Mardi Gras THEN (2021) and NOW (2023)

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Just off our third sailing (two in '21) on the Mardi Gras. These are a few of the minor changes I noted between the first two, and our most recent.

 

Already known - now you must ask for Wasabi on your Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes in the Steakhouse (before image, note we always asked for extra on the side as well):

2021:

 

(Also already known), the beef marrow/tartare is off the menu:

2021:

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The internet was 2-3x faster now (I tested multiple ways over multiple days):

 

2021:

 

2023:

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------

 

At Rudi's -- the CRAB STUFFED LOBSTER TAIL IMPERIAL is no longer very "imperial". I'm not a lobster aficionado, but this also might be moving from a Maine lobster to a warm water lobster:

 

2021:

 

2023:

 

2021: Scallops, loaded with cheese, and a beautiful presentation

 

2023: Now, nearly half of what they bring you with the scallops is filler (mashed potatoes)

 

2021: Lobster Mac & Cheese

 

2023: Crab dishes are gone (many were broken I'm told) and no baked on cheese topping

 

-------------------------------------------------------------

 

And, one which has already been established, but sticks out to me... the change in the Muffuletta at Emeril's... this went from one of my recommended GO TO options, to an AVOID option. As they say, you can't step into the same river twice... 😞 

 

2021:

 

2023:

 

 

There's probably many other (similar) little things, but these are the most noteworthy in my book!

 

Tom

[LatinaInTexas]

Wow it's one thing to keep seeing posts about changes and cut backs and quite another to see it 😮

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Oh - and the strawberries (formerly "chocolate covered") they bring you for your Diamond gift. Well, now they're just dipped in some gooey chocolate, which makes a total smearing mess. You can still get the hard/dipped ones at the coffee place, buy you're going to pay for them.

 

[audcc77]

50 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

These are a few of the minor changes I noted between the first two, and our most recent.

Wow. Thanks for taking time to post.  
 

I haven’t taken the strawberries for years.  I just recently switched to the cookies.
 

What are your thoughts about the cleanliness of your cabin? 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

3 minutes ago, audcc77 said:

Wow. Thanks for taking time to post.  
 

I haven’t taken the strawberries for years.  I just recently switched to the cookies.
 

What are your thoughts about the cleanliness of your cabin? 

The cabin was in great shape. I started another thread more on the overall cruise, as opposed to differences.

[jerseyjjs]

Good thing I don't eat/like seafood.

[Joebucks]

Haha is that my muffaletta in the second pic?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

9 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

Haha is that my muffaletta in the second pic?

 

Might as well be !  

 

Nope, it's one that I ordered early last week.  😞

 

Tom

[Colorado Beach Bum]

After four cruises on MG we noticed a few changes too.  Guys Smokehouse for dinner no longer has the nightly specials of which there were a few good choices.  We enjoyed a couple dinners there on first couple of cruises now I wouldn’t say it’s any better than what they offer for lunch. 

[Eli_6]

That sandwich went from WOW to womp, womp.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Does anyone know when they stopped offering breakfast (w/table service) at Cucina del Capitano? We enjoyed it 3-4 times in 2021 (dining outside was very pleasant), but I didn't see it on the app last week. It was such a nice break from the madhouse which is the MDR for breakfast!

 

Either it's been dropped, or I dropped the ball and missed it (I checked at least 3-4 mornings)...

 

Tom

 

[ray98]

Yikes.  When you see them side by side it is obvious.

[ninjacat123]

Wow!  Thanks for posting!

[Cayman1]

Well this sucks! We board next Saturday. 😞

 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

8 minutes ago, Cayman1 said:

Well this sucks! We board next Saturday. 😞

 

You'll still have a great time - enjoy!

 

Tom

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Something else comes to mind (changes wise), thanks to Cheryl pointing it out to me!

 

The "meat display fridge" in the Steakhouse. Previously it had a variety of meats and was more visually appealing (as appealing as hanging beef can be...)

 

2021:

 

(Close Up - 2021):

 

2023 The blue plastic trays don't help this image much either:

 

Tom

 

 

[Cayman1]

1 hour ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

You'll still have a great time - enjoy!

