The changing culinary scene at sea a feast for foodies
by Patti Covello Pietschmann with photos by Richard J. Pietschmann
One of the very first times I ever experienced what a true epicurean would consider fine dining at sea was on board Crystal Cruises inaugural of the Harmony in 1990 (it has since been retired from the luxury line fleet which now boasts the Serenity and Symphony). We knew something was different. It was some of the best
food ever on a cruise ship—only equaled by a small French cruise company called Paquet
(which catered to mostly discerning Europeans back in the 1990s with fine food and a joie de
vivre ambiance but alas is no longer in service). After dining on the Harmony it was hard to find
such equally exceptional fare on any cruise ship, although back then Princess Cruise’s galleys
put up some top cuisine. Fast-forward to the mid-2000’s and all of sudden maritime cuisine took
Food continues to improve across the ocean--with restaurants such as the Nobu-inspired Silk Road on
Crystal Serenity and Symphony.
Then a couple of years ago ship cuisine sailed outside the box as cruise lines began recruiting top chefs to create menus in alternative dining rooms for which most charge a fee of $25 a person and up. Not only has the food become fresher and more creative it is more painstakingly presented. No longer is size what matters (portions have gotten smaller, more gourmet but you can ask for more) but better quality has become the rule of the seagoing galleys.
Today in an attempt to attract more discerning passengers and fine food-loving millennials cruise lines have
upgraded culinary efforts to present cuisine nearly as good as landside restaurants, at least most
of the time. The preparation is more gourmet-style, but still fairly light, portions are smaller,
although you may request more, and fruits and vegetables are fresher more almost farm to table
than ever before.Still some cruise lines do it better than others and the top (rated on as purely
personal level but with feedback from fellow passengers include in this order):
Crystal, Regent Seven Seas; Oceania; Seabourn; Silversea; and Princess in its alternative dining rooms.
Regent Seven Seas and Oceania dish out some of the most palate-pleasing meals at sea with a big nod to CEO FDR (Frank Del Rio) one of the founders of the sophisticated cruise lines (in 2002) who insists on quality before quantity and absolute freshness . Seabourn takes pride in it’s a la minute cuisine meaning your meals (and rightly so) which is served immediately not left cooking away under a heat lamp. Silversea also serves up some mighty fine fare and straight from the galley to table. Silversea's signature hot Rocks deck top restaurants (aka the Grill) cooked on a table top grill by you. Crystal Cruises excels in the
culinary department in its Silk Road-Nobu-inspired, and Prego-Valentino –inspired, alternative
dining venues while Princess puts out some tasty fare in its new restaurants created by super
chef Curtis Stone and its alternative dining rooms.
Below are food photos from Regent Seven Seas Mariner taken during a June 2016 Alaska cruise:
Much to the delight of discerning diners a sort of culinary war of the seas has erupted with ships small and large trying to lure passengers by well word of mouth.
by Patti Covello Pietschmann with photos by Richard J. Pietschmann
| Veal chop cooked at your table at Silverseas Hot Rock |
| Even breakfasts have improved, this at the Colonnade on Seabour |
| A culinary feast at Le Champagne on Silversea |
food ever on a cruise ship—only equaled by a small French cruise company called Paquet
(which catered to mostly discerning Europeans back in the 1990s with fine food and a joie de
vivre ambiance but alas is no longer in service). After dining on the Harmony it was hard to find
such equally exceptional fare on any cruise ship, although back then Princess Cruise’s galleys
put up some top cuisine. Fast-forward to the mid-2000’s and all of sudden maritime cuisine took
Food continues to improve across the ocean--with restaurants such as the Nobu-inspired Silk Road on
Crystal Serenity and Symphony.
| Carpaccio at Prego on Crystal Serenity |
Then a couple of years ago ship cuisine sailed outside the box as cruise lines began recruiting top chefs to create menus in alternative dining rooms for which most charge a fee of $25 a person and up. Not only has the food become fresher and more creative it is more painstakingly presented. No longer is size what matters (portions have gotten smaller, more gourmet but you can ask for more) but better quality has become the rule of the seagoing galleys.
Today in an attempt to attract more discerning passengers and fine food-loving millennials cruise lines have
upgraded culinary efforts to present cuisine nearly as good as landside restaurants, at least most
of the time. The preparation is more gourmet-style, but still fairly light, portions are smaller,
although you may request more, and fruits and vegetables are fresher more almost farm to table
than ever before.Still some cruise lines do it better than others and the top (rated on as purely
personal level but with feedback from fellow passengers include in this order):
Crystal, Regent Seven Seas; Oceania; Seabourn; Silversea; and Princess in its alternative dining rooms.
Regent Seven Seas and Oceania dish out some of the most palate-pleasing meals at sea with a big nod to CEO FDR (Frank Del Rio) one of the founders of the sophisticated cruise lines (in 2002) who insists on quality before quantity and absolute freshness . Seabourn takes pride in it’s a la minute cuisine meaning your meals (and rightly so) which is served immediately not left cooking away under a heat lamp. Silversea also serves up some mighty fine fare and straight from the galley to table. Silversea's signature hot Rocks deck top restaurants (aka the Grill) cooked on a table top grill by you. Crystal Cruises excels in the
culinary department in its Silk Road-Nobu-inspired, and Prego-Valentino –inspired, alternative
dining venues while Princess puts out some tasty fare in its new restaurants created by super
chef Curtis Stone and its alternative dining rooms.
Below are food photos from Regent Seven Seas Mariner taken during a June 2016 Alaska cruise:
Much to the delight of discerning diners a sort of culinary war of the seas has erupted with ships small and large trying to lure passengers by well word of mouth.
