Dining Question...

[1stTimeRoyal]

I've cruised a few times, and am scheduled to go on the Miracle this Sept. After reading these boards, specifically posts below like "how to dine w/o looking like a pig", I'm wondering if I'm out of the norm?

 

Do most on here order just 1 starter, and 1 entree, and 1 dessert? Or do they order an app., soup, salad, entree, dessert?

 

Generally, I am more of the latter, but I wonder if that is because my first few cruises were on Celebrity, because they divided the menu into starter, soup, salad, entree, dessert. This separation caused everyone at our table to order like that. Now, we generally just sit with family, but I'm wondering is Carnival implying by the way they structure their menu that it should be 1 starer, 1 entree, 1 dessert?

 

Now, I know I can order anything, and as much of it as I want, but how do most on here view the menu? I know for me, the appetizers and soups, chilled esp., are often the highlights of the meal. In fact, I usually order a shrimp cocktail, an app., and then either a soup or salad. I don't generally order more than 1 entree, except for like surf and turf night.

 

Thanks...

[skylock]

I've cruised a few times, and am scheduled to go on the Miracle this Sept. After reading these boards, specifically posts below like "how to dine w/o looking like a pig", I'm wondering if I'm out of the norm?

 

Do most on here order just 1 starter, and 1 entree, and 1 dessert? Or do they order an app., soup, salad, entree, dessert?

 

Generally, I am more of the latter, but I wonder if that is because my first few cruises were on Celebrity, because they divided the menu into starter, soup, salad, entree, dessert. This separation caused everyone at our table to order like that. Now, we generally just sit with family, but I'm wondering is Carnival implying by the way they structure their menu that it should be 1 starer, 1 entree, 1 dessert?

 

Now, I know I can order anything, and as much of it as I want, but how do most on here view the menu? I know for me, the appetizers and soups, chilled esp., are often the highlights of the meal. In fact, I usually order a shrimp cocktail, an app., and then either a soup or salad. I don't generally order more than 1 entree, except for like surf and turf night.

 

Thanks...

 

I think the question should be why does it matter to you?

 

Until Carnival starts listing how many of each thing you can have, order the way you want to.

[1stTimeRoyal]

Geez, thanks. Really appreciate that response. I thought I put the "I understand I can order what I want" language in the original post, but thanks for reminding me again.

 

This is a message board, a cruise message board. I'm asking a question as to people's perception of the carnival menu? Is that that weird?

[k2excursion]

I understand what you're meaning. The menu can look like you should choose just one appetizer and one entree, but I don't think that's the intention of it. My parents & I will often order 2 appetizers, 1 entree, and 1 dessert. That seems to be the most common that I've seen. Sometimes, I order 2 desserts when there are 2 things that look really good. And, a couple times, I've gotten 3 appetizers. One time, we dined with a very hungry family, and each of them would order 3 appetizers and 2 or 3 entrees plus dessert every night.

[kr8z]

Geez, thanks. Really appreciate that response. I thought I put the "I understand I can order what I want" language in the original post, but thanks for reminding me again.

 

This is a message board, a cruise message board. I'm asking a question as to people's perception of the carnival menu? Is that that weird?

 

I'm sorry that happened to you. This board certainly can seem unwelcoming at times. I order one of each unless I see a soup and an appetizer that really grabs me, then I do order two. I can't eat a lot and rarely finish half of any course. My husband on the other hand :rolleyes: Yeah, he'll order his shrimp cocktail every night plus a salad, plus a soup if he sees one that he likes, plus an appetizer... It's not a problem at all (which I realize you know), but I do have the same perception that you do. Choose one from here, one from there...

[skylock]

I understand what you're meaning. The menu can look like you should choose just one appetizer and one entree, but I don't think that's the intention of it. My parents & I will often order 2 appetizers, 1 entree, and 1 dessert. That seems to be the most common that I've seen. Sometimes, I order 2 desserts when there are 2 things that look really good. And, a couple times, I've gotten 3 appetizers. One time, we dined with a very hungry family, and each of them would order 3 appetizers and 2 or 3 entrees plus dessert every night.

