Quick review of new dining on Carnival

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

Just off the Liberty today. We were the 2nd cruise to experience the new dining style. I will do a full review over the next few days but I wanted to clear up a few things about the new dining in the meantime

Every night there were tablecloths on the tables and the dining rooms look very elegant.

There were no carafes of water on the tables, the waiters came around regularly with water.

Sharing was not mandatory.

On the Elegant nights the menus are limited - only about 3 app choices and 3-4 dinner choices.

The dessert menus are very limited. About 3 choices each night max.

The rest of the nights the menus were great. Lots of choices.

The food was fantastic!!!

The service was poor on the first night (waited over an hour to get a drink and that was after reminding the waitress three times that we were still waiting for a drink)

Some of the tables were really crammed together. We had any time dining and a table for 4. Table 215 in the Golden Olympic Dining Room with Ketut was a great location and he is a fantastic waiter.

If you have any questions about the dining, fire away.

[Crusin Karen]

What did I miss? New dining style? :confused::confused: Thanks for giving the info but I don't know what you're talking about! :o:confused: As long as they still have WCMC every night I will be a happy camper! ;)

[LWiening]

Thank you we will be on the liberty next Saturday . Glad to hear the table cloths are on. Can't wit to try to the new menu..

[maggy387]

I agree with the warm chocolate melting cake!!!!!!!!!:):)

[sanmarcosman]

Regarding the tablecloths, there's been some speculation on this forum that the Liberty's tabletops weren't replaced in time for the new menu roll out. Did you hear any explanations about the use of cloths every night or the lack of carafes on the table for that matter?

[jamscckmc]

Are there new menus?

[riclop]

Thanks for the observations.

[Crusin Karen]

Carafes of water? :confused: Have never had that on any cruise...

Sharing? :confused: I am NOT sharing ANY food with ANYBODY! :o:rolleyes: You are scaring me! :eek: Please let me know what this is all about!

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

Regarding the tablecloths, there's been some speculation on this forum that the Liberty's tabletops weren't replaced in time for the new menu roll out. Did you hear any explanations about the use of cloths every night or the lack of carafes on the table for that matter?

 

No, we didn't have any explanation or even hear anything at all from staff about the new dining. We got a letter before the cruise saying they would be counting on us for feedback on the new dining but we were not asked a thing.

[cruisingbandmom]

Did they have warm chocolate melting cake every night? What were a few of your favorite items?

[overthehillcruiser]

Here's one link..

Carafes of water? :confused: Have never had that on any cruise...

Sharing? :confused: I am NOT sharing ANY food with ANYBODY! :o:rolleyes: You are scaring me! :eek: Please let me know what this is all about!

 

 

 

http://www.cruiseandferry.net/article/News/001086/New-Carnival-dining-experience

[rodeo mom]

Just off the Glory. Love the new menu and look. Still have WCMC every night, but it has a new name. Still the same delicious stuff though.

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

Carafes of water? :confused: Have never had that on any cruise...

Sharing? :confused: I am NOT sharing ANY food with ANYBODY! :o:rolleyes: You are scaring me! :eek: Please let me know what this is all about!

 

Ok, Carnival has changed their dining.

There are 2 different "themes" now. American Table and American Feast. One is elegant, one is supposed to be representative of typical American food. However, even on the American Table night choices were Prime Rib etc. THere were also things like chicken pot pie and most nights there was a fish selection. My In laws are big Salmon eaters and they had salmon several times and said it was excellent.

Sharing - if more than one person at the table orders the same thing, they will bring it in a bowl or platter. For example one night everyone at the table beside us ordered baked potatoes so the waiter brought a platter with 4 baked potatoes. One night 3 of us ordered mashed potatoes so it came in a bowl with enough for 3. However, they are very accommodating so if you said you did not want it served to you that way, it would not be a problem.

Most of the old selections are gone with the exception of a few standards like Caesar Salad and Warm Chocolate Melting cake.

The new menu selections were great and the food was really exceptional. It came hot every night and there were really only a couple of dishes I didn't like out of all the apps, mains and desserts I had. One was a pasta in mushroom sauce which really tasted like pasta with Campbell's mushroom soup poured over top. The other was the spring rolls, they seemed like the frozen ones you buy at the grocery store.

My only real complaint is that on the elegant night the menu is very limited. If you are a picky eater you may have trouble finding a selection. And the dessert menu was very limited every night.

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

Did they have warm chocolate melting cake every night? What were a few of your favorite items?

