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Cruise passengers debate BBQ versus chicken and waffles as new free lunch menu debuts

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Dining on one popular cruise ship is getting a comfort-food shakeup — and passengers are divided over the change.

Carnival Cruise Line is testing a new free lunch menu, “Chicken, Waffles & Waves,” on select ships, offering a mix of fried chicken, waffles and classic barbecue in one location, according to Cruise Hive and other reports.

The new venue has been spotted on several Conquest-class ships, including Carnival Freedom, Liberty, Glory and Valor. It replaces a previous barbecue-focused station, expanding the menu to include a broader range of comfort food options, though some BBQ will still be available.

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“We are testing some new food options,” Carnival brand ambassador John Heald said in a Facebook post this week, adding, “Some very, very exciting new food options.”

He also noted the testing extends beyond lunch to new dinner menus, pointing to Carnival Liberty as one ship featuring the lunch offerings on Deck 10.

As the name suggests, the lunch menu centers on chicken and waffles, though the items are served separately, allowing guests to mix and match. Options include classic fried chicken, spicy varieties and hot honey-glazed versions, along with chicken tenders in flavors like buffalo and Korean-style sauce.

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On the barbecue side, guests can choose from slow-cooked pork butt or beef brisket, paired with sides such as mac and cheese, coleslaw and potato salad.

The concept blends elements of Carnival’s existing food partnerships, including Guy Fieri’s Pig & Anchor BBQ and Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken, though it is not officially tied to either brand.

The new venue is free to guests, as are many of Carnival’s other casual dining options, which is a key selling point for budget-conscious travelers.

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But early reactions suggest the concept is a work in progress.

In Reddit threads, some passengers praised the variety and convenience, noting short lines and easy access compared to busier buffet areas. Others, however, say the menu focuses too much on fried food, with calls for healthier alternatives.

“I can get deep fat fried food on land,” one woman commented on Heald’s post. “Can’t they try something that isn’t cooked in a vat of oil? Something Mediterranean would be lovely,” she added.

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Others who had tried the new options since the rollout were less positive. “I did not like the chicken,” one person wrote on Reddit, adding, “Over cooked and dry.” Someone else said the waffles could be crispier.

But longtime Carnival cruisers were already split on the old BBQ, with some calling it tasty and others saying it was “hit or miss” or even “terrible.”

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Some Reddit users suggested the new chicken-and-waffles option could be an upgrade from the old BBQ setup, especially if it delivers a Shaq’s Big Chicken-style experience.

Others are looking forward to trying it. “That sounds like a glorious brunch spot,” one Redditor said.

The cruise line has taken a similar approach with other quick concepts, including its “Bagels at Sea” breakfast option, which began as a trial and has since expanded to more ships. Industry insiders say the move reflects a growing emphasis on fast, casual dining that better fits modern travel habits.

A recent Cruise Critic report noted, “The days of buffet- and main-dining-room-only dining are long gone.”

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Carnival for comment.

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Artemis II crew reflects emotionally on lunar mission after safe return: ‘Bonded forever’

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A day after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the San Diego coast following a historic 10-day mission around the moon, the Artemis II crew took the stage at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston, Texas, emotionally reflecting on their time in space and safe return. 

“It’s a special thing to be human, and it’s a special thing to be on planet Earth,” commander Reid Wiseman said, adding that he and his three crew mates are now “bonded forever” before they all hugged. 

“Welcome home Artemis II,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said before introducing the crew members: 

Weisman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen.

There is there is no doubt there is a price to pay when it comes to exploring the cosmos, but there is also a return, a return in the jobs that creates the technologies that improve life here on earth, and the inspiration that sparks and all those who choose to follow, and to people all around the world who look up and dream about what is possible. The long wait is over,” Isaacman said. “After a brief 53-year intermission, the show goes on and NASA is back in the business of sending astronauts to the moon and bringing them home safely.”

FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT SAYS ARTEMIS II MISSION WAS ‘INCREDIBLE’

Wiseman who spoke first, joked that he had “absolutely no idea what to say.”

“Twenty-four hours ago, the Earth was that big out the window, and we were doing mock 39, and here we are back at Ellington at home,” he said.

Glover said he still hadn’t processed everything, thanking God “because, even bigger than my challenge trying to describe what we went through, the gratitude of seeing what we saw doing what we did, and being with who I was with, it’s too big to just be in one body.” 

Koch reflected that the “start and the end” of the mission were “human moments on Earth.”

Ten days ago, this journey started with our mission manager, Sean Duvall, knocking on my door in crew quarters and whispering, ‘Christina, We’re go for launch. Get up!’ And it ended last night when my nurse on the ship put me to bed and said, ‘Ma’am, can I get a hug?’”

