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Cruise Ship Buffets: What to Know From a Veteran Cruiser

When it comes to eating on a cruise ship, there are tons of restaurants, but without a doubt the spot where you’ll eat the most meals is the ship’s buffet. We estimate you’ll eat here at least once a day during the cruise.

This spot is a staple no matter which cruise line you sail or which ship you choose. (The one exception is Virgin Voyages, which doesn’t have a buffet .) Yet for the amount of meals that you eat here, it’s actually discussed relatively little.

As cruise veterans that have been on dozens of trips, we’ve eaten countless meals in the ship’s buffet. From what’s served to etiquette, we have everything you need to know.

The Basics of a Cruise Ship Buffet

First things first, there are some basics of what to know about the buffet onboard. You can think of the restaurant as a “catch all” spot. It serves every meal — breakfast, lunch, and dinner — each day of the cruise. So no matter what you want to eat, the buffet is always an option.

Just like a buffet on land, there isn’t sit-down waiter service. Instead, you simply walk into the restaurant, grab a plate, browse the buffet options, and get what you want. Seating is open and you just sit at an open table. If you want more to eat, just leave your plate on your table and go grab a clean one. There is staff roaming the area to clear plates and clean tables.

When you’re done, there is no check to settle or tip to leave. You simply get up and walk out and get back to the fun.

What Hours Is the Buffet Open?

While the buffet serves every meal during the day, it’s not open 24 hours. Typically there are three different opening times (one for each meal). In between, the restaurant closes for an hour or two to prepare for the next mealtime.

Often the buffet opens around 6:00 a.m. for breakfast until about 10:00 a.m., opens again at 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. for lunch, and then 5:00 p.m. for dinner. The dinner hours typically end around 10 p.m. 

You are free to visit anytime during these hours. Unlike the dining room, there are are no set dining times and there’s no “checking in” for a table either. Simply show up when you’re hungry.

What’s Sort of Food Is Served?

It might be easier to explain what’s not served in the cruise’s buffet. First, the buffet will vary in size with the size of the ship. Larger ships will have more stations that serve more options while smaller ships are more limited.

There is basic fare like burgers, dogs, pizza, salad bar, and desserts that are always on the buffet. But then there are a number of dishes that rotate out nightly. Often there are themed nights such as Italian or Indian where many dishes of a specific style are offered. So no, you aren’t going to be stuck eating hot dogs and hamburgers! We’ve noticed that higher-end lines tend to have more elevated fare, such as the lobster night when we sailed Celebrity. 

Breakfast is classic American breakfast fare from pancakes and waffles to bacon, sausage, fruit, cereal, and more. Omelet stations are also a staple.

What’s the Dress Code in the Buffet?

Despite taking a lot of cruises, which almost always have formal nights , we personally like to keep things more casual. That’s where the buffet dress code is nice.

First, there is a dress code, but it’s so minor that you likely won’t even notice. As long as you are covered up beyond a swimsuit, then you’re good to go. Entering shirtless or in a swimsuit without a wrap is frowned upon (and rarely happens). Beyond that, there isn’t’ a dress code.

Feel free to wear whatever makes you comfortable as the buffet is always casual — even if it’s formal night in the main dining room. Shirts, shorts, hats, and flip-flops are all allowed.

Do I Tip in the Buffet?

Customarily when you leave a restaurant — even a buffet — you leave a couple of bucks on the table. That’s not the case on a cruise ship.

You’ll pay a daily gratuity charge (usually around $15-18 per person, per day) when you cruise. This covers people like the room steward that keeps the cabin clean, dining room staff, and yes, the crew in the buffet that cleans the tables and clears plates.

That means whenever you dine in the buffet, the tip is already taken care of with this daily charge. You simply get up and leave when you’re done.

Is the Buffet Food Good?

We’ve sailed a lot of cruises and eaten at the buffet on every one of them. That means we have a unique perspective on the food across lines.

In our experience, we find the buffet to be hit and miss and definitely prefer to eat other spots on the ship.

Breakfast we find to be very good. Frankly, the basic staples are hard to get wrong and whether you want an omelet, pancakes, cereal, fruit, French toast, or any other classic breakfast dish, you’ll find it available.

We also find desserts are usually pretty good, with lots of variety offered. So you don’t have to choose between chocolate cake or lemon bars, you can have both. (Portions are usually small, which makes grabbing 2-3 items ideal anyway.)

In general, however, the lunch and dinner fare is mediocre to us. Some dishes can be fantastic, but overall the quality seems lower than other restaurants around the ship. When you’re feeding literally thousands of passengers a wide variety of dishes, it’s not surprising that quality suffers.

That’s not to say it’s bad. It’s just not anything we think most people would get excited about. We don’t mind eating there occasionally, but after a few trips find ourselves wanting something different.

And one thing to note is that we’ve tried buffets across all the major lines. Some may be better than others, but in general we actually find the quality similar.

Tips, Etiquette, & Things to Know

Overall, the buffet is pretty self-explanatory. Go in when you’re hungry, pick what looks tasty, and find a seat. Still, there are some things that are helpful to know…

Be Sure to Cover Up: For 99.9% of people, the dress code is no issue — it’s basically wear what you want. However, we have seen people entering the buffet in swimsuits only. You always want to be fully clothed and not only in a bathing suit, which means a shirt for guys and a coverup for ladies.

Great Views… But Prime Seating Goes Fast: One nice thing about the buffet is that it almost always has some of the best views on the ship. That’s because it’s located on a top deck and takes up a whole section of the ship so there is seating next to windows looking out over the water. The views are great, but these seats also go first, so don’t be surprised if there isn’t one available.

Overeager Cleaners: If you get up to go get dessert or a second serving, don’t be surprised if your table is cleared by the time you return. The cleaning staff usually gets to tables quickly. It’s great when you want to clear dishes, but can be a pain if everyone at the table gets up at the same time and comes back to find that it’s been turned over and new people are now sitting there. If you can avoid leaving a table empty, it’s a good idea.

Don’t Touch the Food: There are two types of food on the buffet — items that are plated already (so you just grab and go) and those that you serve with tongs or a serving spoon. Either way, you should never touch anything on the buffet with your bare hands.

Clean Your Hands When Entering: Any buffet you enter will have a stand dispensing hand sanitizer, a hand-washing station, or both. There is usually a crew member encouraging you to wash up. At the buffet, you’re sharing space — and serving utensils — with a lot of people. Cleaning your hands is a common courtesy to help you from getting sick.

More on Cruise Dining:

• Everything to Know About Eating in the Main Dining Room on a Cruise
• Worth It? Everything to Know About Specialty Dining on a Cruise

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I'm a cruise ship worker... here are nine things NOT to do at the buffet

• Lucy Southerton, who works on cruises, outlines nine buffet blunders to avoid
• READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Inside ' best premium economy cabin in the WORLD'

A world of culinary delights can be available on a luxury cruise - but a experienced crew member has given her list of do's and don'ts when approaching the buffet.  

Lucy Southerton, 28, from  Birmingham , has been working on cruise ships for nine years, and regularly shares advice on how passengers and fellow crew members can get the most out of their experience. 

Lucy, who runs the Cruising as Crew social media accounts, uploaded a YouTube  video in February, captioned: '9 Things NOT to Do at the Cruise Ship Buffet.'

In the video , the cruise ship worker unveils her top tips for buffet etiquette on board, ensuring guests enjoy their dining experiences while maintaining hygiene, respect and courtesy.  

1. Avoid the crowds 

It's tempting to head straight to the buffet upon boarding, but Lucy advises against it. 

Opt for alternative dining venues or wait for the initial rush to subside to avoid long lines and overcrowding.

Lucy said: 'You'll get served faster and will probably get better food - and a lot of restaurants do free food on embarcation day because they know everybody wants to come on board and eat.'

2. No takeaways

While the buffet may offer an array of delectable treats, it's essential to enjoy them within designated dining areas. 

Taking food outside the buffet not only violates ship policies but also poses hygiene and safety risks, according to Lucy.

3. Dress appropriately

Swimwear might be suitable for poolside lounging - but it has no place at the buffet table, Lucy warns.

READ MORE:  I'm a cruise ship worker - these are the FIVE things holidaymakers can never take on board 

Guests are urged to dress appropriately for meal times, showing consideration for fellow diners and maintaining a pleasant dining atmosphere.

Shorts and T-shirts are allowed, but wearing swimwear straight from the pool may also prove hazardous and guests could get hurt if water is still dripping onto the floor.

