Food on board

Cruise ships I have discovered have a whole range of food that I for one had never tried and in many cases had never heard of! We had a table booked on one of the large restaurants and once you had been shown to the table that was yours for the cruise. The table was for eight, although only six of us were there for the meals. The waiters come around with a menu each and then pour a glass of cold water for all to help the meal go down.

Silver service of course, and the napkin is carefully placed on your lap as you sit. Of course as well the chair is pulled out and in as you site down. All very civilized of course. (Nearly all the staff on the ship are from Asia and I do wonder what they think serving, what to them must be rich people)

The menu has at least four and sometimes five starters and mains and dessert choices. Many of the choices on the menu I had not heard of, and for the most part left alone. But to be fair the greatest part of the meals that I tasted were very good indeed. The desserts especially were wonderful.

I did send a few back though and as they just do not want you ever to be disappointed, you are offered another choice straight away. The most memorable one I think was the lobster. This was a menu by Marco Pier White and was supposed to be spectacular. I had never tried lobster, and as it was on the menu, well of course I had to have it. It was quite frankly disgusting. I have to say that I have not got the palette that others have for this fancy food, and I will never try it again.

Another was Sea Bass. Ah! I thought I am on a winner. I like sea bass and have had it several times. But this came in some sort of orange coloured sauce and far to much of it. Horrible and back it went.

And three of us one day tried 'homemade faggots'. A specialty of Wales if you are down this way. Sold in many South Wales cafes, so what could go wrong. Well quite frankly everything. They were more liver than anything and not cooked enough. Three ordered and three sent back.

I do not want to give the impression here that I sent most of the fine grub back because I did not. The greatest part was wonderful, but perhaps a bit to wonderful for my simple taste.

There was also a 'buffet' type dinning room on the 14th floor open to all. You just turned up grabbed a plate and chose what you wanted out of a huge choice. And very nice it was as well, even if it did get a bit crowded. But as it was at the front end of the ship you had a nice view as we were sailing along.

To get from our cabin which was based at the stern of the ship to the buffet dining which we used occasionally, we had to walk up the corridor to the other end. I have put in a photo of the corridor to show how long it was.

And then deck 14 outside.