Decline in food quality?

What's happened to the food on Carnival? It seems like it's gone way down in the last couple years. I don't expect high-end gourmet food, but lately it's been pretty sad. I've worked in, and eaten in, five-star restaurants, and my standards are high, but on Carnival cruises a few years ago, I found the food to be surprisingly good. Now: not so much.

Depends on your opinion of quality. The MDRs on the mass lines are not known for 5-star dining. However, some solid specialty options are available.

 

Now if you look at Guy's and BlueIguana, many can argue that replacing the canned cheese nachos, hot dogs, and old burgers is a big bump up in quality.

We were very happy with the food served at Guy's Burgers and the Blue Iguana. It was mainly the MDR that bothered me, although the Lido Buffet food has gone down too.

I should also say that we've been not only happy, but impressed with the steaks and seafood at the extra-charge steakhouses, etc. Our problem on our last cruise was that there were no real extra-charge options, at least as far as sit-down restaurants go.

Also we cruised out of Jacksonville on Elation because we just moved to the city, and our previous cruise had also been on the Elation out of New Orleans before it was refitted. The food was much better in the MDR before the refitting. I posted a review after the last cruise and the majority of it was how uneven the food quality was.

I don't think it has gotten any worse, just that the more you cruise carnival, it is not a "new" as it it once was and I am just getting used to it. Time for Carnival to change up the menu and add some new recipes.

What's happened to the food on Carnival? It seems like it's gone way down in the last couple years. I don't expect high-end gourmet food, but lately it's been pretty sad. I've worked in, and eaten in, five-star restaurants, and my standards are high, but on Carnival cruises a few years ago, I found the food to be surprisingly good. Now: not so much.

 

I thought the food on the Breeze last week was actually better overall than in past years. It seemed the buffets had fewer choices, but still more than enough choices (not really sure what was missing...just seem to be less). And this might be a good thing as lines seemed to move faster. Cannot speak to the extra charge restaurants.

I don't think it has gotten any worse, just that the more you cruise carnival, it is not a "new" as it it once was and I am just getting used to it.

 

 

I agree. For several years I cruised on Carnival exclusively and, not only the food but everything else, just started to feel a bit repetitive which led to feelings of dissatisfaction . That’s when I decided to change things up and sail on other cruise lines (and I made a point of not repeating the same cruise line two times in a row). Long story short, I’m very glad about the decision. I find myself spending very little time comparing my current cruise with “how things used to be”.

 

I’ve also learned that each cruise line has its own superlatives but that things like cuisine as a whole at traditional venues like the MDR and the buffet are pretty similar (mediocre) across the board on mainstream cruise lines. These days I know that if I truly want to experience something special, I’m pretty much forced to spend extra on specialty restaurants, so I budget accordingly.

 

To the OP: it seems like you need to branch out and away from Fantasy class ships with limited dining options if cuisine is something important to you. If the convenience of sailing from a convenient, close to home port is more important, then you need to go in the right state of mind and understand that cuisine will most likely be underwhelming.

 

 

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Cruising on 5 different CL's, we've found that avoiding the MDRs was our best bet, unless we were sitting down with friends to enjoy a leisurely dinner. The food was usually no better in there, just more organized & quieter. The "Premium Dining" is sometime worth doing for a change of venue, although it galls us to have to pay that much extra. But we still do. The buffets usually have a couple items that we can manage to enjoy- we just don't put emphasis on ship food, as we try to eat local food off ship in port when possible.

Just off the Vista and this was my 23rd Carnival cruise over the years, and will be my last. I had many issues, the food being one of them. There are no carved meats on Lido anymore for lunch or dinner, but now they offer a baked potato bar in its place :rolleyes:. Seriously??

Just off the Vista and this was my 23rd Carnival cruise over the years, and will be my last. I had many issues, the food being one of them. There are no carved meats on Lido anymore for lunch or dinner, but now they offer a baked potato bar in its place :rolleyes:. Seriously??

 

Carved meats were replaced by potato bar? Wow that is a downgrade.

Carved meats were replaced by potato bar? Wow that is a downgrade.

Yes, I even commented this to the guest services manager I spoke to (had issues with neighbors smoking MJ all the time on balcony) and she told me there had been “changes” recently. :confused:

For us the quality seems to have increased somewhat since we started cruising with Carnival (2012) but it's harder for DW to find something on the menu that she likes because they don't offer the same number of entrées as they used to. Of course this won't keep us from sailing with Carnival.

