has CCL fallen that far?

[Cruzman]

CCl has turned into the government....The more you give them the less you get...

CCL is turning into the biggest yuck for your buck....

Ever since new management arrived it has gone IMHO to he!! in a handbasket....

Sad but there are many different lines out there I cruise and they will be getting more of my cruise $$$$$$$$ than the new Carn-evil....

Oh yes...Did I mention I can have meatloaf or fried chicken now for dinner in the MDR on Carnival.....This is sad....What's next beef stew ??????

 

Sadly, I must agree!

[H82seaUgo]

I do not see the lack of trays as an issue. Plate in one hand. Drink in another. Cutlery in your pocket or in the hand under the plate.

 

and of course a third hand to lift ladles and tongs to put food on your plate.

 

we encountered no trays on the destiny/triumph class when they came out. i simply told someone in charge that i required a servant to assist in my food delivery. did it every day.

 

i do know trays eventually showed up on these ships.

 

removing them, i will again make good use of that dollar a day that they take from me for that venue. i have absolutely no juggling skills. neither do the 80 year olds on board.

[D-Roc]

and of course a third hand to lift ladles and tongs to put food on your plate.

 

we encountered no trays on the destiny/triumph class when they came out. i simply told someone in charge that i required a servant to assist in my food delivery. did it every day.

 

i do know trays eventually showed up on these ships.

 

removing them, i will again make good use of that dollar a day that they take from me for that venue. i have absolutely no juggling skills. neither do the 80 year olds on board.

 

 

No juggling skills required. It is a simplistic task. For the majority anyways.

 

I have always carried my plate, then added the food to it with my free hand. When done I get my drink. I would put my plate down if I needed to use both hands (funny thing is you would have to put your tray down too if there was one). Then pick up the plate and your drink. Get your cutlery by putting your drink down and then placing it, as I said, in your pocket or under your plate in your hand or even *gasp* with your food on the plate. If this simple "juggling" act is too difficult, then make a second trip to get yourself a drink or cutlery. Pretty simple.

[Jumbiecruiser]

CCl has turned into the government....The more you give them the less you get...

CCL is turning into the biggest yuck for your buck....

Ever since new management arrived it has gone IMHO to he!! in a handbasket....

Sad but there are many different lines out there I cruise and they will be getting more of my cruise $$$$$$$$ than the new Carn-evil....

Oh yes...Did I mention I can have meatloaf or fried chicken now for dinner in the MDR on Carnival.....This is sad....What's next beef stew ??????

 

You're going to find people who will see nothing wrong with Carnival's food for several reasons. Some have never tried another line so they have no comparison. Also some are happy with Sizzlers, Ryans or Golden Corral types establishments for dining. If there is plenty of food to pile on their plates then their happy. Funny that most will tell you that Carnival has great 24 hour pizza and ice cream and good burgers. Is that what they cruise for? I guess if that's the case then Carnival has great food.:rolleyes: Meatloaf on a dinner menu? Are you serious?

 

Beef stew? I hear Dinty Moore makes a killer beef stew? :D

[Sargent_Schultz]

and of course a third hand to lift ladles and tongs to put food on your plate.

 

we encountered no trays on the destiny/triumph class when they came out. i simply told someone in charge that i required a servant to assist in my food delivery. did it every day.

 

i do know trays eventually showed up on these ships.

 

removing them, i will again make good use of that dollar a day that they take from me for that venue. i have absolutely no juggling skills. neither do the 80 year olds on board.

 

??????

 

If you can drive a tray you can drive a plate. :p Just slide it along,

 

 

 

 

No trays helps cut down on people loading trays up with an impossible-to-eat amount of food. They can still do it with the oversize plates, just not as much.

 

Seems to me that this is a strategy that upscale Princess has used for years.

 

 

I don't remember there being trays at many, if not all venues on NCL. There must be reasons why.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Meatloaf on a dinner menu? Are you serious?

