Kmom NEEDS LOTS OF HELP PLEASE - Pre-Planning Pre-Review Preview Mardi Gras August 7, 2021 - Join me if you dare

[KmomChicago]

Hello folks. Kmom here.  I'm starting this pre-planning preview for a few reasons. One is, I need help with food on board the Mardi Gras for my upcoming cruise on August 7, out of Port Canaveral, that I wasn't sure would sail, but now appears to be going forward. I will be asking a lot of questions about SPECIFIC CARNIVAL ENTREES in the MDR and specialty restaurants that I want to possibly try. So that's where I need HELP, please. QUESTIONS BEGIN IN THE NEXT POST IN THIS THREAD. 

 

Another reason is, there seems some little bit of pent up interest in what the heck is going on with resumption of cruising, and as it's turned out, we will be not only a part of that first wave, but also on board only the SECOND voyage of the brand new Mardi Gras. It might be possible that my endless blathering about the whole experience will actually have some value to those who bother to expose themselves to my  rambling. And I'm a real world class rambler, folks. Blathering and rambling, if you're lookin' for it, you came to the right place. And a full review of this cruise after the fact will definitely follow.

 

While I'm gonna be asking y'all a lot of questions, feel free to ask me, too, about the facts of this pending voyage. Logistics, personal preferences, whether we wear shorts on elegant night, personal life history, just go for it. I really don't want people brawling here (or anywhere), but otherwise, let's put it on the table.

 

First, a little backstory (Blather warning)

 

I've done two rather full lengthish cruise reviews back in The Before - Carnival Sensation out of Miami, January 2018 (Bless her heart) and RCI Adventure of the Seas, August 2019 to parts north out of Port Liberty, Bayonne, NJ. Additionally in the modern era, we sailed on Carnival Triumph (March 2017) and Oasis of the Seas (March 2018) but I didn't devote the time or energy to the full review thing for either of those. My husband and teenager determined from these four journeys that we are hooked, we are cruise-type people, and as we advance in age, cruising will gradually displace most of our other vacation options.

 

Also back in the day I sailed on Premier Cruise Lines (SS Royale and SS Oceanic), Disney Magic a coupla times in the late 1990's when I worked for Mr. Mouse and was able to get onboard for prices so low they would induce rage in most paying passengers, and Celebrity Millennium when she was a relatively sweet young thing, in October 2001 - think about that - yes just a few weeks after the 9/11 attacks and deep in hurricane season to boot.

 

Last November, as the pandemic continued unabated and humans everywhere were well into whatever altered life / work conditions had taken hold, I, Kmom, decided it was time for bold action and booked this August 7, seven-day voyage out of Port Canaveral, the latest date that would allow my teenager to resume school on time, reasoning that there might actually be some hope of getting it together by late summer 2021.  Apparently Carnival knows who I am, and realized they couldn't disappoint Kmom, and went forth with getting it together for us. So thank you Carnival, and you're welcome to everyone else. 

Edited June 24, 2021 by KmomChicago

[KmomChicago]

So question number 1 relates to JiJi's Asian Kitchen. I know the menus are basically the same across the fleet.  What are these blistered beans?  The menu lists them but doesn't explain what kind of beans they are and what this blistering entails precisely and what else is in these beans. Can someone help please? I am not a vegetarian, but for digestive reasons I prefer less meat and lighter dishes when possible. However I don't want to sacrifice my desire to stuff my face with deliciousness on this ship.

Edited June 24, 2021 by KmomChicago

[ColeThornton]

https://www.google.com/search?q=what+are+blistered+beans&sxsrf=ALeKk01-YdreRsWfk0RIkY0d4IoZJuxc4g%3A1624536439386&source=hp&ei=d3XUYMGMFceztAajvoeoDA&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYNSDh1LkvAe-yxD7R-knuEVkAVwZ_OO7&oq=what+are+blistered+beans&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyBggAEBYQHjIFCAAQhgMyBQgAEIYDOgQIIxAnOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoICAAQsQMQgwE6BQgAELEDOgIIADoFCAAQyQM6BQgAEJIDOgUILhCxAzoECAAQCjoICAAQFhAKEB5QgQdY7yZgpCtoAHAAeACAAZICiAH2G5IBBjIuMTguNJgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=gws-wiz&ved=0ahUKEwiBpJHrnbDxAhXHGc0KHSPfAcUQ4dUDCAg&uact=5

[KmomChicago]

Question number 2 is for the Main Dining Room. I have always wanted to try that Cinnamon Pumpkin Cheese Pie. I picture a slice out of a a nice seasonal, smooth cheesecake type concoction, but now I wonder if it's more of a savory pot pie type of thing? I know someone out there has tried this and can let me know if it's any good and what it actually is. 

