So what's "not so good" to eat on Carnival?

[jerseygirl79]

Warm melting cake tastes like uncooked cake batter to me.

 

That's what's so GREAT about it!!!! I'm dieting now for the chocolate melting cake in November.

 

As for what I DIDN'T like....the cheesecake. I love cheesecake, rich and creamy. Sadly, Carnival's has a fluffly, whipped, not so creamy taste or texture.

[jerseygirl79]

The lobster bisque in the DR is a joke. (WHERE'S THE LOBSTER???) and it really has no flavor.

 

I do recall the lobster bisque in the DR not being very good. It looked like broth! And the steaks were tough on some nights. My mom had to return hers.

[jerseygirl79]

To be honest the chocolate buffet didn't impress me at all, most of the deserts seemed to have an odd taste to them so I didn't eat but a bite out of any of them I tried.

 

Sad, but true. And I'm a chocolate fiend!

[dkalnas]

The current version of the MDR filet mignon is DISGUSTING. I now go to the supper club every cruise to get a real filet.

 

Up until this year, the filet in the MDR was better than decent. In January, we noticed that it was a fraction of the size (more like a medallion), it was very fatty and had a lot of gristle (unusual for a good filet, which will usually have NO gristle) and was generally very tough. To make up for the size difference, they now serve it on a pile of short ribs, which were stringy, flavorless and were basically a pile of slop.

 

I gave Carnival the benefit of the doubt and decided to try it again in May, thinking January's experience was an anomaly, but it was just as bad. If anyone at Carnival is reading this, CHANGE BACK THE FILET MIGNON!

 

Here's a photo comparison of the past few years (a benefit of taking pictures of your food: seeing change over time)...

 

2006:

 

2007:

 

2008:

 

1/2009:

 

5/2009:

 

 

IMHO The MDR Filet was the worst I have ever had. I don't believe the cut of meat I was served that night was a filet.

[oceanseagle12]

You gotta be brave to post in this one...:eek:

 

Okay, I'm feeling brave. I finally tried the warm choc melting cake this last cruise, twice. It just tasted like an under cooked regular cake to me. Not good.

 

Now I will go run for cover and not come out until Thanksgiving.

 

Don't worry, it looks like their are plenty of us that have your back on this one! I was very disappointed in this- it sounded great, and looked delicious, but I couldn't get past the first couple bites (when there was actually something that resembled cake that I could bite into).

 

The concept is awesome- there is a local restaurant that has a chocolate souffle- it resembles the melting cake, but there is actually cake in it. It has a sort of liquid or pudding in the center, and is absolutely delicious.

 

 

 

I enjoyed everything except the Cheesecake.

 

You are so right- I LOVE cheesecake, and was with a group that made it our mission to find good cheesecake on my last cruise. It never happened- it is like eating air.

[dan40]

Wasn't the Filet [a loin cut] replaced by the Flat Iron steak[a shoulder cut]?

 

The photos point up to me the wide variety of problems that can be associated with a single cut of meat in a banquet environment.

Carnival's supper clubs use a better quality meat and are able to pay much closer attention to the preparation.

 

Steaks should be cooked and served ASAP, AT HOME, or in a real Steakhouse.

NO full menu restaurant on the planet has a really good steak.

[momjkm]

Coffee that you pay for: is that worth the $$$ ( a good cup of coffee is as impt to be as a nice frozen adult beverage)

 

Jill

[msbr]

I was under-impressed with the entire main dining room menu in 2005. They changed that menu fleetwide shortly after that cruise.

[retnuh281]

The deck chairs.

After sitting out in the sun all day, they get really tough, and most have a faint taste of Hawaiin tropic coconut.

[trock]

I think you will be surprised how many that may agree with you. I know Toni (Trock) does not like it.

 

I liked it, but thought it was to rich. I would prefer to eat something that I could actually finish.

 

 

Lol just popping my head in now.. nope.. dont like it.. tried it more than once on different cruises.. ugh!!!

 

Ok hold on.. ready.. I also do not like Carnivals shrimp cocktail!!!!!!

Now let me explain that I can eat shrimp 8 days a week.. its my favorite of all food.. Shrimp Fra diavola, scampi, Shrimp and Garlic Sauce, on the BBQ etc...

Their cocktail shrimp... is eeeeewwwww!!!!!!!!!:eek:

[msbr]

The deck chairs.

After sitting out in the sun all day, they get really tough, and most have a faint taste of Hawaiin tropic coconut.

 

:eek:LOL...I needed this giggle!!! Thank you!:D

[trock]

Re Coffee...

 

I think the reason the coffee is gawd aweful is because of the brewers.. I think that it burns the coffee.. and plus it sits there...

i am a bit of a coffee snob.. so I usually try to notice what machine most people use .. and which one gets refilled more.. and try to use that one!

 

There is usually always one brewer that just makes a better cup than the others for whatever reason.. (though it could be me.. who knows) and I stick to that one!

 

but in reality the coffee sucks!!! ESPECIALLY in the dining room!

[deeceedub]

#1 on my list of Carnival offenders would have to be the cheesecake. I ordered the Grand Marnier cheesecake in the mdr at lunch one day. I noticed when the waiter set it down that it 'jiggled.' Cheesecake should NOT jiggle. It was absolutely inedible. The texture was truly gross.

