Carnival Cruise Line passengers reject major dining change

Many cruise passengers consider sea days — the days spent at sea without a port visit — as a chance to sleep in. That can be a needed indulgence given all the late-night options available on a cruise.

Some passengers, however, like to be up early. Maybe they get up before the sun for work and can’t adjust simply because they’re on vacation.

Related: Carnival Cruise Line fights back over dining complaint

In addition, there are also passengers who want a full buffet breakfast before getting off for a port day.

Carnival offers coffee 24/7, but breakfast at the buffet on the Lido deck starts at 7 a.m. Some passengers, however, think that the cruise line should move that back.

“I had a very passionate plea for Lido deck breakfast to start at 6 a.m.,” Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald posted on his Facebook page. “It’s very very difficult to do because obviously we have to look at the crew hours and the preparation to open at 6 a.m. Would have to start a couple of hours before.” 

He posed the question to his followers while expressing skepticism that people would actually want this. 

“But honestly, would you be up to eat breakfast between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.? I mean a full breakfast in your cruises with us,” he asked.

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Carnival passengers’ answer is loud and clear

Heald’s poll got over 15,000 votes. He asked the question of whether passengers wanted an earlier breakfast option with “yes” and “no” as the only options.

Roughly 83% of the votes cast were “no” with 17% supporting the idea of the Lido opening earlier for breakfast.

Some voters would like the cruise line to extend the hours but fully understand why it does not.

“Yes, we are usually up early due to the hours we have to keep at home,” said Amy Colleen Moppin-Thomas. “However, with that said, knowing the hours that the crew already work, please let them sleep. I am sure that those of us on the ship can wait an extra hour to hour and a half to eat breakfast.”

Shawn Caccia also wakes up early but does not want Carnival to open the buffet earlier:

“Oddly, I usually am awake, sometimes even before 6, but I also have my routine as most others do as well, I’m sure. Eating does not enter the equation until I’m up for at least an hour anyway, so I’m fine with it the way it is.”

Melissa Hughes offered a different opinion.

“We spend time drinking coffee in the cabin while we wait for breakfast to open,” she wrote. “Then we wait a little longer because we try to avoid the crowds. With breakfast open earlier, some of the crowds and breakfast rush (especially on port days) will be alleviated.”

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Carnival passengers have other breakfast options

Carnival does offer multiple ways to get some form of breakfast earlier in the day.

Passengers can order a free continental breakfast to their cabin starting at 6 a.m. They also offer hot breakfast items during those hours for an added a la carte fee.

In addition, the cruise line’s coffee shop, Java Blue, offers coffee and pastries starting at 6 a.m. Some items are included while others, like fancy coffees, come at extra charge.

Melody Ellet takes advantage of the free room service.

“I would be awake, but I doubt I’d want to go up to Lido. We usually have first breakfast delivered to our room between 6 and 6:30 so we can have coffee and croissants out on our balcony,” she posted.

Rebecca Leonard had a much more extreme position on Carnival’s breakfast hours.

“This is always an issue every cruise,” she posted. “They need a continental and coffee to start at 4:30 a.m. and a hot breakfast to start by 5:30 a.m. There is always a line because 7 a.m. start to serve is too late.”

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Leonard attributes this to room service no longer being free.

“I have many friends who will only travel with other lines now because of this,” she added. “The older you get the more you will choose options to suit your desires elsewhere. 

“Personally, I rarely [eat] at the buffet, but the few times I went to join travel companions, the number of people waiting for food and for the buffet to open for breakfast was astounding.”

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