First-time guests might assume that all the food and drink on a cruise is free.
But your wallet might be in for a shock if you order the wrong things — and you may
be surprised to learn what those "wrong things" are!
When you book open dining, you can rock up to the main dining room whenever you want,
but it doesn't mean you're guaranteed a seat right away.
If you choose to eat at peak dinner time, you might end up waiting 30 minutes to an
hour, which may cause you to miss a show.
But most cruise lines have online reservation systems that let you book tables in the main
dining room before you embark on your cruise.
Royal Caribbean, for instance, has an app with which you can make reservations for specialty
restaurants and open dining.
You can also book tables once you get onboard.
We'd recommend doing this on the first day, as prime slots fill up quickly.
If you don't want to make reservations, consider traditional dining.
When you pick traditional dining, you have a set evening dining time and you'll always
be seated at the same table with the same group of fellow diners.
While some don't find this flexible enough, it's great for those eager to make friends
with people they otherwise may never have met.
"Tell us of the accommodations in steerage, Mr. Dawson.
I hear they're quite good on this ship."
"The best I've seen, ma'am.
Hardly any rats."
For some regular cruise-goers, it's a tradition to eat in the main dining room on the first
night.
This might hark back to when diners could expect the main dining room to serve the best
dishes of the voyage on the night of embarkation.
However, these premium dishes are now usually reserved for formal night.
Therefore, there's no solid reason to eat in the main dining room on the first night
of your cruise.
Many people still do, though, which has the effect of leaving many of the specialty restaurants
relatively empty.
So if there's a specialty restaurant you want to try, the first night is a great opportunity
to do it, as it's easier to get prime reservations, even at the last minute.
On top of this, some cruise lines offer great deals at specialty restaurants on the first
night to boost customer numbers.
For instance, Royal Caribbean offers buy one, get one free meals on the night of embarkation
at most of its specialty restaurants.
Once upon a glorious time, everything in the main dining room was included in the cost
of your cruise.
However, with the rising price of ingredients, you should no longer expect that all dishes
on the menu are free.
In fact, some dishes in the main dining room now come at an extra cost.
These are usually meals that contain prime ingredients, such as lobster or certain cuts
of steak.
So, if you have expensive taste, prepare to incur extra charges at mealtimes.
You can also visit specialty restaurants onboard cruise ships that you'll need to pay to dine
at.
That said, you'll still be able to sample almost everything on the main dining room
menu without being charged for it.
Therefore, it's the perfect opportunity to try dishes that you might not normally order.
Want to order an extra entrée for the table or double up on dessert?
This usually won't be a problem.
Choosing traditional dining means you'll have the same table every day with no worries about
fighting for reservations or waiting for a spot to open up.
But, here's the kicker: If you have a subpar table that's right next to the bathrooms or
a bustling waiter's station – or maybe a loud band – you're stuck with it for the
whole voyage.
However, it's possible to ask to see your table before dinner on the first day of your
cruise.
Find the maître d' around mid-afternoon on the day of embarkation and ask nicely to see
your assigned table.
On any good cruise ship, this won't be a problem.
If your table is to your liking, great.
You now know exactly where it is and how to find it when dinner time rolls around.
If there's something you don't like about it, you can ask to be moved elsewhere.
You can even request a table by the window or in another favorite spot, although this
might not always be possible.
You don't want to show up at the dining room only for someone to ask you to return to your
cabin and change because you aren't wearing the correct attire.
All cruise lines have their own dress codes, so you should learn yours before you go to
make sure your wardrobe matches up.
While some lines expect you to dress smarter than others, there's plenty of leeway.
On an average night, it's fine to wear a nice t-shirt and jeans, as long as they aren't
distressed.
Just avoid wearing anything extremely casual for dinner, such as shorts or pool wear.
And, for goodness' sake, put your shoes on — diners who turn up barefoot or in flip-flops
will usually be turned away.
Even on formal nights, the dress code may be more casual than you think.
Gowns, jackets, and ties aren't necessary, although it's fine to go this dressy if you
want to.
Instead, think dress shirts and other collared shirts, slacks, blouses, cocktail dresses,
and sundresses.
Cruise lines are extremely flexible with catering for allergies or dietary requirements, but
you need to tell them in advance.
Whether you're vegan, allergic to shellfish, or you keep kosher, this won't be an issue
when you give a fair warning.
However, if you show up to the dining room on the first night without having let anyone
know, you might have more of a struggle.
"I think you have food allergies!"
Luckily, it's easy to inform your cruise line of dietary requirements — there's usually
a clearly marked place to do so when booking online.
If you missed it, just give your line a call or write an email and a member of staff will
put a note on your booking.
What's great about having a particular dietary requirement is that you'll often get special
dishes made for you off-menu.
Good chefs are excited to try new things and work within confined parameters, so you may
end up with extra-special dishes that make you the envy of your tablemates.
