It’s been 10 years since I cruised on Carnival. This is the change which bothered me the most

[mfs2k]

1 hour ago, sparks1093 said:

Kind of neutral on this one. Not a big fan of having to carry my phone onboard, but I do like having the schedule at my finger tips (including the schedule for the entire cruise), being able to flag the events I want to do without a highlighter. I do like being able to order food to my location wherever I am on the ship. I do like being able to get in line before even showing up to a venue. And having the menu for the week available allows me to choose what night, if any, we want to dine in another venue. So, I guess I'm not neutral, since the pros out weight the cons for me and mine. 

I dont disagree with any of those things.  The app is extremely useful.  My original post was about using the phone as a menu, having to take it out for dinner, and being "almost" required to make a reservation for breakfast unless you want to have the Maitre D' glaring at you for not following the procedure and getting put on the list by the host.   (not so hard to do but apprently from their attitudes, it's the worst thing )

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, sparks1093 said:

Kind of neutral on this one. Not a big fan of having to carry my phone onboard, but I do like having the schedule at my finger tips (including the schedule for the entire cruise), being able to flag the events I want to do without a highlighter. I do like being able to order food to my location wherever I am on the ship. I do like being able to get in line before even showing up to a venue. And having the menu for the week available allows me to choose what night, if any, we want to dine in another venue. So, I guess I'm not neutral, since the pros out weight the cons for me and mine. 

It has been interesting to watch it evolve.  People by definition are reticent to accept change.  Of course, there will be a minority to embrace it and a like size that does not.  The majority have grown to accept (rather than embrace) it.  All good.  The facts are that it offers more options available to cruisers.  All the negative fluff is just that, fluff.  The enhancement is not going away, and if some ruffle their feathers and claim they will never sail again….so be it.

[jimbo5544]

32 minutes ago, jeblack1 said:

I get this....I'm 42 and my wife and I both would prefer a paper menu.  Like you mentioned, I know you can request one, but it is something I have expected as a permanent change.  It also seems the expectation is that you know what you want as soon as you sit down as the server seems immediately ready to take your order. 

I always want coffee with my dessert (prefer it immediately after finished with my meal), however it seems to arrive ½way through dessert or not at all.  I sort of blame this issue on having no menus and ordering everything up front.  Almost like they have to go get the coffee or serve the desserts that are just sitting there.

While we are not talking 1st world problems here, having the ability to choose food options electronically has nothing to do with ordering, food timing, telling your wait staff your preferences for dessert of beverages.  Nothing has changed, at least in my view…

[sparks1093]

31 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

I dont disagree with any of those things.  The app is extremely useful.  My original post was about using the phone as a menu, having to take it out for dinner, and being "almost" required to make a reservation for breakfast unless you want to have the Maitre D' glaring at you for not following the procedure and getting put on the list by the host.   (not so hard to do but apprently from their attitudes, it's the worst thing )

I get it, I don't like having my phone at the dinner table, either (DW and our youngest just went out to dinner and as I got out of the car I jokingly said "I better take my phone since I won't have anything to do while we wait for the food" because they both had their phones). But like everything else we have to take the good and not so good together and somehow make it work. 

Edited Thursday at 12:31 PM by sparks1093

[Drazil65]

It also seems the expectation is that you know what you want as soon as you sit down as the server seems immediately ready to take your order. 

 

I get it as it may appear to be a little rushed/hurried than it has in the past but we have mitigated that issue by checking the menus at some point earlier each day.  If you do not want to check your phone for the menu of the day you can also stop by the venue of choice and take a look at the offerings beforehand. They post the menus outside the restaurants early on.  

 

We find we are typically in the vicinity of  MDR or other eating venues through out the day and it is easy to take a look. That being said we have never had issues with requesting and receiving a paper menu if needed.   

[angelsfort]

32 minutes ago, Drazil65 said:

It also seems the expectation is that you know what you want as soon as you sit down as the server seems immediately ready to take your order. 