 

Tom

 

I am sure we will, especially since we haven't enjoyed the "before" before. 🙂

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

1 minute ago, Cayman1 said:

 

I am sure we will, especially since we haven't enjoyed the "before" before. 🙂

That does help! 😁

[jimbob22]

5 hours ago, Cayman1 said:

Well this sucks! We board next Saturday. 😞

 

if you order the mufaletta, ask for extra meat.  It would be interesting to see what happens.  Considering that you're paying for it, I don't think that's an outlandish request.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Just now, jimbob22 said:

if you order the mufaletta, ask for extra meat.  It would be interesting to see what happens.  Considering that you're paying for it, I don't think that's an outlandish request.

When I placed the order, I actually showed two of the staff there the image of what I was looking for. They assured me it would come out like that. Well, we all know how it came out!

[seannyice81]

The meat "display" in the steakhouse never grabbed my attention, but the difference is considerable haha!

Too bad about the mufaletta. I never tried it last year and I should've. Fingers crossed it's better than that on Celebration. 

[kwokpot]

8 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

Something else comes to mind (changes wise), thanks to Cheryl pointing it out to me!

 

The "meat display fridge" in the Steakhouse. Previously it had a variety of meats and was more visually appealing (as appealing as hanging beef can be...)

 

2021:

 

(Close Up - 2021):

 

2023 The blue plastic trays don't help this image much either:

 

Tom

 

 

One of the other changes in the Steakhouse is they eliminated the whole 'choose your type of salt' for your steaks. I always thought that was a waste of time and effort. That's been eliminated fleetwide I think. 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

1 minute ago, kwokpot said:

One of the other changes in the Steakhouse is they eliminated the whole 'choose your type of salt' for your steaks. I always thought that was a waste of time and effort. That's been eliminated fleetwide I think. 

 

Yep - in that regard I always felt that they were copying other lines (thinking of 150 Central Park). They didn't do it for very long. I had commented a year or so ago that I felt it was strange when I was ordering the Spice Rubbed Ribeye that they'd ask me what type of salt I wanted. I was like "I want it the way it was intended"!

 

Something else that's dropped off the radar there over the last year or two is that they no longer ask what kind of sauce you'd like with your steak. If you want a sauce (no thanks, horseradish for me thank you!) you have to now ask for it.

 

I also don't care for the fact that they no longer (this has been for a little while now) have the chef's plate your entrée - nope, for most dishes now they'll bring you a hot plate and then plop your pieces/parts on there... often lacking the visual flair of the past.

 

Oh well !!

 

Tom

[SRQbeachgirl]

On 3/4/2023 at 1:01 PM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

And, one which has already been established, but sticks out to me... the change in the Muffuletta at Emeril's... this went from one of my recommended GO TO options, to an AVOID option. As they say, you can't step into the same river twice... 😞 

 

2021:

 

2023:

 

 

There's probably many other (similar) little things, but these are the most noteworthy in my book!

 

Tom

 

 

While the 2021 sandwich is obviously quite, um...substantial, when I look at these I realize the only one I would have any hope of actually fitting into my mouth is the 2023 one. The top one I'd have to disect with a knife and fork, defeating the whole purpose of a sandwich.

 

Still definitely a cutback in product, but one I could live with since I'm okay with the pictured meat-to-bread ratio..

  

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

32 minutes ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

 

 

While the 2021 sandwich is obviously quite, um...substantial, when I look at these I realize the only one I would have any hope of actually fitting into my mouth is the 2023 one. The top one I'd have to disect with a knife and fork, defeating the whole purpose of a sandwich.

 

Still definitely a cutback in product, but one I could live with since I'm okay with the pictured meat-to-bread ratio..

  

 

Cheryl is the same way - never wants a thick burger (but she navigated the muffuletta like a champ - not top-to-bottom bites, but strategically) . She's a Five Guys kinda burger girl.

 

I will say though, there are some burgers that are just "stupid joke" big (picture Man-vs-Food), I don't get that. I was never previously aware of the feature on the Hub app (Wall of Moments) where people could post/share their photos taken during the cruise with everyone. Someone thought that a 5-patty high Guy's burger would be a good idea. I, at least, hope that most of it didn't end up as fish food!

 

Tom