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We all know that Carnival is more famous for "Fun Ships" than "Food Ships," but, in case you didn�t know, most cruisers agree that when it comes to cuisine, Carnival delivers more for your money than any other cruise line. Fine dining and service have been the hallmark of passenger ships for over a century. Today's cruise ships honor this wonderful tradition and cruisers are acutely aware of the differences in various cruise lines' culinary offerings. Although Carnival is known as a budget-friendly, family oriented cruise line, cruise enthusiasts and travel professionals agree, the quality of Carnival cuisine is surprisingly good. Let's see what Carnival does differently to deserve that reputation: Every cruise ship has a main dining room where passengers can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner - and all of those meals are included in the cost of the cruise. Most ships also have a separate buffet area - a basic self-service restaurant for people to dine at their leisure. But on many ships this basic formula has been changed - and not always for the better... One Carnival competitor boasts of having from 10 to 20 additional restaurants on every ship, with some charging as much as $30 per person. The assumption is that the extra cost is justified by the quality of the food, but these restaurants are also more profitable for that cruise line. There's nothing wrong with charging extra for something special, but here is the little "secret" - while they were making these special restaurants more enticing, the food in the main dining room became a little less so. And not by accident - more like clever marketing. They can still brag about having great food onboard, but they don't always mention that it comes at a price. We still recommend this other cruise line for other reasons, but unlike Carnival, we always say, "be sure to budget for the specialty (added cost) restaurants onboard, or else you are likely to be disappointed in the food."
Carnival chose not to go in that direction. While "specialty restaurants" are now so common it is hard to find a cruise ship that doesn't have one or two - or as many as ten. But the Fantasy and Destiny-class Carnival ships only offer the main dining room and there are no "specialty restaurants" onboard. The rest have just one special restaurant; the Supper Club, and Carnival still has a reputation for great food. So, the food in the cruise-fare included dining room is as good as you will find in almost any restaurant on any other cruise ship. Click here for a sample of a Carnival Dining Room Menu. The Supper Club is offered on Carnival Legend, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Pride, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Splendor and Carnival Dream. Click here to see a Supper Club Menu. Every Carnival ship now offers freshly rolled sushi, hot stir-fried Mongolian barbecue, New York deli-style sandwiches and fresh pasta with your choice of noodles and sauces. All at no additional cost. Most of these are offered in special serving stations - some in the buffet restaurants and some in unique areas around the ship. Here is another example of Carnival's great food value. Another competitor now offers a premium steak in the dining room - at a special price of $14.95. Their rationale is that it is the same steak is sold in their premium restaurant, which carries a $25 surcharge. That sounds logical, but on Carnival you can order a delicious flat iron steak in the regular dining room any night of the cruise - at no additional charge. Flat iron steaks are also called the "butcher's cut," because they take it home to the family. They sell the filet mignon but they eat the flat iron because they know it is the best tasting cut without a premium price. That's food know-how, Carnival-style. Several Carnival guests order steak every night of the week, along with a hot baked potato every night as well, but if steak is not your thing you can also opt for freshly grilled salmon.
There's something else you can order any night of the week on a Carnival ship, Carnival's famous chocolate melting cake. This dessert is now so popular Carnival serves about 50,000 portions of it every week fleet wide. Therein lies Carnival's secret; when something makes people happy - stick with it. That's how you build a good reputation. But that is not the only dessert on the menu. Click here for a full Carnival Dessert Menu. Another cruise line tradition Carnival still honors is a lobster dinner on every seven-day cruise. And at the end of the meal your servers present a Baked Alaska parade with the lights out for the full effect of the lit, crackling sparklers placed in the meringue toppings.
If you enjoy wine with your meals, you can purchase a "Cruise the Vineyards" package for your cruise and save up to 25% on your wine purchases. Pay $104 for five bottles of wine ($20.20 apiece), some of which would cost over $50 if purchased separately, and get your choice of Brut, White Zinfandel, Mondavi Chardonnay, Pinoit Noir, Merlot, Cabernet, Beaujolais and more. Or spend $150 for five wines and save up to $40 per bottle. See the Carnival wine package details. |
