
Many cruise lines now offer a discounted dining package for a select number of nights. This can be a great way to enjoy several specialty restaurants and save a few dollars per meal. Some cruise lines also offer other complimentary casual table-service restaurants outside of the main dining rooms and the buffet.
Cruise Ship Buffet
On the other hand, for Labor and Memorial Day weekend cruises, booking (or at least searching) early is often a fact of life. Begin shopping early in the year, and book as soon as you begin to notice availability decreasing. Be sure to book treatments in advance online for discounted rates, and see how much onboard credit you might have gotten when booking your cruise as well. At Mongolian Wok you choose your selection of noodles and vegetables and watch it be cooked with the chefs adding sauces and meats of your choosing.
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On most ships the cruise line offers an alternative dining option such as a Steak House or fine Italian restaurant. These options require a reservation and a small service charge. In terms of quantity, the majority of meals are eaten by passengers at the free restaurants. Buffets and the main dining room are by far the busiest spots.
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Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, have food allergies, or require gluten-free options, most cruise lines strive to offer a variety of choices to cater to different dietary requirements. When it comes to exquisite dining without the additional price tag, Carnival Cruise Line sails ahead of the rest. Ready to dive into a sea of culinary wonders without reaching deeper into your pockets? Look no further than the Carnival Cruise Line's variety of complimentary restaurants that promise flavors from around the globe. From mouth-watering Italian pasta to irresistible Mexican delights, the Carnival complimentary dining experience is sure to tantalize every palate.
Once you've filled a plate, you find your own table, either indoors or sometimes outside. You can go back for seconds, thirds, fourths until you're full. Yet a modern-day cruise ship is more akin to your local downtown, with multiple restaurant choices and a range of cuisines on offer.

Specialty coffee and premium teas have an extra charge, and alcohol is not included on a cruise. The main dining room is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on most days of your cruise. While every cruise line is different, all major cruise lines include a good variety of food.
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Many cruise lines offer free room service, usually with a limited menu. Notable exceptions are Norwegian ($9.95 service charge per order). Princess offers free room service excluding select items, from $3 pizzas to $19 steaks. Cruise vacations are famous for all-you-can-eat buffets and free-flowing cocktails. But new cruisers often don’t know what cruise food and drink options are included, and which will leave you with a bill to pay at the end of your vacation.
Main Dining on Edge-Series Ships
In addition, there is an extra gratuity charged on top of the menu price. There are usually another handful of restaurants like Guy’s Burger Joint on Carnival that are included. For all of these restaurants, if you want to eat just head up to the counter or the table and get your food. Have your pick of all the best restaurants and dining option when planning a cruise vacation onboard the award-winning Ovation of the Seas. If you’re craving cocktails, we offer amazing bars onboard our cruises where the vibe is always right and the drinks are always delicious. Like R Bar, known for its classic cocktails and retro vibes, or Boleros, where every sip comes paired with live salsa beats.
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The side dishes, soups, salads and desserts are also delicious. In your cruise cabin, you’ll find a menu of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options. You can also order from your Ocean Medallion app right from your phone. While many mainstream cruise lines have started charging a fee for room service, this is still included on a Princess Cruise. Lunch and dinner will have hot food choices including roast meats, fish, pasta and other side dishes, pizza and a good size salad bar. Often, there will be an Italian or German theme, with regional food specialties.

Additionally, the main dining rooms may offer specialty items (like steak or lobster) for an up charge if you choose to splurge one evening. In most cruises, the total cost includes water, iced tea, lemonade or flavored punch, coffee, and tea. Additionally, alcohol is not free on cruises, and specialty coffee and luxury teas also have an additional cost. You can pre-purchase a drink package from most cruise lines in order to save some money.
First, if you know that you plan to eat a specialty restaurant, then see if you can book a spot ahead of time. Cruise lines will usually let you book specialty meal plans ahead of time through your online account. As a bonus for booking early, there is often a discount offered. In general, however, it’s a good idea to expect to spend about $30-$50 per person on a specialty restaurant. Price will vary, of course, but that should put you in the ballpark of most meal charges on the ship. Before you sail, it helps you have a handle on what you can expect — and what you should know — prior to sitting down to a meal.
It’s set up as a complimentary self-serve buffet, which means you can be in and out as quickly as you like if you’re hurrying to get to your next activity onboard. You can hang out as long as you want and try as many dishes as you like, so go ahead and grab seconds — you know you want to. If the dining experience in the MDR doesn’t sound like it’s a good fit for you, the buffet is another dining option. It’s a casual atmosphere with lots of different food options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Alcohol-included packages can be pricey (think $50 to $90+ per day), but they sometimes include other drink options like specialty coffees, and bottled water.
You can find healthy or vegetarian food, ethnic options and everything from fast-food burgers to upscale molecular gastronomy dishes. In recent years cruise lines have moved from having room service be free to charging for more and more items. Often there are still some free options — most notably breakfast — that you can order.
While the complimentary food is usually good and plentiful, cruise lines still encourage passengers to pay extra to dine at specialty restaurants (e.g. a steakhouse, Italian cuisine). You can still get steak or pasta in the main dining room (MDR) or buffet, but the quality tends to be better at a specialty restaurant. Norwegian pioneered the concept of offering numerous and diverse for-fee dining on its ships. The line is well known among cruisers for its variety of dining venues -- including a handful of free eateries. You can expect at least two free main dining rooms on NCL ships plus Norwegian Cruise's buffet.
Royal Caribbean is fairly transparent about specifying what costs and extra, and the key for new cruisers is to learn the basics to make the process smoother. Cups of water are available at no additional charge at these venues. Not only is there a lot of food included at Perfect Day at CocoCay, it is really good too.
Room service breakfast typically isn’t offered on disembarkation day (although some lines offer it to those staying in full suites). Most major cruiselines include water, unsweetened ice tea, lemonade or flavored punch, coffee and tea in the cost of a cruise. If you have an allergy or food preference, it’s important to let the cruise line or your travel agent know when you’re booking.
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