Afternoon Tea Time is No More

[maryann2]

Thanks Froufie and others who have contacted John.

Will let you know what happens on The Pride TA.

[Froufie]

Just now, maryann2 said:

Thanks Froufie and others who have contacted John.

Will let you know what happens on The Pride TA.

Will be looking forward to news and pics of the 'girls' having teatime on the Pride - please lift a 'pinky' for me?  🙂

 

[maryann2]

1 minute ago, Froufie said:

Will be looking forward to news and pics of the 'girls' having teatime on the Pride - please lift a 'pinky' for me?  🙂

 

Will do. Wish you were sailing with us. Not long until the Celebration TA.!

[mz-s]

23 minutes ago, Froufie said:

I did write on John Heald's FB page about my sadness about the 'disappearance' of teatimes as as noted here is his response - glad to see that this is somewhat 'temporary' and that transatlantics won't be affected!

 

Hello, well it has been stopped on cruises of six days and less. And it’s because of staff shortages, it’s that simple United States State Department are months behind an issuing fees for crew members in the industry and this means that we have to rotate our crew differently than normal. However on the transatlantic cruises that you mentioned it will still be possible. However there are some ships where we have to let the crew rest before dinner and again this will come back once we have a full complement of crew. I hope you understand, we certainly understand how popular it is and it is our full intention to return this as soon as possible to all the ships. Thanks so much, no need to be sad because you’re going to have the very very best of times

 

It's just a shame that things like this have to be a surprise. If the company was more outgoing with changes, I know I would be more accepting and understanding.

[sanmarcosman]

17 minutes ago, maryann2 said:

Thanks Froufie and others who have contacted John.

Will let you know what happens on The Pride TA.

Oh, and thanks to the OP for bringing the matter up in the first place 🙂 

[Tradestock]

6 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

Navy chow is definitely better than army chow.

Husband says, "G.I. grits, G.I. gravy, Gee I wish I joined the Navy."  Since we are on the shorter cruises, we will be replacing tea time with Long Island Iced tea time as we inch closer to our 15 limit.🤪  Thank you for the answers and hope it returns quickly.

[Bollycats]

I found pretty paper tea cups and saucers on amazon. We will get sandwiches and cookies and desserts from the buffet and then stop at the coffee bar for our fancy tea and take them and sit on our balcony and have our own private tea.

[maryann2]

On 4/12/2022 at 6:03 PM, sanmarcosman said:

The Afternoon Tea Time at 3pm with its military table for veterans has been cut fleet wide by Carnival. SAD!

Thank you OP for bringing this to our attention.😇

[maryann2]

1 hour ago, Bollycats said:

I found pretty paper tea cups and saucers on amazon. We will get sandwiches and cookies and desserts from the buffet and then stop at the coffee bar for our fancy tea and take them and sit on our balcony and have our own private tea.

Sorry,  not the same ambience.

It's really not about the food but about the company one meets at teatime.

[lennythenose]

1 hour ago, maryann2 said:

Sorry,  not the same ambience.

It's really not about the food but about the company one meets at teatime.

That’s what I love about cruising…something for everyone. My favorite tea time onboard was several years when it was in the piano bar and I was able to sit at a small table by myself. The main reason I haven’t gone on my last couple of cruises is because I just don’t want to have to make small talk with strangers. Sometimes I’m ok with it and other times not do much. But I still have plenty to choose from. I do hope they bring it back though…I love scones and clotted cream. 

[TravelGirlinDallas]

33 minutes ago, lennythenose said:

I just don’t want to have to make small talk with strangers.

Same here, my husband and I love tea time but prefer to sit by ourselves. I was so glad when cruise lines started offering the anytime dining where you can sit alone instead of at a huge table with strangers.

[cellfree]

17 minutes ago, TravelGirlinDallas said:

Same here, my husband and I love tea time but prefer to sit by ourselves. I was so glad when cruise lines started offering the anytime dining where you can sit alone instead of at a huge table with strangers.

Feel the same way, just the two of us, relax and have tea, and I love the scones, I go for the scones, husband tries almost everything. I have even enjoyed “Tea Time” by myself sitting at a table alone and reading a book. Hopefully it is still on seven plus night cruises. 

[LandlockedCruiser01]

It's no secret that Carnival is known as the "Walmart Cruise Line".  Well, I used to counter-argue that it was more like the "Target Cruise Line": cheap and mildly trashy, but just classy enough to win over old-school cruisers.  It had the "fun ships" elements, but maintained a classy vibe somehow.  Well, with the tea time gone, the filet mignon replaced with shoe leather steak, and all its paper menus replaced with QR codes, Carnival is now the "FAMILY DOLLAR Cruise Line", easily the trashiest dollar store chain. 

 

I'm done with them for good!  It's been a good run, but they kicked me out as a customer.  I'm migrating to Norwegian.

Edited April 15, 2022 by LandlockedCruiser01

[SNJCruisers]

On 4/12/2022 at 7:31 PM, rainbowflag said:

 19 hour a day pizza are sad reminders that Carnival continues to decline.

800 am to 300 am ?

[SNJCruisers]

12 minutes ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

 

I'm done with them for good!  It's been a good run, but they kicked me out as a customer.  I'm migrating to Norwegian.