4. Prioritise hygiene

Before indulging in the buffet's offerings, it's crucial to wash and sanitise hands thoroughly. 

Cruise ships typically provide handwashing stations or crew members armed with sanitiser to ensure guests maintain proper hygiene standards.

Lucy said: 'The amount of people that just walk by and think they can get away with it. There's no excuse. What did we learn from 2020? It is that things spread like wildfire.'

5. Scout the entire spread

With a vast array of dishes on offer, it's easy to miss out on hidden culinary gems. 

Take a moment to explore the entire buffet area, as some ships may have multiple serving lines or specialty stations offering unique fare.

6. Minimise waste

While the buffet encourages guests to indulge, it's essential to avoid wastage. 

Lucy said: 'The amount that people consume because they want to get their money's worth, unfortunately, it does lead to a lot of food waste.' 

She advises to only what you can comfortably consume, resisting the temptation to overfill plates in pursuit of value for money.

7. Mind the tongs

Pay attention to the utensils, such as tongs, you use to serve yourself, Lucy says.

Mixing tongs or serving spoons can lead to cross-contamination and pose risks to those with food allergies or dietary restrictions.

8. Opt for a balanced diet

While it's tempting to indulge in decadent treats, such as pizza, burgers and pasta, Lucy recommends balancing indulgence with healthier options, especially for those who are conscious of gaining weight while at sea.

Cruise ship buffets often offer a variety of nutritious dishes, such as salads, chicken and fish options, ensuring guests can maintain a balanced diet during their voyage.

9. Plate protocol 

As Lucy stresses, hygiene while on board cruise ships is paramount, particularly when it comes to serving yourself at the buffet. 

Avoid reusing plates for second servings to minimize the risk of contamination and maintain a clean dining environment.

She says: 'You might be thinking it's going to make more washing up for the crew members - trust me, they would rather do the washing up than have an illness spread across the ship.'

Cruise Buffet Etiquette: 12 Tips to Avoid Annoying Other Passengers

By: Author Carrie Ann Karstunen

Posted on Published: June 23, 2023  - Last updated: February 6, 2024

Are you curious about cruise buffet etiquette? Find out all the dos and don’ts about eating at your cruise ship’s buffet.

Many passengers choose the buffet as their preferred dining option on a cruise ship, for several reasons. Cruise buffets provide a broad variety of foods and the flexibility to pick exactly what you want to eat.

But with the communal nature of buffet dining, it’s important to be mindful of buffet etiquette to make sure everyone has a great experience.

Even if you’re not usually a “buffet person”, you might find yourself eating at one, at least once on your cruise! Cruise line private island destinations typically only serve a buffet-style lunch while you’re ashore, and many shore excursions that include lunch serve it buffet-style. Or, you might feel a bit hungry on the ship and the buffet’s the only thing open!

Etiquette at cruise buffets is all about knowing what to do so you feel comfortable—and so you can make others feel comfortable too.

Here are 12 essential cruise buffet etiquette tips that all cruisers need to know.

1. Put a cover-up over your swimsuit

Cruise ship buffets are often located near the pool deck, but that doesn’t mean you can saunter in for lunch wearing only a bikini or swim trunks! The buffet will always have a more casual dress code than the other sit-down restaurants, but wearing just a swimsuit inside isn’t proper cruise etiquette.

You don’t need to change completely—just throw on a coverup over your bathing suit. A t-shirt is just fine if you’re wearing shorts or a swim skirt.

Related: 20+ Cute Swim Coverups for Cruises & Beach Travel

Just be careful that your swimwear isn’t damp before you sit down! Take a few minutes to dry off thoroughly so you don’t leave a soggy chair cushion for the next buffet guest.

If you really don’t want to cover up, consider trying one of the outdoor quick-service venues around the pool deck. Most cruise ships have at least one option that serves casual food like burgers, hot dogs, or burritos.

2. Wash (or at least sanitize) your hands before entering the buffet

We all know that thorough handwashing helps prevent nasty germs from spreading around the ship. This is especially true with self-service buffets.

No one cares that your hands are “already clean”—wash or sanitize again when you enter the buffet. Ships will have sinks or sanitizer stations right at the entrance.

As you move through the buffet area, avoid touching your face, hair, or other objects while serving yourself food to prevent the spread of germs.

Related: How to Avoid Getting Sick on a Cruise

3. Respect the buffet line

I cruise a lot, but even I’ll admit it. Navigating the various lines at the cruise buffet can be confusing. Smaller buffets, like what you might encounter at a wedding, usually have just one line—and it’s obvious where it starts and what direction you should go.

But cruise buffets, especially on the newer megaships , often feature massive spreads with various stations.

The long-established etiquette rule for buffets is that they move counterclockwise, so lines should move from right to left. The stack of plates should be placed at the beginning of the buffet section.

However, some sections of cruise buffets are rectangular or circular, and don’t offer plates, so it’s hard to tell if you’re supposed to jump right in or begin at a specific point.

Before I enter any buffet line, I take a moment to stand back and observe the flow of traffic. Even if it’s going the opposite way to conventional etiquette, I join at the end of the already established queue.

One hard and fast rule, even if the line looks confusing, is to never just jump in between two other guests who are obviously moving along an established path.

The only exception is if you just made it through the entire line and forgot something. In that case, it’s fine to politely say something like, “I’m so sorry, but I forgot to add the croutons to my salad. Would you mind if I just pop in here and take some?”

Related: Cunard Partners With Etiquette Expert Grant Harrold for the Ultimate Afternoon Tea Lesson

4. Don’t take forever to make your selections

Cruise buffets have so many options, it can be hard to choose exactly what you want to eat! But with lots of hungry diners lining up to fill their plates, excessive indecisiveness can cause a real holdup.

Pausing for a quick second to ask yourself whether you’d rather have Caesar dressing or balsamic on your salad is just fine. But spending a full minute staring at the chicken piccata and the baked halibut, not knowing what you’re in the mood for will absolutely annoy the guests behind you.

For you indecisive buffet-goers, I have a few tips that will help:

• If it’s not super busy, scope out the entire buffet before you grab a plate (behind the line, of course) to see all the options. Your brain will start narrowing down the choices before you hop in line.
• Take a small amount of each dish you can’t decide about. If you especially like something, go back and take another portion.
• If you’re already in line and know you’re taking a bit longer than the average person, apologize to the guests behind you and politely invite them to pass. Be sure to step out of the way if they want one of the items in front of you.

Related: What New Cruisers Don’t Know About Cruise Food and Drinks

5. Supervise your kids at the cruise buffet

If you’re cruising with kids , it’s an obvious breach of cruise buffet etiquette to let them run around the buffet. But even if your child or grandchild is super well-behaved, they might not understand all the buffet health and safety rules.

Younger kids might be amazing at serving themselves during family-style dinners. But at home, no one really cares if little Braxxton or Brockleigh uses the vegetable spoon to scoop up some hummus, or touches every carrot on the crudité plate to find the right one.

At a cruise buffet, literally every other guest will care. Until your kid is old enough, you’ll need to do the scooping and serving. I’ve found that while cruising with little ones, the best strategy is to fill up their plates first, leave them at the table with your partner or another family member, and then go back for your own food.

Most tweens and young teens have reached the stage where they absolutely understand proper health practices, especially today’s teenagers whose lives were disrupted by the pandemic!

If they’ll sometimes be dining alone or with siblings or friends, younger teens might just need a few reminders about etiquette at the buffet—like how to enter the line correctly and the importance of self-awareness in crowded spaces.

Sure it might go in one ear and out the other, but it’s worth a try!

6. Use the designated utensils

Every food item at a cruise ship buffet will (or at least should) have a serving utensil that goes along with it.

Make sure that you only use the utensil that corresponds with the food you’re picking up. Food allergies are very common, and many people have dietary restrictions for medical, religious, or other reasons. As an example, if you pick up shrimp with tongs and then use the same tongs to grab a piece of chicken, you could potentially be endangering someone with a shellfish allergy.

Even cruisers with non-life-threatening dietary restrictions won’t be happy if the foods they’re able to eat have been contaminated with bits from other serving containers.

If there isn’t a serving utensil near the food you want (or if you accidentally drop it on the floor), just ask a member of the dining staff and they’ll be happy to get you a new one.

7. Avoid eating in line

With all the things to do on a cruise, it’s not hard to work up an appetite! I get it—sometimes by the time I make it to the buffet line I’m seriously hungry and want to eat everything in sight.

But eating (even just nibbling) your food in line goes against cruise buffet etiquette. It’s not just because it’s rude!

