CARNIVAL & MASHED POTATOES Is it just me?

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

16 hours ago, tattoos said:

If you sail on the Magic and you like real butter on your mashed potatos, better pack your own.  No butter available anywhere on the Magic.  The only spread available is a butter substitute at the Lido buffet, MDR, and Steakhouse which Carnival refers to as "whipped butter" which bears absolutely no resemblance to real butter and tastes like whipped lard.  On our next cruise, we are bringing real, salty, calorie laden, butter on board and will bring a stick with us to the MDR when we eat there.  

 

Also, no granulated sugar packets available and no little wooden stirrers in the Lido buffet.  We will also be packing sugar packets on our next cruise.

Going on the Magic for Halloween. Three more Carnival cruises booked. Next Halloween on the Mardi Gras and two in 2021. What is happening with Carnival? In the buffet, Most other cruise lines not only have sugar packets, they have regular tea spoons. One container for the clean ones and one for the dirty ones. Great for the tea lovers. No wooden stirrers. No plastic either. Over the years, Carnival has gone down hill with the food offerings. Including the quality. One evening on Jeopardy. What is the major reason most people take a cruise. What is FOOD was the correct answer. That was about three years ago. Personally, we go just to get away and have some enjoyment. However food is at the top of the list for enjoyment also. 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

16 minutes ago, ray98 said:

Maybe everyone is not a mashed potato fanatic like you?  If you put them out for every meal during the week I would probably have one serving.

I bet you are 100% correct. Not everyone is a mashed potato lover, nor is everyone a rice or baked potato lover either.  You may not be a mashed potatoes lover, however many are.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

Mashed potatoes don't keep well.  They taste good only when hot or at least warm.  Once they cool off, they turn to crap, and rewarming only goes so far.  So a tub of mashed potatoes will go bad pretty quickly, then it's gotta get discarded, and cruise lines catch enough heat for wasting food as it is.  Baked potatoes or french fries, on the other hand, are solid pieces, so they stay warm longer, and they taste somewhat better when cooled off.

 

I'm not a mashed potato fan, either.  Too many bad run-ins as a kid: they were lumpy, not warm enough, or both.  

[midcarolina]

26 minutes ago, twodaywonder said:

What choices are you referring to? All of 2? We are Diamond on Carnival with over 48 Carnival cruises. I only started this to see if there were any others that think the same way. No need to suggest we cruise with another cruise line.

You mentioned how wonderful two other cruise lines where due to their mashed potatoes......lots of people pick their favorite cruise line for all kinds of reasons!

And it seems mashed potatoes are really really important to you.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

Just now, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

Mashed potatoes don't keep well.  They taste good only when hot or at least warm.  Once they cool off, they turn to crap, and rewarming only goes so far.  So a tub of mashed potatoes will go bad pretty quickly, then it's gotta get discarded, and cruise lines catch enough heat for wasting food as it is.  Baked potatoes or french fries, on the other hand, are solid pieces, so they stay warm longer, and they taste somewhat better when cooled off.

 

I'm not a mashed potato fan, either.  Too many bad run-ins as a kid: they were lumpy, not warm enough, or both.  

Guess you did not read my information on other cruise lines.  Many cruise lines use small pots for the mashed potatoes. About 12 inched in diameter. They go fast, so fresh is replaced often. A fresh pot usually has melted butter on top of them. When Carnival does have them. They are usually in a very large flat pan. You are correct, They do not last long before they are not worth having.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

1 minute ago, midcarolina said:

You mentioned how wonderful two other cruise lines where due to their mashed potatoes......lots of people pick their favorite cruise line for all kinds of reasons!

And it seems mashed potatoes are really really important to you.

I already said. We like to cruise to get away and have some enjoyment. Enjoyment includes good food. So yes. We no longer cruise a lot on Carnival. The low grade of the food is one of the reasons. We mainly do Carnival for Halloween because it is the best for Halloween. Certainly not because of the food. However, the steak house is excellent for sure. We cruise a minimum of 4-6 a year. Carnival now being the least we cruise on. One year back when Carnival was awesome. We did 8 on them in one year. Never again. So you are correct.

[GeminiBy4]

Just got off Sunrise.   I too love mashed potatoes!  However, the whipped/mashed potatoes were inedible as well as the baked potatoes.   Very thing, gray, undercooked, watery tasting.   By the 3rd night, I ended up only eating the bread and desserts for dinner.  and I"m not picky, but the quality was non existent.  

