Some of us (not naming names, cough, me) are old enough to remember when wait staff would parade through the main dining room on the last night of every cruise while balancing giant trays of flaming baked Alaska, smiling through nerves while trying not to light nearby curtains ablaze during large swells. Oh, the good old days! We also remember elaborate midnight buffets, with an abundant selection of calorie-laden snacks and desserts to soak up booze and fulfill every one of our hoggish desires. Sadly those days are long gone, leaving cruisers to hoard snacks in their cabin’s mini-fridge from earlier in the day, pay for room service, or wait for 45 minutes in a snaking pizza line.
But wait! Bucking a trend to cut, cut, cut, and charge, charge, charge when it comes to cruise food, Carnival is actually bringing back complimentary midnight buffets to all the line’s ships. While these buffets are a dramatically slimmed down version of the impressive spreads of times past, they are a most welcome addition to the line’s offerings.
The new late night buffets will replace the pizza stations starting at midnight (although there will be pizza served on the buffet) and will be served well into the early morning hours for those partaking in the ship’s late night activities or for people like me who will set their alarm for 11:55pm, wolf down two slices of chocolate fudge cake and a slice of cheese pizza, and return to blissful slumber by 12:10am.
Here are the new late night buffet menus, which will rotate. The same menu will be served in two different areas of the buffet to cut down on lines.
I ALWAYS buy travel insurance to cover my cruises, but I NEVER purchase it through Carnival. It costs more and covers less than policies you purchase on your own. I go through sites like travelinsurance.com* to compare plans and prices and get the best deal for the coverage I want. Spend less on insurance and spend more on excursions, special onboard cruise experiences and…future cruises!
Homework: Don’t forget to order a super classy “Ship-Faced” mug* and “Warning: I Bought The Drink Package” t-shirt* before your next Carnival cruise.
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