Cutbacks you have noticed on Carnival

[MszKitty]

One thing DW noticed on our recent Pride cruise was they no longer had a bread server going around to the tables. Instead they put a basket of bread on the table. Guess they eliminated one position in the dining room.

 

The last couple/few years, our ass't waiter has been bringing the bread around. From what I understand, having baskets on the tables causes more waste.

[Seydlitz]

what we miss is the pictures of the ships they used to give out on the last night.

 

Me too.

[arpie05]

I am an avid cruiser, 12 times on Carnival and being Platinum. Just getting off the Sensation last week. The most noticeable cutback was the activites. Dont' get me wrong, I love Carnival and will always cruise with them. I hope this is temporary. Looking back at the Capers, there were very few. One a sea day, on previous cruises, there were so many activites to choose from, not this time. Has Carnival cutback all the activities on all of there cruises not matter how many days the cruise is?

 

I noticed too the lack of activities on the Sensation but wondered if this was a Sensation thing. You have been on the Sensation before but it has been two years. SO it is hard to know what is a cutback and what is a difference between ships. The CD mentioned the cutback in music staff but I didn't notice - I thought the music during captains reception was terrible - they still had but they did not serve appetizers just alcohol. (lots available more than on Fantasy)

 

My son did not get his Kid Cookie. Is this because of cutbacks or is it because he is now 13 and not 12?? In the past one night he had always gotten a cookie decorated like a face - just on one night.

 

The bread at dinner selection was not as good and the muffin selection at breakfast. Was this a Sensation thing or Cutbacks?

 

I liked the Flat Iron steak and I had that for the first time - first cruise to ever order a steak because menu was weak. Didn't have waiter try and bring me extra of any item I really liked. Was this because of Anytime dining or Sensation or bad waiters or Cutbacks????

 

the biggest cut back I notice is the evening chocolate extravanza with ice scultures. The daytime chocolate thing they do is very weak. I miss the displays and presentations.

[jeshghn]

I don't mind not having the bread basket at the table cause we were always able to ask for more. The reality is that the left over bread left on the table it thrown out cause who wants bread thats being pawed over! Ewww!

 

As for the kid's cookie, I'm not sure could be cause of his age or cut backs.

[jimbo5544]

Me too.

Can't agree with this one, always thought the picture was kind of corny. But it just goes to show you that different thing impress people differently.

[Carolyn1950]

I just returned from a week on the Conquest.. I got extremely tired of bussing my own tables..Staff passing all the time and never picking up dirty dishes.. And I emptied every ash tray we used.. I am done with the Conquest, back to the Ecstasy for me.. I won't even go into rude bar staff and the ever present ignoring of coke cards..With the exception of the casino staff, they went beyond good service.. Always cheerful and ready to pour a soda.. Cut backs, who knows?

[jimbo5544]

I just returned from a week on the Conquest.. I got extremely tired of bussing my own tables..Staff passing all the time and never picking up dirty dishes.. And I emptied every ash tray we used.. I am done with the Conquest, back to the Ecstasy for me.. I won't even go into rude bar staff and the ever present ignoring of coke cards..With the exception of the casino staff, they went beyond good service.. Always cheerful and ready to pour a soda.. Cut backs, who knows?

So you were not happy with the service on your cruise?:rolleyes:

[MINILvr]

Chocolate buffet was held at lunch time - we missed it, and I try to look over my caper really well.

I missed it also...BUMMER

Do you remember which day it was held?

 

And we weren't invited to any sort of past cruiser reception - which I miss very much. Pin or no pin, I just like being welcomed as a previous guest.

The only acknowledgment I remember receiving as being a past guest was when we checked in. I kept looking for at least a note or something, but nothing ever showed up.

