We just returned from a three day cruise on the Paradise. While the food was up to Carnival standards the service both in the buffet and the dining room was noticebly absent.

First the buffet - We had to bus our own tables on several occasions. The staff seemed to care less about cleaning tables but rather often stood around the area where the dirty dishes go talking to each other and not paying attention to what was going on around them. We actually sat next to a table that was left with dirty dishes at least 30 minutes with your staff walking by it dozens of times. We were with another couple and this became a joke during the entire three days (not a good joke) This was our 14th cruise on Carnival and while we have experienced lines at the buffet we have never seen at breakfast, lines this long. There had to be both mornings at least 50-60 people in line to get their food at each station. While this may be acceptable to you, it was not to us. It took 12-15 minutes each morning just to get our food and god help you if you wanted an omlet (which we skipped) as that line was even longer! Finally for the first time I noticed that the buffet staff seemed not to smile and were not (for the most part) friendly at all.

Dining Room - We all felt a huge difference in the service and attitude of the staff as "Anytime Diners". Service was slow and again a noticable difference in the attitude of the wait staff. We all agreed that we almost felt like second class citizens versus those who had scheduled dining times. There was no real desire to make us feel welcome or special. This is something that Carnival did very well previously. I will most likely will revert back to scheduled dining as this was not a good experience. As far as cocktail service was concerened it was non-existent. On neither Friday or Saturday night were we ever asked whether we wanted a drink and when we asked for a cocktail waiter it took 15 minutes to get one. Not good at all! Finally we found the same non-bussing of tables issue in the dining room. With passengers in the Anytime Dining area leaving at different times on both nights we were left sitting next to a table with dirty dishes for very long periods of time. The second night we actually had to ask to have the dishes removed.

Having 14 cruises with Carnival indicates I am a supporter of your company. I will tell you that our shipmates have been on both RCL and Princess and felt while the food was just as good on Carnival that the service was poor compared to those lines.

Just some "food" for thought.

I sure hope this was an exception and not the norm.  I am taking this cruise next year in March and for the first time I am going on Carnival and also a first, anytime dining.

I have cruised 4 times on Holland America and each time was as great as each other.  Nothing ever went wrong.  But due to the economy I had to cut back this year at all but am dying to get back to sea so I picked this because it comes out of my home port (Long Beach) so I don't have to fly, and it was inexpensive.

I know the cabin will be smaller, and I am learning the food will be aobut the same but I am taking a friend andhis wife on thier first cruise ever and I need this to work for them.  I know what to expect,,from HAL anyhow,,,and I know things can go wrong, but the dining has to be perfect and this feedback scares me.

I wonder if we should change to a set time.  I assume you don't ge to be familiar with the dinig people during anytime dining so maybe the service is sub-par,,they'r not working for an extra tip.

Why are you letting someone else's experience and opinion color your expectations?  I read these boards and comment on a few, but I take everything I read here with a good sized serving of salt.  Ten people faced with the same situation will have ten different reactions.    it's all relative.  See for yourself how things are when you take your cruise. 

Nothing is ever perfect...so as long you're expecting perfection you'll always be disappointed.

I hope you enjooy your cruise. 

sailaway:

Why are you letting someone else's experience and opinion color your expectations?  I read these boards and comment on a few, but I take everything I read here with a good sized serving of salt.  Ten people faced with the same situation will have ten different reactions.    it's all relative.  See for yourself how things are when you take your cruise. 

Nothing is ever perfect...so as long you're expecting perfection you'll always be disappointed.

I hope you enjooy your cruise. 

 

Well after having cruising these boards for a few days I have learned quite a bit.

First,,,there are a lot of disparaging comments that seem to a lot of time come from Mr or MS annonymous.   Also these people seem to have very few posts, like one.  Mr or MS annynymous never seem complimentary so I suspect some of them are perhaps trolls.

Second, with regards to this thread, I have learned that while doing anytime dining you can in fact request the same waiter every night.  You may have to wait a few minutes but  you can build that familiarity which one has with set timed dining so that seems to be a non issue.  On eof the girps is since you have a different waiter every night this can't occur when in fact it can

Third, with regard to me,,I never said I expected perfection, just wanted some honest feedback which I am getting on another thread I started and that feedback is  not from Annonymous and I tend to believe people that sign their names.  I just want my wife to have fun and my friends that I have dragged along to have fun on thier first cruise so I am inquisitive.

I will enjoy my cruise, thank you.  All one has to do is be on jury duty once to see how everyone sees things differently through their own eyes.

Dear Fight on Ron

I assure you that I would not be offering these observations should they not be accurate. After 13 previous Carnival Cruises I think I am qualified to offer these views. I was with my wife and another couple who have cruised even more then my wife and I. We all agreed that the level of service in the food venues left a great deal to be desired. None of us "expect perfection" (as you put it) but we also don't expect this kind of service. What has made Carnival so popular is the level of value they have provided in the past. As you know value is a measure of what you pay versus what you receive. In this case we all questioned the value.

Have a nice day.

Sorry Fight On Ron .. that last message was mean't for Sailaway

FightOnRon:

I wonder if we should change to a set time.  I assume you don't ge to be familiar with the dinig people during anytime dining so maybe the service is sub-par,,they'r not working for an extra tip.

On both of our cruises with Carnival the food in the dining room was absolutely delicious.  With the anytime dining I think that you would not get the same treatment from the wait staff as you would with dining at a set time.  From the sounds of it, with that dining you sit at any table available.  Personally, I prefer the set dining and the wait staff does get to know you and some will know your preferences for drinks too.  That's why when we do have to miss the set dining time due to a shore excursion we love to go to the Bufffet on the Lido Deck. 

If this is your friend's 1st cruise you sound like you would prefer the dining staff to remember you.  I would take that into consideration if it were me.  It does help to make the cruise experience more enjoyable but it's also not going to ruin the experience for them.  I doubt the service is sub-par but the wait staff would be different each time.

Also, don't let posts like the one made that can't leave a name.  I actually ignore what they say and some of it is almost too much to believe.  Some just like to post negative reviews and then never see them again.  Ususally it's their 1st time posting too.  Carnival does a great job making the cruise as nice as possible.  We also don't let the minor things that may happen ruin an entire cruise either.  I think you will have a great time cruising with Carnival.  We had a Balcony Suite and I have also seen an Oceanview statetoom and they are not that small.  The beds are really very comfortable too.       

We just got off the Legend on our 8th cruise and the dining staff on the ship was below par. We have sailed on the Inspiration twice, Glory, Valor, Fantasy twice, Legend and the Holiday and the service was excellent. The service was below what we used to get on the other cruises. Maybe it was just the Legend but everyone is entitled to their opinion. I do not want to make it the point that no one should sail on Carnival because of the poor service on this cruise. But after going on 8 of them, I can say that we just did not get the level of service on this cruise that we got earlier this year on the Inspiration. Hope it is better on the next cruise we book.

SuzyQ:

We also don't let the minor things that may happen ruin an entire cruise either. 

IMHO, that is so very important, it is well worth emphasizing.

f your service was so subpar, why don't you bother to identify yourself.  Your comment would carry much more weight.  I am never afraid to attach by name to anything I post.

Joan