I've sailed on every class of Royal Caribbean cruise ship in an ongoing effort to find the best free food on Royal Caribbean.
Every ship has certain restaurants that are included in your cruise fare, and I've generally been pleased with all. Not everything is amazing, but you definitely won't go hungry on the ship.
Eating at the "free" restaurants is a great way to stay on budget, as well as take advantage of what the cruise line has to offer. I know specialty dining gets so much attention, but I think Royal Caribbean has upped its included food game, especially with the casual grab and go spots.
It's quite tempting to dine at the specialty spots, but on some cruises I recently took, I opted to eat just at the included restaurants. Part of it was a challenge to myself to see what the food experience is really like without spending extra. But I also really enjoy the food, especially if I'm on a ship that I know has certain options.
Some meals were surprisingly great, others… not so much. Here are my top picks.
Which restaurants are included on a Royal Caribbean cruise
Every Royal Caribbean ship differs slightly in which restaurants are offered, both included and specialty.
There's a lot of carry-over between the ships, but some restaurant concepts only exist on a handful of ships.
Here's a list of the major free venues that apply across most ships, keeping in mind your ship may not have all of them:
- Main Dining Room (MDR)
- Windjammer buffet
- Cafe Promenade/Pearl Cafe/Cafe Latte-Tude
- Park Cafe/Cafe@Two70
- Boardwalk Dog House
- El Loco Fresh
- Sorrento's Pizza
- Solarium Bistro
- Aquadome Market
- Coastal Kitchen (suite guests only, but still "included")
What I ate at each restaurant and what I thought
Since you won't find every included restaurant Royal Caribbean offers on any one ship, I thought I'd break this down by restaurant and list the last ship I tried it on.
There's usually a good consistency between ships, but some iterations do vary depending on the ship class. As an example, the Windjammer's size and stations are vastly different on a Vision Class ship compared to an Oasis Class ship.
11. Boardwalk Dog House
I want to love Boardwalk Dog House more than I do, but the product falls short of the concept.
As you might imagine, this is a spot to get all sorts of hot dogs and brats.
The meat is fine, but it's everything else where it falls flat. The buns are hard (previously frozen), and really take away from the food.
The sauerkraut is also strange, and not the same one they serve in the Windjammer. I can't describe it exactly, but it's not as good as the kraut you'd get at almost any hot dog stand you've been to on land.
10. Sorrento’s Pizza
The trope about cruise pizza is it's nothing special, but tastes better the later (and drunker) you are.
Royal Caribbean has upped its pizza game in recent years, and the product is better than it used to be. While I wouldn't go specifically for a meal, it's the perfect snack almost any time of day or night.
My kids swear by Sorrento's, and eat a few slices each day.
The fact it's open late (usually until 2 or 3am), makes it a convenient option.
There's usually three or four varieties of pizza offered: cheese, pepperoni, and something else.
The additional toppings can really vary in how good they are or not. Carnivore and veggie are top picks.
9. Basecamp
Available only on the Icon Class ships, it's a convenient snack spot near the water slides, Flowrider and everything else at the back of the ship.
It used to be half included, but now the menu has been converted over to fully included.
The pretzel bites are worth a stop here, as they're akin to the microwaved soft pretzels you may have had over the years. Eat them quickly before they harden back up.
The chicken fingers are also pretty good, and like the rest of the menu, it's the kind of food you'd want to grab when you're feeling peckish.
8. Cafe Promenade
Your ship will have a coffee shop onboard that may have different names (Cafe Latte-Tudes or Pearl Cafe) but the concept is similar across all iterations.
It offers both free and extra cost coffee and tea, as well as snacks.
The best version is Pearl Cafe on Icon Class ships because the quality of the food here is significantly better.
I usually find something to munch on when I'm on other ships too.
In addition to the premium coffees, I really like the turkey wrap or the roast beef sandwich.
7. Park Cafe
One of the underrated choices for a meal is at Park Cafe (or Cafe@Two 70) that serves snacks and light meals.
I love going here for breakfast on a port day when I want something quick to eat without fuss.
It's also a great embarkation day lunch spot that's going to be a lot less crowded than the Windjammer.
The best food here is the roast beef sandwich, that is served in au jus and topped with a kimmelweck bun.
6. Solarium Bistro
The most easily overlooked included restaurant on any Royal Caribbean ship, but a fantastic alternative to the Main Dining Room.
It's usually open for all meals, and is one of the best choices for a less crowded breakfast. Because most cruisers don't know about it, it's quiet and still has custom made to order omelets.
There's also lighter and healthier options available.
5. Main Dining Room
I've been a fan of the Main Dining Room ever since my first cruise because I really like having the same table and waiter each night for dinner.
The menu has changed a lot over the years, but I've consistently found a few things to order on any night.