Cruising on 5 different CL's, we've found that avoiding the MDRs was our best bet, unless we were sitting down with friends to enjoy a leisurely dinner. The food was usually no better in there, just more organized & quieter. The "Premium Dining" is sometime worth doing for a change of venue, although it galls us to have to pay that much extra. But we still do. The buffets usually have a couple items that we can manage to enjoy- we just don't put emphasis on ship food, as we try to eat local food off ship in port when possible.

 

 

Hi

 

I find it interesting that the cost of a clearly better meal in the steakhouse is upsetting, while you would try to eat off ship whenever possible foregoing the meals you have already paid for. You say you don't put much emphasis on the ship's food, but that isn't the case for most and I would venture to guess that the cost of the food is a large component of the cruise package.

 

 

For the OP: Hi Uncle Bob

 

You do realize that this discussion type about the decline of food quality has been going on for many years. (for every cruise line) Considering how long it's been going on, a newcomer might well think that they give you a can of beans and a piece of hard bread for the night.

 

You do really need to try other cruise lines. I see you were on a RCCL ship in 2006, try them again and see if the food has gotten any better.

 

As a customer, you really need to do like JinxyB and speak with your money. Don't support a company that doesn't live up to your standards. You really don't have to come back here to tell us. When it's time to move on, it's best to just move on and let us eat our swill in peace. :):)

Hi

 

I find it interesting that the cost of a clearly better meal in the steakhouse is upsetting, while you would try to eat off ship whenever possible foregoing the meals you have already paid for. You say you don't put much emphasis on the ship's food, but that isn't the case for most and I would venture to guess that the cost of the food is a large component of the cruise package.

 

 

For the OP: Hi Uncle Bob

 

You do realize that this discussion type about the decline of food quality has been going on for many years. (for every cruise line) Considering how long it's been going on, a newcomer might well think that they give you a can of beans and a piece of hard bread for the night.

 

You do really need to try other cruise lines. I see you were on a RCCL ship in 2006, try them again and see if the food has gotten any better.

 

As a customer, you really need to do like JinxyB and speak with your money. Don't support a company that doesn't live up to your standards. You really don't have to come back here to tell us. When it's time to move on, it's best to just move on and let us eat our swill in peace. :):)

 

I think it's good to have an open discussion with the decline in food quality. Any negative discussion is a good discussion on the Carnival forum. One of the biggest selling points on going on a cruise is the food. I'm not a buffet eater, but in the random ones I have been to, there always seems to be a meat carver. So removing it on the ship, is a huge cutback. Although I won't deny that I think all cruise lines have made cut backs in the food choices, it does seem that Carnival is the leader in cutting back. But that is the price you pay. So I encourage as many people as possible, to make the negative comments and keep the posting strong!

I don't think there has been any decline in food quality over the last several years. I think the issue is your standards may be too high as you indicated. Carnival has never had 5 star quality food and never will. If that is what you expect, you will be disappointed every cruise.

I think it's good to have an open discussion with the decline in food quality. Any negative discussion is a good discussion on the Carnival forum. One of the biggest selling points on going on a cruise is the food. I'm not a buffet eater, but in the random ones I have been to, there always seems to be a meat carver. So removing it on the ship, is a huge cutback. Although I won't deny that I think all cruise lines have made cut backs in the food choices, it does seem that Carnival is the leader in cutting back. But that is the price you pay. So I encourage as many people as possible, to make the negative comments and keep the posting strong!

 

Companies do need to hear negative feedback when it's warranted but if they've made a business decision that they are comfortable with they can live with the negative feedback as long as it isn't in the form of reduced bookings. As for the comments in your post that I bolded: the biggest selling points for us was being able to see many different ports in one trip and being on a ship at sea. Having the food included in the fare was also a selling point, but we certainly didn't and don't expect gourmet food on any line (well, if we ever sailed on one of the premium lines we would). And Carnival has made these changes to ensure that the price that you pay for your cruise is as low as possible, which again most customers applaud.

On our last cruise, the MDR was hit or miss, and to me, it wasn't because of the quality of of the food, it was how it was prepared. You can have the most expensive ingredients or the cheapest ingredients and make a delicious or lousy dish, it just all depends on your talent as a chef/cook and how you prepare it. For instance, on that same cruise, we ate our dinners the later half of the week in the Lido restaurant and I had salmon two nights and both pieces were perfectly cooked and delicious, the piece I had in the MDR earlier in the week was dry and bland. On the other hand, a pasta dish I had in the MDR was better than the same dish at the buffet. Same food, different cooks, night and day results.