FIRST-EVER PHOTO OF EARTH FROM MOON’S FAR SIDE UNVEILED AS ARTEMIS II BEGINS JOURNEY HOME, TRUMP WEIGHS IN

She also said she had a new understanding of the meaning of the word “crew” since their mission.

A crew is people or, you know, a group that is in it all the time, no matter what that is, stroking together every minute with the same purpose that is willing to sacrifice silently for each other,” she said. “That gives grace, that holds accountable. A crew has the same cares and the same needs, and a crew is inescapably, beautifully, dutifully linked. So, when we saw Tiny Earth, people asked our crew what impressions we had, and honestly, what struck me wasn’t necessarily just Earth. It was all the blackness around it.”

She also now thinks of Earth as a “lifeboat” in a universe of blackness. 

“Planet Earth, you are a crew,” she added. 

Hansen expressed his gratitude to all the people who supported them and their mission. 

And I don’t think people will really ever fully comprehend how well supported and trained we were. It is almost unbelievable,” he said. 

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He added of their crew: “What you saw was a group of people who loved contributing, having meaningful contribution and extracting joy out of that,” he added with his arms around his crew members. 

I would suggest to you that when you look up here, you’re not looking at us,” he continued. “We are a mirror reflecting you. And if you like what you see, then just look a little deeper. This is you.”

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Caitlin Clark’s Fever make several key offseason signings in championship pursuit

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The Indiana Fever made a series of offseason moves Saturday to surround superstar Caitlin Clark with talent as the team looks to contend for a WNBA championship this year.

The Fever re-signed key players Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell, while adding veteran Monique Billings from the Golden State Valkyries.

The players were signed after the Fever were one game shy of reaching the WNBA Finals in 2025 while Clark missed the entire postseason with an injury.

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With Clark set to return, Indiana is keeping its core together while adding veteran depth to bolster its roster ahead of the 2026 season.

The Fever have the fourth-best odds to win the WNBA title in 2026 behind the Minnesota Lynx, the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty.

Hull previously teased the Fever’s offseason plans and championship ambitions in an interview with Fox News Digital.

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“I think it’s because we made it where we made it last year without some of our key pieces, and with a lot of injuries, and a lot of, like, this adversity. … Our bench was longer than every other bench. We had more people in the training room getting treatment than any other team, and we still almost made it to the Finals,” Hull said.

“Tasting that and being so close and feeling like we have so much more to give, I think that just changes our mindset a little bit. And it’s not necessarily overconfident, but confident in the fact that we really do have a chance. And we should be playing like every game matters, and we’re preparing for that last one.

“I think it’s very achievable with what we’re going to be able to do with free agency.”

The Fever’s season ended in 107-98 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals last year.

With Clark returning from injury, their core intact and at least one new addition, Indiana is looking to finish the job.

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Paulina Porizkova wows in striking bikini while celebrating her 61st birthday

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Paulina Porizkova is celebrating her 61st birthday with a smile.

Earlier this week, the former supermodel uploaded a voice-over video of herself wearing a “super cute” red-and-white bikini while sharing that at the height of her career 40 years ago, she was the most insecure she’s ever been.

“I will be 61 tomorrow, and I understand that this might sound crazy to you, but 40 years ago, when I was 21 and when I was at the height of my career and supermodel-dom, that was when I felt the most insecure,” she said in the video.

PAULINA PORIZKOVA STRIPS DOWN TO UNDERWEAR AT 60 TO SHOW ‘IMPERFECTIONS ARE WHAT MAKE US PERFECT’

Porizkova added, “I never seemed to be good enough” partly because her own sense of self-worth “was entirely tied to [her] looks.”

She also explained that her workout routine has been amplified as summer approaches, “not necessarily so I can look best in this bikini — but to feel my best in this sixth decade.”

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To round out her video, Porizkova said, “You know, actually, who am I kidding? I kicked my workout up, like, 10 notches because I do want to look my best this summer, but not necessarily in a bikini — in a wedding dress.”

She closed out the video by blowing a kiss to the camera, flashing her engagement ring – she is currently engaged to producer Jeff Greenstein.

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In the video, Porizkova was slowly getting dressed. She put on a tea-length sundress, which she accessorized with a black belt, sunglasses and a beach bag.

Thousands of people commented on Porizkova’s video, praising her for her looks and confidence.

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“Beautiful inside & out,” model Lily Aldridge commented. “You look amazing!! Own it girl,” another user added.

“You look fabulous and I hope you FEEL just as good,” a third user wrote.

One of her followers wrote, “You’re blessed with a gorgeous figure and lovely proportions—enjoy such a beautiful body! We won’t have them forever and now’s the time to celebrate.”

Porizkova responded, “I was blessed with a healthy small boned and tall body. The rest is pretty hard effing work!”

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