Carnival Conquest Restaurants & Dining Guide

Carnival Conquest is a short-cruise ship where it pays to spend very little on food beyond the fare.

Chicken, Waffles & Waves, Guy’s Burger, BlueIguana, Pizza Pirate and the deli can handle most casual meals, while the Point Steakhouse is the one splurge to reserve when a nice dinner matters more than squeezing every possible activity into the trip.

Short version

Monet and Renoir are both included, then try dinner before paying extra

Monet aft and Renoir amidships are Conquest’s included main dining rooms on decks 3 and 4, with rotating dinner menus. Breakfast and Seaday Brunch use the room listed in the daily schedule, so check the assigned location rather than assuming both rooms serve every meal.

Treat the first night as a test of the kitchen and service rather than board convinced that an older ship automatically needs specialty dining.

If dinner works for you, keep using it and save the money. If the pacing drags or a future menu looks completely uninteresting, a short cruise has too few evenings to eat out of duty.

Traditional dining gives you a fixed early or late seating, while Your Time Dining gives you more flexibility around comedy, shows and port returns. Choose the format that protects the evenings you care about instead of treating a fixed dinner time like a sacred cruise tradition.

Use the HUB app’s check-in instructions for Your Time Dining and head to the restaurant when your table notification arrives. Look at the evening’s menu before making the decision, since a menu cannot promise the same dishes on every night.

Sea Day Brunch is worth doing once on a four- or five-night trip when you want a slower breakfast with pancakes, eggs and heartier brunch plates. On a three-night sailing, be more selective because BlueIguana and Chicken, Waffles & Waves are easier ways to keep the day moving.

Eggs Benedict and the skillet-cake with ricotta and guava preserve are examples from the brunch menu. The regular brunch is included, but marked Emeril’s dishes and pressed juices carry an extra charge.

At dinner, Steakhouse Selections are paid menu upgrades within Monet or Renoir, $23 plus 20% service, or $27.60. A third entrée has a separate $5 charge; neither purchase is necessary to enjoy the standard included meal.

Continue planning with the cruise tips.

Guy’s Burger is still the easiest free recommendation

Guy’s Burger Joint on deck 9 is complimentary and remains one of the ship’s safest casual meals. The burgers come off the griddle with fries, and the toppings bar lets you turn the basic burger into something far better than the buffet version would ever manage.

For an easy starting order, choose The Ringer, which adds an onion ring and barbecue sauce, with fries. The Plain Jane gives you a simpler burger if you prefer to choose your own additions.

Go before or after the biggest noon rush and eat it immediately. The line often looks worse than it is, but no fry has ever benefited from a scenic tour of Lido while you search for a table.

BlueIguana breakfast is my best buffet-avoidance move

BlueIguana Cantina on deck 9 is complimentary for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast brings burritos with fillings such as scrambled eggs, ham, chicken sausage and potatoes, while lunch shifts to tacos and burritos with fresh tortillas and a salsa bar.

Use it on a sea morning because the breakfast line is often easier than the main buffet rush and the food is far more customizable. A fresh breakfast burrito also travels well if you want to eat somewhere quieter instead of guarding a Lido table like real estate.

For lunch, switch to fish or chicken tacos so the second visit actually feels different. BlueIguana is completely included, and there is no cabin category or access rule standing between you and the salsa bar.

Cezanne Buffet is useful, but lunch has better options

Cezanne is Conquest’s main buffet on Lido deck 9 for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It handles the meal where everybody wants something different at once, but do not keep coming back at lunch when Chicken, Waffles & Waves, Guy’s, BlueIguana, Pizza Pirate and the deli are all competing for the same appetite.

Walk the entire buffet before taking a plate and focus on whatever is actively turning over rather than whatever is closest to the entrance. Breakfast variety, salad and a quick dinner are the places where Cezanne earns the most time from me.

Chicken, Waffles & Waves is the upstairs lunch to remember when Cezanne starts to feel repetitive. Conquest does not need another made-to-order noodle stop when chicken, Guy’s, BlueIguana, pizza and the deli already give lunch plenty of range.

Swirls provides included soft-serve ice cream and frozen yogurt on Lido, making it the easy dessert stop between activities. A separately scheduled late-night buffet service adds another option after entertainment; check that evening’s hours rather than assuming the entire buffet stays open.

Pizza Pirate and the deli matter more on a short cruise

Conquest still uses the Pizza Pirate name for its complimentary pizza counter. Ask which pie just came out of the oven and take that instead of waiting for one exact topping combination, because freshness is the entire game with late-night cruise pizza.

Margherita, Pepperoni, Funghi and Quattro Formaggi are examples from Carnival’s pizza menu. Pick whichever appealing pie is freshly cooked, then check the closing time before relying on another slice after a late show.

