Carnival food and Norwegian food

[dclark]

You know, any meal you don't have to cook yourself is great. I think most cruise ship food is reasonably good anyway - although I haven't tried Norwegian yet.:D

 

With that logic, you'd think that McDonald's is great as well.

[emcelh]

I've heard more than once that in order to get good food on NCL, you have to pay for it

 

Not true.

[Cruzinbabe06]

I love Carnival. Know the menu by heart.:D:D

 

However, on our NCL Epic cruise, I have to say it was better. And the reason it may have been better is because I had so many choices.

 

I ate in 3 specialty restaurants; the Brazilian Steakhouse, Italian Restaurant and French restaurant. All 3 fabulous! 2 times in the main dining room, where a live band was playing. Very nice. 1 time in the other free dining room and I also did the Cirque Dinner show. Please do not miss this show! And buy the premium seats and sit down on the floor.

 

Anyhoo, the food was very good.

 

Their buffet is better and this is just my experience. We were on a very hectic schedule and ate in the buffet every morning. Very good!

 

NCL stepped it up a notch with the EPIC.:D It blew my NCL Jewel cruise out the water.

 

For me the EPIC won and this is from a Carnival fan.

 

Enjoy your cruise.:)

[bigcraig]

Bonefish Grill is Carnival vs Red Lobster is NCL

[readytotravel44]

We did NCL in Hawaii. Carnival certainly beat that NCL ship... In many ways, especially food! However-the ports were awesome!

[Florissouri]

Overall, it's not good. There are some good dishes in the dining room, but not enough of them. Selections are limited and not good quality. Deserts are poor with limited choices also

I do like the grill and Fish & Chips for lunch. The buffets are crowded and poor selections.

 

Perhaps I shouldn't have been so sarcastic in my response and been more direct.

 

The OP is looking for input from folks who have firsthand experience sailing on both Carnival and NCL. Gossip, hearsay, rumors and innuendo are not helpful and add nothing of levity to the discussion.

[nbsjcruiser]

I've heard more than once that in order to get good food on NCL, you have to pay for it

 

You heard wrong. You can dine at the buffet or MDR and the food in those venues is better than Carnival's.

[kcdancerkc]

Originally Posted by SeaUs

I've heard more than once that in order to get good food on NCL, you have to pay for it

 

That is absolute nonsense.

 

You should believe very little of what you read on an anonymous Internet messageboard, especially from people who have only sailed once or twice on the NCL Sky.

 

 

Okay, we even PAID for french food - yuc - I've never met a french onion soup I could not eat in 30 years till NCL. It wasn't just the free food that was blah like others have mentioned.

 

Worst part --- Buffet - carved turkey station mmmmm right? Wrong.:eek:

The body of said turkey was sitting there without legs

I asked if there was any way to have some dark meat ( thinking some thigh meat might be hanging around underneath)

 

Much to my surprise - he smiled and said Ohhh yes! Brought out a "Tyson chicken-like" ready pressed roast-shaped dark meat product and started carving away - I did not even know how to respond - reallly?

 

Nah -- Nevermind - skipped the turkey

Carnival food on Miracle, Glory, Sensation - all very similar and predictable for where the goodies were -- how many NCL ships do I have to try?????? Or should I sail the Sky 3-4 more times for research? Nope - would sail it - but not for the food...

:confused:

 

This evidence + 4 starving teen boys on NCL + I lost weight = in my personal study = HAL wins! Carnival 2nd!! (inluding the weird /unique servings at the Chef's table experience!)

 

NCL didn't even place in my families contest and -- RCCL next to try! Boy I sure hate the work of sailing and eating around the caribean to compare!!!---------------your results may vary

[mikenhe]

I've had good food and plenty of choice on NCL - even on RCL when the cruise was a nightmare.

I am expecting to find good food and plenty of choice on carnival.

 

I'm not expecting great food unless I go to one of the extra charge places on the ship (any of them).

 

 

They are all mass market lines operating at minimal margins. IF you want more you have to pay more.

