celebrity cruise change dining time

Celebrity Dining Information

You'll find a dining experience like no other at sea in each one of Celebrity's innovative restaurants. The dramatic two-story main restaurants present soaring ocean views, soft music and exquisite settings of china, white linen and crystal -- with attentive, yet unobtrusive service from European-trained staff. For more casual dining, visit a poolside grill or café, or choose fresh gourmet pizza and 24-hour in-room service. And throughout your cruise, you'll find a dazzling array of specialties in themed buffets. Main Dining Room Policies: Celebrity guests are assigned to one of two seatings in the main dining room for their evening meal, early or late. The early and late seating times can vary by ship or itinerary, but are usually at 6:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., respectively. Guests will be confirmed or wait-listed for dining time and table size at time of booking. Celebrity also has Celebrity Select Dining, which allows for open seating at dinner in the main dining room any time between 6:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Dress Code: On most sailings, there will be two evening chic nights. While dressier than smart casual, evening chic is intended to be less dressy than formal attire. Women's evening chic attire includes a skirt, pants or designer jeans with an elegant top, or a cocktail dress. Men should wear pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt or sweater. Sports coat and blazer are optional. With the exception of the two evening chic nights, the dress code is smart casual. Appropriate attire for men is pants or jeans with a sport shirt, while women are advised to wear a skirt, pants or jeans with a casual top. Shorts and swimwear are never permitted in the main dining room. Beverage Policy: All beverages except tea and water are at an additional cost. Juice and coffee are included with breakfast. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage packages are available for purchase. Special Requests: Special meals are available including low-calorie, vegetarian, no MSG, low/no sodium and low/no cholesterol meals, as well as sugar-free and fat-free desserts. Kosher meals are available on all ships except Celebrity Xpedition and should be requested at least 60 days before the ship's departure date. "Premium" kosher meals are also available, at an additional cost. Kids ages 6-12 now dine at specialty restaurants for only $10. Age 5 and under eat free. All dining rooms onboard Celebrity ships are smoke-free.

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• Celebrity Cruises

Anytime vs Scheduled Dining times

By gwsster , April 3, 2017 in Celebrity Cruises

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We are avid cruisers and have been on several lines We are cruising this September cruise to Alaska on the Infinity will be our first Celebrity Cruise. We have the Anytime Dining and in reading the posts some say the wait can be quite lengthy to get seated. Is it better to go with a set dining time? We are traveling with friends and the flexibility of Anytime Dining sounded appealing. What is your experience with either Set dining times vs. Anytime Dining. Thanks for your help and I do know that there are most likely threads out there, but I am looking for recent experiences.:) I won't even ask about the dress codes, have read enough about that, I just pray that the formal overalls on Gala night will be OK.

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I guess the overalls will be okay - they are denim! As far as anytime dining - when you set your specific time there is some flexibility if you arrive late. They block a 2 hour window for you.

Longboysfan

I would rather go with a set time.

You kind of know what you may be doing off ship each day.

And you already know what time you like to eat as you have done this in the past.

Matter of personal preferences. We never do traditional dining because neither of us like being locked into a specific time to eat every night.:)

Lets say 6pm and 8:30 are Set seatings ? Lets say you show up at 7:30 and want to be seated at Anytime seatings. Do they have a seperate dinning area that people roll in and out set aside in the main dinning room ? A block of open tables or seats ?

Are you asking if you are booked in traditional dining (set seating) and you show up at a different time do they have seating for you. Not if you show up an hour early or late. If you are booked in the 6pm seating they close seating at 6:30. The 8:30 seating is closed at 9.

Anytime is usually full, those who book anytime dining are guaranteed a seat in that dining area. Just as if you are booked in Traditional at 6pm you are guaranteed a seat at 6pm in Traditional Dining. Whether or not you could be seated in Anytime Dining is most likely dependent on how busy they are how.

RumRunner01

We are just off a Equinox and had Select dining. We got a table for two every night with less than a five minute wait (dining around 7:45 or 8). Only one night we waited 15 minutes but they gave us a pager and we went and had a cocktail, that night we dined a little earlier, around 7 or 7:15.

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CEOofVacation

We had select dining when went on an Alaskan cruise on Solstice last year, wait never exceeded more than a minute.

GottaKnowWhen

No. Anytime is a separate area, a different deck altogether in my limited experience. If you have signed up for (or for any other reason you have been assigned to) set time dining, then you need to be there at the assigned time. If you decide to go an hour later, you might be allowed into the Anytime seating area, but I would hope you would be put at the back of the queue, behind those who have committed to Anytime for every dinner. And have bothered to plan and to make reservations. But there is always buffet. Or maybe one of the specialty restaurants has an empty table...

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With Select Dining, you can technically have the best of both worlds. My wife is an early eater so we just logged into our account and booked a 6:30 seating every night. This way it's still early but it's nice to have a little extra time after a day in port.

We just completed 4 weeks on the Infinity with Select Dining. We never made a reservation and just arrived when we wanted to dine, usually around 7:00. We usually asked for a table for 2 and only had to wait for a table once, and that was only for a minute or so while they cleared a table. There were two hostesses at the entrance, one for those with reservations and one for those of us who didn't. Oana was the hostess for the "nots". She did an excellent job of finding us a nice table for 2 each night. No stress!!! The only time we noticed a line was after the 7:00 show ended around 8:00 and that moved quickly.

Enjoy your cruise on the Infinity. She is a beautiful ship and the staff is very gracious and personal. I will be glad to answer any other questions you may have.

