Food on a Cruise Lines 1636

Different ships seem to have things that they're better at. I remember one cruise where the soups were amazing, where on another, they weren't worth bothering with. One ship had great pasta dishes, another had appetizers to die for. Keep in mind that you can have whatever you want, as many as you want. So if you want four appetizers and skip the entree, you can do that.

I went on a cruise with some of my husband's family, and my SIL, who weighs 90 lbs soaking wet would order 2 entrees every night. They never blinked. The only thing they asked was which one she wanted first. She polished off 2 entrees every single night. My BIL really liked the desserts on that same cruise, and he'd order most of them, with a side of ice cream. After a while, the waiter would just ask, ":which one don't you want tonight, sir" and it was a lot easier.

Some of the ships-lines are changing the way they do dining. It varies, so if that's important, see if they have extra restaurant or unbuttigned dining or whatever.

The menus are posted ahead of time, so you can see what's coming up. And if you look at the menu and there's nothing there that you like, you can ask for something special at the regular dining room, although it's going to be somewhat limited. You need to ask ahead of time, or it's going to be really, really limited. If you ask for something they don't have onboard, they can't run out and get it, but they can always do a steak or a fruit plate or something. And there's always room service.

If you really want the cuisine of the region, get off the ship and eat onshore. We try to have some meal -- lunch, dinner, snack -- at the different ports, if the time allows.

Best tip I can give you is to ask the crew where they go when they're onshore. They're more likely to know the hidden spots that are less touristy.

Have fun,

Donna