06/19/2026
Carnival is making one of its biggest food and beverage moves in years — and the menu is getting a major upgrade across the entire fleet.
Carnival Cruise Line just unveiled "The Next Course," a sweeping new culinary initiative that includes brand-new restaurants and bars on upcoming ships, refreshed menus across the existing fleet, and a deepening partnership with celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, who serves as Carnival's Chief Culinary Officer.
Here's what's coming with The Next Course:
🔹 Major new dining venues debuting on Carnival Festivale (2027) and Carnival Tropicale (2028)
🔹 Refreshed menus rolling out across the existing Carnival fleet
🔹 Five major new restaurant concepts
🔹 Multiple new bars and lounges on upcoming ships
🔹 Fleetwide menu refreshes in Main Dining Rooms, Lido Marketplace, and BlueIguana Cantina
🔹 Carnival serves over 100 million meals annually — they have insights into what cruisers want
The headline new specialty restaurants:
🔹 EMERIL'S COASTAL SEAFOOD — Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse's signature creole flair meets coastal cuisine from the Gulf of Mexico to New England. Fresh oysters, Gulf shrimp, whole roasted fish. Specialty restaurant (extra charge applies).
🔹 UKU LEI LEI — Hawaiian-Asian fusion in a tropical-themed venue. Mongolian beef short rib, fresh poke bowls, tropical desserts. INCLUDED in cruise fare on debut visit.
🔹 FETACCINE — Greek-Italian Mediterranean fusion. Shrimp saganaki, chicken parmesan, Greek lamb chops, cannolis. FIRST VISIT INCLUDED, $8 per person after.
🔹 LE BISTRO MUSICALE — Parisian café exclusive to Carnival Festivale. Steak frites, chicken cordon bleu, French onion soup, oysters, live music nearby. Extra charge applies.
🔹 BAGELS @ SEA — Fresh-baked bagels with assorted toppings, fleetwide rollout.
New bars and lounges on Carnival Festivale:
🔹 The Spark — Vibrant lounge with live performances and cocktails inspired by iconic songs
🔹 Mix — Playful bar serving creative cocktails or patron-crafted drinks
🔹 Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar — Specialty coffees and cocktails in a dynamic space
Fleetwide upgrades across existing Carnival ships:
🔹 Refreshed Main Dining Room menus for breakfast, brunch, and dinner
🔹 New Lido Family Menu with daily kid-approved favorites
🔹 BlueIguana Cantina rotating daily specials
🔹 Chef's Table revamped menu with elevated multi-course dinners
🔹 Fruity & Frosted Breakfast Bars on Excel-class ships
🔹 Ice Cream and Milkshake Bars on Excel-class ships
🔹 Express Dining for faster service in Main Dining Rooms
🔹 Expanded grab-and-go options and mobile ordering
Why Emeril Lagasse is the right partner for Carnival:
🔹 Emeril is one of the most recognized celebrity chefs in America
🔹 He's been involved with Carnival for over a decade
🔹 His New Orleans creole influence fits Carnival's "America's Cruise Line" identity
🔹 Multiple Emeril restaurants already exist on land
🔹 The "Emeril's Bistro 1396" already exists on Carnival Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration
🔹 The new Emeril's Coastal Seafood represents a major brand evolution
The big strategy behind The Next Course:
🔹 Cruise lines are increasingly competing on FOOD experience, not just amenities
🔹 Younger cruisers prioritize unique dining over traditional cruise experiences
🔹 Destination-inspired dining connects the ship experience to ports of call
🔹 Multiple cruise lines have added celebrity chef partnerships
🔹 Specialty dining is a key revenue driver for cruise lines
🔹 First-time cruisers expect quality dining options now
How Carnival's dining compares to other major lines:
🔹 Royal Caribbean — Strong specialty dining options across all ships
🔹 Norwegian — "Freestyle" dining is their signature approach
🔹 Disney — Themed dining tied to characters and entertainment
🔹 MSC — Mediterranean culinary focus
🔹 Princess — Premium pricing reflected in dining quality
🔹 Carnival — Now positioning to compete more aggressively in dining
What this means for cruisers booked on Carnival ships:
🔹 Existing ships are getting refreshed menus NOW
🔹 New cabin amenities continue to roll out fleetwide
🔹 Specialty dining options are getting better and more varied
🔹 The Lido Marketplace is improving with new kid-friendly options
🔹 More mobile ordering and grab-and-go options expected
🔹 Wait staff training and service quality being emphasized
For cruisers planning future Carnival sailings:
🔹 Carnival Festivale (2027) and Tropicale (2028) will have the most extensive new dining
🔹 If specialty dining matters to you, target newer ships
🔹 Excel-class ships (Mardi Gras, Celebration, Jubilee) have the most amenities currently
🔹 Older ships are getting refreshed menus but fewer venues
🔹 Booking the Bottomless Bubbles or Cheers! Beverage Package can offset dining costs
🔹 The 2025 dry dock schedule includes culinary updates for multiple ships
The bigger picture for the cruise industry:
🔹 Food is becoming a key differentiator between cruise lines
🔹 The era of "cruise food is bad" is ending
🔹 Celebrity chef partnerships are now table stakes
🔹 Destination-inspired cuisine creates immersive experiences
🔹 Cruise dining is competing with land-based fine dining
🔹 Carnival is positioning to win the "best value dining" market
For Carnival loyalists who love the line's relaxed, family-friendly approach, The Next Course brings real culinary upgrades without abandoning Carnival's affordable, fun identity. For first-time Carnival cruisers, this is exactly the kind of investment that elevates the experience beyond what many expect from mainstream cruising.
Christine Duffy, Carnival's President, summed it up: "Our latest culinary adventure marks a bold step forward to give guests an unforgettable experience with a variety of new vibrant flavors fleetwide."
