Never thought I would say this.....

[Raysgirl]

I know this is an old post, but I was asked to give an update when I went on my cruise on NCL, being my first on a cruise line other than Carnival.   Well I have to say that I had a wonderful time.   We sailed on the Encore at full capacity.  There was no shortage of staff.   I never waited more than a few minutes at any of the bars for a drink.   There were always clean tables to be found to sit and have a cup of tea or have something to eat.  It was nice to have sit down free restaurants where you are served, other than just the buffet or counter service.   The food portions are normal size, like going to dinner on land.  My New York strip in the main dining room was an inch to inch and half thick, not 1/2 inch thick like on Carnival.   Our stateroom was clean and comfortable.  For having 4500 passengers, it never felt crowded.  I do have one more cruise on Carnival in September on the Celebration, but moving forward I think NCL will be our cruise line of choice.

[Jeafl]

On 11/10/2022 at 12:50 AM, notscb said:

 

I didn't really give a strict reason why they're doing it, other than my own view. There's very, very clear economic reasons for doing it as well (from the cruise lines perspective). Every decision that's made in this (and every) industry is for their bottom line- in this case, ordering less (possibly), storing less and having to throw out and process less.

I'm guessing it is because of people like the guy we had at our table last time who had ELEVEN lobster tails on elegant night.  All of the sides that came with the lobster went uneaten.  The amount of wasted food was unreal.  Not to mention that his having the waiter go back and forth to get him 10 extra entrees delayed everyone else's dinner.

[mz-s]

8 minutes ago, Jeafl said:

I'm guessing it is because of people like the guy we had at our table last time who had ELEVEN lobster tails on elegant night.  All of the sides that came with the lobster went uneaten.  The amount of wasted food was unreal.  Not to mention that his having the waiter go back and forth to get him 10 extra entrees delayed everyone else's dinner.

 

You should see how much food is wasted in the galley that never even reaches guests! Hopefully they've gotten better but yes there is a lot of fish food being made.

 

I wonder how many thousands of photos they printed on your cruise, simply to throw them away as well?

[mom2tcdx2]

35 minutes ago, Jeafl said:

I'm guessing it is because of people like the guy we had at our table last time who had ELEVEN lobster tails on elegant night.  All of the sides that came with the lobster went uneaten.  The amount of wasted food was unreal.  Not to mention that his having the waiter go back and forth to get him 10 extra entrees delayed everyone else's dinner.

My dad can do several of the lobster tails and he doesn't want all the broccoli etc, even when he asked the staff to just put the lobster tails on one plate and NO sides they still brought them on multiple plates and with all the sides.  So even when you attempt to not have them bring you something you won't eat, you still get it.  

 

[icft]

6 hours ago, Raysgirl said:

I know this is an old post, but I was asked to give an update when I went on my cruise on NCL, being my first on a cruise line other than Carnival.   Well I have to say that I had a wonderful time.   We sailed on the Encore at full capacity.  There was no shortage of staff.   I never waited more than a few minutes at any of the bars for a drink.   There were always clean tables to be found to sit and have a cup of tea or have something to eat.  It was nice to have sit down free restaurants where you are served, other than just the buffet or counter service.   The food portions are normal size, like going to dinner on land.  My New York strip in the main dining room was an inch to inch and half thick, not 1/2 inch thick like on Carnival.   Our stateroom was clean and comfortable.  For having 4500 passengers, it never felt crowded.  I do have one more cruise on Carnival in September on the Celebration, but moving forward I think NCL will be our cruise line of choice.

Thanks for the update. We are in the process of moving mostly to NCL having only cruised Carnival since 2001. We haven't done more than book with NCL yet so your feedback is encouraging.

[Rudyard]

We initially booked Allure for later this year because we wanted an itinerary with Roatan and it was actually cheaper than Vista. Granted, the onboard experience will be more expensive, but we knew that going in. Looking back on my decision I'm glad I did it as it's been almost a decade since we cruised with anyone else and it'll be nice to compare the two. From reading over on the Royal board, they seem to be complaining about a lot of the same things that Carnival cruisers are upset about. 

[BlerkOne]

10 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

You should see how much food is wasted in the galley that never even reaches guests! Hopefully they've gotten better but yes there is a lot of fish food being made.

According to some, they just feed it to the crew later.

 

10 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

I wonder how many thousands of photos they printed on your cruise, simply to throw them away as well?

I don't pose for pictures so I contribute nothing to that number. If someone is concerned about picture waste, perhaps they should stop posing for pictures?

 

[BlerkOne]

6 hours ago, Rudyard said:

 From reading over on the Royal board, they seem to be complaining about a lot of the same things that Carnival cruisers are upset about. 

Looking at other boards, I sometimes even see the same people complaining about the same things. 😉

[csm5986142]

13 hours ago, Raysgirl said:

I know this is an old post, but I was asked to give an update when I went on my cruise on NCL, being my first on a cruise line other than Carnival. 