[KmomChicago]

3 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

https://www.google.com/search?q=what+are+blistered+beans&sxsrf=ALeKk01-YdreRsWfk0RIkY0d4IoZJuxc4g%3A1624536439386&source=hp&ei=d3XUYMGMFceztAajvoeoDA&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYNSDh1LkvAe-yxD7R-knuEVkAVwZ_OO7&oq=what+are+blistered+beans&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyBggAEBYQHjIFCAAQhgMyBQgAEIYDOgQIIxAnOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoICAAQsQMQgwE6BQgAELEDOgIIADoFCAAQyQM6BQgAEJIDOgUILhCxAzoECAAQCjoICAAQFhAKEB5QgQdY7yZgpCtoAHAAeACAAZICiAH2G5IBBjIuMTguNJgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=gws-wiz&ved=0ahUKEwiBpJHrnbDxAhXHGc0KHSPfAcUQ4dUDCAg&uact=5

 

Thank you Cole. I tried that - the ship menu doesn't make clear they are green beans, but I suppose they must be. I am hoping to verify with someone or several someones who have actually eaten the JiJi version and can comment on its deliciousness or lack thereof. 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

40 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

Hello folks. Kmom here.  I'm starting this pre-planning preview for a few reasons. One is, I need help with food on board the Mardi Gras for my upcoming cruise on August 7, out of Port Canaveral...

 

You should join our ROLL CALL   🙂

 

Tom

[KmomChicago]

Question number 3: Steakhouse. Mardi Gras will have a 555 Steakhouse and it looks like two non-steak options are the Broiled Rosemary Chicken and the Lobster Ravioli. I just have to be difficult and be a rebel so I am considering both of these. Who has had them on one of the other ships, and who can tell me if they are worth the upcharge?

[KmomChicago]

6 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

You should join our ROLL CALL   🙂

 

Tom

Done, thank you Tom. See you in August!

[stellarose]

ok... heard there is a separate vegetarian menu. I know they have the one Indian dish nightly and one vegetarian dish but are there more?  not vegan just pescatarian. 

 

hoping to find things at the street eats too.

 

yeah. hope she sails- just booked flights for Christmas. 

[KmomChicago]

5 minutes ago, stellarose said:

ok... heard there is a separate vegetarian menu. I know they have the one Indian dish nightly and one vegetarian dish but are there more?  not vegan just pescatarian. 

 

hoping to find things at the street eats too.

 

yeah. hope she sails- just booked flights for Christmas. 

 

There are more. Now of course I can't be sure about whether there will be across-the-board changes when we resume, but in general here is the deal with the main dining room.

 

That Indian lentil dish is on the menu most nights. I believe it is completely vegan.

 

In addition there is usually a pasta or rice type entree with various creams or cheeses.

 

There is always a salmon filet on the "grill" portion of the menu (also a flat iron steak, pork chop, and chicken breast, all there for the less adventurous diners who are put off by a lot of spicy unique international flavors).

 

There is typically at least one fish or one seafood for each night's featured main courses.

 

Lastly there is always a special "port of call" main entree inspired by the day's nearest port. Sometimes this entree is fish, i.e. mahi mahi.

 

I haven't tried enough of these, hence this whole post. People do post their reviews on venues and entrees but I am trying to drill down to specifics here if former diners are willing to share. 

 

Street Eats is supposed to be different every day and I will absolutely be checking that out as well and reporting back. 

