Carnival MDR food quality going down?

I have a theory I want to pose to everyone and see what yall think. From what I have heard on reviews on here and from what I have seen in the past several years, the food quality in the MDR is on the decline. It seems variety selection and quality are declining. Is that a fair statement? If it is true, why do you think?

My theory is that cruise lines, Carnival specifically (maybe others) are trying to get passengers to switch to the pay for restaurants by lessoning the quality and variety in the main dining room. I think they are doing this gradually to eventually make the change to a pay for all of your food cruise system. I think if they just starting charging for all food on the cruise, they would see big declines in ridership so they have decided to get customers to slowly pay for better food, comparable to what you used to get in the mdr.

What do yall think?

I don't think cruise ship food is worth formulating theories. If the food bugs you that much, switch to a different cruise line.

Possibly like we're heard about reductions in cabin stewards there's been a reduction in galley cooks/staff.

The food doesn't bother me. Its actually quite the opposite. I'm fairly content with the mdr food and food options in general. I am just wondering if Carnival is positioning itself to eventually charge for all food on the ship. Eventually. Now that would bother me and cause me to change to a different cruise line.

I've cruised for thirty years. People have always said the food is going downhill. And it may have been. Also many say it is to push people to the for pay restaurants. It may be.

I do think the quality of the meats and seafood has declined. But I notice that in land based restaurants that offer a meal for less than $20 or so.

But I think there will always some line smart enough to offer the almost "all inclusive" cruise. All inclusives are very popular on land.

While I won't theorize on the reason, other than bottom line profits, I agree the variety and quality of meals, and the service in the MDR have consistently declined over the past few years.

More options is nothing but a euphemism for "take away something previously included and replace it with for-charge items."

Given I want to cruise, and can't find a reason to try other lines I can afford, Carnival still offers a good value to me. The scale seems to diminish with each sailing and I'm not sure which straw will finally make it no longer a good value.

It doesn't make me mad, just sad.

I've cruised for thirty years. People have always said the food is going downhill. And it may have been. Also many say it is to push people to the for pay restaurants. It may be.

 

I do think the quality of the meats and seafood has declined. But I notice that in land based restaurants that offer a meal for less than $20 or so.

 

But I think there will always some line smart enough to offer the almost "all inclusive" cruise. All inclusives are very popular on land.

We've always been happy with the food onboard, both in the MDR and elsewhere. Only this last time out, we had some issues in the MDR, but it was with the service we received from part of our wait team. But the food, no complaints from me whatsoever. And I think food and service have actually gone down at some land-based restaurants that I've been frequenting for many years.

As to the all-inclusive...we did our first and only stay at an AI in Cancun a couple of years ago. The resort was not "5 star" by any stretch, but was rated well above average and was part of a chain. The food at that particular AI, though not bad, was far worse than anything I've had on any Carnival ship that I've been on.

Food is subjective. And more people post complaints/negative thoughts than compliments/positive thoughts, so for every complaint posted, I feel there are far more compliments, just NOT posted.

But what do I know?

If you believe everything you read here on CC, then I have a bridge for sale in NY for you; slightly used and over 100 years old.

If people don't like cruising, they can always take another land-based vacation, trapped in some low quality resort with overpriced and crappy food, rooms that were new 20+ years ago, facilities that are in decline and booze that's even more expensive than a ship's.

IMO, the majority of complaints here on CC, are because people were "offended" the way they were treated, have unreasonable expectations for a cruise, take short cruises and project their opinions from that limited experience, and expect to be treated like royalty when staying in an inside cabin on Deck 1.

No offense to anyone who cruises on Deck 1, inside cabins, as we all buy the vacations we want to spend money on and spend how we want to.

Reality is, the majority of complaints are just that, complaints. Go work in the service industry and you'll realize that you can never make 100% of the people happy 100% of the time.

There's a reason CCL is the largest cruise line. It's not because they deliver a deficient or substandard product.

