Royal Caribbean vs Carnival FOOD?

[Cruising89143]

I found that each one did something better than the other and in the end, they were even. This is after cruising many times on both lines. I don't see a huge difference in the overall quality of food on any of the lines that I have cruised. I expected HAL to have great food but in the main dining room is was just a minor step up over Carnival or RCI. Now their lido dining was a different story. The best that I have ever experienced on a cruise line. Carnival and RCI could learn something here.

 

IMHO the main dining room is nothing more than mass produced banquet quality food. I expect nothing more.

[centurycruiser]

We think an area where Carnival really shines is food selection and quality, especially in the MDR. The quality of the meat and seafood seems to be quite a bit better on CCL vs. RCCL.

 

I prefer the rotating lunch menus on Carnival and Princess to the set menu on RCCL.

 

One thing I like about Carnival is all the Lido options that aren't buffet...Mongolian Grill, Deli, fresh pizza, the grill, Burrito Bar, Rotisserie Chicken, etc.

 

There are things I like better about Royal Caribbean, but food isn't one of them.:)

 

I think Cindy just about nailed it! I like Royal's bread and rolls and that's about it. We never eat dessert on Royal. Not worth the extra calories.

 

I really like Carnival's Lido options. Add in the Italian restaurant to the other options Cindy mentioned and you have a home run. Or, maybe a grand slam.

 

And, Carnival is one of the few mass market cruise lines offering fresh made-to-order sandwiches. Only Celebrity and HAL are the others I am aware of.

 

Someone mentioned Carnival's pizza as the best at sea. I don't agree. (There goes that personal preference subjectivity) I believe Princess has the best pizza at sea. I believe their pizza is competitive with land based pizza. Carnival is the only one that offers calzone, though.

 

I thought the line about NCL being the Walmart of ocean dining was spot on. Except I like the 24 hour dining options on NCL. That and their cookies. Imagine getting a fresh burger at 2AM. Or, a bowl of won ton soup.

 

I believe Carnival is about the second best cruise line from a cuisine standpoint. If that was the reason to cruise, they would always be one of my top choices. But, I do love Royal's ships!

[Cuizer2]

Five years ago, we did the Brilliance in the Med. I wasn't thrilled with the food and in fact that experience kept me away from RCCL until this year when - big surprise - we're sailing on the Brilliance again. Sometimes the itinerary is so much more important than the food! :D

 

How would something like this fit into your equation ...

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-royal-caribbean-employee-burglarie20100611,0,2152349.story

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

• Main Dining Room - I think Carnival is slightly better but I didn't have a bad meal on RCI.
  
• Buffet - RCI has much better food and the layout on their ships is much more efficient at handling the crowds.
  
• Room Service - RCI was much better and I think they have better choices.
  

 

Ditto. I've only been on one RCI cruise "Mariner" and I heard Carnival food was better but I found the food to be very good. Desserts on Carnival are far superior!!!!!! I didn't care for the dessert offerings on RCI but on CCL I usually order 2:eek:

 

Coffee on RCI is good - Carnival not so good. Only twice did I have a cup of joe that was too strong. I don't like coffee that makes me grow hair on my chest.... I'm a lady.

 

Carnival has a bbq grill with fresh cooked burgers which I love. RCI had burgers but the only way to get a decent burger was to pay extra for Johnny Rockets. Also CCL has grilled reuben sandwiches and when nothing else looks appetizing, a reuben is always delicious.

Edited June 11, 2010 by Yukon111

[mek]

How would something like this fit into your equation ...

 

 

I guess it means that I wanted to go on this itinerary badly enough to overlook my disappointment with the food on RCCL. Besides, I figured it's always a good idea to give a line a second chance, BTW, I'm Platinum with them, so I've been on a few of their ships.

[Jimnbigd]

Coffee on RCI is good - Carnival not so good. Only twice did I have a cup of joe that was too strong. I don't like coffee that makes me grow hair on my chest.... I'm a lady.

 

So have a couple of cups and enter the hairy chest contest. :p

 

I agree with you. I especially like the Seattles Best coffee RCI has in Cafe Promenade. However I do like the free cappuccino Carnival serves at MDR dinner.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Jimnbigd

[C&M's Mommy]

In our opinion RCCL is much better all the way around!

