Carnival Cruise Line has revealed more details surrounding its highly anticipated Mardi Gras cruise ship, including several new food and beverage concepts as well as what future guests can expect from the ship’s Lido and Summer Landing zones.
Highlights include the second Big Chicken restaurant at sea. The brainchild of Carnival’s Chief Fun Officer and NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, the venue will offer all-inclusive breakfast, lunch and dinner menus based on O’Neal’s family traditions and taste-tested by the hoops legend himself.
MORE Cruise Line & Cruise Ship
Street Eats, RedFrog Tiki Bar and The Watering Hole are among the other new food and beverage concepts guests can look forward to.
Carnival describes Street Eats as an open-air eatery offering grab-and-go items free of charge. It will feature a daily rotating menu and three themed kiosks offering fried, steamed and plancha (skillet) treats, including empanadas, falafel, bao buns and kebabs, among other delicacies.
Meanwhile, the new two-level RedFrog Tiki Bar aims to transport guests to the South Pacific islands with hand-crafted burgers and refreshing cocktails like the Polynesian Punch, Red’s Rum Runner Jumper and Jungle Bird. The bar will feature island-inspired decor and creative presentations via souvenir tiki glasses and Mai Tai glasses.
The Watering Hole will be located within The Patio at Summer Landing and boast a vast beer selection including Carnival’s own canned and draft brews in addition to cocktails like the Watermelon Cooler and Tequila Sunset.
Mardi Gras’ Summer Landing zone will also feature an outdoor deck area with an infinity pool and two whirlpools; a sports bar equipped with indoor and outdoor TVs; a hang-out space complete with cornhole, trivia, arts and crafts, dance classes and more as well as an expanded Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse and a stage for live music.
Other highlights of the two-deck-high Lido zone include the largest Guy’s Burger Joint in Carnival’s fleet; a Seafood Shack; Mexican-themed eatery BlueIguana Cantina; Lido Marketplace; a mid-ship Beach Pool and an infinity Aft Tides Pool with a bar, plenty of seating and ocean views. The area will also play host to deck parties and Dive-in Movies at the Carnival Seaside Theater.
“Great food and beverage experiences are at the core of any vacation, especially at Carnival. We always strive to provide our guests with the most diverse options possible but the sheer variety of food and beverage venues on board Mardi Gras is unlike anything we’ve ever offered before,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, in a statement. “Our culinary and beverage teams continue to innovate, ensuring that we have an array of new and exciting options in addition to longtime Carnival favorites our guests love.”
Carnival said it plans to announce additional details regarding Mardi Gras features and themed zones in the coming months.
New York for a series of voyages before shifting to Port Canaveral for year-round seven-day Caribbean cruises starting in October 2020.
