Do you like fried chicken sandwiches with a variety of toppings? How about chicken tenders? Or maybe a breakfast biscuit is more your speed? Well we’ve got news for you: Carnival Cruise Line continues to expand Shaq’s Big Chicken and you can get all of those items included in your cruise fare!
Big Chicken was first introduced on Carnival Ships with the launch of Mardi Gras. We experienced this new venue in December of 2021 when we sailed during her inaugural season. The lunch menu is simple which allows prompt service for the large numbers of passengers waiting in line! Diners have a choice between 4 different sandwiches with various toppings. But because the base of every sandwich is the same, the crew are able to move quickly in assembling your order.
Cruise Tip: You can substitute grilled chicken on any sandwich to create a new experience.
If you’re not interested in a sandwich, the menu also includes a chicken strip basket. No matter which option you choose, you’ll get a taste of those amazing Big Chicken fries!
Breakfast Lovers Rejoice
In addition to a banging lunch, Big Chicken is one of the few included specialty spots onboard that serves breakfast – and it’s especially wonderful for those of us who like to sleep in: the venue serves breakfast from 7am-3pm daily! Of course, always verify times for your sailing in the Carnival FUN Hub App to ensure you don’t miss out!
We first tried breakfast on Mardi Gras back in 2021. And while we weren’t recording experiences for YouTube yet, we captured our thoughts for our own review. Simply put, we were not disappointed! We tried both of the breakfast options: the Biscuit & Egg with bacon and the Biscuit & Chicken sandwich. Overall, the experience was fun, the food was good, and we ate there again several times that first sailing.
Our Breakfast Review
Fast forward to January of 2023, when we boarded Carnival Celebration. The ship is the third in Carnival’s fleet to receive Big Chicken, behind Mardi Gras and Carnival Radiance.
This time, we filmed our full review where we try multiple options and share our thoughts with you!
Big Chicken Never Gets Old
I’ve (Mark) sailed on Mardi Gras multiple times and even Carnival Celebration a couple times. On each of those sailings, I’ve eaten at Big Chicken for both breakfast and lunch – and I’ve enjoyed introducing friends and family to this new offering on select Carnival Cruise ships. Below are just some of the many additional photos from this venue:
Order Extra Fries!
Across all of those visits to Shaq’s Big Chicken, there is one staple that has been consistent every single meal: those out-of-this-world fries/crisps that they serve at both breakfast and lunch. Honestly, these are some of the best fries I’ve ever had (and have even mentioned them in other videos that had nothing to do with Big Chicken! lol) They are thin, have just the right amount of crisp, and are perfect for dipping in ketchup or buffalo sauce.
Below is just one of my many visits to Big Chicken and my shoutout to those tasty fries!
Another Breakfast Option
While a fried chicken and biscuit + fries basket sounds delicious for breakfast, you’ll likely want to mix it up while on vacation. Good news, Java Blue also serves a free breakfast on the Excel-class ships. A lot of cruisers don’t know this tip, and so you can check out the details on that and our full thoughts below: