How is the food on Carnival?

[CJJSmith]

(I posted this once already - I THOUGHT) but it hasn't shown up - maybe I did it wrong, sorry if this is a double post).

 

OK - I found this website about 2 months ago but have really only been on the Royal Caribbean page posting and reading. The reason for that is I just sailed on RC in early December for the 2nd time. I have sailed Carnival 2 times (on smaller ships) and the RC 2 times this year. After the first RC cruise in April, I was very disappointed and thought I would TRY RC one more time and see if it was better... it was just as disappointing. I missed Carnival.

 

I have found the food and entertainment sooooo much better on Carnival. Can anyone tell me if over the last year the quality of food has gotten bad on Carnival? On RC the April cruise food was OK - but not GREAT like I remember Carnival's to be. In Dec the food in the buffet was BAD and the restaurant still ok. I really like Carnival food. I also find Carnival to be much more fun with more activities I enjoyed. The cabins on Carnival also MUCH bigger!

 

I know this is a Carnival board and I will get positive feedback from you regarding Carnival. Just like RC board says how great RC is - but I really want honest opinions on what you think here on this board... which line is better and what is better about it? I think I am going back to Carnival and staying with Carnival.

 

Thanks for your input!

[DEL67]

I would not say that either line is better. In fact, I do not think that there is a tremendous difference between them. I have found that our cruise experience tends to vary more by time of year, ship and itinerary than by cruise line. And, of course, it all depends on what you like.

 

I agree that the food is better on Carnival, but based on our recent trip on the Brilliance, I do not believe that it is significantly better. I would also agree that Carnival's production shows are better, but I think the other entertainers are often better on RCCL.

 

One thing I do like better on RCCL is the daytime activities. I am a "doer" and I like the fact that there is a greater variety of choices on RCCL. And I like the fact that there are more free gym classes on RCCL.

 

As the wife of a disabled person, I must admit that RCCL's handicap cabins are superior to Carnival's. Carnival's HC cabins are often in the front of the ship, farthest away from everything and tend to be barely adequate in size.

 

That being said, we choose based on itinerary and price, not cruise line.

[greatful]

I thought the food was pretty good on the Conquest 12/4-11/2005. I loved the Deli, the grill, and Sur Mer. See a professional (not me) review below.

 

 

REVIEW

 

One of Carnival Conquest's greatest strengths is the sheer variety of dining options. Starting with the "usual" main dining room scenario, Conquest has two double-tiered rooms (Monet and Renoir) to handle formal dinner duty. Of the two, Monet, which lies aft and has windows with views on three sides, is the more appealing (especially during daytime). Renoir, right off the atrium, is more centrally located. Conquest staggers dining times for dinner; choices are 5:45 p.m., 6:15 p.m., 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. That system works really well -- and ties in fairly seamlessly with each evening's main entertainment "event." Breakfast and dinner are open seating and are held in the Monet dining room.

 

Carnival has not traditionally been noted for its food but there's been a vast improvement. The menus in the dining rooms were interesting -- quail was one surprise -- and the cuisine was very well prepared. Meat orderers should be sure to specify "doneness" level if they don't want beef, lamb, etc. well-done. Service was top-notch, very "what can we do?" and waitstaff didn't bat an eyelash if you wanted to order an extra lobster or substitute lamb chops for the salad course. The maitre'd in the Monet dining room seemed more present than most; toward the end of one evening he sang 'O Sole Mio," congratulated, by name, all the room's anniversary celebrants, and was generally quite eager-to-please.

 

Beyond the dining room is where even more choices come in and here's where you need a cruise of at least a week to try them all out. Lunchtime there are a myriad of options on the pool deck. There's a lido buffet, naturally, which here is called Restaurant Cezanne. There are numerous coffee, iced tea and lemonade stations as well as self-serve ice cream and frozen yogurt machines. Cezanne is two decks high and there were, on our trip, plenty of stations and empty tables even at "rush hour." There's also a grill station with everything from hamburgers to garden burgers (and fabulous fries) and an Asian station, where the offerings changed daily. One "hidden" treasure was Sur Mer, a seafood station, tucked away on the otherwise-off-the-beaten-track second tier of Restaurant Cezanne. While fried seafood like fish-n-chips and calamari fritters are staples (the oysters are delicious; also try the housemade potato chips), there are also much lighter seafood options; the bouillabaisse was divine as was the cerviche and the raw tuna. Rounding out the pool deck options is a 24-hour pizza station with a variety of types and styles and a deli.

 

Evenings, most of the grill stations close down (save for the deli and the pizza stand) but the Restaurant Cezanne transforms itself into a casual dinner eatery called Seaview Bistro.

