Just off Dream... Disappointed....

[OurDogCisco]

Then you apparently have never sailed on (or were not paying attention to the musicians in the pit or off to the right or left of the stage) on:

Carnival (live bands in showrooms, clubs and pool deck)
http://www.carnival.com/onboard/cruise-entertainment/stage-shows.aspx
Note reference to musicians as part of live shows

Celebrity (live bands in showrooms, clubs and pool deck)
http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard/textLanding.do?pagename=onboard_entertainment
Note reference to musicians as part of live shows

Holland American (live bands in showrooms and clubs)
http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-onboard/Entertainment.action
Note reference to musicians as part of live shows

Princess (live bands in showrooms, clubs and pool deck)
http://www.princess.com/employment/onboard_employment/information/entertainment/info/music_department.html
Staffing site, not the range of musician positions referenced

Norwegian (live bands in showrooms, clubs and pool deck - and have expanded into having brand name acts such as Blue Man Group)
http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2012/06/norwegian-cruise-ship-rock-ages/793422/1
Overview of broad range of showroom and lounge entertainment

Cunard (live bands in showrooms and clubs, exceptional ensemble and solo instrumentalists in lounges and atriums)
http://www.cunard.com/Ships/Queen-Elizabeth/Leisure--Entertainment-/Evening-Entertainment//#Music
Overview of onboard entertainment

In conclusion, those who state DCL is vastly superior in entertainment to every other cruise line either have have a relatively narrow perspective on what constitutes entertainment (read: there is more to life than movie and theme park characters), or (more commonly) are making the sweeping "Disney is best" generalization with little to no knowledge of what else is at sea.

Aren't those just show bands? Disney hires show bands too. I don't think Disney uses any instruments for their main production shows but from my understanding other cruiselines will have a few instruments in the pit along with the tape music. Here's the music employment section for Disney:

Musicians:
Provides one-of-a-kind Disney entertainment. Those interested in becoming a Musician (Piano Players, Show Bands, Duos, Trios, and Quartets only) and/or be a Specialty Act (with a minimum of 72 minutes of material), please submit promotional materials for review to:

Disney Cruise Line
Entertainment Talent Manager
PO Box 10210
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
USA

Qualified candidates will be contacted for further information

 

[Yokelridesagain]

So if I am readng this correctly, 95% of food snobs say DCL food is bad?..and you can prove this?

So then all the rest of us and there are many many posts saying that DCL food is fine to great...........we all don't count?..only the 95% that you claim to represent?

Just doesn't seem to add up in my mind.


AKK

You can whatever opinion you like, and you're welcome to like the food on DCL, or at mass market chain restaurants, or fast food restaurants for that matter. Of course you "count", and it seems that there are enough of you who like DCL's food well enough (or who, like me, tolerate its general lack of quality because the rest of the programming makes up for it) that the cruise line hasn't felt the pressure to change it. Which is a pity.

As for the opinions of others, if you read cruise reviews from professionals (either on other sites, or in guidebooks) you simply don't hear anyone raving about food quality on Disney. It is widely acknowledged to be mediocre.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Pertinent to breadth of offerings and quality of entertainment and the live music component, they are listed later on in this post.

In conclusion, those who state DCL is vastly superior in entertainment to every other cruise line either have have a relatively narrow perspective on what constitutes entertainment (read: there is more to life than movie and theme park characters), or (more commonly) are making the sweeping "Disney is best" generalization with little to no knowledge of what else is at sea.

I didn't say that DCL is vastly superior -- I asked you which cruise lines YOU thought were vastly superior.

Celebrity has had some great stringed instrumentalists, but they've also had a quartet in the atrium night after night that was so off-key it was cringe-worthy. They did bring on Donald Cant one night, Australia's Phantom of the Opera. He was great.

Princess had the lousy hypnotist where the volunteers wouldn't stay hypnotized.

HAL was amateur-hour. We walked out on one performance and wished we could have left another.

On Disney's longer cruises they bring in guest artists including Susan Egan, who was the original Belle on Broadway's Beauty and the Beast. She did have a real live accompanist.

Disney's musical theatre productions have won awards, as in best-of-cruise awards, so they're obviously doing something right.

 

[interested]

We tried out RCCL and thought the food was awful. Shows were okay.

 

[carmiedog]

Agree that the veggie options are very clear on the menu.

However, I have to say I only ate vegetarian in the dining rooms and for the most part the entrees weren't that great. Edible (expect for one item I couldn't even make it halfway through), but not great.

I was much happier with the appetizers. The truffle purseittes? Now THOSE I would be happy dining on the whole cruise!

 

[MaleficentRN]

A quick Google search will give you every menu for every DCL ship. It's a great tool if you are a picky eater or have dietary restrictions.

 

[jilljill]

ummmm, nope. My post #24 is still there.....

