Quality of buffet food?

[iheartmarshall]

DH and I are going on our first cruise (Conquest) this May and I'm curious about the quality of the buffet food on Lido. We have long excursion days planned and probably won't want to eat in the MDR every night. I do love and often prefer a buffet but I'm hoping that Carnival's food is a few steps above places like Ryan's, Shoney's, and Golden Corral as I'm just not a fan of them. Any thoughts/opinions?

[HawkIVette]

Just got off the Conquest in November. Buffets and comparable to those places you list if not better. Most days were better than average, but found the same food or types of food day after day. You will get tired of the same every day.

I suggest a mix of MDR and buffets, and throw in a Guy's Burger or Blue Iguana Cantina, maybe a Pizza night. Also check out the deli style sandwiches on the sides of the galley between the buffet lines fore and aft of the galley.

Edited February 17, 2014 by HawkIVette

[crewsweeper]

You're going to get multiple opinions here. Remember there are plenty of folks out there who happen to think the food at Ryan's or Golden Corral is pretty darn good.:rolleyes:

 

But it's all in selecting what you eat. Don't grab the first thing you get to. The Salad selections are okay. The desserts are decent. The Blue Iguana café has good Mexican dishes and is a great place for breakfast. Also do the omelet station for breakfast. You can get eggs your way there. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I think the Conquest has Guys burgers now. I personally aren't a fan of anything sunglasses-neck endorses and do think the burgers are on the greasy side but they do get raves from folks on this board.

 

In short, plenty of options to chose from. You won't go hungry.:D

[mikel24m]

DH and I are going on our first cruise (Conquest) this May and I'm curious about the quality of the buffet food on Lido. We have long excursion days planned and probably won't want to eat in the MDR every night. I do love and often prefer a buffet but I'm hoping that Carnival's food is a few steps above places like Ryan's, Shoney's, and Golden Corral as I'm just not a fan of them. Any thoughts/opinions?

 

I agree with above

 

The buffet is not that spectacular but you will not starve either.I have only eaten at golden corral a couple of times and I think they are a bit better than the buffet on Carnival usually

 

The deli is really good though ,the best pastrami on rye I have ever had

Edited February 17, 2014 by mikel24m

[iheartmarshall]

Thanks everyone! I do love buffets, especially the seafood places in beach towns, but the traditional buffet restaurants where I live aren't that great (to me anyway. Although I do love the chocolate fountain at Golden Corral!). We do plan on a healthy mix of buffet, MDR, deli, Guys, etc. so there will definitely be no shortage of good good! I can always find something to eat regardless where I am, but I was just curious on what to expect.

 

And I do appreciate the opinions :)

 

 

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Edited February 17, 2014 by iheartmarshall

[Velvetwater]

I am half foodie and half will eat anything and I was generally happy with Carnivals day buffet offering but we never went at night as we enjoyed the Main dining room so much. The new thin pizza is particularly good and I enjoyed the homey selections like the pies and the roasted meats as the asian offerings were a little out of a jar like.

 

 

Saying that, we had a very heavy port intensive cruise and still found the the energy to go to the MDR every night except the last one so you never know.

 

I do not know what buffet places you are talking about as we dont have them here.

[Prinycesa07]

I actually think the places you mentioned are a bit better than the buffet on Carnival. It's not bad but its not great. Depends what you get i guess. The deli is always good though.

[TheCalicoCat]

DH and I are going on our first cruise (Conquest) this May and I'm curious about the quality of the buffet food on Lido. We have long excursion days planned and probably won't want to eat in the MDR every night. I do love and often prefer a buffet but I'm hoping that Carnival's food is a few steps above places like Ryan's, Shoney's, and Golden Corral as I'm just not a fan of them. Any thoughts/opinions?

 

Food is so subjective.

 

I only go to buffet on cruises, so I can't offer my opinion based on the establishments that you mentioned.

 

I never walked away hungry & I have allergies that limit my selections.

