Are you looking forward to your upcoming Carnival cruise but unsure where to find the menus? Perhaps you are debating booking one specialty restaurant over another but want to base the decision on the menus. You're not alone!
Carnival ships have a variety of complimentary and specialty dining. While each restaurant has its own menu, some rotate daily, such as the menus in the Main Dining Rooms.
We have gathered as many menus as possible to help give you an idea of what you can expect your Carnival dining experience to be like.
Note, however, that menus are subject to change. Moreover, not every venue is available on every ship. Carnival Conquest, for instance, doesn't have the specialty seafood restaurant that can be found on Carnival Celebration. Moreover, longer voyages (i.e., Carnival Journeys) will have additional dining room menus that those on shorter cruises won't get to experience.
As this article is a constant work in progress, please email [email protected] if you happen to find a new menu on your Carnival cruise!
Here's a look at the 2024 Carnival restaurant menus!
Main Dining Room Menus (Dinner)
In mid-2023, Carnival Cruise Line began testing new menus onboard Carnival Dream. They were soon rolled out fleetwide.
All of the changes in the Main Dining Room were done in consultation with Emeril Lagasse, Carnival's "Chief Culinary Officer." The cruise line looked at every aspect of their dining room offerings to tweak them to ensure the best dining experience possible.
If you're familiar with Royal Caribbean's dining room changes, note that Carnival had a different approach. Rather than simplify the menus, they added 60 new entrees that will rotate within the dining room. Each night, there's also a featured vegan and gluten-free menu with similar offerings as the main menu (see "Feast" menu for example).
Read more: Guide to flexible dining vs traditional dining on a cruise ship
Note that only longer sailings (i.e., those that are 6+ nights) have two "Feast" nights, with the second having complimentary broiled lobster tails on the menu.
Main Dining Room Menus (Breakfast)
Carnival is known for its Sea Day Brunch. In addition to the dining room staying open later on sea days, they have a menu of upgraded offerings, such as a 12-Hour French Toast and Skillet Pancake.
In my experience, the wait can get pretty lengthy if you try to go past 10:30am; however, it is still just as delicious! If you don't want to spend the majority of your morning dining, make sure that you go a little bit earlier to avoid the rush.
For those who aren't fans of the buffet, you can still choose to dine in the dining room for breakfast; however, you should expect a different menu. They even have an express option if you're in a hurry to get off the ship!
Guy's Burger Joint Menu
Guy's Burger Joint first launched on Carnival Liberty in 2011 when the ship underwent a major renovation. Named after the famous Food Network star, you can enjoy delicious burgers and seasoned fries here. The best part? It's complimentary!
They even have a toppings bar, so you can further customize your burger. My favorite is the "Straight Up" with extra jalapeños! "The Ringer" is pretty delicious, too. And while not on the menu, be sure to ask for their veggie burger if you're a vegetarian or don't eat red meat.
I've seen the line for Guy's be exceptionally long, particularly on embarkation day. In fact, when I cruised on Carnival Celebration, I waited over an hour!
(Pictured above is a veggie burger from Guy's on Carnival Elation)
BlueIguana Cantina Menu
BlueIguana is open for both breakfast and lunch, albeit with limited hours sometimes.
Either way, whether you're craving a breakfast burrito or fresh tacos, you're sure to get your Mexican fix here. I love the fresh salsa and toppings bar! Like Guy's, BlueIguana is included in the cost of your cruise fare.
Big Chicken
Do you love fried chicken? Look no further than the complimentary Big Chicken, which can be found on all three Excel Class ships, as well as Carnival Radiance. Here, you'll find an all-day breakfast menu, plus crispy sandwiches and chicken tenders. Don't forget to try their signature sauce!
ChiBang Menu
ChiBang can only be found on Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee. The first time you eat here, whether it's for lunch or dinner, is complimentary. If you want to return on your cruise, you'll be charged around $8— unless, that is, you're on Jubilee, then they're all included!
Here, you can mix and match Chinese and Mexican specialties. If, for instance, you're craving a quesadilla for an appetizer but want Kung Pao Chicken for your entree, you can do so!