There's always the buffet of you don't like MDR. Even room service too. Heck, you can just eat pizza for a week if that floats your boat.

nchikk, love your comments.

And you are right there must be more positive experiences around because they keep building and filling ships.

One constant is change.

If you believe everything you read here on CC, then I have a bridge for sale in NY for you; slightly used and over 100 years old.

 

If people don't like cruising, they can always take another land-based vacation, trapped in some low quality resort with overpriced and crappy food, rooms that were new 20+ years ago, facilities that are in decline and booze that's even more expensive than a ship's.

 

IMO, the majority of complaints here on CC, are because people were "offended" the way they were treated, have unreasonable expectations for a cruise, take short cruises and project their opinions from that limited experience, and expect to be treated like royalty when staying in an inside cabin on Deck 1.

 

No offense to anyone who cruises on Deck 1, inside cabins, as we all buy the vacations we want to spend money on and spend how we want to.

 

Reality is, the majority of complaints are just that, complaints. Go work in the service industry and you'll realize that you can never make 100% of the people happy 100% of the time.

 

There's a reason CCL is the largest cruise line. It's not because they deliver a deficient or substandard product.

 

There's always the buffet of you don't like MDR. Even room service too. Heck, you can just eat pizza for a week if that floats your boat.

nchikk, love your comments.

 

And you are right there must be more positive experiences around because they keep building and filling ships.

 

One constant is change.

This pretty much sums it up.

Another conspiracy theorist bites the dust only to likely rise again to dredge up this overwrought fodder. It is a classic barn-burner and ranks up there with the no more adult only pool debate.

I just talked to 7 ladies that have been on 30 plus cruises. They said "I will love Carnival. The food is always amazing".

I work at a fine dining steakhouse so I'm a little picky on food and service. I'll prob eat at the steakhouse, Italian place and sushi place most the time anyway

ICarnival specifically (maybe others) are trying to get passengers to switch to the pay for restaurants by lessoning the quality and variety in the main dining room.

How are they gonna cram 3 - 4 thousand people in the small pay for venues?

The main question here is do yall think that Carnival is diminishing the free or included mdr service and quality and trying to get passengers to buy the service. At this point I'm not complaining about any service or really the quality. I think it varies and has gone down some but I'm also in the service industry food industry and I find the mdr food and service to generally be pretty good and I enjoy it. I just wonder if we will eventually have to pay extra for it?

I just wonder if we will eventually have to pay extra for it?

A lot of people theorize that the only included meals will one day be in the Lido buffet only and that everything else will have a charge. I just cant buy the idea that they are doing it on purpose to drive 3-4K people into the specialty dining venues that cost an upcharge. Its just not possible.

I guess it depends upon how you eat at home and when your on vacation. As for me, I buy top quality beef, organic poultry and when I am away on land based vacations I dine at 4/5 star restaurants only, so its only obvious that I find the food on Carnival (especially the buffets) to be low quality TO ME......in fact, I have found so many items to be inedible! If a person eats Mcdonalds lets say and then goes to the MDR and eats the flat iron steak they sure to say the beef is excellent and the hamburgers on Carnival are excellent...it all depends upon how you eat at home and what you are used to.

I do think out of all RC specialty restaurants, that Carnivals Steakhouse is the best! When we cruise Carnival, we make sure to have dinner each night at the Steakhouse, its excellent and so is the service!

The main question here is do yall think that Carnival is diminishing the free or included mdr service and quality and trying to get passengers to buy the service. At this point I'm not complaining about any service or really the quality. I think it varies and has gone down some but I'm also in the service industry food industry and I find the mdr food and service to generally be pretty good and I enjoy it. I just wonder if we will eventually have to pay extra for it?

Close the Fish and Chips which used to serve free at lunch, and replace it with Seafood Shack for a fee.

Eliminate shrimp salad from free room service menu, add chicken wings for a fee.

Eliminate Beef Wellington from most American Table menus, add choices from the Steakhouse, even on those ships with no steakhouse, for a fee.

