Am I The Only Person That Didn't Enjoy The Food?

[unicorngoddess]

I expected the food on the cruise to be soooooo good I would want to eat it 24/7. Especially this chocolate melting cake phenomenon. We ate in the main dining room...I'm pretty sure my cesar salad didn't have any dressing at all on it and if it did, it was just a drop. I ordered my steak medium and what was brought out was a very hard, tough steak with no pink in it at all. I really think I burned more callories trying to cut and chew up that thing that I would have consumed by eating it. After about three bites I gave up. Hubby had some kind of pasta that was suppose to have some kind of Italian sausage in it...he only counted about two tiny specs of what he assumed was sausage. At this point, we're not waiting around to be reserved anything else, so we excuse ourselves and we got sandwiches from the deli. We tried the regular food a couple of more nights and it didn't really get any better. Overcooked food, bland food, etc. Even breakfast. They had biscuits a couple of mornings...they were about 1'' round and hard as a rock. I seriously could have busted out a window with one of them.

And back to the melting cake. I was really excited about trying that because I love chocolate cake. It's served in a little bowl and the top part of it looks like it's been torched with a creme brule torch, but when you try to take a bit your spoon just sinks in to raw cake batter it wasn't hot, warm or anywhere else on that side of a thermometer. I thought it was just a one-time thing but I tried it again the next night and I got the same results:



I mean, is that what it's suppose to be? I expected some sort of cake qualities in it.

Anyway, after we came back and complained about how disappointed we were with the food, people were really shocked. One of hubby's coworkers (who was just on the Conquest a couple of months before us) said they had the MDR and they served really good food in there, then they had four different buffets that all served different things to give you more variety and such. This wasn't the case for us. There were, I think, four different buffet lines but every single one of them had the same exact food...and it was all the same food that was served in the MDR every night. And I have a friend that cruises with her mom regularly and their reply was the same...the food is always really good and there's a lot of different things to choose from.

From our experience...the buffet was always serving the same thing, which was the food from the main dining room. Then there was pizza, the deli or the mongolian bbq (which I didn't get to try because it was closed every time we went by there) The room service was a joke. Hubby's "grilled" cheese sandwich was two slices of cheese nuked on bread. No grilling. And the cheese wasn't even melted..it was just that sweaty kind of soft looking kind of cheese...the way it looks when it's been sitting out for too long.

The Supper Club food was really good though, and that was the only exception.

[RICKnVICK]

I'm really sorry you didn't enjoy the food. We have always thought the food quality was amazing, especially considering how many people the cruise ships are feeding. Hopefully this is a one time thing for you. Especially sad to hear about your chocolate melting cake experience. We went on the Ecstasy in August and I had it every single night! One night, I actually ordered two! Hope you have better luck on your next cruise!

[yogi2929]

What we have discovered is that what is excellent on one cruise can be practically inedible on the next, even on the same ship. I have discovered that the Indian food is consistently good to excellent, IMHO.

[Perfect Stranger]

And what ship was this?

The melting cake has always been piping hot in the center when I've dipped into it.

Steaks were always good.

Soups were very tasty.

Beef stroganoff was excellent.

Deli sandwiches were great.

[cascole]

I have always found the food to be hit or miss... sometimes from cruise to cruise, sometimes from night to night. It's banquet food, not gourmet. In this regard, the waiter you have can also play a roll. Some of the good ones can tell by looking what's cooked properly & what's not (ie overdone steak). I have found that the chocolate melting cake seems to be underdone more often than not recently... not sure why that is, but I rarely eat more than a few bites anymore.

I would never cruise just for the food - but even in the worst scenarios, there is always something I have found that I like. (Most of the soups in the MDR, Reubens from the deli, roast beef & brie from room service, DeChevre pizza - which is made to order.)

