These 5 Cruise Lines Have The Best Food, According To Travelers

Cruise vacationers spend a lot of time eating. When at least some of the restaurants are included in your fare, you want to make the most of them. While you're planning that dream cruise vacation, it's important to keep in mind which cruise lines are known for their top-notch cuisine. From Carnival to Seabourn, there is a lot to digest. After all, some of these ships shell out as much as $1 million on groceries each week (per Business Insider), so you know there will be plenty of food. 

What makes on-board dining stand out is the unique experiences they can provide to guests. For example, aboard Disney Cruise Line, there is often a quite imaginative Pirate Night during Caribbean itineraries that puts Mickey and pals in pirate attire but also changes the menus. That means noshing on items like Jack's Treasure-of-the-Seas or a Pirate's Treasure Sundae instead of the typical dinner fare.

We determined which cruise lines serve the best food based on customer feedback available on Yelp and Cruise Critic. The one exception for Yelp is Scenic Luxury Cruises, which does not have a Yelp page. We also consulted The Points Guy's round-up of the best restaurants at sea when they matched up with companies we named. Not to worry though, we included less-than-stellar feedback so you can make the best decision when booking your next cruise, which you should do on this day of the week. 

One could say that the food aboard this cruise line is a carnival of flavors. That is particularly true of Carnival Cruise Line's Fahrenheit 555, one of the company's steakhouses found on nearly all of its ships. According to The Points Guy (TPG), Fahrenheit 555 is one of the best restaurants at sea. TPG even noted that Carnival is known for its steakhouses and, at the prices offered, it isn't a bad deal.

Many travelers on Cruise Critic noted how incredible (and abundant) the food was. One reviewer, who has been on more than 10 cruises, wrote of the wide variety of cuisines available on the Carnival Mardi Gras: "Food was outstanding," they said. "Teppanyaki was outstanding and the chef really entertained all of us. Big Chicken is so good for lunch, breakfast was not as good, but still tasty ... My favorite lunch was the salad bar on the serenity deck, so much to choose from." 

Meanwhile, many Yelp reviewers felt that the food was a highlight of their trip — even if they didn't like other elements of the cruise. Some didn't agree on the food quality, however, including this Yelper who goes on multiple Carnival cruises each year. They wrote that the food isn't as good and they don't like that there are people controlling how much you take, presumably from the buffet.

Holland America is no stranger to dining awards, as it has racked up several through the years. For example, it has previously been named Best Onboard Dining by TravelAge West and Best New Restaurant at Sea for Rudi's Sel De Mer by several outlets. This company even offers specialty Culinary Cruises for the foodiest of foodie travelers where they can learn from celebrity chefs and enjoy exclusive dinners.

As for the food options, the chic main dining room can be found on every Holland America ship and was a favorite of a frequent Yelp cruiser who wrote that the main dining room aboard the Rotterdam was the best they had seen across many cruise lines. Meanwhile, lots of reviewers at Cruise Critic agreed that the food onboard is terrific. One Zaandam cruiser, in particular, recommended the Lido Deck, in addition to the specialty restaurants, for food that "was always well prepared, fresh and tasty."

Another cruiser from a Rotterdam sailing didn't care for the food. They shared on Cruise Critic that the food had become too formal based on experiences from three other Holland sailings. "They have changed to gourmet food which translates at least to me as decorated plates with small portions," the reviewer noted.

Dining at Red Ginger is included aboard Oceania sailings that offer the restaurant. That's surprising because The Points Guy refers to it as "the most gorgeous restaurant you'll ever see on a cruise ship." Red Ginger, a contemporary Asian fusion restaurant, is included on four Oceania ships: the Marina, Riviera, Sirena, and Vista. Although complimentary with your fare, reservations are required to dine there.

A Yelper on their seventh Oceania Cruise wrote that the food on all of their sailings had been excellent. However, they were most impressed by how seriously the cruise line takes dietary restrictions. A crew member sought out their companion to inquire about food allergies. "Thereafter paper menus were delivered to our stateroom each night describing all offerings that would be served at the Grand Dining Room the following day. She could return them by 10:00 a.m. the next day with notations of any changes in ingredients she desired."

Another cruiser who sailed with the Regatta wrote on Cruise Critic that they enjoyed some restaurants more than others. They explained that the food onboard was good and that they preferred the specialty steak restaurant to the Italian restaurant. Other Cruise Critic reviewers disagreed. One wrote about the high quality of the fish and seafood but did not find the steak meals impressive.

Unlike the other cruise lines mentioned so far, Scenic Luxury Cruises has a slightly more elevated dining experience in an all-inclusive atmosphere. That's because all meals and nearly all beverages are included in your fare, whereas other cruise lines have some additional paid restaurants. Per the Scenic website, the exceptions are "specialty wines and rare spirits." Note that not all land excursions have all-inclusive meals or beverages.

One reviewer on Cruise Critic who sailed aboard the Scenic Eclipse II wrote that they would call their trip a 6-star sailing. They raved about "amazing food – fresh, plentiful and beautifully presented. Restaurant Lumiére was fine dining at its best thanks to Chef Tom Göetter." Many other travelers also called the food amazing or said that it was one of the highlights of their adventure.

Not everyone felt the same about the dining, though. Another cruiser from the Scenic Eclipse II, with 10+ sailings under their belt, wrote that the food was "lackluster." They mentioned a want for more variety. A different cruiser from the same ship noted a similar dislike of the on-board dining, citing the use of "canned fruit" over fresh.

On top of its Michelin-quality dining experiences, Seabourn Cruise Line is also a member of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. The gastronomy organization is dedicated to the culinary arts represented in over 75 countries. Additionally, Seabourn food and beverages are all included in cruise fare, like with Scenic. That even includes things like premium spirits and wine, caviar, and an in-suite bar.

One experienced cruiser at Cruise Critic enjoyed the food, though they wrote that they wished their ship (the Seabourn Encore) had another dining venue. That cruiser also shared that room service was terrific. After sailing aboard the Seabourn Pursuit, one cruiser wrote that food and wine pairings were excellent: "We quickly made friends with the sommelier and she took very good care of us during the entire voyage."

A Yelper raved over the food served in the Colonnade room, particularly during Thomas Keller night. However, they did not enjoy the main dining room, as they had to send food back when it came out overcooked — twice. As for the buffet service, a Cruise Critic reviewer noted a lack of non-room service dining options after 2 p.m.

Knowing the ins and outs of a ship's dining options is almost as important as knowing what to pack for a cruise. That's why, in addition to consulting The Points Guy's best ship restaurants, we also looked to traveler reviews to determine the best cruise lines for dining experiences. When possible, we used both Cruise Critic and Yelp to compare and contrast dining viewpoints. Only Scenic Luxury Cruises were unavailable on Yelp, in which case we used only Cruise Critic.