In 2023 both Carnival and Royal Caribbean massively overhauled their main dining room menus.
At Royal Caribbean the changes took away a lot of choices from passengers. The cruise line moved to a theme-night menu where each night would focus on subjects like "Bon Voyage," "Caribbean," "Italian" or "Mexican." Not every dish followed the theme, but most did.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line takes a bold stand on a very adult topic
Royal Caribbean also got rid of the classics it used to offer every night.
On the former menu passengers could order a basic strip steak, salmon, chicken or pasta bolognese. In addition, the cruise line used to offer shrimp cocktail, escargot, French onion soup and a few other beloved appetizers each night.
Those menu items all make appearances but they're no longer offered each night. Royal Caribbean cited food waste and speed of service as the reason for the changes, but many passengers saw the new menus as an attempt to save money.
At Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) last year's changes were more about improvements than cuts. The new menus were created in consultation with the famed chef Emeril Lagasse, who took a non-ceremonial position as chief culinary officer for the cruise line.
Image source: Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival quietly made another change
Cruise passengers think of the central place where people eat dinner as the main dining room. Some ships have multiple main dining rooms, but that term widely refers to the nonspecialty restaurant space where you have dinner (and sometimes breakfast and lunch) on a Carnival or Royal Caribbean ship.
Carnival, however, does not actually call the space (or spaces) the main dining room, according to Brand Ambassador John Heald. He shared a note from a passenger on his Facebook page that revealed some surprising information.
"Why do you insist on spelling dining room as 'dinning room.' Do not tell me it’s the English way as that is false. I have checked. It is infuriating. Spend less time with your feet under the table and more time checking your spelling and grammar," the angry passenger wrote.
Heald responded with something other than his usual humor.
"Thanks, mate, and you are right, I do spell it that way and it is because my father did the same. I won’t waste your time in explaining why as I am sure you have better things to do. I will say that I won’t change this out of respect and love I have for my late father. I hope that is OK with you," he added.
Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise.
He also shared some surprising information.
"I am always under pressure from a few beards to stop calling the dinning room a dinning room and move to the 'official' term of 'restaurant,'" he added.
Carnival passengers push back
Many of the 300-plus people who commented on Heald's post were surprised at the change in terminology.
"Cruising is a lot about maritime tradition, and why should we abandon our traditions? I still call them 'tenders' and sleep in a 'cabin' serviced by a 'steward.' I will likely still call it the 'dining room'...Sorry, not sorry," wrote Bob McCall.
That sentiment was shared by other posters.
"It will always be our dining room. The dining room is where you go to have dinner, just like at home, the restaurant is a 'special' place to go for dinner that costs money," added Jon Collier.
Susan Lynford shared similar logic.
"John, when we are on a cruise it feels like that is our little home away from home. At home, I don't call the room I eat in a restaurant, it's the dining room; a restaurant is where I pay extra to eat out at. So, the MDR will always be the dining room to me," she posted.
Related: Get the best cruise tips, deals, and news on the ships from our expert cruiser