 

 

No. You won't find meatloaf. But so what if you did? There are still lots of choices. Have you ever been on a Carnival cruise? :D

[finsupcruiser]

Having sailed on CCl,NCL, and Hal, IMO HAL has the best food both on Lido deck and MDR.

NCL is a close second.

CCL MDR food is good but Lido deck food has declined over the years.

[mermaid72]

We cruise 2-3x per year and find the food to be fine. Was going to try NCL for a Sept cruise and their price for a 7 day inside was actually more than 8 day balcony on CCL.

Going on Carnival 2 or 3 times a year?

Well, you get exactly what you pay for.

Why not at least try a premium line, (not NCL) and see what better food, better service, and better ambiance really is?

I bet you would be more than pleasantly surprised. At least it would get you out of a rut!

[D-Roc]

I do not get all these comments about meat loaf or fried chicken being offered as an option. No one is forcing anyone to make these choices and it appears there are many other options to satisfy even those with the "high class" tastes. What does it matter if people really like the pizza or burgers and think they are the best on CCL? Some enjoy it. Some don't. Big deal

[crusinpsychRN]

The food in the MDR on my last 2 cruises was just tepid. Everyone at our table complained about it to each other but not to staff.

 

The salad portion was much smaller. Escargot and mushroom recipes have changed and aren't as good as they used to be. I got a lobster once that had no meat, just mush. Glad I ordered 2 entrees.

 

When I said something about the food not being hot, my next meals were zapped. That worked fine for pasta but ruined lamb which came out well done and gross!

 

Frankly the choice of fried chicken might be good some nights when nothing is appealing.

[BenjiRodney]

The food was excellent on the Glory last year and I expect the same on the Victory in November. The next 2 cruises are on other lines since Carnival can't get it together and release a full schedule yet.

[Cruisegirl6]

I have sailed on 46 ships I am 48. I can tell you (have not been on NCL in awhile but have family that cruised on them last year and I can honestly say that Carnival has cut back the most drastic of the cruise lines that I have been on! I mean to a point you will find Carnival to be full of fast food type foods (burgers, fries, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, sandwiches and pizza) and mostly in the buffets I speaking about. I also have heard recently on some Carnival ships they added the pasta bar, sure you realize how much a box of pasta costs the cruise lines, cheap!! In the MDR they went from years ago to having NY strip to Sirloin now they have that flat iron steak....RC and Princess remains to have the NY strip or a sirloin you won't see flat iron steak on their menus nor would you see that meatloaf or fried chicken that Carnival added to its menu. For those to say there are other choices no...they took away other "better quality foods" and replaced it with these less costly dinner entrees....you will only get the same amount of main entree choices and have that meatloaf and fried chicken on the menu instead of better quality foods. On Formal evening the prime rib/filet mignon you get are two/three little slices of beef on RC/Princess you get the hunk of beef lol Carnival has cut so much back in the buffets on the hot foods that contain beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey and to find veggies maybe one or two the most to choose from on each buffet.....after 10pm you will only find those very same burgers, hot dogs, fries and pizza other cruise lines offer you other type foods in addition. RC remains to offer you a variety of choices of veggies and all types of good hot foods with good meat. Carnivals buffet breakfast offers you bacon and sausage that is sitting in total grease...somehow not RC they must drain it or something but it never is soaked in grease...on RC you also have that ham carving in its breakfasts...RC you can find the fish (lox and such) for breakfast fresh...and so with Princess. The desserts always were better on Carnival than RC but dessert is dessert....pizza was always better than RC/Princess but you never get a "real pizza" anyway. The pool deck party you get Mexican buffet where on RC you get grilled on bbq steaks, chicken, suckling pork and other good meats more choices!

 

Im sorry but I not eat fast food and the last two carnival cruises we taken we found it to be that....RC & Princess has the burgers, hot dogs, etc. but they continue to have an abundent of other items better selection better quality. There is no comparison!!!

