It’s been 10 years since I cruised on Carnival. This is the change which bothered me the most

[jimbo5544]

49 minutes ago, aborgman said:

 

Yeah, I kept hoping that somehow the MDR would just fill a cup with Lido coffee and it wouldn't be awful every time. Hope springs eternal.

 

It was also only 5 potential cups of coffee, which is about 1/10th what I'd normally have with dinner/desert in a week... So it did cause me to attempt way less than would be normal.

Just think of all the calories saved when you did not order dessert

[aborgman]

14 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Just think of all the calories saved when you did not order dessert

 

I still had desert... Just when I actually got the coffee the few times it actually came, it came well after everyone at the table had finished desert.

 

[jeblack1]

21 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

In that experience when you asked and it did not happen, did you ask again?  Of course if you ask (and it can be done and it does not happen) you should expect to get what you ask for.  This has happened releatedly?

Problem about asking is if I never know they are going to bring it to start with.  I just find it odd they bring everything else, but not the coffee.  I know these employees work very hard and apparently the coffee is some type of inconvenience, so no, I don't bother with it.  As I said, I just go up to lido for second dessert and coffee.  Yes, this has happened on the same cruises and on multiple nights at various times. 

We have only done set time a couple of times and from what I remember the server gets to know you more for the set time and knows what you want and is more prepared.  After the first night, they always had water for us and coffee before the dessert is served.

As has been mentioned, there are bigger problems than this in the world and cruising in general, but somehow we got here from menus. 😉  We all have our opinions, experiences and expectations and would like all of them met 100% of the time, but the reality is we just have to go with the flow.  This will not stop me from cruising Carnival as the price is right and I have had an overall positive experience across all ships.  The menus and coffee are an annoyance to me, but it is what it is and hinders the value of the vacation in a minor way.  I threw my opinion in on this one because it hits home, not to be told I am wrong, it isn't happening, I have more experience than you, this is how you fix it, etc.  I just wanted to let the original poster know that I agreed 

[angelsfort]

this is why I always bring a double walled stainless tumbler with me when I cruise.  The last time we had the bottomless bubbles package and found that it was difficult to get our drinks - either the bars were crowded and it took a long time or the MDR staff would forget to bring us our drinks, after the first night we didn't get any drinks at all (other than the water that is standard).

Now we bring on our own drinks (12 packs of whatever beverage of our choosing) and fill our cups before going to the MDR or wherever we may be going...   its much more affordable and we get to control EXACTLY when we get our drinks (and we actually GET our drinks!!).

If the BF wants coffee with dinner/dessert, he goes to Lido and fills his cup before we head to dinner  (I also bring a 16 oz insulated tumbler especially for his coffee - so he can have both a cold drink with dinner in his 30 oz cup and then coffee with his dessert in the 16 oz)

[jimbo5544]

22 minutes ago, jeblack1 said:

Problem about asking is if I never know they are going to bring it to start with.  I just find it odd they bring everything else, but not the coffee.  I know these employees work very hard and apparently the coffee is some type of inconvenience, so no, I don't bother with it.  As I said, I just go up to lido for second dessert and coffee.  Yes, this has happened on the same cruises and on multiple nights at various times. 

We have only done set time a couple of times and from what I remember the server gets to know you more for the set time and knows what you want and is more prepared.  After the first night, they always had water for us and coffee before the dessert is served.

As has been mentioned, there are bigger problems than this in the world and cruising in general, but somehow we got here from menus. 😉  We all have our opinions, experiences and expectations and would like all of them met 100% of the time, but the reality is we just have to go with the flow.  This will not stop me from cruising Carnival as the price is right and I have had an overall positive experience across all ships.  The menus and coffee are an annoyance to me, but it is what it is and hinders the value of the vacation in a minor way.  I threw my opinion in on this one because it hits home, not to be told I am wrong, it isn't happening, I have more experience than you, this is how you fix it, etc.  I just wanted to let the original poster know that I agreed 

I get it.  Certain things affect different people in different ways.  We have had the opportunity over the years to talk to more than several maitre'Ds (spelling?) as well as Hotel Directors.  The staff follows rules and process.  When the coffee (or any diversion to the norm in terms of process occurs) it causes ripples.  Another example would be when they went to the simplified menu (bread on table, there were other things, I forget), a Hotel Director we knew and it took literally months to implement.  Not an excuse, a reason.  

