Carnival Food..

[Zada]

I have only cruised Carnival (so far) and my dining experiences have almost always been enjoyable. Indeed, the dining room staff is part of what makes or breaks a good meal. On the Miracle in 2004 our dining room team seemed distracted or overwhelmed leading to poor timing between courses. Not that the food was especially bad or anything but watching some people eat their entrees while awaiting your soup is a drag.

 

The beauty of a cruise is the ability to send back any dish that doesn't suit your pallette. On every cruise I have taken the dining staff have always been responsive and offered to fetch me something else if I wasn't enjoying my dinner.

 

I have had some underwhelming entrees (the turkey penne comes to mind), but the food quality, on the whole, has been very good. I do regret that the beef Wellington appears to have departed the menu and do lament the passing of "the bird." Prior to our last cruise (January of 2009) the entree list contained a variety of beef, seafood and poultry dishes. Now it appears that chicken seems to be the dominant poultry offering. I so miss the roasted quail, the duck confit and the Cornish game hen. I suspect they simply didn't serve enough of them to make the choices worth carrying.

 

I do especially enjoy the Indian dishes. Nothing makes a vegetarian entree quite as appealing as Indian cooking. Don't get me wrong, I love meat in all its many forms, but a tasty Indian meal is worth going out of your way for.

 

On my last cruise I was especially fond of lunch at the fish and chips station. The fish and chips were fabulous and the Cajun octopus salad was delicious. the sheer variety of offerings onboard mean you are likely to find something to your taste, even if it is just a hotdog from the grill, a hot sandwich from the N.Y. deli or eggs Benedict for breakfast in the dining room.

[Roz]

Zada,

 

I agree with you 100% on the vegetarian entrees. I like the fact that a lot of them feature Indian cooking. Something different for a change, and very tasty.

 

Roz

[39pins]

I sailed Valor a few years ago and thought the food was outstanding. One night I was uninspired by anything on their menu and ordered a simple chicken breast dish, and it was absolutely delicious. The only dish I felt was a flop was the lobster, which is probably par for the course for cruise-ship lobster which you know has been frozen.

 

I highly recommend being adventurous in the Carnival dining room. Some of their vegetarian things are outstanding even for a confirmed carnivore like me.

[kwfl]

dh is a cia grad and gourmet chef.

we both liked almost everything on carnival valor and absolutely loved the specialty restaurant. the pizza was pretty good, esp the chevre pizza. tried the rueben 2x and its the worst one ive ever had, but everyone on cc had raved about it:confused: (best one was at attmans deli in baltimore)

the indian dish on the first night was a complete shock- ive tried indian several times and always hated it, but i figured id try again- and it was awesome!!!

the sushi was pretty bad though. the rice was way overcooked both nights we tried it. the tuna and eel were ok when scraped off the rice. the marinated cucumbers, carrots and pickled ginger were great. the sushi in the main dr was a little step up but we didnt want to risk it at the specialty rest.

even the buffet was always very good. sometimes there were some odd cchoices or pairings but theres so many choices its easy to forget any bad ones and move on.

we loved the upstairs fish and chips for lunch- they had fried oysters and octopus salad that were great!

 

 

sidenote:

sushi does not have to be raw. it is often fully cooked or seared. sushi is vinegar rice, with different toppings. sashimi is always just a slice of raw fish. nigiri is raw fish on sushi rice. maki are rolls, ie california or spider rolls (fried softshell crab in the middle, yum!):)

[logothesia]

Just got off the Paradise so I can provide my input. My wife and I live in Scottsdale and so have access to many very high quality restaurants. We don't eat fast food or those "chain" restaurants like Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill. Such food is empty calories to us. So take this review with a grain of salt.

 

Overall the food was what we'd consider mediocre, with several flashes of brilliance. They have a good plan, that is, the menu looks like it could be brilliant, but the execution was off for some of the dishes. When they worked, they worked well.

 

Winners: Duck Breast appetizer, my very first dish in the dining room and it raised my hopes. The duck was cooked perfectly and served with a well-presented berry coolie.

Squash and yam pot pie - inventive pairing of ingredients, perfectly cooked and with a delicate crust.

Lobster and shrimp - perfectly cooked, moist and full of flavor.

Strawberry soup - excellent.

Avacado soup - excellent.

