Punchliner Sea Day Brunch Review

[sharecruises]

I think they stopped the changing lunch menu not too long ago

[golfadj]

Agreed. Also, the jokes told were used again that night in the comedy club. Both comics performed for about 5 minutes at brunch.

 

Hate when comedians repeat their material. Saw a comedian at the comedy club last Sept and again in Jan and his entire performance was the same.

[LUVSBLUEDIAMONDS]

Are the comedians family friendly? I don't want to have to cover my DD ears at breakfastlunchbrunch.

[VickiD59]

Not sure the need for the comedians when people are dining unless it was in a true "dinner theater" type set up with a stage, which it obviously can't be. The addition of brunch sounds fine, good for those who want to sleep in and still be able to have breakfast foods served to them rather than go to the Lido buffet... but why the comedians, that's part I don't get, why the need for entertainment? I think I'd prefer my eggs comedy free.. but... I'll be willing to give "breakfast theater" a try ;)

[luv2trvlnow]

I don't know if they have menu changes for lunch on some of the ships, but I do know they had the same lunch menu every day on the Dream in November and the same lunch menu on the Magic in March. Since it is this way on the newer ships, I would imagine it will work its way onto most, if not all, of the other ships.

Sharon

[BARBARA J.W.]

We just got off of the Carnival Miracle where we were the first cruise where they rolled out this new Punchliner Brunch program.

 

If you are not familiar with the concept you soon will be as they plan on introducing it on all (many?) of the ships over the next year.

 

Carnival Miracle (April 2012)

Carnival Breeze (June 2012)

Carnival Dream (Sept. 2012)

Carnival Conquest (Oct. 2012)

Carnival Glory (Nov. 2012)

Carnival Liberty (2012)

Carnival Splendor (2012)

Carnival Magic (2012)

Carnival Sunshine (April 2013)

 

What they have done is introduced the Comedy Club into a brunch in the main dinning room. So on sea days there is no breakfest or lunch as there was in the past, but brunch starting at 9am till 2pm-ish. During your meal a comedian will do a short 10-15min comedy routine every hour.

 

The menu is a mix of breakfest and lunch items, many of the same things we have seen on the normal breakfest menu with a few twists like cereal encrusted french toast, filet mignon and eggs, some mexican inspired dishes and the lunch side includes a samon dish, caesar salad with different offered toppings, and some other items. This menu does not change.

 

My take, as well as my familys is this is a real bummer of a deal for cruisers. We always felt the breakfest could use a little spicing up and so this did this but you need to wait until 9am to have breakfest and as we always enjoyed the changing menu of lunch in the dinning room it completely eliminated this. It should also be noted that there is no lunch served in the dinning room on shore days. However, the regular breakfest (not brunch) is served in the dinning room on shore days.

 

In addition, the staff is sitting guests all over the dinning room so as not to hammer the wait staff in any one area, but the comedian only stands in the general center of the room (at least on the two sea days we were in the dinning room) so you can't see him in many cases and comedians (at least the two we saw) really had a difficult time connecting with the guests and getting into a routine in a 15 min window with guests all over the place.

 

 

Like I said we are veteran Carnival cruisers looking forward to getting our platinum status one day, so we aren't Carnival haters, but if you like the dinning room (which we clearly did) I believe you are going to hate this program.

 

Chris

 

Myself,,,I don't go to the Comedy Club @ night..

I know I would not enjoy seeing/hearing them

in the Dining Room..........

[navybaby1113]

I'm excited to try out the new menu. I think the addition of brunch is a great idea (as long as there is breakfast earlier as well).

 

I don't care whether the comedians are there or not.

[tracyanns]

Are the comedians family friendly? I don't want to have to cover my DD ears at breakfastlunchbrunch.

 

In the morning they would be...the only time they get crude is the late night comedy shows that you have to be over 18 to see...

[cdamion]

I don't know if they have menu changes for lunch on some of the ships, but I do know they had the same lunch menu every day on the Dream in November and the same lunch menu on the Magic in March. Since it is this way on the newer ships, I would imagine it will work its way onto most, if not all, of the other ships.

Sharon

 

Definitely different lunch menus on Splendor a couple weeks ago.

[jonbgd]

We would check out the brunch. We could have room service bring some lox and bagels with coffee. Enjoy that on our balcony, than take our time going to brunch.

Sounds like a relaxing day at sea to me

 

 

BTW

We had different lunch menu on the Triumph 2 months ago

[welldone60]

Mr JH posted on his facebook page that breakfast would be served starting at 8am and then change to the brunch menu at 9....guess that did not happen.

 

I do like some of the brunch menu items tho.

 

I never liked that they closed the MDR for breakfast around 9:30 - 10:00, so it will be nice that it will stay open longer.

[Sargent_Schultz]

I long ago came to the conclusion will label any change as cost cutting when it really isn't. It is adding options and it is good. I like not having to rush to get breakfast and can sleep in a little.

 

Filet mignon is not the cheapest cut of beef.

[golfadj]

I long ago came to the conclusion will label any change as cost cutting when it really isn't. It is adding options and it is good. I like not having to rush to get breakfast and can sleep in a little.

