Food is on the brain this week, and after talking about it and reading about it, I decided to write about it as well. Here are my top 10 tips for good eatin on a cruise ship...
10. Eat what you want. - This one sounds almost like a given, but on a cruise ship, it bears repeating simply because you have more options available to you than in everyday life. Just because you are offered 4 or 5 courses at dinner does not mean you have to eat all the courses. My husband hates salad, so always skips that course and maybe orders two appetizers, or saves room for extra dessert. (Or not, it isn't like you will starve if you miss a course) Alternatively, if they have something on the menu one night that you especially like, perhaps get two because often menus don't repeat. I learn this the hard way seemingly every cruise after creme brulee night is over and I keep wishing it would come back. We aren't big breakfast people, so we tend to limit ourselves on that meal, even though it is "free". We get enough to sustain us, then hold out for food we enjoy better at lunch. This tip is usually most difficult to follow early in a cruise or as a new cruiser as you tend to get excited at all the options and the idea of eating "your money's worth" looms in the back of your head. Just remember, that food is worth WAY more to you if you are eating what you enjoy.
9. Wash and sanitize your hands constantly. - Again, a no-brainer. But, if it is such a no-brainer, then why do I see people walking up to the buffets from the Lido deck without sanitizing, picking a wedgie, then proceeding to use the tongs to load fries on their plate? Oh, and then they grab the fry that fell out of the pan and throw it back in. Guys, you can't make this stuff up. So, you can't really do anything about those people. (Although I like to sanitize my hands also upon leaving the buffet before I eat) But, you can make sure that you are not one of them. Because almost nothing can destroy your dining experience like norovirus. Talk about not getting your money's worth, you won't want to eat anything! Keep in mind that the more premium lines often have servers handling the tongs etc, so if you are a germophobe, it might be worth the money to book one of them. Even at that, Purell is your friend.
8. Leave room for a specialty restaurant in your budget. - Now I don't like the idea of paying for more food on a cruise ship when I have already paid for perfectly good food any more than the next guy, but let's face it: the food is better in specialty restaurants. They often provide service, quality and decor above what you can get from a normal eating out experience, and can be a really nice dining experience. But, not all specialty restaurants are a good idea for all people. Look at the menu before you leave home to decide if the food is something you are excited about and willing to pay a little extra for. For example, I have a teppan place down the street that is great, so it would make no sense for me to go to a teppan place on a cruise ship. But, the only Italian restaurant in my town is Olive Garden, so I am all over specialty Italian places. Also, really try to book these restaurants online before you leave for the cruise because availability can be hard to come by once on the ship, and you can always cancel. One more thing, like I said on the podcast, the cost of the restaurant is NOT directly connected to the quality of the experience you will have. Different lines charge different prices, so a $20 experience on Holland America might be heads and shoulders above a $30 experience on Carnival. Do your research, and just try one (or more) out.
7. Try something new. - A cruise is the perfect time to experiment with food. Never had lobster? Try it on the ship. If you don't like it, you haven't lost anything. My first experience with lamb was on a cruise ship, and now I order it whenever I can. You never know what might be your new favorite food, and at the very least, you know whether you like it or not. Who knows? You might even get a good story out of it. This is the time to be brave! If it doesn't work out, they will certainly serve you your meat and potatoes.
6. Be willing to stand in line when it is worth it. - We've all seen them. The long lines for the burrito bar, pasta bar, mongolian bbq and omelet stations can wrap this way and that until we are convinced that the people standing in line MUST be crazy because there is plenty of good food elsewhere. And yes, the food elsewhere is fine, but these made to order stations DO often provide the best quality food on the buffet (and sometimes on the ship). Now, I don't advocate wasting precious cruise time waiting in these lines everyday, but I have been known to get a plate and a table near the station in order to stake out the line, see when it goes down a bit and jump in. Is it worth it? Well, one of my most memorable meals on my last cruise was a burrito from the burrito bar, so there you go. I do suggest trying these out early in the cruise as people tend to catch on as time goes by,
6. Be willing to stand in line when it is worth it. - We've all seen them. The long lines for the burrito bar, pasta bar, mongolian bbq and omelet stations can wrap this way and that until we are convinced that the people standing in line MUST be crazy because there is plenty of good food elsewhere. And yes, the food elsewhere is fine, but these made to order stations DO often provide the best quality food on the buffet (and sometimes on the ship). Now, I don't advocate wasting precious cruise time waiting in these lines everyday, but I have been known to get a plate and a table near the station in order to stake out the line, see when it goes down a bit and jump in. Is it worth it? Well, one of my most memorable meals on my last cruise was a burrito from the burrito bar, so there you go. I do suggest trying these out early in the cruise as people tend to catch on as time goes by,
5. Attend special events/meals. - Midnight buffets, dessert buffets, chocolate buffets, Pirates of the Caribbean parties, sea day barbecues; cruise lines like to change it up from time to time and often save some of their most special food items for these times. So, don't skip them. If the food isn't good, at least you usually have a good photo op. Oh, and even if you got hungry and went to the buffet before dinner, don't miss anything entitled "Captain's Gala" or "Royal Menu" or with fancy schmancy words in the title because the food will often be a step up from normal main dining room fare.
