A Poll on Carnival's Food Quality........

[elcuchio24]

After 11 years you don't think the quality has gone down??

Remember when they had a ny strip steak then switched to. The shoulder muscle and. Alled it a flat iron steak??

Food is subjective and perhaps people do like the flat iron steak

But you really can't say that that cut was not a downgrade in the quality of beef

I understand the cuts if you want to keep the prices low you need to do that

It's ccl call and I understand that it's certainly acceptable to ccl target customer

But I really do not think one can say its not a quality downgrade

 

I agree with that one exaple, yes. But that doesn't mean the quality overall has gone down. I miss the wellington, too. But there are also new dishes that have been added like I like.

 

What I really think people do is take one example, like you did with the Strip, and blow it out of proportion until the whole dining experience is terrible. Like I said, there have been menu changes, but the quality is still good. I think if you check the poll you'll find I am not in the minority.

[swimmom32]

Can you tell me what you had? I have to watch my salt intake which yes I know its going to be quiet difficult...But knowing what you ate that you felt was too salty would really help :) thanks

[Warm Breezes]

I agree with that one exaple, yes. But that doesn't mean the quality overall has gone down. I miss the wellington, too. But there are also new dishes that have been added like I like.

 

What I really think people do is take one example, like you did with the Strip, and blow it out of proportion until the whole dining experience is terrible. Like I said, there have been menu changes, but the quality is still good. I think if you check the poll you'll find I am not in the minority.

 

Exactly.

 

Are the choices the same? No. Things have been taken away and others added. It would be extremely boring if the choices always stayed the same. A cruiseline will never be able to please everyone when you make a change. Some people are always going to want things the way they were and others want to try something new. They can only hope to please the majority.

 

Has the quality gone down of the food that is served? Not in my opinion (and that of majority it seems). My DH had the steak served in the MDR on our last Glory cruise in July and thought it was excellant quality and cooked perfectly. I had the Lobster and thought it was the best cooked one I have had on any of our cruises (surprised me actually as I was about to give up on having a good one on a ship). To me that was actually better quality than we normally have. Overall, IMHO, the quality has not changed in they foods that I do eat on a cruise ship.

[okgirl]

I just got off the 10/28 sailing of the Conquest and the 11/7 sailing of the Triumph both ships had the new Didja' and Comfort menu's......additionally I was on the Ecstasy and the Glory in February of this year, and 3 cruises last year.

 

I think the food is about the same as ever. Maybe slightly improved with the Didja' and the everyday menu.....The MDR always has different fish, chicken, pasta, beef, and indian on the regular menu as well as all the comfort food and everyday items.

 

The Lido buffet has all the regular (and yummy) salad selections as well as at least 1 fish, 1 chicken and a carving station entree. They've added a soup to the buffet every evening and that's nice because I like soup. The potato/leek is my favorite.

 

I'm not a dessert fan so I can't comment there.

 

Breakfast menu's are exactly the same, but I did change it up a bit, because I feel that the Eggs Benedict have been served overdone lately, so I ordered poached eggs with hollandaise sauce and an english muffin on the side and it was perfect. I actually like mine with bacon, so I just built my own.

 

I also started ordering a veggie omlette with cheese that came with onions, peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes.......lots of people think you can only get plain, cheese and ham/cheese........

 

For me doing essentially a B2B, and cruising multiple times per year, I never feel like I'm eatting the same stuff over and over again.....though I do have my favorites that I do order over and over again.......but I make the same things at home several times a month too.........

[elcuchio24]

Exactly.

 

Are the choices the same? No. Things have been taken away and others added. It would be extremely boring if the choices always stayed the same. A cruiseline will never be able to please everyone when you make a change. Some people are always going to want things the way they were and others want to try something new. They can only hope to please the majority.

 

Has the quality gone down of the food that is served? Not in my opinion (and that of majority it seems). My DH had the steak served in the MDR on our last Glory cruise in July and thought it was excellant quality and cooked perfectly. I had the Lobster and thought it was the best cooked one I have had on any of our cruises (surprised me actually as I was about to give up on having a good one on a ship). To me that was actually better quality than we normally have. Overall, IMHO, the quality has not changed in they foods that I do eat on a cruise ship.

