Scarlett's Steakhouse Review | Carnival Valor

As some of you may recall, I went on my first ever cruise (to the Bahamas) in November (technically the cruise set sail October 30 but it ended in November so..). Before setting sail on my cruise, I would have never pegged myself as a “cruise person” but I had such a blast that I’m actually in the process of planning another cruise (possibly during the summertime!). One of my favorite things about my cruise (besides getting to explore the Bahamas obviously) definitely had to be all the yummy food! Seriously, there was SO much delicious food and awesome eateries aboard the Carnival Valor. While there are a variety of dining options for breakfast, lunch and dinner such as Guy’s Burger Joint (which I LOVED), buffets, a 24-hour Pizzeria, 24-hour soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt and 24-hour Room Service (which I HIGHLY suggest you take advance of) that ARE included in the price of your cruise, there are a hand full of restaurants and specialty dinning options that are not included in the cruise price (before setting sail, make sure to familiarize yourself with what is and is not included in the price of your cruise). Since this was my first cruise, and I wanted to try and experience every aspect of cruising, I decided to try out at least one “specialty dining” experience while abroad the Carnival Valor. So, I decided to spend the final night of my cruise (as a sort of last hurrah) dinning at Scarlett’s Steakhouse.Located on Deck 10 of the Carnival Valor, Scarlett’s Steakhouse features mouthwatering premium cuts of beef cooked to your exact specifications, as well as a fantastic selection of seafood, entrées, gourmet appetizers, desserts and an extensive wine list.
Like with most restaurants, reservations for Scarlett’s Steakhouse are highly recommended. Although, I will note that several cruisers that I met abroad the Carnival Valor were able to get a table without having made prior reservations. With that being said, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Your meal, which costs $35 for adults, includes an appetizer, salad, entrée, side and dessert (please note that alcoholic beverages are extra). It is also important to note that the attire for Scarlett’s Steakhouse is Cruise Casual or Elegant, meaning casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses, slacks (i.e no shorts/cut-offs, bathing suits, etc).

What’s dinner without a cocktail, am I right?Before I ordered (I took forever browsing the menu), one of the chefs brought me out this yummy cheese sampler. I can’t recall exactly what it was but I remember it being super yummy!
Since this was my first ever cruise and it was all about trying new things (like cruising in general), I decided to go a little out of my comfort zone and order things I normally wouldn’t. So for my starter, I decided to get the New England Crab Cake and boy am I happy I did! I’m not much of a seafood person (although I LOVE sushi and shrimp) so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this crab cake.
Not only was the Cesar Salad at Scarlett’s Steakhouse one of the oddest/most interesting looking salads I’ve ever come across, it also happened to be one of the BEST! The salad was literally just hearts of Romaine Lettuce, cheese, dressing and croutons but somehow it was beyond delicious. I can’t really describe it but it was definitely the first time I’ve been at a restaurant and I wished I had MORE salad!
You can’t go to a Steakhouse and NOT get some sort of steak! As soon as I glanced at the menu, I knew right away that I was going to order the Grilled Filet Mignon BUT, in a effort to go outside my comfort zone, I decided to try the Surf & Turf. That way, I could still get my Grilled Filet Mignon but I could also try the Maine Lobster Tail. Again, I’m not much of seafood fan but the lobster wasn’t half bad.
For my side I went with the (delicious) Baked Potatoes with Trimmings (because steak + potatoes = yum!).
There were so many delicious desserts to choose from so I decided to do the smart thing and go for the Chocolate Sampler (go big or go home, am I right?) The Chocolate Sampler included a Bittersweet Chocolate Cake, Banana Pannacotta, Tiramisu and Chocolate Marquise (all four of which were amazing!).
If all that delicious food wasn’t enough, the head chef was kind enough to surprise me with an extra special (not on the menu) “Chef’s special” dessert.
But wait, there’s MORE! As I was finishing off all of my desserts (can you spot the empty chocolate sampler tray?), the chef surprised me yet again with a bottle of wine (talk about the perfect way to finish not only my meal but my cruise itself!). If you’re heading on a Carnival Cruise in the near (or distant) future, I highly recommend checking out the Steakhouse (the one on the Carnival Valor is “Scarlett’s Steakhouse” but the name varies based on the cruise).