Have you ever thought to yourself, “I want to eat some Mexican food but I also really like egg rolls”? Well, me too – until I ate at Chibang, Festival cruise linecombination of Chinese and Mexican restaurant.
It sounds like a strange concept but I was shocked to discover it worked so well. Here’s a primer on everything you need to know – including where to find it, what’s on the menu and how much you’ll pay – to determine whether this fun eatery is worth checking out.
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What is chibang on Carnival cruise ships?
Chibang launches in 2021 Mardi Gras festivalthe first ship at Carnival’s Excel class. It was originally designed to absorb the overflow from the main dining room during peak dinner hours, even offering an MDR menu in addition to its own combo menu. (Chibang no longer offers a dining room menu.)
The space has a mix of Mexican and Chinese décor, and has a bustling and noisy atmosphere. If you are looking for a quiet dinner this is not the place for you. Tables are placed so close together – sometimes just 4 or 5 inches apart – that it can be difficult to reach your seat.
Beverage servers wander from table to table and try to upsell you on glasses of wine and other alcoholic drinks. When passengers dine, they are often encouraged to chant before drinking, adding to the already deafening noise.
During the meal, a parade through the space features a dancing Chinese dragon.
The restaurant is open to everyone. Note that passengers have Time your meals – allows cruisers to dine anytime they want between 5 and 9pm – dinner can be had at Chibang anytime during opening hours. Cruise ships with fixed seating are only allowed to eat there after 7:45 p.m
Reservations are not necessary, but they are recommended.
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Chi Bang menu
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Part of the menu at Chibang, Carnival’s Chinese-Mexican restaurant. FESTIVAL JOURNEY LINE (Use the arrows to move between menu pages.)
In the Chibang, Carnival dinner menu includes appetizers, main dishes and side dishes for each type of dish. There are some delicious options for those who don’t eat meat. You can stick with dishes from one part of the world or mix and match however you like.
Chinese people
Appetizers are numerous and include egg drop soup, spring rolls, lettuce wraps and honey tangerine salad.
For mains, choose stir-fried beef and broccoli, spicy Cantonese pork, sweet and sour shrimp, kung pao chicken and Sichuan-style tofu. For an additional fee of 20 USD/person (minimum of two people), diners can also order roasted duck carved right at the table.
Side dishes include hakka noodles, steamed broccoli and jasmine rice.
Mexican
To start, guests can choose from full nachos, queso fundido, quesadillas and tacos with pork, beef, shrimp or vegetables, among other items.
Follow your appetizers with spicy and crispy fried fish, mole chicken, slow-cooked pork, spicy striped sirloin steak or extra-spicy shrimp.
Side dishes include green beans, red beans and yucca.
Additional menu options
Steakhouse options – items such as surf and turf, grilled lamb chops and filet mignon – are available for an additional fee.
Desserts from both cuisines are listed in one section and include coconut tea, caramel custard and chocolate dessert with caramel and ginger ice cream.
The menu also features a wine list and a selection of cocktails with both Chinese and Mexican themes. Examples include margaritas, green tea martinis, and other drinks involving tequila, mezcal, and lychee liqueurs.
For children 11 and under, Chibang offers a children’s menu – essentially a shortened version of the adult menu.
It includes appetizers like quesadillas, steamed shrimp dumplings, and chicken spring rolls; fried fish, fried shrimp, sirloin steak and hakka noodles with vegetables as main dishes; and caramel custard or chocolate cake with ginger ice cream for dessert.
Lunch
Chibang also offers a free lunch option, serving noodle dishes and burritos. For the former, choose thick noodles with stir-fried beef and vegetables; egg noodles with shredded chicken and vegetables in broth; or vermicelli with shrimp, vegetables and peanuts. The latter includes pulled pork with rice, vegetables and cheese; chipotle chicken with beans, vegetables and pico de gallo; and lemon shrimp with yellow rice, vegetables, garlic and cheese sauce.
Diners can customize their bowls by choosing mixes from an extensive list of additional meats, vegetables and sauces. For dessert, there are two options: flan with whipped cream and caramel sauce, and cinnamon churros with vanilla ice cream.
Note: Menu items are accurate at the time of publication but they are subject to change without notice.
State price
Everyone gets a free dinner at Chibang on their first visit. Subsequent visits will require an additional fee of 8 USD/person. The only exception is on carnival festival, where all meals at Chibang are free during the ship’s opening season. After that, only the first visit will be free.
Selections from the steak section of the menu will incur a fee of $23 per item. Alcohol will cost extra unless you have it beverage packages cover it. An 18% gratuity will be added (except for complimentary meals) and a $5 surcharge will apply to each main course after the first two courses per person.
Lunch is always free.
Which Carnival cruise ships have Chibang?
Chibang has an outpost on each ship in Carnival’s Excel Class:
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