The food was disappointing

[buddylover]

We've been on Royal Caribbean and think their buffet is nicer but don't see that the MDR is really better. We like them both. NCL is the only line where I decided I'd never go back until they improve both the MDR and buffet. The only decent places to eat were the extra pay restaurants!!(IMO)

 

We too have been on Royal Caribbean and NCL.....didn't like the food at all on either of those lines, but NCL was the very worst. We even found their extra fee Steakhouse to be awful, very tough steaks (we returned them). The food on Royal is not nearly as good as CCL (their bakery items are inedible and tasteless) in our opinion.

 

Food is subjective, but to us CCL's food still beats both of those other mainstream lines (as does CCL's beds and bedding).

[Cruisegirl6]

Berriah even if I could have the apple dessert I HATE APPLES, cold and especially warm Yuck... lol

 

You know what you can do, go to the dinner buffet and take back some dessert to your room, ships have the mini refrigerator you can put it in there and come back and eat it when you like. ;) I also have done this but not on Carnival on other cruise lines, while eating at the specialty restaurant, knowing there is a particular dessert I like that is being served in the MDR I asked if they can get it for me and they did! I can get to the desserts at the specialty restaurants on RC or NCL because the meat portions aren't as large as they are on Carnival, but maybe if you ask they can get what you like. ;)

 

I think I made an error and I am sorry the Red Velvet Cake and the Chocolate Mud Cake was Royal Caribbean, I am sorry for that error.

 

Buddylover hello, honestly, NCL is our least favorite cruise lines, RC comes first, Princess, Carnival then NCL....YES NCL IS THE WORST! How you ever get a buffet lunch with no meat carving daily! NCL had it the first day and never seen it any other day, so I have to give Carnival thumbs up for keeping the meat carving. We tried all their specialty dining restaurants on the Breakaway three years ago....the dinner Cirque show was HORRIBLE inedible totally and didn't cater to special dietary needs....Le Bistro french was the only one we enjoyed, O'Sheehans ugh....Cagneys Steakhouse not good, the bison was full of fat, the shrimp was too soft, the steaks were just ok nothing more totally agree....Moderno Brazilian was not good..ugh bad memories, but I totally agree.

 

I enjoy many of the specialty restaurants on Royal Caribbean but honestly, Carnivals steakhouse is the best out of NCL, Princess and RC!

[clearwaters]

Seems to me, off hand, the cruise line is pushing people toward paying for their meals by offering much better dishes for a fee. I could be wrong. Sad. Just add a bit to the cruise ticket and serve decent food.

[Cruisegirl6]

I agree, I would pay more for the cruise to have better quality and more selection. But that is what Carnival is doing right, their prices are lower (you do pay for what you get) and they offer a lower budge cruise.

 

All cruise lines have cut back, but Carnival and NCL has cut back the most drastically. I do find the service overall above on Carnival than NCL definitely!

 

I always have a good Carnival cruise, regardless whether I eat good or not.

[clearwaters]

IMHO it is not the cutbacks that are the most offensive, it is the poor austerity implementation choices that are galling. With all of the money the corporation has, it should be willing to hire someone to tell it where to cut back, how to cut back and what to cut back so the passengers are not adversly affected. It can be done. By now Carnival is making money hand-over-fist, so no doubt some of that excess money is going in the executive's pockets. They seem to think we don't notice and that we don't care. We get it. We notice. We care. We are not blind. :rolleyes:

[Jana60]

Jana60 we don't even eat even once a year in a fast food establishment. just don't eat that stuff so perhaps that explains why we do not eat in the MDR on Carnival ships that have the steakhouse, you can't compare what you get in the steakhouse to the MDR, no way! I would like you to explain exactly what you say I am missing out on good dishes, such as? I do admit the chilled soups remain to be delicious as well as some desserts, but do tell me what is good that I am missing out on?

 

You must have some interesting fast food establishments in your hometown because as follows is a list of some of my favorite dishes in the main dining room of Carnival: shrimp cocktail, escargot, grilled salmon, filet mignon, lobster, lamb shank, prime rib, Grand Marnier souffle, Bitter n Blanc, and of course chocolate melting cake! And I am familiar with the steakhouse menu and most of the choices are steak of one kind or another and although I am from Oklahoma I'm not all that fond of beef. I prefer lamb or seafood both of which I get in the main dining room.

[KatieCharlotte]

Seems to me, off hand, the cruise line is pushing people toward paying for their meals by offering much better dishes for a fee. I could be wrong. Sad. Just add a bit to the cruise ticket and serve decent food.

