Food question

[texasgirl]

I've never cruised w/Carnival so I can't answer this myself.... I'm sending hubby and his bro on the Glory 9/2. Here's my question. Neither of them is big on "dressup dining" - translated meaning if they can't go in their dockers and polo shirts, it's too "fancy" no matter what the food. However, they both love dining on fine food (as well as pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc) Can someone give me an idea of what might be available for the dinner buffet as opposed to what you'd find on the menu in the main restaurant? What about Carnival and room service - limited menus or you can get a full breakfast or dinner?

[basketballmom]

Dockers and polo shirts are ok in the dining rooms on the non-formal nights. The buffet food at dinner time is ok. Nothing spectacular. How nice of you to send your DH on a cruise!

[kyrisong1]

I've never cruised w/Carnival so I can't answer this myself.... I'm sending hubby and his bro on the Glory 9/2. Here's my question. Neither of them is big on "dressup dining" - translated meaning if they can't go in their dockers and polo shirts, it's too "fancy" no matter what the food. However, they both love dining on fine food (as well as pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc) Can someone give me an idea of what might be available for the dinner buffet as opposed to what you'd find on the menu in the main restaurant? What about Carnival and room service - limited menus or you can get a full breakfast or dinner?

The buffet is to the dining room what mcdonalds is to your favorite steakhouse. The buffets food on Glory we found just ok, sometimes the meat was not even edible, as was the case with a brisket one day. I think most of the posts here I see, that they will get away with dockers and polo shirts, however I will just say, if they can see clear to put a jacket and shirt (forget the tie) on one night and go to The Emerald Room, if they love fine dining, they will love the supper club, at 30 bucks each it's a absolutely wonderful experience.

The room service is just cereal and cold breakfast and sandwiches. However I'm told the pizza is awesome, so for formal night they might try that. The Fish and chips counter is awesome, and the deli is delish. Hope they have a great time and tell them not to break anything cause we're gonna be on that ship on the 9th :D

Cheers

[NRWO]

I'd say the Micky D's analogy is a little unfair. I think the buffets are pretty darn good. I Agree, not near the quality of dining room or supper club, but you can certainly find plenty of good stuff there if you don't feel like doing the whole dining "experience."

[time4agetaway]

My DH will dress up occasionally, but also usually lives in his dockers and polos. Except for formal night, dockers and polos are fine for dinner. I try to avoid the buffet for dinner b/c the food is much better in the dining room.

[Bunkie103]

On our Fantasy cruise in May DH informed me he wasn't dressing up so we agreed to do the buffet on Formal night. He had prime rib and I had salmon. There were quite a few options available and they even had breaded fried jumbo shrimp, so we had no complaints. The desserts were the same as in the dining room. Other than formal nights your "men" should be fine in their dockers and polos as long as they are golf type shirts with a collar.

[Cotton]

Some good comments above. I have had only maybe 2-3 meals total from the buffet during all of my cruises, so I won't comment except to say it was just ok, nothing like the dining room offerings. It's much like any regular buffet restaurant on land, usually with a carving station and salad bar.

 

IF they want lobster tails along with prime rib, it will be necessary to have the Formal Night meal in the dining room....although prime rib alone may be on the buffet. Desserts are more varied and extravagant in the dining room...at least in my experience.

 

Nights other than Formal, yes their dockers and golf shirts are appropriate, just no shorts.

 

Room service offers no hot food. However, the menu is good, has some wonderful sandwiches like Roast Beef and Brie on baguette, open-face shrimp sandwiches, as well as BLTs, ham and cheese, even PB&J... and many more; also fajitas and wraps. The fresh fruit and cheese, crudites and bleu cheese dip, etc. are very good. Breakfast items are cereals, Danish, croissants, fruit.

[ppeckham]

As others noted, only on formal nights will they need to avoid the dining room. However they may enjoy a dinner of pizza or a light sandwich after partaking in the dining room the other nights. We usually plan for one evening meal at the buffet or pizza station.