I think it's good to have an open discussion with the decline in food quality. Any negative discussion is a good discussion on the Carnival forum. One of the biggest selling points on going on a cruise is the food. I'm not a buffet eater, but in the random ones I have been to, there always seems to be a meat carver. So removing it on the ship, is a huge cutback. Although I won't deny that I think all cruise lines have made cut backs in the food choices, it does seem that Carnival is the leader in cutting back. But that is the price you pay. So I encourage as many people as possible, to make the negative comments and keep the posting strong!

 

 

Wow it is so surprising that you would find this thread to post your comments.

 

I don't think it has gotten any worse, just that the more you cruise carnival, it is not a "new" as it it once was and I am just getting used to it. Time for Carnival to change up the menu and add some new recipes.

 

I agree.

To me I think it's the repetition. I work in a big facility with multiple cafeterias, a McDonald's, a chik fil a, a Subway, barbecue joint, pizza place, within a 5 minute walk without even going outside and it does get tiring having the same options every day.

Just off the Vista and this was my 23rd Carnival cruise over the years, and will be my last. I had many issues, the food being one of them. There are no carved meats on Lido anymore for lunch or dinner, but now they offer a baked potato bar in its place :rolleyes:. Seriously??

We thought the buffet and MDR food on the Vista last year was the worst food we have ever had on a cruise. Some of these people who think that the quality of food has not dropped or "magically" gotten better must have just started sailing Carnival in the last 5 years. I remember years ago being served filet, lobster, prime rib, and Chateubriand on the Inspiration 15 years ago. Food used to be excellent. Now people rave about a small shoe leather steak, a greasy Guys burger and a breakfast burrito from Blue Iguana as "good food". It hasn't stopped me from sailing but anyone that doesn't think the food quality and selection has deteriorated has a screw loose.

We thought the buffet and MDR food on the Vista last year was the worst food we have ever had on a cruise. Some of these people who think that the quality of food has not dropped or "magically" gotten better must have just started sailing Carnival in the last 5 years. I remember years ago being served filet, lobster, prime rib, and Chateubriand on the Inspiration 15 years ago. Food used to be excellent. Now people rave about a small shoe leather steak, a greasy Guys burger and a breakfast burrito from Blue Iguana as "good food". It hasn't stopped me from sailing but anyone that doesn't think the food quality and selection has deteriorated has a screw loose.

 

Compared to 15 years ago practically everything in the industry has deteriorated.

What's happened to the food on Carnival? It seems like it's gone way down in the last couple years. I don't expect high-end gourmet food, but lately it's been pretty sad. I've worked in, and eaten in, five-star restaurants, and my standards are high, but on Carnival cruises a few years ago, I found the food to be surprisingly good. Now: not so much.

 

I have never found the food on Carnival to be anything more than 3* (and that can be generous)- unless you are eating at the Steakhouse or Jijis which I would give 4. IMHO there are very few true 5* establishments.

 

I have found over the 12+ years I have cruising Carnival that the quality on some things (pizza, burgers, short ribs to name a few) have gone up where as prime rib and lobster have declined.

 

As others have noted, this is mass market food - so you need to order accordingly. Things that don't hold well under a heat lamp should be avoided and dishes local to the chefs, such as Indian on Carnival, are always an excellent choice.

I have found over the 12+ years I have cruising Carnival that the quality on some things (pizza, burgers, short ribs to name a few) have gone up where as prime rib and lobster have declined.

 

As others have noted, this is mass market food - so you need to order accordingly. Things that don't hold well under a heat lamp should be avoided and dishes local to the chefs, such as Indian on Carnival, are always an excellent choice.

 

I agree with this 100%. And the choices have declined on the dinner menu - with the inception of the American Table Menu?

 

Still, I have never gone hungry or gone to bed disappointed in my meals on a cruise ship!

Overall the MDR, Buffet and Room Service on Carnival has severely declined in the last 12 years. So many cutbacks. I haven't noticed as many cutbacks or a decline in food quality on HAL. We stopped sailing Carnival as much as we used to due to all the cutbacks and lack of loyalty program.

While I've noticed a decline in the MDR entree offerings for dinner since 1988 the Seaday Brunch menu and the new MDR port day breakfast menu are superior to what was served in 1988.

 

All in all Carnival still offers the best overall value in cruises from American ports.

Carved meats were replaced by potato bar? Wow that is a downgrade.

Depends on your point of view. Personally, I would find that to be an upgrade.