[iheartmarshall]

I am half foodie and half will eat anything and I was generally happy with Carnivals day buffet offering but we never went at night as we enjoyed the Main dining room so much. The new thin pizza is particularly good and I enjoyed the homey selections like the pies and the roasted meats as the asian offerings were a little out of a jar like.

 

 

 

 

 

Saying that, we had a very heavy port intensive cruise and still found the the energy to go to the MDR every night except the last one so you never know.

 

 

 

I do not know what buffet places you are talking about as we dont have them here.

 

 

Very true! Guess it depends how we feel once we are on the cruise so who knows where we will end up for dinner. And I didn't think about these places being regional... I guess Shoney's is only in WV and surrounding states. They have the BEST breakfast buffet, just not a fan of their dinner options.

 

 

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[brooklynfc]

Come to think of it, I rarely eat at the buffet anymore. I like the breakfast b/c I hate cooking BK foods at home, but love eating them, lol.

 

But about my third cruise with Carnival I stopped even checking the buffet line during lunch (I always eat the MDR for dinner). The lines get to be too long sometimes and I can't figure out what some stuff is. So, most of the time lunch is one of the more free standing food stations. I think we ate Guy Burgers for lunch everyday my last cruise.

 

Its not bad food, its buffet food. It is food cooked in great quantity and set out to be picked over my a great many people for long periods of time. There is only so much you can do with that. I work for a college and I remind my work study students when they complain about the cafe food to remember.........one day you will have to clean up your own dishes and prepare your own food. And you will miss walking into a place where you have about 10 or more different choices, unlimited, and you don't have to clean up.

[Doug910]

DH and I are going on our first cruise (Conquest) this May and I'm curious about the quality of the buffet food on Lido. We have long excursion days planned and probably won't want to eat in the MDR every night. I do love and often prefer a buffet but I'm hoping that Carnival's food is a few steps above places like Ryan's, Shoney's, and Golden Corral as I'm just not a fan of them. Any thoughts/opinions?

 

...Not to worry. Carnival's buffets are definitely a step above the restaurants you mentioned above. The food is good and the choices are plentiful. But, still keep in mind that it is buffet food.

 

...Not every food makes a good food for the buffet. Food has to be capable of staying warm without either drying out or getting mushy. Soups have to be stirred before taken. Fruit will be colder from the bottom of the pan than from the top. No worries... you won't go hungry.

[iheartmarshall]

...Not to worry. Carnival's buffets are definitely a step above the restaurants you mentioned above. The food is good and the choices are plentiful. But, still keep in mind that it is buffet food.

 

...Not every food makes a good food for the buffet. Food has to be capable of staying warm without either drying out or getting mushy. Soups have to be stirred before taken. Fruit will be colder from the bottom of the pan than from the top. No worries... you won't go hungry.

 

Thank you! :)

[rubysmom]

I actually think the places you mentioned are a bit better than the buffet on Carnival. It's not bad but its not great. Depends what you get i guess. The deli is always good though.

 

I agree....I was a little shocked at the buffet food to tell you the truth.....I had the saladbar one day and bypassed the rest.....chicken nuggets.....spring rolls....some stir fry ...french fries and I think it was Shepherd's pie..potato salad...pasta salad.and deep fried macaroni and cheese bundles.....that was what they had one day...was the pizza different than in previous years?? Saw it....didnt eat any.......those Burritos were really good......fresh and made to order....loved those....

[marshhawk]

When the rotisserie grill does roast beef at lunch with the mashed potatoes, you wont get better any where, the Scottish eggs on the breakfast buffet on the third day out are great fun! And the paris brest on the dessert buffet on "mexican' day cant be beat. But a gourmet buffet they are not. And I am glad they aren't. I would be up there eating way too much. I do eat the dinner buffet on "shrimp" night, again, ususally the third day out, but I actually enjoy being served more than serving myself, so it's teh MDR for me.:) Oh, and I like real eggs, so it's breakfast in the MDR for me too.

