cruiser4four

We usually tip the wait staff $2 each person everytime we dine in the MDR ($6 total), the room steward $5 per day, and if there's a person we see constantly in the Lido buffet who clean our table we usually tip $1. We also tip the coffee bar staff $1 or $2 and the room service folks $2-$3.

So we're currently on Carnival Paradise and I noticed something at the Mongolian Wok - the chicken is pre-cooked. In an effort to save time I'm guessing Carnival is pre-cooking the chicken. The first day we had it we couldn't understand the weird tasting chicken but on the second day I saw it. It appears the chicken is pre-cooked then put into the fridge and then brought out as needed. I'm not a culinary expert but it looks pre-cooked to me, as opposed to the way fresh chicken looks. I've been having my Mongolian Wok without chicken since then. Just sharing what I noticed.

We loved the Tandoor on our last cruise and ate there every day. Its a wonderful change from the burgers, pizza, hot dogs, fried chicken, etc which we can get at home anytime. I wish they would extend it to other ships as well. For our upcoming cruise we specifically looked for ships which had it but unfortunately none of them were sailing out of our homeport so we had to settle.

I'm a little confused and have a question...

When the ship docks in St. Thomas, are there beaches on St. Thomas or do you have to go to St. John to find a beach? From what I've been reading everyone has been talking about taking the ferry but is it possible to stay on St. Thomas not too far from the cruise ship dock and find a beach there without wasting time on the ferry?

On our last cruise the wait staff was litetally running from table to table. Quality of service has definitely declined but it's not their fault. We had anytime dining where many people dont tip, but I always tip the team members after each meal and they were very appreciative.

So CCL should just waive booking conditions whenever someone raises the loyalty flag?

Yes. Sometimes good customer relations is worth more in the long run than a few bucks.

For different reasons, I have booked an upcoming cruise on MSC, with plans also for a cruise on NCL. I dont dislike Carnival, but some things on the last two cruises bothered me enough to seek out a different cruiseline. Price used to be my bottom line reason for booking Carnival, plus having always enjoyed my cruises with them, but Carnival no longer offers the best price for me, as well as some policies that I do not like, so I am taking my cruise business elsewhere for now. I dont rule them out again in the future, but for now, I need to try something new.

This is exactly how I feel. We recently returned from a great resort and had a wonderful time. It wasn't my first choice, Carnival was, but our last cruise left a sour taste in my mouth. That old familiar experience that got me hooked doesn't seem to be there anymore. Now I'm looking into more resorts as opposed to cruises with Carnival. I will also be looking at other cruise lines.

When Carnival sells your room they won't have lost anything.

 

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They would lose the loyalty of a customer who's now going on a cruise with another line.

You should post this to John Heald's Facebook. I'm tired of huge companies having no consideration for their customers anymore. I was always a loyal Carnival fan and told anyone who asked me about cruising that they should cruise with Carnival and I would help them find a cruise whenever they were ready to give cruising a try. Well not anymore. Seems like they don't care about customer satisfaction or loyalty anymore.

Here's a question: what shop would you prefer to have seen instead of pandora?

Well, believe what you want. I'm not the first or the last to dislike the quality of the food in the MDR on Carnival. Most of the food in the MDR could find it's equal at Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and local steakhouse. As others have stated, it is not fine dining anymore. The couple that was shoulder to shoulder with us on the last night took about three bites of their food and left it to go to the evening lido buffet.

I agree with you about the dog food part. On our last cruise we had pizza for dinner multiple times. The grilled chicken they offered on the everyday menu in the MDR had a weird taste and texture, I took one bite and spat it back out. I actually would prefer the food from Olive Garden or Red Lobster much better than the new MDR menu. I want to go on another cruise later this year but hate the thought of having pizza for dinner. I miss a lot of aspects of cruising but not sure if its worth it to have to eat subpar food for dinner.

I am very confused as to why people continuously bring up cost as a factor in the menu change, 90% of the items on the old menu were not that expensive to make. Seems to me like management tried to make a seemingly fancier menu but failed miserably.

Keep in mind ... cruising is not just about eating. ;p

Speak for yourself. :)

I think people forget that the cost of food has risen quite a bit in the last few years. Take lettuce, meat, cabbage, heck, most fruits and vegetables are crazy prices compared to even 2-4 years ago. I'd rather have a decent meal at a cheaper cruise cost, than pay $500 more per person and have fancier meals in a high class dining room. If I wanted that, I'd be looking at fancier and more expensive ships where they higher prices cover fancier food. Try feeding your family with the same monthly budget each week that you did 4 years ago. Now try doing that with 4000 people. Cuts have to be made or prices have to go up.

In my opinion the food from 5 years ago was cheap food. Thai marinated chicken, Thai soup, sweet and sour shrimp, pumpkin soup, spring rolls, etc. Those are cheap meals. Its not the price of the food which I have an issue with, its the quality. I've never expected caviar on a cruise and never wanted it, the cheap stuff was good enough but now they're not even doing the cheap stuff properly anymore.