[usrbphi]

We just returned from the Splendor. The one thing I missed was the herbal tea on the Lido deck. On this cruise the person serving tea and coffee in the Lido area had the tea box on the cart. After meals the tea box was not available. The only tea available was Lipton. Not a very good tea. I am an avid tea drinker and really missed having the herbal teas available whenever I wanted.

[thunderbaycruiser]

There is a delicate balance between cutting costs to improve the bottom line and damaging your brand beyond repair. On my first cruise (all my cruises have been on Carnival), everything from the ship, to the food, to the staff exceeded my expectations. After that first cruise, I was hooked! But I came to expect a similar experience on future Carnival cruises. For the most part, I have not been disappointed. However, it seems lately that Carnival is testing the waters to see how far they can push the cost cutting.

 

Food is just one example. First, some buffets disappeared. Next the fruit punch was gone. Then the bacon police appeared. Now I hear that real cheese is gone from the pizza and what the hell is that piece of mystery meat posing as the filet?? :eek:

 

A great low price on a cruise is wonderful, but i would gladly pay a little more knowing I was in for the Carnival experience I have come to love. I should be surprised at the continued excellence at Carnival on every cruise, not rolling my eyes and commenting on "now look what they've cut!"

[PunkinsDad]

I too miss the Fruit Punch. But at least they still have that Pass-o-Guava juice at breakfast......I love that stuff!!

 

On our Legend cruise this past April it did seem to us that the dining room staff was perhaps being required to attend more tables than in the past. Our waiter and his assistant were great guys, but the service was kind of slow. It might have been that we appeared to be the last table in their rotation however.

 

Still, the food quality was excellent, and overall the cruise was really a great experience.

[cathyz]

The only acknowledgment I remember receiving as being a past guest was when we checked in. I kept looking for at least a note or something, but nothing ever showed up.

 

If you were on a shorter cruise, then you'd miss the past guest party, they don't do them. If they had a party you would have gotten an invitation in your cabin the night before the party.

[Sargent_Schultz]

The last couple/few years, our ass't waiter has been bringing the bread around. From what I understand, having baskets on the tables causes more waste.

 

Would seem less sanitary, to boot.

[dclark]

My first CCL cruise was on the Elation in '98. The first night was rum swizzle night in the casino, they threw in rum with punch and it was your job to 'swizzle" it up.

The lido buffet area had a basket of oranges and a juicer. You fed the oranges into the machine for fresh oj- I miss that!

Can't tell you about the price of beer as they let me bring onboard my Coleman electric ice chest full of beer:D

We had baked alaska, which was cool, with all that fire, as well as a cherries jubilee. Lobster was large, as were steaks.We had the welcome aboard cocktail party (with potent whisky sours, none of this garbage ""dollar off a drink that is $2 too much!" and for some reason, we got an invitation to the repeaters party. I seem to remember a nightly midnight buffet, the gala was huge.

The following year, we took the kids and they had a Camp Carnival stand at the gangway with a bag of colors, coloring books and helium balloons. Pizza, yeah it had real cheese and was real good. I think we even got President brand butter on that ship.We each got a print, I bought a ship pin with a enamel picture of the ship (they stopped selling this like 7 years ago). The entertainment had real headliner talent and oh, you had assigned seating for breakfast and lunch- incredible service.

[arpie05]

I wonder if the lack of activities depends on the length of the cruise, ex: 3 day cruise vs 7 day cruise. What do you all think?

 

I don't know because I'm comparing two 4 day cruises and the Fantasy in January had more activities than the Sensation in August.

 

I have no idea if it was a cut back or Sensation problem. :)

[Maraprince]

I don't know because I'm comparing two 4 day cruises and the Fantasy in January had more activities than the Sensation in August.

