In another sign that crew shortages have eased and the cruise experience is returning to pre-pandemic normalcy, Carnival Cruise Line is set to reopen its popular specialty restaurant Cucina del Capitano. The Italian restaurant is a delicious dining option aboard nine different ships and has been closed since mid-May.
The captain’s galley will reopen
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald revealed that the cruise line’s popular specialty restaurant Cucina del Capitano will finally reopen on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
“From August 6, you can once again dine Italian family style at Cucina Del Capitano.” Heald said. “It means you can have passionate conversations, wave your hands in the air like you don’t care, and then at the end of a great meal still have room for a cannoli.”
The intimate Italian specialty restaurant had been closed in mid-May due to staffing challenges on board. While the restaurants remained open for lunch with a limited menu, there were no dinner offerings other than select meals available free of charge in the main dining rooms.
The only Cucina del Capitano location that has remained fully in service for the past 10 weeks has been aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s flagship ship. Mardi Gras.
At the same time that Cucina del Capitano initially closed, the cruise line also canceled the exclusive dining experience at the hugely popular Kitchen Table, as well as canceling onboard parties for its Very Important Entertaining Person (VIFP) guests. with diamond and platinum, special events planned. on cruises of five nights and longer.
Each of these changes was part of an effort to reassign crew members to other dining areas to provide improved service to a larger number of passengers, just as the cruise line returned all of its ships to service and began busy summer season.
In the intervening weeks, the cruise line has worked closely with the US State Department to process the visas of crew members in an effort to ease staffing shortages.
By the end of June, the staff had improved enough that The VIFP parties returned as of June 25WHEREAS The Chef’s Table experience became available again from June 30.
Other personnel improvements have been made in recent weeks. The cruise line’s children’s programs, including Camp Ocean for younger travelers, have gradually reopened to welcome more guests, including Night Owls evening program.
Eating in the captain’s galley
Cucina del Capitano is Carnival Cruise Line’s specialty Italian restaurant offering lunch and dinner service in a relaxed and charming Old World atmosphere. The lunch menu is more limited, with a popular pasta, as well as some appetizer and dessert options.
For dinner, the menu includes a variety of favorites inspired by Italian cruise line captains and officers and their favorite home-style dishes.
Delicious choices include minestrone soup, fried calamari and a Nonna’s Meatball appetizer, with homemade pasta, beef in a pork ragu, eggplant parmesan and beef short ribs as some of the most popular entrees. Desserts include a tangy lemon tart, apple pie and gelato, along with Italian coffee.
Each course can be paired with a curated wine selection, and a variety of after-dinner liqueurs are also available (bar prices apply).
Cucina del Capitano costs $18 per person, making it one of the least expensive specialty restaurants on Carnival ships. The price was $15 before, but it was increased on May 1, 2022when Carnival Cruise Line adjusted prices for various specialty dining venues as well as beverage packages, Wi-Fi packages and rewards.
The restaurant is currently available on board nine ships in the fleet: the breeze, horizon, Magical, Panorama, Radiation, Sunrise, sun, VistaAND Mardi Gras.
The restaurant will also be available on board Carnival celebration AND Carnival jubilee when those new ships debut November 2022 and November 2023, respectively.
