With continued catering costs and waste a concern for all cruise lines, Carnival Cruise Line has decided to make several changes to popular dining venues, including increasing costs for specialty dining and adding new entrance fees. in the main dining room.
These increases follow a series increasing the cost of onboard dining options earlier this year, and it’s sure to be a concern for budget-conscious travelers.
Multiple eating changes
In emails sent to booked guests, Carnival Cruise Line has announced several changes to its onboard dining venues, including new costs and menu changes. These new fees and other changes are said to be in response to higher operating costs and to mitigate food waste.
“We have all experienced the impact of inflation, higher fuel prices and supply chain challenges. the email begins. “At Carnival, we have worked hard to minimize the impact on our guests.”
“However, we have reached a point with our food costs where we need to take some modest but specific actions, which we know most of you have already done yourself, whether it’s with eating patterns or shopping to stock the fridge or the pantry.”
To mitigate these costs, as well as catering challenges, the cruise line will now add a surcharge for multiple entrances to main dining rooms, increase specialty dining costs and discontinue 24/7 ice cream and frozen yogurt.
Added new charge to main dining room
The most surprising of these new changes, made effective on all cruises departing Monday, November 7, 2022, is a new $5 (USD) added entrance fee to the Main Dining Rooms per entry that exceeds the first two a visitor can order. in the same meal. The fee will also apply to cruises to australiafor AU$7.
This means guests will still be able to choose their first and even second entry at no extra charge, but will pay the fee for their third, fourth or any additional entry.
Many cruise line guests may choose multiple meals to enjoy different dishes or enjoy a greater variety of tastes, as dining is an outstanding part of any cruise vacation.
Another major dining room change is the Baked Lobster Tail, traditionally offered during “Elegant Evening” dinner services on official cruise nights on cruises of 6+ nights or longer. Now, instead of offering lobster tail on the first official night – usually the second night of the cruise – lobster tail will only be offered on the second official night.
Several years ago, Carnival Cruise Line removed poached lobster tails from all cruises of less than six nights, instead substituting lobster chowder as an alternative and offering whole lobster tails only on longer cruises and therefore more expensive.
Special dining prices to increase
In addition to the new main dining room fare, Carnival Cruise Line is also raising the price of its popular Steakhouse specialty restaurant. As of November 7, the price will increase from the current rate of $42 (USD) to $48 per person – the second price increase for the popular venue this year, making a total increase of nearly 25% over the cost a year ago seen.
If guests prepay for steakhouse reservations on sailings departing through December 31, 2022, the lower price will be honored, but reservations made on board will be subject to the higher rate.
Similarly, if guests on cruises from January 1, 2023 and later have already prepaid for steakhouse reservations, the new price will remain. However, those bookings must be paid for by November 2, 2022, otherwise they will be subject to the price increase.
The cruise line has also stated that prices for other specialty restaurants, including Rudy’s Seagrill and Bonsai Teppanyaki, will also increase, although new prices for those restaurants have not yet been announced. It is also possible that other countries may also raise prices once further budget analysis is completed.
Ice cream limitations
Free 24/7 ice cream has long been a sweet treat on Carnival cruise ships, but not anymore. As part of initiatives to reduce food waste, the cruise line will now only offer free ice cream and frozen yogurt daily from 11 a.m. to midnight.
“While ice cream for breakfast or at 2:00 a.m. sounds like a great idea when you’re on vacation, the truth is we’re seeing a lot of waste,” the email said. “We ask guests to join us in our efforts to reduce food waste in a way that will have a negligible impact on the overall vacation experience.”
What will change next?
These changes come on the heels of a full menu of dining-related changes Carnival Cruise Line has recently made, from increased costs to removing pre-order options for alcohol bottles to cut pizzeria hours for him adding more room service charges.
Stay tuned to Cruise Hive for further updates on Carnival cruise line changes and discuss these changes on our message boards.
