Variety is increasingly important to discerning diners, and that’s especially true on cruise ships.
"When you ask people what they love about a cruise or what they look for, it is really about all the food options and experiences," says Christine Duffy (MPI Philadelphia Area Chapter), president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Line. "Chef Emeril Lagasse is our chief culinary officer, and he works directly with our team members to ensure that we’re creating new interesting food options and menus with international flavors."
People tend to be more adventurous on cruise ships because there are many options that they might not be able to find on their local restaurant menus, Duffy says.
"Our people work with Emeril, our shoreside teams and our test kitchens to really make sure we keep evolving as tastes change, such as more vegan and alternative protein options," she says. "Protein alternatives have become more and more important to consumers. We have a new menu tailored to people on vegan diets that has been very well received by our guests."
Samantha Gutting, senior vice president/chief sales officer for the Branson/Lakes Area (Mo.) Chamber of Commerce & CVB—sponsor of the "Craft Your Experience" theme at this month’s MPI World Education Congress—has also noticed more requests for sustainable and plant-based options.
"As environmental and health awareness continue to grow, consumers are increasingly conscious of their food choices and their impact on the planet," she says. "This has led to a surge in demand for plant-based alternatives to traditional animal products such as meat, dairy and seafood."
Food stations and big activations
Food variety can also be achieved through another popular trend: interactive food stations.
"Instead of traditional buffet setups or plated meals, event organizers are opting for interactive stations that allow guests to interact with chefs or staff and customize their dishes or drinks according to taste or dietary needs or preference," Gutting says.
Duffy says food pairing is another way diners are satiating their need for variety—and it goes well beyond traditional food and wine pairings.
"We have a three-course meal where you can pair your appetizer, your main course and your dessert along different themes such as New Orleans or Italian," she says.
One big creative food activation recently featured on Carnival ships was led by a very big man: basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, who also happens to be Carnival’s chief fun officer.
"On Valentine’s Day, Shaq led a vow renewal for ships across our fleet, with wedding cakes and champagne for everyone. And we have Shaq’s Big Chicken eatery on board four ships featuring dishes based on his family recipes, including the best biscuits at sea," Duffy says. "We’ve also done the largest ‘Guy Burger’ at sea with Guy Fieri, another one of our partners (there’s a Guy’s Burger Joint on every ship). Those are some of the fun things our team does with food."
Carnival’s beverage creativity is demonstrated through the trend of lower-alcohol (as opposed to non-alcoholic) drinks, brewing specialty beer on ships (several of which have their own micro-breweries) and a ripples machine that can imprint a name or design in foam on top of a cocktail.
Community and sustainability
Gutting says the Branson Convention Center team now offers an alternative to printed menus that also helps local businesses.
"They work with local small business/restaurant owners to have them available at meal breaks so guests can interact with the local community—and it’s also a revenue share with the small business owner," she says. "It’s a win-win for sure, as attendees want to be more engaged with the communities they are visiting and get to know the culture."
Duffy says Carnival’s sustainability efforts include biodigesters that have helped the company reduce food waste by 35%.
"We’re also doing more to encourage our guests to reduce food waste: ‘You can have as much as you want, but don’t take more than you’re going to eat,’" she says. "We’ve also removed most single-use plastics and focus on recyclables. Our onboard recycling centers have processed more than 19 million pounds of recyclables."
A closed-loop packaging solution used by Bacardi aboard Carnival ships, being tested on three ships since August 2023, has reduced the usage of rum bottles by more than 30,000.