It might not occur to you to ask for dishes that aren't on your ship's menu, but you'll
be limiting yourself if you don't do so.
Cruise lines don't exactly have secret menus, but there are many dishes that you can order
off-menu.
So, if you don't find anything that takes your fancy, don't be afraid to ask.
There are plenty of options, but they vary between cruise lines.
For instance, on Regent Seven Seas Cruises, chefs can cook you any dish you desire, as
long as they have the ingredients onboard.
Just provide them with the recipe and some advance notice, and they'll do the rest.
This is especially great news for picky eaters.
Many people avoid getting room service on cruises because of the delivery fees.
But while it's true that you'll get charged for having food delivered to your room under
most circumstances, most cruise lines will deliver continental breakfast to your room
free of charge.
You'll feel as lucky as a leprechaun!
"Room service!!"
So, if you're happy to dine on items such as toast, pastries, fruit, cereal, and yogurt,
you can enjoy them from the comfort of your cabin at no extra charge.
Coffee and tea are also included under the continental breakfast umbrella, so you won't
have to go without your caffeine fix.
If you decide you want a more substantial breakfast later in the morning, there's nothing
stopping you from hitting up the buffet or dining room, as well.
Most of us know what we like, but with so much free food available, it seems a shame
not to try something new.
You might be tempted to opt for your usual favorite pasta dish at dinner or traditional
classics such as eggs benedict for breakfast, but why not take this opportunity to mix things
up?
Maybe you want to try a spicier salsa than you'd usually opt for or a particularly pungent
cheese.
A cruise is the perfect chance to do that without ending up out of pocket.
You can even order an extra starter as a side to have a taste of something new or an additional
entree for the table so that everyone can try a bite.
The great thing is, if you order something and don't like it, you can ask for something
else.
Of course, food waste isn't ideal, but you'll often enjoy a new dish enough to eat it – and
if not, you'll likely have someone at your table who'll be happy to take care of it for
you.
If you have your heart set on going to a particular show, it's important not to let dinnertime
run into showtime.
It's all too easy to show up to the dining room late and either miss the start time of
your show altogether or turn up just in time to get the worst seats in the house because
all the good ones were already taken.
This can be a particular problem if you have open dining, rather than a fixed dining slot,
as you might end up having to wait for a table.
One way to avoid missing a show is through careful planning.
Make sure to book a table well in advance, and if you can't, show up to the dining room
earlier than you need to.
After all, it's better to build in a buffer and end up with more time than you need.
Once you're seated, if you're still feeling pressed for time, politely let your server
know that you have a show to get to and they'll do their best to speed up your dinner.
"Check please, table one!"
It's completely possible to find food any time of day or night on a cruise ship.
However, you might not always be able to get exactly what you want, when you want it.
By the time afternoon comes around, you can usually find slices of pizza and cookies in
abundance, but more nutritious snacks aren't always readily available.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with snacking on indulgent items if you feel like it, but
sometimes all you want is a banana or a box of raisins after a hearty breakfast and lunch.
The solution?
Take advantage of the breakfast buffet to stock up on healthier snacks.
Load up on fruit and granola bars and stash them away for later.
If you have a mini-fridge in your cabin, you could even store perishables, such as yogurt.
Armed with these snacks, you'll never go hungry — or regret eating a bag full of sugary
candy right before dinner.
One thing that sometimes surprises first-time cruisers is that drinks are almost never included.
Sure, you might assume you'll pay extra for alcoholic drinks, but even soft drinks, such
as soda and juice, usually come with an extra fee.
One way to potentially save money, though, is to buy a drink package.
Every cruise line has its own drink packages, and they vary in price depending on a range
of factors.
For instance, you can buy soft drink packages at one end of the price spectrum and packages
that include all top-shelf alcohol at the other.
Drink packages are worth it for some cruisers and not for others — it all depends on how
much and what you drink.
However, if you decide a drink package is worth it for you, don't make the mistake of
waiting until you're on the ship to buy it.
Most cruise lines offer a discount for buying your drink package before you set sail.
Even in rare cases when booking in advance doesn't save you money, it does save you time,
as there's usually a long queue to sign up for drink packages on the day of embarkation.
You might end up in the main dining room for dinner on most nights of your cruise, but
many people forget that they can usually also eat breakfast and lunch in the dining room.
While it might often suit you to grab a quick buffet breakfast or a relaxed cafe lunch,
you'd be remiss not to get breakfast and lunch from the main dining room at least once or
twice on your cruise.
Dining room breakfasts are much more leisurely affairs than buffet breakfasts.
You can find a range of options, but they tend to include classics, such as American
pancakes, omelets, and French toast.
Lunch follows a similar pattern to dinner, with appetizers, entrees, and desserts available.
You don't have to order all three if you prefer a lighter lunch, but it's a great choice if
you like a big lunch followed by a smaller dinner, or if you just want to go all-out
on vacation.