 

I get it as it may appear to be a little rushed/hurried than it has in the past but we have mitigated that issue by checking the menus at some point earlier each day.  If you do not want to check your phone for the menu of the day you can also stop by the venue of choice and take a look at the offerings beforehand. They post the menus outside the restaurants early on.  

 

We find we are typically in the vicinity of  MDR or other eating venues through out the day and it is easy to take a look. That being said we have never had issues with requesting and receiving a paper menu if needed.   

 

I find it amusing that they try to rush you to get your food order in...  as the last few cruises I've been on, our tablemates (MDR early seating) were ALWAYS late.  Some by just 10-15 minutes but others by a good 30-45 minutes - and they still got sat and were still able to order.  Our last cruise we were at a table for 10 (5 separate couples) and not once did any of our table mates arrive on time, the majority were at least 30 minutes late.
 

I keep hearing people say that if you're too late they won't seat you but I haven't seen that in action!!  (of course, with my Irish luck, if I was ever late to the MDR I betcha I'd be turned away!!)
 

[mfs2k]

 

It really comes down to what you are looking for.

 

If it's important to you to have more of a fine dining, dinner experience, and you want to be presented a menu when you arrive; given time to select your appetizer and entree and offered a dessert and coffee menu after you finish eating, then Carnival will not deliver this experience to you. 

 

For me, this is important.  This is generally how my wife and I dine when we go out for dinner, but I'm not sure it's important enough to not sail Carnival anymore. Maybe it is... 

On Carnival, when we sailed the Med, we were on an expensive vacation.  We weren't at summer camp. I think these things I described are dining basics. 

 

As for other cruise lines, we didn't eat in the main dining room on my two recent Celebrity cruises . We ate in upgraded category dining rooms and they had the level of service I described. We sailed Virgin last year and they don't even have a main dining room.  Each dining outlet is a different kind of experience. I don't know about Royal or NCL in 2024.  Maybe someone can tell me. 

Edited Thursday at 02:18 PM by mfs2k

[jeblack1]

1 hour ago, jimbo5544 said:

While we are not talking 1st world problems here, having the ability to choose food options electronically has nothing to do with ordering, food timing, telling your wait staff your preferences for dessert of beverages.  Nothing has changed, at least in my view…

Just from my personal experience then, post covid, I no longer regularly receive coffee with my dessert despite requesting it at the same time I order everything else.  Even when I am finished with dessert I have sat there after they cleared the plates thinking there may be a delay and it doesn't arrive.
Whether it is timing or not, pre covid, had no issue, post covid, have issues.  Both 8 day cruises (so multiple times to experience the issue).   I really hate even to say it is an issue as not that big of a deal, but I like coffee with dessert.  I of course remedy this by going to lido and having second dessert with coffee.

My view, something has changed.  I take one long vacation a year and on that vacation, I do have some expectations.  I also get I can try another line and set time dining may remedy this issue, but when it is something that is an option and I take that option, I expect to receive.  It's not like I didn't ask, but once dessert is finished, I'm ready to move on with the evening and not sit around and wait on coffee that may or may not arrive.

[mfs2k]

3 minutes ago, jeblack1 said:

Just from my personal experience then, post covid, I no longer regularly receive coffee with my dessert despite requesting it at the same time I order everything else.  Even when I am finished with dessert I have sat there after they cleared the plates thinking there may be a delay and it doesn't arrive.
Whether it is timing or not, pre covid, had no issue, post covid, have issues.  Both 8 day cruises (so multiple times to experience the issue).   I really hate even to say it is an issue as not that big of a deal, but I like coffee with dessert.  I of course remedy this by going to lido and having second dessert with coffee.

My view, something has changed.  I take one long vacation a year and on that vacation, I do have some expectations.  I also get I can try another line and set time dining may remedy this issue, but when it is something that is an option and I take that option, I expect to receive.  It's not like I didn't ask, but once dessert is finished, I'm ready to move on with the evening and not sit around and wait on coffee that may or may not arrive.

 

I had the same exact issue with coffee on our cruise last week.  I asked for it nightly when I ordered, and I repeated the request when entrees were cleared but it never came with dessert.  I don't know what their problem is with coffee service, but the process is broken. 

