Royal Caribbean International no longer offers the traditional midnight buffet where guests parade through the dining room, take pictures, then eat, on a regular fleet-wide basis.
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Order delicious in-room dining any time — day or night. Tuck into breakfast in bed with a fresh omelet or a steaming stack of pancakes. Or enjoy an intimate date night in after a long day of adventure onboard and ashore. Room service makes it easy to treat your taste buds without having to set foot outside your door.
Unfortunately, the midnight buffet was fairly wasteful for cruise lines when most of the food was uneaten. Additionally, the crew members would spend a significant amount of time setting up the displays and taking them down each night.
So, yes, cruise ships offer food around the clock, though the options at off hours can be limited. Most ships have a 24-hour dining option, typically pizza or a cafe with premade items like cookies and mini sandwiches.
To the delight of many passengers (or to the chagrin of those watching their waistlines), cruises offer no shortage of nibbles at all hours of the day. Although cruise midnight buffets are nearly extinct, several lines still offer a spread of snacks that are available into the wee hours of the morning.
Food and drinking are usually complimentary on the cruises. You are also allowed to bring your own snack on the cruise so that you can have what you love. A certain time is fixed for every meal - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can either have it with everybody in the dining room or bring it to your room.
Cruise ships are good at making food available 24/7, so if you're hungry, there's usually no one to blame but yourself. The main dining room usually has set meal times, but sections of the buffet will always be open, and you'll usually be able to find a diner, cafe, or pizza shop that's open at all hours.
The easiest way for ships to do this is to liquefy the leftover food in an industrial grinder. The food is blended with water until it's a smooth mixture and then either disposed of in port, incinerated, or pumped out to sea when the ship is deep water and away from the coastlines. Simple as that.
Dining room etiquette – If you're a cruise newbie you've probably heard the rumors: You can order as much as you'd like in the dining room! Can't decide between two entrées? (Surf & Turf night gets me every time!) — go for it! Your server won't bat an eye.
Guests may also bring non-alcoholic beverages as carry-on items on boarding day. Non-alcoholic beverages may not exceed 12 standard (17 oz.) cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom. Milk and distilled water brought on for infant, medical, or dietary use are permitted.
Each Balcony stateroom (dependent on which type) includes: Your own private balcony with views of either the sea, Boardwalk or Central Park, either a Royal king size bed or two twin beds, private bathroom with shower, vanity area, a TV and telephone, fridge or minibar, hair-dryer and 24 hour room service.
3/4/5 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2. 6 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2 and 5. 7 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2 and 6. 8 - 10 Night Cruises - 2 Formal Nights, Days vary by ship and sailing.
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.