 

Now remember, there will be people who will say Carnivals food is good perhaps its because of the way they eat at home....its like I said, I not eat fast food type foods so I not going to start on a cruise! If I can't eat similiar or the same or even better than how I eat at home I not going to take Carnival and this is why if you look at the bottom of my post why I chose RC next month over Carnival. Service overall in RC is excellent and so is Princess where service is a hit or miss on Carnival...cocktails are cheaper and better on RC/Princess than on Carnival...shows are more quality type on RC/Princess than Carnival.....but each to their own, but for this girl I stick with RC and would go Princess and maybe Celebrity (although Celebrity is more subdued after 11pm).

 

Pools on the other cruise lines that I have mentioned are larger and fresh water...Carnivals pools are smaller and salt watter....regular inside/outside staterooms are larger on Carnival and both have decent bedding.

 

On the note with NCL, I heard from people on boards and from my family the lunch buffets/places to eat for lunch are the same old stuff over and over I cannot comment personally as its been years since I been on NCL but when I was on NCL I have to say it was a step above Carnival.

 

Don't get me wrong I never had a bad Carnival cruise just when it came to shows, food, service it was..... Carnival thats all....

[elcuchio24]

I find the food on CCL just as good or better than 2, 5, 8 years ago. I still like it better than NCL. I do like NCL much better for their 24hr comfort food bar, way better than any CCL after hour options. We cruise regularly on both, have no particular loyalty to either. I think when folks complain about CCL going 'down hill' it's usually in the entertainment, and rarely, the service departments. Neither of which have changed enought to impact out cruise choices or experience onboard.

[elcuchio24]

I do not get all these comments about meat loaf or fried chicken being offered as an option. No one is forcing anyone to make these choices and it appears there are many other options to satisfy even those with the "high class" tastes. What does it matter if people really like the pizza or burgers and think they are the best on CCL? Some enjoy it. Some don't. Big deal

 

There is no meatloaf! I don't know where this rumor got started!

[Cruisegirl6]

The meatloaf and fried chicken has recently been added to ships menu's I not recall particularly which ships as I have seen the menu's by other people posts and others have said they tried the fried chicken and did have the meatloaf so its true! I also seen photos of the fried chicken and meatloaf on past posts.

[Snowball]

In the past 2 years I have cruised Carnival, NCL, and RCI. Carnival's food has stayed consistently good, but they have moved to some cheaper cuts of meat in the dining room. I don't normally order steak in the main dining room, I'm more of a seafood person, so that's not a big deal for me. NCL's food was terrible, particularly in the non-pay restaurants - the food in the paid restaurants was somewhat better. I was pleasantly surprised to find that RCI's food was much better than it was in year's past, and I would say that they are now on par with Carnival.

 

With this said, food tastes are very subjective, so what may appeal to me might not to someone else.

[Cruisegirl6]

Elcuhio- Its true....there is a recent post (i cannot recall the others that actually had the meatloaf and fried chicken and posted photos of it) but if you look down to "1st time carnival cruisers....Valor...by hockeygirl you will see she had the fried chicken for dinner.

 

Snowball- Your right the quality of meat has been drastically cut...Seafood was always decent (I not seafood person) I have to admit that is true...

 

I totally disagree with you that RC is on par with Carnival no way!! We even took a 4 night cruise on the small Monarch of the Seas in December and I have to say NO COMPARISON to the Fascination that we took about 5 months prior to this RC cruise. I won't sail Carnival again until they get their act better. But again your right, it all depends on how we all eat at home.....I not eat fast food type foods or low quality meats....and when I am on a cruise if I can't eat like I eat at home or better I not go and this is why on the bottom of my post you will see I taking RC next month and not Carnival.

 

I do admit, specialty restaurants are so much better...

[JPH814]

Was on the Dream in April.

• The food in the MDR better than average, and I think I have pretty high standards.
  
