There’s a general assumption that the larger a cruise ship is, the worse the food will be. You will find some individual menu items in the included venues that rise above mediocrity, and you’ll appreciate the above-average meals at specialty restaurants. But you won’t find many foodies who will go on a mass-market cruise for the culinary excellence.  I must admit I maintained this belief when I boarded Carnival Celebration, even though I had heard Carnival’s food consistently ranks well among frequent cruisers.

I had dined on Carnival five years ago, when RAS and I sailed to Cozumel on Carnival Dream out of Galveston.  Most of our meals were decent, but we genuinely enjoyed Guy Fieri’s two places – the Pig and Anchor Barbecue and the Burger Joint. I was hoping they would be just as good on Celebration, but since this ship was much bigger, with significantly more eateries, I was expecting a little more.

Well, they met that expectation, and then some. Probably because of the anniversary significance of the ship, Carnival Celebration had to step up its culinary game and offer food not available on its other ships. I’m happy to report that most of it was fantastic, with a few minor exceptions.

Just one other detail: like every ship, Carnival Celebration includes food and specialty food for a surcharge. But this setup is confusing and seemingly random. There are three surcharge-only places, several that have an included meal for the first visit, then paid after that and those that are always included. I will note which ones have charges and which ones do not.

Lido Marketplace

Celebration’s buffet was adequate for breakfast for the first two days of the cruise. But I then realized that not much had changed on the menu during the week. I changed up what I start the day with, but it was a bit tedious having the same foods to choose from. Thank goodness there were plenty of other options for lunch and dinner. I didn't take photos of this place or its food - there were that ordinary (A note: there are two surcharge places within the marketplace, serving Indian and empanadas, but I didn’t try these). Included.

Festivale and Carnivale main dining rooms

Like many main dining rooms, Celebration’s was adequate, with the usual entrees (chicken, steak, fish) offered. But nothing was outstanding about the food quality. I’ve just come to accept that with such a large guest count, they can’t be too creative with their culinary choices. But the servers made it fun with singing and dancing toward the end of dinner. Included.

Guy’s Burger Joint

This place was RAS’s and my favorite on Carnival Dream five years ago, and it was nearly my favorite again, just on the strength of their Ringer burger. This had a juicy patty with SMC (super melty cheese), bourbon and brown sugar BBQ sauce, and a large onion ring. You can also put other toppings to customize. About the only thing that could be left off the plate are the slightly soggy fries. Included.

Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse

Located in the Summer Landing zone, this expansive eatery combines with the Heroes’ Lounge and serves as the ship's main sports bar. It features a full-capacity brewing facility to create proprietary beers, which pair nicely with the slow-smoked barbecue. I dined on juicy brisket with some mac and cheese and coleslaw, along with an Oktoberfest brew. Sampling the various kinds of barbecue sauces also made this meal enjoyable. Included

Emeril’s Bistro 1397

Named after the number of the ship, this eatery is in the spacious Gateway zone and offers Cajun and Creole food. There is also a selection of international plates that change daily. I kept my choice here simple – a large muffaletta packed with deli meats, melted provolone and olive salad on fresh-baked bread. It was so substantial, I took two of the portions and ate them for snacks over the next three days. Extra.

Cucina del Capitano

The specialty Italian for Carnival is included for the first visit, then available for a surcharge after that. Like my meal at Emeril’s, I stuck to my favorites – caprese salad, pasta carbonara, tiramisu and Chianti Classico. Everything except the salad was quite good, made traditionally with fresh ingredients, but nothing was exceptional. As for the caprese, the tomatoes were flavorless and unripe, with just tiny dots of pesto for enhancement. Luckily, the service was top-notch. Included for first visit, paid thereafter.

ChiBang

Out of all the semi-specialty restaurants on Celebration (those with a second-time dining charge or a minimal charge for food), this was the one I was looking forward to the most. But it proved to be the most disappointing, because I thought the dishes would be a Chinese Mexican fusion. Instead, it was two separate menus, with little creativity. I ordered egg rolls, tortilla soup and mapo tofu – all of which were below average. Maybe if I had chosen different foods, I would be complimentary here. Included for first visit, paid thereafter.

Bonsai Teppanyaki and Sushi

I went to the sushi part of this dual restaurant on my own and to the teppanyaki part with some in my group. I wasn’t expecting much, since I’ve dined on Japanese food countless times. But the salmon teriyaki at the first place was grilled and marinated well, and the filet mignon at the second was tender and flavorful (plus we had an entertaining chef as a bonus). So, this turned out to be a surprising discovery and one I would recommend visiting. Extra.

Big Chicken

Shaquille O’Neal is Carnival’s CFO: “Chief Officer of Fun.” He’s also the name behind one of their most popular eateries, which creates gigantic chicken sandwiches and irresistible flat-cut unpeeled fries. While I wanted to have one of the sandwiches, I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish even half of it. I opted instead for a chicken and biscuit, which was still massive, but I did manage to consume all the chicken and about two-thirds of the biscuit, which is spread with honey and any sauces of your choice. Included

BlueIguana Cantina

The first meal I enjoyed on Celebration was here, where the lines were quite long and I nearly melted in the Miami humidity just waiting to order. But once I did, I devoured the grilled chipotle chicken tacos. There were also ancho roast pork and beer-battered fish, which can be dressed up in a surprising variety of salsas, vegetables and other toppings. BlueIguana also offers arepas and huevos rancheros for breakfast. Included.

Miami Slice/Deco Deli/ Seafood Shack/Street Eats/Rudi’s Seagrill/Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse/Chef’s Table

These were other places on the ship that I didn’t get to visit, because there wasn’t enough time to try them all. The first two are included and appeared to be well-attended, especially the Miami Slice pizzeria. Seafood Shack and Street Eats are for a slight charge, while the last three are specialty venues for a surcharge of at least $52 per person (not including beverages).