 

The dining experience has changed, we all can see that way the server teams are built has changed (less covering more) as well as the number of tables.  The dynamics as to the reason does not matter (at least in this discussion).  These changes are magnified on Excel class ships because the manpower assigned is for the average of people per day, and the actual experience fluctuates (the options of so many other choices).  So as example, on cruise elegant nights (typically the highest participation in the MDR's on a cruise) they are buried.   

[mfs2k]

1 hour ago, jeblack1 said:

I just wanted to let the original poster know that I agreed 

thank you

[9tee2Sea]

I never take my phone to meals on a ship ( unless I going off right after breakfast).  I turned it off and leave it in my cabin while at sea ( who's going to call me?).  I have walked out of a few land based restaurants because they won't give me a menu.  If a server on a ship told me I need to look at my phone, I would tell them " Hand me yours, I dont have one".

[mfs2k]

36 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

When the coffee (or any diversion to the norm in terms of process occurs) it causes ripples.

Coffee with dessert should not be a diversion to the norm, yet it seems to be in a Carnival dining room. 

As I said earlier, I experienced the same issue. 

 

Just a thought.  Maybe they intentionally make getting coffee difficult and having awful tasting coffee, so people stop asking for it.

Boom. Problem fixed.  No more diversion. Ripples smoothed out.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

1 minute ago, 9tee2Sea said:

 If a server on a ship told me I need to look at my phone, I would tell them " Hand me yours, I dont have one".

Funny you should say this.

 

Our server saw my battery die on me while looking at the menu.  She just handed me her phone before I could even say anything.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, mfs2k said:

Coffee with dessert should not be a diversion to the norm, yet it seems to be in a Carnival dining room. 

As I said earlier, I experienced the same issue. 

 

Just a thought.  Maybe they intentionally make getting coffee difficult and having awful tasting coffee, so people stop asking for it.

Boom. Problem fixed.  No more diversion. Ripples smoothed out.

And maybe not. 😎 While your (or my wife's) view thinks it is the norm to get coffee, in watching and viewing dining rooms regularly for years now, the opposite appears to be true.  Assume the last two lines were tongue in cheek...

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

Funny you should say this.

 

Our server saw my battery die on me while looking at the menu.  She just handed me her phone before I could even say anything.

And you viewed this as a good thing and or a bad thing?

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

7 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

And you viewed this as a good thing and or a bad thing?

Good thing, in terms of the service I received by the dining team (we had great service the entire cruise).

 

Bad thing, in terms of having to depend on phones for the menu. If the battery is dead or charging, phone stops working, if you leave your phone in the cabin, or if the hub app/ship wifi is down, etc.  Servers need to have paper menus readily available as backups, and I don't see this changing anytime soon.

[Rudyard]

On 9/18/2024 at 12:15 PM, teknoge3k said:

Over the years people have posted "I lock my phone in the safe" on CC and social media. Like, it's some weird accomplishment for them.

 

What's funny is that they usually tell you about it in a thread where someone's asking about phone plans in other countries, can they text on the ship, etc. They have this weird air of superiority that compels them to tell you they don't use their phones, even when the thread is about the opposite. To paraphrase the old joke, how can you tell someone puts their phone in the safe on a cruise? Wait five minutes and they'll tell you. 

[Sea Raven]

36 minutes ago, Rudyard said:

 

What's funny is that they usually tell you about it in a thread where someone's asking about phone plans in other countries, can they text on the ship, etc. They have this weird air of superiority that compels them to tell you they don't use their phones, even when the thread is about the opposite. To paraphrase the old joke, how can you tell someone puts their phone in the safe on a cruise? Wait five minutes and they'll tell you. 

Back in the old days of flip phones and low tech, I guess people could lock up their phones. After all, they were only missing actual phone calls, not emails, texts, stock market updates, apps, etc. And, I have long suspected that lots of folks who want to get away from their phones on a cruise, are ACTUALLY trying to get away from the people on the other end, not the technology. 

