Carnival Liberty is one of Carnival’s mid-sized cruise ships, coming in at 110,000 gross registered tons. It carries 2,974 passengers, and some say it’s a perfectly-sized cruise ship. The vessel features venues that some of the newer ships gave up in favor of more cabins. 

As of 2022, Carnival Liberty will be sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida (40 minutes east of the Orlando International Airport). The ship was the first vessel to undergo Carnival’s Fun Ship 2.0 initiative back in 2011.

If you’re a first-time Carnival Liberty cruiser, here are 21 tips to help you navigate your way around the ship and make the most of your Bahamas cruise.

1. Get a drink at the Alchemy Bar.

The Alchemy mixologists are the best on board! And they don’t just make any good drink — they’ll make a custom drink just for you that incorporates your alcohol, drink, and/or flavor preference.

I’ve previously told them I like Manhattans and chocolate, and also martinis and chocolate (martinis were $1 off that day).

Flavors you can ask for are chocolate (of course), cinnamon, lemon, orange, apple, rosemary, cucumber, and mint. I’m sure you could combine a couple if you’re feeling adventurous.  

Every drink at Alchemy is $10.95, but check their chalkboard for which drinks get $1 off that day. The mixologists can also whip up custom non-alcoholic beverages for $6.50 each.

MORE: Carnival’s Alchemy Bar Review

Alchemy has a menu with excellent drinks, but getting something just for you is more fun. And if you buy the CHEERS! drink package for alcoholic drinks, you won’t have to keep track of your purchases, and you can get unlimited water to stay hydrated.

2. Get a lobster roll from the Seafood Shack.

They’ll set you back $12, but you won’t regret spending money on this treat that you can enjoy poolside. If you don’t like lobster, there are other menu selections that any seafood lover will enjoy, such as buckets of fried clams and shrimp, clam chowder, and fish and chips.

Ask anyone who has had it, and they’ll be sure to recommend the lobster roll.

Review: Carnival’s Seafood Shack

3. Watch a Dive-in Movie.

Most of Carnival’s fleet have Dive-in movies now, but Carnival Liberty has an amazing setup for viewing. On some ships, the majority of the seating requires craning your neck. That’s not the case on Liberty! Here, you’ll find loungers on numerous levels of stadium “seating” spanning multiple decks.

The movies selected are not new releases, but they’re only a few months old and free.

You will also want to stop by the RedFrog Rum Bar (this ship does not have a RedFrog Pub) after snagging your seats for some free popcorn to munch on.

If it gets chilly out, head to the towel hut and check out a blanket or two (they’ll record your cabin number and charge you for the blanket if you accidentally keep it).

On the other hand, if you’re feeling warm, you can head to the ice cream machine, which is also located on the lido deck. 

4. Try Mongolian Wok.

Mongolian Wok is only open from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., so it’s easy to miss, but make sure you don’t! Because of the limited hours, you might have to wait in a 30-minute line, but don’t let the slow-moving line deter you.

As you get closer to the front, you’ll get a bowl and begin making a completely custom meal.

• You pick your noodles: lo mein, cellophane, rice noodles, or mix and match.
• You can choose from around 15 vegetables to add to your bowl.
• When you get to the front, you’ll pick a protein: chicken, pork, calamari (sorry, no tofu) and a sauce: Szechuan, Thai BBQ, Black Bean, and soy sauce (not listed, but an option).
• Then enjoy your meal!

Pro Tip: the Szechuan sauce is pretty spicy!

5. Grab Some BBQ on Deck 10.

Some of the newer Carnival ships have Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que, an outside barbecue joint on an outside deck. Liberty has Ol’ Fashioned BBQ, which is basically a non-branded version of Guy’s.

You have an option of chicken, beef, and pulled pork, along with sides like coleslaw, potato salad, mac and cheese, and baked beans.

You should plan on going this place on the first day of the cruise because as the cruise gets going, so does the crowd.

MORE: Carnival’s Ole Fashioned BBQ Joint Review

6. Take advantage of the adults-only pool.

Carnival has been moving away from having adult-only pools. If you’re on Carnival Liberty, make sure you head to the back of the ship if you want to avoid getting splashed.

At night, they close the roof so that you can enjoy the pool without the chilly wind ruining it when you get out.

7. Attend the Mardi Gras party.

This is the best event on board for those who aren’t afraid to get up and move. If you’re a bit shy, don’t worry — there will be a ton of others right up there with you!

Make sure to be down on the dance floor of the lobby if you want Mardi Gras beads; they can only throw them so far. The event starts with selecting a Mardi Gras king and queen, for which the candidates are randomly selected by the cruise director who is hosting the event.

The candidates will have a dance-off to determine the winner, so if you want to win, you need to bring it! The event continues with a conga line around the lobby and then a night of dancing.

If you have little ones, you can sign them up for the Night Owls (babysitting with an added fee) program at Camp Carnival. Chances are, if you have teens, they’ll already be busy in Club O2.

(Note: This activity has been temporarily put on hold during the cruise restart due to social distancing but is scheduled to return.)

8. Order some sushi.

Liberty has a “Sushi at Sea” on the lido deck, which is reasonably priced and pretty enjoyable. There is a small menu of some staple sushi items, including 4 different rolls, sashimi, and nigiri. You’ll wait in line at the window to place your order.

Don’t be deceived if there is little to no line. After you place your order, you’ll be given a buzzer, so you really have no idea how many people’s orders are ahead of yours.

Go a little earlier than you’d like to eat to make sure that waiting for it won’t cause you to miss a comedy show or the sunset on your balcony.

If you have a balcony, I recommend you take your sushi with you and enjoy it seaside and at sunset — depending on which way the ship is going.

If not, don’t waste the fresh air by eating it inside; walk a little ways forward or aft and find an outside table. Sushi at Sea is open from 12–10 p.m. on embarkation and sea days, and from 5–10 p.m. on port days.

9. Eat Seaday Brunch.

Held in the main dining room, the options are bountiful, and you don’t have to get up early. It normally runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. They have tweaked the menu over the years — on top of the steak and eggs, you will find burgers, barbecue sandwiches, French toast, mac and cheese, and other brunch-type items. 

On Liberty’s three and four-night sailings, you’re only going to get one chance to try it out, so make a point to head to the dining room that day instead of the Lido buffet.

10. Go on the water slide.

The Liberty only has one water slide, but it’s a good one. If there’s a line, it’s worth waiting for at least once. Without a line, you’ll want to go a few times! This probably varies by cruise and even day-to-day, but the water wasn’t cold, which made it easy to enjoy.

11. Get pizza delivered — anywhere on the ship!

It will cost you $5 per pizza (tip not included), but you don’t have to wait in line or lose the deck chair you finally acquired!

To order pizza to your cabin, a bar, or a deck chair, open the Carnival HUB app and find it in the side menu. The pizza doesn’t come from the kitchen on Liberty, it comes from Pizza Pirate. If you’re ordering poolside, make sure to take a selfie when ordering (you’ll have the option) so that the delivery person will recognize you.

READ MORE: Carnival Pizza Delivery Review

12. Go Up to the Sky Deck to Lay Out.

If you’re looking to spend some time in the sun, go up to the top deck. There is a nice breeze on deck 14 by the entrance to the kid’s slide. Most cruisers flock to the Lido deck pools or Serenity during sea days, so chances are you’ll have your choice of real estate up there.

