Food - I'm concerned

[John&John]

Although this was my first Carnival cruise with it being after the menu change, I wasn't dissatisfied with the menu at all, infact it was the exact opposite. Didja ever section was a nice new feature, if the Escargots appear on it for you, try them for sure, they're amazing. :)

 

Escargot was always on the 7 day menus...nothing new.

[John&John]

I think the food is fine and the passengers are increasingly chronic complainers.

 

Here are the newest menus and some food pictures:

http://www.zydecocruiser.net/menus/new_11_11/index.htm

 

On our Carnival Spirit Alaska cruise, in addition to the regular menus, there was a fish special every night that was listed in the Capers/Fun Times.

 

The food on my last cruise a month ago was excellent.

 

I am however disappointed that they have cut some of my favorites (more expensive items such as rack of lamb, duck, quail, cornish hens, veal parm) and added things like pot roast, meatloaf, hamburgers, braised brisket, shrimp & fries, mac 'n cheese, fried chicken from the 7 day menus.

 

Oyster Rockefeller is a welcome addition to the starters on a dija ever day.

[sk8rpatty]

 

"And yes I do think I have more refined pallet than many people".

 

And by they way, it is not 2 buck chuck anymore, it is 3 buck chuck and I highly recommend it for cooking (cheaper than cooking wine).

 

If you truly had a refined palate, you would not be cooking with 2 (or 3) buck chuck either. A bad bottle of wine can ruin your dish. One should only cook with what they are willing to drink.

 

Sorry for the snark, but arrogance annoys me.

[crusinpsychRN]

I got Oysters Rockefeller with no cheese. Yuck. Next cruise made sure I got cheese and they were good.

 

Got mac 'n cheese in the thimble as a side. It's usually good. On Inspiration it had almost no cheese and the thimble was full of milk.

[dclark]

EXACTLY. :)

 

Today on Carnival people can cruise easily for $100 per day or LESS. For this they get a comfortable CLEAN CABIN serviced twice a day, FREE entertainment, and round-the-clock FREE food of an unimaginable variety, and FREE transportation to some of the most interesting places in the world, BUT . . .

 

. . . they still complain ! ! :eek:

 

Free transportation? Are they giving out free cruises? One of the most common myths tossed around to rationalize the downward quality of CCL food is price- "Cruising costs less now than it did 20 years ago!". CCL could turn its ships into a jumbo version of a inter-island ferry, serving spam and mac n cheese and people would still be saying this.

Back in '99, we cruised the Elation out of socal, end of June. The cost for an ocean view for four, was $2800 total. I went to CCL website and the price for a cruise on the Splendour, same date this June, is $3480. Food? Was superior every which way back in '98, from the prime rib served on the lido deck one day, lobster on both formal nights, fresh oj, french made butter, and those fabulous late night buffets. Rum swizzle parties were still held, entertainment included full bands in the show room,assigned wait service for all meals, full band at the pool, and a show or guest entertainer every night. Compared to ten or twelve years ago,in adjusted inflation dollars, you are getting less cruise quality now than in the past. According to one inflation calculator, that $2800 cruise should cost $3802, adjusted for inflation (http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/)

Although the difference is $400, keep in mind that CCL has increased other things a lot that close the difference like:

1) No more "smuggled" booze

2) Much higher drink prices

3) Moving captains party to last night

4) No more rum swizzle party

(yeah, I know these things only affect those who drink)

I am pretty sure cost of CCL excursions has also exceeded inflation but did not include those as they can be booked independently.

[cellalot]

Total rubbish. A tough, grisly steak is a tough grisly steak. Doesn't matter where you eat, it will still be that, a tough, grisly steak.Serving it on a cruise ship doesn't make it any better.

CCL purchases lower quality food than it did in the past, that people notice it has nothing to do with "attitude", they are simply cluing in that food has gone down the drain. Sorry, it isn't a lot of people with bad attitudes, it more people who are used to better than dogfood grade meat. Good restaurants serve prime, most supermarkets sell choice, select grade is for hamburgers and pet food. Just what grade do you think CCL is buying???

