Carvival food vs. NCL

[MISSSNOOPYGIRL]

This is for cruisers who have cruised on both NCL and Carnival. I know it's kind of a broad comparison, but overall which line do you think has better food?

[electricron]

This is for cruisers who have cruised on both NCL and Carnival. I know it's kind of a broad comparison, but overall which line do you think has better food?

 

The quality of the food at the main restaurants was about the same. It's really hit and miss every night. On one day, the steaks are tough and chewy, on the next moist and juicy. I'll never figure it out.

The dinning experiences was best on NCL. Being able to dine when, where, and with who you wanted in the main restaurants is far better than sitting with the same folks every night. I think the entertainment aspects just before desert is served aboard Carnival ships is a joke. I want to eat, not be entertained at dinner.

[bjm1271]

Misssnoopygirl.

 

Cruise food is always a hit or miss. I just returned from the Dawn and did not care for the food except for 1 or 2 speciality restaurants. I've been on plenty of Carnival cruises and had a couple I didn't care for (Fantasy & Destiny). So its really hard to do a comparison.

[judyf]

I agree it's a hit and miss. I perfer the food choices in the main dining rooms better on CCL but will deal with the NCL choices due to freestyle.

 

It's not the food for me it's the choices. What I liked was great on both ships. Just found more menu's I liked on CCL. BUT and there's always a but, I went to the mexican and Italian places on NCL and there were choices I liked! And for those that don't know already these two choices there's no extra charge.

[2ctheworldbyc]

Have cruised carnival 3 times and recently was on ncl dawn. As far as the main dining room food goes its not even close, very good on carnival fair on ncl. The no fee restaurants on ncl were very good. The premium restaurants were poor to very good on ncl. Carnivals premium restaurant on the ships that have them are steak houses and while they are more expensive than ncl , are worth every cent. I am not bashing ncl there is good food to be found( bimini grill, blue lagoon etc) and I did have a most enjoyable cruise and will cruise ncl again, I just hope the main dining room food improves.

[zimmerjulie]

I have cruised NCL several times and just came back from the Carnival Liberty 9 night. I would agree with the hit or miss consensus. I enjoyed the food on both lines very much, with the edge going to one or the other only on specific dishes. (Of course this will vary ship by ship, sailing by sailing also).

 

NCL has many more choices of cuisine on any given night. The specialty restaurants I have tried have been excellent, although my absolute favorite main dishes have been in the main dining rooms. I also appreciate the lower cover charges for these venues on NCL...for most of them, free or less than half as much as the Carnival extra charge venue.

 

Comparing main dining rooms to main dining rooms, I would say the quality/flavor/presentation of foods are fairly equal, with NCL distinctly in the forefront on the bread front. NCL also had excellent desserts in the dining rooms every night, with Carnival having a couple of average ones throughout the week. (Some people have discriminating palates on their hunk o' beef, for me, it's desserts:D ). No contest on the buffet desserts, Carnival ahead by a mile.

 

I don't know if you are interested in the room service food at all, but I didn't think it was very good on Carnival, but it was QUICK, which is very important with room service, for me. I love the veggie pizza and chocolate mousse on NCL.:p I didn't find much that I liked on Carnival.

 

Taking everything into account, in answer to your question, for me, NCL has the better food.

[HLP]

Add me as well to the hit or miss catagory. My one recent carnival trip

found the main dining room food good. They were especially good on

their Italian food. But there were plenty of food that did not come off

well. Overall I think that Carnivals main dining food was better on the

majority of dishes,but that could have been because of my love of

Italian food. I still perfer NCL because of the freestyle dining concept.

I agree with Electricron,I found Carnivals dining shows silly, but my kids

love them.

 

As for the speciality resturaunts I found the portions on Carnival to be

way too large for my family, so none of their speciality resturants were

desireable for us. I may be in the minority here but we do not cruise

because of food. I can find much better land food dining.

 

HLP

[F5Loar]

Been on both many times and can say Carnival has improved greatly in the past 5 years but direct comparing it would be hard to say. Soups better on Carnival, salads better on NCL. Lobster tails better on NCL but fish entres better on Carnival and so forth and so on. That's how I would compare it so it equals out to being about the same since on both you can order the standard fare of steak,chicken breast or salmon every night if you don't see something you like on the daily menu. However you order something you don't like on either line just ask for something else so how can you not find something to suit you? If you go away hungry it's your own fault not the kitchen. I hear these complaints here about tough steak, steak not cooked right and have to ask "did you send it back or ask for something else?" Most will honestly say no they didn't so I think it's there own fault or else they are so hard to please they best not cruise anymore.