If you snack in the buffet line, odds are your fingers are touching your mouth. Even if you’re some kind of superhuman balancing act and you manage to use a knife and fork to take bites from your plate, you’re potentially introducing germs to the fresh food you and other guests are adding to their meals.

So hold off on eating until you get to the table. Your fellow cruisers will appreciate it!

8. Don’t put food back

The rule at cruise buffets is that if you put a piece of food on your plate, it’s now your piece of food. Never return it to the serving dish, even if it’s too large of a piece or not what you really wanted.

If you touch a piece of food with your hands (accidentally, of course), put it on your plate—you now own that food. You don’t have to actually eat it, you just can’t put it back on the buffet. I know it was an accident, and I know you washed your hands. Sorry, it’s now yours.

9. Don’t cough or sneeze near the food

Yes, buffets have sneeze guards, but that doesn’t mean you can achoo all over it! If you feel a cough or sneeze coming on, turn away from the food and use the crook of your elbow to cover your mouth.

Germs from your hands can get on the serving utensils, which will potentially be used by hundreds of other passengers.

If you’re truly sick, please avoid the buffet and let the medical center know. Germs can spread fast on a cruise ship!

10. Always use a fresh plate and cup

If you return to the buffet for another helping, always leave your dirty plate on the table and choose a fresh one. Bringing a used plate back up to the buffet raises the risk of germs contaminating the food.

The crew would rather wash your extra dish than have to deal with an outbreak of illness on the ship!

The same goes for cups and glasses on cruise lines with self-serve drinks—when you need a refill, get a fresh cup. If you have a refillable water bottle or coffee mug, it’s proper buffet etiquette to fill a fresh cup from the drink station and then pour it into your reusable container.

It’s also a smart idea to sanitize your hands again before you return to the buffet for a second serving, dessert, or a drink refill.

11. Don’t sit at a buffet table when you’re not eating

Most people who hit the cruise buffet are doing so to have a relatively fast meal. As long as you can quickly find an empty table, you can be in and out of the buffet much faster than it takes to eat in the main dining room.

Timing is especially important when you have an early shore excursion, or if you’re rushing to eat before a show or other time-sensitive activity.

But some clueless cruisers like to camp out at a table in the buffet’s dining area, even if they aren’t eating. I’ve seen people leisurely reading a book with no food in sight, and on a recent cruise there was a group that would take up a large table to play card games!

The buffet can get really busy, and it’s frustrating to have to walk around carrying your plate and not finding a place to sit. If you’re not eating, there are plenty of places around the ship to hang out and relax.

12. Respect cultural and dietary differences

Cruise ships host passengers from around the world, with different food choices and dining practices. The crew and staff on the ship also come from various cultural backgrounds. Be mindful of making comments about foods at the buffet that look or smell different than what you’re used to in your home country.

At most cruise buffets, you’ll find a range of international food options, including favorites that will be familiar to you. If a certain type of food isn’t your thing, just move on and choose something you like.

The same rule applies for the food that other guests select—or what they choose not to eat. Commenting on strangers’ dietary choices when in line at the buffet is simply rude.

Even comments like “Boy, you must be hungry!” to someone piling their plate high, or “You don’t need the sugar-free muffin, a few extra calories won’t hurt you!” might seem like good-natured conversation. But what some might think of as harmless banter can be hurtful. Skip the unneccessary comments about food choices to avoid offending others.

What to do if another guest is breaking cruise buffet etiquette

On every cruise I’ve taken, I’ve encountered people who break even the most basic rules of buffet etiquette. From oblivious line-cutters to the lovely person I spied digging through all the bread rolls with bare hands to find the perfect one, there’ll be people who make your blood boil (or could potentially get everyone sick!) at the buffet.

But despite how infuriating the other guest may be, I wouldn’t advise confronting them. For queue-jumpers, a polite, “Excuse me, the line starts over there,” is fine. With anything else, especially health and safety concerns, avoid escalating the situation. After all, making a scene is definitely not good cruise etiquette!

Discreetly saying to a dining crew member, “Someone just sneezed all over that macaroni salad,” or “A little kid just licked his finger and touched all of the cheese cubes,” will usually get them to quickly switch out all the affected food.

Eating at the buffet on a cruise can be an exciting adventure, with so many new items to try! Now you know what to do and what to avoid when it comes to cruise buffet etiquette.

Be sure to subscribe to Should Be Cruising for all the best cruise tips, reviews, and the latest cruise news.

More resources for new cruisers

• 35 Things You Should Never Do on a Cruise
• Tipping on a Cruise Ship: What You Need to Know About Cruise Gratuities
• What Should You Wear on Embarkation Day on a Cruise?
• 10 Rookie Cruise Mistakes to Avoid When Booking
• The 19 Best Cruise Accessories You Need to Pack

What are the most common cruise buffet etiquette breaches you’ve encountered? Did any of these buffet rules surprise you? Let me know in the comments below!

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MaryBeth Parker

Saturday 1st of July 2023

Hi Carrie, do you have any buffet etiquette tips for people using mobility devices? I'll be cruising next month with my partner and my parents who are both in their eighties. My mom's in decent shape for her age but Dad has trouble getting around now. He has a scooter but can walk for short distances. He just doesn't like to because he has problems with his balance. The whole scooter thing is very new to him and he's nervous that he's going to upset other cruise passengers in crowded places like the buffet. Any tips are appreciated.

Sunday 2nd of July 2023

Hi MaryBeth, thanks for the excellent question! I've seen plenty of people in the buffet line on scooters. I think the only buffet etiquette issue is to be aware of the surroundings and not back up suddenly without looking! That said, does he have any type of tray on his scooter? If he's nervous about the buffet line and wants to choose his own dishes, I'd consider buying an attaching tray so he'll have a free hand for driving and one hand for selecting food, and he won't need to grow a third hand to hold his plate! Hope you all have an amazing cruise :)

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Buffet & Restaurants

As one of the healthiest diets on the planet, Mediterranean food takes center stage at our main restaurants, tempting you with French, Italian and Spanish cuisine. 

Location: Main Restaurants

Type of service: Included

For cruises departing from a U.S. port: The first entrée, appetizers, and desserts are complimentary per each guest. For guests who wish to order a second entrée, an additional surcharge of $5 will be applied.

Our main restaurants invite you on a journey around the world’s cuisines, offering exceptional international dishes every day of your cruise. 

Available on: all MSC Ships

Come to the Carvery for deliciously tender, juicy and flavorful roast meat specialties that will please your palate any day of the week. Enjoy the experience of watching your personal favorites being carved just for you.

Location: Buffet

The Take-away Station is the place to visit when you’re looking for a snack on the go. A wide range of the most popular take-away foods awaits you. Available on: all MSC Ships

Check out the Pasta Station for authentic Italian pasta just like mama used to make. Discover a new selection of delicious flavor combinations every single day to satisfy even the most discerning palate.                                                      

Created with the little ones in mind, Kids’ Corner offers a selection of tasty, healthy and fun meals to tickle your children’s taste buds throughout your cruise. Dishes change on a daily basis so there’s always something new and exciting to discover. Available on: all MSC Ships

Get set to be wowed by the creativity of our talented chefs at the Daily Special Corner. Wrap your taste buds around a different speciality every day of your cruise for an unforgettable culinary surprise.

A selection of light and tasty dishes awaits you at our Wellness Corner. Made with your health in mind, these dishes will boost your wellbeing without putting a strain on your waistline. Meet your five-a-day daily requirements with dishes that are delicious, nutritious and packed with flavor. Available on: all MSC Ships

Enticing aromas and mouth-watering flavors are served up at our Ethnic Corner. Choose your personal favorite from a range of delectable dishes, hand-selected from every corner of the world, from Asian to Indian – and everywhere in between.

We strive every day to ensure our guests have a perfectly paired experience, which is why our chefs have worked hard to create the following specialties for you and yours:

• Vegetarian Menus of delicious specialties, freshly prepared to the gourmet standards for which MSC is renowned.
• Vegan-friendly  dishes are incorporated into our main restaurant menus and buffet restaurant culinary offer.
• Kosher meals (pre-packaged breakfast, lunch and dinner) may be available on board for an additional charge of €25/$30 pp/day. Kosher meals can be consumed in the main restaurants and must be booked at least 30 days before ship’s departure.
• Halal products (beef, lamb and poultry) may be available on board following former request of the guest at least two months before departure; 
• MSC Cruises holds a certification for its food safety management system in accordance with ISO 22000 standard requirements.
• MSC Cruises offers gluten-free menus (breakfast, lunch and dinner) in the main restaurants on most of its ships. On MSC Armonia, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera and MSC Lirica where guests will find a limited selection of pre-packaged gluten-free snacks such as biscuits, croissants, sponge cakes and muffins).
• Please check the availability of gluten-free menus when booking.
• Location: Main Restaurants only.
• Allergies or intolerances: Information about the presence of substances or products causing allergies or intolerances is available by contacting our staff. Guests with food intolerances and/or allergies must inform MSC Cruises of their needs via the Special Needs Form and, once on board, confirm their requirements at Reception-Guest Service and/or with the Maître d’hôtel.

