A guide to Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen on Royal Caribbean cruise ships (with menus)

Royal Caribbean has no shortage of food on its ships. However, the next time you're on a cruise and hankering for lasagna, chicken parmigiana or soup that will make you feel like your nonna is sailing with you, check out specialty restaurant Giovanni's Italian Kitchen.

When you're there, you're never far from a great bottle of wine, and everything from the penne to the steak will have you yelling, "Mangia!"

Here's everything you need to know about the restaurant, its menu, how much you'll pay to dine and which ships have it on board.

Note: Menus and pricing were accurate at the time of publication, but they're subject to change without notice.

What is Giovanni's Italian Kitchen?

Giovanni's Italian Kitchen is not the same as Giovanni's Table. Although both are extra-fee Italian eateries on select ships, Giovanni's Table serves a family-style menu meant for sharing. On select ships, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen also houses the onboard wine bar.

The atmosphere is upscale but with a casual dress code, so it's great for a family gathering, a special occasion or just because — without making you feel like you have to dress to the nines.

The kitchen is open every night for dinner and for lunch on sea days. Reservations aren't required, but they're recommended.

A special nod goes out to the location on Utopia of the Seas. Not only is the wine bar housed inside the restaurant on that vessel, but the venue's two-story setup also offers fabulous views over the ship's Boardwalk neighborhood, which is particularly stunning after dark.

On some ships, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen is positioned right next door to the wine bar, while other ships have combined the two into one outpost.

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Giovanni's menu

The only difference between the lunch and dinner menus is that Giovanni's popular osso buco and filet mignon selections are only available during dinner hours. (Click here for a PDF of the menu, as well as a kids menu.)

Every meal starts with garlic knots, which are absolutely delicious. From there, guests choose from a selection of starters that include an assorted platter of meats and cheeses, Italian sausage soup, salami and mozzarella stromboli, and calamari with polenta. My favorite starter, though, is the gigantic meatball, which comes with marinara sauce and a side of crispy breadsticks. There are also house, Caesar and truffle caprese salads available in this section.

Mains follow; the options all sound so tasty that you shouldn't be surprised if you have trouble deciding what to order. Choose from chicken parmigiana, fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, linguine with clams or shrimp, salmon with penne, spaghetti carbonara, spaghetti pomodoro and grilled filet mignon. Items designated as "Nonna's favorites" are marked with hearts and feature osso buco, lasagna and steak muffuletta. I ordered the fettuccine without chicken, and it was fantastic.

Diners who are in the mood for a slice of pizza can opt for a whole pie as their entree. Pick from standards like Margherita, pepperoni and meat lovers, or go with something a bit more daring like mushroom, truffle and egg, or prosciutto. Giovanni's pizza is phenomenal. However, keep in mind how much you're paying to dine there, and decide whether you'd rather get your cheesy fix for free at the ship's Sorrento's location instead.

If you still have room for dessert — and, believe me, that's a big "if" — you can't go wrong with the ricotta cream-filled cannoli, pistachio panna cotta with raspberries or chocolate ravioli (fried pasta dough with Nutella filling and chocolate sauce).

Giovanni's Italian Kitchen also has a menu for children ages 3 to 12. Most of the items are simply kid-size portions from the adult menu. They include the giant meatball, Margherita pizza and chicken parmigiana, as well as spaghetti Bolognese. For dessert, they can choose from tiramisu, Nutella and banana stromboli, and fresh fruit.

Although several vegetarian-friendly items are on the menu, vegans will likely struggle. If you have dietary restrictions, be sure to speak with Royal Caribbean ahead of time about your dining plans.

What does Giovanni's cost?

Lunch at Giovanni's is $25 per person, and dinner will set you back $55 per person. For children who order off the kids menu during either meal, the price is $15. Children 3 and younger eat free.

The food at Giovanni's is consistently excellent and, in my opinion, well worth the added fee to dine here.

Alcohol and most other drinks cost extra unless you have a beverage package that covers them.

Which Royal Caribbean ships have Giovanni's?

Passengers on the following Royal Caribbean ships can enjoy Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar.

• Odyssey of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas
• Icon of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas

Find out more about Royal Caribbean:

• The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean cruises
• Royal Caribbean cruise ship classes explained
• Royal Caribbean cruise ships by size
• Royal Caribbean cruise ships by age
• All you need to know about Royal Caribbean cabins and suites
• Royal Caribbean food
• Royal Caribbean drink packages
• Where you can cruise with Royal Caribbean
• How to find the best Royal Caribbean ship for you
• Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society loyalty program
• How to pack for a Royal Caribbean cruise