 

I'm certainly not a Carnival cheerleader and will complain about cutbacks, but I prefer the Carnival model of low cruise prices and additional ways to spend money onboard if you so choose. I assume there are other cruising options for people who want a pricier cruise with higher end cuisine. Carnival is designed more for families like mine. When I told my husband that someone in this thread described $35 a person as a low fee for a nice meal, he could not recall a time when he ever paid that much per person for any restaurant meal. :D

 

Carnival is budget cruising. For people like us, having an appetizer, a decent steak or prime rib, and a decadent dessert is a huge luxury. I haven't found a restaurant in our area that serves real soufflé, chateaubriand, or escargot. Someone (on this thread?) said that Carnival food is for the kind of people who go to Olive Garden on their birthday. Yes, it is. And that's a huge market. Just don't cruise expecting gourmet, and you'll be happy.

[asalligo]

I completely agree with you. When I first started cruising, the food was not like the best restaurant in town, but it was of much higher quality. You could get a good steak in the MDR and lobster. Now the good cuts of meat in the MDR are inedible in my opinion and half of the dishes I truly loved gone, now no more Lobster on the shorter cruises. The food is what I would call a nice cafeteria quality, but not fine dining.

[Flatbush Flyer]

I'm certainly not a Carnival cheerleader and will complain about cutbacks, but I prefer the Carnival model of low cruise prices and additional ways to spend money onboard if you so choose. I assume there are other cruising options for people who want a pricier cruise with higher end cuisine. Carnival is designed more for families like mine. When I told my husband that someone in this thread described $35 a person as a low fee for a nice meal, he could not recall a time when he ever paid that much per person for any restaurant meal. :D

 

 

 

Carnival is budget cruising. For people like us, having an appetizer, a decent steak or prime rib, and a decadent dessert is a huge luxury. I haven't found a restaurant in our area that serves real soufflé, chateaubriand, or escargot. Someone (on this thread?) said that Carnival food is for the kind of people who go to Olive Garden on their birthday. Yes, it is. And that's a huge market. Just don't cruise expecting gourmet, and you'll be happy.

 

 

You have put things in an understandable perspective that basically says "you get what you pay for." Bravo.

 

And when some CC posters say CCL meals are the best they've ever had, it may be very true.

 

At the same time, however, there really remains the daunting task for cruise consumers to figure out apples-to-apples bottom line cost comparisons from one line to another built on net daily rate vs cabin cost alone.

 

I often post about the favorable net cost of an inclusive premium line Oceania compared to nickel/diming mass market lines like Celebrity or Princess or HAL. Had it not been for a terrific TA years ago, who did a side-by-side comparison of ALL expected expenses (incl. e.g., airfare [included on O]), I'd have not considered O because of the initial "shock" of the cabin price.

 

So, can you get decent food and service on a mass market line at a good price? I am convinced that you can. But, it will be at the expense of all sorts of things that can impact the quality of your experience. Thus, the real challenge for budget cruise shoppers is to do the research and thoughtful analysis that the above CC poster has done in determining what constitutes the best bang for their buck.

[tkportersat]

That is the truth, one person says it was awful and then a review comes that says it was the best food they ever ate. I think it all depends what you order, what ship you are on, etc. I think the food suffers more now because there are more people on board to cook for. The first time I cruised in 2002 I was on the much smaller Celebration and the food was fantastic, it was also my first real vacation ever. I am always just thankful I don't have to cook and clean! I can always find something to eat :o:D

 

Food is soooo subjective.

 

Overall we've liked the MDR food on Carnival and have learnt to pick and choose what to eat on the buffet. Found Guys to be way overrated.

We've been sailing Princess lately and mainly eat in the buffet as we find their MDR food to be dreck.

 

If you didn't like something it could have been replaced.

 

No microwaves used but it can be inconsistent. The past few years have sailed twice on the same ship a week apart. Sometimes food is good sometimes it's not. Sometimes one plate will be excellent and the neighbor's will be horrid.

 

When serving 2,000 it becomes banquet quality food. Need to do the steakhouse, Chefs Table or other specialty restaurant for individual attention. This is true no matter the mass market line.

 

Best onboard food we had was HAL in 2003 for two reasons. First, it was before the current cost cutting measures and secondly, there were only 188 pax onboard.

[KatieCharlotte]

You have put things in an understandable perspective that basically says "you get what you pay for." Bravo.

 

And when some CC posters say CCL meals are the best they've ever had, it may be very true.

 

At the same time, however, there really remains the daunting task for cruise consumers to figure out apples-to-apples bottom line cost comparisons from one line to another built on net daily rate vs cabin cost alone.

