Dining at Sea

Cruising and food seem to go hand in hand since dining has always been a vital part of the entire cruise vacation experience. It's no surprise then that food and dining options are a big selling point for cruise lines. Today, cruise lines are offering more dining choices, modern menus, and great new venues in which to enjoy them.

Have it your way

To keep up with the increasing array of culinary and dining trends, cruise lines are investing in larger ships with innovative dining enhancements such as multiple restaurants with 24-hour dining and room service. These are just a few of the reasons why cruising is growing in popularity.
On a typical day, cruise ship passengers may dine on oysters, shrimp cocktail, lobster, escargot, filet minion, rack of lamb, fresh salads, fresh fruits, exotic deserts like chocolate molten lava cake--and that's just for dinner.

When it comes to cruise dining most cruise lines offer vast choices in menus and venues. Guests can choose to eat al fresco or inside, grab a quick meal at a buffet, or spend the evening dining on a six-course menu. In fact, many ships have half a dozen or more dining venues on board. From delis and steak houses to Italian trattorias and French bistros, cruise ships have multiple dining options to please every palate and every craving.

Part of catering to cruise ship guests' every need includes accommodating passengers who require diabetic, low-fat or low-salt meals, kosher or other special dietary requests or who just want healthful choices. Spa cuisine is now popular with many lines and guests now have choices of low-calorie, low-fat and heart-healthy foods.

With the growing number of children sailing these days, most cruise lines offer special children's menus designed to satisfy the littlest gourmand. Most offer the kid dining staples of chicken fingers, pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled cheese and, of course, ice cream.
Go gourmet

In addition to 24-hour buffets, pizza stands, and ice cream parlors, many cruise lines offer gourmet fare for the more sophisticated palate as well. Some lines host regular food-and-wine festivals and invite chefs and wine experts to lead seminars and tastings.

One of the big culinary trends in cruising is alternative dining venues where, for an additional fee, guests can indulge in a truly special dining experience themed around such cuisine as Asian, Italian, New Orleans or Seafood. Highlighting that commitment in food excellence, cruise lines also often feature menus created by celebrity chefs that highlight different food themes and employing cutting-edge preparation techniques.

Additionally, cruise lines have begun to follow land-based food trends more closely. As an example, more ethnic food is showing up on the menus these days from Thai to Indian. So, if you've been craving to explore new cuisines from different countries taking a cruise vacation is a great way to satisfy that gourmet curiosity.

With all the epicurean offerings available with today's cruise ship cuisine, passengers are sure to savor a sailing adventure to remember.

Anita Dunham-Potter is a Pittsburgh-based travel journalist specializing in cruise travel and cruise vacations. In addition to writing pieces for Princess Cruises, Anita is a weekly travel columnist for MSNBC.com and Tripso, and she is a contributor to Fodor's "Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises 2007"

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