That is what you tried on your DCL cruise - since I know the dishes you mentioned in that post. What dishes do you eat on your RCCL cruises?

 

[lilouisianagal]

Try to ask the head server to bring you an Indian meal. Yum Yum....there are several chefs/cooks on board from India so they do it very well.

Oh now I can't wait for my next [unscheduled] cruise! I wish they put those Indian dishes on the menu. I had a veggie strudel one night and it had the most divine curry sauce on it (I can't find it on the menus now though ).

Oh the entertainment front: We had a ventriloquist/comedian on our cruise who was a hoot! There was also a guy in the atrium that played a mean piano. I could use some variety in the nightly shows though--they all seem to run together.

 

[mmackeymouse]

I sprayed coffee on my monitor when I read this. Sorry, I know we all have different tastes but when you limit yourself like that, it should not be a suprise when you are disappointed. The cruise ship has to try and please 4,000 people! And probably 98.4% of them eat fish or meat or chicken of some kind.

I don't like this attitude of making the individual, in this case OP, but I would certainly qualify, out to be the bad guy and the person to blame, and making THEM feel guilty because of their taste palate.

If you didn't try the Black Truffle Pasta Purseittes, you missed a dish that is to die for!

I am so intrigued by this dish, but I do not like mushrooms or champagne. On our last cruise, in the few situations that I tried to be adventurous, it just didn't work out so well. As long as I stuck close to what I knew and what I liked, I didn't have any problems.

And for those wondering--you can eat baked potato and bread (plus a few bites of steak) for dinner for six nights and not gain any weight if you take the stairs on your cruise! LOL! We took the elevator just twice on our seven night cruise.

Hmmmm....I definitely like a good baked potato. It is a very delicate balance, isn't it? Getting it to the right temperature so that the potato is soft enough to mix with the toppings, and the butter is soft.....if you get it too hot, the butter becomes too liquidy. I am wondering how difficult it would be to talk the servers into bringing some fixins with the potato, mainly cheese, as I know they have that.


I think where OP is coming from, and I kind of see this, too......is you see on the planning videos and on the Travel Channel special, they go on and on and brag about how the servers will bend over backwards to make sure you get something good to eat. And, if you don't see something you like, as long as certain foods are available, they will put together something at your request. In this gal's experience, this wasn't the case. I mean, come on, how hard is it to put some plain pasta in a bowl, drizzle some olive oil on it, and call it a meal?

On our last cruise, I had seen on these boards that you can always get omelets eggs white only. It wasn't a big deal; all you had to do was ask. At the buffet, I was able to get an egg white only omelet with no trouble at all. When we were at a sit down breakfast, I ordered this omelet that sounded so delicious and I was quite looking forward to, and then asked for it egg-whites only. The server shook his head at me, and said, "Nope we cannot do that" I was so disappointed....not only because I was really looking forward to that omelet, but also, I felt like I was being dismissed and he was not even trying to accommodate a rather simple request. Either he was a) lying b) Acting on behalf of the chef, no special orders c) unaware that he should be able to fulfill my request. But for absolute sure, he was not even making an attempt to see if he could make it possible.

 

[squirrel]

I was a bit disappointed in the dining room dinners. I don't eat cooked vegetables. I wasn't able to get raw ones at any of the dinners-I asked every night. I also asked for the kid's menu almost every night to see if they ever got raw vegetables or sweet potato fries (was really looking forward to them) but never saw them listed.

I had steak (one night I had duck) and fries as my main entree. I did manage to get some salads without dressing so I did get some greens!

I don't understand how they can't get raw vegetables! At WDW on their kid's menus at least 1/2 the restaurants have veggies and dip.

Next year, I'm going to try to remember not to look at menus-then I won't be disappointed. I'll also need to not read any trip reports about how great someone elses servers were that they got them thinks from other dining rooms.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

You can whatever opinion you like, and you're welcome to like the food on DCL, or at mass market chain restaurants, or fast food restaurants for that matter. Of course you "count", and it seems that there are enough of you who like DCL's food well enough (or who, like me, tolerate its general lack of quality because the rest of the programming makes up for it) that the cruise line hasn't felt the pressure to change it. Which is a pity.

As for the opinions of others, if you read cruise reviews from professionals (either on other sites, or in guidebooks) you simply don't hear anyone raving about food quality on Disney. It is widely acknowledged to be mediocre.

I can see your point, but ........(yes theres always a but).I find most food experts are like wine experts.............they feel they are the only ones who can offer a opinion that is worth anything!.WRONG!

Food like Wine is very subjective..........I really dont care what the experts say.......to my mind and the folks we travel with and many who have posted on the diz, the DCL food and for that matter most of the lines is good to great eating.