We have cruised Carnival twice and our group of 12 ALL decided No more Carnival! We are giving Celebrity a try in October! Explorer is a great ship!

[Terre]

We have sailed on Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, NCL and recently returned from Serenade of the Seas and I think the food was very comparable to Carnival's. We have not found any other cruise line that compared with Carnival's food until the Serenade. Carnival still has a better menu selection, but we felt the quality was just as good.

 

Not sure if it was just on the Serenade or true throughout RCI, but the buffet is closed after 9:00 so don't expect to grab a bite after the late show. We couldn't get room service to understand that we were ordering a Bistro Burger from their menu. They kept repeating hamburger...we ended up ordering a turkey pininni.

 

The buffet food is better than Carnival's and I agree the layout is much better -- 100% better over Princess's layout!

 

You will like the MDR food.

[jagsfan]

I'm a fan of Princess, RCCL and CCL, and I would rate the food Princess, Carnival and RCCL

in that order. However, the difference between the three is minimal and wouldn't change

the cruise experience for me.

Carnival's pizza is the best.....never had goat cheese till I tried it on their pizza--smashing!

Carnival's buffet layout is my favorite because of the variety of offerings.

Princess's pizza comes in second. I do like having lunch in Johnny Rocket's though, so

that is a plus for RCCL.

The food in the MDR has gone downhill with all of them, in my estimation, but not as much

as on HAL.

Regardless of the cruise line, I enjoy my meals, anyway. Each one has things they do

best.......

[yknot13]

"Just returned from Alaska... They were rolling out many new menu items and the head chef from Miami Coorperate was on board to oversee this transition. It was "Hands Down" much better than the previous Carnival Cruise and an improvement over Jewel of the Seas taken in Fall 2000"

 

I imagine so, since Jewel of the Seas didn't debut unitl the Spring of 2004. ???

 

Mitch

 

This is the reason I put little to no faith or credability in any of the polls/ surveys on this board. Half of what is written is to achieve ones own agenda. After cruising both Carnival and Royal I have found the food to be more simmilar than not with slight differences.

People stating ""far superrior"" and "not eddible" are simply exagerating and do not know the true facts.

[chachi]

I think Carnival's is much better. I didn't enjoy any of my meals in the main dining room on RCI. They weren't bad, but they were not good. On Carnival I have enjoyed almost all of my meals.

[ltbw038]

I think Carnival's is much better. I didn't enjoy any of my meals in the main dining room on RCI. They weren't bad, but they were not good. On Carnival I have enjoyed almost all of my meals.

Much better? Carnival has better deserts, their beef is low grade. The MDRs are close to equal, and the windjammer is laid out better. How can anyone say one is "much better" than the other? It's very close to the same.

[mtchg]

Much better? Carnival has better deserts, their beef is low grade. The MDRs are close to equal, and the windjammer is laid out better. How can anyone say one is "much better" than the other? It's very close to the same.

 

While I agree opinion of food is VERY subjective; if you did as much exhaustive perusing of CCL vs RCCL reviews over many months as I have, reviewers (those that have had a least TWO cruises on each)..both CC members and professional reviewers, a distinct pattern emerges. Throw out the exaggerated cheerleading types from both camps..throwing out the "flamers"...it is plain that Carnival gets the consensus for better Main Dining Room fare.

 

I haven't sailed RCCL for 4 years; so I will get to see (or taste?) for myself starting July 3 on the Independence of the Seas.

 

Mitch

Edited June 16, 2010 by mtchg

[Jumbiecruiser]

Never mind.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Jumbiecruiser

[ltbw038]

While I agree opinion of food is VERY subjective; if you did as much exhaustive perusing of CCL vs RCCL reviews over many months as I have, reviewers (those that have had a least TWO cruises on each)..both CC members and professional reviewers, a distinct pattern emerges. Throw out the exaggerated cheerleading types from both camps..throwing out the "flamers"...it is plain that Carnival gets the consensus for better Main Dining Room fare.

 

I haven't sailed RCCL for 4 years; so I will get to see (or taste?) for myself starting July 3 on the Independence of the Seas.

