Carnival Cruise Line expands dining with new restaurants and fleetwide menus

Carnival Cruise Line is introducing new restaurants, bars and menu enhancements across its fleet and future ships.

The new programme of dining initiatives includes new restaurants and bars for two future ships, as well as menu enhancements being introduced across its existing fleet.

The programme, called The Next Course, will debut new culinary venues aboard Carnival Festivale, due to enter service in 2027, and Carnival Tropicale, which is scheduled to launch in 2028.

At the same time, the cruise line is rolling out updated menus, additional dining concepts, and new service options across its ships.

Carnival, which carries more than six million guests annually and serves over 100 million meals each year, said the scale of its operations provides insights into changing dining preferences and helped inform the new offerings.

The cruise line unveiled the initiative during an event in New Orleans hosted by chief culinary officer Emeril Lagasse, which offered a preview of forthcoming onboard dining experiences.

“Our approach to dining combined with our team’s amazing service is a driving force behind Carnival’s success,” said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line.

“Our latest culinary adventure marks a bold step forward to give guests an unforgettable experience with a variety of new vibrant flavours fleetwide,” she said.

Among the new venues is Emeril’s Coastal Seafood, which will serve seafood-focused dishes developed in collaboration with Lagasse. Other concepts include Uku Lei Lei, offering Hawaiian-inspired cuisine alongside Asian dishes, and Fetaccine, a Mediterranean restaurant combining Italian and Greek specialities.

Carnival Festivale will also introduce Le Bistro Musicale, a French restaurant set in a Paris-inspired environment featuring live music.

The ship is also scheduled to debut several new bar concepts, including The Spark, a lounge offering live performances and cocktails inspired by well-known songs.

Another venue, Mix, will allow passengers to order cocktails or create customised drinks by combining different flavours. Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar will serve speciality coffees and cocktails.

The new venues form part of a broader refresh of dining options across the fleet. Carnival is introducing updated menus in its Main Dining Room for breakfast, brunch, and dinner, as well as changes to offerings in the Lido Marketplace and BlueIguana Cantina.

The Lido Marketplace will gain a new family menu featuring dishes aimed at children, while BlueIguana Cantina will offer rotating daily specials.

Additional concepts being introduced include Bagels @ Sea, serving freshly baked bagels with assorted toppings, and a revised Chef’s Table experience featuring multi-course menus inspired by regional cuisines.

Carnival is also adding a series of pop-up venues across the fleet. New breakfast bars and ice cream and milkshake concepts will initially debut on the line’s Excel-class ships, while other temporary food concepts will be introduced across the wider fleet.

Operational changes are also planned as part of the programme. Mobile ordering and collection services will be expanded for onboard coffee venues, while a new Express Dining service is being introduced to provide faster service in the Main Dining Room.

New Restaurants and Bars

New Dining Venues

• Emeril’s Coastal Seafood – seafood-focused cuisine developed with Emeril Lagasse
• Uku Lei Lei – Hawaiian-inspired dishes and Asian classics
• Fetaccine – Mediterranean cuisine combining Italian and Greek specialities
• Le Bistro Musicale – French restaurant with live music, exclusive to Carnival Festivale

New Bars on Carnival Festivale

• The Spark – live performances and music-inspired cocktails
• Mix – cocktails and customisable drinks
• Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar – speciality coffees and cocktails

Fleetwide Dining Enhancements

• Updated Main Dining Room menus for breakfast, brunch and dinner
• New Lido Family Menu in the Lido Marketplace
• Rotating specials at BlueIguana Cantina
• Bagels @ Sea concept
• Revised Chef’s Table menus
• New breakfast, ice cream and milkshake pop-ups
• Expanded mobile coffee ordering and collection
• Express Dining in the Main Dining Room