[ProgRockCruiser]

1 hour ago, KmomChicago said:

Question number 3: Steakhouse. Mardi Gras will have a 555 Steakhouse and it looks like two non-steak options are the Broiled Rosemary Chicken and the Lobster Ravioli. I just have to be difficult and be a rebel so I am considering both of these. Who has had them on one of the other ships, and who can tell me if they are worth the upcharge?

I can make a rosemary chicken at home any time I want (and occasionally do, or variants thereof), so I would go for the lobster ravioli (though we make stuffed ravioli at home occasionally too, but I don't recall us making lobster-stuffed ravioli).

 

I rarely find restaurant chicken (even top-notch places) to be any better than what I make at home (chicken piccata is probably the main exception), so it has to be a very different chicken dish (or one that is very labor intensive) to get any interest from me.   But YMMV if you really like chicken.

 

However, I would say neither would be worth the upcharge - I go to the Steakhouse to spend extra money to get a nicer steak than I could expect in the MDR.  Even the surf-and-turf is not worthwhile, IMHO - you don't get as good a cut of beef (in my experience, but only been once), and the lobster tail is not really much better than what you get on elegant night, IMHO.

[ProgRockCruiser]

1 hour ago, KmomChicago said:

That Indian lentil dish is on the menu most nights. I believe it is completely vegan.

Yes, and it is absolutely delish!  I love the "pickle" that is served with it. 

 

If you order the night before, you can get it special-made with the protein of your choice.

[kwokpot]

2 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

 

Thank you Cole. I tried that - the ship menu doesn't make clear they are green beans, but I suppose they must be. I am hoping to verify with someone or several someones who have actually eaten the JiJi version and can comment on its deliciousness or lack thereof. 

Stir fried Green Beans. Very common dish in Chinese Restaurants. 

[kwokpot]

The Teriyaki Salmon with Jasmine Rice is one of my favorite main dining room entrees. 

[kwokpot]

There's also a Caribbean Chicken dish on the main dining room menu that's very good.  A little bit spicy, but that's what makes it taste good!

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

22 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

... I go to the Steakhouse to spend extra money to get a nicer steak than I could expect in the MDR.  Even the surf-and-turf is not worthwhile, IMHO - you don't get as good a cut of beef (in my experience, but only been once), and the lobster tail is not really much better than what you get on elegant night, IMHO.

 

For us, the atmosphere weighs heavily on our decision to opt for specialty dining every night (no dancing waiters, slower/easy pace, etc...). After, perhaps, 125-150 nights in the steakhouse we still enjoy the options, but tend to eat a lot less than the first few times we pulled up to that trough! They seem amazed early in the cruise when we turn down a dessert, or don't (almost) clean your plate. We'll spring for a very nice bottle of wine (Dom is always night #1 - and I love the "half price" bottles on nights 1 and 2)! The dinner is one of the main highlights of our cruise experience.

 

Tom

[TravelBluebird]

2 hours ago, stellarose said:

ok... heard there is a separate vegetarian menu. I know they have the one Indian dish nightly and one vegetarian dish but are there more?  not vegan just pescatarian. 

 

hoping to find things at the street eats too.

 

yeah. hope she sails- just booked flights for Christmas. 

 

I would love information on vegan dining options.

 

I will be traveling with a vegan friend on a 5 day Carnival cruise in November, and if she like it and doesn’t starve, she may join my group for the Mardi Gras in February. 

[kwokpot]

3 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

Question number 2 is for the Main Dining Room. I have always wanted to try that Cinnamon Pumpkin Cheese Pie. I picture a slice out of a a nice seasonal, smooth cheesecake type concoction, but now I wonder if it's more of a savory pot pie type of thing? I know someone out there has tried this and can let me know if it's any good and what it actually is. 

If I remember correctly it was more like a quiche than a cheesecake consistency. I've ordered it once and it was OK.

[KmomChicago]

51 minutes ago, TravelBluebird said:

 

I would love information on vegan dining options.

 

I will be traveling with a vegan friend on a 5 day Carnival cruise in November, and if she like it and doesn’t starve, she may join my group for the Mardi Gras in February. 

 Bluebird perhaps we will get some feedback on that topic here, and in any case when I actually sail I will work on scoping out this situation and will ask some questions of the culinary staff onboard.