I want to see pictures of your formal overalls. :eek:

Alatraveler1

Won't you have different waiters and staff if you dine at different times? Seems like you would have to. Just off NCL and we missed the Celebrity team serving each night and getting to know them.

Won't you have different waiters and staff if you dine at different times? Seems like you would have to. Just off NCL and we missed the Celebrity team serving each night and getting to know them .

This is one of the main reasons we prefer set time dining. We have also enjoyed meeting and getting to know our table companions over the course of a trip. I know some find it too constraining to have a set time, and it may complicate choices about when to go to the evening entertainment etc. But on balance, we will stick with the set time.

NEW 2 CRUISIN

You have to book a seating time for Anytime Time Dining??

That seems to defeat the purpose....but if so, I better get on the ball! Never heard of that!!

benjaminhuf

WAIT!   You have to book a seating time for Anytime Time Dining??   That seems to defeat the purpose....but if so, I better get on the ball! Never heard of that!!   :o

I was confused about that too at first, but...

Here's how it works. If you don't want to make a reservation, that's fine. Just show up when you want to eat.

But, once in a while there are lines doing it that way, which sometimes can last c. 15 minutes or so. If you want to try to avoid that, make a reservation in advance through the Celebrity website.

You're right, it does somewhat make it seems a little funny. Select time in advance, I guess.

But, like for our upcoming cruise, one day we are taking a 6 hour hike to see Mayan ruins. We wanted to eat later that night, and so I think our reservation is for 7:45. That will allow us time to take a shower and take a nap, and still have time to get ready for dinner.

But other nights we like to eat earlier. Anyway, after being confused a bit about it myself, I've now made reservations for all nights for the MDR. But probably one of those nights we'll order room service, another we might go to a specialty restaurant, and one night maybe we'll go to the buffet. Who knows?

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Celebrity Cruises Main Dining Room Menu + Recent Changes

Changes for celebrity cruises main dining room menus.

Talk to many cruisers who are loyal to Celebrity, and you’ll get a consistent complaint about how the food is not what it once was. In reality, it’s a problem across nearly every major cruise line. Food seems to be where the cutbacks and cost savings are most evident, and people are talking about it!

Unfortunately, Celebrity has been known for exceptional food in the past, so these changes have been more evident than on other lines.

Last year, Celebrity Cruises made hugely unpopular changes to its onboard menus, especially in the Main dining rooms (MDR). Having originally changed the menus to “simplify” the ordering process and allegedly increase customer satisfaction, many people complained about staples of the main dining room experience being removed from menus.

Bringing Customer Favorites Back to the Menus

Celebrity is bringing back some favorites, and adding nightly chocolate dessert options in response to Captain’s Club guest feedback and research showing a desire for menu diversity. 

Notable changes to the Celebrity Cruises dining menus:

• Changes to menus in response to guest feedback and desire for classic items such as Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, grilled chicken, New York sirloin
• Introduction of nightly chocolate dessert options
• Changes were expected to be implemented fleet-wide by the end of 2023 (which seems to have mostly happened)

See the Main Dining Room (MDR) Menus on Celebrity Cruises – From a Recent 7-day Cruise

Please wait while flipbook is loading. For more related info, FAQs and issues please refer to DearFlip WordPress Flipbook Plugin Help documentation.

Other menus available to see from the Celebrity Specialty Restaurants:

• Le Petit Chef Menu on Celebrity Cruises
• Tuscan Grille Menu on Celebrity Cruises
• Sushi on 5 – Celebrity Cruises Menu
• Celebrity Room Service Menu

A few things about how the Main Dining Room works with Celebrity (some FAQs)

Is there still a lobster night on celebrity.

Surprisingly, yes! On our last cruise, about halfway through the 7 days, there was a surprise lobster night at no additional charge. If you’re craving lobster, it’s also on one of the menus at Le Petit Chef , and available for an additional charge of about $17 most other nights in the main dining room.

Are there formal nights on Celebrity Cruises?

True formal nights are pretty much a thing of the past, but Celebrity does have a night for “evening chic”

You’ll see a range of cocktail dresses, skirts, and slacks to designer jeans, paired with elegant tops or blazers. Some guests opt for even more formal wear like tuxedos or gowns, especially for onboard photography sessions.

But in reality, you rarely see a Tuxedo anymore.

Most itineraries include one or two “evening chic” evenings. Cruisers who prefer not to partake in Evening Chic (aka Formal Night) can choose Smart Casual wear for dining and theater events.

Is there a dress code in the Main Dining Room (MDR) on Celebrity?

For the most part, smart casual is what is expected.

It is requested for entrance to the main dining area, specialty dining venues, and the Celebrity Theatre passengers wear “Smart Casual”. Smart Casual attire suggests a polished and comfortable look, which can be a dress, skirt, long pants, or jeans, complemented by a fashionable top or button-down shirt.

Celebrity says that shorts and flip-flops do not meet the Smart Casual dress standard. In reality, we’ve seen people dine in shorts without a problem. But it is worth noting, we’ve witnessed the restaurant host ask guests to remove baseball hats – so best to leave those behind.

Can you order more than one entree in the Main Dining Room?

Many cruise lines have implemented a charge for multiple main courses. This hasn’t been put in place on Celebrity at this time (but it wouldn’t surprise me if it becomes policy at some point)

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Disembarkation: Everything You Need to Know

By Sue Bryant

Last updated: April 27th, 2024

• Find a Cruise

Make the most of the day in your disembarkation port, which will run all the more smoothly with a little preparation and planning.

