Cruise line FOOD!!!

Well, lets not kid ourselves,,,those of us who cruise KNOW all about the food on a cruise! But if you've never been on a cruise, you may be thinking,,,what's the big deal about food? They gotta feed you,,,,yes yes they do, but the WAY and the presentation and all of it before it even is put in front of you,,,,,bears a whole lesson unto itself. First off, no matter what you like to eat, what kind of restrictions you may have, dietary needs, they can all be handled on the ship! All that is required of you is to inform them ahead of time, and this is where either your travel agent (if he/she is worth their 'salt' comes in) or yourself can make the arrangements. By the time you have decided to book, we ask if you would like early or late dining, and this is the time to tell us what your needs are. We can get that taken care of then, or when you go online to pre-register, you can make it known there. Don't wait until the day of sailing! They may be able to accomodate a lot but as with anything, the sooner the better! That being said, let's dig in to the meat and potatoes of this lesson :)
Once you board, there is usually a buffet already going on the upper level, and here you begin to see what awaits you on your sailing, no matter how long or short of a time! They say you eat with your eyes, and that is the truth! There are always several entrees to choose from, no matter what time of day you are there,,,its all about choice!!! This dining venue is casual and usually open for longer hours during your whole cruise. There is the formal dining room where you are seated as you would be in a fine restaurant. You may be seated at a table with 6-8 others which gives you a chance to meet new people! Should you desire, you can opt for a smaller table and more intimate dining. (This decision is also made at booking time). Or if you are traveling with others, we cross-reference you to all dine together, if thats what you like! You may opt for all 3 meals in the formal dining room, or whatever you please. We usuallly go to the buffet for breakfast and to one of the other eateries for lunch. Each ship is different in what their menus are. On Princess, we had a different country featured every night, and they served dishes known to the country: for instance, French and escargots, and chateaubriand; Italian was pasta, veal parmigiana and killer alfredo sauce!!!, American was turkey and dressing. Of course they also have a standard menu where you can get steak, chicken or fish dishes every night should you not care for what they are offering. We always enjoyed this because it gave us a chance to try a different cuisine that we may not have had exposure to before! And they usually have a Surf and Turf meal one evening, and if you are still hungry, you can always request another serving! One of the highlights of the formal dining room is the night the waiters do the Flaming Baked Alaska dance for everyone. It is something to see!! Of course they may ask for audience participation to join the conga line, and what could be more fun??? Bring cameras :)
There are usually other dining options should you not want the dining room or the buffet. Most ships now offer pizza places, hamburger and hot dog grills, soft serve ice cream set ups out near the pool areas. There may also be different food venues. Cunard had a fish and chips place, a Chinese place, a sandwich bar that made excellent reubens (the author's favorite,,,), high tea in the afternoon along with a spread that made it impossible to not stop and have a nosh. Cunard was non-stop eating! We would eat in the dining room with our tablemates, and here we had 4 of the lovliest British people I would ever hope to meet, and hope one day our paths will cross again, along with 4 of the not so pretty side of Americans. We actually apologized to our British friends for their actions and lack of couth, and before you think these were young people acting like ingrates, they were retired couples acting very class-less. Anyway,,,back to the food! We would eat and go for a walk or see what the entertainment was for the evening and always wind up back on the deck with the buffet for a late night coffee, extra piece of dessert, pick up a plate and have another small serving of soup or something. Let's not forget, there is always 24 hour room service too!!!! If you get hungry, you can order a sandwich, salad, fruit and cracker plate, a killer brownie, nachos, etc. (Don't forget to tip your room service waiter!!) Many ships now offer steak houses, Tex-Mex, Japanese cuisine (to name a few) separate dining rooms for a small surcharge. Reservations are usually needed. We always check when we get on the ship and make them then. Its always a great way to have another memorable dining experience during your trip! Aboard Carnival's Valor, we dined at a 6 course dinner in Scarlett's, which looked like it came straight out of an antebellum mansion.
If you have opted for a balcony cabin, (on some ships) they now offer Balcony Dining, for a surcharge. You are served a multi-course dinner on your balcony with your own waiter to tend to your every dining desire! This is a very imtimate choice for dining!
One last note: most ships have done away with the Midnight Buffet and have replaced it with a one-time all out feast. The theme may be desserts, or on one cruise, it was all things chocolate! The ice sculptures and the fruits and veggies that are cut into designs for decorations run anywhere from monkeys with a violin to elaborately carved melons that are works of art themselves. They are worth staying up late to see! The craftsmanship and skill that goes into everything once again shows the knowledge, caring and level of service that has made cruising what is has become.
On that note,,,i think its time for a slice of chocolate cake!