Carnival Valor Dining Guide: Included Food and Paid Options

Try Valor’s included lunch counters before spending on extra meals, and reserve Scarlett’s Steakhouse only when a leisurely steakhouse dinner is something your group wants.

Use the daily hours to choose between chicken and waffles, burgers, tacos, stir-fry, and the buffet instead of letting the nearest line decide every meal.

Start with the meal you want, then check its hours

Most of Valor’s casual food is on Lido Deck 9, while Chicken, Waffles & Waves and Scarlett’s Steakhouse are on Deck 10. The included main dining rooms occupy Decks 3 and 4.

Before heading out for lunch, check the HUB app for the venue’s actual serving window. An included counter isn’t necessarily open whenever hunger appears, especially on a port day.

Our Valor deck guide helps you choose the correct route. For an aft dining room, crossing on Deck 5 before descending is easier than trying to walk through the lower galley area.

For a short cruise, pick a few meals you’re excited about and leave other meals flexible. You’ll get more variety by trying different included counters than by making every dinner a paid booking.

Chicken, Waffles & Waves is worth an upstairs lunch

Head to Chicken, Waffles & Waves on Deck 10 when fried chicken and waffles sound more appealing than another buffet plate. It’s a complimentary comfort-food choice, with chicken sandwiches, tenders, and barbecue among Carnival’s listed offerings.

Use the actual menu to choose whether you want the sweet-and-savory combination or a simpler chicken meal. That makes it useful for a group whose appetites don’t all point toward tacos or burgers.

Don’t postpone a counter you’re keen to try until the last afternoon. Check its lunch hours early in the trip so a port return or show doesn’t leave you arriving after service.

Carnival also lists Ol’ Fashioned BBQ for Valor, while the current deck map names Chicken, Waffles & Waves in the upstairs area. Check that sailing’s menus and schedule for barbecue choices rather than assuming there are two separate counters running continuously.

Guy’s is the easy poolside burger choice

Choose Guy’s Burger Joint on Deck 9 when you want a straightforward included lunch near the main pool. Burgers and seasoned fries are the core offering, with a toppings bar to customize the plate.

The Straight Up adds cheese, vegetables, and Donkey Sauce, while The Ringer adds barbecue sauce and an onion ring. The Guy’s sample menu helps you pick a style without trying to decipher every nickname at the counter.

If your next activity is soon, compare the visible line before committing. A flexible lunch after the main rush is often easier than expecting a freshly cooked burger to be an instant meal at the busiest moment.

For a simpler order, start with a Plain Jane and add only the toppings you enjoy. There’s no need to turn a quick lunch into a challenge to fit everything available onto one bun.

BlueIguana works for both a port breakfast and lunch

Use BlueIguana Cantina on Deck 9 for an included breakfast burrito when you want a made-to-order alternative to Rosie’s. Eggs, potatoes, cheese, and salsa give you a customizable meal before heading ashore.

For a less portable breakfast, look at the arepas or huevos rancheros if they’re offered that morning. Check the line against your excursion meeting time rather than discovering halfway through the queue that you need to leave.

Return at lunch for tacos so the second visit feels like a different meal. The published choices include chipotle chicken, ancho pork, and battered fish, with salsa to finish the order.

The BlueIguana sample menu also shows build-your-own burrito options. Choose the filling and heat level you want instead of treating the salsa bar as a requirement to add every flavor.

Mongolian Wok is for a flexible lunch

Choose Mongolian Wok on Deck 9 when a freshly cooked bowl of noodles, vegetables, protein, and sauce appeals to you. The meal is included, but each order needs cooking time.

Look at the queue before choosing it on a day with a tight schedule. A ready-to-serve option is a better fallback if you’ll otherwise spend lunch worrying about the next event.

Check the day’s ingredients and ask about preparation if you have dietary requirements. A customizable bowl doesn’t automatically answer questions about sauces or shared cooking equipment.

Keep the finished meal simple enough that you can taste what you chose. One sauce and the ingredients you enjoy are a better starting point than combining everything simply because the counter allows choices.

Rosie’s is useful when you want variety or speed

Rosie’s Restaurant is the included Lido buffet for the main meal periods. It suits companions who want different dishes, someone who prefers to see the food before choosing, and a casual dinner after a tiring port day.

Walk the available stations before filling your plate. It helps you spot the salad, hot entrée, or carving option you’d actually prefer rather than stopping at the first tray.

For a mixed-age group, agree on a meeting table before people scatter to different counters. That is easier than trying to find each other with full plates in a busy room.

Keep Rosie’s as a useful backup when a smaller counter is closed. The goal is a meal you enjoy, not a rule that the buffet must be avoided because other choices exist.

Pizza and the deli are practical after a port return

Use the included pizzeria near the aft Lido area for a simple slice when you want something familiar. Check the current serving hours rather than assuming the older around-the-clock schedule still applies.

