Carnival Cruise Line clarifies weighty dining policy
Some Carnival cruise passengers say this main dining room policy is stingy.
One of the most beloved perks of the cruise vacation experience is the abundance of food available at all times of day.
For many people, a vacation is an opportunity to treat themselves and indulge in ways they wouldn’t at home, whether it's enjoying dessert with every meal or hitting up the late-night buffet for a plate of French fries at midnight.
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Cruise lines know how much passengers value having access to unlimited food, but they also have to grapple with rising food costs and take steps to prevent food waste. These considerations have led cruise lines to cut back in some aspects of dining by reducing menu sizes or serving smaller portions, but allowing passengers to order more food if desired.
In a move that helped to curb food waste, Carnival Cruise Line switched from providing bread baskets filled with a variety of rolls in its main dining room to serving dinner rolls individually to passengers. This change wasn’t well liked by some carb-loving cruisers, however.
Recently, one passenger wrote to Carnival’s brand ambassador, John Heald, to request that the cruise line bring back a more generous bread service.
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Carnival cruise passenger complains about bread service
“I know this will seem petty to some of your cult, John, but my grandkids aged 7 and 12 love to eat bread before dinner. We are now on the Carnival----. Tonight at dinner, we were only given two small pieces of bread,” the unidentified passenger wrote to the brand ambassador.
According to the passenger, Carnival should provide more bread to each table in the main dining room.
“Compared to what other cruise companies we have been with [serve], this is unsatisfactory for them and not just them I would bet. Put the bread basket back or tell the servers to stop with the stinginess! Give more bread.”
Related: Carnival Cruise Line passengers want more of one big food option
In sharing the passenger’s complaint in a post on his Facebook page, Heald wanted to make sure that Carnival cruisers know that more bread is certainly available to them, if they want it.
“Let me clarify that bread is not limited but rather unlimited. Ask and it shall be given, and last night I made sure that without asking the family are served many pieces of bread,” Heald explained.
He also pointed out how this kind of complaint highlights the joy of cruise (over)indulgence.
“You know, it does make me smile when I read this kind of post. It is a cruise thing isn’t it? I mean if I was to eat a basket of bread before my meal at home it would be considered weird, reckless, and possibly bonkers but on a cruise it is considered normal, healthy, and dare I say, even chic.”
Carnival passengers weigh in on bread
As he often does with issues that are raised on his page, Heald asked his followers to engage in the doughy debate. From the comments, it's clear that passengers are quite divided on bread service.
While some passengers wish the cruise line would go back to offering a bread basket with various types of bread, others are perfectly satisfied with receiving less, knowing they can ask for more if desired.
Some passengers also noted that they appreciate that Carnival takes steps to prevent food waste by no longer serving an entire bread basket at dinner.
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“I don't eat bread before dinner but my husband does. I'm glad they just start with a couple of pieces, it cuts down on food waste. He has certainly asked for extra and been given more, no questions asked,” Tina Crowe wrote.
For other passengers though, being offered only one type of bread each night is a problem. And because servers are so busy, receiving more bread when you request it can sometimes take a while.
“I miss the bread basket on the table with a variety selection, cranberry is my favorite. I understand that CCL is trying to avoid waste but using waitstaff to dish it out piece by piece costs goodwill and the time the staff has to attend to guests,” Nancy Santoro Denza pointed out.
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