 

Carnival's pizza is really good. My son (16), a pizza expert, highly recommends the cheese pizza. He prefers Carnival's pizza to Princess's pizza. I agree with him.

[texas greeneyes]

I agree that the analogy using McDonalds was a bit inaccurate. I would say the buffet is more along the lines of a Golden Corral.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Room Service Menu here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=359674

[kyrisong1]

Really the McD comparison wasn't supposed to be a slam, I guess I'm not a buffet person, I didn't like it. However it's all a matter of taste, some people LOVE McD's :D . I didn't see things like fried shrimp on the buffet and the meat a few times really was "chewy as in jerky chewy" , now on a different cruise with different culinary staff it might be totally different.

[HoneyGV]

I've never cruised w/Carnival so I can't answer this myself.... I'm sending hubby and his bro on the Glory 9/2. Here's my question. Neither of them is big on "dressup dining" - translated meaning if they can't go in their dockers and polo shirts, it's too "fancy" no matter what the food. However, they both love dining on fine food (as well as pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc) Can someone give me an idea of what might be available for the dinner buffet as opposed to what you'd find on the menu in the main restaurant? What about Carnival and room service - limited menus or you can get a full breakfast or dinner?

 

He can wear dockers and polos in the dining room as long as it's not on a formal night. No shorts in the dining room for dinner at any time though. The buffet is pretty pedestrian but if he's not going on the cruise just for the cuisine...he'd probably be satisfied.:)

 

Nice of you to let him go on the cruise....what's he letting you do in return?:D .....an "all girls" cruise to Alaska????:)

[Guest YesitDonna]

Just a note.... if they wore Dockers and a Polo on Formal night they wouldn't get thrown out. I dont care for it myself.. I think it's formal night and it's 2 hours our of my life so make the best of it and look nice. We had a couple at our table once tell the waiter they wouldn't be at formal night because they don't dress up and he told them to come anyway. (much to our dismay!) The wife one night wore a hat with a big Bass fish on it and all these pins and hooks!!!!!! LOL After that we called her the fish lady when referencing her lol

[Leo Jay]

Just a note.... if they wore Dockers and a Polo on Formal night they wouldn't get thrown out. I dont care for it myself.. I think it's formal night and it's 2 hours our of my life so make the best of it and look nice. We had a couple at our table once tell the waiter they wouldn't be at formal night because they don't dress up and he told them to come anyway. (much to our dismay!) The wife one night wore a hat with a big Bass fish on it and all these pins and hooks!!!!!! LOL After that we called her the fish lady when referencing her lol

 

See, that's idiotic. They didn't want to dress up, but were invited by staff to attend anyway, so, fine -- they're fully entitled to accept the offer and dress casually. But why go overboard with a stupid hat? Dolt. Not that the hat in and of itself would bother me, but her going out of her way to be an ass and make a Beverly Hillbillies 'fashion statement'... :rolleyes: :)

 

Anyway, just had to get that out. :D Carryon. :)

[blessedbygrace]

See, that's idiotic. They didn't want to dress up, but were invited by staff to attend anyway, so, fine -- they're fully entitled to accept the offer and dress casually. But why go overboard with a stupid hat? Dolt. Not that the hat in and of itself would bother me, but her going out of her way to be an ass and make a Beverly Hillbillies 'fashion statement'... :rolleyes: :)

 

Anyway, just had to get that out. :D Carryon. :)

 

Well, she didn't say the lady wore the fish hat ON formal night, just on "one" night. So, can I wear a fish hat on some night other than formal night without being considered idiotic???? (need to know...it's getting close to time to pack)

[Cotton]

Fish (or any other creature):D hat wearers should brush up on etiquette, just as the faux tuxedo tee-shirt wearers should. Bad taste all around. Anyone making a deliberate non-fashion statement just for kicks should have all meals from the buffet, IMO.

