The 10 best cruise ship restaurants and dining experiences

In the case of onboard eating places and eating, cruise ships usually get a nasty rap. There is a storyline on the market that cruises are little greater than gorge fests, prioritizing amount over high quality.

After writing about cruising for almost 30 years, I can let you know that is removed from the reality. High quality eating has at all times been a giant a part of the cruising expertise, and cruise ship restaurant choices solely have improved over time.

You will now discover stand-alone eating places on high-end cruise ships created and overseen by among the world’s most well-known cooks, together with Nobuyuki (Nobu) Matsuhisa, Alain Ducasse and Jacques Pépin.

However even on the most important mass-market cruise ships, the meals is getting ever extra elaborate and various. Norwegian Cruise Line brags that its largest vessel, Norwegian Encore, has greater than 20 completely different meals venues — every thing from an off-the-cuff barbecue restaurant (with dwell nation music) to a high-end Italian spot from the creators of New York Metropolis’s Scarpetta.

Some mainstream strains, similar to Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises, have even referred to as in cooks from Michelin-starred eating places to assist design complete culinary applications.

Through the years, as a part of testing and reviewing almost 200 vessels operated by 41 completely different strains, I’ve eaten at just about each cruise ship restaurant.

Identical to at resorts on land, there’s unbelievable range on the market. Some are nice. Some aren’t. Some are too dear for what they’re. Others are bargains.

However the backside line is that there are plenty of great eating places on cruise ships. Beneath are my picks for one of the best cruise ship eating places at sea. As you would possibly anticipate, lots of my favorites are on higher-end ships, however a number of of the highest eating places might be discovered on the larger, extra inexpensive cruise ships.

Manfredi’s

The place you may discover it: All Viking ocean and expedition ships

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Discovered on each Viking ocean and expedition ship, Manfredi’s is our hands-down decide for one of the best Italian restaurant at sea. It serves up genuine and hearty Tuscan and Northern Italian specialties, similar to bistecca fiorentina and osso buco alla Milanese. Appetizers vary from hand-cut beef tartare to — our favourite — a relaxing asparagus and polenta dish that is served with a superbly poached egg, Parmigiano-Reggiano and truffle dressing.

This is a little bit of trivia: Manfredi’s was named after Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, who as soon as owned certainly one of Viking’s rivals, Silversea Cruises, and now owns the recently relaunched luxury line Crystal. Viking chairman Torstein Hagen and Lefebvre are mates. If you happen to’re a cruising aficionado, remember to hunt among the many photographs on the wall for the pictures of Lefebvre and Hagen experimenting with recipes through the restaurant’s creation. The Italy-born Lefebvre supposedly shared a few of his favourite childhood recipes for the venue.

Value: There is no further cost to dine at Manfredi’s, however reservations are required. Passengers are entitled to at least one go to per voyage (these staying in greater cabin classes obtain as much as 4 precedence reservations).

Associated: The ultimate guide to cruise ship food and dining

Umi Uma by Nobu Matsuhisa Restaurant and Sushi Bar

The place you may discover it: Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony

In the case of sushi at sea, the gold normal for years has been Umi Uma by Nobu Matsuhisa Restaurant and Sushi Bar. Discovered on each of Crystal’s ships, the venue is the creation of famed Japanese chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa — sure, that Nobuyuki Matsuhisa — and presents sushi in addition to Matsuhisa’s trademark Japanese-Peruvian fusion delicacies. We’re speaking dishes like Nobu-style lobster with truffle-yuzu sauce and miso-glazed black cod.

If you happen to’ve been to Matsuhisa’s Nobu eating places in New York, Las Vegas or different cities, you already know what we’re speaking about. That is Japanese delicacies remodeled into excessive artwork. On the 2 Crystal ships, it is also top-of-the-line offers on sushi wherever.

Whereas it is simple to rack up a $150 per individual invoice at a Nobu on land (a single piece of toro sushi prices $17 at Nobu New York Fifty Seven), an evening at Umi Uma on a Crystal ship is included within the fare. That fare, in fact, is not insignificant. Crystal voyages can run as a lot as $1,000 per individual, per day.

Value: There isn’t a further cost to dine at Umi Uma. Passengers are entitled to at least one go to per voyage, with reservations required. Further reservations could also be requested on a space-available foundation for a $50 per individual reservation payment.