There is an opposite area without the noise of kids playing right above the basketball court by the ship’s funnel. The only issue there is you may hear the basketball bouncing. The good news is you won’t get hit by the basketball because it’s in a netted-in area.

13. BlueIguana Cantina Serves Breakfast.

BlueIguana Cantina not only serves tacos and burritos during lunch but also a killer breakfast burrito in the morning. You can pile it high with breakfast meats, eggs, cheese, and veggies.

This is perfect for a grab-and-go type meal if you want to get to the lido deck quickly to claim a lounge chair!

READ MORE: BlueIguana Cantina Review

14. Get to the Comedy Club Early.

The Punchliner Comedy Club is located on deck 5 aft and has a large variety of seating. A good piece of advice is to get in the club early because they have really cool round couches that you and your party can grab and enjoy the show.

They are a lot more comfortable than just sitting in a regular chair. The comedy club manager usually opens the door 20 minutes prior to show time, and it fills up fast. Luckily, the lounge is a decent size.

15. Use the Jogging Track Early.

The jogging track is located on deck 11 aft and can get pretty crowded, especially with the walkers. If you want to exercise during the sailing, consider going to the track early. Between 7:30 and 9:00 seems to be the prime time for the walking crowd.

If you don’t want to jog outside, you can also head up to the gym. The gym gets crowded, so you’ll want to get there early as well. Both the gym and jogging track have stunning ocean views.

16. Use Room Service Carefully.

There are some room service items that cost money and some that are complimentary. However, after 10 p.m., all of the items you order will have an after-hours service charge, so make sure you know what time it is when you’re ordering.

A good alternative to room service is popping by the 24-hour complimentary pizza joint or seeing if they have the Late Night Selections in the Lido buffet area.

As an example of late-night room service pricing, Chicken Wings are $7 and Chicken Tenders are $6.

READ MORE: Carnival’s Late Night Eats Menu

17. Eat at Guy’s Burger Joint.

Make sure you get one of those famous burgers at Guy’s Burger Joint. This is a complimentary venue where you can eat as much as you’d like.

There is a menu of five different burgers, but if you want to customize your own, all you need to do is head over to the toppings bar, where you’ll find a selection of grilled onions, mushrooms, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions, and about a dozen different types of sauces.

RELATED: Guy’s Burger Joint Review

18. Go to the Free Raffles.

Even if you don’t plan on buying a spa treatment or a bottle of booze, you should consider going to the drawings anyway.

They normally offer free spa treatments or steakhouse dinners if your name gets picked in the raffle. There’s no obligation to enter, either. So, if you have the time, drop in and put your name in the hat.

On our sailing, people won free excursions, spa packages, gift cards to the shops, and free bottles of champagne. It’s worth just showing up and registering, if nothing else.

19. Research Your Excursions.

Shore excursions are a big money maker for the cruise lines, and sometimes, they’ll use scare tactics to try to get you to purchase their tour and not one from an outside vendor.

Although you should be smart and know what time your cruise ship leaves, you are free to book an outside tour if you’d like. A lot of the popular tours in Nassau are the all-inclusive beach resorts or the Atlantis water park (which can be very expensive!).

Nassau has public transportation options that are very convenient for cruise travelers to use, as well as a cash-only taxi system.

(Note: If you use cash, negotiate the rate before getting into the vehicle.)

20. Bring Adapters/A Power Strip

Since this is an older ship, there aren’t many options when it comes to plugging in your devices, and the ship does not have any USB ports in the staterooms.

There is one electrical outlet in each cabin located in the desk area. The outlet is equipped with a 3-prong 110-volt and a 220-volt (European). Carnival details the information on its website.

Make sure you have an appropriate power strip without surge protection. Otherwise, it will likely be confiscated during embarkation, and you won’t get it back until you debark your cruise.

We used the razor outlet in the bathroom to charge our watches at night and used the regular outlet for our phones. Next time, I will be packing some type of USB/power strip contraption.

21. Pick Your Debarkation Zone Early.

Recently, Carnival changed its debarkation process. Now, instead of getting a luggage tag delivered to your cabin, guests can pick which zone and what time they’d like to debark. If you’re carrying your own luggage off, this won’t apply to you because you can walk off whenever you’d like.

However, if you have a late flight or don’t want to get off the ship super early, you can pick a later luggage tag.

They go quickly, so if you want to get off the ship at a certain time, get there early. The zone tags are typically located on deck five or near guest relations (I’ve seen them in both places on Carnival Liberty).

The do ask that you leave your stateroom by 8:30 a.m. on disembarkation morning so the cabin stewards can clean and sanitize the room for the embarking guests.

Do you have any tips to offer anyone sailing on the Carnival Liberty?

Want to read more from our special guest columnist Lauren Rodgers? Visit her blog, Lauren of All Trades.

This article was originally published in March 2019. It was updated and republished in February 2022.

Watch a Tour of Carnival Liberty (2018)

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One of the reasons I loved it is because it’s one of Norwegian’s few complimentary specialty restaurants, and it’s a nice break from the dining room and buffet food. Instead of picking days to go there, we played it by ear, checking the dining room menu first to see if there was anything there we really wanted, and then going to Orchid Garden when the menu wasn’t appealing. Since it’s all free, we went back a couple of times to try different things.

Appetizers

For appetizers, we tried the Salt & Pepper Calamari, Harvest Spring Rolls, and Pork Pot Stickers. 

The calamari was light, crispy, and perfect. The pot stickers can be ordered steamed or fried. We picked fried, but generally didn’t care for them too much. 

We were hesitant to order the spring rolls because they’re filled with veggies, which I’m not keen on. I decided I could try them since mushrooms were also listed as an ingredient. They were amazing and I regretted not trying them sooner.

Entrées

For entrées, we tried the Orange Peel Beef, Sweet & Sour Pork, Lemon Pepper Shrimp, and Peking Style Shrimp & Chicken. 

I loved the Shrimp & Chicken so much more than I expected, and I did expect to like it. Everything about it was great and I especially liked the inclusion of mushrooms in it. 

The Orange Peel Beef was okay. We didn’t order it again on future visits. The Jumbo Shrimp was really good but it was a really small portion. Order at least two if you want this to be more filling. 

The Sweet & Sour Pork was a favorite for both of us. It’s the least-healthy item on the menu, but it was very tasty.

Desserts

We tried two of the desserts: the Five Spice Chocolate Cake and the Crispy Chestnut and Red Bean Triangles. I thought I was going to love the chocolate cake when I saw it on someone else’s table, and I ordered it even though I was really full. I actually didn’t end up liking it though.

We didn’t like the Crispy Triangles either. It was my husband’s idea to order them. The green tea ice cream is really good, and I should have just tried to order it without the triangles.

MORE: A Picky Eater’s Guide to Dining on Carnival’s Mardi Gras

Sushi Bar

Another reason I loved Orchid Garden was because of its proximity to the sushi bar. Sushi costs extra, but it’s nice to have a few items from the complimentary menu and then pick just one or two items from the sushi menu. The cost ranges from $5 to $8.50 per item, depending on what you order. 

I try not to spend extra money on food when I cruise, but they walk you right past the Sushi Bar with all this fresh fish in the window, so how could I not?

