Carnival cruise ships offer countless opportunities to eat.
Every ship offers a main dining room that serves breakfast and lunch on sea days and dinner every night. These dinners aren't modest: They're multicourse affairs where you can have all the soup, salad and appetizers you want followed by a main course and dessert.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line makes big bathroom change in some cabins
Want a second entree? Just ask your waiter. (A third will cost you $5 as will each one after that.) The main dining room may not be as fancy as it once was, but while white tablecloths are gone, the menu has been redesigned by the celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse.
The chef, known for exclaiming "Bam!" has a signature meal (appetizer, entree and dessert) on the menu each night and he has helped create the overall menu, which changes every evening.
In addition to the main dining room, every Carnival passenger has access to the Lido deck buffet, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, Each ship also offers 24/7 pizza, a Guy's Burger Joint from the restaurateur Guy Fieri, and usually at least another free restaurant.
You won't go hungry on a cruise, but are you destined to overeat?
That's something Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald asked his more than 500,000 Facebook followers.
Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise.
Image source: Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival asks passengers about food
"On a cruise, would you say that you eat the same, more or even less than you do when you are home?" Heald asked on his Facebook page.
More than 3,300 people answered the question (which is a lot even for Heald, who gets very strong interaction from his followers).
Many admitted to eating more but qualified their consumption.
"I definitely eat more than at home, but that's because I'm trying so many wonderful things that I wouldn't make or eat at home," wrote Liz Dusold. "Let the record show that even eating more, I have never gained weight on a cruise. I guess the theory that cruise calories are optional is true."
In reality, not gaining weight is likely due to added activity as cruises, at least for most people, involve a lot of steps.
That's an idea that Rhonda K. Sara backed up.
"A little more. But I get more exercise too," she said.
Katie Coburn agreed.
"I eat more, but I also tend to get more exercise, between walking all over the ship and choosing stairs instead of the elevator on good knee days and walking on excursions, I usually actually drop a couple of lbs by the end of a cruise," she wrote.
Many Carnival passengers eat more on a cruise
It's hard to not eat more when you're on a cruise ship because so much food is available. Many people love not having to cook and they enjoy the chance to try things they otherwise would not get a chance to eat.
"Probably more but also I try different types of food because of the variety available," wrote Dean Grassino.
Elise Calderon Krimmel echoed that thought.
"Definitely more! I love to try all the different foods I wouldn't necessarily order at a restaurant or prepare at home," she posted.
More Carnival:
- Carnival Cruise Line takes on main dining room controversy
- Carnival Cruise Line adds a new homeport, shares new itineraries
- Carnival Cruise Line shares a passport rule for most ports
- Carnival Cruise Line defends its beloved towel animals
Eric Granger uses a variation of that approach.
"More for sure. I also have rule I won’t eat anything I can get at home," he wrote.
Some passengers tried to pass the blame on their overeating.
"More… because my husband does," shared Becky C. Stonecipher. "He likes a full sit down breakfast on a cruise but that’s not our usual at home. Plus he can’t resist Guy’s Burgers at lunch so I eat his fries and we both eat at MDR or Steak House in the evenings."
ALSO READ: Top travel agents share how to get the best price on your cruise
Arthur Doty summed up the cruise food experience for many Carnival passengers.
"How can you not eat more on a cruise?" he posted. "The selections, ease of preparation, little or no clean up, no dishes in the sink overnight, served with a smile with some of the hardest working waiters in the world[.]
["We] have our favorite places to eat on all the #Carnival ships and our next cruise on the Magic, I will be at the Mongolian Wok every day that it is open for lunch."
Related: Carnival Cruise Line warns about an unexpected onboard cost
