Get ready to "chow bella" when Carnival Magic debuts next May with the line's first family-style Italian restaurant -- called Cucina del Capitano, or "The Captain's Kitchen."

Carnival Cruise Lines has deep ties to Italy - its captains, deck and engine officers are Italian. More than half the current fleet was built in Genoa, including the Carnival Magic, which is currently under construction at Monfalcone. And when the ship launches next year it will call at popular Italian destinations during its inaugural Mediterranean season.

The new Cucina del Capitano specialty restaurant will be located above the poolside Lido Marketplace restaurant. At lunch, complimentary pasta will be served and the space will function as part of the casual eatery. At dinner, a full-service menu will be offered for an extra charge.

The Cucina will be a classic Italian-American restaurant that delivers a very different dining experience from the main dining room. Carnival ship captains were consulted on some of the menu selections.

The restaurant's interior is designed to feel like a ship captain's Italian home. Photographs of captains and officers on board Carnival ships through the years will be hung around the room, along with captains' personal family photos, images of Italian ports, and pictures of milestones in Carnival history.

Other features include a show kitchen where guests can see pasta being made, a 12-top captain's table and a Kitchen Counter - a 10-seat high-top table near the waiting area.

The menu has not been finalized yet, but expect a diverse array of pastas and other Italian favorites. If you want to do your part by naming an entree, Carnival is starting a Name the Dish online contest Sept. 20. Check it out at carnivalmagic.com/contest.

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