I will never cruise with Carnival again, and here's why...

[scperk]

Perhaps when the OP gets home tonight and can devote more time to it, we'll get to the meat of the complaint. So far, I haven't heard anything that would make me jump to another cruise line other than to enjoy an itinerary not offered by Carnvial. Small whines. offset by several positives. But I'll wait and see.

 

BTW, flat iron steak is a cut of meat that begs to be marinated then grilled(often used in fajitas or in chili-though chuck is better), versus say a ribeye or sirloin, which can stand up well on it's own with just salt and pepper before grilling. Thus it can be a bit bland just on its own. Lots of cruisers jump on it the first night because they see the word "steak".

I've enjoyed the flat iron steak every time I have ordered it..It can be a little bland but they are cooking for over 3,000 people...I always order mine medium rare and it always comes out nice and tender..I'm also getting a little jaded by cruising and are cutting back just like Carnival...:)..Dennis

[frito58]

I just realized the OP was slamming "Tostitos":eek::eek: I delivered those for 20 plus years , Frito Lay makes a good tortilla chip I will have you know. :D

[Trin1103]

LOL.........I think what can be taken from this thread is that some people will have their cruises ruined by issues that others only deem as minor niggles. Which camp are you in? ;)

 

..Trin..

[Chmie]

The OP paid his hard earned money for this cruise.

He is entitled to his opinion and, if we disagree, we should be civil.

I know that if I found short & curlies on my bed I would be seriously pissed. I won't even go into how my wife would react. Give the OP a chance to fully explain the highs and lows of his experience.

In before the lock :)

[SadieN]

Better? What constitutes better? That's your personal opinion and it is not Carnival's fault that you tend to like one *brand* over another. If you simply do not like Pace and Tostitos, DON'T ORDER IT. It's that simple.

 

..........

 

OP knew that decent chips and salsa were served on the Lido, I assume he expected the same or better in the MDR. Pace and Tostitos do not compare the fresh pico di gallo and fresh chips on the lido. I doubt he ordered it in the MDR a second time.

A good commercial chip is Mission, way better than Tostitos.

 

I never eat the Mexican on Carnival. Most people I hear liking it are ones who do not live in the Western (old Mexico) US.

[kingpinJK]

Better? What constitutes better? That's your personal opinion and it is not Carnival's fault that you tend to like one *brand* over another. If you simply do not like Pace and Tostitos, DON'T ORDER IT. It's that simple.

 

I am flattered by the amount of picky people out there that are just so hard to please. The food on Carnival or most any other cruise ship is good. It may not be as good as a 5-star hotel, but it's not as bad as some critics make it out to be either. I, along with the other folks who cruised in our group, had no problem finding something GOOD to eat, be it in the MDR or the buffet.

Had you taken the time to actually read what i'm saying, is that it goes well beyond my distaste for pace, it's downright lazy, especially when they serve up freshly made tortilla chips and pico de gallo daily.

I just realized the OP was slamming "Tostitos":eek::eek: I delivered those for 20 plus years , Frito Lay makes a good tortilla chip I will have you know. :D

sorry, no offense to tostitos, I like tostitos, it's just the laziness that i'm pissed off at. i still don't like pace, though.

[Cruzface]

Do you mean their famous " black angus steak" if I had it one more time at the buffet i think I was going to scream the last time we cruised on RCI:)

 

Yup. Black angus sirloin. More like bad angus grizzle.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Carnival IS upgrading its chips and salsa with the 2.0 upgrades.

The have the new salsa bar. You can't upgrade all the ships at one time.

Looking forward to the rest of the OP comments. I too don't like everyone jumping down the OP's throat. He is obviously giving a fair review of his experience. I hate the people that come on here and make one post of a bad review and you never hear another peep of response.

[nbsjcruiser]

I hate to see people say they will never sail a cruise line again because of cutback. Just so you are aware... all the cruiselines are doing this. Rememeber, they are out to make money but people complain if the cruise price is too high or about an added fuel surcharge. There will never be a perfect balance given the economy we live in and our expectations. The entire cruise industry has taken a hit as far as quality and wait times. So they have to make a choice... cut back off on some things and piss some people off or.... jack the price up and lose a lot of cruisers that can't afford the higher price, never will everyone be happy. :rolleyes:

 

The cruiselines sure have some people fooled. Carnival's annual net income was $1.912 billion last year. And we're supposed to feel that cut backs are a necessary thing? Maybe to keep their income at sky high levels but if they accepted a bit lower income AND delivered a good product WITHOUT the cutbacks maybe they'll be a stronger company 5, 6, 7 years down the road.

