Better Food?

[TravelGal22]

I am deciding between Carnaval or Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean is about $60 more per person, two of us, than Carnaval. The ships are Inspiration and Grandeur. I want really good food without allot of cover charges. I'd also like to be on a nice clean ship but I don't know much about Grandeur. I've cruised with Carnaval and I really liked the midnight buffet and having food available 24 hrs. a day. Another option is Norweigen Jewel. It is the same price as RC but we would have to drive about 4 hrs. to get to the departure port.

[alphakitty]

Food is so subjective...I personally think it's great on both lines, but I'd give Carnival a slight edge.

 

Now, is that $60 pp AFTER you factor in the added fuel surcharge? ;)

[TravelGal22]

The $60 is before the fuel charg. Does RC charge it as well?

[yarlenna]

I am deciding between Carnaval or Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean is about $60 more per person, two of us, than Carnaval. The ships are Inspiration and Grandeur. I want really good food without allot of cover charges. I'd also like to be on a nice clean ship but I don't know much about Grandeur. I've cruised with Carnaval and I really liked the midnight buffet and having food available 24 hrs. a day. Another option is Norweigen Jewel. It is the same price as RC but we would have to drive about 4 hrs. to get to the departure port.

 

For GREAT food, you will need a different line. You get what you pay for. The cheap way to get great food - you have already said that you didn't want to do it. OK food is found on both Carnaval and Royal Caribbean. For great food in every meal, I would try the deluxe lines like Silversea, Regent, - - etc

[EggDropErin]

We sailed on Inspiration and were extremely disappointed with the service. As for the food, I would say that RCI has better main dishes while Carnival has better desserts.

[cruiser1163]

The $60 is before the fuel charg. Does RC charge it as well?

 

No, RC does not charge this.

[TravelGal22]

Have any of you ever been on the RC Grandeur?

[wrp96]

May I suggest you post your question directly on the RCCL board. You may be able to get responses from people that have been on the Granduer. I have been on Rhapsody, Grandeur's sister ship and loved it.

 

Here's a link to the RCCL board http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=83

[eandj]

For GREAT food, you will need a different line. You get what you pay for. The cheap way to get great food - you have already said that you didn't want to do it. OK food is found on both Carnaval and Royal Caribbean. For great food in every meal, I would try the deluxe lines like Silversea, Regent, - - etc

You don't have to do the deluxe lines to get better food and service than Carnival or RCCL. Their food is definitely mainstream banquet type food offerings. Nothing awful about it, just average.

Try Celebrity, a definite step up in food and service. Also HAL, altho the demographic would be way different than on Carnival.

 

If you look thru the Berlitz and Fodors cruise line ratings, those 2 lines will always have a higher score in the food and service categories.

Once you get into the smaller ship lines like Oceania (a bit better than Celebrity and HAL) and then hop into the luxury lines, you will see a huge difference. However the atmosphere is way different too.

[LHP]

Something else to consider is that the Inspiration has just gone through a drydock, with the new Adult Serendity area, so she is "fresh". I would just check and see when the Grandeurs last drydock was.

 

I believe you will have a wonderful cruise one either.

[Ski_Bum]

I just got off a RC cruise on 11/10. Some of the food was good, but some of it was very bad. However, the excellent service made it all seem very nice.

 

The good:

Chicken Dishes - some of the best I have had

Vegetarian Dishes - especially the ethnic dishes

 

The okay:

Steaks (probably comparable to a Denny's steak or Outback on a bad day, but then again I wasn't expecting Mortons)

Lobster

 

The bad:

Fish - completely dried out and obviously frozen

The hollandaise sauce on the eggs benedict

[CPT Trips]

Grandeur drydocked in March/April 07. We were on her in April and the food was fine . . . so was the service. I think you will enjoy her if you are looking for a change from Carnival.

My experience has been that HAL is not noticibly better in terms of food quality and the wait staff is a little more (searching for the right word) aloof. Not at all unattentive, just not as personable.

NCL gives you "freestyle" which I enjoy. Food, on a par with the others mentioned. Service in dining rooms has varied (for us) from ship to ship and even dining room to dining room on board. None bad and some very good - but I have not been on the Jewel.