Travel Tip: How Cruise Ship Food is Getting Better

It used to be that cruise ship food meant just one thing: the all-you-can-eat buffet.

That time-honored tradition is still around. But some cruise lines are becoming known for having–dare I say–real culinary experiences?

Oceania Cruises partnered up with Bon Appétit to offer a cooking school at sea. Chefs will give you hands-on lessons, usually related to the ports you’re sailing to.

Ever tried to get a reservation at Nobu? It’s a lot easier on Crystal Cruises where there are specialty restaurants from chef Nobu himself.

And if you really want an over-the-top meal, keep your eyes open for Crystal’s Ultimate Vintage Room dinners. It’s not cheap, but it gets you access to some of the rarest wines in the world.

If having options is important to you, then look for the bigger ships.

Norwegian Cruise Line‘s biggest ships—the Getaway, the Epic and the Breakaway, have have packages where you can eat in a different specialty restaurant every night.

Just watch your budget. On most cruise lines, specialty restaurants cost extra, and of course, beer and wine is rarely included in the price.

For more information, visit the Cruise Travel and Culinary Travel Archives.

Keep reading for more travel tips.

Travel Tip: How Cruise Ship Food is Getting Better [ 0:59 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download