 

I often post about the favorable net cost of an inclusive premium line Oceania compared to nickel/diming mass market lines like Celebrity or Princess or HAL. Had it not been for a terrific TA years ago, who did a side-by-side comparison of ALL expected expenses (incl. e.g., airfare [included on O]), I'd have not considered O because of the initial "shock" of the cabin price.

 

So, can you get decent food and service on a mass market line at a good price? I am convinced that you can. But, it will be at the expense of all sorts of things that can impact the quality of your experience. Thus, the real challenge for budget cruise shoppers is to do the research and thoughtful analysis that the above CC poster has done in determining what constitutes the best bang for their buck.

 

Cruising on a budget with three children and a husband who doesn't drink alcohol and likes very basic food, I believe that Carnival is the right choice at this point in my life. Which isn't to say that I've ruled out trying premium lines when I'm at a different point in my life and I'm traveling with different companions. I think there's a difference between criticizing Carnival for making major changes and expecting Carnival to be something that it isn't. I haven't seen a change in the quality of the food in the five years since I started cruising and have been pleasantly surprised by even the flat iron steaks, but I understand that everyone's experience varies.

[Who Cares?]

I'm certainly not a Carnival cheerleader and will complain about cutbacks, but I prefer the Carnival model of low cruise prices and additional ways to spend money onboard if you so choose. I assume there are other cruising options for people who want a pricier cruise with higher end cuisine. Carnival is designed more for families like mine. When I told my husband that someone in this thread described $35 a person as a low fee for a nice meal, he could not recall a time when he ever paid that much per person for any restaurant meal. :D

 

Carnival is budget cruising. For people like us, having an appetizer, a decent steak or prime rib, and a decadent dessert is a huge luxury. I haven't found a restaurant in our area that serves real soufflé, chateaubriand, or escargot. Someone (on this thread?) said that Carnival food is for the kind of people who go to Olive Garden on their birthday. Yes, it is. And that's a huge market. Just don't cruise expecting gourmet, and you'll be happy.

 

It's interesting how some people compare it to Olive Garden when Olive Garden doesn't serve any of those types of food. :rolleyes:

Edited October 28, 2015 by Who Cares?

[Jana60]

Cruising on a budget with three children and a husband who doesn't drink alcohol and likes very basic food, I believe that Carnival is the right choice at this point in my life. Which isn't to say that I've ruled out trying premium lines when I'm at a different point in my life and I'm traveling with different companions. I think there's a difference between criticizing Carnival for making major changes and expecting Carnival to be something that it isn't. I haven't seen a change in the quality of the food in the five years since I started cruising and have been pleasantly surprised by even the flat iron steaks, but I understand that everyone's experience varies.

 

All of these standard cruise lines serve about the same food of about the same quality. I happened to prefer Carnival somebody else might prefer Norwegians but bottom line all of them are about the same. When you say you have not ruled out trying Premium cruise lines I assume you're talking crystal cruise lines or the like because if you're talking about Princess, RCL, or Norwegian I've been there and done that and they are the same as Carnival.

[Landlocked_N_Texas]

All of these standard cruise lines serve about the same food of about the same quality. I happened to prefer Carnival somebody else might prefer Norwegians but bottom line all of them are about the same. When you say you have not ruled out trying Premium cruise lines I assume you're talking crystal cruise lines or the like because if you're talking about Princess, RCL, or Norwegian I've been there and done that and they are the same as Carnival.

 

 

I have to disagree. I don't consider Disney "premium" (over-priced maybe) but their dining is a far different experience compared to CCL. Not only in food quality, but in overall presentation as well.

[Cruisegirl6]

Jana60- Sorry but the MDR food is banquet quality, surely we all are different and food is subjective to all of us, but to me, banquet food I consider fair, in fact, longhorn steakhouse has a much much better quality better tasting beef than what you get on Carnival and Longhorn is your bottom line of a steakhouse in the USA. The filet mignon and prime ribs is select meat not even choice, the lamb is the worst I ever had in any restaurant, but the lamb in the Steakhouse is excellent totally different nothing like what you get in the MDR. Speaking about the seafood, this past year on the Valor I ordered the mahi mahi had to send it back it stunk too strong of seafood.

 

Asilligo your correct MDR food is exactly of banquet and cafeteria food, perhaps cafeteria food is better lol.