 

Conquest borrows the alternative restaurant concept from its Spirit-class siblings. Here, and this another too-well-kept secret, it's called The Point and it's a fabulous experience. The cover charge is $25 per person and, in return, passengers get a Carnival take on Ruth's Chris -- with incredible service, delicious food and a sommelier who manages a genuinely intriguing Point-only wine list with a great selection of by-the-glass as well as bottles. The Point's manager told us that its offering of a Chateau Lafite Rothschild on the by-the-glass list -- priced at $50 and that's per glass -- was offered in response to a customer comment card but he admitted no one has ordered it yet. There are more, ahem, value-priced options as well. There's a chanteuse-type singer and live pianist, and candle-like torches on the tables. The menu is simple but awesome, from a misnamed "New England" style crabcake (that was pretty darn close to the classic Maryland fare) to South African lobster tail. The Point, like the other Carnival "supper clubs," features stone crabs from the famous Miami haunt Joe's Stone Crab but other choices include a 24 oz. porterhouse steak, lamb chops and filet mignon. At the end, passengers are presented with a complimentary after-dinner drink -- Absolut citron, champagne, lime sorbet and milk -- that's almost a dessert in itself. The experience is worth every penny.

 

A couple of miscellaneous notes. On the promenade deck, all day and into late evening, is Cafe Patisserie, which serves specialty coffees and sweets ranging from banana splits to chocolate covered strawberries. There's a charge. At night, a Japanese sushi bar opens on the promenade deck; there's no charge to sample the offerings. The ship offers 24-hour room service, ranging from basic continental-style breakfast fare to a variety of sandwiches and desserts. All dining room menus and stations feature at least one vegetarian entree per menu. It is recommended that passengers tip a buck-or-two for room service.

[CJJSmith]

GREAT info - thanks so much!

[tina1114]

I just got off the Victory on Sunday. For the most part, the food was good or better. I have only traveled on Carnival, so I cannot compare.

 

What I can say is I am a pretty picky eater. I never went hungry. The eggs benedict in the dining room for breakfast was fabulous. The deli was always good as well as the grill (lots of cheese on the burgers). The lido buffet quality varied but it was good overall. There were things I liked and others I didn't but there was always things I enjoyed. Dinner in the main dining room was good. Service was very attentive. The beef was always a good choice as were the soups and desserts. I am picky on pizza after living in NY for 6 years and although not the best I've had, I still ate it every day.

 

I think you will enjoy it.

[mesmall]

My first cruise was on the Fascination in 2002.Thought the food and entertainment were great but had nothing to compare it to. In 2004 I went on the Enchantment of the Seas.Loved the ship,indoor solarium,and the crowd was mostly my age 30-60,never saw a kid!(not that I don't like them,I have 2 myself).The food was NOT as good as Carnivals(although I never went hungry!)The buffet did not have as many dishes on it as Carnival.Also ,I ordered rack of lamb and got sliced leg of lamb,which is not the same.I'm not saying the food was bad,just not as good.Enchantment didn't have a deli or pizza available in case you skipped a meal like Carnival.As far as entertainment goes,the broadway type shows were equally good,but the pool band was WAY better on carnival.I did enjoy a small band that played in the atrium nightly.I would still go on Royal Carribean in a heartbeat,but so far,Carnival has a slight edge.:)

[Cotton]

Cathy - Since you asked specifically "How is the food on Carnival?" and didn't ask for a comparison, I'll jump in.....

 

I really do enjoy Carnival's food, as well as their presentation and service in the dining room. (I don't do buffet food, so can't make comments about that - I have all three meals in the dining room.)

 

I'm a retired Food & Beverage director for hotels, former country club manager, as well as owning a catering business for 15 years. I do know food - good food - and I appreciate the efforts Carnival chefs make.

 

There has been very little change, if any, that I've noticed over the past few years. Sometimes, there's a hit-or-miss item, but for the most part, I have been very pleased with Carnival's food. The good thing is that if you don't like any item you've ordered, there's no problem with ordering something else - or even multiple items on the menu. Then there's always the steak or chicken you can order that's not even on the menu.

 

When I plan any cruise, I start looking forward to the dining room food!:)

[LHP]

One thing I have always appreciated about Carnival is that they are consistant from ship to ship. I like knowing what to expect.

 

Now since I have never eaten on any other cruise line, I can not expound on which is better or worse. However, of the 10 or so Carnival ships we have been on, the food has always been just fine to me.

 

Having said that, please remember that while I have eaten at 5 star restaurants and resorts like The Cloister etc.... I am of the attitude that as long as I don't have to plan it, buy it, prepare it and clean up after it....

it's all good!!!

 

As long as it doesn't make me physically sick...I am going to be happy!!!