Pizza on the lido - some very creative toppings, good new york style crust, perfect drunk food

 

Servicable: Chicken with basil pesto - cooked well, good presentation, pasta was al dante, spice was lacking

Mongolian beef salad - not bad, beef cooked well, spice was lacking

Proscuitto and melon - hard to mess up, but nothing spectacular

Mongolian stir fry on the lido - wide variety of veggie choices, nice szechwan sauce

Chicken strips on the lido - the honey mustard was actually pretty good

Grand Mariner soufle - generally well done, slightly bland

Pineapple sorbet - again, hard to screw up

Eggs Benedict - egg poached perfectly, very nice hollandaise, nice slice of canadian bacon, served on a really poor quality english muffin. I'd move this up to the winner list if it wasn't for that english muffin. Also the portion was way too large, but I just ate half.

 

Inedible: Lido in general

Asperagus Vicyssoise - had high hopes, but it was watery and flavorless

Veal Parmigiana - breading was poor, meat was cooked well though, too much low-quality cheese

Pave potatoes - way too greasy

Baked Alaska - this was not baked alaska, it was ice cream with raw meringe on top, apparently there was cake somewhere in the slice

Caprese salad - tomatoes not ripe, mozzarella flavorless, not enough basil, goofy tiny little olive pieces

Wine List - pretty much losers up and down the line, and i tried, i really did

 

Overall I was happy with the food, and had several dishes worth remembering. I think the high variability has to do with several causes: the number of people they are serving, how quickly the servers bring food out, and the ingredients they have to work with. They certainly can bring together a plate now and then. I just wish it were more consistent. Knowing they're strengths and weaknesses, I think I can order a little smarter next time. And there will be a next time!

[StarTrkGeek]

let me finish that for you...Carnival Foods ..SUCKS

Some people you can never please. I have even talked to people that sailed on Crystal Cruise Line (a true luxury cruise line) and complained about the food. Two years ago, we ate in the United States restaurant on the Celebrity Infinity. The food was wonderful and so was the service. It was every bit as good as the best land-based restaurant we have ever dined at (the Four Seasons in Boston, which cost $150 per person). However, several people complained. Like I said, some people you can never please.

 

I have noticed that the food on Carnival's older ships (e.g., Carnival Ecstasy) is much lower in quality and taste than on Carnival's newer, larger ships. I'm not really sure why this is the case. Also, I have read rave reviews of Carnival's Supper Clubs, but I have not had the opportunity to eat in one yet.

[StarTrkGeek]

dh is a cia grad and gourmet chef.

tried the rueben 2x and its the worst one ive ever had, but everyone on cc had raved about it:confused: (best one was at attmans deli in baltimore)

 

I agree that Baltimore has some of the best food anywhere, especially the crab cakes, soft-shell crab, and Maryland blue crab. However, the crown for the best deli belongs to Katz' Deli in the lower East side of Manhattan.

[apollobeach]

We just found this post - and would like to add some to the discussion.......first of all the VERY BEST deli in NYC - or anywhere - is The Second Avenue Deli....haven't ate there in so long a time, not sure if it's even still there. But, for a kid from The Bronx, it's the best.

 

Now, for food - we sailed on Carnival and Holland America so far this year, and the food on Carnival beats HAL in every area. From presentation to finish, it all is better than HAL - the prime rib on HAL rivaled the soles on my shoes.

Carnival has come a long way, and it certainly shows in the dining.

 

:D

[bbshop]

Someone earlier in this thread mentioned a lack of whole grains on the menu. We have never cruised on Carnival but are considering it this go around.

 

We gave up eating white foods long ago (i.e. rice, potato, pasta) and have opted for the healthier verisons (i.e. brown rice, sweet potatos, whole grain pasta).

 

Does anyone know since that earlier post if they have gotten on the whole grain bandwagon yet?

 

Thanks.

[CowboysCoach]

There are many types of sushi that include cooked seafood. The crab and shrimp will always be cooked, as will the eel (unagi). There are also vegetable rolls and tamago (eggs squares).

 

Just a warning. Not all shrimp is cooked. "Sweet Shrimp" is quite raw.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Interesting on the shrimp - I haven't EVER seen raw shrimp before served as sushi. I googled it, came up with many images & descriptions of sweet shrimp. Some raw & obviously translucent, others deep fried - legs & all. I must need to go to some more upscale sushi places. :)

 

 

sweet shrimp

 

http://iwantmorefood.com/2008/03/13/sweet-shrimp-wow-what-an-experience/

Raw & Cooked

[dottyparka]

Winners: Duck Breast appetizer, my very first dish in the dining room and it raised my hopes. The duck was cooked perfectly and served with a well-presented berry coolie.

 

Coolie = unskilled laborer, particularly in Asia

 

Coulis = a thin puree of fruit or vegetable used as a sauce

 

Of course, they're both pronounced the same. Easy mistake to make.

[navybaby1113]

Someone earlier in this thread mentioned a lack of whole grains on the menu. We have never cruised on Carnival but are considering it this go around.