Nah, I just can't pinpoint any sort of trend. Must be a conspiracy theory.

If food in MDR and buffet is unacceptable to you, pay more and eat at specify restaurants. Expecting to get something better for nothing is simply unrealistic.

Close the Fish and Chips which used to serve free at lunch, and replace it with Seafood Shack for a fee.

 

Eliminate shrimp salad from free room service menu, add chicken wings for a fee.

 

Eliminate Beef Wellington from most American Table menus, add choices from the Steakhouse, even on those ships with no steakhouse, for a fee.

 

Nah, I just can't pinpoint any sort of trend. Must be a conspiracy theory.

OP asked about MDR

Fish and Chips? Not MDR

Room service? Not MDR

Beef Wellington? Was on the MDR menu last night

If food in MDR and buffet is unacceptable to you, pay more and eat at specify restaurants. Expecting to get something better for nothing is simply unrealistic.

By golly I believe you answered OP's question. Pay more!

OP asked about MDR

 

Fish and Chips? Not MDR

Room service? Not MDR

Beef Wellington? Was on the MDR menu last night

The OPs theory is that they are lowering MDR quality and trying to push pay options. By replacing food services outside MDR they are adding the exact options the OP was talking about. Some people may say, "Hey the menu isn't that great tonight at MDR, lets go toe the fish place." As people get used to paying for more of their food the cruise line could slowly remove the free options so it isn't a shock. Not a crazy idea. Not that I agree that it's a full blown conspiracy to remove MDR. But I do think they are trying to make more profit from food options.

By golly I believe you answered OP's question. Pay more!

Yeah, freedom of choice. Pay to play. Isn't this what free market economy and capitalism are all about?

By golly I believe you answered OP's question. Pay more!

Exactly. Expecting something better for free is realistic when that's always been standard and now it is changing.

The cruise lines doing this are doing what airlines did with baggage. Yeah you can fly for cheap but don't expect to take your bags free. Cruising is changing. Used to be food was the big draw. You expect great fancy meals for your cruise. But that just isn't realistic with Carnival's pricing, in my opinion. They are moving toward a price strategy that you can get on the ship cheap, even eat cheap. But if you want the better stuff you will have to pay for it. I have no problem with the strategy. It allows people to choose their experience.

Exactly. Expecting something better for free is realistic when that's always been standard and now it is changing.

Nope, you are always free to find a better deal somewhere else. This hasn't changed whether it's 2007 or 2017.

OP asked about MDR

 

Fish and Chips? Not MDR

Room service? Not MDR

Beef Wellington? Was on the MDR menu last night

How right you are. Declining quality and service in the MDR is not the only thing nudging cruisers to pay-for choices. Thank you.

I have a theory I want to pose to everyone and see what yall think. From what I have heard on reviews on here and from what I have seen in the past several years, the food quality in the MDR is on the decline. It seems variety selection and quality are declining. Is that a fair statement? If it is true, why do you think?

 

My theory is that cruise lines, Carnival specifically (maybe others) are trying to get passengers to switch to the pay for restaurants by lessoning the quality and variety in the main dining room. I think they are doing this gradually to eventually make the change to a pay for all of your food cruise system. I think if they just starting charging for all food on the cruise, they would see big declines in ridership so they have decided to get customers to slowly pay for better food, comparable to what you used to get in the mdr.

 

What do yall think?

What do I think? I think the foodies that go on cruises, whether it's on Carnival or some other cruise line, will always complain about the quality of the food, especially if it's not prepared to their liking. That's whether it's dinner in the MDR, one of the specialty restaurants, or the buffet. Of the thousands of people that cruise every year, there will always be someone that complains about the food. Same with the entertainment, and the many other things that some complain about. To answer your question about whether or not Carnival is trying to get passengers to switch to specialty restaurants that they have to pay extra for, the answer is "No". If Carnival got enough complaints from passengers about the overall quality of the food, they would just buy the food from a different supplier (or suppliers), and, if necessary, raise cruise fares across the board.