The must-try dishes and drinks on Australia's newest cruise ship

sThe newest cruise ship to arrive in Australia, Carnival Splendor, is now sailing out of Sydney.

And whether you're heading on a mini cruise to Queensland's Moreton Island like 9Honey, or on a longer voyage to the Pacific Islands, or New Zealand, the mammoth ship's numerous restaurants are laden with tasty treats.

Most of them are included in the cost of your holiday, too.

Here are dishes and drinks you mustn't miss while you're aboard.

Pizza

Not only does Carnival Splendor's poolside pizza bar bake to order 24 hours a day, you can even get one of the deliciously thin and crispy creations delivered to wherever you are on the ship, Uber-eats style.

All you have to do is order on the Carnival Hub app, and a lovely waiter will bring you your freshly fired pizza once it's ready.

It'll cost you just $7, but we say it's worth it not to have to move from your lounger on the adults-only Serenity deck.

However, like most of the food on the ship, the pizza bar is included in your cruise cost if you do throw on a sarong and go and order it yourself.

Options include all the favourites, from margarita to pepperoni, with the dough cooked fresh, right in front of you.

Chocolate melting pudding

The ship's 3000 passengers go through around 1400 portions of this dessert every day – which by our calculations means most folk are having seconds.

And there's no wonder – because it's luscious.

A mouth-watering baked crust, dusted with a hint of icing sugar tops an extra special melt-in-the mouth sponge, served with vanilla ice-cream.

Order one for the table to share – an option when eating in the grand Black Pearl dining room – and it'll arrive in a giant flan dish.

Lucky for us, half our fellow diners had just left to catch the show so we were forced to finish the entire thing…

Fun fact: The kitchen uses more than 300kg of chocolate each day.

Espresso martini

This is the most popular cocktail on board – a dramatic departure from the ship's previous seasons catering for Americans – we're told they like super sugary concoctions.

While it's not actually on the menu at the classy Alchemy cocktail bar, the expert cocktail waiters will happily rustle you one up.

While you're there, also sip the perfectly pink French Kiss, which muddles vanilla vodka, prosecco and Chambord, or the rum-based classic with a twist, Island Old Fashioned.

The bar is also the spot to while away an afternoon at sea learning to make your favourite tipples, at a cocktail class.

While, unlike some cruise firms, Carnival doesn't do 'all you can drink' alcohol packages, prices are similar to what you'd find on shore at a regular bar.

Art of the dessert 

Ever had your dessert constructed on your table?

In Carnival Splendor's Fahrenheit 555 restaurant, the chefs mix, sprinkle and dollop your final course right in front of you.

After a huge board is brought out (you don't actually eat off the table, thankfully), raspberry gel, white chocolate and jasmine tea cream, and passionfruit sauce are carefully splattered on the culinary canvas in front of you.

Next, five spice cookies topped with pistachio meringues come in to the picture.

Handmade slices of caramel fudge and fruity jujubes are dotted around, and raspberry leather pieces carefully added.

Then it's time for the centrepiece – a white chocolate sphere, carefully placed on a crumble base.

There's an Instagram moment as it is smashed, before being filled with strawberry cheesecake and salted caramel ice-cream.

Then it's up to your table to demolish the tasty abstract art.

The restaurant comes with a $55 per person charge, but with a choice of five different steaks as well as indulgent grilled lobster tails and sides including mac and cheese, it's worth it for a special occasion.

12-hour French toast

On days the ship isn't calling at any ports, Sea Day Brunch is a popular destination. 

Held in the Black Pearl dining room, it offers your classic brunch items such as omelettes, eggs benedict and an Aussie breakfast complete with smashed avo – as well as a few special extras.

The slice of 12-hour French toast we ordered was thicker than a dictionary and served with two different maple syrups.

There are healthier options though, such as chia seed pudding, fresh smoothies (an extra $5.95) and salmon superfood salad featuring roasted sweet potato, edamame and turmeric cauliflower.