Associated: Best cruise food: These are the 6 cruise lines with the best food at sea

Crimson Ginger

The place you may discover it: Oceania Cruises’ Marina, Riviera, Sirena, Vista and Allura (coming in 2025)

Crimson Ginger may be probably the most beautiful restaurant you may ever see on a cruise ship. With a nod to feng shui, it radiates concord and tranquility with ebony woods, a soothing waterfall wall and hanging, fashionable Asian artworks. But it surely’s not only a fairly place: It is a den of yumminess, too.

Discovered on 4 Oceania Cruises ships — Marina, Riviera, Sirena and Vista — Crimson Ginger presents basic Asian dishes with a up to date twist, all dreamed up by Oceania’s well-regarded, in-house culinary group with enter from famed chef Jacques Pépin. We’re speaking about miso-glazed sea bass wrapped in a hoba leaf, and sole tempura with an orange ponzu sauce and spicy daikon. For dessert, do not miss the lemongrass creme brulee.

Crimson Ginger will debut on a fifth Oceania ship, Vista, when it begins crusing in 2025.

Value: There isn’t a further cost to dine at Crimson Ginger, however reservations are required. Passengers are entitled to at least one go to per voyage (these staying in high suites can go twice).

Fahrenheit 555

The place you may discover it: Carnival’s Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, Carnival Venezia, Carnival Breeze, Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Dawn, Carnival Radiance, Carnival Luminosa, Carnival Jubilee and Carnival Firenze

One of many nice paradoxes of the cruise world is that one of many lowest-cost operators — Carnival Cruise Line — has one of many best steakhouses at sea. At a hard and fast worth of $49 per individual, Fahrenheit 555 can also be a relative discount in comparison with comparable steakhouses on land.

Discovered on Carnival’s six most just lately constructed ships, plus just a few others, Fahrenheit 555 presents all of the steakhouse staples, from a 14-ounce New York strip to a 9-ounce filet mignon (each USDA Prime, aged 28 days). Different entrees embody an appropriately marbled hunk of Australian wagyu beef, grilled lamb chops and Dover sole. Starters embody Heritage Berkshire pork stomach, bone marrow, hand-cut beef tartare and — in fact — jumbo shrimp cocktail.

Carnival has an extended custom of providing high-end steakhouses on its ships. The road started rolling out steakhouses in 2001 with the debut of its Spirit Class ships (the place, in one of many nice quirks of cruise ship design, the steakhouses are positioned in pink domes that type the ahead parts of the ships’ funnels).

There now are steakhouses on 25 of Carnival’s 27 vessels, with various names and decor (solely Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise lack one). In the case of culinary choices, they’re all just like Fahrenheit 555.

Value: $49 per individual

Associated: 7 reasons you should splurge on a cruise ship specialty restaurant

Nuna

The place you may discover it: Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot

The latest temple to gastronomy at sea is Nuna on Ponant’s epic new icebreaking expedition ship, Le Commandant Charcot. Elegant and refined, it is a high-end French restaurant that serves dishes designed by Alain Ducasse, the famed French chef.

You will discover every thing from French-style beef fillet served with a pepper sauce to veal tenderloin with a vegetable matignon and potato cake to monkfish medallions on the menu, with some worldwide dishes combined in with the basic French delicacies. Dessert choices embody a choice of French cheeses that quantity into the handfuls — maybe probably the most spectacular cheese choice discovered on any cruise vessel.

The setting itself is beautiful, behind the vessel overlooking the wake and that includes furnishings from iconic French furnishings design home Ligne Roset, Bernardaud French china and glassware by Elne.

Value: There isn’t a cost to dine at Nuna.

La Dame

The place you may discover it: All Silversea ships besides Silver Origin

The premier restaurant on Silversea Cruises ships is a temple to high-end French delicacies. Named after La Dame de Paris, aka the Eiffel Tower, it serves such basic dishes as filet of Limousin beef, grilled rack of lamb and pan-fried Dover sole. The menu contains two completely different kinds of foie gras, in addition to caviar.

As you would possibly anticipate from a elaborate French venue, the service is all white-glove magnificence in a refined however up to date setting. Nevertheless, as you may not anticipate from an upscale all-inclusive cruise line, the restaurant does have a hefty cowl cost.

Value: $60 per individual for all ships, apart from the brand new Silver Nova and Silver Ray. The duvet cost for La Dame on Silver Nova and Silver Ray, the place the expertise contains an unique choice of French wines and digestives, is $160 per individual.

