The food on the fantasy was really bland…

[CampbellzSoup]

Hey everyone I’m going to do a full review when I get back! However the real thing I was sorely disappointed in was the Disney Fantasy food! We just did a back to back cruise on the Norwegian Espace and while nothing compared to disneys five star entertainment, cast and gorgeous ship decor the food was sorely lacking…

My server team was incredible so I feel if I give a negative review on the comment card I heard it effects them harshly…seriously again shocked about the quality standard between disney and Norwegian let’s hope they can step it up

 

[lklgoodman]

How was the food on NCL? We're going on our 8th Disney cruise in 2 weeks, 4th time on the Fantasy. We have Alaska cruise booked on NCL Encore for 2023. I'm excited to try NCL and all they have to offer.

 

[jujubiee4]

I think it was mentioned on the DisUnplugged podcast how the Fantasy food was for the
first time disappointing. I think the Royal Court. Something about no flavor on certain
things (soup)?

 

[CampbellzSoup]

How was the food on NCL? We're going on our 8th Disney cruise in 2 weeks, 4th time on the Fantasy. We have Alaska cruise booked on NCL Encore for 2023. I'm excited to try NCL and all they have to offer.

Trust me as a huge Disney fan it pains me to say this but we did back to back and the food quality variety and taste BLEW disney out of the water.

 

[tvguy]

Well, Disney does cater to children and children love bland food. It has been a criticism I have seen posted here many times in my 19 years on the DIS.

 

[ThinkTink1]

How was the food on NCL? We're going on our 8th Disney cruise in 2 weeks, 4th time on the Fantasy. We have Alaska cruise booked on NCL Encore for 2023. I'm excited to try NCL and all they have to offer.

We will be in there with you!!

 

[Sweettears]

Well, Disney does cater to children and children love bland food. It has been a criticism I have seen posted here many times in my 19 years on the DIS.

Also picky adults

 

[squirk]

Also picky adults

https://www.theonion.com/fussy-eater-38-1819576022

 

[randumb0]

I would welcome more adventurous food but most people would complain. You're in the Bahamas so how about some Bahamian mac and cheese along with rice and pigeon peas?

 

[Sweettears]

https://www.theonion.com/fussy-eater-38-1819576022

Lol

 

[brentm77]

It's not surprising. It's my biggest complaint about DCL food. By the end of the week, I start getting the feeling that all the food is the same and I am ready to eat off the ship. It's pretty good food overall (for mass produced), but it lacks personality since they purposely keep seasoning and spice to a minimum. I laugh when the severs warn me a dish will be spicy and many people send it back, because spicy doesn't exist on a Disney ship.

Not all Americans are culinary babies Disney. I would love to see them offer more adventurous international dishes and flavors. The parks have some great options in this area, and they are extremely popular.

 

[MomOTwins]

I wonder if OP was eating at the specialty restaurants on Norwegian, as I hear their MDRs are not nearly as good as the upcharge places. I definitely think there was a missed opportunity on the Wish to add a family friendly upcharge restaurant. Disney world allows kids at nearly all of its signature restaurants and I’ve always loved being able to have a really great meal at Cali Grill, Jiko etc. without sacrificing family meal time. I know people hate the nickel and dime-ing aspect of upcharge restaurants but the fact is the MDRs serve too many people to have food made to order or to be too creative with the recipes, whereas specialty restaurants can deliver a better meal by limiting reservations.

 

[squirk]

It's not surprising. It's my biggest complaint about DCL food. By the end of the week, I start getting the feeling that all the food is the same and I am ready to eat off the ship. It's pretty good food overall (for mass produced), but it lacks personality since they purposely keep seasoning and spice to a minimum. I laugh when the severs warn me a dish will be spicy and many people send it back, because spicy doesn't exist on a Disney ship.

Not all Americans are culinary babies Disney. I would love to see them offer more adventurous international dishes and flavors. The parks have some great options in this area, and they are extremely popular.

I really wish DCL’s default was the other way around (at least, as far as the adult menus go) - start with courses that are innovative and unique, and then “dumb things down” to make them blander upon request. But as @MomOTwins said, that might not be feasible given the sheer number of people being served.

I remember reading here once that someone said they loved Indian food and was bummed that none of the menus offered anything in that regard. When they mentioned that fact to their server, he had the kitchen work up a 100% off-menu curry dish that was really flavorful.

I also seem to remember that the server said that the kitchen staff (who were from South Asia) enjoyed the chance to make something from their home country vs. cranking out bland chicken breasts and filets.

I may actually try that the next time I sail. I'd love to get a hot curry entree.