[sparks1093]

2 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

It really comes down to what you are looking for.

 

If it's important to you to have more of a fine dining, dinner experience, and you want to be presented a menu when you arrive; given time to select your appetizer and entree and offered a dessert and coffee menu after you finish eating, then Carnival will not deliver this experience to you. 

 

For me, this is important.  This is generally how my wife and I dine when we go out for dinner, but I'm not sure it's important enough to not sail Carnival anymore. Maybe it is... 

On Carnival, when we sailed the Med, we were on an expensive vacation.  We weren't at summer camp. I think these things I described are dining basics. 

 

As for other cruise lines, we didn't eat in the main dining room on my two recent Celebrity. We ate in upgraded category dining rooms and they had the level of service I described. We sailed Virgin last year and they don't even have a main dining room.  Each dining outlet is a different kind of experience. I don't know about Royal or NCL in 2024.  Maybe someone can tell me. 

Small sample size and it was pre-COVID but we found the dining experience on Royal to be a small step above Carnival BUT not so much more so that we are willing to spend substantially more for the experience, and whenever I price a Royal cruise it is substantially more. We decide when and where we want to cruise and then I start looking for the cruise line that can get us there for the least and it has almost always been Carnival. Recently I've been adding in the things we purchase on Carnival (such as Cheers) and comparing that with those lines that offer the drink package, etc. to the price. Celebrity won that one, once, but they ended up cancelling the cruise so we didn't go. We long ago realized that we don't dine on Carnival, we eat, and we are more than okay with that.

[sparks1093]

2 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

I had the same exact issue with coffee on our cruise last week.  I asked for it nightly when I ordered, and I repeated the request when entrees were cleared but it never came with dessert.  I don't know what their problem is with coffee service, but the process is broken. 

Sounds like a waitstaff team issue and you can run into that almost anywhere.

[mfs2k]

3 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

We long ago realized that we don't dine on Carnival, we eat, and we are more than okay with that.

As long as your expectation is met, that works.  

When I go to a diner for breakfast I don't have the same expectation as when I go to a nice restauarant for dinner. 

[mfs2k]

3 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

Sounds like a waitstaff team issue and you can run into that almost anywhere.

 

If you read this thread, this issue is happening a lot across different ships.  That's a process problem. 

[jeblack1]

1 hour ago, Drazil65 said:

I get it as it may appear to be a little rushed/hurried than it has in the past but we have mitigated that issue by checking the menus at some point earlier each day.  If you do not want to check your phone for the menu of the day you can also stop by the venue of choice and take a look at the offerings beforehand. They post the menus outside the restaurants early on.  

 

We did have an issue requesting paper menu on the Horizon a couple of times they never presented one / could find one.  My wife used my phone to look at the menu.  I do look at the menus, but could care less about the food and sometimes even after looking I have no idea what I want (except dessert & coffee (not picky about coffee)).  The server has always given us time to decide, but sometimes you can sense a bit of irritation. I'm sure they are expected to get people in and out as quickly as possible.
 

[jeblack1]

9 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

If you read this thread, this issue is happening a lot across different ships.  That's a process problem. 

I know they enter it into their system as they appear to be hitting buttons, but not sure who brings the coffee.  Definitely an issue with the process.  

[sparks1093]

13 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

If you read this thread, this issue is happening a lot across different ships.  That's a process problem. 

Possibly but I don't have the inside info necessary to make that judgment.

[RoperDK]

4 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I hope you give positive feedback to Carnival for those on the crew who still give great service. This helps them with things like promotions.

I sure do!  I know how important their reviews are. I always acknowledge the crew that have gone out of their way to give good service by name on the survey.  If I didn't get good service in another area, I generalize my responses on the survey without including names.  You never know what is happening in someone's world and poor service might be a reflection of personal issues.  I know that I have bad days and I expect that the crew has them, too.  My negative issues mostly deal with the changes to Carnival surrounding overloading the crew and loss of food options.       

[surfone]

On 9/18/2024 at 12:12 AM, BlerkOne said:

IMO, Carnival is trying to manage costs that are only going up. I doubt they have actually reduced costs.

