5 cruising dining hacks
Food is an important part of any holiday and on a cruise, it is especially helpful to know all the insider tricks. These five hacks will help you stay well fed and happy on your next cruise.
1. Take a look at menus in advance
All the main dining room meals are planned out for the week before you cruise, which gives you the opportunity to take a peek at the menus in advance. Simply visit the front desk and request to see the selections available for each night of your cruise. This will help you decide which nights you want try an alternative restaurant.
2. Order it twice
If you have a meal on a cruise that completely blows you away, pre-order it for dinner the following night. On some cruises, the chef will accommodate the request. It might not always be possible, but if you give them advanced notice, it definitely improves your odds.
3. BYO lunch
If you are in a port that allows you to take food off your ship (such as the US and some Caribbean ports) you can save yourself money by packing your own lunch before you head out. If you want to experience the local food for the cultural experience, it might be worthwhile packing a snack for when you get hungry during an all-day tour.
4. Grab free snacks at coffee bars
Cruise ship cafés or bakeries with a speciality coffee menu will often charge for your beverage but you are also likely to find free snacks in these places. From pastries to salad, fruit, quiche or cake, if you are feeling hungry in between meals, a café may be the perfect spot to visit.
5. DIY room service
If you feel like eating in your cruise cabin but nothing on the room service menu sounds appealing, go to the buffet and fill and a plate and take it back to your room to enjoy. As long as you aren’t dumping heaps of plates outside your door, the staff should have no problem with it. You can also request for waiters to arrange to have your half-finished meal sent back to your room.
What are your cruise dining hacks? Let us know in the comments below.