Lobster Night Question

[Nick Gulla]

Going on Allure of the Seas for a six night cruise. Will there be a night you can get lobster in the main dining room? 

[KDK]

Nick, When you check on your MDR menu on the Royal Caribbean app, I think you should see the lobster tails on the menu for the final night of your cruise. If you want whole lobster, you can purchase it for an upcharge on any of the other nights. At least that is what I am seeing on my dinner menu on the app. 

[Pooch]

Just off Harmony.  Frankly the lobster was awful.  Wasn’t even fully cooked.

[Pooch]

I am spoiled, we live in New England with easy access to great lobster.  This wasn’t even close.  Semi-slimy texture and faint blue tinge that both go away when cooked right.

[cdixon22]

Lobster night is night 5 on the Allure 6 night cruise. 

[WAYNO]

Apparently, lobster tastes vary wildly.

I love lobster.  One of my all time favorite foods.  It has always been delicious on every ship we've been on, as recently as on Odyssey a couple weeks ago.

 

When we did our Northeast cruise a couple years ago, we had lobster rolls at two different places in Maine.  The lobster in both places was so bland, I question the hype of Maine lobster. Maybe they serve canned lobster to the tourists.

[JohnK6404]

Taste is subjective and quality can vary by sailing of course, but we've always enjoyed our lobster tails on every cruise to date. We always make it a point to attend the last formal evening in the MDR just for the lobster tails. Naturally, growing up and living on Long Island I have been all over New England. I'm certainly not going to compare it to a fresh Maine lobster just out of a tank, etc., but we definitely find the Caribbean lobster to be very tasty and consistent with Royal. I actually ate 6 tails last month on Odyssey! 

The pics are from our last 3 cruises... presentation and quality has been very consistent in the MDR. Now I'm craving lobster!

Allure (2019)

 

Oasis (2021)

 

Odyssey (2022)

[Nick Gulla]

Thanks all for the info, much appreciated!

[Pooch]

That looks way undercooked.  Lobster should be a bright creamy white.  That’s what Harmony’s looked like. Sorry at least the ones I had (and BTW my husband’s scallops in CK) really not good.

[JohnK6404]

9 minutes ago, Pooch said:

That looks way undercooked.  Lobster should be a bright creamy white.  That’s what Harmony’s looked like. Sorry at least the ones I had (and BTW my husband’s scallops in CK) really not good.

I’m sorry you had a bad experience. 

[Pooch]

This is what properly cooked lobster looks like.  See the solid color?  No slimy shine. That Odyssey 2022 looks like octopus!

[need2cruz]

I guess everyone has different opinions.  My FIL was on Harmony in November and said the lobster was over cooked . We were on Symphony in February, so I expected my MDR lobster to be overcooked, too.  But it was done perfectly.  I asked for them to leave off the baked potatoe and instead bring 2 lobster tails, and I was so glad I did. They were cooked perfectly.

[twangster]

I've had to send back a filet that was undercooked in Chops.  It happens on land and at sea.

If anything is not cooked to your liking ask for it to be replaced.  They'll be happy to.  

[CruisingNewb]

Lobster is one of those things, like steak, where people have differing opinions.

Personally, from my past as a chef, I prefer cooking lobster slightly under.  The carry over heat will finish the job.  I want my lobster meat tender and firm, but not rubbery.

I have also made lobster sushi and lobster tartar.  Depending upon the source of the lobster, how it was handled, etc., this can be a wonderfully tasty preparation.

If you feel your lobster was under/over cooked, I cannot imagine the waiter not accommodating you to your tastes. 

The way that most assembly line kitchens cook lobster is by par boiling a large batch, prepping them to be finished off under the broiler, and serving.  This could mean that in either the par boiling or broiling steps, that the lobster spent too little time or too much time cooking. 

[Pooch]

I know I could have sent it back but lobster night is always so busy.  I didn’t want to add to our wonderful waiter’s workload.  I pushed 2 around my plate & ate the baked potato.  It was fine.  Of course told my hubby & son eating undercooked scallops in CK, “you should have requested they take them back & cook more!”  Not as busy up there.

[barjpoe]

One time on Lobster night the first one was ok , but the second was great.

[Ampurp85]

I'm glad I don't eat lobster; it sounds like I would have been disappointed

.

[Pooch]

A quick trip to Maine will satisfy my cravings!

[coneyraven]

On 3/20/2022 at 3:34 PM, Pooch said:

I am spoiled, we live in New England with easy access to great lobster.  This wasn’t even close.  Semi-slimy texture and faint blue tinge that both go away when cooked right.

I know the feeling, being a Maryland native, I cringe every time I see "Maryland Style Crab Cakes" --- even on the ship .... when I ordered them last December, I think the words that came out of my mouth were something like "What The F^%$" when they arrived.  The Old Bay Sauce was good, but the crab cake..... NOT Maryland Style in any way shape (well, it's round, so I guess that works) or form.

[CruisingNewb]

5 hours ago, coneyraven said:

I know the feeling, being a Maryland native, I cringe every time I see "Maryland Style Crab Cakes" --- even on the ship .... when I ordered them last December, I think the words that came out of my mouth were something like "What The F^%$" when they arrived.  The Old Bay Sauce was good, but the crab cake..... NOT Maryland Style in any way shape (well, it's round, so I guess that works) or form.

I used to think that I made the best crab cakes.  And I do make some damn tasty ones.  Then we spent some time in Baltimore a couple of years ago.  Yeah...nothing better than a Maryland blue crab lumpy crab cake.  Especially ones from Faidley's.