We can accommodate most special dietary requirements in our main restaurants where there is a greater degree of control over the production and service of special meals. We cannot guarantee no cross-contamination at the buffet.

Indulge your sweet tooth at the Dessert Corner, a magical world of delicious treats lovingly prepared with meticulous attention to detail by our talented team of bakers and pastry chefs.

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I've worked on cruise ships for over 6 years. Here's an inside look at what it's like living on board.

• I've worked on cruise ships for over six years, so I'm familiar with how the crew lives on board.
• Staffers typically live with a roommate in tiny cabins that have bunk beds and small closets. 
• We usually eat at our own buffet and hang out after work at the crew bar .

Between the unlimited buffet, glamorous destinations , and entertainment around the clock, living on a cruise ship sounds luxurious , but there's a whole other world below deck.

I've worked on cruise ships for over six years , so I'm very familiar with how crew members eat, sleep, and live.

Here's what it's really like living on board, based on my experience.

Most crew cabins are tiny

Measuring around 120 square feet, crew cabins are typically tight and don't have windows.

They're commonly furnished with a set of bunk beds with privacy curtains, a mini-fridge, a desk, a closet, and a TV with a side table.

Although every cabin is equipped with its own bathroom, it's typically so tiny that you can brush your teeth, use the toilet, and shower at the same time.  

Crew members in higher positions have better cabins

Based on what I've seen, managers and officers typically have cabins with a porthole and full-size bed, plus an additional fold-down bed for guests.

They also typically receive daily housekeeping while most crew members are responsible for cleaning their own cabins.

Most crew members have roommates 

Roommates are typically assigned by division, but I've found it's easy to move in with a friend if you'd like.

The bottom bunk is highly coveted in the crew world — roommates usually claim it as soon as the other ends their contract. 

Cabins are divided into 'neighborhoods'

There are crew cabins on several floors, from deck 00 — below sea level — to deck three, though the captain and bridge officers typically live adjacent to the bridge higher up.

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The main crew corridor that runs up and down the entire ship is nicknamed the I-95, after the popular US highway . It's always busy with foot traffic and tons of trolleys and carts, so we have to be attentive when walking through it.  

Crew members have to sort their own trash

All of the ship's trash winds up in the incinerator room, but there are a lot of categories to sort the garbage into.

Although housekeepers sort guest garbage, the crew is responsible for separating their trash into the correct bins.

We also typically do our own laundry

On larger ships, there are multiple crew laundry areas , which resemble laundromats.

But our uniforms can be dry cleaned at the formal laundry area for free.

Staff members often enjoy after-hour parties and events at the crew bar

After work, most of the staff hangs out at the crew bar, which is usually a covered outdoor area with a functioning bar and dance floor.

Events like bingo, karaoke, all-crew parties, and trivia happen almost daily.

There is a separate buffet for the crew

The crew mess is a buffet with set times for meals at different points throughout the day.

It typically features more international foods — like Filipino, Indian, and Caribbean cuisine — than the guest buffet to represent the hundreds of staffers from different countries.

The mess often offers special themes, like crepes with the captain or barbecue day, as well as late-night options like pizza and lasagna.  

There are other places for the crew to hang out

Most ships have a crew café where they can order coffee and juice.

There are usually also computer, training, and game rooms. The game room has video-game consoles and popular arcade picks like foosball, air hockey, pool, and darts. 

There's also a dedicated front or back deck for the staff to enjoy the sunshine on lounge chairs. Some companies even offer a crew pool.  

We also have a human-resources center for discussing needs regarding cabins, payroll, contracts, or crew life.

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The Buffet Can Stay: What The Future Of The Cruise Line Industry Looks Like

Emma Bowman

Carnival Cruise Line ships docked at the Port of Tampa in Tampa, Fla., in March 2020 following the CDC coronavirus No Sail Order. A Celebrity Cruises ship has received CDC permission to operate the first cruise from a U.S. port since the No Sail Order. Chris O'Meara/AP hide caption

Carnival Cruise Line ships docked at the Port of Tampa in Tampa, Fla., in March 2020 following the CDC coronavirus No Sail Order. A Celebrity Cruises ship has received CDC permission to operate the first cruise from a U.S. port since the No Sail Order.

The first cruise set to sail from American ports in more than 15 months is headed to the Caribbean this summer.

Celebrity Cruises got approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to bring passengers aboard for the seven-night cruise on June 26, the company announced this week.

"CDC and the cruise industry agree that the industry has what it needs to move forward and no additional roadblocks exist for resuming sailing by mid-summer," CDC spokesperson Caitlin Shockey confirmed in an email.

It's welcome news for an industry that ground to a halt during the pandemic. Now, emboldened by the CDC's green light and a pent-up demand, the industry has high hopes for a quick recovery.

Companies will have to strike the right balance of keeping their promises of a comfortable and relaxing experience, while sticking to the rules laid out by the CDC.

But Stewart Chiron, an industry expert doing business as The Cruise Guy , says that a "groundswell of demand" suggests that antsy would-be passengers are willing to jump through a few hoops just to get back on board.

"If they were able to have sailed in May or June of last year, there's people that would have," he said. "There were loads of people that were so desperate to go, they didn't care where they went, or if they went anywhere. The itinerary was secondary to just getting away on a cruise and being out on the ocean, and doing something normal again was a primary factor."

But what will "normal" mean for passengers, exactly?

Vaccination will get you closer to a pre-pandemic cruise

For the most part, individual cruise experiences will depend on vaccination status.

The Celebrity cruise's permission to sail is contingent on 95% of its crew and passengers being fully vaccinated before boarding the ship in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The CDC is also giving cruise companies an alternative to meeting that threshold. Companies can run trial cruises at limited capacity to test the effectiveness of their health measures.

However, cruise ships that meet the vaccination threshold will have more relaxed mask and social distancing rules.

The embrace of immunization will likely sit well with most passengers. In an April survey of its readership, the website Cruise Critic said that 81% of respondents would board a cruise if vaccines were required.

"The buffet is not dead"

The CDC banned cruise ships from leaving U.S ports on March 14, 2020 , under a No Sail Order due to the risks of spreading COVID-19.

Close quarters, shared meals and activities among international passengers led to some of the first known COVID-19 super-spreading events, such as the outbreaks aboard the Diamond Princess and Grand Princess ships, which sickened more than 800 passengers and crew members.

In March 2020, cases linked with cruise travelers accounted for some 17% of the reported cases in the U.S.

That said, self-service buffets were looking like a thing of the past even before the coronavirus. Many cruise ships had long ago opted for staff to serve diners buffet offerings instead, to contain the spread of the common flu.

But under the new CDC guidelines, fully vaccinated passengers are free to fill up their plates themselves.

"We were surprised by this because it seems that the cruise lines were moving more towards a served buffet and that kind of option," said Chris Gray Faust, managing editor of the website Cruise Critic . "But the buffet is not dead."

While vaccinated guests can ditch social distancing for leisurely dinners, cruise lines are still required to encourage outdoor dining and room service.

At ports, cruise lines are urged but not required to prohibit independent exploration by unvaccinated passengers.

"It does seem that if you're vaccinated and you're on a ship where most of the people are vaccinated, your experience ... will look more similar than we would have thought to before the pandemic," said Gray Faust.

"All the things that people enjoyed — you know, socializing with other people, eating and drinking, going to the pool, going to shows — all of that is still going to be available and open."

Don't expect a digital detox

But pandemic signposts will remain. If cruise lines follow CDC recommendations, travelers will be seeing a lot more gadgetry.

Cruise lines are encouraged to provide wearable contact-tracing technology. For some of its ships, Royal Caribbean International has already rolled out mandatory waterproof bracelets for guests that will make it easier to pinpoint who has been exposed to the coronavirus in the event of an outbreak.

According to CEO Michael Bayley, the company has implemented surveillance tech , in the form of facial and body recognition, to verify contact tracing cases.