[Jana60]

I disagree with many of you. I have eaten at many restaurants in Oklahoma and other states indeed even in other countries and while some of the dishes I have eaten on Carnival have not been the best they have also not been the worst! It's not so much whether you compare a dinner that you paid $35 per person extra for but rather whether you compare it with any other dinner that would cost you the same amount. I think if you look at it this way you would have to accept that there is no other dinner of equal quality that you can get free of charge for a comparable cruise rate in the entire industry. There are many areas in which I have criticised Carnival for cutbacks but the food is not one of them! I think their food is as good as any I have ever had on any cruise since I first started cruising in 1999. I have not sailed on Disney Cruise Line, but of the cruise lines I have cruised, I did not feel their food was in any way superior to Carnival. Studies have found that the average person gains 5 to 10 pounds on a cruise and this is true even of Carnival Cruise Lines customers so evidently quite a few of them enjoy the food! LOL!

[clearwaters]

I'm certainly not a Carnival cheerleader and will complain about cutbacks, but I prefer the Carnival model of low cruise prices and additional ways to spend money onboard if you so choose. I assume there are other cruising options for people who want a pricier cruise with higher end cuisine. Carnival is designed more for families like mine. When I told my husband that someone in this thread described $35 a person as a low fee for a nice meal, he could not recall a time when he ever paid that much per person for any restaurant meal. :D

 

Carnival is budget cruising. For people like us, having an appetizer, a decent steak or prime rib, and a decadent dessert is a huge luxury. I haven't found a restaurant in our area that serves real soufflé, chateaubriand, or escargot. Someone (on this thread?) said that Carnival food is for the kind of people who go to Olive Garden on their birthday. Yes, it is. And that's a huge market. Just don't cruise expecting gourmet, and you'll be happy.

I agree, however, there is no excuse for serving dry, chewy, fatty cuts of meat. Criminy! Just serve inexpensive but tasty meats (chicken, e.g.) that are less expensive but can be prepared deliciously. I raised 3 girls and know all about economizing with a family. It is better to just not serve steak than serve really inferior cuts of meat that people send back or just don't eat/throw away. I STILL say Carnival should get expert, professional advice on how to satisfy passengers on a strict budget along with the more affluent passengers. It can be done.

Edited October 29, 2015 by clearwaters

[Cruisegirl6]

clearwater I agree with you totally what you just said. I much rather see no steak then a chewy tough one.

[AdmiralQ]

I've sailed on Carnival, HAL, Princess and Celebrity, and I found Celebrity's food to be the absolute worst among those lines. I'd put Carnival and Princess tied for the top spot. But that's not saying much....basically any cruise line serves barely edible dreck, unless you visit the specialty restaurants. Guys burgers deserves a special spot in cruise food hell for trying to pass off that grease on a bun abomination for a real burger though.

 

I don't cruise for the food though. I'm there to party, meet people and generally have a good time. If I want to have good food, I stay on land. At home, I eat out at restaurants for lunch 5 days a week, and dinner 6-7 days a week. Basically, my kitchen goes unused. And when I travel on land, I tend to seek out Michelin-starred restaurants to dine in.

 

But I know comparing a 3000 person capacity ship's cuisine to a fine restaurant isn't fair. I have had very good meals at sea, especially in HAL's specialty restaurants. But you have to be ready to pay the upcharge if you want decent food.

 

But for some reason, I adore the smoked salmon on a bagel sandwich in the deli on Carnival...it's my go to lunch nearly every day.

[2 for a Cruise]

Just got off the Imagination, :( we r on our way home :( :( Service was great. Food, ok. I'm not fond of the American table. I miss the Elegant table with tablecloth:( one of the reasons I cruise is the MDR experience. Food was good. Steaks were great. Salmon cakes I thought were great. Over all food was good. Just miss the Elegance.

[A&Jfamily]

I have to disagree. I don't consider Disney "premium" (over-priced maybe) but their dining is a far different experience compared to CCL. Not only in food quality, but in overall presentation as well.

 

Whether you consider Disney premium or not, it goes back to another poster who said you get what you pay for. On Disney, you are paying for the name, the characters and the Disney experience throughout the ship - including meal times. I have seen the dining rooms and the atmosphere looks spectacular. But I can take my family on 2-3 cruises for what I would pay for Disney. For us, that is a waste.

 

Now, onto the food. The reason there is such a debate about food is that 1) people have vastly different pallets and 2) people have vastly different experiences with food. For some cruising CCL, they consider Olive Garden a restaurant for celebrations. Others, it is a place that they might have lunch or dinner on a regular basis while out running errands. Still others may have grown up in a major metropolitan area and have eaten at Windows on the World or whatever the latest newest hottest and best pricey establishment there is - and continue to do so on a regular basis perhaps entertaining clients weekly at Ruth's Chris. Those factors are inherently going to impact your knowledge and understanding and appreciation, or lack there of, of the food you are being served.