We would have tried more from the sushi menu, but after we found out that our favorite things were the lowest cost items, we didn’t feel that compelled to try the higher cost ones. We tried the Salmon Nigiri, The Two-Timing Tuna Roll, Hawaiian Poke bowl, and Crispy Rice. 

The Salmon Nigiri was good, but a little small, and they only come with two per order. While this is my husband’s favorite sushi item, we didn’t order it again because of the other choices we had. This was the only item at the $5 price point.

The Hawaiian Poke was also good, but not worth the money as this was one of the higher cost items. This comes in at just under the highest cost at $8. The Two-Timing Tuna roll was one of our favorites and we ordered it again on other visits. It’s a spicy tuna roll — my favorite — topped with more tuna! This was one of the lower cost items at $6.

We didn’t know what to expect with this one, but the Crispy Rice sushi ended up being our favorite, also clocking in at $6. It was filled with salmon. The sauce the bits of salmon was dipped in is what hit this item out of the park, and the lightly fried rice patties were delicious. 

We went back for the Crispy Rice and the Two-Timing Tuna a couple of times. Once with dinner again at Orchid Garden, and one last time as an appetizer before our dinner at Teppanyaki. We liked them that much.

Beverages

Let’s not forget about drinks! There is also a Sake Bar on board, not surprisingly right next to Orchid Garden and the Sushi Bar. There are two kinds of sake and two kinds of Japanese beer offered. 

We tried both sakes and they were both good, but I suggest you split them instead of trying to each drink two. The beers are Tsingtao and Sapporo, which kind of equivalent to Budweiser or Coors in the U.S.

Other options for drinks are the Wasabi Cocktail and Saku-Saku cocktail, but personally I like to drink prosecco with sushi.

Orchid Garden is a full-service restaurant and the menu has a good variety of freshly prepared noodles and wok-fried dishes to pick from, along with appetizers, fried rice, and desserts.

READ NEXT: Review: Dining at Cagney’s Steakhouse on Norwegian Cruise Line

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Main dining room menus do their best to offer a little something for everyone, but specialty restaurants — whether complimentary or at an additional charge — tend to be more specialized.

But Chibang!, one of several new venues on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, shakes things up a bit by offering two distinct styles of food — Chinese and Mexican — on one menu. Best of all? At least for the time being, this great little spot is included in your cruise fare.

Chibang was open for lunch on sea days and dinner every night for our cruise. We wanted to try both the lunch and dinner menus, so we visited Chibang twice. 

Lunch

Chibang offers a sit-down lunch at which you place your order by indicating on a paper menu what you’d like to order.

There are two menus — one with the Chinese selections, the other offering Mexican — which are in some ways very similar to one another.

There are standard noodle or burrito bowls, or you can opt to “Make Your Own” by selecting the protein, noodles, vegetables and sauce you’d like and indicating if you’d like it stir-fried or in a broth. Each menu also offers a dessert. 

Good thing I skipped breakfast, because I wanted to try both the Chinese and Mexican “Make Your Own” options as well as the desserts. 

LUNCH MENU: Chibang Chinese & Mexican Restaurant on Mardi Gras

The burrito bowl and noodle bowl were each good, but I liked the noodle bowl better. Next time I’m on Mardi Gras, I do want to try my Chinese bowl made in broth instead of stir-fried, as I didn’t get to try that this time.

Dessert wise, the Churro Y Helado was not very exciting. It was fine, but the churro wasn’t fresh so it wasn’t as delicious as it could have been.

The other dessert, Flan Caramel, wasn’t anything particularly special but was decent as far as flans go. Between the two, I’d recommend the flan.

Dinner

Dinner at Chibang was a traditional sit-down restaurant experience. The menu, as everywhere else on the ship, was pulled up on my phone via QR code, which made ordering from this restaurant a little bit awkward as I wanted appetizers, mains and all the desserts from both the Mexican and Chinese menus which are laid out separately.

DINNER MENU: Chibang Chinese & Mexican Restaurant on Mardi Gras

We tried a pretty wide range of dishes from the dinner menus, and the quality definitely ran the gamut. The “mehs” were the Simple Greens Salad, Queso Fundido, Tacos de Carnitas and Chocolate C-Bang dessert (more on that in a moment).

The “goods” were the Slow-Braised Pork Belly, Singapore Chili Shrimp, Camarones (shrimp) Diablo and Crema Catalana.

The “greats” were the Mapo Tofu (get it with the noodles), Pescado Frito and Coconut Tres Leches. And yes, we did actually eat everything!

Remember I mentioned the Chocolage C-Bang dessert?

This was a very big disappointment for me as I really like chocolate and, whether we got a serving that had been overcooked or left sitting out for too long, this was dry and boring and definitely not worth the calories. 

Among the “goods” it’s worth noting that the Crema Catalana is pretty much a flavored creme brûlée.

If you’re a fan of creme brûlée, you’re going to like this dessert. Otherwise, I’d probably skip it. Also, although one shrimp had the word “chili” in its name and the other “diablo” neither was especially spicy, which was something of a disappointment.

Now for the “greats…”

The Pescado Frito was excellent. It was perfectly crispy with a nice level of spiciness, the fish tender and perfectly prepared.

We actually considered going back to have it again on another night, but there were so many food options onboard that we never were able to circle back to Chibang! 

The Mapo Tofu was also really good — better than we expected, truth be told, especially seeing that the dish (which is usually pretty spicy) was listed on the menu as “mildly spicy.”

Consider this a bit of a warning where this dish is concerned: If you’re ordering it looking for “mildly” spicy, consider either picking something else or at the very least ordering a “back-up” entree should this prove too hot to handle.

Also, while Mapo tofu is usually “flavored” with pork, this version was vegetarian. While I like it with pork, this was really delicious. 

Perhaps the most surprising thing on the menu was the Coconut Tres Leches cake. We honestly expected it to be our least favorite dessert and only ordered it in order to compare all three.

REVIEW: Big Chicken on Carnival’s Mardi Gras

Yet this actually turned out to be not only the best dessert but one of our favorite things on the entire menu. Another reason it caught us by surprise is that neither of us is overly fond of coconut, and yet the flavoring here was light and not at all overwhelming or cloying.

Drinks

As with most of the venues on Mardi Gras, there were several cocktails which went along with the theme — or should I say themes — of the restaurant. Having not purchased the Cheers! package, we took a pass on the cocktails, but you can check out the drinks — including their ingredients and prices — below.

Everything Else You Need To Know

Ever since Mardi Gras was introduced, Chibang — which one might easily expect to be a for-fee restaurant — is included in the price of the cruise fare.

Of course, while that is still true as of the time of this writing, that’s not to say it can’t or won’t change at some point down the line.

I hope, however, that it doesn’t as it’s nice to have such a unique venue as a complimentary dining option.

It’s also worth noting that, as is true of Cucina del Capitano on this particular ship, Chibang offers both for-fee Steakhouse Selections and a small selection of main dining room standards (here listed under “& More”) which are available free of charge.

Between the Chinese, Mexican and standard menus, if a guest can’t find something to eat here, they may not actually be hungry.

Will I eat there again?

I will definitely go back to try some other items and get the ones that we really liked again. The menu is pretty huge, so it will be nice to go back and try some of the dishes we weren’t able to get to on our first visits.

