So what's "not so good" to eat on Carnival?

[CalmCruiserNC]

Watch out for the garlic dip at the Tandoori station -- delicious going in, but it will haunt you and all those around you for 24 hours MINIMUM.

 

Personally, not a fan of the CMC -- one bite and my head said, "undercooked brownie batter" and that was that!

[bobsfamily]

watch out for the garlic dip at the tandoori station -- delicious going in, but it will haunt you and all those around you for 24 hours minimum.

 

Personally, not a fan of the cmc -- one bite and my head said, "undercooked brownie batter" and that was that!

lmao

[mom2tcdx2]

I must say overall I found the deserts to be a disappointment. I do not like the warm chocolate melting cake, the bitter n blanc, not much on the sugar free deserts. I wish they just offered more basic deserts (something not so heavy/rich) - why can't they just have a good lemon meringue, keylime, pecan pie for goodness sake, or some kind of pound cake with fruit for those of us that don't like heavy deserts. I was honestly tired of either sherbert or ice cream.

 

Otherwise pretty much my meals were pretty good, while some just ok.

[bobsfamily]

I wish they just offered more basic deserts (something not so heavy/rich) - why can't they just have a good lemon meringue, keylime, pecan pie .

 

I saw some of them... NO FLAVOR. How can you make a pecan pie that tastes like sawdust or key lime that has NO flavor.

[mzloolue]

I'd be kinda disappointed if they served those squishy, doughy tasting steakhouse rolls, I really prefer nice crusty rolls, and bread.

 

As far as toast goes, I have given up on toast anywhere but home. I like toast that comes out nice and crispy and doesn't get soggy instantly from butter or jam. I make my own bread for toast.

 

I agree totally with this.

 

I do wish that they would do some breakfast rolls with a different yeasty type dough instead of everything being the flaky type.

 

Also, I have found that the food varies from ship to ship and from cruise to cruise.

Every cruise is like eating in a different restaurant.

 

Sometimes what was wonderful last cruise is kind of yuck the next time.

And what may have been not so great will be excellent.

[MEOWSMURPHY]

My 2 cents worth... I LOVE dark chocolate, but NOT the warm melting cake..DH loves it and has it every night...I don't like the coffee on Lido deck..DH loves it...ya seeing a trend here...;) The lobster bisque left something to be desired...DH loves the chilled soups...not for me..we both love the shrimp cocktails and order 2....4 little shrimp are just not enough to satisfy us...one other thing I've noticed in the MDR for breakfast..the OJ seems watered but the Apple juice is great...but like a lot of others have said...if I don't like it I get something else...I'm happy to be on a cruise, having someone serving ME and NOT having to get up, clear the table, do the dishes and clean up the kitchen :D

[jules815]

The coffee. I found it horrendous. I buy mine at their coffee bar, located on the Lido and Promenade decks.

 

 

what's with all the bad coffee on cruise ships? The room service coffee on Royal Caribbean has always been nasty.

[MamaParrotHead]

I think it was the Beef Wellington...beef with the pastry around it...didn't thrill me. Neither did any of the whacked out "ice cream" accompaniments to some of the dishes...green peppercorn ice cream? lavender ice cream? I felt like I was in a bad episode of "Next Top Chef", LOL, icky.

[RWolver672]

Have to agree with MamaParrotHead. Beef Wellington was awful. Tough slice of beef with a gritty goose pate coating inside of philo dough that was soggy from blood. Pass me a hamburger please!

[framerman]

Hehe, goat cheese is delicious and people should give it a try. Don't think of it as pizza, think of it as a gourmet flat bread if that helps you feel better about it ;) After all, mozzarella is as much a "cow's cheese" as chevre is a "goat cheese".

 

I totally agree on the coffee. I am convinced it's so horrid especially in the dining room so that they can convince you to buy the nicer kind for a fee.

And parmesan is from sheep and romano is from goats

[dan40]

what's with all the bad coffee on cruise ships? The room service coffee on Royal Caribbean has always been nasty.

 

 

I've been cruising for 40 and more years. Coffee is and was bad before Starbuck's or any "gourmet" coffee, was invented. ALL lines, all classes of ships, the only good thing about the coffee is that you are on a cruise. And to me the "gourmet" coffee they now sell on board is crap too. Must be the salt air, good for everything but coffee!

Soon as I taste that bitter brew, I think, "WOW! I'm on a cruise again!"

[LemurCat]

The worst thing I've ever eaten on a Carnival ship was a concotion called a "Fruit Cake Cupcake".

 

I obviously thought it was a normal cupcake and was highly, highly disturbed to find Juju Bees in a flavorless cake and nasty frosting.

[Max Circus]

The worst thing I've ever eaten on a Carnival ship was a concotion called a "Fruit Cake Cupcake".

 

I obviously thought it was a normal cupcake and was highly, highly disturbed to find Juju Bees in a flavorless cake and nasty frosting.

 

That must have been because some thoughtful passenger left their steward a years supply of JuJu Bees.