"Those types of things have been really effective, at least what we've seen over in Europe and in Singapore," said Gray Faust of Cruise Critic .

And the time-honored muster drill? It's gone virtual for some lines.

The Cruise Guy, Stewart Chiron, will be on that first cruise to the Caribbean next month.

He sees the introduction of new safeguards less as a hurdle to a carefree vacation and more of a smart move that will right the industry's course.

"So far, it's changing for the better. They're basing this not on just convenience, but based on the science that we have today," he said, unlike "the confusion from three or four months ago."

But he's still willing to put up with extra nuisances if it means he can cruise. Before his late June trip, he's ending his cruise drought next week for yet another Caribbean trip outside U.S. waters that will take off from St. Maarten.

For him, it's the outbound airline flight — the long lines and vaccination paperwork — that stands between him and smooth sailing.

"When I travel next week, I'll be taking an extra bag packed with a little bit of extra patience," he said.

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Good Food, But Fewer Options: Crew Members Describe Their Cruise Food

• July 10, 2021

Food is a crucial part of the cruise ship culture and one that many guests look forward to the most before sailing. But how does the food rank for crew?

Cruise Industry News has talked to crew members from several cruise lines to find out. They answered food questions on the grounds of maintaining their anonymity.

Food Places

Regular crew members can only eat in the crew mess, said all cruise employees Cruise Industry News had talked to. Staff and officers get more privileges and choice.

“There are a few places to eat onboard, depending on your rank,” said a crew member who’s worked for several major cruise lines. “Basically, you get separated into three groups: officers, staff and crew. To avoid congestion and overcrowding, you have separate dining rooms with the same food.

“Officers are able to eat in any dining room. Staff can only eat in staff or crew mess and crew in crew mess… They are not strict about the crew and staff eating in either mess,” he added.

This was confirmed by other crew members.

“The officers can eat in other restaurants, together with guests, but this has to be approved as guests come first,” said a crew member. “If the restaurant is busy, then they may be denied. There is only one restaurant onboard where all crew can book and dinner only. This still depends on how busy the restaurant is that day.”

Food Options

The crew members said that in crew messes they receive their food buffet-style, in line.

“You normally have a lot of food choices from different nationalities to accommodate for all crew. Usually, you have three types of meat with your choice of pasta, rice, potatoes, and so on,” said a crew member who’s worked for different major cruise lines.

“There is a salad bar and dessert line. If you are vegan, vegetarian (or have other special dietary requirements), you don’t have a lot of choices. However, the chefs are always willing to help where possible,” he added.

The officers’ mess offers food restaurant-style.

“(Officers can) sit down, menu-style, and order food from a waiter. This takes longer, so if you don’t have much time to eat, which is usually the case, you would eat in the self-service mess,” a crew member told Cruise Industry News.

“There is a menu every day for every meal, and you can choose whatever you like. There are usually four to five options given,” said another crew member.

All the crew members Cruise Industry News spoke with said that the food is free for them, and there’s no shortage of it.

“To dine in restaurants onboard – like the specialized dining rooms – you will need guest area privileges, which most staff and all officers have,” said a crew member who’s worked for several large cruise lines.

“You are then able to book and pay to go to a steakhouse or Italian restaurants, for example. There is no discount for the crew in guest restaurants. Access to guests’ restaurants will possibly be changing for now until things get back to normal. If you are crew without guest privileges, you will need special permission for access,” he added.

A crew member working on an older vessel ship said that his food was free and there were no options to get paid food. Another crew member on a major cruise line noted that all food is free of charge for staff – including most specialty restaurants.

“There is only one specialty restaurant where food needs to be paid for, but for crew members (the pay) is something symbolic only,” he explained.

Food Quality

The food standard for crew members is normally similar to that served to guests, most crew members said.

“Guests get more of a variety and more in-front-of-you cooking, which is understandable as crew members usually come in to eat quickly and don’t have the time to wait for an omelet to be made, for example,” described the difference of another crew member.

“The quality of the food depends on the ship: the food manager and captain. The last four contracts I have been on, on four different ships, I have seen food from being terrible to brilliant. In general, I would still say the quality is good. (But) guests, when they are onboard, get better food than the crew,” said another source.

He added that the pandemic – and the absence of guests – has improved that food quality considerably.

The crew member working on another ship said that the food served to crew members on his ship is of a “very low standard” with not many different options on offer.

However, none of the crew members Cruise Industry News spoke with had said that they were unhappy with their food.

“It’s okay. I know I can’t expect amazing food experiences,” said one crew member. 

“At times, you will wait until the end of the line and not find what you would eat, so you have to settle for what there is or eat toast with a hotdog (instead),” said another crew member in a written response. “If you are someone looking for gluten-free, unsalted dietary-fiber-filled croissants for morning tea, a cruise ship is not the place for you.”

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

The one thing cruise ship passengers do that drives crew mad

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Cruise ships have their own set of rules , and a holiday at sea isn’t like your average getaway.

Lucy Southerton, 28, from  Birmingham , has been working on cruise liners for the past nine years, meaning she knows all the tips and tricks to get the most from your time aboard .

On her YouTube channel, Cruising as Crew , she shares her knowledge to ensure first-time passengers avoid common pitfalls – and the mistake cruise newbies make most can end up ruining your break.

According to Lucy, ‘treating a cruise like an all-inclusive holiday’ is the main faux pas she notices at work.

She said: ‘If some people have solely done all-inclusive holidays, they make the mistake of thinking a cruise vacation is very similar to that.

‘So a lot of people do not budget for extra expenses while they are on board because they have the misconception that most things will be free.’

The crew member says that although things like buffet meals will be included in the price of your trip, dining at certain restaurants on board or going on excursions often costs extra.

Forgetting to factor this into a budget can ‘really ruin people’s vacation’, Lucy says, as they have to miss out on things they perhaps looked forward to.

Gratuities are a big deal on a cruise too, so it’s recommended to set aside some cash to tip staff at the end of your holiday.

She said: ‘With a lot of cruises, you get hit with the gratuity bill at the end, which I have also seen a lot of people not budget for.’

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Alongside this, Lucy claims first-time ‘cruisers’ can struggle with the tight timings ships have to adhere to and miss their departure after a stop.

She said: ‘They get off at the port, go off and explore by themselves, which is part of the fun – but what they don’t allow for is time to get back. It obviously makes things very difficult for the cruise line and it is just an all-around mess.

‘So, when you’re on a cruise, it is very different from a hotel that is going to stay stationary. You absolutely have to make it a priority to get back to the ship on time and ask crew members what the traffic is like at each port if you’re getting a taxi to a certain destination.’

Her next warning is around travel insurance, which is particularly vital to get at the time of booking because cruises can get cancelled or flights to your starting destination can be delayed.

Lucy said: ‘Unlike a land holiday, where if your flight is eight hours late and the hotel stays where it is, the cruise ship moves so if your flight is eight hours delayed that’s going to mean you’ll miss it.

‘You absolutely have to get travel insurance as soon as you book the cruise.’

Overbooking excursions is another no-no, so try to balance ‘some exciting days but some relaxing days’ when planning out your itinerary to avoid ending up exhausted.

Lucy also advises pre-booking activities or excursions rather than leaving it to the last minute, ensuring you pack essentials (including medication), researching ports ahead of time, and listening carefully to safety briefings so you’re prepared for emergencies.

And, last but not least, she urges first-timers to always consider where their cabin is – particularly if they might be prone to seasickness.

She says: ‘You want to be in the centre of the ship. You don’t want to be in the back, you definitely don’t want to be in the front, because that’s where you’re going to feel the movement the most.

‘So when you book a cabin, make sure it is in the centre of the ship, and make sure the cabin you book is surrounded by other cabins.’

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Lucy adds: ‘The cheaper cabins will have a restaurant or a gym above them and it’s going to be noisy, so cabin location is really important.’

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• So a Guy in a Bathrobe Walks Around a Family Cruise Ship...

"A guy in a bathrobe walks around a family cruise ship" sounds like the setup to a really bad joke and, in a way, I suppose it is — if you're ready to join me on my epic quest to fisk the most unintentionally hysterical article The Atlantic has published in a long time.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is the world's largest cruise ship with a crew of 2,350 and room for up to 7,600 passengers. This ship displaces more weight than two Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and sports a set of six water slides that look like a tangled mass of giant twisty straws.

It also has one misplaced Atlantic writer named Gary Shteyngart.

His first glimpse of the Icon brought "on a feeling of vertigo, nausea, amazement, and distress," that forced him to "shut my eyes in defense." That's when readers knew they were going to be taken on a very special trip with the man who has "been tasked with witnessing its inaugural voyage."