Onboard Steakhouse Menu
While onboard Carnival Conquest, I splurged on a meal at The Point Steakhouse. For $49, I was wildly impressed with the offerings. I was able to order lobster bisque and surf and turf, as well as a delicious apple tart for dessert.
The name of the steakhouse onboard each ship might not be the same, with newer ships having a slightly different menu than Fahrenheit 555. Either way, I think it's definitely worth looking into, especially if you're celebrating something special!
The Point menu from Carnival Conquest
Fahrenheit 555 menu
Guy's Pig & Anchor
Select ships have Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que for lunch. This complimentary venue is where you'll be able to indulge in a smoked andouille sausage, blue ribbon chicken, creamy mac & cheese, collard greens, and more.
Some ships have a dedicated smokehouse, too, such as the three Excel ships and Carnival Panorama, as well as Carnival Horizon. The way dinner works is that you'll select from one of four types of meat — blue ribbon chicken, 18-hour beef brisket, smoked pulled pork butt, and cheddar sausage — or a pig & anchor melt or maple & chile salmon.
Afterward, you can choose up to three sides and a dessert. The backyard brownie isn't included and costs an extra $5.
Cucina Del Capitano Menu
Cucina Del Capitano is Carnival's signature Italian restaurant. It comes with a few important caveats. First, it's not available on every ship in the fleet, and, second, it's only free (for the first visit) on Carnival Celebration and Mardi Gras; it's completely complimentary on Jubilee!
Currently, the cost is $24 for adults and $11 for children 11 and under.
The Italian restaurant onboard Carnival Venezia is Il Viaggio, and it has a separate menu that can be found below. The price is $42 for adults and $14 for kids 11 and under.
Bonsai Teppanyaki and Sushi Menu
Teppanyaki is one of my favorite splurges on a cruise ship. While I have yet to try Carnival's restaurant, I've heard excellent things about it! Lunch costs $38 per adult, whereas dinner increases to $42.
Some ships have both Bonsai Teppanyaki and Bonsai Sushi or just one of the two. When I was on Carnival Vista, for instance, they only had Bonsai Sushi. Similarly, Carnival Conquest had a Bonsai Sushi Express stall in the buffet. It's priced a la carte, so you only pay for what you eat, rather than a set cover charge.
JiJi Asian Kitchen Menu
JiJi Asian Kitchen can be found onboard Carnival Vista, Horizon, Panorama, and Sunshine.
At night, it's a specialty restaurant with a $24 cover charge for adults and $11 for those 11 and under. However, there's sometimes a complimentary lunch with a limited menu. Essentially, you'll be handed a sheet of paper that allows you to select if you want a stir-fry or broth bowl. Then, you'll choose your protein: steak, chicken, shrimp, or combo.
Below is the dinner menu.
Rudi's Seagrill Menu
Rudi's Seagrill is another Excel-only restaurant. It costs $49 for adults and $15 for kids 11 and under.
Onboard Pizza Menu
The name of the included pizza spot varies. It might, for example, be Pizzeria del Capitano or Pizza Pirate. Either way, the options are relatively similar. Below is the menu from Pizza Pirate. From my experience, pizza offerings vary greatly, as not all types are cooked at the same time.
And here's the menu from Pizzeria del Capitano.
Emerli's Bistros at Sea Menu
Excel Class ships have Emerli's Bistro onboard that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Like Bonsai Sushi, these restaurants are a la carte, so you won't have to pay a cover charge to eat here. Emeril’s Bistro 1396 is on Mardi Gras.
Emeril’s Bistro 1397 is on Carnival Celebration and is considered the "worldly" one, as new international dishes will be highlighted daily.
Emeril’s Bistro 717 is on Carnival Jubilee and focuses on seafood. Whether you're craving Creole boiled shrimp (market price), fried oysters ($6), or crab louie salad ($10), you're sure to find a dish to appease your taste buds.
Specialty lunches
Diamond members within Carnival's VIFP loyalty program can enjoy a complimentary lunch onboard with its own dedicated menu. At times, you may find special lunch menus in the dining room, too, such as the "Taste of the World" menu.
Christmas Menu 2023
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
