Food Secrets the Cruise Lines Don't Tell You
Unlimited Main Dining
You are not limited to one of each appetizer, entree and dessert in the main dining room. You can order two entrees or three desserts if you choose. You can also order appetizer-sized portions of entrees as starters or order a few appetizers for your main meal. It's a great way to try new foods you're not sure you'll like (escargot, anyone?).
Cheap or Free Room Service
Room service is generally free, except for service charges on certain lines. Celebrity's late-night orders bear a $4.95 fee, while all orders on Royal Caribbean (excluding Continental breakfast) and Norwegian (excluding morning coffee, Continental breakfast and orders placed by Haven Suite passengers) cost $7.95. Meanwhile, Carnival and Holland America offer for-fee room service menus in addition to their complimentary menus. It's recommended you tip your delivery person, but in-room dining is not the splurge it is at a hotel.
Breakfast Options
For your morning meal, you might have more options than just the buffet and main dining room. On Norwegian, it's no secret that O'Sheehan's offers tasty made-to-order omelets and corned beef hash, yet many cruisers still don't know about it. Carnival's BlueIguana Cantina and Royal Caribbean's Johnny Rockets and El Loco Fresh (on Oasis-class ships) are other alternative breakfast venues. Check your daily newsletter to see which restaurants are open in the morning.
Specialty Dining on the First Night
Most people dine in the main dining room or buffet on the first night of the cruise, and many haven't discovered the specialty restaurants yet. If you book an alternative dining venue for the first night of the cruise, you might get a discount on select lines (like Celebrity Cruises) or have an easier time getting a reservation for a popular venue. Carnival Cruise Line passengers who dine in the steakhouse on the first night get a free bottle of wine.
Complimentary Bites
Specialty coffee at the designated coffee shops onboard comes with an extra fee, but the pastries, sandwiches and other food at these venues are often free. While some specialty items (like chocolate-covered strawberries) will have a charge, don't assume all the small bites do. Several cruise lines will have random spots on the ship that offer snacks and small bites are free of charge. Some bars -- such as Celebrity's Martini Bar -- also offer complimentary snacks; all you have to do is ask.
Free Ice Cream
Like ice cream? Cruise lines will charge for branded licks like Ben & Jerry's and gelato. However, there's always a free version -- whether soft-serve machines on the Lido Deck or hard-serve stations at the buffet. Most often the ice creams at the buffet are made on the ship and by the pastry chefs onboard. And, do your reconnaissance, soft-serve machines on either side of the deck can have different flavors and most often they will serve different flavors on different days.
Sit-down Lunch on Embarkation Day
On embarkation day, most people head straight to the buffet to have lunch and wait for their cabins to open. It's a mob scene. But, many cruise ships have alternative venues open -- the main dining room or a mini-buffet in the solarium or atrium area. Ask a crew member or check your daily newsletter to find an alternative for a calmer first meal. For example, on Princess Cruises, the International Cafe, Pizzeria and Grill also are open; on Royal Caribbean ships, Sorrento's, the Solarium and Park Cafes, Giovanni's Table, Cafe Promenade and Starbucks are open on the afternoon of embarkation. One of our favorites on Carnival Vista, instead of heading to the ever popular Guy’s Burger Joint, we like to head to Guy’s Pig and Anchor for barbecue!
Menu Sneak Peek
Don't know which night to make specialty dinner reservations? The main dining room menus are planned for the week, and the purser's desk often has access to those menus. Ask to see them so you can decide which nights are less appealing and which you don't want to miss, and plan your cruise accordingly.