 

Exactly, and did you sit there wondering if you were "weird"? Would you have cared if I thought you were "weird"?

[1stTimeRoyal]

I guess maybe my larger question is, by structuring the menu the way they do, I wonder if people order less? Or if they separated out the menu, would people be more inclined to order more courses. And as a result, are the reasons for the 2 category menu economical on Carnival's part?

[1stTimeRoyal]

I don't remember ever stating that I thought it was weird for me to order multiple dishes, but thanks for putting words in my mouth. Its a cruise, you can, and should IMO order as much as your stomach can handle.

 

What I found weird was you attacking my original question, which simply asked for people's perception of the menu. That is weird. I don't go on every post on this message board and say, "why do you care".

[kr8z]

I guess maybe my larger question is, by structuring the menu the way they do, I wonder if people order less? Or if they separated out the menu, would people be more inclined to order more courses. And as a result, are the reasons for the 2 category menu economical on Carnival's part?

 

I do believe that your theory is correct, especially for a more timid person. I assume most people believe it is a pick one from each category type of deal.

[skylock]

Well, I do not know why they structure the menu the way they do, and don't care, but I will tell you what I do. I look at the menu that was handed to me and order what looks good to me. May be all appetizers, may be appetizer and desert, may be entree only. Depends if I have been snacking earilier or if we are hitting pizza later. But I eat what I order unless it turns out to be horrible.

 

No one has batted an eye if I ordered soup, salad, and shrimp cocktail and a warm melting cake. They may ask about an entree, but I figure that is just to make sure I didn't forget to order one.

[denimore2000]

I have noticed other restaurants that also have salads soups and appetizers all under starters.

 

I don't think that this cuts down on their sales or they would separate them out.

 

I don't think this menu is to discourage people have multiple courses. This just seems to be a less formal type of menu than the fine dining menus of the past.

[fofita01]

I typically order: app., soup, entree, and dessert.

 

But on some nights I order just an app. and an entree. Or just an entree and dessert. But I've also been known to order 4 cups of Pumpkin Soup, entree and dessert!

 

I look at the entire menu and pick the items that are appetizing to me; the number of items I order depends on if I've snacked before dinner or not.

 

Heck, on one cruise all I ordered was warm chocolate melting cake AND a banana split from the kid's menu! LOL

[golfadj]

I will order multiple apps if there are things that are of interest.

 

Like to try new foods while cruising.

 

Do not order more than what I will eat though but honestly do not clean my plate.

[itgeek]

My usual order is 2 apps (an app + a salad), 2 entrees or 1 entree & a kids mac & cheese, 1 dessert, and finish it all off with another salad (to keep things "percolating").

 

- IT Geek

[Max Circus]

You ask a good question. After you cruise a few times you know that you can order what you want, so the grouping of the items on the menu doesn't seem to me like something Carnival is consciously doing to make diners think they can just "choose one" from each category.

 

Now, if I had never cruised before (and never looked through these boards :)), I think the answer would be different.

[okwriter]

Thanks to CC, I knew I could order whatever I wanted to.

Even so, I did stick to more of a "normal" ordering scheme the first night (one thing from each section on the menu). But after that, I ordered as much or as little as I wanted. One night, it was two shrimp cocktails, salad, and dessert!

[zqvol]

I've cruised a few times, and am scheduled to go on the Miracle this Sept. After reading these boards, specifically posts below like "how to dine w/o looking like a pig", I'm wondering if I'm out of the norm?

 

Do most on here order just 1 starter, and 1 entree, and 1 dessert? Or do they order an app., soup, salad, entree, dessert?

 

Generally, I am more of the latter, but I wonder if that is because my first few cruises were on Celebrity, because they divided the menu into starter, soup, salad, entree, dessert. This separation caused everyone at our table to order like that. Now, we generally just sit with family, but I'm wondering is Carnival implying by the way they structure their menu that it should be 1 starer, 1 entree, 1 dessert?

