My wife and I were on a Caribbean cruise and decided to eat at one of the specialty restaurants on the ship. They charge an extra fee per person for these meals. The Italian restaurant we chose was wonderful in terms of service (attentive and informative), taste (everything was great), and ambience (quiet, view). The problem? The meal was so huge it became dissatisfying. Yes, we were told the meal was a 16 course dinner (12 courses reflect different hot and cold appetizers served family style, then salad, pasta, entrée, and desert). Not wanting to miss out on our money’s worth, we began by eating all of the appetizers. Realizing we were already getting full, we started to ease off on the pasta, but it was all very, very tasty.
Then our entrées arrived. I had ordered a veal chop. When it appeared, I was stunned. It was the size of the state of Delaware! I can’t even remember what my wife ordered. Well, it too was just so great. I ate it! It was a struggle! We passed on desert and left feeling full beyond belief and not particularly comfortable. The rest of the night was pretty hellish!
This was all clearly self-inflicted hell, but I still cannot believe the size of the entrées that were served on top of the amount of food in the previous courses. I have to imagine the wait staff were laughing on the inside. Yes, we could have taken a doggie bag, but on a cruise one only has access to a fridge, so we would have to eat the leftovers cold. I learned my lesson. We still love to cruise, but we’re never doing a 16 course meal again!
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I love cruising! I'm so jealous after reading this! Glad you enjoyed it!
According to the poster, they endured a "self-inflected hell". Doesn't sound like they enjoyed it at all.
Ha Ha Ha this made me laugh so much. I've always wanted to go on a cruise holiday myself. Although I can understand the huge portions as a cruise is really an eating holiday. You're processing so many meals you're really not eating.
Getting your moneys worth? Seriously, eating is not a sport. Try savouring the food instead of stuffing so much into your gaping maw that you make yourself ill. You must weigh 500lbs. No wonder you only eat at chain restaurants. They are all based on quantity, not quality.
Ugh. I can conceive of no power on earth that could ever get me on a cruise ship again. The food is definitely one of the 'highlights' or lowlights and you will certainly never go hungry… but lord all of those painful, tedious, meals sitting with people you don't know and constantly engaging in idle small talk was more than enough to have me seriously considering jumping overboard and swimming home.
You don't need to eat with other folks anymore. Just go with any time dining or freestyle cruising. My wife and I eat by ourselves in the dining rooms. You just ask for a table for 2.
16 courses? That's ridiculous.
Really? You knew it would be a 16 course meal and you still gorged yourselves on appetizers?