 

Actually where they get their beef has not changed. It has been the same vendor for years; Colorado Boxed Beef. Any changes in the quality is imagined by chronic complainers. Anytime you cook for the masses, you will not be extreme in flavor, but Carnival continues to provide an excellent flavor and value!

[Sargent_Schultz]

The good old days were never as good as people seem to think they were but don't dare try to tell that to those who prefer to live in the past.

 

The cheese with Carnival's oyster rockefeller is a cheese sauce and is mixed in with the spinach. I've never had trouble finding it.

 

The brisket was excellent!

 

A number of the complaints seem to be nits and I have no idea what rum swizzles have to do with food. Yes, you can still get real butter if you ask for it, etc.

 

A number of the complaints also seem to have originated with the Uncle Bob era and people are incorrectly blaming Uncle Gerry.

[glrounds]

Free transportation? Are they giving out free cruises? One of the most common myths tossed around to rationalize the downward quality of CCL food is price- "Cruising costs less now than it did 20 years ago!". CCL could turn its ships into a jumbo version of a inter-island ferry, serving spam and mac n cheese and people would still be saying this.

Back in '99, we cruised the Elation out of socal, end of June. The cost for an ocean view for four, was $2800 total. I went to CCL website and the price for a cruise on the Splendour, same date this June, is $3480. Food? Was superior every which way back in '98, from the prime rib served on the lido deck one day, lobster on both formal nights, fresh oj, french made butter, and those fabulous late night buffets. Rum swizzle parties were still held, entertainment included full bands in the show room,assigned wait service for all meals, full band at the pool, and a show or guest entertainer every night. Compared to ten or twelve years ago,in adjusted inflation dollars, you are getting less cruise quality now than in the past. According to one inflation calculator, that $2800 cruise should cost $3802, adjusted for inflation (http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/)

Although the difference is $400, keep in mind that CCL has increased other things a lot that close the difference like:

1) No more "smuggled" booze

2) Much higher drink prices

3) Moving captains party to last night

4) No more rum swizzle party

(yeah, I know these things only affect those who drink)

I am pretty sure cost of CCL excursions has also exceeded inflation but did not include those as they can be booked independently.

 

 

Cruise lines are fighting through this recession. Some just barely staying alive. My comparison goes back to the mid 80s when cruising was a lot more elegant, expensive and upscale than today. And in 1999 when you drew your comparison.

 

1) Smuggling booze was against Carnival's policy in '99 also.

2) I agree, the drinks maybe are more (doesn't affect me that much @ 2-3

beers a day). Its actually one of the reasons cabin prices stay low.

3) I don't understand WHEN the Captain's Party is held it somehow affects

anything

4) See 2) :) The heavy drinker isn't going to get a bargain on a cruise, IMHO.

 

I'll agree the entertainment has slipped a little. Midnight buffets were a big money loser. I'll even concede some decrease in the quality of the food and size of the servings (I noted that in my comparison). If the MDR has gone down, the buffet has really become much greater. Much better selection. Love the Reuben and Ham sandwich stations.

 

I just think Carnival is a great bargain. A great getaway for me at an incredibly reasonable price, especially when I compare it to my cruises of "yore". :D Incidentally, I had a Banquet Macacheese tv dinner a couple of hours ago $1.00. Peanut butter sandwich with and a glass of milk. I'm easy to please, I guess. ;)

 

[Cruzface]

Free transportation? Are they giving out free cruises? One of the most common myths tossed around to rationalize the downward quality of CCL food is price- "Cruising costs less now than it did 20 years ago!". CCL could turn its ships into a jumbo version of a inter-island ferry, serving spam and mac n cheese and people would still be saying this.

