Many people fondly remember the days when cruise lines offered midnight buffets. Those have largely gone away, at least on Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean (RCL) -) ships.
On most ships the two cruise lines operate, your dining options become a bit scarce after the main dining rooms and specialty restaurants close.
Royal Caribbean ships carrying the Playmakers sports bar concept offer wings, burgers, nachos, and other bar favorites until 11, but when it comes to late-night with either cruise line, your choices are limited.
DON'T MISS: Royal Caribbean Makes a Big Passenger-Friendly Change
Both Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) -) and Royal Caribbean offer some cookies, pastries, and limited snacks at their coffee bars. They also serve pizza either 24/7 or at least until the very wee hours of the morning.
Yes, you can order room service from either line (for a small fee), but if you are out and about, pizza is your only choice for hot food.
That's something many passengers wish would change. And while Carnival won't be bringing back the beloved Midnight Buffet, it will be expanding its late-night dining menu.
Image source: Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Adds New Late-Night Eats
Carnival won't be bringing back the classic Midnight Buffet, but it is making a major change to its late-night dining offerings. The cruise line's brand ambassador, John Heald, shared what's happening on his Facebook page:
Lots of you have been asking about the rumors that we will be starting the “midnight buffet” that we had many years ago. The answer is no we wont but we will be complimenting the wonderful pizza we offer with these late night options.
The opening/closing timing may vary from ship to ship, and it will be determined by each ship, considering factors such as peak periods and guest demographics.
The new menu, called "Good Eats: Late Night Snack," will feature chicken noodle soup, cole slaw, potato salad and chips and salsa on the "Soup & Salad" side of the menu. The entrees will include Chicago pizza in pepperoni and cheese, chicken fingers, a meatball sandwich, and a ham-and-cheese roll. The offerings will be topped off with both chocolate chip and sugar cookies.
Heald did not specify where the new items would be offered on the ships, but the buffet seems like the logical location. He did, however, thank people for the largely positive feedback he received on the changes.
"Thank you for all the great comments on the new late night menu and a massive thank you to the culinary team for listening to the comments I have been sending them," he posted.
He did also acknowledge, in his humorous fashion, that not everyone was pleased.
"Sadly, there are still some who are very angry that there is not more selection," he wrote. "I think we should make a movie featuring Vin Diesel. It will be called: 'Carnival’s Late Night Menu: The Fast Food and the Furious.'"
Carnival's Move Pressures Royal Caribbean
Again, most cruise lines generally offer pizza as the only substantial late-night option. Virgin, which has a 24-hour diner in its food court, is a major exception.
Royal Caribbean offers late-night pizza, snacks, and some sandwiches in its Promenade Cafe and Sorrento's Pizza locations. Its Celebrity brand offers late-might pizza as well as pasta in its buffet until about 2 a,m.
Carnival's changes could force its closest rival to consider expanding its late-night menu (which would not be that hard because its after-hours room service menu looks a lot like what Carnival is offering).
