Casino and food issues

[LoyalRCplayer]

I’ve been on at least 25 cruises and very loyal to RC.  This current cruise however has been a disaster.   Would love to hear other input from what you think of the food quality.  Personally thought most was barely edible and very subpar at best.  
 

I have been many times to the specialty dining, the regular dining room and the windjammer.  If I’m eager to get to the casino I will often go to windjammer or Coastal kitchen as a suite guest.  Can honestly say I’ve never been disappointed. 
 

Got on the symphony in Barcelona this Sunday.  Decided to go the buffet route and was so disappointed.  The meats had no flavor, burgers were like cardboard, hot dogs like boiled rubber, prime rib completely flavorless, chicken was horrible.   Can’t say I’ve ever had worse.  
 

Next day decided to go to Coastal Kitchen, as it’s been very good there in the past.  I had prime rib and shrimp cocktail, my lady had a pasta dish.  Was hoping would have flavor it was basically just as bad as windjammer.  Her pasta sauce was several notches below chef Boyardee.  Life’s too short to waste time eating subpar food in my opinion. 
 

Last evening I went to the casino.  I have been playing for many decades and consider myself an above average player, but not a whale.  I played $500-$1000 a hand blackjack and they opened a high limit area so I can play alone.  What I win or lose is no reflection on the quality of the casino, so that is not the issue.  
 

During a house run, and in this case the house was running hard on 7 shoes, I was half way thru the 7th and asked for the first time if they would please give me a courtesy shuffle.  This means they stop the shoe and shuffle the cards to hopefully give the player a chance not to get wiped out.  This is commonplace at every casino in the US, and if it’s not abused, I have never had it denied.  I may ask for it once in an evening in the event I’m losing at an 80-90% rate.  This was the case.  
 

The pit boss said I’m sorry I cannot allow that.  Keep in mind if I just got up for 5 mins and came back to the table, they would have had no choice but to reshuffle the shoe.  Instead he then made a call to a supervisor who also denied the request.  I said I think it’s a mistake as I can accomplish the same by cashing my remaining chips and faking to leave, only to return for the desired result of a new shoe.  He said I’m sorry there are no exceptions.  At this point it’s principal to me.  
 

After realizing that this casino was not going to budge, and with no good reason, I cashed my chips and left, rather than continuing to play or faking the get up and come back move. 
 

After thinking about the horrendous food quality and lack of casino hospitality, I decided to disembark today.  4 days early, but nonetheless I don’t want to spend any more time on a vacation with horrible food and an inexperienced casino, that only wants to cater tot the low end of the spectrum (penny slot players). 
 

Disembarking was met with resistance,  but, Mohammed in the suite concierge desk was beyond amazing.  We were ultimately allowed to disembark, and will spend the rest of the time in Italy doing what we love most; eating fine food and drinking great wine.  
 

Would like to hear other experiences with food quality primarily on this ship and others.  I think the difference is remarkable since my last cruise just 8 months ago.  Remarkable in the way the quality has fallen apart.  
 

Sorry RCCL.  I don’t believe I’ll be back.  I don’t want a credit, discount or anything.  Would just like to see from others if the food issue is a systemic issue or isolated.  I realize they lost a lot of money during the pandemic, but I’m sure there were many hundreds of millions collected by them in Govnt subsidies.  I don’t suggest using this bottom grade level of food to make up for any shortfalls.  It’s the quickest path to alienating all loyal customers. Thanks for reading !!  

[Xaa]

Sorry they didn't shuffle the decks for you.  Hope you enjoyed Italy more.

[smokeybandit]

Did you mention any of these issues while you were on board?

[Colombia20102018]

2 hours ago, LoyalRCplayer said:

Got on the symphony in Barcelona this Sunday.  Decided to go the buffet route and was so disappointed.  The meats had no flavor, burgers were like cardboard, hot dogs like boiled rubber, prime rib completely flavorless, chicken was horrible.   Can’t say I’ve ever had worse.

