Carnival MDR food

[RuthlessBoss]

That's a great point. And if dinner stinks, I would think you can walk out and find other options all over the place - including your room. I'm looking forward to no cooking, no cleaning, no laundry, no commute...and no taking care of everyone else...for at least 7 days this summer.

 

There are so many options, there is no need to lose weight. I guess they had to blame someone.

[summersigh]

We sailed the Sunshine this month and ate all of our dinners in the MDR.

 

We felt there were way too many funky-kinda sauces on the various entrees and sides as well as some of the apps.... and wayyyy too many dishes swimming in that same marinara sauce that's on their pizzas (including a spinach and cheese wrap)

 

After a couple of days DH started ordering a ceasar salad, an app, the entrée "naked" and a baked potato. He was very happy with this and said that without the sauces the proteins were very good and cooked very well.

 

I like short ribs and other beef. The flavor was good but a lot of fat. The lamb chops were some of the best I've ever had.

[Billfrompa]

We started cruising back in 1994. Carnival Tropicale was our first. Mdr food was very good as was our waiter, Marino Lonic; who with no surprise ended up a maitre'd. That experience set the stage for our love of cruising. Over the years we have noticed things have changed and corners have been cut. The food is certainly not the same. It's a shame that to get the same quality(or close) that you got years ago; you have to pay for "specialty" dining. Actually a brilliant idea from the cruise lines' point of view. It certainly creates more revenue when you have people get used to paying extra for food. I.e.: " if they don't like what we give 'em; they"ll pony up sooner or later".... As per my experience, there are cruises and/or ships where food is better or worse. This can depend on who's cooking, what they're cooking, when they're cooking, the moon, the tide, etc. I won't go on and on. Right now, for my family, Carnival provides a great vacation at a price point that works. We've never had a bad cruise or have never been able to find something decent to eat. If you've ever been to Tgi Fridays, Ruby Tuesday and the like; you've already pretty much have eaten on Carnival. In my opinion the mdr food on Carnival is at least as good or better than many of those. Maybe somewhere over the rainbow, I'll be able to afford Seabourne or Crystal. I can then have my prime beef with caviar and swill it down with Dom Perignon. Alas, for now I'm just going to have to "put up" with Carnival. Booked on the Breeze for March 6th. Can't wait to get on board! Happy cruising everyone! Bill.

[renza]

Over the years the food quality and quantity have gone down hill. But the price really has not changed a lot. So they have to cut somewhere. We have friends who are real food people and we can not get them to cruise with us any longer because of the quality.

[SadieN]

Over the years the food quality and quantity have gone down hill. But the price really has not changed a lot. So they have to cut somewhere. We have friends who are real food people and we can not get them to cruise with us any longer because of the quality.

 

 

Its the same complaint across the board for every line.

[crusinpsychRN]

I had the worst steak in the Steakhouse on Pride. Couldn't identify what it was. Couldn't get a server to come to change it. Couldn't get water. Just awful.

 

Had a chef change on Legend and the terrible food suddenly was good so the chef really counts.

 

The prime rib is no where near as good as it used to be. Flat iron steak is very hit or miss.

 

Was on HAL and the food wasn't much better although they did have eggs Benedict every day and numerous options of it. OJ was pre poured and had to be stirred and it was hard to find. The fois gras was burned.

 

I tell them the first night I have had problems with food served tepid and I'd like my hot food hot. That helps. Wish the salad was cold.

Edited January 27, 2016 by crusinpsychRN

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

I have the same complaint about my local grocery store that many people do about Carnival's food. Fish is more often than not flash frozen and is watery and flavorless upon cooking. The meats are mostly select with a few standard and select but choice and prime is no where to be found at my grocery store. Fruits and vegetables are almost always from south of the border and spoil within hours of taking them home. In order to get "good" food I have to pay through the nose at a butcher, or visit a farmer's market, or find a good european bakery for deserts worth bothering about.

 

Most people in the US eat pretty low quality food...and so they don't know any better when they eat out or go on a cruise where meat is lower than standard; oftentimes a commercial grade that is mass-marketed to chain restaurants and fast food joints. Also, good food doesn't do well sitting on steam tables or under heat lamps or cooked in massive quantities.

 

For me a cruise is NEVER a foodie outing. It is safe and predictable. Even the expensive lines that feed a thousand a sitting no longer offer top notch food. The ingredients are too expensive, the cooking methods work poorly, and, face it, not many people really understand what "good" food really is. Besides, what "great" chef will work under the living conditions of a ship. You don't see cookbooks coming from a cruise line.

Edited January 27, 2016 by Sweet Dutch Girl

[lilmizz]

Just off the Dream. I have to say this is the first time in 10 cruises I have been very disappointed in the MDR food. It seemed there were less choices and most of the beef was very fatty. I do hope this was isolated as I only cruise carnival and have the Pride booked in February next year.

 

I agree, the Dream food was not great in MDR Prime rib was horrible. BUT so many other options on the dream like Tandoor and the Pasta place, HECK the Lido buffet was better than MDR . I hope Liberty does better

[cherbear4000]

I have been cruising Carnival regularly since 1999. I have also sailed other lines. The quality of the MDR/buffet food on Carnival seems to go down every year. I even contracted Salmonella poisoning on the Dream in 2012. (Because some people like to argue with me about that, I am 100% certain I contracted it on the cruise ship. I starting getting ill the last day of a 7 day cruise and I did not eat anything off the ship the entire cruise). I have yet to starve on a Carnival cruise. As long as the ship has a Guy's, I will be fine.

Edited January 28, 2016 by cherbear4000