 

Some of my favourites were the stuffed mushrooms, prime rib, dual of petit filet mignon and short rib confit, the mashed potatoes were really delish, my husband said the lobster was really good, the pork chop was perfectly cooked and seasoned if you like chops, which I do:), not many of the desserts appealed to me so I mostly just had a fruit plate. It wasn't on the menu but I asked for it and got it each night.

[TheTravelista]

Consensus seems to be the American Table dishes are pretty good, American Feast needs work in the appetizer department, and overall there are just not enough dessert choices.

[Elaine515]

Just off the Liberty today. We were the 2nd cruise to experience the new dining style. I will do a full review over the next few days but I wanted to clear up a few things about the new dining in the meantime

Every night there were tablecloths on the tables and the dining rooms look very elegant.

There were no carafes of water on the tables, the waiters came around regularly with water.

Sharing was not mandatory.

On the Elegant nights the menus are limited - only about 3 app choices and 3-4 dinner choices.

The dessert menus are very limited. About 3 choices each night max.

The rest of the nights the menus were great. Lots of choices.

The food was fantastic!!!

The service was poor on the first night (waited over an hour to get a drink and that was after reminding the waitress three times that we were still waiting for a drink)

Some of the tables were really crammed together. We had any time dining and a table for 4. Table 215 in the Golden Olympic Dining Room with Ketut was a great location and he is a fantastic waiter.

If you have any questions about the dining, fire away.

 

 

 

Please do tell more about the Liberty.. We are leaving next Saturday same Ports as you did and would love to hear more.. Also, sorry to change the subject, but did you go to the Piano Bar, and if so, I understand it was a Jonathan and would love to know more about him.. Thanks

[Crusin Karen]

Ok, Carnival has changed their dining.

There are 2 different "themes" now. American Table and American Feast. One is elegant, one is supposed to be representative of typical American food. However, even on the American Table night choices were Prime Rib etc. THere were also things like chicken pot pie and most nights there was a fish selection. My In laws are big Salmon eaters and they had salmon several times and said it was excellent.

Sharing - if more than one person at the table orders the same thing, they will bring it in a bowl or platter. For example one night everyone at the table beside us ordered baked potatoes so the waiter brought a platter with 4 baked potatoes. One night 3 of us ordered mashed potatoes so it came in a bowl with enough for 3. However, they are very accommodating so if you said you did not want it served to you that way, it would not be a problem.

Most of the old selections are gone with the exception of a few standards like Caesar Salad and Warm Chocolate Melting cake.

The new menu selections were great and the food was really exceptional. It came hot every night and there were really only a couple of dishes I didn't like out of all the apps, mains and desserts I had. One was a pasta in mushroom sauce which really tasted like pasta with Campbell's mushroom soup poured over top. The other was the spring rolls, they seemed like the frozen ones you buy at the grocery store.

My only real complaint is that on the elegant night the menu is very limited. If you are a picky eater you may have trouble finding a selection. And the dessert menu was very limited every night.

 

Some of my favourites were the stuffed mushrooms, prime rib, dual of petit filet mignon and short rib confit, the mashed potatoes were really delish, my husband said the lobster was really good, the pork chop was perfectly cooked and seasoned if you like chops, which I do:), not many of the desserts appealed to me so I mostly just had a fruit plate. It wasn't on the menu but I asked for it and got it each night.

Okay, thanks for all this. I had no idea....it will be an adventure! Why would they change the name of the WCMC? Cripes, everyone who has sailed CCL knows it even by it's initials! :p Also, do they still offer the cheese platter for dessert?

[CarnivalPlatCruiser]

The food is good on Carnival... I have no beef with it...

 

Other then I do miss the old style, nit a huge fan of the "Americana Style". I mean, I can get meatloaf at home... lol

 

But, I don't have to cook it, I don't have to clean after... SO really, why complain?

 

hehe

[Branman]

The food is good on Carnival... I have no beef with it...

 

Other then I do miss the old style, nit a huge fan of the "Americana Style". I mean, I can get meatloaf at home... lol

 

But, I don't have to cook it, I don't have to clean after... SO really, why complain?

 

hehe

 

You do realize that the meatloaf was taken off the new menus, right? There's no more "comfort food" that everyone was complaining about.

 

Unless of course they've changed the new menus since they released the Glory's 7-day menus.

[sanmarcosman]

Unless of course they've changed the new menus since they released the Glory's 7-day menus.