 

It is not believable that they can't get better quality mixes for the cakes. You can buy the Jell-O brand cheesecake mixes and they aren't bad. You have to work VERY hard to get things to taste this bad. :confused:

[bunyababy]

I've been cruising for 40 and more years. Coffee is and was bad before Starbuck's or any "gourmet" coffee, was invented. ALL lines, all classes of ships, the only good thing about the coffee is that you are on a cruise. And to me the "gourmet" coffee they now sell on board is crap too. Must be the salt air, good for everything but coffee!

Soon as I taste that bitter brew, I think, "WOW! I'm on a cruise again!"

 

Yep..you can say that again! The coffee issue is always in need of improvement! Oh well, like you said, We are still sipping the lousy coffee while on a cruise...how bad can it be!? Ha, Ha.

 

Smiles, Connie

[dan40]

Watch out for the garlic dip at the Tandoori station -- delicious going in, but it will haunt you and all those around you for 24 hours MINIMUM.

 

Personally, not a fan of the CMC -- one bite and my head said, "undercooked brownie batter" and that was that!

 

In the Philippines, the first Lumpia [a Filipino egg roll] I ate was served with a clear, water looking, dip. It was pure garlic juice! That and attending the Garlic Festival in Gilroy Ca. causes folks to become a little stand-offish, about 30 yards stand-offish!:rolleyes::D

[CanWeGoYet?]

Thank you for reminding me of the coffee, Dan. I need to get an aeropress. The coffee I drank on X was swill, whether it was free or purchased in the cova cafe. I don't recall the coffee on carnival being hideous, but it's been a long time & memory has probably faded.

 

I don't understand why cruise lines can manage to prepare decent tasting food for so many, but be so defeated by the coffee. It isn't rocket science to make a decent cup of joe!

[southbayer]

For me its the hash browns, they just can't seem to make them taste good even if they do change it from time to time.. Also the watery scrambled eggs....

 

The filet mignon, I have yet to have one that is tender... They've always been very chewy

[oncruisecontrol]

For me its the hash browns, they just can't seem to make them taste good even if they do change it from time to time.. Also the watery scrambled eggs....

 

The filet mignon, I have yet to have one that is tender... They've always been very chewy

 

 

Never get the scrambled eggs from the buffet line. Always ask the omelette guy to scramble eggs to order for you. He is happy to do so. It's quicker than an omelette. And, he doesn't care---he has to be there regardless of how you order your eggs. Be sure to give him a good mention on your comment card--I always do.

[bakechef]

That must have been because some thoughtful passenger left their steward a years supply of JuJu Bees.

 

It is not believable that they can't get better quality mixes for the cakes. You can buy the Jell-O brand cheesecake mixes and they aren't bad. You have to work VERY hard to get things to taste this bad. :confused:

 

As much as I dislike Jello instant cheesecakes, I think that they are a notch or two better than what is served on board.

 

I mean, cheesecake is an incredibly simple thing to make once you get the hang of it, and not all that expensive to make especially when you buy ingredients wholesale. I bet that Carnival could make a whole cheesecake for a couple of dollars.

[DGP1111]

In the Philippines, the first Lumpia [a Filipino egg roll] I ate was served with a clear, water looking, dip. It was pure garlic juice!

 

 

Ack, that sounds so disgusting, Dan.

 

Oddly enough, just this evening I had an order of lumpia, but they use the standard sauce (soy, water, sugar, cornstarch) which I really enjoy.

The garlic thing would totally turn me off.

[DGP1111]

My first place vote for "not so good" CCL item would be what I saw for the first time ever just two days ago on Carnival Inspiration.

 

No, I didn't try it, because I seriously had a gag reflex by just seeing it, and reading the title card above it . . . .

.

.

Chocolate Sushi

.

[LemurCat]

The filet mignon, I have yet to have one that is tender... They've always been very chewy

 

Perhaps order it a little less rare? Perhaps what little fat that's in the cut of meat hadn't been activated.

[penetangjudy]

They had panco crusted jumbo shrimp as an entree....when they arrived they were about 3" long and perfectly straight :eek:, shrimp are not straight....they were really 3 shrimp together and breaded, they were served with curly fries, huge disappointment, I'm glad hubby ordered 2 entrees and we shared his prime rib, it was amazing. :)

[dan40]

Ack, that sounds so disgusting, Dan.

 

Oddly enough, just this evening I had an order of lumpia, but they use the standard sauce (soy, water, sugar, cornstarch) which I really enjoy.

The garlic thing would totally turn me off.

 

 

I also had a chocolate sundae in the P.I. It was served with whipped cream and nuts. Salty, GARLIC roasted redskin peanuts!:eek::eek:

 

Luckily I love garlic. Altho growing up in an Irish household, I had no idea what garlic was. Pretty much no idea what FLAVOR was!:D:rolleyes: ALL beef was cooked DARK brown all the way to the bone. and there was NEVER a piece of fish in our house. Pappy hated the smell of fish.

[LemurCat]

Luckily I love garlic. Altho growing up in an Irish household, I had no idea what garlic was. Pretty much no idea what FLAVOR was!:D:rolleyes: ALL beef was cooked DARK brown all the way to the bone. and there was NEVER a piece of fish in our house. Pappy hated the smell of fish.

 

If you never had fish, what did you eat on Fridays during Lent?