Disembarking a cruise ship is not the same as checking out of a hotel on your last day. Disembarkation day is a carefully choreographed event. It has to be, with sometimes 2,000 guests or more and their luggage to move from the ship to the cruise terminal and beyond in a short time.

Your Celebrity Cruises crew are highly experienced in this logistical exercise, though, and will do all they can to make that bittersweet goodbye as easy as possible.

What is a disembarkation port?

A disembarkation port is a port where a cruise ends. Most passengers will leave the ship here, apart from those who have booked back-to-back cruises.

The ship will then be “turned around”—cleaned top to bottom, refueled, and re-provisioned with everything that’s needed for the next voyage.

Once all the disembarking guests have left, after a brief lull, new arrivals will begin to check in, ready for the next cruise.

Typical disembarkation ports tend to be gateway cities with good air and road access, like Miami, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale in Florida; Cape Liberty, New Jersey; and San Juan, Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.

In Europe , disembarkation ports include Barcelona, Rome, Athens, and Southampton, England. Sydney, Australia and Singapore are two of Celebrity’s disembarkation ports in the Asia-Pacific region.

What happens on disembarkation day?

Disembarkation day is a busy day on a cruise ship. You’ll be invited to put your luggage outside your stateroom the night before. It will be collected by the crew overnight and will be waiting for you in the terminal when you leave the ship.

You’ll make sure your final bill is settled the day before, pack your carry-on luggage, and have breakfast. When your pre-allocated disembarkation time comes, make your way to the gangway.

You will then identify and claim your luggage in the terminal, clear customs, and take whatever onward transportation you’ve arranged.

Read: Everything You Need to Know About Embarkation Day

How will I know on board what to expect on disembarkation day?

Towards the end of your cruise, there will be a talk on disembarkation procedures. This will be shown on your stateroom TV, too, in case you miss it. You’ll also find details in the daily program.

You will already have been asked about your arrangements on disembarkation day. These might include a transfer to the airport arranged by Celebrity Cruises, or a shore excursion that ends at the airport.

You may have made independent plans, in which case you will need to add your flight details to the form you’ll be given, or the time your private pickup is booked.

A day or so before the voyage ends, your stateroom attendant will deliver a disembarkation letter and a set of colored luggage tags. The letter will tell you what time you are due to disembark. On the day, you will be called by group number or color code. You should stick to these staggered times to avoid congestion at the gangway.

If you’re not happy with the time you have been allocated, take it up with Guest Services as soon as possible rather than waiting until disembarkation day.

Do I have to put my luggage out for collection the night before disembarkation?

The vast majority of cruisers put their luggage outside their stateroom door, color-tagged and locked, the night before disembarkation. It’s more convenient and practical, as dragging heavy bags into crowded elevators and down a sometimes steep gangway is no fun for anybody.

But if you feel strongly about hanging onto your bag, or are perhaps traveling light with only a small wheelie on a short cruise, you can opt for “self disembarkation”. This usually means you can leave the ship as soon as disembarkation has begun.

How long can you stay on the ship on disembarkation day?

Disembarkation day isn’t a time to linger on board as the crew has to work hard to prepare the ship for the next voyage. Normally, there’s a window between around 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. for disembarkation. If your flight isn’t until much later, you will be given a later slot in this window, but this isn’t a day to expect to sleep in.

If you’ve booked a back-to-back cruise, you can relax on board during disembarkation day, or join a shore excursion while the new guests are checking in.

You will normally be asked to vacate your stateroom by 8 a.m. so the stateroom attendant can prepare it for the next guest. If your allocated disembarkation time is later than this, there will be public areas on the ship where you can relax with your carry-on before you leave.

Read: The Only Cruise Packing List You’ll Ever Need

How early can you get off?

A ship will usually only have a short distance to travel from its penultimate port to the disembarkation port to account for any delays or weather issues; no cruise line wants to arrive late on turnaround day. So you may find you’re docked alongside very early in the morning.

But the ship has to be cleared by the local authorities before anybody can leave. Luggage has to be offloaded, too.

When you book your cruise, you will be told about the earliest reasonable flight departure time to choose. A very early morning flight, for example, is usually impractical. If you do have a relatively early flight, this will be factored in when disembarkation groups are allocated.

Disembarkation times vary from port to port, but it is unusual for the process to begin any earlier than 7 a.m.

Is there time for breakfast?

Of course! You are still on vacation and will never be sent away hungry. Most of the usual breakfast venues will be open, including Café al Bacio for coffee to go.

Restaurants may be busier than usual as everybody is preparing to leave within the same short timespan, and some people may have already left their staterooms and will be carrying their hand baggage with them.

Read: What Is Food on a Cruise Really Like?

What documents do I need for disembarkation and customs?

You will need your passport and receipts for any duty-free goods you have bought, in case you get stopped at customs. Normally, the ship will have been cleared by the local immigration authorities, but you may still be required to show a passport to officials when you disembark.

If you have already checked in for your flight and feel happier with a paper boarding pass, you can print this out in the ship’s internet center. If you’ve parked your car at the port, make sure you have the receipt and know where it is.

You will also need your SeaPass key card to leave the ship for one last time.

How long does it take to get off a cruise ship?

If everybody follows the instructions they have been given and shows up at the gangway when invited, getting off a ship is quick and easy. You should be able to disembark in 15 to 30 minutes, including collecting your baggage in the terminal.

