New Menus

[amcankid]

Am I missing something on the menu's? I only see desert's listed on the Feast menu's, but nothing on the table menu's. And nowhere do I see ice cream! My family always cracks up when the waiter ask's me what I want for desert and I pick the melting cake and all the flavors of ice cream. I alway's point to all of them and say "across the board". By the third night they don't even bother to ask, they just bring all four flavors. And now it seems no more!! It's almost enough to make me say NO MORE CRUISING! But then I remember how much we love to cruise so I guess it'll just be more soft serve ice cream for me.

Take chocolate and or ice cream out of this world and I'll never eat sweets again. My only weakness!

[SadieN]

Wonder if I can order the Indian vegetarian a day ahead?

[vinsheer]

Wow, did I ever luck out. Just returned from our cruise on Saturday and made sure I finally tried the bitter and blanc and all the cold soups and enjoyed them all. Now I won't feel like I missed something. I do think the new desserts sound very interesting and can't wait until the good reviews and pictures start pouring in!

[Boof80]

Whilst I have not sailed on Carnival before, so have no experience of the old menus, the new menus seem fine to me. But the wife on the other hand is vegetarian and is very disappointed with the options. The vegetarian offerings were one of the reason why we chose carnival.

[Lerin]

I must be in the minority here, but I like the new menus.

[kingoftheicedragons]

When I first saw the one sample menu for American Table and the American Feast menu, I must say I wasn't impressed. On first glance, it looked like a massive cut back.

 

After looking at the increased menus that have been posted, I'm starting to realize that it's not really a cut back at all.

 

Appetizers: There are 3 main appetizers plus 3 more that you could order just for yourself if you so chose, even though they are under the "for the table" category. If you want calamari and no one else at the table does, they will just bring enough for you. Then there is the "rare finds" which is the new name for "didja ever." Then there is the port specific appetizer. So you effectively have eight appetizer options.

 

Main entree: The way they are presented on the menu makes it seem like a cutback, but I think this is because it's just not taking up as much space on the menu, and it seems to be less descriptive as to what you're actually getting. There are still five options.

 

From the Grill: This is the new version of the Everyday menu. Gone are the hamburgers and Indian Vegetarian items. It does offer you a daily option of a chicken, steak, pork chop, or fish dish.

 

Dessert: This does look like a cutback here. Not as many options, one of which is always the warm chocolate melting cake, which I will say I'm not too thrilled with but know that other people do like it. That leaves me essentially two choices nightly, very few of which actually looked that great. It also doesn't mention the cheese plate or the ice cream choices, and I'm sure more.

 

Commentary: I will agree that there seems to be more fish choices...great for the people who love fish, not so great for the people who don't. I will eat fish, but it's typically not my first choice. And yes, there does seem to be quite a few dishes with mushrooms--something that I absolutely will not eat. Also, there does seem to be a lack of vegetarian dishes. Most people may not be vegetarian, but Carnival does need to recognize that there are people who are, and they would like to have a choice as well and not to be told that they will have one choice.

 

Overall, I think it's a good first start for Carnival that definitely needs to be tweaked a bit.

[sweetsixteencruisers]

The new menus are fine for DH and I, my kids are another story. I guess my kids (young adults) will be eating off the kids menu on The American Feast Nights. Two out of the three do not eat seafood, beef or pork. How can they not have a chicken dish on the menu for the American Feast. This doesn't make sense to me.

I think every meal should have a pasta, chicken, A meat (beef,pork, etc), seafood and vegetable dish. JMHO

We will be on the Dream in January, so its the old menu for us this time. Hopefully, they will make some changes to that menu.

[maggieworkman]

Here are my thoughts on the menus:

 

1. I'm a picky eater and I think the new entrees look good. I like that you can choose your sauce. I also like that you can choose your sides. I'm happy with this change.

 

2. Appetizers I don't see anything that I really like. It looks like maybe a caesar salad for me each night ... if they bring it without the dressing already on it. I only use lemon wedges (squeezed juice) on my salads. I used to order the fruit plate option if available or a soup. The appetizer changes I'm NOT happy with.

 

3. The elegant night menu seems much more limiting than the casual night menu. Here you don't get a choice of sides or sauces. I'm not really liking the elegant night menus.

 

4. The dessert menu looks more limited to me, but then I usually got the fruit plate option if available and the kids banana split on the other nights. Hopefully the kids menu still has the banana split!! Has he posted a revised kids menu at all yet?