[USCG Teacher]

10 hours ago, coneyraven said:

I know the feeling, being a Maryland native, I cringe every time I see "Maryland Style Crab Cakes" 

"Style" is the kiss of death.  Grew up right outside of Philly, and am here to tell you that while every "Philadelphia-style Cheesesteak" and "Philly-style soft pretzel" may be an homage to the real deal, they pale in comparison!

[Moby Dick]

On 3/20/2022 at 2:34 PM, Pooch said:

I am spoiled, we live in New England with easy access to great lobster.  This wasn’t even close.  Semi-slimy texture and faint blue tinge that both go away when cooked right.

I hear ya.  It's kinda like going to San Antonio, eating Mexican at a local eatery.  Then going home to Alabama, et al, and going to Taco Bell or On the Border.  Not that Taco Bell or On the Border isn't acceptable/good, it just ain't the same.

I don't eat in the MDR too often.  But, the one or two times we did on "Formal Night", the tail was only half a tail, cut long wise and small.  It was good. We ordered more, you can get as much as you want in the MDR.  

For the most part, I enjoy Royal's food, even in the MDR and Windjammer.  I do the Windjammer for breakfast most mornings because I really like bacon and I don't want to wait for a server to bring it to me.  I like to grab as much as I like the first time or go back and get more within a minute.  But, I digress. 

[coneyraven]

[Nick Gulla]

Had lobster tails tonight in the MDR on the Allure and they were great. I had ordered two of them and the waiter had a whole tray of them and asked if wanted more. They were cooked perfect this evening which was night 5 of a 6 night cruise.

[Pooch]

Those do look much better than what I was served.  Next cruise, lobster night will be eggplant parmigiana!

[smokeybandit]

On 3/22/2022 at 6:06 PM, coneyraven said:

The Maryland crabcake is by far the most overrated version of the crabcake.

 

Maryland-style = "throw a bunch of mustard and Worcestershire sauce in it and hope maybe you can still taste the crab"

[RWDW1204]

What is it about Maryland thinking they have the best crab cakes? Do they really? 

[twangster]

21 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

The Maryland crabcake is by far the most overrated version of the crabcake.

Maryland-style = "throw a bunch of mustard and Worcestershire sauce in it and hope maybe you can still taste the crab"

You forgot the Old Bay...

PETA vs. Maryland

[Troy smith]

I have a Alaska cruise planed in June on seranade of the seas. And wondering if any has been on this cruise and what the formal nights are if is on the 6th night that day we don’t get back on the ship till 9:00 pm

[CruisingNewb]

On 4/1/2022 at 8:50 PM, RWDW1204 said:

What is it about Maryland thinking they have the best crab cakes? Do they really? 

Yes.

[smokeybandit]

On 4/1/2022 at 9:50 PM, RWDW1204 said:

What is it about Maryland thinking they have the best crab cakes? Do they really? 

 

They definitely don't (I lived in MD for 14 years).

[jbmakingmemories]

On our Odyssey cruise back in November, the MDR server legit refused to bring me the beef tenderloin and lobster entrée at the same time. This was disappointing as I was looking forward to a nice surf and turf. Has anyone else experienced this happening or was it just our individual server?

[david perkins]

ALOHA ALL!     WIfe's first cruise the 28th of May on the Symphony of the Sea's co-worker told her about this Lobster night they went on the Harmony of The Sea's In February do they have it on each ship?  She hopes we don't do a specialty dinner the night they have it will be very disappointed how do we find out what night it would be so we do have a conflict.

Thanks

[AshleyDillo]

2 hours ago, david perkins said:

ALOHA ALL!     WIfe's first cruise the 28th of May on the Symphony of the Sea's co-worker told her about this Lobster night they went on the Harmony of The Sea's In February do they have it on each ship?  She hopes we don't do a specialty dinner the night they have it will be very disappointed how do we find out what night it would be so we do have a conflict.

They do have it on the 7-night Caribbean sailings. It usually is on the second formal night, which is usually the second sea day.

[Pooch]

2 hours ago, david perkins said:

ALOHA ALL!     WIfe's first cruise the 28th of May on the Symphony of the Sea's co-worker told her about this Lobster night they went on the Harmony of The Sea's In February do they have it on each ship?  She hopes we don't do a specialty dinner the night they have it will be very disappointed how do we find out what night it would be so we do have a conflict.

Thanks

You can also access Main Dining Room menus for your cruise in the Royal app.  Click on the dining link bottom of the page, scroll to Main Dining Room, click on menu, then you can look at each day’s offerings.

[Jayhoaps]

On all the ships is there a Lobster night? I"m cruising on Symphony of The Seas, will they have a Lobster night?

Thanks in advance.

[Pooch]

Just an FYI, the lobster is not that good.  If you don’t have access to real, fresh cold water lobster, I guess it’s ok but I’ll order the eggplant parmigiana next time.  What they served on Harmony last month wasn’t worth eating.

[Jayhoaps]

 

58 minutes ago, Pooch said:

Just an FYI, the lobster is not that good.  If you don’t have access to real, fresh cold water lobster, I guess it’s ok but I’ll order the eggplant parmigiana next time.  What they served on Harmony last month wasn’t worth eating.

I understand, but is that true for all lobsters served in the ship such as Hooked Seafood and Chops grill?

[Pooch]

Have never had the lobster in those locations.  I would like to think because they aren’t serving massive quantities at once, the lobster would be better.

[CruisingNewb]

1 hour ago, Pooch said:

Have never had the lobster in those locations.  I would like to think because they aren’t serving massive quantities at once, the lobster would be better.

Same lobster, different cooking method and presentation for Chops.  I believe Chops' lobster is whole, split in half length-wise, par boiled like all other lobster, but also grilled for a slight char?