 

Filet mignon is not the cheapest cut of beef.

 

Tell you what. Will be on the Dream in Sept and will let you know how i feel.

 

BTW is the chateaubriand the real thing? Just because they call it something does not necessarily believe it is the real deal.

[PictureChris]

Unless they were serving regular breakfast on sea days till 8 or 8:30 then they closed down until 9am to reopen for brunch....but I don't believe this was the case.

 

 

Is it possible that Breakfast was served until 9 in one of the mdr's and then the brunch commenced at 9 in the other mdr?

[Sargent_Schultz]

Tell you what. Will be on the Dream in Sept and will let you know how i feel.

 

BTW is the chateaubriand the real thing? Just because they call it something does not necessarily believe it is the real deal.

 

I think it is back to the real thing. For a while Carnival was using shoulder (bleech) but is now back to using tenderloin.

 

I would encourage everyone to live their own lives and decide for themselves. Trust but verify. There will always be a few miserable, unhappy souls, and usually they are the most vocal.

[katiel53]

Not sure the need for the comedians when people are dining unless it was in a true "dinner theater" type set up with a stage, which it obviously can't be. The addition of brunch sounds fine, good for those who want to sleep in and still be able to have breakfast foods served to them rather than go to the Lido buffet... but why the comedians, that's part I don't get, why the need for entertainment? I think I'd prefer my eggs comedy free.. but... I'll be willing to give "breakfast theater" a try ;)

 

From those that have posted, it's five minutes!!!! What is the big deal of perhaps having your brunch interrupted for five minutes?

 

I also don't know why the posters who say this is another costing measure. It is AN ADDITION. Geez, give them a chance. Carnival is trying new things and so many of you are against everything. Lighten up please.

 

Until you try something, and I know spitracer did, and perhaps it is being tweaked, don't be so darn negative. Not everything is a cost cutting measure!!! Go ahead, flame away.

[OttawaCountess]

If steak and eggs is cost cutting.. Then cut away. Will be a nice change from the other menus. Look forward to trying it out on the Breeze in Sept. and personally don't have a problem with a 5 min comedy show. It's not like it's during the whole time. I like to try new things and won't judge until I do.

[Cruisingzs]

I think the entertainment portion of dining should be saved for dinner. I prefer a quieter meal which is why we go to the MDR instead of the Lido

[golfadj]

I think it is back to the real thing. For a while Carnival was using shoulder (bleech) but is now back to using tenderloin.

 

I would encourage everyone to live their own lives and decide for themselves. Trust but verify. There will always be a few miserable, unhappy souls, and usually they are the most vocal.

 

Overall we think the food on Carnival is fine but they have been making cutbacks (and considering what we are paying for cruising today they have to) and some of the cutbacks go a little too far IMHO.

 

Doesnt stop us from cruising Carnival though.

[Hendricks Clan]

From those that have posted, it's five minutes!!!! What is the big deal of perhaps having your brunch interrupted for five minutes?

 

I also don't know why the posters who say this is another costing measure. It is AN ADDITION. Geez, give them a chance. Carnival is trying new things and so many of you are against everything. Lighten up please.

 

Until you try something, and I know spitracer did, and perhaps it is being tweaked, don't be so darn negative. Not everything is a cost cutting measure!!! Go ahead, flame away.

 

It is cost cutting they have taken 2 meals and 2 menus cut them and combined them to 1...how is that not cutting?

[LizaMM]

Glad I saw this thread!

 

I am sailing the Miracle next month and with 4 days at sea on this sailing I am hoping to give it a try.

 

I will probably sleep in on this upcoming cruise and it will probably be nice to have a brunch option in the MDR.

 

I am interested to see if I enjoy this new option or not.

[PAcruiser25]

I hope they have this on my upcoming cruise. It sounds like a fun idea - and so if they are not that funny, that's OK, it's only for what - 5 - 15 minutes? Plus the new foods on the menu sound really good. And you would have time to walk or go to the gym in the a.m. Excited for changes and hope there are other positive changes too!

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for the information...

[kcdancerkc]

Before Miracle relocated - the Chef during the Chef's table was trying to explain this change to us 2 weeks ago

-- It would be nice to have breakfast choices if you dance till 2 am -- sometimes hard to get to breakfast omlettes by 10:50 am LOL

PS The Chateaubriand is one of the few pieces of beef I've not finished in my 40 something years LOL -- Hubby tooo and he eats everything!

Now the flilet in the steakhouse mmmmmmmmm

is there a menu posted that I missed?

[katiel53]

It is cost cutting they have taken 2 meals and 2 menus cut them and combined them to 1...how is that not cutting?

 

I don't know how else to explain it so that you understand! THEY STILL SERVE BREAKFAST UNTIL 9AM!!!!! THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL THEY CHANGE TO THE BRUNCH!!!!!!

 

How is that taking two meals and two menus cutting them to one??????? They are adding new items to the brunch which will now have more choices than the regular breakfast or the very poor lunch menu.

 

I guess I must be the one who doesn't understand things, huh??? Perhaps you can explain it to me!