I went on my first Carnival cruise — these are the 2 reasons I might not do it again

Brittany ChangJun 25, 2024, 04:24 IST

I sailed on Carnival's new ship, Carnival Firenze, in May. I have two major gripes about the experience: the mediocre food and the incessant upselling.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

I spent four nights on Carnival Cruise Line's new Carnival Firenze cruise ship.
The quality of the vacation reflects its relatively affordable fares.

People love to hate Carnival Cruise Line. After sailing on the new Carnival Firenze, I now understand why: The food was as bad as the incessant upselling.

The company's ships have a reputation for being affordable but rowdy, so much so that it had once threatened to fine unruly travelers $500.

But this sour standing doesn't seem to be negatively impacting business. Lately, it's been the opposite. Its parent company, Carnival Corp, experienced "record" deposits and high-priced bookings in the first quarter of 2024.

Despite its growing popularity, I don't think I'll willingly book another Carnival cruise, or at least Carnival Firenze, again.

Carnival Firenze has an indoor pool.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Carnival certainly lives up to its reputation of having affordable cruises.

Carnival Firenze, shown docked at Ensenada, Mexico, is the company's 27th ship.Business Insider/Brittany Chang

The fares can’t be beat. And the quality of the food reflects that.

The corn and poblano soup was one of the few dishes I enjoyed with no complaints.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Unfortunately, everything I ate was mediocre.

The buffet had stations for dishes like salads and desserts.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Some savory dishes were overpowered by unnecessary sweetness.

The shrimp and fish cake dish at the Michelangelo dining room came with vegetables and an ultra-sweet tomato sauce.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The dining room's clams and linguini could've also been a win if not for some major issues.

I found a small piece of plastic in my pasta dish.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

If the food wasn’t sweet, it was heavy.

Guy's Burger Joint's burgers came with a side of fries.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

By day two, I began dreaming of light vegetables, freshness, and fiber.

The buffet-style La Strada Grill offered options like mac and cheese, a quinoa and chickpea salad, and grilled vegetables.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The mediocre food marred my experience, but it wasn't the worst part of my Carnival cruise.

During the day, the breakfast and chicken shack are complimentary. At night, the space becomes a seafood shack that sells $18 lobster rolls.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Mass-market cruise lines have been increasingly upselling on-board amenities and activities.

The cost of wings ranged from six pieces for $5 to 24 for $18.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

For example, the buffet, where guests had to pay for chicken wings.

The cost of wings ranged from six pieces for $5 to 24 for $18.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The dreaded dollar sign symbol followed me day to night, on and off the ship.

The cruise hosted nightly movie showings near the indoor poolBrittany Chang/Business Insider

Even scheduled on-board activities had unnecessarily gratuitous upcharges.

Bigelow's green tea was one of two complimentary options at "Tea Time."Brittany Chang/Business Insider

At breakfast, a server joked that my croissant and Lipton tea would cost $20.

A breakfast sandwich with a side of hashbrowns.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

In truth, the ship does have some redeeming qualities.

A spokesperson for Carnival told Business Insider that Firenze underwent a two-month refresh to "install the Carnival Fun Italian Style Concept."Brittany Chang/Business Insider

But these amenities weren’t enough to overlook the mediocre food and difficult-to-resist upselling.

The fare includes access to amenities like the waterslides and kid's water playground.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

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I went on my first Carnival cruise &mdash; these are the 2 reasons I might not do it again