[helene109]

We are 8/14!

love your post! My favorite topic at home everyone is getting tired of me talking about it already! I can’t decide which specialty restaurant to try! We have done the steakhouse and the other menu sounds amazing too!

[KmomChicago]

1 hour ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

I can make a rosemary chicken at home any time I want.

 

However, I would say neither would be worth the upcharge - I go to the Steakhouse to spend extra money to get a nicer steak than I could expect in the MDR.  Even the surf-and-turf is not worthwhile, IMHO - you don't get as good a cut of beef (in my experience, but only been once), and the lobster tail is not really much better than what you get on elegant night, IMHO.

 

Thanks Prog. I do pretty well at home with chicken as well and between brining and slow roasting and other tips and tricks mine is often quite sublime, so I get your point here.  I never eat lobster at home so that ravioli is still worth considering, maybe. 

 

More importantly, what steak exactly do you order? I see there's a filet mignon, but also the surf and turf is just lobster and filet mignon, and if that filet is nothing great, I see no reason it would be better than the filet without the lobster. I like ribeye more than NY strip, but just barely. 

 

Maybe I just make my own tapas out of the appetizers - carpaccio, tuna tartare, crab cake and lobster bisque.??????  I know, the point is steak, why am I insisting on going this route?

 

https://www.carnival.com/~/media/Images/explore/dining/menus/fahrenheit-555-menu.pdf

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

6 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

 

Thanks Prog. I do pretty well at home with chicken as well and between brining and slow roasting and other tips and tricks mine is often quite sublime, so I get your point here.  I never eat lobster at home so that ravioli is still worth considering, maybe. 

 

More importantly, what steak exactly do you order? I see there's a filet mignon, but also the surf and turf is just lobster and filet mignon, and if that filet is nothing great, I see no reason it would be better than the filet without the lobster. I like ribeye more than NY strip, but just barely. 

 

Maybe I just make my own tapas out of the appetizers - carpaccio, tuna tartare, crab cake and lobster bisque.??????  I know, the point is steak, why am I insisting on going this route?

 

https://www.carnival.com/~/media/Images/explore/dining/menus/fahrenheit-555-menu.pdf

 

The spice rubbed ribeye has been my go-to steak. Only once in a blue moon has it been anything less than melt in your mouth. They tend to undercook steaks, so I order that cut M-rare, and if it comes rare, I'm ok with that. When ordering a NY strip steak or filet there, I always go for RARE. 🙂

 

If you see us in the steakhouse, we'll be easy to spot - I'm the guy who brings his own horseradish !

 

Tom

[ProgRockCruiser]

11 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

The spice rubbed ribeye has been my go-to steak. Only once in a blue moon has it been anything less than melt in your mouth. They tend to undercook steaks, so I order that cut M-rare, and if it comes rare, I'm ok with that. When ordering a NY strip steak or filet there, I always go for RARE. 🙂

 

If you see us in the steakhouse, we'll be easy to spot - I'm the guy who brings his own horseradish !

 

Tom

This.

 

My wife and I both consider Ribeye to be a superior steak to Filet Mignon - we just like it more, regardless of price.  Oh, and order both the peppercorn and mushroom sauces too!

[Spif Barwunkel]

Kmom, certainly a blathering rambler thou be but only in a most sensible, entertaining and well-written way.

 

We are former Carnival cruisers, enjoyed them all but outgrew the vibe many years ago. Wouldn’t you know, along comes Mardi Gras and tickles that dormant Carnival fancy thus forcing two helpless seniors to purchase passage onboard a future sailing. The fact that she will reside thirty minutes up the road from our residence made it easy to want to get acquainted with this new girl in town.

 

Now, obviously I cannot help you, but, I will ride your coattails over, under, around and through this thread thus, like you, gathering info and determining possibilities. I'm even going to let you do all the work…my arthritis and all.

So, if that’s good with you I will certainly take advantage. If not, I’ll just sit back and enjoy your prose.       

[ScottsSweetie]

Since you mentioned that you like to eat a little lighter, I will note that I have rarely met a fish entree in the MDR that I have disliked. Every one I have tried has been very good (with the exception of salmon - I am a recent convert to that so never had any on the ship).