The Carnival is over.....

[gliner]

I was thinking the same thing.

 

I don't think Carnival is perfect and have my next 2 cruises booked with another line, but still, when the itinerary is right and the price is right, fussing about the menu is the last thing on my mind.

 

I don't take it seriously, just a case of gastronomic boredom, that's all.

[Redsfan]

I don't take it seriously, just a case of gastronomic boredom, that's all.

 

the TV options do suck, just not sure logistically how that could change. To offer tires of programming like your cable/sat providers do would be the dumbest thing a cruise line could do. Imagine the nightmare keeping track of this, etc. I suppose they could do something like this for longer cruises (like Airlines offer) but nobody will ever do that. Curious if the newer ship offer more programming than the older ones...perhaps there is something limiting, dunno...

[reeree313]

Ya know, I cruise often and the menu did become a bit boring. Although the menu hasn't changed, I had a pattern of what I would order each night and could tell you what was going to be on the menu each day...however, i wasn't eating different things. When I went on my cruise in September, I promised myself to try something that I haven't previously ordered each night of the trip. It worked, and surprisingly the menu didn't seem boring anymore. Gonna try that again Sunday :D

[Brenna's Mom1]

Ya know, I cruise often and the menu did become a bit boring. Although the menu hasn't changed, I had a pattern of what I would order each night and could tell you what was going to be on the menu each day...however, i wasn't eating different things. When I went on my cruise in September, I promised myself to try something that I haven't previously ordered each night of the trip. It worked, and surprisingly the menu didn't seem boring anymore. Gonna try that again Sunday :D

 

There are six entrees per day and 6 entrees on the anyday menu so for a 7 day cruise you have 50 choices of your main course, alone. That is a lot of diversity as far as I can see....and a lot more than I got growing up when it was Pot Roast on Sunday, Chicken on Monday, Taco Tuesday (etc. etc.)

[MrPete]

Well I must say you are one lucky dude...standard cable or satellite rates in my hometown (after the hook em period) without any extras is twice that amount for basic' date=' basic.[/quote']

 

Sounds like you may have a monopoly in your area. I get cable, internet, and unlimited phone for $99/month.

[Brenna's Mom1]

Sounds like you may have a monopoly in your area. I get cable, internet, and unlimited phone for $99/month.

 

Nope, no monopoly. Just market value.

[susie8862]

There are six entrees per day and 6 entrees on the anyday menu so for a 7 day cruise you have 50 choices of your main course' date=' alone. That is a lot of diversity as far as I can see....and a lot more than I got growing up when it was Pot Roast on Sunday, Chicken on Monday, Taco Tuesday (etc. etc.)[/quote']

You have pretty much taken the words right out of my mouth. :o:o:o

[Carolin]

I turn on the tv in the cabin to check my sail and sign and see whats for dinner. :D

[Upandadam]

So go mix it up and try another line or two. No warm chocolate melting cake anywhere else though..:)

[bigcraig]

As I said, make it a "package deal" like the soda cards or their "First to the Fun" program that only costs you $49.95 to hit the Lido deck an hour before anyone else.

 

You don't HAVE to purchase it.

For $49.95 they better have the playboy channel

[Crusin Hogs]

Time for you to go to a more expensive, all inclusive cruiseline. Of course you'll spend megabucks, but you'll get what you want. If Carnival provided all you want, the rest of us will have to deal with high prices to meet your wants. Sorry.

 

We are booked on Princess 7 days balcony $699.00 We have spent more on a few Carnival cruises . Higher quality line does not all ways mean higher priced

[MrPete]

I've been going to my local eatery for years and years...and you know what' date=' the menu hasn't changed in all that time. Daily specials rotate every couple of weeks, but other than that it just stays the same. And, other than a few minute changes I'm pretty sure I'm eating the exact same type of things from McDonalds, and Olive Garden, and most of the other franchise restaurants in town.

 

People who cruise a lot and who cruise the same ship and the same line and the same route are, obviously, going to utter the "same old, same old" phrase but many of the other 50,000 weekly passengers are experiencing something new and fresh since they often are first time or occasional cruisers.

 

For those who are bored with the cuisine on Carnival they really need to broaden their horizons...but, I like the tried and true of my local eatery and I don't think I ever go there for lunch thinking that they are going to change their menu just for me.[/quote']

Your analogy would only work if you went to that restaurant 7 nights in a row.

[Dixie24]

The reason Carnival does not offer many TV stations is because they do not want you to be hanging out all day in your room. If you are in your room, they are not making money from you because you are not out on the ship drinking, gambling, shopping, etc.

[Mulege]

Gallagher passed away last year.

[pambud96]

I've been going to my local eatery for years and years...and you know what' date=' the menu hasn't changed in all that time. Daily specials rotate every couple of weeks, but other than that it just stays the same. And, other than a few minute changes I'm pretty sure I'm eating the exact same type of things from McDonalds, and Olive Garden, and most of the other franchise restaurants in town.

 

People who cruise a lot and who cruise the same ship and the same line and the same route are, obviously, going to utter the "same old, same old" phrase but many of the other 50,000 weekly passengers are experiencing something new and fresh since they often are first time or occasional cruisers.

 

For those who are bored with the cuisine on Carnival they really need to broaden their horizons...but, I like the tried and true of my local eatery and I don't think I ever go there for lunch thinking that they are going to change their menu just for me.[/quote']

 

This is exactly right.