 

I hope you will come back and reply again after your cruise on Celebration.  In our recent experience, we have found the individual ship to be just as important as the cruise line.  There are some Carnival ships we will not sail on again, but others we really like.  If you haven't been on an Excel class ship yet, it will be unlike anything you've experienced on Carnival before.  

[BlerkOne]

On 11/9/2022 at 8:59 PM, notscb said:

 

FWIW, I think this plan is an excellent plan and will help Carnival curb food waste that cruise lines are so well known for. The up-charge if you want a third entree is only $5 for the entree itself, and you can still have as many appetizers and desserts as you want (as well as the other included options around the ship).

 

IMHO, moves like this are going to be much more common among the entire industry. Even if Carnival were to enforce it on all of its brands, it would ultimately set a precedent for other lines to do the same.

$5 for an extra lobster is cheap. Celebrity wants at least 3 times that for each lobster after 1 and they are no bigger.

[Pellaz]

10 hours ago, Jeafl said:

I'm guessing it is because of people like the guy we had at our table last time who had ELEVEN lobster tails on elegant night. 

 

Only eleven?   Feh.   That's amateur-level.   😄  

 

Way back in c. 2012, the chef de cuisine aboard Imagination (may she r.i.p.) told us that the record for lobster tails in one sitting on that ship was EIGHTEEN.   

--And the fleetwide record was....  TWENTY-TWO.  😮   

 

[This is not a call for action.  Please exercise safe mastication, and only with a responsible adult present.  California mileage probably lower.  Please do not attempt to move a boarding train.]  

 

Edited April 4, 2023 by Pellaz

[icft]

39 minutes ago, Pellaz said:

 

 

 

...[This is not a call for action.  Please exercise safe mastication, and only with a responsible adult present.  California mileage probably lower.  Please do not attempt to move a boarding train.]  

 

If there were anyone present I would either not masticate or not need to...

Edited April 4, 2023 by icft

[mz-s]

5 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

I don't pose for pictures so I contribute nothing to that number. If someone is concerned about picture waste, perhaps they should stop posing for pictures?

 

I don’t, nor have I ever ordered more than 2 entrees. Some on this forum are absolutely obsessed with the way their fellow cruisers eat, dress, etc.

[carrieluvsgreg]

On 11/9/2022 at 4:58 PM, MichiganFisherman said:

I couldn't even imagine limiting myself to carnival after 15 cruises with so many other better choices. I'll never understand why people are scared to branch out and climb higher in the tree. That's like only eating a ham sandwich at a local truck stop for every meal because it's OK and safe. 

I typically go by the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mind set.  If I have taken 14 Carnival cruises and have been satisfied with my experience, itinerary and value, why mess that up?  We are boarding cruise number 15 with Carnival (next week) in the last 20 years and have had amazing experiences including most of the Caribbean ports, one relocation trip, Panama, Mediterranean, and next Mexican Riviera.  We started with Carnival because it was a good value for our money and we still feel that way 20 years later.  I have cruised once with Disney and nothing about that trip swayed me away from Carnival.  We aren't opposed to sailing with another line and have priced it out many times.  So far we have not found a trip that offers anything to make a switch.  When we have more time to cruise, Holland America has many itineraries that interest us, but until then, I'm not sure we will branch out...

[BrotherCraig]

On 11/9/2022 at 2:56 PM, Raysgirl said:

I never thought I would say this, but after 15 Carnival cruises I am trying another cruise line.    We have been on 3 Carnival cruises since the restart and even though we enjoyed ourselves (a cruise is what you make of it) we are very disappointed with all the cut backs and poor service.   We knew there would be staffing issues when they first restarted and had to get back in the groove, but at this point things should be back to normal.  I think they are putting all their focus on the new ships and just leaving the older ones behind.  We have encountered slow bar services, slow dining room service with cold food and so so entertainment. Now they are nickel and diming you with their increases for things on the ship and an extra charge if you order 3 entrees.   I know 3 entrees sounds like a lot, but look at the portions they give you, they are not very big.  I have not totally given up on Carnival, I have 2 cruises currently booked, 1 for 2023 and 1 for 2024  (I just cancelled another one for 2023 to try the other cruise line) but I would like to see if the other cruise lines are experiencing the same issue.  Is anyone else disappointed on how things are going?

 

 

Folks in the Royal Caribbean groups are saying the same thing.  

[BlerkOne]

9 hours ago, mz-s said:

I don’t, nor have I ever ordered more than 2 entrees.

I've never complained about portions being too small. I think they are just right.

 

9 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

Some on this forum are absolutely obsessed with the way their fellow cruisers eat, dress, etc.

I'm not one of those, but appreciate diversity in everything. I know one size doesn't fit all and that the universe doesn't revolve around me. Carnival can't please everyone al the time and they know it.

[Squirreladd]

I think Carnival should allow its loyalty to be shared between brands. If someone is tired of Carnival they are more likely to try princess then celebrity knowing their loyalty will be honored on princess and not on Celebrity. 

