Complimentary Dining Options on a Carnival Cruise

Carnival Cruise Lines is known for its variety of choices when it comes to dining options. You can sample amazing food during your cruise from gourmet dining rooms, specialty restaurants, made to order deli, endless buffets, sushi stations, around-the-clock soft serve ice cream and more. But which food choices are included in your cruise fare? Let’s explore the complimentary food available on your Carnival Cruise!

The Main Dining Rooms

If you prefer to be seated and served your meals restaurant style, then the main dining rooms are for you! Available for breakfast and lunch (based on the ship’s itinerary) and every night for dinner, the main dining rooms will have new choices on the menus daily. Attire is cruise casual except for designated elegant nights where you can dress up for your night out. Dinner is a full three courses and you’ll have a good time as you catch the waiters table dancing as you order dessert. The rotating dinner menu has delectable favorites like steak, roasted duck, scallops and prime rib. When you choose Early Dining, you’ll be seated at the same table every night which gives you the chance to get to know fellow cruisers. If you choose Your Time Dining, you can chow down at a more flexible time.

Guy’s Burger Joint

For a taste of the best burgers at sea stop by for lunch at Guy’s Burger Joint. Carnival has teamed up with restaurateur and Food Network personality Guy Fieri to bring the authentic appeal of a roadside burger shack available on your ship poolside on the Lido deck. You can buy several options fresh off the grill the Guy’s way with special hand cut fries or take your burger to the extensive toppings bar to make it your own.

BlueIguana Cantina

Grab freshly made tacos and giant burritos stuffed specially for your enjoyment at the BlueIguana Cantina. These delicious options come with homemade tortillas and salsa and you can top it off at the salsa bar to give it your own signature twist.

Lido Marketplace

If you’re in the mood for casual dining where you can pick from a variety of foods from the buffet, head on over to the Lido restaurant on board every ship. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with extended hours so you can eat while fitting in all of your favorite activities. The options vary by ship but you can choices such as BBQ, a deli counter, salad bar, an Asian station and a pasta bar. Entrees prepared by the chef will vary daily. Lido’s is also the location where you can find soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt and made to order pizza 24 hours a day!

The Carnival Deli

Try all traditional favorites with a taste from the old neighborhood at the Carnival Deli. Pile 'em high with hot pastrami on rye, grilled Reuben, or roasted turkey breast on a country bun. Hand-carved sandwiches and wraps are always served hot with cole slaw or relish. Come in, satisfy your craving for a delicious sandwich, and don't forget the kosher dill.

Pizza Pirate

Open 24-hours a day, you can try made to order fresh pizzas with a Margherita, Funghi, Prosciutto, Pepperoni or Quattro Formaggi (four cheese) pizza served with a delicious Caesar salad. These are located in the Lido Restaurant area.

Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que

Available for free during lunch, Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que has Championship Pork Butt, Smoked Round of Beef, Smoked Andouille Sausage and his famous Blue-Ribbon Chicken. Pour his signature line of barbecue sauces on top then add classic grilling sides like Mac Daddy Mac n Cheese, Old Skool Potato Salad and Collard Greens to complete your authentic, real-deal-barbecue.

Lucky Bowl

Located on the Carnival Sunrise Lucky Bowl has a rotating daily menu of Asian favorites try your luck at this option that’s inspired by the street corner lunch cart culture. Pick your dish and you’ll get a meal prepared featuring a base of crisp veggies, rice or noodles topped with meats freshly smoked, stewed, braised or flash-fried. Then, depending on the dish, it’ll be topped off with its sauce or broth for the finishing touch.

Street Eats

Available on the Mardis Gras and soon on the Carnival Celebration, Street Eats is a new concept for Carnival Cruise Line where you can chow down on some street cart style favorites. Steam Dream features bao buns and pot stickers. Mad Sizzle serves up the likes of kebab and satay straight from the skillet and Time Fries prepares every cruiser’s dream: fries loaded up with culinary creations from the chefs, like cheesesteak fries.

Mongolian Wok

Take a bite out of some delectable Asian fare at the Mongolian Wok. To begin, choose your noodles and vegetables. Then choose the sauce and meat you want in the wok to one of the chefs. Will mussels and Szechuan be on the menu? Barbecued beef and Thai cuisine? What about chicken and black beans? Don't worry, you don't have to make a final decision - you may return to Mongolian Wok and try all the combinations you want!

The Captain’s Pasta Bar

At lunchtime, you’ll find a complimentary pasta bar at Cucina del Capitano known as The Captain’s Pasta Bar. Start with the pasta that you’re in the mood for such as penne, linguine or farfalle. Then pick your choice of sauce and meat and the chefs will cook it up into a delicious meal with just the right blend of spices.

Masala Tiger

This option is available for lunch on the Carnival Splendor. The Masala Tiger serves up a wide variety of signature Indian fare such as tandoori chicken or fish with cumin pilaf, beef kebabs or hot naan bread and sweet chutney and, of course, there is wide array of vegetarian options made from fresh produce.

Big Chicken

Sponsored by Shaq, this counter serve restaurant has options for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Choices include chicken sandwiches, crispy chicken strips, or juicy fried chicken baskets. Add sides like potato salad and jalapeno slaw. Breakfasts include chicken biscuits, a three-cheese omelet or a biscuit/egg combo with bacon or sausage.

24-Hour Room Service

So, you got hungry but you’re too tired to leave your comfy cozy cabin? No problem, simply pick up the phone and order something from the extensive room service menu. During the day there’s a menu of salads, sandwiches and sweet stuff that they’ll bring you completely for free, plus for fees that range from $2.00 to $6.00, you can order items like Chicken Tenders, Spicy Fried Firecracker Shrimp, Chicken Quesadilla, Philly Cheesesteak and Pan Pizza. Late night menus (after 10 PM) have a per item charge for everything ordered.

There you have it in a nutshell, a list of the many varied complimentary food options offered on your Carnival cruise. Also note that Carnival’s chefs are specially-trained to prepare food options for a variety of diets — vegetarian, gluten-free, kosher, Indian vegetarian, or food low in carbs, fat, sugar or cholesterol — so you don’t have to let your dietary restrictions restrict you from having a great time. Since there are so many complimentary and paid options which vary by ship, I’ve included a chart below which sums up the choices available on your ship. If it has a $ next to it, that means there is an extra charge. Click here to view the chart: Carnival Dining Guide