Carnival Cruise Line is home to some of the cruise community’s favorite eateries at sea. With exclusive partnerships, Carnival cruise ships offer a variety of dining options that you can not find anywhere else at sea. During our recent cruise on Carnival Panorama, we made sure to dive into all of the culinary options onboard this ship. Now, we want to dish all the juicy details. So, we have put together this list of the 10 Top Foods on Carnival Cruise Line Cruise Ships. You have been warned- this post will make you hungry!
10 Top Foods on Carnival Cruise Line Cruise Ships
Guy’s Burgers
Whether you want a “Plain Jane” or opt to go with a burger “Straight Up”, you can’t go wrong with a custom patty. Guy’s Burger Joint has become a staple on Carnival Cruise Line cruise ships, and for good reason. The venue serves up freshly made burgers with a wide variety of toppings. Perhaps the best part of this venue is that it is complimentary! Did we mention that the seasoned French Fries were the best fries that we have ever had on a cruise ship? So, even if you are not a meat lover, a stop at this joint is a must.
Personal Pizzas
Speaking of best foods at sea, the 24-hour pizza served up from Pizzeria del Capitano gets our vote for some of the best cruise ship pizza. The venue serves up fresh, cheesy pizza day and night. Yes, you could just grab a slice, but why? On Carnival cruise ships, you can order up a personal sized selection from the five perfectly baked varieties. With an open kitchen and cooks here around the clock, anytime is pizza time on Carnival Cruise Line.
Maine Lobster Tail
While some brands have done away with lobster, you can still get a lobster tail (or 2) in the main dining room on Carnival cruise ships. On the first Cruise Elegant night, the American Feast menu includes a Maine Lobster Tail. This upscale menu also features a slow-roasted prime rib.
Other top choices from the main dining room include the New England clam chowder, filet mignon on the second Cruise Elegant night, coconut shrimp, braised short rib, and the Rare Finds, which feature escargot, duck, and other delicacies.
Related Post: Carnival Panorama Restaurant Guide With Menus
Melting Chocolate Cake
While we are not fans of many cruise ship desserts, there is one on Carnival that was our favorite hands down. Of course, we are not alone. Most regulars with Carnival Cruise Line drool over the signature main dining room dessert, the melting chocolate cake. True to its name, this warm, gooey chocolate concoction melts in your mouth with every sweet bite. The vanilla ice cream is the perfect compliment to this rich third course. You can even ask for a side of peanut butter for a whole new take on this classic.
Breakfast Burrito
We try to avoid the buffet at all costs. Luckily, many cruise ships in the Carnival fleet offer a number of casual dining options. Perhaps one of our favorites on Carnival Panorama was the BlueIguana Cantina. Open most of the day, you can order a custom breakfast burrito, filled with eggs, pan fried veggies, sausage, and topped off with crispy potatoes. You can then add some extra heat at the custom salsa bar. Don’t overlook this venue for lunch or an afternoon snack either, especially the shrimp burritos with fajita vegetables!
Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
I might be biased, as I am a huge fan of buffalo anything. Still, the Deli on Carnival Panorama offers 15 different selections of top notch sandwiches. You will want to stop in between 11 am and 11 pm for one of the selections. The crispy buffalo chicken sandwich had just the right about of sauce, and I was able to customize the order on a pretzel bun for even more flavor. Many cruisers also rave about the Deli’s grilled cheese and Reuben. Though, you will also find classics such as a BLT or turkey wrap.
Asian Noodles
Another complimentary offering for lunch on Carnival Panorama is the Asian noodle bar. Choose from a variety of vegetables, proteins, and sauces to make your own freshly prepared wok creation. Several Carnival Cruise Line ships offer this top food item on its vessels. We enjoyed the lunch so much, that we returned a few nights later to try the up-charge JiJi Asian Kitchen restaurant for dinner. Again, we were won over by a flavorful feast full of some of our favorite “takeout” Asian food offerings.
Skillet Cakes (or ANY Brunch Item)
How do you make sea days even better? Carnival Cruise Line has found a way. It’s called the sea day brunch. While I am not usually a fan of breakfast, this hybrid meal, served throughout the morning and early afternoon, provides a mix of menu items. The winner for us was the thick and sweet skillet cakes. These were like pancakes on steroids. Carnival has committed to serving this brunch menu every sea day, so you can sample all the savory breakfast and lunch options available.
Parched Pig Beer
We might have been spoiled on the brand new Carnival Panorama. This ship houses one of the fleet’s few breweries at sea, crafting 4 varieties of beer for the cruise line’s signature label, the Parched Pig. It’s a good thing that the hog sampler is part of Carnival Cruise Line’s Cheers Package. I was able to sample them all, with my favorite being the IPA. If you are not a beer drinker, Carnival Cruise Line ships also offer a variety of libations at bars throughout the fleet, like the Princess’ favorite, the Alchemy Bar.
Baked Alaska
Two desserts in one food round-up! While we were more than happy with the quality of the food in the main dining room on Carnival Panorama, the desserts were truly the icing on the cake. On the second Cruise Elegant night, the main dining room comes alive as the servers parade around with this classic dessert. Carnival’s version of Baked Alaska is bursting with fire and flavor. This version pairs tasty ice cream with fluffy marshmallow meringue on a bed of light cake. Yes, it was just as delicious as it sounds.
Comments
Did we miss anything in our list of top foods on Carnival Cruise Line? What are some of your favorite menu items? Drop us an anchor below with your vote for the best food on this popular cruise line.
I particularly like the Salmon Tiradito and Wagyu Kakuni at Bonsai Sushi but just about everything I tried at there was scrumptious!