The 6 best dishes I've eaten on cruise ships, from Japanese fusion to prime rib.
Cruise food has evolved past mediocre buffets and lukewarm hotdogs.
Options like teppanyaki, Italian, and Mediterranean restaurants have become on-board staples.
I've sailed on eight ships — these are my six favorite onboard restaurants.
Have food, will travel — even, or maybe especially, if it's on a cruise.
I've sailed on eight ships, which means I've had my fair share of cruise food.
Before you throw me a pity party, it's not as bad as it sounds.
Gone are the days of lukewarm hot dogs and unseasoned burgers. Nowadays, attractive options like Japanese teppanyaki, Italian, and Mediterranean restaurants have become cruising staples — sometimes at more affordable prices than land-based venues.
Some of the best at-sea restaurants I've tried serve grilled octopus, slices of jamón, and prime rib that rival expensive steakhouses. Here are my six favorites, including a surprise pick.
This isn't one of those overpriced trendy food halls. Instead, Norwegian's Indulge Food Hall is all-you-can-eat, complimentary, and available on all Prima-class ships.
Say goodbye to self-serve, heat lamp-nuked buffet glop. At Indulge, guests can use the digital screens at every table to order individual portions from seven vendors.
The pickings are as small as a few jamón slices at the tapas stall to as large as chicken biryani with garlic naan at the Indian kiosk.
If the heavy cruise food starts getting to you, opt for salad and soup from The Garden. Otherwise, there are noodles, Latin, Texas barbecue, and rotisserie stands — totalling about 50 main and side options.
I spent four complimentary nights on Norwegian Prima in 2022. Despite my limited time, I returned to the food hall several times, drawn to the diverse options, convenient ordering system, and my cravings for the lunchtime chicken korma.
If your travel plans revolve around expanding your palette, dine at Silver Ray's SALT Kitchen.
Luxury, all-inclusive cruise line Silversea's SALT (sea and land taste) program brings local dishes on board its ships. As such, Silver Ray's SALT restaurant has two menus: one that remains consistent and another that changes almost daily according to the destination.
I attended the ship's five-night complimentary test sailing in Portugal and Spain in 2024. In Libson, the appetizers and mains included tender grilled sardines and octopus. For dessert, guests could finish with travesseiros, a popular sweet treat from nearby Sintra, Portugal.
It can be difficult to immerse yourself in your cruise's destinations when you're only at port for an afternoon. SALT Kitchen won't replicate a local dining experience, but it'll at least give you a taste.
Plus, the sardines were divine.
The restaurant is also available on Silver Nova, Dawn, and Moon ships.
If you're already on Silver Ray, consider reserving a table at the small-plate, family-style Silver Note.
Yes, many trendy and expensive land-based restaurants have turned this dining concept into something to bemoan. However, it's not as common at sea — nor is it always served with a side of live music.
Throughout your dinner, a pianist and singer will serenade you with Frank Sinatra and Bill Withers classics, creating a city jazz bar-like atmosphere.
The lighting will be dark, the music will be good, and the food will be sufficiently luxurious.
Expect fun plating, such as vegetable dumplings in a heated stone-shaped bowl and a triple-chocolate dessert shaped like a swan. Be sure to save room for the perfectly cooked beef tenderloin and the grilled octopus on a bed of carrot planks.
The restaurant is also on Silver Dawn, Nova, Muse, Spirit, and Moon.
Indulge Food Hall is my favorite dining venue on Norwegian Prima. If you want to treat yourself to a specialty restaurant, consider my second favorite, Onda by Scarpetta. (It's also available on Norwegian Encore, Spirit, and Viva.)
I've been to my fair share of lackluster Italian joints. The pappardelle Bolognese proved Onda by Scarpetta isn't one of them.
The deeply rich Bolognese was the perfect porky, beefy, and veal-y embrace for the pasta's thick folds. I could smell it from feet away — and so could the table next to me, which quickly asked what I had ordered.
If you're not feeling pasta, opt for pizzas (such as Margherita) or meaty entrées (such as veal Milanese). To rev your taste buds, start with appetizers like yellowtail crudo or burrata with prosciutto, arugula, and tomatoes.
Be sure to conclude your meal with the superior Italian dessert: tiramisu.
If the restaurant sounds familiar, you might have heard of its sister concept, Scarpetta, which has several locations worldwide.
The pasta at the New York establishment ranges up to $45 per plate.
The entire dinner at Onda by Scarpetta on Norwegian Prima costs $40 per person.
Regent Seven Seas is known for its luxury all-inclusive cruises. Emphasis on "luxury" — its Pacific Rim restaurant serves a mix of East and Southeast Asian classics with a high-end flair.
For example, chicken and foie gras gyoza, tom kha gai with truffles, and watermelon salad with Peking duck.
The siu mai has a whisper of back truffle, while the seafood laksa is a pool party of lobster, shrimp, scallops, and squid.
Order the tempura lobster or giant tiger prawns if you're partial to crustaceans. For a humbler dish, opt for a side of the nostalgic Mie Goreng.
The restaurant is available on Seven Seas Grandeur (where I spent three complimentary nights in 2023), Splendor, and Explorer.
Surprised to see a main dining room on the list? Let me be clear — there's only one reason I'm including it: the prime rib.
Complimentary dining rooms are often offered as a dinnertime alternative to the buffet or upcharged specialty restaurants.
I've sailed on three Royal Caribbean ships, which means I've had my fair share of MDR meals. Theoretically, they're nothing special — unless you know what to order.
Depending on the night's menu, I suggest passing on the signature fried chicken and pork bao buns. However, I highly advise (demand, even) that you order the scrumptiously tender prime rib.
I've hated most prime ribs. This is the best I've ever had and the first I've inhaled. I might even venture to say it turned me into a fan. And for that reason, I will defend its spot on this list.
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