As I sit here - Day 3 post-cruise - eating my Aldi-substitute Lean Cuisine and the kids scoff down spag bol, my mind drifts back to meal times aboard the Pacific Eden.
I put down my fork to try and formulate the right words about the gastronomical experiences my family had and have decided it will take more than one post. So, this is kind of a prelude to further posts in which I will go into more details about the different restaurants: The Pantry, Waterfront, Salt Grill, Angelo's, Dragon Lady and The Grill. I didn't order any room service nor did we dine at the Chef's Table so will have to review those another time (hopefully).
Before reading on, I'd like to say I honestly do not mean to offend anyone. Please remember these are my words, my experiences and I am aware everyone has different tastes and expectations. I met a number of lovely people aboard who had certain dietary requirements that did not have a positive food experience on their cruise, but I cannot speak on their behalf. To give you a little insight into my eating habits there are a few things to keep in mind:
- I LOVE food. I have tried nearly every cuisine and will enjoy most food/meats (except pork)
- I have had many periods of my life where I have been both vegetarian, pescatarian and eaten gluten-free
- For a few years, I was a Dining Reviewer for a number of Sydney local newspapers
- I love cooking and baking and cooking shows
- I have a crazy sweet tooth
- I'm spoilt with delicious homemade authentic Croatian and Arabic food c/o my mothers regularly
- I'd happily eat a pizza or a gourmet meal and my family eat out at least once a week
- My children eat well MOST of the time, but Maccas is sometimes an option.
- I've worked in restaurants, patisseries and, at one job, had a chef cook for me daily
- My biggest pet-hate is food wastage
So, I suppose, that gives you a little insight into my relationship with food, and while I am going to try and be objective, obviously my experiences will be somewhat tinged with my own preferences.
As any parent will know, "What's for dinner (breakfast, lunch)?" is the most common question hurled around a house. Sometimes, I'll happily answer, other times - especially when I couldn't be arsed cooking - I pray for a genie to appear in a puff of purple smoke and satisfy each of my monkey's whimsical fancy. I am terribly lucky my husband is grateful for anything I cook and has only ONCE in 13 years not liked my cooking. What can I say, I'm pretty extraordinary! So, the thought of not having to cook ANYTHING or prepare ONE meal for 12 days was probably what I was most looking forward to. And, NO CLEANING UP. I'm not lazy, just worn out - it's been a long year! I know many of you will empathise.
The week before boarding, I scoured social media for reviews about the food on the Eden and the new concept, The Pantry. I read everything from 'disgusting' to 'very good' from 'the portions were too small' to 'portions were too big.' To be honest I got a little nervous until my husband knocked sense into me and said, "You've eaten on cruise ships before, and it was great. And, remember, no cooking or cleaning."
So, I went with an open mind and an open gut. What I found was that we ate well. We ate a variety of dishes, we were served courteously and generously. We were never hungry and we were waited on by tremendous staff.
Some of the comments I heard while walking around the ship (okay, we've established I'm a professional eavesdropper) made me feel physically ill combined with white-hot rage. Words that referred to the food as being 'repulsive', 'sickening' and 'gross'. And then, the manner in which some passengers talked to the food servers and waiters made my stomach turn. I did also hear many polite passengers who were grateful and courteous and it warmed my heart that all of the children I saw said "Please" and "Thank you".
Yes, some of the meal options were repetitive, but here's a newsflash people:
I was guilty of gluttony - eating three pastries along with a couple of eggs and toast is not my normal breakfast routine - so I'm not in any way saying I'm holier than thou. When on holidays, humans seem to break the rules and think, 'Well, I'm on holidays so I'll indulge' and that's normal, that okay. What I am trying to articulate is the embarrassment I felt when I heard people constantly complaining about the food. I pray none of these people ever experience hunger, there are too many starving people in this world.
I'll get off my soapbox now and continue with my reviews of the various dining options with my usual dry wit and engaging flair.
Stay tuned...