READ NEXT: Review: Riding BOLT, the First Roller Coaster on a Cruise Ship

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But when Carnival made this a complimentary venue on Mardi Gras, I decided to give it a try. It also helps that the menu here is different than what you’ll find onboard their other ships.

Cucina Del Capitano occupies a huge space on Mardi Gras with tons of seating. You cannot, however, make an advance reservation on this ship. Instead, for both lunch and dinner, you open the HUB app and hit “Request a Table.”

After confirming your party size, the app then notifies you when the restaurant is ready to seat you. Carnival has been doing this for a while when it comes to Your Time Dining in the main dining room, but now it’s being rolled out for meals in all of the complimentary restaurants.

On Mardi Gras, Cucina Del Capitano — which I’m just going to refer to as Cucina from this point on —  is located on Deck 8 in the Italian-themed La Piazza Zone.

This area also hosts Pizzeria Del Capitano, Piazza Panini, and Bar della Rosa.

MORE: Review: Shaq’s Big Chicken on Carnival’s Mardi Gras

In keeping with the theming, you’ll also find an old-school Fiat and Vespa, both perfect for photo ops. Sadly, they won’t let you drive the vehicles down the hallway, no matter how nicely you ask or how hard you wish. 

Before heading into Cucina, let’s take a quick look at the other offerings here. Pizzeria Del Capitano is just like its counterparts on previous ships with the additions of wrought-iron railing, beer and soft-drink sales, and air conditioning.

If there’s a downside to them adding beverage sales here, it’s that the crew member doing his best to make and serve those fresh, hot pizzas has to drop everything to sell someone a soda.

That said, they do have more people working at the popular spot (especially during busy times), as well as more ovens than on other ships, so the lines does move fairly quickly. There’s also plenty of nearby seating if you want to remain in the area.

Another downside is that the way the line and partitions are set up, it makes it difficult to request a custom pizza. While this was probably done in order to keep the line moving, it makes things tough for those with dietary restrictions.

Oddly, Piazza Panini does not actually have a panini press. Yes, you read that correctly. Even though half the menu is described as being “Pressed Paninis.” Turns out that while most of us probably grew up thinking that all paninis were prepared on a press, the word “panini” actually just means sandwich.

Despite this, I can say that the sandwiches here are very good. I particularly loved the Caprese panini, which they modified from the version found at the Carnival Deli… and in this case, it’s a change for the better!

MORE: Mardi Gras Dining Guide: Which Restaurants Are Complimentary?

But this venue is actually not really “new” for Carnival. On past ships, you would find a counter or window in the Lido Marketplace area called “The Deli.” For Mardi Gras, they essentially moved The Deli from Lido to La Piazza, and rebranded it to have an Italian name.

Piazza Panini does have a selection of new Italian sandwiches to go along with a lot of the old ones.

There are both cold and hot sandwiches and the crew working the toasters were making more of an effort to hand over thoroughly-heated sandwiches than I’d experienced on other ships at the Deli.

Piazza Panini is open every day from noon to 10 pm (subject to change).

RELATED: Piazza Panini Menu on Carnival’s Mardi Gras

Although I didn’t actually wind up getting any drinks at Bar della Rosa (“Rose,” like the flower, not “Red”), the limited menu focuses largely on wine, classic Italian cocktails, and coffees, any of which would go well with a pizza or panini.

It’s worth noting that the bar has both indoor and outdoor seating.

But back to the real reason we’re here… to discuss Cucina.

I expected the same options for lunch as I’d had on other ships but was pleasantly surprised to find an expanded menu.

Like on other ships, you order lunch by marking your selections on a paper menu, sort of like those tests we took in school where you had to fill in the circles with a No. 2 pencil. 

The Pasta Bar menu, “Pasta Bella,” is exactly what I expected, which was good because I already knew exactly what I wanted: a half-portion of linguine with Alfredo sauce, mushrooms, and shrimp.

The other menu was a treasure trove of goodies, most of which we tried. The bruschetta is not typical; they used ricotta and roasted tomatoes as opposed to mozzarella and fresh tomatoes. I didn’t try it, as I’m picky about textures, but my husband loved it.

MORE: The Ultimate Menu Guide to Carnival’s Main Dining Room

Conversely, my husband ordered the fried mozzarella expecting something a bit gourmet, and received mozzarella sticks. They were very good, but mozzarella sticks nonetheless. Ultimately, we traded and it was a win for everybody. 

We also shared the Zuppa de Verde which looked a lot like Italian Wedding Soup. The veggies were tasty and the broth was nice and light.

For his entree, my husband got his go-to favorite when it comes to lunch here: lasagna.

What makes his dish so delicious — and something you really have to read the ingredients on the menu to discover — is that they use beef tips as opposed to the more traditional ground beef.

That really elevates the taste, making it something he definitely recommends. 

MORE: Kid-Free Options on Carnival’s Mardi Gras

Despite knowing we’d be pretty stuffed given our selections, we couldn’t resist ordering all three of the dessert options.

As it turned out, this wasn’t quite the mistake we thought it might be.  The stracciatella and blood orange gelato were light and appropriately portioned.

The Limoncello Mascarpone cake was delicious. I recommend getting all three unless you’re dining solo, in which case this might be too much. Then again, maybe not if you’re a dessert person! 

At dinnertime, Cucina has traditional waiter service. Like everywhere else on board, you’ll call up the menu on the HUB app using a QR code.

(Don’t worry, they do still have traditional menus if you forget your phone or simply don’t want to go the high-tech route for whatever reason.) 

For appetizers we got the Caprese salad, Mussels & Clams, Nonna’s Meat Balls, and Ligurian Minestrone soup.

The Caprese salad was good, but lacked the balsamic and basil flavor which typically make this a standout. It looked nice, but there wasn’t enough pesto to make up for the lack of fresh basil. I wound up adding balsamic vinegar from the bottle that was already on the table. 

The Mussels & Clams were pretty good but not something I’d order every time I eat at Cucina. I recommend asking for extra bread when they bring it, because you’re going to want to sop up the sauce that remains at the bottom of the bowl.

Nonna’s Meat Balls were really just Nonna’s Meat Ball, as there was only one. I’m sure you could ask for more, and if you love meatballs I advise you do because they’re quite tasty.

The minestrone soup wasn’t remarkable and actually lacked flavor. We were surprised because the Di Verde soup at lunch had been so delicious.

For our main courses we had the Veal Marsala, Grilled Shrimp, and Mardi Gras’ Captain’s Signature dish: Farfalle Al Pistachio. The veal marsala was very good, and I recommend it even if you don’t like mushrooms. You can just pick them off and the veal will still be excellent. It was plated with a side of polenta cakes that were tasty.

The grilled shrimp were delicious, but it’s worth noting that it’s on the small size for an entree.

I’d recommend ordering two entrees or perhaps ordering extra appetizers if you think you’re going to wind up unsatisfied.

The Farfalle Al Pistachio had a simple flavor profile but was one of our favorite items of the night. The sauce was light, allowing the other components to stand out. And who can say no to bow tie pasta?

MORE: Trip Report: Final Impressions of Carnival’s Mardi Gras

For dessert, we wanted to get everything but didn’t think it was possible to do so without being wasteful.

Ultimately, we narrowed down our choices and settled on three: the Apple Crostata, Tiramisu, and Ricotta Fritters. Our surprise favorite was the ricotta fritters.

