAL.

mark

Have been on the Horizon (Celebrity)twice in the past two years and thougtht the food and service was wonderful. Just got back from a Sovereign 4 day (RCCL) and really did not think the food was very good at all. Buffets (except for midnight chocolate), particularly lunch buffets, were not very extensive. The shorter cruise crowed was not as sophiticated as the seven- and ten-day Celebrity group either--ended up being a lot less fun. Am quickly becoming a loyal Celebrity fan. <BR> <BR>As an aside, we are Captain's Club on Celebrity and RCCL (same parent company) honored that with a cabin upgrade at checkin.

rose

We have been on Carnival Fantasy, Norwegian Norway & twice on Celebrity Horizon and Celebrity is in an altogether different class from the rest. I was worried when we went on the Horizon a second time because i thought i might be let down since we had just been on it a year earlier but they still exceded my expectations!! The food is Spectacular and the Service is above and beyond!! I can't say enough good about the ship and staff!!! We will probably never go on another cruise line, unless we win the lottery and go on Crystal. In fact we are now planning a 14 day trip next spring on Mercury. Thank you.

mary beth horn

I agree, the Celebrity is the best line in this price category. I've been on 14 cruises, ranging from the Carib through all of Europe and Asia. RCCL is a fair line. It is not outstanding, yet it is not bad. I just experienced a 17 day cruise to Hawaii with Holland America, and it was very disapointing. The ship, The Statandam was beautiful, but the service and food was extreamily poor. The line atracts very old people, and the line caters strongly to them. The food is bland, small portions, and unamaginative. The service people are slow and unimpressive. The activities and entertainment is suitable for retirement homes, not cruise ships. <BR>Avoid HA unless you are an advanced aged member of AARP! This is the nursing home of the high seas! <BR>NCL is about the same as RCCL. Princess is a good overall value, but the food lacks much luster. Best bang for the buck.....Celebrity. I hate to tell you, but no cuise line is as good as they were ten years ago. Cost cuts and short staffing is now the norm. You have to jump up in catagory, Renaissance or Crystal before you get excelent service and dining.

Lynn

Have to agree with Pamela on a few things about RCCL, HA and Princess. Princess WAS our favorite with food and service, but the last trip the food had dropped tremendously, but the service still remains top notch. RCCL, service was excellent also, food was fair. HA, food was the best (especially the desserts) dinners and lido deck very good, service was awful. I recall great service on the Lido deck of Celebrity, so good we specially tipped one of the staff at disembarkation.

Michael

Have dined in the Queen's Grill on the QE 2 and am crossing on her again in December...simply the best dining on the sea!

Tom

It's interesting what different prospectives we have on our cruising experiences....I was on HAL Maasdam in the Baltic this past summer and found the food and service far superior. Fortunately, we did not have the AARP crowd referred to. There was a little of everyone from honeymooners in their 20's to healthy, active seniors in their 70's. The predominant age was probably between 44-49 (guessing). I would rate Celebrity second in terms of food quality, but unfortunately the service was hit and miss (certainly not HAL standards). RCCL is a fun ship but I would rate it between Carnival and Celebrity. I can only imagine that there are variables that enter into each cruise as to food, service and average passenger age. The Caribbean would probably tend to be the youngest crowd (also with the most kids) and Alaska cruises would probably be the oldest crowd. We were on a Princess cruise to Alaska and it was definitely an older crowd. Princess is a very good line but they don't offer the perks and "freebies" that HAL will offer. I personally would rate HAL as the best all around cruise experience I have had. Though, I would probably give RCCL the best rating for entertainment. Tom

mike

I was on the Dwan Princess in April, and I loved the food. I am going again in less than 2 weeks and can't wait. The dining room was excellent, with a varied selection of excellent dishes. I did my best to have two at dinner. breakfast and lunch were also excellent. We didn't do the buffet much, because we really focused on the main dining room. It seemed to have a varied selection. I regreted not getting to the pizza place as much as I would have preferred, the pizza was excellent. <BR>I may not be a gourmet, and it was my only cruise, thus far. However, I am an eater, and I thought the selection, presentation and quality were excellent. <BR>I can't wait for my next one in two weeks.

Dawn

I think HT (hotmail.com) should have reported the poor service right away. That's HAL's policy. One does not have to promise a tip, to get excellent service on any of their ships. I've been on several different ones, and have never experienced anything but A-1 service. I've been on the Norwegian line, too, and would choose HAL, hands down, on the food and service.

linda

Well-l-ll... all of the cruise line execs. need to be reading these responses.My last cruise was about 4 yrs. ago.I've been on CCL (very average food) and NCL (very good,but about 8 yrs. ago).All this talk about poor service and lower than expected food quality are very disappointing. <BR>But after reading these responses, I'de be inclined to just price HAL and Celebtity--and then go on Celebtity.

Marcie

First, you'd probably have a great time with which ever cruise line you select. I've been on all the cruiselines you're considering and my ranking for food, service and overall best cruise value for the money is: <BR>1. HAL (I really think they're superior in all regards) <BR>2. Princess (my only complaint with Princess is that they're becoming more and more stingey and begining to charge for things that were once free) <BR>3. Celebrity -very good, actually this may even rate higher than Princess...a close call <BR>4. RCCL - a good value <BR>5. Carnival - also a good value, usually a younger crowd <BR>6. Norweigan- had fun but was disappointed in overall quality of food and service...certainly not HAL ! <BR>Another really good line that you never mentioned is Orient Lines. I'd highly recommend this line for overall good quality and value, and they go to some of the best ports in the world.

Greg Gallagher

I really can't compare dining experiences with other ships, but I have to agree with Pamela. The food was horrible on RCCL, "Sovereign of the Seas". They claim to have the same "Elegant Cuisine" in their casual dining area. I would not constitute dried out hamburgers and other similiar fare as elegant cuisine. Fast food joints do a better job than RCCL. As far as their in room service. The pizza was similiar to french bed pizza that had been over micro-waved and soggy. If you like good food, In my opinion I would go somewhere else. Any questions please feel free to e-mail me.

Ron

Well, I just have to throw my 2 cents worth in . I have been on Carnival, Celebrity, RCCL,Princess and Holland America.I personally feel Celebrity is not what it used to be.When they first started up, the Horizon was their first NEW ship, followed by the Zenith. Food and service on these were very good, <BR>however I feel they have slipped a notch or two since RCCL took them over. <BR>With regards to RCCL and Carnival,I personally don't see that much difference between those two, but I'm sure some would disagree.We recently returned from a cruise on Holland America's Zaandam and were very well pleased with food, service and had no complaints at all.Their desserts were the best I have seen on any ship.I would also have to give good marks to Princess.To shut up and sum up, I don't <BR>think one could hardly go wrong with either Holland America or Princess,but everyone has their own tastes.Not everything is perfect on any vacation and we just need to "roll with the waves" <BR> <BR>

opc

To MHS: You should change lines for different food qualities. The best is Celebrity with nouvelle cuisine under a French chef, really good. RCCL is ok but not best. NCL is good on the Norway but no so good on the shorter cruises. Have fun.