Microwave

[DashOhQ]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered already.

Are there microwaves available for passenger use on the ships? Taking the Valor in August and looking to bring to microwave popcorn for an evening snack or while watching the movies.

 

Thanks

[SadieN]

No

 

If the ship has the Lido TV, there will be popcorn during the nighttime movie.

 

 

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[beachbum53]

There are no kitchen appliances (other than a small refrigerator) in the cabins. If you need a late evening snack, the Pizza Pirate will be open, and there are soft-serve ice cream machines on the Lido deck. And, if you want to, you can bring a bag of chips or pretzels on board with you.

[IndyGirl]

I have never seen a ship with a microwave available to the passengers. Like has been stated, there is popcorn available during the lido deck movies. Boy are you going to be flamed, LOL!

[cruiseonthebrain]

Nope- no microwaves. You could bring store-bought pre-popped popcorn in its original sealed bag thought if you really want popcorn.

[StolidCruiser]

I always bring my own - I put it in a rum runner. 100% success. ;)

[dljones]

Most ships by now have the Seaside Theatres so maybe you could go and pick up a few bags during Dive-In Movie nights and just take them back to your cabin to enjoy.

[DashOhQ]

Thanks everyone. I have been on three Carvinal ship but I have never looked into/thought about the microwave thing before.

 

I have zero complaints about Carnival food EXCEPT for their popcorn. I love the dive in movies but have not enjoyed the popcorn while watching them. It has always seemed like it has a "burnt" taste to it (for me) ..was thinking of bringing my own for this reason :)

 

No worries, I like the idea of bringing a bag of the pre popped stuff, I hadn't thought about that!

 

Happy Cruising

[lizardhowson]

There are no kitchen appliances (other than a small refrigerator) in the cabins. If you need a late evening snack, the Pizza Pirate will be open, and there are soft-serve ice cream machines on the Lido deck. And, if you want to, you can bring a bag of chips or pretzels on board with you.

 

The rooms have a mini-bar, it is not a refrigerator (no compressor so they cannot get very cold). It will slightly chill things but not get them cold.

[dljones]

I have zero complaints about Carnival food EXCEPT for their popcorn.

 

This statement is hilarious to me. It really tickled my funny bone! Thank you OP! I love fresh popcorn myself but the bag stuff is pretty good alternative in a pinch.

 

Tongue-in-cheek... Write John Heald on his Facebook page and complain about the lack of decent popcorn on board and be sure to ask for special accommodations exclusively for you and most especially on board credit!! He will get a real laugh out of it and you may well just get a little surprise from our dear friend John for your cruise. :D

[jamesr3939]

The rooms have a mini-bar, it is not a refrigerator (no compressor so they cannot get very cold). It will slightly chill things but not get them cold.

 

Slightly inaccurate, I am not sure what the difference is between a mini-bar and a refrigerator with no compressor (wouldn't that just make it a cabinet?)

 

Granted there are some cabin refrigerators that work better than others, but they are still refrigerators. We had luke warm to very chilled over the years. So I believe they all have compressors, some just compress better than others.

Edited April 20, 2016 by jamesr3939

[Wheatie59]

Well, its possible to build a refrigerator without a compressor, but I seriously doubt that's what these have. You can do it with thermoelectric coolers or an ammonia based system with a heater. The thermoelectric coolers are essentially reverse thermocouples. Apply a voltage and one side gets hot and the other gets cool. But quite expensive. The ammonia/heater system is commonly used in RV fridges. I cannot imagine that being used on a ship. These tiny fridges almost certainly have compressors.

 

They cool so poorly because they are trapped in an enclosed cabinet. The air in the cabinet heats up. A fridge can only produce so much of a temperature difference between the cold side and the hot side. So, if the outside is a trapped, hot space, they're going to be warm inside. Leave the cabinet door open and you might be surprised at what happens inside the fridge.

 

I can understand no guest microwaves and in particular no microwave popcorn. On at least half the occasions when we've been chased out of our office for a fire alarm its been because of microwave popcorn. And pretty much every time involved a microwave. Facilities already confiscated all the non-company coffee makers and all toasters and toaster ovens. I'm sure they would confiscate the microwaves if they thought they wouldn't be lynched.