 

My DD ordered what was billed as "a traditonal cheesecake" in the mdr at dinner. While it was a little closer to what I'd consider real cheesecake, it was not good at all either.

 

The grilled chicken breast that is on the Carnival Classics menu every night is pretty bad.

 

I eat a banana every morning for breakfast, but I've learned that after Wednesday (7-day cruises) you are taking your chances. You'd think they could bring on fresh bananas in port, seeing that they are growing all over the place.

 

My daughter is still mourning the fact that she can't get her hands on the panko-crusted shrimp every night. She loved it. I also like almost all the pasta and I love the chicken parmesan. Overall, the food is very good. Trying to please 3000+ very picky American vacationers is probably a really difficult job.

[cruisincory]

Steaks should be cooked and served ASAP, AT HOME, or in a real Steakhouse.

NO full menu restaurant on the planet has a really good steak.

 

 

 

I have to agree with you there. There is nothing better than a big juicy steak and an ice cold beer at a real steakhouse.:D

[sistermerm]

Well, here is one of my rare complaints about Carnival. I LOVE their frozen VANILLA yogurt. That's the first thing I grab when I board any Carnival ship. :D It is to me like the DOD is to others. However, they have recently started putting strawberry yogurt in place of the vanilla some days...seems to be every other day. I hate the strawberry flavor and wish they would at least leave vanilla in one machine every day! Yeah, I know there are probably people who love the strawberry frozen yogurt like I do the vanilla. I'm just saying, they could have strawberry in one machine, vanilla in the other, and we'd all be happy. :cool:

 

OOH! NO!!! :eek: My favorite frozen yogurt is the chocolate.... can't take that away to offer vanilla and strawberry!

[Familyforce6]

The stuffed mushrooms were floating in something gross..:eek:

 

The crab cake was not great...but I ate it.

[ryanpatricksmom]

Another passenger who doesn't like the pizza.

 

A different selection for the late night buffet would be infinitely better, imo. Hamburgers and hotdogs are a bit heavy for me at midnight. I would prefer some lighter offerings, with a little variety each night.

 

I've never been a huge fan of the desserts. I hate anything with fake whipped cream. Even when I find a "winner" I usually take a bite or two and that's enough. The chocolate melting cake is hit or miss for me. On the nights that it's more cooked I like it okay, when it's really runny, not so much. I don't eat in the dining room anymore, so I don't know if they serve it with a sauce (they don't in the buffet). That would help.

 

I agree about the eggs. I usually look for hard-boiled as my breakfast of choice.

[vlwalker]

I think you will be surprised how many that may agree with you. I know Toni (Trock) does not like it.

 

I liked it, but thought it was to rich. I would prefer to eat something that I could actually finish.

 

I'm still trying to figure out what the big deal is? For me, it's too rich, and way more chocolate than I want to consume in one sitting. But for those chocolate lovers, enjoy!!

[Milaandra]

I enjoyed everything except the Cheesecake.

 

Why didn't you like the cheesecake?

 

My husband is a cheesecake fanatic (rated just above butter tarts and peanut butter cups) and prefers dense baked cheesecake like Oma used to make.

 

I need to know if it sucks, so I can bring along some back-up peanut butter cups and toss one at him now and then!

[trock]

Why didn't you like the cheesecake?

 

My husband is a cheesecake fanatic (rated just above butter tarts and peanut butter cups) and prefers dense baked cheesecake like Oma used to make.

 

I need to know if it sucks, so I can bring along some back-up peanut butter cups and toss one at him now and then!

 

 

it sucks...order one from Juniors and bring it on board :D

[bobsfamily]

The coffee is fine for me... with a large shot of Bailey's! Never have tried it straight. Melting choc. DW likes/me it's just undone cake but I'm not much for cake. Filet was good but very small.. order 2-3 and it's fine. It seems that from ship to ship the food as a whole differs. Last year on the Sensation the food in the DR was awful... waiters were great and really embarrassed by the food they were bringing out. Lido deck food was GREAT... go figure. The Triumph in May was some of the best food I have ever had on Carnival. Both MDR and Lido had great food throughout the cruise.

[Seydlitz]

I did not like the warm choc melting cake and the Baked Alaska.

[Milaandra]

Baked Alaska has not been good for years. Since they stopped pouring booze over it and flaming it until it was caramelized. Safety regs made them go to the little flame cup in the middle. But the flaming of the REAL icing WAS an essential part of making good BA

 

Baked Alaska is covered in meringue. That's what keeps the ice cream cool so it doesn't melt. Sorry if someone else got here before me, I haven't finished reading the thread. :)

[kyrisong1]

This thread just shows you how subjective food tastes are...I gave my DS (11) the option of skipping one (not both) of our formal nights on our next cruise and he said "NO! I'm not missing a single night of chocolate melting cake!"

 

Personally, the only thing I wouldn't order again would be the lobster bisque in the dining room...but Supper Club, heck yeah!

OMG I totally agree with you!!! The supper club ruined me for ANY lobster bisque again, it was just the BEST. THe dining room? Not so much:(

[kyrisong1]

it sucks...order one from Juniors and bring it on board :D

Toni, I have a great friend that lives on LI and she sends me cheesecake from Juniors (simply the BEST) and I send her Omaha steaks, it's win win :D

Carole