In 2023 both Carnival and Royal Caribbean overhauled their main dining room menus. The two companies, however, took very different approaches.
Royal Caribbean shrank its menus and gave each night a theme. It also dropped the classic menu items — like a basic New York strip steak, chicken, salmon, and pasta bolognese — that it had offered every night.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line shares food rule to stop ‘nightmare’ situation
In addition, Royal Caribbean stopped offering shrimp cocktail, escargot and French onion soup each night. These changes were made to cut down food waste and speed up the dinner service so it takes only about 90 minutes.
Carnival's changes were less drastic. The cruise line did not shrink its menu. Some items were dropped but new ones were added with help from Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse.
Now, Carnival is making a surprising move: expanding one of its on-board menus in an interesting way.
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Image source: Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival ups its side-dish game
Since the original menu was overhauled, Carnival has continued to make tweaks.
The cruise line and its chief rival, Royal Caribbean, have generally had a weak side-dish game. In most cases they offer mashed potatoes, a broccoli floret or two and perhaps a carrot. You could say the main dishes are the star and side dishes have been neglected.
That's something Carnival has been working to change, according to a Facebook post from Brand Ambassador John Heald.
"Then there are the extra side dishes on the Steakhouse menu that is being tested on Mardi Gras, Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Glory, and Carnival Celebration starting this past weekend.. I was asked multiple times yesterday to list them again and so here they are:
- Baked Potatoes
- Buttered broccoli
- Cleveland Gold Mash Potato
- Onion Rings
- French Fries
- Mac and Cheese
- Sautéed Fresh Mushrooms
Heald also made clear how many of the new items people can order.
"And you can order as many of these as you wish or just enjoy the sides each main course already will be served with," he said.
"By the way, mushrooms ... are strange little buggers. Some mushrooms will kill you, some will make you see visions of me naked riding a unicorn and some are just delicious with a filet mignon."
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Carnival cruisers like the new side dishes
"Those side dishes sound awesome," Andrew Chambers raved.
"Good ideas for the steakhouse menu," added Jim Mason.
"I like the idea of extra side dishes in the steakhouse. The last time I checked out its menu, I didn't find any that I liked," posted HB Cruising.
Many of the responses also addressed Heald's comment that a woman had called him "swollen" after he said he could not offer her a free upgrade on a sold-out cruise.
"I am definitely swollen also. Seems the food is so delicious on Carnival Spirit I eat constantly," Ladonna Brummitt posted.
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Others had even more fun with that request.
"John I am really surprised at you that you don't get lumber to build more rooms so you can accommodate with the upgrade or become a magician and pull it out of your hat I just don't understand people the ship is full just be happy with going," wrote Alma McKenzie.
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