Well, with 3 cruises over the past 10 years according to your signature, they will not miss you.  Enjoy NCL, the home of nickel and dimeing.

[icft]

6 minutes ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

It's no secret that Carnival is known as the "Walmart Cruise Line".  Well, I used to counter-argue that it was more like the "Target Cruise Line": cheap and mildly trashy, but just classy enough to win over old-school cruisers.  It had the "fun ships" elements, but maintained a classy vibe somehow.  Well, with the tea time gone, the filet mignon replaced with shoe leather steak, and all its paper menus replaced with QR codes, Carnival is now the "FAMILY DOLLAR Cruise Line", easily the trashiest dollar store chain. 

 

I'm done with them for good!  It's been a good run, but they kicked me out as a customer.  I'm migrating to Norwegian.

At times we have similar thoughts, but the crews keep us coming back. Yes, corporate management is trying to destroy the experience by slowly eliminating everything not necessary for human survival, but the crew makes what is left still worth it to us.

 

We just got back from our fifth cruise on the Glory since reopening. The crew has been essentially the same people the whole time with most heading home for vacation for the first time later this month or next. When we set foot on our stateroom's hallway our steward, who we have had four of the five cruises, ran up and hugged us. When we went to the casino shortly before it opened the first day our favorite waiter came up, greeted us and got our folio numbers for this trip so he wouldn't have to ask when the casino opened. Many times random crew members passing us on the deck would greet us by name.

 

As long as management doesn't kill the spirit of the crew, we can scrounge enough edible food to survive, the drinks are there and the casino is not a complete rip-off we will probably stay on the fun ships rather than the sleep ships.

 

 

[Joe817]

Well put icft! Well put! 👍 You have accurately captured the spirit of cruising! Thank you!

[WhaleTailFlCruiser]

Never went so it honestly doesn’t bother me that it’s gone

[WhaleTailFlCruiser]

3 hours ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

It's no secret that Carnival is known as the "Walmart Cruise Line".  Well, I used to counter-argue that it was more like the "Target Cruise Line": cheap and mildly trashy, but just classy enough to win over old-school cruisers.  It had the "fun ships" elements, but maintained a classy vibe somehow.  Well, with the tea time gone, the filet mignon replaced with shoe leather steak, and all its paper menus replaced with QR codes, Carnival is now the "FAMILY DOLLAR Cruise Line", easily the trashiest dollar store chain. 

 

I'm done with them for good!  It's been a good run, but they kicked me out as a customer.  I'm migrating to Norwegian.

Fine with the rest of us, 🤷🏼‍♂️ Go enjoy NCL and we will continue enjoying carnival

[Joebucks]

I'm always fascinated by the way people think. Getting pizza between 3AM-8AM may have never been something they would ever have wanted, but the fear of missing out on it is enough for them to lose their mind. Meanwhile, I am overwhelmed with food options on the newer ships.

 

I enjoyed teatime. I am hopeful it will eventually return. It's not enough to make me stop cruising. Especially to a line that also may not have even had teatime in the first place....

[mom2tcdx2]

Well in 14 Carnival cruises I have never been to tea time, so not sure that I will miss it.  Honestly I don't miss those chocolates on my pillow either.  Pizza I don't believe I have ever gone to get later than perhaps 1 am, so closing part of the night seems ok to me.  Would however have loved to see longer hours, or later night hours on the guys burgers and the tacos/burritos.  

 

As for other lines, they are all cutting something if you go visit each lines boards.  I personally find the lines way more similar than I do different.  

[DTL321]

This is gonna break my mother-in-law's heart! She was so excited for tea time on our upcoming cruise. We weren't the biggest fan of tea time on the Magic a few months ago, albeit, we were comparing it to HAL. We tempered her expectations and she still was so excited to go! This will be her first Carnival Cruise... also we had sold her on Sea Day Brunch with the delicious steak.. uh-oh.

 

I am sure we will have a good cruise no matter what.

[Pyxie]

1 hour ago, DTL321 said:

This is gonna break my mother-in-law's heart! She was so excited for tea time on our upcoming cruise. We weren't the biggest fan of tea time on the Magic a few months ago, albeit, we were comparing it to HAL. We tempered her expectations and she still was so excited to go! This will be her first Carnival Cruise... also we had sold her on Sea Day Brunch with the delicious steak.. uh-oh.

 

I am sure we will have a good cruise no matter what.

 

How long is your sailing? It's only going away on 6 day sailings or less.

[tampabrat22]

I love tea time and have missed it on a few of our past cruises, but some people just want too much. Cruise rates are some of the cheapest I have ever seen them in the past 20+ years, they are practically giving them away. They lost revenue for 2 years and are short staffed, they are doing what they can to survive and keep the ships running. If not getting a filet at breakfast, reduced pizza hours or limited tea time is enough to make you never want to sail with them again there are plenty of cruise lines to choose from. It's like going to Cracker Barrel expecting a 3* Michelin experience.🙄

[leen50]

On 4/13/2022 at 10:56 PM, Froufie said:

THIS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED!  Teatime is sacred - and fun and something we always looked forward to on seadays - say it isn't so!!! 😞

 

Froufie, I loved it on the inaugural Horizon TA. We had such a wonderful time.