Cruise dining can be one of the best parts of your holiday, but navigating the endless options can get a bit overwhelming.
With everything from buffets to speciality restaurants, it’s easy to miss out on a few tricks that can improve your dining experience.
Here are my top 10 eating tips for when you are on your cruise…
#1 Eat Later at the Buffet on Embarkation Day
The buffet can be chaotic and busy on embarkation day, but if you head there after 2 p.m., it will be much quieter.
The crowds should have gone, and you can enjoy your meal without feeling like you’re in the middle of a busy high street!
Pro tip: Skip the buffet entirely if your ship has other venues open. Some ships have a smaller café, poolside grill, or main dining room that you can go to instead.
#2 Avoid The Buffet At Breakfast
Most people head straight to the buffet in the mornings, but why not try the main dining room? It offers a calmer experience, and your food is brought to you!
It’s the perfect option if you are a keen breakfast eater and want to avoid the queues.
There may be cooked foods on the menu, like eggs Benedict or fresh fruit that you wouldn’t find on the buffet.
There may be other breakfast offerings, too – places like The Local onboard Norwegian or Cafe Two70 on some Royal Caribbean ships. Check your daily schedule to see what your options are.
Breakfast in the main dining room is usually only available for a couple of hours, so if you prefer a later breakfast, you may miss it.
It is perfect for people like my Dad, who are always wide awake and hungry at 7am every morning – whether they are on holiday or not!
#3 Book Your Speciality Restaurants Early
Speciality dining is a treat, and the best venues tend to sell out quickly.
Book your reservations as soon as you can – ideally before you even board the ship. You can often do this online or through the Cruiseline app.
If you’re not sure which night you want to go, pick a sea day. You’ll have more time to relax and really enjoy the meal without having to worry about rushing back from a day in port or from an organised excursion.
Sea days are usually the busiest time for speciality restaurants, though, as everyone has the same idea. Be ahead of the game and book early!
#4 Explore Off-Peak Buffet Times
Buffet queues can get long during peak hours, and seating can be hard to find. I particularly notice this at breakfast, when everyone wants to eat before getting off the ship for a day in port, or at lunchtime on sea days.
Plan your buffet meals during quieter times, like mid-morning, mid-afternoon or early evening.
On my last cruise, I discovered that 3 p.m. was the perfect time to grab a snack. There were fewer people, fresher food, and it was a far more relaxing experience.
#5 Check Out Room Service
Room service is often overlooked, but many cruise lines offer it for free or for a small fee.
It’s a lifesaver for those lazy mornings or late-night snack cravings. If the room service is free, I always use it.
On one cruise, I ordered tea, bread rolls or toast to my room every morning. It was the best way to start the day without battling for a table in the buffet.
I am not a great breakfast eater, it has to be said. I rarely have more than a bread roll, fruit and a nice cup of tea. If I can get that delivered to my cabin for free – all the better!
MSC offer a free room service continental breakfast in certain categories of cabins.
Pro tip: Check out beforehand if room service is free or if there is a charge – and if so how much it costs. If room service is free, take advantage of it!
#6 Ask for Off-Menu Items
If you don’t see what you want on the menu, ask! Cruise chefs are often happy to accommodate special requests and dietary requirements.
I’ve had off-menu desserts, and even custom pizzas made for me just by asking nicely.
You’d be surprised what’s available if you speak up.
#7 Go Casual on Formal Nights
If dressing up isn’t your thing, you don’t have to miss dinner altogether. Many cruise lines offer casual dining options on formal nights, like the buffet or poolside grills.
Many ships also have more relaxed dress codes in their Speciality Restaurants. If you are paying an extra charge for your meal, no one seems to mind what you are wearing.
On one cruise, I enjoyed a burger and fries in the evening sunshine while everyone else was in their tuxedos and ball gowns – I felt very rebellious!
Find out about my cruise on one of the most formal ships, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, below. They have ship wide dress codes after 6pm.
#8 Use Your Drinks Package in the Dining Room
If you’ve got a drinks package, make the most of it in the dining room.
You can order wine, cocktails, or even a fancy coffee with your meal, and if it’s in your drink’s package, you won’t have to pay.
It’s worth noting that bottles of wine are unlikely to be included in your package, but you can drink wine by the individual glass.
You can’t use your drink package at some speciality restaurants – although these are in the minority. If you are not sure whether you will be charged extra, ask your waiter
#9 Look for Special Dining Perks
Sometimes, cruise lines offer bonus dining perks – like a free speciality meal for loyalty members or as part of a booking promotion.
Certain MSC loyalty statuses include a free speciality meal as one of the perks, and I always use that.
I’ve had amazing meals in Spanish and Steakhouse restaurants that were completely free just because of my cruise line loyalty status. It’s always worth checking…
If you don’t have any loyalty status, but would like to eat in Speciality Restaurants onboard, look out for packages where you can go to a certain number of restaurants for a reduced price.
You can buy these speciality dining packages before your cruise or when you first board.
#10 Don’t Be Afraid to Share
If you’re dining with others, share a few dishes to try more options.
This is especially great in speciality restaurants where the portions can be smaller but more refined
Watch this video next to learn about all the interesting foods I tried on Norwegian Prima – but be warned, it might make you hungry!
Before You Go
Celebrity pride themselves on being a cruise line for “foodies”. Find out whether I agree, and what I ate on my last Celebrity cruise here:
Everything I Ate on my Celebrity Cruise (Photos and Menus) – Food Review
Costa is a more budget-friendly Italian cruise line. Below, find out about all the food I ate onboard Costa Smeralda – spoiler alert: there was plenty of pasta!
Everything I Ate on my Costa Cruise (Photos and Menus) – Food Review
Free Insiders Cruise Line Guide
Ever wondered how the mainstream cruise lines compare? Cruise lines won’t tell you this, but I will.
This FREE guide shows you everything you need to know to find your perfect cruise line.
Whenever I take a cruise I order a print of my trip. It uses the real satellite data from the cruise and is always a great conversation starter!
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