That really sucks. I will be in Symphony this Sunday and was looking forward to some good food. My last cruise was on Jewel and the food was so so. 
Is there a chance that you had a cold or something that would affect your sense of taste? 
I’m not familiar with the casino rules so I can’t comment on that. 
I hope you have a fantastic time in Italy.

[Linda R]

Just wanted to mention that I had issue with meat (mainly beef) that was served in Europe.  Went to Chops 3 times and the filet was tough and chewy,  Could not eat.  I  mentioned it everytime and they said it was the meat qualities and cuts are different in  Europe.  Not at all the quality as US meats.   When I do Europe cruises I do not expect to get the same beef as US, nor the quality.  Too bad really.  So I rarely order beef on Europe cruises.  But other food was good and enjoyed very much.  

[bretts173]

1 hour ago, Linda R said:

Just wanted to mention that I had issue with meat (mainly beef) that was served in Europe.  Went to Chops 3 times and the filet was tough and chewy,  Could not eat.  I  mentioned it everytime and they said it was the meat qualities and cuts are different in  Europe.  Not at all the quality as US meats.   When I do Europe cruises I do not expect to get the same beef as US, nor the quality.  Too bad really.  So I rarely order beef on Europe cruises.  But other food was good and enjoyed very much.  

Absolutely, departure point does make a big difference especially in meat quality, mainland Europe the worst. However seafood usually good.

 

The beef dishes when cruising out of Australia are always better.

 

In saying that if you are thinking negatively about something before you eat you will pick holes in anything, the food I have had on all cruises before and after the pause has been pretty much the same. It only takes a couple of people on forums or social media to post about their negative experiences to make it viral. Even those that haven't cruised in the last year or two are talking about how the food is worse.

[loki007]

we were just on celebrity out of Barcelona in the Retreat and the food was awesome as expected on Celebrity. I'll say my cruises with Royal since the restart have been a disappointment on the food side. Mariner had the worst food I've ever experienced on a cruise.  Hopefully they will get better. We are on Odyssey in December. 

[JFCruise]

On 10/18/2023 at 9:14 AM, LoyalRCplayer said:

Last evening I went to the casino.  I have been playing for many decades and consider myself an above average player, but not a whale.  I played $500-$1000 a hand blackjack and they opened a high limit area so I can play alone.

If you have the cash to bet a cruise fare per hand, maybe Royal Caribbean isn't the line for you?

[Srp431]

I thought you couldn't just disembark now, isn't there a rule now about that?

[steverk]

Sorry you had a bad experience.  

On the food, I usually find Royal's food to be good, but not great.  They don't consider themselves a foodie line and it shows.  That said, I was on one cruise where the food wasn't very good.  I spoke to the restaurant manager, and the food improved immediately.

[Xaa]

I don't think the restaurant manager can go back in time and wipe the bad taste from OP's mouth after enduring the disrespect of not receiving a courtesy shuffle.

[merrycookie]

We did a b2b last year....first 2 nights we ate in MDR....was gross.....next 2 nights in Windjammer.....same food over & over.....not good....after that we ate mostly while in port (unless no port) No question RCC food has gone downhill. We are booked in Jan. We feel we owe RC another try. After that we will see.

[dejavu21]

I've been on several different cruise lines and have come to learn that sometimes your going to get an above average meal and sometimes it's going to be a bit below par, maybe due to seasoning, etc.  Your on a cruise ship serving 5,000+ passengers, fast also.  It is what it is.  And if you are heading to the buffet, don't complain, it's a buffet.  The food is always mediocre.  

If your going on a cruise and looking for 5 star meals, save your cash.  If your spending $500-$1,000 a hand in the casino, I can see why you think the food is bad.  

This sounds like a pity party simply because they would not reshuffle.  

[smokeybandit]

I've never had a bad week of food on any cruise I've ever been on.

Some dishes I didn't like. Some I thought weren't prepared the way I would like. But never the "everything I ate was terrible" experiences some claim.

[Linda R]

20 hours ago, bretts173 said:

Absolutely, departure point does make a big difference especially in meat quality, mainland Europe the worst. However seafood usually good.

