I’ve always adored the specialty dining options aboard cruise ships, and particularly that of Carnival Sunshine and Breeze. Carnival Vista dining options includes restaurants and bars that are some of my favorites, like JiJi Asian Kitchen which we dined at on the Sunshine and BlueIguana Cantina that is always a perfect option of Sea Day breakfast or lunch! There are a few additions that are new, too! The Seafood Shack I was able to experience, somewhat, at the launch event in NYC last year. I remember the mini lobster rolls. They were incredible! And don’t forget the Brewery at Sea – Carnival’s latest endeavor to please beer drinkers, like Tom!
Carnival Vista Dining Options
BlueIguana Cantina
Open for breakfast and lunch, BlueIguana Cantina serves authentic tacos on fresh-made tortillas and made-to-order burritos that can be personalized by diners at an extensive salsa and toppings bar.
Bonsai Sushi
Bonsai Sushi has been expanded on Carnival Vista to offer cooked-to-order items like Shrimp Tempura, Chicken Katsu, Omakase (Chef’s Choice) and various noodle bowls, complementing a variety of sushi, sashimi and bento boxes. Additional Fee
Cherry on Top
For those with a sweet tooth, Cherry on Top serves up ingredients mixed by hand and made to order. Cool concoctions include a base of ice cream and at least four toppings, from whipped cream and hot fudge to Oreo cookie pieces and pineapple chunks. Additionally, when guests order Brownie Buoy – hand-selected by kids at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – a donation is made to the hospital. Additional Fee
Cucina del Capitano
A celebration of Carnival Cruise Line’s deep roots in Italy — all of the fleet’s captains are Italian — Cucina del Capitano serves up a variety of Italian favorites family-style. Additional Fee
Fahrenheit 555
This classic American steakhouse offers mouth-watering steaks and other gourmet fare with impeccable service. Additional Fee
Guy’s Burger Joint
A guest favorite, Guy’s features fresh-made burgers, hand-cut fries and innovative toppings created in partnership with Food Network personality Guy Fieri.
Havana Bar
This popular bar specializing in mojitos and Cuba Libres has added a bar menu. From Sabor de Habana, a sampler plate, to ceviche de mariscos, ropa vieja and pan con bistec, guests can taste authentic dishes of Cuba. Additional Fee
JavaBlue Café
Featuring coffee straight-up, or perhaps with an upgrade, JavaBlue Café serves hot and cold drinks with a fun twist. Guests also can enjoy sweet treats and comfort snacks. Additional Fee
Ji Ji Asian Kitchen
Serving up enticing dishes in an eclectic space, Ji Ji brings not only great food, but good fortune to the table. Offering a full-service menu featuring a mix of exotic and familiar dishes designed to challenge and delight the senses, the venue offers a truly unique culinary experience. Additional Fee
Pizzeria del Capitano
Pizzeria del Capitano offers five varieties of hand-tossed artisanal-style pizza, all available free of charge 24 hours a day.
Lido Marketplace
A casual poolside eatery offering an array of international favorites, from paninis to comfort food to a New York-style deli and just about everything in between.
Ocean Plaza
An indoor/outdoor café serving cappuccinos, lattes, and espressos as well as pastries and other confections. Additional Fee
RedFrog Pub & Brewery
Delicious Caribbean bites are served here, but the star is the hand-crafted beer brewed on board in the line’s first onboard brewery developed in collaboration with Miami-based Concrete Beach Brewery. The Caribbean-inspired brews include the aromatic and citrusy Port Hoppin’ IPA, spicy ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat unfiltered lager and rich and creamy FriskyFrog Java Stout. Additional Fee
Seafood Shack
A Carnival Vista exclusive, Seafood Shack features traditional fare like New England clam chowder, lobster rolls, crab cake sliders and fried clam strips served by the bucket, with steamed lobster, snow crab, peel-and-eat shrimp and raw oysters sold by the pound. Additional Fee
Serenity
Salads, sandwiches, wraps and other light fare is available at the ship’s exclusive adults-only retreat.
Shake Spot
Shake Spot offers more than just your average shakes and floats. Guests can sip on hand-crafted classics, fruity-flavored treats and even spiked indulgences. Additional Fee
The Chef’s Table
This VIP experience starts with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for an exclusive group of 14 guests, followed by a tour to see the galley in operation. The evening concludes with an impressive full-service dinner of appetizers, entrees and desserts not found on the regular menus, all hosted by one of the ship’s master chefs. Additional Fee
The Taste Bar
Offering complimentary bite-size preview offerings inspired by popular Carnival dining venues, along with a signature cocktail tied to the day’s particular theme available for purchase. Additional Fee for some items.
American Table/American Feast
Featuring extensive menus and wine lists in the Horizons and Reflections main dining rooms with a wide range of appetizers, side dishes, entrees and desserts, as well as shareable items for the table.
Looking forward to sailing and enjoying the Carnival Vista Dining options with the family! Hope to see you on board!
Other Cruising Resources for Families
- How to Plan a Family Cruise – Is this your first family cruise? Read through my guide to plan a perfect family cruise vacation.
- Cruise Direct – The place where cruisers go to book their vacation.
- Speciality Dining Review – Learn the details about dining on cruise ships.
- How to Surprise Kids for a Cruise Vacation – We did it! We filmed the surprise, too! It’s a must see!
- Room Service on a Cruise – Not all cruises lines offer this luxury. Carnival does. See how and why parents need to use this each morning of their family cruise.
- Do This, Not That on the Carnival Vista – We sailed this ship and learned so much. Please read through our advice before you set sail.
- Brewery at Sea – The Carnival Vista has a brewery at sea! We enjoyed a background tour. See the details.
- Guys Pig & Anchor BBQ – On select ships, including the Vista, this latest Guy Fieri dining spot is full of traditional BBQ fare. So goo buy long wait. Get more details.
- Cruising the Carnival Breeze – We’ve sailed this ship twice and see just might be our favorite. Find out why!
- Cruising the Carnival Freedom – This ship is filled with FUN! See how we enjoyed our 8-night sailing.
- Key West Aquarium – Wondering what to do with the kids in Key West. We loved the Key West Aquarium. See why.
- Hasbro the Game Show – We’ve enjoyed this life-sized game on several Carnival ships. You’ve got to see how fun it is!
- Warm Melting Chocolate Cake Recipe by Carnival – If you’ve ever sailed a Carnival ship, you know how deliciousness of their warm melting chocolate cake!
ohhh gosh so many of these places sound amazing!! One day I’ll go on a cruise!
WOW! Your ship has so many options. What a lovely cruise ship, your food photo looks so tasty!
I can’t believe there are that many options on a boat! I would really love to take a cruise again. These look great.
April 22 2017 Cant wait!
Awesome!! We will sail her later this year! Can’t wait!
From the restaurants you mentioned above, which ones are included free of charge on the Vista? I am confused about what is included and what is not. Thank you.
Great question!
I updated the post to indicate which locations have an additional fee. Note that the fee is often far less than you would pay on land for a similar item. My favorite “splurges” are the steakhouse and JiJi. My kids love Cherry On Top – for under $3 the get a ice cream that would cost over $5 at home.