In recent years, cruise ships have not only grown in size but also in the incredible variety of restaurants they offer. I remember my first cruise with MSC in 2007... there was basically only one restaurant at night, and that was it. Nowadays? Seriously, you can find far more restaurants on a cruise than in a shopping mall.
However, dining on a cruise ship raises many questions. Is everything complimentary? What do I have to pay for? Are there plenty of options like seafood, Japanese restaurants, and pasta? Let's delve into some of the most popular questions and topics.
Dietary Needs
Vegetarian meals are available daily on all menus in the Dining Room and Windjammer Cafe, and guests do not need to make a special request prior to their cruise for these meals. However, for any dietary requests, it’s important to note the details in your reservation, especially if you plan to dine at a specialty restaurant. Famvia can assist with this.
Room Service
Room Service on Royal Caribbean ships is primarily a paid option, costing $7.95 per order. Whether you're ordering a single buttered toast or an entire meal from Johnny Rockets, the fee remains the same. However, there is a complimentary continental breakfast option available, featuring items such as muffins, bagels, oatmeal, and toast.
The room service menu is limited and doesn’t change. It's available 24 hours a day, making it a convenient option if you'd like to enjoy a meal in your room, perhaps even for a romantic evening.
Complimentary Dining aboard Royal Caribbean
Main Dining Room
Good news, friends, every Royal Caribbean cruise has complimentary restaurants that you can enjoy for the price of… free! They are already included in your itinerary, so save some space in your stomach and get ready to enjoy burgers, pizza and much more.
One of the most popular complimentary dining options is the Main Dining Room (MDR). The Main Dining Room is a staple on Royal Caribbean ships, offering complimentary meals in a large, elegant sit-down setting. Guests can enjoy breakfast and dinner in the Main Dining Room every day of their cruise, while lunch is served there only during sea days. Dinner tends to be more formal than lunch and breakfast, typically requiring attire such as jeans or trousers. During dinner, you'll have an assigned table for the duration of your trip, while for lunch and breakfast, seating is random and based on arrival.
Please be aware that you may be seated at a large table with other guests in the Main Dining Room. If you prefer a more intimate and private dining experience, feel free to reach out to Famvia, and we can arrange a smaller table exclusively for your family.
While most items in the Main Dining Room are complimentary, there are a few premium dishes that come with an additional price. Premium beverages like some types of soda, alcohol, and specialty coffee are also not included but can be purchased individually or as part of a beverage package.
The “My Time Dining” at the Main Dining Room
Typically, you will have a set time each night for dinner at the Main Dining Room, seated at the same table with the same waiters. With the My Time Dining program, you can choose to dine in the Main Dining Room anytime between 6 PM and 9:30 PM. You can pre-book a time or simply show up and wait for an available table. Alternatively, you can skip the Main Dining Room altogether and dine at another venue, such as the Windjammer Cafe.
You can choose the My Time Dining experience when making your reservation.
Windjammer Cafe
Found on every Royal Caribbean ship, Windjammer is the cruise line's primary self-serve buffet option. When envisioning cruises, one often thinks of a sprawling buffet where you can dine all day. That's exactly what Windjammer offers, except it’s open at specific times only. It's a spacious venue serving a variety of foods, including salads, burgers, pasta, desserts, and more. One cool thing is that you can just get a burger here (or any kind of food, really) and then bring it to the pool deck. Windjammer is also a place where you can dress casual all day, even for dinner.
Quick Service Restaurants
Royal Caribbean ships feature numerous quick-service restaurants. Some specialize in burgers, tacos and pizza, while newer ships also offer upscale options like sushi, all at no extra cost. Many complimentary restaurants provide quick-service options, and most guests opt to grab their meals and enjoy them elsewhere on the ship.
Café Promenade
Type: coffee & sandwiches
Café Promenade is one of the few dining spots open 24 hours, making it a great choice for grabbing a cup of coffee or a sandwich late at night. They also offer specialty coffee options and some snacks for purchase.
El Loco Fresh
Type: Mexican
This is a quick-service Mexican restaurant found on most Royal Caribbean ships. Do you love tacos? Burritos? Quesadillas? I sure do… and it seems that passengers from all over the world love them too! This popular joint often has a big line, but can you really blame people when they hear the words “free burritos”?