[lizardhowson]

Well, its possible to build a refrigerator without a compressor, but I seriously doubt that's what these have. You can do it with thermoelectric coolers or an ammonia based system with a heater. The thermoelectric coolers are essentially reverse thermocouples. Apply a voltage and one side gets hot and the other gets cool. But quite expensive. The ammonia/heater system is commonly used in RV fridges. I cannot imagine that being used on a ship. These tiny fridges almost certainly have compressors.

 

They cool so poorly because they are trapped in an enclosed cabinet. The air in the cabinet heats up. A fridge can only produce so much of a temperature difference between the cold side and the hot side. So, if the outside is a trapped, hot space, they're going to be warm inside. Leave the cabinet door open and you might be surprised at what happens inside the fridge.

 

I can understand no guest microwaves and in particular no microwave popcorn. On at least half the occasions when we've been chased out of our office for a fire alarm its been because of microwave popcorn. And pretty much every time involved a microwave. Facilities already confiscated all the non-company coffee makers and all toasters and toaster ovens. I'm sure they would confiscate the microwaves if they thought they wouldn't be lynched.

 

They do not have compressors. Carnival is very careful to always call them mini-bars, never refrigerators. You can buy dorm size "chillers" for less than $50 retail. But they just chill, they don't get refrigerator cold.

[Wheatie59]

Hmmm. Guess there's going to need to be a little exploratory disassembly on the next trip. Must be thermoelectric, then. Those do have a smaller difference between the hot and cold sides than a compressor based refrigerator. Combine with the warm cabinet they're trapped in and that would explain why they're so warm.

[SadieN]

We prop the cabinet door open with a towel.

 

 

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[Rosefloater]

Slightly inaccurate, I am not sure what the difference is between a mini-bar and a refrigerator with no compressor (wouldn't that just make it a cabinet?)

 

Granted there are some cabin refrigerators that work better than others, but they are still refrigerators. We had luke warm to very chilled over the years. So I believe they all have compressors, some just compress better than others.

 

On my last 3 cruises on the Miracle, the refrigerators have been cold. We have a clock/thermometer combo and put it in the fridge to check the temp and on all 3 cruises the temp has been in the 40's.

 

We put a washcloth over the cabinet door to keep it ajar. I think this helps with the air circulation.

 

OP - Make sure to put the popcorn in your carryon. If you put in your checked luggage, it will probably get crushed.

[GUT2407]

We prop the cabinet door open with a towel.

 

 

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Yeah we've found leaving the door open helps a little.

[makeda]

its a cruise ship, not a hotel room...please read the small print on "amenities", thank you

[DashOhQ]

its a cruise ship, not a hotel room...please read the small print on "amenities", thank you

 

Huh?

[cruzinlisa]

The refrigerators are like the dorm sized ones for college. I don't know if they still have those or not in college dorms, but I did back in the late 90s. They are better at KEEPING cold things cold than getting them cold, but they still work. Of course I drink soda at room temperature sometimes, so who can tell.

To the OP, like others said, no microwave. Bring your own pre-popped corn. Carnival is lacking on snacky types of foods like chips, and stuff. We usually bring a few individual sized snacks for our DD. She is now 5 and has always been a snacker (and skinny as a bean pole of course). They are good for ports too, especially if you know you have someone who is picky.

[cruiseonthebrain]

its a cruise ship, not a hotel room...please read the small print on "amenities", thank you

 

It's ok- I used to be cranky when I had to live in Cleveland too:D

[GMRPHRN]

Thanks everyone. I have been on three Carvinal ship but I have never looked into/thought about the microwave thing before.

 

I have zero complaints about Carnival food EXCEPT for their popcorn. I love the dive in movies but have not enjoyed the popcorn while watching them. It has always seemed like it has a "burnt" taste to it (for me) ..was thinking of bringing my own for this reason :)

 

No worries, I like the idea of bringing a bag of the pre popped stuff, I hadn't thought about that!

 

Happy Cruising

 

I thought of this microwave idea, too. Too bad, though. I'm going to take some flavored popcorn salt for my next cruise

[GMRPHRN]

 

We put a washcloth over the cabinet door to keep it ajar. I think this helps with the air circulation.

.

 

Thanks, for this idea. It's disappointing when they won't cool the bottled water. I am hoping that having an empty fridge would improve things.