 

While I was reading I was agreeing with the OP. But when I came to yours I thought about about the main reason I love to go to the MDR and that is for the Choc Melting Cake. Remember how mad some got wihen they took off the shrimp. Can you imagine the uproar if the cake was gone. :)

[Tapi]

Has anybody reading this thread been cruising long enough to remember when cruising meant NO TV, NO cellphones, NO in-cabin telephone, and NO Internet? If you needed to communicate with the outside world, you had to go to the Radio Room to make a call or send a message. The Daily news were printed and distributed on a piece of paper that you could pick up at Guest Relations. Going on a cruise meant TRULY getting away from everything.

 

This whole "they don't have enough TV channels" argument seems trivial to me, and NO, I'm not 90 years old (I'm in my 30's)

[Brenna's Mom1]

Your analogy would only work if you went to that restaurant 7 nights in a row.

 

Who says I don't.

[tef43]

Has anybody reading this thread been cruising long enough to remember when cruising meant NO TV, NO cellphones, NO in-cabin telephone, and NO Internet? If you needed to communicate with the outside world, you had to go to the Radio Room to make a call or send a message. The Daily news were printed and distributed on a piece of paper that you could pick up at Guest Relations. Going on a cruise meant TRULY getting away from everything.

The "Good Old Days," right there.

 

Some cruise line is going to eventually discover that there is a huge market for cruising "the way it used to be." They will make a fortune.

[Sargent_Schultz]

I don't miss primitive camping at all.

[Brenna's Mom1]

The "Good Old Days," right there.

 

Some cruise line is going to eventually discover that there is a huge market for cruising "the way it used to be." They will make a fortune.

 

Problem is that a lot of people cannot abide their own company so unless they have outside stimuli they are bored silly. They need to be entertained 24/7 'cause their own thoughts just don't seem to do the trick.

[beachbum53]

Just returned from our latest and last Carnival cruise on the Freedom.

 

The cruise was very relaxing, but one item has become irksome.

 

The menu. I can just about tell you what the Carnival menu is if you give me one appitizer. The menu has not changed in YEARS! Would an annual change be too much to ask? The "braised spare ribs" are consistently tough. When I mentioned it to our server, he offered, with a straight face, to get me a PB&J sandwich. Cute, but no.

 

They could also provide a broader TV selection. This is 2012. The only difference between Carnival's TV lineup and my parents 1978 TV service is that I am not the remote. How about a "basic" cable assortment instead of the constant bombardment of infomercials. I don't care how much of that cream that Victoria Principle slathers on her face, she is still 60 years old......and looks it.

 

The "fish and chips" station. How about giving us more than 2-3 oysters at a time? Also, you might not want to flatten them. They looked like they had been hammered flat by Gallagher and his mallet! Leave them as they come out of the shell.

 

Other than the menu, Carnival does a great job. However, variety is the spice of life, so we will cherish our memories and photos for years to come, but it is off to other lines for us.

 

For the most part, based on the past cruises you have listed, it looks like you cruise about once a year. If you cruised several times a year, on the same cruise line, it would be easier to be more understanding of your opinions on the menu and food choices. Wow! You must have an excellent memory if you can remember, from one year to the next, all of the appetizers and menu selections. In order to keep from getting bored by Carnival's menu selection, maybe you should alternate cruise lines. As you've stated, "Variety is the spice of life." As far as channel selections on the TV are concerned, it's just not that big of a deal to us. We can watch TV at home. There are enough other things to see and do on the ship without wasting time sitting in our cabin watching television. If I had the choice, I'd say take away the TV and install a stereo/cd player so that we could have more of a music choice in our cabin, or, at the very least, provide access to either Sirius or XFM satelite radio.

[RockChalkCruzinJayhawk]

I have found that my team does really good while I'm on a cruise....

 

Not sure what I would do without some form of CBS seeing that my anniversary occurs in late March. So i watch maybe a few hours while sailing, but generally thats it.

 

This also makes it weird to me that they have game ports set up on some of the tv's.

 

Sent from my GT-P6210 using Tapatalk 2

[CRUZBUDS]

Gallagher passed away last year.

 

Wikipedia has him as alive and well. He has had serious heart aliments and it has forced his retirement from the stage.

 

We saw him on stage 20 years ago -- we had our plastic shield - we were three rows back. It was great fun.

[Mom2JJandJ]

Gallagher passed away last year.

 

Nope... he's still very much alive.

 

As far as the MDR menu goes, there does seem to be many combination options, but if you cruise often, it really does get old. I don't cruise for the food though, and honestly don't eat in the dining room for dinner more than once or twice, if that. I guess it's just not that important to me. :confused:

[kujobie]

To each their own. I work 60-70 hours a week, so I don't watch much TV at home, not much at all. So, when I'm on vacation, one of the things I like to do is lounge in bed(something I also don't get to do much at home) and watch TV. It doesn't make anyone else superior just because it's something you wouldn't do. As stated, Carnival's only reason for not offerring better programming is greed. And I understand that. They want you out of your cabin, drinking, gambling, etc. It doesn't mean I'm gonna stop cruising Carnival, but I'm not gonna lie and say it's great either. For those who have never cruised, the TV programming, in a word, sucks. I can't speak for other lines since I have only sailed Carnival.