I'm guessing that's because Shteyngart lost an office bet, based on his self-assessment: "I am 51, old and tired, having seen much of the world as a former travel journalist, and mostly what I do in both life and prose is shrug while muttering to my imaginary dachshund, 'This too shall pass.'"

You get the feeling that Shteyngart once had a real dachshund, the first dog to commit suicide. 

Before leaving port, he got himself good and loaded:

I am on Deck 15, outside the buffet and overlooking a bunch of pools (the Icon has seven of them), drinking a frilly drink that I got from one of the bars (the Icon has 15 of them), still too shy to speak to anyone, despite Sister Sledge’s assertion that all on the ship are somehow related.

Frilly drinks? That's a rookie move, particularly for a world traveler.

Even full of what was probably cheap rum, "The ship’s passage away from Ron DeSantis’s Florida provides no frisson," Shteyngart whined. A lefty too depressed to get a thrill from his "passage away from Ron DeSantis’s Florida" is in need of therapy — but I repeat myself.

Lest Atlantic readers fear that Shteyngart might not be snobby enough to do a proper job of sneering at his cruise mates, he comforts them that he "may come from a somewhat different monde than many of the other cruisers." To prepare himself (and Atlantic readers) for the unwanted but "friendly outspokenness on the part of my fellow seafarers that may not comply with modern DEI standards," Shteyngart decided on an unusual attire.

I visited what remains of Little Italy to purchase a popular T-shirt that reads DADDY'S LITTLE MEATBALL across the breast in the colors of the Italian flag. My wife recommended that I bring one of my many T-shirts featuring Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, as all Americans love the beagle and his friends. But I naively thought that my meatball T-shirt would be more suitable for conversation-starting. “Oh, and who is your ‘daddy’?” some might ask upon seeing it. “And how long have you been his ‘little meatball’?” And so on.

Grown men buying DADDY'S LITTLE MEATBALL t-shirts in adult sizes probably automatically go on some kind of watchlist, but that's a topic for another day. 

Entering a crowded area wearing his new purchase, Shteyngart seemed disappointed that nobody gave a damn that he was doing his best to offend them and/or get them to engage him with banalities he could later mock them for.

I stick out my chest for all to read the funny legend upon it, but soon I realize that despite its burnished tricolor letters, no one takes note. More to the point, no one takes note of me. Despite my attempts at bridge building, the very sight of me (small, ethnic, without a cap bearing the name of a football team) elicits no reaction from other passengers.

In case you didn't get it yet, Shteyngart wants his readers to know that people who enjoy cruises are probably also homophobic and unfamiliar with even the mere sight of a Jew. How disappointed he was with himself for failing to illicit any gay or antisemitic slurs. Maybe next time he could dress up as Rip Taylor and sport a yarmulke. 

One hangover and several semi-successful attempts at making acquaintances later, Shteyngart got his groove back with another unusual wardrobe choice:

Instead of trying to impress with my choice of T-shirts, I have decided to start wearing a robe, as one does at a resort property on land, with a proper spa and hammam. The response among my fellow cruisers has been ecstatic. “Look at you in the robe!” Mr. Rand cries out as we pass each other by the Thrill Island aqua park. “You’re living the cruise life!"

I've been to many resorts. I do not recall seeing many — any? — bored-looking lefties wandering around in a bathrobe and drinking frilly drinks. Maybe I need to travel more. 

On Day Three he realized, " This whole thing is a cult ." Much of Shteyngart's "Ennui Guide to Family Cruises" concerns the pricy upgrades and upsells, which he finds cultlike — so I won't bore you with that. If you're into cruises, you know. If you aren't, you don't care. What fascinates me is what an unpleasant passenger Shteyngart is, and how entertaining he expects readers to find his self-inflicted misery. 

Even his attempts at finding a silver lining fell flat:

There is far more diversity on this ship than I expected. Many couples are a testament to Loving v. Virginia, and there is a large group of folks whose T-shirts read MELANIN AT SEA / IT'S THE MELANIN FOR ME. I smile when I see them, but then some young kids from the group makes Mr. Washy Washy do a cruel, caricatured “Burger Dance” (today he is in his burger getup), and I think, Well, so much for intersectionality .

Damn those stupid happy children and their stupid happy songs .

On the other hand, Shteyngart did kinda-sorta enjoy the ice show:

I go to the ice show, which is a kind of homage—if that’s possible—to the periodic table, done with the style and pomp and masterful precision that would please the likes of Kim Jong Un, if only he could afford Royal Caribbean talent.

Bless his heart. I guess our world traveler doesn't know that Kim Jong Un can afford anything he wants and that it's the people of North Korea who can barely even imagine the bounty of a Western cruise ship. But people, I'm sure Shteyngart and his readers agree, are the worst.

On Day Five, he found a kindred spirit.

Today I’ve befriended a bald man with many children who tells me that all of the little trinkets that Royal Caribbean has left us in our staterooms and suites are worth a fortune on eBay. “Eighty dollars for the water bottle, 60 for the lanyard,” the man says. “This is a cult.”

People like souvenirs and will pay more for hard-to-get ones, film at 11. 

But it isn't like Shteyngart is without any empathy at all:

For a large middle-class family (he works in “supply chains”), seven days in a lower-tier cabin—which starts at $1,800 a person—allow the parents to drop off their children in Surfside, where I imagine many young Filipina crew members will take care of them, while the parents are free to get drunk at a swim-up bar and maybe even get intimate in their cabin. Cruise ships have become, for a certain kind of hardworking family, a form of subsidized child care.

$7,200 for a family of four and... where's the subsidy? By now, Shteyngart reads like he wrote a prefabricated list of complaints and is just pasting them in anywhere to up his word count and justify his solo  $19,000 package full of all those cultish upgrades and upsells.

At the end of his eight-day voyage, Shteyngart lamented that the Titanic "at least offered its passengers an exciting ending to their cruise," because drowning in the icy North Atlantic is of course preferable to one last frilly drink, provided you prepare to dismembark with the proper mindset. 

His report ended with this odd passage:

A day or two before I got off the ship, I decided to make use of my balcony, which I had avoided because I thought the view would only depress me further. What I found shocked me. My suite did not look out on Central Park after all. This entire time, I had been living in the ship’s Disneyland, Surfside, the neighborhood full of screaming toddlers consuming milkshakes and candy. And as I leaned out over my balcony, I beheld a slight vista of the sea and surf that I thought I had been missing. It had been there all along.

The glorious ocean... still somehow surrounding that nausea-inducing cruise ship with all its happy, stupid children.

Fear not, Gary Shteyngart — for this too shall pass. 

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Everything you can ask your cruise ship butler to do, from the sublime to the ridiculous

My husband and I were on board a luxury river ship in Europe trying to open a fancy bottle of French wine we had purchased on shore — we were struggling with the corkscrew.

I'd had this issue once before in a hotel, and the result was red wine splashed around the room. Fearing a repeat, I called for our butler, who arrived promptly, opened the bottle with ease and then went off to find a cheese he said would pair perfectly with the wine.

Cruise ship butlers are trained to pamper, after all, and that means no request is too ridiculous.

If you book a suite with butler service, this person can be a trusted adviser. He or she will serve up surprises, offer tips to make your cruise even more enjoyable and handle requests with aplomb.

What does it take to be a butler?

First, get the "Downton Abbey" image out of your head. Butlers are not necessarily British or male. They come from around the world, including India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Eastern Europe and Italy. That said, some are trained in the English style of butler service.

For instance, on Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises ships, butlers are trained by the Guild of Professional English Butlers.

Your butler will likely have studied wine presentation (right down to where to place the Champagne bucket) and learned how to interact with guests. The training includes both classroom instruction and role-playing.

A cruise ship butler once told me the necessary skills are humor, being super organized, having enough confidence to offer advice and being able to intuit guest needs. Your butler will study your habits and think ahead on ways to please.

Which cruise ships have butler service?

At ultra-luxury line Silversea Cruises , every guest stays in a suite with butler service. Other lines with butlers for top suites include Celebrity Cruises , Cunard , Norwegian Cruise Line , MSC Cruises , Azamara Cruises , Oceania and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, as well as river line Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.

For those staying in Star Class suites on select Royal Caribbean ships, the butler role is fulfilled by a Royal Genie, as in, "Your wish is my command."

Whether you have a butler or a genie, the idea is the same.

Related: 7 reasons you should splurge for a suite on your next cruise

What can my butler do for me?