 

Totally. People just don't like change and it's always "back in the day things were so much better" but back then they were just complaining about something else. And now they change the brand of hotdog at the grill and someone will come on CC and say "that's it! My cruise is ruined! I demand satisfaction!!!":):rolleyes:

[livestocruisetoo]

In fact I haven't had a cruise on Carnival that didn't have very good food. I can't say much about the Lido because we only had 3 sea days so lunch was pretty much on shore. We ate there when we boarded and it was fine. We ate there after getting back from Rome late and it was down to one line. Whatever they had was OK. I don't even remember it though. One sea day we ate in the MDR with the group we were with. We did the breakfast buffet a number of times and it was standard. I always have trouble tracking down the Tabasco but one of the busboys always came to my rescue. We had breakfast in the MDR once on a sea day and my only complaint is they don't have real fried potatoes, just the McPattie.

 

About the MDR. Food and selection was always as usual...great. I know I had the lamb dish on two nights and the Prime Rib on two nights. I was worried when the choices were medium rare and medium well but each time it came out bright red with just a thin crusty border. Someone else said it tasted good. Indeed it did. :D I got all of the usual things I get for appetizers plus a few of the new ones. A big Boo Ya for having baked gold potatoes several nights. As usual, the variety was there. Now about the service...

 

We had ATD which is on the second level. The first night it was poor. The crew we had was overwhelmed and it showed. Add to that the stress of flight to Barcelona, screw you Span Air/United surely tainted the evening. We mentioned this the next night and was put in Vivi's area. A world of difference. She knew our names when we were seated :eek: and because they had it together always had time for a few words. Much, much better but still slower than usual. I attribute this to the smaller number of plates the runners are carrying and the extra escalator to the second level along with expanded dining area responsibilty. I think they did very considering. We did the Chef's Table one night and it was superb. I think there were a few that were disappointed that the beef selection wasn't a Filet but what it was was outstanding. Now back to the Lido...

 

There are a lot of places to get food on the Magic. The Deli, the Grill, the Pizza spot, and the Tandor :). Besides those there is the Burrito Bar, Sushi Bar which is a salad bar during lunch and the BBQ on the Lanai. Plus a few other places in addition to the Cucina, gratis for lunch and the Red Frog Pub, which is pay. Some of these we never got to try. :( What I missed because of the port intensity was the Taste of Nations. And on the Pride they have an Asian Line that fills the bill when I don't see anything else that I want.

 

Sorry for the 'novel. The only thing I had to compare Carnival dining to is a Norwegian cruise a longtime ago and A Disney cruise. I don't recall anything bad about either, just nothing memorable.

[carsastic]

I agree with that one exaple, yes. But that doesn't mean the quality overall has gone down. I miss the wellington, too. But there are also new dishes that have been added like I like.

 

What I really think people do is take one example, like you did with the Strip, and blow it out of proportion until the whole dining experience is terrible. Like I said, there have been menu changes, but the quality is still good. I think if you check the poll you'll find I am not in the minority.

 

Never said it was terrible , just commenting on quality

I used one example ( strip) , in my opinion the quality of beef has gone downhill

Look at the chataue Briand. ( they changed that too ) its states or used to state it's from the shoulder also. ( Briand is not shoulder meat)

a couple others off the top of my head. St Louis ribs , dream ribs on the lanai

Veal dishes

It's it about change for me , I'm one for change ( that's why I sail differnt lines)

I also under stand why they have to do it.... It's about price

10 years ago the prices are the same , less really

For 120 dollars a day u can't go wrong

I'm not bashing ccl , got one scheduled in 3 mos

 

But I'm not a sis boob bah person either

[elcuchio24]

Never said it was terrible , just commenting on quality

I used one example ( strip) , in my opinion the quality of beef has gone downhill

Look at the chataue Briand. ( they changed that too ) its states or used to state it's from the shoulder also. ( Briand is not shoulder meat)

a couple others off the top of my head. St Louis ribs , dream ribs on the lanai

Veal dishes

It's it about change for me , I'm one for change ( that's why I sail differnt lines)