There can be delays, though, and the ship is at the whim of the local immigration authorities. This is another compelling reason for leaving plenty of time between your scheduled disembarkation time and your flight home.

If you have booked an airport transfer or a disembarkation day tour with Celebrity, your transportation will wait until everybody is present.

How do I choose the right disembarkation port for my cruise?

First, to be clear, you can’t choose where to disembark your cruise. Unless there is some kind of personal emergency or you have booked two back-to-back cruises, everybody disembarks on the same day in the same port.

It’s worth thinking about where your cruise ends, though, and what you might want to do to extend your vacation. If, for example, you’ve always wanted to see Athens and you’ve booked a cruise that ends in the Greek capital, you’re not going to actually see Athens unless you extend your stay there. The transfer from the port to the airport will not take you through the city center.

The same applies to Rome and Barcelona . So by all means pick a disembarkation port that you want to see, but bear in mind that unless the ship arrives there the day before the end of the cruise, you will need to add on a night somewhere, or book an evening flight and plan your day carefully.

Can I arrange transportation from the disembarkation port to the airport or other destinations?

Yes, of course. Celebrity Cruises offers airport transfers, which can be pre-booked, either as a group transfer by coach or a private car or van. If you haven’t pre-booked and decide that you would like an airport transfer, this can be done on board through your Guest Account or the Celebrity Cruises app up to five days before the end of the cruise.

In the vast majority of disembarkation ports, taxis will wait to pick up independent travelers. But do your research first; in some instances, the airport is a long way from the seaport. If you disembark in Southampton, England , for example, the drive to London Heathrow Airport is at least one hour and a taxi will be expensive.

What happens if my flight is in the evening?

An evening flight means you have the whole day to enjoy your disembarkation port. But this needs to be planned, as you will most likely have luggage. There’s no fun in going straight to the airport and sitting there for eight hours or so—and your flight check-in will not be open, in any case.

There are various ways to make the most of your time in your disembarkation port. You could go to the airport and deposit your bags in a left luggage locker and then take off for a day in town. This is only practical if the airport is not too far from where you want to go, though.

Booking a day room in a hotel is an option and also means you can freshen up before your evening flight. Be sure to book somewhere that will allow early check-in.

Celebrity Cruises offers tours with airport and sometimes rail station and downtown hotel drop-offs in most ports. In Sydney , for example, you could join a city tour taking in the Opera House and Bondi Beach before being dropped off at the airport.

From Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, Italy , there’s the option of joining a wine-tasting tour in the Italian countryside before heading to the airport.

If your Alaska cruise ends in Vancouver , you could take a trip to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, deep in the forest, that ends with an airport drop-off.

Best of all, you could extend your stay. Celebrity Cruises offers a comprehensive City Stays program , which means everything will be organized for you.

In Alaska , you could pre-book a Cruisetour to extend your vacation, heading off to the wilds of Denali National Park to see a different face of the 49th state.

What are some things not to do on disembarkation day?

• Don’t pack all your clothes in your suitcase and leave it for collection the night before. Nobody wants to be disembarking in their PJs.
• Similarly, don’t pack your travel documents in your checked luggage. Keep them with you as you may need to show your passport in the customs hall.
• Don’t party too hard on your last night; while it’s tempting, disembarkation day is busy and comes with an early start, so a clear head helps.
• Don’t forget the valuables that you put in the safe on the first day.
• Don’t wait until disembarkation morning to check your final bill. If you need to ask questions about your account, this will delay your disembarkation. You can view your statement on your stateroom TV.
• Do not expect to use the ship’s facilities on disembarkation day; this is not the time for a last swim or a workout, and the onboard shops will be closed when the ship is in port.
• Don’t leave your key card in your stateroom. You will need it to leave the ship for the last time.
• Leave the bathrobe. The slippers are yours to take, but if you walk off with a bathrobe, the cost will be added to your account, even after you have left the ship.

Read: Things Not to Do on a Cruise

Ready to plan your next cruise vacation? Browse our itineraries and plan your dream escape.

Sue has been writing about cruising for 20 years and is lucky enough to have sailed all seven continents. She lives in London, where she is cruise editor of The Times and The Sunday Times newspapers, as well as a freelance contributor to magazines and websites worldwide.

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• Celebrity Cruises

Change dining ?

By CruiserKris34 , February 18, 2022 in Celebrity Cruises

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CruiserKris34

We got stuck with 8:30 dining because we booked recently for 2/26 Apex.  I prefer "My time" or whatever it is called & we can choose each night.  The website right now won't let me change it....or I have not found the right place to do that LOL.  We prefer to eat earlier, more like 6pm.  I guess I was hoping to get reservations in each of the 4 complimentary restaurants to have it taken care of.  Thoughts?  Thanks in advance!  Kris

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leaveitallbehind

If the website won't allow you to change it, go to the maître d once on board and they will try to work out whatever reservation preferences you have.   And with Celebrity what you are referring to is called Select Dining.

1 minute ago, leaveitallbehind said: If the website won't allow you to change it, go to the maitre d once on board and they will try to work out whatever reservation preferences you have.  

That is the best way however what cabin category are you in. If you are in anything other than Main Dining Rooms you basically are in anytime dining.

If it's not showing available on the website, you can call and ask to be wait-listed for Select Dining.   I've done this a few times,and always been successful in getting the change before the sailing.

Just now, omeinv said: If it's not showing available on the website, you can call and ask to be wait-listed for Select Dining.   I've done this a few times,and always been successful in getting the change before the sailing.   Harris Denver, CO

Good advice. Calling in advance should work if you don't want to wait until you are on board.