If you're wondering what your butler can do for you, you're not alone. After all, very few guests in cruise ship suites have a butler at home. Here are a few ways to take advantage of butler service on your next cruise.

Unpack luggage

Your butler won't force any services on you. But if you want your clothes neatly tucked away, your shoes shined, wrinkles removed from your ballgown, your laundry whisked away or even a button replaced, these are some of the services your butler is available to perform.

If you forgot to pack your dress shoes, your zipper breaks (or you can't reach the zipper on the back of your dress), your mascara is too gooey or you just need advice on what to wear on a particular night on the ship, call your butler.

Your butler will also be available to help you pack up at the end of your cruise.

Serve breakfast in bed

Want your butler to bring you breakfast in bed? All you need to do is ask. You can also order other meals in your cabin.

If you do dinner in your suite, your butler will likely bring you the dining room menu so you can make your meal choices, and your selections will be delivered course by course, so nothing is tepid (unless it's supposed to be).

Once, after a long day ashore, my husband and I just wanted a hamburger and fries for a quiet in-room movie date night. Our butler arranged everything and suggested we order brownies for dessert. He delivered our burgers on a silver tray.

Your butler can also bring you afternoon canapes to go with your cocktails, which he or she can prepare — in addition to keeping your minibar stocked with your favorite beverages. You can also request afternoon tea or a cappuccino whenever you like.

Want popcorn while you watch a movie, have a caviar craving or need a midnight snack? Call the butler.

You can also ask your butler for service outside your suite. For instance, on a cruise on Silver Origin in the Galapagos, a pal and I watched the sunset in a hot tub while our butler served us chilled sparkling wine.

Related: Cruise ship room service: A line-by-line guide to in-cabin dining

Book reservations and shore excursions

Your butler's focus is great service, and he or she may enlist other crew members to help fulfill your requests. Depending on the ship, your butler might help you arrange dinner times, spa treatments and even shore excursions — or refer you to a concierge who can help make reservations.

It's my experience that butlers really know the best things on the ships and often in the ports as well. For instance, if you have questions about whether the seafood lunch buffet is worth attending, ask your butler. If you want to dine in port and aren't sure where, ask your butler that question, too.

Rearrange your cabin furniture

You might have heard your butler can have your furniture rearranged — and it's true.

For instance, if you're not a fan of decorative pillows, you can ask the butler to have them removed. You could also request a chair or have lamps added to your cabin.

One regular guest in Cunard's Queens Grill suites asks for an extra dresser for storage, has the couch moved and the chairs turned around, and, since she prefers showers, has a wall-to-wall rod hung above the tub so she has extra space for hanging clothes.

Host a party

Want to throw a little party? Butlers can help you entertain guests. For example, on my Silver Origin cruise, one guest wanted to have friends over to her suite before dinner. Her butler removed furniture to make space, added extra chairs and supplied several bottles of sparkling wine and four kinds of empanadas.

When my husband and I decided to throw a cocktail party on our Asia honeymoon cruise, the butler went all-out arranging nibbles, from nuts and cheese to cold shrimp and crab.

If your suite has a large enough dining table, you can also have your butler arrange a dinner party.

On all-inclusive ships, there is typically no extra charge for these extravagances, and that might be the case on other ships as well, as cruise lines often want to pamper their big-spending passengers in the fanciest suites.

Your butler can also help you celebrate a special occasion. Butlers will have experience preparing celebrations ranging from birthdays and anniversaries to marriage proposals. They can help you come up with over-the-top ideas, whether that means filling a room with roses or balloons or arranging a secret spot for you to get down on one knee.

Be ship guides (but not dance partners)

Your butler might offer you a tour to help familiarize you with the ship. Some lines, such as Celebrity Cruises, have the butler meet you at the pier and escort you on board.

The butler will also be available to lend an arm as you head to dinner, an activity, a cocktail hour or a show but will not stay and sit with you. If you want a dance partner, you'll need to rely on your ship's dance hosts .

What won't a butler do?

Your butler won't make your bed or clean your cabin. Your room steward will do that.

Butlers also don't babysit or provide any nursing services. If you need that, you'll have to bring your own assistant.

Can I call my butler at any hour?

Cruise ship butler service is available every hour of every day. That said, when your butler is on a break, his or her colleagues will handle your requests.

Your butler will carry either a telephone or pager. However, it's important to remember when making requests that your butler is not yours alone. Cruise ship butlers typically cover the needs of 12 to 16 suites, meaning 24 or more guests per cruise.

Should I tip my butler?

The decision to tip your butler is very personal. I tend to leave a cash tip at the end of the cruise, along with a thank you note.

It's important to note that not all daily service charges include butler gratuities. Check with your cruise line for information on whether they will receive a portion of the daily tips which will be added automatically to your onboard bill.

On all-inclusive ships with gratuities included in the cruise fare, I still leave a thank-you tip.

Related: 13 best all-inclusive cruise lines

Bottom line

When you're on a cruise and have access to a butler, the opportunities for moments of surprise and delight are boundless — and butlers will tell you that's what makes their job truly enjoyable. One Uniworld butler, for example, had a particular trick up his sleeve: He'd surprise guests by sabering a Champagne bottle.

My favorite surprise was on a Silversea ship when my husband and I returned from a desert excursion in Wadi Rum, Jordan. Our butler, with assistance from our cabin steward, had prepared a bubble bath complete with floating flowers. There must have been some radioing ahead as the water was perfectly hot and the bubbles perfectly frothy when we entered our cabin.

Also, on a Regent Seven Seas sailing, one butler went all-out for a couple celebrating their golden anniversary by shooting a video with family members on board and having friends send in clips online, too. The couple's favorite songs were added as background music. When they returned to their suite on their anniversary, they found balloons and a banner, a cake, Champagne and the video ready to play on their TV.

According to the butler, the guests responded with happy tears.

Whether you want help with something as simple as getting acquainted with the ship or as elaborate as throwing an unforgettable soiree, butler service on a cruise ship can be a sublime experience. In fact, the most frequent request butlers say they hear from guests is, "Can you come home with me?"

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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CALL FOR RESERVATIONS

As we move into our new Newport Landing dock facility & event center, our online reservation system will be temporality unavailable. Please call 1(800) 261-8586 to book your reservation today. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to serving you in 2019!

Thanksgiving Day Cruises

About this Cruise

Truly a feast to be thankful for! Let our chef create the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for you, your family and friends. Celebrate with "Cincinnati's River Tradition" and treat yourself to a traditional holiday feast with all the trimmings but without all the work!

Cruise Schedule

November 26, 2020

Early Dinner Cruise

Sailing: 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Boarding: 12:00 pm

Late Dinner Cruise

Sailing: 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Boarding: 4:30 pm

Adults General Admission

Children Ages 4-12

25% OFF Souvenir Photos

Pre-order a souvenir boarding photo when making your online reservation and save on your purchase.

Customize Your Cruise

Make your cruise unique by adding table decorations, appetizers, and desserts, guaranteed window seating, souvenirs and other enhancements!

Tossed salad topped with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and Red Onions served with homemade ranch and Gluten Free Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressings

Bakery Fresh Rolls and butter

Roasted Turkey

Sage Dressing

Applewood Smoked Boneless ham

Green Bean Casserole

Three Cheese Macaroni

Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and toasted Marshmallows

Whipped potatoes with Gravy

Cranberry Sauce

Pumpkin Pie

Cheesecake and Pecan Pie

Dietary Restrictions?

If a member of your party requires a vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free meal, please note this selection when making your reservation and other options will be made available on your cruise.

