What is the worst thing you've eaten on a Royal cruise

[CruisinForABruisin]

I haven't had many bad items, but I had a lamb shank in the MDR, and I swear that every ounce of fat on that lambs body was relegated to that single shank.

[WAAAYTOOO]

The worst (and last) meal we ever had in a MDR was the Thanksgiving Turkey/ham on NAV about 5 years ago.  It was completely inedible. We have not eaten a meal in a MDR since.

Dan also has a very bad lamb shank experience a few years ago.  We were eating in the Coastal Kitchen (Allure, I’m pretty sure) and b/c the lamb shank is Dan’s very favorite, he ordered it.  We had even told the Genie to notify the CK that we would be ordering it so that it wasn’t a big surprise.  What they brought was full of gristle and fat.  He didn’t eat any of it.  Frankly, it’s the first and only time he had lamb shank that wasn’t perfect. Maybe they were just p’ed off at having to bring it up to the MDR.  Who knows.

[Ampurp85]

The soups, none had any flavor and the selection is lackluster in my opinion.

[CruisinForABruisin]

9 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

The worst (and last) meal we ever had in a MDR was the Thanksgiving Turkey/ham on NAV about 5 years ago.  It was completely inedible. We have not eaten a meal in a MDR since.

Dan also has a very bad lamb shank experience a few years ago.  We were eating in the Coastal Kitchen (Allure, I’m pretty sure) and b/c the lamb shank is Dan’s very favorite, he ordered it.  We had even told the Genie to notify the CK that we would be ordering it so that it wasn’t a big surprise.  What they brought was full of gristle and fat.  He didn’t eat any of it.  Frankly, it’s the first and only time he had lamb shank that wasn’t perfect. Maybe they were just p’ed off at having to bring it up grow the MDR.  Who knows.

Mine was also on the Allure, there needs to be an investigation 

[SpeedNoodles]

Baked Alaskan (my apologies to our delightful forum member with the same name ).  But, really, I think I'd hate it anywhere. A Royal Caribbean cruise was just the first (and last) time we'd ever tried it.

[HeWhoWaits]

Also a lamb shank that was excessively fatty. Tried sending it back - the replacement was tough (which is REALLY hard to achieve with lamb).

[FManke]

5 minutes ago, HeWhoWaits said:

 the replacement was tough (which is REALLY hard to achieve with lamb).

Maybe that one was a mutton shank.  Mutton is delicious when in BBQ form. Ask anyone from certain parts of KY.

[Dan Curtis]

1 hour ago, FManke said:

Maybe that one was a mutton shank.  Mutton is delicious when in BBQ form. Ask anyone from certain parts of KY.

I’m from Ky, you are correct, especially in the Western part, they have cook offs every year. My worst I think was the duck, in general I enjoy most of the food.

[JLMoran]

The garlic bread at Jamie's Italian, for sure. To quote my own post about it:

Quote

...the garlic bread... I’m sorry, but I am Italian (ok, if I’m going to be 100% accurate, I’m Sicilian); no self-respecting Italian would even think of making anything called garlic bread with “buttermilk biscuits”!! This is why I was worried when I knew it was a Brit whose name is associated with this venue.

 

[sk8erguy1978]

Our first Royal Caribbean cruise on Explorer of the Seas in 2007 the pizza at Sorrento's was awful; at least when we'd go for a slice at midnight. Also, the only option was shrimp pizza for some reason. It just tasted like it was leftover from the afternoon rush, hence no plain or other options; we covered it with crushed red pepper which made it...edible.

Kind of ironic as I've grown to love Sorrento's (now that it's fresh with more late night options) and it has been my midnight (okay, okay 2AM) snack on every cruise since. 

Edited August 18, 2020 by sk8erguy1978
typos and stuff

[Tira04]

Most of the desserts in the MDR! They always sound amazing but about 90% of the time I find them really disappointing. 

Chocolate molten cake arrived over baked and dry. Creme brulee wasn't set. The special RCL birthday cake looked pretty but was just a sugar bomb with no flavour... 

[FManke]

2 hours ago, Dan Curtis said:

I’m from Ky, you are correct, especially in the Western part, they have cook offs every year. My worst I think was the duck, in general I enjoy most of the food.

I'd have to say my favorite is at Moonlite BBQ in Owensboro, KY.

[Baked Alaska]

7 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said:

Baked Alaskan (my apologies to our delightful forum member with the same name ).  But, really, I think I'd hate it anywhere. A Royal Caribbean cruise was just the first (and last) time we'd ever tried it.

It's all good! And yes, that's how I picked my moniker for this site. Best Baked Alaska I had was eating at the Captain's table on the SS Norway in 1985. It's one of those good old fashioned fifties type desserts. It shouldn't be messed with. Kinda like lime jello molds and eggs in aspic.

Truly, I've not experienced anything bad or inedible on a ship, BUT! My husband ("bless his heart") ordered the chicken breast when we ate at Chops during our embarkation lunch on Radiance OS. Dry, chewy, and presentation, well basically a single chicken breast on a white plate. Not dressed in the least (the chicken breast, he wore clothes). Who eats chicken in a steak house? He took a bite of my filet and wished he had ordered that. Lesson learned. Go with the specialty offered. Less risky.

[FionaMG]

I would have to say the lasagna on (I think) Serenade. I don't usually order lasagna in restaurants because (modesty aside) my own is so good (I have some Italian blood) but on this occasion I let myself be swayed by someone who said they always ordered it because it was great. Lesson learned. Never again. The consistency was mush with no bite to it whatsoever. It would have been the perfect puréed baby meal! Yuk.

