$8 charge for an extra dining night at Chibang/Cucina/pig and Anchor?

[mz-s]

10 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

True, but the MDR requires a reservation and they are treated as additional places to eat that are included on the Excel Class ships.

It's just another way for Carnival to chip away at their billions in debt one cruiser at a time.

 

They have to quit adding to it before they can chip away at it.

[Colorado Beach Bum]

We’ve been to Chibang at least twice on each of our four MG cruises and very much enjoy it.  That being said, it isn’t much of an upgrade from MDR, it’s just different.  The $8 is so minimal this doesn’t make much since unless people are having a hard time getting in this restaurant.  We really enjoy all the different choices on the Excel class ships.  With MDR experience not changing much ever and the same on every ship, these new choices gave us a reason to keep sailing with Carnival.

[Thenagers]

1 hour ago, Jamman54 said:

Once a week at Chibang is enough for us. It's okay, but certainly not Jiji's, and not even going to mention the Mexican side. 😎

Totally agree!

[Illbcruzn4life]

2 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Once a week at Chibang is enough for us. It's okay, but certainly not Jiji's, and not even going to mention the Mexican side. 😎

Please mention the Mexican side. Going on Celebration this weekend and I’d really like to know.😊

[Jamman54]

Just now, Illbcruzn4life said:

Please mention the Mexican side. Going on Celebration this weekend and I’d really like to know.😊

Not good in my opinion, but remember that food is subjective, so you might find it quite good. You won't know until you try it. 

[kwokpot]

30 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Please mention the Mexican side. Going on Celebration this weekend and I’d really like to know.😊

Whatever you do DON'T order the Chicken Mole.

[Illbcruzn4life]

37 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

Not good in my opinion, but remember that food is subjective, so you might find it quite good. You won't know until you try it. 

Thank you, enough said.👍🏻

[Illbcruzn4life]

11 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Whatever you do DON'T order the Chicken Mole.

Duly noted, thanks!

[sunshower9]

18 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Whatever you do DON'T order the Chicken Mole.

I made that mistake my first time at Chibang.  It was horrible.  Zero flavor.

 

I really enjoy Chibang for lunch, but not so much for dinner.  The first time I had Mexican and it was blah.  The second time I had Chinese and it was okay, but light years away from Jiji.  I can't ever see myself eating dinner there more than once per cruise (if at all), so I don't care about them charging for it.

[iria64]

I have been on the MG once... did Chibang and Cucina twice.  The food was ok but not great.  I think we only had an extended wait for Cucina once and that was because we were late making the reservation.  As for Pig&Anchor... I would not eat there again.  The food did not appeal to us and the service was very, very slow.  We did not eat in the MDR at all that week.

[Colorado Beach Bum]

56 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

Not good in my opinion, but remember that food is subjective, so you might find it quite good. You won't know until you try it. 

Yes, subjective. I’ve actually enjoyed many of the Mexican dishes.  The steak was much better than MDR, tacos and nachos satisfying.  As has been said, it’s not up scale like the typical pay venues but comparable to MDR but different than the same tired menu there. 

[Astromaid]

We loved ChiBang on Celebration. went there twice, we did not think as highly of the Italian restaurant. I will admit we prefer the Asian choices better. We considered excellent: pot stickers, chicken spring rolls, lettuce wraps, beef and brocolli (my husband's favorite meal),Singapore chili shrimp, hakka noodles, broccoli, super loaded nachos, queso fundito. Good to very good: egg drop soup, kung pau chicken. Not good: pascado frito (too much breading), yucca (yucky, never had it before, never again)

[Illbcruzn4life]

1 hour ago, iria64 said:

I have been on the MG once... did Chibang and Cucina twice.  The food was ok but not great.  I think we only had an extended wait for Cucina once and that was because we were late making the reservation.  As for Pig&Anchor... I would not eat there again.  The food did not appeal to us and the service was very, very slow.  We did not eat in the MDR at all that week.

I'm with you with the Pig and Anchor. Ate there on the Horizon and the brisket was very dry and the service slow to nonexistent. This was right after covid and they were short staffed which would account for the service but the food was not to my liking and I eat just about anything.

[Thenagers]

1 hour ago, Astromaid said:

We loved ChiBang on Celebration. went there twice, we did not think as highly of the Italian restaurant. I will admit we prefer the Asian choices better. We considered excellent: pot stickers, chicken spring rolls, lettuce wraps, beef and brocolli (my husband's favorite meal),Singapore chili shrimp, hakka noodles, broccoli, super loaded nachos, queso fundito. Good to very good: egg drop soup, kung pau chicken. Not good: pascado frito (too much breading), yucca (yucky, never had it before, never again)

We ate a Cucina 2 times on Mardis Gras. The only thing we really liked at chibang was the chicken egg rolls and the lychee cocktail! My daughter ate all off the Mexican side and it wasn’t good. She actually said Blue iguana better? I had kung pao chicken. Flavor was good but chicken kinda chewy? I just don’t think i would pay extra for chibang?  I really liked the pistachio pasta at Cucina and the short rib. Definitely could get other non Italian food if you didn’t want pasta. Pork chop looked good as well. We ate at all the pay restaurants on Mardis Gras(Teppanyaki,Steakhouse, Rudis and Emirils) Ineould definitely spend the $8 pp towards one of those restaurants before eating at Chibang again? 