[HoustonTodd]

On our two cruises on the Conquest my wife and I have had 14 MDR dinners between us and I can only think of one or two dishes we've ever had that weren't excellent (make that 4 or 5 if you count the chocolate melting cakes that my wife - also a chocolate FREAK - thought were disgusting).

The buffet food for lunch was outstanding quality - for buffet food - and good quality as food in general goes. The pizza has always been wonderful.

Now, the food is not going to be 5 star quality because you simply can't cook that for this many people on this scale. But it is outstanding and better than what you would get anywhere in town that you go to unless you are going to truly high end fine dining establishments.

I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience with it.

[Perrier]

We were on the Ecstasy over Spring Break & I wasn't overly impressed w/the food. I didn't think it was quite as bad as you described, but I admit I was a bit disappointed. My fault--I was expecting the same quality & variety of food as we received on our Disney cruise. But, the Ecstasy is definitely not Disney. But, we really loved the chocolate melting cake though!

[EmmasNana]

We were on our first Carnival cruise this Sept and were not thrilled with the food either. The food in the dining room was nearly always cold and just not to our liking. Fish and chips area was good, but very greasy. I didn't care for the chocolate melting cake either and am glad. I was afraid I would pig out on that, but it was way too chocolatey for me. Previous cruises we always enjoyed the food, so expected to like it on Carnival as well. I do think food can be different on different ships or even cruise to cruise. I just booked us on Triumph on a pack and cruise, so will be interested in seeing if we like the food better this time. If we don't like the food, well we got a great price!

[Traveler353]

I have found the onboard food to be overall better than anything that I can cook at home and I have never had to wash dishes onboard. If you do not like the food served you can always order something else.

[jerseyjjs]

I agree with your assessment on the food. It is hit or miss and, at least to me, not what many on this board rave it to be. As far as the pizza goes, nothing compares to the pizza one gets in the northeast. So, cruise ship pizza to me is comparable to the frozen stuff one gets at a supermarket.

I cruise for the entire ambience of cruising. I don't understand how some, from what I've read here, seem to do it solely, or at least, primarily, for the food.

[firefly333]

Iv never liked the chocolate melting cake, but I do find with pecan ice cream of some of the other desserts.

Food for masses will be bland.

[alabamaprincess]

Why didn't you ask for something else or complain about what you had?] I would have. You can order as many entrees as you want. Our daughter didn't like what she ordered and the waiter went to the trouble to get her a cheese pizza. In fact if I did not eat all of my food, he would ask if something was wrong or if he could get me something else.
I believe the chocolate melting cake is supposed to be more like a hot pudding with a layer of brownie on top.
Hope you have a better experience next time.

[sonicbuffalo]

One night I tried the regular (Flat Iron) steak, and after that, I had two lobsters the next night, and prime rib one night, and other than that, I stuck with the Mahi-Mahi. They were always good sized, juicy (except one nightt when our waiter took it back because it "looks dried out to me". He brought me back a real good one. I guess if you don't complain about eating the Mahi-Mahi, it was a good dining room experience. I only tried the warm chocolate melting cake one time, and it was too rich for me. I give an approval rating for the food considering all the people they have to feed.

sb

[balcony bound]

Originally Posted by Traveler353

I have found the onboard food to be overall better than anything that I can cook at home and I have never had to wash dishes onboard. If you do not like the food served you can always order something else.

LOL I agree!! I *try* not to have huge expectations about the food. For me, it's all about the fact that I don't have to cook or clean - that alone is good for me. I've had some outstanding meals along the way, and some that were left on the table after one bite.

[LHP]

Whenever someone asks me about the food on Carnival, I tell them that it isn't 5 star...but you get your money's worth. I tell them it is like a Chili's or an Applebee's.

I am not a foodie. Out of my 30+ Carnival cruises...there have been a couple that the food was just average or below. One that I remember had a new chef onboard and he was just getting his "sea legs"...so to speak.

I could have warned you about the steak. Since for years, I only ate beef...I have had the strip steak on just about every Carnival ship....and it is always tough and dry. Now part of that is my fault because I do eat it well done.

