Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald has addressed a pair of food-related rumors recently, confirming one and debunking the other.

The rumors relate to buffet service onboard all Carnival ships, as well as the options for customized omelettes available both at the buffet and during the popular Sea Day Brunch.

Is Carnival Buffet Service Changing?

The first rumor is related to self-service versus served lines at the casual dining Lido Marketplace buffet. Concerned cruisers have asked Heald whether or not the buffet lines will become served – with crew members dishing out portions – or if they will remain self-serve, with guests choosing their own portions.

The questions are asked both with respect to food waste, as well as health and sanitation concerns over shared serving utensils.

“We are not, repeat not, changing from self service to a served buffet,” Heald confirmed.

Heald also asked a poll on his popular Facebook page about whether or not the buffet should remain self-serve or move to served dining. Carnival Cruise Line does take into account guest feedback whenever possible.

The poll results – with more than 4,700 votes counted – clearly show a preference for self-service, with 88% of guests agreeing that self-serve should be the way to go. Just 8% of votes would rather see the buffet served by crew members when possible.

Heald does acknowledge that served dining was the order of the day as part of health and safety precautions related to the pandemic, but it is unlikely that the service would change now unless there were a severe outbreak onboard a ship. Either way, some guests are always unhappy with how a buffet is served.

“If we were to say that the buffets were not self service and that a crew member must do it for you there would be some grumbling,” Heald explained.

At times, different cruise lines do shift to served buffets if there is an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness onboard. Some buffet items are always served regardless of the situation, such as meat carving stations or dessert options like cakes or hand-scooped ice cream.

As for food waste being a concern with self-serve buffets, guests can always opt to take smaller portions and simply get a second serving after they finish the first if they would like more.

“It will remain an all you can eat buffet and I should, with food waste in mind, remind myself and others that an all you can eat buffet is an offer not a challenge,” Heald commented jokingly.

Omelette Options Onboard

The second rumor Heald has addressed in recent days is a change in omelette options. Guests onboard recent sailings of different Carnival ships have noted that omlettes are no longer able to be customized during the popular Sea Day Brunch.

Instead, guests have a choice of three omelette varieties – cheese, ham-and-cheese, or vegetable omelete with bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. The only customization available is a choice of either cheddar or mozzarella cheese.

The Lido Marketplace omelette stations are also serving only the three types of omelettes, without additional customization. Previously, omelettes could be made with a variety of different ingredients, including bacon, mushrooms, arugula, spinach, and other types of cheese, including feta and swiss.

Several explanations have been given for this change. Fewer selections allows omelettes to be prepared more quickly, speeding up Main Dining Room brunch service and shortening lines at the buffet stations. Because of this, Heald has confirmed that for the time being, the new omelette options will remain.

“One of the reasons we are changing the slightly is to speed up the process,” he explained. “There are no plans to change back at this time.”

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Quietly Hikes Dining Prices

More pessimistic travelers are concerned that this may signify a permanent loss of options, but it is equally likely that this is simply a test of a new dining option that may yet be tweaked in the coming weeks and months. Heald has confirmed that the omelette stations on the buffet are not being eliminated entirely.

“You can still have a freshly made omelette of three different varieties made on the Lido,” he said.

It should also be noted that there are plenty of other breakfast options available, both in each ship’s Main Dining Room as well as breakfast burritos from BlueIguana Cantina. Other types of eggs are always available at the Lido Marketplace, including scrambled eggs, eggs benedict, and other options, depending on individual selections each day.

Carnival Cruise Line is bringing back an amazing – though occasionally controversial – statue as a focal point, but on a new cruise ship. The upcoming Carnival Firenze will showcase the piece when the ship debuts in April 2024 as a new ship in the cruise line’s Carnival Fun, Italian Style rebranding.

Statue of David to Return on New Carnival Ship

The statue in question is the recreation of Michelangelo’s famous David that was previously installed on Carnival Pride as a centerpiece in the ship’s steakhouse. When Carnival Pride debuted, the steakhouse was named David’s, but the specialty dining venue was rebranded in May 2023 during the ship’s revitalization drydock.

As the steakhouse aboard Carnival Pride is no longer themed to the spectacular piece of Renaissance art, the statue was removed and hasn’t been seen since.

Now, Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald has hinted at the statue’s return, sharing a photo of the cruise line’s president, Christine Duffy, recently standing in the lobby of what is still, for the moment, Costa Firenze.

“Last weekend our President Christine Duffy went to visit the Costa Firenze which next year will become the Carnival Firenze. Christine reported that the ship was really beautiful and I am sure that everyone on the West Coast will be excited to see her sailing from Long Beach,” Heald said.

“Now, take a look at the photo and the Christmas Tree because when the ship becomes Carnival Firenze there will be something else standing where that tree is now. It’s an old friend from another ship. Can you guess what it is that will have pride of place there?”

While Heald has not definitively confirmed that the new addition to the ship will be the David statue, the hints are clear – “an old friend from another ship” and “pride” strongly suggest the statue will be returning.

Many guests have commented on Heald’s hint, happy that the statue will be returning and eager to set sail on Carnival Firenze next year.