They were simply three small dough balls with toppings but each packed tremendous flavor. I guess we had to put it back together, but it was kind of like deconstructed cannoli.

The tiramisu was good, but not anything particularly special. I did enjoy it and would order it again because it’s a type of dessert I love.

The apple crostata had good flavor but was a little heavy on the crust. I probably won’t order it again because the other desserts are better and more interesting. Frankly, Royal Caribbean does this dessert better, and their version of it was what we really wanted.

Given that it is now a complimentary option on Mardi Gras, I do recommend Cucina Del Capitano for both lunch and dinner.

They also serve breakfast at Cucina, but it’s really just an abridged version of what can be found in the main dining room. 

I probably wouldn’t go back if they were to start charging for Cucina on Mardi Gras, because there are a plethora of other for-fee options to choose from, most of which would rank higher on my list.

Lunch at Cucina is available on sea days only and dinner is available every night of the cruise. Although other Carnival ships offer lunch in Cucina on embarkation day, that is not the case on Mardi Gras.

READ NEXT: Everything You Need To Know About Carnival’s Drink Package

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Already a member of the Holland America Culinary Council, Sodamin now joins the ranks of Emeril LaGasse and Guy Fieri with Rudi’s Seagrill, his first restaurant for Carnival Cruise Line.

Rudi’s Seagrill Restaurant

• Location: Lido Deck, 8 aft
• Type of venue: dinnertime table service at $38 per guest (gratuity included)

Everything about Rudi’s can be summed up with one word: delightful.

Not only was the food and service wonderful, but the plating, decor and ambiance made for a truly unique dining experience. This is also one of the many restaurants that offer both indoor and outdoor seating options.

Every aspect of the restaurant — from the decor to the table settings — is themed, whether overtly or subtly, to the sea. My personal favorite touches were the water glasses and candle holder, each of which was reminiscent of the sea glass you might find while walking along a beach. 

I knew from experience that when you go to Carnival’s steakhouse on night one or two of your sailing, they typically give you a complimentary bottle of wine with dinner. Hoping this would also be the case at Rudi’s, I made my reservation for the first night of our cruise and was pleased to learn that my hypothesis proved correct! While we usually get the merlot (my favorite) at the steakhouse, we opted for the chardonnay since we would be eating seafood here.

Before our appetizers, we received an amuse-bouche served in a spectacular bowl. As with the steakhouse, the amuse-bouche here might differ from sailing to sailing, but we had what was called a Rasberry Sphere in a Cucumber Gelee.

A bit of advice? If you happen to be served this particular dish, make sure to eat the sphere in one bite. Trying to bite it in half will likely result in a mess-producing spurt that will leave you wearing at least some of it! 

It was strange, but we liked it, and it was a fantastic way to build on the aquatic theme of the restaurant. 

Next up were the appetizers. We ordered the Blue Mussels and the Coquilles Saint-Jacques (scallops). Trust me when I say the photo does not do the mussels — which were excellent — justice.

There were a ton of mussels and they were huge. Also, I was glad to have had the forethought to save the bread we’d been served earlier to dip into the mussel sauce. 

The scallops weren’t huge but they truly were a treat, adorably served on a real scallop shell. They were served in a delicious, creamy cheese sauce that has some surprise mushrooms in it. As we do, if you like mushrooms, this was a bonus as they’re not listed on the menu. If you don’t like mushrooms, maybe steer clear of this one.

Next was the soup and salad course. Since neither of the salads sounded particularly interesting or exciting to me (and who knows, I may have missed the boat there!), we chose the two soups, a Seafood Bisque and a Cioppino. The seafood bisque is probably still my first choice for this course, but there isn’t much to say about it.

The best part was the presentation, which included revealing the inside of a coral-esque sphere and pouring the bisque over what looked like aquarium decorations. The finished result is less exciting than the initial presentation, so since the soup is tasty, it’s worth ordering just for the presentation.

The Cioppino, on the other hand, was a treasure trove of seafood goodness. The “fisherman’s stew” consisted of a light-but-spicy and flavorful broth with just a few vegetables, packed full of shrimp, clams, mussels, and fish. It was nearly enough food to be a stand-alone meal. It was one of the top items of the meal but a little heavy on the fennel seasoning for my taste. 

MORE: A Picky Eater’s Guide to Dining on Carnival’s Mardi Gras

The entrees we picked were the Crab Stuffed Lobster Tail Imperial and the Roasted Halibut. The lobster tail was quite large and, as advertised, stuffed with crab!

If you can’t decide between lobster and crab cake, this is a best-of-both-worlds way to go. It wasn’t cooked better than any other lobster onboard, but it was delicious.

The halibut was not our favorite. I picked it because I like butternut squash bisque. I didn’t hate the butternut cider sauce, but I didn’t like its sweetness as an accompaniment to the fish.

MENU: Rudi’s Seagrill Restaurant

I forgot that butternut tends to be sweet, and I don’t particularly appreciate mixing sweet with savory. It also didn’t help that I was already full. Live and learn. I’m sure some people find it delicious. This gives me an excuse to come back and try something different the next time. 

The sides were the only things we saw that night that didn’t quite fit the restaurant’s theme. You can’t win them all. The carrots that came with the lobster imperial were perfectly tender and a little bit sweet from the caramelization caused by roasting them.

The crab risotto, to be fair, wasn’t supposed to be served with the halibut, so that may be plated better with the lobster tail. This was the only thing we didn’t like.

While eating it, I realized that I wanted a mushroom risotto, which isn’t on the menu, so that’s a little on me. It was flavored with something citrusy, which I usually like for seafood, but it was a bit overdone.

Despite being full by dessert time, the desserts went down very easily. We got the Apple Cheese Cake and the Chocolate Truffle Cake. The only thing I didn’t like about the cheesecake was that there wasn’t more limoncello whipped cream served with it. It was light enough for me to eat every bite despite the fact it could not be described as a small slice!

The chocolate cake was very dense and the most chocolatey thing I’ve eaten in a long time. That one was harder to get down but was absolutely delectable. The chocolate mousse on top was the best part of the chocolate on chocolate on chocolate dessert.

I’m not sure if it was intentional, but it kind of looked like they were trying to make this one into a face, as Chef Sodamin is famous for.

I went to Rudi’s on day one of the third-ever sailing of Mardi Gras. This was a brand new restaurant for Carnival, so one couldn’t expect everything to go perfectly.

Maybe it was because we went later in the evening when the restaurant wasn’t very busy, but we had fantastic service, our food came out perfectly, and we had a very good experience. This is saying something because that could not be said for most of our dining experiences for the duration of the cruise. 

If you want to take advantage of the wine promotion that we did, but you don’t care for their house selections, you also have the option of buying a bottle off the wine list at 50 percent off.

I highly recommend giving Rudi’s a try — don’t forget to go on the first or second night of your sailing if you want to take advantage of the wine promotion.

NEXT: Mardi Gras Dining Guide: Which Restaurants Are Complimentary?

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I don’t know about everybody else, but I wasn’t that excited when Carnival Cruise Line first revealed they’d be adding Big Chicken to the lineup of complimentary venues. 

It’s not that I don’t like chicken, I didn’t see how a place specializing in chicken sandwiches would hold its own as a stand-alone venue. As it turns out, I was wrong.

