Quality of food on Princess vs Carnival

[Kstofflet]

We are Platinum on Carnival and we will be sailing our first cruise with Princess over Thanksgiving. My question is ... Can I expect the food quality to be better on Princess over Carnival? - Specifically in the Main dining room? The quality of Carnival has rapidly declined and I look forward to trying out a new line. thanks

[Working 2 Cruise]

It's much better on Princess than on Carnival. Our last cruise on Carnival, in 2012, was our last one ever on Carnival.

[thinfool]

After two or three Princess cruises where the food was so-so, last January on the Ruby there was an obvious uptick in the MDR offerings. I hope it continues!

[HRPro]

We mainly cruise with Princess, but have done two Carnival cruises--one in January of this year. The food on Princess is significantly better than on Carnival and not just in the MDR. We found the food in the buffet on Princess to also be much better than on Carnival. enjoy!

[golfb4cruzing]

I have owned my own restaurant. Son is a medallion wearing chef. I give the nod to Princess for taste. I don't go to the MDR much because I don't need to be waited on and don't like taking that much time for a meal. I find the Horizon Court very acceptable and the IC a pleasant surprise. I also think they have the best pizza on the ocean. Of course this is all my humble opinion.

[Talisker92]

I have owned my own restaurant. Son is a medallion wearing chef. I give the nod to Princess for taste. I don't go to the MDR much because I don't need to be waited on and don't like taking that much time for a meal. I find the Horizon Court very acceptable and the IC a pleasant surprise. I also think they have the best pizza on the ocean. Of course this is all my humble opinion.

We were on the Golden Princess on a 32 day cruise recently. We ate twice in each of the specialty restaurants and enjoyed them. Golf is right about the IC, when you just want a quick sandwich and soup.

My wife is an excellent cook and has a 4 tier spice turntable:D

In our opinion, the preparation and presentation of food in the MDR was very good.However, again, in our opinion, the seasonings have been dumbed down.

In fact, the best seasoned meal we had we the fresh fish tacos and salsa on the beach in Cabo San Lucas.

Edited October 6, 2014 by Talisker92

[victory2020]

I've always liked Carnival slightly better, ie eggs benedict, Mongolian Wok, sandwich deli, but I haven't tried their "new" menus.

Don't think you'll notice any big differences. IC is a very nice option.

[satxdiver]

First the quality of food is subjective particularly if they don't offer your favorites. Having sailed in the last year on a Carnival and Princess ships, I think the food in the MDR is better on Princess. One thing I like about the buffet (HC) on Princess is that it seemed to have more seafood offerings than on the Magic. I did like the Magic layout of its buffet area but then found the layout on the Royal to be even better. I hope that Princess revamps its ships for the new layout. The pizza on both ships was really good at the pizzeria on the lido deck. Over all I vote for Princess.

[ready2cruzagain]

We are Platinum on Carnival but basically I MUCH prefer Princess. We did 2 weeks on the Breeze then 1 week on the CB on a b2b2b. The food on Princess put Carnival to shame. The quality is so much above Carnival. The shrimp looked as big as Carnival's lobster. We love the IC, loved getting a cheese platter every evening before dinner and loved the entertainment there. Only ate at the buffet twice but the food and variety was great. Room Service is better and more variety than Carnival. I agree with another poster, pizza is awesome! I can't stand Carnival's "new" pizza.

 

IMHO, there is no comparison, Princess wins hands down.

[SadieN]

We've experienced the same food quality on both Princess and Carnival. The taste is different.

 

We prefer Carnival's new pizza to Princess' pizza.

Like the made-to-order sandwiches on Carnival over Princess' plastic wrapped ones.

 

Princess' buffet is better in terms of variety. The dinner buffet cheese platter is great. One night it was a whole wheel of Parmesan.

The drink stations are easier to access on Carnival. Buffet coffee tasted the same to Mom. No hot chocolate available in the buffet on Princess. No ice cream at midnight, either.

 

At dinner in the Sapphire we were cautioned off the Creme Brûlée later in the evening. The one time I tried it the crust was soggy.

 

Never found a bug in my food on Carnival. It crawled out of my salad bar asparagus on Princess. It can happen anywhere but still off- putting.

 

Princess allows reservations to be made for ATD.

[golfb4cruzing]

If a bug crawled out of the wife's salad, the poor thing might not eat the rest of the cruise. Me, being a vet, it's just extra protein.

[eclue]

It is Princess...without a doubt. We are platinum on Princess and have only cruise twice on Carnival but after the last trip six months ago, we will never go Carnival again.

Carnival is the only trip I have lost weight on a cruise b/c the food was so terribly bad.

[dickinson]

Okay folks…. you have me scared. Years ago we used to sail Carnival and had no problems. I realize times have changed. Our last two cruises on Princess had ok food (our first Princess cruise I felt that Carnival was better but I was comparing to 2004 Carnival). Now we are considering a 21 day b2b on Carnival during Jan 2016 to Southern Caribbean. 20 minute drive to the port. (Princess has similar itinerary but we would have to fly to FL and the price of cruise is A LOT more than Carnival… thousands of dollars more) This food quality issue concerns me! How bad is bad? Is it that you don't care for the choices? The food in MDR is cold? Overcooked? What is it you folks don't like?

