When Carnival Cruise Line wanted to show the world what it’s cooking next, it headed to New Orleans. The cruise line gathered guests for an immersive unveiling hosted by Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse, and what he previewed wasn’t a menu tweak. It was a complete rethink of how millions of people eat at sea.
The program is called The Next Course. It runs on two tracks at once: brand-new specialty restaurants and bars coming to Carnival Festivale in 2027 and Carnival Tropicale in 2028, and a wave of fleetwide dining changes rolling out across all 29 ships right now. “Our latest culinary adventure marks a bold step forward to give guests an unforgettable experience with a variety of new vibrant flavors fleetwide,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
The scale behind the strategy
Carnival carries more than six million guests annually and serves over 100 million meals each year. That’s a real-time read on what millions of travelers actually want. The Next Course was built on those preferences, not trend reports or focus groups.
New restaurants coming to Festivale and Tropicale
Four new specialty restaurants are joining the lineup:
- Emeril’s Coastal Seafood — coastal-inspired dishes from Lagasse himself
- Uku Lei Lei — Hawaiian specialties and Asian classics
- Fetaccine — Italian favorites and Greek specialties in a Mediterranean-inspired setting
- Le Bistro Musicale — classic French cuisine in a music-filled Parisian atmosphere, exclusive to Carnival Festivale
New bars on Carnival Festivale
Three new bar concepts are also coming to Festivale:
- The Spark — a live performance lounge with cocktails inspired by iconic songs
- Mix — a participatory bar where guests craft their own drinks by layering unique flavors
- Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar — specialty coffees and cocktails in a social, dynamic space
What’s changing across the fleet
You don’t have to wait for a new ship to notice the difference. The Main Dining Room is getting new options across breakfast, brunch and dinner. The Lido Marketplace is adding a family menu with daily kid-approved choices. BlueIguana Cantina is introducing rotating daily specials. Bagels @ Sea is bringing freshly baked bagels fleet-wide. The Chef’s Table is getting a full revamp with regionally inspired multi-course dinners. Mobile coffee ordering, Express Dining and new fast-casual pop-ups round out the rollout.
Start planning now
The Next Course is one of the more ambitious dining overhauls Carnival has attempted. If you’re already booked on Festivale or Tropicale, the new specialty restaurants will be worth reserving early. And if you’re sailing any Carnival ship this year, the fleetwide changes are already arriving. Dinner just got more interesting.
Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she’s also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller’s perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.