Think of cruises and you also think of food. In addition to the variety of food and drink, many cruise lines also offer private dining rooms accommodating fewer people and usually with a themed menu. Let’s take a look at cruise ship specialty dining and how to make the most of it.

Save this article to Pinterest to help you plan specialty dining experiences on cruises. Photos and graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

Listen to the Real Food Traveler Podcast version of this article by clicking on the button above.

Let’s be real, the food scene on cruise ships is one of the biggest draws. No matter what time of day, there’s a buffet or restaurant serving a huge variety of delicious foods. But many cruise lines also have what they refer to as “Specialty Dining” restaurants, separate, smaller restaurants that have a certain theme, typically from a certain culture’s food such as Italian, French, or Asian. Those specialty dining restaurants also, in most cases, charge a fee, whether it’s a flat fee or a la carte pricing.

In a recent article on Real Food Traveler, writer Sherry Spitsnaugle shared her experience dining at Cucina del Capitano, an intimate Italian restaurant aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Breeze ship. The name of the restaurant translates to “captain’s kitchen,” and the menu reflects recipes of the Italian captains and offers.

Sherry told of the décor, which, made to feel like a captain’s home including childhood photos and mementos. The night Sherry and her family went, the ship’s captain did, indeed, dine at a large, round table. She told of the food, from the popular cheesy garlic rolls presented in a cast iron skillet, to the anti-pasta platter, and chicken parmesan. Sherry also spoke of the wonderful, personalized service they received in this smaller restaurant. She and the family members she was traveling with were able to have a nice chat with their server about what life is really like living and working on a cruise ship.

Hungry for more? Go behind-the-scenes to the ship’s galley.

That’s the kind of thing that can happen in the smaller venue of a specialty dining restaurant on a ship. We’ve experienced that ourselves, many times, on a variety of cruise ships. We always make at least two reservations at specialty dining restaurants when we cruise for a nice change of pace from the buffet or “main” dining, and because of that more intimate feeling. One of our favorites was the ridiculously creative and entertaining “Le Petit Chef” on Celebrity Summit when sailing in the Caribbean. And we recently had a delicious steak dinner to celebrate my birthday at Cagney’s Steakhouse on Norwegian Star during a two-week cruise in the Mediterranean.

When “on land,” we go to a lot of different restaurants and, I can tell you, these on-board specialty restaurants are equally top notch.

Hungry for more? Read about the Celebrity Luminae menu.

Here are a few tips for making the most out of the cruise ship specialty dining experience:

• Make dinner reservations while you’re planning your cruise – find out when reservations for specialty dining restaurants will open up and jump on that, as spots fill up fast. On a recent cruise, reservations opened about a month before sailing. I had already researched which restaurants we wanted to try to go to and was ready when reservations opened. Yes, you can still make reservations for specialty dining when you’re ON the cruise, but the availability will be greatly limited and, wouldn’t you rather be lounging by the pool than waiting in a long line to make a reservation?
• Consider when, during the cruise, you’ll want to go to a specialty restaurant – I’d suggest not making a reservation for when your excursion is going to be super-active, or for when you’ll be getting back to the ship close to dinner time. You may be exhausted, feel rushed, and not up for going someplace special. You want to really be able to focus on the experience, not think how wiped out you are. Plan for a day when you will have time to dress up a bit and enjoy. Also, spread out the reservations over the course of your cruise just to spread out the anticipation.
• Dress for the occasion – Many specialty restaurants on cruise ships have dress codes. Be respectful and adhere to them (and that means planning ahead for them when you pack). The days of tuxes and gowns are long past, but many specialty restaurants require collared shirts for men, no shorts, no flip-flops, etc. which is totally reasonable. You can eat in your tank top, shorts, and sandals every other day of the trip – this is your chance to do it up right.
• Don’t over-order – if pricing is a la carte, this doesn’t apply to you because, hey, you’re paying for everything you order and that helps keep you in check. But if the specialty restaurant has a flat fee, just like on the rest of the ship, just because you can order three appetizers, four entrees, and two desserts just for yourself doesn’t mean you should. Food waste is a terrible thing and a waist is a terrible thing to mind! Choose a nice variety from the various sections of the menu and savor it. Cruise ships put a lot of effort and talent into providing high-quality meals, so appreciate and enjoy that.

Cruising is such an amazing thing and the opportunity to see fascinating places, “live on a floating resort” and feast on delicious food is a real treat. Take advantage of specialty dining on your next cruise to make it even more special.

Plan your next cruise with the help of this Expedia.com affiliate link, exclusive to RealFoodTraveler.com. 

Hungry for more? Give the gift of cruising with these itineraries.

-Story and photos by Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher and Managing Editor, Real Food Traveler

Please note: This article contains a link to Expedia.com. RealFoodTraveler.com is a participant in the Expedia.com affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn a small amount of advertising fees by linking to Expedia while providing convenience for the reader. This in no way affects the prices of any products you may purchase in conjunction with this link.