William Hope

My Kind of Cruise

The Best Restaurants on a Cruise Ship?

Love food? Love holidays? Why not combine the two on a gourmet expedition aboard a cruise ship?

If you've never cruised, it might come as a surprise to find that some of the best dining experiences you can find on holiday are not actually on land, but at sea! Imagine Michelin class chefs, small plate tasting menus, or Heston Blumenthal style experimental delights. From Jamie Oliver's Italian to MSC cruises fresh Mozarella, or sushi and Teppanyaki prepared at your table... exclusive gourmand menus to (literally) jumping burgers joints and pizzas, cruise lines take their food offerings VERY seriously!

Experimental Dining Let's begin with a taster of some of the most original food afloat. Cruise with Royal Caribbean and visit 'Wonderland', an imaginative leap of faith into Alice's rabbit hole. Enjoy a brush with a menu based on five natural elements - Sun, Sea, Earth, Fire & Ice Choose something from fire if you enjoy spices, such as crispy shrimp kataifi with scotch bonnet pepper, or go chilled with Oceanic citrus and yuzu granite, or go more hearty with liquid lobster and caviar, branzino prepared with a branzino spice emulsion- whatever you decide is sure to be an experience, aboard Anthem, Harmony, Ovation, Quantum and Symphony of the Seas!

Alternatively, enjoy 'Qsine' aboard Celebrity Cruises and experience a fusion of entertainment and cuisine, as your table top is brought to life with each course. Your food is matched to a light display that changes with each taste from your Michelin starred chef's menu, a combination of French, Japanese, Spanish and Italian delights, in a performance you will never forget, that excites all the senses! Le Petit Chef is available in all Qsine restaurants aboard most Celebrity ships.

Italian Restaurants After a classic Italian taste instead of experimental? Head for Jamie's Italian aboard Royal Caribbean, or Sabatini's Italian Trattoria onboard Princess cruise ships. Delivering freshness and Mediterranean flavours from the kitchen tables and cooking pots of Italy, you will not be disappointed by either of these fine offerings. Try Roasted Lamb Tortellini, speckled with fresh mint in a peppery cheese sauce with pecorino crosta nera, or go for a wood plank at Jamie's, featuring cured meats, pickles and cheeses, whatever you choose comes highly recommended!

'Epicurean' Delights aboard P&O If your tastebuds yearn for something traditionally more British, but at the same time sophisticated and contemporary, you need look no further than 'Epicurean', aboard P&O ships. With the emphasis on grand style and flawless service, dishes are prepared at your table, in a theatrical performance that combines with the flavours and adds to the final taste! Try a starter of Alaskan Snow Crab, Langoustine and Salmon Caviar, add a Miso-glazed rack and slow cooked pork belly, and finish with a Belgian chocolate Jaffa Cake...

Seafood from Ocean Blue and If a fresh catch is more your style, book your next cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines aboard the Breakaway, Bliss, Joy, Encore and Getaway, to enjoy Ocean Blue, with celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian, another Michelin starred chef showcasing his menu and talents at sea. There can't be a better place to enjoy freshly prepared seafood dishes can there? Perhaps if you visit Umi Uma aboard Crystal Cruises, created by world renowned chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, the legend behind the Nobu restaurants. Alternatively head for Ocean Cay by Raymond Freixa, with dishes including scallop ‘a la Gallega’ with Iberian ham, fideuá of king crab and confit duck and rosemary salt roasted sea bass. The two Michelin stars chef blends tradition with avant-garde to allow you a true taste of luxury dishes. Cruise with MSC aboard Seaview, Seaside or Seashore. For Fun! Although there are many more options for both Gourmet dining and Casual options, I hope this blog has given you just a taste (sorry!) of the dining experiences that cruise lines can deliver, as they strive to raise the bar year after year aboard cruise ships, to entice more 'new to cruise' holidaymakers aboard... all searching for different flavours of cruising. Which leaves me to mention the Dog House, aboard Royal Caribbean, for the best hot dog at sea! With a choice of customisable condiments and toppings, buns and sausages, the variation here is endless... traditional Coney Island, Bratwurst, Chicken, Smoked or German Thuringer all pair perfectly for a great way to end an afternoon by the pool, or start an evening's entertainment!