food comparison RCC vs. Carnival

[Nickymjw1]

we sailed Norwegian for many years and loved the food. We have been sailing Carnival lately due to departure port, dates, etc.

 

We are considering going to the Freedom.

How would you compare the food on RCC vs. Carnival?

 

Do they have food options available at all times besides burgers?

We did a 4 day RCC cruise on one of the older ships a lot of years ago and it seemed that I always hungry at the wrong time, and the only option was the burger joint.

 

Thanks,.. hate to say it but food is important to me on a cruise :-)

[Clarea]

Freedom has Cafe Promenade open almost 24 hours, with small sandwiches, fruit, desserts, etc. Sorrento's is also open late with pizza. Room service is available 24 hours. Note that there is a $4 per order fee for room service between midnight and 5am.

[Nickymjw1]

That really helps. We are really starting to lean towards The Freedom. I am a little weary of large ships due to back issues i prefer not to have to feel like I am walking back and forth in a mall size ship, but it is starting to sound really good :)

[Clarea]

That really helps. We are really starting to lean towards The Freedom. I am a little weary of large ships due to back issues i prefer not to have to feel like I am walking back and forth in a mall size ship, but it is starting to sound really good :)

Freedom is an amazing ship, you will be impressed. Try to get a stateroom near one of the elevator lobbies to minimize walking.

[dplusd]

How would you compare the food on RCC vs. Carnival?

 

 

We've only sailed Carnival once, a 5-night cruise on Triumph. So my opinion is based on that limited experience. As far as food goes, we had to give Carnival a slight edge. Food is the only thing we felt Carnival did better than Royal Caribbean.

 

The MDR food was really very good and their Warm Chocolate Melting Cake is better than any desert I've had on a ship. The Carnival buffet was also very good...loved their deli and wok station...and seating was never a problem like on Royal.

 

I don't remember all of the venue hours, but we never wanted something to eat that something was not available!

Edited December 31, 2013 by dplusd

[matj2000]

The food is the same.

RC has nicer ships...

[JimAOk1945]

We have not sailed on the Freedom, but my wife and I both agree that the food on RC is much better than Carnival.

[imlulu]

I would say food options are better on Carnival. The ships are nicer on RCI.

[springfire]

I prefer the food on RCCL just a little more, think it is really more of an individual thing.

[molsonschooner]

I would say food options are better on Carnival. The ships are nicer on RCI.

We have sailed once on Carnival and 4 times on RCI. I would agree, food on Carnival was better, at least it was a couple years ago

[riclop]

we sailed Norwegian for many years and loved the food. We have been sailing Carnival lately due to departure port, dates, etc.

 

We are considering going to the Freedom.

How would you compare the food on RCC vs. Carnival?

 

Do they have food options available at all times besides burgers?

We did a 4 day RCC cruise on one of the older ships a lot of years ago and it seemed that I always hungry at the wrong time, and the only option was the burger joint.

 

Thanks,.. hate to say it but food is important to me on a cruise :-)

Go for the ultimate experience , Oasis/Allure. You wont regret it.

[kcdancerkc]

It's a mystery!

 

January 2013,

 

We went on short NCL cruise, teenage boys hated food, and I lost 5 lbs....first for a cruise! Can't imagine will do that again.

 

April 2012

Went on carnival ...was third time, within a decade, love deli, best room service menus , good MDR

 

2010 HAL higher quality food....good options

 

Now, just got off first RCCL..... didn't gain the usual weight, buffet not as good as carnival, MDR either....small ship, few choices, uninspired to order room service, except the few breakfast items,

fruit.....ordered toast for two, got 2 slices, was a joke....no bagels, muffins, or chocolate milk .....eggs powder ick

Edited December 31, 2013 by kcdancerkc

[JasonTehGreat]

I have sailed Royal twice and Carnival once. I preferred the appetizers/main dishes on Royal and the dessert on Carnival.

 

All of the buffet food is the same, like a floating Golden Corral but with a more international selection.

[TheCalicoCat]

My first "big" cruise was on Royal several years ago now (2008) on Adventure of the Seas. My family is returning to Grandeur of the Seas in a couple weeks.

As a family, we have been on several Carnival cruises & one HAL cruise.

