Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line have made major changes to the menus in their main dining rooms over the past few months.
Most of the changes took things away, so they're not all that popular with the cruise lines' passengers.
Both, for example, have limited their passengers to one included lobster on "Lobster Night." After the first one, people have to pay for any additional lobster, a change from the previous unlimited-lobster policy.
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Carnival has also begun adding a small surcharge for customers who want a third entree (and for any additional ones after that).
Royal Caribbean (RCL) -) has not done that, but the cruise line did greatly simplify its main dining room menu. The move included dropping the Classics section, which included some fan favorites and basic choices that were offered every night.
That change was very unpopular because it removed dishes like New York strip steak, salmon, grilled chicken, and pasta bolognese, which less-daring diners liked to have as options each night. The new menu, with far fewer choices, follows a nightly theme each night.
Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) -) also dropped some of its nightly main-dining-room offerings, but it expanded the overall number of choices. The cruise line also added some new dishes created by Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse.
Both companies received about from the changes, but it's fair to say that Royal Caribbean's were more strongly opposed since they gave customers getting a much smaller menu.
Carnival has continued to make changes in its main dining room, and the latest one should make some customers very happy.
Image source: Carnival Cruise Line
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Carnival adds a full vegan menu
In theory, both Carnival and Royal Caribbean cater to whichever diet passengers follow. They offer vegetarian choices, gluten-free options, and vegan dishes. In practice, however, the choices for people following special diets can sometimes be limited.
Carnival is taking a major step to deal with that by offering a new vegan menu featuring a selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. These menu items will be "prepared without the use of animal products, and the proteins included are made from meat substitutes," the cruise line said.
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“Our skilled chefs work to accommodate all dietary needs and preferences but building on our vegan offerings and emphasizing them with specific menus will help to make ordering easier in the dining room and preparation more efficient in the galley,” Richard Morse, Carnival's food and beverage senior vice president, said in a news release.
The new menu is already being offered on Carnival Freedom in Port Canaveral and Carnival Horizon at Port Miami. Every ship in the fleet will add the vegan menu by year's end.
Carnival expands a classic game-show offering
In addition to its culinary changes, Carnival is also expanding the popular "Family Feud" game show to more of its ships. Currently, the game, inspired by the long-running television show, is offered on the cruise line's two flagships, Carnival Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration. It will be expanded to a dozen more ships by fall 2024.
“'Family Feud Live' is such a fun and unique entertainment option because guests get into the action and participate in the same way they’ve watched the game played on TV,” said Carnival Entertainment Vice President Chris Nelson.
Carnival first introduced "Family Feud Live" when Mardi Gras launched in 2021. In the game, "two five-person teams battle it out in three rounds of game play and then the Fast Money round by naming the most popular answers to survey questions for a chance to win prizes," the cruise line shared.
