by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:00 PM ET, Wed March 6, 2019
For the travelers who are obsessed with food, Carnival Cruise Line announced Wednesday it has partnered with world-renowned chef Emeril Lagasse to open his first-ever seagoing restaurant aboard the Mardi Gras.
Carnival's newest and most innovative ship will set sail in summer 2020.
Dubbed Emeril's Bistro 1396, the restaurant will showcase the chef's signature dishes and can be found in the heart of the French Quarter zone aboard the Mardi Gras. The name was derived from Mardi Gras' hull number at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
"I've developed restaurants all over the country, but to create my first restaurant at sea - on a ship named Mardi Gras with its own French Quarter, no less - was an opportunity I simply could not pass up," Lagasse said in a statement. "I'm excited to be a part of this brand new ship and bring a taste of the flavors of New Orleans cuisine to the guests sailing on Mardi Gras."
Some of the dishes already announced for the menu at Emeril's Bistro 1396 include oyster and cochon de lait po-boys; muffuletta sandwiches; Emeril's signature barbecue shrimp, fresh seafood ceviche, roasted duck & Andouille sausage gumbo; jambalaya; and more.
"Mardi Gras is designed as the ultimate vacation experience, and that extends to the food and beverage offerings," Carnival president Christine Duffy said.
"Emeril Lagasse has brought the uniqueness and fun of New Orleans dining to foodies all over the world, and we're thrilled that he'll now bring that same experience to Carnival. There is no one better suited than Emeril to add a level of authenticity to the Mardi Gras experience that will give our guests another way to Choose Fun."
Mardi Gras is slated to enter European service August 31, 2020, before repositioning to New York for a series of voyages.
The ship will then shift to Port Canaveral for year-round, seven-day Caribbean cruises beginning in October 2020.
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