If you book directly Call to Celebrity, or call to your TA to do the desired change, also you can ask for a table size

It’s a pain calling right now, so either ask your TA if you used one to do this, or wait. We had set dining at 6pm on Edge and Apex, but with the 4 MDRs we just told the Maitre de what MDR we wanted and when and it was set up. It’s not a big issue at all and works very easy to change. 

CHEZMARYLOU

Since the ships are not sailing at full capacity you should not have a problem doing Select Dining.

1 hour ago, CHEZMARYLOU said: Since the ships are not sailing at full capacity you should not have a problem doing Select Dining.

I agree that the OP should not have a problem getting Select Dining.  But that is a very popular option that can book quickly.  Keep in mind that although the ships are sailing at reduced capacity, they also are sailing with reduced crew capacity so the dining venues are operating at reduced capacity as a result.  Its all proportionate.

As the OP says he likes to eat early, if Select is not available, he should ask for early dining. 

Just go to the Maitre D at the entrance to the Main Dining Room as soon as you get onboard.  I've never had a problem making a change to my dining time onboard; so hopefully you don't have a problem either.

5 hours ago, 39august said: As the OP says he likes to eat early, if Select is not available, he should ask for early dining. 

I noticed their "6 o'clock" comment as well and thought the same thing.  Good alternative!

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12 dining mistakes you must fix on your next cruise

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Some cruisers might think there is no such thing as a “dining mistake” on a cruise. A vacation at sea can be akin to a feeding frenzy, with 24/7 dining options and all the pizza, ice cream and burgers you can eat. How could you go wrong with so many food choices?

However, if you actually care to have sit-down meals at the times you prefer in the restaurant of your choice and if you want to make the most of the dining opportunities provided on the ship, there are better and worse ways to approach your vacation.

A lack of planning can lead to your being dissatisfied with the onboard culinary experience – even though your tummy is full (or possibly, overly full) of food.

I prefer to treat cruises as a week of wonderful eating — like I would a visit to a city known for its culinary offerings — rather than an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord. To optimize the experience, I avoid these 12 dining mistakes whenever possible. If you want to taste all the best things on your next cruise without ever feeling hungry or grossly full, I suggest you fix your culinary strategic errors, as well.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter .

Not making reservations as far in advance as possible

Cruise lines make a big deal of their multiple onboard restaurants. They neglect to mention that, like the hot new eatery in your hometown, it can be nearly impossible to get a table for four at 7 p.m. on a Saturday night — or at any reasonable dining time on any day of your sailing.

Spontaneity is nice on vacation. However, when it comes to onboard dining in specialty restaurants, a lack of advance planning will leave you dining too early, too late or not at all. If you want that perfect reservation, you’ll need to secure a table in advance.

Ideally, you will make your specialty dining reservations online before you set sail. On some ships, suite passengers get early access to the best times. Make your dinner plans as soon as you’re able. If not, make it a priority to book a table as soon as you’re on the ship.

For restaurants that don’t take advance reservations, you’ll need to strategize your evening. For example, on a recent Carnival Celebration cruise, guests needed to request a table through the line’s app if they wanted to dine at included venues, such as Chibang! or Cucina del Capitano. However, if you waited to request a table until you were ready to eat, you might have found yourself, as we did, with an hourlong wait.

If you’re able, you should put your name on a list or request a table 30 to 60 minutes in advance of when you wish to sit down, knowing you might end up eating earlier than you intended.

Related: The ultimate guide to cruise ship food and dining

Missing the mid-cruise specials

On the other hand, if certain restaurants aren’t driving enough business, cruise lines will run promotions mid-cruise to entice more diners into the emptier venues. Or, the ship might run lunch or brunch specials in restaurants normally open only for dinner.

I noticed this on MSC Cruises’ MSC Seashore . Certain nights were designated all-you-can-eat sushi nights for a flat fee at the Kaito Sushi Bar. The Butcher’s Cut Steakhouse offered brunch on a sea day for less than its typical surcharge. If you’re interested in a nicer meal in an intimate setting for the right price, don’t forget to look for the mid-cruise specials printed in the daily newsletter.

Eating in the main dining room on the first night

It’s tradition for many cruisers to eat in the main dining room on the first night of the cruise. You’re still getting the lay of the land, and if you’ve selected assigned-seating dining, you’re eager to meet your waiters. Also, some avid cruisers remember a time when the best dishes, such as lobster, were served on the first night and don’t want to miss them – even though the cruise lines now often save their best dishes for formal night.

Because of this mindset, reservations can be easier to get in specialty restaurants on the first night of the cruise. Some lines even offer incentives if you book a table on the eve of embarkation. Carnival , for example, offers a free bottle of house wine or 50% off the regular wine list to cruisers who choose to dine in certain extra-fee restaurants on night one.

Related: 5 reasons you should splurge on a cruise ship specialty restaurant

Don’t miss out on the food and possibly a freebie by not considering a specialty restaurant for your first dinner on board.

Always eating as a family

You often see the multigenerational family cruise advice that everyone can do their own thing during the day and then come together at dinner and spend the evening as a family. This is great advice for families with teens and older children, but it’s not always ideal for little kids.

When I cruise with my children, I find our dining choices to be vastly different. My son has no use for a leisurely sit-down meal in a waiter-served restaurant. He wants to go to the buffet, grab food, eat and be done.

