Dining: What Food Is Included?
All ships have at least seven dining venues,with enough free options that you can feast your way through an entire cruise without paying extra for a single meal. Complimentary dining venues vary by ship, with Windjammer and the Main Dining Room open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on all ships, along with as many as five additional free options.
Depending on your mood, you can rise and shine with a breakfast of eggs, bacon, fresh fruit and unlimited coffee at the buffet or order a big plate of blueberry pancakes in the Main Dining Room. For lunch, grab a barbecue chicken pizza at Sorrento's (included), a fully loaded hot dog with sauerkraut at Dog House (included) or choose from international buffet selections, like paella or sushi. And dinner? It can match your mood: a casual buffet or an elegant sit-down meal with a selection of appetizers, entrees and desserts from inspired menus that change daily.
The Main Dining Room offers an elegant culinary experience morning, noon, and night. At breakfast consider eggs Benedict or a chorizo-laden burrito. In the evening, you'll find rotating menus with everything from savory duck terrine and crispy Vidalia onion tarts to marinated pork loin and Moroccan-spiced ahi tuna. Windjammer Café, another popular option, is a buffet-style choice. In the morning you'll find custom-made omelets and fresh pastries; in the afternoon and evening selections feature salads, pastas, paninis, Asian and Indian dishes, grilled meats and fish and desserts galore.
In addition, there are a variety of included more-focused options. No family-friendly ship would be complete without a pool-side space that serves chicken tenders, hamburgers and chocolate chip cookies -- and Splashaway Café is as popular as you would guess. Sorrento's.with its grab-and-go mouthwatering slices topped with cheese, pepperoni and even BBQ chicken, is a real crowd pleasure. Grown-ups and kids alike flock to El Loco Fresh®for insanely delicious Mexican burritos, tacos and quesadillas. The Dog House is a popular spot that serves up a menu of hot dogs, including a classic Coney Island and a pork bratwurst. Solarium Bistro focuses on lighter fare, with a Mediterranean buffet, featuring fruit, yogurt, Greek salad, hummus, mussels and more. Looking for a snack? Mini Bites, located near the Sports Zone, serves sliders, taquitos and mini cupcakes, all with big flavor. If you're up early — or late for that matter — you'll be grateful for Café Promenade, a 24-hour café that dishes out pastries, wraps and desserts as well as plenty of coffee drinks. The Café @ Two70 and Park Café each serve light meals. Highlights at The Café @ Two70 include a tasty Thai chicken salad and three kinds of grilled cheese; Park Café may be your go-to spot for deli sandwiches. Room Service is also included and complimentary, with one caveat: You can upgrade your continental breakfast with eggs, hash browns or bacon for a $7.95 per room delivery charge.
If you're wondering what drinks are included on a Royal Caribbean cruise, the answer is simple. All guests can enjoy ice water, flavored waters, brewed coffee, assorted teas, iced tea, hot chocolate, milk, lemonade and fruit juices. These are dispensed at self-serve machines in Windjammer Café and other casual dining venues and served in the Main Dining Room and other restaurants.
What Food Is Not Included?
What Activities Are Free?
Most must-try activities onboard our ships are included — allowing families to enjoy hours of onboard fun at no added cost. In addition to multiple pools and hot tubs and fully equipped fitness centers, all of these activities are included (availability varies by ship): waterslides (The Perfect Storm℠, Tidal Wave℠, Riptide℠, The Blaster®), Ultimate Abyss℠ dry slide, Splashaway Bay kids aqua park, FlowRider®* surf simulator, rock-climbing wall, ice skating, laser tag, ziplining, mini golf, pickle ball, basketball, fencing, archery, bumper cars, carousel rides and more.
Icon of the Seas℠, debuting in early 2024, will offer even more included amenities, including Thrill Island, the largest waterpark at sea, and Surfside℠, a family-friendly neighborhood with an aqua park, infinity pool and climbable Playscape℠.
In addition, all supervised Adventure Ocean®youth programs — Aquanautsfor ages 3-5, Explorers for ages 6-8 and Voyagersfor ages 9-11 — and hosted teen programs (for age groups 12-14 and 15-17) in the Living Room and Fuel Teen Club hangout space are free.