 

I say all of that with the caveat that food is subjective, but I found it all to be similar & worth what I paid for my cruise vacation. (It is in general, cruise food tends to be too rich for my taste.)

 

Also, I have not had a meal in a specialty restaurant on a cruise - though I am thinking about trying the sushi on Grandeur.

[pe4all]

Just got off Freedom of the Seas Sunday - first RCCL cruise, with 16 CCL's under my belt (17th coming up in a few weeks, and an NCL and 3 Disneys) before that. I was looking forward to a significant increase in the quality of food served on the ship. To my surprise, we found Carnival's dining selections to be better in taste. We usually left 1/2 of every meal untouched- and with 4 adults and 4 different entrees ordered almost every night, that wasn't impressive. We are not picky eaters at all. Besides the food (the dinner rolls were great, desserts meh, buffet was a buffet) we loved the Freedom and her crew! (entertainment was way better on FOS- shows were really well-done)

[Topo Gigio]

Food in Lido on Carnival sucks BIG time.

[LMaxwell]

I think CCL has less adventurous food; more people are comfortable with it, so maybe it seems better. More fried stuff it seems on their newest menus. RCI MDR food is typically good, not great. I am not impressed with breakfast offerings; wish they had an MDR sea day brunch like CCL does.

[davy jones]

I have sailed all three recently. If you are ok with NCL and CCL food, you will be ok with RCI food.

[BlondieB]

I have sailed Royal twice and Carnival once. I preferred the appetizers/main dishes on Royal and the dessert on Carnival.

 

All of the buffet food is the same, like a floating Golden Corral but with a more international selection.

 

My group of 28 recently off the NOS said the exact same. RC had a little better food but Carnival had much better desserts. I desperately missed the warm chocolate melting cake.

 

"floating Golden Corral" bahahahaaha!! :D:D:D

[sellwingri]

Normally we sail on RCL but couldn't pass up a very inexpensive 5 day Carnival cruise in June. After eating, or maybe I should say ordering in the MDR on Carnival, we went to the steakhouse for the next 2 days so we would get something good to eat. Food was horrible in our opinion. We also didn't like the fact that there was only brunch on sea days and not breakfast and lunch. We did, however like the deli in the buffet.

 

RCL isn't always perfect but much better to us.

[Midwestgal]

Food on Carnival was better years ago. We just cruised with three people who were on their first Carnival cruise and they only sail Royal , in their opinion Carnival was slightly better,I will say I don't believe one line is better I think it comes down to the ship itself and the chef. Out Freedom cruise food was nothing like our liberty cruise food....liberty was much better.

[BlondieB]

Food on Carnival was better years ago. We just cruised with three people who were on their first Carnival cruise and they only sail Royal , in their opinion Carnival was slightly better,I will say I don't believe one line is better I think it comes down to the ship itself and the chef. Out Freedom cruise food was nothing like our liberty cruise food....liberty was much better.

 

I agree on the ship to ship thing. Our food on the Conquest was really good several years ago, The Magic, not so much.

[curlygirl18]

Food is very subjective, but I think between NCL, Carnival and RCL they are more alike than different. I would compare the three to Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday's and TGIFriday's. The food quality is very similar between the three, but you may have your own individual preferences on why you like one more than the other i.e. ambiance, menu selection etc. You definitely won't starve on either line.

[coloradogirl63]

Hi there!

 

 

Yes food is very subjective .. However I will say we have cruised Disney, HAL, RCL, CCL and NCL. Hands down I feel Carnival has the worst food.. Just awful.. Cheap food, very greasy. We sailed Liberty and Glory . I felt Glory had slightly better food.. Short ribs were good and Guys Burgers were good. But after eating burgers day in and day out it got really old. Even our teenage son who eats anything put in front of him didn't like the food.

 

However you may like it.. Many people do.

 

Best of luck to you!

[jg2256]

I was on the Breeze on its second cruise less than two years ago and the Freedom last year. I would give a very slight edge if any to the Freedom in the MDR and a little more of an edge to The Freedom in the Speciatly restaurants. However I thought the buffet was better on the Breeze where it seem to be more specialized with a greater selection and fresher food. But hands down the Breeze was better for lunch out by the pool with Guy's burger (one of the best burgers you will everh have at sea), Blue Iguana and on sea days Fat Jimmy's C-Side BBQ.

Edited December 31, 2013 by jg2256