Carnival Reveals Full 2026 Thanksgiving Dinner Menu for Cruise Guests

With Thanksgiving approaching, many people may be stressing about defrosting the turkey, who will bring the pie, where everyone will sit, and whether that one family member will say anything inappropriate, but Carnival Cruise Line guests can look forward to a delicious holiday meal with no stress on the menu.

John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, revealed the special Thanksgiving menu that will be served in the main dining restaurants in a Facebook post on Monday, November 9, 2026. The one-day-only menu will be offered on Thursday, November 26, but it is unclear whether the menu will be offered on ships not departing from U.S. homeports.

Carnival Encounter is sailing from Brisbane, Carnival Adventure is sailing from Sydney, and Carnival Luminosa is sailing from Singapore and their menus may differ. Menus in specialty restaurants do not change for the holiday, but the Lido Marketplace buffet generally offers some seasonal choices similar to the special menu.

The Thanksgiving menu was developed by Carnival’s Executive Head Chef Roshan and his culinary team, and features appetizers, entrees, and desserts with seasonal favorites.

Thanksgiving Appetizers

The featured appetizers are warm baked brie with a spiced pear, cranberry, fig, and pecan crumble or a creamy pumpkin soup with bacon, creme fraiche, and toasted pepitas.

Guests who prefer more classic appetizers can also enjoy braised beef and crispy polenta with a red wine jus, a crab cake with a Cajun remoulade and fruit relish, deviled eggs with candied bacon and herb aioli, smoked duck breast with spiced apple chutney and raspberry puree, or a meatball and tortellini soup with shaved Pecorino.

For a lighter appetizer, a special holiday salad features cherry tomatoes, peaches, pickled vegetables, and an orange-herb dressing.

Also on the appetizer menu are two tried-and-true Carnival classics: shrimp cocktail and Caesar salad.

Seasonal Entrees

For Carnival guests who enjoy turkey as the main course on Thanksgiving Day, the holiday roast turkey entree with sage and herb stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, gravy, and cranberry sauce is sure to be a hit.

As an alternative but still festive option, maple-glazed pork tenderloin with creamed Brussels sprouts, apple compote, and sweet potato gratin is available, while the spinach and ricotta ravioli with sun-dried tomato cream sauce is a less traditional but still delicious choice.

Also available as entrees for Thanksgiving dinner are an herb-stuffed lamb roulade with roasted potatoes and rosemary jus, pan-seared Chilean sea bass with pea risotto and lemon butter sauce, and grilled filet mignon with black truffle jus and fingerling potatoes.

Lighter entree options include jumbo shrimp with lemon-herb orzo and grilled seasonal vegetables, a crispy lentil and mushroom cake with pumpkin puree and sauteed spinach, and the featured Indian vegetarian dish with grilled cottage cheese, flatbread, biryani, lentils, and okra stew.

Guests can also choose from the Steakhouse Selection menu that is offered at all Carnival main dining restaurants, including lobster tail, grilled lamb chops, a 14-ounce New York strip steak, or a Wagyu cheeseburger, as well as several other options. Extra fees do apply to the Steakhouse Selection menu.

With so many delicious options, guests should also note that Carnival charges a $5 fee for any additional entree after the first two for a single guest ($7 on Australia-based ships), a change that was implemented in November 2022. Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises have since followed suit with similar fees for additional dining entrees.

Holiday Desserts

It wouldn’t be a holiday without decadent desserts, and Carnival’s Thanksgiving menu doesn’t disappoint. While the maple pot de creme with caramelized pecans and cinnamon-honey tuile is the featured dessert, the swirled pumpkin pie cheesecake with spiced crisp vanilla anglaise and the caramel apple cobbler with butter pecan ice cream are also excellent choices.

Guests can, of course, still order the iconic Carnival melting chocolate cake, the savory cheese plate, fresh tropical fruit, or their choice of various ice creams and sherbets. The mile-high gelato pie is also available for an extra $6 charge.