I also under stand why they have to do it.... It's about price

10 years ago the prices are the same , less really

For 120 dollars a day u can't go wrong

I'm not bashing ccl , got one scheduled in 3 mos

 

But I'm not a sis boob bah person either

 

Neither am I, and I happily cruise other lines. The question was the overall quality in the MDR. I agree that some dishes have been replaced with inferior ones. But I also think some inferior ones have been replaces with better dishes. Overall, I think the MDR quality is similar to how it's been in the past. Not way better, not worse. Do I think the quality is SIMILAR as it was a decade ago? Absolutley.

[iceleven]

Can you tell me what you had? I have to watch my salt intake which yes I know its going to be quiet difficult...But knowing what you ate that you felt was too salty would really help :) thanks

 

Most everything is over salted. I loved the Indian food at the rear of the ship but the meat dishes, especially the fish, were so salty that I had problems with water retention and this has never been a problem with me. Don't understand why they can't just allow people to add salt at the table. I suspect that without the added salt, people would complain about the food even more.

[NeuroQueen]

1988...Holiday 7 day cruise....$1200.00 per person for an ocean view room. Food was great

 

2011...Dream 7 day cruise (In 4 days)...$1000.00 per person cove balcony....food yet to be determined.

 

Opinion....it is now 23 years later....everything I know of has increased in cost! So if the food is not as wonderful as the "good ole days" what can I say that hasn't already been said? Putting my Pom poms down and climbing off the the pyramid now!!!

[island visitor]

We just sailed on the Fantasy last week and we were disappointed in the choices on the menu and also in the quality of the food mainly that was offered in the MDR. I will have to mention that one morning while we were having breakfast on the Lido deck they had oatmeal (or at least that is what they called it) and it was nothing but liquid. I heard another passenger ask if they had any that was thicker and the person she asked told her no. I couldn't believe that they would even serve something like that. The next morning it did have a better consistency but I did not try it. Food in the dining room was served cold and lacked in taste. We have cruised other cruise lines ( Royal Caribbean and Princess) and 5 different Carnival cruises and this most recent one the food was not as good.

[missdebi]

Food preferences and taste are so subjective but you asked for our opinion so I will voice mine. We have been on 13 cruises and they have all been good, just some better than others and though I do not sail for the food, I enjoy the MDR experience. Our last cruise on the Fascination, 10/29/11, was a disappointment our headwaiter was a grouch so this fed into the whole experience being under par. The food just wasn't up to normal Carnival standards, and this is just my opinion because we were cruising with newbies and they enjoyed their meals.

[larkz]

I don't think the statistics in the real world -- or even the results of this non-scientific poll -- come anywhere close to supporting the notion that Carnival has a "major problem" with its food.

 

Surely, Carnival does what everyone else in this economy is doing, keeping a majority of people happy while holding down costs. The balance between price and product is called the "value proposition." and a Carnival cruise is a very good deal for anyone who is capable of managing their money while on vacation.

 

These are cruise ships, not royal palaces, and frankly most people don't have such high-falutin tastes to begin with. It's downright bizarre what some people demand to receive when a 7-day cruise out of Florida can be purchased for less than the price of the round-trip flight out of the upper Midwest (two years ago my daughter and I paid more for airfare and associated fees than the base price of the cruise).

[island visitor]

I don't think the statistics in the real world -- or even the results of this non-scientific poll -- come anywhere close to supporting the notion that Carnival has a "major problem" with its food.

 

Surely, Carnival does what everyone else in this economy is doing, keeping a majority of people happy while holding down costs. The balance between price and product is called the "value proposition." and a Carnival cruise is a very good deal for anyone who is capable of managing their money while on vacation.

 

These are cruise ships, not royal palaces, and frankly most people don't have such high-falutin tastes to begin with. It's downright bizarre what some people demand to receive when a 7-day cruise out of Florida can be purchased for less than the price of the round-trip flight out of the upper Midwest (two years ago my daughter and I paid more for airfare and associated fees than the base price of the cruise).