 

5. I think they made the menu more appealing to more plain spoken folks who didn't want "fancy" things. And they did it without having to resort to fried chicken or meatloaf. IMHO. Personally I like plain, simple foods but was not really into the "comfort food" items.

 

Maggie

[n6uqqq]

Not only do we have to find someone who can navigate this ship, but someone who didn't have fish for dinner!

[Ehpride]

I like the port of call menu. I like the appetizers and entrees for the most part. I feel like they really limited dessert and cut a lot of choices. I don't like wcmc. My favrite is creme brulee and it's gone. I also don't like carrot cake. There are going to be a few nights where I may be getting the kids banana split.

[kingoftheicedragons]

I must confess that I'm a bit confused by the people who say that you "pick your side." When I look at the entrees (at least for American Table, so maybe it's different on the American Feast menu), some of them do mention the side that you get, so that doesn't seem to be a change. Again, though, there is much less of a description so maybe the side is much less defined on the new menu.

 

The sides listed on the menu, such as the baked potato with all the fixings, have always been available to order as a side dish if you wanted it. There may be more options for sides on the new menu, but it's always been an option. I currently can't see the menus to refresh my memory, does the American Feast menu actually say that the entress are served without sides and tells you to pick your side?

[Havingfun2010]

And many do not think this new exciting menu was to reduce costs? It's just less choices packaged in a different style. Carnival continues to devalue their product and tell us it's new and exciting. While many of you will find a way to say how great this all looks (because nothing Carnival does is wrong) many of us (we are according to some the complainers, the trashers etc.) see this for what it is. A way for Carnival to further cut back their services and insult our intelligence.

 

My youngest son was 6 years old on his first Carnival Cruise. His instructions were before the trip that he was not allowed to eat off of a kid's menu. He would sit at dinner and ponder all the food, ask the waiter questions, and pick something. (Not always eating everything but he tried). Someday, my grandkid my be only able to ponder between a steak or chicken on a Carnival ship!

 

I agree with you completely. My kids, youngest still at home, will not go on a Carnival ship. For such a "family" ship, they offer so little, and they keep, cutting back while other lines, keep adding benefits such as the new RCCL drink packages. There is no way the new drink package saves money since you get more options, for same or less than the old package. You could dress up any change as new and exciting, but the bottom line is that this is a cost savings to Carnival, and you get less for your money.

[Hommiette]

New menu looks great! I hope its on the Liberty in March!!!

[2 cruzen]

New menu looks great! I hope its on the Liberty in March!!!

 

It will be. Liberty starts the new menus January 11th.

[overeasy]

I'm trying to figure this out. Is the "feast" menu available some nights, and "table" menu others?

[kteachcruiser52]

On his FBI page, JH said even though they are not on the menu, you can request shrimp cocktail and fruit plates every night.

[maggieworkman]

On his FBI page, JH said even though they are not on the menu, you can request shrimp cocktail and fruit plates every night.

 

Ahh. Nice to hear about the fruit plates. That is what I usually ordered!

 

Maggie

[dmarie1623]

I'm trying to figure this out. Is the "feast" menu available some nights, and "table" menu others?

 

The feast menu is for elegant nights, table menu are the other nights. Each port will have its own table menu to reflect the local cuisine.

[overeasy]

The feast menu is for elegant nights, table menu are the other nights. Each port will have its own table menu to reflect the local cuisine.

 

Thank you. It is making a little more sense now.

[hamgela]

My only disappointment is the removal of the Bitter and Blanc. That's my favorite. :(

[wantocruisemore]

I saw several comments in JH's Facebook from people disappointed in the menu being seafood heavy (my DH is allergic to all seafood) and mushroom heavy (all family except DH are allergic).

 

Also complaints on lack of cold soups and bitten n Blanc desserts.

 

I'm hoping by the time I'm on Liberty in May they will have tweaked the menus some to make them more friendly to wider range. And heeded our pleas on desserts. That cheesecake with mango sounds like an awful dessert I had in the lido.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

On his FBI page, JH said even though they are not on the menu, you can request shrimp cocktail and fruit plates every night.

What about the cheese plate? It was one of my favorite desserts. Can you still order that?

[wantocruisemore]

What about the cheese plate? It was one of my favorite desserts. Can you still order that?

 

YEA, I'm sure you can "REQUEST" anything. Getting it is a different matter.

