Food & Night Life

Food on Board

Almost all of the ships have the standard buffet, some specialty restaurants and main dining rooms. You will never go hungry! Room service is also available – hours of service are sometimes limited depending on the cruise line and ship. Don’t plan to eat everything on the ship. So you don’t gain weight, there are many forms of exercise for you to shed off the extra pounds.

Tipping

• Remember – behind the smiles of the crew members are some of the hardest working people you will ever meet. Remember to support the great service you will receive, most cruise ships add a service fee of anywhere from $10-13 per day, per person. Some specialty restaurants have the tip included in the price. Check your bar bill – most cruise ships include your tip in the price of the beverage.

Public Buffets

• If 2 or more people are going to the buffet, my suggestion is to have one person immediately get a table and let the others go to the buffet. Tables fill up very fast, you wouldn’t want someone to take your table while you’re getting your food!

Dining Selection

• Some cruise lines have dining anytime, anywhere. Others have dining by early or late seating – both have their own benefits. It depends if you like to be by yourself or if you want to sit at a table with strangers (of which some could end up to be your lifelong friends).

Specialty Restaurants

• Check out what restaurants are on board the ship. You may be happily surprised with the selection you get to choose from! Make sure you make reservations in advance, they fill up quickly. Remember there is usually an additional service charge per person for these restaurants. Check it out first, prior to making your reservations. If you enjoy a quieter dining atmosphere, this may be the choice for you.

Dietary Needs

• If you have special dietary needs, make sure you tell them 30 days or more before your cruise. Tell your travel agent or contact your cruise line.

Night Life

Depending on your interests, cruise ships usually have many fun things to do at night. Check your cruise ship to see what’s on board. Here are some things it may have:

• Dance Clubs
• Bars and Lounges
• Theaters for shows as well as movie theaters.
• Karaoke
• Shopping
• Bowling
• Casinos

Have a great time on your cruise, but remember – the cruise line has security on board! They will definitely show up if you get out of control and annoy others. For your safety most cruise ships have hundreds of cameras watching all public areas on the ship.