• The steakhouse was excellent, quality of food and service
  
• Chef's Table was a great experience. Absolutely worth the extra $$$
  
• I rarely ate in the buffet - a couple of lunches and a couple of breakfasts. I don't expect much out of a buffet so I was not disappointed with what I recieved. If you want to grab something to eat to fill you up until the next real meal, fine. If you care really about quality, don't eat at a buffet. Anywhere. It can rarely match the food in even a mediocre restaurant.
  

[dwayneb236]

Hmmm. don't see the issue about meatloaf. I happen to love meatloaf. Gonna cross my fingers and hope it's on my cruise in Sept.

[golfadj]

Going on Carnival 2 or 3 times a year?

Well, you get exactly what you pay for.

Why not at least try a premium line, (not NCL) and see what better food, better service, and better ambiance really is?

I bet you would be more than pleasantly surprised. At least it would get you out of a rut!

 

We have enjoyed our cruises and gotten our money worth as well as convenience.

 

In next few years will be time to go on longer cruises away from Caribbean at which point we will try other lines.

[zqvol]

I have reviews of pax that have come back and say the food has gone downhill in the last couple of years.

 

I was also reading on the NCL board how most prefer the food on NCL to CCL.

 

I havent been on NCL for a long time because the food was very bad and have always been afraid to repeat that and I have always been happy with CCL's food but it's been almost a year since we were on CCL.

 

I also understand that some on each board are cheerleaders and they could be fed dog food and say it's good rather than disparage their favorite line.

 

Just wondering your thoughts and again this is the CCL board so I'll take that into consideration also.;)

 

Bill

As far as the mass market lines I flip flop between NCL and CCL and IMO the food on NCL is much better than the food on CCL. There is nothing bad about CCL food, but there is nothing imaginative or creative about it, it is just plain food. The sad thing is that the items that people rave about, the lobster and melting cake are two of the worst items on Carnival's menus.

[Jumbiecruiser]

I see meatloaf mentioned on this post.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1423795&highlight=meatloaf

[Cruisegirl6]

DW Im sure you will get your meatloaf, they even have fried chicken now. :)

[zqvol]

I didn't find that the food itself was bad...

but ..

 

Carnival did go to the "large plate">> No more trays

 

Also...as I have clearly stated here...the food on the buffet was repeated a lot...they used to have the different taste of nations on one side and "american" on the other...now it is american 2x,italian 2x, caribbean 2x, and french 1x....on ALL FOUR sides of the buffet...same on all...<sigh>

 

It looks like they have added more "comfort" food to the main dining room menus...but again it is a choice....they do seem to be doing some cutbacks bit by bit, less servers and more rushed , depends on the ship I guess

 

Still I think the food on Carnival is good...some of it is pretty great :) I also enjoyed NCL's food but I have only been on the Sky and didn't eat in the specialty/pay restaurants. I did enjoy the outdoor grills on Sky and the lack of lines. They seemed to have a lot more people directing you to find shorter/no line...and also NCL REALLY ENFORCES THE HAND SANITIZERS...WHICH I THOUGHT WAS GREAT

 

There have not been any cutbacks in the number of servers. They still serve approximately 20 diners each. It has been that way for years and continues to be that way. In addition the number of assistants has not decreased. The service seems different because there are few courses and they are spaced further apart, so it seems slower. (Before there were 5 courses to be served in the same amount of time that they server 3 courses now.) People just don't get it that it costs the cruise lines almost nothing to have crew on board who's major compensation is gratuities.

[cowboygene]

just got off the 8 days on the Freedom, food was very good in MDR and Lido deck, only issues were with seafood in MDr, menu said Seafood Newburgh with shrimp and scallops, came with one shrimp and i scallop, the rest were very strong mussels, could not eat, next time I ordered grilled red snapper, they were out of snapper and mahi Mahi was substituted, way too strong, wait staff apologized, said they were blindsided and brought us alternative selections