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

1 minute ago, GeminiBy4 said:

Just got off Sunrise.   I too love mashed potatoes!  However, the whipped/mashed potatoes were inedible as well as the baked potatoes.   Very thing, gray, undercooked, watery tasting.   By the 3rd night, I ended up only eating the bread and desserts for dinner.  and I"m not picky, but the quality was non existent.  

Thanks for you information. As for the baked potato. I do like them when hot and FRESH, not reheated like they are. Dark wrinkled almost black skin and hard and potato sticks to the skin. Smells burnt also. Yuk!

[DallasGuy75219]

31 minutes ago, twodaywonder said:

Guess you do not read. I said. No problem with different types of rice and also baked potatoes. We need choices. With only one evening on Carnival offering them, the choices dwindle. I also said the opposite of what you are saying. If I was in the minority. Then why is it on other cruise line ships they are always refilling the mashed potatoes. Many times you need to wait in line to get them. 

Guess you don't see the illogicality of your own post.  We need choices but we also need mashed potatoes every night?? 

 

You like mashed potatoes, I like green beans, Bob likes carrots, Mary likes mac and cheese, Sue likes broccoli... so Carnival should have all of those on the Lido buffet every night, plus a variety of rotating dishes, when the majority of passengers are eating elsewhere in the MDR anyway?  Other lines (I'm thinking RCCL for example) have 2-3 times the number of hot lines at the dinner buffet.  Every Carnival ship I've been on (from the Holiday class to the Dream class) has a single hot line open for Lido buffet dinner.  

 

If mashed potatoes are that important to you but you can't be bothered to go to the MDR where they're available every night, so you expect Carnival to accommodate your personal preference at the Lido buffet every night,  Carnival probably isn't the place for you.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

Just now, DallasGuy75219 said:

Guess you don't see the illogicality of your own post.  We need choices but we also need mashed potatoes every night?? 

 

You like mashed potatoes, I like green beans, Bob likes carrots, Mary likes mac and cheese, Sue likes broccoli... so Carnival should have all of those on the Lido buffet every night, plus a variety of rotating dishes, when the majority of passengers are eating elsewhere in the MDR anyway?  Other lines (I'm thinking RCCL for example) have 2-3 times the number of hot lines at the dinner buffet.  Every Carnival ship I've been on (from the Holiday class to the Dream class) has a single hot line open for Lido buffet dinner.  

 

If mashed potatoes are that important to you but you can't be bothered to go to the MDR where they're available every night, so you expect Carnival to accommodate your personal preference at the Lido buffet every night,  Carnival probably isn't the place for you.

Sorry you say that. However you are correct about other cruise lines. I thought I made my self very clear on what I have said. No need to tell me to go to the MDR I already covered that. I expect Carnival to offer what the other lines do. PERIOD What is the problem with that? At one time they certainly did and now going south with quantity and quality. Sea food was offered at no charge. No now. There is no problem with my logic, maybe yours. Rice, mashed potatoes, good baked potatoes, green beans, peas, corn and a variety of vegetables should be offered EVERY night.

[ray98]

One one hand you talk about 'low grade food', on the other you are promoting one of the most popular filler foods in existence be served daily....mashed potatoes.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

OK that is correct. what is your point? Replying to posts. Is there a problem with that?

[DallasGuy75219]

1 hour ago, twodaywonder said:

What choices are you referring to? All of 2? We are Diamond on Carnival with over 48 Carnival cruises. I only started this to see if there were any others that think the same way. No need to suggest we cruise with another cruise line.

I'm Diamond too.  I however have realistic expectations about what Carnival is and isn't.  I can understand complaining about cutbacks but don't understand your perceived slight by Carnival's mashed potatoes when they have never been on Carnival's Lido buffet every night in the 15+ years I've been cruising.

 

It seems like you've moved on to other lines with your reservations but can't move on from your Carnival mashed potato fetish, but it's probably time you stop trolling the Carnival CC board and stirring the pot (of mashed potatoes) if you really have moved on.

 

 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

15 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

I'm Diamond too.  I however have realistic expectations about what Carnival is and isn't.  I can understand complaining about cutbacks but don't understand your perceived slight by Carnival's mashed potatoes when they have never been on Carnival's Lido buffet every night in the 15+ years I've been cruising.

