Question about food on DCL

[Masonmj84]

Just paid off our reservation for May on the Fantasy for our first ever DCL cruise (and first ever cruise of any kind).

While we're not foodies, food is a big part of our vaction experience. When at WDW, we mostly eat at TS restaurants, including signatures.

Anyway, I'm curious as to the general quality of DCL curise food versus WDW food (am trying to set my excpectations right).

Here's my impression based simply on research/reviews and I'd like to get experienced cruisers take on how close it is:

Cruise counter service = average WDW counter service
Cabanas buffet = average WDW character buffet (but not at the level of a better non-character buffet such as Boma)
Rotational dining = average Epcot World Showcase table service restaurant (e.g., Chefs de France, etc.)
Palo = average WDW resort signature restaurant (e.g., Cali Grill, Citricos, etc.)
Remy = Victoria & Alberts (or close)

How accurate are these generalizations?

 

[mickeyhereicome]

There are probably more experienced cruisers that will judge your assumptions on restaurants, but I will give my input. We have eaten at many WDW restaurants, including V&A chef table. We have done one cruise to Alaska last year. The dining experience is very much part of the fun of the cruising experience. We really enjoyed going to our MDR every evening and having the same servers. Over the cruise we really looked forward to seeing them every evening and if we saw them at breakfast or lunch, they would try to sit us with them. As for the food, some things were amazing, some a miss, but the best part was if you didn't like something you could easily switch it. What we have realized is people judge food differently, people love BOG dinner, we did not like the food at all. Something for brunch at Palo, for us. It was good, but we wished we just grabbed lunch and spent the time doing something else on the ship.

 

[lin7]

As much as I loved our first cruise, I would say food at the parks is better than on the ship. When we are at Disney we are usually are on the deluxe plan, so it's a lot of signature. After the cruise last year we spent an additional 10 days at Disney. I actually enjoyed the food at Cabanas better than the main dining room. Some of the entrees in the main dining room were good or just ok, but I really didn't enjoy most of the appetizer we were served. We really loved Cabanas and if given a choice, would have loved it as a option for main dining(buffet style)

 

[Tinknalli]

In my opinion counter service is counter service with variety better at WDW. Cabanas is better than character dining at WDW. Sit down is comparable. No experience with Remy and Palo.

 

[CarolynU]

I love DCL cruises but I don't rate the food very highly at all. Mass produced catering. It was better on the Fantasy than on the classics.
I think that it has declined over the years, however there are many other people who would vehemently disagree with my opinion, so there is no one definitive judgement.

 

[aussieGeorge68]

Based on my last Dream cruise, I am once again travelling 16,000km (10,000 miles for another disney cruise). The food and service was one of the things that impressed us.

Here is my opinion:

Cruise counter service = average WDW counter service, but with a lot less waiting and drama.

Cabanas buffet = The food on par with the best buffets at WDW but more casual and less drama and waiting.

Rotational dining = on par or better than most Epcot Restaurants.

Palo = I have not done most of the WDW restaurants, but not Victoria and Alberts. Palo is vastly superior to all the WDW restaurants I have attended. I rate Palo very highly.

Remy = I did not go to Remy.

 

[Namsupak]

To the OP your comparisons look close to me. One thing that is hard to account for is the ability to simply try anything you want without extra cost. The extra cost for Palo and Remy is well worth it. The chefs also cook without open flames. We enjoy the food on the ship for the most part.

 

[southerngirl528]

We travel quite a bit, and consider ourselves foodies of sorts. We place Palo as one of our all time favorite restaurant experiences. Anywhere.

I agree with the poster that dining on a Disney Cruise is a wonderful experience, and some items are fabulous, some not so much, but overall we consider the food quite good. And again as said before, on a cruise, if you don't love something you just ask for a replacement! One of the wonderful things about dining on DCL is the rotational dining, and one reason that is SO wonderful is that your fabulous servers rotate WITH you! They get to know you and your likes (the longer the cruise the better in this respect), and they go out of their way to please you.

BTW, Palo is incredible for both brunch and dinner! I would be hard pressed to decide which one I love better.

 

[jdb in AZ]

To the OP your comparisons look close to me. One thing that is hard to account for is the ability to simply try anything you want without extra cost. The extra cost for Palo and Remy is well worth it. The chefs also cook without open flames. We enjoy the food on the ship for the most part.

Usually. On the DCL Hawaii cruise they had a barbeque up on deck and there was a lot of flames, tho probably not intentionally. The head chef cremated my steak. Not amused. I like steak med-rare.

One challenge the food service has onboard is that all food has to be hauled onto the ship before each cruise. It's hard to keep everything fresh for the duration of a cruise, up to two weeks. WDW restaurants definitely have the advantage there.

 

[southerngirl528]

I had forgotten about the deck BBQ on the Wonder's Hawaii cruise, jdbinAZ! They did the same thing in Tracy Arm on the Alaska cruise. The open BBQ that is. Just curious, did you ask for another steak, or just settle for the "cremated" one?

 

[Downunder Minnies]

Hello...
For my input.

Palo : I would opt for paying an extra $25 a night and eating there every night. Food and service was EXCELLENT. Brunch is excellent also. Cannot fault Palo.

Remy: Was still good and would definately do again, but I do think Palo was better. My husband likes to debate me on this!

MDR : Was OK. IMO the best night's menu was 1st night. But the good thing here is to tell the wait staff what you like and wella... it will be on your table next night.

On the last night I saw a neighbouring table eating Indian food. I asked the waiter why I could not find it on the menu. He advised that they had requested it the night before. Never thinking anything more, I ordered from the menu. However.... what came out was my order and a plate of Indian curry!

This may not be the norm, but I do think that Disney will go out of there way to find a meal you will enjoy.