There is simply no way to make everyone happy! Of all the things cruisers could possibly disagree about, it’s somewhat surprising to see the right way to serve free ice cream become so controversial.
But after a recent Carnival passenger complained about the ice cream service on Brand Ambassador John Heald’s public Facebook page, cruise fans have started debating in the comments section – generating more than 5,000 replies about the popular dessert in less than 24 hours.
This particular guest, who has remained anonymous, was upset because the soft serve and frozen yogurt at Swirls – which is found on the Lido deck of all 27 Carnival cruise ships – is self service, meaning the treats aren’t served by a crew member.
“Why is Carnival stuck in the past and make their passengers pour their own ice cream. On all the other cruise lines it is poured for you. Just back from a Disney cruise and the cast members do it,” said the disgruntled cruiser.
“There is no mess, no greed, and no chance of germs. This is the policy that would be applauded should you decide to change to what the upscale cruise lines have as policy,” continued the post.
When cruising resumed after the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s true that many cruise lines did implement temporary policies where crew members served all food and drinks in places they usually would not, such as in buffets or at self service drink dispensers.
But as the world returned to normalcy, these extra precautions were deemed unnecessary – and the current sanitation protocols on the mainstream cruise lines actually keep guests quite safe.
“Now of course if needed and we have a health reasons to do so we will do this but really, do people want this? I think that the joy of being able to fill your own cone, bowl or bucket with ice cream is one of the reasons it is so popular. Yes it can get messy but our brilliant crew are there to take care of this,” responded Heald, before asking his many followers what they would prefer.
Ultimately, Heald’s question was met with a mixed response – with no clear “correct” answer really bubbling to the surface.
What is Really the Best Way to Serve Ice Cream?
When reading through the thousands of responses to Heald’s post, it seems like a slight majority lean toward getting their own ice cream because they find it fun, convenient, and can choose exactly how much of the sweet treat they want.
“I have sailed a main competitor & yes they have staff doing it for you BUT, their hours are shorter and you don’t get it exactly like you want it,” replied one person.
“Nothing wrong with doing it yourself. I will say, I was impressed on the Carnival Splendor cruising out of Sydney. The ice cream stations were never messy or busy,” added another.
“This also gives us entertainment as well. We like to sit and watch people make ice cream cones. We even have a grading system,” joked a third.
That said, there were many who wanted crew members to be in charge of the ice cream service because they couldn’t get past the possible mess or spreading of germs.
“I prefer to build my own but seems to be a favorite of those who’ve been causing mayhem on the ships lately…The worst is opening the nozzle and letting the ice cream run all over the floor for sport,” wrote one frequent cruiser.
“If the crew do it, I am not getting germs from all of the people who have touched it before me. And I can not wash my hands while holding a cone. It is a measure to keep gastrointestinal bugs from spreading,” said someone else.
But with no plans in place for Carnival to change the way Swirls serves ice cream in the near future, guests will have to come to terms with serving themselves or go without.
Read Also: What You Should Never Do at the Cruise Ship Buffet
Interestingly, this also isn’t the first time the popular ice cream joint, which is included in the price of the cruise fare, has caused controversy online.
Two years ago, Carnival chose to change Swirls’ hours from being open 24/7 to operating daily between 11 a.m. and midnight – which are still the current hours as of the time of publication.
While the cruise line stated that the change was made to eliminate food waste, some complained on Reddit about how small changes like this take away from the quality of their cruise.
“Carnival lately has made so many changes to food not being 24/7 that to me seem like bad moves. One small change to me is ok but keep doing small changes here and there and it can get annoying, specially since carnival has always been known as the fun ship…now it seems they are catering to people who go on vacation and go to sleep at 10pm,” a frustrated cruiser posted on Reddit at the time.
Considering the cruise line hasn’t seen a need to re-expand Swirls’ hours, hopefully most guests agree that a 13 hour window each day is enough time to satisfy their sweet tooth.
