Cruises are known for offering an abundance of food. Visiting the Midnight Buffet was a standard gag line for comedians performing onboard and ashore. Cruise lines are concerned about waste and the environment. Don’t worry. There will be plenty of food. But where will you find it?
Before we get started, let us take a moment and talk about waste and other concerns. On a voyage last November, I learned Holland America Line analyzes the trash in the buffet service restaurant. By knowing what people are leaving on their plates helps them determine the popularity of dishes, so they can adjust their menu accordingly. Other cruise lines process food waste onboard, some only unloading it when the ship is docked in port. They take recycling and waste disposal seriously.
Cruise ships can also accommodate restricted diets. For passengers working to lose weight in their onshore lives, cruise ships often offer calorie conscious separate menus.
Fortunately, you are a passenger who cleans their plate, only taking food you intend to consume. That is how you were raised as a child. Let us look at where you are going to be finding this food on the average cruise ship.
- Breakfast in bed. When you return to your cabin after dinner or the show, there is a breakfast order form on your bed. You might choose a full breakfast or rolls, juice and coffee. You hang the completed form on the door handle outside your cabin.
- Breakfast in the dining room. If you prefer a sit-down meal, dress for the day and head to the dining room. This is generally open seating. The server will hand you a menu with plenty of hot and cold choices.
- Self-service breakfast. Most ships have a buffet restaurant, often located on the Lido Deck with easy access to the pool area. The range of choice is enormous. It is not strictly self-service anymore because of Covid. You point and a crew member serves you. Expect an omelet station and other preparation areas for hot dishes.
- Mid-morning coffee. Remember coffee breaks? The buffet restaurant should offer access to coffee throughout the day. The ship should also have a specialty coffee shop on one of the public decks, probably near the boutiques. There is often a charge for these drinks.
- Lunch seated. Lunch is served in the main dining room. It is usually a junior version of dinner. Some ships close the dining room on port days because most passengers are on shore excursions. The wait staff need some shore time too.
- Self-service lunch. Lunch is served in the buffer restaurant. A daily menu will be posted near the elevators. Sometimes there will be a cuisine of the day.
- Poolside lunch. People sitting around the pool or enjoying a swim do not want to dress in order to eat. There are usually poolside restaurants serving burgers and other fare served on a bun.
- Afternoon snacks. The self-service restaurant usually has pastries, dessert or ice cream available after lunch is over and dinner has not started. You can get coffee, tea or soft drinks too. A nearby bartender will take your liquor order.
- Dinner in the dining room. This is often a big deal on cruise ships. Some evenings are dressier than others. This is good. The menu on a dressy night might include lobster or Beef Wellington. Dinner is a relaxed affair. Even when planned on a schedule, it takes a while.
- Specialty restaurants. Most ships now have them. There might be a steakhouse and a seafood themed restaurant. These experiences are upscale and reservations are required. Dining is usually not on a schedule, so you can linger. There is a surcharge. It is worth it because the food is a step up from the main dining room.
- Pop Up Restaurants. You have seen them on land, now you can enjoy them at sea. Your cruise might offer an Asian themed restaurant for a one-week period, then it is transformed into an Italian restaurant. There is usually a surcharge here too.
- Room service. The desk in your room has drawers. Some might be shallow and easily overlooked. Inside one is the room service menu. You can enjoy lunch or dinner in your stateroom. The menu usually offers many selections. Generally speaking, there is no charge except for premium items. This is ideal for a romantic dinner on your balcony.
As you can see, you will not go hungry on your cruise. Just be sure your eyes are not bigger than your stomach.
Cover photo: Queen Victoria Grand Lobby fruit carving, credit Bryce Sanders
Ed. Notes: CruiseCompete and its member travel advisors provide many curated cruise and land deals, offers and amenities on over 50 cruise lines with over 500 cruise ships sailing all around the world. Browse Cruise Ships and Cruise Lines
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