Mini Bites
Type: comfort food
Do you know what goes really well with a sunny vacation? Burgers. And fries. And hot dogs. This is the restaurant that offers all the comfort food in the world. Kids love it here, and for good reason. Now to go back to the gym… after… the vacation is over, of course.
Dog House
Type: Hot Dogs
We all love hot dogs of all types. This is the place for your dream hot dog. Customize it to your liking and make sure to leave room in your stomach for one after another. They also include vegan options on their menu.
Sorrento’s Pizza
Type: Pizza
When you see pizza, you eat pizza. It's as simple as that. If you're looking for a place dedicated to this delicious creation, Sorrento’s is the spot to be. One of the best things about Sorrento’s pizza is that it's often open late into the night, typically closing around 2-3am.
Park Café
Type: Salads & Breakfast
A good option for those that want to make their very own salad. A healthy option aboard a cruise is always good, so we welcome Park Café with open arms. This place is also open for breakfast, and is way less crowded than Windjammer.
The Aquadome Market
Remember I told you that cruise ships are getting bigger and bigger? Well, the new Icon class ships - like Icon of the Seas - now have a food hall inside them. This area, filled with new food options, is located on the front of the ship, and gives people that love Windjammer more options to get their meals.
On Icon of the Seas, you can find:
- Crème de la Crêpe (Crêpes)
- Toast & Garden (Sandwiches and salads)
- Mac's (Mac and cheese)
- Feta (Mediterranean)
- GNGR (Asian)
Specialty Dining on Royal Caribbean
Most of the food on Royal Caribbean cruises is complimentary, but there are also premium restaurants and dining options available for passengers. As expected, the menus in these restaurants are usually more elaborate than what you'd find in quick-service venues, offering specialties ranging from Japanese cuisine to steakhouses.
Specialty restaurants are divided into cover charge and à la carte. Cover charge means that you will pay a fixed price for your meal (beverages not included), then typically have access to a three or four course meal. Á la carte is your traditional experience where you pay just for what you order.
Specialty Dining can be booked prior to your cruise through the Royal Caribbean App, while on your cruise or with the help of Famvia, so let us know if you need a hand with that.
Royal Caribbean invites children 12 and under to dine at its specialty restaurants when accompanied by an adult, offering special pricing for younger guests. Kids ages 6-12 can enjoy a meal at specialty restaurants for a $10 cover charge, while those 5 and under do not pay.
Here are some examples of optional restaurants aboard Royal Caribbean.
The Best Specialty Restaurants at Royal Caribbean
Chops Grille
Type: Steakhouse
Love meat? This is Royal Caribbean’s main steakhouse, available in basically every ship. Guests will pay around $60 per person and get good, quality meat. The reviews online are pretty good, even if some passengers say that the room can get a bit crowded. The quality of the meal is the true star here, and some polls online on forums and reddit put Chops Grille as the best Royal Caribbean restaurant. Good job!
150 Central Park
Type: variety
A popular Royal Caribbean restaurant found on Oasis-class ships, 150 Central Park offers an elegant and romantic dining experience. This restaurant features a variety of gourmet dishes prepared with meticulous attention to detail. Prices may vary depending on the ship and season, but it typically costs $65 per guest. A smart-casual dress code is usually recommended.
Empire Supper Club
Type: varied, available on Icon of the Seas only
This restaurant costs $200 per passenger, but don’t let the price scare you! It offers a fine, elevated dining experience with an amazing atmosphere. You'll dine in a secluded space that resembles an old bar from 1940s New York, complete with a live jazz singer. This is the place to go for oysters, lobsters, and more, featuring an EIGHT-course meal waiting for you. Great food, a nice atmosphere, and an unforgettable experience that can take three hours await you, available only on the new Icon of the Seas.
More Specialty Restaurants at Royal Caribbean
Izumi Hibachi & Sushi
Type: Japanese cuisine
If there's anything I love as much as tacos, it's sushi. Izumi is the popular Japanese restaurant on Royal Caribbean ships, offering either traditional sushi or a teppanyaki experience where a chef prepares your food right in front of you. If you have a dining package, there is an additional fee for the teppanyaki experience.
Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade
Type: Sports bar & comfort food
Hey, did you know some Royal Caribbean ships feature a sports bar? You know what to find inside them, right? Fries, onion rings, nachos, good beer and way more than that.
Wonderland
Type: uh… Wonderland cuisine?
This is probably the most unique restaurant aboard Royal Caribbean, based on the popular Alice in Wonderland! The atmosphere is crazy, and there are, in fact, interactive elements before you even get to eat. To start it all, your menu is basically a piece of paper in front of you, and you need to paint it with a pencil to see what’s written on it. Wonderland has a set price of $59.99 and you will find plates that range from liquid lobster to crispy crab cones that are always presented in original and unique ways.
Here are a few more options you can find across Royal Caribbean:
- Chef's Table (variety)
- Johnny Rockets (burgers)
- Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen (italian)
- Giovanni’s Table (italian)
- Jamie’s Italian (italian)
- Samba Grill (steakhouse)
- Portside BBQ (BBQ)
- Sabor (mexican)
- 150 Central Park (variety)
- The Mason Jar (southern)
- Hooked Seafood (seafood)
Royal Caribbean Drink Packages
Ever wanted to enjoy unlimited drinks without worrying about prices? Well, hold on a second - always remember to drink responsibly, folks! Royal Caribbean offers the next best thing, allowing you to enjoy unlimited drinks without the stress of additional costs.
Before checking the drink packages, know that some drinks are complimentary aboard Royal Caribbean, like:
- Tap water
- Flavored waters
- Juices (at breakfast)
- Milk
- Hot chocolate
- Coffee (not specialty coffee)
- Tea
- Lemonade
- Iced tea
There are various drink packages available for you to choose from. It's important to note that no Royal Caribbean drink package covers room service or minibar drinks. Below, we'll explore the drink packages along with their average prices. Please remember that an 18% gratuity is not included in the prices listed.
You can buy a drink package as soon as you book your cruise. Sometimes it’s better to buy it in advance to save money. For example, purchasing the Deluxe Beverage Package in advance is always more cost-effective than buying it once you're on board. You can even find good deals during Black Friday!
Water Package
Price: $39 to $69, single cost.
One of the easiest ways to keep your group hydrated is with Royal Caribbean's Water Package, offering 12 ($39) and 24 ($69) pack options of 1 liter Evian water bottles. These bottles will be delivered to your cabin on the day you embark. This is the only package that is priced based on the quantity you order and that’s it. This can be a good option if you prefer water that… “tastes” a little bit better, and it’s also a good option to have bottles at hand to bring to your land excursions.
Cafe Select Coffee Card
Price: $31
This package can be used by everyone in your cabin, and is great for the coffee lovers out there. For a flat fee of $31, everyone can savor up to 15 different specialty coffees during the trip. Each shot of espresso counts as 1 "card punch," while more elaborate options like a double espresso may require two punches. Please note that beverages served in licensed Starbucks stores and cafes are not included in this package.
Classic Soft Drinks Package
Price: about $12.99 per person, per day.
Are you a soda enthusiast? Then this is perfect for you. You'll receive a special cup with a chip at the bottom, allowing you to refill your drink at designated stations whenever you like. You can also order soda at any restaurant or bar onboard, and the package is valid for use at CocoCay as well. Just remember, drinks from your mini-bar are not covered by this package.
Refreshment Package
Price: $29 per person, per day
This package is an upgrade from the Classic Soft Drinks Package. It includes still and sparkling water, sodas (similar to the package above), premium coffees & teas, mocktails and freshly squeezed juices. Exclusions are shakes at Johnny Rockets and coffee from Starbucks, but otherwise, it provides access to nearly all non-alcoholic beverages onboard.
Deluxe Beverage Package
Price: from $55 to $110 depending on cruise & season
This package introduces alcoholic beverages, expanding on the Refreshment Package by including cocktails, spirits, liquors, beer by the bottle or can, and wine by the glass. It covers alcoholic drinks up to $14 each, with discounts available on more expensive options. There is not a daily limit for drinks with the Deluxe Beverage Packages.
Note: According to cruise line policy, if one person in a cabin purchases this package, all adults in the cabin must buy the same package. However, some non-drinking guests have reported success in contacting customer service to downgrade their package by a tier or two.
