Carnival Cruise Line is preparing to launch one of the most ambitious dining expansions in its history, introducing a collection of new restaurants, bars, menu upgrades, and onboard food concepts that will reshape the guest experience over the next several years.
The initiative, called “The Next Course,” was unveiled on June 11, 2026, and represents Carnival’s latest effort to modernize and expand its culinary offerings while keeping many of its guest-favorite dining experiences intact.
The rollout will begin with Carnival Festivale, the cruise line’s fourth Excel-class ship scheduled to debut in May 2027, before expanding across other ships throughout the fleet.
Rather than simply adding a few new menu items, Carnival is rethinking how guests eat, drink, and experience dining from morning coffee runs to late-night specialty dinners.
New Signature Restaurants Will Debut on Carnival Festivale
The biggest attention-grabbers are several entirely new dining venues that will make their first appearance aboard Carnival Festivale.
Leading the lineup is Emeril’s Coastal Seafood, a brand-new specialty restaurant created alongside Carnival’s Chief Culinary Officer, Emeril Lagasse.
The venue will focus on fresh seafood dishes inspired by coastal flavors and regional cooking traditions.
Another newcomer is Uku Lei Lei, which will bring Hawaiian-inspired cuisine together with Asian influences in a venue designed to celebrate tropical flavors and island culture.
Guests looking for Mediterranean cuisine will find Fetaccine, a new concept blending Italian and Greek dishes into a single dining experience.
The restaurant aims to showcase the best flavors from both sides of the Mediterranean while offering a fresh alternative to traditional cruise ship Italian venues.
New restaurants announced include:
- Emeril’s Coastal Seafood
- Uku Lei Lei
- Fetaccine
- Le Bistro Musicale
- Far East Eats
- La Cucina Italiana
Each venue is designed to offer a different atmosphere and dining style while expanding the variety available onboard.
A French Restaurant With Live Entertainment
One of the most unique additions coming to Carnival Festivale is Le Bistro Musicale.
Unlike traditional specialty restaurants, this venue combines French-inspired cuisine with live musical performances inside an atmosphere modeled after classic Parisian entertainment venues.
Guests can enjoy a full dining experience while live performers create an immersive environment throughout the evening.
At least initially, Le Bistro Musicale will remain exclusive to Carnival Festivale, making it one of the ship’s signature attractions.
New Bars Aim to Create Interactive Experiences
The dining expansion isn’t limited to food.
Carnival is also introducing several new bar concepts designed to offer more interactive and personalized experiences for guests.
New bar concepts include:
The Spark
- Cocktails inspired by popular songs.
- Live music performances.
- Entertainment-focused atmosphere.
Mix
- Guests can customize drinks.
- Wide variety of ingredients and flavors.
- Personalized cocktail experiences.
Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar
- Specialty coffees.
- Signature cocktails.
- Day-to-night service.
These additions reflect a growing trend throughout the cruise industry where bars are becoming destinations themselves rather than simply places to order drinks.
Family-Friendly Dining Gets an Upgrade
Carnival is also paying special attention to families and casual dining options.
One major addition will be Sunsation Point BBQ, located within the ship’s new family activity zone.
The venue will serve barbecue favorites, smoked meats, and comfort food throughout the day and evening.
The cruise line is also replacing ChiBang! with a new concept called Far East Eats, featuring dishes inspired by several Asian cuisines.
Meanwhile, future newbuild ships will introduce La Cucina Italiana, which will eventually replace Cucina del Capitano and focus on authentic regional Italian recipes.
Fleetwide Changes Are Coming Too
While Carnival Festivale is receiving the spotlight, many of the announced changes will eventually affect guests sailing across the entire fleet.
The cruise line confirmed that several dining enhancements will be introduced fleetwide over time.
Upcoming fleetwide improvements include:
- New Main Dining Room menus.
- Updated breakfast selections.
- Expanded brunch offerings.
- Refreshed dinner menus.
- Additional kid-friendly options.
- More grab-and-go food stations.
- Pop-up food concepts.
- Enhanced mobile ordering.
The goal is to create more flexibility while reducing wait times and improving overall guest convenience.
Faster Dining for Guests Who Don’t Want a Long Meal
One of the more practical additions is Carnival’s new Express Dining option.
Not every guest wants a lengthy multi-course dinner every evening. Some prefer to eat quickly before heading to a show, the casino, or another activity.
The new program will allow guests to enjoy a streamlined dining experience without committing to the traditional pace of cruise ship dining.
For many passengers, especially families and active travelers, this could become one of the most popular changes announced.
More Variety for Families and Casual Eaters
Carnival is also introducing additional family-focused food options throughout the fleet.
The Lido Marketplace will receive new menu items aimed specifically at younger guests, while BlueIguana Cantina will begin offering rotating specials to create more variety for repeat cruisers.
The cruise line is simultaneously increasing its investment in casual dining options and quick-service food concepts.
Guests can expect:
- New kid-friendly menu choices.
- Rotating specialty items.
- Breakfast pop-up concepts.
- Dessert stations.
- Expanded grab-and-go selections.
- Faster service options.
These additions are designed to make dining more flexible throughout the day.
Technology Will Play a Bigger Role
Food isn’t the only thing changing.
Carnival also plans to expand mobile ordering technology across the fleet.
Guests will be able to order coffee and select grab-and-go items through their devices, helping reduce lines and improve convenience during busy periods.
As cruise ships continue growing larger, technology-driven solutions like mobile ordering are becoming increasingly important for maintaining efficient service.
Looking Ahead
With Carnival Festivale arriving in 2027 and Carnival Tropicale following in 2028, Carnival Cruise Line is making it clear that dining remains one of its biggest priorities.
From seafood restaurants and Mediterranean flavors to interactive bars and faster dining options, “The Next Course” represents far more than a menu refresh.
It signals a broader effort to evolve the onboard experience while giving guests more variety than ever before.
For food lovers, the next few years could be some of the most exciting in Carnival’s history.