 

I see that it has been a year since your last cruise. I would be very surprised if after your cruise that you are going on in December, if you didn't also agree that the food has changed. Our last cruise before last week was in January 2011 on the Dream and we had no complaints what so ever. The changes have been since September when they changed the menu. Hope you have a great cruise and hopefully you will enjoy the food. Give us a report when you get back

[larkz]

I see that it has been a year since your last cruise. I would be very surprised if after your cruise that you are going on in December, if you didn't also agree that the food has changed. Our last cruise before last week was in January 2011 on the Dream and we had no complaints what so ever. The changes have been since September when they changed the menu. Hope you have a great cruise and hopefully you will enjoy the food. Give us a report when you get back

 

I certainly plan to do so. By luck, I booked Liberty which thanks to 2.0 has at least one new free food option, if I recall, so my experience may not reflect the overall cruise line. Also, as I mentioned, I'm not a big meat eater -- maybe some chicken or shrimp or ground beef now and then -- so I have nothing to contribute with regard to steak options. Others can hash that out. I'll have something to talk about after Christmas.

[Sashalanda]

We just got back, and I have to say, I was very disappointed in the presentation and taste of food in MDR. I did have an excelent entree on the last night..bourbon chicken. Our tablemates ordered different than I, and my hubs ordered different from any of ours (main dishes). My hubs had a pasta dish that was suppose to have calamari, and some more seafood of which he never could find. The pasta wasn't prepared correctly and it was almost cold.

The other ladies at our table had the veal dish that night and said it was horrid.

The chicken parmesian was cold one night on both their plates.

I had the beef the night of formal wear..it was a small thin piece..gah my soggy brain I can not think of the name lol. Hubs had lobster tail that was the size of a large prawn but atleast it tasted ok.

The deserts were still lovely though. The veges very bland..a little sauce drizzled over them or some seasoning would of been nice.

All that said..the staff were tremendous as they have always been. I can manage blah food since I can be happy with fruit lol but not so sure hubs or my sons can unless they can order 4 of the entree to get full.

I have heard the other cruises have always paled compared to carnivals food so I don't even want to attempt a cruise with them but moreso because I love carnivals staff. They make you feel so wanted and appreciated it is almost embarassing.

[mckenna]

My last cruise the entrees were never served HOT! I'll tolerate a room temperature salad as long as hot food is served hot. If you are reading this CCL Corporate FTLOG PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO THE V.P. FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE! PLEASE!

Hi,

I totally agree. We were on the Liberty at the beginning of this year and the food was absolutely horrible. Lukewarm at it's best. The scrambled Eggs in the AM were watery, the pancakes cold, Bacon was rationed, the food in the MDR arrived lukewarm also. We used anytime dining and have found that the waitstaff is not up to speed. The Steak was tough and dry (maybe they reheat them in the Microwave because they cooked a bunch of them too early)All I can say is Thank you Carnival for keeping the Sandwich Bar open!!!! I am cruising again in a few days on the Valor so hopefully someone from Carnival will read our Post's and they make some changes! Happy Cruising!!!

[CruiseHealing]

With the menu being the same for such a long time, I see little quality difference. That's good, because we have never complained about the food. I look forward to their new menu.

[crewsweeper]

Food is very subjective. On land there are folks who rave about the food at Chilis and Applebees or Olive Garden and foodies who would rather starve than eat at a chain resto. What's appealing about the food on board ships is the variety at no extra charge. There's always something you can find to eat that'll appeal to your tastes. For example, people who think the scrambled egs in the buffet are powdered, can stand in line a short time and get eggs over whatever way they want in the omelet line and watch them crack the shells. I've had food on Carnival that I wouldn't order agian but nothing I've ever eaten on board a Carnvial ship has been gag inducing. Can't say the same for land based restos whether chains, diners and dives, or high end places; gagged in many of all types over the years.