 

Maybe we should all request Grand Mariner, Creme Brûlée and Bitter n Blanc!!!

[kammerer3209]

For the most part, I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised by the menu changes. (I still think that getting rid of tablecloths was a sucky idea, but the CEO needs his Christmas bonus, right?) With all the cutbacks running rampant lately, I honestly expected the new menu to be all picky eater food (meatloaf, mac and cheese, and not much else). Here are my opinions.

 

Yeah!

* Menu design. I really like it. It looks like a menu from a classy steakhouse or sushi bar, even though it's for a dining room that became less elegant after an overhaul. Either way, it's better than the plain text-only design currently used.

* "Port of Call" items. Totally awesome idea! I never liked how the Carnival menu is so divorced from the ports they visit. The food was mostly American, despite visiting exotic foreign ports. Now that's changing. I wonder if the "Port of Call" menu matches the ship's itinerary; knowledgeable minds, please share.

* Old favorites. Kudos to Carnival for retaining some of the old favorites, like the lobster tail, the prime rib, and the chateaubriand.

* Splitting off the sides from the main dishes. The old menu had everything tied together. But it's not uncommon to want a second lobster tail, but not the potatoes and broccoli that come with it. Now people can order just that without wasting food.

* New selections. I saw some items I didn't recognize from the menus on my cruises, and they look pretty good. Hopefully, they'll be served on the short cruises I take, and not just the ones 8 days and longer.

 

Meh!

* "For the table" items. They're great sharable appetizers, but there are many "what ifs". They can work great for families or groups of friends, but what if people aren't comfortable sharing with strangers? What if only one person wants it; can they get it individually? On a side note, I hope it's not an indication that Carnival will become an "anytime only" line, like NCL.

* Everyday menu. I don't see it. Is there still one available, or is the lido buffet the de facto everyday menu now. I rarely ordered from it on my cruises, but inquiring minds still want to know.

* Table vs. Feast. I get that the Feast is supposed to be for Elegant Night. But it seems like the Table menu is broader and has more choices than the Feast menu, and the Feast is only slightly more upscale (read: slightly more expensive). What gives?

 

Nah!

* American Table desserts. They've gone down big time. The cheese plate and the fruit plate are gone. Those used to be great alternatives when someone wasn't up for a traditional dessert. The rest of items are hit or miss: some look great, but others look like they're from a low-end Chinese buffet. Hopefully, the recipe for the chocolate melting cake hasn't changed.

* American Feast desserts. There's only one choice per day, and neither seems very appetizing. If someone doesn't like that particular item on the menu, can they order something else or are they SOL (sh** out of luck)?

* Fewer appetizers. One of the best parts of an MDR dinner is trying many different appetizers in small portions. Now there aren't so many.

 

P.S.: I read complaints about the removal of cold soups. Apparently, it's a dessert now, available on one day only. It goes by the name "Strawberry Almond Financier: Chilled rhubarb soup". I'm sure the waiters will be OK with bringing it out early.

 

I was matching up our Glory cruise in February to the menus, and no, it does not match up. There is no Grand Cayman or Belize. And I was guessing that Roatan was going to be our 2nd elegant night (3pm departure and last port before the last sea day) and it has a menu. Elegant night can't be on Grand Cayman because the first elegant night will be on the sea day before. It could be Belize, but that is a 5pm departure the night before Roatan (hence again why Roatan made sense for the 2nd elegant night). There is a Costa Maya menu out there, which we don't hit, so I will guess they will turn that into a different night on our cruise possibly?

[Cruising Rules]

My youngest son was 6 years old on his first Carnival Cruise. His instructions were before the trip that he was not allowed to eat off of a kid's menu. He would sit at dinner and ponder all the food, ask the waiter questions, and pick something. (Not always eating everything but he tried). Someday, my grandkid my be only able to ponder between a steak or chicken on a Carnival ship!

 

I agree with you completely. My kids, youngest still at home, will not go on a Carnival ship. For such a "family" ship, they offer so little, and they keep, cutting back while other lines, keep adding benefits such as the new RCCL drink packages. There is no way the new drink package saves money since you get more options, for same or less than the old package. You could dress up any change as new and exciting, but the bottom line is that this is a cost savings to Carnival, and you get less for your money.

 

Sounds like your grandson is pretty clever. Congrats to him! Agree whole heartedly with the balance of your message. When smart companies start to see a slide in revenue etc. they will often tweak their pricing and "enhance" their product.