[mfs2k]

I've found that between work computers, my phone, and now even my Apple Watch, I'm constantly glued to a screen, which has really led to eye fatigue. By the end of the day, my eyes start twitching, and my vision has become noticeably blurrier. I’m 65, and up until recently, I had 20/20 vision and never needed glasses.

 

When I’m on vacation, I don’t lock my phone in the safe, but I love being able to put it away and not check it constantly. On a recent trip to Europe, I didn't have Wi-Fi or data in the ports, and it was such a relief to not be glued to a screen all day.

 

I totally get why some people are proud when they can lock their phones away during a cruise. It’s no small feat, especially since most of us are pretty attached to our devices.

 

It’s not like giving up something you can completely quit, like smoking or drinking. It’s more like food—you can’t just stop eating, but you can make better choices. Saying “I stayed away from the dessert buffet today” is definitely something to feel proud of, just like taking a break from our screens.

[Diamond-56-Plus]

On 9/17/2024 at 6:34 PM, mfs2k said:

My wife and I just came back from sailing 10 nights on Carnival Legend in the Mediterranean. We’re Platinum but our last Carnival cruise hasn’t been since 2013. In the last 11 years we’ve been to All-inclusive resorts and sailed on other cruise lines. Some things about this Carnival cruise were great and other things not so great but one change irked me more than others. 
I know this had been discussed on multiple occasions but I’m bringing it up again.
 I did not like the expectation of using one”s phone as a menu and as a tool for trying to get a seat for breakfast in the main dining room (We had late assigned dining time so I didn’t need to use the phone for anytime dining seating)

I’m 65 and am quite comfortable using a phone for doing everything. I’ve exceeded screen time guidelines since I was 5 watching tv more than I was supposed to. I know how to use my phone but I don’t like being expected to use my phone to review a menu. 
I remember the thrill of looking at the menus my parents brought home from their cruises in the 60’s. I appreciate the elegant service of being handed a fancy menu in a leather (or vinyl) menu holder and perusing my options before ordering. That feeling is gone now when I’m asked to look at my phone for the evening selections. Ugh. Just thinking about it now irritates me. I know this became necessary when Covid was raging but it’s been 4 1/2 years and this continued practice needs to become a memory in my opinion. 
I get it that 1. I can probably get a menu if I ask for it and 2. many people prefer this method. 
My objection is this is now the rule and not the exception. I want my dinners on a cruise to be above Olive Garden standards. I’d like to be offered a menu when I’m seated like I used to. I don’t object to having the option to say “no, thank you. I have it on my phone.”  
One day we went to MDR for breakfast and I left my phone charging in the cabin. I had no idea I was supposed to request a table on the app. The Maitre D seemed annoyed we showed up without a reservation. He was able to add me to the list and said it would be 10 minutes but I sensed the disdain in his voice that I was unaware. When I asked the server for a breakfast menu I was greeted with the same disdain. Ugh. 
Lastly, I couldn’t help notice as I walked through the dining room after dinner how virtually every guest (and an older demographic on this cruise) had their phones on the table next to their place settings. I expect this nowadays from young people but I don’t like it. It’s inelegant and feels like just bad table manners to this boomer. Sorry not sorry. 
 

 

 I actually had a fellow become angry with me for using my phone in the MDR. And told me so a few times. He stated that we didn't have to honor Carnival technology by agreeing to use our phones. Quite the speech he gave us.

[DCDragonfly]

On 9/17/2024 at 8:05 PM, Mike45LC said:

I was more annoyed by the lack of table clothes 

Next time, don't book the nudist cruise.

[ontheweb]

4 minutes ago, DCDragonfly said:

Next time, don't book the nudist cruise.

There used to be a tv show "Kid say the Darndest Things" Nowadays it should be "Typos say the Darndest Things".

[Mike45LC]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

There used to be a tv show "Kid say the Darndest Things" Nowadays it should be "Typos say the Darndest Things".

In this instance, it wasn’t kids or typos, but the cell phone‘s “auto correct“.