These Are the Best Things You Can Eat on a Cruise

While cruise line food and beverage executives may have an elite title on board, they aren’t the bougie foodies you might imagine them to be.

Sure, they might be dreaming up $200 supper club experiences and have celebrity chefs like Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto on speed dial, but when asked for recommendations on favorite eats for cruise travelers, they all waxed poetic about their favorite comfort foods.

Burgers topped the list for getting into that vacation state of mind. Marisa Christensen, Holland America’s associate vice president of food and beverage operations, directs guests to the line’s Dive-In burger. “It’s made fresh to order, incredibly satisfying, and so easy to enjoy right after embarkation when you’re settling in,” she told Travel + Leisure. 

Top-of-ship outdoor grills like Dive-In or Carnival Cruise Line’s Guy’s Burger Joint, created by Food Network star Guy Fieri, aren’t the only great places to get a juicy burger on board, though. The burger served at MSC Cruises’ Tour de Brunch is a favorite of Josef Jungwirth, vice president of food and beverage operations for MSC Cruises USA. “It’s simple, but that’s exactly the point: good quality ingredients, freshly prepared and enjoyed in a relaxed setting,” he said. “It’s one of those moments that defines the cruise experience: casual, indulgent, and easy to enjoy.”

Travelers who avoid red meat can still get their savory sandwich fix, according to Linken D’Souza, Royal Caribbean’s senior vice president of global food and beverage. “One of my favorite things to eat when I’m onboard is the crispy chicken sandwich from The Mason Jar, our Southern restaurant concept,” he told T+L. “The spicy remoulade paired with pickles and a Cajun-buttered bun makes for the perfect bite every time.”

Still, he says that no cruise is complete without “a burger from Playmakers and a late-night slice from Sorrento’s Pizza.”

That brings us to the next food on our list. Unsurprisingly, Roberto Bonomini, food and beverage director of the Italian cruise line Costa Crociere, declared pizza as one of the best things to eat on a cruise, especially when it’s made with Italian ingredients and baked in the traditional style.

He specifically recommends the “Tricolore” (served with buffalo mozzarella, Parma ham, San Marzano tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and creamy ricotta) and the “Come Una Carbonara,” which is topped with fior di latte mozzarella, guanciale, egg, pecorino cheese, and black pepper.

Additionally, Virgin Voyages is known for its outstanding, made-to-order pizza, which “fits every moment,” according to Charles Steadman, the cruise line’s director of food and beverage experience and strategic partnerships. His pro tip? Stash an extra pizza in your cabin’s minifridge, so you always have the perfect snack on hand when you’re relaxing in your room.

Our friends in the F&B department also understand that greasy comfort classics like burgers and pizza need to be chased with a refreshing sweet treat, preferably ice cream. 

“Nothing beats the fresh organic gelato made daily at Gelateria Cioccolateria Amarillo, made and served just like in a real Italian gelateria,” Bonomini said. As for Jungwirth, he can’t resist a cup of pistachio at MSC Cruises’ onboard Venchi outposts.

While the fourth food may be a bit surprising coming from an F&B exec, it’s definitely an all-time favorite, and may even come in a very specific shape. 

“You can’t sail without having Mickey waffles at breakfast,” Daniel Cowan, director of dining operations and integration at Disney Cruise Line, told T+L. “They’re fun, nostalgic, and unmistakably Disney.” Looking for something even sweeter? Keep an eye out for the famous Mickey churro waffles, usually served in the buffet venue on one of the last days of the cruise for an extra-special (and extra-sugary) morning splurge.

Waffles can also be a culturally immersive breakfast–especially when sailing on Viking, a cruise line that showcases its Norwegian heritage. Found at the line’s Mamsen cafe, they’re based on the owner’s family recipe. 

“The waffles are crispy yet light and pair perfectly with jam and Norwegian brown goat cheese (gjetost) to give it a balanced, not-too-sweet start to the morning or a delightful afternoon treat,” Michel Gehrig, Viking’s director of food & beverage, said. 

Although all these executives agreed that a cruise is the perfect opportunity to indulge in comfort food favorites, they did have additional advice for where to find the best things to eat aboard a cruise ship.

Several recommended their cruise line’s buffet venues and food halls, which often serve a wide variety of international dishes and offer made-to-order stations. “A lot of people hear the word buffet and assume it’s just one long line of the same food, but that’s really not the experience,” Christensen said. “It’s actually one of the best ways to sample a wide range of dishes and discover what you genuinely enjoy.”

Other execs were quick to list their favorite food hall finds. “My favorite thing to eat is anything at Indulge Food Hall on our Prima Class ships,” Christian Pratsch, vice president of food and beverage operations for Norwegian Cruise Line, said. His must-eats are the dan dan noodles and the pan con tomate. D’Souza goes for the strawberry Nutella crepe and the pork gyro at Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class food hall, the AquaDome Market.

Across the board, the other sage advice we heard is to lean into authentic regional cuisine. Embracing your cruise line’s cultural heritage by enjoying Italian food on MSC Cruises, Norwegian specialties on Viking, and Dutch classics on Holland America. (Do not miss the stroopwafel cobbler, Christensen noted.)

Or, look for onboard restaurants created by a chef who specializes in a certain cuisine, such as chef Arnaud Lallement’s French restaurant Enchante on Disney Cruise Line or Emeril Lagasse’s bistro serving Creole dishes on Carnival Cruise Line. 

If your cruise line offers a regional menu tied to the itinerary, with locally sourced ingredients and traditional recipes, you’ll want to focus on those dishes. Silversea’s S.A.L.T. Kitchen changes its menus based on the day’s port of call; river cruise lines like Viking and AmaWaterways often focus menus around local specialties.

Experiencing a destination through its food is the perfect way to elevate your cruise dining experience. But don’t let that culinary exploration keep you away from the comfort classics like juicy burgers and refreshing gelato. Because the cruise line F&B bigwigs agree: No cruise is complete without a little indulgence.