Is Cruise Food Good? Real Passenger Reviews

Cruise food is good on most cruises. You will get better quality and service at the specialty restaurants than in the main dining room where the food is free. However, the buffet in the main dining room has more variety than specialty restaurants.

a woman standing in front of a buffet being served in a cruise ship.

Which cruise line has the best food?

1. Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages has the best food quality, variety, and restaurant ambiance.

Here’s why:

  • There are Michelin-starred chefs from restaurants like Public, Gage & Tolner, Insa, etc.
  • There is no main dining room or a few complimentary restaurants like other cruise lines. All restaurants onboard are complimentary.
  • Each restaurant has a distinct ambiance.
  • There is a choice of over 20 casual and specialty restaurants onboard.
  • There is no buffet like other cruise lines. So you will get food prepared only for you.
  • Restaurants are serving American, Mexican, Italian, Korean BBQ, and Mediterranean cuisine.
  • There is a food court having several eateries in street food style. So, you can have a light breakfast, lunch, or dinner if you want.
  • There are plenty of options for vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-free, and lactose-intolerant people.
  • There is also a restaurant called The Test Kitchen where there is no traditional cuisine. The chefs prepare experimental cuisine based on the listed ingredients on the menu.
  • There are other restaurants serving steaks, pizzas, ice cream, etc.

2. Celebrity Cruise Line

The Celebrity cruise line has the best free food.

You will have four complimentary main restaurants to choose from – Cosmopolitan, Normandie, Cyprus, and Tuscan.

Cosmopolitan is an American restaurant with global cuisine.

Normandie has French cuisine.

Cyprus is based on the Greek cuisine.

And Tuscan is based on the Italian cuisine.

All the restaurants have signature dishes prepared by Michelin-starred chefs.

The Cyprus, Cosmopolitan and Tuscan restaurants won Travel Weekly’s Magellan Awards for Restaurant Design.

3. Holland America

Holland America Line has the best food at specialty restaurants.

They have a team of six renowned chefs under the Holland America Culinary Council, who are in charge of planning the cuisine at their restaurants. 

There are five specialty restaurants across their cruise ships, serving steaks, Italian, Asian, French, and Dutch cuisine.

They are the only cruise line to serve Alaska seafood certified by Responsible Fisheries Management.

FAQ

Is food on a cruise ship good?

Yes, food on a cruise ship is good on most cruise lines.

What food to avoid on a cruise ship?

You do not need to avoid any food on a cruise ship until you are allergic to some food. You can fill up a Special Needs form with most cruise lines if you are allergic to foods.

Can you eat all you want on a cruise?

You can eat all you want on a cruise in some restaurants. Specialty restaurants are not complimentary.

Is it expensive to eat on a cruise ship?

No, it is not expensive to eat on a cruise ship. All cruise ships have a few complimentary restaurants.

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About Tully Seal

Avatar of Tully SealTully Seal is a travel blogger. She is a BA graduate in Hospitality Management and has over 4 years of work experience in the travel and hospitality industry. She loves to cook in her spare time.

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