Back in '99, we cruised the Elation out of socal, end of June. The cost for an ocean view for four, was $2800 total. I went to CCL website and the price for a cruise on the Splendour, same date this June, is $3480. Food? Was superior every which way back in '98, from the prime rib served on the lido deck one day, lobster on both formal nights, fresh oj, french made butter, and those fabulous late night buffets. Rum swizzle parties were still held, entertainment included full bands in the show room,assigned wait service for all meals, full band at the pool, and a show or guest entertainer every night. Compared to ten or twelve years ago,in adjusted inflation dollars, you are getting less cruise quality now than in the past. According to one inflation calculator, that $2800 cruise should cost $3802, adjusted for inflation (http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/)

Although the difference is $400, keep in mind that CCL has increased other things a lot that close the difference like:

1) No more "smuggled" booze

2) Much higher drink prices

3) Moving captains party to last night

4) No more rum swizzle party

(yeah, I know these things only affect those who drink)

I am pretty sure cost of CCL excursions has also exceeded inflation but did not include those as they can be booked independently.

 

No more smuggled booze? Really?:rolleyes:

[sjn911]

I wonder if cost of food with recession/oil..is more difficult and more high in California..I also wonder if Splendor food is more stressed buget because of less folks going to Mexico..I still want to get on and try for myself..In 2009 the onle "issues" were..gee second lobstrer of my life..first I can not remember and only 3 bites and gone..(did not know i could get more LOL) and my crabcake was not cooked through..Paradise...all rest was great..but I trust some sane folks comments, on the food who always cruise out of Socal several times a year..they do not cruise just for food and make it all great...but just say it really has gone done there...Sarah

[dclark]

 

 

1) Smuggling booze was against Carnival's policy in '99 also.

2) I agree, the drinks maybe are more (doesn't affect me that much @ 2-3

beers a day). Its actually one of the reasons cabin prices stay low.

3) I don't understand WHEN the Captain's Party is held it somehow affects

anything

4) See 2) :) The heavy drinker isn't going to get a bargain on a cruise, IMHO.

 

 

 

Back in '99, smuggling wasn't enforced at all. In fact, on that cruise, I brought a Coleman electric cooler filled with Corona beer, was waved right on through security.CCL was as firm with smuggling as they are with chair hogs!

You don't understand why moving the captains party affected anything? It is pretty obvious if you open your eyes. Moving it to the last night when people are packing cuts down on the number of people who attend!

Everyone time I have attended, it was held in the back of the ship with almost as many servers as cruisers, maybe 20 servers on my last CCL cruise last June.

When the captains party was held on first formal night (when it was more festive) it was held in different bars and disco and all were packed- big difference

[glrounds]

Back in '99, smuggling wasn't enforced at all. In fact, on that cruise, I brought a Coleman electric cooler filled with Corona beer, was waved right on through security.CCL was as firm with smuggling as they are with chair hogs!

You don't understand why moving the captains party affected anything? It is pretty obvious if you open your eyes. Moving it to the last night when people are packing cuts down on the number of people who attend!

Everyone time I have attended, it was held in the back of the ship with almost as many servers as cruisers, maybe 20 servers on my last CCL cruise last June.

When the captains party was held on first formal night (when it was more festive) it was held in different bars and disco and all were packed- big difference

 

I never felt the NEED to smuggle booze onboard. Can't comment on how difficult Carnival has made it and how this is, somehow, a negative for Carnival. But, I can't help but think that somehow this is reducing the cost of my cabin.:D

 

I can pack in 15 minutes.:)

 

Seldom go to the Captain's parties anymore - mostly a commercial with booze offered as a bribe to ensure attendance. I've attended Captain's parties in both the main showroom and aft showroom. Still mayhem as the lushes push, shove, and grapple to save a few bucks.

 

For someone living in So Cal to be even moderately interested in 5' deep postage-stamp-sized pools and the chairs in the immediate vicinity is, at best, laughable. So, I can't comment on chair hogs.:rolleyes: