Dining changes

[Drazil65]

My problem with Carnival is it's a new cutback every week and it's always a surprise what they'll take out from under your existing booking with no forewarning or ability to get your money back. Like a week or so ago they changed Mardi Gras bookings from San Juan to Nassau because they can't afford the fuel anymore. This week it's no more dessert mix (it's not ice cream) or extra entrees. Next week it could be no more room cleanings at all unless you pay

 

I realize there seems to be a lot of changes within a short window of time and change (especially many) is hard for a lot of people.  That being said, when is a good time for changes?  All at once?  Spread out? One a week?  Two a week?  There is never a good time for EVERYONE, someone is going to be upset or frustrated and someone will not feel affected, its individual.  They will never please 100% of the customer base at the same time so it boils down to how it affects you, personally and whether or not you need to make a change.  

 

We have cruised CCL and RCCL mostly but have also done a couple on NCL (not fans) throughout the last couple of decades of cruising.  All of these lines have had many, many changes, the one thing we have done is look at the cruise as a vacation foundation to build our individual experience on (and our experience has evolved with different phases in life).  With DS now in college we no longer use the pools, the hot tubs, the children's areas or hang out on the very popular lido deck (we do not experience a lot of the new clientele everyone seems to mention) when we cruise.  We learned a long time ago (whether on land or sea) not to depend or base our whole vacation experience on someone else and we build upon what makes us have the best vacation we deserve.  We are responsible for making sure our choices reflect exactly what we are looking for and if we need to change something along the way we do.  

 

What's important to us is having our own space to chill away from crowds when we want to so we frequent a balcony or suite (in a few weeks we look forward to an excel corner suite on MG and will definitely make use of the extra large balcony when needed), use serenity and loft 19, we will eat in specialty restaurants or the MDR and pay an upcharge from the steakhouse or a 3rd entrée if DS or DH desires it), we will utilize some casino time and take in some comedy, DH and DS will snorkel or dive, we will drink what we want when we want it (we do not feel the need for cheers and we did preorder some items for upcoming cruise for balcony time before the change), appreciate the beauty of open water from the balcony, point is this is what makes up our cruise experience and only works for us.   

Edited November 6, 2022 by Drazil65

[furf_n_slo]

I think Carnival could also help their food waste by having better quality control on their foods served on the lido deck. 90% of the time when we leave food on our plate its because it tastes awful. Someone passing by may judge that we are leaving an entire serving of guys fries, or a barely touched slice of cake because we are wasteful. When it's actually because something was so salty it was inedible,  or their cakes tend to be so over saturated with simple syrup it's soggy.  Of course there are always going to be people that take more than they intend to eat. But a lot of times, especially the last few cruises, the food can look really appetizing but tastes horrible.  

[1kaper]

1 minute ago, furf_n_slo said:

I think Carnival could also help their food waste by having better quality control on their foods served on the lido deck. 90% of the time when we leave food on our plate its because it tastes awful. Someone passing by may judge that we are leaving an entire serving of guys fries, or a barely touched slice of cake because we are wasteful. When it's actually because something was so salty it was inedible,  or their cakes tend to be so over saturated with simple syrup it's soggy.  Of course there are always going to be people that take more than they intend to eat. But a lot of times, especially the last few cruises, the food can look really appetizing but tastes horrible.  

I agree. This is why I leave food on my plate 99% of the time. 
 

The buffet was so bad on my last cruise I just avoided it. First elegant night there was a glitch with the app and we couldn’t check in. But the time we got in the line to sign up, the wait was well over an hour. So we went to the buffet. I am not exaggerating when I say every single thing I put on my plate went to waste. It was terrible. I am far from a fussy eater. I’ll still sail because I can do pizza, sandwiches or Guys. Or Blue Iguana so I don’t starve. 
 

I had read complaints about the cakes here before going. Despite that I tried one that just looked too tempting. I took one bite and laughed out loud because of how bad it was. It was so dry and completely tasteless. I have no idea how you make a cake tasteless. 
My son asked why I was laughing. When I explained he insisted on trying it. He thought the same. 
 