 

Now, I know I can order anything, and as much of it as I want, but how do most on here view the menu? I know for me, the appetizers and soups, chilled esp., are often the highlights of the meal. In fact, I usually order a shrimp cocktail, an app., and then either a soup or salad. I don't generally order more than 1 entree, except for like surf and turf night.

 

Thanks...

 

IMO Carnival is trying to reduce food costs, and by grouping items in three classifications, they are intimating that you should order one from each. Most of the items on the menu are very high calorie and loaded with salt, so maybe they are looking at it from a health standpoint :D.

 

In all seriousness it seems to me that if you are going to order multiples you are better off getting them from the salads and some of the entrees than anywhere else, but avoid the soups unless you want to swell up like a balloon due to the salt.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

I will order multiple apps if there are things that are of interest.

 

Like to try new foods while cruising.

 

Do not order more than what I will eat though but honestly do not clean my plate.

 

 

I totally agree with the above. We are new to cruising and thanks to these boards found out that it would not be frowned upon to order more than one appetizer, soup or salad or two entrees or desserts. One reason being, we are on vacation and this would be the perfect opportunity for us to try foods that we cannot try on an everyday basis. Escargot, pumpkin soup, Seafood Newburgh, Baked Alaska are just a few that come to mind.

 

Another reason to perhaps order more that one selection is that being from a small town in the Midwest, we are pretty limited on what types of fresh seafood we can get. The menu appears to offer an abundance of fresh fish and seafood selections for both dinner and lunch in the MDR. Mahi-Mahi, Grouper, Red Snapper, Trout, etc.. are just a few that we have read about on previous posts and from the CCL menu that was posted here recently. This will be a real treat to those of us who do not get the chance to try these offerings on a regular basis. We have already planned on trying the MDR for lunch based upon other poster's recommendations.

 

 

I think that a cruise is the perfect opportunity to try new things. Go have a great cruise and don't worry what others may think if the waiter brings out a tray full of new things for you to try. :)

[itgeek]

The menu appears to offer an abundance of fresh fish and seafood selections for both dinner and lunch in the MDR. Mahi-Mahi, Grouper, Red Snapper, Trout, etc.

 

Just an FYI, I don't know how many of those are fresh. A lot of them are frozen. Due to the handling and storage requirements on a ship (i.e. all your food comes onto the ship when you do and has to stay fresh the whole time you're on the ship), fresh fish is tricky.

 

For the freshest fish, enjoy it in-port at a local restaurant.

 

- IT Geek

[A&Jfamily]

IMO Carnival is trying to reduce food costs, and by grouping items in three classifications, they are intimating that you should order one from each. Most of the items on the menu are very high calorie and loaded with salt, so maybe they are looking at it from a health standpoint :D.

.

 

I agree - and I think it is probably effective with many guests who are not aware that you can order whatever you want.

 

In answer to your question, I personally, tend to order one of the soups (love the gazpacho and roasted pumpkin). Then, I usually order some kind of salad - need those 5 servings of fruits and veggies.:D Then, I get an entree - really enjoy everything from the lamb to the enchilladas to the ribs to the indian. I am not much of a dessert person, so, except for creme brulee, I will pass or simply have fruit. So the short answer is yes, I am usually ordering at least 4 courses - but often don't finish the entree or dessert completely.

 

I always travel with my kids and encourage them to order off the adult menu. They will always get some fruit, but I also try to get them to try something different like the panco shrimp. They have both developed a taste for the chilled fruit soups. It is great for me because I can sample without wasting or appearing a hog!:p

[taillon]

I think the menu does lead you to order one item from each category. Before I went on my first cruise I had read the boards and knew I could order more but yet I still seemed to order one item per category with the exception of desserts. By the second night I asked our waiter if I could have two different desserts and he was happy to bring them, so each night he expected me to pick two...and I did! lol Our next cruise, this October, I will be more open to asking for exactly what I want from the menu without embarrassment.