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Experience Cincinnati and the Ohio River like never before and unwind on a day or evening cruise aboard one of the magnificent BB Riverboats. We aren’t your typical cruise company. Choose from a wide variety of our signature cruises, Read More all of which include a fully stocked bar and delicious food from our buffet. Plan a date night with your loved one on our Stonebrook Winery Sunset Cruise, relax the day away with friends on our Captains’ Lunch Cruise, or bring the kids and have some family fun and bonding on our Sunday Family Dinner Cruise. Our Signature, or Specialty Cruises are offered daily throughout the season. Read Less

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Are you looking for a unique and memorable way to spend an afternoon or evening in Cincinnati? BB Riverboats cruises have plenty of options for you, whether you're looking for family fun during the day, or a way to spend an evening with friends that you'll never forget. Read More Join the excitement and take an adventure on one of our themed dinner cruises. These riverboat cruises are designed for all tastes and interests. Bring your kids to a Princess, Pirate, or Super Hero Cruise; take your husband or wife to sightsee along the Ohio River; or grab your friends and listen to live music. For a fun guy’s night out, we offer a Bernstein’s Batch Bourbon Dinner Cruise; and for the ladies, a Girl’s Night Out with Pure Romance Cruise. Tasty cocktails at our full bar and exciting entertainment compliment all cruises. Read Less

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Are you looking for a fun way to spend the summer holidays with family and loved ones? Forget the movie theatre or dinner at a boring restaurant and come aboard one of our lavish Riverboats to sail on the mighty Ohio. Read More Spend Father's Day, July 4th or Labor Day on a boat cruise that is sure to be one of the highlights of your summer! Our dinner cruises travel along the Ohio River and give you the greatest of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky sightseeing. Whether it is dining at our extensive buffet, sipping cocktails at our full bar, or busting out your best moves on our dance floor, you are sure to make memories your family and friends will cherish forever. Read Less

BB is Back! Here's How We’re Cruising Safely

There is nothing more important than the well-being of our customers and crew. Learn more about the steps we’re taking to make sure your BB experience is safe and enjoyable.

Make your cruising adventure perfect with our menu packages and add-on options. Choose from a wide variety of foods, drinks, and cruise enhancements. ... BB Riverboats 101 Riverboat Row Newport, KY 41071 Directions; Our Family of Brands; BB Riverboats; Current Catering; The USS Nightmare; Reviews; Trip Advisor; Yelp;

BB Riverboats - Breath-taking cruises along the beautiful Ohio River. tap the or ICON in your browser and select 'Add to Home Screen' Menu. 0 Current Conditions. 1(800) 261-8586 Book Your Reservation Find a Cruise. Today *select dates **Out of town departure. All Cruises;

A second snack buffet was out out at 8 that consisted of watery bbq sliders, cheese, chips and pretzels. The DJ did a good job of playing music throughout the cruise. The fireworks were awesome, of course, but it was difficult to find a good place on the boat to view them from.

Specialties: BB Riverboats is one of Cincinnati's top attractions and specializes in Lunch, Brunch, Sightseeing, and Dinner cruises on the beautiful Ohio River. Bring your sweetie, invite the family, or show that out of town guest what Cincinnati has to offer in a very unique way. Come and find out why everyting is better on the river! Established in 1980. In 1977, Ben Bernstein (founder of BB ...

Take in the skyline, watch the river go by, and enjoy a fantastic meal aboard one of our Captain's Dinner cruises. Click the "Book this Cruise" button to see up to the minute scheduling. Cruise schedule may change during off-season months. See all of our up-to-date special packages when you choose a specific date in our online reservation system.

The food was good. If I had paid that much for a meal on land, then I would've been disappointed, but given that it was served on a boat, it was worth the price. ... Ask Family_Man_Matt about BB Riverboats. 4 Thank Family_Man_Matt . This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs ...

BB Riverboats, Newport, Kentucky. 90,423 likes · 392 talking about this · 74,920 were here. Get 5% off any cruise (excluding special events) just for being a Facebook fan by using code FB.

BB Riverboats is the Official Riverboat Cruise Line of Cincinnati since 1979, offering premier sightseeing, dining, and private event cruises on the scenic Ohio River. Experience Cincinnati like never before aboard one our many themed event and dining cruises - one of Cincinnati's top things to do!' ... Menu. 35 Current Conditions. 1(800) 261 ...

Restaurants near BB Riverboats, Newport on Tripadvisor: Find traveler reviews and candid photos of dining near BB Riverboats in Newport, Kentucky.

BB Riverboats. tap the or ICON in ... Menu. 56 Current Conditions. 1(800) 261-8586 Book Your Reservation Find a Cruise. Today. Book It; There are currently no cruises scheduled for this date. If you would like to book a Group Event, please call 1(800) 261-8586. *select dates **Out of town departure. Group Events ...

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m e n u. drink. everything is better on the river. est 1979. spirits. beer. call brands. domestic beer & imports. craft & local beers. $7. $9. premium brands ...

Share. 67 reviews #2 of 28 Restaurants in Elektrostal $$ - $$$ European Contemporary Vegetarian Friendly. Fryazevskoye Hwy., 14, Elektrostal Russia + Add phone number + Add website + Add hours Improve this listing. See all (2) Enhance this page - Upload photos! Add a photo. Food.

Bez filtra #77 among Elektrostal restaurants: 64 reviews by visitors and 15 detailed photos. Find on the map and call to book a table.

BB Riverboats is the Official Riverboat Cruise Line of Cincinnati since 1979, offering premier sightseeing, dining, and private event cruises on the scenic Ohio River. ... Menu. 0 Current Conditions. 1(800) 261-8586 Book Your Reservation Find a Cruise. Today *select dates **Out of town departure. All Cruises; Dining Cruises;

Lunch menus are for events beginning prior to 4:00pm and dinner events begin after 4:00pm. All menu packages include coffee, decaffeinated coffee and tea. Price includes a 2-hour cruise, buffet style meal with linen, napkins, china, flatware, and seating. All prices include a 18% food service fee and 6% sales tax.

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Experience Cincinnati and the Ohio River like never before and unwind on a day or evening cruise aboard one of the magnificent BB Riverboats. We aren't your typical cruise company. Choose from a wide variety of our signature cruises, Read More all of which include a fully stocked bar and delicious food from our buffet. Plan a date night with ...

Pekin. Unclaimed. Review. Save. Share. 17 reviews #12 of 28 Restaurants in Elektrostal $$ - $$$ Asian. Lenina Ave., 40/8, Elektrostal 144005 Russia +7 495 120-35-45 Website + Add hours Improve this listing. See all (5) Enhance this page - Upload photos!

CALL FOR RESERVATIONS. As we move into our new Newport Landing dock facility & event center, our online reservation system will be temporality unavailable. Please call 1 (800) 261-8586 to book your reservation today. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to serving you in 2019! Home Cruises holiday Cruises Thanksgiving Day Cruises.

Nearly 200 people sick in norovirus outbreaks on Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises ships

Nearly 200 people got sick in norovirus outbreaks on Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International ships.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 94 of the 2,532 guests on Sapphire Princess reported being ill during its April 5 cruise, along with 20 crew members. The round-trip cruise, which left from Los Angeles with stops in Hawaii and the South Pacific, will end on May 7, according to CruiseMapper .

On Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas, 67 of its 1,993 guests reported being ill in addition to two crew members during a cruise that ended April 22, according to the CDC . The two-week voyage sailed from Tampa, Florida to Los Angeles with stops in countries like Colombia and Panama, according to CruiseMapper .

In both outbreaks, the guests and crew members’ main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting.

Princess, Royal Caribbean and the ships’ crews implemented heightened cleaning and disinfection measures and isolated those who were sick, among other steps, the health agency said.

"Onboard the most current sailing of Sapphire Princess, there have been a small number of cases of mild gastrointestinal illness among passengers, the cause likely is the common but contagious virus called Norovirus," a Princess spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. "At the first sign of an increase in the numbers of passengers reporting to the medical center with gastrointestinal illness, we immediately initiated additional enhanced sanitization procedures to interrupt the person-to-person spread of this virus. Our sanitization program, developed in coordination with the CDC, includes disinfection measures, isolation of ill passengers and communication to passengers about steps they can take to stay well while onboard."

Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The CDC has logged six outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships that met its threshold for public notification since the beginning of the year. Norovirus was listed as the causative agent in five, while one was unknown.

The illness is often associated with cruise ships but outbreaks occur in communities on land as well, according to Dr. Sarah E. Hochman, a hospital epidemiologist and the section chief of infectious diseases at NYU Langone Health’s Tisch Hospital.

“There's not something special or unique about cruise ships,” she said. “It's really any type of congregate setting, but it's also happening out in the community on a much smaller scale among households and household contacts. It just doesn't come to the attention of public health as much as it does for larger congregate settings.”

Hochman said the virus is “incredibly infectious” and congregate settings tend to have many shared surfaces, such as handrails in cruise ship stairwells or elevators. “And so, if you just have one person who's shedding the virus and touches the surface and then someone else touches it and then touches their mouth, that's how it can spread in those types of settings.”

Cruise ship medical facilities: What happens if you get sick or injured (or bitten by a monkey)

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer isn't as effective against norovirus, and Hochman emphasized that washing hands with soap and water “will do a lot to prevent the spread.”

The news comes after more than two dozen Silversea Cruises guests got sick in a gastrointestinal illness outbreak on the luxury line’s Silver Nova ship during a sailing that began in late March.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].