 

The beef dishes when cruising out of Australia are always better.

 

In saying that if you are thinking negatively about something before you eat you will pick holes in anything, the food I have had on all cruises before and after the pause has been pretty much the same. It only takes a couple of people on forums or social media to post about their negative experiences to make it viral. Even those that haven't cruised in the last year or two are talking about how the food is worse.

Yes, the seafood is fabulous on Europe cruises.  

[bretts173]

4 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I've never had a bad week of food on any cruise I've ever been on.

Some dishes I didn't like. Some I thought weren't prepared the way I would like. But never the "everything I ate was terrible" experiences some claim.

Yep, grandstanding of the highest order, look at me I am better than the food they serve here.

[Thom Cruise]

That story is hilarious.

 

[Riley]

It does depend on where the food is sourced from and also when a large contingent of "new contract" crew come on board.

The first night of a recent cruise was not good (the veggie was frozen green beans?) but then things settled down and food in both the MDR and the WJ were fine.  Hurricane Lee changed our itinerary and that would have resulted in changes to what could be stocked at different ports... RC can only source so many pallets of produce at a time! 

NOTE: I'm not a picky eater (if I don't have to cook it and clean up myself I'm usually content. 

[GJ_123]

On 10/19/2023 at 4:51 PM, Srp431 said:

I thought you couldn't just disembark now, isn't there a rule now about that?

I would imagine they would be very resistant, but at the end of the day they can't keep you onboard if you want to leave. Some people have to disembark if they have an emergency, so if you just said you had a family emergency they would have to be accommodating. I think it's a nightmare for them because it involves extra paperwork, if anyone leaves early.

[BrianB]

Sorry you had such a devastatingly awful experience.

I can’t imagine so many things going so bad for me as they did for you. Being forced to demand leaving mid-cruise, what with all the extra expenses and aggravation associated with that decision. Wow. I believe if you do that in the US without visiting a non-US port first, you would each be fined.

I’ve only sailed from US ports so I don’t know what it’s like sailing from Barcelona or any other international ports. But, for me…I sail solo, am pretty easy to please, love the food on Royal, and play penny slots. Usually I just come and go to the casino because I cruise often and don’t want to drop too much on machines that have worse payouts than those in my land-based casinos. However, luck has been with me recently and I have enjoyed several hand payouts over my last few cruises. Darn those tax forms!

I know what to expect when I eat at different venues. The buffet is just that….a buffet. Expectations aren’t very high going in but I’m usually pleasantly surprised. I’m one of those who are pretty happy with the new MDR menus. I like the food and especially the service. Maybe because I’m usually solo, eat as soon as it opens and know what I want before I sit down. I love viewing the menu on the app before I go. My servers know my preferences, my drink, and know that I like to eat and leave quickly. My food is served at the perfect temperatures and exactly what I ordered. The food is delicious.

I love Chops, Jaime Oliver’s and Giovanni’s. I never had a bad meal at any of them. I never had to send anything back or ask for changes. The servers in each are phenomenal.

I could be wrong but I believe the cruise line did not receive hundreds of millions in US government subsidies during the pandemic as the ships are not registered in the US. I believe they received nothing from the US. I don’t know how much, if any, other countries paid them in subsidies. Maybe you could share that info as that would be interesting to me.

Hope you enjoyed your time in Italy with good food, good wine and found a casino with a willing shoe shuffler. Best of luck!

[GJ_123]

On 10/18/2023 at 4:14 PM, LoyalRCplayer said:

I’ve been on at least 25 cruises and very loyal to RC.  This current cruise however has been a disaster.   Would love to hear other input from what you think of the food quality.  Personally thought most was barely edible and very subpar at best.  
 

I have been many times to the specialty dining, the regular dining room and the windjammer.  If I’m eager to get to the casino I will often go to windjammer or Coastal kitchen as a suite guest.  Can honestly say I’ve never been disappointed. 
 