[BlerkOne]

18 minutes ago, Squirreladd said:

I think Carnival should allow its loyalty to be shared between brands. If someone is tired of Carnival they are more likely to try princess then celebrity knowing their loyalty will be honored on princess and not on Celebrity. 

You risk running off loyal Princess cruisers that earned their status on Princess and don't want it diluted further. Besides, the Princess loyalty program is based on sea days OR number of cruises. It's a no brainer to pick Princess over Celebrity.

[pe4all]

8 hours ago, Squirreladd said:

I think Carnival should allow its loyalty to be shared between brands. If someone is tired of Carnival they are more likely to try princess then celebrity knowing their loyalty will be honored on princess and not on Celebrity. 

We would definitely try HAL or Princess if they shared status within the Carnival brands.

[sailawaykaye]

We are Platinum on Carnival. We are 50 days from Diamond. We have decided that it’s time to move on. Luckily we were able to get a “status match” on Virgin Voyages. We are doing a TA on the Valiant Lady in October. 
 

With a Loyalty Match program, all tips included, all specialty dining included, a $600 bar tab credit and 2nd sailor 50% off, made it super easy to drop Carnival.

[jsglow]

8 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

You risk running off loyal Princess cruisers that earned their status on Princess and don't want it diluted further. Besides, the Princess loyalty program is based on sea days OR number of cruises. It's a no brainer to pick Princess over Celebrity.

I've never thought it should be an exact point for point situation.  But I do think Carnival Corp. needs to find a way to keep loyal customers in house.  I know that a new 'guest loyalty' employee was recently hired and trust working this all out is his responsibility. 

 

We have every expectation of giving HAL some of our business in the next 2-3 years.  We shouldn't show up as Blue Cards.  Frankly, perhaps 'cross pollination' at 50% could begin at Plat and increase to 100% at Diamond, for example. 

[pc_load_letter]

On 4/3/2023 at 8:19 AM, Raysgirl said:

I know this is an old post, but I was asked to give an update when I went on my cruise on NCL, being my first on a cruise line other than Carnival.   Well I have to say that I had a wonderful time.   We sailed on the Encore at full capacity.  There was no shortage of staff.   I never waited more than a few minutes at any of the bars for a drink.   There were always clean tables to be found to sit and have a cup of tea or have something to eat.  It was nice to have sit down free restaurants where you are served, other than just the buffet or counter service.   The food portions are normal size, like going to dinner on land.  My New York strip in the main dining room was an inch to inch and half thick, not 1/2 inch thick like on Carnival.   Our stateroom was clean and comfortable.  For having 4500 passengers, it never felt crowded.  I do have one more cruise on Carnival in September on the Celebration, but moving forward I think NCL will be our cruise line of choice.

 

I would sail the Breakaway Plus class if they were more common in socal. We sailed Bliss last Thanksgiving and the wife and I loved it. Such a breath of fresh air from Carnival. I didn't miss Guys or any of the other fast casual eating spots at all.

[BlerkOne]

3 hours ago, jsglow said:

I've never thought it should be an exact point for point situation.  But I do think Carnival Corp. needs to find a way to keep loyal customers in house.  I know that a new 'guest loyalty' employee was recently hired and trust working this all out is his responsibility. 

The main change Carnival makes to the loyalty program is replacing the manager for the program every other year.

 

3 hours ago, jsglow said:

 

We have every expectation of giving HAL some of our business in the next 2-3 years.  We shouldn't show up as Blue Cards.  Frankly, perhaps 'cross pollination' at 50% could begin at Plat and increase to 100% at Diamond, for example. 

 

I think about the best anyone can expect might be a one time preview for Diamonds on Princess. Or perhaps a random selection. Carnival is so much bigger than the other cruise lines and could easily overwhelm the ships and ship resources. And I can see Princess having a one time on HAL, etc.

 

I think corporate wide Carnival wants cruisers who like particular brands, and not cruisers who cruise for benefits.

[jsglow]

I do think they do a good job corporately @BlerkOne of distinguishing their product offerings and I think that's good.  A cruise on Princess is materially different than a cruise on Carnival.  It's one of the things that makes me chuckle when I hear 'Why can't Carnival do this like they do it on XYZ?'  Umm, go on XYZ.  We are looking forward to seeing how HAL fits us, especially with what seems like a trend away from the 'rest home' focus and more toward live music that's 'so loud I have to turn down my hearing aids'.  😆 

Edited April 5, 2023 by jsglow

[mz-s]

I don't think Carnival Corp brands need to status match between each other necessarily. If I'm Gold on CCL I don't need to be the equivalent on Cunard or Princess on day 1. But some sort of recognition of your past guest status would be nice. A free bottle of wine on the first night of your first crossover voyage or some sort of gesture.

 

Other lines will match my CCL status to win my business, why won't Carnival Corp brands give me some recognition if they want my dollars to remain in their coffers when I'm done with CCL.

Edited April 5, 2023 by mz-s