MIAMI, Florida – June 11, 2026: Carnival Cruise Line has announced a new culinary programme titled The Next Course, bringing additional restaurants and bars to Carnival Festivale in 2027 and Carnival Tropicale in 2028, alongside dining updates being introduced across the wider fleet.
According to the official press release, the programme draws on dining trends identified across Carnival’s operations. The cruise line carries more than six million guests and serves over 100 million meals each year.
Carnival presented the new concepts during an event in New Orleans hosted with Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse. The event gave attendees an overview of the restaurants, bars, menus and service options planned for upcoming ships and existing vessels.
“Our approach to dining combined with our team’s amazing service is a driving force behind Carnival’s success,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Our latest culinary adventure marks a bold step forward to give guests an unforgettable experience with a variety of new vibrant flavors fleetwide.”
Four restaurant concepts join the dining portfolio
The Next Course will introduce four speciality restaurant concepts, with menus covering seafood, Hawaiian and Asian dishes, Mediterranean cuisine and French dining.
Emeril’s Coastal Seafood will feature coastal-inspired cuisine developed by Emeril Lagasse.
Uku Lei Lei will combine Hawaiian specialities with Asian classics, while Fetaccine will serve Mediterranean-inspired dishes bringing together Italian favourites and Greek specialities.
Le Bistro Musicale will be exclusive to Carnival Festivale. The restaurant will offer classic French cuisine in a relaxed Parisian setting accompanied by music.
Carnival Festivale is scheduled to enter service in 2027, followed by Carnival Tropicale in 2028. The announcement identifies the new ships as the first vessels to receive the newly revealed restaurant and bar concepts.
Carnival Festivale to receive three new bars
Carnival Festivale will also debut three bar concepts as part of its food and beverage programme.
The Spark will operate as a lounge combining live performances with cocktails inspired by well-known songs. The venue is designed around both entertainment and beverage service.
At Mix, guests will be able to order cocktails or create their own drinks by combining different flavours. Carnival described the venue as a playful bar centred on customisable beverage choices.
Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar will serve speciality coffees and cocktails in a multipurpose space. The release does not confirm whether these three bar concepts will later be introduced on Carnival Tropicale or other ships.
Main Dining Room and Lido menus refreshed
The programme also includes dining changes across Carnival’s existing fleet. New dishes are being introduced in the Main Dining Room for breakfast, brunch and dinner.
Updates are also planned for Lido Marketplace, including a new Lido Family Menu with a daily selection of dishes intended for children. BlueIguana Cantina will receive rotating daily specials in addition to its existing menu.
A new concept called Bagels @ Sea will offer freshly baked bagels with a choice of toppings. Carnival has not specified the complete range of toppings or the ships on which the service will initially be available.
The Chef’s Table menu is also being revised. The updated multi-course dining experience will feature flavours inspired by different regions.
Pop-ups and faster service options added
Carnival is introducing several fun pop-up concepts as part of the fleetwide changes. Fruity & Frosted Breakfast Bars and Ice Cream and Milkshake Bars will be added to Excel-class ships, while other pop-up options will appear across the fleet.
Mobile ordering will be expanded for Carnival’s coffee shop service, allowing passengers to order ahead and collect beverages through additional grab-and-go arrangements.
A new Express Dining option will also be introduced in the Main Dining Room. The service is intended to provide a faster dining format for guests who prefer a shorter meal.
Programme covers new ships and current fleet
The Next Course combines new venues planned for Carnival Festivale and Carnival Tropicale with menu, ordering and service changes across Carnival’s operational fleet.
The four restaurant concepts announced are Emeril’s Coastal Seafood, Uku Lei Lei, Fetaccine and Le Bistro Musicale. Carnival Festivale will additionally feature The Spark, Mix and Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar.
Fleetwide measures include refreshed Main Dining Room and Lido Marketplace menus, rotating BlueIguana Cantina specials, Bagels @ Sea, a revised Chef’s Table menu, pop-up food outlets, expanded mobile coffee ordering and Express Dining.o underlines Roatán’s role within Carnival’s wider network of exclusive destinations.
Source: Official announcement by Carnival Corporation & plc on 11 June, 2026