AKK

 

[Wendy&Grumpy]

I mean, come on, how hard is it to put some plain pasta in a bowl, drizzle some olive oil on it, and call it a meal?

It's not hard at all - and it's been done for us many times, both on Dream and Fantasy - olive oil, red sauces, Alfredo, even with veggies and with chicken on the side. All we had to do was ask.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I was a bit disappointed in the dining room dinners. I don't eat cooked vegetables. I wasn't able to get raw ones at any of the dinners-I asked every night. I also asked for the kid's menu almost every night to see if they ever got raw vegetables or sweet potato fries (was really looking forward to them) but never saw them listed.

I had steak (one night I had duck) and fries as my main entree. I did manage to get some salads without dressing so I did get some greens!

I don't understand how they can't get raw vegetables! At WDW on their kid's menus at least 1/2 the restaurants have veggies and dip.

Next year, I'm going to try to remember not to look at menus-then I won't be disappointed. I'll also need to not read any trip reports about how great someone elses servers were that they got them thinks from other dining rooms.

It could have been a health safety issue, They may not be allowed to serve uncook food, except for like salads.........

AKK

 

[mammacaryn]

Very strange, my post on this thread seems to have disappeared? Didn't think I broke any rules, especially since some of the comments I am reading on this thread are extremely snarky.

 

[sshep30]

I'm newer to posting here, but I post alot on cruise critic... as a Diamond (almost Plus) member of Royal Caribbean... we sail alot.

I got a great last minute Fl resident rate and decided to take my daughter on the Dream since she didn't have school.

The ship was beautiful, the service was fine, but the food was AWFUL. I had seriously high hopes from all the reviews of everyone saying how fantastic the food is etc.... I do not eat seafood, I do not eat red meat, and I rarely eat chicken. When I told my server this, he made no effort to help get me a meal that I could eat... so every night I had soup for dinner. And if your hungry late afternoon the only option is the fast-foody type stuff on the pool deck... there's only so much pizza a girl can eat . I asked on the 2nd and 3rd night if there was any type of pasta option I could have and I was told I could order off the kids menu. Really??? very dissapointing.

I'm sure we'll sail again on Disney for our daughter, buy probably not for a long time.

I feel like the menu is more for someone with an adventurous palete... if that's not to your liking there is no "safe" list to choose from. =(

Honestly, you seem like a tough customer in general. There are so many things you don't eat. Did you let the cruise line know before you went that you are practically a vegan? Did you eat at Remi or Paolo? Both are wonderful. Sorry you didn't like the food.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Very strange, my post on this thread seems to have disappeared? Didn't think I broke any rules, especially since some of the comments I am reading on this thread are extremely snarky.

Seems your not the only one..............others, myself included, feel we didnt break any rules but the mods feel differently.

AKK

 

[Wendy&Grumpy]

Very strange, my post on this thread seems to have disappeared? Didn't think I broke any rules, especially since some of the comments I am reading on this thread are extremely snarky.

I believe if you quoted a post that was removed, your post would also be removed in order to remove the offending original post.

 

[bats]

We've sailed 5 times on DCL and are just about to undertake cruise number 6 (woohoo gold!!). Mick is a meat eater and will try almost anything, so for him, the menu and food is great. For me, as a veggie, it's just ok.

The food quality has always been fine as far as I'm concerned and I realise that as I'm a veggie and have allergies to peppers and onions, it's not gonna be easy to choose, BUT .... I really wish DCL would change their veggie menu every year. They have had the same Quinoa nugget things for over 5 years on pirate night. Most of the other stuff on the veggie options hasn't been changed for over 2 -3 years and this is the thing for me which disappoints.

As a meat eater, Mick can choose a different option each cruise and still not have sampled the whole menu .. For me, it's same thing!

I know the chefs will prepare me something special and sometimes I do ask for this, but I don't like to be awkward ... I just want a change of menu every now and again!

I don't starve though ... That pizza from any of the fast food outlets is gourmet!

 

[PrincessTrisha]

It's not hard at all - and it's been done for us many times, both on Dream and Fantasy - olive oil, red sauces, Alfredo, even with veggies and with chicken on the side. All we had to do was ask.

But that's not everyone's experience - it really depends on your server. The OP did not have a server who was willing to work with her to find what she'd eat. I've had similar bad experiences where one night I didn't have an entree because there wasn't anything on the main menu that I wanted, I asked for the plain chicken and the server refused!

Not everything on a DCL cruise is all sunshine and happiness and not all servers (or head servers) are wonderful.

 

[mmouse37]

Very strange, my post on this thread seems to have disappeared? Didn't think I broke any rules, especially since some of the comments I am reading on this thread are extremely snarky.

If you happened to have quoted a post that was deleted your post would have been removed. Nothing wrong with your post but if it quoted a post in question the whole post gets deleted.

MJ