It is even more appropriate that David will be showcased aboard Carnival Firenze, as the ship’s name is “Florence” in Italian, and that iconic Italian city is where the original David is permanently housed in Galleria dell-Accademia art museum.

About David

While the original statue of David is a 17-foot marble masterpiece carved from 1501-1504, the statue Carnival Cruise Line owns is not quite an exact replica.

When Carnival Pride debuted in 2002, the statue was an exact recreation of the famous sculpture. Over the years, however, various complaints from more conservative cruisers led the cruise line to add a fig leaf over the anatomically-correct statue’s more private bits.

Interestingly, it is not uncommon for works of art to be similarly adjusted, and many famous pieces have been altered to more modern modesty and privacy standards many years after they may have originally be sculpted or painted.

There is no word on whether or not the statue will maintain its fig leaf modesty when it is reinstalled aboard Carnival Firenze.

Sailing Carnival Firenze

While the ship is still currently Costa Cruises’ Costa Firenze, the vessel will undergo an extensive dry dock when it is rebranded to join the Fun Ship Fleet. The same happened to Carnival Venezia prior to that ship’s transfer, with Carnival-branded venues added to the ship.

Costa Firenze‘s final sailing is a unique 1-night cruise from Marseille, France to Savona, Italy on January 20, 2024 before the ship will enter dry dock for her renovations. The ship is currently offering diverse Mediterranean itineraries from Barcelona, Marseille, Savoa, and Valencia.

Carnival Firenze is scheduled to debut at the end of April 2024, sailing from Long Beach, California. That debut has been controversial, as the schedule was adjusted and a new “inaugural” sailing added earlier than originally planned. The first inaugural cruise is now scheduled to depart April 25, 2024.

The ship will be offering 4-, 5-, and 7-night Mexican Riviera and Baja Mexico itineraries, visiting vibrant destinations such as Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, and Ensenada. Some sailings also include a visit to Catalina Island.

Whether sailing in the Mediterranean or visiting Mexico, the 135,225-gross-ton ship is sure to offer guests an amazing taste of Italy onboard, welcoming 4,126 guests aboard at double occupancy, or as many as 5,245 travelers if fully booked. Meanwhile, the ship’s 1,400 international crew members are sure to provide service everyone, even David, will enjoy.

Carnival Corporation announced significant strides in its quest to minimize the amount of food waste produced onboard its ships, an important part of the company’s sustainability goals. The company is inching ever closer to an ambitious 40% reduction by 2025 and sets the stage for a 50% reduction by 2030.

Food waste refers to the food items that are prepared but not consumed by guests and crew, and later discarded. Excess food from buffets, uneaten meals in restaurants, spoilage of perishable items, and over-prepared dishes, all contribute. Food waste is a significant operational and environmental challenge on cruise ships, where thousands of meals are served daily.

Carnival Corporation Achieves 38% Food Waste Reduction

Food and cruise ships have become synonymous with each other, with the last 30 years seeing an abundance of food served onboard. However, this also means that certain efficiencies have long been neglected, leading to waste, which in turn has a significant impact on the environment. 

Carnival Corporation achieved a significant milestone in its commitment to minimize the amount of food waste produced onboard its ships, with a 38% decrease in food waste per guest compared to the baseline figures of 2019. 

This means substantial progression towards the goal of reducing food waste by 40% per person by 2025. The company operates a total of nine different cruise lines and owns the most cruise ships in the world. In all, Carnival Corporation set a goal for a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030.

“One of the many ways we create unforgettable happiness for our guests is through world-class food and dining experiences on our ships,” said Bill Burke, chief maritime officer for Carnival Corporation. 

“Our food tells a story and it’s a labor of love to serve amazing meals to millions of guests each year while making sure we manage it in the most sustainable way possible. It’s a virtuous cycle from start to finish that reduces our environmental footprint while ensuring the extraordinary guest experiences that make our world-class cruise lines stand out.”

How Carnival has minimized the amount of food waste onboard its ships is not just down to producing less food, it’s down to a range of technological advancements.

Using Tech to Enhance Food Efficiency

Food waste generated onboard cruise ships has a two-fold effect. One, excess food waste means food is being produced, but not used, using up valuable resources, which in turn has a profound effect on the environment. However, food waste also harms the back end, where unused food needs to be discarded again. 

If this food is discarded ashore, it produces greenhouse gasses. Carnival Corporation has actively implemented several strategies to reduce food waste across the lifecycle. 

Biodigesters, of which some 600 have been installed onboard the ships, and food dehydrators have been instrumental in this process, allowing the company to naturally break down and responsibly dispose of unused food.

The company’s initiatives to cut food loss include monitoring and analyzing guest dining trends using AI technology. This optimization extends through the entire food lifecycle on its ships, from ingredient purchasing to meal preparation and presentation. 

Some vessels have even begun donating surplus food to local communities, Costa Cruises being a prime example.

The reduction of food waste is one area where Carnival is putting significant efforts, as it has a meaningful impact on the company’s ability to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. 

Reducing food waste, together with using less impactful fuels, bubble technology to reduce hull drag, and several other measures, will help Carnival achieve its 2050 goals of becoming a net-zero greenhouse gas company, which also includes building ships that do not need to discharge to the ocean or air, and ensuring 100% of waste is converted to energy.