[cruzin w chris]

i dont think the buffet food is any good at all and this is why i stick to the dining room a few nights and burgers and fries the other nights. although i do think the breakfast buffet is fairly good. but the dinners at the buffet is the worst. ( just my opinion )

[campdaan]

Neither of them is big on "dressup dining" - translated meaning if they can't go in their dockers and polo shirts, it's too "fancy" no matter what the food.

 

 

My BIL throws a sportcoat over a colored T-shirt and dockers for formal night. It's "fancy" for him. He just does'nt want to miss lobster tails and prime rib.

[Leo Jay]

Well, she didn't say the lady wore the fish hat ON formal night, just on "one" night. So, can I wear a fish hat on some night other than formal night without being considered idiotic???? (need to know...it's getting close to time to pack)

 

I confess that did misread and think the hat was worn on formal night, but the hat's still ridiculous. The old rule about women being permitted to wear hats indoors in a dining room would apply only to dress hats worn with dress attire -- think old school Jackie O. Fish hats with tank tops and clamdiggers? No.

 

And since I misread, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you misread and failed to notice the smilies (and text) that indicated that I was just venting. :p

 

So wear whatever your judgement permits. I'm sure there are some people who will think me ridiculous in my coat and tie, or in my tuxedo on Formal Night, but it won't deter me, so you should feel similarly undeterred by anyone else's opinions about your clothing.

[BillnBobbi]

He can wear dockers and polos in the dining room as long as it's not on a formal night. No shorts in the dining room for dinner at any time though. The buffet is pretty pedestrian but if he's not going on the cruise just for the cuisine...he'd probably be satisfied.:)

 

Nice of you to let him go on the cruise....what's he letting you do in return?:D .....an "all girls" cruise to Alaska????:)

 

 

On Carnival, he can wear his dockers and polos in the dining room ON FORMAL NIGHT AS WELL, and no one is going to say boo. On most cruises on Carnival less than 50% of the passengers are TRULY FORMAL. This is not the Queen Mary II or Crystal.

 

BnB

[kyrisong1]

I'm sitting here wondering if she was wearing the Bass you can get that sings "take me to the river" by the talking heads:p rofl oh what a vision:eek:

[Cotton]

On Carnival, he can wear his dockers and polos in the dining room ON FORMAL NIGHT AS WELL, and no one is going to say boo.

 

Are you 100% SURE about that?:rolleyes: On Formal Night, I have seen the Maitre d' suggest two gentlemen add a jacket at least. (And on non formal nights, I've seen several on different cruises turned away for wearing shorts, tees, or grubby outfits. GOOD Maitre d's doing their job.

 

On most cruises on Carnival less than 50% of the passengers are TRULY FORMAL.

 

Wow... less than 50%! Where do you get your statistics? I would guess (because there are no stats) that about 3/4 of the passengers adhere to the dress code, and ARE formally dressed, if not in tuxes and long sequined gowns, at least in lovely cocktail dresses, dark suit and tie.

 

This is not the Queen Mary II or Crystal.

 

Get real. We're not comparing QMII to Carnival.

[Greektreats]

On the Pride last week, there were shorts and jeans in the dining room.........

Don't agree with it, but there they were.

[abitaturbodog]

BnB, you are completely correct. Dockers and a polo won't be out of place in the dining room on formal nights. They'll be dozens of men wearing them! Hubby won't feel out of place a bit!

[Marmarjudy]

BnB, you are completely correct. Dockers and a polo won't be out of place in the dining room on formal nights. They'll be dozens of men wearing them! Hubby won't feel out of place a bit!

 

You will blatantly disrespect your fellow passengers by not observing the dress code for formal night and then you post on here and brag about it????

You could at least spend the bucks (very little) for a sport's coat--try Marshall's.

 

Geesh.....and people wonder why Carnival gets the "cruisers of low class reputation."

 

Perfect example, and why we really want a table for two.

 

Judy