Carnival Explains Why Self-Serve Option Won’t Change
There are many delicious treats onboard a Carnival cruise ship, and one of the most popular is the never-ending sweetness of self-serve ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Want a cone by the pool? No problem. How about a dish as a second dessert? You got it. Craft your own float with a glass of soda? Go wild. Add some ice cream to your hot chocolate? That’s my personal favorite.
The reason you can do all these fun things – and more! – with ice cream is because the machines are self-service. This lets every guest be as simple or creative as they wish, but it does lead to other issues.
One concerned guest reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, with a potential solution to a common ice cream problem.
“We love cruising with Carnival. Just got off the Celebration this past Sunday and it was the best most spectacular vacation we’ve had,” the guest said. “I only have one question or maybe suggestion. Would it be possible if a crew member served the ice cream?”
At this time, the various Swirls ice cream stations onboard Carnival cruise ships are strictly self-serve and open until midnight (availability hours at different stations may vary).
I enjoy the perfect formation of a smooth cone, tapering as I go to ensure maximum ice cream for minimum mess as it begins to melt. I’ve had lots of practice on plenty of Carnival cruises! Not everyone is equally skilled at dishing up their own cones, however.
“I understand it’s not easy for the crew as they already have enough on their plates, but oh my god the mess these kids and adults as well make at the stations is just awful,” the guest explained. “Makes more work for the crew that have to clean. It’s so sad to see how wasteful people are with food.”
It’s true, I’ve seen my fair share of ice cream machines on the Lido deck with melting piles of soggy soft serve dripping onto the floor, with broken cones or other detritus nearby.
While Carnival crew members work diligently to clean the area, it only takes one unsteady hand to create a new mess just minutes later.
Heald has noted, however, that Carnival Cruise Line will not be changing their offering of soft serve anytime soon.
“It’s been like this for well as long as I’ve been here so almost 40 years. There are busy times of busy parts of the year when we have lots of children, and some of those children are so excited to be able to serve their own ice cream sometimes yes there is a mess,” he acknowledged. “But the crew are constantly cleaning it up.”
Of course, if guests notice an extremely messy ice cream spill, they can always alert a nearby crew member and it will be promptly attended to.
Self-Serve Ice Cream Is an Experience
Some other cruise lines do indeed have crew members staffing their ice cream stations, serving up cones or dishes to guests. This can create long lines, however, and there is less personalization available for cone size or any other variations a traveler might want to try.
Dishing up one’s own ice cream is simply part of the fun experience aboard a Fun Ship.
“I don’t want us to take away the excitement of this not just for the little kids, but the big kids like us,” Heald said.
Read Also: How Not to Overeat on a Cruise Ship – And Why It Matters
There is a fair bit of nostalgia for guests to dish up their own soft serve cone of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or a combo twist, no matter what their age.
Whether it’s remembering a long-ago summer job or just the sweet taste of a favorite youthful treat, there’s something special about crafting your own cone on a cruise ship.