Carnival Makes a Huge Breakfast Change Some Guests Don’t Like

Carnival Cruise Line continues to deal with the fallout from its recent omelet decision, with more and more guests expressing anger – often in not so nice ways – about how the cruise line has adjusted breakfast options. Everyone knows not to cry over spilled milk, but apparently, broken eggs are very much worth a few tears.

Omelette’s Decision Here to Stay

In recent weeks, Carnival Cruise Line has adjusted its made-to-order omelet options at both the Lido Marketplace breakfast buffet as well as at the Sea Day Brunch options onboard.

Rather than a broad range of customizable ingredients, the cruise line is now offering omelets in just three of the most popular options – cheese, ham and cheese, and a veggie omelet with bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions. The only customization for these choices is to opt for either cheddar or mozzarella cheese (or a mix of both).

Prior to the change, omelets could be made with a wider range of ingredients, including bacon, arugula, spinach, mushrooms, and additional types of cheese.

Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald has addressed “omelet-gate” and explained that the decision was made to help speed up service, ensuring every guest receives their omelet quickly and efficiently.

“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.”

More Omelette Concerns

It isn’t just the change in the omelet stations that has cause ire among loyal Carnival guests, but other rumors related to these breakfast dishes have also begun to run rampant. Over the past few days, there have been numerous concerns raised about the omelets through social media and message board posts, many of which Heald has continued to address, such as:

Omelet stations are going to be eliminated and only pre-made omelets will be available under heating lamps.

Heald has confirmed without doubt that this is untrue. “You can still have a freshly made omelette of three different varieties made on the Lido,” he said. “The omelette stations remain.”

Egg-white omelets will not be available since they can no longer be customized.

Egg whites are an option many people choose for health reasons, such as limiting cholesterol intake or for taste preferences. Heald also confirmed that guests will still be able to get egg white omelets without difficulty.

“Yes, you can order an egg white omelette,” he said.

Other egg options will be limited.

Carnival continues to offer a wide range of egg dishes on its breakfast menu, including scrambled eggs and hard boiled eggs. Guests can also request eggs cooked-to-order, including sunny side up eggs, over-easy eggs, and different permutations as they wish. Eggs benedict, huevos rancheros, and other egg dishes are also often available depending on each day’s individual menu.

Guest reactions to “omelet-gate” have varied from not being fussed over the change – an omelet order won’t make or break a cruise vacation, no matter how many eggs are broken – to passengers considering not booking another Carnival vacation because of yet one more change that is perceived as a cutback or loss of service.

Heald has continued to address guests’ concerns on his popular Facebook page, and is sending those concerns, suggestions, and criticisms to “the beards” – the upper levels of Carnival Cruise Line’s executive leadership. He does not, however, believe any changes will be imminent, though the comments will be passed along.

“No changes are planned,” Heald said. “But I will, I promise, make sure they understand some of you are asking for different types of omelettes.”

What is most astonishing is the nastiness some guests are expressing over a change in omelets, including name-calling and bringing family members into what is no longer a polite discussion. Heald has, however, remained polite with his signature wit no matter what guests have said.

“I never thought that I’d be spending time being screamed at and called all sorts of names because of eggs,” he said. “Most of you have been very nice, some of you have been a little disappointed, and one or two of you have called me all sorts of names, and a few people made some really awful comments … bringing my family into this. Why? What’s that got to do with an omelette?”

Carnival’s controversy over omelets follows several food-related issues in recent months among different cruise lines, all of which have garnered strong opinions from passengers.

Just days ago, Carnival quietly raised specialty dining prices, with increases ranging from 2-52% depending on the restaurant and ship.

In August, Celebrity Cruises introduced a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie for a $2 fee, which stunned guests and led to an overwhelmingly negative response over perceived nickle-and-diming practices, though free cookies were still available.

Similarly, also in August, Royal Caribbean International sparked controversy with a post-cruise poll about charging a fee for Sorrento’s pizza, which was quickly retracted after stunningly negative reactions.

In early September, Swan Hellenic Cruises responded to social media posts and outrage about chips of icebergs being used for cocktails on certain luxury itineraries, and ended the unofficial practice.

Food is very much a hot topic with all cruise travelers, and is likely to continue to remain a controversial issue whenever cruise lines make changes.