 

We gave up eating white foods long ago (i.e. rice, potato, pasta) and have opted for the healthier verisons (i.e. brown rice, sweet potatos, whole grain pasta).

 

Does anyone know since that earlier post if they have gotten on the whole grain bandwagon yet?

 

Thanks.

 

Off the top of my head, I can't really think of any whole grains served. All of the pasta dishes I've eaten on Carnival are regular pasta.

[CanWeGoYet?]

I was able to get bread at dinner that looked rustic / whole grain. I had to ask for it, it wasn't in the normal offerings. After the servers knew I liked this, they brought it for me every night.

There really isn't much though. I wish there were more choices for whole grains.

[SMSACE6]

Last October there was a very nice dense dark brown bread available at the Lido buffet for breakfast. Dont know for sure if it is whole grain, or just colored that way, ie; pumpernickel. I never saw it in the MDR or on the room service menu. But it was very good. I dont think I ever noticed any whole wheat pasta on the menus either. same goes for the rice.

[BlancaNoir]

I was curious on the quality. I have heard every possible review from nasty to wonderful. I thought I'd ask seasoned cruisers, what do you think? Also, a few specific questions...is there afternoon tea/high tea served anywhere aboard? Is the sushi fresh made, or is it buffet style made the day before?

 

I enjoyed all the food on my carnival cruise except the sushi. I love sushi! Carnival sushi (on the elation) reminded me of the stuff I might pick up at the grocery store. It wasn't horrible to eat, just nothing like sushi from restaurants.

 

The rest of the food on my carnival cruise was very enjoyable!!! Loved the warm choc cake, the ceasar salad, the soups, the shrimp cocktail, the cheeseburgers. I was very happy to eat all week!

[CDorsey1981]

Well the pickled ginger, cucumbers and carrots was good at least! lol

[spaceflower77]

My Carnival Faves include the Calamari, I was pleasantly surprised, it was better than most restaurants, love the escargot (my son's ABSOLUTE favorite) and shrimp appetizers, love the cheese tray... and there is a beef dish we got once that was FANTASTIC, I wish I could remember the name of it. I have never been disappointed... obviously some nights are better than others, but overall it is VERY enjoyable and our servers are always just wonderful. There is always an entree I really want to try, often several. Decisions are the hardest part for me...

[CatlinSTJ]

I'm very much a foodie and particular about what I will eat and I enjoyed the food on both of our Carnival cruises. (I like to say "particular" as I want my food to be cooked right, but I'm not "picky" in limiting my food choices.)

 

There is always going to be something on the menu that is less than stellar, but there are enough choices that it shouldn't ruin the experience. I have found that dining earlier does seem to produce fresher food than later, some of that has to be recycled from the earlier service.

 

Keep in mind that a reasonable comparison should be catered meals, not restaurants, unless you are eating in the steakhouse. (Which is worth every penny!) The dining room food in this case is excellent overall. I enjoyed the meals that we had there and although the ribs at lunch one day were not as tender as they should have been, the vast majority of the food was delicious. (And we left the dining room and went for reubens after the rib incident, problem solved! :))

[thunter1224]

I am seeing alot of people like the pizza ! now are we talking about the 24 hr pizza onboard ? and will they make you a pizza anyway you want it?

[1492oceanblue]

Does the Liberty have a place for Chicken wings??

[adira]

I am seeing alot of people like the pizza ! now are we talking about the 24 hr pizza onboard ? and will they make you a pizza anyway you want it?

 

They have a set menu, but I bet they would make you something special with the ingredients they have on hand. I've also heard you can order a whole pie.

[cruisefoodie]

Compared to other cruiselines, I found Carnival to be not quite as good. However, there is still plenty to love! If you'd like to see pictures, take a look at our food pic blog at http://www.cruisefoods.com/

 

For afternoon tea, it was nice but the desserts were pretty rich and a bit heavy to me. They also had less variety of tea sandwiches, etc.

 

I've always enjoyed the sushi. Sushi at the buffet is hit or miss, sometimes it's really great! I've also had the tuna and watermelon salad sushi on the Carnival Freedom and loved it.

 

The pizza is not my favorite, we found it a little bland, but enjoyed the calzones much more.

[adira]

I thought the afternoon tea was really stuffy and I felt uncomfortable. But that might just be me!

[Nurse 3D]

I liked the afternoon tea that we had on Carnival as opposed to HAL.

Bigger selection on HAL but we sat with ten to fifteen people at a table and basically ate dessert. At least thirty to fifty people attended. And we were placed at three tables. It seemed that to open the dining room would have made more work for them. It was so crowded that it wasn't relaxing. On the Glory just a few people were there. Unfortunately, it was held in the corner of a bar but We love the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the moment. :)