Shaq’s Big Chicken

• Location: Lido Deck, 16 aft
• Type of venue: breakfast and lunch counter service, included in the price of your cruise

The menu curated by the cruise line’s “Chief Fun Officer,” Shaquille O’Neal — is simple, but the chicken is delicious. Shaq’s chicken is tender, crispy, fresh, and made to order, making it a slam-dunk for Carnival.

Shaq’s Big Chicken is set up very much like Guy’s Burger Joint, one of the most popular eateries in Carnival’s fleet. As at Guy’s, the employees at Big Chicken are constantly making the sandwiches and fries so that you can walk up to the counter and walk away with your order quickly.

One thing Carnival has done here — and at several other spots around the ship — is set up with a back-and-forth barrier system to manage any lines that might form. It’s smart, works, and seems to help with social distancing.

The menu focuses mainly on chicken sandwiches, with one strange additional item: a cheese omelet.

Shaq’s Big Chicken is open mornings, so they have three breakfast items: a chicken-and-biscuit sandwich, bacon (or sausage), an egg and cheese biscuit sandwich, and an omelet. Both of the biscuit sandwiches are very good.

Now, keep in mind, I’m from Jersey… someone from the South, where biscuits are practically a religion, might not feel the same way.

I do not recommend the omelet unless all you like on your omelet is cheese. As far as I could tell, you couldn’t add anything else to it. It feels like something of an afterthought. If for some reason you absolutely insist on getting an omelet here, I’d suggest first grabbing a plate from the Lido Marketplace (it’s hard and weird eating an omelet out of a square bowl) and then taking your order over to the BlueIguana Cantina’s toppings bar and get a good sauce for it. 

Breakfast is served from 7 am until 3 pm, which allows you to grab breakfast food even well into lunch hours, something that’s not always an option on some ships.

The rest of the menu is served all day long from 7 am until 5 pm every day, including embarkation day. Yes, unlike at McDonalds, you are able to get fries before 10:30am. These fries aren’t anything like those you’ll find anywhere else on board. They don’t look special, but they’re actually really good. They’re kind of like steak fries in that they’re cut wide, but also thin enough that they stay nice and crispy.

The end result is that people who don’t like steak fries, such as myself, will also like them. How good are they? Good enough that it’s worth heading to Shaq’s just for fries, even if you’re not interested in anything else on the menu. 

The fries aren’t the only thing that are excellent at Shaq’s. The menu may be limited — there are only four sandwiches to pick from, plus chicken tenders — but everything I tried was excellent.

Mardi Gras Dining Guide: Which Restaurants Are Complimentary?

To go with your chicken, there is a sides-and-sauces bar offering pickles, jalapeño slaw, and potato salad as well as four sauces: Memphis BBQ, Shaq sauce, buffalo hot and BBQ ranch. 

The jalapeño slaw was really good, and the pickles were what you’d expect pickles to be, but the potato salad was not great. The sauces were all really different, but good in their own way, and the french fries are an excellent way to try all the sauces before committing to putting one on your sandwich.

A couple of tips before hitting Big Chicken: First, as I mentioned earlier, grab a plate from the Lido Marketplace before heading here.

You’ll be glad you did, especially if you want to try a couple of sauces. Also, if you decide to get the chicken tenders, ask for a double portion, as a regular order consists of only two, and you’ll want more.

Finally, if you’re going the dark meat route, I wouldn’t recommend asking for it on the Big Aristotle sandwich. That one comes with cheese, bacon and fried onions… throw on dark meat, and it combines in a way that feels a little too greasy.

On the other sandwiches, however, the dark meat is great. 

 I really like that Shaq’s Big Chicken is open both before and after most of the other lunch places because it adds flexibility to my day if I don’t want to eat from the buffet.

The one exception to the food being “fast” is if you want dark meat, which is included as an option on the menu. Each time I asked for dark meat, I was told it would be a seven-plus minute wait.

MENU: Shaq’s Big Chicken Restaurant on Carnival Cruise Line

I didn’t get confirmation that this is always the case, but it seems likely. I think this is a shame because they’re essentially discouraging everyone from ordering dark meat by having the (relatively) long wait time, reinforcing that they should only make it when it’s requested.

Maybe they’ll have it already cooked when the ship is sailing at full capacity. That said, the dark meat is delicious, flavorful, and juicy, so if you’re not in a rush, and you like dark meat, I highly recommend making the seven-minute time investment.

Check out some of our other Mardi Gras articles:

• Review: Riding BOLT, the First Roller Coaster on a Cruise Ship
• Exploring Summer Landing on Carnival’s Mardi Gras
• A Picky Eater’s Guide to Dining on Carnival’s Mardi Gras
• Kid-Free Options on Carnival’s Mardi Gras

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Thanks to the potent potions whipped up at the Fortune Teller’s bar, the jazz emanating from the Brass Magnolia, and Emeril’s Bistro 1396, the ship’s French Quarter zone is so evocative of the legendary city that if didn’t know better, you might just think you’d stepped off the ship and onto the streets of New Orleans.

Located on deck 6 mid-ship, Emeril’s Bistro 1396 is hard to miss as its decor spans up into deck 7 with bold lighting that changes colors all day long. Seating for the ever-popular Alchemy Bar overlooks the intentionally gaudy, albeit smallish, eatery. 

The menu at Emeril’s Bistro, created by the chef himself, consists of $5 Small Plates, variously priced “A Little More” entrees, $4 desserts, $4 breakfast items, $3 kids meals, and a market-priced seafood bar. (All subject to change, of course, and not available on Carnival’s website.) 

READ MORE: Menu for Emeril’s Restaurant on Carnival’s Mardi Gras

I only tried a few items, but all of them were so much better than I expected and reasonably priced for the portions served. In fact, I wound up visiting the venue twice because I was so impressed. 

My first visit was for breakfast. It was a bit confusing because the tables were all set with glasses and flatware and had the little QR codes on them to pull the menu up on our phones. But we actually had to order at the counter. There are also menus on the wall behind the counter and a QR code on the counter. 

In retrospect, it was nice to be able to settle into a table, pick what we wanted to eat, and then go up and order. After placing our order, we were given a card with a number which we put on our table so they would know where to bring the food when it was ready.

We ordered the Sweet Potato Waffles as well as the Shrimp and Grits. The Sweet Potato Waffle (the portion is technically just one large waffle) was basically a dessert, but that’s what some of us want for breakfast, isn’t it? The “whipped cream” was more like frosting and it was delicious. One thing to note: if no one told me, I wouldn’t have known the waffle contained sweet potato.

The Shrimp & Grits were also delicious, and I was impressed with how many perfectly-cooked shrimp were packed into what seemed like a small bowl. There was also a ton of sausage, just the right amount of grits, and a tasty, spicy tomato sauce on top.

Pro-tip for all Instagrammer: Wait for the lighting to change before snapping your photo. The pink had to be edited out of my breakfast photos so they’d look right. 

My original plan was to only eat at Emeril’s once, especially given that there were so many other places to try on board the ship. But the food was so delicious and the prices so reasonable that I had a feeling I’d return later in the trip. 

Sure enough, a few days later, I stopped by to check on the “market prices” of the seafood bar, since that wasn’t listed on the menu. They weren’t what I would call cheap, but they also weren’t unreasonable for fresh shellfish. 