My picky eater daughter has no interest in a seafood restaurant, nor do I want to pay specialty dining fees for her to take two bites and declare she’s finished. (Know that many specialty restaurants will serve the regular kid’s menu of pizza and chicken tenders and not charge your children to dine.)

So on some nights, my husband and I will take the kids early to the buffet or a fast-casual restaurant before depositing them in the kids club, at which point we are free to enjoy a date night in the main dining room or in an upscale steakhouse or French restaurant on board. And everyone is happy. (I’ve even ordered room service for the kids on lines like Holland America that don’t charge.)

Forgetting about free room service breakfast

So many cruise lines have added delivery fees or a la carte pricing to their room service menus that budget-conscious cruisers have stopped considering in-room dining as an option. So it’s easy to forget that most lines have not yet slapped a price tag on Continental breakfast.

The options might not be vast, but sometimes you just want to sip a coffee and munch on some fruit or a croissant out on the balcony while you watch the sunrise. You’re always welcome to grab a more filling meal elsewhere on the ship later.

Room service is great for appeasing kids with cheerios and muffins while everyone gets ready to go up to the buffet. You can also order little boxes of cereal to keep on hand as afternoon snacks.

Sticking to the menu

Cruise ships don’t really have a secret menu like In-N-Out Burger, but sometimes galley staff can indulge you in a little creativity.

Luxury lines encourage it. Seabourn volunteered to cook my friends and me a vegetarian Indian feast, and SeaDream kept a secret stash of chocolate-chili ice cream that I could request whenever I wanted. That doesn’t mean mainstream cruise lines are hard-liners when it comes to the set menu, though.

Nearly every cruise ship I’ve sailed offers a veggie burger wherever regular burgers are found, including at private island barbecues, but you’ll hardly ever see one listed on a menu. I often ask for a side of roasted broccoli in the main dining room. The Carnival Pride staff got that one spot on, but the MSC Seashore folks delivered some sad steamed veggies I never ordered again.

Related: What not to eat on a cruise

At Royal Caribbean’s Sorrento’s pizzeria , you can request vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free pizza, even if you don’t see those choices listed on a menu.

And in the main dining room, you can always order appetizers as entrees, entrees as appetizers and get a scoop of ice cream on whatever dessert you like.

Skipping the extra-fee venues

I’m sympathetic to cruisers on a budget, as I’m often one of them. We all have to make choices about where and how we spend our vacation dollars.

Please do budget some money, if you can, to try a few of the extra-fee restaurants on cruise ships. They add variety to your onboard dining, and many offer great value for the money compared to land-based restaurants. The ambience is quieter and more intimate than in the main dining room, which can be loud and overwhelming, depending on your table.

Additionally, the food can be outstanding. I’m a fan of both Jamie’s Italian and Giovanni’s Table on Royal Caribbean , the steakhouse on Carnival, the Pinnacle Grill on Holland America and the Eden Restaurant on Celebrity Cruises .

Related: Cruise ship restaurant nirvana: The best meals you can have at sea

Some extra-charge dining experiences, like teppanyaki venues and churrascarias on various cruise lines, can be more fun than the typical sit-down restaurant. You don’t have to be a foodie to get a lot of satisfaction from specialty restaurants.

Not trying new foods

Cruise ships have all your foodie favorites, whether they be juicy steaks, cheesy pizza or freshly rolled sushi. It’s easy to indulge in feel-good food, but when meals are included, I’d encourage you to live a little dangerously.

A cruise is a perfect opportunity to try something new because you can ask for something else if you don’t like it. If you haven’t ordered a ridiculous amount of food already, you can get a second entree or dessert for no extra charge. Try buttery escargot or your first baked Alaska ; Carnival routinely has frog legs and alligator fritters on the menu.

If you’re worried about food waste, order one dish for your table to share. If you love it, you can always order another.

Eating too early or too late

This dining mistake is not always something you can control. If you want set-seating dining, you’re often looking at a 5:30 p.m. or 8 p.m. dinner time, when 6:30 p.m. or 7 p.m. would be preferable. My problem is an early dinner leads me to go on a snacking spree before bed, when pretty much only pizza and ice cream are available. A late dinner has me hunting for food at 5 p.m. and ending up with a pre-dinner burger.

One way around this is to select a cruise ship’s anytime dining plan and figure out how to work the system to get the dining time you want. This might involve agreeing to share a table with strangers, making reservations or requesting a table at least a half-hour before you want to eat.

As I said earlier, making reservations for specialty restaurants as early as possible is the best way to ensure better dining times. Alternatively, if you’re flexible, simply go where the waits are shortest. Norwegian Cruise Line ships often have real-time displays indicating which dining venues have shorter or longer wait times for tables. Of course, the buffet and other fast-casual venues will have you eating in a jiffy.

Not hoarding snacks

You might be thinking, “But Erica, there is food everywhere on a cruise ship. Why would I hoard snacks?”

The truth is, while food is plentiful at 4 p.m. on a cruise ship, it’s not always the food I want to eat at that time. At home, I eat fruit, baby carrots or granola bars mid-afternoon.

While I wholeheartedly agree that a cruise is not the right time to diet, I also find that some days I can’t stomach another cookie or slice of pizza, which is what’s available between meals on board. Sometimes all I want is a simple yogurt or a bowl of grapes in the afternoon when they are nowhere to be found.

My solution: Case the breakfast buffet for healthy items and store them in your cabin’s minifridge for mid-afternoon snacking. Fruit, yogurt, muffins, hard-boiled eggs and small boxes of cereal all work to satisfy those late-day cravings without resorting to something straight from the fryer.