So I left a piece of cake with two bites out of it. 

[mz-s]

1 minute ago, 1kaper said:

I agree. This is why I leave food on my plate 99% of the time. 
 

The buffet was so bad on my last cruise I just avoided it. First elegant night there was a glitch with the app and we couldn’t check in. But the time we got in the line to sign up, the wait was well over an hour. So we went to the buffet. I am not exaggerating when I say every single thing I put on my plate went to waste. It was terrible. I am far from a fussy eater. I’ll still sail because I can do pizza, sandwiches or Guys. Or Blue Iguana so I don’t starve. 
 

I had read complaints about the cakes here before going. Despite that I tried one that just looked too tempting. I took one bite and laughed out loud because of how bad it was. It was so dry and completely tasteless. I have no idea how you make a cake tasteless. 
My son asked why I was laughing. When I explained he insisted on trying it. He thought the same. 
 

So I left a piece of cake with two bites out of it. 

 

I felt the same the last time I ate at the breakfast buffet on the Sunshine. Everything was simply disgusting.

[Super27]

4 hours ago, 2wheelin said:

Anyone who eats 4 prime rib servings at one meal has an eating disorder as any doctor should know.

 

Or they are on vacation and want to treat themselves because...it's VACATION?

 

No, silly me, you're probably right, it's definitely a diagnosable medical condition. I guess I should call my doctor and let him know I had 7 meals in one day on my last weekend cruise 🤦‍♂️

[Super27]

47 minutes ago, furf_n_slo said:

I think Carnival could also help their food waste by having better quality control on their foods served on the lido deck. 90% of the time when we leave food on our plate its because it tastes awful. Someone passing by may judge that we are leaving an entire serving of guys fries, or a barely touched slice of cake because we are wasteful. When it's actually because something was so salty it was inedible,  or their cakes tend to be so over saturated with simple syrup it's soggy.  Of course there are always going to be people that take more than they intend to eat. But a lot of times, especially the last few cruises, the food can look really appetizing but tastes horrible.  

 

I'm the last person to blindly defend Carnival when it comes to food issues, but with all the buffet hating around here I'm starting to think you people must only eat in Michelin-starred restaurants at home 🤣

 

Seriously though, I know the buffet isn't anything spectacular, but I've never had anything that was downright awful, and certainly nothing that was truly inedible. Maybe I've just been lucky.

[IntrepidFromDC]

12 hours ago, DrSea said:

 

You're a big eater but have never ordered more than 2 entrees. Please critically think about what you typed out.

 

Maybe she just didn't mention the 10 appetizers. 

 

That's the easy workaround, as only entrees are limited. 

 

"Yes please, I'd like to start with 20 shrimp cocktails before my two entrees."

[IntrepidFromDC]

29 minutes ago, Super27 said:

 

I'm the last person to blindly defend Carnival when it comes to food issues, but with all the buffet hating around here I'm starting to think you people must only eat in Michelin-starred restaurants at home 🤣

 

Seriously though, I know the buffet isn't anything spectacular, but I've never had anything that was downright awful, and certainly nothing that was truly inedible. Maybe I've just been lucky.

Maybe, but more likely you have a higher tolerance for sub-standard quality food.  I've had some luck with the buffet, and the carving station meats seem to be good for the most part, but I have had more than a handful of food so bad I wouldn't/couldn't swallow the first bite, which meets my definition of inedible.  I don't know where Carnival sources their buffet food but they make Sysco look like it should be Michelin-rated to some degree.

[1kaper]

1 hour ago, Super27 said:

 

I'm the last person to blindly defend Carnival when it comes to food issues, but with all the buffet hating around here I'm starting to think you people must only eat in Michelin-starred restaurants at home 🤣

 

Seriously though, I know the buffet isn't anything spectacular, but I've never had anything that was downright awful, and certainly nothing that was truly inedible. Maybe I've just been lucky.