[newmexicoNita]

All cruise lines seems to be pretty hit or miss right now, as I and many others who are veteran cruisers have said, food generally on all lines has gone downhill in the past 10 years. Actually Carnival has improved, but only because they were so bad before. I still give the edge to NCL: one reason only, the choices of dining are so superior and the cost of the sur charge restaurants are much less than on Carnival or the others. Quality in main dining rooms: probably about the same. Remember, food is very subjective. Carnival probably has more of the steak and potatoes choices, where NCL is into the sauses etc. The one thing Carnival is known for: their pizza. NMNita

[cruzeluver]

I would give NCL a slight edge as far as the preparation and taste of the food overall (although Carnival was better then I expected.) As for the "dining experience", NCL is heads above Carnival. Count me as another who finds the dancing and singing by the Carnival waitstaff annoying. :rolleyes:

It was obvious to me that most of them hated doing it, but it was part of the gig. I love more formal service, and NCL does it quite well.

[newmexicoNita]

I would give NCL a slight edge as far as the preparation and taste of the food overall (although Carnival was better then I expected.) As for the "dining experience", NCL is heads above Carnival. Count me as another who finds the dancing and singing by the Carnival waitstaff annoying. :rolleyes:

It was obvious to me that most of them hated doing it, but it was part of the gig. I love more formal service, and NCL does it quite well.

I had forgotten about that part of it: in the "olden days" we all looked forward to the singing, dancing, balancing food on their heads, now except for the kids, I don't know of too many cruisers that really care. I personally agree with you, I would rather just enjoy my meal, visit with my meal companions and forget the rest. I do enjoy some inaction with the waitstaff, by that I mean visiting a little, finding out how long they have been with the cruiselines, where they are from and if they have a family. that's all I care to know. NMnita

[TylerMan]

Having just gotten off the Wind last week I would have to say, without a doubt, that I enjoyed Carnival's food much more. The speciality restaurant on the Wind (LeBistro) was great but the dining room food was not so good. I found much of the food bland and lukewarm. The cookies that were put out in the Casino at 11:00pm every night were wonderful. I am not saying all the food was bad on the Wind but....much of it was not so tasty!!!

 

I think that Carnival has the best pizza over any other line (and I have cruised 4 other lines) hands down!!! It is funny when I speak about cruising to others and mention Carnival they all say that the pizza on Carnival is the best. Although Pizza is no substitute for dining room dining it is nice to know that you can get a good pizza at 10:30am, 2:00pm or 2:30am!!

[danmz]

Carnival is far better in the main dinning rooms. I think NCL features there fee restruants more so there choices are more limited in the regular dinning rooms. The last cruise on NCL the best choice at one dinner was macaroni and cheese. I was very disappointed .

[judyf]

Having just gotten off the Wind last week I would have to say, without a doubt, that I enjoyed Carnival's food much more. The speciality restaurant on the Wind (LeBistro) was great but the dining room food was not so good. I found much of the food bland and lukewarm. The cookies that were put out in the Casino at 11:00pm every night were wonderful. I am not saying all the food was bad on the Wind but....much of it was not so tasty!!!

 

I think that Carnival has the best pizza over any other line (and I have cruised 4 other lines) hands down!!! It is funny when I speak about cruising to others and mention Carnival they all say that the pizza on Carnival is the best. Although Pizza is no substitute for dining room dining it is nice to know that you can get a good pizza at 10:30am, 2:00pm or 2:30am!!

 

How about those Calzones on CCL. I miss having them available 24 hrs a day!

[A.S.]

I hate to say it, but NCL's food has not been very good lately.

 

In my experience, Carnival's food is much better. There is no need to "pay" extra.

 

Now if only Carnival would do freestyle. That would be a perfect cruise.

[parrothead0918]

Albeit we only sailed Carnival once, but our dining experience was underwhelming. Both NCL and Carnival had comparable main dining room menus, but each of the first two nights in the Carnival dining room my DW was served chicken that was so undercooked that one would call the inside raw. The wait staff was astonished..two nights in a row! I would imagine that this was an isloted, unlucky incident of sorts, but it really has made an impact on us considering trying Carnival again. We went to the Victory buffet each night thereafter which was ok, but a far cry from the Jewel's. We are also huge fans of freestyle and of the specialty restarants for the varied, fun dining experiences.

[ouqtinvu]

Been on 3 Carnival cruises and just returned from the NCL Dawn. I truly liked Carnival foodwise. Heads up on the room sevice in both selection and taste - Carnival wins no problem. Dawn was horrible. Yes I wish they'd stop the dancing waiters on Carnival - but can always head up to the buffet which was hands down better and fresher then anything NCL served. Also best pizza AND soft serve ice cream 24/7. Dawn stopped the ice cream at 6pm. If you are on one of Carnivals ships that have a reservation only Supper Club - it is $25 pp but it's a 3 hour meal that is like eating at a 4 star restaurant. A total experience, worth every cent. We found food on the Dawn to be disappointing to say the least.

[ce2000]

For me and my family, we much prefer Carnival dining over NCL. We found the food to be better on Carnival and the food service to be much better on Carnival.