Cut Backs

What if any cut backs has anyone seen recently since the economic problems? Carnival does check these posts so lets hear it! Maybe they will correct any problems (complaints);)

No Midnight Dessert Buffet on the 1/25 Valor.

No Salad Fork in the Main Dining Room

Sean

Just off the Miracle. Great time was had by all but saw a number of cutbacks.

1. Only 2 late night shows on an 8 day cruise. Triumph last October had 4 on a 7 day cruise. One of the R rated late night shows was at 8 PM. Strange time to say the least.

2. No minute steaks on outside grill.

3. Capt party and repeat guest party ended after 35 minutes. As I recall they used to run a full hour.

Everything else appeared to be the same.

Golfadj

No Fruit Punch

Can't walk 3 ft without someone wanting to take your picture.

Less crew on ships.

Now on the Lido on port days there are bar guys going around to the tables trying to push bottle water on people while you are eating to take ashore.

The Lobster is very small.

No Fruit Punch

Can't walk 3 ft without someone wanting to take your picture.

Less crew on ships.

Now on the Lido on port days there are bar guys going around to the tables trying to push bottle water on people while you are eating to take ashore.

The Lobster is very small.

I'll just eat more lobster:D but no fruit punch....wow my kids love it...seems like a technique to push the soda card? Pictures were always pushed too much but is it worse now?

Hi Alex!!!!

Saw absolutely no changes on 12/13 Fascination sailing. In fact, there were several things that were better than on either Miracle 12/07 or Glory 5/07.

Food was excellent (including the large lobster tail)

Plenty of silverware, including salad forks

Plenty of crew members (I highly doubt anyone has counted the number of crew members and highly doubt they've cut back - it's about the cheapest labor they can possibly find)

No one pushing anything

No one makes you stop for the photos if you don't want to stop

Don't go to late shows, so wouldn't notice, but it looked like our Capers had plenty of evening activities listed

I happen to think the midnight buffet was a huge waste anyway. Personally, I'd like to see them hand ONE plate to people going through the buffet so the hogs would stop eating (and looking) like hogs. If someone can't get their fill, make their large lardbutt get back at the end of the line. It might curtail some of the food waste (and other waste (and waist)).

OMG! No fruit punch! How can we survive in these tough times? :rolleyes:

I'd like some proof that Carnival "reads these boards" and that anything anyone says here has any impact whatsoever. I think writing a real letter to them after every cruise - whether you get a nice little freebie back or not - is the best way to communicate your experience. Not posting on an anonymous message board.

Just came back from the Fantasy. Instead of the 2 past guest parties, 1 for the early and 1 for the late dinner seatings, they only had the one. Many people from the early dinner seatings got there after it started.

Not sure if this was a cutback, or a scheduling thing.

I happen to think the midnight buffet was a huge waste anyway. Personally, I'd like to see them hand ONE plate to people going through the buffet so the hogs would stop eating (and looking) like hogs. If someone can't get their fill, make their large lardbutt get back at the end of the line. It might curtail some of the food waste (and other waste (and waist)).

Just making a statement, BUT:

Don't these cruisers, with lardbutts and large waists (as stated above), pay just the same amount as any other cruiser on board? Shouldn't they be allowed to "get their fill" while dining?

From personal experience - My sister is a size 0 (and it makes me sick :p) and she will lap me three times over if we visit a buffet for lunch. I've also watched her put down 2 full racks of ribs at dinner with our family - she put ex-football players/wrestlers to shame at this restaurant. :p

So you can't tell me that it is only the lardbutts and large waisted cruisers that are "hogging" up all that food at the buffet. Also, it is a buffet - the food will be replenished when there isn't any left. :rolleyes:

No difference on our cruise last December..........

No difference on our cruise last December..........

Thats good I am glad to hear that. I can live without the midnight buffet as I never liked it anyway. Only went once and would never eat anything from it. Can't see them cutting too much or people would try another cruiseline.

How's the weather Kurbanfan?

How's the weather Kurbanfan?

Going to be 80 here today:) But then the rain is coming by Thursday:(

How about Jersey?

seriously... WHO needs a buffet at midnight ... if it came down to a midnight buffet and cheaper cruise prices ... CHEAPER CRUISE PRICES FTW

(not saying it does ... butttt...)