I have cruised with Carnival 10 times and have always told family and friends about two things on my return home; the ports and the food. I always loved Carnival's old menu which comprised of simple food done right. I miss the simple dishes like the West Indian roasted pumpkin soup, the Thai marinated chicken, the Thai soup, the fried shrimp, etc. Nothing fancy, expensive, or extraordinary, just simple food which I enjoyed. On our last cruise since the new menu was rolled out we had pizza, sandwiches, or bought food from the room service menu for dinner since we didn't like what was offered on the MDR menu. Once or twice while waiting for pizza we met others who also commented that they were having pizza for dinner again. Many folks might enjoy the new menu but I certainly hate it. I loved the old menu which had simple dishes done right. I miss having the backup options of spring rolls and fried chicken, and it was my fault for not reading properly and ordering the grilled chicken on our last cruise and being sorely disappointed. I have been a loyal Carnival customer for years and have sung their praises and recommended friends and family cruise with them, but I can't do that anymore when I don't even enjoy the quality of the food anymore. We just returned from a resort and had a great time. I miss cruising with Carnival but I also hate having pizza for dinner multiple times.

When we go to anytime dining in the MDR we tip a few bucks to the three servers each night. For me it adds up to the same amount if we had the same servers and tipped at the end of the week. We also tip the guys at breakfast. They are always super appreciative.

I've never understood the fascination with postage-stamp-sized fecal pools on cruise ships. Have never used one in all my cruises. I would guess being from SoCal and now Arizona that's probably a factor as everybody has access to pools and jacuzzis regularly here. (there's two of them below my condo window as I click). :)

 

Cruisers leaving Carnival, especially over little things, is always music to my ears. Supply and demand indirectly determines cabin pricing. How about that no tablecloths idea? or no past cruiser party ? or the embarkation scheduling times ? Getting pissed yet ? :rolleyes:

Not everyone lives in SoCal or Arizona so not everyone has 2 pools below their condo window as they read this thread. Some people enjoy taking a dip in a pool when they are on vacation.

Picture something you enjoy on a cruise. Now imagine if Carnival removes that thing.

You have an outdoor area. It's called Serenity. Most of the time kids only want to be at the back pool when it is raining or just terrible weather. Their parents have to pay full fare as well and they deserve to have the same spaces as adults. Just remember the fact that you were kids once.

The main pool is big enough for the kids onboard. Kids can have lots of fun in the main pool and don't need the aft pool as well. There are more couples without children who cruise and just want some quiet time to relax and unwind without having kids splashing water close by. No one is calling for kids to have no pool, just not both pools.

Absolutely agree with you! It's nice to have a pool without kids screaming and splashing all the time. The main pool is plenty big enough for kids to have fun and enjoy themselves.

I have never had Indian food, but since it will be included on our next cruise I will have to give it a try. I did read one post were they said it was a bit spicy so they used rice to tone it down. Me bring on the heat, oh wait if Indian heat is like Thai food heat maybe a little heat...LoL:eek:. I love the heat on food however the first time I got Thai food I was like the hottest you got. The waitress told me you better like hot? In fact she talked me into going 2 down from the hottest they had, and it was still was a little hotter then I like:mad:, I was not mad but I was that RED....LoL.

They have different dishes every day so if you don't find something you like on the first day, don't be afraid to check it out the other days, you might find something you like. The heat is what makes it good. :)

I like it but a bit spicy for me so I tone it down with rice.

 

Always empty lunchtime so wonder how come they keep it as it is not very popular.

You are supposed to eat it with rice or naan. Of course, if you can eat it without any rice or naan, who's to tell you otherwise? Have it your way.

I really hope they extend the Tandoor to more ships. I will be choosing my next cruise based on ships which have the Tandoor; its nice to have a different and unique option for lunch. I can have pizza, burgers, hot dogs, french fries, etc. anytime. Its nice to have such an interesting dining option on the ships. By the way, I loved the butter chicken and the samosas.

We loved the Tandoor and ate there every day. The dishes were flavorful and well made. Like others already stated, I wish they would stay open later.

Seems you have made your mind up on Carnival food (which is fine). Generally speaking (not so much me but from here) people think Carnivals MDR food a slight notch above the other main lines. Try a five star

 

 

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What do you mean by "made your mind up on Carnival food"? I enjoy the lunch options and I enjoyed the old menu, its the AT menu I have an issue with. There was no deliberation time for my mind to be made up. I took one bite of the chicken and spat it out. Same goes for the seafood dish (can't remember the name). I have always enjoyed Carnival's food when it was simple and no frills. I will definitely be trying a five star or I might just charter a yacht for a few days. Thanks.

Over half of the AT menu is the same. Glad you had an open mind about it tho..... Sounds like Carnival is not for you, if you think the whole menu is awful.... Happy cruising

 

 

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I've had 8 cruises with Carnival before trying the AT menu on my 9th cruise. Always loved the old menu and always had something I enjoyed each night, and if I didn't then the southern fried chicken was there. I'll say it again, the new menu s*cks! Do you have any recommendations if not Carnival? Or should I stop cruising altogether?

The new American Table menu su*ks! The fried chicken has always been my backup item and I hated the food on the American Table menu during our last cruise. I ordered the chicken without thinking and not reading properly, I was surprised when they brought out the grilled chicken. It was awful just like the rest of the menu. We ended up eating pizza most nights.