If you’re a cruiser who loves food—or a foodie who loves cruising—there’s one experience on Carnival Cruise Line that you may be considering booking: The Chef’s Table. This is one of those events where fine dining meets behind-the-scenes magic, where every bite is a masterpiece, and where you’re treated to a multi-course feast in an intimate setting. At $124 per person (plus 18% gratuity) you may be wondering if it’s actually worth it. Well, cruisers… read on!
Now, first things first. This isn’t your typical cruise dinner. The Chef’s Table is a small, VIP-style event limited to just 14 – 16 guests (depending on the ship), and it’s offered each night of the cruise. But here’s the catch: there’s only one seating per evening, and it books up fast. So, if you’re thinking of booking it, make sure to reserve your spot early. You’ll also want to plan the day you book it around your other activities, as this isn’t like a quick dinner in the main dining room, this is a multi-hour event that starts at 5:45pm and rolls on for nearly three hours.
Let’s walk through the entire evening, from the moment you check in to the final, sweet bite, based on my experience during an Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Celebration in June 2025.
What is The Chef’s Table on Carnival Cruise Line?
Simply put: a VIP dining experience that’s part foodie heaven, part behind-the-scenes adventure. That’s The Chef’s Table in a nutshell. Offered on all Carnival Cruise Line ships, it’s billed as a “once-in-a-lifetime” event on their website—and honestly, I wouldn’t call it that, it’s more like one of those “must-do” events.
Like I mentioned, you’ve got to book this experience in advance. Spots are limited—only 12 to 16 guests per seating—so it’s a hot ticket. You cannot book it through the Carnival HUB app once onboard. You need to do it through Carnival’s website before the cruise like you would with your WiFi and CHEERS! beverage package. You can try your luck onboard, by asking for a reservation at one of the restaurants, or by ringing up guest services, but if it’s a definite must-do and you want to avoid disappointment, book it online in advance. On my sailing, it was $123 per person, plus an 18% gratuity. Is it a splurge? Sure. Is it worth it? Keep reading.
The Warm-Up: Meeting, Introductions, and a Champagne Toast
Our group gathered at the assigned meeting spot, which happened to be the JavaBlue cafe at 5:45pm where we checked-in, filled out a health questionnaire, and met the chef who would be our host for the evening. If you’re wondering why we had to fill out a health questionnaire, it’s all about, well… health! Since we would be going into the ship’s galley, where thousands of meals are being prepped and served, anyone who has had any signs or symptoms of gastro issues could rapidly spread the dreaded norovirus to a ship full of unsuspecting guests. So, please don’t lie when you fill this out. If you weren’t feeling well, or aren’t feeling well, reschedule.
Once that was out of the way, we were led through the galley and into a private dining room that had a wall of windows that gave us a birds-eye view of the organized chaos just feet away. Some ships set up The Chef’s Table actually inside the galley, while some, like Celebration, have a quiet, beautifully decorated private dining room just off the galley. The table was gorgeous, with name cards and personalized menus, along with a beautiful chandelier made out of champagne glasses.
Our chef host introduced himself and the team of servers who would be making sure our wine glasses and bellies stayed full all night. We then went around the table, introducing ourselves. This was also the time when the chef asked if anyone had any dietary restrictions or food allergies so they could be accommodated. It’s important to note that the chef did his best to make sure the two people in our group who had allergies were well taken care of!
Speaking of wine. Here’s the deal: there’s plenty of it, and it’s all included in the cost of the experience and if you have the beverage package, none of it counts towards your 15 drinks per day maximum! There was both a red and a white, and we could have as much of it as we wanted.
After the intros were out of the way, we started with a Chef’s Reception, a little teaser of appetizers, before settling into the main event, or the “full degustation.”
It’s important to note that Carnival changes up the menu for The Chef’s Table at least two times per year. Menus may also change based on ship, location and availability of ingredients.
Chef’s Reception: Appetizer Teasers
- Duck Cigar: A crispy pastry “cigar” stuffed with duck, cranberry, fig, brie, and a hint of mushroom ash. It’s savory, sweet, and earthy all at once—pure genius.
