Feasting on the Fantasy(Food review)

[keeponrolling]

Anticipation heightens as the murmur of the gathering crowd fills the lobby outside the dining room. There before me, hanging in framed parchment are the selections for the first night’s four course dinner. A sneak peek! Soups and starters. One or both? Entrée selections: six, no…seven! Desserts. Desserts! Sweet pearls, strung in a list from cakes to ice cream. Will I even have the courage or the resolve to resist? Finally, the glass doors swing open. We are escorted to our table, settings magnificently punctuated in right angles by groups of flatware. Offers of menus and bread are immediate, brightened by unison exchanges of welcome and thank you. This is what we came for.

 

Believe me when I say that before the cruise, my expectations of the ship’s food selections were moderate. I expected to eat well enough and enjoy attentive service. I had read up pretty well on the boards before the sailing. To me, satisfying food can be pizza or hash browns; pastas tossed in a light cream sauce or grilled chicken in a bun. Just depends on the time of day and the depths of my hunger.

 

But little things mean lots to me. Creative blendings of ingredients invite me to sample; foods that inspire from their international vibrancy give me the chance to relish in their delight. From sun up to sun up, I was literally in a trot to catch up with most of the variations, from simple to sublime, savory to sweet. Scooped on a plate or served on china, the foods of Carnival never failed to please, never failed to satisfy my longing for the next new treat.

 

Dinners, for my family, were the highlight. We ate in the Jubilee each evening, so we didn’t try the Windows on the Sea dinner buffet, but I cruised it a time or two on my way to grabbing a chocolate cone to kick back in the evening on the rear lido deck. Like the lunch spread, it offered a righteous and varied selection. I’m sorry I didn’t have the capacity for 2 dinners.

 

Even viewed from the perspective of my past career in food service, I was stunned and delighted by the quality of the Dining Room-breakfast, lunch and dinner. We tried 2 breakfasts and I lunch there, all sea days. Breakfast was the simplest of all the meals: eggs, hot cereal, waffles, the basics, but the juice selection was fantastic and they offered an egg special each day. We never tried it, but it looked delicious and was always creatively plated. We heard no complaints on the eggs benedict; they were always fresh and bright. Lunch was 3 courses, beautifully presented.

 

Breakfast and lunch service was fantastic. Each party is seated at a table until it is full, and a team of servers and assistants attends you. We were never without water, bread if we wanted, refills on juice and coffee, plates whisked away when done. The only thing I didn’t care for was the group seating. You are always tabled with a different set of mates, who were all great, but we just preferred the idea of sitting on our own for lunch and breakfast.

 

I would not have asked for a more satisfying dinner experience. On the Fantasy, each seating accommodates probably more than 500. The timing, pacing, quality, atmosphere, Bang! Each night exactly on the mark, lasered to an art. We were seated, my wife, daughter and I, at a booth for six. Ricardo was our headwaiter and Parasion his assistant. Both were wonderful….warm, attentive, personable. Professionals.

 

Each evening’s menu offered great choices. What I found especially cool was the presentation. Each dish was perfectly plated; starters and entrees garnished with clever additions that added depth to each selection. It can be agreed that portions were not large, but they were well thought out, being paced over four courses, and very, very satisfying in taste and texture. And, of course, you can order more of anything, without hesitation.

 

Mostly we ordered a starter/soup each and one or two more to share. Highlights included tropical fruit with tequila lime, smoked salmon, smoked duck breast, and stuffed mushrooms. We shared shrimp cocktail each night. Soups to try: roasted pumpkin, any cold fruit soup…wow!….. And the wonton soup was quite unlike anything you can find at your neighborhood Chinese…. rich, wafting with sesame, deep with flavors.

 

Two salads are offered each night. Caesar, I think, every night, maybe not. The Greek salad was great, also. Don’t miss out on the wilted spinach with Portobello mushrooms, blue cheese and bacon. We are still talking about it.

 

Entrees had the effect of bringing me to my knees in reverence. Everyone at our table enjoyed the lobster on Captain’s night. It was delicious. We don’t eat beef, but others at our table and surrounding ones did, and their choices were universally praised. Seafood, Newburg style, begged to be savored one succulent piece at a time. It was my favorite, chock with shrimp, scallops and fish, delicately sauced. Each night one of us had a fish entrée and each was the equal of any we have had anywhere. My daughter pronounced the sweet and sour shrimp a knockout. The vegetarian entrees were stunning creations.

 

Besides the 7 regular entrees, there are a number of alternate selections each night; beef, chicken and fish. Well more than enough to satisfy.

 

I’m not much for desserts, but my wife and daughter tried a good selection during the week. Everything from the gateau, crème brulee and ice creams, to the diet sugar free cakes. Not a bonker in the bunch. My daughter especially raved about the tiramisu. I looked up the definition of decadent in the dictionary. There was a picture of this dessert next to it. The chocolate melting cake might have been on the same page somewhere. That good.

