Your Complete Guide To Eating On The Carnival Glory

It’s been at least two hours since our last meal so what should we eat? No worries because Carnival knows how to do food! Here’s your complete guide to eating aboard the Carnival Glory as you cruise through the Caribbean. In order to give you a fully comprehensive review, we are happy to report in the name of in-depth research for the purposes of this article, we did eat every, single, solitary, thing aborad the Glory-and some twice (some a lot more than twice-did I mention 24-hour ice cream and pizza?)

Most cruise lines claim to be all-inclusive when it comes to their shipboard experience but often the reality falls a bit short. Not Carnival. When it comes to food just about everything is included and that “everything” is well, just about everything!

Let’s start with what’s not included because it’s not much. In fact, on the Carnival Glory, it comes down to just three specialty venues. The Steakhouse is an elegant specialty restaurant serving prime beef and other meaty specialties for a flat fee of $35 per guest for a complete meal.

The Seafood Shack is a counter style venue with the freshest of fish, shrimp and lobster.

Finally there is a Sushi counter where expert sushi chefs prepare exquisite creations for a nominal fee.

So what is included? Everything else and it’s a lot!

There are two main dining rooms aboard the Carnival Glory and they are both beautiful, elegant rooms richly appointed with plenty of tables having the best view of all, the ocean.

Both dining rooms have identical menus for dinner and one of them is used for the daily sit down breakfast and Sunday Brunch. You can choose either an early or late seating or opt as we did for “Your Time Dining” which allows you to dine anytime the hungries hit you.

We generally went to dinner around 6:30 and since there were just the two of us we never had a wait and in fact, ended up at the same oceanside table every night with the same beyond excellent wait staff. We did see larger groups wait a bit for a table but never more than a very few minutes.

So what’s for dinner? It’s a three-course meal with a selection of appetizers including soup or salad and several other options. There are usually eight or so entrees which always feature a couple of vegetarian choices.

These change daily plus there are always an additional four traditional-style entrees like a beef tenderloin or a pork chop or pasta. There is also a themed appetizer and entree based on the day’s port of call.

And then there’s dessert which always includes the famous Carnival Melting Chocolate Cake with ice cream and a variety of other ever-changing delicacies. But here’s the thing. Suppose you want soup and salad, or beef carpaccio and steamed mussels.

Well, why not? Go right ahead. Or suppose on Tuesday when they’re both offered how about getting both the prime rib and the lobster tail? Nobody’s going to say no to you. Or suppose you want three desserts? Knock yourself out.

Okay so there’s a lot of different food but is it any good? Well, I’m here to tell you that it all ranges from really tasty to golly gee spectacular. Carnival is all about expert presentation, fantastic flavors, and impeccable service.

Gayle and I were treated to a private tour of the galley and I was a bit surprised to find that every single food item is freshly prepared from scratch from the finest ingredients right down to the bakery where every bread, cake, and dessert is prepared daily aboard the ship.

Nothing is pre-made and nothing comes out of a can or is frozen. All of the above also applies to the Sea Day breakfasts and Sunday Brunch.

No cruise ship is complete without a buffet and Carnival does not disappoint. The Lido Buffet is open for business for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

There are two themed sides with two lines for each so you never wait very long to get through the line and chow down.

For breakfast, there’s a wide variety of fresh fruits, a large selection of cold cereals, hot cereals like oatmeal, all manner of eggs and all the fixings, a custom omelet station, and a large selection of breakfast meats, potatoes, pancakes, french toast, bagels, croissants, breads, etc. etc. etc. It just doesn’t end.

For both lunch and dinner, one side is devoted to comfort food and the other is a bit more adventurous.

And let’s not forget about the salad bad and that huge dessert table. We had many of our breakfasts and lunches at the buffet but only stopped in once at dinner time for an after dinner extra dessert.

I was surprised to find the specialty line included buffet versions of the entrees we were served in the dining room. It’s all plentiful and it’s all delicious.

What else is there you may ask? How about Mexican food at the Blue Laguna Cantina where you can get a breakfast burrito or huevos rancheros for breakfast and specialty tacos and burritos for lunch.

Feel like a burger? Try Guy’s Burger Joint created especially for Carnival by Food Network star and restaurateur Guy Fieri.

Guy’s Burger Joint serves two things, burgers, and fries. The burger is a delicious 80-20 beef patty with melty cheese and all the fixings and this IS a tasty burger.

Feel free to have it your way. If you want a double burger or extra cheese or bacon just tell the burger chefs or load your burger up at the toppings bar.

Let’s not forget the Carnival Deli where there’s an ever-changing daily choice of sandwiches or have it your way if you just want a turkey and swiss or a pastrami on rye. The deli is open from lunch until well into the night.

Also for lunch, there’s the Ol’ Fashioned BBQ with slow roasted beef, pork, and chicken with all the traditional sides.

Feel like a snack a 2:00 am? Carnival’s got you covered with 24-hour pizza at the Pizza Pirate. It’s thin crust and it’s freshly baked all day and night. You can watch pizzas coming out of the ovens around the clock and there’re delicious.

And there’s 24-hour soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt, kid’s menus everywhere and of course room service.

And of course what cruise would be complete without something just for the kids or the kid in us all.

Then step on up because the Cat In The Hat is waiting just for you with of course Seuss-style specialties, and yes green eggs and ham were a part of the menu along with the chance to meet the Cat In The Hat himself.

Whew!! I think I got it all but it’s possible I forgot something. I told you there was plenty to eat and it’s all really, really good. You’re not going to go hungry or fail to find something tasty any time you want on the Carnival Glory. And it’s all included.