- Tuna Crudo: Fresh, silky tuna with a netted wafer, a kick of wasabi, and gari (pickled ginger). It’s light but bold, like a little ocean breeze.
- Avocado Popper: Think avocado meets popper, with beet mayo and melty provolone. Creamy, tangy, and totally unexpected.
- Land & Sea: Double-cooked lamb with apple and a wood-smoked scallop. It’s a surf-and-turf bite that’s smoky, sweet, and oh-so-tender.
These little bites were a perfect warm-up for the main event.
Behind the Curtain: Galley Tour and Chocolate Melting Cake Demo
After we finished up our appetizers, it was time to head back out into the galley. If you’ve ever done a behind the scenes ship tour before, chances are you’ve never been through the ship’s galley during the busiest times of the day – dinner. Seeing the slower pace during breakfast or lunch, when those tours are usually offered, doesn’t give you the full view of just how crazy-busy this place gets! As we walked through, we had to be mindful of servers carrying trays of food to the dining room, crew coming in with stacks of dishes needing to be washed, people popping in from around corners, all while watching chefs chopping, sautéing, and plating food for literally thousands of passengers. It’s chaos, but the good kind.
We were led to a small corner of the galley, where the chef introduced us to one of the members of the pastry team for a chocolate melting cake demo. If you’ve sailed with Carnival, you’ve probably had this dessert—it’s a warm, gooey chocolate cake with a liquid center that has pretty much earned “legendary” status. She explained how just a few simple ingredients are used to make the dessert, which is served more than 2,500 times a night!
Unfortunately, we didn’t get a taste, as there were “better” desserts waiting for us as the evening went on.
The Main Event: Eight Delicious Courses
Now, eight courses may sound like a lot of food, and it is, but a degustation menu is a tasting menu which means small portions, artfully presented, with a focus on flavor and quality ingredients.
- Lobster Our Way: Juicy lobster in a saffron beurre blanc sauce, with lobster jelly and cognac pearls that popped in your mouth.
- Chef’s Sampler: A trio of beet-cured salmon, air pillow beef carpaccio, and crab with grapes. Three bites, three home runs.
- Dover Sole, Razor Clams: Delicate sole and clams with fermented purple crystal potato, zesty leche de tigre, and heirloom baby carrots.
- Young Hickory Venison: Smoky venison with cheese katafi, smoked squash, and a beet-port jus.
- Sorbet: A blood orange and raspberry sorbet with crunchy cucumber and green apple granita. The perfect palate reset.
- Braised Wagyu: Wagyu beef so tender it melted, with burgundy shallots, celeriac mash, tomato dust, and an air bubble merlot glaze.
Just before dessert arrived, the ship’s magician popped in to do a little show and the chef did a little question and answer session before the final two courses arrived.
- Chocolate Forest: Chocolate fudge, lavender mousse, basil moss, chocolate “mushrooms,” meringue, micro sponge, and cherry sauce.
- Sweet Treat: A cheesecake sphere with a creamy center that ended the night on a high note.
Throughout the entire evening, service was spot-on, the wine flowed, and everyone had a truly enjoyable time.
Was The Chef’s Table Worth It?
Absolutely! If you’re looking for a nice, slow-paced evening with good food and wine, this is something you’re going to want to book. The dishes served, you’re not going to find anywhere else on the ship, plus you get a bit of a behind-the-scenes tour of the galley. To make the most of the evening, here are some tips should you decide to book it:
- Book ASAP: It sells out fast—don’t wait.
- Leave the Kids at Camp: This is definitely not something suitable for kids.
- Dress Up a Bit: The dress code casual, but a little flair fits the vibe, not to mention it may be perfect for Elegant Night!
- Come Hungry: Eight courses plus appetizers? Pace yourself!
- Don’t Be in a Hurry: This isn’t a quick eat-and-go. Plan for at least three hours.
- Chat with the Chef: They love sharing their secrets.
The Chef’s Table on Carnival Cruise Line isn’t just dinner—it’s a full-on experience, so give it a shot on your next cruise and let me know what you thought of it!