[emcelh]

Originally Posted by SeaUs

I've heard more than once that in order to get good food on NCL, you have to pay for it

 

 

 

 

Okay, we even PAID for french food - yuc - I've never met a french onion soup I could not eat in 30 years till NCL. It wasn't just the free food that was blah like others have mentioned.

 

Worst part --- Buffet - carved turkey station mmmmm right? Wrong.:eek:

The body of said turkey was sitting there without legs

I asked if there was any way to have some dark meat ( thinking some thigh meat might be hanging around underneath)

 

Much to my surprise - he smiled and said Ohhh yes! Brought out a "Tyson chicken-like" ready pressed roast-shaped dark meat product and started carving away - I did not even know how to respond - reallly?

 

Nah -- Nevermind - skipped the turkey

 

Carnival food on Miracle, Glory, Sensation - all very similar and predictable for where the goodies were -- how many NCL ships do I have to try?????? Or should I sail the Sky 3-4 more times for research? Nope - would sail it - but not for the food...

:confused:

 

This evidence + 4 starving teen boys on NCL + I lost weight = in my personal study = HAL wins! Carnival 2nd!! (inluding the weird /unique servings at the Chef's table experience!)

 

NCL didn't even place in my families contest and -- RCCL next to try! Boy I sure hate the work of sailing and eating around the caribean to compare!!!---------------your results may vary

I'm not suggesting you try another NCL ship hoping for a better experience but if I based my decision to cruise on the food I had on 1 Carnival cruise I wouldn't be trying the Fantasy in 10 days. Our experience with food on the Facsination last year was not better than NCL. The lobster was so salty most everyone at our table left it on the plate. The chocolate melting cake I'd heard so much about was more like chocolate soup. The side dishes were served in small dishes and one night something came with mac and cheese. It was so overbaked I could only get 1 spoonful out of the middle of the dish. There was nothing that stood out. Other than the chocolate melting cake, I thought the desserts on Carnival were a bit better.

 

I've found a difference between ships and even between cruises on the same ship with NCL. Maybe this Fantasy cruise will be better than the Fascination. If not, we'll still have a good time. I don't cruise for food.

[floridagal062]

which is better Carnival food or Norwegian food. We are taking a cruise soon on Norwegian Epic, would like to know.

thank you,

John

 

 

I was on the carnival ship stuck in st martin 5 days and returned home on norweigen. Going directly from carnival to norweign I can tell you NCL has far better food. The quality and the choices. Have a great cruise!

[arpie05]

We sailed NCL once and haven't gone back. I wasn't impressed ( I did like the fact dining room opened during embarkation) I found there were big time gaps when there was food available. On carnival at 3-4 pm you can find pizza, sandwiches, & ice cream

[swedish weave]

We sailed NCL once and haven't gone back. I wasn't impressed ( I did like the fact dining room opened during embarkation) I found there were big time gaps when there was food available. On carnival at 3-4 pm you can find pizza, sandwiches, & ice cream

 

I have found the Blue Lagoon (or equivilant) on all the NCL ships I have sailed to be open 23 hours or more per day. They have a good assortment of food items. Perhaps you missed that on your NCL cruise.

[arpie05]

I have found the Blue Lagoon (or equivilant) on all the NCL ships I have sailed to be open 23 hours or more per day. They have a good assortment of food items. Perhaps you missed that on your NCL cruise.

 

No we found Blue Lagoon. But on the Star it was so tiny - it is like the Lido seating if the burrito or deli were a " restaurant " on the Glory. You know on Ccl ships when walk into the Lido from the pool there are a bout five tables lined against the window before you get to the first taste of nation station. That is the area partioned off for Blue Lagoon. Also people were walking thru and waiters were trying to get the food to serve. I also thought it was weird they took have the buffet/ lido area at night and called it an Italian restaurant. And charging an up charge for it.

[swedish weave]

No we found Blue Lagoon. But on the Star it was so tiny - it is like the Lido seating if the burrito or deli were a " restaurant " on the Glory. You know on Ccl ships when walk into the Lido from the pool there are a bout five tables lined against the window before you get to the first taste of nation station. That is the area partioned off for Blue Lagoon. Also people were walking thru and waiters were trying to get the food to serve. I also thought it was weird they took have the buffet/ lido area at night and called it an Italian restaurant. And charging an up charge for it.