 

Or they discontinued the new menus already :)

Edited January 26, 2014 by sanmarcosman

[CruiseGirlKS]

I agree with the warm chocolate melting cake!!!!!!!!!:):)

 

Yummy!! :)

[CarnivalPlatCruiser]

You do realize that the meatloaf was taken off the new menus, right? There's no more "comfort food" that everyone was complaining about.

 

Unless of course they've changed the new menus since they released the Glory's 7-day menus.

 

Even better! It was still there in October on the Elation... Glad its gone!

[Rockstarmami]

OP, were these the menus on your sailing? If so, which was your favorite?

Miami.pdf

St. Thomas.pdf

San Juan.pdf

Nassau.pdf

Eastern Caribbean - Sea Day.pdf

1stFormalNight.pdf

2ndFormalNight.pdf

Desserts1.pdf

Desserts2.pdf

Desserts3.pdf

Desserts4.pdf

Desserts5.pdf

[mikes]

I agree with the evaluation of the new menu's. Seems like any complaints were on the assigned seatings.....we had Any Time Seating and ate very early....maybe that mase the difference? Below was my earlier post:

 

A few random comments while waiting for my flight home from the 1/11 Liberty Cruise:

1. There were table clothes on the tables EVERY night.

2. There was water service by the waiters – no carafes.

3. Bread was served piping hot and fresh in a basket – no rolls – but the bread was awesome.

4. The American Table menu was mounted on a large single page board – it was nicely done.

5. The American Feast menu was placed inside a napkin – the size of it looked too small for a “feast”.

6. The menus should all be standardized – and look like the American table menu.

7. Soup selection was VERY limited.

8. American Table - Appetizers were varied and we had a huge selection – all nicely presented – including the “shareable” ones.

9. American Feast – Appetizers were limited – as were soup selections.

10. I would add a soup to American Table – and eliminate an appetizer in trade.

11. I would add a soup to American Feast – and list on the menu that the shareable apps can still be had.

12. Food came piping hot – every meal – and was the best I have had on Carnival – perfectly cooked and presented.

13. I had Shrimp Cocktail every night – very fresh – served nice and cold – unlike some other cruises I’ve been on.

14. I’m not sure if all the perfection was because they had Miami/chef staff rolling this out – but if this is indicative of the normal going forward – then Carnival has done a great thing here.

15. We had any time dining – never waited for a table – and our waiter was super attentive – Michael – table 112.

16. We dined between 5:45 – 6:00pm each night – the room was fairly empty during those hours and seemed to really fill up around 7:00pm when we left.

17. Can’t comment on the desserts – didn’t partake.

18. The shareable flatbread is very good – try it – and the waiter serves it to you if you would like.

19. They have implemented a different procedure to reduce the line going in – you are greeted in the hall and “pre-checked” – room number etc. – and your table is assigned while in line – seemed a lot faster than in the past where they were dealing with the computer system to print out a ticket.

[Shipbound]

Ok, Carnival has changed their dining.

There are 2 different "themes" now. American Table and American Feast. One is elegant, one is supposed to be representative of typical American food. However, even on the American Table night choices were Prime Rib etc. THere were also things like chicken pot pie and most nights there was a fish selection. My In laws are big Salmon eaters and they had salmon several times and said it was excellent.

Sharing - if more than one person at the table orders the same thing, they will bring it in a bowl or platter. For example one night everyone at the table beside us ordered baked potatoes so the waiter brought a platter with 4 baked potatoes. One night 3 of us ordered mashed potatoes so it came in a bowl with enough for 3. However, they are very accommodating so if you said you did not want it served to you that way, it would not be a problem.

Most of the old selections are gone with the exception of a few standards like Caesar Salad and Warm Chocolate Melting cake.

The new menu selections were great and the food was really exceptional. It came hot every night and there were really only a couple of dishes I didn't li be cause out of all the apps, mains and desserts I had. One was a pasta in mushroom sauce which really tasted like pasta with Campbell's mushroom soup poured over top. The other was the spring rolls, they seemed like the frozen ones you buy at the grocery store.

My only real complaint is that on the elegant night the menu is very limited. If you are a picky eater you may have trouble finding a selection. And the dessert menu was very limited every night.

 

I am a picky eater the deserts I do not really care about because I'm not a desert guy but the main dishes I hope they have a good selection especially fish and low fat items. I will be going on the Liberty in April so I'll see for myself.

 

Gary