Changes on Carnival

[Nckl716]

Ready to book our 10th cruise on the Carnival Sunshine and I have a few questions. My husband went on a 5 day cruise on Carnival and noticed a few changes.

1. No basket of goodies in the bathroom

2. No mints left on the bed at night

3. Only 1 serving of bread in the dining room

4. Food quality not the same

5. You now have to pay $20.00 for Lobster

6. Past guest night not offered...just a coupon for free drink on the last night

Now, don't get me wrong, we still had a great time...crew was great and food was still good.

We were told that any of the above is not offered on the shorter cruises. We are planning a 8 night cruise. Will the above be offered or is this changes Carnival has decided to go with?

Again, will always cruise with Carnival but the cut backs were a little bit of a shock.

Happy cruising to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Clarea]

I would try posting on the Carnival forum:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215

[cdnmr]

Ready to book our 10th cruise on the Carnival Sunshine and I have a few questions. My husband went on a 5 day cruise on Carnival and noticed a few changes.

1. No basket of goodies in the bathroom

2. No mints left on the bed at night

3. Only 1 serving of bread in the dining room

4. Food quality not the same

5. You now have to pay $20.00 for Lobster

6. Past guest night not offered...just a coupon for free drink on the last night

Now, don't get me wrong, we still had a great time...crew was great and food was still good.

We were told that any of the above is not offered on the shorter cruises. We are planning a 8 night cruise. Will the above be offered or is this changes Carnival has decided to go with?

Again, will always cruise with Carnival but the cut backs were a little bit of a shock.

Happy cruising to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Dont think they do the basket or mints/chocolates any more. Spa cabins do get some goodies.

 

I'm sure they'll give you as much bread as you like if you ask.

 

Lobster is still free on formal night, just ha it last month and I don't get the hype to be honest....had better lobster at a beach bar the next day. (the extra charge items on the nightly menu are from the steakhouse)

 

Food quality in MDR was same in our opinion on our last cruise in January, buffet has gone down hill IMO.

 

Past Guest is now for Platinum and Diamond only....has been like that for awhile now.

[Bonnie J.]

They no longer serve lobster on 5 or less nights. It is served, free, on 1st formal night for longer cruises. But prime rib is served twice on same cruise.

Don't know why the bathroom 'goodies stopped as they were given to Carnival, they didn't buy them.

On Costa they only give the night mints on the formal nights, cost is probably why it has been stopped.

You can get as much bread as you want in the dining room. With the new American menu there is a basket of bread on each table.

My husband says I cook better than any ship we've been on but I don't buy prime rib, veal or lamb any more at home.

I can understand why it is now just Diamond and Platinum party night. Think of how much it costs for free drinks for all past passengers!

Our favorite Carnival ship is the Sunshine and we have been on many Carnival ships- plus NCL, Princess, Costa & RCCL.

[Essiesmom]

We were on Fascination last week and we didn't miss the mints/chocolates. Our waiter was always pushing bread on us. The extra charge items were on the menu because Fascination/Fantasy does not have a steakhouse. There was a party for diamond/platinum, which I attended. Free drinks and snacks. EM

[Poppy42]

We were on the Conquest in January. Most food was okay - not great but much better than our last Carnival cruise on the Dream. It was so bad that we didn't cruise Carnival for over a year. Decided to give them a second chance and it was much better. Lobster on the formal night - we each had two. Thought the buffet was same as usual. Guy's burgers are very good. The mints? Really cheaping out - how much could it cost them? A couple of pennies. What really bugs me, and it's common on all cruise lines, is selling you bottled water as you leave the ship for the day. Really? I can buy the water for less than 20 cents each and they pay a lot less. We bring empty bottles and fill them in the buffet.

[Flatbush Flyer]

We were on the Conquest in January. Most food was okay - not great but much better than our last Carnival cruise on the Dream. It was so bad that we didn't cruise Carnival for over a year. Decided to give them a second chance and it was much better. Lobster on the formal night - we each had two. Thought the buffet was same as usual. Guy's burgers are very good. The mints? Really cheaping out - how much could it cost them? A couple of pennies. What really bugs me, and it's common on all cruise lines, is selling you bottled water as you leave the ship for the day. Really? I can buy the water for less than 20 cents each and they pay a lot less. We bring empty bottles and fill them in the buffet.

 

 

Not ALL cruise lines charge for bottled water as you leave the ship OR for bottled water in your cabin (even sparkling like San Pelligrino). Likewise, some lines include many other items, even international airfare. I mention this because so many CC posters bristle at the cabin cost of premium and luxury lines without considering the "net daily rate" of the overall journey based on all projected costs.

In your planning, do the math (e.g., coach airfare across the Pacific can easily be $2k/person).

 

And then there's other items like food quality/choices, specialty restaurants, alcohol, internet, and even some or all excursions. That first "sticker shock" of some lines may not be all that bad when you disaggregate included items that are "add-ons elsewhere.

 

So, bottom line is that not everything is "common on all cruise lines." Talk with a TA who is a bona fide "cruise specialist" (and remember to ask about how much added OBC they will throw into the mix).

[Bonnie J.]

On our last few Carnival cruises, we have each been given a2 oz. bottle of water. I don't know who else gets them because we are Diamond. Many bring their own water bottle and fill them up in the buffet.

[Poppy42]

We got a large bottle of water (free) in our cabin. Overall I'm happy with what Carnival gives us for the price. Can they improve? YES!

[sparks1093]

They no longer serve lobster on 5 or less nights. It is served, free, on 1st formal night for longer cruises. But prime rib is served twice on same cruise.

Don't know why the bathroom 'goodies stopped as they were given to Carnival, they didn't buy them.

On Costa they only give the night mints on the formal nights, cost is probably why it has been stopped.

You can get as much bread as you want in the dining room. With the new American menu there is a basket of bread on each table.

My husband says I cook better than any ship we've been on but I don't buy prime rib, veal or lamb any more at home.

I can understand why it is now just Diamond and Platinum party night. Think of how much it costs for free drinks for all past passengers!

Our favorite Carnival ship is the Sunshine and we have been on many Carnival ships- plus NCL, Princess, Costa & RCCL.

 

The bathroom goodies probably stopped because the companies that gave them away stopped giving them away.

Edited March 3, 2016 by sparks1093

[Honolulu Blue]

Ready to book our 10th cruise on the Carnival Sunshine and I have a few questions. My husband went on a 5 day cruise on Carnival and noticed a few changes.

1. No basket of goodies in the bathroom

2. No mints left on the bed at night

3. Only 1 serving of bread in the dining room

4. Food quality not the same

5. You now have to pay $20.00 for Lobster

6. Past guest night not offered...just a coupon for free drink on the last night

Now, don't get me wrong, we still had a great time...crew was great and food was still good.

We were told that any of the above is not offered on the shorter cruises. We are planning a 8 night cruise. Will the above be offered or is this changes Carnival has decided to go with?

Again, will always cruise with Carnival but the cut backs were a little bit of a shock.

Happy cruising to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The only change you'll see on your 8-night cruise is that lobster will be offered in the MDR on the first elegant evening. Otherwise, those are the things Carnival has changed and will be sticking with, until further notice.

[Poppy42]

The only change you'll see on your 8-night cruise is that lobster will be offered in the MDR on the first elegant evening. Otherwise, those are the things Carnival has changed and will be sticking with, until further notice.

We were on an 8 day in January - guess that's why we got lobster.