The Carnival Deli handles complimentary hot and cold sandwiches and becomes especially useful after a port day. The published deli menu includes turkey and Swiss on a pretzel bun, a BLT, tomato and mozzarella on focaccia, and a Southwest chicken wrap, giving you alternatives to another burger.

Both counters can get busy at the obvious times, so use them slightly before or after the biggest rush. Conquest is not large enough for the crowds to disappear, but you can absolutely avoid joining them on schedule.

Bonsai Sushi Express is a light paid option, not a reservation priority

Bonsai Sushi Express is the paid made-to-order takeaway counter inside Cezanne on deck 9. Sushi, sashimi and rolls are the focus, so think of it as lunch or dinner you can take away rather than a full sit-down Bonsai restaurant.

Order a roll or a few pieces of sashimi when you want something lighter before an evening activity. This is not the restaurant to rearrange the cruise around, and that is actually part of its usefulness.

Read the counter menu before choosing an order because roll names and prices can vary. Confirm the final total and applicable service charge at the counter rather than budgeting from a menu photographed on a different ship.

Seafood Shack is a craving decision

Seafood Shack on deck 9 aft is à la carte and serves fried fish, shrimp, clam strips, chowder, lobster rolls and other steamed or fried seafood. Decide in the moment because market-priced seafood can make a casual lunch much more expensive than the counter setting suggests.

If fish and chips sounds perfect, order it and enjoy it. If not, there is no reason to pre-plan Seafood Shack while several strong complimentary lunches are already included in the fare.

Some shellfish is sold at market price by weight, so ask for the total including the 20% service charge before ordering an expensive lobster or crab portion. Fish and chips or a lobster roll is much easier to budget than a large market-priced shellfish order.

the Point Steakhouse is the one dinner to actually reserve

The Point Steakhouse sits high on Deck 10 and is Conquest’s real special-occasion restaurant. The menu gives you premium beef, seafood, classic steakhouse starters, sides and a quieter atmosphere that feels completely different from the pool-deck food program.

Book The Point for an anniversary, birthday or because somebody genuinely loves steak. On a three-night cruise, not surrender a third of the evenings merely because an online checklist implied a steakhouse is part of the required cruise curriculum.

If a first-night wine offer appears, compare it with the night that actually works for your entertainment plans. A free bottle is nice, but it does not need executive authority over the vacation calendar.

The Point costs $52 per adult plus 20% service, totaling $62.40 before drinks. Children 11 and under ordering from the children’s menu pay $15 plus service, or $18.

Choose the stuffed mushrooms, filet mignon and cheesecake with hazelnut biscuit from Carnival’s sample steakhouse menu. Lobster, lamb chops and Dover sole also give a non-beef eater something to consider before agreeing to steakhouse night.

Reserve through My Cruise Manager when a particular evening matters, and follow the night’s Casual or Elegant dinner designation with no shorts in the steakhouse. Check the booking terms before changing the reservation and leave time to enjoy the meal without watching the clock.

Chef’s Table is the long food event

Chef’s Table is Conquest’s limited-seat, chef-led tasting dinner with multiple courses, culinary narration and a much longer time commitment than the Main Dining Room. Think of it as an evening activity rather than another restaurant choice.

Book it only when food itself is one of the reasons for the trip. Even when the price is lower than on some newer ships, a long tasting dinner still costs you one of the few prime evenings on a short Conquest itinerary.

Conquest’s Chef’s Table costs $114 per person including the 20% service charge, with regular bar-service drinks extra. Guests must be at least 12, then allow around two and a half hours rather than trying to fit it before another fixed activity.

Request a place through My Cruise Manager or ask Guest Services about remaining space onboard. Cancellation within 48 hours of the reservation, or a no-show, incurs the full charge.

Cafe Fans and room service are the small charges to watch

Cafe Fans on Promenade deck 5 sells specialty coffee and pastries for an additional charge and is open to ordinary guests. Buy the latte when I actually want better coffee instead of letting it become a daily automatic purchase that somehow never counts in the food budget.

Continental room-service breakfast is included from 6 to 10 AM, with fruit, cereal, yogurt, baked goods and coffee among the choices. Additional breakfast dishes are paid, and food from 10 AM to 6 AM is entirely à la carte under Carnival’s room-service menu.

The cabin QR menu carries prices for paid items such as sandwiches, wings, tenders, quesadillas and pan pizza. Order by cabin telephone and compare that total with an included walk-up option before paying solely because you forgot what is still open.

Room-service drinks are excluded from CHEERS and Bottomless Bubbles, and room service is unavailable on debarkation morning. Regular coffee, tea, water, lemonade and iced tea are available at Lido beverage stations, so paid café drinks are another optional part of the budget.