Pacific Rim

The place you may discover it: Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Grandeur

One other certainly one of my favourite cruise ship eating places is Pacific Rim, discovered on the three largest Regent Seven Seas Cruises vessels. Serving pan-Asian delicacies, it is elegant and upscale — as you’d anticipate from one of many world’s main luxurious strains — and has a mouthwatering menu.

Signature dishes embody grilled Korean barbecue lamb chops (served with wok-fried Brussels sprouts and gochujang sauce) and a miso black cod wrapped in a hoba leaf. Signature appetizers embody a crispy soft-shell crab served with a kizami wasabi mayo.

For dessert, do not miss the Chinese language five-spice chocolate mousse. True to its title, it is infused with chile and splendidly spicy. For one thing extra impartial, my decide is the inexperienced tea panna cotta, served with mango and a lychee ragout.

Value: There is no further cost to dine at Pacific Rim, however reservations are required.

Associated: A look at the over-the-top luxury of Regent’s Seven Seas Splendor

Eden Restaurant

The place you may discover it: Movie star Cruises’ Movie star Edge, Movie star Apex, Movie star Past and Movie star Ascent

Movie star Cruises has created a temple to gastronomy with Eden Restaurant, discovered on its new Edge Class ships. Positioned behind every vessel in a whimsical glass-walled and plant-filled eating and leisure area referred to as Eden, it presents a fixed-price menu with a variety of selections for appetizers, entrees and desserts.

In a pointy departure from Eden Restaurant’s unique idea of mesmerizingly imaginative dishes with fanciful names, the menu now focuses on destination-inspired dishes ready with the highest-quality produce in entrance of diners by a group of cooks in an open kitchen.

Menu highlights embody sheep’s milk ricotta gnocchi with smoked pecorino cheese; filet mignon; a miniature brief rib Wellington with mashed potatoes, greens, mushrooms and bordelaise sauce; and slow-cooked corvina — all cooked completely.

Along with the common menu, Eden presents two seven-course tasting menus — one with some dishes derived from animals and one that’s utterly vegan.

Value: $85 for the essential menu; the tasting menus value $120, plus friends have the choice so as to add a wine pairing for $100.

Remy

The place you may discover it: Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy

For probably the most half, the meals on Disney Cruise Line ships is simply so-so (in my view, at the least). It is a line you guide for its nice household leisure, not delicacies. However Remy is the exception — a eating expertise that’s among the many most interesting at sea.

Created by two famend cooks (Arnaud Lallement of France’s three-Michelin-starred L’Assiette Champenoise and Scott Hunnel of Disney World’s high-end Victoria & Albert’s), it presents exquisitely offered, French-inspired delicacies of the very best high quality in a chic setting at one of many highest costs of any cruise ship eatery.

Like just about all venues on Disney ships, Remy has some whimsical Disney touches. Named after the rat hero within the Disney animated movie “Ratatouille,” it has his stylized likeness labored into the artwork nouveau design.

However there’s nothing Mickey Mouse in regards to the restaurant’s subtle decor and finishings, which embody high-end Frette linens, Riedel glassware, Christofle silverware and gold-cushioned stools to carry girls’ purses. This can be a nice eating institution the place you put on a jacket or cocktail costume to dinner whereas savoring mouthwatering small plates of turbot, quail, wagyu beef, king crab and the like.

Value: $135 per individual for dinner, not together with wine. A brunch service can also be obtainable for $80 per individual, and a dessert providing is $65 per individual.

Steakhouse at The Verandah

The place you may discover it: All Cunard ships besides Queen Anne

Steakhouse lovers will discover one other nice possibility in Steakhouse at The Verandah, positioned on all Cunard vessels besides the brand new Queen Anne (the latter has a special steakhouse referred to as Sir Samuel’s). It is a shrine to probably the most indulgent, marbled and mouthwatering cuts of beef, from 35-day dry-aged Scotch grass-fed black Angus to Australian grass-fed wagyu beef (the latter for a $30 upcharge). It additionally serves seafood choices similar to grilled entire Dover sole and Maine lobster. Appetizers embody clam chowder and lobster cocktail.

At a worth of $65, if booked on board (with just a few supplemental fees for premium objects), it is not fairly the worth it was a 12 months in the past when it value simply $50. But it surely’ll nonetheless most likely value you lower than a go to to a nice steakhouse on land.

Value: $58.50 per individual if booked upfront of crusing; $65 per individual if booked on board. A couple of premium dinner objects include further fees. The steakhouse can also be open for lunch for $31.50 per individual if booked upfront and $35 per individual if booked on board.