Cucina del Capitano menu: What to expect when you eat at Carnival Cruise Line's Italian restaurant
Cucina del Capitano, Carnival Cruise Line's Italian restaurant, is a cruiser favorite. It offers a delightful, cozy spot to gather over a delicious meal, and there's something for just about everyone — from the biggest foodie to the pickiest eater — on the menu.
Here's a guide to what you can expect when you dine there, including what's on the menu, how much it'll cost you and a list of ships where you can find this eatery.
What is Cucina del Capitano on Carnival cruise ships?
Cucina del Capitano, which translates to "Captain's Kitchen" in English, is the Italian restaurant found on nearly one-third of Carnival's ships. It first rolled out on Carnival Magic in 2011, after the line decided to poll its Italian captains for their favorite recipes from home. From there, the Cucina del Capitano menu was born.
The restaurant offers delicious food options for cruisers who are hungry for traditional Italian dishes like pasta, chicken Parmesan and tiramisu that they can chase with a post-dinner limoncello.
Related: Carnival cruise food: The ultimate guide to restaurants and dining on board
While the decor and ambience can vary from vessel to vessel, the restaurants feel cozy, with family photos from the fleet's captains on the wall. You'll either be seated at a table with a red-and-white checkered tablecloth that makes you feel like you're sitting down to a backyard cookout or in a cozy alcove that makes the experience feel more like you've stepped into an Italian family's dining room for a big meal.
On most ships, the restaurant functions like a typical specialty restaurant. However, on Excel Class ships, the venue was designed as an overflow restaurant to take some of the pressure off of the main dining rooms during peak times. The restaurant is open to everyone, but only passengers with Your Time Dining — which allows cruisers to dine anytime they wish between 5 and 9 p.m. — can have dinner at Cucina del Capitano anytime during opening hours. Cruisers with set-seating dining are only allowed to eat there after 7:45 p.m.
Reservations are recommended.
Cucina del Capitano menu
Meals at Cucina del Capitano are broken into four categories or courses: starters, soups and salads; mains and pastas; sides; and desserts. Captain-recommended favorites are noted on the menu.
You might choose to start with cured tuna, meatballs, deep-fried shrimp, minestrone soup or a caprese salad. For your main course, try linguine with clams, spaghetti carbonara, grilled fish, veal marsala, a pork chop or captain-favorite chicken Parmesan. You can also opt for steakhouse fare — including filet mignon, surf 'n' turf or a grilled lamb chop — for a $23 surcharge.
For your sides, pick from roasted broccoli and cauliflower, lentils, spinach or crispy potatoes.
If you still have room for dessert, options include an apple pastry, frozen lemon tarte, baba (Italian rum cake) or tiramisu, a captain favorite. You can also order specialty coffees and digestifs, including limoncello, amaretto, sambuca, grappa and more.
A selection of wine (red, white and rose) and beer costs extra unless you have a drink package that covers your beverage choice.
A children's menu is available for kids 11 and younger. Selections include spaghetti with meatballs, fish sticks, chicken fingers, and macaroni and cheese, with a choice of either cannoli or lemon sherbet for dessert.
Additionally, six of the 11 ships that have Cucina del Capitano feature a free Captain's Pasta Bar option for lunch. The menu includes a choice of linguini, penne or farfalle, as well as sauces like tomato, Alfredo, white clam and meat sauce, as well as butter. Additional mix-ins include Italian sausage, chicken strips and a plethora of vegetables. Want something more hearty? You can also choose lasagna, and don't forget to toss in a side of Caesar salad or bread.
Note: Menu examples were accurate at the time of publication, but they are subject to change without notice.
Cucina del Capitano prices
Pricing is a bit confusing, as it varies according to ship.
On the line's newest Excel Class ships, Cucina del Capitano is free for all passengers during their first visit to the restaurant. Additional visits are $8 per person. The only exception is Carnival Jubilee; every visit is free during the ship's inaugural season. After that, it will share the same pricing as Carnival Celebration and Mardi Gras.
On the other eight ships that have the restaurant (see below), the cost is $24 per adult. Kids 11 and younger can dine for $11 from the children's menu.
Selections from the menu's steakhouse section will incur a fee of $23 per item. Alcohol costs extra unless you have a beverage package that covers it. An 18% gratuity will be added (except to free meals), and a $5 surcharge will apply for every main course after the first two per person.
The Captain's Pasta Bar, which is offered for lunch only on select ships, is complimentary.
Which Carnival ships have Cucina del Capitano?
Cucina del Capitano is available on the following Carnival ships:
- Carnival Breeze
- Carnival Celebration
- Carnival Horizon
- Carnival Jubilee
- Carnival Magic
- Carnival Panorama
- Carnival Radiance
- Carnival Sunrise
- Carnival Sunshine
- Carnival Vista
- Mardi Gras
Of the 11 ships that have Cucina del Capitano, the following have the Captain's Pasta Bar for lunch:
- Carnival Breeze
- Carnival Horizon
- Carnival Magic
- Carnival Panorama
- Carnival Sunshine
- Carnival Vista
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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$325Recommended Credit
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.