 

I gotta hand it to these companies especially Carnival. They've got people convinced that they're dirt poor and mac and cheese and meatloaf is all they can afford to feed us nowadays. Sheeesh.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I too am really smitten with the *IDEA* of anytime dining...HOWEVER...I talked to my friendly Carnival Personal Vacation Planner (PVP) about it. I wouldnt normally do that as I am quite the researcher and prefer to do things myself.

 

That said, 2 years ago we planned a 17 person wedding cruise and he helped coordinate dining etc for the large group, I digress....

 

I called and asked him about the anytime dining (for our upcoming cruise) and he said that he would not recommend it. Your service will suffer a bit, you wont get the personalized attention (different table/different wait staff every time), and they are usually reserve the "suckiest" tables (near the kitchen etc) for the anytime seating.

 

We changed ours to early dining as a result.

 

Just my $.02

 

Just a quick clarification on what your PVP told you.

 

You can ask for the same waitstaff every night if you are so inclined so they will get to know you in anytime dining just as they would in traditional and the comment about them reservimg the suckiest tables for anytime dining is just incorrect.

 

They have anytime dining in a separate dining room. They don't pick out the bad tables in tradtional and let anytime diners sit in them.

 

Bill

[nbsjcruiser]

I grew up on Beef farm " Flat Iron Steak " should'nt even be served as steak , we took that cut of meat and through into Hamburger , that is good meat for other things but I would never serve that as steak. I know Carnival has to cut back where it can but they are just asking for complaints if you serve that at dinner.

 

Agree 100%. It is an awful cut of meat. I've had 2 and would never order them again. Terrible thing to serve in a Main Dining Room. The MDR is supposed to be a bit classy with great food.

[Cruzface]

The cruiselines sure have some people fooled. Carnival's annual net income was $1.912 billion last year. And we're supposed to feel that cut backs are a necessary thing? Maybe to keep their income at sky high levels but if they accepted a bit lower income AND delivered a good product WITHOUT the cutbacks maybe they'll be a stronger company 5, 6, 7 years down the road.

 

I gotta hand it to these companies especially Carnival. They've got people convinced that they're dirt poor and mac and cheese and meatloaf is all they can afford to feed us nowadays. Sheeesh.

 

I am not "fooled" nor do I think most others are. Carnival is "for profit" corporation. Until people stop cruising with them because of the mac and cheese and meatloaf, they will continue to maximize profits by providing less quality. Those things don't bother me, so I will continue to cruise with them.

[ccartman2]

The suggestion that they reserve the "suckiest" tables for anytime dining sounds like typical Carnival agent hyperbole (like when the sales rep called us to sell us the trip insurance pointing out that our teenagers would be "boarding a foreign vessel and touring foreign lands" Yikes!).

 

While I think I would definitely stick to assigned dining for a large group, we were just on the Miracle on Dec 20-28 and the entire second level of the two-level MDR was reserved for anytime diners. They had a completely separate hostess desk out front. Assigned diners entered on the 1st level, anytime diners on the second. Although we missed out on having the same waiter all 8 days, we got to eat at 7:15 rather than 6 or 8:15, and ended up with only two different waiters during the cruise.

 

Why Carnival can't just come out and simply say that larger groups will be accommodated more efficiently with assigned dining (rather than hoping to get tables near one another as they come open in "anytime" dining, which is going to be tricky at best), is baffling.

 

Absolutely right. On our legend cruise, we had the same table for 6 of the 7 nights (one night was just the wife and I so we got a 2 seater then) and it was by the window @ the back of the ship. We also had the same server 5 of the 7 nights (We missed her on Formal night as she was moved down stairs and then the night with the wife and I). On our previous back to back cruise, we did a 3 night with family and a 4 night just the wife and I and had the same server all 7 nights. All you really have to do is ask, and they will usually accomadate you if they can.

[RJHeller]

Your not paying for gourmet food and over and above service with carnival. There prices havent changed barely at all in the last 10 years where the cost of all the food,fuel and wages have all gone up. Am average car price was $21k 10 years ago, now its $29k. I like to read reviews, but any reasonable person can understand that for the price Carnival and most other cruise lines still offer a very exceptional value for your vacation money. The food is mass quantity food made to serve 2000-4500 guests....how good do you really want it to be....me personally think Its just fine but I take it for what it is. I am not making excuses, but just kind of tired listening to people bitch about all the cutbacks, but nobody seems to bitch that the prices havent risen over the last 10 years...

[NotlocTRD]

Had you taken the time to actually read what i'm saying, is that it goes well beyond my distaste for pace, it's downright lazy, especially when they serve up freshly made tortilla chips and pico de gallo daily.