 

It seems like you've moved on to other lines with your reservations but can't move on from your Carnival mashed potato fetish, but it's probably time you stop trolling the Carnival CC board and stirring the pot (of mashed potatoes) if you really have moved on.

 

 

You are totally incorrect. They used to have them a lot. I NEVER said they used to have them every night. Considering you do not love them you probably never noticed because you are not a mashed potato lover. I will do what I want with out your remarks to tell me what to do. There is no place for that on here. Sounds like YOU have the problem .

"It seems like you've moved on to other lines with your reservations but can't move on from your Carnival mashed potato fetish, but it's probably time you stop trolling the Carnival CC board and stirring the pot (of mashed potatoes) if you really have moved on."

[ObstructedView2]

1 hour ago, twodaywonder said:

 

We no longer cruise a lot on Carnival. The low grade of the food is one of the reasons.

 

We mainly do Carnival for Halloween because it is the best for Halloween. 

 

 

Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head Halloween costumes would be perfect for your Halloween sailing onboard Mardi Gras October 2020.😊

 

 

 

😊

Edited July 4, 2019 by ObstructedView2

[AAAAmerican]

Mashed Taters are GREATttt. Left Over Tater Cakes can be made too.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

2 minutes ago, AAAAmerican said:

Mashed Taters are GREATttt. Left Over Tater Cakes can be made too.

How true. Take left overs, make them into a patty like a burger and fry them up in some butter and brown them. They are great. Certainly will not happen on any cruise line. That is just fine. But at home. Yes!

[meatloafsfan]

4 hours ago, twodaywonder said:

Guess you do not read. I said. No problem with different types of rice and also baked potatoes. We need choices. With only one evening on Carnival offering them, the choices dwindle. I also said the opposite of what you are saying. If I was in the minority. Then why is it on other cruise line ships they are always refilling the mashed potatoes. Many times you need to wait in line to get them. 

 

On some other cruise lines (I'm looking at your Royal Caribbean) mashed potatoes were the only decent thing I found on the buffet. Maybe that's why they are so popular?

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

26 minutes ago, meatloafsfan said:

 

On some other cruise lines (I'm looking at your Royal Caribbean) mashed potatoes were the only decent thing I found on the buffet. Maybe that's why they are so popular?

Could be. Our last Royal cruise was on the Serenade in January. All the buffet food was excellent. Items that should be hot were very hot. Cold items very cold. Everything was so very fresh. Our cruise on the harmony was also excellent in the buffet. I would think because of the amount of guests is the reason I never saw so many delirious choices every day. 

[ray98]

6 hours ago, twodaywonder said:

OK that is correct. what is your point? Replying to posts. Is there a problem with that?

 

 

Discussing things on a forum made for discussing.

[Bob NC]

Mashed potatoes  

 

I like mashed potatoes too, but, really?

[BlerkOne]

Never a problem getting mashed potatoes - just ask - or even better - asked them to bring for you every night. Carnival has great mashed potatoes. Get on a tour of the galley and you can see the enormous machine they use to make real mashed potatoes. While we also like Princess, you can keep Royal. Been there, done it, no thank you.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

As for not wanting to cruise on Royal. I do not know how many you have taken. The cruise lines we have cruised on have many great ships and some not so great. The ships are not created equal. Their can be 2 or three ships that we may never go on again from each cruise line we have sails on. However there are many that we really enjoyed. One recent example is the Celebrity EDGE If that was the very first cruise we ever took we would never cruise again. However Celebrity has many really great ships that we do like.

[BlerkOne]

17 minutes ago, twodaywonder said:

As for not wanting to cruise on Royal. I do not know how many you have taken. The cruise lines we have cruised on have many great ships and some not so great. The ships are not created equal. Their can be 2 or three ships that we may never go on again from each cruise line we have sails on. However there are many that we really enjoyed. One recent example is the Celebrity EDGE If that was the very first cruise we ever took we would never cruise again. However Celebrity has many really great ships that we do like.

 

Several different Royal ships.. Not so much the ships, as either the crew or the passengers, and/or both. Sometimes the food.

Never met a Carnival ship I didn't like. We occasionally stray,, but Carnival is home. You don't like Carnival - we get it.

[Doggielover68]

2 hours ago, Bob NC said:

Mashed potatoes  

 

I like mashed potatoes too, but, really?

It's like the people who can't survive for a week without freshly brewed iced tea, but there are about 4,000 threads about that already...