Going to be 80 here today:) But then the rain is coming by Thursday:(

How about Jersey?

80? :eek: I'm so jealous!!

We are sitting with about 3-4 inches of snow and expecting more! :mad:

I'm so ready for the Bahamas... :cool:

I am in Jersey...snowing now..and will be all day and night...BUT-thankfully with only a few inches to accumulate..

This has been a long winter in New Jersey:mad: one storm after another...

0h-and tomorrow will be in single digits:eek:

I just disembarked from The Ecstasy yesterday. This is my 3rd sailing on this ship since 2006 and I saw no changes. There were still 2 Captain's receptions, one for early seating and one for late. There were 2 shows every night and the late night comedy show was at 11 p.m. The dining room was the same...lobster was the same size it has always been. I saw virtually no difference in anything they have done in the past. They had a big Super Bowl party on Sunday night in the lounge on the back of the ship with snacks. I talked to the folks at the pier to see if we could get an upgrade. We couldn't because this ship was full and they told me it always sails full!

Going to be 80 here today:) But then the rain is coming by Thursday:(

How about Jersey?

Snowing right now...they say 2-3 inches but it doesn't look like it...by Saturday upper 40's.

No more fruit punch=no more Carnival for us, just booked the Oasis

No more fruit punch=no more Carnival for us, just booked the Oasis

Wow! You must love that punch!:rolleyes:

Also just off the Mirascle. I think there were less room stewards this time out. It took them MUCH longer to clean the rooms. There are also no "Please make up my room" cards. I get up early, and I usually put that out so they can get it done while everyone else is sleeping. I asked my steward for one, but he said they don't have them anymore...:confused:

One good new thing(for me, anyway)... Real ceramic coffee mugs on the Lido instead of those colored plastic mugs. I think coffee tastes better in ceramic. :rolleyes: The downside; people dropping them (and plates) ALL THE TIME!

so far it sounds like very small if any changes at all thats good:)Yes I could go for a cruise right now...no bad storms in South Jersey yet but constant crap every week. Guess we have been lucky last 3 years. Need a cruise badly!

Also just off the Mirascle. I think there were less room stewards this time out. It took them MUCH longer to clean the rooms. There are also no "Please make up my room" cards. I get up early, and I usually put that out so they can get it done while everyone else is sleeping. I asked my steward for one, but he said they don't have them anymore...:confused:

 

One good new thing(for me, anyway)... Real ceramic coffee mugs on the Lido instead of those colored plastic mugs. I think coffee tastes better in ceramic. :rolleyes: The downside; people dropping them (and plates) ALL THE TIME!

won't last long if people keep dropping them but i agree it does taste better in ceramic.

Wow! You must love that punch!:rolleyes:

Believe it or not that was one thing I always looked forward to with lunch, the tea is aweful and I do not like lemonade or mago-guava. I wound up bringing my own cans of coke and/or Tahitian Treat(fruit punch soda) with me to lunch

Believe it or not that was one thing I always looked forward to with lunch, the tea is aweful and I do not like lemonade or mago-guava. I wound up bringing my own cans of coke and/or Tahitian Treat(fruit punch soda) with me to lunch

I drink beer or DOD all day but love the fruit punch too with lunch...its so good...I hope they bring it back

Fruit Punch? Did you see the ocean? Huh? I REALLY don't get the whole fruit punch thing. I mean a lousy bed or really bad food or horrible room steward... OK, but fruit punch?

Haven't noticed any major changes/cutbacks. We did only have 1 past guest party on Miracle, but thought it was a scheduling thing, not a cutback. Cabin steward said he had more cabins to clean. We also leave cabin early, and cabin wasn't cleaned as early as usual (late morning, most days) but I figured we were at the "end" of his list, rather than at the beginning. Tables were always cleaned quickly in buffet, dining staff seemed to have a managible amount of tables to wait on, plenty of drink servers around. Plenty of security and deck help. Had no complaints at all. BTW - all the teachers in my school (myself included) are doing our snow dance right now. It is really starting to come down, and starting to stick. Could use a hump day off!