[elcuchio24]

I see that it has been a year since your last cruise. I would be very surprised if after your cruise that you are going on in December, if you didn't also agree that the food has changed. Our last cruise before last week was in January 2011 on the Dream and we had no complaints what so ever. The changes have been since September when they changed the menu. Hope you have a great cruise and hopefully you will enjoy the food. Give us a report when you get back

 

Did a back to back last month. I voted 'same'. I think it shows allot that this poll most people think the food is the same. Consider this: most folks on CC, voting on this poll, are seasoned cruisers, picky, 'critics', and have been crusing for a long time. The average carnival cruise ship (just guessing now) is probably half blue carders, 30% 2nd or 3rd times. So if the majority of people voting on this poll don't think the quality has changed, that means the VAST majority of those on the ship feel the same or don't know any better because it's their first cruise!!! Either way, doesn't look like a 'major' issue to me, don't expect the Beards to take note, and don't expect anything to change. Beer Wellington isn't walking through that door.

[crusinpsychRN]

My last cruise the entrees were never served HOT! I'll tolerate a room temperature salad as long as hot food is served hot. If you are reading this CCL Corporate FTLOG PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO THE V.P. FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE! PLEASE!

 

That's been my experience on the last 3 cruises. Wish the salad were chilled like it used to be.

 

What in the heck has changed??

[halos]

Did a back to back last month. I voted 'same'. I think it shows allot that this poll most people think the food is the same. Consider this: most folks on CC, voting on this poll, are seasoned cruisers, picky, 'critics', and have been crusing for a long time. The average carnival cruise ship (just guessing now) is probably half blue carders, 30% 2nd or 3rd times. So if the majority of people voting on this poll don't think the quality has changed, that means the VAST majority of those on the ship feel the same or don't know any better because it's their first cruise!!! Either way, doesn't look like a 'major' issue to me, don't expect the Beards to take note, and don't expect anything to change. Beer Wellington isn't walking through that door.

 

I don't think it's the same, but I didn't vote because like I said, I didn't like the word 'serious'.

There may be some like me that felt there is a change but didn't vote.

However, I agree that the change is not a major issue...not by any means.

 

As far as those that say food is subjective, that is true to a point, however, temperature (which seems to be a big complaint) is not subjective. I think that problem stems from the wait staff being overtaxed with far too many tables to take care of.

 

That's been my experience on the last 3 cruises. Wish the salad were chilled like it used to be.

 

 

 

 

I think ther dishes are hot (coming out of the dishwasher)...the salads are probably cold until they put it on the hot plate...what they need to do is chill the plates.

[ddoc]

I agree there is too much salt and that the food should be warmer. In September, I was on the Miracle and the temperature was ok but last

January, I was on the Triumph and most meals were cold to lukewarm.

I know that Carnival can do better.

[darth frosty]

Not a fan of the new menu. Only had 3 total carnival cruises, the 1st 2 were on imagination and destiny food was great. Just got off spirit with new menu and it was OK with some being really good.

 

Main gripe on our 5 day no bitter and blanc?!? This really pissed me off. tried the frog legs(meh tasted like bland chicken) tried the alligator and it was just like a fritter (no gator taste)

 

The comfort menu the meat loaf was meh and the fried chicken was good but more like a fried cornish hen. They need to stop having the apple pie on this cruise as well as one other I had it and its not very good.

[Blurgh]

It's not the same. As for the poll it's entirely meaningless because alot of people here wouldn't say anything bad about the line, even if they pitched them off the boat in the middle of the ocean and gave them a life raft and a single oar to get back to shore.

 

I'm actually surprised there weren't 100 responses for IT'S BETTER THAN EVER!!!!!!!!!!!11!!! :D

 

Like I said, it's not the quality of preparation, everything I had was prepared well and tasted good, even at the buffet which can be hit or miss, it's more along the lines of the quality of what is being served and even the portion. The prime rib portions were hilarious. I like the jerk pork loin that's probably been on the menu for 100 years because I've had it like 7 times by now. :D Portion was pretty darn small.

 

So I would definitely see it as downhill, but as other people have pointed out, understandable because of pricing, and Carnivals concept of getting people on the boat cheap and then ala carting things to make back the money you would otherwise get from higher fares.

 

And if that works for them, that's what they're going to do. But MDR for me after that last cruise is more or less a necessity than an experience.