[jsmac3]

We are platinum on both Princess & Carnival. We prefer Carnival's MDR food but prefer Princess' buffet - normally breakfast & lunch.

[jasbo49]

This food quality issue concerns me! How bad is bad? Is it that you don't care for the choices? The food in MDR is cold? Overcooked? What is it you folks don't like?

 

Obviously the poster above you (eclue) had a bad experience/cruise/chef. That's not typical. On our May cruise on the Valor, we found the MDR food pretty decent. I don't think it was as good as in 2004, but I'm not sure any line's food is as good as it was 10 years ago.

 

Anyhow, I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure you'll get a few dishes that seem luke-warm or under-seasoned. But that's on any cruise line as far as I can tell. It's still nice to be waited on, get pretty good meals and order whatever you want. Don't get to do that back home.

 

Jim

[aikensbest]

Food is always subjective and as much ship to ship as cruise line to cruise line. I really would have to see your itinerary on the 2 cruises to believe the price is "1000's of dollars more" on Princess. Are you comparing same cabins, etc.?

[Mekamax]

We prefer Princess over Carnival but we had two other couples come on Princess with us and they prefer Carnival food which I just can't see.... So it is all subjective. Princess service was so nice in the buffet with them getting your drinks for you and the buffet being open from 5:30am to 11pm was wonderful. :) You won't go hungry and always fun to try another line.

[dickinson]

Food is always subjective and as much ship to ship as cruise line to cruise line. I really would have to see your itinerary on the 2 cruises to believe the price is "1000's of dollars more" on Princess. Are you comparing same cabins, etc.?

 

Take a look. Carnival Pride Jan 19 Baltimore - San Juan and then on the 28th San Juan to Baltimore. This is 2016. Probably because they are one way cruises (a 10 day and an 11 day) they are priced low. Royal Princess for approximately same time period (it is a regular route). Princess does 10 day RT Ft Lauderdale. I was pricing Carnival in an 8c balcony and Princess in a BB (I think) category. Either way they are balconies midship sandwiched between other cabins above and below. BIG difference in price plus no airfare or hotel for day before for us on Carnival as we are close to the port.

 

As for food… I am beginning to think you are right. I did a thread on the Carnival board last month and got people saying they cruise both lines and have had good and bad on both. My upcoming cruise to Hawaii on Princess does not get good reviews for the food on that particular ship. Oy!

[caribsun]

MDR was about the same but Carnivals Buffet was better.

[geoherb]

We sailed on Carnival two years ago. The food wasn't bad. I think the food on Princess is a notch better and service is three or four notches better. We had resistance from our waiters on Carnival with special requests. In one instance, when the waiter finally brought my mother-in-law some mashed potatoes (because she wanted them instead of the potatoes that came with her entree), he brought a huge bowl full. By then, she had finished the rest of her food.

[Pia1913]

I never thought I'd be responding to a food question, but here goes.

 

We took a 5 day Carnival cruise on the Freedom Sept. 22nd to 27th and had five excellent dinners in the dining room. We also enjoyed the Deli; had made to order Reubens twice. Nothing like those on Princess because theirs are drying out on the buffet. My husband loved Carnival's pizza vs. Princess pizza. We also enjoyed their mac and cheese and all made to order omelets. Breakfast twice in the DR and others at buffet. Carnival also had Mongolian "barbeque" which we had 3x for lunch. Also. their burgers are far superior.

 

This folks, is from someone who usually eats only chicken and broccoli.

 

It was also a nice change seeing new shows and new comedy.

 

P.S. For those who like fried chicken, it's on the "every night" menu and was wonderful. Same with salmon and steak, though I don't eat either.

[islandatsea]

Being Platinum on both Princess & Carnival, we have to say the food on Princess is better than on Carnival. Presentation, taste, and service is what we like better on Princess, IMO. We have not sailed on a Carnival ship with the 2.0 upgrades yet( food choices...Guys Burgers etc) so can't comment on that aspect.

[eyegirl]

We just got back from a Princess cruise, and we find the food better on Carnival! The last time that I sailed Princess the food was good, but this time it was tasteless and over-cooked for the most part. The buffet was not kept up well in the evening (food needed to be stirred or something!)

Like everyone has said...different people have different tastes and also, some sailings are better than others.

[golfb4cruzing]

Pia, I have to give Carnival props for their deli. Being an old NYers, a good deli sandwich with some chips and pickle hits the spot. Sometimes the line can get lengthy. We both have to get deli or the timing is off waiting to eat together.

[jasbo49]

Got to admit, Carnival's Deli and Mongolian BBQ are real winners. I thought their pizza was just decent. I'll be interested to check out the Princess pizza some people rave about. I've never had a cruise ship pizza that was anywhere near as good as real pizzas in real pizza parlors in practically any town I've ever been in. The cruise ship ones are all dry with skimpy toppings.

 

What I can't forgive about Carnival is not an issue of quality, but of quantity. I detest the concept of the Bacon Police. You cannot get your own bacon at the breakfast buffet. It has to be parceled out by someone strip by strip. Geez, they're that distrustful of their own customers? It's insulting.

 

Jim