On the last day of the cruise, we decided to head back to Emeril’s for dinner. We each got just one item because we also had to fit in some sushi from Bonsai Sushi. There are just so many complimentary options on Mardi Gras, it was actually hard to bring myself to spend money on food. But the fact that we did tells you how good it really was.

This time, we knew to order at the counter, so there was no confusion and it was a seamless process. We selected one item from the “Small Plate” section of the menu (Sizzling Cast Iron Shrimp Scampi) and one from the “A Little More” section (Roasted Duck and Andouille Sausage Gumbo).

The shrimp scampi was amazing. The shrimp were huge and the dish came with several pieces of garlic bread. I definitely felt like I got my money’s worth. Even after the shrimp were gone, I continued to enjoy the dish by dipping my bread into the sauce. One caveat: I didn’t like that when delivering our order, they faced the pan’s handle toward me. I’m clumsy, so even though they warned me, there was a good chance I was going to burn myself. Caution on that one if ordering for kids!

The gumbo was also incredible. Using duck instead of the standard poultries made this gumbo unique and added a richness to it that I didn’t expect. Trust me, it’s not as boring as the photo makes it look. Just the opposite, really! The potato salad that came with it wasn’t as good as everything else, but it went well with the gumbo and filled out the meal a bit. 

READ MORE: A Picky Eater’s Guide to Dining on Carnival’s Mardi Gras

We weren’t hungry after our meal, but we’d also had some sushi beforehand, so I can’t actually say that one item per person makes for a full meal. The good news is that if you’re trying to keep your spending low you can head up just two decks and round out your meal with a panini or a couple slices of pizza!

In addition to the delicious food on the menu, you can also order wine, beer, or espresso-based drinks to go with your meal. If you’re like me and want coffee with your breakfast but don’t want to pay more, I recommend bringing it with you from elsewhere on the ship. The prices for coffee weren’t posted and I didn’t think to ask since I wasn’t going to order one.

Wine can be purchased by the glass or by the bottle, and they have both New Orleans beers and Carnival beers to choose from. We’ll probably have to get one of the NOLA ones next time we’re on the Mardi Gras and grabbing a meal at Emeril’s. 

A really nice touch at dinner is the live music that can be heard from next door at the Fortune Teller bar. Emeril’s Bistro really is a gem that was under attended when I was on board. I expect that as word of mouth begins to spread, the joint will be jumping all the time.

Emeril’s Bistro is open for breakfast from 8 am to 10:30 am, and then reopens with the rest of the menu from noon until 10 pm. I liked that I could have breakfast later in the morning here and that it’s open later than some of the other dinner options. Sometimes there’s a comedy show you just can’t miss, you know?

READ NEXT: Mardi Gras Dining Guide: Which Restaurants Are Complimentary?

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Each would feature restaurants, bars, attractions and decor based around a particular theme.

In this article, we’re going to focus on Summer Landing, found on the aft section of deck 8 and described by Carnival as “the greatest chill spot at sea.”

Along with a slew of comfortable seating overlooking the wake, there are several venues located both inside and out, including Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse/Brewhouse, the Heroes Tribute Lounge and The Watering Hole. 

Heroes Tribute Lounge

First introduced on Carnival Panorama, this space is designed to honor both past and present veterans. The space offers comfy couches, big-screen televisions, a Swirls ice cream station, and military memorabilia.

It’s a very nice spot to relax, meet up with friends, and watch some sports. The lounge features a special Heroes Tribute bar menu and souvenir pint glasses.

The lounge doesn’t have its own bar, but it’s just a short walk over to the Pig & Anchor Brewhouse to order from this menu. For every drink purchased with the Heroes Tribute pint glass, Carnival donates $1 to Operation Homefront, a non-profit that supports military families.

It was cool to see this area utilized by both military personnel and those who appreciate their service during the course of our sailing.

Mardi Gras Dining Guide: Which Restaurants Are Complimentary?

Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse|Brewhouse

Ever since being introduced on Carnival Horizon, this restaurant — part of the line’s ongoing relationship with celebrity chef Guy Fieri — has proven incredibly popular. With bands performing at night and a BBQ-centric menu being served at both lunch and dinner time, it’s no wonder Guy’s has been given such prominent placement on Mardi Gras. 

Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse has been expanded and now offers a complete dinner menu, which (subject to change) is currently a complimentary dining option aboard this particular ship.

The dinner menu features a variety of barbeque meats, one featured entrée each night, tasty sides, and a few delicious desserts. It’s also the only restaurant onboard where you can order all of the Parched Pig beer varieties. 

Ordering is really easy because diners are given a paper menu on which t0 mark off exactly what they want. I tried the Smoked Strip Steak (which I highly recommend) and Pork Belly when I was on board. 

I also highly recommend the Mississippi Mud Pie for dessert — it’s just as good as Carnival’s popular Warm Melting Cake except it’s cold instead of hot. 

You’ll also find live music here that’s enjoyable but a little loud during dinner and into the night. It’s great if you want to hang out and drink, but it’s not conducive to an intimate conversation over dinner.

In my opinion, Carnival should consider starting the band later and letting them play past midnight, which seemed too early to stop the party.

Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse lunch is the same as you can find on Carnival’s Dream and Vista-class ships. It’s located on the port side of deck eight and is a crew-served buffet.

You tell them what kind of meats and sides you would like and they will plate it for you.  Like on previous ships, this is a complimentary lunch option. 

A really nice feature of both lunch and dinner is the variety of barbeque sauces you can add to your meats. You will find a new selection of sauces at dinner that adds some variety to your dining experiences at Guy’s Pig & Anchor.

Breakfast at Guy’s Pig & Anchor isn’t anything special. It’s regular breakfast food served buffet style, similar to what you will find in the Lido Marketplace. While there are fewer options, it’s worth checking out if you want to avoid the crowds at the Lido buffet. 

If you want to get a specialty coffee like a latte or a cappuccino in the morning, get it from Bar Della Rosa (in the La Piazza zone) before hitting Guy’s for breakfast. There was no specialty coffee service on our sailing service, which seems like lost a lost revenue opportunity. 

If you like beer, you will not want to miss out on the fresh craft beers from the Brewhouse. The draft beers are poured straight from the beer cave, where they were brewed just days beforehand. There is also an opportunity to participate in a tour of the onboard brewery, which includes a generous volume of sample beer and a souvenir pint glass for about $25 per person. 

MENU: Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Menu

If you want to cut down on the cost of your drafts, you can buy a beer mug or a growler which  can be refilled at a discounted rate. And yes, you can bring them back on board in the future and keep the savings going.

The Patio Aft Pool

The inside of Summer Landing is great but the outside is where you can really enjoy some fun in the sun while connecting with the ocean. Directly outside the doors is the Patio Pool which is almost like an infinity pool that butts up right to the very back of the ship.

I really liked what they did with this pool, which has a large shallow area that’s about one foot deep with lounge chairs designed to sit in the water. If all the lounge chairs are taken, it’s also nice to sit right in the water or on the edge with just your feet in — especially if you like warmer water. 

This is a great place to hit on the first day or two, as many people gravitate toward the Lido pool and don’t even realize this one exists, making it far less crowded. As people discover it during the course of the week, it slowly becomes more popular.

The hot tubs are nice and big and are off to one side of the ship, which means that they’re actually in the shade early in the morning or in the evening, depending on the orientation of the ship. 