 

🤷‍♀️

 

I think more often than not I’d be accused of defending Carnival. I don’t have many complaints. But the buffet food is definitely one. It’s easy enough to avoid so it’s not a dealbreaker. I’m also not sailing for Michelin star food.  But it was definitely a bad experience in March. 

[BarbieGee]

As I read all these many comments and discussions I think back to other cruises I've been on, starting with RCCL in 2003. Cruising seem to consist of 3 parts. 1) Fun. shows, pools, hot tubs, excursions. 2) Atmosphere. Sea, sun, sand (maybe), attentive service, relaxation. 3) Food. All-you-care-to-eat, fine dining, culinary adventure. These are still available on all the cruise lines but some cruise lines try to emphasize some aspects more then others. That is fine and as it should be but all cannot be maintained without proper management. In 2003 my first experience with cruising highlighted the excesses the staff was willing to go to to please the population. Due to a weather issue which delayed our embarkation and departure, one of the drink lounges offered too all, FREE DRINKS. I was offered by the bartender a setup of every drink he knew how to make. There those glasses sat before, a lineup I could not possibly drink (and did NOT) This lounge was filled with people and I am certain many drank way way too much. And I am sure the waste was tremendous.

Over the next days, in the buffet area, I witnessed people sitting at tables with many many dishes filled with food, then watching as the got up and left more then half of what they'd taken from the buffet.

In the MDR, our server was super accommodating, encouraging us to order anything and everything on the menu. Was there, then, waste there too? 

NCL and the buffet was similar, always seeing mountains of food on plates that were not eaten. Kids not supervised having fun with the ice cream station with many accidents. The MDR at NCL was better at controlling food waste but then the portions were larger and more satisfying, both appetizers,  entree's, and deserts.
Is there one particular group to shoulder the blame for the excessive waste? Cruise lines? Passengers? Perhaps both?

How to remedy this? Better portions in the MDR? (enough food to leave the table satisfied)  Food control at the buffet? (staff serving passenger - one can always return to the buffet if one is still hungry)
These are my thoughts.

NCL Sky 2016    ---   1- pork hock with lentils. 2-pasta carbonara with clams. 3-sirloin steak. 4-Pearl 2016 - large lobster tails!

[IntrepidFromDC]

9 minutes ago, BarbieGee said:

That is a fine looking lobster and look at that - served on a beautiful tablecloth as lobster should be!

[2wheelin]

3 hours ago, Super27 said:

 

Actually I did see the cards of other individuals who were in their travel party, and yes they were blue. And while of course such behavior is not exclusive to any card color, the vast majority of belligerent, offensive, and even violent behavior that I have seen on recent cruises has been among blue cards. There is no question that Carnival is catering more and more to a lower class clientele who are just looking for the cheapest way to get as drunk as possible in as short a time as possible and don't care about anything else - certainly not having any level of respect for fellow guests or crew.

 

Make no mistake, the main reason that Carnival continues cutback after cutback, particularly in the area of dining, is because they know that their target audience does not care and more than likely does not even know any better. 

 

And yet the D&P priority lines are as long as ever.

 

3 hours ago, Super27 said:

 

Or they are on vacation and want to treat themselves because...it's VACATION?

 

No, silly me, you're probably right, it's definitely a diagnosable medical condition. I guess I should call my doctor and let him know I had 7 meals in one day on my last weekend cruise 🤦‍♂️

7 meals in one day—no problem, 4 prime rib meals in one meal—gluttony—which is OK but pay for it yourself.

[crazy4themouse]

4 hours ago, furf_n_slo said:

I think Carnival could also help their food waste by having better quality control on their foods served on the lido deck. 90% of the time when we leave food on our plate its because it tastes awful. Someone passing by may judge that we are leaving an entire serving of guys fries, or a barely touched slice of cake because we are wasteful. When it's actually because something was so salty it was inedible,  or their cakes tend to be so over saturated with simple syrup it's soggy.  Of course there are always going to be people that take more than they intend to eat. But a lot of times, especially the last few cruises, the food can look really appetizing but tastes horrible.  