As far as desserts are concerned, I would agree with Tira04 about the chocolate molten cake, which was cold and anything but molten. 

[FManke]

16 hours ago, Tira04 said:

Most of the desserts in the MDR! They always sound amazing but about 90% of the time I find them really disappointing. 

I'd have to agree. Most of them are just meh.

[twangster]

Steak Diane.

I'm not sure what someone named Diane did to the cruise line but naming this entree after her seems unfair to both Diane and the concept of a steak.

[SpeedNoodles]

13 minutes ago, twangster said:

Steak Diane.

I'm not sure what someone named Diane did to the cruise line but naming this entree after her seems unfair to both Diane and the concept of a steak.

Ha, Mr. SpeedNoodles totally agrees with you on this one.

[Pooch]

I have two - roast chicken breast in the MDR on Majesty.  The roast chicken in Windjammer is beyond wonderful.  I spoke with the manager to complement them on it.  You wouldn’t think something as basic as a simply roasted chicken would be hard but as wonderful as it was in WJ, it was God AWFUL in the MDR. I mean inedible.  
Second was the roast turkey in the MDR on Mariner.  There is no way what they served me was ever an actual turkey.  I tried to just push it around my plate because my grandson was eating his with no complaints and I didn’t want to discourage his eating.  The darn waiter and Maitre’d kept hovering over me asking if I wanted something else.  Finally pulled them aside & told them to STOP!!!  Then I went to WJ for the aforementioned roast chicken (just as good as in Majesty).

[WanderPam]

Chicken Marsala was pretty terrible, but the worst was a prime rib that they just couldn't get cooked properly to medium for me on Harmony! Usually have good luck with all the food, but I am just happy not to cook or do dishes...I even love the Baked Alaska lol

[Eaglelover]

On 8/18/2020 at 5:32 PM, FManke said:

I'd have to say my favorite is at Moonlite BBQ in Owensboro, KY.

I, also a Kentuckian, believe that every crossroads in KY (especially, out here in the west) Has the best d***ed BBQ (and burgoo - lamb or no lamb) on earth... if you listen to the folks at the crossroads.  We'll soon see about them boat cooks....

[Quilter620]

The nightly salmon offering in the MDR. I have never seen such a sad little dried out piece of fish.

[Jacki_MEI]

OK, so not technically something I ATE, but rather drank. It was a 'drink of the day' special and when it arrived it was bright green, and it tasted like grass. Like you know that smell when someone is cutting their lawn? That's how it tasted. 

[FManke]

1 hour ago, Quilter620 said:

The nightly salmon offering in the MDR. I have never seen such a sad little dried out piece of fish.

If the fish isn't cooked to order, you're going to run into that. 

[ehw51]

Royal Chocolate cake last spring on the Anthem, dry with no taste, never had a bad creme brulee on any cruises. Th worst though was the sugar free lemon cookie on our first cruise on the Liberty, looked great NO taste, now I stay away from anything sugar free especially on cruises.

[WAAAYTOOO]

I find the desserts, generally, to be fairly tasteless.  Even my (and @Sweety) beloved Red Velvet Cake could be better !  I do still love the Grand Marnier Souffle though. 

[USCG Teacher]

2 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I do still love the Grand Marnier Souffle though. 

 

[DocLC]

I had a pork chop once in 2001 on Legend of the Seas that I could not cut through even with a steak knife. Fortunately, this is really the only time in cruising with RCL that I remember a truly bad/worst thing. Fortunately, the crew was very attentive and insisted that I order something else.

[Ent]

I can't remember what dessert it was from Wonderland but it was awful enough the kids wouldn't touch it. It was very pretty in shapes of mushrooms, etc. but not tasty. 

[MaryCS62]

Adventure - 2018 -- French onion soup.  I love French onion, but I found this salty & metallic somehow. Very disappointed.

[FManke]

I'm remembering the Kummelweck on Serenade. Not that it was the worst thing that I have eaten on an RC cruise, but after all the build-up, it was just meh. 

[cruisellama]

On 9/29/2020 at 3:10 PM, Ent said:

I can't remember what dessert it was from Wonderland but it was awful enough the kids wouldn't touch it. It was very pretty in shapes of mushrooms, etc. but not tasty. 

You mean this.

[FManke]

15 minutes ago, cruisellama said:

You mean this.

Looks like something that the Mad Hatter would have served Alice.

[Ent]

36 minutes ago, cruisellama said:

You mean this.

 

Yes, it has to be this. We didn't order it, the server brought it over for us to try. I feel horrible when I have food left over but we couldn't eat it. 

[cruisellama]

3 minutes ago, Ent said:

Yes, it has to be this. We didn't order it, the server brought it over for us to try. I feel horrible when I have food left over but we couldn't eat it. 

I don't think we finished ours either.  

[RWDW1204]

On 10/2/2020 at 10:28 AM, cruisellama said:

You mean this.

What is that made of?

[cruisellama]

1 hour ago, RWDW1204 said:

What is that made of?

I think it was a form of fondant

 

[USCG Teacher]

2 hours ago, cruisellama said:

I think it was a form of fondant

 

 

[4ensic]

I thought these looked interesting enough to get a camera before the crowd finished the tray off.  Word must have passed quickly, 15 minutes later only a few were taken.

 

[cruisellama]

Olives with green saw dust?

 

[4ensic]

18 hours ago, cruisellama said:

Olives with green saw dust?

 

I'm used to being a plebe and just getting sawdust and olive oil, so the olives were an upgrade.  Just kidding, Royal regularly outdoes itself on snacks so these are just a "Meh" rather than  "People thought I was in The Exorcist".