TRIP REPORT: Final Day on Carnival’s Mardi Gras

On each side of the pool is a permanent umbrella fixture and shaded seating. Be very careful when walking by the pool, with the ship still being new, the wood around the pool can get very slippery.

The Watering Hole

Mardi Gras is jam-packed with new-to-Carnival bars and restaurants, including this Summer Landing venue. Located on the starboard side, it’s an outdoor bar with a short-but-sweet menu. It’s conveniently located right next to The Patio’s hot tubs and all of the drinks are simply priced at $9.95 (as of September 2021).

If it’s too hot or humid to drink outside and you’re not feeling the pool or hot tubs, take your drink inside to the Heroes Tribute Lounge or Guy’s Pig & Anchor, both of which offer plenty of seating options.

Some of our favorites were the Watermelon Crush (Tito’s, Fresh Watermelon, and syrup), Elderflower Spritz (St. Germain, Prosecco and club soda), and Sail Away (Absolute Citron, Blue Curacao, and juice).

Final Thoughts

The Summer Landing zone is an overall win on Mardi Gras. The way the space is designed provides ample access to both sun and shade, meaning no matter which you’re looking for you can find it while still remaining connected to the ocean thanks to the amazing views from nearly every inch of the outdoor space.

Before sailing, I was skeptical about how the zone concept would actually work on the ship, but now that I’ve seen it outside of a press release, I’m very impressed.

READ NEXT: 8 Tips For Preparing to Cruise in 2021

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There was a whole lot of attention paid to the sea coaster before the ship’s launch, but does it live up to the hype? Having recently returned from sailing on Mardi Gras, we’re here not only to answer that question but also to tell you everything you need to know about Bolt!  

Making a Reservation

First, it’s important to know that you can’t just wander up to the top deck, get in line, and jump on Bolt. Instead, you need to make a reservation in advance via the Carnival HUB app.

You will pick the day you want and then a 30-minute window that you wish to ride. You must check in sometime during your 30-minute window, or your reservation is forfeited.

As soon as you make the reservation, you’re charged $15 (as of September 2021). Guests are permitted to cancel for a refund if the cancellation is made two or more hours before your reservation’s start time. 

If I can offer you one very important piece of advice, it’s to make your reservation for relatively early in your sailing. I say this for two reasons. First, you want to do it while there are plenty of reservations available so that you can find a time that fits into your schedule. 

But it’s also important to remember that Bolt may not be able to operate if the weather is bad. We’ve heard from several passengers who made the mistake of waiting until the final day of their cruise to make a reservation only to find out that because of inclement weather, Bolt wasn’t operating.

They’d intended it to be the ultimate capper to their trip but instead wound up disappointed.

I had my reservation canceled twice due to weather, once due to maintenance (something I’m actually quite used to from Six Flags parks), and then finally rode it with my 4th reservation.

Annoyingly, the cancellation notices came through after the start time of my reservations. So if it’s windy, do not assume it’s canceled. Go up to deck 18 and ask the Carnival attendant who will still be there so that they can tell guests that it’s too windy.

Things You Need To Know

When making your reservation, you will notice a slew of restrictions and requirements, similar to what you see posted outside a coaster like Space Mountain at Walt Disney World.

In this case, riders need to be at least 52 inches tall (that’s four feet, three inches) and no taller than 77 inches (which equates to 6 feet, four inches).

Weight-wise, you must be under 300 pounds. Yes, they have you step on a scale, but never fear: Your weight isn’t displayed, only a light indicating you’re cleared to ride. 

One thing that catches some people off guard is the fact that there’s a bit of a dress code when it comes to riding Bolt. You need to be wearing closed-toe shoes, and although they don’t currently specifically refer to skirts, you’re probably going to want to wear shorts or pants for the ride.

If you’re going to be wearing glasses, they need to be held in place with head straps. 

Oh, and if you’re hoping to capture the experience on your GoPro or cell? Think again. The ride operators are instructed to keep a close eye open and refuse to let those attempting to sneak the items onto the ride from boarding.

MORE: 8 Tips For Preparing to Cruise in 2021

What’s It Like To Ride Bolt?

Once you have your reservations in hand and your closed-toe shoes on your feet, you will go up to deck 18 and check in with one of the Carnival attendants, who will be holding a tablet with the reservations. 

Once you check-in, you finally get to go up the stairs to the roller coaster platform. There isn’t an ADA option for this (nor for getting on the roller coaster), so you will want to access the stairs and the roller coaster car before making your reservation.

There is a demo car on deck 18 next to the stairs that can be used for photo-ops… I mean, to make sure you’ll be able to get into the car. 

At the top of the stairs, there’s an extremely large covered queue area. The reservation system really alleviates the need to use the entire area, but it’s possible that they’re currently taking fewer reservations for social distancing purposes.

It’s also possible that the queue area was designed and built in a pre-pandemic world and that, necessity being the mother of invention, they created the reservation system (and $15 fee) as a way to avoid having large numbers of people standing in line once social distancing became the norm. 

Regardless, as anyone who has ever endured the SkyRide lines aboard Carnival’s Vista-class ships, the reservation is a vast improvement.

Next, you will come to the turnstiles. Here, you’ll scan your cruise card to show that you have paid for your ride, and once approved, it will unlock and let you through. This is comparable to entering a theme park. 

This is where you’ll stand on the scale I mentioned before, which measures both your height and weight, and the Carnival attendants will confirm that you meet the requirements.

This is done for every guest who rides, so don’t take it personally. They didn’t spot you at the buffet and single you out for having that extra helping of bacon.

There are open cubbies where you can place all of your loose items, including the GoPro you were hoping to wear for the ride. Not kidding. One of the Safety dos and don’ts is that the use of cameras, including GoPros, is not permitted. 

Finally, it’s time to board the car, get strapped in, and begin your adventure. You’ll want to decide in advance who’s going to sit where, and this is a big decision: The guest in the front seat gets to control just how fast you go once the ride begins.

There’s a minimum speed, but I’m pretty sure even that is fast… not to mention scary, given the height of the track. 

There’s a throttle and a booster button, which makes the ride faster. For the fastest ride possible, pull the throttle all the way back and hold down the booster! 

You’ll be counted down by the race car lights and then zoom away. When you watch from the deck below, it really doesn’t look that fast, but trust me: When you’re on that sucker, it sure feels fast.

It really is a lot of fun if you like rides that are speedy and twisty. From our experience, the passenger is the one who experiences the thrill, while the driver is too busy making sure they are going as fast as possible. 

If there’s a downside, it’s that the ride is over before you know it… not to mention before the driver really understands the controls! The other potential downside is that if you’ve got hair, there’s a good chance you’re going to look like a bit of a hot mess.

But odds are the second you’re off, you’ll grab your phone to try and snag another reservation. 

What’s Bolt Going to Cost Me?

As of September, Bolt is priced at $15 per person for each one-lap ride. 

We thought that our $15 lap was exceedingly fun. If it were a bit more affordable, we would likely do it again and again every time we sailed on the Mardi Gras. 

Is It Worth $15 for Just One Ride?

I recommend that you try it at least once — especially if you love roller coasters, as I do.  It really was a lot of fun, and I’m glad I decided to go on it!

By Lauren Rodgers

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