Would you complain about NCL food if they did what Carnival is doing?

Just read on the Carnival boards that they are changing their MDR menus; they now include meatloaf, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and burgers. And they have eliminated the shrimp cocktail. Sounds like a mutiny going on over there. I have always found the food on NCL to be much to my liking, always something good to order, and very good. But I would have to say if I opened the menu found found my choices to be limited to meatloaf, fried chicken, burgers, and mac and cheese, I would protest! I can understand these being offered on the buffet, or in the Blue Lagoon, OK; but the MDR?

What's your thoughts?

This is not all that is offered on the new menus. These are just some of the items. There are many other choices every night. They mearly updated the menu and added a "Comfort Food" section. Everything else is in place.......Good grief.

Just read on the Carnival boards that they are changing their MDR menus; they now include meatloaf, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and burgers. And they have eliminated the shrimp cocktail. Sounds like a mutiny going on over there. I have always found the food on NCL to be much to my liking, always something good to order, and very good. But I would have to say if I opened the menu found found my choices to be limited to meatloaf, fried chicken, burgers, and mac and cheese, I would protest! I can understand these being offered on the buffet, or in the Blue Lagoon, OK; but the MDR?

 

What's your thoughts?

The foods you have listed are only an option,they still have the regular menu!

Having sailed both lines(as well as others ) I can say we prefer the food on carnival to ncl.

NCL has great specialty restaurants where carnival (the pride) doesn't need them.

Every line offers something a bit better and different then the others.

They each haver their own personal touch and then others copy them to make it nice for their passengers. If it works well ~ why not.

I like fried chicken , especially if its really good fried chicken. I have my comfort food days like alot of people do.

I like the idea that carnival and ncl have made changes to their menus. While I wasn't at first impressed with the new one for NCL I'm sure once we sail in october I'll be happy when we're actually sitting at the table ordering !

It shows the cruise lines are trying other things to keep their cruisers happy .

It's a disturbing idea. NCL has already gone to a single menu for their noon meal and it's pretty tedious. Downgrading the menu for dinner has already started. I hate to see it happening but I did predict it a couple of years ago.

A few weeks ago on the Liberty, they had an entree like Meatloaf under the heading of "comfort food" on the menu. It changed every night. There was fried Chicken on it one night, don't recall the others. Half of the menu didn't change. There was a Cheeseburger listed on it every night, along with a good flat iron Steak. The rest of the menu changed daily. For the $ CCL has some good food.

A few weeks ago on the Liberty, they had an entree like Meatloaf under the heading of "comfort food" on the menu. It changed every night. There was fried Chicken on it one night, don't recall the others. Half of the menu didn't change. There was a Cheeseburger listed on it every night, along with a good flat iron Steak. The rest of the menu changed daily. For the $ CCL has some good food.

We were also on the Liberty on 7/2 and experienced the new menus. While my DH was a little disappointed that they didn't have his shrimp cocktail every night, he got over it. They still had shrimp offered about 4-5 times throughout the week, cooked different ways. He definitely did not suffer from lack of shrimp.

I liked the comfort food section of the menu. While I understand that food is an important part of some people's cruise, it is not for me. I am not a fancy food person and prefer a good steak and potato. I did try the Fried Chicken and thought it was very good. I also had the flat iron steak a few nights, and found it to be tender and tasty (if you like you beef well done, this might not be an option for you, it seemed the more well done it got the tougher it got).

The whole food debate has got me puzzled. How do people think that the cruise lines can keep cruising at the same price I paid 20 years ago, and not cut corners some where? I actually like the way it is set up. If I want a truly gourmet experience, I will pay for one of the supper clubs.

If people that complain about the MDR would add $175.00 per person to the price of their cruise ($25.00 per night), they could go to the supper clubs every night, have the type of food and ambiance that was common 20 years ago, and pay an inflation adjusted price for their cruise.

Sounds like a solution to me :)

I haven't seen shrimp cocktail in the MDR for the last several NCL cruises....did have it in the suite dining area last cruise.

Sort of sounds like the food available in the 24 hour free restaurant...stuff kids and a lot of adults like.

Phasing in "comfort food" is probably the natural progression to passenger demands for increasingly casual service and surroundings. NCL pioneered the "freestyle" dining concept. So the new menus sound like entrees that can be prepared in advance and nuked/heated to order.

It always seemed incongrous to me that passangers who prefer all-time casual dress in the MDR should want formal service and food presentation. To me, it's a disconnect. So now cruise lines are taking the hint, relaxing dress codes, but also relaxing service and menus in tandem.

If they still have the regular menu and these are only added options then what is the big deal.

Those that don't want this type of food do not have to order it.

Sorry I'm really not seeing the reason for this thread. NCL hasn't started this and by the sounds of it Carnival isn't taking away from their regular offering.