Or, make a PB&J at breakfast to eat later in the day. It’s an especially good strategy when you’re traveling with small children.

Wasting food

When you’re at sea, you should strike a balance between trying new things and wasting food. Food waste is a huge issue on cruise ships. The number of half-eaten room service dinners and pizza crusts I saw on my last cruise was appalling (especially since the pizza was so good).

Take small portions at the buffet, where you know you’re going to want to try a few different dishes. Pick one dessert to try, and then go back for seconds, rather than piling your plate high with all the choices. Have everyone at your table choose their own desserts rather than bringing back a pile of cookies for the table that no one actually eats.

Related: 9 best cruise ship desserts to tempt you at sea

Ask for one slice of pizza instead of two, and handle the soft-serve machine gently so you don’t end up with a towering cone you can’t finish. Don’t order room service breakfast for your friends as a prank, and don’t be afraid to say no to unwanted fries. Ask for smaller portions if you don’t eat a lot (though sometimes you can’t convince your waiter to bring you one), or share a dish with a friend.

That way, when you do genuinely want to try something and end up not liking it, you don’t feel as bad ordering a replacement dish you truly intend to eat.

Not pacing yourself

As I mentioned earlier, a cruise can be a nonstop smorgasbord if you let it. While it’s fun to give in to your guilty culinary pleasures for a day or two, a week of constant eating and fried, sugary, high-fat foods can make you feel ill.

Remember: It’s not a competition or about getting maximum value by eating all the included food offerings. It’s OK — dare I say, encouraged — to pace yourself. Don’t pick up that cookie just because it’s there. Don’t eat pizza every single day. Actively seek out a — gasp — salad to balance out the giant steak you’re eating.

Showing a little restraint will keep you from feeling bloated and gross by day four of your sailing. More importantly, it will also make the food indulgences you choose more special because you can truly appreciate those delicious meals.

Bottom line

It’s difficult to go hungry on a cruise ship, especially if you’re willing to pay for food, but it is possible to leave a meal feeling dissatisfied. No one wants that on their vacation.

A little forethought and some self-restraint go a long way toward making your onboard culinary experience memorable and enjoyable.

When you fix your cruise ship dining mistakes, you can avoid some of the frustrations surrounding access to the best restaurants and the mealtime ambience you prefer. If you can make it through a week on board without overeating or feeling hungry waiting for mealtimes, you’ll know you’ve mastered the art of cruise ship dining.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

SPONSORED:  With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.

And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Protect Your Trip »

The 7 best 3-day cruise itineraries for 2024.

Plan a long weekend getaway aboard a cruise for fun, scenery and entertainment.

The Best 3-Day Cruise Itineraries

Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line

Hop aboard the Carnival Radiance for a short but fun-filled cruise weekend.

Whether you're short on vacation days or you only have a long weekend to spare, three-night cruises offer a fun and affordable way to get a change of scenery. These shorter sailings from the U.S. often amount to a weekend cruise and only depart from Florida and California for now. However, short cruises still let you dine and dance on board, enjoy world-class entertainment, and visit nearby destinations like Nassau in the Bahamas; Key West, Florida; or Ensenada, Mexico.

If you're looking for short cruises that pack a lot of good times into a weekend vacation, you should know that many cruise lines offer these trips, including Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises. Read on to find out which short cruises we recommend, where they depart from, and everything you can see and do over the span of three incredible nights.

3-Day Cruises From Florida

Norwegian sky from miami.

Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Dates: Aug. 2 to 5, 2024

Departure port: Miami

Stops: Key West, Florida; Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas

Starting price: $399 per person

This three-night cruise on Norwegian Sky departs from Miami in August 2024 with stops at two iconic tropical destinations. The vessel's first stop is Key West , where cruise passengers will have the day to visit the southernmost tip of the United States, book a snorkeling or kayaking tour, or bar hop along the world-famous Duval Street. From there, the cruise stops at Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, which is a private island paradise that's only for cruise passengers. Here, visitors can enjoy some beach time, plan a WaveRunner adventure or snorkel the clear waters to watch out for wildlife.

When not at port, passengers on Norwegian Sky can enjoy the ship's 10 dining options, onboard spa, casino at sea, and variety of pools and hot tubs. The Norwegian Cruise Line vessel even has a sushi bar and a Starbucks onboard, and it was completely renovated from top to bottom in 2019.

Book a Norwegian cruise on GoToSea , a service of U.S. News.

MSC Seashore from Port Canaveral

Conrad Schutt | Courtesy of MSC Cruises

Dates: Multiple dates in November and December 2024

Departure port: Port Canaveral, Florida (Orlando)

Stops: Nassau and Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, Bahamas

Starting price: $169 per person

This three-night cruise on MSC Seashore departs from Port Canaveral near Orlando and takes passengers to two tropical destinations in the nearby Bahamas . The first is the island of Nassau, which is known for its luxury resorts (including the exclusive Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas), huge casinos and powder white sands. After that, guests can spend a second day at port at MSC Cruises ' private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. This island offers a perfect beach retreat for people who just want to relax, including several expansive white sand beaches with ample seating, an interior ocean lagoon for swimming, and beach bars and eateries dotted throughout.

MSC Seashore features huge pools, an onboard water park for kids, the expansive MSC Aurea Spa and 11 distinct dining venues for passengers to choose from. The ship also boasts the exclusive "ship within a ship" Yacht Club area, which offers the best of everything for discerning guests.

