Carnival Liberty: Diamonds Steakhouse

After boarding Carnival Liberty in Miami we took a few minutes to acquaint ourselves with the schedule for the evening in the Fun Times daily program and we’re glad we did. Mel noticed that if we dined in Diamonds Steakhouse for our first dinner onboard that we would receive a complimentary bottle of wine with our meal. Since we planned to have dinner there at least once during our cruise, I immediately called and was able to secure a reservation for 8:00pm.

Our waiter Ruby started us off right with a traditional steakhouse presentation of the USDA Prime beef selections and we made our choices. For me, a surf ‘n turf combo of filet and lobster tails accompanied by a baked potato and mushrooms, and Mel’s favorite NY Strip with mashed potatoes.

Backing up a bit, we started with escargot for me and shrimp cocktail for him followed by a Caesar salad for us both. I’m a bread lover and have to make mention of the rolls served with our meal…seasoned and scented with rosemary, they were warm and delicious.

But after such a sumptuous meal, would we have room for dessert? Of course. Mel ordered simple vanilla ice cream with chocolate topping and I splurged on a medley of chocolate—four different tastes and flavors. Every dish was exceptional accompanied by a bottle of Santa Carolina Chilean Merlot.

Before leaving Diamonds, we made another reservation for later in the cruise. For $30 per person, it’s a thoroughly satisfying dining experience and we look forward to another fun evening with our waiter Ruby. We’ll meet our assigned table mates in the dining room eventually, but we couldn’t pass up the Carnival steakhouse as the perfect way to start our cruise.

By the way, if you have sailed on Carnival Liberty in the past you might remember the steakhouse as the supper club Harry’s, named after Harry Winston, the world-famous jewelry maker. Although the name has changed, the décor remains a tribute to his artistry with cases around the room displaying finely made jewelry of real gold and faux stones. Even the lighting in the room mimics diamond necklaces and the columns look like a stack of large gold rings set with rubies and sapphires.

Images: CruiseDiva.com

NOTE: Shortly after our cruise the per person steakhouse charge was increased to $35. It's still an extremely good value.