17 Cruise Lines Serving the Most Mouthwatering Menus You Have to Taste
Hearing the sound of gentle ocean waves, spotting the sun’s bright glow on vast blue waters, and finding a plate of perfectly cooked scallops smothered in citrus sauce. Doesn’t it sound great?
Today’s cruises offer exciting adventures that extend beyond distant destinations and breathtaking views; gourmet dining has genuinely become a delightful highlight of the experience. According to Statista, an impressive 32 million people worldwide set sail in 2023 to experience it all.
Food, either through celebrity chef menus or chef-guided activities, is now the main attraction on cruises, so if food is your passion and travel calls for you, this is your perfect introduction.
These 17 cruise lines offer dishes similar to those found at popular restaurants on land. You might order lobster if you’re on a luxury yacht or try a freshly baked pizza in an open-air kitchen; each will provide a fantastic dining experience.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Dining aboard Regent Seven Seas is held to the utmost standards. With a focus on luxury for every guest, dining options include Prime 7, where you can savor perfectly cooked steaks or indulge in delicious lobster bisque that complements the exciting voyage.
Chefs in Training also offers well-organized cooking lessons in their specialized kitchen, guided by some of the industry’s top chefs. Are you interested in fancy combinations of wine and food? Their epic Connoisseur’s Wine Menu will make you feel like a sommelier in the making.
Oceania Cruises
Oceania Cruises revolutionizes culinary travel with expertly curated menus by Master Chef Jacques Pépin, a world-renowned chef and author of 30 cookbooks, as highlighted by the Harvard Business Review.
Jacques offers rustic French cuisine, while Red Ginger does Asian fusion, and both restaurants turn every meal into a memorable experience.
Exploring local markets in enchanting Mykonos and cooking with fresh produce right on board creates a delightful experience during their Culinary Discovery Tours. It feels like every bite takes you on an exciting journey!
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises’ Edge Series stands out because it combines three key elements —art, nature, and food — to create a truly unique dining experience. Think of how fresh heirloom tomato salads are, as if you’re eating at an outdoor market right at home.
Also, guests in a suite have the chance to try unique menus prepared by Michelin-rated chefs at the hotel’s Luminae restaurant. You can tell that the farm-to-table approach is present throughout the menu.
Viking Ocean Cruises
Even though Viking Ocean is famous for river cruises, its ocean ships deliver just as much excellent food. Manfredi’s makes a tender Florentine steak that seems like heaven in your mouth, and The Chef’s Table offers various multi-course menus inspired by different countries.
Their afternoon tea is especially impressive and fits right into a Downton Abbey movie scene.
Princess Cruises
Imagine enjoying crab cakes from Alaska or tacos from Baja, both while being on board a ship sailing through the Pacific. Your meals aboard Princess Cruises are designed to take your taste buds on a discovering journey.
Due to their partnership with Curtis Stone, the dishes—especially at the upscale SHARE restaurants—are creative, delicious, and memorable.
Disney Cruise Line
Yes, Disney caters to all ages. Each evening, guests enjoy a rotation through three distinctly themed main restaurants, offering a fresh atmosphere and menu for every meal.
With the option to switch between unique dining experiences like Animators’ Delight, Animator’s Palate, and the upscale Palo, each meal is an adventure. The onboard chefs are even capable of creating entire plant-based meals, demonstrating that Cruise Lines accommodate diverse preferences of guests.
Royal Caribbean International
There’s a fantastic variety of food on Royal Caribbean, not just activities like rock climbing walls and zip lines. With places like Wonderland, food becomes part of a performance for both sight and taste.
Their Izumi sushi menu is served à la carte, allowing guests to choose from a wide array of items, as well as the hibachi experience, which is perfect for anyone craving the authentic taste of Japan.
Crystal Cruises
Crystal Cruises serves luxury meals with precision. Partnerships such as Prego, which brings you Italian classics from beloved chef Piero Selvaggio, and Umi Uma, an exclusive Japanese-Peruvian restaurant created by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
“Crystal is known for its award-winning food and beverage program, bringing an authentic dining experience with efficient and personalized service, and we are proud to have UMI UMA feature our innovative fusion cuisine, blending traditional Japanese dishes with Peruvian ingredients.” Master Chef Nobu says.
Holland America Line
Holland America Line is giving guests a taste of French-inspired sea cuisine onboard its Rudi’s Sel de Mer restaurant. Now, this specialty venue is getting an exciting upgrade on three ships—Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam, and Koningsdam.
According to Cruise Industry News, the refreshed concept will feature a relaxed Mediterranean bistro ambiance, enhancing the dining experience for guests. Because of the guidance and skill of its well-known Culinary Council, Holland America Line serves meals that always impress food lovers.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises boosts its onboard meals with the charm of Mediterranean cooking. The Butcher’s Cut steakhouse serves up indulgent, perfectly crafted cuts of meat.
At the same time, Eataly at Sea captures the essence of Italian markets with freshly made pasta and hand-stretched mozzarella, offering an authentic culinary experience at sea.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival is famous for combining entertainment and food, and its specialty burger restaurant, Guy’s Burger Joint, is a result of a partnership with Guy Fieri, a celebrity on Food Network who is popular among people of all ages.
Pair that with BlueIguana Cantina’s freshly made tacos, and you’ve got yourself a comfort food paradise worth sailing for.
Norwegian Cruise Line
At Norwegian, you can eat whenever and wherever you like since there are no fixed meal times or reserved seats. One of the many highlights of their restaurants is Onda by Scarpetta, which serves seafood dishes that harmoniously match land and sea flavors with a classic Italian touch.
Seabourn Cruise Line
The company offers an unparalleled blend of comfort and privacy, utilizing Thomas Keller’s signature recipes in its dining rooms. His dishes, such as the roasted chicken and signature wines, are prepared with such care that every detail is perfect. Mealtime aboard a cruise ship is like going to a top restaurant every day.
Cunard Line
The company offers an unparalleled blend of comfort and privacy, utilizing Thomas Keller’s signature recipes in its dining rooms. His dishes, such as the roasted chicken and signature wines, are prepared with such care that every detail is perfect. Mealtime aboard a cruise ship is like going to a top restaurant every day.
Silversea Cruises
The SALT program by Silversea takes you deep into the culture of a place by featuring its unique dishes. With authentic regional foods brought on board, the program helps you taste and enjoy local culinary traditions. Each meal you enjoy recounts the adventures you have.
Azamara
The dining experience on Azamara is all about immersing yourself in local culture. You can see coastal tastes in Aqualina’s signature restaurant, especially in the dishes made with fresh seafood topped with Italian olive oil.
Destination Immersion Dinners go even further, serving complex local menus based on what your cruise will visit, so every meal becomes a unique experience.
Virgin Voyages
This cruise line has come up with such a fun dining idea that there are no buffets on board. There are multiple restaurants around the ship; among them are the Test Kitchen and Pink Agave for Mexican meals.
Picking a few good ingredients makes each meal more thoughtful rather than just quick and easy. When I tell you that the quality here matches some of the best on land, do believe me.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
You Might Also Like:
How To Stick To Your Holiday Budget and Avoid Debt: With the holiday season in full swing, many face high expenses. The anticipation of gift-giving and the desire to create unforgettable moments often leads to the common tradition of seasonal spending, with the average holiday budget reaching a considerable sum.
