Carnival Cruise Line will be returning to the original, hand-cut French fries for Guy’s Burger Joint across the fleet, much to the great delight of many fans of the dining venue. The announcement was recently confirmed by John Heald, the cruise line’s official Brand Ambassador.
Heald responds to hundreds of guest comments, questions, and requests nearly every day. Recently, several guests have noted a change in the fries offered, and asked whether this was a standard change or just a fleeting option.
“[For] those of you commenting about the fries, you may have noticed that on some ships we have returned to the original recipe hand-cut fries and will be doing this throughout the fleet in the days and weeks ahead,” Heald confirmed. “Cheers to Richard our SVP of food and beverage for listening to you!”
Richard Morse is the Senior Vice President of Food and Beverage at Carnival Cruise Line. He joined the cruise line in January 2016, following more than 35 years’ experience in hotel and property management. Heald often passes guest comments and requests on to the appropriate cruise line executives for further attention.
Guy’s Burger Joint was first introduced aboard Carnival Liberty in 2011 in partnership with renowned chef Guy Fieri. The fast-service venue quickly rocketed to high popularity with both novice and experienced Carnival guests.
The casual restaurant served up more than 10.5 million burgers in 2023 across the fleet and has frequently been voted as the best burgers at sea. Guests can choose from a small menu of different burger types, each served with hot, seasoned fries, and can customize their order at the nearby toppings bar.
It is the fries that have had some controversy over the years, however. While the hand-cut fries first offered were a quick favorite among guests, the fries were later changed to a thicker processed cut with what appeared to be somewhat different seasoning.
Read Also: Guy’s Burger Joint on Carnival Cruise Line – Menu, Which Ships, and Other Details
Now, however, the hand-cut fries are back as the perfect accompaniment to the hot, fresh-off-the-grill smash burgers, with a very enthusiastic response from guests.
“So happy they are going back to the original hand cut fries. They were awesome!”
“Thank you. Those hand cut fries are the best!”
“That is great! The original ones were way better.”
Few guests know that while the fries are typically seasoned – which can range from heavy to mild – they can also ask for unseasoned fries if preferred, or if the spiciness doesn’t agree with them. It may take a few minutes for a new batch, but it can be well worth the wait.
More Carnival Food Requests Granted
Carnival Cruise Line does listen to guest comments and make adjustments to menus and operational guidelines where possible. For example, just days ago the cruise line confirmed that the popular Funfetti Cheesecake will now be offered fleetwide as an embarkation day dessert at the Lido Marketplace, a treat that was missing from the Excel-class ships.
Another top food and beverage headline from the cruise line recently was the removal of restrictions on a VIFP loyalty drink perk, something guests have been requesting for years.
Over the past two years, Carnival Cruise Line has also responded to guest interest in more vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu options, revamping dining room menus to offer even more healthy selections to travelers.
Not all dining-related requests can be granted, however. Despite guest outcry, the change to made-to-order omelette stations made in late 2023 was not to be reversed, and fewer omelette options are available onboard.
Still, there is no lack of dining options aboard any Carnival ship, and furthermore, the dining team will always do what they can to honor special orders and requests. While not every request may be possible, there are always delicious things to enjoy when sailing with Carnival.