4. Branch out from the buffet. - I've heard it before: you like the buffet just fine, don't want to dress up and prefer to eat when you feel like it. But, I feel like sticking solely to the buffet on a cruise is a huge mistake and really robs you of part of your cruise experience. The main dining room not only usually has a higher quality of food, but it is an experience unlike dining on land. At least try it out. Oh, and to your objections: the dress code has gotten so lax lately that you will not be out of place except on formal night if you show up in jeans and a shirt and most lines have "anytime" dining where you can make a reservation or show up whenever you feel like it.
4. Branch out from the buffet. - I've heard it before: you like the buffet just fine, don't want to dress up and prefer to eat when you feel like it. But, I feel like sticking solely to the buffet on a cruise is a huge mistake and really robs you of part of your cruise experience. The main dining room not only usually has a higher quality of food, but it is an experience unlike dining on land. At least try it out. Oh, and to your objections: the dress code has gotten so lax lately that you will not be out of place except on formal night if you show up in jeans and a shirt and most lines have "anytime" dining where you can make a reservation or show up whenever you feel like it.
3. Room service is not what you are thinking. - If you have ever stayed in a hotel nice enough to have room service, browsed through the menu and wished you could afford it, you are probably excited about the possibility of having room service for free on the cruise ship. Reign that in buddy, because unless you are in a suite or on a ship that you probably can't afford if any of the above statements actually apply to you, room service will likely be a bit of a disappointment. The menu is pretty limited and the food is usually better if you just hike it up a few decks to the buffet. It can be useful for getting off the boat early for breakfast or if you spouse caught norovirus and you are stuck in the room with them, but in general, you will probably have a better dining experience out of your room.
2. Keep good company. - Few things can destroy a dining experience quite like being forced to eat with bad/annoying people. I'll admit that I have never been stuck with bad dining partners when there was open seating, but I have heard such terrible stories, it must be addressed. If you are a very outgoing person and can get along with anyone, you should be just fine. If, on the other hand, the thought of sharing your cruise dining experience with strangers makes you break out in hives, there are steps you can take.
First, if you hate the idea of eating with others altogether, book Norwegian or book all specialty restaurants. You should be guaranteed to eat only with your party in most cases. If you are like us, and just like to keep the party small and meet folks who are similar in demographic to yourselves, go on the message boards ahead of time and advertise. We usually meet another couple, similar in age to ourselves and travelling alone so that we are only a party of 4. We get our own table, and end up making great friends by the end of the first evening. It is also nice because you have someone to tell about your day. Your travel partner already knows all about it, so you can't tell them. Other travelers also like to talk about travel as well, so you might never have as interested and captive an audience for your stories. And vice versa; I love to hear about what else there is to do in ports that we haven't tried yet. This can really help make your cruise great.
2. Keep good company. - Few things can destroy a dining experience quite like being forced to eat with bad/annoying people. I'll admit that I have never been stuck with bad dining partners when there was open seating, but I have heard such terrible stories, it must be addressed. If you are a very outgoing person and can get along with anyone, you should be just fine. If, on the other hand, the thought of sharing your cruise dining experience with strangers makes you break out in hives, there are steps you can take.
First, if you hate the idea of eating with others altogether, book Norwegian or book all specialty restaurants. You should be guaranteed to eat only with your party in most cases. If you are like us, and just like to keep the party small and meet folks who are similar in demographic to yourselves, go on the message boards ahead of time and advertise. We usually meet another couple, similar in age to ourselves and travelling alone so that we are only a party of 4. We get our own table, and end up making great friends by the end of the first evening. It is also nice because you have someone to tell about your day. Your travel partner already knows all about it, so you can't tell them. Other travelers also like to talk about travel as well, so you might never have as interested and captive an audience for your stories. And vice versa; I love to hear about what else there is to do in ports that we haven't tried yet. This can really help make your cruise great.
1. Give in to urges. - Want cheese fries at 2:00 pm? Go get them. Want cheesecake for breakfast? Go for it. You never get to eat this erratically in your normal life, and we find that this is a huge part of why we enjoy cruise ship dining so much. Not necessarily the quantity (although that is a factor), but the timing and freedom without the money constantly hanging over your head. Chances are, those are some of the things you'll remember when you get back to the daily drudge. You'll imagine yourself on deck with a piece of pizza, enjoying the breeze and watching a movie or playing trivia with a plate of barbecue in front of you, laughing with new friends. I know it doesn't all center around food, and maybe I am weird, but those are some of my memories that just take me right back to the cruise ship. So live it up a little.
Podcast Review of Dining on Celebrity Cruise Line with Chef Von Staden
Podcast Overview of Cruise Ship Dining Tips
Podcast Review of Dining on Celebrity Cruise Line with Chef Von Staden
Podcast Overview of Cruise Ship Dining Tips
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