 

So I can only speak as one who has eaten at the best of the best at times, but finds Olive Garden a great place to grab a lunch while running errands and Ruth's Chris a place for our anniversary (momma has 2 kids to put through college and is not tossing down $300 for dinner on a regular basis, no matter HOW darn good it is - not to mention I would weigh 500 lbs!). IMHO CCL and Princess are on par - and 10 years ago I found RCI below par and actually didn't cruise again for years because I was so disappointed. CCL and Princess both serve food that tries to be a bit fancy and trendy - but remember - this is still LINE food (if you haven't taken a tour of the galley I highly recommend it) and they can only achieve so much. It is at least as good at what I get at Chilis or Olive Garden or Ruby Tuesdays, and regularly has things never seen on such menus which make it special and unique.

 

Here are my tips for cruising: 1) ask the wait staff what is best that night. They know. Believe me. They see it. They taste it. The same goes on land - ask the locals and the wait staff where and what to order. 2) know where your chefs hail from - CCL is is usually India - and thus their indian food is fantastic! Princess it is usually Italy and their pasta dishes are hands down better than CCL.

 

My 2 cents...

[abisha]

Food is very subjective, but it really matters as to who they bring onboard as the master chef, so it can definitely vary ship to ship within the same cruise line. If had average to very good food within the Carnival fleet.

 

Best buffet food I liked was on Breeze and Sunshine (although Sunshine's buffet area is so terribly small :( )

 

Best dining room food I've had was on Freedom and Valor and Sunshine wasn't too bad either.

 

Worst, boring desserts in buffet was on Valor though, but great on Breeze and Sunshine.

[Who Cares?]

I've sailed on Carnival, HAL, Princess and Celebrity, and I found Celebrity's food to be the absolute worst among those lines. I'd put Carnival and Princess tied for the top spot. But that's not saying much....basically any cruise line serves barely edible dreck, unless you visit the specialty restaurants. Guys burgers deserves a special spot in cruise food hell for trying to pass off that grease on a bun abomination for a real burger though.

 

I don't cruise for the food though. I'm there to party, meet people and generally have a good time. If I want to have good food, I stay on land. At home, I eat out at restaurants for lunch 5 days a week, and dinner 6-7 days a week. Basically, my kitchen goes unused. And when I travel on land, I tend to seek out Michelin-starred restaurants to dine in.

 

But I know comparing a 3000 person capacity ship's cuisine to a fine restaurant isn't fair. I have had very good meals at sea, especially in HAL's specialty restaurants. But you have to be ready to pay the upcharge if you want decent food.

 

But for some reason, I adore the smoked salmon on a bagel sandwich in the deli on Carnival...it's my go to lunch nearly every day.

 

Anyone who calls cruise line food "barely edible dreck" makes me wonder what they eat at home every night.......caviar??? :rolleyes:

Edited October 30, 2015 by Who Cares?

[berrieh]

Anyone who calls cruise line food "barely edible dreck" makes me wonder what they eat at home every night.......caviar??? :rolleyes:

 

I don't think it's about the fanciness of the items as much as the quality when people complain. Banquet food quality is not going to be the freshest, best cuts, etc, constantly. It's going to be middling to good at best. (This is just the reality of food cost, not a judgment.)

 

So when people absolutely HATE it, I'd say more likely they cook, enjoy what they cook, and use quality ingredients. I wouldn't expect it'd be about the fanciness really. But banquet food is going to seem over-salted to some (not me, I pour salt on stuff, but DH finds it overly salty often - same with all chain food) and the ingredients aren't going to be market-fresh, especially on a boat, etc. It wouldn't be HARD (if cooking for yourself/a family) to cook WAY better than Carnival. And I say this as someone who thinks Carnival provides great food for the value and perfectly acceptable food. Someone who is very particular about freshness and not over-seasoning could really hate it, I'm sure. (But they wouldn't do better with any "line" food really.)

Edited October 30, 2015 by berrieh

[LTS1960]

My husband and I love to go out and find fun new restaurants and I also love to cook. We have cruised about 10 times with Carnival and although I think the meals in the main dining rooms are not quite as good as they were 10 years ago, they certainly are not the average buffet quality (thinking Vegas). Remember they are feeding a few thousand people and feeding people in numerous areas on the ship. A nice four star restaurant prob only feeds between 50-200 people an evening depending on the size of the restaurant. We did the Chefs table two cruises ago and I was impressed with the professionalism and enthusiasm of the crew in the galley from the Head Chef all the way down to the younger, newer crew. I like the variety that Carnival offers and to read some posters comments that they can't find anything good to eat is flabbergasting!