Guy’s Burger Joint on Carnival

Byjerry@saesllc.com

Guy’s Burger Joint on Carnival: Full Menu, Tips, and What to Order

Guy’s Burger Joint is one of the most popular free dining spots on any Carnival sailing, and it earned that reputation for a reason. Fresh-off-the-grill burgers, hand-cut fries, and a fully stocked toppings bar, all included in your cruise fare with no extra charge. If you’ve never been, here’s everything you need to know before you get in line.

How it started

Guy’s Burger Joint came to Carnival in 2011 as part of the line’s Fun Ship 2.0 initiative, a major overhaul of the onboard experience. Carnival partnered with Guy Fieri, the Food Network personality and restaurateur, and launched the first location on Carnival Liberty. It caught on fast. By 2016, it was fleet-wide, and Carnival now serves an estimated eight million burgers a year across the fleet, with some individual ships cranking out close to 1,000 burgers a day. That’s not a marketing figure. It’s a line out the door every sea day at noon.

Where to find it on your ship

On most Carnival ships, Guy’s Burger Joint sits on the Lido Deck, poolside, tucked near the loungers and bars where you’re already spending time during the day. On the three Excel-class ships, Jubilee, Celebration, and Mardi Gras, the location moves up to Deck 17, just above Lido, positioned between RedFrog Tiki Bar and the Club O2 teen lounge. Excel-class ships also have the largest Guy’s Burger Joint at sea.

Here’s a quick breakdown by ship class:

  • Excel class (Jubilee, Celebration, Mardi Gras): Deck 17, above Lido
  • Dream class (Breeze, Magic, Dream): Deck 10, near BlueIguana Cantina
  • Vista class (Vista, Horizon, Panorama): Deck 10, near BlueIguana Tequila Bar and RedFrog Rum Bar
  • Venice class (Venezia, Firenze): Deck 10, near JavaBlue Café
  • Conquest class (Freedom, Liberty, Valor, Glory, Conquest): Deck 9
  • Spirit class (Spirit, Pride, Legend, Miracle): Deck 9
  • Carnival Luminosa: No Guy’s Burger Joint by name, but a poolside burger spot called Off The Grill serves the same type of burgers

Hours

Guy’s Burger Joint is open for lunch and through mid-afternoon on almost every ship, typically from noon to 6 pm. A couple of exceptions are worth noting. Carnival Mardi Gras and Carnival Sunrise also open for breakfast, with a separate morning menu running from roughly 8:30 am. If you’re sailing on either of those ships and want breakfast burgers, check Fun Times or the Hub app to confirm hours since this has reportedly been inconsistent on certain sailings.

On port days, expect lighter crowds since most guests are ashore. This is actually one of the better times to visit if you’re staying onboard, since the usual sea day lunch rush is completely gone. I went a little after 12, and no one was in line for the Breeze.

The full menu

Every burger is made with an 80/20 ground chuck patty, cooked to order, and served on a toasted bun with hand-cut fries seasoned with Guy’s signature fry dust. Here’s what’s on the standard menu:

Plain Jane. An 80/20 patty with or without Super Melty Cheese (S.M.C.), finished at the toppings bar, however you want it. This is the blank-canvas option for people who want full control over what goes into their burger.

The Ringer. The Plain Jane setup with S.M.C., Guy’s Bourbon and Brown Sugar BBQ sauce, and an onion ring on top. If you like sweet and savory together, this one’s consistently popular.

Pig Patty. A standard patty with S.M.C., topped with a second patty made entirely out of bacon. Not subtle, very good.

Chilius Maximus. A patty loaded with chili, cheese, an onion ring, and a heavy pour of donkey sauce, which is a sweet garlic aioli that shows up across the entire menu. The most flavor-packed option on the standard lineup.

The Aft Burner. A spicier build with jalapeños and chipotle sauce for guests who want some heat on their burger.

All five are free, unlimited, and can be customized at the toppings bar, which typically includes lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, pickles, sautéed mushrooms, jalapeños, and a rotating selection of sauces including barbecue, donkey sauce, and chipotle.

Veggie burger. This isn’t on the standard printed menu, but it’s available on request. The patty is a standard Carnival veggie option rather than a Guy Fieri creation, so it benefits from heavy use of the toppings bar to boost the flavor. If you’re sailing vegetarian and want to guarantee one’s available, Carnival recommends noting it ahead of time so the galley is prepared.

Italian-style ships: Venezia and Firenze

If you’re sailing on Carnival Venezia or Carnival Firenze, the menu gets a regional twist with Italian-style additions not available on the rest of the fleet. These include things like a pepperoni pizza burger and the Super Melty Mootz, which uses fresh mozzarella in place of the standard S.M.C. These are exclusive to those two ships and aren’t available anywhere else in the fleet.

Tips that actually save you time

The right-side line moves faster on many ships. On most ships, the left side of the counter gets cut off by foot traffic coming down from the buffet or the upper deck. The right side stays cleaner. It’s a small thing, but a five-minute difference at peak lunch hours adds up. The Breeze only had one line.

Go early or go late. The line at noon on a sea day is at its longest. Getting there when it opens, or waiting until after 1:30 pm when the initial rush clears, cuts your wait significantly. By 2pm, the line is usually manageable even on the busiest sea days.

Port days are your window. When most guests are ashore, Guy’s is nearly empty. If you’re staying on board or returning early from a port stop, this is when you can walk up to the counter with no wait and take your time at the toppings bar.

Don’t sleep on the toppings bar. The bar is the real point of differentiation between a solid burger and a great one. The donkey sauce pairs well with almost everything on the menu; the sautéed mushrooms elevate any build, and the jalapeños add the right amount of heat without overwhelming the patty. Take a lap around the bar before you commit to your combination.

It’s free, every visit. There’s no limit on how many times you can eat at Guy’s Burger Joint during your cruise. Some regulars hit it every single day. Nobody’s counting.

Guy’s Pig & Anchor: the BBQ connection

Guy Fieri’s relationship with Carnival didn’t stop at burgers. Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse and Brewhouse is also onboard on select ships, including Carnival Breeze, Jubilee, Horizon, Mardi Gras, and several others, serving smoked meats and BBQ sides at lunch for free. If you love Guy’s Burger Joint, it’s worth checking your specific ship to see whether Pig & Anchor is also on board, since the two complement each other well on different days. For a full breakdown of what’s free versus what costs extra across all Carnival dining, the Carnival Dining Guide covers everything in one place.

What ship am I on?

If you’re sailing on the Jubilee specifically, Guy’s Burger Joint is on Deck 17 between the tiki bar and the teen club. The location and size are noticeably different from older ships, and the surrounding area makes it a natural spot to grab lunch and stay for the afternoon. For the full breakdown of where everything lives on the Jubilee, the Carnival Jubilee Deck by Deck Guide covers every venue by deck number. And if you’re trying to plan the smartest way to structure a sea day around venues like Guy’s, the Sea Day vs Port Day Strategy Guide covers the timing tips that make the biggest difference.

The bottom line

Guy’s Burger Joint consistently ranks among the best complimentary dining options not just on Carnival but on any cruise line. The 80/20 beef, the toppings bar, and the absolutely free price point make it genuinely hard to beat for a casual lunch. Avoid the peak noon rush on sea days, use the toppings bar properly, and don’t assume you’re limited to one visit. You’re not.

Questions about dining on your specific sailing? Reach out anytime.

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