Quick review of new dining on Carnival

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

I agree with the evaluation of the new menu's. Seems like any complaints were on the assigned seatings.....we had Any Time Seating and ate very early....maybe that mase the difference? Below was my earlier post:

 

A few random comments while waiting for my flight home from the 1/11 Liberty Cruise:

1. There were table clothes on the tables EVERY night.

2. There was water service by the waiters – no carafes.

3. Bread was served piping hot and fresh in a basket – no rolls – but the bread was awesome.

4. The American Table menu was mounted on a large single page board – it was nicely done.

5. The American Feast menu was placed inside a napkin – the size of it looked too small for a “feast”.

6. The menus should all be standardized – and look like the American table menu.

7. Soup selection was VERY limited.

8. American Table - Appetizers were varied and we had a huge selection – all nicely presented – including the “shareable” ones.

9. American Feast – Appetizers were limited – as were soup selections.

10. I would add a soup to American Table – and eliminate an appetizer in trade.

11. I would add a soup to American Feast – and list on the menu that the shareable apps can still be had.

12. Food came piping hot – every meal – and was the best I have had on Carnival – perfectly cooked and presented.

13. I had Shrimp Cocktail every night – very fresh – served nice and cold – unlike some other cruises I’ve been on.

14. I’m not sure if all the perfection was because they had Miami/chef staff rolling this out – but if this is indicative of the normal going forward – then Carnival has done a great thing here.

15. We had any time dining – never waited for a table – and our waiter was super attentive – Michael – table 112.

16. We dined between 5:45 – 6:00pm each night – the room was fairly empty during those hours and seemed to really fill up around 7:00pm when we left.

17. Can’t comment on the desserts – didn’t partake.

18. The shareable flatbread is very good – try it – and the waiter serves it to you if you would like.

19. They have implemented a different procedure to reduce the line going in – you are greeted in the hall and “pre-checked” – room number etc. – and your table is assigned while in line – seemed a lot faster than in the past where they were dealing with the computer system to print out a ticket.

 

Except for # 17 and 18 our experience was identical right down to the time we ate. We did have dessert every night and we didn't try the flatbread.

[okgirl]

My concern is having room on the table for multiple bowls of side dishes and the poor presentation of the entrée being on a plate by itself.

 

I don't really want the waiter to serve me my sides, but I don't feel like I should have to serve myself either. I would go to the buffet if I wanted to serve myself.

 

I'm hoping that this trial fails and they go back to at least the old style of service.

[mikes]

Been on 35 Carnival Cruises and this was my best experience in the dining room to date. I hope it doesn't fail....Have you tried it yet?

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

I was very skeptical of the new dining going in as I've always loved the food and menus on previous cruises. Honestly there is nothing to worry about. The food was excellent. If you don't want extra bowls at your table, just say you want your own side and they will do it no problem. The food presentation is as great as always.

[okgirl]

I haven't tried it yet. I'm glad that my next cruise (my 32nd) is on a ship with the old menu's.

 

It's not that I think the items on the menu won't be good, I just think it's going to make for a crowded table and not the level of service that I'm use to.

 

My sister and I usually sit at a 2 top and we have very different tastes. So in addition to the bread basket, bread plate, butter dish, water glasses, wine glasses, water carafe, wine bottle table number, salt/pepper, cutlery and candle.....we will also have 2 dinner plates and 4 bowls with side dishes.

 

I like going to a restaurant and having my complete meal presented to me. I do not like tableside service or family style dining.

Edited January 26, 2014 by okgirl

[Cndchaos]

We are also just off the Liberty.

 

We found the service to actually be fairly poor on all nights. Very slow. We did the anytime dining, so not sure if assigned seating would have been better.

 

Few other thoughts:

 

1) There seemed to be a pretty major disconnect between what is listed on the menus in the dining room compared to what is listed on dining menu options when viewing "dining menus" through the in-room tv.

 

2) The menus are huge. Not in variety, but physically huge, to the point of being awkward. Seems like it was about 1 foot wide by 2 feet in length.

 

3) Agree about some of the tables being extremely close together. One the first night I felt bad for my wife as she had to squeeze between the tables.

 

4) Desserts were good. Although one time we asked for the dessert menu and were accidentally given the children's menu...banana splits....plain ice cream....sigh some of their options were better then on the main menu! :)

[NeedBlueWater]

I was very skeptical of the new dining going in as I've always loved the food and menus on previous cruises. Honestly there is nothing to worry about. The food was excellent. If you don't want extra bowls at your table, just say you want your own side and they will do it no problem. The food presentation is as great as always.

 

What was that chocolate dessert? It looks delicious and beautiful also. This thread is really easing my mind about my Liberty cruise in 20 days :) Thanks!!

 

 

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[LizaMM]

Thanks to the OP and all the others who chimed in!

 

I am looking forward to the new menus next week on the Liberty!

[Jeafl]

Thanks for your review! It is so refreshing to hear the opinion of someone who has actually experienced the new menus. It seems like most of the negativity is from people who have not even experienced the new menus yet.

