CCL-Carnival Cruise Line has announced a broad expansion of its culinary offerings under a new initiative known as The Next Course, introducing a series of restaurants, bars and dining concepts that will debut aboard Carnival Festivale in 2027 and Carnival Tropicale in 2028.
The program includes several new specialty dining venues. Among them is Emeril’s Coastal Seafood, featuring coastal-inspired dishes developed under the direction of Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse. Uku Lei Lei will combine Hawaiian cuisine with Asian influences, while Fetaccine will offer a Mediterranean-focused menu blending Italian and Greek specialties. Carnival Festivale will also feature Le Bistro Musicale, a French restaurant designed around a Parisian atmosphere complemented by live music.
Three new beverage venues are also scheduled to debut on Carnival Festivale. The Spark will operate as an entertainment lounge offering live performances and cocktails inspired by well-known songs. Mix will provide guests with the opportunity to order signature cocktails or create customized drinks, while Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar will serve specialty coffees alongside a selection of cocktails.
Beyond the new venues, CCL is implementing a range of fleetwide dining enhancements. These include refreshed menus in the Main Dining Room, Lido Marketplace and BlueIguana Cantina, along with expanded grab-and-go options, mobile ordering services and express dining alternatives. Additional concepts include Bagels @ Sea, updated Chef’s Table menus featuring regionally inspired multi-course dinners, and pop-up offerings such as Fruity & Frosted Breakfast Bars and Ice Cream and Milkshake Bars on selected vessels.
CCL indicated that the initiative is intended to build upon the line’s extensive food and beverage operation, which serves millions of guests and 100+ million meals annually. Company executives noted that dining remains a central element of the onboard experience and that the new concepts have been developed to expand variety and introduce additional flavors throughout the fleet.
The announcement follows other recent onboard investments by the cruise line, including the deployment of new gaming technology across its fleet, and forms part of CCL's broader effort to enhance guest amenities ahead of the arrival of its next generation of ships.