[kwokpot]

5 minutes ago, Thenagers said:

pistachio pasta at Cucina

I LOVED that but they did away with it!!!☹️

[jimbo5544]

5 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

They are not really specialty restaurants.  Chibang and Jiji's only have a few items that are identical like the spring rolls and the menus at Cucina on the Excel Class versus the Vista Class are different as well.

I would gladly pay 18.00 pp for Jiji's or the non Excel locations of Cucina.  Would not pay 8.00 pp for a second visit to Chibang.  One dinner and two lunches there over the course of a week is fine.

So the options are a good thing.  We agree

[CruizinSusan70]

4 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Please mention the Mexican side. Going on Celebration this weekend and I’d really like to know.😊

The food is better at Blue Iguana.

[Thenagers]

4 hours ago, kwokpot said:

I LOVED that but they did away with it!!!☹️

They had it 2 weeks ago! Had it on 2 nights! Once as an appetizer 

[Thenagers]

1 hour ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

The food is better at Blue Iguana.

Totally agree! And no surcharge:)

[kwokpot]

1 minute ago, Thenagers said:

They had it 2 weeks ago! Had it on 2 nights! Once as an appetizer 

I was on the Celebration in November and it wasn't on the menu at Cucina. 

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

I was on the Celebration in November and it wasn't on the menu at Cucina. 

It isn't on Celebration. It is on Mardi Gras.

[kwokpot]

4 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

It isn't on Celebration. It is on Mardi Gras.

That's interesting they have different offerings between the two ships. I had thought they did away with that dish on both ships. Glad that wasn't the case.

Funny story about something similar that happened to me on Celebrity. I know the menus by heart of one of the MDRs on Celebrity's E-Class ships. When I was on the Beyond last Fall, the third ship of that class, I was ordering one of the specialty desserts for that particular dining room. At least I thought I knew what the specialty dessert was. When I gave the order to the server she already had a puzzled look on her face. But she was new at her job and just wrote down what I had asked. I few minutes later she came back and asked again what I wanted for dessert, and I said the special Greek yogurt with Honey. A few minutes later the Matre D' came over to ask me to clarify what I wanted for dessert. Turns out that the dessert that I wanted, which is on the previous two other ships of this class, wasn't on the menu for the latest ship of this class. I apologized profusely and was genuinely embarrassed! 

[BlerkOne]

1 minute ago, kwokpot said:

That's interesting they have different offerings between the two ships. I had thought they did away with that dish on both ships. Glad that wasn't the case.

 

A feature of Cucina:

 

il capitano ’s signature dish
Each Cucina Del Capitano also features a signature entrée
inspired by the Captain’s treasured family recipe that’s been
handled down for generations. And while each dish is different,
rest assured it’s a mouth-watering Italian classic that we are sure
your family will enjoy!

 

 

for example, on Celebration

Rigatoni Ncasciata alla Siciliana
Is the favorite comfort food of Carnival Celebration’s
Inaugural Captain Vincenzo Alcaras. Made with
Captain’s own Sicilian recipe for a hearty Bolognese
Ragu with generous amount of ham and eggplant
cooked in olive oil and layered with parmesan and
mozzarella. A baked pasta that captures the warmth
and hospitality of the Sicily.

 

on Mardi Gras

Farfalle Al Pistachio

A favorite dish of Mardi Gras’ inaugural Captain,

Giuseppe Giusa, this recipe has been handed down

over several generations and today it is known the

world over. Captain Giusa’s wife, “Giusy” Giuseppina,

frequently prepares this traditional and delicious dish

with a pesto of pistachios and herbs laced with

bacon, extra virgin olive oil and white wine, topped

with toasted pistachios.

[BlerkOne]

8 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

You are going to go down that road again with the bribe stuff?

 

You make diamond on Royal and you get 4 free drinks a day. So not a bribe, just a perk from their loyalty program.

You used to get more than 4 before the Royal cutbacks, but I digress. Perks are bribes.

[Thenagers]

2 hours ago, kwokpot said:

I was on the Celebration in November and it wasn't on the menu at Cucina. 

Each ship has a •special “ pasta for the captain. My understanding is it is different at Cucina de captinano? The pistachio pasta is only on Mardis Gras?