Got milk? Carnival Cruise Line clarifies milk options on board
Carnival and other cruise lines offer a wide variety of complimentary food on board their ships, but when it comes to beverages, what's included in your cruise fare is much more limited.
On its website, Carnival states that the complimentary beverage options available in its main dining rooms and Lido buffet include non-bottled water, lemonade, iced tea, hot chocolate, non-specialty coffee, and tea.
But what about milk?
New cruisers are often unsure what types of milk are available on Carnival ships. On social media, some Carnival cruise passengers have even reported that they couldn't find any milk on board.
Because of the lack of clarity, Carnival's milk options occasionally come up as a topic for discussion on the popular Facebook page of Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald. After a milk-loving passenger asked for clarification, Heald set the record straight on milk in a June 8 Facebook video.
Want the latest cruise news and deals? Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter.
Carnival passenger says getting a glass of milk in the main dining room can be a challenge
In his video, Heald shared a message he received from an unidentified passenger who said that getting a cold glass of milk to drink with dinner isn't easy on Carnival ships.
"John, can you tell the waiters please in the main dining hall that seven out of 10 American people drink a glass of milk with breakfast, lunch, and yes, John, they drink it with dinner. We asked the waiters and they always seem shocked. It takes longer than it should for them to bring the milk and it's never quite cold enough," the passenger said.
Related: 3 Mistakes people make ordering alcoholic drinks on cruise ships
Along with making this milk request, the passenger asked Heald to clarify exactly what types of milk are offered on Carnival ships.
"This would help many people as it's not listed anywhere that I can find," the passenger added.
Types of milk you can get on a Carnival cruise
Heald clarified that the types of milk available on Carnival cruise ships include:
- 2% reduced fat milk
- Skim milk
- Whole milk
- Almond milk
- Lactose-free milk
- Soy milk
- Oat milk (from the coffee shop)
- Half-and-half
Heald also noted that chocolate milk is typically available on most Carnival ships, but may not be available on those sailing from Australia.
Related: Best Carnival cruise ships for healthy dining options
Although recent milk consumption studies refute the claim that seven out of 10 Americans drink milk at every meal, many Carnival cruisers do look for milk on their cruises, at least at breakfast. Individual milk cartons are readily available in the Lido Marketplace buffet during breakfast hours, but if you're looking for milk at lunch or dinner, you'll have to ask for it.
You could also do what some Carnival passengers do and grab extra milk cartons at breakfast and store them in your cabin's mini fridge for later.
"I definitely drink milk with every meal at home, so, while cruising, I simply grab a few extra cartons from the breakfast buffet and stash them in my stateroom cooler for consumption later in the day," Bishop Drinnon shared in the comments on Heald's video.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 9:17 AM.