 

You were on the Star before the renovation. The Blue Lagoon is now on deck 8 and occupies half of the area formerly used by the Tex Mex restaurant. It is very nice and has a very good assortment of food.

 

The Italian restaurant is now on deck 6 and is larger than before.

 

Up to date information is much more beneficial to those who come to these boards for information. An outdated opinion can leave the wrong impression.

[JYeagersGrl]

It's good but much smaller portions. Out of all our cruises I'd say Carnival ranks #1 for food, NCL #2 and RCCL #3. That said we didn't do any specialty dining only the included stuff on all of them. I LOVED the little kids buffet area on the NCL Gem I wish all ships had that.

[Midwestgal]

For us, every other cruise line we've sailed has had better buffet food than carnival as well as better buffet layouts and better crowd control.

 

Main dining on carnival was very good up till our last 2 cruises, lately we've noticed a sharp step backwards in quality, hopefullly it was just limited to the ship. We're sailing the dream and oasis back to back in October, it'll be a nice chance to get a comparison while its still fresh on our minds.

 

I have to agree about the MDR food on Carnival. Our last cruise the food really was just ok, some things were pretty good but for the most part the food and service has gone down. Overall I do like Carnival but after our upcoming cruise were going to try a few of the other lines...1st up RCI Allure!

[sfo2008]

Food is highly subjective, that said our Carnival Splendor ~3 years ago to Mexico had better food than our March (1 month ago) NCL Jewel cruise.

[emcelh]

Food is highly subjective, that said our Carnival Splendor ~3 years ago to Mexico had better food than our March (1 month ago) NCL Jewel cruise.

 

From what I've been reading here, opinions of the food on Carnival have changed from what they were 3 years ago.

[dvond]

The MDR's are close depneding on what is served that night.

 

The buffet is better on NCL but pizza and ice cream better on Carnival.

 

NCL does a great BBQ by the pool with a variety of foods every day which blows Carnival out of the water.

 

The Blue Lagoon is great lunch/snack food like you get at a sports bar and puts NCL ahead of Carnival for the whole food experience

[halos]

LOL...It's all cruise food.

 

My opinion now (as it was different 4 years ago) is that as far as mdr, both are on equal footing...in fact, after my last NCL cruise I would actually give them the edge and I would have never thought that back in 2007 when I took my first NCL cruise when the food was mediocre.

NCL gets the win as far as options...even free ones as they have two mdrs and more free venues than CCL.

NCL does an outdoor grill on sea days which is fabulous.

NCL has the 24 hour 'Blue Lagoon' restaurants, that we love

NCL's surcharge restaurants are excellent however, I do give the steak house win to CCL. Theirs is better than NCL's. And NCL's Italian restaurants are just so-so. I don't recommend them.

I don't do buffets often but if I did, I would love NCL's.

 

Bottom line is you will be happy with the food on either line.

[fergusonvt]

I thought the MDR food was pretty comparable but liked the buffet food on NCL better. More selections for breakfast and dinner. I did really like the CCL salad bar though. The steakhouse on CCL wins in my opinion over NCL's specialty steakhouse. CCL also (depending on the ship) has free venues at lunch like the deli, burrito bar and the Mongolian wok. The CCL pizza (served 24 hours a day) was also excellent.

[Tralynn]

which is better Carnival food or Norwegian food. We are taking a cruise soon on Norwegian Epic, would like to know.

thank you,

John

I would say they are equal. You'll prefer some meals on Carnival, and you'll find some on NCL that are better. The quality and amount of choices are similar.

[luvscruzn]

Last year we did both the Liberty and the Dawn. We are platinum on

Carnival, but between these 2 ships, NCL was the big winner, hands

down. Carnival keeps going downhill as far as the food goes.The

opinion on food will be as various as the people you ask. Just enjoy

the fact that you don't have to cook it.:D

[buckirj1]

I think Carnival has better MDR food, but NCL has better food overall. You'll find plenty to like on either line.