Just read on the Carnival boards that they are changing their MDR menus; they now include meatloaf, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and burgers. And they have eliminated the shrimp cocktail. Sounds like a mutiny going on over there. I have always found the food on NCL to be much to my liking, always something good to order, and very good. But I would have to say if I opened the menu found found my choices to be limited to meatloaf, fried chicken, burgers, and mac and cheese, I would protest! I can understand these being offered on the buffet, or in the Blue Lagoon, OK; but the MDR?

 

What's your thoughts?

If you are going to start a thread on an issue like this, at least be accurate in your post and reason for the thread.

Your choices are ABSOLUTELY NOT LIMITED to the above items on any MDR menu - they are simply going to be OPTIONS on new menus.

Quite frankly, if they can do those foods WELL, I am sure there are plenty of folks who would love to have thoses options on a menu.

Just read on the Carnival boards that they are changing their MDR menus; they now include meatloaf, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and burgers. And they have eliminated the shrimp cocktail. Sounds like a mutiny going on over there. I have always found the food on NCL to be much to my liking, always something good to order, and very good. But I would have to say if I opened the menu found found my choices to be limited to meatloaf, fried chicken, burgers, and mac and cheese, I would protest! I can understand these being offered on the buffet, or in the Blue Lagoon, OK; but the MDR?

 

What's your thoughts?

Obviously a lot of people are not "happy" :) about this thread. If these (meatloaf, mac n cheese, etc) were the only options on the menu it would be a bit disappointing. I have not cruised Carnival so I have no knowledge. I don't think Balconymaven was trying to stir trouble, just wanted to know peoples thoughts on including these items and having eliminated shrimp cocktail. I did not read the thread to say these new items were the only items on the menu, but they were now incuded on the menu. Possibly the phrase "limited to" is what is stirring trouble.

Come on people, this is a thread asking your thoughts. My philosophy is if I don't have to cook it and do dishes, I am fine with mac n cheese or a lobster tail. Smile :) it takes more effort to frown.

If they added it to a 'comfort food' section, then I'd be fine with it.

It would be nice to order Blue Lagoon type food when nothing on the MDR menu appeals to me, yet my husband was looking forward to a particular meal.

For me, the more choices the better.

I've seen the PDFs of the new Carnival menus, and from my perspective it's much ado about nothing. They kept all the foods I liked, and added some interesting items. Hard for me to believe people are making such a fuss about cold wet shrimp. YMMV.

I'm okay with NCL's food, too. Should go without saying Blue Lagoon rawks!

We were also on the Liberty on 7/2 and experienced the new menus. While my DH was a little disappointed that they didn't have his shrimp cocktail every night, he got over it. They still had shrimp offered about 4-5 times throughout the week, cooked different ways. He definitely did not suffer from lack of shrimp.

 

I liked the comfort food section of the menu. While I understand that food is an important part of some people's cruise, it is not for me. I am not a fancy food person and prefer a good steak and potato. I did try the Fried Chicken and thought it was very good. I also had the flat iron steak a few nights, and found it to be tender and tasty (if you like you beef well done, this might not be an option for you, it seemed the more well done it got the tougher it got).

 

The whole food debate has got me puzzled. How do people think that the cruise lines can keep cruising at the same price I paid 20 years ago, and not cut corners some where? I actually like the way it is set up. If I want a truly gourmet experience, I will pay for one of the supper clubs.

 

If people that complain about the MDR would add $175.00 per person to the price of their cruise ($25.00 per night), they could go to the supper clubs every night, have the type of food and ambiance that was common 20 years ago, and pay an inflation adjusted price for their cruise.

 

Sounds like a solution to me :)

Bingo !!!!! Can you imagine the uproar that would ensue if the cruise lines adjusted their cruise prices for inflation ?? The purchasing power of the dollar is about a third of what it was when I started cruising. That means the cruise lines would have to triple their prices !!!!!

I haven't sailed on Carnival, but I did take a look at the menus posted and I have to say they have some pretty tasty looking offerings on the regular menu. I wouldn't be apposed to eating fried chicken if I were in the mood and my DH loves meatloaf so I don't think that would be a problem either. I think it's much ado about nothing.

I am not a fan of CCL ships - but I have often said that if I could steal the CCL FOOD and stick them on other cruise line ships, I would be a HAPPY camper. :p:D

I have NO idea how they can take mac n cheese and make it taste gourmet, but they do! :eek: I have always been impressed with their food. And if it wasn't for the rest of the darn ship, I would sail with them all the time. So I am sure that the menu is still better than what I have had on some other cruise lines. ;)

I think I just have reasonable expectations for cruise food. I know it is assembly line type fare, but as long as it is reasonably tasty, I'm happy.