I think there's a good variety of choices to satisfy most palates, and the service has always been impressive. It's not perfect, and I've had nights where I've ended up in the Windjammer after, but more often than not, it hits the spot.
Certainly some nights are better than others. Italian night, Welcome Aboard, and Mexican night are really good, but I'd skip Caribbean night.
It's also where you'll find an Indian dish every evening, and it's the best kept Royal Caribbean dining secret out there.
My top picks for the Main Dining Room are:
- French onion soup
- Shrimp cocktail
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Indian curry choices
- Lobster (on second formal night only)
- Roasted beef tenderloin
- Lasagna al forno
- Chili-lime salmon
- Key lime pie
Dinner is the best meal offered, but breakfast is a good choice if you're in the mood for a casual start to your day.
A few dishes were disappointing:
- Turkey dinner
- Stuffed eggplant
4. Windjammer Buffet
The sheer variety of food in the Windjammer means you're probably going to find something to eat, even among the pickiest eaters.
I love the array of international cuisine. Not only is there usually a couple of Indian dishes, but Chinese, Italian, and Greek food.
I think most people find breakfast to be pretty darn good, and lunch or dinner is more hit or miss depending on which theme there is that evening.
If you're eating at the Windjammer, I'd skip every buffet station and check out what's available at the cooking stations first. At breakfast, it makes customized omelets, and for other meals it could make pasta, stir fry, or some other cuisine.
The food I'd recommend trying here are:
- Omelet station
- Stir fry station/Mongolian grill
- DIY Burger
- Indian curries
By far the worst food are the scrambled eggs that are served in the buffet tray. They're made from a mix and taste too watery.
I also think the desserts generally look better than they actually taste.
3. El Loco Fresh
The quick service Mexican restaurant is one of the best included restaurants you'll find, and it's the perfect pool deck meal.
There's tacos, burritos, nachos, and build-your-own options too.
The reason I like it so much is because you get to customize it the way you like it. Grab tortillas and go to town making tacos with the amount of meat and toppings you prefer.
Because quesadillas or tacos are such crowd pleasers, it's one of the most popular options on any ship.
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how fresh and customizable this is, and how it works for picky eaters too.
The best combo I've come up with is to take the plain tortilla chips that come in a bowl and top them off with every topping available, including a few hot sauces.
2. Coastal Kitchen
I'm including Coastal Kitchen in this list because it's complimentary for suite guests.
Essentially, it's a Main Dining Room for suite guests only (and Pinnacle Club members), that's open for all three meals.
Just like the MDR, some of the food is better than others.
Embarkation day dinner is probably the best menu offered, with a fantastic steak choice.
Plus, there's French onion soup served every day for dinner.
The weakest meal is lunch, and I always skip it.
Be sure to take advantage of breakfast on the final morning too.
1. Aquadome Market
Royal Caribbean's first food hall concept, it's one of their best included restaurant ideas that have launched in recent memory.
This became my favorite included restaurant from the moment I tried it. Everything is prepared fresh and there's a certain level of customization to it.
The must try's include:
- Crepes
- Gyro sandwiches
- Mac and cheese
The only food I thought was lacking was at the Asian hall, because it's the same Chinese food you can get at the Windjammer without much difference.
What I would not do again
The only restaurant I've sworn off from eating at again is the Boardwalk Dog House. Every time I eat there, I'm disappointed.
I also wont go to lunch at Coastal Kitchen because the choices there just aren't that good. Plus, I think El Loco Fresh or Park Cafe would be better options and quicker too.
One other thing I need to stop doing is overlooking Solarium Bistro. I admit I forget it exists because it's in a weird location that I don't walk past a lot.
What I’d do differently on my next cruises
One lesson I learned from eating at the included restaurants is to check the menu ahead of time, and pick the restaurant based on that.
The Main Dining Room is often better than expected, but certain theme dinners are better than others.
Alternating the dining room and Windjammer to provide more variety is a good baseline for many meals.
I also need to consider the smaller included venues more often. I think my mistake was viewing meals in the context of a sit down meal, meaning I assumed I needed to pick one restaurant to have my meal at.
Instead, I could grab a slice of pizza to tide me over, but then go to El Loco Fresh for more later.
I've also come around to embracing Coastal Kitchen as a really good choice. For dinner, there's usually something good available to try. Plus, eating here feels like a step up from the Main Dining Room but without the price tag of a specialty restaurant.
In fact, I'd like to start working in Coastal Kitchen when I have the opportunity for dinners. As a Pinnacle in Crown and Anchor Society, I can usually dine there and the French onion soup alone is reason to make a reservation.
When I'm on a port intensive itinerary (like in Europe), embracing the Windjammer is key. After a long day of touring, I just want something easy without fuss.
Ultimately, I'd recommend not overlooking any of these options simply because they're "free". Specialty dining is wonderful, but you might be surprised how good the included food is, which could also free up money in your vacation budget.