 

A cheese plate is offered on the dessert menu, and it was a great way to burn off that half glass of wine that always lingers. 5 small wedges of cheese, garnished with grapes and 2 slices of bread. Yum.

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

 

I really thought the lunch and breakfast buffets were fantastic. And we ate there more than I thought we would. For both meals, there are 4 lines that circle a kitchen. 2 lines are in the Windows of the Sea and 2 lines face the Lido deck pool. At breakfast, all 4 lines offered the same selections, with an omelet station at each. Inside Windows were additional stations offering fresh fruit, cereals, and fresh breads. Here’s a secret. One side of the line offered cream of wheat, the other, grits.

 

At lunch, the Lido deck lines were burger/hot dog/grilled chicken stations, with pans of chili, sautéed onions, fries, condiments. Inside Windows, one line offered traditional lunch offerings, and the other was the Taste of Nations: Italian one day, French and Indian on others. I strongly disagree with anyone who complains of not being satisfied with the lunch buffets.

 

Cold salads: pasta, potato, seafood, rice, or couscous were creative inventions, begging to be sampled. Taste of Nations offered the chance to really savor something new. You’re on a cruise. Get out there and dig in to the world. Carving stations offered roast beef, and there were made to order pastas, also. A well stocked salad bar was also in the middle of the room.

 

Service in the buffet area was great. Sure, sometimes pans go empty, stacks of bowls get grabbed up, lemonade goes dry, but things are replenished quickly. I almost always observed managers/supervisors helping out, dishing burgers, coordinating service, clearing tables. There was always plenty of staff that gladly bussed your dishes, or brushed the carpets.

 

Finally, let me stand up for the pizza and deli located at the back of Windows. But when do you find the time for it? Who knew you are supposed to have a pre lunch; or is it a snack before dinner; or is it a 2 a.m. crawl from the Promenade? Perfect times for a pizza or sandwich!

 

Each station displays their selections in a glass case, and your choice is made to order. During busy periods, pizza is baked off and put in the warming case for quick service, but you can always special order a whole pizza to take along. Individual pieces are huge.

 

I only had time to try a Rueben, and can’t figure how I lost the time to try that big ol’ turkey on a hoagie. Anyway, there’s lots of choices and they all looked good. The deli closed late in the evening. Pizza is 24 hours.

 

What else? Who knows? Just to say that to cruise is to enjoy yourself in many ways, maybe foremost is the ability to completely immerse yourself in the exercise that really satisfies the soul. Food.

 

The temptation is great. Dine well. Graze often. Indulge yourself!

[bike1964]

Hey keep on rollin,

 

We are from St Louis as well. We sailed on the Holiday last November and are concidering the Fantasy out of the "Big Easy". Great review and we have never been disappointed on any Carnival cruise we have taken.

[babywewe]

You just made me hungry!

[buddyjo143]

A month after my cruise and I was starting to forget how good the food was.

 

Thanks for the review and the reminder. It was all good!:p

[arby70]

Thanks for the in-depth review of the food on the Fanstasy. We sail on her in October, and I am really looking forward to it now! I love to try new foods (usually the non-beef variety as we're from Wyoming right in the middle of cattle country). I appeciate your upbeat appraisal.:)

[Grits53]

Thank you!! I thoroughly enjoyed that trip down memory lane, because everything you said was exactly as I remember it on our two Conquest cruises. The GREAT news is that my next cruise will be on the Fantasy, and you have just assured me that the food is just as wonderful on it as on the Conquest! Now, I must get a towel to wipe the drool off my keyboard......:D

Honestly, I mean it. THANK YOU for that fabulous food review!!!

[momsoftwins]

i leave for the fantasy this saturday and now my mouth is watering...cant wait to get some of those carnival favorites..thanks

[letsgocruz1]

OMG!! My mouth is watering!! I LOVE those turkey on country roll sandwiches. Oh, and the chocolate melting cake...Oh my!! The salads...the entrees'...I can't stand it..I have to go on a cruise NOW!

 

Thanks for the great review. We loved the Fantasy AND the food! YUMMY!

[checklady724]

I love the food on Carnival, I am sure the Fantasy will be no exception. I sail away on her this Saturday with Momoftwins. I was on Carnival Destiny over Halloween and the food, omg, the food on these ships...outstanding.

Loved the chocolate melting cake but found the lobster a bit on the chewy side. I hope it's better on Fantasy. If not, I will eat the lobster anyway but I'll order a steak or prime rib for back up.:D

Thank you for posting this wonderful review of the culinary delights aboard this ship. Can hardly wait.

[LHP]

I am a deli fan and the Fantasy will not disappoint!