This is so true.  Just look at the inflation we've all been hit with in the past 3 plus years,  it hits all and cruise lines are probably high on the list.  I know every restaurant I've been to has risen prices quite a bit, that goes for hotels, ticket prices to concerts, to amusement parks, etc.

[aborgman]

1 hour ago, jeblack1 said:

My view, something has changed. 

 

Inflation adjusted cost for cruises has been going down continuously for about 40 years, and COVID put Carnival into massive debt.

 

People are paying half what they did in the 1980's - so you have to make up that loss, plus cover debt service.

[aborgman]

1 hour ago, mfs2k said:

 

I had the same exact issue with coffee on our cruise last week.  I asked for it nightly when I ordered, and I repeated the request when entrees were cleared but it never came with dessert.  I don't know what their problem is with coffee service, but the process is broken. 

MDR coffee service is... awful.

 

Half the time I never get it.

 

The other half the time it's the worst coffee known to humanity, scorched/oxidized past recognition, and lukewarm.

 

I've just given up on that.

[mfs2k]

9 minutes ago, aborgman said:

The other half the time it's the worst coffee known to humanity, scorched/oxidized past recognition, and lukewarm.

By day 2 I was ordering 1/2 a cup of coffee and 1/2 a cup of hot water and blending them.

Edited Thursday at 03:50 PM by mfs2k

[staceyglow]

3 hours ago, mfs2k said:

I dont disagree with any of those things.  The app is extremely useful.  My original post was about using the phone as a menu, having to take it out for dinner, and being "almost" required to make a reservation for breakfast unless you want to have the Maitre D' glaring at you for not following the procedure and getting put on the list by the host.   (not so hard to do but apprently from their attitudes, it's the worst thing )

Are you sure you aren't projecting this "attitude" onto the crew members? I have been on 25+ Carnival cruises, and I have never witnessed anything close to "attitude". 

 

I have seen hostesses gently suggest that using the app might get a table more efficiently. I have seen servers look a little harried. But I have never seen any crew member be anything but polite to a guest.

[mfs2k]

1 minute ago, staceyglow said:

Are you sure you aren't projecting this "attitude" onto the crew members? I have been on 25+ Carnival cruises, and I have never witnessed anything close to "attitude". 

 

I have seen hostesses gently suggest that using the app might get a table more efficiently. I have seen servers look a little harried. But I have never seen any crew member be anything but polite to a guest.

 

I am sure I am not projecting.  I am not generalizing this.  It was one person in one higher position (white uniform) on one ship but it was real. 

Edited Thursday at 03:56 PM by mfs2k

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, jeblack1 said:

Just from my personal experience then, post covid, I no longer regularly receive coffee with my dessert despite requesting it at the same time I order everything else.  Even when I am finished with dessert I have sat there after they cleared the plates thinking there may be a delay and it doesn't arrive.
Whether it is timing or not, pre covid, had no issue, post covid, have issues.  Both 8 day cruises (so multiple times to experience the issue).   I really hate even to say it is an issue as not that big of a deal, but I like coffee with dessert.  I of course remedy this by going to lido and having second dessert with coffee.

My view, something has changed.  I take one long vacation a year and on that vacation, I do have some expectations.  I also get I can try another line and set time dining may remedy this issue, but when it is something that is an option and I take that option, I expect to receive.  It's not like I didn't ask, but once dessert is finished, I'm ready to move on with the evening and not sit around and wait on coffee that may or may not arrive.

In that experience when you asked and it did not happen, did you ask again?  Of course if you ask (and it can be done and it does not happen) you should expect to get what you ask for.  This has happened releatedly?

[jimbo5544]

4 minutes ago, staceyglow said:

Are you sure you aren't projecting this "attitude" onto the crew members? I have been on 25+ Carnival cruises, and I have never witnessed anything close to "attitude". 

 

I have seen hostesses gently suggest that using the app might get a table more efficiently. I have seen servers look a little harried. But I have never seen any crew member be anything but polite to a guest.

I have been on way more and not experienced this either….