 

As far as the reduction in the number of soups, it doesn't bother me too much. Most restaurants I've been to on land only have one or two "soups of the day" as well. If I don't like that particular soup I move on and choose something else. Life is too short to get worked up over soup, or having to serve myself a side dish.

[Crusin Karen]

Does anyone have a list of what ships the new menu is on? I am assuming it's not fleet wide yet. TIA.

[steelersfan4ever]

That is the same question I was just about to ask

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

What was that chocolate dessert? It looks delicious and beautiful also. This thread is really easing my mind about my Liberty cruise in 20 days :) Thanks!!

 

 

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It was hazelnut cake with chocolate mousse. My hubby loved it.

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

Does anyone have a list of what ships the new menu is on? I am assuming it's not fleet wide yet. TIA.

 

So far it is only Glory and Liberty.

[Crusin Karen]

Oh, we will be on Splendor so I guess we still have the old menus! Thanks!

[LizaMM]

It was hazelnut cake with chocolate mousse. My hubby loved it.

 

Oh I will be all over that!!!!!!!

[JustCruiseMe]

Ok, Carnival has changed their dining.

There are 2 different "themes" now. American Table and American Feast. One is elegant, one is supposed to be representative of typical American food. However, even on the American Table night choices were Prime Rib etc. THere were also things like chicken pot pie and most nights there was a fish selection. My In laws are big Salmon eaters and they had salmon several times and said it was excellent.

Sharing - if more than one person at the table orders the same thing, they will bring it in a bowl or platter. For example one night everyone at the table beside us ordered baked potatoes so the waiter brought a platter with 4 baked potatoes. One night 3 of us ordered mashed potatoes so it came in a bowl with enough for 3. However, they are very accommodating so if you said you did not want it served to you that way, it would not be a problem.

Most of the old selections are gone with the exception of a few standards like Caesar Salad and Warm Chocolate Melting cake.

The new menu selections were great and the food was really exceptional. It came hot every night and there were really only a couple of dishes I didn't like out of all the apps, mains and desserts I had. One was a pasta in mushroom sauce which really tasted like pasta with Campbell's mushroom soup poured over top. The other was the spring rolls, they seemed like the frozen ones you buy at the grocery store.

My only real complaint is that on the elegant night the menu is very limited. If you are a picky eater you may have trouble finding a selection. And the dessert menu was very limited every night.

 

You are absolutely right about the pasta in mushroom sauce. That was on the old menu also and I am fungus freak and got that and didn't like it at all. I did like the veggie spring rolls though.

[momof3cruisers]

We are also just off the Liberty.

 

We found the service to actually be fairly poor on all nights. Very slow. We did the anytime dining, so not sure if assigned seating would have been better.

 

Few other thoughts:

 

1) There seemed to be a pretty major disconnect between what is listed on the menus in the dining room compared to what is listed on dining menu options when viewing "dining menus" through the in-room tv.

 

2) The menus are huge. Not in variety, but physically huge, to the point of being awkward. Seems like it was about 1 foot wide by 2 feet in length.

 

3) Agree about some of the tables being extremely close together. One the first night I felt bad for my wife as she had to squeeze between the tables.

 

4) Desserts were good. Although one time we asked for the dessert menu and were accidentally given the children's menu...banana splits....plain ice cream....sigh some of their options were better then on the main menu! :)

You can order those, you know. I had a couple of banana splits on our last cruise. They're very good!

 

The only thing I am sad about is the loss of the cold soups. They were my cruise tradition. Otherwise the menus look nice IMO.

[Shaded Lady]

So far it is only Glory and Liberty.

 

And according to the article in the link provided above, it will roll out next to the Inspiration and Imagination in February.

 

Has anyone heard when the planned rollout is to the rest of the fleet?

[judydoc]

We were on the Glory the first week in December and experienced the first trial run. Its interesting to see the changes they have already made. I'm glad they kept the table clothes. Not onlly does it look more elegant but makes a much neater table without water everywhere. The staff do make a difference in your experience. As usual some go the extra mile to make you happy.

[shez947]

By any chance do you have a picture of your waiters

Just off the Liberty today. We were the 2nd cruise to experience the new dining style. I will do a full review over the next few days but I wanted to clear up a few things about the new dining in the meantime

Every night there were tablecloths on the tables and the dining rooms look very elegant.

There were no carafes of water on the tables, the waiters came around regularly with water.

Sharing was not mandatory.

On the Elegant nights the menus are limited - only about 3 app choices and 3-4 dinner choices.

The dessert menus are very limited. About 3 choices each night max.

The rest of the nights the menus were great. Lots of choices.

The food was fantastic!!!

The service was poor on the first night (waited over an hour to get a drink and that was after reminding the waitress three times that we were still waiting for a drink)

Some of the tables were really crammed together. We had any time dining and a table for 4. Table 215 in the Golden Olympic Dining Room with Ketut was a great location and he is a fantastic waiter.

If you have any questions about the dining, fire away.