Venue names may vary per ship. For the list of dining or entertainment venues, be sure to review things to do on your ship.
What Things Do You Pay For On A Cruise?
What's Included And Not Included On A Cruise
*Prices and offers are subject to availability and change without notice.
FAQs
You also may have a few questions about what is included on a cruise. It helps to think of it this way: Your cruise fare is mostly all-inclusive — your stateroom, dining in a variety of locations, onboard entertainment and access to pools, hot tubs and other amenities and activities are typically included on a cruise.
What comes free on a cruise ship? ›
One of the major appeals of cruising is all of the free entertainment. From live music to original production shows, karaoke, trivia, game shows, deck parties, and more, there's enough going on to keep everyone occupied. Newer ships tend to feature Broadway-style shows onboard.
Do I have to pay for all my meals on Royal Caribbean? ›
Meals from many onboard venues, such as the Main Dining Room and Windjammer Café, are included in the price of your cruise. Reservations are only required for dinner. There is a service charge per person to dine at Chops Grille and Johnny Rockets.
Is it worth getting all-inclusive on a cruise? ›
An all-inclusive deal is rather like a licence to indulge – so if you really want to take advantage of all those extra facilities, fun activities and foodie treats, you may find that it's worth your while to pay a slightly higher fare.
What all do you have to pay for on a cruise? ›
Services like laundry and dry cleaning, baby-sitting, baby care items ordered in advance, and some fitness classes may also show up on your bill as extras. And while your cruise fare includes most entertainment, arcade games and selected shows and entertainment or onboard activity experiences carry an additional cost.
What is not included in a cruise fare? ›
Alcoholic beverages are not included in your cruise price, and since soft drinks come over the bar there is charge for them as well. Specialty coffees are also almost always additional. All beverage purchases are signed to your shipboard account and the service charge, a.k.a. the gratuity, is automatically added.
Is food unlimited on cruises? ›
Food and beverages
As part of the cruise price, there is always complimentary food of many types and flavors. Drinks included are tap water, some juices and iced tea on most lines; everything else typically costs extra.
Is alcohol free on cruises? ›
Are there any free drinks on cruises? Tea, coffee, tap water and non-carbonated drinks are often free for all passengers throughout the cruise in certain areas of the ship, but alas, you'll have to shell out cash for your favourite alcoholic drinks on cruises.
How much does food cost on a cruise? ›
Is food included on a cruise holiday? Typically, the majority of onboard dining options on a cruise ship are included in the price of your holiday. There are a few exceptions; normally there is a cover charge for smaller, speciality restaurants onboard. This can range from $15pp to $75pp.
What is normally included in the cruise fare? ›
The cruise fare typically includes accommodation, meals (in designated dining venues), basic onboard activities and entertainment, and access to most onboard facilities. Food in the main dining room, buffet and certain walk up food places.
A small quantity is considered a maximum of 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12-ounces/354-ml each or less, per person.
Are cruise buffets free? ›
The main dining room and cruise ship buffet will always be included in your cruise fare, though a few specialty items might cost extra. Most upscale or sit-down specialty restaurants incur an extra fee, either a flat cover charge or a la carte pricing per item.
Can I bring a 12 pack of soda on Royal Caribbean? ›
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.
Do you have to get the drink package every day on Royal Caribbean? ›
Can guests purchase the all-inclusive beverage packages for selected days? The package is sold for the first 2 days of the voyage and can only be purchased for the length of the voyage. On a 2 or 3-night cruise, guests must purchase on the first day.
How does a cruise package work? ›
In most cases, all inclusive cruise packages are ones that allow you to pay one price for the accommodations, meals, most non-alcoholic beverages. It also covers onboard entertainment as well as taxes and port fees. Depending on how you booked your cruise, it may also include airfare and hotel reservations.
What does cruise-only package mean? ›
Cruise-Only Rates include our full suite of luxurious amenities, which include dining and entertainment, but exclude drinks, Wi-Fi and tips which are available for an extra charge. Are Cruise-Only Rates applicable to all itineraries?
Does cruise package include food? ›
While food, some drinks, entertainment and lodging are part of the package — there are often more costs once you're on board. Some cruise lines specifically advertise themselves as all-inclusive, and you'll likely encounter fewer add-on opportunities on these ships.