 

Mitch

I was on the Destinty and then the Liberty a few weeks later. My personal subjective experience was that the food on RCI was slightly better, the buffet was better, and Carnival had better desserts. Just my and opinion and my guests as well. I have been on a total of 4 Carnival cruises and 10 Royal, so I am not just a two cruise reviewer. I was on the Indy in Feb., and I really enjoyed the cruise, great staff and shows. The food was good.

Edited June 16, 2010 by ltbw038

[2ndrcclcruise]

Carnival food is better and the food service is better in my opinion in the MDR. Have enjoyed specialty resturants on both lines, and there again, I would pick Carnival by a slight edge.

 

Buffets are buffets.... hard to compare but maybe a slight edge to RCCL on this one.

[mtchg]

I was on the Destinty and then the Liberty a few weeks later. My personal subjective experience was that the food on RCI was slightly better, the buffet was better, and Carnival had better desserts. Just my and opinion and my guests as well. I have been on a total of 4 Carnival cruises and 10 Royal, so I am not just a two cruise reviewer. I was on the Indy in Feb., and I really enjoyed the cruise, great staff and shows. The food was good.

 

 

Im not doubting you; and again I have only sailed on Carnival and one NCL since my first three RCCL cruises. There are many others who agree with you...but to repeat myself; yours is a definite minority of the hundreds I have read ( and I don't mean 90-10%...but 60-40...)...You already have decided who is best from your own experience and that is what's important.

 

 

Mitch

[Gilgo Surfer]

Yes, they do. I don't remember what they call it, though.

 

Is it the flourless chocolate cake?

 

It's been a while since I have been on a Carnival cruise and don't remember the food. I was on a 9 night and a 10 night on Royal and thought the food was good to excellent with a few exceptions here and there.

[Bigtex1622]

I am a guy, but even girls should agree.

If you don't cook it, or clean it up.

It will be great.

If it isn't, ask and get something else.

 

:rolleyes:

[DonnaK]

Your kids will have a better time on Explorer.

 

The buffet on the Lido deck on CCL is fresher and has much more variety and there are changes daily. Burgers are off the grill along with hot dogs, unlike RCI where the burgers sit in a heating try and folks pick at them. CCL also has fresh made sandwiches and pannini, again against Royals sandwiches presented in a tray where they sit. The only thing CCL lost (for me) was the Salad area, way too small, not enough selection. On our crusie that is where there was always a line (small), but there was nothing worth waiting for, really. The MDR food on CCL was very, very good. It is pretty comparitive with Royals MDR. We had a personal dining consultant come to the table every night to take DS's order for the next day b/c he is allergic to nuts..>Royal has never offerred this or asked if anyone has food allergies, CCL actually asks. They prepared his food using seperate pans etc. Even though we thought the food was fresher and tastier (just by a tiny bit) on CCL, we prefer Royal. The kids like it much better and the Crew and staff on Royal is much friendlier.

 

This is a link to my review:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=898081&page=2

 

Royal Caribbean offers this too, upon request. Just ask.

[mtchg]

Royal Caribbean offers this too, upon request. Just ask.

 

This is true; in fact as I was going over my Indy documents, I noticed they have 3 special email addresses dedicated to requests concerning allergies, vegetarian, etc.

 

 

Mitch

Edited June 17, 2010 by mtchg

[ltbw038]

This is true; in fact as I was going over my Indy documents, I noticed they have 3 special email addresses dedicated to requests concerning allergies, vegetarian, etc.

 

 

Mitch

 

I hope you two have a blast on the Indy!

[49holding]

I recently sailed on a 4 nite carnival cruise and felt that the buffett food is better on RCL and with all the stations better laid out..I honestly thought that RCL had better dinner menu selections.. .The quality of what I ate on Carnival was very good except for the roast turkey dinner..it was gross packaged turkey roll..inexcusable! Carnival has better desserts and longer hrs for food RCL has better room service including hot breakfasts. The difference in the food between the 2 is very small I thought

[mtchg]

I hope you two have a blast on the Indy!

 

 

Thanks itbw38!!

 

Beth and I are going with friends to London/Southampton for 5 days..then 14 nites on the Independence of the Seas; Oasis notwithstanding, still the biggest cruise ship in Europe and it looks absolutely exciting. I am not worried at all about the food...Im sure we will enjoy every bit of this adventure.

 

Mitch

[ltbw038]

Sounds like a great time. How many ports?