The Seuss breakfast is a separate family event

Thing 1 & Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast uses a main dining room for a ticketed character meal, rather than adding a new restaurant. Green eggs and ham, waffles with berries and red velvet French toast are examples from Carnival’s event menu.

The charge including 20% service is $18 for adults and $12 for children 11 and under, with under-twos free. Book it when the characters are part of the fun for your children, since the included breakfast options already cover an ordinary morning meal.

Choose the available event in My Cruise Manager and read its timing before making other plans. Cancellation within 48 hours or a no-show incurs the full charge.

How to eat on a 3-night Carnival Conquest cruise

• Embarkation lunch: Chicken, Waffles & Waves if it is operating, with Guy’s Burger as the easy backup.
• Night 1: Main Dining Room unless The Point is tied to a real celebration.
• First full morning: BlueIguana breakfast burrito instead of the busiest Cezanne wave.
• Sea-day lunch: Return to Chicken, Waffles & Waves or try Guy’s and BlueIguana side by side.
• Light paid food: Bonsai Sushi Express if a roll sounds better than another full meal.
• Port return: Carnival Deli or Pizza Pirate when excursion timing wrecks normal lunch.
• Final dinner: Main Dining Room or The Point, depending on whether steakhouse night is worth giving up a chunk of the last evening.
• Late night: Pizza Pirate before paying for room service.

And on a 4- or 5-night sailing?

The extra night makes The Point much easier to justify because you are no longer sacrificing such a large share of the cruise’s evenings. Also add Sea Day Brunch once and repeat whichever free lunch venue actually performed best instead of chasing a different restaurant simply for variety.

Conquest is not a specialty-dining ship in the same way the newest Carnival vessels are, then embrace that. The point is a relatively affordable getaway where the included casual food does most of the work.

Families, picky eaters and allergies

Conquest is easy with families because chicken, burgers, tacos, pizza and sandwiches are all included and none requires a formal reservation. Feed younger kids slightly before the biggest lunch rush and save their patience for the evening meal you actually care about.

For vegetarian dinners, ask about the Indian vegetarian selection in the main dining room before defaulting to a side salad. Vegan guests can request the separate vegan menu, whose menu examples include baked vegetable au gratin and an eggplant cutlet prepared in a plant-based Parmigiana style.

At lunch, the deli’s tomato-and-mozzarella focaccia is a vegetarian option, while vegan diners should ask staff about suitable fillings, dressings and preparation. Vegetarian and vegan are different requests, so describe what you avoid instead of assuming a meat-free dish also excludes dairy and eggs.

For allergies or dietary restrictions, follow Carnival’s dietary-request guidance and speak with the dining team early. Arrange suitable meals in advance and discuss ingredients and cross-contact with staff rather than relying on buffet labels or shared toppings stations.

Carnival Conquest dining mistakes to avoid

• Missing Chicken, Waffles & Waves. It is a complimentary casual-food option and gives you a real alternative to Guy’s and BlueIguana.
• Calling BlueIguana restricted. Breakfast and lunch are complimentary.
• Making Bonsai Sushi Express a reservation priority. It is a small à la carte counter, not a capacity-limited specialty restaurant.
• Looking for full Bonsai Sushi or teppanyaki. Conquest has Bonsai Sushi Express, not the larger Japanese venues found on newer ships.
• Forgetting the upstairs lunch counter. Chicken, Waffles & Waves is easy to miss if you stay on the main Lido level.
• Booking Seafood Shack before The Point. Seafood Shack is flexible casual food; The Point is the real special-occasion reservation.
• Overbooking Chef’s Table. Reserve the long tasting dinner only if food itself is one of the trip’s main activities.
• Inventing a dining-package strategy. Conquest’s paid food is mostly individual restaurants and à la carte purchases.

Carnival Conquest dining strategy

Conquest punches above its age because the casual food is stronger than the restaurant count makes it look. Chicken, Waffles & Waves, Guy’s, BlueIguana, Pizza Pirate and the deli give you enough free variety for a short cruise, while Monet and Renoir can handle most dinners without another charge.

Spend extra on The Point if steakhouse night genuinely matters, use Bonsai Sushi Express or Seafood Shack only when the craving appears, and let the included food do the rest. That is the whole Conquest strategy: protect your short evenings, eat the good free food, and pay only for the meal that actually adds something.

More Carnival dining planning

Pair this guide with the deck guide and things to do before choosing a long dinner. The Point, the upstairs lunch counter and the main dining rooms are easier to use when you already know how they fit around the ship.

For your room, compare the best cabins with the cabins to avoid. If you are still deciding whether this short-cruise ship fits your vacation style, the pros and cons is the next guide you should read.