 

I have no idea if it was a cut back or Sensation problem. :)

 

 

The Cruise Director and his staff can make or break a sailing with what they schedule or do not schedule for a particular sailing. Some CD's give you a lot of activities while others do not.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[GoffsCaye67]

I am a 5 time cruiser (so far), & have only been on the Carnival fleet. I did notice, as another post did, that there were no past guest pins anymore on this most recent cruise we just took in August 2009. Also, last year I noticed that the head waiter no longer gives you an 11 x 14 print of the ship you are on (with both waiters signing it)... I got those on my first 3 cruises, but not on the last 2 we've been on. I am also a collector of the Carnival ships shot glasses & notice that they are not being sold anymore in the gift shop. (By the way, does anyone have a spare Carnival Glory glass they like to sell me? I can't even find one on the on line auction sites). Anyway, cruising still rocks!

 

Carnival GLORY, August 2009

Carnival LEGEND, August 2008

Carnival VALOR, August 2006

Carnival ELATION, February 2005

Carnival INSPIRATION, June 2003

 

And we HOPE to save enough money to go on the Carnival DREAM in August of 2010... We'll see how that does... This is the ship I REALLY want to go on. Cruising is AWESOME!!!!

[Buffalojay]

There is a delicate balance between cutting costs to improve the bottom line and damaging your brand beyond repair. On my first cruise (all my cruises have been on Carnival), everything from the ship, to the food, to the staff exceeded my expectations. After that first cruise, I was hooked! But I came to expect a similar experience on future Carnival cruises. For the most part, I have not been disappointed. However, it seems lately that Carnival is testing the waters to see how far they can push the cost cutting.

 

Food is just one example. First, some buffets disappeared. Next the fruit punch was gone. Then the bacon police appeared. Now I hear that real cheese is gone from the pizza and what the hell is that piece of mystery meat posing as the filet?? :eek:

 

A great low price on a cruise is wonderful, but i would gladly pay a little more knowing I was in for the Carnival experience I have come to love. I should be surprised at the continued excellence at Carnival on every cruise, not rolling my eyes and commenting on "now look what they've cut!"

 

Very well put..when "things just aren't what they used to be" people do move on to different choices. It's the little stuff that make a magnificent cruise instead of just a good/ok one.

[KAP622]

Bumping this thread from 2 years ago. Anyone see any more cut backs lately?

[med9114u]

Not sure if already mentioned, but what is up with the bacon police in the buffet? You have to keep asking for more instead of getting it yourself...ugh.

[DZNYROX]

Bumping this thread from 2 years ago. Anyone see any more cut backs lately?

 

Havent heard of a ton of cutbacks but for sure Ive heard they are adding a bunch of stuff!:D I'll let ya know in 4 days.

[Fighterone]

Most of the things that people have listed don't really bother me. I don't go on cruises for free drinks, ship pins or silly contests. We go to simply get away, relax, have fun and recharge for normal life. Then start the two year count down till our next cruise.

I really liked your post because your honest words put the meaning back into the proper perspective. Thank you.

[cingroomer]

Not sure if already mentioned, but what is up with the bacon police in the buffet? You have to keep asking for more instead of getting it yourself...ugh.

 

That happened to me on the first two days of our cruise on the Dream, but the rest of the days they piled it on. No idea what thats about.

[kyrisong1]

The cutback I noticed most was the gangway only went half way to the pier. We had to jump the rest of the way!! Hard to do with carryon bags!:D:D

Just kidding. I noticed quite a few cutbacks. But the one that bothered me most was when I had to bus my own tables at the buffet, and on the lido deck. Nobody was picking up others dirty dishes!

LOL Janet I love your sense of humor!!!

I would find having no one cleaning up in the buffet just gross!!! Hope that was an anomaly!!!

MDR for breakfast and lunch is looking better and better!!!

Cheers, Carole

[Blurgh]

The prices. But no one ever brings that up. Right now, for what I paid for my first cruise, which was on the Destiny a long time ago, I could go on Seabourn.

 

Obviously when prices go down and stay depressed, things are going to be lost. The cruise I went on most recently, a newer Princess ship, the prices were still 3 figures per for a balcony room on a desirable floor.