I have not tried that new flat iron that all the ships offer now...but I would not be surprised if it was tough and dry as well.

Trying to feed 3,000 people (1,500 at a time) on a Carnival budget is not the ideal situation for any chef.

But over the years they have done an above average job to me.

To me...as long as I don't have to plan, purchase it, prepare it or clean up after it... I am happy!!

Now one thing that will SHOCK most people is that we have only eaten in the Steakhouse once.... (on the Glory) and I just wasn't all that impressed. It was ok...but mine was just as good as I have gotten for free in the MDR.

Now, I am the exception to the rule because most people ADORE the Steakhouses (aka old Supper Clubs).....I just happen to be one that did not.
And again...it was only one week on one ship. The next week could have been a completely different story.

[jayesouthworth]

Everyone has different taste and different expectations. After a few cruises, you learn not to get your expectations up too high. You won't go hungry on a cruise ship--there's too many choices of what to eat. I will say though that breakfast on Carnival cruise ships suck--only for me. I have to remain lo-carb and very few items at breakfast am I able to eat. So basically it's eggs and bacon or shoe sole ham. Be thankful people that you can eat whatever you wish. PS, I'd give anything to be able to eat that chocolate melting cake, gooey or not!

[Nunu]

A bad day in the dining room is better than... awww forget it.

[LemurCat]

Originally Posted by Nunu

A bad day in the dining room is better than... awww forget it.

LOL!

Seriously though, food is subjective. I've had some sub-par meals on Carnival, and some great ones too. And sometimes you just have a bad staff at your station. Sounds like your wait staff was either over-burdened or under-motivated. It happens.

[glrounds]

Originally Posted by cascole

I have always found the food to be hit or miss... sometimes from cruise to cruise, sometimes from night to night. It's banquet food, not gourmet. In this regard, the waiter you have can also play a roll. Some of the good ones can tell by looking what's cooked properly & what's not (ie overdone steak). I have found that the chocolate melting cake seems to be underdone more often than not recently... not sure why that is, but I rarely eat more than a few bites anymore.

I would never cruise just for the food - but even in the worst scenarios, there is always something I have found that I like. (Most of the soups in the MDR, Reubens from the deli, roast beef & brie from room service, DeChevre pizza - which is made to order.)

Pretty close to my experiences also.

Overall, over the years, I think Carnival's food quality has slipped somewhat. I've noticed the lobster tails have shrunk to jumbo shrimp size. As the OP noted, the Caesar Salad is almost without any dressing. Little things like that. I'm not a gourmet, but with 3000 plus paxs to feed 3 times a day, I can hardly expect more than "convention" quality food anyway.

I find myself eating at the buffet more these last few cruises. I think the buffet quality has L E A P E D ahead of all other things Carnival offers nowadays. From the Reubens, beef sandwiches, made-to-order pizza, and good ole American cheeseburgers with fries in the afternoon, I love the buffet.

I love the chocolate meltin' cake and have discovered a way to eliminate the dog'n'pony show waiters dancing routine and excuse myself before desert, go to the buffet where there are usually tons of melting cakes . . . add a little frozen yogurt and WHALLA ! ! . . great desert.

[G'ma]

Tastes in food is sooo subjective.....

Personally, with all of the choices available several times a day - and a new menu each evening in the MDR, I've always been able to find something wonderful.

Only once, in 67 Carnival cruises, was I served something that was not to my liking....they overcooked my steak. The waiter was glad to bring me another.

There have been occasions when I ordered something to "try" for the first time.....and not liked it. I was able to order something else with no problem.

Food isn't served or prepared as lavishly as in years past; portions are smaller (but you can still order as much as you want), there are no more grand presentations on covered plates, etc. But, for me, the food is still very, very good and if I don't like something - I can get something else.....

No complaints here - unless/until they make me serve myself and clean up afterward.