I can deeply enjoy a gourmet meal, I just don't expect them.

Perhaps if I was paying $75 per person for one of the super duper cruise line specials (or so I hear!) I might expect more.

I love the muesli they serve on the Star for breakfast. I can have it in Cagney's or get it from the buffet. It tastes the same, but I really enjoy the ambiance of Cagney's. In the same way, I love the overall ambience of being on a ship, the food is secondary.

I think I would be happy eating Johnny Rocket's on the Oasis!:D

Just read on the Carnival boards that they are changing their MDR menus; they now include meatloaf, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and burgers. And they have eliminated the shrimp cocktail. Sounds like a mutiny going on over there. I have always found the food on NCL to be much to my liking, always something good to order, and very good. But I would have to say if I opened the menu found found my choices to be limited to meatloaf, fried chicken, burgers, and mac and cheese, I would protest! I can understand these being offered on the buffet, or in the Blue Lagoon, OK; but the MDR?

 

What's your thoughts?

My thoughts?

Hmmm.

Maybe if people didn't dress like mac and cheese and meatloaf in the MDR...

Or, maybe if people do not appreciate refined dining, continental sauces and preparation techniques in the MDR...

Hmmm.

I am a chef and a foodie. As long as the food is fresh, tasty and healthy I am good to go. Not a food snob, but discriminating... If I ate everything I wanted I would be 500 pounds. I am afraid mac and cheese is not on my "list" no matter how good it is.

I don't get the fuss. First, you could always order a burger in the MDR on CCL, even though it wasn't listed on the menu. They have grilled chicken available every night too, so now they are adding fried. The meatloaf and mac and cheese may be new, but why does it bother people if I want meatloaf? :confused:

Personally, I'm not a huge steak or seafood person. And I know some people who are extremely picky eaters, and most of the MDR menu would not appeal to them. So having these other options available might allow them to find something they would eat, and allow them (and the rest of their party) to enjoy the service in the MDR.

A few weeks ago on the Liberty, they had an entree like Meatloaf under the heading of "comfort food" on the menu. It changed every night. There was fried Chicken on it one night, don't recall the others. Half of the menu didn't change. There was a Cheeseburger listed on it every night, along with a good flat iron Steak. The rest of the menu changed daily. For the $ CCL has some good food.

Let me be the first to say, there is NO SUCH THING as a good flat iron steak, at least not on Carnival anyway. I tried it once and it was like shoe leather. On the next Carnival cruise I was on I asked about it and the waiter suggested I order something else.

The Carnival food has really gone down in IMHO which is why we're switching back to RCI and NCL. I like RCIs food and I really think we'll enjoy the various choices NCL offers. On our last Carnival cruise on the Liberty the food was not passable IMHO. That was out 9th cruise and the first time I ever left a ship shaking my head with regard to the food quality. We won't go back until Carnival fixes that and by the looks of things, its getting worse, not better.

My thoughts?

 

Hmmm.

 

Maybe if people didn't dress like mac and cheese and meatloaf in the MDR...

 

Or, maybe if people do not appreciate refined dining, continental sauces and preparation techniques in the MDR...

 

Hmmm.

 

I am a chef and a foodie. As long as the food is fresh, tasty and healthy I am good to go. Not a food snob, but discriminating... If I ate everything I wanted I would be 500 pounds. I am afraid mac and cheese is not on my "list" no matter how good it is.

Totally agree with everything you wrote EXCEPT for the mac & cheese. There is a steak house north of Boston that serves lobster mac & cheese -- 4 different kinds of cheese, homemade pasta, with LOTS of sweet Maine lobster meat -- absolutely incredible. Certainly not healthy, but a wonderful indulgence on a special occasion.

Now if you like those "lobsters" they serve on cruise ships, we've got something else to talk about! :)

I looked at the new Carnival menus a few minutes ago and I thought they looked great! I have always preferred Carnival's food quality to NCL's, to me they have a much better selection and the food is tastier.

When it comes down to it though, I'm just glad to be going on vacation no matter what kind of food they serve!

My thoughts?

 

Hmmm.

 

Maybe if people didn't dress like mac and cheese and meatloaf in the MDR...

 

Or, maybe if people do not appreciate refined dining, continental sauces and preparation techniques in the MDR...

 

Hmmm.

 

I am a chef and a foodie. As long as the food is fresh, tasty and healthy I am good to go. Not a food snob, but discriminating... If I ate everything I wanted I would be 500 pounds. I am afraid mac and cheese is not on my "list" no matter how good it is.

We need to meet, I live just south of Fort Worth.

Maybe there is a chance that their changes will taste better than the garbage we ate during our Jan. cruise on freedom. Their steakhouse i'll admit is much better than NCL's Caneys/Lazy J