Got on the symphony in Barcelona this Sunday.  Decided to go the buffet route and was so disappointed.  The meats had no flavor, burgers were like cardboard, hot dogs like boiled rubber, prime rib completely flavorless, chicken was horrible.   Can’t say I’ve ever had worse.  
 

Next day decided to go to Coastal Kitchen, as it’s been very good there in the past.  I had prime rib and shrimp cocktail, my lady had a pasta dish.  Was hoping would have flavor it was basically just as bad as windjammer.  Her pasta sauce was several notches below chef Boyardee.  Life’s too short to waste time eating subpar food in my opinion. 
 

Last evening I went to the casino.  I have been playing for many decades and consider myself an above average player, but not a whale.  I played $500-$1000 a hand blackjack and they opened a high limit area so I can play alone.  What I win or lose is no reflection on the quality of the casino, so that is not the issue.  
 

During a house run, and in this case the house was running hard on 7 shoes, I was half way thru the 7th and asked for the first time if they would please give me a courtesy shuffle.  This means they stop the shoe and shuffle the cards to hopefully give the player a chance not to get wiped out.  This is commonplace at every casino in the US, and if it’s not abused, I have never had it denied.  I may ask for it once in an evening in the event I’m losing at an 80-90% rate.  This was the case.  
 

The pit boss said I’m sorry I cannot allow that.  Keep in mind if I just got up for 5 mins and came back to the table, they would have had no choice but to reshuffle the shoe.  Instead he then made a call to a supervisor who also denied the request.  I said I think it’s a mistake as I can accomplish the same by cashing my remaining chips and faking to leave, only to return for the desired result of a new shoe.  He said I’m sorry there are no exceptions.  At this point it’s principal to me.  
 

After realizing that this casino was not going to budge, and with no good reason, I cashed my chips and left, rather than continuing to play or faking the get up and come back move. 
 

After thinking about the horrendous food quality and lack of casino hospitality, I decided to disembark today.  4 days early, but nonetheless I don’t want to spend any more time on a vacation with horrible food and an inexperienced casino, that only wants to cater tot the low end of the spectrum (penny slot players). 
 

Disembarking was met with resistance,  but, Mohammed in the suite concierge desk was beyond amazing.  We were ultimately allowed to disembark, and will spend the rest of the time in Italy doing what we love most; eating fine food and drinking great wine.  
 

Would like to hear other experiences with food quality primarily on this ship and others.  I think the difference is remarkable since my last cruise just 8 months ago.  Remarkable in the way the quality has fallen apart.  
 

Sorry RCCL.  I don’t believe I’ll be back.  I don’t want a credit, discount or anything.  Would just like to see from others if the food issue is a systemic issue or isolated.  I realize they lost a lot of money during the pandemic, but I’m sure there were many hundreds of millions collected by them in Govnt subsidies.  I don’t suggest using this bottom grade level of food to make up for any shortfalls.  It’s the quickest path to alienating all loyal customers. Thanks for reading !!  

I can't comment on the courtesy shuffle, that's well outside my area and don't know if that's something they should have accommodated or not.

However, I do agree that the general Windjammer standard on Symphony isn't great. We sailed on Symphony in April and again in May and we found the Windjammer very repetitive and not enough selection (the buffet area feels smaller than other Oasis Class ships).

To give a comparison though we were recently on Oasis and the standard of food was very good. Also, Windjammer on Odyssey is amazing and there is always tons of selection. For some reason they really seem to go all out with the buffet when it's Quantum Ultra. It must just be your luck and it varies in quality depending on the ship.

As @smokeybandit said, did you bring up these issues when you were onboard?

[teddy]

It’s hard not to judge when I read all the bad food threads.  Even I know that Royal Caribbean isn’t a high end cruise line with gourmet meals.  I also know I’m not paying thousands and thousands for a week long cruise like I would on a high end cruise line   
 

I grew up hungry though, so I guess my past experiences color my current thinking   

 

[KevinJ]

We're on the transatlantic this Sunday, to date I've not really had any issues with food so I guess we'll find out. 

[CrimsonCruiser]

I feel like I really need to hear more about just choosing to disembark early....

Like..I just....what.....