 

[TestingH2O]

My daughter stopped eating off the kids menu when she was 5. She enjoys most of the fish dishes and now lamb. Her favorite, though, is the curry.
While I wouldn’t call the adult MDR food adventurous, the kids menu food is atrocious. Macaroni is gluey and bland. Fries are grainy. So icky.

 

[TestingH2O]

remember reading here once that someone said they loved Indian food and was bummed that none of the menus offered anything in that regard. When they mentioned that fact to their server, he had the kitchen work up a 100% off-menu curry dish that was really flavorful.

We ask for the curry; it’s whatever is on the menu in the crew area that day. There’s always a meat and a veggie option. It can be hard to get it on the first night, but our servers have always been happy to do it on subsequent nights.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I wonder if OP was eating at the specialty restaurants on Norwegian, as I hear their MDRs are not nearly as good as the upcharge places. I definitely think there was a missed opportunity on the Wish to add a family friendly upcharge restaurant. Disney world allows kids at nearly all of its signature restaurants and I’ve always loved being able to have a really great meal at Cali Grill, Jiko etc. without sacrificing family meal time. I know people hate the nickel and dime-ing aspect of upcharge restaurants but the fact is the MDRs serve too many people to have food made to order or to be too creative with the recipes, whereas specialty restaurants can deliver a better meal by limiting reservations.

I had two diners at the the specialty restaurants in Norwegian which also too were amazing. Again as a huge disney fan it was fun comparing the two ships side by side in terms of quality. Norwegians main dining room also was very very good as well. I’m not understanding some of the comparisons in terms of adventures food the food options and choices are pretty similar on both ships just one way better. Kids like good food too FYI.

for instance just grab and go the burgers in Disney were dry hockey pucks the pizza flat and tasteless the opposite was true on the other ship just for food you can take and go Comparatively speaking

I love disney I just wish it would step up in the food quality to really seal the deal as the best cruise line.

 

[lklgoodman]

I had two diners at the the specialty restaurants in Norwegian which also too were amazing. Again as a huge disney fan it was fun comparing the two ships side by side in terms of quality. Norwegians main dining room also was very very good as well. I’m not understanding some of the comparisons in terms of adventures food the food options and choices are pretty similar on both ships just one way better. Kids like good food too FYI.

for instance just grab and go the burgers in Disney were dry hockey pucks the pizza flat and tasteless the opposite was true on the other ship just for food you can take and go Comparatively speaking

I love disney I just wish it would step up in the food quality to really seal the deal as the best cruise line.

Which specialty restaurants did you try? We get 2 free dinners at 2 restaurants. We definitely want to go to Le Bistro and then can't decide between Cagney's, Ocean Blue, or Texas Q Barbque(I think that's the name of it). The Mexican restaurant also looks really good. So many yummy options!

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Which specialty restaurants did you try? We get 2 free dinners at 2 restaurants. We definitely want to go to Le Bistro and then can't decide between Cagney's, Ocean Blue, or Texas Q Barbque(I think that's the name of it). The Mexican restaurant also looks really good. So many yummy options!

Moderna The Brazilian Steakhosuse…was comparable or even better than Texas De Brazil which it emulates heavily and I was SHOCKED stunningly good and the service was amazing!

Cagneys of course was the second choice as you have to try their signature steak house which was GOOD but Moderna definitely better!

 

[Sarahslay]

It's not surprising. It's my biggest complaint about DCL food. By the end of the week, I start getting the feeling that all the food is the same and I am ready to eat off the ship. It's pretty good food overall (for mass produced), but it lacks personality since they purposely keep seasoning and spice to a minimum. I laugh when the severs warn me a dish will be spicy and many people send it back, because spicy doesn't exist on a Disney ship.

Not all Americans are culinary babies Disney. I would love to see them offer more adventurous international dishes and flavors. The parks have some great options in this area, and they are extremely popular.

They do this in the parks too, several of the 50th anniversary special dishes are "spicy"....or they said they were. They have chili powder in them, but they weren't spicy at all. I was at Tiffins and ordered a cocktail and dessert that both had "spice" in them, server warned me that people send them back because they are "so spicey people can't handle them". He even pointed out to me the area in the dessert where the spice was....and that's the first bite I took since I was sharing with my dad and he hates anything spicey. Couldn't taste it at all, not in that or the drink, and I was like "come on man, I thought this was supposed to be spicey?!"It is my only issue with the mass produced food, that most people can't handle any heat, and that a majority of people are not adventurous eaters so it's all catered to them.

 

[tvguy]

Well, they do a better job of fixing up to 4,000 meals a night than I would.