The deli provides included hot and cold sandwiches, making it a useful alternative when a full buffet meal feels too much. A hot sandwich can also bridge the gap after an excursion without turning the afternoon into a large early dinner.

Ask which pizza is coming out next if you’d rather eat promptly than wait for one particular topping. For a dietary request, ask before joining the ordinary ordering queue so staff can explain the preparation needed.

The daily app schedule is the reliable way to identify food available after the daytime counters close. Learn one included late-food option early instead of automatically paying for delivery whenever the group gets hungry.

Lincoln and Washington cover the included sit-down meals

Choose the main dining room for an included dinner with table service and a changing menu. Lincoln is the more central room and Washington is aft, with dining areas on Decks 3 and 4.

Select assigned dining when a predictable time suits your group. Your Time Dining is useful when port returns and entertainment plans vary, but be ready before checking in through HUB.

Breakfast and Sea Day Brunch use the designated dining room and posted schedule. Plan brunch when you want a slower morning, and use BlueIguana or the buffet when breakfast needs to fit around something else.

Review the evening menu before adding a specialty booking. An included dinner that suits everyone can be a better choice than spending extra because a short cruise seems to require a celebration meal.

Scarlett’s is the paid dinner to book deliberately

Reserve Scarlett’s Steakhouse on Deck 10 when you want the meal itself to be part of the evening. Allow about two and a half hours rather than pairing it with a must-see performance immediately afterward.

The current adult total is $62.40, including the 20% service charge; children 11 and younger ordering from the children’s menu pay $18 including service. Bar-service drinks cost extra, so compare the complete evening cost rather than only the menu’s base cover.

Start with a dish that appeals to you, such as lobster bisque or stuffed mushrooms, then choose a steak, fish, or other entrée. The steakhouse sample menu includes filet mignon, New York strip, ribeye, Dover sole, and a chocolate sphere dessert.

Those are planning examples, so check the menu available for your reservation. A companion who doesn’t eat steak should find an appealing choice before you commit the whole group.

Follow the evening dress code, with no shorts even on a Cruise Casual evening at the steakhouse. Book in advance when a particular night matters, and give dessert enough time to be enjoyed.

Our Valor entertainment guide helps you choose a dinner night that doesn’t compete with the performance your group most wants.

Chef’s Table is a longer food-focused experience

Choose Chef’s Table when a hosted multicourse meal and galley visit appeal to you more than a normal restaurant evening. It is for guests 12 and older and requires a reservation.

Valor’s total is $114 per person, including the 20% service charge. That’s a meaningful part of a short cruise’s food budget, so choose it for the tasting format rather than assuming a higher price makes it the best meal for everyone.

Wear suitable flat, closed-toe shoes for the galley visit and leave about two and a half hours. The full-price cancellation penalty applies within 48 hours or for a no-show.

Use the specialty reservation rules to check current totals and terms before paying. Protect the booking from a competing show or another dinner reservation.

Sushi, seafood, and coffee are optional smaller purchases

Sushi at Sea on Deck 9 is a paid counter, useful for a roll or a lighter meal. Choose from its current menu rather than applying the prices or expectations of a full Bonsai Sushi restaurant.

Seafood Shack near the aft pool is paid à la carte, with choices such as a lobster roll or fried seafood. Check the posted menu and added service charge before ordering, especially for a market-priced item.

Java Café on Deck 5 sells specialty drinks and treats. Buy the particular coffee you want, and use included Lido coffee or tea when you’re mainly after a simple hot drink.

For sweet snacks, Swirls is included while Cherry on Top purchases cost extra. These smaller charges are easy to overlook when judging whether you’ve spent much on food during the trip.

Room delivery and the character breakfast serve different needs

Continental room-service breakfast is included during its posted morning window, excluding the final morning. Hot breakfast items and the later room-service menu are paid, so check the QR menu before sending an order.

Delivery is convenient when you want a quiet start or don’t feel like leaving the cabin. Compare it with the included food still serving if the only reason is that you haven’t checked what’s open.

Thing 1 & Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast is a paid character meal for a family that enjoys Dr. Seuss. Current totals are $18 per adult and $12 per child 11 and younger including service, with children under 2 complimentary.

Book it for the character experience, since ordinary breakfast is already included. Check its scheduled morning and the 48-hour cancellation penalty before building the family’s plan around it.

Help the dining team plan for your needs

Tell Carnival about allergies or special dietary requirements before sailing and discuss the arrangements with the dining staff aboard. A menu label alone can’t establish how a particular order will be prepared or what cross-contact precautions are possible.

Keep the first meal simple while you settle those details, rather than making a crowded buffet your only opportunity to ask questions. For picky eaters, identify two included fallback choices so one closed counter doesn’t become a stressful lunch.

Our Valor practical tips guide covers the app and daily timing that make those choices easier. Try the included venues you want most, keep one paid dinner if it suits the trip, and leave enough flexibility to repeat the meal everyone enjoys.