There can be no better place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than at sea with an oceangoing getaway that will make your friends and family members at home green with envy.
Carnival Cruise Line is making their St. Patrick’s celebrations even better with a new Irish-inspired menu that will be available across the entire fleet on March 17, 2025.
While the cruise line often offers special holiday menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, new themed menus have begun to debut for other holidays. Following the recent Valentine’s Lunch menu, Carnival will now be offering a special, one-day-only St. Patrick’s Day dinner.
“Here is the brand new Irish traditional menu that will be offered across the fleet on St. Patrick’s Day,” John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, announced.
The new menu offers starters, entrees, and a special dessert, each featuring delicious Irish inspiration.
To whet the appetite and engage the taste buds, guests can choose from three shamrock-worthy starters. Corned beef muffins with cheddar cheese, potatoes, leeks, and chives are a rich option, or guests could try the fish chowder with shrimp, mussels, scallops, and clams, served with soda bread.
For a lighter beginning, the Irish pub salad is a delicious choice with green lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and cheddar cheese.
Moving on to entrees, two selections have delicious connections to the Emerald Isle. First, the classic beef pot roast with roasted potatoes, celery, peas, and carrots topped with beef gravy is comfort food at its finest. For a bit lighter choice, the salmon with dill sauce served with roasted vegetables is sure to be packed with flavor.
While it’s interesting that corned beef and cabbage is not featured on the menu, the pot roast certainly has classic Irish flair.
It wouldn’t be a holiday without finishing a meal with something sweet. For dessert, the themed menu will feature Bailey’s cheesecake with an Oreo cookie crumble and whiskey caramel.
I have to say, my very first ever cruise was aboard Carnival Fascination that departed Miami on St. Patrick’s Day, and while our dinner menu was delicious, it wasn’t nearly as themed and exciting as these holiday specialties!
If these choices don’t quite tempt guests’ tastebuds, however, other classic menu selections will still be available. This will include appetizers, entrees, and desserts, as well as vegetarian and vegan selections.
Some themed foods are also sure to be served at the Lido Marketplace buffet, but they may not be the same options as the Main Dining Room menu.
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day Onboard Carnival Cruises
Everyone can feel a little bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, and there are sure to be special activities and themed fun across the Carnival fleet on Monday, March 17.
Guests could start their day with a hearty “top o’ the mornin’!” and specialty Irish coffee to wake up with the spirit of the leprechaun and have enough energy for all the fun.
Read Also: What Is the Carnival Cheers! Beverage Package?
Irish-themed trivia contests, jig-dancing lessons, a leprechaun or four-leafed clover scavenger hunt, green-themed party, Irish music, drink specials, and more could all be part of the onboard activity schedule.
Each ship’s photographers will also be out in full force to capture all the fun, and special green, rainbow, or holiday-themed backdrops may be available, as well as special borders on photos taken that day.
Of course, exact activities will vary on different ships and may depend on whether the ship is in port or enjoying a day at sea. Guests should check the Carnival Hub app or their Fun Times newsletter for exact activities and times.
Guests can also make their own fun by decorating their stateroom door with a St. Patrick’s Day theme, or even chasing their own pot of gold (and hoping for the luck of the Irish) by spending time in the casino. How will you celebrate?
