When on a cruise, eating becomes somewhat of a hobby. There is always some food, somewhere 24 hours a day. The food on the Carnival Breeze is nothing short of eclectic. You have everything from pizza and burgers to tacos and wok. Here are my top 5 picks for food on board.

Please Note: The Steakhouse didn’t make the list because we could not get reservations. It books up by the second cruise day. If you have an interest in eating there, be sure to book early.

5. Cucina del Capitano

The Cucina del Capitano on the Carnival Breeze has the best Italian you will find on board. They have two opening times for lunch and dinner where lunch is free and dinner is $12 per person. The dinner includes an appetizer, main entrée and dessert.

The service was sub par, as we felt the concierge was rude when we asked about seating without a reservation. After coming back the next night with a reservation, she seemed slightly brighter but still very dry in her personality. We ordered the Calamari Fritti and Insalate Caprese as appetizers and the Spaghetti Carbonara and the Piatto de la Nonna with a side of Rosemary Potatoes for the main course. We tried to order a bottle of the Nero d’Avola but they were out. Then we tried to order the Chianti Classico Riserva but they were out as well. We ended up with a carafe of the Cucina Chianti which led to a massive headache the next morning. They also provided bread with olive oil pepper and balsamic vinaigrette at the table.

The appetizers were savory but we didn’t expect much from caprese salad and calamari as its pretty hard to mess these up. The Spaghetti Carbonara was deliciously drenched in a creamy white sauce and diced bacon. We had tried the Spaghetti Carbonara in the Blush dining room and it was watery with barely any sauce. This was a stark difference and worth the $12 surcharge. The Piatto de la Nonna left more to be desired. The vodka sauce was not the vodka cream sauce described in the menu but rather a marinara red sauce. The dish was good standard pasta but I was disappointed with the description. The potato side dish was excellent with plenty of rosemary and olive oil. For dessert we ordered the Magic Tiramisu and the Sicilian Cannoli. All I can say is finally some dessert that tasted like dessert and not some sugar-less excuse for sweets! The Tiramisu was rich in coffee flavor with a hint of chocolate. The Cannoli was creamy and full with a slight chocolate after taste.

The Cucina del Capitano on the Carnival Breeze makes the list because the pasta truly was better than any other pasta on board compared to the Blush dining room and the Lido Marketplace. The dessert was amazing. The Cucina del Capitano lost rank points for the misleading Piatto di la Nonna description, lack of wine selection and rude concierge. You can see a menu here

4. Fat Jimmy’s C-Side BBQ

From the reviews I had read before embarking the Carnival Breeze, I had high hopes for Fat Jimmy’s pulled pork sandwich. So the very first sea day, we were first in line as we heard rumors that once they ran out for the day they closed. They only open from noon – 2pm on sea days and can be found just outside the Ocean Plaza on the Promenade Deck. I highly suggest you arrive early as the line wraps like a snake in the cramped deck beside the stand.

Fat Jimmy’s is served buffet style so we got a bit of everything to give it a full review. The Fat Jimmy’s Best Barbequed Yardbird was a chicken breast with a sweet yet slightly tangy glaze over it. The baked beans were only mildly BBQ flavored, the potato salad was light creamy and delicious and the creamed corn was surprisingly good as well. The Brew Ribbon Grilled Italian Sausage was a tad spicy but even a person who doesn’t enjoy spice can enjoy them. Finally, at the end of the serving line was what we came for: Pig-In-A-Poke Pulled Pork Sandwiches. The pulled pork was prepared without any sauce and you have your selection of sauces to add onto it at the end ranging from regular BBQ to extremely spicy chipotle. The pulled pork was rather dry since it wasn’t made in sauce but still better than a lot of food on board. It wasn’t the pulled pork sandwich I expected with all the rave reviews, but it hit the spot if you’re in the mood for BBQ. See menu here

3. Blue Iguana Cantina

The Iguana Cantina on the Carnival Breeze Lido deck serves burritos and tacos. If you want a burrito, prepare yourself for a rather long line whereas the taco line is usually non-existent. You have your choice of chicken, pork or fish for your taco or burrito. You then have an array of options to build on your burrito including rice, pinto beans, sour cream, guacamole, cheese and lettuce along with plenty more options to add in.

The tacos are pretty small, so if you want to get your fill you will need to order a few. The burritos are huge though. The chicken and pork have a slight cinnamon spice flavor on their own before adding any extras. Aside from the additions at the counter, you can add extras at the salsa bar right across from the Iguana Cantina lines. You will have your choice of sauces to add to your tacos or burrito. The burrito was excellent and they are very generous with what they put in them making them full and juicy. You can even ask for a mix of the meats in there.

The Blue Iguana Cantina on the Carnival Breeze is definitely worth a visit and some of the best food you can try on board.

2. Bonsai Sushi

Bonsai Sushi on the Carnival Breeze Promenade Deck is a small pay for restaurant on board. While they don’t have a wide array of sushi selection, everything we had was amazing. The prices for rolls are $4 or $6, appetizers are all $3, soups and salads are $2 and sashimi pieces are $1. You can also order a boat for two of sushi for $15 which includes an array of sushi, miso soup and salad. The service was superb at Bonsai Sushi. We were immediately seated with no need for a reservation. While we waited for our food they had a mini show that we were included in. They taught us a dance with a ribbon stick and we “performed” for people passing by. It was optional of course, but it was a lot of fun.

For dinner we ordered the Salmon Tiradito and the Tuna and Mango Tartare appetizers. They were not huge appetizers but you didn’t need much to enjoy them. Both were very unique but the Tuna and Mango Tartare was exceptionally tasty. It was tangy, slightly sour and we couldn’t stop raving about it. We also had two Miso Soups which were up to par with your average miso soup anywhere. For the rolls we ordered the Spicy Tuna and the Tempura Roll. Both were delicious. The Spicy Tuna was topped with shoestring flakes and spicy mayo. They had just the right amount of spice and with a side of eel sauce, it was a perfect mix of sweet and spicy. The Tempura Rolls did not disappoint either. They were filled with fat shrimp and a hearty amount of avocado topped with their own Bonsai sauce.

Bonsai Sushi on the Carnival Breeze was excellent sushi and not just in an on board sense, but in general. Were Bonsai a restaurant off the ship, I would visit again. See menu here.

1. Guy’s Burger Joint

By far, the best food onboard the Carnival Breeze was Guy’s Burger Joint. We ate here at least 3 times on our 8 day cruise. It was that good. With burgers rivaling Fuddruckers and Five Guys, these were the best burgers we had eaten in a long time.

The menu provides 5 burger options and then you can add extras at the condiment bar next to it. My favorite was the Pig Patty, a burger with a patty made out of bacon added on. It was juicy and yes very greasy with crunchy bacon in every bite. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Jason’s favorite was The Ringer, a burger with Guy’s special bourbon and brown sugar BBQ sauce topped with a huge onion ring. It was equally as delicious and juicy with gushing BBQ sauce and crispy onion ring. The burgers all come with a side of thick real potato skin fries. Simply the most amazing food on board. See menu here 

 

With all the food that the Carnival Breeze offered, Guy’s Burger Joint tops the list. We tried everything else from the Lido Marketplace and the Blush dining room and nothing came close to the amazingness of these burgers.