One free meal, and your drinks package stays on the ship
Lunch is not an open buffet here. Carnival's "Island Eats" scheme gives each passenger one complimentary meal, charged to the Sail & Sign card, at the quick-casual counters, snack shacks and food trucks. Eat at a sit-down restaurant instead and you get a discount on one entrée rather than a free meal; Pearl Cove's restaurant is excluded from both. Drinks, ice cream and coffee are pay-as-you-go.
The bigger surprise for many passengers is that Carnival's onboard beverage package does not cover purchases at Celebration Key, so every cocktail ashore is a separate charge.
What the extras cost
Carnival's launch price list put Pearl Cove, the adults-only beach club, at $99.99 per person for entry with a welcome drink, $139.99 with an open bar capped at 10 drinks, and $179.99 with food as well. Daybeds for two started at $149.99, regular cabanas for four at $599.99 and over-the-lagoon cabanas at $739.99. Unlimited water-slide wristbands were $14.99 and snorkel gear rental $19.99. Those were July 2025 launch prices - check current ones in the Carnival app before sailing.
Sources: cruzely.com, thepointsguy.com, cruisefever.net