We’ve been on 5 cruises and they’ve all been on a Carnival Ship. We’ve eaten at many of the places and are excited to try more as we try to choose a different Carnival ship each cruise. We put together the best places to eat on a carnival cruise, that we think are worth trying. Since options vary from ship to ship, we’ll keep this list updated as we try more!

You may be asking yourself, “Do you pay for food on a cruise?” Yes and no. Most of the food on a cruise is FREE, but there are upgrades that you may find worth the splurge! We find so much delicious food on a cruise that’s included, haven’t made it a priority to splurge yet, but the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast is the exception at only $6 per person.

Guy’s Burger Joint

(FREE, Carnival Ships: Breeze, Conquest, Dream, Ecstasy, Elation, Fantasy, Fascination, Freedom, Glory, Horizon, Imagination, Inspiration, Legend, Liberty, Magic, Panorama, Paradise, Pride, Sensation, Spirit, Sunrise, Sunshine, Valor, Victory, Vista, Mardi Gras, Radiance, and coming soon to Miracle)

With freshly grilled burgers and fresh-cut fries, what is there not to like? Our cruising group gets food here almost daily. The fries are great for an afternoon snack with a drink, especially if you’re on late dining. Dreaming they offer a turkey burger option in the future!

Carnival Sunrise has a breakfast menu. We’re not sure if breakfast menus are in the future for other Carnival Ships.

Lunch at Captain’s Pasta Bar

(FREE, Carnival Ships: Breeze, Horizon, Magic, Panorama, Sunshine, Vista)

We have yet to have a pasta dish we didn’t like. You get to create your own pasta dish from a list of options. If you choose shrimp to be put into your pasta you won’t be disappointed.

First, choose your pasta

Second, choose your sauce

Third, choose your meat and veggies

Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast

($6 extra per person, all Carnival Ships)

Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast is definitely worth the small extra cost. The food isn’t necessarily outstanding, but the entire service, atmosphere, and food presentation are outstanding. Kids and adults enjoy the entire experience. The waffles are pretty good though!

There’s a lot more on a Carnival cruise that’s kid-friendly. I put together a list of what else there is for kids on a Carnival Cruise here.

Afternoon Tea

(FREE unless you want a specialty tea at $1.95, all Carnival Ships)

Ok, this is definitely one of my favorites to take part in. I love Afternoon Tea. The French Lemon Ginger tea is definitely worth the splurge. The tea sandwiches, pastries, and cakes don’t disappoint. The scones are my personal favorite.

Seaday Brunch

(FREE, all Carnival Ships)

We always take part in the Seaday Brunch. In recent cruising, it seems more and more cruisers are choosing this dining option too. They offer eggs, salads, burgers, pasta, and more! The parfait is delicious.

Pizza Pirate/Pizzeria Del Capitano

(FREE or $5 per pizza if you have it delivered, available 24/7, Carnival Ships PP: Breeze, Conquest, Ecstasy, Elation, Fantasy, Fascination, Freedom, Glory, Imagination, Inspiration, Legend, Liberty, Miracle, Paradise, Pride, Sensation, Valor, Victory and Carnival Ships PDC: Dream, Horizon, Magic, Panorama, Sunrise, Sunshine, Vista, Radiance, Mardi Gras)

We all love the pizza offered on Carnival. There were a few situations where being able to pay $5 to have a pizza delivered to us was completely worth it. The pizzas are made fresh right in front of you.

BlueIguana Cantina

(FREE, Carnival Ships: Breeze, Conquest, Dream, Ecstasy, Elation, Fantasy, Fascination, Freedom, Glory, Horizon, Imagination, Inspiration, Legend, Liberty, Magic, Panorama, Paradise, Pride, Sensation, Spirit, Sunrise, Sunshine, Valor, Victory, Vista, Mardi Gras, Radiance, and coming soon to Miracle)

They are open for both breakfast and lunch (until about 5:30 pm, check with your Carnival ship). With homemade tortillas and salsa, how can it be bad? I love the chicken tacos with cilantro lime rice, roasted corn, iceberg lettuce, topped with sour cream.

First, choose your tortilla

Second, choose your protein

Third, choose your add ons

Fourth, choose your toppings

Main Dining Room – Lobster Tails and Prime Rib on the First Elegant Night

(FREE, all Carnival Ships)

Jason ordered three lobster tails and one prime rib in one night… need I say more?

Swirls – Soft-serve and Frozen Yogurt

(FREE, available 24/7, all Carnival Ships)

Elias learned by day two that the soft-serve is available all the time.

JavaBlue Café/Coffee Bar

($, Carnival Ships JBC: Horizon, Panorama, Sunrise, Sunshine, Vista, Radiance, Mardi Gras and Carnival Ships CB: Breeze, Conquest, Dream, Ecstasy, Elation, Fantasy, Fascination, Freedom, Glory, Imagination, Inspiration, Legend, Liberty, Magic, Miracle, Paradise, Pride, Sensation, Spirit, Valor, Victory)

There offer specialty coffees, teas, and sweets. The sweets include milkshakes, cakes, and pastries, and more. The chai latte with added Bailey’s Irish Cream Liquor is wonderful.

Lunch at Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que

(FREE, Carnival Ships: Breeze, Dream, Horizon, Magic, Panorama, Sunrise, Vista, Radiance, Mardi Gras)

Bar-B-Que comfort food that’s offered is coleslaw, mac n cheese, potato salad, pulled pork, brisket, chicken, and with an array of sauces to top it all off. If you like bar-b-que, this is the choice for you.

Final Thoughts

It’s such a personal choice what the best places to eat on a carnival cruise are. They may vary from ship to ship. For us, it’s pretty much stayed the same.

Xoxo,

Heather

Do you agree, or like any, of our choices for the best places to eat on a carnival cruise? Let us know in the comments below!