Dessert options are suitably indulgent – we still regret not leaving room for the banana cream pie with butterscotch ice-cream.

Be warned it gets busy – when we visit we face a rare wait for a table, plus our food takes a while. 

But it's not like we have anywhere to be, so it really doesn't matter.

The Chef's Table dishes

The Chef's Table is dubbed "a gastronomical experience like no other".

Because it's not just a lavish meal in a private dining room, but a chance to sneak into the ship's galley to see how they feed 3000 cruisers.

And it'd be unfair to pick just one dish as a highlight of the evening, which costs $120.

So we recommend all twelve.

YES, TWELVE.

And while they start small, they get bigger, like something from Alice in Wonderland.

The first course, kalamata olives, is served in the galley, where we get an insight into how the 143 chefs and 220 waiters work.

Next is a liver concoction, followed by sliver of salmon, cured with brandy (or veggie options for those of us who don't eat meat)

Then, bacon ice-cream – surprisingly tasty – is plated with a tiny prawn or vegetable sub.

This is easy! We think, wondering why one of our Carnival escorts has advised us only to eat a third of each dish to make it to the end.

As we move to the pastry area, we catch a glimpse of the secret escalator, which helps servers travel between the restaurants' two levels carrying up to 14 fully laden plates.

We're told about the chef's shopping list, too.

And it's rather more than your Woollies shop.

The kitchen goes through 205kg of bacon and 140 dozen eggs for breakfast in the lido deck buffet alone.

After the special insight, it's time to really begin the meal marathon in a private dining room.

Each dish is explained by Maksym, and served with matching wines.

After an entree of the best bread roll we've ever tasted, served with almond butter, the first real course arrived.

We must 'mix' our own spring pea and matcha soup, with the help of a 'spring onion' whisk.

Added to the galley snacks, this tasty dish was number five, and we are still going strong.

Number six is the Berkshire pork belly with prawns (delicate dumplings for the veggies) followed by slow-cooked crispy lamb with roasted beef and pork jus.

We are starting to worry now.

Because hot on the heels of the olive oil-poached seabass, is a quail, wild mushroom and carnaroli (lobster tails for the fish eaters).

Then there is ANOTHER steak, New York Prime strip with crushed green apples and a light cheese broth (or mushroom pastry).

It is like some kind of Harry Potter-style feast, where everything you touch multiplies into more and more and more food.

But it is so tasty, we can't resist eating almost every morsel.

Then, it's no surprise, but also rather upsetting, to discover not one but two desserts on the menu.

Citrus cream with lime snow and elderflower caviar is a beautifully crafted dish of yummy flower-shaped morsels.

Then, the chocolate hazelnut, with basil moss, cocoa logs and chocolate soil sends us to heaven.

Even if we do have to stagger back to our cabin, arms on bellies, for a lie down, pledging never to eat again.

Birthday cake

They like to make a fuss of special occasions on cruise ships, and of course, they have your passport details so there's no hoping they'll forget your special day.

We are thrilled when a dozen waiters serenade my boyfriend, and present him with a super cute rainbow cake on his birthday night in the dining room.

Pumpkin coconut shorba

Carnival Splendor's Indian restaurant, Masala Tiger, has just started an 'under the stars' experience, where you can sample south west Indian cuisine on one of the pool decks.

And it's pretty special to be served by waitresses in colourful saris as you sail through the soft waves.

This rich starter dish is our favourite, from a meal which offers a lighter change from the usual cruise fare.

Visits to this restaurant are included in your holiday cost.

Coffee

Carnival Splendor has just had a revamp for its new home Down Under – with two Aussie must-haves, a proper barista coffee shop, Javablue, and smoothie bar, Java Juice, now on board.

Because while there's free coffee on offer in the buffet, sometimes you just want a skilled barista to craft your morning cappuccino, latte or flat white, which all start at $3.50.

The writer travelled as a guest of Carnival Australia. For more information visit Carnival.com.au