 

sorry, no offense to tostitos, I like tostitos, it's just the laziness that i'm pissed off at. i still don't like pace, though.

I read what you were saying, I guess what I am getting at is that you can't let petty complaints like the chips and salsa ruin a great vacation. I understand that you are a paying customer and have other expectations, and you are entitled to your opinion. That being said, hopefully you won't experience the same on your next cruise, regardless of which line you choose. Carnival still offers a great product for the price you pay, and it has stayed a good value over the years.

[Oskial]

Out of all the complaints I have read so far, the two that would annoy me would be the TV thing and the curly stuff in my bed:eek:. No excuse for either of these. That being said, if both of these were fixed in a timely manor then that's all CCL could do. The food, however, is another thing. If you don't like something then don't eat it. Don't order it again. Order something else. The salsa and chips thing could have been rectified by YOU. Go to where they are served to your liking and the problem is solved. This will be our first cruise:D and if all goes as expected, will not be our last cruise. I am not expecting the best of everything. I only expect to have a relaxing and exciting time doing something I have never done before. I'll let you know how my cruise was when I get back.

 

It is a shame that the OP didn't have the time he expected. How many times have you gone somewhere or done something and came back and said "wow" what a great time we had. Look closely and you'll probably remember the little things that made it "wow". It sounds like a lot of the "little" things added up to a big thing this time. Stuff happens. Build a bridge and get over it. I truly hope your next cruise is the one you wish you had.

[kingpinJK]

How about some pretty pictures?

 

[jonbgd]

Excuse me who said someone was 'Bored'

 

The OP, a few times.

Ok My Bad I didnt see "took some pictures, and by the time we were bored" I guess Its a good thing I dont proof read for a living:o

 

But people longing in the cabins with the TV arnt bored they could be having a nooner;)

[kingpinJK]

[WeBeCruisin']

Ok My Bad I didnt see "took some pictures, and by the time we were bored" I guess Its a good thing I dont proof read for a living:o

 

But people longing in the cabins with the TV arnt bored they could be having a nooner;)

 

Good point! But would they be watching "Dexter" for "inspiration"? :D

[kingpinJK]

[Gypsywych]

Loving the pictures! Keep them coming!

 

(enjoying the review too :) )

[aidansaunt2004]

As far as the person claiming some of us are duped into believing Carnival is so poor they need to feed us cheap food like meatloaf and macaroni....

 

I'm pretty certain you pulled that from a hat because I haven't seen ANYONE say that in ANY thread. They are offering a "comfort food" every night because not everyone wants to have a sit down meal and eat veal or lobster. Some people like food similar to what they'd eat at home. No, the "buffet" isn't what a lot of us eat either. It's one additional meal that is offered every day, I'm not sure how it's hurting anyone. If you don't want it, don't order it. The rest of us will gladly order it. By the way, I love meatloaf :)

 

As far as the OP's complaints go... sure the salsa was disappointing. I'm a huge fan of salsa but I would just know not to order it the next time and leave it at that. I ordered a burrito from the "burrito bar" on the Dream and learned a valuable lesson and decided I wouldn't order another one. The Flat Iron steak has been part of the "great debate" for months on this site so I think everyone is well aware that it's a hit or miss option. Some will like it, others won't.

 

The hair on the bed...the only thing I have to say is GROSS. I can't handle things like that so that is a pretty valid complaint. Enough said.

 

The tv not working, it depends on the person. Sure, some people don't use the tv but I know we do. We are on vacation to relax and enjoy each other. We've watched numerous shows and movies while on vacation so it would probably affect us. We aren't the people you will find lounging next to the pool or in the casino. That isn't for us, so I can see how someone similar to us could be bored on a sea day. It makes a great nap time :)

 

We've had some less than stellar food, rooms not in the best shape etc. but I guess it's what you make of it. We're lucky enough to be on a cruise so I'm going to make the best of it regardless of anything that disappoints me.

 

I'm sure someone will tell me that these are huge ongoing problems that need fixed immediately or that I obviously don't know quality etc. but that's fine. I'd rather find a positive than dwell on the negative. :)

[kelz66]

You lost me after the chips and salsa. Seriously, why complain about what *brand* chips / salsa are being used on a cruise ship?

 

Save the complaints for things like the hair on the bed, that's just disgusting.

 

Actually, I would also take offence to any prepackaged, brand anything being served in the MDR...I would expect something freshly made to be served in the MDR.

[Chmie]

But people longing in the cabins with the TV arnt bored they could be having a nooner;)

 

That depends on how long you've been married :D