 

Couldn't agree more. My husband and I have been discussing this for a couple of weeks now, since coming back from our most recent Breeze sailing. This was our 4th since the restart, and the food has just gotten progressively worse. Let me preface this by saying that we are *far* from being anything even close to foodies -- As long as someone else shops for, cooks, and cleans up after our meals, we can almost always find something to be very happy about eating. 

 

And we totally get why Carnival needs to try and save money (we're all trying to do that these days) but like you we really wonder how much "waste" is because the food is just basically inedible. Does it cost more to cook bacon past the point of translucency? Or not cook chicken past the point of it being jerky? Does hot food - or even warm - somehow cost more? And it wasn't just the buffet, we ran into the same issues at seaday brunch and other places. We certainly try to not waste food, but what are we supposed to do? Just choke something down and "just be happy that we're on a cruise"? Sorry, no.

 

[Super27]

4 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Maybe, but more likely you have a higher tolerance for sub-standard quality food.  I've had some luck with the buffet, and the carving station meats seem to be good for the most part, but I have had more than a handful of food so bad I wouldn't/couldn't swallow the first bite, which meets my definition of inedible.  I don't know where Carnival sources their buffet food but they make Sysco look like it should be Michelin-rated to some degree.

 

Not so much a tolerance for bad food, but many years of traveling for a living and experiencing everything from Christmas dinner at IHOP because it's the only thing open to some of the finest restaurants in major cities, I guess I have just learned I need to really manage my expectations based on where I'm at to avoid frustration. Carnival's buffet is pretty much what I expect for a mass-market buffet. Although it sounds like you and others have dealt with some worse meals there than I have - and I definitely think the buffet can be way more inconsistent than other venues due to factors beyond any of our control (e.g. how long something has been sitting there when you happen to get to it in line).

 

Also I very much agree with you on the carving stations being the highlight of the buffet. The prime rib I had at the buffet on Conquest in February was better than any I've ever had from Carnival's MDR...now THAT was a surprise for sure...again, probably some luck in my timing of when I got there, but I'll take it!

[IntrepidFromDC]

15 minutes ago, Super27 said:

... I have just learned I need to really manage my expectations based on where I'm at to avoid frustration. Carnival's buffet is pretty much what I expect for a mass-market buffet.

Really good points and well stated.  Although I post honest comments (some read them as complaints, but they're not) about how I feel that most of Carnival's food being sub-standard, I have sailed on 24 cruises - ALL CARNIVAL!  Why do I return if the food is not up to par?  1) I understand that for my palate, food is a major con of cruising Carnival - but it's far outweighed by all the things I love about Carnival cruises, and 2) STEAKHOUSE, HELLO?  Plus now all the additional good free food options on Mardi Gras (which is why my next cruise is a Mardi Gras B2B).

 

I don't expect Carnival to change the quality of the food, and I still consider their overall "value proposition" (thinking about it as their marketing) as a great value.  But I can only tolerate Carnival buffet and MDR about two nights per seven-day cruise.  If I risk a third night at either venue it's like rolling the dice... am I going to get that watery you-know-what sensation in the mouth?

[pc_load_letter]

On 11/4/2022 at 1:14 PM, Eli_6 said:

It wouldn't hurt my feelings if they eliminated all the elegant nights. 

 

We could cruise any cruise (including 10+ day Europe cruises) with just carry-ons if we didn't have to bring "dress" shoes for my husband's size 12.5 feet and my two growing boys who are already in men's sizes even though they are 8 and 10.  

 

You don't have to dress up. It's not mandatory.

[Joebucks]

5 hours ago, Super27 said:

 

Or they are on vacation and want to treat themselves because...it's VACATION?

 

No, silly me, you're probably right, it's definitely a diagnosable medical condition. I guess I should call my doctor and let him know I had 7 meals in one day on my last weekend cruise 🤦‍♂️

 

Patient: Hey doc, I had 4 plates of red meat at dinner

 

Doc: Oh you must be on vacation. Everyone does that! Perfectly healthy.

