Carnival Cruise Line Tackles the Seasonal Dessert Dilemma

From unlimited ice cream to poolside burgers and gourmet dinners, food is a phenomenal part of any cruise vacation. Despite the wide selection of dining options on board, not everyone is satisfied with every menu.

While the onboard dining team tries to accommodate dining requests for off-menu items or special preparations as much as possible, it is not always possible to offer everything the guest prefers.

Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald recently addressed an impossible request for an item that many travelers consider seasonal but that some guests would prefer to have more often.

“(We) are now cruise gourmets celebrating Carnival. Why is there no pumpkin pie?” the commentator asked. “My wife was disappointed and I asked the waiter for the chefs to make one but was very rudely informed that my order had been refused. …Pumpkin pie isn’t just for the holidays. …Must be offered once per cruise (all) cruises. What can you do to fix this?”

Heald frequently responds to dinner-related requests at your Facebook pagehelping travelers arrange group seating, specific meal times or special dietary needs. The pumpkin pie issue, however, is new.

“I’m sure the waiter wasn’t rude and maybe the chef didn’t have ingredients like ummmm… Pumpkins,” Heald replied.

The guest’s statement that “pumpkin pie isn’t just for the holidays” it sparked discussion among other cruisers. Many commentators note that the spicy treat is typically offered during holiday sailings, from Thanksgiving to Christmas and New Year’s, similar to its seasonal availability on land.

“Anything with pumpkin is definitely a seasonal thing! Even in supermarkets you don’t see pumpkin pie until fall.”

“The only time I see pumpkin pie being offered anywhere is in the fall, Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

“I personally don’t like pumpkin pie, but I can say I don’t remember seeing it outside of the holidays.”

Carnival Cruise Line offers pumpkin menu options seasonally, including pie or custard, although it is typically only part of special holiday menus.

For example, the special Thanksgiving menu in 2023 included pumpkin pie with salted caramel sauce and Chantilly cream as a special dessert. Slices of simpler pumpkin pie would also be available as a buffet offering.

However, travelers should always be careful with their expectations regarding seasonal delights. Classic family recipes can have very specific tastes and a cruise line’s recipe can be very different.

My own pumpkin pie, for example, uses triple the recommended spices (or more!) and is always topped with a huge amount of whipped cream, which wouldn’t be possible on a cruise ship.

The Most Famous Carnival Dessert

With sweets in mind and on the menu, Heald also started a discussion about dining room desserts.

“Chocolate Molten Cake is the most famous cruise ship desert in the world. And it’s available every day on the dining room menu. But is there another Carnival dessert you wish we served every night too? he asked.

While Heald hasn’t created an official poll about dining room desserts, the responses indicate a strong desire for crème brûlée as the top choice for travelers’ sweet cravings.

Also Read: How to Make Carnival Cruise Line Molten Chocolate Cake (It Really Works!)

Other popular orders include Grand Marnier soufflé, cheesecake, cherry jubilee, key lime pie, baked Alaska and “bitter ‘n blanc” bread pudding.

The much requested “Cheesecake Funfetti” was also mentioned, although it is a boarding day specialty buffet that Carnival now offers to the entire fleet.

What is your favorite Carnival Cruise Line dessert? Share your sweet wishes on Cruise Hive boards!