Bonsai Sushi is one of our favorite upcharge restaurants on Carnival Cruise Line. In fact, we love to splurge a little and enjoy sushi on board our cruises. We recently posted an article with Carnival’s Bonsai Sushi menus and pricing from late 2024. One of the staples of the menu is the Ship for 2 which we’ve ordered many times. But with recent price hikes and item eliminations, we had to ask the question: Bonsai Sushi: Is the Ship for 2 Worth the Price?
The Ship for 2 is definitely a lot of food. Rocky and I have ordered it many times over the years, however, we’ve seen the price jump just as many times over the last couple years. Additionally, as of our August 2024 sailing, Miso Soup has been removed as an inclusion. That means not only has the price jumped, but you’re also getting less value at the same time!
Let’s break down what’s included with the Ship for 2 along with what the menu cost would be if you ordered each item individually:
- Shared Side Salad ($3)
- Bang Bang Bonsai Roll ($9)
- California Roll ($8)
- 6 pieces of Sashimi (6 @ $2.50 = $15)
If you were to purchase each component individually, you’d pay $35. So by charging $32, Carnival is essentially throwing in the shared Side Salad for free. 😉 If you plan to order exactly these items from the menu already, then why not get the Side Salad for free and order the Ship for 2!
Alternative to Ordering the Ship for 2
The other option is to do what we now do and build our own Ship for 2 ordering ala carte. In fact, at the current price and inclusions for the Ship for 2, we believe you’re better off ordering ala carte:
- Two bowls of Miso Soup (2 @ $3.50 = $7)
- Shared Side Salad ($3)
- Spicy Tuna Roll ($8)
- Tempura Roll ($9)
- 4 pieces of Sashimi (4 @ $2.50 = $10)
Total cost: $37. Sure, that’s a couple bucks more than the Ship for 2, but we’re getting exactly what we want. And, when you order the Side Salad ala carte, you get a much larger portion than you do on the Ship for 2.
Of course, you could swap out a roll for a Japanese Plate or Noodle Bowl and still have plenty of food to share.
Check out our full review of Bonsai Sushi where we order $75 worth of items and tell you what’s worth the money and what you might consider skipping next time!
Other Sushi Spots to Try
As I mentioned at the start of this post, we love trying sushi at sea. We recently sailed on board Margaritaville at Sea Islander where we tried Far Side Sushi. If you’re curious how that compares to Carnival’s Bonsai Sushi, check out our post with the Far Side Sushi menu, photos, and our complete review.