[mz-s]

5 hours ago, Super27 said:

 

I'm the last person to blindly defend Carnival when it comes to food issues, but with all the buffet hating around here I'm starting to think you people must only eat in Michelin-starred restaurants at home 🤣

 

Seriously though, I know the buffet isn't anything spectacular, but I've never had anything that was downright awful, and certainly nothing that was truly inedible. Maybe I've just been lucky.

 

Eat the scrambled eggs or biscuits and gravy from the breakfast buffet on your next cruise, then we'll talk Michelin stars.

[Rudyard]

1 hour ago, crazy4themouse said:

Does it cost more to cook bacon past the point of translucency?

This right here is why I don't worry about bacon not being available some days. Even on the days when they do serve it, it's often inedible. And I'm not one that needs his bacon super crispy, just not see through. 

[mz-s]

7 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

Patient: Hey doc, I had 4 plates of red meat at dinner

 

Doc: Oh you must be on vacation. Everyone does that! Perfectly healthy.

 

Why are we all of a sudden worried about health? Carnival serves drinks with straws made out of candy for crying out loud. Live and let live.

[vicky3vicky]

So long  as I am paying "Denny's " prices and getting better than "Denny's" food, I'm good. I also hope they lessen room cleaning to once or twice a week. If people want to pay more to get more, there are so many ways they can do that [steakhouse, other pay venues, Havana rooms.']

 

I, for one, want Carnival to survive. Instead of grousing about Carnival's food being inferior and in a lesser quantity than you are used to eating at home, just stop complaining about Carnival and spend a ridiculous ammount of money on a ridiculously pretentious cruiseline and leave Carnival to those of us who love Carnival's food.  

 

I

[1kaper]

3 minutes ago, vicky3vicky said:

So long  as I am paying "Denny's " prices and getting better than "Denny's" food, I'm good. I also hope they lessen room cleaning to once or twice a week. If people want to pay more to get more, there are so many ways they can do that [steakhouse, other pay venues, Havana rooms.']

 

I, for one, want Carnival to survive. Instead of grousing about Carnival's food being inferior and in a lesser quantity than you are used to eating at home, just stop complaining about Carnival and spend a ridiculous ammount of money on a ridiculously pretentious cruiseline and leave Carnival to those of us who love Carnival's food.  

 

I

 

I mean, I thought I was quite clear I wasn’t grousing. I even said that I simply avoided the buffet. I was talking about my experience. I am also happy with what I get for what I pay. And as a stock holder I certainly want them to survive. 
 

But I have also moved on to another cruise line that does have better food in the buffet and doesn’t charge me for drinks on the private island. And it is pretty comparable with carnival. When my Carnival offers go away I will likely sail less. 
 

 

[christyran1228]

7 hours ago, 1kaper said:

I had read complaints about the cakes here before going. Despite that I tried one that just looked too tempting. I took one bite and laughed out loud because of how bad it was. It was so dry and completely tasteless. I have no idea how you make a cake tasteless. 
My son asked why I was laughing. When I explained he insisted on trying it. He thought the same. 
 

So I left a piece of cake with two bites out of it. 

The cakes always look so beautiful, but everytime I've tried one it's been completely dry and tasteless.  I'll be going into this funfetti cheesecake thing in a couple weeks with an open mind, though.  Lol

[1kaper]

2 minutes ago, christyran1228 said:

The cakes always look so beautiful, but everytime I've tried one it's been completely dry and tasteless.  I'll be going into this funfetti cheesecake thing in a couple weeks with an open mind, though.  Lol

 

Haha!  I’ve been following that thread.  Sailing in less than 2 weeks and same plan. 

[mz-s]

3 minutes ago, christyran1228 said:

The cakes always look so beautiful, but everytime I've tried one it's been completely dry and tasteless.  I'll be going into this funfetti cheesecake thing in a couple weeks with an open mind, though.  Lol

 

The funfetti cheesecake is their best dessert from the buffet. So if you don't like it, don't waste your time with anything else in my opinion.