Carnival Adds Four Restaurants to New Excel-Class Ships

Carnival Cruise Line is introducing four restaurant concepts on its next two Excel-class ships under “The Next Course,” a culinary program that also brings menu and service changes to its existing 29-ship fleet. The initiative includes earlier dinner options, a shorter three-course service and additions to casual dining.

The new restaurants are planned for Carnival Festivale, due in 2027, and Carnival Tropicale, expected in 2028.

Juan Fernandez, Carnival’s vice president of food and beverage, said the strategy centers on taste, approachability, timely service and consistency. He said Carnival aims to offer a broad selection of complimentary dining experiences while maintaining a reliable standard throughout the fleet.

Earlier dinners and revised menus

Carnival has adjusted dining times for passengers who prefer to eat earlier and introduced Express Dining, a three-course dinner with a shorter service time. The option is intended for guests fitting dinner around evening entertainment or other plans.

Menu development draws partly on data from the more than 100 million meals Carnival serves annually. Additions include duo of lamb, Beef Wellington and bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, while established dishes such as filet, barbecue ribs, shrimp cocktail, kung pao chicken and chocolate melting cake will remain.

Options aimed at health-conscious diners include stuffed portobello mushrooms, grilled salmon, chicken breast and strip loin. Carnival is also expanding Bagels at Sea, adding Lido Marketplace dishes such as chicken and waffles, and introducing more family-friendly menu choices. Excel-class ships will have milkshake pop-ups.

Menus will vary with itineraries. Longer sailings will carry additional comfort-food dishes, including barbecue bourbon-glazed meatloaf, fish and chips, fried chicken sandwiches and loaded mac and cheese.

Fernandez said Carnival’s purchasing scale and food-waste reduction efforts help finance culinary improvements while keeping costs under control. New dishes are tested aboard ships, where chefs adjust portions, flavors and accompaniments before broader introduction.

Restaurants and music-themed bars for the new ships

Emeril’s Coastal Seafood is being developed with Carnival Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse. Its menu will draw on the coastal cooking that influenced his career, with grilled seafood and New England dishes among the offerings, including jumbo lump crab cakes.

Uku Lei Lei will pair Hawaiian influences with Asian flavors. Fetaccine will bring together Italian and Greek Mediterranean cooking, with its name and menu drawing on feta and fettuccine.

Bistro Musicale will combine French food with music. Planned dishes include croissants, quiche, croque madame, French onion soup and steak frites.

The bar program aboard Festivale will also draw on the ship’s music-focused identity. The Spark will serve song-inspired cocktails around a guitar-shaped bar and host live performances, while Mix will take its cues from electronic music.

Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar will operate as a coffee venue during the day before shifting to cocktails and music in the evening. Carnival also plans to expand its Alchemy bar concept.

Festivale is planned to operate Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, Florida. Tropicale is scheduled to homeport in Galveston, Texas.

Compare Carnival Cruise Line sailings by price on Cruise Lookup.