Find an MSC Cruises deal on GoToSea.

Celebrity Reflection from Fort Lauderdale

Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

Dates: Ongoing in 2024

Departure port: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Stops: Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas

Starting price: $273 per person

This three-night cruise on Celebrity Cruises ' Celebrity Reflection departs from Fort Lauderdale and leaves for two days in the sunny Bahamas. The first stop gives guests a full day to enjoy at Perfect Day at CocoCay, a cruise line private island that's typically reserved for Royal Caribbean guests. This island paradise features an exclusive beach club, idyllic white sand beaches for swimming and floating, a water park, a zip line, and plenty of places to eat and drink all day. The next stop is Nassau: Visitors can dine and shop their way through the port area or book a fun day pass to the Baha Bay water park, which is located at resort Baha Mar and features waterslides, an expansive lazy river and incredible cuisine options right at the park.

Celebrity Reflection was recently refurbished in 2022. It features an incredible array of included dining options, eight specialty and exclusive dining establishments, and bars and lounges throughout the ship. The Retreat, a VIP ship-within-a-ship concept, is also offered on board for those who want an elevated cruising experience.

Explore Celebrity Cruises on GoToSea.

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Disney Dream from Fort Lauderdale

Courtesy of Disney Cruise Line

Dates: Nov. 6 to 9, 2024

Stops: Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Disney Castaway Cay, Bahamas

Starting price: $1,973 per stateroom

This three-night Bahamian cruise on Disney Dream stops at two exclusive destinations in the Bahamas – Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, then Disney Castaway Cay. The first stop offers incredible beaches with play areas and crystal-clear water for swimming, as well as the Bahamian Arts and Culture Pavilion for families who want to learn something about the local culture on vacation. At Disney Castaway Cay, families can relax the day away on white sand beaches, go biking or kayaking, ride two waterslides, and more. Both destinations even have adults-only beach areas for cruisers who are traveling kid-free.

Disney Dream holds a maximum of 4,000 passengers and has everything you would expect on an exclusive Disney Cruise Line vessel, including kids and family areas, adults-only dining options and pools, and two large theaters. The ship also has several supervised kids clubs as well as dedicated clubs for teenagers and tweens .

Read: The Top Cruises for Babies and Toddlers

Liberty of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

Stops: Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas

Starting price: $263 per person

Royal Caribbean International also boasts a Bahamas cruise from Fort Lauderdale that stops in Nassau and at the line's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. In Nassau, cruisers get the chance to explore one of the most popular cruise ports throughout the Caribbean, where you can book an excursion to a local beach, plan a snorkeling adventure or play in one of the two biggest casinos throughout the region at Atlantis or Baha Mar. At Perfect Day at CocoCay, families can stay active with waterslides, book a kayaking tour or ride a hot air balloon up to 450 feet in the air.

Liberty of the Seas is also an ideal ship for families thanks to fun features like a huge onboard water park with slides, an ice skating rink with shows and the Broadway at Sea theater. The Royal Caribbean vessel also has nearly a dozen different dining venues, including Cupcake Cupboard, Johnny Rockets, a pizza kitchen and an old-world Italian eatery called Giovanni's Table.

Compare Royal Caribbean International cruises on GoToSea.

3-Day Cruises From California

Navigator of the seas from los angeles.

Dates: Throughout 2024

Departure port: Los Angeles

Stops: Ensenada, Mexico

Starting price: $282 per person

Royal Caribbean offers a three-night West Coast adventure on Navigator of the Seas that includes a fun day at sea and a full-day stop in Ensenada, Mexico. This Mexican destination is known for the many activities that can be enjoyed along its rugged shores, which can include leisurely days at nearby Estero and Mona Lisa beaches, hiking experiences, exploration of Baja California's wine region, whale watching and more.

Dates for this sailing are offered throughout 2024, and the ship itself has plenty to keep passengers enthralled while at sea. For example, Navigator of the Seas features the longest waterslide at sea, enlarged pool deck areas for relaxation, ice skating shows and shopping – not to mention Broadway-style shows with dancers, acrobats and singers. There are also 12 unique dining options onboard, including Starbucks, Jamie's Italian by Jamie Oliver and Johnny Rockets.

Carnival Radiance from Los Angeles

Dates: Jan. 26 to 29 and Sept. 24 to 27, 2024

Departure port: Long Beach (Los Angeles)

Starting price: $244 per person

Carnival Radiance also embarks on three-night journeys to Mexico from Los Angeles throughout the year, including in January and September 2024. This Carnival Cruise Line itinerary includes a fun day at sea and a stop in Ensenada, Mexico, where passengers can plan a sightseeing trip, nosh on the unique Baja cuisine the area is known for, shop for silver jewelry and other keepsakes, or spend the day relaxing on the beach.

Carnival Radiance itself serves as the perfect floating vessel for this fun weekend vacation, with onboard amenities that span the Cloud 9 Spa and WaterWorks water park with slides to a comedy club and special clubs for kids and teens. The ship also boasts an adults-only solarium and 10 different bars to choose from.

Book a Carnival cruise on GoToSea.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is a professional travel writer and cruise expert who has covered family travel and cruises for more than a decade. She has cruised more than 40 times across most of the major cruise lines in destinations throughout the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East. Johnson used her personal experience and research expertise to curate the itineraries for this article.

You might also be interested in:

• Cruise Packing List
• Beach Packing List
• Cruise Drink Packages: Your Options by Cruise Line
• First-Time Cruise Tips
• The Best Cruise Insurance Plans

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