[rubysmom]

When the rotisserie grill does roast beef at lunch with the mashed potatoes, you wont get better any where, the Scottish eggs on the breakfast buffet on the third day out are great fun! And the paris brest on the dessert buffet on "mexican' day cant be beat. But a gourmet buffet they are not. And I am glad they aren't. I would be up there eating way too much. I do eat the dinner buffet on "shrimp" night, again, ususally the third day out, but I actually enjoy being served more than serving myself, so it's teh MDR for me.:) Oh, and I like real eggs, so it's breakfast in the MDR for me too.

 

Boy......we missed all of that......never saw a roast or shrimp!!!

[golfadj]

Boy......we missed all of that......never saw a roast or shrimp!!!

 

Had the roast several days actually.

[rubysmom]

Had the roast several days actually.

 

Where was I Stu???? Oooopps.....just asked perceptive hubby and he saw it...my mistake!!!

[mousey]

We only eat at the Golden Corral when we go to visit my parents in FL (they're in their late 80s) and I would say they they are just a bit better than Carnival because they offer more choices. We rarely, if ever...can't remember for sure, eat in the buffet for dinner. I think it wouldn't be a bad thing to do maybe once on a cruise. I like eating in the MDR and being waiting on, more so the DH.

 

I hope you have a great cruise!:eek:

[joeyancho]

I guess I will throw my 2¢ in. I find the buffets to be better than the ones you mention. The salad selections are much better and have more variety. The hot offerings change every day, so you never get the same thing twice. The fish dishes are very good. The desserts are also very good and more imaginative than standard buffet fare. Plus the deli station makes great sandwiches that are not available at the places you stated. The above remarks only refer the lunch as we always dine in the MDR for dinner. I think you will be pleased no matter where you eat. That is my 2¢, YMMV. Have a great cruise.

Edited February 17, 2014 by joeyancho

[Topo Gigio]

Carnival buffet & Deli sucks big time! there is nothing Deli about those sandwiches. I make much better at home. Like most of their dining room offerings though.

[leenieweenie]

iN MY EXPERIENCE THE BUFFET OFTEN OFFERS MOST OF THE SAME FOOD BEING SERVED IN THE MDR. WE JUST RETURNED FROM 8 DAYS ON THE FREEDOM AND NEVER ATE IN THE MDR AT ALL. WE STILL ATE WELL AND COULDN'T IMAGINE EVER GOING HUNGRY OR NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND SOMETHING TO YOUR LIKING. WE HAVE EATEN IN THE MDR ON OTHER CRUISES BUT - FOR US- THE DINING EXPERIENCE THERE TAKES TOO LONG AND DOESN'T MESH WITH OUR STYLE. NO COMPLAINTS FROM US ABOUT THE FOOD! I GAINED A FEW POUNDS ON THIS TRIP, EVEN WITH 4 DAYS AT THEIR WONDERFUL GYM!

[elliair]

I have to be careful with my diet so the buffet works best for me. The salad bar on Carnival is very good - a large variety of foods. We don't have any of the restaurants you mentioned here - we have Home Town Buffet. Carnival is way better than that. We eat exclusively at the buffet as we don't enjoy telling the waiter to eliminate such things as potatoes and rice. Many of the items in the buffet are also available in the MDR.

[SAM527]

Carnival buffet & Deli sucks big time! there is nothing Deli about those sandwiches. I make much better at home. Like most of their dining room offerings though.

 

I actually liked the turkey on a country roll from the deli and opted for that quite a few days. I added pastrami to it one day which made it even better.

 

I never thought about comparing Carnival's buffet to Golden Corral and Golden Corral is pretty good with many choices. As far as having the basics I think Golden Corral does that pretty well and Carnival's buffet food is pretty good, you can always find something and not go hungry even if you end up with the basics.

 

As far as my experience on other cruise lines goes, after my first 4 cruises on Carnival I was on the Norwegian Sky and thought the food was all frozen and heated or from a can, it reminded me of the old buffets that I went to years ago. Last Summer on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas I was really impressed with the buffet food which was steps above Carnival in looks and taste.